RWC Quarter Final - Australia vs South Africa

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I think they're fairly straight forward questions.

Our number 8 will be Samo, we've got absolutely no other alternative.

Barnes and AAC should be our centre combination. Both are experienced and both are proven performers.

Alexander and Kepu are still our 2 best props. Slipper didn't really impress me against Russia and he just doesn't look fit enough.
 
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/rugby-gold/berrick-barnes-to-give-way-to-brawn/story-fn8ouw0e-1226157522983

BERRICK Barnes' chances of holding on to a starting spot for the Wallabies' quarter-final appear to be fading, with the Australian camp talking up a huge physical battle with the Springboks and a rainy slog forecast for Wellington.
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Surely not?

Robbie Deans has got to be kidding himself, Berrick Barnes is the perfect man for wet weather football. I would go so far as to say he's a better flyhalf than Quade in the wet. I can't understand Deans at all, especially considering the game he played against Munster in horrible conditions last year. His kicking game and composure will be invaluable, and to suggest that Berrick is 'too small' or not strong enough shows the idiocy of the writer/coaching staff. If you were to teach a young kid on how to tackle, you would show him a clip of Berrick Barnes. Technique-wise, he's the perfect textbook tackler and I should know considering I've seen him since his days at Ipswich Grammar. I actually can't believe it, the only reason McCabe got the starting spot is because of the doubts surrounding Barnes and his brain problems. Now that he's recovered fully, Barnes should be our inside centre .
 

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I agree it should be Barnes at 12. We look so much more dangerous with him there. And if it's wet his kicking game will be vital. McCabe is a good guy to have on the bench as he covers 11-15. McCabe at 12 plays into South Africa's hands. He's solid and runs hard but he's just not big and powerful enough to consistently get over the advantage line and the big South African defence will line him up all day just like Ireland did. We shouldn't play that style of game whether it's wet or dry. I think if it's dry we need to run them off their feet. If it's wet we need to play for territory and then hold onto the ball in the right parts of the field. Either way we don't want to get into a slow arm wrestle dominated by set pieces.
 
Patrick Lambie; J.P. Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez; Pierre Spies, Schalk Burger, Heinrich Brussow; Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw; Jannie du Plessis, John Smit (captain), Gurthro Steenkamp. Replacements: Bismarck du Plessis, C.J. van der Linde, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw, Francois Hougaard, Butch James, Gio Aplon

Smit named as the starting hooker over Bismark once more. Huzzah for South African idiocy and stubbornness!
 
Mint Condition said:
We shouldn't play that style of game whether it's wet or dry. I think if it's dry we need to run them off their feet. If it's wet we need to play for territory and then hold onto the ball in the right parts of the field. Either way we don't want to get into a slow arm wrestle dominated by set pieces.
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Sounds like sounds advice to me against a physical side like the Saffies. Especially considering how Wales did against them, where they should have won with a bit more composure.
 
15. Kurtley Beale (NSW Waratahs)
14. James O’Connor (Western Force)
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
12. Pat McCabe (Brumbies)
11. Digby Ioane (Queensland Reds)
10. Quade Cooper (Queensland Reds)
9. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
8. Radike Samo (Queensland Reds)
7. David Pocock (Western Force)
6. Rocky Elsom (Brumbies)
5. James Horwill (Queensland Reds, captain)
4. Dan Vickerman (NSW Waratahs)
3. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1. Sekope Kepu (NSW Waratahs)

16. Tatafu Polota Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. James Slipper (Queensland Reds)
18. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
19. Ben McCalman (Western Force)
20. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
21. Berrick Barnes (NSW Waratahs)
22. Anthony Fainga’a (Queensland Reds)


****.
 

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I would have liked Barnes to start as well, but I think the fact there's a 4/3 bench split indicates he might come on early. McCabe is a more dominating defender, so have him on in the first half when the boks are at their most explosive and then bring Barnes on early in the 2nd half to make a difference out wide. Hopefully he gets at least 30 minutes.
 
I doubt that will happen. Deans has always had a lot of confidence in Quade and rarely takes him off in games against lower tier teams let alone the powers like the Boks and AB's.

Barnes is our best option at 12 in any weather but Deans going back to what beat the Boks last time is fair I suppose. Would still much, much rather Barnes though.
 
King Elvis said:
Jesus Larkham was incredible.
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He was a dead set gun. However smh readers voted burke the best 15 in the professional era. And i thought they were suppose to be intelligent....

Back to the game and i am worried. Weather, lack of reliable kicker, referee choice and the wallabies general inconsistency really gives me a bad vibe about this match. The selection of sharpe should have been a no brainer for this one.
 
not really a fan of rugby, but living in welly its hard not to get caught up in it at the mo. just fyi on the weather front theres a storm coming through that might stick around for tonights game, but the wallabies game should be fine... at least until metservice change the forecast :D
 
bullish23 said:
He was a dead set gun. However smh readers voted burke the best 15 in the professional era. And i thought they were suppose to be intelligent....

Back to the game and i am worried. Weather, lack of reliable kicker, referee choice and the wallabies general inconsistency really gives me a bad vibe about this match. The selection of sharpe should have been a no brainer for this one.
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Larkham's best footy was played at 10 though. And I certainly wouldn't be sniffing at Burke if he was my 15.
 
stewie griffen said:
not really a fan of rugby, but living in welly its hard not to get caught up in it at the mo. just fyi on the weather front theres a storm coming through that might stick around for tonights game, but the wallabies game should be fine... at least until metservice change the forecast :D
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Good news! Though it'd be nice to get decent weather for both games as I'm supporting Wales today and I think it'll favour them if it's dry.

I'd love to be in Wellington this weekend. Was very close to getting tickets earlier in the week but in the end decided against it as I'm saving for a holiday in December/January. Even if you're not much of a fan it'll be awesome being amongst all those Irish and Welsh fans tonight and Wallabies and Boks fans tomorrow. The party won't stop for a while.
 
Mint Condition said:
Good news! Though it'd be nice to get decent weather for both games as I'm supporting Wales today and I think it'll favour them if it's dry.

I'd love to be in Wellington this weekend. Was very close to getting tickets earlier in the week but in the end decided against it as I'm saving for a holiday in December/January. Even if you're not much of a fan it'll be awesome being amongst all those Irish and Welsh fans tonight and Wallabies and Boks fans tomorrow. The party won't stop for a while.
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i did think about getting tix, but at $490 or so.... yeah i figured id just go to the pub instead. its looking pretty rubbish here at the moment, the rain should clear up and hopefully the southerly dies down, it will be bloody freezing down at the stadium tho

forecasts for all games are this way http://www.weatherwatch.co.nz/content/rugby-world-cup-all-games-all-forecasts
 
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