Springboks need a good win

I have been accused by a few readers of being negative toward the Boks … And perhaps I have. Of course, my job is not to cheerlead, but rather offer what some hopefully believe to be educated comment. And to be honest, I am not feeling massively positive about the Boks at the moment!

And while it does not make sense to make sweeping changes to a gameplan at a World Cup, it does make sense to try a few new things if it starts looking like the existing gameplan is not going to win you the coveted cup.

Hence my wanting to take a look at Lambie at flyhalf, De Jongh at centre and Hougaard on the wing. Not necessarily all at the same time … But the selectors disagree and I hope they are right. Paul Treu likes the look of Saturday’s Bok side given that he does not believe the ball should go past 12 against the Fijians, and that Steyn must be there to grab the points that come from the resultant mistakes born of frustration.

So DO NOT expect anything pretty people …

Which, to my mind, is just a smidgeon sad, as against the lowly Fiji, I would have thought the World Champions might be looking to actually enjoy themselves a little while running up a big score!

The basics do need to be done first though … And I like the language Gary Gold was speaking prior to the game, saying that the Boks need to starve Fiji of possession to curb their potent attacking threat, and also to ensure the Springboks are not defending for the entire.

“A team like Fiji, their mindset is to want to play. They don’t come to World Cups wanting to defend. The longer you starve them of possession, the longer you hold on to the ball and …the longer we are disciplined to stay in our structures then I think … we can break them down.”

“We can’t defend for such long periods of times against quality teams. No matter what your system, or how well coached our team is defensively, at the end of the day the wall is going to break if you allow the opposition to play as much rugby as we allowed Wales to do.”

So here’s hoping that the Boks hold onto the ball a little more, play a little rugby, and that Bakkies Botha’s Achilles holds out for the necessary 60 minutes … The Boks desperately need a good win, even if just for the psyche of the proud fan!

South Africa vs Fiji
Date: Saturday, September 17, Kick-off: 08h00
Venue: Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)

South Africa: 15 Pat Lambie, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 JP Pietersen, 10 Morne Steyn, 9 Fourie Du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brussow, 5 Danie Rossouw 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie Du Plessis, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Gurthro Steenkamp
Substitutes: 16 Bismarck du Plessis 17 Tendai Mtawarira 18 Francois Louw 19 Willem Alberts 20 Fancois Hougaard 21 Ruan Pienaar 22 Juan de Jongh

Fiji: 15 Kini Murimurivalu, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 Gaby Lovobalavu, 12 Seremaia Bai, 11 Naipolioni Nalaga, 10 Waisea Sedre Luveniyali, 9 Nemia Kenatale, 8 Sakiusa Matadigo, 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Dominiko Maiwiriwiri Waqaniburotu, 5 Wame Lewaravu, 4 Leone Nakarawa, 3 Deacon Manu (captain), 2 Sunia Koto, 1 Campese Ma’afu
Substitutes: 16 Telemaitoga Dautu Tuapati, 17 Waisea Nailago, 18 Netani Edward Talei, 19 Sisa Koyamaibole, 20 Vitori Tomu Buatava, 21 Nicky Little, 22 Gaby Lovobalavu

CLICK HERE for a full list of team sheets

My World Cup predictions:

Saturday
Argentina v Romania, Invercargill 05:30 (Argentina by 18)
South Africa v Fiji, Wellington 08:00 (South Africa by 17)
Australia v Ireland, Auckland 10:30 (Australia by 14)

Sunday
Wales v Samoa, Hamilton 05:30 (Samoa by 3)
England v Georgia, Dunedin 08:00 (England by 19)
France v Canada, Napier 10:30 (France by 36)

And in the Absa Currie Cup …

I reckon we might see a few bum squeakers as the second and third placed teams Western Province and The Sharks, face tricky away games when they travel to Pretoria and Bloemfontein respectively.

Both the Blue Bulls and the Cheetahs, the two most successful sides in the last decade, would have preferred to be higher up on the log and will be pushing hard to get back to winning ways at home this weekend.

Log leaders Golden Lions should book their spot in the semis against the Leopards in Potch, while the pink Pumas will be praying for their first win of the season when in Kimberley.

Friday

Leopards v Golden Lions, Potchefstroom – 19:10
Referee: Stuart Berry
Last meeting: Golden Lions won 53-36 in Johannesburg

My prediction: Lions by 17

Leopards: 15 Hoffmann Maritz, 14 Charl Weideman, 13 Hennie Skorbinski, 12 Joubert Engelbrecht (captain), 11 Vainon Willis, 10 Wesley Dunlop, 9 Whestley Moolman, 8 Spanner Pretorius, 7 MB Lusaseni, 6 Robert Kruger, 5 Roan van Heerden, 4 Brendon Snyman, 3 Stoof Bezuidenhout, 2 Gavin Williamson, 1 BG Uys
Bench: 16 Stoffel Duvenhage, 17 Dewald Coetzee, 18 Bêrend Botha, 19 Philip de Wet, ­20 Johann Laker, 21 Clayton Durand, 22 George Tossel

Golden Lions: 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Jannie Boshoff, 13 Doppies la Grange, 12 Alwyn Hollenbach, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Michael Bondesio, 8 Joshua Strauss (captain), 7 Michael Rhodes, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco van der Merwe, 4 Johan Snyman, 3 Patric Cilliers, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg
Bench: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Jacobie Adriaanse, 18 Warrem Whiteley, 19 Jaco Kriel, 20 Rudi Paige, 21 Burton Francis, 22 James Kamana

Saturday

Free State Cheetahs v Sharks, Bloemfontein – 15:00
Referee: Mark Lawrence
Last meeting: The Sharks won 43-34 in Durban

My prediction: Sharks by 2

Free State Cheetahs: 15 Hennie Daniller, 14 Riaan Smit, 13 Robert Ebersohn, 12 Philip Snyman, 11 Cameron Jacobs, 10 Johan Goosen, 9 Pieter van Zyl, 8 Ashley Johnson, 7 Boom Prinsloo, 6 Lappies Labuschagné, 5 Izak van der Westhuizen, 4 Francois Uys, 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 3 Adriaan Strauss (captain), 1 Marcel van der Merwe.
Bench: 16 Hercu Liebenberg, 17 Trevor Nyakane, 18 Wilhelm Steenkamp, 19 Johan Wessels, 20 Tewis de Bruyn, 21 Sias Ebersohn, 22 Philip Burger.

Sharks: 15. Stefan Terblanche 14. Sibusiso Sithole 13. Marius Joubert 12. Meyer Bosman 11. Lwazi Mvovo 10. Frederic Michalak 9. Conrad Hoffmann 8. Keegan Daniel (captain) 7. Jean Deysel 6. Jacques Botes 5. Alistair Hargreaves 4. Anton Bresler 3. Eugene van Staden 2. Craig Burden 1. Dale Chadwick
Bench: 16. Kyle Cooper 17. Julian Redelinghuys 18. Jan Andre Marais 19. Marcell Coetzee 20. Ross Cronje 21. Adrian Jacobs 22. Louis Ludik

Griquas v Pumas, Kimberley – 15:00
Referee: Jaco Peyper
Last meeting: Griquas won 40-33 in Nelspruit

My prediction: Griquas by 4

Griquas: 15 Riaan Viljoen, 14 Dusty Noble, 13 Jean Stemmet, 12 Hanno Coetzee, 11 Rocco Jansen, 10 Earl Rose, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 8 Jonathan Mokuena (captain), 7 Davon Raubenheimer, 6 Marnus Schoeman, 5 Jaco Nepgen, 4 Frikkie Spies, 3 Lourens Adriaanse, 2 Ryno Barnes, 1 Ivann Espag
Bench: 16 Simon Westraadt, 17 Steph Roberts, 18 Leon Karemaker, 19 Justin Downey, 20 Marnus Hugo, 21 Matthew Rosslee, 22 Rudi Vogt

Pumas: 15. MJ Mentz, 14. Wilhelm Hendrik Loock, 13. JW Jonker, 12. Siviwe Magaba, 11. Johan Jackson, 10. Ricardo Croy, 9. Hendrik van der Nest, 8. Christo le Roux, 7. Jaco Bouwer, 6. Corne Steenkamp (Captain), 5. Marius Coetzer, 4. Rudi Mathee, 3. Brett Nel, 2. Pellow van der Westhuizen, 1. Dawie Steyn
Bench: 16. Torsten van Jaarsveld, 17. Michael de Neuilly-Rice, 18. Willem Serfontein, 19. JP Mostert, 20. Carl Bezuidenhout, 21. Dewald Pretorius, 22. Deon Scholtz

Blue Bulls v Western Province, Pretoria – 17:05
Referee: Pro Legoete
Last meeting: WP won 35-7 in Cape Town

My prediction: Bulls by 3

Blue Bulls: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Akona Ndungane, 13 Wynand Olivier, 12 Frans Venter, 11 Bjorn Basson, 10 Louis Fouch, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 CJ Stander, 7 Jacques Potgieter, 6 Dewald Potgieter, 5 Juandre Kruger, 4 Flip van der Merwe, 3 Werner Kruger, 2 Gary Botha (captain), 1 Dean Greyling
Bench: 16 Willie Wepener, 17 Rossouw de Klerk, 18 Gerrit-Jan van Velze, 19 Arno Botha, 20 Dustin Jinka, 21 Francois Brummer, 22 Jurgen Visser

Western Province: 15. Conrad Jantjes, 14. Danie Poolman, 13. Johann Sadie, 12. Marcel Brache, 11. JJ Engelbrecht, 10. Isma-eel Dollie, 9. Dewaldt Duvenage, 8. Nick Koster, 7. Tertius Daniller, 6. Nick Fenton-Wells, 5. De Kock Steenkamp, 4. Hilton Lobberts, 3. Brok Harris, 2. Tiaan Liebenberg (Captain), 1. Steven Kitshoff
Bench: 16. Deon Fourie, 17. Frans Malherbe, 18. Nizaam Carr, 19. Siya Kolisi, 20. Quinn Roux, 21. Nick Groom, 22. Berton Klaasen

Absa Currie Cup First Division games:

EP vs Valke
Date: Friday, 16 September, Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
Referee: Joey Salmans
Last meeting: EP Kings won 36-20 in Kempton Park

SWD vs Griffons
Date: Friday, 16 September, Kick-off: 19:00
Venue: Outeniqua Park, George
Referee: Sindile Mayende
Last meeting: SWD won 48-45 in Welkom

A wife, girlfriend, child and pet free house for the Bok clash with All Bran and OJ, the Pool D decider between the Aussies and the Irish on a gym bike, the Sharks vs Cheetahs with a few cold ones and some biltong while the fire burns down, and then the Bulls vs WP with the resultant tjoppies and wors washed down with several more cold ones?

Can one get a better Saturday?

Enjoy,
Tank