Friday, July 21, 2006

This from Rugby News

Prediction: Perhaps not the drubbing all the neutrals have been joking about, we do still believe that these Boks have some spirit and it is a lesser NZ team than the one that dismantled Australia after all. But a clear victory for the ABs nonetheless. New Zealand by 15 points.

Totalbet.com prediction: New Zealand by 21 points

Ones to watch:

For New Zealand: Reuben Thorne is back, and with plenty to prove after his absence from national duty as what will be his final Rugby World Cup chance looms. The former AB captain has had a superlative Super 14, and is the fourth number six in New Zealand's last five Tests. With that kind of competition, he will be pulling all the stops to get himself up the pecking order.

For South Africa: Jacques Cronjé has been picked to add a little physicality to the Bok defence and shore up the gaps that seem to be appearing with disturbing regularity in the on-rushing Bok defensive line. Some big Bull hits please Mr. Cronjé!

Head to head: Anton Oliver v John Smit brings together a dark and classic duel at the depths of the scrum, between two old heads and natural team leaders with over 100 caps between them. Oliver, like Thorne, is fighting off the chasers for one of the hooker spots for the next - Oliver's last - Rugby World Cup, while Smit has the unenviable task of leading his team out of the hole they have dropped themselves into.

Recent results:

2005: New Zealand won 31-27 in Dunedin
2005: South Africa won 22-16 in Cape Town
2004: South Africa won 40-26 in Johannesburg
2004: New Zealand won 23-21 in Christchurch
2003: New Zealand won 29-9 South Africa in Melbourne
2003: New Zealand won 19-11 in Dunedin
2003: New Zealand won 52-16 in Pretoria
2002: New Zealand won 30-23 in Durban
2002: New Zealand won 41-20 in Wellington
2001: New Zealand won 26-15 in Auckland
2001: New Zealand won 12-3 in CapeTown
2000: South Africa won 46-40 in Johannesburg
2000: New Zealand won 25-12 in Christchurch

More here.....

1 comment:

  1. Thanks a lot I always like to read as much as possible about rugby, as we don't have it where I live
    Thanks again

    Sal
    http://www.ultimatestupidity.com

    ReplyDelete