Jakedood
Bench Player
- Joined
- Mar 16, 2015
- Messages
- 891
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Very interesting match up in store...
As its been said, this will be a game won by high levels of accuracy and basic skills, especially in kicking contests. Can either team find grass or get a competition up for the high ball? I'd say the latter is unlikely unless the ref plans to penalise the blocking line (a real pet peeve of mine) but we'll have to wait an see on that count
Borthwick, itoje etc will need another master plan at the lineout, if it functions as it did v New Zealand, at 90% +, then England win the game for me. Etzebeth and de Jager are monsters however, as is PSDT. The other platform, the scrum, i dont think is too heavily skewed SA's way to invoke large scale penalties, maybe a small nudge here or there, but should be a straight fair contest, and used more as an attacking platform than as a penalty machine
The reality is, with England's ball carriers being incredibly adept at deceiving defences and finding soft shoulders, in a way the welsh were unable to do at any point in the 80 minutes on saturday (I barely saw a a single tips pass), the Saffer defense will be more stretched, and England will find spaces to exploit in the backfield or between defenders. Ford & Farrell showed such calmness under pressure, that I feel quite confident saying that.
The size of the Springbok pack is immense, but it isnt the size of Mako that makes him great, nor sinckler, nor billy. It's their footwork going into contact and their handling skills in and before contact. If SA rush up too hard, then England will play as AB's do vs them, with kick passes and chips over to the likes of May and Watson, who are so adept in the air. May's technique is so difficult but he pulls it off so well without using the traditional "basket" as most Back 3 players do
Ultimately the offensive weapons of England and the decision making intelligence of 1-15 should be the difference point, but only if they play with that intelligence and awareness. If they get blinkered, panic, or tense up then we'll see a much much tighter affair. However given they managed a full 80 minute performance of the focus and concentration that coaches have wet dreams over, I think they'll be more than ready to potentially even go up another gear in this match
As its been said, this will be a game won by high levels of accuracy and basic skills, especially in kicking contests. Can either team find grass or get a competition up for the high ball? I'd say the latter is unlikely unless the ref plans to penalise the blocking line (a real pet peeve of mine) but we'll have to wait an see on that count
Borthwick, itoje etc will need another master plan at the lineout, if it functions as it did v New Zealand, at 90% +, then England win the game for me. Etzebeth and de Jager are monsters however, as is PSDT. The other platform, the scrum, i dont think is too heavily skewed SA's way to invoke large scale penalties, maybe a small nudge here or there, but should be a straight fair contest, and used more as an attacking platform than as a penalty machine
The reality is, with England's ball carriers being incredibly adept at deceiving defences and finding soft shoulders, in a way the welsh were unable to do at any point in the 80 minutes on saturday (I barely saw a a single tips pass), the Saffer defense will be more stretched, and England will find spaces to exploit in the backfield or between defenders. Ford & Farrell showed such calmness under pressure, that I feel quite confident saying that.
The size of the Springbok pack is immense, but it isnt the size of Mako that makes him great, nor sinckler, nor billy. It's their footwork going into contact and their handling skills in and before contact. If SA rush up too hard, then England will play as AB's do vs them, with kick passes and chips over to the likes of May and Watson, who are so adept in the air. May's technique is so difficult but he pulls it off so well without using the traditional "basket" as most Back 3 players do
Ultimately the offensive weapons of England and the decision making intelligence of 1-15 should be the difference point, but only if they play with that intelligence and awareness. If they get blinkered, panic, or tense up then we'll see a much much tighter affair. However given they managed a full 80 minute performance of the focus and concentration that coaches have wet dreams over, I think they'll be more than ready to potentially even go up another gear in this match
