South Africa VS Wales

[loratadine]

ok, no direct topic for this :S



so thort id create one



soooo thoughts people?



im not very optimistic to be honest



my early predictions are



first test



south africa 24

wales 19



second test



south africa 29

wales 20

 

[danny]

After the grand slam Wales should be in confident mood ahead of these Tests. Its a shame about the players who are not going on tour but hopefully they can put that behind them and do well. Its hard to see Wales winning but I feel they will make a game of it and lose the test series by quite a slender margin. Looking forward to seeing Tom Cheeseman(the new Lomu) rip holes in the Springbok defence.

 

[Steve-o]

We got a new coach with new tactics so quite frankly I'm not sure of anything. I do think we'll win both though. Whoever chose the fixtures really wanted to put Wales up **** creek. The Boks are extremely hard to beat in Bloemfontein and Pretoria, Bloem is probably the 2nd, literally, hard field in the country after Kimberley. European teams tend to struggle on a hard surface.
I expect Kankowski to have more fans after this. He's been handing off the likes of McCaw all season, such an athlete.
If I've checked the stats right Wales has beaten the Boks once in a 100 years of playing against each other, and that was a 6 point victory in Cardiff. The last time Wales played in Pretoria they got beat 96-12 or around there. So history is on our side, which makes me feel a hella alot better.
Not gonna make predictions until a starting XV is announced.

 

[dullonien]

This can't be the same Lora? Predicting a Welsh loss, that doesn't usually happen. What's happened to your posts, why the gaps between each sentence? Oh well, nice to see you back mate, though some might not agree!

Looking forward to seeing Tom Cheeseman(the new Lomu) rip holes in the Springbok defence. [/b]

Lol, very good danny.

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I'm a bit undecided about these tests. We've lost a few players who are very hard to replace. Loosing our first three scrum halves has hit us hard, it would any team. But maybe Gatland can get the best out of Cooper again?

Martyn Williams is another huge loss, but I think Jonathan Thomas will do a good job. Everyone ready to see the biggest back row in Welsh history? Mobility could be a problem!

The other major loss is Gavin Henson. He makes the backline tick, he will be the hardest to replace imo. Andrew Bishop is my favourite to start, just hope Gatland doesn't go for Parker.

Lee Burne won't be a huge loss imo. It'll give a chance to one of Jamie Roberts or Morgan Stoddard, both of which are more talented. Jamie Roberts should start imo, as Stoddard is defensively and positionally weak (though an absolute beast in attack).

The other debate is who will fill the right wing? Mark Jones will be back from injury, but I think Tom James deserves his chance. Highest try scorer in the Magners League in his first full season, a true athlete in every way. He's the future, give him his chance.

I'm not going to predict scores, my heart is ruling my head, which is never good.

 

[Steve-o]

Biggest backrow ever? Should an interesting match up since our backrow will be the fittest they're ever been after a hectic S14 under the ELV's.

 

[Jer1cho]

Biggest backrow ever? Should an interesting match up since our backrow will be the fittest they're ever been after a hectic S14 under the ELV's.[/b]

Yeah. Dont think there are any loosies in the welsh team that will catch Kankowski and Spies (who should start)

 

[loratadine]

i dont kno what happend there mate, with the spaces :S got a bit carried away

i read somewhere that pdv wants to abandon south africas traditional forward game for a much more elusive running game with the idea of running the welsh of the park at high altitude. i think that would be a mistake as the welsh fitness by all accounts has imrpoved again since the six nations, and lets be fair our fitness levels was one of the reasons we won a grand slam.

i really cant see south africa running away with it. its not in our mindset now to be smashed or blown away by sides. be good to see if our forwards will be able to step up there physicality another notch and compete with the world champs.

but i think wales are faster, fitter and stroner than they have ever, EVER been. so nows as good a chance as any

and another thing, ive really enjoyed listening to ryan jones in the build up. the ways he talks, im sure really motivates and inspires the welsh boys, if he isnt lions captain next year, than something definatly wrong.

Biggest backrow ever? Should an interesting match up since our backrow will be the fittest they're ever been after a hectic S14 under the ELV's.[/b]

Yeah. Dont think there are any loosies in the welsh team that will catch Kankowski and Spies (who should start) [/b]

i would disagree with that, i think the fact that they are big is gunna be quite deceptive for you guys, i mean jt nd ryan jones are both fairly mobile for big mean, jt especially is very athletic. and ryan is no slouch



and any gloucester/bath fan im sure will tell you that gareth delve is extremely extremeley fast for a back row forward, if he starts that is....which he should.

 

[Steve-o]

If those guys who mentioned can give NZ backs stick, then i'd say your right on the money

 

[loratadine]

i certainly wouldnt say there as fast as spies or kankowski, but the point im making is they are certainly no slouches. i think theyll be able to hold there own.

and on another point, what do the south africans feel will be the starting xv, im especially interested in the front row, the hlf backs, and the back three.

 

[dullonien]

Yeah. Dont think there are any loosies in the welsh team that will catch Kankowski and Spies (who should start) [/b]

Just tackle them before they get anywhere .

On a more serious note, the backrow battle will definitely be interesting. As Lora said, the probable Welsh backrow will be Ryan Jones, Jonathan Thomas and Gareth Delve. None are slow lumbering players, but they're not in the same league as Kankowski and Spies, speed wise. What they do posses though is power. All three are excellent ball carriers who are able to break the gain line.

We will deffinatly miss Martyn Williams crativity and poatching ability, but he has never been a quick player and that didn't hold us back during the six nations.

 

[gingergenius]

After the grand slam Wales should be in confident mood ahead of these Tests. Its a shame about the players who are not going on tour but hopefully they can put that behind them and do well. Its hard to see Wales winning but I feel they will make a game of it and lose the test series by quite a slender margin. Looking forward to seeing Tom Cheeseman(the new Lomu) rip holes in the Springbok defence.
[/b]

I thought that was wendell sailor? no, wait it was tuilagi. hang on, wasn't vainikolo the new lomu? some say there's this guy halai. others say matt banahan.......

<_<

 

[Steve-o]

My pick:
1 - Beast
2 - Smit
3 - BJ Botha
4 - Botha
5 - Matfield
6 - Watson
7 - Smith
8 - Kankowski
9 - Januarie
10 - James
11 - Habana
12 - De Villiers
13 - Steyn
14 - Chavhanga
15 - Monty

But me and PdV don't seem have the same line of thinking so I expect some surprises.

 

[loratadine]

matt banahan lol

 

[Prestwick]

You're ALL wrong! Everyone knows its Fransisco Leonelli!! Look at how he shook off not-so-super gnome in the HEC Semi! :lol:

 

[loratadine]

habana and chavanga on either flank some serious gas right there

i wouldnt be surprised actually to see spies starting at 6 for the boks :/

tom james is the new lomu!! better than lomu ever was, gunna just run in try after try againt the boks who wont be able to live with the sheer super human strength of the man

 

[Steve-o]

Funny you say that, the legend himself never managed to score against us, so his wannabes have the odds stacked against them

 

[loratadine]

tom james aint a wannabe, hes almost superhuman, its uncanny

 

[Steve-o]

tom james aint a wannabe, hes almost superhuman, its uncanny
[/b]

Lora rating a Welsh player highly?! I'll have to keep an eye on him for sure!

 

[danny]

Funny you say that, the legend himself never managed to score against us, so his wannabes have the odds stacked against them
[/b]

If thats true it is an amazing stat, I cant personally remember Lomu scoring against the Boks so it sounds right. James Small was the only winger in the world in those days who was crazy enough to tackle the big man.

 

[dullonien]

<div class='quotemain'>
tom james aint a wannabe, hes almost superhuman, its uncanny
[/b]

Lora rating a Welsh player highly?! I'll have to keep an eye on him for sure! [/b][/quote]


Lora's being very tongue in cheek, but Tom James will be a star. He's 15stone 8 (99kg) and very quick (not lightning) with a good step and knows his way to the try line. He's only been playing rugby for 2 years or so (he's an ex 400m runner, ran for Wales I believe). He's still very raw, but was the Magners League top try scorer this season. I can't even emagine how good he'll be when he's learn't the game properly!