Springboks vs Wallabies, 28 Aug 2010, Loftus Versfeld

[Intercept King JDV]

So with the All Blacks out of the way, the Boks will now have their focus on Australia for the next few weeks.With the coming test being at Loftus, I think it will be ideal to rest John Smit and give the captaincy to Matfiled as he will be making his 100th test appearance in front of his home crowd, thus my team for the test will look like this:

1.Tendai Mtawarira
2.Bismarck du Plessis
3.Jannie du Plessis
4.Flip van der Merwe
5.Victor Matfield (c)
6.Francois Louw
7.Juan Smith
8.Ryan Kankowski
9.Francois Hougaard
10.Morné Steyn
11.Bryan Habana
12.Jean de Villiers
13.Juan de Jongh
14.Gio Aplon
15.Frans Steyn

16.Chilliboy Ralepele
17.Gurthrö Steenkamp
18.Danie Rossouw
19.Dewald Potgieter
20.Ricky Januarie
21.Butch James
22.Wynand Olivier

Though there are better scrum - and - fly-half choices than Januarie and James, PDV will probably stick with them...

 

[valeramat]

South Africa v Australia. 28 Aug 2010. What is your prediction?

Hello to everyone. The next game - the next chance for us to talk. What is your prediction?

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

28-24. It will be a tight match when Hougaard is playing. If Januarie plays, the Aussies will win no problem

 

[cardassian]

If South Africa play like they did against nz (i'm hoping they will) then I think they'll take the game by 12-15 points.
Of course that also relies on them picking a strong team and not having selection head explosions like earlier in the trinations.

 

[woodward]

I reckon Australia will pull off an upset, round the 28-22 mark

 

[Sam Owen]

Lost money on the last game still gutted about that. Im gonna go for a draw in this game. I am leaning towards the 'boks due to their return back to form and of course homeground advantage but the Wallabies are a champion side like the ABs and the 'boks, so yeah draw.

 

[Shaggy]

I'm predicting another close match, but I think that the Boks will win ... hope that the Boks keep the same team as the last match, it will be interesting to see Quade Cooper's impact for the Wallabies

 

[nickdnz]

Looking forward to this game. I'd like to see SA pull a win here, give the fans something to be cheerful about. It'll be a good game. I'm going to guess Boks by 10 points.

 

[squirrel]

is jaque fourie gonna be back

 

[Sker]

I have to disagree about playing Habana. Let him go play some Currie Cup or have a rest or something, he is too much like he was in 2008. Which is ****.

Let him get back some form and play one of the exciting new youngsters (Mvovo,Basson) or even Aplon at 11.

 

[Darwin]

Should be a great game - I'm picking the Boks to win by 5.

 

[.me]

I'd like to think Australia could win this game but they have a dismal record on the Highveld versing South Africa. 2 from 17 it is lost their last 11 games on it, last win was in Johanasberg in the 1960's. 0 from 4 in at Loftus Versfeld. 1 from 3 at Vodacom Park. The only was Australia has a chance of winning is if South Africa are of their game which is a possibility and Australia play well.

 

[ShaheenJ]

Hoping we improve from our last performance and get one over the Wallabies. Personally I'd drop Habana. He needs to stop stepping up and going for the obvious intercept - teams are aware of this and all he does is create overlaps from one-on-one situations. Move Aplon to the wing and play F. Steyn at Fullback. Keep the loose trio as is with Burger, Smith and Spies. Tough on De Jongh, but seeing the Fourie has served his suspension I'll partner him with JdV. Smit deserves a break and it would be a nice touch to make Victor Captain on his Home Ground and play Bismarck. No wholesale changes required, and we might as well play out the 3N as is and rest the senior players on the EOYT. Right now I'm just concerned about losing a possible 5 on the trot - that should be stopped this weekend at all costs!

 

[smartcooky]

Surely, the question is, can the Boks get up after the high emotion of Soweto, and the gut wrenching disappointment of losing a match they really wanted to win for John Smit? This especially when the are "only" playing the Wallabies!

I think they can. The Wallabies haven't beaten the Boks at altitude for 47 years (1963, Ellis Park) and I cannot see that changing in either if the two upcoming matches. In fact their record in South Africa in the 3N is not flash at all, two wins out of 15 matches, both at Kings Park.

I am picking the Boks by 12+

 

[Logorrhea]

Yep, cant argue with any of that. Boks by two scores.

 

[Amobokoboko]

I'm picking the Wallabies, the Boks had only 1 good game that they lost and I reckon that Deans has been working on the weaknesses of the Wallabies the last weeks.
Most SA player will be tired and there is nothing to win or lose for them.
If I was PdV I would give some upcoming talent the chance to get some gameplay despite the result that they will get.

 

[Intercept King JDV]

Boks call in Kankowski as cover for Smith

Flanker Juan Smith is the only injury concern in the Springbok camp following the weekend’s 22-29 loss to the All Blacks at the FNB Stadium.

Team doctor Craig Roberts reported at a press conference at Loftus Versfeld today that Smith has an abdominal muscle strain sustained in the first half of the Tri-Nations match.

Smith did not take part in the training session on Monday morning and is receiving treatment for the injury.

Roberts added that he was confident that Smith would recover in time to be considered for selection for this weekend’s clash with the Wallabies. The team will be announced tomorrow.

"There are a few guys with a bumps and bruises but that was expected after such a physical Test. We are fortunate that we have only one injury concern," Roberts said on the South African Rugby site.

"There were reports that JP Pietersen had an injury but these are completely incorrect and he took part in the full session this morning," he added.

Sharks loose forward Ryan Kankowski joined the squad as a precaution.

Kankowski was released to his province after the training camp two weeks ago and put in a solid performance at the weekend as the Sharks downed Western Province in the Currie Cup.

Source

On current form Kankowski should be picked ahead of Spies at no.8 which I hope will be the case for this weekend.Also looks like JP Pietersen is fit so I'll have him at no.11, Aplon at 14 and Steyn at 15.

If Jaque Fourie's suspension is over, I would like to see him on the bench maybe...He proved to be a real impact player against the B&I Lions last year.Let JDV and de Jongh play the 1st half and bring Fourie on for de Jongh at the start of the 2nd half.

Boks to win by at least 9 points

 

[Shaggy]

Hoping we improve from our last performance and get one over the Wallabies. Personally I'd drop Habana. He needs to stop stepping up and going for the obvious intercept - teams are aware of this and all he does is create overlaps from one-on-one situations. Move Aplon to the wing and play F. Steyn at Fullback. Keep the loose trio as is with Burger, Smith and Spies. Tough on De Jongh, but seeing the Fourie has served his suspension I'll partner him with JdV. Smit deserves a break and it would be a nice touch to make Victor Captain on his Home Ground and play Bismarck. No wholesale changes required, and we might as well play out the 3N as is and rest the senior players on the EOYT. Right now I'm just concerned about losing a possible 5 on the trot - that should be stopped this weekend at all costs!

I agree with bringing Fourie back as an impact player, and retaining the existing centre combination to start ... De Jongh had a great game against the ABs ... good to bring F Steyn back also ... not sure i'd make Victor captain though, isn't this going to be his 100th test, and you want to lumber him with the Captaincy given the pressure to win.

I think Smit will retain the captaincy, but will be subbed in the second half ... Boks to win

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Who would you guys pick as a replacement of Juan Smith? He is injured and won't be playing on saturday. Ryan Kankowski is called up as a replacement. Should he play or will it be someone else?

 

[Sparty]

Kanko at 8 not 7 please. I have to admit this game does not excite me at all , the Trinations is over anyway. I would play Bismark , he really did a number on us (WP) the w\end. also Flo ? I really rated him but he was noewhere so far in the Trinations. Reckon they should rather play Stegman and lets see what he can do with Burger at 7 and either Kanko or Duane at 8.

I would also play Juan and not jean @ 12 with Fourie on the outide , rest Habana as well.