The Lineout

Fixtures this weekend

South Africa vs Australia – Cape Town

Undoubtedly the fixture of the weekend, as these two sides slug it out to see who really is the second best team in the world after the All Blacks. With the All Blacks most likely clinching the Championship this weekend in Argentina, this match is about standings and developing both national teams for next year’s World Cup.  In this regard I commend Heineke Meyer’s selection.  He has boldly chosen to  blood younger players for whom this kind of big game experience will be invaluable in preparing them for the Rugby World Cup next year.  Furthermore in two standout selections he has chosen to continue to favour Jan Serfontein over Damien de Allende at centre and made the bold move of selecting the uncapped Teboho Mohoje at flanker over Schalk Burger.

In the latter selection there has been much talk in the press, mainly outside of South Africa, as to whether this has been based on colour or ability. As far as I am concerned this is insulting to both South African rugby and Teboho himself.  While I can understand some in the media jumping to the conclusion that Mohoje has been selected on the basis of color as he is an uncapped Springbok for such an important game, it is nevertheless irrelevant.  Were the media asking the same question of white uncapped players at the start of the Championship?  For all intents and purposes South Africa has lost the Rugby Championship and as a result the priority is now to use such big games to develop the talent for next year’s World Cup.  On the basis of this and Mohoje’s form with the Cheetahs then his selection is more than justified.  Let us ignore this pointless debate about the status of the colour bar in South African rugby and instead focus on where the Springboks need to look for a side capable of bringing home the Webb Ellis trophy next year and how to develop the players to do this.

Australia come to Cape Town with a new found sense of confidence that mirrors their initial strong showing against the All Blacks in the first round of the Championship. Despite the schooling they received from the All Blacks in Auckland in the second round of the Championship they have shown that they have a talented side capable of producing results when it matters, as shown by the at home wins against Argentina and South Africa.  However if we look closely at those wins, it is evident that this side although talented can be beaten.  Let’s face it Australia were lucky to win in Perth against the Springboks, and had South Africa hung on to the ball more, played a smarter tactical game and not been victims of a questionable refereeing decision the score line would not have been in Australia’s favor.  In the match against the Pumas, another 5 minutes and the score would have been at least a try if not an outright win for the Pumas as they stormed back against Australia in the second half.  Therefore we are looking at a side that JUST wins matches and this in the long term against quality opposition will not be good enough if Australia want to live up to their claim that they are the second best team in the world.

South Africa on the other hand I think will begin to gel and start to get consistently better provided players and management can come to agreement on an effective game plan. If Meyer can stick with a consistent selection in the next few matches that blends new talent and experience, there is no question in my mind that South Africa will be the team to challenge in next year’s World Cup after the All Blacks.

So in short, my prediction is a gruelling encounter that runs close for the first 60 minutes, but with a passionate crowd in Cape Town, I see the Boks pulling comfortably ahead in the last quarter leaving Australia with too many question marks. The weather is expected to be good and with two teams having the ability to play great running rugby, it should be a fast paced game.  Either way an exciting contest looms!

Argentina vs New Zealand – La Plata 

For everyone who is a Pumas supporter, this match is regarded with some degree of trepidation. In last year’s Championship, after an impressive opening four games the Pumas looked set to continue this form at home in their final two games.  Although no one expected them to seriously challenge the All Blacks, everyone was convinced that their last game against Australia would be the definitive match for them where they would take their first win in the tournament.  Sadly their last two games at home last year were a total anticlimax and the Pumas exited the Championship with a whimper, with many arguing that their last game against Australia was their weakest performance of the whole Championship.

So this year we watch with bated breath. The Pumas although having no wins so far to show for their efforts this year in the Championship, have played some superb rugby.  These last two fixtures at home should be the catalyst to allow them to show the world that they mean business next year at the World Cup.  The game against New Zealand will be challenging and given the All Blacks superlative form, no one expects them to win but if they can run the All Blacks close and take this momentum into the game against Australia the following weekend a victory is surely there for the taking.

As for New Zealand, for them the rest of the Championship is merely a formality in terms of silverware on offer as they have for all intents wrapped up the tournament. They have unquestionably been the form team and deserve the title of Champions.  However, they will still want to put in a good performance in Argentina as the two teams will be opponents in the pool stages of next year’s World Cup, and the All Blacks are very aware that Argentina will be an even better team by that stage.  Furthermore a good effort in Argentina will help New Zealand face South Africa in Johannesburg next week, which is already being billed as one of the games to watch this year.  Therefore New Zealand will seek to show that the loss of Aaron Cruden this weekend and his replacement by the exceptionally capable Beauden Barrett means that the All Black machine can easily weather the odd PR mess up and lack of team discipline as they simply have so much depth to call on.

So on the table at the end of the day for both teams is the need to put in a good showing regardless of positions in the Championship. For Argentina it will be to prove to their adoring fans that the hard work of August and September has developed a Pumas side for the rest of the rugby world to reckon with, while for New Zealand it will be consolidation of the world’s best side and to maintain their unstoppable momentum for the curtain call clash with South Africa next week.  Let’s hope both sides can deliver!

New Zealand vs South Africa
Final score – NZ 14/SA 10
Wellington

As predicted, the Springboks dug deep and finally came up with a performance which although not perfect was nevertheless a considerable step up from their previous three outings in the Championship. It would appear that Heineke Meyer may finally have the semblance of a reasonable game plan, and with the Rugby Championship inevitably lost to New Zealand at this stage of the competition, he is probably correct in using the remaining games to really solidify a team featuring many younger and less experienced players against world class opposition. This experience and the November Internationals in Europe will be critical in boosting South Africa’s chances at next year’s World Cup.

The positives were there for all to see. South Africa’s scrum and lineout were vastly improved and the new blood seemed to contribute significantly to this. Handre Pollard at fly half it must be said played a good game in a tense and difficult encounter and if he keeps it up he looks to be a serious contributor to South Africa’s World Cup challenge next year. Jan Serfontein at centre was a far superior player to the nonexistent De Allende as a newcomer and if Meyer has any common sense he will put his efforts into promoting and developing this young player who has serious potential. Cornal Hendricks once again on the wing showed his blistering pace scoring yet another spectacular try. If he doesn’t get recognition as winger of the tournament then there is no justice.

However, despite this improved Springbok performance, South Africa nevertheless ultimately showed signs of creaking under pressure, going from a half time lead to ultimately losing the game in the second half through too many unforced errors. Yes as always is was wet and windy in Wellington but this is still no excuse. South Africa must learn to improve their skills in such conditions otherwise they are not a contender in the world game. Fatigue and a lack of discipline reared its ugly head once more for the Springboks in the second half and in this game it cannot be blamed on poor refereeing, as unlike the previous games in the Championship the standard of refereeing this weekend was top notch in both games. Furthermore, there was far too much kicking away of good possession and the replacement of Ruan Pienaar by Francois Hougaard due to injury, seemed to only heighten this tendency. I have to confess that although I am one of his biggest fans, Willie le Roux was also guilty of kicking more often than running the ball, and indeed has tended to favour this option too much during the course of the Championship. I still hold that he is one of best of the Springboks current pack, but can’t help feel that he needs to sort this aspect of his game out, and hopefully the next two contests will show this has been done.

South Africa did manage to find a second wind in the last ten minutes of the game which saw them steadfastly camped in the New Zealand half of the field. Several opportunities to cross the white line went missing. Handre Pollard did manage to take a great drop goal and put them within four points. In the last five minutes a heroic All Black defence managed to keep out a veritable Springbok onslaught, but once again unforced errors kept the Springboks away from those last desperate five points and thus the win. It was close, it was nail-biting but in the end New Zealand showed once more how they are the masters of leaping from the jaws of defeat at the last minute.

New Zealand played a good game, but once again although heroic in defence in the last ten minutes showed that they are not invincible and can be beaten. South Africa had the All Blacks on the ropes on several occasions. What saved New Zealand was their dogged determination and ability to maintain their composure right to the end. They dominated possession for much of the game and showed South Africa that hanging onto the ball is preferable to kicking it away, please take note Heineke Meyer. Nevertheless, South Africa’s defence in light of their lack of possession was superlative and vastly improved showing that they are still one of the hardest teams in the world to get past physically. When South Africa did have the ball they looked dangerous and it is frustrating for any Springbok supporter that we didn’t get to see more of this. We can only hope that in Cape Town in two weeks, South Africa takes this to heart and shows us a powerful defence and a great running game, which they certainly have the potential to do. It would seem that the experimentation with the side of the last few weeks is now over and now it is time to produce results and build on every game – let’s hope for both the Springboks and world rugby that that is the case and we are in for some great rugby spectacles.

Australia vs Argentina
Final score – Aus 32/Arg 25
Brisbane

Hands up if you are frustrated Pumas supporter. As the world’s great underdog team with a committed fan base across the globe, Argentina excite us but ultimately disappoint us. We all know they have it in them and that this side is approaching the greatness of the Pumas’ 2007 World Cup side – it’s just we get so many tantalising glimpses but so few results.

There is no question that Argentina started this match against the Wallabies poorly, but from the second half till the end found that missing ingredient to suddenly ramp up their game. They should have won this game, but to not at least get the draw is disappointing beyond belief. A lack of patience, composure and discipline in the dying minutes of the game saw them lose an obvious try right beneath the posts which would have been an easy conversion ending the match in a draw. We can forgive them not winning the match but there is no doubt that we all are a bit disgruntled at the loss. If we feel that – then how must the Pumas feel? There is little point in rehashing the point every week that the Pumas lack that finishing touch and the composure and concentration to make them that killer side. The potential is there but not the execution. If unlike last year’s competition they can go into these last two games at home in front of their adoring fans with their heads held high and determined to get their first win in this Championship – they should and I emphasise ‘should’ be able to finally show us what they are capable of. A strong showing against New Zealand should then translate into a win in their last game of the Championship against Australia. I won’t say anything more – they know what they have to do.

As for Australia, despite them getting the win, I am not convinced that this is a great side and furthermore find it hard to believe that the Webb Ellis trophy could end up living in Australia after 2015 for a few years. They have eked out some meagre wins but more due to errors made by the opposition than their own skill or style of play. The forwards are less than impressive and Australia have yet to find a halfback combination that really outshines any of those offered by their respective oppositions. Meanwhile their backs are fast but unimpressive in defence. The only really standout player for me this Championship for Australia has been Michael Hooper at flanker who has impressed with a huge work rate and some blistering runs in all four games. While Israel Folau is impressive when cut loose he appears weak in defence especially with ball in hand and his resulting kicking game shows a serious lack of technical understanding of the game.

There is no question that Ewen McKenzie has made significant improvements since taking over at the end of 2013, but has yet to really produce a side that is the finished product and one that is able to clinically outclass the other big teams in world rugby. Sure they may get the wins but they are unlikely to dominate any team to the point where you could see them getting consistent wins over the big teams. On the basis of their current form I think Australia will struggle in November in Europe, especially against England and Ireland. Like Heineke Meyer Ewen McKenzie has a lot of work to do between now and the World Cup. In that regard for both coaches the last two games of the Rugby Championship will be critical in setting a sound platform for the November tours to Europe and resulting consolidation of their sides for next year’s World Cup.

New Zealand vs Argentina
Final score – NZ 28/Arg 9
Napier

We will leave out the fact that the refereeing of this game was poor and discuss that later. It detracted from what was a solid contest and one in which the Pumas made the All Blacks work hard for 80 minutes. The only thing I will say on the refereeing is that the score was actually 28-14 (16 if the Pumas would have converted the try they were denied by the referee). In this day and age with the technology we have at our disposal, to disallow Leonardo Senatore’s try from a perfectly legitimate charge down of an All Black kick was scandalous and no doubt seriously affected the Pumas morale as they could legitimately feel that the referee was biased against them no matter how well they played.

However, as impressive as Argentina was they nevertheless were, as was expected, ultimately taught a lesson by the clinically superior All Blacks. As a spectator this was perhaps most evident when New Zealand scored their second try through Liam Messam. It was Argentina’s put in at the scrum and they, as for most of the game, comfortably won the scrum challenge and then for some reason lost concentration. The ball popped forward off an Argentine foot back into the hands of New Zealand, and into the lightning quick hands of scrum half Aaron Smith who demonstrated his awareness of how to create quick space and the end result was Liam Messam crashing across the white line. For me this sums up Argentina’s quintessential problem, it is a game of 80 minutes gentlemen at this level, and up against a side like New Zealand you can NEVER relax for a second. Nobody expected Argentina to win this game, including Argentina themselves; however you could see that they were shocked that they threw away a very credible performance against the world’s best side on such temporary lapses of concentration.

Nevertheless, despite this it was a good game in tough conditions. Once again though New Zealand demonstrated to the world what extraordinary depth they have in their team. Beauden Barrett was outstanding at 10, even though he struggled to convert New Zealand’s tries. This was resolved as New Zealand pulled another star fly half off the bench in the form of Colin Slade who promptly proceeded to make all his goal kicks. It is official, somewhere deep in the Southern Alps is a secret factory that produces world class number tens – look at the list for the current All Black selectors – Dan Carter, Aaron Cruden, Beauden Barrett and Colin Slade. The rest of the world doesn’t stand a chance.

Argentina are still to be credited however with putting in a big performance. They matched New Zealand up front in the scrums and in the lineouts. Their running game although not as visionary as New Zealand’s was still commendable and they never gave up. In weather that was less than ideal, Argentina continued to show that against the world’s best team they have come a VERY long way. Had they not been disallowed a perfectly acceptable try by the bizarre interpretation of the game’s rules by the referee then the actual score line would have been much closer. As New Zealand’s Richie McCaw pointed out after the match, New Zealand were made to work hard by a team that is on the cusp of something great – Australia take note!

 

Australia vs South Africa
Final score – Aus 24/SA 23
Perth

How best to describe this game? In my humble opinion a truly mediocre performance from the 2^nd and 3^rd best ranked teams in the world, which left many including yours truly wondering how they even hold these rankings in the first place. It was windy and wet in Perth and neither team played with any great degree of understanding of the conditions they were faced with, and quite frankly either team would have been lucky to get a result based on their style of play. There has been much discussion of the appalling refereeing provided by Irish referee George Clancy but as mentioned above this will be discussed later. Nevertheless it is inevitable that refereeing decisions are going to go against you from time to time but this is no excuse to throw games, and that is quite frankly what South Africa did against a poor Australian side that then proceeded to capitalise on a demoralised and weak South African team.

In short we did not witness a rugby spectacle from two of the world’s best sides. Instead we saw a collection of schoolboy rugby errors made all the more comical by weak refereeing. South Africa started strongly, with once again the undisputed star of the Springbok side at the moment, Cornal Hendricks on the wing scoring another superlative try out wide. Coach Heineke Meyer’s decision to start the experienced Morne Steyn at fly half seemed to pay dividends as he effortlessly slotted his kicks on goal and for the most part made sensible place kicking decisions. Australia looked competent but not overly exciting and Israel Folau’s defensive kicking at fullback into a swirling wind left much to be desired.

However at halftime, the scores were relatively even with it being 14-11 in the Springboks’ favour. Watching the dressing rooms at halftime for me was the key as to who was going to win this game. The Wallaby dressing room looked pensive and calm, whereas I was appalled to see South African coach Heineke Meyer gesticulating wildly like some demented Jack in the Box to his charges urging them to lob the ball high for the team to chase. Given the wild, swirling and unpredictable windy conditions in Perth, this was pure madness! Sure enough rather than use their common sense, the Springboks decided to take their coach’s advice and seemed surprised that kick after kick either went out on the full, or didn’t make touch and landed comfortably in the arms of a rushing Wallaby pack, causing endless knock-ons and scenes reminiscent of a volleyball match rather than a rugby game.

Add to this the fact that Morne Steyn’s game deteriorated dramatically in the second half, and the writing was on the wall for the Springboks. Although they initially pulled ahead – the last twenty minutes saw the Springboks make some staggeringly basic errors. The Wallabies didn’t play well they -just simply capitalised on mistake after mistake made by the Springboks, namely through a reliance on a kicking game in conditions that were completely unsuitable for such an approach. There has been regular criticism in the South African press of the Springboks kicking away perfectly good possession and this was to be seen to the full in Perth. Australia did have moments of brilliance, especially once Israel Folau got to link up with his Waratahs’ teammate Kurtley Beale who for this game was sensibly called off the bench to play in the position that best suits him of centre.

There is no question that the sin binning of Bryan Habana for an alleged high tackle by referee George Clancy with just over ten minutes left in the game, had a huge impact. This was made worse by the fact that the assistant referee urged Clancy to not give Habana a yellow card as it was only a penalty and not a card offence. However Clancy decided to ignore the view of his assistant referee who had been right on the spot when the offence occurred. The replay clearly showed there had been no intent in the tackle and it was an unfortunate accident in the run of play. As unfortunate as this was and given the inconsistency in refereeing as the exact same tackle had been made on Jean de Villiers ten minutes earlier by a Wallaby player with no mention, South Africa still had no reason to cite this as the reason they lost the game. They have beaten better sides with close score lines and ten minutes to go with 14 men in the past. Instead, they played poorly made terrible decisions and ultimately paid the price of seeing Australia cross the white line at the last gasp and Bernard Foley get the conversion to ensure that Australia took the spoils.

In the end Australia squeaked home the victors but it wasn’t convincing. South Africa did take some positives from the game, their scrum and lineouts finally seemed to repair themselves though I can’t help feeling that this was only due to the fact that they were up against inferior opposition, but to be honest that’s about it. Even star fullback Willie le Roux couldn’t seem to make head nor tail of the wind and as a result spent much of the game making wild kicks and positioning himself poorly in relation to the ball. As for Australia, they made much of their victory but I for one am not convinced. Both teams head into this weekend with serious concerns. If the Springboks play like they have in these first three outings I fear they will be slaughtered by a rampant All Black side brimming with confidence and talent. Australia have too many question marks to be able to face up to a Pumas side that is on the brink of greatness. Both Ewen McKenzie and Heineke Meyer as coaches of the two most lacklustre sides in the competition have an enormous amount of work to do in the coming week.

 

Fixtures this weekend

New Zealand vs South Africa – Wellington

Based on South Africa’s performance to date, one can’t help get the feeling that this will be an unpleasant outing for the Springboks. Rain and wind are predicted and if Heineke Meyer fails to learn the error of his game plan from similar conditions last week in Perth and once more insists on kicking away good possession, then the All Blacks will run rings around the Springboks.

However, here is the conundrum – as awful as South Africa are at the moment this is one fixture which they somehow manage to always rise to. The fact that it is one of International Rugby’s great rivalries seems to somehow cause the Springboks to find that something extra in their game. Therefore I doubt it will be the rout that many are predicting.

Nevertheless there are concerns. Given the magnitude of the task facing them and the sheer quality of the opposition, I was once again amazed to see that Meyer has selected Handre Pollard as the starting fly-half. The youngster somehow seems to have a special place in Heineke Meyer’s heart, but as I questioned Meyer’s game plan last week, once again I question his wisdom this week. Morne Steyn is not even on the bench and while I agree he had a shocker of a game last weekend in Perth, he is still a proven quantity. All good players have off days, and I would put last weekend’s performance by Steyn as a case in point. A Springbok/All Black clash is about as intense as International rugby gets and is not the place for an inexperienced fly half such as Pollard to cut his teeth, especially when he has failed to impress in his previous two Test outings in the competition. Furthermore, in place of Morne Steyn, Pat Lambie has his first go on the bench as the replacement fly half. Lambie is a quality fly half but as witnessed in the Super Rugby quarter final in New Zealand this year, still lacks big match temperament and calmness and therefore I would argue is a liability.

New Zealand is having no such problems as they see the return of the spectacular Aaron Cruden at Number 10. They are fielding a completely proven side against South Africa, including the bench, and there is no doubt that on paper and at home they will unequivocally be the favourites for this fixture. Like South Africa they will be fired up and passions will run high for this one, but in addition to the passion unlike South Africa they have the skill level to match up to it.

I hope to be pleasantly surprised, and have the chance to watch a thrilling and tight encounter between the two best sides in the world but I am not betting on it. I sadly fear that the match will very much show us how far ahead New Zealand is and how quickly South Africa is starting to slide down the global rugby order. Let’s hope that South Africa finally use this fixture to show the world that they are still a rugby force to be reckoned with and contenders for the Webb Ellis Trophy next year.

Australia vs Argentina – Brisbane

As a closet Pumas supporter I like many people am really looking forward to this game and ultimately think it is the most exciting prospect of the weekend. Australia have so far failed to impress whilst Argentina are building momentum with every match in this tournament. Most people are convinced that their first ever win in this Championship is on the cards this year and Australia are unquestionably the target. The key question is can Argentina remain completely focused for the full 80 minutes and not let up in their concentration and intensity?

If they can do this then I am sure this game is theirs. They have run South Africa close and could have won both games as well as making the world’s best team the All Blacks work extremely hard for 80 minutes. The Pumas are motivated, focused and hungry for a win. Australia know this and will bring their A game to Brisbane on Saturday. The Wallabies will not want to go down in history as the side that gave Argentina their first win in the competition especially as they will then have to face Argentina again at home.

However, with the exception of the backline, Argentina on paper outclasses Australia in all areas of the game. It is how Australia uses its devastating backline and the phenomenal Israel Folau that will determine who walks away with the prize on Saturday in Brisbane. Argentina will dominate them in the scrums and at the breakdown and Nicolas Sanchez at fly half is easily the equal of Bernard Foley and many would argue a much more enterprising player. Argentina’s centres are quality and their wings and fullback are a force to be reckoned with. They may not have quite the pace of Australia’s backline but if they get good quick ball from the forwards and good service from Argentina’s halfbacks then they can contain the danger posed by Israel Folau. The difference for me is that Argentina is a complete team, whereas Australia has brilliant superstars but who lack the ability to play well as a team. This I think will be the key that separates the two on Saturday.

In that regard I think that Argentina may just have the edge if they last the full 80 minutes and as a result I am putting my bet on the Pumas, not by much but a narrow win by one or two points. For this match at least we are fortunate in having one of the better referees available at the moment and this should prove to be a cracker!

Fixtures this weekend

New Zealand vs Argentina – Napier

While, there is little doubt that New Zealand are the favourites to walk away with a win from this match and easily take first place in the competition standings, it won’t be done without considerable effort and Argentina will cause problems for the All Blacks especially through their outstanding forward pack. The days where the All Blacks could write off a match against the Pumas as a training match are long gone. Furthermore, despite the anomaly of the Pumas being winless so far in the competition, this Pumas side and Daniel Hourcade’s coaching style have seriously impressed their opposition. South Africa, Australia and New Zealand have all remarked on the talent in the Pumas current lineup and Argentina has earned some serious respect from the “Big Three”.

So what’s likely to happen in Napier on Saturday? Firstly the weather does not look to be too kind and although not on the biblical proportions of Pretoria, will nevertheless slow down the ball and make running it less of an option. This provides Argentina an excellent opportunity to take on the All Blacks up front. If they can maintain constant pressure on the All Blacks at the breakdown which they have shown they are more than capable of doing, shut down the opportunities for New Zealand out wide and generally keep the ball in tight with their forwards given the potentially slippery ground – they will find gaps in the All Blacks’ defence. This will both rattle and irritate New Zealand to the point where they will start giving away penalties, as we have seen so many times before, especially now as referees have key All Black players like Richie McCaw on their radar.

While I cannot see Argentina winning the game, a strong showing by them against the best team in the world will be a massive confidence booster going into the next round against a questionable Australian outfit, especially up front. Therefore, I think Argentina’s expectations of this game are not necessarily to win but to really make the All Blacks uncomfortable and run them close, gaining the Pumas even more respect.

New Zealand are unlikely to underestimate the quality of this Pumas side, as they have tended to do in the past. In the last three years, there have been periods of serious discomfort for the All Blacks during this fixture in the Championship. Ironically Argentina seems to play better against the All Blacks in New Zealand than they do at home. New Zealand will also not be fielding the same team that annihilated Australia two weeks ago. Aaron Cruden will not participate in this game due to injury and is ably replaced by Beauden Barrett at fly half.   However as impressive as Barrett can be, he certainly has an equal in Nicolas Sanchez of Argentina. It will be the battle of the fly halves and the forwards that will determine this game, especially given the forecast wet weather. New Zealand’s experience ultimately will still probably win the day, but they are definitely going to have to work for it. In short a fascinating fixture awaits us.

Australia vs South Africa – Perth

It’s interesting that in many ways this is the game that will really determine where everyone stands in the Rugby Championship at the halfway point in the tournament.   Unless Argentina pulls off a miracle in Napier then sadly despite being one of the most impressive teams, they sadly do not have the results that reflect their performance on the field. Of the four teams, the only two that have put in impressive performances have been Argentina and New Zealand – in the case of New Zealand this was only in the second game and both of Argentina’s games were outstanding but without the sought after result. So at this stage the question is whose scalp is Argentina going to take on their first ever win? Meanwhile New Zealand seems to be settling into invincible mode.

That leaves us with the two contenders in this fixture who so far have singularly failed to impress their fans and critics. South Africa have been for the most part woeful, despite clawing out two lacklustre victories at the last minute, while Australia benefitted from an off-form New Zealand in their first game, only to be subsequently made a laughing stock by the All Blacks the following week.

There has been much talk in the South African and Australian press in the last two weeks about lessons learned and how both sides are brimming with potential that is just not being fully utilised. The coaching staff have been well and truly put under the microscope in both countries, especially in South Africa where many are questioning Heineke Meyer’s so called game plan or as many believe lack of one.

As a result in many ways this weekend’s game between South Africa and Australia is of enormous importance to both sides’ morale and confidence, as well as showing the world where these two teams stand in the global pecking order.

Australia know if they falter then the Pumas will arrive next weekend smelling victory and opportunities to be had, while South Africa know that if they don’t put a decent score line between them and the Wallabies they too will suffer horrifically at the hands of the All Blacks in New Zealand a week later. Therefore for both sides a simple win by a few points will simply not be good enough – an all-out barnstorming victory with a 15 to 20 point difference in the score line is the only option, and one which their fans will expect.

The changes to the Springbok side, and Heineke Meyer realising the futility of recent experimentation, sees a more settled Springbok side with considerably more experience running onto the field in Perth. Most Springbok supporters are breathing a great sigh of relief to see Morne Steyn starting at 10. The forward pack looks more settled as well, with a good balance of youth and experience, though like most people I am surprised at the willingness to try and reinvent Victor Matfield’s career. As great a player as he was I am not really sure he has another World Cup in him at his age. South Africa need to get their younger players the game time and experience they need for next year’s rugby showpiece. Although Meyer has tried to do this in the past two games, his choices were inappropriate given the intensity of this tournament. It would have made more sense to blood some of these younger and less experienced players on the European tour in November, where the intensity of matches is there but not the level of competition coupled with the public’s expectations of the Rugby Championship.

On paper these are essentially two completely equal sides, and as a result it will be almost impossible to call. Australia still have issues in the forward department, but then so do South Africa and this weekend will show which of the two has done their homework better. Like Meyer, Australian coach Ewen Mckenzie has realized the error of his ways in trying unproven halfback combinations and this match sees the out of place Kurtley Beale sitting on the bench as opposed to starting at number 10. As for the backs, once again Australia’s back three are the equal of their South African counterparts – it will just come down to which team plays a complete 15 man game on Saturday and does so for the full 80 minutes.

New Zealand vs Australia
Final score – NZ 51/Aus 20
Auckland

By now most of us will have recovered our breath from what was an absolutely stunning All Black performance at the expense of the Wallabies. As I mentioned in last week’s edition, I felt that the All Blacks would be the more effective team in learning the lessons that needed to be learnt from the previous encounter in Sydney. I was not proved wrong. Whatever failings New Zealand may have had in Sydney, they were completely absent from the team’s display in Auckland. Australia on the other hand were poor and if anything regressed from their efforts in Sydney. In short they were annihilated by a dynamic All Black team who demonstrated their mastery of every aspect of the game.

There were some positives for Australia but they were few and far between. Michael Hooper’s individual try was inspirational even though it was more of a consolation than the impetus needed to spark Australia into life. Matt Toomua at 12 was also exciting to watch and could have done so much more had he had the support he needed from the rest of his teammates. Australia’s scrum also held up relatively well, though watching the Pumas’ utter dominance of the Springboks’ forward pack, Coach Ewen McKenzie must be feeling quite terrified at the prospect of his two encounters with the Pumas. It appears that McKenzie has perhaps realized the error of his ways by substituting Bernard Foley in for Kurtley Beale at fly half during the second half – a decision that should never have had to been made in the first place.

So where to begin with New Zealand and the master class display of the tournament so far? New Zealand answered every single question put to them by their critics last weekend and showed the world once again that they are still the benchmark team to beat. Although it was a complete team performance, there were so many players who had individual performances that deserve special mention. For me there were four displays that really stood out. Brodie Retallick at number 4 was the stuff of legends. The gigantic lock was utterly devastating and despite his size showed the pace and speed of a winger at times as he smashed through the Australian defences creating huge gaps and spaces for New Zealand’s backs. Aaron Smith the feisty scrum half was always right behind him making sure that the opportunities Retallick kept creating provided quick ball for New Zealand’s backline, causing Australia to look disorganised and frayed in their defence and constantly having to play catch up. In the lineout Retallick and Whitelock denied their Australian counterparts any decent ball, and these two skyscrapers made the lineout a weak option for Australia. Australia’s shouted lineout commands looked more like calls to avoid throwing the ball to Retallick or Whitelock rather than calls for plays from the coaching playbook.

At fly half, Aaron Cruden was probably the player of the weekend. With the exception of Argentina’s Nicolas Sanchez, Cruden showed the other teams what they are lacking in this position. Going into this tournament there was much talk of New Zealand not having the legendary Dan Carter at Number 10 at least for the initial games. Aaron Cruden has proved that he is more than capable of stepping into Carter’s shoes and in many ways with each game is proving himself to be Carter’s equal. Cruden is intelligent enough to know that he perhaps does not have Carter’s kicking game, and also knows his opposition well enough to realize when to use the boot and when not to. Cruden plays his position differently to Dan Carter and relies more on his blistering pace and skill with ball in hand. Cruden consistently saw holes in Australia’s defence and was into them like a shot, which then released the rest of New Zealand’s backline who thrived on running the ball out wide. Indeed New Zealand’s ball handling and passing skills in Auckland this weekend were mesmerising to watch. Cruden’s kicking for goal was faultless and in that area he is comfortably Dan Carter’s equal if not better.

Julian Savea on the wing provided us with thrilling displays of his running skills and made several long deep cuts down the outside into Australian territory, ultimately resulting in one of the best tries of the game. Also impressive in defence, Savea showed his pace and why he is regarded as such a threat by opposition defences.

Lastly, although substituted midway through the second half, for the impressive Aaron Cruden, Beauden Barrett showed once more what depth New Zealand have especially at Number 10. Barrett, just like Cruden, covered huge areas of the park and was everywhere, and his try saving tackle on Israel Folau was undoubtedly one of the best plays of the match.

In short New Zealand were breathtaking. They are on a roll now and having put their opening jitters well and truly to rest, will only get better with each successive game. As a result I can’t help feeling that the tournament is already decided. New Zealand will take the spoils, and the Rugby Championship in terms of a competition will revert to its old Tri Nations format – the Tri this time being Argentina, Australia and South Africa with New Zealand simply using their games against these three countries as warmup matches for the World Cup next year.

As an aside to this match, French referee Romain Poite’s handling of the game should also be mentioned in honorable dispatches. There had been much controversy surrounding South African referee Jaco Peyper’s officiating of this fixture the week before. Romain Poite however was consistent and solid in his management of the game, allowing for a fast flowing and open game with minimal delays particularly around the scrums. He was fair and showed no favouritism and the yellow card that New Zealand’s Richie McCaw received was totally justifiable with even the All Blacks coach Steve Hansen supporting Poite’s decision in the post-game commentary. Poite was superb in explaining his calls to the players and this was reflected in a notable absence of backchat to the referee which we see sadly all too often after the referee’s whistle has blown.

 

Argentina vs South Africa
Final score – Arg 31/SA 33
Salta

The press correctly predicted an epic struggle and that is precisely what we got in this “scorcher in Salta”. This game was equally as exciting as the one in Auckland and I like many was gutted that Argentina could not ultimately walk away with the spoils. The Pumas’ bugbear of not being able to close out big games like this came back to haunt them in the last 15 minutes of a game that on paper they should have won.

Argentina for the first three quarters of the game completely outclassed the Springboks and provided us with an exciting, disciplined and highly focused demonstration of how to play rugby. The Pumas front three obliterated their South African counterparts at scrum time – South Africa simply had no answers. Nicolas Sanchez at fly half and the two scrum halves, Landajo and Cubelli were far superior to Ruan Pienaar and the woeful Handre Pollard and it was only with the long overdue calling up from the bench of Morne Steyn to the Number 10 position that South Africa finally started to front up to Argentina in this area. At centre Juan Hernandez once more showed his world class pedigree along with the always reliable Marcelo Bosch at the expense of South Africa’s Jean De Villiers and De Allende (De Allende was more like the invisible man for much of the match – Mr. Meyer please take note in future selections). Lastly although Habana and Hendricks did impress for South Africa and it was Hendricks try which ultimately swung the match back in the Springboks favour; Argentina’s back three were a revelation. Pablo Matero was fast and strong on the wing along with Amorosino and Tuculet at fullback was the player of the weekend in this position. South Africa’s fullback, the very impressive Willie le Roux had a good game but without the support of the rest of his pack, which Tuculet had in bucket loads he was just not as electric as his Argentinian counterpart and was left to scramble back in defence more than he obviously would have liked.

Despite Argentina’s stellar display of rugby, they once again couldn’t manage to keep it up for the full 80 minutes despite an impressive late surge in the dying minutes of the game. At the hour mark, the game looked sewn up for Argentina with a spread of more than ten points. However it was here as I have seen so often in the Pumas game, they perhaps become slightly relaxed and a five minute lapse in intensity and concentration allowed Cornal Hendricks to burst through and score out wide. There is no doubt that this was the turning point in the game. Some long overdue replacements off the bench by Meyer added new confidence and motivation to a brow beaten Springbok side. The always reliable Morne Steyn guided his troops back into finding the right spaces in a slightly tired looking Pumas defence. Argentina managed to regain their composure in the last few minutes of the game as they too were galvanised by a massive penalty kick from far out by Marcelo Bosch against the wind. The last two nail biting minutes saw Argentina once again regain momentum through their forwards but a momentary lapse in discipline close to the South African line saw the ball back in South African hands followed by the last blast of referee Steve Walsh’s whistle. The faces of the Pumas players said it all. So agonisingly close yet so painfully far. However, they can take heart in giving us a thrilling spectacle. If they can take the lessons to be learnt from these two games and hopefully not be too disheartened by the schooling they are likely to receive next from the All Blacks, I still believe that if they maintain their current momentum, a win either away or at home against Australia is still not beyond the realms of possibility.

As for South Africa, quite simply for the majority of the game they were poor, not helped by the fact that Argentina really were that good. Coach Heineke Meyer going up against Australia next has some SERIOUS work to do. This is not a world beating Springbok side and they are likely in for a massive thrashing both home and away to the All Blacks. They may fare better against the Wallabies but even there I am not holding my breath. At the moment South Africa lacks serious cohesion in their squad and are tending to look to players who I for one think are past their prime. The DuPlessis, De Villiers, Habanas, Bothas and Matfields are experienced players but far from the peak of their skill and fitness levels. The new crop of players that Meyer seems to be favouring have so far failed to impress me. Pollard at Fly Half simply is not suited to this kind of intensity of rugby. The supposed find of the year De Allende at centre was nowhere to be seen in Argentina; in total I think he carried the ball once. Even the potentially brilliant le Roux at fullback seems to be struggling to find his pace in a disjointed and at times dysfunctional side. The fact that Meyer did not start Morne Steyn at fly half in this game given what was at stake has left many South Africans scratching their heads in bewilderment. Meyer seemed to recognize the error of his ways in the last quarter of the game and his use of the bench reflected this as the substitutions he made changed the game completely. However we cannot help but wonder if these substitution players had started the game how much more different in character the game would have been.

I will grudgingly admit that the Springboks showed character in digging in and coming back from an almost hopeless position in the last quarter of the game. Ultimately they were the victors but far from convincingly. I hold to my opinion that Heineke Meyer is not the man to take them to the World Cup next year, but with a year to go it is too late to change the coach now. The Springboks and South African management as a result will have to work exceptionally hard over the next year to convince the rest of the world that this is a rugby nation that has lifted the Webb Ellis trophy twice and has the potential to do so again. Right now the jury is out.

In conclusion, South Africa bizarrely head into the next round of the competition with two wins to their belt and thus sit at the top of the table in the tournament, while Argentina sits at the bottom of the table despite having outplayed South Africa twice and having been much more impressive than third placed Australia – the vagaries of mathematics I guess. If South Africa has learned anything from the last two weeks, it is that they have found their “problem opponents”. The big three Southern Hemisphere nations each seem to have a team that they struggle with especially at the World Cup – for New Zealand it is France, for the Australians it seems to be Ireland and for South Africa we have seen in the last three years it is unquestionably Argentina, making these fixtures ones to always look forward to.