[RWC2019][Semi-Final 2] Wales vs. South Africa (27/10/2019)

[james5000]

If Wales win will their injuries be healed in time for the final?

 

[ThebigARena]

Goose really lit a fire under you huh

if goose lit a fire imagine what maverick would do..

 

[ThebigARena]

If Wales win will their injuries be healed in time for the final?

Possibly JD2 if hes not fit for this, williams is unknown what the actual damage is and navidi is terminal for now.. We do seem to get dreadful luck with injuries at WCs

 

[MattGaff]

Yeah I think Patchell would work well at 15.
Pence on the bench to cover back 3.
If Amos is anywhere in the lineup I might actually cry

 

[oj121]

If Wales win will their injuries be healed in time for the final?

Nope. Williams is out of the entire WC apparently.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Apologies if I aggravated anyone, the language was just a bit of very mild mischief on my part given every team I'd route for became irrelevant weeks ago (or in the case of Italy, the second the draw was made). Not looking to disturb anyone's enthusiasm for a RWC semifinal.

I actually thought I was being more savage on the Welsh by giving them a 50% chance of being tryless, but there you go. The welsh are so deflated they cant muster the energy for a downvote. All is not well in the world. I do always mean what I say though, otherwise what's the point?

Annoyingly, I dont think we'll be able to tell much about the Springboks defence after this contest. But barring a miracle they will certainly hold on to their "number 1 RWC defence" . And yes, they can only beat what is infront of them so I am not being malicious about their 'soft' route. Although for the record I gave Japan zilch chance against the Boks, so I wouldn't let that one go down in the annals of Bok history as a triumph.

 

[mdaclarke]

Apologies if I aggravated anyone, the language was just a bit of very mild mischief on my part given every team I'd route for became irrelevant weeks ago (or in the case of Italy, the second the draw was made). Not looking to disturb anyone's enthusiasm for a RWC semifinal.

I actually thought I was being more savage on the Welsh by giving them a 50% chance of being tryless, but there you go. The welsh are so deflated they cant muster the energy for a downvote. All is not well in the world. I do always mean what I say though, otherwise what's the point?

Annoyingly, I dont think we'll be able to tell much about the Springboks defence after this contest. But barring a miracle they will certainly hold on to their "number 1 RWC defence" . And yes, they can only beat what is infront of them so I am not being malicious about their 'soft' route. Although for the record I gave Japan zilch chance against the Boks, so I wouldn't let that one go down in the annals of Bok history as a triumph.

I agree with you about Japan. It was almost sad seeing they hype that Japan were getting. Listening to the British radio and TV coverage you'd have thought that they were the greatest rugby team that ever lived and they would put 50 points on the AB in their prime and the Boks were like lambs to the slaughter.

 

[Johnny Storm]

23 - 18 to Wales here. A bungling fullback works only for the opposition, so SA just gave Wales Le Roux.

Faf will give Wales more ball than they have ever had in this tournament so far and Gats must be loving his new options and chances now.

Bok pack is huge and powerful but it's easy to avoid with planning and fast ball. Gatland a former Lions coach will know how to stear clear of a big pack.

Penalty kicking favours the Welsh - Pollard gets around 50%.

Wales back line are sharper, faster and much more capable of interceptions, especially hitting slow clumsy passes from De Allende, so a couple of tries will come in there.

French ref hates SA, so they start the game with another mountain to climb.

 

[dullonien]

That all said, looking through the likely Welsh lineup, it just doesn't seem like a team that you'd expect to see in a world cup final

I was thinking earlier how many of the likely starting team for Sunday would get into the 2011 SF side? My combined XV would read something like:

01 Gethin Jenkins (2011)
02 Ken Owens (2019)
03 Adam Jones (2011)
04 Luke Charteris (2011)
05 AWJ (2019, but 2011 AWJ was still bloody good)
06 Dan Lydiate (2011)
07 Sam Warburton (2011, I love Tips, but Warbs was at the peak of his powers in that tournament)
08 Toby Faletau (2011, as he was known then)

09 Mike Phillips (2011, although both Gareth Davies and Tomos Williams have been excellent)
10 Dan Biggar (2019, not happy here. Priestland missed the SF and Hook was already on the wane by this point, so current Biggar takes it by default)
11 Shane Williams (2011)
12 Jamie Roberts (2011)
13 Jon Davies (2011 version takes it as he was fully fit. Fully fit current Fox would take it though)
14 George North (2011, by a mile)
15 Leigh Halfpenny (2011)

That's 12 v 3. This current side has a mental toughness the 2011 class possibly lacked though. Let's see how much that accounts for on Sunday.

 

[Johnny Storm]

Wales team has now been announced:

15. Leigh Halfpenny (Scarlets) (84 Caps),
14. George North (Ospreys) (90 Caps),
13. Jonathan Davies (Scarlets) (79 Caps),
12. Hadleigh Parkes (Scarlets) (23 Caps),
11. Josh Adams (Cardiff Blues) (19 Caps),
10. Dan Biggar (Northampton Saints) (77 Caps),
9. Gareth Davies (Scarlets) (49 Caps),

1. Wyn Jones (Scarlets) (20 Caps),
2. Ken Owens (Scarlets) (71 Caps),
3. Tomas Francis (Exeter Chiefs) (47 Caps),
4. Jake Ball (Scarlets) (40 Caps),
5. Alun Wyn Jones (Ospreys) (132 Caps) (CAPT),
6. Aaron Wainwright (Dragons) (17 Caps),
7. Justin Tipuric (Ospreys) (70 Caps),
8. Ross Moriarty (Dragons) (39 Caps).

Replacements:
16. Elliot Dee (Dragons) (27 Caps),
17. Rhys Carre (Saracens) (4 Caps)
18. Dillon Lewis (Cardiff Blues) (20 Caps)
19. Adam Beard (Ospreys) (18 Caps)
20. Aaron Shingler (Scarlets) (24 Caps)
21. Tomos Williams (Cardiff Blues) (14 Caps)
22. Rhys Patchell (Scarlets) (17 Caps)
23. Owen Watkin (Ospreys) (20 Caps)

 

[Kapa O Pango]

I don't think he has overtaken Marx, I think they are equally good at the moment. Marx was just out of form for the most part this season. He did however had a great game when he came on in the 30th minute against Japan.

They do both offer different playing styles that suit different parts of the game. Really good both of them.

 

[donmcdazzle]

Yikes all these injuries then having to face one of the most physically imposing teams in the tournament... If Wales can pull this off it will be one of their great wins.

 

[Hydraulxx]

Yeah we bot a huge pack but people also forget how fit and fast our pack is, trying to get around our pack is not as easy as it sounds. . Our back 3 is also as fast as it has ever been. Our game plan will probably be identical to how we played against Japan

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

From a SA perspective, are there any notable absences? (Kolbe aside)

At full strength I would back us way more but we are missing:
Liam Williams
Anscombe
Navidi
Faletau
Ellis Jenkins
Cory Hill

And still possibly:
JD2
George North (ankle ****le?)

I think all fit the likes of Jan Serfontein, Trevor Nyakane, Cheslin Kolbe, Aphiwe Dyantyi and Jesse Kriel would be considered starters but TBH I think the differences from 1st choice to 2nd for us isn't big and their stand-ins could have a better show on the day. Marcel Coetzee also out injured but he would've been on the bench I'd imagine.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Excited but nervous for this match. To some degree I felt this team will only be at their contending best for 2023 but credit to coaches and players to get here.

This is a very young team as RWC squads go. No matter how the rest of the tournament go I will be happy and looking forward to good things to come looking ahead to 2023 and a Lions tour in between. All of the backline bar Mapimpi, Faf and Le Roux will likely still be there and we already have their back ups waiting in the wings and getting exposure this RWC (Dyantyi aside). We'll have to see how things are with Dyantyi. If he has taken forbidden substances I wonder whether that might've been in a desperate attempt to get fit and available for the RWC as he was always touch and go for being ready in time. I have pity but its a terrible decision (assuming the samples are indeed showing the true picture).

Our pack will be bullish as ever 4 years from now. Brits will only be 42 and hitting his prime.

 

[mdaclarke]

Excited but nervous for this match. To some degree I felt this team will only be at their contending best for 2023 but credit to coaches and players to get here.

This is a very young team as RWC squads go. No matter how the rest of the tournament go I will be happy and looking forward to good things to come looking ahead to 2023 and a Lions tour in between. All of the backline bar Mapimpi, Faf and Le Roux will likely still be there and we already have their back ups waiting in the wings and getting exposure this RWC (Dyantyi aside). We'll have to see how things are with Dyantyi. If he has taken forbidden substances I wonder whether that might've been in a desperate attempt to get fit and available for the RWC as he was always touch and go for being ready in time. I have pity but its a terrible decision (assuming the samples are indeed showing the true picture).

Our pack will be bullish as ever 4 years from now. Brits will only be 42 and hitting his prime.

I would have thought that Faf has a good chance of making 2023

 

[1015]

I dont think Foxy will be 100% but glad he is in lineup at least. I think SA will win this comfortably but only because of injuries on our side.

 

[JohnKA]

I think SA will win this comfortably just because we are a stronger team .. XD

I dont think Foxy will be 100% but glad he is in lineup at least. I think SA will win this comfortably but only because of injuries on our side.

 

[1015]

I think SA will win this comfortably just because we are a stronger team .. XD

Or this.

SA for the past year have been solid and have settled on a good 15 without to many changes, this is what they've needed. Some stability.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I would have thought that Faf has a good chance of making 2023

He'll be 32. Doable but not if he doesn't pick up his game. There are upcoming guys (Jantjies in particular) that are pushing him and are plying their trade locally which will count in their favor. 4 Years from now Faf will also not have a monopoly on being a 'senior' player in his position. Its not a good thing but in SA we tend to be very fickle and not always back our older players- at least the general public tend to be very fickle (myself included I fully concede).