The final insult
29 Aug 2008
The Springboks are expecting gracious favour from Lady Luck, God and the Highveld hoodoo but none of these intangibles will be enough to prevent another historic Australian win.
Slim chances of re-entering the Tri-Nations race evaporated with the capitulation at Kings Park, and there’s been subsequent talk about how this Ellis Park fixture is an opportunity to regain some pride. But what if the Boks fall to Australia on the Highveld for the first time since 1963? That would be the final insult. It would complete the plummet from champs to chumps in less than 10 months.
Keo.co.za looks at several reasons why Robbie Deans’s tourists will head back Down Under on a high.
BATTERY TAKES IT’S TOLL
Another week, another casualty. It’s a phrase that be will used to describe the Boks’ 2008 Tri-Nations campaign in years to come (as well as a few less-than-kind adjectives). The disaster in Durban cost South Africa another first-choice winger in JP Pietersen, a loss that comes just a week after Bryan Habana bowed out with a hamstring tear. CJ van der Linde has been banned for four weeks and will also be missed in a tight clash. For a side that’s already struggling, it’s almost unfair to expect the reserves to gel with the incumbents, let alone provide gamewinning touches.
The Aussies’ appeal of Rocky Elsom’s ban proved successful allowing the blindsider to hold onto his starting position. The Wallabies midfield looks no less formidable with Timana Tahu replacing the injured Berrick Barnes. The tourists may have lost lock Dan Vickerman but it is the hosts who are the more depleted and deflated outfit.
KICKING CHAOS
While it’s tempting to get stuck into those less-than-kind adjectives and phrases, it’s best to look at Peter de Villiers’s own errant slurs when it comes to tactical kicking. De Villiers assumed the Aussies had an inferior tactical kicking game ahead of that Kings Park Test, but Matt Giteau went on to break the Boks with his well-weighted chips behind the defence. Aside from Tahu, every member of the visiting backline has a healthy boot and the back three is strengthened in this area by the return of Adam Ashley-Cooper.
De Villiers has ignored last week’s result and picked two wingers not known for their kicking prowess, ditto the centres. Conrad Jantjes has the goods, but has failed to deliver in this vein in 2008, and the same goes for Butch James and Fourie du Preez. Why wasn’t Percy Montgomery selected for a match that is bound to see plenty of tactical kicking? A back three of Montgomery, Jantjes and Jongi Nokwe provides more balance in this regard.
BREAKDOWN WAUGH
Rumour has it he’s been locked in a dark cellar for seven days and fed on nothing but small scraps of meat, but Deans has finally decided to unleash the rabid force that is Phil Waugh. George Smith earns a break ahead of the Wallabies’ more important fixture in Brisbane, and so Waugh gets an opportunity to show the new coach what he can do with a start.
The problem with the South African back row is their failure to fire as a unit, and the persistence with Pierre Spies and the axing of Joe van Niekerk could prove costly. Elsom’s beat the law and you’d expect him to produce another big performance at the tackle point, and watch out for another prominent breakdown beast in Tatafu Polota-Nau.
SET-PIECE SCRAP
The scrumming was a positive for the Boks last week, but the problems at lineout time cannot be ignored. There was talk about the Aussie jumpers encroaching on the Boks’ side, but you’d expect experienced players like Victor Matfield and Juan Smith to rise above this sort of pressure. Hugh McMeniman and Elsom will look to spoil South African ball and James Horwill is one of the most underrated players in the Aussie side. They’ll miss Vickerman, but another bumbling Bok showing in this area will make their jobs a whole lot easier.
Prediction: It’ll be a sad end to a disappointing tournament for the world champions. Although they’ve been hit by numerous injuries, they will lament their own mistakes and perhaps finally admit that the current approach is flawed. Australia by 5.
Springboks – 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adrian Jacobs, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Jongi Nokwe, 10 Butch James, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield (c), 4 Andries Bekker, 3 Brian Mujati, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Beast Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Danie Rossouw, 19 Luke Watson, 20 Ricky Januarie, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Percy Montgomery.
Australia - 15. Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14. Peter Hynes, 13. Stirling Mortlock (c), 12. Timana Tahu, 11. Lote Tuqiri, 10. Matt Giteau, 9. Sam Cordingley, 8. Wycliff Palu, 7. Phil Waugh, 6. Rocky Elsom, 5. Hugh McMeniman, 4. James Horwill, 3. Matt Dunning, 2. Tatafu Polota-Nau, 1. Benn Robinson
Subs: 16. Stephen Moore, 17. Al Baxter, 18. Dean Mumm, 19. George Smith, 20. Brett Sheehan, 21. Ryan Cross, 22. Drew Mitchell.
By Jon Cardinelli
1,238 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 [6] 7 8 9 10 11 … 25 » Show All
29 Aug 2008, 07:33 am
#240 Disa: Have you left for good then?
29 Aug 2008, 07:34 am
#244 blhoo: if he wasent manipulating he wouldnt have gotten his way with the Boks and we would have never have won the WC
29 Aug 2008, 07:34 am
#247 poppa69: Ok mate!
29 Aug 2008, 07:34 am
#243 Loosehead: your talking at the moment…im refering to the reds team when eddie was there…keep up please!
29 Aug 2008, 07:36 am
#246 Disa: Didn’t come to play at all – was there for professional reasons – long enough to get the passport. Had retired but got pressganged into playing. Wish I hadn’t – probably the reason why my knees protest every time I climb stairs.
But yes, a nice club, located in a very nice part of town. What was good about club rugby in Perth was that it was played in such a good amateur spirit, and the standard was not bad even then.
But I did get bored, I have to admit. I was sorry to leave my friends and always lke going back there to visit, but I wouldn’t leave Cape Town again in a hurry.
29 Aug 2008, 07:37 am
#252 Bolski:
As I said there is much I admire about the man, especially his schoolmaster values, loyalty to rugby, players and outlook on life.
But you must admit his piece on the DoR is a bit over the top. Blatantly obvious where he is going with it.
29 Aug 2008, 07:39 am
I agree with JC, Aus will win. I think we will lead though for at lest 50 to 60 minutes, then the self doubt will start creeping in.
29 Aug 2008, 07:41 am
#250 Bolski: yes and then they had a disastrous tour of Europe while he was still there… I understand the difficulty a Bok coach has, would that suddenly change under an outsider coach ? surely there are better qualified people then Eddie Jones…
29 Aug 2008, 07:43 am
#159 poppa69: Eddie Jones got the rap for Aus’s weak scrummaging but if you look at it, he simply didn’t have the players, there’s nothing he could do, and I think thats something Robbie Deans is going to find out in the long run too.
29 Aug 2008, 07:45 am
#259 Big Hit: yeah agree, but I think Deans will have much more success by realising his strengths then Eddie ever could …
29 Aug 2008, 07:46 am
#251 Sniper: Nah defnitely not, only here to gain some life experience. Plan is to work here till i have enough money to go and buy something on the West Coast so me and the family can live happily ever after
29 Aug 2008, 07:46 am
#260 poppa69: dont Forget, Eddie was the man who let Gregan play about 10 extra tests when he clearly wasnt up to it … Deans at least picks on form and to implement his game plan, something IMO Eddie cant do…
29 Aug 2008, 07:47 am
#257 BlueBlood: Unless there are penalies, we won’t lead at any point.
29 Aug 2008, 07:47 am
#242 poppa69: because he’d have a forward pack worthy of the name. I’m interested to see how he gets on with Saracens this year. That should be a decent indicator of his coaching talent.
29 Aug 2008, 07:47 am
#260 poppa69: I think Deans is a better coach too, but sometimes you just don’t have the tools.
29 Aug 2008, 07:47 am
#248 ansie: Played rugby for first UCT then went to play for Northerns. I played with Henning van Aswegen and Robbie Cockrell. So many years ago.
29 Aug 2008, 07:48 am
#252 Bolski: Where are you? I normally blog when all the uitlanders are sleeping already!
29 Aug 2008, 07:48 am
#258 poppa69: He was hit by 10+ injuries that year and wasn’t it Knuckles Connolly who picked Gregan when past it?
29 Aug 2008, 07:49 am
Hello Skoppie, jy hier ?
29 Aug 2008, 07:50 am
#264 Big Hit: maybe, but isnt it a coachs job to get the best out of the personnel he has ?? think Saracens will not figure that greatly under his tutelage, but again, that is just my opinion…
29 Aug 2008, 07:50 am
#269 Pietman: An nyung mater!
29 Aug 2008, 07:51 am
#255 ansie: Cape Town is a fantastic place, im from Langebaan area myself and studied in Stellenbosch. In the mining industry so unfortunately not alot going on in the Cape region and i dont want to move to Gauteng, rather stay here then
You played for Province?
29 Aug 2008, 07:51 am
#267 Big Hit: could be … but you dont think the 03 WC should have been Gregan’s international swansong… look how they struggled in last years WC blooding new talent (Barnes) not the time surely….
29 Aug 2008, 07:51 am
#269 Pietman: You in the mood for fighting today then?
29 Aug 2008, 07:52 am
#270 Sniper:
Anyong Hasayo, otayo?
29 Aug 2008, 07:52 am
#269 poppa69: yeah, but lets face it, the Aus front row was terrible (and still is). Eddie Jones has some decent accomplishments to his name (S14 winner, 2 WC finals), he’s definitely got something going for his ability, but he needs to show it again now in the GP.
29 Aug 2008, 07:53 am
They gonna win.forget about Lady Luck, using god or the Highveld hoodoo; its just the predictions on this site have a habit of being wrong:)
29 Aug 2008, 07:53 am
#275 Pietman: gomawar! That is how far my Korean goes! Positive for tomorrow then!
29 Aug 2008, 07:54 am
#271 Disa: I’m sometimes rather outspoken here Disa, so forgive me if I don’t give clues to who I am. But yes, I played at a “high” level for a few seasons. The hardest rugby was my one and 1/2 seasons in France, where you really had to look out for your personal safety. I think it’s improved a lot in recent years, but those days it was hard. We had a guy – a big lock – who was once so badly kicked that they had to amputate a section of his one ghoen.
29 Aug 2008, 07:55 am
#273 Sniper:
Annei, nannin kin chingu bhogoshipa-yo.
Kwensha-nayo.
29 Aug 2008, 07:56 am
#278 ansie: is this Top 14?
29 Aug 2008, 07:56 am
#280 Pietman: …and then?
29 Aug 2008, 07:56 am
#277 Sniper:
Cruchi !!!
Bokke yoha-yo, kapshidha !
29 Aug 2008, 07:57 am
More more Pietman
#277 Sniper: Howdy meit
29 Aug 2008, 07:57 am
#279 Pietman: Vertaal tog vir ons Pietman. By the way, ek kon nie my kaartjie verander nie, maar ek is weer oor ‘n paar maande in daardie wereld en ek sal ‘n plan maak om met jou ‘n bier of twee te kom drink.
29 Aug 2008, 07:58 am
#283 Pietman: … and then!!!
29 Aug 2008, 07:58 am
#280 Big Hit: Wasn’t called Top 14 those days but yes, the same thing. But much much more professional of course these days.
29 Aug 2008, 07:59 am
#282 Pietman: enige nuus oor GBS se pa? ek het so aan hulle gedink gisteraand…..
29 Aug 2008, 07:59 am
#284 EEE: Hoesit my meitjie! Oh dit is ‘n wonderlikke oggendjie die! Die son skyn op sy kinders! Oooh heerlik
29 Aug 2008, 07:59 am
#286 ansie: wat dink jy gaan more gebeur? ek het net hierdie funny feeling dat ons dit net net gaan vat
29 Aug 2008, 08:00 am
#286 ansie: a brutal lot aren’t they. They seem to take a different view of violence in rugby. Even today Top 14 is crazy for brawls compared to other leagues.
29 Aug 2008, 08:00 am
#288 Sniper: en dis Vryyyyyyyyyyydag!!!!! hehehe, hierdie naweek kom net op die regte tyd!!! wat is jou mail addy?
29 Aug 2008, 08:00 am
#288 EEE: Yep, I only blogged once yesterday afternoon to send my best wishes die GBS!
#283 Pietman: Keep us posted and please send my best to GBS. We are thinking of him and all those around him.
29 Aug 2008, 08:01 am
#287 EEE: Laaste was 11.30 gisteraand maar dinge lyk nie goed nie.
29 Aug 2008, 08:01 am
#277 Sniper:
‘Yo’, as a suffix, is always an honourable form of address, like in ‘Sir’.
Anyong = ‘Hi ‘ or ‘Hey’.
You wouldn’t greet an elder like your mother or father like that, for instance.
But between you and me it’s sort of acceptable, sort of…….
29 Aug 2008, 08:03 am
#292 Sniper:
Will do, thx.
He is still at the hospital, GBS Snr is holding on, hanging by a thread, so to speak, GBS says.
We should hear from in the next hour or so, will keep you posted.
29 Aug 2008, 08:03 am
#293 Koos: Ai toggie…..dis die deel van die lewe wat nie lekker is nie maar waardeer ons almal op een of ander stadium moet gaan…..
29 Aug 2008, 08:03 am
#292 EEE: Gee joune dan mail ek jou! Al die Tuks studente sal my kontak en daar is ‘n paar hier, dit weet ek. Het jy Dawn se email? Sy of Rangerman sal myne vir jou stuur.
29 Aug 2008, 08:04 am
Anybody watch Boots ‘n All last night? Some interesting video analysis and stuff…hope PdV was watching?
29 Aug 2008, 08:04 am
nou terug, kan julle glo, die tyd op ‘n vrydag ‘n friggin meeting
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