In anticipation for this weekend’s clash between the Springboks and the Wallabies is a head to head breakdown of how the two teams compare.
These teams have met on 76 previous occasions with the Springboks winning 55% of these clashes and these teams have only once played a match that ended in a draw.
Since 2010 the Wallabies have managed to beat the Springboks in 6 out of 8 games. This is building up to be a big clash once more as the Springboks haven’t lost a game in The Rugby Championship this year, whilst the Wallabies haven’t managed any wins.
What makes this clash even more interesting is that the Springboks have never beaten the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium, so it would seem that the Wallabies have the edge in this clash. Having said that, the Springboks are coming off two wins, so maybe they can end their losing streak at Suncorp Stadium.
Starting 15
1 Tendai Mtawarira / 1 James Slipper
183cm – Height – 185cm
115kg – Weight – 113kg
46 – Caps – 39
10 – Points – 0
********************************************************************
2 Bismarck du Plessis / 2 Stephen Moore
189cm – Height – 186cm
112kg – Weight – 112kg
50 – Caps – 81
35(7t) – Points – 25(5t)
********************************************************************
3 Jannie du Plessis / 3 Sekope Kepu
188cm – Height – 188cm
120kg – Weight – 125kg
47 – Caps – 28
5(1t) – Points – 0
********************************************************************
4 Eben Etzebeth / 4 Rob Simmons
203cm – Height – 200cm
117kg – Weight – 115kg
16 – Caps – 28
0 – Points – 0
********************************************************************
5 Flip van der Merwe / 5 Kane Douglas
198cm – Height – 201cm
120kg – Weight – 120kg
28 – Caps – 10
5(1t) – Points – 0
********************************************************************
6 Francois Louw / 7 Michael Hooper
190cm – Height – 182cm
114kg – Weight – 97kg
21 – Caps – 18
25(5t) – Points – 0
********************************************************************
7 Willem Alberts / 6 Scott Fardy
192cm – Height – 198cm
120kg – Weight – 110kg
23 – Caps – 02
30(6t) – Points – 0
********************************************************************
8 Duane Vermeulen / 8 Ben Mowen
193cm – Height – 195cm
108kg – Weight – 107kg
09 – Caps – 05
5(1t) – Points – 0
**********************************************************************
9 Ruan Pienaar / 9 Will Genia (Captain)
187cm – Height – 182cm
92kg – Weight – 85kg
68 – Caps – 46
150(7t, 23c, 23p) – Points – 40(8t)
**********************************************************************
10 Morné Steyn / 10 Quade Cooper
184cm – Height – 186cm
91kg – Weight – 92kg
47 – Caps – 40
575(8t, 77c, 119p, 8d) – Points – 68(6t, 7c, 7p, 1d)
**********************************************************************
11 Bryan Habana / 11 James O’Connor
180cm – Height – 180cm
94kg – Weight – 88kg
88 – Caps – 42
255(51t) – Points – 223(14t, 39c, 25p)
12 Jean de Villiers (Captain) / 12 Christian Lealiifano
190cm – Height – 179cm
100kg – Weight – 95kg
89 – Caps – 05
110(22t) – Points – 52(5c, 14p)
**********************************************************************
13 JJ Engelbrecht / 13 Adam Ashley-Cooper
190cm – Height – 182cm
94kg – Weight – 98kg
06 – Caps – 82
20(4t) – Points – 120(24t)
**********************************************************************
14 Willie le Roux / 14 Nick Cummins
186cm – Height – 189cm
90kg – Weight – 96kg
05 – Caps – 06
0 – Points – 10(2t)
**********************************************************************
15 Zane Kirchner / 15 Israel Folau
184cm – Height – 193cm
92kg – Weight – 103kg
24 – Caps – 05
15(3t) – Points – 15(3t)
**********************************************************************
Replacements
16 Adriaan Strauss / 16 Saia Faaaing
17 Gurthrö Steenkamp / 17 Scott Sio
18 Coenie Oosthuizen / 18 Ben Alexander
19 Juandré Kruger / 19 Ben McCalman
20 Siya Kolisi / 20 Jake Schatz
21 Jano Vermaak / 21 Nic White
22 Patrick Lambie / 22 Matt Toomua
23 Jan Serfontein / 23 Jesse Mogg
Total Caps on bench
123 / 105
Thanks Tim!
Your first Article on R-T… and it’s a pearler!
Timothy will be introducing weekly Previews of the Weekend’s Action, both for the Currie Cup and also for the weekend’s Rugby Championship matches. In addition Timothy will be doing a Team / Position by Position best players of the week for both the Currie Cup and The Rugby Championship on Sundays… adding some great value and important content to the website, to increase our footprint and broaden our content even more!
Nice article really helps to have the comprehensive comparative information set out this way. Learnt a lot from it, e.g., didn’t realize that Francois Louw was heavier than Vermeulen and that Adam Ashley has played that many internationals. Looks like the Wallabies may have the edge in the backline. Forwards battle may be interesting with our big heavier loose forwards up against their lighter probably pacier unit. For me it looks as if the Bok bench is a good deal better than Australia’s and has more experience, is this maybe where the game will be won?
Only concern is that Etzebeth has been struggling with ‘flu’, you would think if he cant play that Kruger will play at 5 and vd Merwe 4 with Alberts covering for lock and Coetzee brought in to the team, in this scenario wonder if Alberts would revert to the bench and Coetzee starts. Even if Etzebeth is declared fit to play you wonder how effective he will be as the flu can sap your energy, but I guess they do get really good medical care so that could help.
1 @ grootblousmile:
Its taken me a while to type and post my comment so you beat me to it, really well laid out and knowing much work it can take to get it all together I really appreciate it. Well done Timothy, even more so for this being your first article
1 @ grootblousmile:
I think Puma has been calling for team of the week type stuff for a while so he should be really chuffed with this. It is uncanny to see this article as this evening have been running some thoughts about an article about Glasgow and Edinburgh and planned to use the very same format ie. tables with teams info next to each for really quick comparisons. But it will take a while to get it all together so will do it bit by bit and hopefully have something in a few weeks.
Nice article, i Like.
Who in the Springbok backl line will take John Smit,s record of 111 tests?
Bryan Habana
Full names: Bryan Gary
Date of birth: 12 Jun 1983
Place of birth: Benoni, South Africa
School: King Edward VII School (KES)
Debut test province: Lions
Physical: 1.79m, 90kg
Current age: 30
Test summary: Tests: 88 Tries: 51
First Test: 20 Nov 2004 Age:21 Reserve against England at Twickenham, London
Last Test: 24 Aug 2013 Age:30 Left Wing against Argentina at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza
Jean de Villiers
Full names: Jean
Date of birth: 24 Feb 1981
Place of birth: Paarl, South Africa
School: Paarl Gimnasium
Debut test province: Western Province
Physical: 1.9m, 98kg
Current age: 32
Test summary: Tests: 89 Tries: 22
First Test: 9 Nov 2002 Age:21 Outside Centre against France at Stade Velodrome, Marseilles
Last Test: 24 Aug 2013 Age:32 Inside Centre against Argentina at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas, Mendoza
Great article!
When I saw TIM at first, I thought I was reading a Tim du Plessis piece of writing.
Well done, keep it up Tim!
Thanks guys. Glad that you guys like the article. Keep a look out for the All Black vs Argentina one later today.
Horwill out injured, Genia takes over as captain.
Updates have been made. I think this injury could change a lot of things for this match. I think this could just swing this in SA’s favour.
@ superBul:
10
Kyk video: Australië is so selfversekerd dat die Wallabies die Springbokke ore gaan aansit in Saterdag se Rugbykampioenskaptoets dat hulle ’n video gemaak het wat gekskeer met Suid-Afrikaners.
Go Bokke
And especially Zane.Nik Naks indeed.Show them
Welcome Tim and well done, excellent info.
Interesting not a single Ausie forward part from Moore has scored any points at test level
Not only in that vid but why do 95% of the Ausie men sound like fags, the other 5% is likely to be immigrants
Hahahahaha. That vid was funny. But this is a big sign of insecurity.
@14 – Gena_ZA – Thanks. Yes I was surpised by that stat aswell, Horwill also had a couple of points but as he is out injured they fall back to only Moore. And lets hope the Boks can keep the stat that way.
Also on a side note, I was watching the news earlier. And they were talking about Pienaar and how the media is so critical regarding his play, and his comment was that he does not read newspapers. Then I thought about it……………………….he cant read.
@ Timothy Bornman:
funny how this guy can end up as the Bok scrumhalf with the most test but NEVER remembered for anything great. Thats why i still like a selection panel , to pick the best available. Then the coach must show his metal and work a game plan out for the strengths available. Maybe then the one dimensional game plans will stop. Maybe we will realize then we can build 2/3/4 plans
@ superBul:
Now we are stuck with a coach, one individual, who forces his ideas on the country.
@ superBul – I have to agree, but I don’t think that the coach is the problem, I think SARU is. The problem I have is that players get picked on the reputation of their name.
We have so many talented no 9’s to choose from but we keep on hammering on this guy.
And the best of all is that for his European club he plays mostly at 10 but gets picked on no9 for the Boks.
This is one of the reason why we also lose young players who go and apply their trade elsewhere.
Because the message that is sent now, is that no matter how good you are we will still pick Pienaar ahead of you.
And it seems as if they will always make space for Pienaar in this side even if they have to play him at prop.
Zane Kirchner may give off the impression of a cool customer who doesn’t let much phase him, but it is clear the constant baiting from fans has affected him a little bit.
Kirchner has been irritated by the constant criticism on social media networks about his play, the derogatory name-calling and those who simply have written him off because he was selected for Saturday’s Rugby Championship in Brisbane against Australia.
So much so that he showed a glimpse of irritation when asked about it after being selected at 15 for Saturday’s test.
“Everyone seems to have a perception of me coming back into the side and kicking every ball, but the way we play you have to play what is in front of you.
“You need to execute that towards your goal,” Kirchner said.
But when pressed on the issue the Bok fullback stopped, composed himself and then fired back.
“Everyone has an opinion on me right now but it needs to come down to the right thing.
“Judge me on what is done and not what is said by individuals,” Kirchner said.
“I don’t want to be rude to the public because we as a team always appreciate their support, but it is always good to know what the coaches think…”
And while the social media world exploded after he was selected, few actually took the time to analyse the thinking behind his return.
With Bjorn Basson injured, and also out of form, the Boks were forced into a change anyway.
Willie le Roux returned to the wing where he made his mark in Super Rugby and the obvious candidate for fullback was Kirchner.
And while many may look at his performances in the past and judge him on that, Kirchner and Le Roux will swop roles during the game with the winger being given license to roam.
Jake White has questioned the absence of a lineout specialist in the Springbok side picked by coach Heyneke Meyer yesterday for Saturday’s Rugby Championship Test against the Wallabies in Brisbane.
Meyer opted to drop No 5 lock and lineout organiser Juandré Kruger in favour of Bulls No 4 Flip van der Merwe to partner Eben Etzebeth in the second row at Suncorp Stadium. The Bok coach explained yesterday that “what you lose in the lineout, you gain in other areas”, referring to how Van der Merwe hits the rucks and mauls and is physical in defence.
Former Bok boss and current Brumbies coach White is in South Africa on holiday, and was present at the Western Province practice at Newlands yesterday. Four of his Brumbies forwards – the loose trio of Ben Mowen, Michael Hooper and Scott Fardy, as well as hooker Stephen Moore – were included by coach Ewen McKenzie in the Wallabies team yesterday, with Mowen and Fardy two of the lineout jumpers alongside Reds locks James Horwill and Rob Simmons.
“It’s not a case of whether Juandré Kruger should play or not. The point is you’ve got to find someone in your pack of forwards that can run a lineout.
“I’ve always been the kind of guy who likes to pick at least two guys in the lineout that can jump – that’s why Juan Smith played, Victor played, Spies played. One thing about set-pieces is that more tries are scored from lineouts, because the backs are 20 yards apart.
“If you’ve got two guys like Etzebeth and Flippie, they are hard to pick up and hard to move on the ground. Etzebeth is a good lineout forward, but he’s not a five lock. To play Australia with four guys like Mowen, Simmons, Horwill and Fardy, it’s going to be quite tough for him to run a lineout.
“If they don’t kick it out, then they are going to play into the hands of Folau, who is really a great rugby player. James O’Connor, even though he hasn’t played his best rugby, can actually counter-attack.
“They are two supposed threats if the Boks don’t kick it out, and if you do kick it out, then you haven’t picked a forward pack that can contest the lineout or win it on your terms. You can get it at two, no problem, but you can’t play rugby from two ball. You can maul and that, but not from the halfway line. That aspect does worry me.”
White also gave some insight into how the Boks can overcome the threat of Wallabies fetcher flank Hooper. “No different to how you neutralise McCaw, David Pocock, Schalk Burger or Heinrich Brüssow – you’ve just got to get there early. You’ve got to make sure that you cover the ball quickly before he can actually leave the window open,” he said.
“The second thing is that sometimes you go to him first so that he makes the tackle, because the problem is that when he gets there second or third, he has a great feeling for when he gets on to the ball. Making the first tackle will force him to get off the ground, which takes him out of the next two phases.”
Iemand het Zane se gat gekrap, dis virseker…..
The South African rugby public fell in love with Cheetahs gunslinger Willie le Roux during the Super Rugby competition, and Kirchner – who was sidelined for two months after undergoing surgery to repair a broken finger – has since been written off as a dreary fullback option who lacks imagination.
When confronted with the pervasive, negative public sentiment, the 29-year-old paused several times during the interview process, often evading eye contact as he worked to keep a lid on emotions bubbling just below the surface.
“I don’t really read the newspapers …” he said. “But sometimes it really frustrates you, in terms of everybody thinking that me playing at the back means there’s more of a kicking game coming.”
Kirchner loses points for thrill-factor because he takes far fewer risks than Le Roux. But that also means that Kirchner makes far fewer mistakes and, in Test rugby, mistakes are the difference between winning and losing.
Willie_Boks3
Willie le Roux may take the risks, but Zane Kirchner makes far less mistakes than the Cheetahs man. Picture: Steve Haag
Steve Haag Gallo Images
“Test rugby is always going to be tactical in terms of where you play the percentages, territory-wise,” said the 24-Test Bok. “But back home everyone’s got a perception that I’m the fullback in SA rugby that kicks the most.
“If you look at the stats, that’s not true. And if you look at how many times the number one fullback in the world kicks,” he said, alluding to All Blacks No 15 Israel Dagg, “nobody complains about that.”
“I don’t want to be rude, because you always need the people behind you…” added Kirchner. “But judge me according to what’s been done and not what’s been said.”
Meyer said: “There’s a perception with Zane that he’s only a kicking fullback, but if you look at all the teams he’s played for, even in Super Rugby, they’ve scored close to the most tries,” said Meyer.
“Last year we scored 22 tries and the Wallabies scored 13 tries, and Zane was the fullback. At Loftus Versfeld (where South Africa beat Australia 31-8 last year), Zane scored one of our five tries, and if you look at Super Rugby stats in the past, he’s always been up there with the guys that score the most tries.
“He’s a clinical fullback, he can attack if there’s an opportunity, he can defend and he’s very good under the high ball.
“Sometimes people read too much into selections – we scored nine tries against Argentina (in Soweto) and a week later, with the same backline, we scored one.
@ superBul:Jake White was nie so slim toe hy 49-0 verloor het nie.
@ superBul:
I saw that interview, it was extremely awful and Zane looked clearly frustrated.
Personally, I love rooting for the underdog, GO ZANE
Nice article, I like it!
I called Zane to be a Bok one day when he was still playing for Griquas.
He had a very good technique of spinning out of tackles.
Sadly his flair dissipated when the bigger coaches go hold of him, similar to Andre Snyman some years ago
He should just trust his gut and run hulle stukkend
@ Gena_ZA:
All flair and individualism continually coached out of the vast majority of SA Provincial players.
We as spectators are partly to blame though, because when a player does something “out of the ordinary” and it goes pear shaped and a side concedes a try, we all scream for somebodies head, forgetting the times that same type of “out of the ordinary” led to a fantastic break or try etc.
Maybe that’s why we don’t often have the Cullen’s and Ben Smith of this world.
Players should be better than the fear of failure, that’s the difference between good and great
Dis hoe Jannie’s BRAAi, jou NAAI
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