South Africa +5

Magi one difference between the game over there and Saturday is that Dan Carter is playing this time. Our only chance is up front when you compare 9 to 15 the are in a different league. The All Blacks are also chasing the most consecutive test wins and are currently on 15 needing 4 more to break Lithuania's record. They will be pumped for this match.

Bokke gaan hulle klap. If you read the comments of Foster......arrogant, they are not unbeatable.....voerstjek

Why don't we rather just study the form?

In Dunedin South Africa would have won had they been able to simply kick their goals. So there was not much between the sides on that occasion. We recognise this and NZ analysts generally agree with this view.

In the interim Sonny Bill Williams - whom everyone seems to have quickly and surprisingly forgotten - was there but is no longer. This has been well offset by the return of Dan Carter. I think the loss of Williams has been a major blow yet to be exposed.

South Africa have in the meantime found a cohesive loose forward combination which has had a significant impact. Furthermore the presence of Francois Louw is likely to restrict the scavenging freedom that McCaw enjoyed in Dunedin.

The performance of Etzebeth and ( at long last! ) Bekker last week needs to be carried through to this week. If it is then we may well be able to put pressure on New Zealand in the one area where we have often been able to dominate - the lineouts. If we manage this then both Mealamu and Hoare might revert to their bad habits of wayward throwing in and gift us some bonus possession.

I like Taute in midfield as I believe he is creative and likely to be less predictable than Frans Steyn whom I find laboured off the mark and prone to be predicatable as a centre. Hopefully his long range goal kicking role can be filled by Goosen.

Lastly - we are at home and on the highveld. NZ have had to travel and almost always show us more respect than we sometimes deserve. I believe SA are one of the few sides where they ask themselves "Can we?" as opposed to "How far?" where lesser opponents are concerned.

We are well capable of winning this match. I would be surprised if it were by a large margin no matter who wins it.

gregbucks Wrote:

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> Frodo Wrote:
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> > > You guys are playing with your heart....
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> > If I were playing with my heart, I would have
> > backed the Proteas in the T20 Cup
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> lol...So you choked as well...<


I have not read the entire post, but now I know where "my heart was in my throat" comes from:D

Garrick SBW did not play against us in Dunedin he only played the two Bledisloe test against the Aussies then went over to play in Japan.

New Zealand were awful against us and were lucky to win, due to our kicking, and weren't much better against the Argies at home. I cannot see them playing that badly again and would have gained confidence from the fluent victory over Argentina away. If we look at form we could only draw with Argentina over there.

We need to slow down the ball at the breakdown. If the NZ backline get quickly recycled ball we will be in trouble. Playing an injury savaged Aussie side and a full strength NZ side is a different proposition.

If we keep the ball tight and disrupt the NZ momentum it will be a close game either way. If the game is open and NZ recycle quickly it will be a confident victory for NZ.

Thanks for all the views, I guess I should take the draw!

My mate just phoned to ask if I would like to go to game, bus, drinks, tickets and a bit time in Soweto , sounds great and I said YES!

Will take a few pics

Enjoy Scotia.

The Boks forwards had the better of NZ's forwards in Dunedin and Bekker & Etzebeth did not play, we lost 18 points with missed kick's and had a yellow card. Ok, Carter was missing for the AB's.

We are moving in the right direction and H Meyer being a brilliant tactician and analyst, would surely have worked out a plan to curb Carter & co. Goosen will be the x-factor.

'Perhaps there is not such a big gulf between the two sides. Perhaps, as is often the case, the side that turns chances into points wins - and that includes chances with the boot.' Rugby365

Springboks by 3

scotia Wrote:

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> My mate just phoned to ask if I would like to go
> to game, bus, drinks, tickets and a bit time in
> Soweto , sounds great and I said YES!
>
> Will take a few pics


I will be at the game as well. Hope it will be exciting. (tu)

If its 19-19 with two minutes to go I will be the one screaming in the crowd lol

Enjoy Scotia......looking forward to the pics (tu)

You can get around 700/1 the draw double

SA and Argentina game