SA -v- NZ, match preview & thread, Sat 5 Oct, 1600 Irish time

Swiwi.

A weekend of rugby to be "positively giddy" about
(© DTF 09/2013)

SOUTH AFRICA: 15 Sideshow Kirchner, 14 Willie le Roux, 13 JJ Engelbrecht or Jan Serfontein, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain), 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 The Beast.
Replacements: 16 Adriaan Strauss, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Franco van der Merwe, 20 Siya Kolisi, 21 Ruan Pienaar 22 Pat Lambie, 23 Jan Serfontein or Juan de Jongh.

NEW ZEALAND: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Julian Savea, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith, 8 Kieran Read, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Charlie Faumuina, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Replacements: 16 Dane Coles, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Ben Franks, 19 Steven Luatua, 20 Sam Cane, 21 Tawera Kerr Barlow, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Charles Piutau

Date: Saturday, October 5
Venue: Ellis Park, Johannesburg
Kick-off: 17:00 (15:00 GMT)
Referee: Nigel Owens
Assistant referees: John Lacey, Leighton Hodges
Television match official: Graham Hughes

2 great teams with a proud heritage, a fierce rivalry, pashunate fans, a cauldron stadium, and a must-win fixture...Leinster v. Munster is some match to look forward to alright!

In a curtain-raiser to The Big Game, NZ & SA will slug it out at Ellis Park, spiritual home of Springbok rugby, and forever engraved in the collective consciousness as the venue for Joel Stransky's extra-time winning drop goal in the 1995 RWC final.

This time both teams are in with a chance to bring home the Rugby Championship Trophy, but SA will require 4 tries and to deny NZ any bonus points in order to do so. However, I have no doubt the Boks would settle for victory, and any silverware would be an added bonus.

Both sides will also be hoping that it's 15 v 15 for the entire test, and no reffing controversy. NZ was just as disappointed as SA to be denied a legitimate triumph by Romain Poite's rash decision to reach for his pocket and bin BDP for his fearsome but legal challenge on the Special One.

SA come into the game off the back of a fairly comprehensive dismantling of Australia, but they went flat in the 2nd half, and should be disappointed they only managed 3 tries, denying them a vital bonus point.

NZ, on the other hand, managed the 4 tries (in the nick of time), but struggled somewhat in the first 40 to subdue a very robust Argentinian challenge. Better fitness, a better bench, some rugby smarts, and that man Ben Smith saw the ABs ease home in the end.

SA will definitely target the set-piece. Eben Etzebeth was imperial in the lineout the last time the 2 sides met, and the Boks will have noticed NZ's travails in the scrum against Los Pumas. However, I'm not worried, as Argentina has a magnificent scrummaging pack at present with their "Bajada" technique. I would be a tad concerned about the rolling maul however, which really is a piece de resistance of any SA team at all levels of the game.

NZ welcome back Sir Ritchie (who humbly turned down his knighthood), and will look for quick clean ruck-ball which is the fulcrum around which the AB game is based. There is no doubt that McCaw is still the best openside in NZ rugby, and he also brings 100+ games of experience, and his valuable leadership.

The Springbok team is entirely predictable, with Bismark du Plessis returning at rake and Juandre Kruger replacing the suspended Flip van der Merwe. There are injury concerns around JJ Engelbrecht, with the exciting Jan Serfontein poised to take his place, and the underrated Juan de Jongh hovering in the wings.

For New Zealand, I am surprised to see Keven Mealamu left out of the 23 altogether, I thought he looked in decent nick when he came on last week, and I would have excluded the ageing Hore. I would have liked Luatua to be promoted to the starting 6 jersey, but no doubt he'll see game time at some stage. Ben Smith might be the NZ player of the year so far, but Luatua must have one hand already on the newcomer of the year trophy, although his Blues' team-mate Piutau might have feelings on the matter too.

I expect this to be tight, tense, rugged affair, with SA's points most likely to come through the boot of Steyn (even from 60m in the thin atmosphere), the rolling maul, and a long overdue Brian Habana intercept. NZ are more likely to score out wide through your pick of Savea, Smith or Dagg. Israel has scored some absolute beauties against the Boks in the past, now would be a good time to pull another trick out of the hat.

Prediction: NZ are still a bit better than SA at present, and I fancy NZ to just edge it, but Ellis Park might just be the most intimidating ground in world rugby, and a Springbok victory is definitely on the cards.

(Unfortunately, I can't watch the game live...:(:(:()

But you lot enjoy as you wind up for Le Crunch in Limerick!

Rightwing

This should be a tight one, but I would go with the boks to win.

.ak

Have a bloody match on during it. I'll have to record and try to avoid the scores here.

Which reminds me - nobody post the score/result in other non-related threads, otherwise I'll let awec at you!

Swiwi.

.ak wrote: »

Have a bloody match on during it. I'll have to record and try to avoid the scores here.

Which reminds me - nobody post the score/result in other non-related threads, otherwise I'll let awec at you!

+1. Or text me the result. Not looking at anyone in particular thomond2006.

danthefan

Wahey, I got a shout out.

Can't wait for this one. Don't think SA have a chance at a BP but hoping for a good game anyway.

Swiwi.

.ak wrote: »

Have a bloody match on during it. I'll have to record and try to avoid the scores here.

Which reminds me - nobody post the score/result in other non-related threads, otherwise I'll let awec at you!

Yeah, don't mess with awec. He makes SOB look like a midget.

.ak

I've seen him tear a wookie's limbs off.

Journeyman_1

Luatua doesn't look like the same player coming of the bench in the last few tests, making errors all over, but when he started early in the championship he looked very good, so I'd have liked to see him start again. Looking forward to this one!

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Rightwing wrote: »

This should be a tight one, but I would go with the boks to win.

Changed your mind from a week ago so? :rolleyes:

Rightwing wrote: »

NZ are so far ahead of the everyone else it's almost embarrassing.

Getting a losing bonus point against the ABs seems to be the best they can hope for.

Podge_irl

Sigh.

I had so many great plans for Saturday. Time to cancel them all :P

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Podge_irl wrote: »

Sigh.

I had so many great plans for Saturday. Time to cancel them all :P

I've had a few hectic weekends so I'm planning a day of GTA and rugby for saturday

Larbre34

Lovely fixture timing tomorrow, can't make it to Thomond for the first time since the rebuild so I'm consoled with those two games back-to-back on the box. Couple of bottles of ale and feet up, perfick! Leinster and RSA to win

danthefan

Podge_irl wrote: »

Sigh.

I had so many great plans for Saturday. Time to cancel them all :P

Happened to me last Saturday, I must have spent over 10 hours watching rugby. Not sure that's entirely healthy but whatever.

Judgement Day

danthefan wrote: »

Happened to me last Saturday, I must have spent over 10 hours watching rugby. Not sure that's entirely healthy but whatever.

Like myself, but it's healthier than playing 10 hours of rugby.

thomond2006

danthefan wrote: »

Happened to me last Saturday, I must have spent over 10 hours watching rugby. Not sure that's entirely healthy but whatever.

The Six Nations final weekend is awesome. Three matches, one after another.

.ak

This will be almost as good as the Dragons vs Zebre fixture.

pickarooney

Hehe, "ageing Hore"

Brian

Any suggestions for a Limerick pub to watch this in before heading to the match in Thomond?

Swiwi.

Brian wrote: »

Any suggestions for a Limerick pub to watch this in before heading to the match in Thomond?

Is Limerick much of a rugby town

PM thomond2006, he should know.

Brian

Swiwi. wrote: »

Is Limerick much of a rugby town

PM thomond2006, he should know.

Sure, but one convenient to the stadium, preferably showing the match with Kiwi commentary :pac:

danthefan

Brian wrote: »

Sure, but one convenient to the stadium, preferably showing the match with Kiwi commentary :pac:

Sky will have the South African commentary anyway so I'd say you're out of luck there.

I can't imagine it's going to be hard to find a place, there are pubs right beside Thomond who will have it on. Or the bars in Thomond should have it on.

CatFromHue

The stadium is only 15 mins or so away from the city centre so you could watch it anywhere in there too.

P.Walnuts

I really like the SA coach for some reason, know next to nothing about him, but get the impression he lives for rugby.

Emperor1989

I am sooooo pumped for this game.

I would easily spend a couple of k to be their and expierence this marvellous occasion.

Imagine listening to the national anthems and haka in this atmosphere in elis park up against the GOAT IN MCCAW...

This is the pinnacle of rugby!!

Emperor1989

What an atompshere

The aFRINKANNNS ARE OUT!

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

**** me the atmosphere is electric

Gidea

The Boks are up for this game big time!!, its going to be a great match!

Emperor1989

Good decision to kick the goal there

matthew8

Crap decision from Du Preez. Could have gone right.

danthefan

Ben Smith is a ridiculous player.

thomond2006

Take a bow: Kieran Read and Ben Smith

Poor defence at the same time.

Emperor1989

Huge error by the guy who came in to tackle the prop. Why rush in?

Great play then.

Kiwi_knock

No surprise to see Smith score. Lovely by Read

DDC1990

Unreal try, class from Ben Smith and Read

Big mistake from the kickoff.

thomond2006

Not sure what Le Roux thought Engelbrecht could do with that!

Emperor1989

COMMMEEE ONN THE BOKSSS

thomond2006

Game on!

Burgo

Lovely try.

Kiwi_knock

What happened to the defence there, good try

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

what a try, come on the boks!

thomond2006

HOLY &^%$£!

Emperor1989

commmeeeee onnn BOOKKKKEE


WOOO

Anatidaephobia

Wow! That was a crazy few minutes.

Burgo

Holy crap what a finish from habana!

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Read shouldn't have come in there

danthefan

Good man Nige, not wasting any time.

DDC1990

What a game! Amzing stuff. Some offload to Habana

Kiwi_knock

Some game so far, lovely play by SA in the last few minutes.

Ugo Monye spacecraft experience

Du Preez has made a big difference

thomond2006

Habana done in. ****.

Kiwi_knock

Not nice to see at all.