Cheslin Kolbe is out injured and replaced by Sbu Nkosi. Still a 6-2 split on the bench, so we can expect the same tactics as against Japan.
It is an open secret that the Welsh will rain the kicks on our back three, as we have looked very flaky under the high ball. We will need a much improved performance in that department, as well as cutting down on errors when we do create opportunities.
15 Willie le Roux, 14 Sbu Nkosi, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Makazole Mapimpi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (c), 5 Lood de Jager, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Bongi Mbonambi, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Subs: 16 Malcolm Marx, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Vincent Koch, 19 RG Snyman, 20 Franco Mostert, 21 Francois Louw, 22 Herschel Jantjies, 23 Frans Steyn.
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Well at least we know Nkosi can catch a high ball!!!! He is one player that could make them pay if the kick and chance is not good.
We gain different things by having Nkosi in instead of Kolbe. I think S’bu will go out there with a point to prove and I feel sorry for the Welsh.
Anybody else worried about the bench? What if we get injuries in the backline?
What a collision. North vs Nkosi. One with ball in hand at full pace, the other trying not to look like Mike Catt!
@StevieS (Comment 2) : I think could aide in our favour as the Welsh no doubt would have planned for Kolbe but now Nkosi requires a very different plan.
Also concerned about the bench, might end up with Kolisi at center. My concern is there is no real second goal kicker if pollard happens to get the jips on match day.
@SheldonK (Comment 4) : I’m sure Faf will have a go if it means that he can kick some more! 😈
@StevieS (Comment 2) : problem is that I don’t think play is going to the Kolbi/Nkosi side enough. Hope Nkosi get some chances to show what he can do as I personally rate him as one of the best wings in world rugby.
@JD (Comment 5) : Most probably… 😥
@SheldonK (Comment 4) : Now I have a new worry lol
Is Faf not a decent kicker?
@JD (Comment 6) : I rate him very highly.
I was wanting a back three of Mapimpi, Kolbe and Nkosi. Pace to burn and we could watch Kolbe returning kicks from fullback. I just hope Willie delivers in this game after a very ordinary 2019 season to date.
@StevieS (Comment 8) : Apparently he kicked a couple for Sale last year, how tricky those were im not sure. Id love to see Snyman have a good, for pure entertainment
@SheldonK (Comment 4) : Frans Steyn?
England doing all the playing and getting rewarded for it leading 7-0. Almost managed another try but got correctly blown for obstruction.
Could England manage the double in one year – cricket and rugby world cups?
All Blacks hanging in the game by the skin of their teeth. England leads 10-0 but it could easily have been 24-0 if TMO decisions went their way
Can’t see an All Black miracle from here 19-7 down with 6 minutes left.
World Cup is England’s to lose. Can’t see either Wales or SA knocking them over.
England is as physical as South Africa, but the England backs are miles better than ours.
@Bokhoring (Comment 15) : they played complete rugby today. NZ couldn’t live with them.
@StevieS (Comment 16) : Well almost complete, 1 missed line out throw gave the New Zealanders a sniff and the score some credibility. But yeah, the English were basically perfect. I don’t think I have ever seen the All Black’s being dominated in the line outs and in open play like they were today. Yes, this world cup is surely England’s to lose.
Can’t help thinking about what Stormers /WP rugby could have been if Jones had hung around as their coach (if he was left to coach his way, that is)
Poor cheetahs robbed in their pro 14 game, we thought Garces is shite, this ref was trying to find a way to let connacht win
Boks defensive structure leaves plenty of space for Wales to exploit
3 all
Good scrum wins us a penalty
But our backs really suck
Wales apart from Halfpenny as flaky as SA under the high ball
Wales steal our lineout and break our 100% record
Need to hold onto the ball in contact
Kak game compared to yesterday’s game. Lots of kicking from both teams. Neither of these will worry England
Thor runs over the Welsh prop who goes off injured
Garces is actually doing well, no crap yet
SA leads 9-6 at halftime
Pollard needs to target Wales 8 at kickoffs. He falls down each time he catches the ball
Very conservative from both teams. Wales do seem to run a bit more when in our territory
@Bokhoring (Comment 27) : I think both Wales and the Boks play in such a way that they don’t allow the opposition to play well so I think regardless of who England play they won’t be allowed to play such an attractive game.
Kak kick from Pollard
Followed by mistake from Faf and penalty conceded by Etzebeth allows Biggar to equalize
Comedy of errors
Nkosi just chases kicks so much better than Mapimpi
We just can’t get going. Good drive by PSDT but then Wales forces the turnover penalty
De Allende powers over and scores the first try of the match. Good break by Pollard started the move
16-9
Positive from Wales going for the lineout
Good defense from Boks on their line
Wales taking the scrum.
And scores in the corner
16 all
@Bokhoring (Comment 44) : Last pass suspect
We are so fucken ponderous with ball in hand
Steyn replaces Willie. Can he spark something?
Louw wins an important turnover penalty. Now need to keep the pressure on Wales by looking after the ball
Kick for the corner
3 points is not enough buffer
19-16
Brilliant but very lucky kick from Faf
Wales gifts us a scrum in their 22. Boks need to close out this game now
Keep the ball please
And we get a scrum penalty with 60 seconds left
And the Boks are in the final.
It will require a monumetous effort next week. What we saw today was not good enough
@Bokhoring (Comment 58) : Monumentous
Gentlemen, we have to give it to Garces, he was our ally today. Well done boys, well done
Behind the Boks all the way. Hate losing to England
But need to improve our execution of this kick and chase game plan. We are not contesting well.
If the plan is to simply kick the ball back to them then rather kick deep and for grass
@jdolivier (Comment 60) : actually that might be Garces most consistently good game I’ve seen him ref.
@Hulk (Comment 63) : 100% in agreement
We will not dominate the english forwards and we don’t have a plan B. Strange that we are going into this game looking to dominate the forwards whilst the english will be looking to move the ball around and away from the ‘big’ forwards.
The fact we made it to the finals is more than we could have expected 😉
@jdolivier (Comment 60) : Must admit that was probably one of his best games ive seen him ref. And it was a tough one with teams bashing away and fine margins. Seems there has been a directive to the refs in the playoffs to not overreact to acts on the field though and instead of rushing to penalties and cards etc they are more thoughtful and careful in what they dish out.
Based on what I saw from England on Saturday, if they play like that no team will beat them. Can they do it 2 weeks in a row though? Boks are definitely limited but they have done extremely well and everyone seems to have bought into the plan even if it doesn’t suit them 100%. I still think the moment we moved the ball to Pollard early and he ran the game we really troubled the Welsh.
@SheldonK (Comment 66) : It was by no means flawless, it was a very good reffing display, one of the better for the entire tournament
@SheldonK (Comment 67) : In the surprise games against NZ (the away win and the away draw) the Boks did use some unexpected tactics.
I don’t think the Boks should vary too much from their pattern of play, but we do need a bit more unpredictability.
I still have my doubts on our box kick and chase tactics. All teams use it – I just don’t think our players are very good at it. Faf’s kicks are rarely in the sweet spot and I don’t recall Mapimpi even once winning the ball back. We did put pressure on the Welsh defensively who preferred to kick it back. The English may well decide to hold onto the ball and take us on from there.
@Bokhoring (Comment 69) : I agree with you that deploying a kick tactic is fine but our execution and contesting hasn’t been good, almost as if we want them to get it and then we tackle them. I think England will dominate possession and their pack is very physical especially at the breakdown to secure the ball. Their wings are very pacey so we need to be careful and not get caught too narrow. I don’t expect Rassie to make any changes unless someone picks up a niggle during the week, if Kolbe fit he will straight swap with Nkosi.
@SheldonK (Comment 70) : Or perhaps hoping the opposing player will knock the ball under pressure and give us a scrum.
@Bokhoring (Comment 71) : England have a very good scrum, probably the best we will face this year
The think about England’s wings though are that they are both big and skillful, especially Watson, May and nowell if his fit.
Though Mapimpi did score two against Japan, I would swap him for Nkosi in this game if kolbe is fit, but it’s unlikely as rassie prefers a wing focus on one side.
In general: England are peaking at the correct moment however I do feel we have a better chance of beating them than we did against NZ in a RWC final
@SheldonK (Comment 67) : lots of big questions yep
Can England perform like that for a second week
I can’t wait for Saturday, I also figure that my local park run will have a rugby them, so il definitely be sporting a sharks t-shirt lol
@SheldonK (Comment 72) : Maybe just maybe, rassie surprises us all and we play the crazy running rugby like we did against England last year June. He loves mind games, this could be his best yet, let them believe we play boring 10 man rugby and surprise them by running them ragged
@jdolivier (Comment 75) : One move I would really want the Boks to try is Faf shaping for a box kick, a wing and (importantly some support) rushing up as if to chase the kick and then Faf passes to the wing. I reckon we would catch England totally off guard with such a move
@jdolivier (Comment 75) : I think you have perhaps started the pre rugby beers a bit early. However, if anything I think he may surprise with Faf giving the ball to Pollard early and us playing the kicking game off him.
@SheldonK (Comment 77) : Even rassie would be surprised if faf gave the ball too pollard without it coming off his boot
@Bokhoring (Comment 76) : Wouldn’t it be nice
So just off topic and looking at a possible Bok side from guys that wont be selected for this weekend but have played this year: 1. DuToit 2. Ntubeni 3. Nyakane 4. Mostert* 5.Orie 6. Kwagga 7.Elstadt 8. Brits 9. Reinach 10. Jantjies 11. Gelant 12. Esterhuizen 13. Kriel 14. Nkosi 15. Willemse
@jdolivier (Comment 78) : Even Faf would be surprised if he gave the ball to Pollard.
After the Japanese semi I read on Facebook that at half time Faf took off his underpants just so that Pollard could see a bit of ball – it may be old but it was the first time I had heard it and thought it may be new for a few here as well.
@SheldonK (Comment 80) : Probably be able to beat the rassie team