Battle of the Champions
Posted by Boertjie - 28/11/09 at 02:11 pm under Outgoing tours, SpringboksIt’s billed as the Battle of the Champions – the Champions of the North against the Champions of the South, when Ireland and South Africa meet at great Croke Park in Dublin on Saturday.
Paul Dobson, rugby365
NB: This preview was written before Bakkies Botha withdrew. Team has been corected.
Ireland are the Six Nations Champions, South Africa the Tri-Nations Champions. Three is smaller than six but the three are nations ranked above all the six, a tougher competition of six matches for each country. In addition South Africa won the series against the British and Irish Lions, led especially by Irishmen Paul O’Connell and Brian O’Driscoll, who will be back out there leading Ireland and yearning to turn the tables. South Africa are even more of a target as they are the holders of the World Cup.
There is a lot to suggest that this Test has more riding on it than any other Test involving the Springboks this year, perhaps not in trophies but certainly in kudos.
Can Ireland do it? Of course, they can. They have done it before. In fact they have won the last two matches between the two countries. Ireland and South Africa have met 18 times on the rugby field, mostly in Ireland. Ireland have won just three of those matches, but two are the most recent.
There is more than just history on Ireland’s side. The Springboks are coming off a long season and rounding it off with a wishy-washy tour. Ireland have talent, organisation, motivation, massive home support, weather they are more used to and greater freshness. More than that they have a pack, coached by Springbok great Gert Smal, that is strong enough to get balk enough for an excellent set of backs, all of whom can cause havoc in defences – all of them, from newboy Jonathan Sexton at flyhalf to Rob Kearney at the back, capable of carving a defence wide open.
Can South Africa do it? Of course, they can. Nine times this year they have faced opposition tougher than Ireland, and their successes include a whitewashing of the All Blacks for the first time since 1949. They have men up front who are strong and athletic and behind them resolute backs also have great speed – birds of prey ready to swoop on opposition’s weakness. Success may well depend simply on the ball the forwards produce in quality as well as quantity. That means getting stuck in in a coordinated fashion at the tackle. They have a proven game plan as the springboard of their successes. Whether they will kick as effectively in the Dublin wind is another matter.
If it comes to goalkicking, last weekend’s evidence would suggest – surprise – that Jonathan Sexton has the ability to outdo Morné Steyn who is not in the least used to wind. Dublin on Saturday will not be Pretoria on any day. Goalkicking counts.
The weather will play a role. It has been a grim time in Ireland lately where the winds have been powerful, and wind can be more destructive of a match than rain. The forecast suggests that it will be cold, dropping to freezing with the wind chill factor, a chance of rain and a strong wind freshening.
Winning the toss could be more important than ever. John Smit, in his autobiography, says that he prefers to play with the wind first. This conviction was formed when last the Springboks played in Ireland and played against the wind to start with. They lost.
Players to Watch: First there is Jonathan Sexton, new and bright, has the quality to be the star of the match. Much will rest on his shoulders as he takes over from the iconic veteran, Ronan O’Gara. Keith Earls is another, new, young, fresh, electric player who could give the largely anonymous JP Pietersen a hard time. Of course, you will be aware of Bryan Habana. Whenever play goes his way there is a frisson of excitement, and he is a man who gets stuck in for the cause. In the pack young Cian Healy of Ireland has had a great start to his Test career – a prop who can scrum and who can play a vigorous role about the field as well. Heinrich Brüssow is South Africa’s new boy wonder and he has been of astonishing value at the tackle. Clearly the Irish will target him because he is such a threat, turnover ball being the best available.
Head to Head: There will be several fascinating match-ups – Brian O’Driscoll, fast, strong and cunning, against Jaque Fourie, fast, strong and opportunistic, strong Tommy Bowe against whippet-like Bryan Habana, mercurial Jonathan Sexton against calm Morné Steyn, Paul O’Connell and Donncha O’Callaghan against Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield, and then front row against front row at a time when scrums are such a talking point, especially as the Italians have been destroyers in chief. This time one would expect the Springboks’ front row to be more than up to the task.
rugby365.com Prediction: It could go either way but our prediction is that the Springboks will rise to the occasion and win by somewhere in the region of 10 points.
Teams:
Ireland: 15 Rob Kearney, 14 Tommy Bowe, 13 Brian O’Driscoll (captain), 12 Paddy Wallace, 11 Keith Earls, 10 Jonathan Sexton, 9 Tomas O’Leary, 8 Jamie Heaslip, 7 David Wallace, 6 Stephen Ferris, 5 Paul O’Connell, 4 Donncha O’Callaghan, 3 John Hayes, 2 Jerry Flannery, 1 Cian Healy
Replacements: 16 Sean Cronin, 17 Tony Buckley, 18 Leo Cullen, 19 Sean O’Brien, 20 Peter Stringer, 21 Ronan O’Gara, 22 Gordon D’Arcy
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Danie Rossouw, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Andries Bekker, 3 BJ Botha, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Francois Hougaard, 19 Jean Deysel, 20 Dewald Potgieter, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Jean de Villiers.
Date: Saturday, 28 November 2009
Time: 14:30 (14:30 GMT; 16.30 SA time)
Venue: Croke Park, Dublin
Expected weather conditions: There 20 percent chance of rain, with a high of 6°C which is 0°C with the windchill factor, getting colder, and a wind from the north of 28 km/h, freshening to 36 km/h
Referee: Nigel Owens (Wales)
Assistant referees: Chris White (England), Carlo Damasco (Italy)
TMO: Hugh Watkins (Wales)
November 28th, 2009 at 2:31 pm
November 28th, 2009 at 5:25 pm
November 28th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
Meisiekind goeie game scrums uitfokenstekend
November 28th, 2009 at 5:59 pm
Ludicrous to continue with the exhausted Smit moving back to TH… that’s what the farkin bench is for… and many of the Bok’s are stuffed!
As for only having one goal-kicker… ouch!!!
November 28th, 2009 at 6:29 pm
kergatte het goed gespeel, ons het te laat wakker geskrik, kermgatte verdien die wen, kak besluit op die laaste loskram kermgatte het oor die bal geduik
November 28th, 2009 at 6:30 pm
kak move to take morne off
November 28th, 2009 at 6:31 pm
Wtf, last penalty shouldve been FOR the boks!!!!!????
November 28th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Reply to damneddutch @ 6:31 pm: Actually I think first kak call from ref he had a good game , linesman kak game
November 28th, 2009 at 6:32 pm
As soon as we hit half decent opposision
we come unstuck.
Leicster,saracens,france and italy.
November 28th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Thanks Bunny dat jy my die website gegee het sien uit om lekker kak te praat met almal
November 28th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
Close call maar kermgatte het dit verdien
November 28th, 2009 at 7:00 pm
Planless
Clueless
John Smit cannot scrum and now he cannot throw in at the lineouts – he must be one HELL of a captain to deserve to stay in this team!!
November 28th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Ireland see off Boks
World champions’ season ends on a low note
sky news
says it all.
November 28th, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Yep – low note indeed! More like false note!
November 28th, 2009 at 7:27 pm
Reply to BlouBulPlayer23 @ 6:47 pm:
HowZit Welkom Hierso
Geluk met jou span se seisoen.
hOOp jy geniet dit hier.
SH moet begin waKKerskrik- NH is reg vir 2011.
Kan iemand al se waTTer tyd van die jAAr die RWC 2011 is?
In MeimAAnd begin die LandvaNNieLangWitWolk lyk sOOs crokePark vaNNAAnd!
November 28th, 2009 at 7:43 pm
Well, I suppose the onedimensional
approach backfired today. The
Oirish won all the high balls
and then it became payback time.
Boks kicked too much and too
many bad kicks instead of
running it with innovation.
But then they hardly ever run
a ball now, do they? Lost art.
Even got fooked in the lineouts
and rucks.
Oirish deserve all the praise
they get.
November 28th, 2009 at 7:44 pm
Crokepark – presies wat die Bokke gedoen het – Croak!!
November 28th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
John kan nie help vir ‘n stupid besluit van afrigter om hom te skuif na stut nie, Hoekom as die lynstane verloor is dit die haker en nie die slotte nie ek dink Victor het sy swakste wedstryd van die jaar gehad andries kak game gehad, yster Danie het alleen gespeel niemand kon by hou by sy spel nie. Burger het meer geworry oor sy drie as om rugby te speel Brussouw het ‘m ok game gehad, kan ook nie alles alleen doen nie, bismark kak weereens dink hy kan oor almal hardloop. Fourie nie op sy beste nie seker die man is vlepen moeg, morne ok game, meisiekind goeie game, jacques stil game goed verdedig, Jp en Brain ok game Zain ok game.
Bokke het die eerste helfte gespeel en tweede helfte weggeval, noem dit moeg wees besluitloos wat ookal op die ouend van die dag gaan dit wys kermgatte het ons gewen 15- 10
November 28th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
what is the point of coming over
to the Northern hemisphere
to moer naam weg?
November 28th, 2009 at 11:49 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 7:43 pm:
Stats from scrum.com
Ireland South Africa
47 Kicks from hand 42
96 Passes 109
Seems that once again, the team that kicked more and passed less won the match.:D
But you are correct the Irish fullback was the match winner. Those were not poor up-and-unders either, he was just that good.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:50 pm
Richie Mcaw and his men just pissed all over France.
Easily.
The problem with the french fifteen,
apart from Thierry D,who played alone,
is they are all make up and fuck all else.
I can’t believe Poepolpiet is going back
to SA,like some fans,still in high spirits.
My itching scrotum.
Tim noakes is runner up PoepolOfTheYear
all blacks played like a baabaa side
and outplayed the frogs in every quarter.
Kicking for points,strategical ,forward play,
game plan ,intensity and all round play.
And we’ve spanked them 3 times.
Whatever is wrong with springbok rugby
has to be fixed soon.
overeaction.
Richie fetched a cup
to replace everything the Springboks have taken.
Rest well Bokke,
time will tell.
Poepol piet has to go.
Jon smit has to reestablish his place
as best all round hooker.
The captaincy is open with the coaching slot.
And from flyhalf,
as for basic skill,handling,innitiative and
ability,
we are shit.
Can’t always rely on the hardebaarde.
Too much make-up from 10 on in the bokke side.
Even that platbergparra fleck and surely Barry
are mere memories.
no flair,and gerber a mere myth.
The hand off from this kiwi on the wing
just somed it up.
The best side in the world,
ranking,
end of season,
no silwer or not,
is the all blacks.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Fyndraai,
thats pure kak.
We should historically,have enough
to deal with ireland.
Otherwise ,something else is amiss.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:53 pm
Reply to Bunny @ 8:10 pm:
Opgemerk hoe maklik die Bokke hulle lynstane begin wen het toe Smit nie meer ingegooi het nie?
Dieselfde slotte, nuwe hakker, nuwe resultate. Dus – die probleem was die hakker.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Reply to fyndraai @ 11:53 pm:
I think that Smit’s throwing might have been a bit rusty, but that is something that can be far easier fixed than learning the nuances of a tighthead from new.
3 is a specialist position, BJ has shown he is a specialist.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:43 am
Question arising for me is – can these players (WC 07) be managed in such a way that they can win 2011 WC or have they now reached the end of the road?
Maybe we should focus on 2010 as breeding the next generation and then 2011 take what we learnt from 2010 and the form of the 2007 WC team and mix it up…
Who are on the limit age wise? Smit, Matfield, Bakkies, Juan, Danie Rossouw, JdV. No too many that may be at the end of their road so focus on replacing these guys with young blood.
Another issue: Morne Steyn was playing on 3N reputation. NH tour was a nightmare for him! What went wrong?? Ruan should have come on earlier IMO but hindsight is always 20/20.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:46 am
Reply to fyndraai @ 11:53 pm: Even I f he was rusted on his through in’s he still brought more to the game than dom-krag Bismark. In the same breath, when Bismark came in as hooker and John moved to 3 the scrum went backwards.
In the tipe of rugby we play, scrums play a major role and forward balls in the scrum is very much part of the winning ways for this team. I believe(And that’s my opinion) if we sticked with the front row and had forward ball we would have done better in the second half.
We have scored many tries from set pieces this year, and I believe that was the strong points of this team in the games we have won.
I believe we do not understand how much of an impact replacement players make in a team at that level. Sometimes for the good and most of the times for the worse.
PDV have shown this year with his team that they do silly replacements at silly times.
Hope that the unions is gonna let these players rest enough before they start them in the S14 teams.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:48 am
Reply to JT @ 9:43 am: I do not think PDV knows have to manage his players and they will run out of steam.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:49 am
one more thing: Bekker tried his best out there but he just ain’t no Bakkies!
on gameplan and tactics: Well all the teams are on to this gameplan the Bokke used to win against the Lions and win the 3N and all have worked on how to counter that. Time to change and what better to do than use 2010 to “practice” a new structure and gameplan to perfect it by 2011. PdV always talked about wanting to play heads-up rugby. Well take a leaf from how the AB’s played in France (What a game!) and get the basic skill sets at the highest level and run it! At least it will be a little more entertaining!
November 29th, 2009 at 9:51 am
Reply to JT @ 9:49 am: we wil wait many a years to find a new Bakkies Botha so it is unfair to compare Andries with Bakkies. We do not have another Bakkies in this country.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Hate reading a rapport on a sunday, there points for players is idiotic. Meisiekind defended like a bullfighter, and his attacking game was 10 times better than Jacobs and then they give him a 5, and what about yster Danie, 20 times better than Kankakski, and they give him a 4. He is not a Pierre but certainly showed that he is the number 2 after Pierre.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:57 am
Reply to Bunny @ 9:48 am:
replacements: What does PdV have to help him make the decisions? I am a coach and the timing of bringing a player on in a game situation is sooo difficult and crucial to get right. you as a coach always want to believe in your players and say they will get it right, give him another 5min. You have your plans all set up before the game but the game situation changes and you need to get that right. Maybe Bronze and the Dick are too close to the playes to help PdV (also very close to the guys) to make the right decisions. My perception was that Eddie Jones helped Jake a LOT in this regard. Things to ponder!
and managing players: It is tough when you are under pressure to WIN EVERY game. But as we see it NEEDS to be done! Get the best of the best fitness and psychological advisors money can buy! (Not Noakes – he will have them retire at the age of 20!
) Be clear with the fans and media that this is time to buold/manage and the focus is on 2011 to right the mistakes that happened at the end of 2009. 40% won’t believe him and give him shit anyway 
November 29th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Reply to Bunny @ 9:51 am:
true and Bekker did do his best! To be perfectly honest I was pretty happy with the individual performances in that they did do what they could but the tank was empty. we were slow to get to the breakdowns and that killed us. The Oirish took there kicks at goal and we did not. If we did we would have won.
Loosing to France the way they played and loosing to Ireland is hard to swallow but it was a great year and we should never forget that!
November 29th, 2009 at 10:04 am
Reply to Bunny @ 9:56 am:
IMO Steyn was the biggest problem in the back-line. he is too hesitant and stunts the backs. Maybe the heads-up rugby that suits Ruan is not the type of rugby Steyn likes to play. Steyn needs a you do A B and C in these situations but making him decide himself all the time is something he needs to get use to first. 3N they probably gave him more instructions because he was new to the team and in the NH tour it was different.
All speculation on my part!
November 29th, 2009 at 10:42 am
and managing players: It is tough when you are under pressure to WIN EVERY game. But as we see it NEEDS to be done! Get the best of the best fitness and psychological advisors money can buy! (Not Noakes – he will have them retire at the age of 20! ) Be clear with the fans and media that this is time to buold/manage and the focus is on 2011 to right the mistakes that happened at the end of 2009. 40% won’t believe him and give him shit anyway
———————–
So true in many respects, you do not have to apoint Nokes but listen to what he say
November 29th, 2009 at 10:46 am
Reply to JT @ 10:04 am: Steyn’s biggest problem is still that he can only kick with the right foot. I think it give him extra pressure and he will be put on even more as teams found out it is bad point.
He is still young and guys like Johnny and Carter did not play like world stars from the start of their international career. So their is light at the end of the tunnel for Steyna, and he would have learned allot on this tour
November 29th, 2009 at 11:31 am
GUYS -
If you haven’t seen how the
ABs fooked the Frogs 39-12
- try and get to it.
They showed how rugby can
and must be played. Five
tries says it all.
The Boks are very far removed
from that standard of play.
November 29th, 2009 at 11:35 am
Reply to Duiwel @ 11:50 pm:
The best side in the world,
ranking,
end of season,
no silwer or not,
is the all blacks.
===========
Hate to admit but you
are 100% on the button.
When the kick-and-charge
tactics did not work we
had no other form of
attack left.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 11:31 am:
I watched it and yes they were very good but added to that France were off the pace. Too many changes for France in the 3 games they have played IMO.
AB scrum was a farce though! French tackling was crap compared to the way they tackled against us.
Just a few things to think about and one big game by the Blacks does not make them the best side of 2009.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:25 pm
Reply to JT @ 12:19 pm:
Well, they are not the top
ranked side for nothing,
are they?
Face it: The Boks can’t even
play at that pace and with
that flair against the Pastas.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:27 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 12:25 pm:
The year is not ranked by the last 3 games. Bokke beat the AB’s 3 times in 2009. Good enough IMO.
Allthough saying that – the AB’s were awesome against France but and a big BUT it is – you only as good as the Oppo let you be!
November 29th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
Reply to Bunny @ 10:46 am: Sorry mate, hate to disillusion you but Morne will never be a Dan or a Jonny or a Matt. He has a great ability to kick , especially on the Highveld but games are played away from home too.
Have a look at the Wallaby vs Wales and NZ v France games to see what Morne does not do. Matt and Dan were sublime in breaking the line and setting up tries from running rugby.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:50 pm
Reply to out wide @ 12:29 pm: Maybe that’s why PDV rate Raun Pienaar
November 29th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 11:35 am: I can not agree totally, AB played French Team that showed they a pretty good BUT as I was shown out a week or so ago they can not put two or three weeks of perfect performances together.
The AB played against a team who was totally switch off last night and they where lucky in my books that they played against the French team who did not showed up at the pitch.
AB struggled against a below average English team a week earlier and they are not as good as everyone thinks. It showed in the 3N.
The other point I would like to make is that their superstars Like Carter, Richie and Mills and others was better manage this year through their Air NZ Cup and they had allot of injuries to their star players in the S14 and beginning of the year before the 3 N started. Their players did not play as much rugby as what our Boks played.
Their so called running rugby only work really once against a team who did not showed up on the field, they had a kak game against the Spegetti guys, and I already spoke my mind about their game against England
November 29th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
Reply to JT @ 9:43 am:
I have to point out that Morne Steyn scored 13 of the Boks 23 total points against France and Ireland. That is more than half the points.
Yesterday the Boks scored zero points while he was not on the field. Nobody seem to have noticed that Pienaar also missed a regulation kick, perhaps because its normal for him.
November 29th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
Reply to out wide @ 12:29 pm:
Steyn played head to head against Carter and Gitteau a number of times this season and came out on top more often than not.
Considering that he was the rookie and they were the seasoned professionals it was quite an achievement.
Maybe he will repeat that in the next few years, maybe not, but making blanket predictions against him is rather stupid.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 3:47 pm: Ja if he played for AB he would have been selected as Player of the Year, like underperformed Richie.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:29 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 3:47 pm:
This was his first tour to NH and I think the conditions were an eye-opener. He is from PTA FFS! These conditions are not something he has seen other than on TV!
Only reason I am giving him the benefit of the doubt
November 29th, 2009 at 6:12 pm
The truth of the matter is we dominate with
brute strength.
When that lapses,
for whatever reason,
we’re fked.
The AB showed last night,
just how beautiful they can play the game
from any position,
against a side that made us look clumsy,
answerless and thuggish.
Our Skill display against the NH was ZERO.
NZ on the other hand
entertained the world with a display
of magnitude
whilst we still look at any excuse.
Apart from the predominantly Afrikaner grunt
our side has FCK all to show.
ZIP.
RIEN.
niks.
Fokkol.
net verskonings.
November 29th, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Reply to Duiwel @ 6:12 pm:
Is mos hoe ek ook voel.
Grunt and up-and-unders.
Fact is in the skills department
- even the grunt – all the teams
are fooking us: scrums, rucks.
We escape through good defense
and high balls that are spilled.
If, like the Oirish, these balls
are used to attack and we are more
than matched in the pysical stuff
we are down and out.
Clueless.
In the 3N we caught two teams
napping and rebuilding.
And this time we cannot even
blame the ref.
November 29th, 2009 at 7:12 pm
SNIPPET
Australian scientists are working to breed a sheep that belches less, as they look for ways to reduce harmful methane emissions.
=========
Less farting will surely
suit the OZmob.
November 29th, 2009 at 9:57 pm
Good time to remind
all the praise singers
about the Greatest Team
since isolation stopped:
THE MALLETT/TEICHMANN COMBO
3N champions
17 wins in a row
Against all-comers
(this bunch struggles to get 3)
Beat 7 kinds of living shit
out of the Frogs:
52-10
Tries by Snyman, Teich, Die Lem
and FOUR by Slaptjips.
Thats SEVEN tries.
Beat the Kilts 68-10 – 10 tries!
So don’t ever tune me
again about THE GREATEST.