On Saturday we see the 1st of 2 Tests this year by the Springboks against the Azuri from Italy.
Due to Soccer World Cup repercussions the 1st Test is hosted at Witbank and the 2nd Test in East London.
It will be a Springbok mix-and match side against the hard-scrumming Azuri but who offers very little in the backline.
The Springboks, under the captaincy of Bulls stalwart, Victor Matfield, field a reasonably make-shift front row with only Gurthrö Steenkamp a regular Bokke starter, paired with Chiliboy Ralepelle (Third Choice Bulls hooker) and Jannie du Plessis at tighthead, not exactly the world’s bes scrummager. They will certainly have their hands full with the powerful Azuri front row.
At locks, the “Ols Phirm” of Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha (back from suspension) should give the Azuri locks a torrid time.
A very good backrow combination takes the field with Dewald Potgieter and Pierre Spies very used to each other’s role play, paired with Francois Louw, standout flank of the Stormers this year.
Ricky Januarie and Morné Steyn continues getting used to one another and Ricky should continue to surprise us all after stepping up nicely to Test level after disapointing in the Super 14. Morné, the points machine, will be the Springbok goal kicking ace and against Italy could show his attacking prowess as well.
In midfield there is the experimental pairing of Butch James on inside centre and Jean de Villiers on the unfamiliar outside centre positions. It will be interesting to see how this pairing goes but do not get too excited if they do very well against an average Azuri centre pairing.
The back 3 of Bryan Habana, Gio Aplon and Zane Kirchner is the expected back 3 for most of the Tests from hereon in and we should expect nothing but a flawless outing from then, we EXPECT that and we WANT that.
The Azuri field a thundering front row, with Martin Castrogiovanni at tighthead, who almost brutalised Gurthrö Steenkamp the last time they met on the field, coupled with Leonardo Ghiraldini at hooker and Salvatore Perugini at loosehead prop. They will be targeting the scrums against the Springboks no doubt.
At locks they have an able pairing of Valerio Bernabò and Quinton Geldenhuys (ex South African) but they should logically be dominated by their Springbok counterparts.
In the backrow, Sergio Parisse, the Azuri captain is one of the world’s best No 8’s and he is ably assisted by Allessandro Zanni and Simone Favaro.
The Italian backline consists of ordinary Club players though and not too much can be expected from them on attack.
So, which way do I predict the result to go…. it should be a walk in the park for the Springboks with the Azuri giving most of their effort in the 1st half an hour…. Bokke by 30 PLUS.
Previous Results:
2009: South Africa won 32-10 in Florence
2008: South Africa won 26-0 in Newlands, Cape Town
2001: South Africa won 54-26 in Genoa
2001: South Africa won 60-14 in Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth
1999: South Africa won 101-0 in King’s Park Stadium, Durban
1999: South Africa won 74-3 in Boet Erasmus, Port Elizabeth
1997: South Africa won 62-31 in Bologna
1995: South Africa won 40-21 in Olympic Stadium, Rome
Teams:
South Africa: 15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Butch James, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Dewald Potgieter, 6 François Louw, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bandise Maku, 17 CJ van der Linde, 18 Alistair Hargreaves, 19 Ryan Kankowski, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Bjorn Basson.
Italy: 15 Luke McLean, 14 Kaine Robertson, 13 Andrea Masi, 12 Matteo Pratichetti, 11 Mirco Bergamasco, 10 Craig Gower, 9 Tito Tebaldi, 8 Sergio Parisse (Captain), 7 Alessandro Zanni, 6 Simone Favaro, 5 Quintin Geldenhuys, 4 Valerio Bernabò, 3 Martin Castrogiovanni, 2 Leonardo Ghiraldini 1 Salvatore Perugini.
Replacements: 16 Fabio Ongaro, 17 Lorenzo Cittadini, 18 Marco Bortolami, 19 Paul Derbyshire, 20 Simon Picone, 21 Riccardo Bocchino, 22 Gonzalo Canale.
Date: Saturday, June 19
Venue: Puma Stadium, Witbank
Kick-off: 15.00 (13.00 GMT)
Expected weather conditions: Clear with a high of 13°C, dropping to 0°C and enough wind to take the windchill temperature down to -2°C.
Referee: Andrew Small (England)
Assistant referees: Keith Brown (New Zealand), David Changleng (Scotland)
TMO: Graham Hughes (England)
Hey there gbs hows it going? Looks like an interesting team here, what are your thoughts on Bakkies being put straight back into the starting line up with so little game time this season, maybe its ok for this one but if this was a Tri-nations game I would say he would have to be on the bench at best.
1@ Bullscot:
I think Bakkies has been surpassed by Danie Rossouw now…. till Bakkies maybe sorts his lack of dicipline out AND regains some form.
Bokkkkkkke. Looks about right,we should hammer them tomorrow 🙂
@ grootblousmile:
Yeah am with you on that one, am not a fan of picking players on reputation, for me its on current form, and as you say Rossouw is playing so well now plus vd Merwe has also come on in leaps and bounds. I have seen very little of the guy Bjorn Basson but eventually got to see the test against Wales and was quite impressed by what I saw of him he seems as safe as houses under the high ball and willing to try and counter attack with a fair amount of pace and strength, so was wondering could he be a backup option at fullback? Does he have a good long kick?
4@ Bullscot:
Don’t think fullback is the right place for Bjorn Basson… in fact SA is short of great wings, not good fullbacks.
Think about it, we have Zane Kirchner, Frans Steyn, Joe Pietersen, Patric Lambie and even Gio Aplon who can all cover fullback… with some great utility backs who can do that too, like Ruan Pienaar.
I’m from the school who believes i specialists in positions, not utility backs like the dreaded Dick Muir believes.
On the wing we have some promising youngsters… Lionel Mapoe, Lwazi Mvovo, Bjorn Basson…. coming through the ranks.
Why would you consider him as a fullback in these circumstances and force a positional change on him?
I still think our biggest problems are at 3,10,12,14 and 15. If certain players get injured we could be in the pooh..
@ grootblousmile:
Put like that from someone closer to the action there it make sense what you say, I had only been wondering about so many comments going around about the fullback cupboard being a bit bare with Steyn being in and out the team, Pietersen off to France and as well as Aplon plays I like the fullback (who should be the last line of defence) to have a bit more height to cover at the back for thos ‘Gary Owens’, plus I guess I have been swayed by what some bloggers have been saying about Kirchner not really stepping up at Bok level, he seems to have played well with the Bulls but whenever I have watched, which is not often enough, he has not really impressed me. Which leaves Lambie but maybe he needs to be given some exposure but also some room to progress without pressure. And as you said there seem to be quite a few good wingers coming through so thats why I though Basson may have been an option at full back, but you have put those ideas to rest.
I dont rate Kirchener at all,he is solid but brings nothing special to the table and makes basic errors but hope he grows into his role going forward..
6@ Winston:
Why 10, 12, 14 and 15?
At No 10 we have Morné Steyn, Peter Grant, Butch James… and even Ruan Pienaar at a push.
At No 12 we have Jean de Villiers, Wynand Olivier, Juan de Jongh and even Fransie Steyn at a push.
At No 14 we have Gio Aplon, Gerhard van den Heever, Lionel Mapoe and Lwazi Mvovo… not bare either.
At No 15 we have Zane Kirchner, Frans Steyn, Joe Pietersen, Patrick Lambie…. and even Gio Aplon at a push.
In contrast we have only Jaque Fourie at No 13…. with some of the other inside centres having to fill in a case he gets injured…. bit bare there rather.
I agree, tighthead prop is a problem area….
I just think that Morne is the only World Class 10 we have,Butch is a great player but past his sell by date,I think Grant is over rated and as much as I like Ruan he blows too hot and cold for me.. At 12 I think Juan is got a big future but still green at this level,Jean does not look himself and Wynand is not a test level 12 in my book. I think Jp is lazy and needs to get his act together at 14,Mapoe looks like a walking sick note and I think Aplon will be targeted in the Tri Nations.
I personally think Frans is the only option at 15,Zane is a journey man and Joe is going overseas. I think Lambie is the next big thing but he is still grass green.
10@ Winston:
Compare the No 10’s at the All Blacks…. who do they have…. Carter, not much else.
At No 12 Jean just needs to get back into the SA fold… PLUS there’s Juan de Jongh and Fransie Steyn (and by your calculations you leave Wynand out because you don’t rate him)… hardly bare, once again, compare to England, Ireland, and even the All Black’s (without injured Nonu) depth…. I think we’re better off.
At No 14 there is also no problem… regarding Mapoe, he has been injured this ONE TIME ONLY…. JP Pietersen is a has-been though, slow and lazy and listless… but what about Mvovo… and Aplon is dead fine there… then there’s Shadow also. Only the All Blacks and maybe the Wallabies have better wing depth, with quite a few injured at the All Blacks currently, why would they be any different from Mapoe as far as injury worries are concerned?
Who do we play if jaque Fourie is injured at No 13? That’s where the real problem lies…. and of course at tighthead prop.
I think at 13 Juan or Jean can cover there if need be,they can play either 12 or 13 in my book so depth is not as big a problem as you think there. Plus maybe Adi will come back fit and more hungry when he comes back from injury. Even though there are players coming through at 14 and 15 they have little or no test experience,its one thing being good at Super 14 level,its another thing at test level. But agreed,if Carter gets injured All Blacks will be dead and buried.
11@ Winston:
Fransie better come back to SA to get back to form because he’s getting way worse…. we saw that clearly against the Welsch… he was terrible.
Zane Kirchner is fine man, you anti-Bulls have an obsession in disliking Zane… he is solid and had one blimp in 4 minutes against the Welsch, now suddenly he is super kak or a journeyman……. pfffffffffrrrrrrrrrt…
Yip, that was a poep at the end because that’s what I think about those who put Zane down, time after time.
Lambie is a fantastic prospect but last night he was seriously off the boil in the U/20 Bokke game…. is he now shit or a journeyman too… or not, just because he is a Shark?
Pasop vir Provinsiale blindheid….
13@ Winston:
Adi???
Don’t make me laugh, if there ever was a has-been or one-season-wonder it is Adi Jacobs…. good in 2008, terrible before then and after then, tackles like a sissy…. and if talking about a sick-note, there’s one for the books.
Why would you want to play No 12’s at No 13, it is out of position!!
Where are the No 13’s in the queue…. not there, that’s where… and that’s the reason why Juan or Jean would have to fill in if Jaque is injured, that’s the void I talk about!
Come on Gbs,I’m not a one eyed Shark supporter,if I had that logic then I’d be saying things like Ruan or Butch should play at 10,I as well as everyone else knows that Morne is the man.. I’m not anti Bulls at all,in fact I supported them in the Super 14 final against the Stormers. I agree Frans was awful in the Wales game but you cant deny his talent. Again we won by 3 points and who put over a 60 metre penalty. I know Morne can do it but it cant hurt to have 2 guys in the side that can do it. Zane is solid and will never let the team down but he does not have that X factor,I dont give a shit from what province the Boks come from,I just want the best 22 to play on match day,thats all.
GBS what do i do wrong i want to change title of cricket thread but can not?
We need specialists, not players who cover a position due to their utility nature…
I think 12 is a far more specialised position than 13,they have to be the other play maker in the back line and I dont see a problem if someone with the class of Jean had to play 13 even if its out of position..
Agreed,but 13’s will come through,I have no doubt about that.
19@ Winston:
We’ll see how Jean goes at No 13 tomorrow… oh hell but it’s only Italy’s backline, so he SHOULD BLOODY shine.
He’ll do well,I have no doubt. We just need to hold them in the scrums,hope Guthro does well tomorrow after being hammered last year.
20@ grootblousmile:
Will they… soon?
Then we can say that about any position and then it appears that we do not have ANY depth problems at all.
CURRENTLY, there is only Jaque…. facts.
22@ Winston:
I hope Gurthro holds well…. hope his superb form this year was a good turning point, last year his technique was woeful at loosehead.
I think its a problem but 13 is not the most important guy in the team,your 3,8,9,10 and 12 are in my opinion,we will get by if the self proclaimed best in the World gets injured.. I think we will remember what a huge hole Fourie leaves at 9 in the Tri Nations this year..
I think he’s a good player and gets around the park well. Plus I think Gary Botha has re invented his career as well.he owes him a few cases of beer..
Where does SA have abundant depth:
Locks, Loosies, hookers… and to a lessor extent Scrummies and inside centres…..
The rest, we are ok’ish…. except No 3 tighthead… I worry about that one most.
Agreed,tighthead is the biggest problem by far,I think Kruger is about the next best after BJ but after that the cupboard is pretty bare. Brok Harris is awful. What happened to WP Nel,he seemed like a good prospect and was nowhere in the Super 14.
28@ Winston:
Man, I was surprised myself, I really thought the Cheetahs front row would be a moooooooooooosa force this year and they were’nt, not at all.
Even BJ disapointed me the last 2 weeks…. but our fellow blogger says BJ is fine… so I’ll take that… apart from playing prop myself in primary school (skinny runt which I was), I know little about front row work except it taught me well enough that technique was paramount over brute strength.
If anything they actually got hammered this year in the Super 14,maybe he was carrying an injury,is unfit etc? But hope he gets his act together. He also needs to do more work in the loose.
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