The All Blacks host the Springboks at Westpac Stadium in Wellington, New Zealand, for their first meeting of the 2014 Rugby Championship. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:30pm (AEST).
The Rugby Championship has entered its second half and South Africa currently sit one point ahead of Australia. They also sit a mere 0.32 points above Australia in IRB rankings. New Zealand are way out on top.
Simply, South Africa will need to deliver their best game ever walk away victorious.
The Springbok’s best form lately was against the All Blacks last year. Some have opined they lost the match chasing Rugby Championship points, instead of trying to win the game. They will want to make amends today.
All the while, the All Blacks will look to continue their relentless winning campaign. They have won the last five home games against South Africa, scoring 20 tries along the way.
They have also never lost against the Springboks at Westpac Stadium and will plan to keep it that way today.
Nobody wants to scrummage against the Pumas
For the first time in a long while – probably ever – both teams will be happy to scrummage each other. Whilst the All Blacks may be happy with their performance in the loose from last week, the Springboks will look to improve significantly and score tries!
Brodie will want to get Eben
Eben Etzebeth is only three games post-injury and has not yet returned to last year’s destructive form. Brodie Retallick will want to keep things that way.
He was quieter in Sydney and Napier, but was colossal against the Wallabies in Auckland. Jeremy Thrush starts for the first time this year and will duel with lineout swiper Victor Matfield.
As all four locks were a bit quiet last week in the loose, they will aim to wreak havoc today.
Speed in the slosh
Willie Le Roux has run two metres more than Julian Savea. They and the other outside backs will look forward to opportunities off the ruck to score tries in this match.
In this score, Savea is one ahead of Cornal Hendricks (and Israel Folau). They will run closer to the ruck, due to wet conditions.
Last week, Springboks’ midfield leaks helped the Wallabies make easy metres. They cannot afford a repeat, especially against New Zealand.
Winner takes halves
With the return of Aaron Cruden, the All Blacks will field the most dangerous halves on the globe.
Their knife fight will be against flyhalf Handre Pollard and ex-flyhalf Ruan Pienaar, who played in last year’s game in Auckland.
Pollard is Heyneke Meyer’s high-risk, high-yield gambit. His selection indicates that all Springboks games and selections since last year was to prepare for this coin flip.
But it will all come to nought without quick recycle, or if a team that cannot align their defence or attack-line once the kick is on – most likely from the All Blacks.
Ruck and Recycle
The ability of Francois Louw, Marcell Coetzee and Duane Vermeulen to get their team moving forward and moving quickly will be critical to their chances of winning.
Kieran Read, Richie McCaw, and Stephen Luatua will have other ideas. They will look to slow the Springboks’ advance and to create time and exploit space in attack.
Kicks for tricks
After watching the Auckland game, the Springboks will be thanking the Gods for wet weather. But there may be kicks from both sides to force mistakes. However, spectators will be hoping for a faster paced match and legendary tries.
Hang on to your hats. Its going to be big!
Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:30pm (AEST).
If you are following the action live, be sure to share your thoughts on the match in the comments below.
Final Score
All Blacks: 14
Springboks: 10
etienne marais
Guest
So please, fellow-Roarers, if you are going to insult us Afrikaans speaking South Africans, we insist that you do it in the correct format: "Jappie", "Yarpie", "Jaapie", and "Jappee" are all incorrect versions. "Japie" is the only derivation that will successfully irk us into responding in the stereotypical manner that you anticipate.
etienne marais
Guest
“What is a Jappie if I may ask?” “Jappie”, properly is actually “Japie”, an Afrikaans name that used to be fairly common up to the middle of the previous century. It is usually an informal variation of the birth name “Jaap”; a bit like “Robert” would become “Robby”. In the context of your question though, it is a representative term that is used to refer in stereotypical manner to a perceived collective Afrikaans male identity (that of a slightly whimsical, simple fellow, who roams the veldt, barefoot and occupies himself with agricultural activities); much like “Bruce” or “Sheila” is often used as a reference to Australians. As such, the “Japie” reference is often used with derogatory intent, but sometimes its usage is intended as a term of endearment. [It is sometimes written in more phonetical form, i.e. "Yarpie]
Jacques
Guest
What is a Jappie if I may ask?
Common Sense
Guest
The 26 defenders beaten was probably just Ben Smith's stats.
etienne marais
Guest
That's right Fred, JdV did take the "brave" option at Loftus, instead of just closing the game out safely. It's the "one-in-nine" success shot that confirms his bias for being successful everytime. But either he has a short menory, is mathematically challenged, ot he's just thick-skulled. I think I have an email address for Heyneke, if you can just confirm for me please: jean.is.a.true.gentleman@meyer.com
atlas
Guest
Nonu - bad news. Played last 10min of first half with a broken arm. Surgery today and a plate inserted, out of rugby until Hurricanes season for 2015. Seems fashionable to knock him, but I'm a fan, had hopes of him getting 100 test caps, but missing rest of RC plus EOYT . . . don't know he'll get enough matches in 2015 after which I expect he'll retire or be off overseas - 12 years after his AB debut He has played 94 tests so far (started in 79 of them), Makes Sonny Bill Williams a little more useful if selected for EOYT, though Crotty reported to be on the mend enough to face Argentina on 27th.
Rugby Tragic
Guest
Patrick Tuipolotu was called in as cover but has not had any game time since his injury. I imagine that is way Luatua was chosen at No 6 to give support for Thrush if needed and to cover for Tuipolotu if that didn't work out. Then it would have been McCaw to No 6 and Cane to 7. Unfortunately Steven Luatua was other than a couple of runs was average last night. He should have stopped Hendricks from scoring his try IMO And Chan Wee, S Whitelock and L Romano were 1st choice locks but when latter went down, Retallick took his opportunity big time .... I thought Thrush played well last night and in Napier when his opportunity arose.
Mark
Guest
Thats the one area he was poor in...just about all the Jappie steals were from Rucks (which technically you are not supposed to use your hands) and/or the Jappie player wasnt supporting his own weight... Other than that - not sure how we didnt smash them - we played very well...but the Jappies tackled anything and everything...
Highlander
Guest
Well tuipolotu was on the bench so hard to justify saying he is preferred, and bird hardly an all black yet is he, but no doubt he will be - we miss Romano at scrum time still I think, despite the fact the incumbents have been real good
Chan Wee
Guest
@ Harry Jones : whats up with FLOW? he was not the same version I have seen for BATH :( As for JDV , i think he did not want to go off on his 100th match , hence went soft to avoid a tackle in air and cynical play. dont forget it was one on one - JDV has never been a master of the high ball - and he knew he had no chance with Read on a kick collection. he shud have gone very low but then he was too close and tried to grapple - again not successful with a bigger stronget man.
Chan Wee
Guest
Thrush is the 6th choice . Sam W & B Retallick , then Romano (out inured for a long time), then Bird (injured) and Touipolatu (back from injury).
ChrisCrus
Guest
Ref needs to clamp down on defenders 'flopping' over the tackled player to slow the bal downl. Boks were at it all night. You need to be clearly on your feet, not down on one knee or leaning on the tackled player. It kills the game.
RobC
Roar Guru
He had a huge game, especially with all the pre-match worries about him being the bogeyman Might struggle to find detractors for his performance. His only problem was the injury
Jarryd
Guest
Tb I think dagg does a better job at fullback, they both have exceptional counterattacking skills, but dagg often acts as another first-five and sets up the players around him, plus he's got that boot. They work well with each other, with dagg giving smith that extra bit of space to make those damaging runs
fredstone
Guest
He does tend to want to go for the try, we had the same situation in the Loftus test at about the same stage in the game and I remember thinking to myself why? Nothing to gain from a try here, there's just no way we're going to score three tries in 15 minutes in this weather. Maybe it's a part of the game plan which means that nobody has thought to conduct such a pet project yet. Have you got HM's email adress?
Jerry
Guest
No, it was in the chest area. Which is why Louw's arm (which was out in front of his torso) got sandwiched causing the injury.
etienne marais
Guest
Stupid call. Becoming habit now.
fredstone
Guest
It was a bit high don't you think?
etienne marais
Guest
Both games have their place. Ellispark was a thing of sheer beauty; a supermodel walking the ramp. Wellington explores the character; the same model, but in a gym outfit, grinding her way through a wet and muddy obstacle course. I prefer the grind, it tells you more about the person.
etienne marais
Guest
Not that Serfontein did much wrong, but I would like to see Allende next to Pollard, just for a game or two to test the combinaton (with Juan de Jong or S'bura Sithole outside him). I'll keep on dreaming. Not going to happen.