Preview: Wallabies vs All Blacks
30 Jul 2010
JON CARDINELLI foresees another Blackout this weekend as the Wallabies won’t be able to live with the All Blacks’ physicality.
Last Saturday, the Wallabies landed a blow that sent the Springboks down to the Tri-Nations canvas. They were rougher, tougher and ultimately smarter, and at the end of the Australasian tour from hell, the Boks had no reply.
The Wallabies’ dream start, however, will be short lived. They have home advantage, but they’re playing a team that’s grown stronger with every game this season.
After a scrappy start against Ireland and Wales, the All Blacks hit their straps against the Boks to score two bonus-point wins. They also managed to limit their opponents to two tries in two matches and 29 points overall.
The Aussies enjoyed similar success on the defensive front, but relied heavily on the boot of Matt Giteau to see them home. Their superior physical display was complemented by their ability to retain possession for long periods, and halfbacks Will Genia and Quade Cooper were instrumental in penetrating the Bok defence.
The All Blacks won’t be so generous. They smashed the Boks at the tackle at Eden Park and at the Cake Tin. In Richie McCaw, they have a player capable of slowing or stealing possession, and this will be key considering the All Blacks need to disrupt the Wallabies’ rhythm.
Cooper’s suspension is a setback for the hosts, even though Giteau is a more than competent 10. Whether he can offer Australia the same attacking edge is doubtful.
Neither Giteau nor Berrick Barnes are known for their abilities to take on the defence, and this, along with Australia’s likely loss at the collisions, is bound to limit the hosts’ overall potency. The All Blacks, having dominated the tackle point, had an easy time marshalling South Africa’s wide forays, and we should see more of the same in Melbourne.
The set-pieces will be interesting with Stephen Moore bolstering the Wallabies scrum and Nathan Sharpe sure to test an All Blacks lineout that enjoyed plenty of success against the Boks. But it will come down to the breakdowns and collisions, and the Aussies will play more territorially.
The Wallabies hardly kicked last week because they didn’t need to. The momentum was provided through their breakdown superiority, and as long as they retained possession, they usually prospered. This week, they’ll be outmatched in this area. They will strive for good field position and then try to build an attack from deep within All Blacks’ territory.
The Blacks will continue to employ their surge and destroy brand, although the Wallabies’ defence will be tougher to breach than that of the Boks. Dan Carter will vary his play in the early stages, and only once a comfortable lead’s been established will the visitors cut loose.
It may not be another bonus-point victory, but the win should bring the All Blacks one step closer to reclaiming the Tri-Nations title.
Prediction: All Blacks by 10
Wallabies – 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 James O’Connor, 13 Rob Horne, 12 Berrick Barnes, 11 Drew Mitchell, 10 Matt Giteau, 9 Will Genia, 8 Richard Brown, 7 David Pocock, 6 Rocky Elsom (c), 5 Nathan Sharpe, 4 Dean Mumm, 3 Salesi Ma’afu, 2 Stephen Moore, 1 Benn Robinson.
Subs: 16 Saia Faingaa, 17 James Slipper, 18 Rob Simmons, 19 Matt Hodgson, 20 Luke Burgess, 21 Anthony Faingaa, 22 Kurtley Beale.
All Blacks – 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Cory Jane, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Joe Rokocoko, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan; 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Tom Donnelly, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Keven Mealamu, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Subs: 16 Corey Flynn, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Sam Whitelock, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Piri Weepu, 21 Aaron Cruden, 22 Israel Dagg.
Follow SA Rugby mag on Twitter
286 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 5 6 » Show All
30 Jul 2010, 12:43 pm
@grant10(grant10)-98: I thank the creator everyday that Puke is as far away from the Bok setup as possible…
Puke in Bath forever!!!, Please!!!
The Boks will then be safe…
Also, a request for you to take tricky dicky on one of your regular dolphin watching/dancing forays where hopely he mistakes a great white as one…
The Boks and Captain Barney, your Captain, will be as safe as possible and back to high performance…
30 Jul 2010, 12:44 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-86:
Yeah, it did, although I think the combo against the Aussies last week was the wrong one, given the choices available. If they wanted to change I’d have played Pottie somewhere and dropped one of the other three. Sometimes coaches get it wrong and the opposing coach gets it right. I remember the ABs last year playing Kaino at 8 and Rodney at 7, when they’d played in the opposite positions the year before. Isaac Ross was also a mistake.
30 Jul 2010, 12:48 pm
grant, i agree js is p!ss poor ..always has been, but just 1 question, wasn’t Teichmann also off form when he was dropped? And aterwards everyone called “rape”
30 Jul 2010, 12:49 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-101: well i am thrilled that you are happy and content with Plod….
You may rue your shortsighted acceptance and accomodation of the Michelin Man come 2011 when we head home in the quarter finals…..
But what can i say….strangest thing is i never saw you as being so forgiving of such mediocrity.
30 Jul 2010, 12:50 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-99: No – have to disagree, its all about grant the liberator of the “New SA”…
30 Jul 2010, 12:52 pm
@grant10(grant10)-104: Barney is not mediocre… Answer me this: Have the scrums and lineouts been a problem in the last few tests?
30 Jul 2010, 13:01 pm
With most of the bloggers here concentrating on their perfect WC squad, has anyone bothered to look at the current problems we face for the next 3 matches?
Victor is out on his feet with Bekker out for the year and Hargreaves (the apparent next in line 5) injured.
Bakkies out and Danie running on empty with only a green, young 4 in reserve.
Ratel and Steggies out.
Smith still needing a couple of games to get back to test fitness.
I think this shows that we need to keep blooding new players as if this happens prior to the WC we’re in serious trouble.
30 Jul 2010, 13:07 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-106: scrums were the only stable aspect of Boks play. Perhaps Plod had a role there ….although i do feel it was the fact we played with actual tightheads as opposed to a bloated hooker masquerading as the anchor of the bok scrum.
Plod missed some crucial lineouts, the 1 which resulted in a Aussie try just before half time that buried Boks.
And for goodness sake, the lineouts should always be virtually 100 % with that aspect being a bok strength.
Plod was dismal, not hitting rucks, not makin tackles and generally being miles off the pace compared to the kiwi and aussie hookers.
Sorry HG….you can spin this all day long….you know it…i know it….Plod is the on the Nowhereville Road that leads to Palookaville.
30 Jul 2010, 13:08 pm
Regardless of anyones opinions over John Smit, it’s really hard to take anyone who cries out for Luke Watson to come back into the Bok squad seriously!
David – yep we have some serious problems with injuries and fatigue right now, be interesting to see who is available for the test at Soccer City. Time to blood some young form players
30 Jul 2010, 13:08 pm
@David(David)-107: I look forward to Juandre Kruger performance tomorrow….he may be the man to back up Matfield once he finds his feet here.
30 Jul 2010, 13:09 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-106: the lineouts were sh*t Barney himself conceded! What games were you watching France?
30 Jul 2010, 13:10 pm
LW would be far better than Spies on current form….thats for damn sure.
Even JW says he would have LW as his captain…..how bloody ironic.
30 Jul 2010, 13:11 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-111:
ja
1 st test we lost 4 balls…in 1 st half!!
30 Jul 2010, 13:11 pm
@grant10(grant10)-98: There is an ‘unsubscribe’ option at the end of the newsletter.
That might be easier
30 Jul 2010, 13:13 pm
@RedMan(RedMan)-114: thanks…
missed it
30 Jul 2010, 13:15 pm
@grant10(grant10)-112:
Jake White would say anyting right now to get the Bok coach position so I would take that with a bucket of salt.
And no I think Luke would battle to make the top 10 loosies in SA. I do agree with your comments on Juandre Kruger, seriosu potential there and may get a look in for the Boks sooner than later. See you’re finally talking sense
30 Jul 2010, 13:20 pm
“the Wallabies landed a blow that sent the Springboks down to the Tri-Nations canvas. They were rougher, tougher and ultimately smarter”….. ja right, you try playing with a blind ref and for 20 minutes with only 14 men.
30 Jul 2010, 13:21 pm
@grant10(grant10)-112: stop being a bum licker man, now you really talking sh.i.t.
30 Jul 2010, 13:21 pm
Step right up, step right up place your bets…..
3-1 on Richie getting the first card, 2-1 on Pocock.
Don’t miss out.
30 Jul 2010, 13:29 pm
@Flametop(Flametop)-119: richie a yellow card…haha, do think any ref would dare give richie a yellow card?
30 Jul 2010, 13:33 pm
Asked which trophy was more important, he (McCaw) didn’t have much hesitation in saying:
“I think the Bledisloe probably edges ahead but if you get the Bledisloe there’s a fair chance you have the other one (3N) as well.
30 Jul 2010, 13:33 pm
I’m beginning to wonder how much the B&IL tour has interfered with PdeVs WC planning. A lot of the senior 2007 WC players stayed on for it and then decided to continue for the next WC. In some ways I reckon it would have been easier for PdeV if he’d started to build a new squad and implement his own style and game game plan when he first took over. To some extent his tenure has been a bit of a compromise between the JW approach favoured by his senior players and his own concept of what he wants.
30 Jul 2010, 13:39 pm
@David(David)-122: he had no time to faff around when the lions came calling he had to win! So he abandoned his running rugby philosophy @ the alter or history & results! Imagine being known as the coach that lost 3 – zip to the lions playing ur prefered style of rugby
30 Jul 2010, 13:39 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-121:
And if you beat France….ah wait…
30 Jul 2010, 13:41 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-120:
Most refs probably don’t know Richie is even playing, let alone card him.
Pocock is the new apprentice
30 Jul 2010, 13:41 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-123:
I agree, which is why I said that that tour probably interfered. He was on a hiding to nothing.
30 Jul 2010, 13:48 pm
@David(David)-122: You blaming the LIONS now for Div?
WTF?
30 Jul 2010, 13:55 pm
@David(David)-122: Very true. But then again – if you had all these world beaters at your disposal, wouldn’t you be tempted to squeeze the last bit of international rugby out of them?
Especially when a significant majority of them would still be under 30 at the next WC?
Of course, the buzz word here is “management”.
One should look at practical examples of good and poor player management in sporting codes to see our current dilemma in perspective and to look for solutions.
The dynastic Australian cricket team of the 2000s held onto their resources in similar fashion, and experienced major if temporary setbacks with the piecemeal retirement of traditional stalwarts.
Of course, comparing cricket resources to its sister sport rugby is like comparing apples with pears, as players have a greater longeivity in the game where leather challenges willow.
But there are some lessons to be learned from their strategies, particularly in identifying a core group of players out of these world beaters to form the foundation of a future challenge. They managed to succeed in strategic planning with limited resources, while the English WC winning team in 2003 failed to make their labour push the frontier further out.
We have identified Smit, Matfield and FDP in 2007 to form the backbone of a WC defense leadership in 2011. We also assumed that most of the rest of the team would be available in 2011.
In hindsight, were those the right choices? Or rather, were those the realistic choices? And more importantly, were we complacent in our medium- to long-term planning to ensure their availability?
We are now struggling with the issue of fatigue, more than we ever thought we would. I guess that we have identified the core group of players correctly, but lack the strategic acumen in managing them. We are not engaging on the Australian cricket trajectory, but on a stagnating English rugby one.
The means we are applying to achieve the end goal of a back-to-back WC triumph is suspect, and reminds me of the trajectory of the English WC winning team.
I will conclude by reminding you that PDV was under more pressure than JW to also improve on the win % ratio instead of focusing merely on WC triumph. This obviously had implications for his team selection(s).
30 Jul 2010, 13:55 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-127:
What do you mean, “blame the Lions tour for Div”?
What I was getting at is that because of the importance of winning that tour it may have curtailed his long term plans.
30 Jul 2010, 14:03 pm
@willievz(willievz)-128:
That’s basically what I was getting at.
There was also another factor, though, and that was PdeVs idea of approach and the resistance by the senior players which would take time to change, something he didn’t have the luxury of with the B&IL tour coming so soon. Generally change is evolutionary if managed intelligently, but this wasn’t possible in time for the Lions, as his first season showed.
30 Jul 2010, 14:03 pm
@willievz(willievz)-128: re this whole ‘management’ issue i blame pdv when it comes to last year’s eoyt, Plod, fdp & matfield had no business going on that tour whatsoever! Especially when pdv himself was saying the players are tired – even mentally – but still HE succumbed to their demand that they want to cap a very successful year by beating their hoodoo teams france & ireland, we all know how that turned out!
Imagine if the nucleus of the team that played against wales this year – without the stupid selections of raubenheimer and the rest – had all those games last year to test their mettle in europe!
Lost opportunity!
30 Jul 2010, 14:04 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-121:
So if Reechie says to you to “Jump off a cliff”, will you respond like a lemming.
30 Jul 2010, 14:12 pm
Has PdV called up Frans Steyn yet?!!!!
Arse-wipe
30 Jul 2010, 14:15 pm
@David(David)-130: For sure.
So this is how I (and I am sure you too) see it:
A Sanzar team playing the Lions in between WCs would really only have two years to build for a WC, commencing only after a Lions tour, because it will take two years after a WC to prepare for the Lions.
Whereas other teams can build for a WC in a 4-year time window.
30 Jul 2010, 14:16 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-131: That EOYT was a lost opportunity. They merely selected a bunch of individual players without thinking about combinations.
30 Jul 2010, 14:17 pm
@David(David)-122:
That’s what’s so tragic about all of this. He compromised on his own vision to please others and now it’s come back to bite him in the ***, and all those people he tried to appease though compromise have got the knives out.
30 Jul 2010, 14:25 pm
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-136:
That’s the difference with a manager like Sir Alec Fergusen. No player is more important than the team. He’s the boss. PdeV was considered as almost a caretaker of an existing squad.
30 Jul 2010, 14:27 pm
@David(David)-130: See here is where I think Div out-thought himself.
On one side he decided to recall Smit to enable him to manage a team that perhaps was not going to buy in to his ideas at all.
Smit wanted to return so it seemed to work out fine.
The flipside is: Smit has a sell-by date and we Div hasn’t identified a new Captian in his place (Chiliboy is not senior enough to be Captain).
And it seems Smit, just like the rest of the seniors, wants to play their own game.
Div has dug himself a large hole, one which you can’t blame on other people. He had an opportunity to sweep it clean, instead he relied on structures already in place.
I agree he couldn’t win BUT he took the job. I would have left Smit in France.
30 Jul 2010, 14:32 pm
@Yetirat(Yetirat)-136: and jake is conviniently musing out loud in the media “i can’t help but wonder how far the team would’ve progressed if i like graham hery was allowed to carry on”
30 Jul 2010, 14:37 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-138: leave Plod in France when apparently 80% of the players wanted Heineken Meyer as the coach? fdp was ready to bounce – he said it himself -, vic was @ Toulon, Bakkies wa itching to follow suit. SA Media would’ve eaten pdv alive. Rock & a hard place
30 Jul 2010, 14:46 pm
@David(David)-107:
IMO best team for next 3 games
-3 week rest will help the likes of Matfield recharge
-Rossouw has never played a full season bar this yr,dont think he is running on empty.Missed most of first game in 3N as well,plus shared time with Flip in S14.
My team for next 3 games
1.Guthro
2.Smit(c)
3.BJ
4.Rossouw
5.Matfield
6.Burger
7.Smith
8.Potgieter
9.Pienaar
10.Steyn
11.Habana
12.De Villiers
13.De Jongh
14.JPP
15.Aplon
16.Bismark
17.Beast
18.Flip
19.Spies/Louw
20.Hougaard
21.Butch
22.Basson/Kirchner
30 Jul 2010, 14:52 pm
I think we should blood the youngsters in the next 3 games. We have nothing left to loose.
IMO BJ and CJ have not been the saviours the hype boys have made them out to be. Using the current squad I would pick the following guys to rest key players and shake things up:
1. Guthro
2. Chilli
3. Smit (He is still carrying the weight he put on as a prop and would have played here if Bismarck was fit anyway)
4. Russouw
5. Vd Merwe (Bekker injured and we might need more bulk at the rucks also gives Matfield a rest)
6. FLouw/Potgieter
7. Smith
8. Burger
9. Hougaard
10. Pienaar/James
11. Habana
12. JdV
13. JdJ
14. Aplon
15. Kirchner
30 Jul 2010, 14:52 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-141: How on earth can you justify Plods inclusion.
It defies belief!
30 Jul 2010, 14:53 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-140: Well kinda tells you they chose the wrong guy then.
If fingers are to be pointed, point them at the politicians.
Div may be a bunch of things, and I don’t particularly think he is the man for the job BUT
I have to acknowledge the guy was hung out to dry.
Firstly the appoint him, then they leave him to make a fool of himself. I have a feeling that the guys were so cross at having to appoint BEE that they did and then left him to it. Basically without any help it’s a big set of shoes to fill and his mouth seems to run on auto. No guidance, no PR secretary, no help.
Basically seemed like a big f-you to everyone from SARU.
Not sure I would have acted differently though.
The appointment of DIV was the beginning of the end though, bu bringing back a few guys he managed to keep it going for 2 years and good on him, but it’s over.
Call them the Proteas and be done with it.
30 Jul 2010, 14:54 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-139:
“Allowed to carry on”.
As I recall, he’s the one who didn’t re-apply for the position once his contract expired…
30 Jul 2010, 14:54 pm
@Corndog(Corndog)-142: oh my word…..
The inmates are running the asylum!
Smit at 3?
After he admitted to being scared for his own safety?
Even i, who dont like the oke, would not subject him to that punishment!
30 Jul 2010, 14:55 pm
Rugby | Springboks
Peter de Villiers © Gallo Images
I am in charge – Div
——————————————————————————–
by Brenden Nel 30/07/2010, 08:56
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers has come out strongly to tell the country that he — and nobody else — is the coach of the national team.
After several articles which suggest that De Villiers was not in control of the World Champions but it was either run by senior players, or by the assistant coaches, the Bok mentor moved swiftly to dispel any doubts about who is in charge.
De Villiers faced up to fans questions in SA Rugby’s Bokzine — the email newsletter for Springbok fans — and was forthright when asked who is in charge of the team.
“I’ve heard this so many times — and not just in New Zealand — that it’s obvious that those with fixed opinions won’t change their minds whatever I say,” De Villiers wrote.
“I am the coach but I do listen to players who have played in close to 100 tests and won every trophy there is to win in rugby. It has brought us success and I don’t recall this being a criticism last year. I am not threatened by this talk — after all, I went to France to fetch John (Smit) back.
When confronted by the question of bringing in young talent and the suggestion that some of the senior players have past their prime, the Bok coach pointed out that experience was a telling factor when it came to the World Cup.
“One of the key questions that we spend a long time debating in selection and this year you’ve seen that we have brought through young players like Francois Louw, Juan de Jongh, Flip van der Merwe and others,” De Villiers explained.
“But the history of World Cups is that they’re won by experience — the Bok and England teams that won the last two were the most experienced in either teams’ rugby history! All but three of Jake’s team won in 2007 had made their debuts at or before the previous World Cup, so experience can’t be a bad thing.”
De Villiers added that utility back Frans Steyn’s cannon boot was very much still in the Bok plans, but suggested his commitments to his French club Racing Metro were hindering him from playing for the national team.
“In answer, Frans is very much still in our thinking and we would like him in the team — we just have to balance the demands of club and country so that he can perform his best for the Springboks,” De Villiers said.
30 Jul 2010, 14:56 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-144:
Booked your plane ticket for Australia yet, then?
30 Jul 2010, 14:58 pm
@grant10(grant10)-146: Who else to play at 3 has BJ or CJ done anything of significance since being back in the fold?
IMO Smit would have played @ 3 this season was it not for Bismarck’s injury. I for one feel sorry for him, he is asked to bulk up to play prop and is now hammered in the media for being off the pace as a hooker.
30 Jul 2010, 15:00 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-57: wow,…that’s some really great insights there…you should become a journo yourself…!
Pages: « 1 2 [3] 4 5 6 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.