With only a few days left, knives has certainly come out ahead of the World Cup. A pre-match mental punch has been delivered and so let the games begin.
Introducing South Africa versus Wales
Much ado has been made about this confrontation, with Wales upbeat about their chances.
No doubt, Wales fancy their chances against the old, tired Boks. But are the Dragons just blowing hot air to fill Pieter de Villiers’s macho moustache?
You may suggest that this match will be very close. But really? Do you think so? For a second, just use your rugby brain.
Good on you Warren Gatland for beating Peter de Villiers to the punch. I hope your comments don’t come back to bite you on your back-side.
It’s funny how the southern hemisphere sides seem to do their talking on the field.
But one must back oneself up, even if history counts against you. Out of 25 matches, Wales has only ever beaten South Africa once. That was in a dour 1999 match played in Cardiff.
Agonisingly bitter-sweet, I thought it was much closer than that. Sweet for me. Bitter for any Welsh supporter.
But these are new times and so, on the day, history won’t matter for much. But history is important. It reminds us how far we have come.
And so I wonder; “What in the bloody bonkers hell, makes Wales think they can beat the Boks?”
Surely it can’t be history, or for that fact recent history. Mr Gatland’s comments about Wales almost beating the Springboks in recent times, both, made sense and are a bit unsoothing for Wales.
It made sense because the last few games Wales has lost, have the following scorelines: 29-25, 34-31, 20-15.
This of course, isn’t bad. Losing by four, three and five points is very close.
Boy, those Springboks were lucky. It sure was felt in the gut.
But, as I mentioned, those victories were also unsoothing for Wales. If I were a Welsh supporter, I would be very worried; and here’s why:
Fact: All those games were played at The Millennium Stadium.
Fact: In each game, the Boks were never at full strength.
Fact: Wales has only ever beaten a southern hemisphere team once away from home. (1987 playoffs against Australia)
History really can be a sour gum in sore teeth. And in this case, Wales has forgotten to floss.
But Mr Gatland has certainly made sure his troops stay fired up.
Mr Gatland has accused World Cup opponents South Africa of ‘not playing any rugby’ during an extraordinary attack on the Springboks.
Mr Gatland started the mind games early ahead of next Sunday’s Pool D opener at Wales’ training base in Wellington yesterday.
Insisting the world champions had limitations to their game, Mr Gatland said: “They don’t play any rugby, they don’t do anything.
“They’re very good at what they do in terms of set-piece and they put the ball up in the air, use the power runners effectively and they’re a strong defensive side.
“We pretty much know what they’re going to do. Morne Steyn kicks penalties and drop goals, and they will play to their strengths because that’s what they’re good at doing and they’re definitely a hard side to beat.”
“The last three times we’ve played them, there’s been very little in the scores,” he said.
“We’ve outscored them seven tries to six in the last three matches, so there hasn’t been a heck of a lot between the teams.
“We’re in pretty good shape and we are pretty happy with the way the August games went.
“We can match them physically and that’s the key to the battle.
“We’ve been 14 or 15 points up against them and haven’t been good enough or clinical enough and have let them back into the game.”
Mr Gatland, for those bold and brave comments I induct thee with the letter A. A for Absolutely-effortlessly-ridiculous.
I speak for all things green and pastier when I say the best team will win. No, history won’t be the only thing on our side, but also our superior skill and power.
Ben S
Roar Guru
I think Wilkinson severely limits us. Whenever the England backs have fired since 2009 Flood has been at 10. Even against Ireland when we got slaughtered he was still making breaks and upsetting the Irish defensive line. I just think to bring in a player like Wilkinson is a conservative move at the wrong moment. Wales beat Argentina because they made the most of their opportunities, and I don't think we will create those opportunities with Wilkinson at 10. Also, an 8-9-10-12 channel of Easter, Wigglesworth, Wilkinson and Tindall is alarmingly slow, and I think that will play into the hands of Argentina. I want us to take on teams, and not seek to retreat into a mentality of grinding out wins, because that is when you come unstuck.
Scarlet
Guest
Wilkinson can run the game fine and adds something better in defence than Flood. England have a good team and Wilkinson is pretty dependable so they should do well, particularly with some great finishers like Foden, Armitage and Ashton. The forwards are good and a centre pairing of Tindall and Tuilagi is interesting and more innovative that before.
Ben S
Roar Guru
I'd love to see Wales win, and for myriad reasons. I think they definitely have the talent and the skill, and Warbuton and Hook provide something different (a new edge, perhaps) to Williams and Jones. It's a huge shame that Rees is out, because I think the lineout is the one area that SA will effect dominance, and that might lead them to victory. I've given up my hopes on England when I saw Wilkinson at number 10 this morning...
Scarlet
Guest
Hahahahaha, lovely. Beautifully put Ben. There is a tremendous amount of national ego involved in these discussions and there will definitely be tears before bedtime for some involved. At least neither Wales nor England have the burden of total expectation weighing heavily on the shoulders of a team that has been accused of choking regularly. I look forward to seeing the Cup unfold and hope that there will be a load of surprises. As a supporter of an unfancied (some may say derided) team, then I hope that Wales will be a springer of surprises, not one who is surprised by, say, Samoa. South African supporters have much to be nervous of in particular and the Kiwis must hope that their side doesn't prove that they are actually chokers.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Pre-match nerves innit. 4 years worth of arrogance and 'nothing counts but the WC' is looming a little large for some Roarers methinks. I mean, if I'd spent the past four years not admitting to a single chink in the armour of my national side on the proviso that they are solely a WC side then I'd be a little nervous too. Having read some of the contents of the Roar over the past few days I am expecting the Springbok forwards to utterly demolish their Welsh counterparts into submission, and for the Springbok backs to wake from their alleged slumber (nay, coma) and score tries left right and centre, to send loud mouth Gatland packing back to the Valleys. Nothing else will do, frankly.
Scarlet
Guest
typo - 2003, but thanks for pointing it out
Suzy Poison
Guest
Scarlet says "Wales had two magnificent losses to England and New Zealand in the last RWC" Geez mate, get your facts straight, Wales did not play either of these two teams in 2007. They never made it out of their pool, they lost to Australia and Fiji.
Scarlet
Guest
There is a lot of the same old crap being written about Wales. Since the country lost so many players in the 80's to League and to soccer the game has struggled to find its feet again in Wales. There has been a long, long programme of trying to regain the old fire and credibility, which should hopefully show some results in this RWC. The scores will tell the story and I am hopeful that Wales will top the pool having beaten both South Africa and Samoa. Wales had two magnificent losses to England and New Zealand in the last RWC and played some fantastic rugby, which I hope will be repeated this time around. The recent games have shown a very solid, determined defence which can be coupled with a devastating attack. The return of some key players from injury should see a strong scrum again and I hope that they will have fixed the lineout. The loss of Henson and Stoddart along with Matthew Rees will hurt, but there is more strength in depth nowadays and I hope that we will see Welsh rugby earn respect by playing imaginatively and winning.
Ben S
Roar Guru
Interesting to read an interview with Chris Ashton where he mentioned how Mark Cueto (another winger not crossing the whitewash regularly) had informed him that after your period of grace teams really tighten up on you as a winger. Obviously over time pace and power fades, and players like Rokocoko and Habana simply don't have the depth of skills to compensate for either their diminishing role in a team or their diminishing athletic ability. I was never a big fan of Cueto when he was younger, but I've been pleasantly surprised how he has made himself invaluable to England over the past two seasons. Simply having a big work rate, as Rokocoko displayed in his later years, isn't really enough anymore.
Jerry
Guest
From 2004-07 Habana played 36 tests and scored 30 test tries. In the 4 years since he's played 34 more tests and scored only 8 tries, the last of which was against Italy in June 2010 (which means he's not scored a try in his last 10 tests). Joe Rokocoko suffered a similar loss of ability to score tries (up to 2007 he'd scored 43 tries from 48 test, after 07 he played a further 20 tests and only scored 3 tries) and it cost him his place in the squad. It does seem that often wingers simply get the yips and never recover (hello Ben Cohen).
Ben S
Roar Guru
Please explain to me what is wrong about what Gatland said. Please, I'm genuinely very interested in why you think what he said is so offensive.
Uncle Argyle
Guest
I hope they do for their own sake as 2007 rugby wont win a 2011 world cup. I refer to Ben S and echo his comments.
Ben S
Roar Guru
(i) The 2007 WC was 4 years ago; (ii) The Springbok backs haven't scored a try between them in 7 games; (iii) Bryan Habana hasn't scored a Test try in how many months?; (iv) The 3N? What about the November Tests?; I'm sure SA will let loose with some running rugby in the WC when they haven't let loose with any running rugby in goodness knows how long.
Loftus
Guest
Wales should really concentrate on getting out of the group first.I mean,they couldn't even get out of the group phases in 2007.For them to get out of this group will be like winning the World Cup.Gatland has always been a big mouth - so I won't get too upset about his remarks about the World Champions. He can never back it up and then end up being a sour loser.Like when the Springboks spanked his British Lions.The look on his face was priceless!! Should be a good game to watch. Go Bokke!!!
BB
Guest
This is the most common scense post Ive erad on here. If Wales were as good at playing rugby as they are at talking rugby I would be worried.....but I'm not.
Ivan
Guest
you sound like you were coached by a journalist. lest you forgot who the top try scorer was in the 2007 Cup ? Go back and look at some of the tries SA scored in that Cup - Do you think they have forgotten how to do that ? I think not. But in the 3N where the opposition is so tough, they tend to get defensive minded. I think they will let loose with some running rugga in this Cup. Lets wait and see.
jason8
Guest
The truth is that we have paid too much respect to the welsh when we have played in Wales.... if u remember the last 3 games where it has been close the Boks were very cagey for the first half - they get behind , then decide to concentrate for 15 mins... which inevitably results in a quick points reversal and then the welsh try like mad to get back into it. We tend to wipe the floor with them when they come down to SA, and as far as i can see its a matter of mindset. If the Boks decide to take it to them, then i pity the welsh
Uncle Argyle
Guest
Good for them. Please look up Hwyl in Welsh and see how it stacks up.
Suzy Poison
Guest
You are correct as always Ben S, the Boks will come second in the pool, but not to Wales, probably to Samoa. Problem is, I can't see Wales getting close to Samoa. Samoa will eat them alive. Watch this flash mob Haka....The Manu Samoa have so many supporters in New Zealand, it's basically a home game for them.
JJ
Guest
Wales are dreaming if they think they will win this game. Get real. Boks will smash them up front and out score Wales with tries no doubt. The green machine will send Wales back to their hotel with their tail between their legs. With every test that Wales plays we read the usual delusional Welsh supporters talking up their team. Forget beating SA and focus on the games you'll have to work hard at winning just to get through the pool.