South Africa’s credentials of being serious challengers for the World Cup title in France later this year will be tested by the number one-ranked team, New Zealand, in the second match of this year’s Tri-Nations competition in Durban on Saturday.
Jake White’s Springboks are coming off a thrilling, last-gasp win over Australia last weekend when replacement back Francois Steyn converted two drop-goals to ensure a 22-19 win for the home side, while the All Blacks will be in confident mood following their 64-13 victory over Canada.
While the Boks were the superior team against the Wallabies in Cape Town — only brilliant defence from the visitors prevented a bigger winning margin for the Boks — their true test will come on Saturday in what many have labelled a dress rehearsal for the World Cup final.
White is apparently flattered with the attention his team are receiving, saying earlier this week it is nice for the Boks to be spoken of so highly.
”It is also a compliment to us that the All Blacks have picked their strongest possible team for this match,” he said.
While the New Zealanders have indeed been able to pick a very strong outfit — their only apparent weakness is at lock where the likes of Ali Williams and Chris Jack are unavailable — the Boks have been hampered with injuries this week.
Not only will White’s men have to get used to a new leader in Victor Matfield, they’ll also have to do without loose-forward stalwarts Pierre Spies and Juan Smith, who withdrew from the side on Thursday.
Both picked up injuries against the Wallabies, while regular captain John Smit and prop Gurthro Steenkamp are also absent.
Those setbacks, however, allow White an opportunity to see Bob Skinstad face quality opposition after his previous start against Samoa, while Danie Rossouw will not weaken the team on the flank.
It is also a wonderful opportunity for hooker Gary Botha to show he has what it takes to succeed at international level. And the Bulls man could not have asked for a more challenging starting debut.
All Back hooker Anton Oliver is one of the toughest and strongest hookers in the game and he’ll ask plenty of Botha in the set piece — the one area where the Boks have the potential to dominate any team in the world, but are currently battling to make the most of their strength in this department.
Besides starting on home soil, the Springboks also have a slight advantage over their opponents having played a demanding match last week. The New Zealanders are coming off easy outings against a severely weakened France and Canada last week.
While there is little to choose between the packs, the Boks are expected to shade the tourists at the line-out with new captain Matfield and his partner in crime, Bakkies Botha, no doubt keen to embarrass Kiwis Greg Rawlinson and Troy Flavell — real work horses, but not the best jumpers in the line-out.
Tearaway flanker Schalk Burger should be able to match the brilliant Richie McCaw at the breakdowns and in the loose, which leaves the game nicely balanced in the hands of the two sets of backs. And it’s here that the Boks will have to be as good as White has made them out to be.
”We’ve conceded just four tries in four matches this year so defensively things are going really well for us,” said the Bok coach.
The Boks are going to have to repeat those defensive efforts if they are to deny Graham Henry’s men a rare victory on South Africa soil.
Flyhalf Dan Carter again holds the key to his team’s performance, but outside him the likes of Isaia Toeava, Joe Rokocoko and Sitiveni Sivivatu are equally dangerous, especially in open space and on the counter-attack.
The Boks though, through the likes of Jean de Villiers and JP Pietersen, can be just as lethal with ball in hand, while on their home ground, the halfback pairing of Ruan Pienaar and Butch James are sure to keep the visitors on their toes.
South Africa-New Zealand clashes are often called ”the toughest of them all” and on Saturday, the world may just get an indication of who’ll really be the team to beat come France in October. — Sapa-AFP