- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
When it comes to international rugby, it doesn’t get much bigger than the All Blacks against the Springboks.
There have been some momentous games over the years – memories of the All Blacks’ winning series in 1996 in the republic, the great come-from-behind victories for the All Blacks in 1997 at Ellis Park and 2010 in Soweto, and the Springbok victories over the All Blacks in Dunedin in 2008 and Hamilton in 2009 all conjure up images of Test match rugby at its finest.
These are just a few examples of classic encounters taken from the professional era. There are many more stretching all the way back to the first game played between these two great foes in 1921.
This weekend’s game between the top two sides in the world is shaping to be as big as any we have seen in recent years, with both teams hot on form.
The Springboks, on a nine-match winning streak and fresh from demolishing the Wallabies at Suncorp Stadium, up against last year’s Rugby Championship winners, who are on a six-match winning streak of their own and coming off two convincing wins over the Wallabies and another against the Pumas.
What adds to the intrigue is the fact that the All Blacks inspirational captain has been sidelined. All of a sudden, the Spingboks and their fans will be fancying their chances just a little bit more.
The winner of this game will go a long way towards deciding the Rugby Championship. The All Blacks have to start as favourites, having won six of their past seven games against the Springboks and with the last defeat at Eden Park coming way back in 1994.
Yet there’s a growing feeling that this is a Springbok team on the rise. And if there was ever an opponent that the All Blacks truly fear, it is a fired up and confident Springbok one. This match promises to be an epic.
It appears the Springboks have reverted to their traditional strengths in 2013, with a monster pack epitomised by their giant loose trio of Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts and Francois Louw.
Add into the mix the du Plessis brothers, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira and a couple of pretty useful young second rowers, and the Springboks have the makings of a formidable and world class forward pack.
With McCaw out, the All Blacks will find themselves tested in the forward exchanges, but don’t expect them to be beaten up and bullied like the Wallabies were on Saturday night.
Kieran Read will shoulder a significant amount of extra responsibility as captain in McCaw’s absence, and how he handles this could prove to be a decisive factor in who comes out on top in this Test.
One couldn’t help but notice that Reid was not quite himself in the three-Test series against the French in June. He will likely get plenty of assistance from the likes of Hore, Carter and Conrad Smith on Saturday night to help shoulder the added responsibility.
Where I expect the All Blacks to gain their edge will be out in the backline.
The Springboks will look to rush up playing an umbrella defence, whereby their wings will push up on the outside looking to force the All Blacks to cart the ball up the middle and into contact.
The All Blacks, however, are a smart side, so expect the Carter-Nonu-Smith axis to create ways around this by using wraparound and decoy plays to hold the defence in midfield. This will buy that extra second of time to find the outside man.
They will also look to exploit the space in behind the Springbok wings through an intelligent kicking game.
The Springboks will back themselves to win their lineouts, set their driving maul and pressure the All Blacks in the air. It’s a flashback to their successful style in 2009 and if they deny the All Blacks of the ball with Steyn kicking his goals they have a very good chance in this match.
What the All Blacks have in their favour will be 50,000 screaming fans defending a stadium they now fondly refer to as “the fortress”.
If all goes to plan, expect the All Blacks to come out on top in a brutal and thrilling encounter. Though if past contests between these teams are anything to go by not, all will go to plan.
One thing is for certain though – we are in for another monumental clash between two of the heavyweights of world rugby.
Join The Roar rugby editor Christy Doran, former Wallaby Matt Toomua and a cast of regular and special guests as they look at the biggest issues in the game on The Roar Rugby Podcast. If you’re looking for great odds on the next game check out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Chances are you’re about to lose. Set a deposit limit.