SF1: South Africa v New Zealand, 24 October

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SOUTH AFRICA v NEW ZEALAND

24 October 2015
16:00 BST (UTC+01)
Twickenham, London

Live on [TBC]

Ref: Jérôme Garcès (France)
ARs: Romain Poite (Poite) & John Lacey (Ireland)
TMO: George Ayoub (Australia)

A. Head to Head

90 Played 90
35 Won 52
3 Drawn 3
52 Lost 35
1412 Points 1745

B. Recent Form

25 July 2015
Emirates Airline Park, Johannesburg
20 – 27 to New Zealand

4 October 2014
Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
27 – 25 to South Africa

13 September 2014
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
14 – 10 to New Zealand

5 October 2013
Ellis Park Stadium, Johannesburg
27 – 38 to New Zealand

14 September 2013
Eden Park, Auckland
29 – 15 to New Zealand

6 October 2012
FNB Stadium, Johannesburg
16 – 32 to New Zealand

15 September 2012
Forsyth Barr Stadium, Dunedin
21 – 11 to New Zealand

20 August 2011
Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Port Elizabeth
18 – 5 to South Africa

30 July 2011
Westpac Stadium, Wellington
40 – 7 to New Zealand

C. TEAMS:

SOUTH AFRICA

01 Tendai Mtawarira
02 Bismarck du Plessis
03 Frans Malherbe
04 Eben Etzebeth
05 Lood de Jager
06 Francois Louw
07 Schalk Burger
08 Duane Vermeulen

09 Fourie du Preez (captain)
10 Handre Pollard
11 Bryan Habana
12 Damian de Allende
13 Jesse Kriel
14 JP Pietersen
15 Willie le Roux

16 Adriaan Strauss
17 Trevor Nyakane
18 Jannie du Plessis
19 Victor Matfield
20 Willem Alberts
21 Ruan Pienaar
22 Pat Lambie
23 Jan Serfontein.

NEW ZEALAND

[TBC]

Alot of pressure on NZ in this game, giving away tooooo many penalties for my liking.

Kaino getting a that yellow card was just plain stupid. Going into the half time 12-7 down against a Bok side that is not making many mistakes to be honest, could well be the difference between being in the final and fight it out for third place.

Also carters kicking out of hand is sublime

All these mistakes are making for a riveting spectacle.

Penalty count killing the blacks... Most looked pretty fair to me, garces tough on the breakdown and the boks doing a better job there at the moment.

They've had to do a lot of defending in the last 20 mins... Gotta believe they're going to be blowing in the last 20. Might need to make the yellow card count if they want to hold on

wolfball wrote:SA's 10 having a poor game, du preez is keeping them well up for this despite that. Nice to see ABs penalized like a normal team. The yellow was sheer stupidity though. And the try pass was forward. Really strange when everything is Tmo to death that wasn't checked.

It's Pollard's kicking from hand that's the problem - really poor, so little distance and straight to opposition when in field.

The pass for the try was a mile forward so could have been 12-0

The Boks have simply been composed whilst the AB's seem to be trying too hard. Stupid, absolutely stupid yellow card from Kaino.

eirebilly wrote:

Fanster wrote:Have to say, Garceres was a great call for this game, good spectacle so far, officiated really well

Have to agree with you on this one, Garces has been excellent. He has let the game flow.

The AB's are really under it here.

v

Garces motm so far, NZ back row not getting away with what they usually get away with. NZ going to have to move up a few gears, apart from Kaino try not much sign of another try from NZ

I've got that sinking feeling...

Seen this way too much from the AB's in the past blackcanelion, they are a team that will compete right up until the end and how often do we see them winning tight matches in the last 5mins?

blackcanelion wrote:I've got that sinking feeling...

Long way to go yet. I feel SA will need to be well ahead with 15 to go to hang on.

wolfball wrote:SA's 10 having a poor game, du preez is keeping them well up for this despite that. Nice to see ABs penalized like a normal team. The yellow was sheer stupidity though. And the try pass was forward. Really strange when everything is Tmo to death that wasn't
checked.

Yep odd it wasn't checked and the commentary team didn't even bat an eyelid although to most of us it looked forwards ...

Ironically NZ lineout is dominant so they are grubber kicking to the corner looking to steal, however when they get there the SA lineout of speed jumping hs been superb!

Pollard what are you doing?

Are NZ about to win the yellow 3-0?

That's it for SA I feel, try and now YC for Habana...

Barrett. Carter drop kick and Barrett try. Just have to keep Garcia out of the game and we have a chance.

Carter is brilliant

It would be great for Carter to play in a final. Nobody deserves it more than him.

blackcanelion wrote:Barrett. Carter drop kick and Barrett try. Just have to keep Garcia out of the game and we have a chance.

Andy Garcia?

Strauss was giving McCaw little pats on the bottom then

SA needed that scrum.

It screams of holding on though from SA

Pollard is having a mare, kicking from hand is schoolboy standard

Etzebeth fell on his elbow, most of the time these aren't picked up by referees..

What a difference Matfield makes to SA. He really exudes composure, proper leader.

That was no neck roll from Matfield?

Again soft penalty against Matfield

Wasn't really a neck grab IMO. In all fairness NZ should have been penalised two phases earlier for falling all over the wrong side of the breakdown.

What on earth was that decision all about?

SA don't look like scoring anything except a penalty. They will need to find something extra now or it's cutains.

Strange decision from SBW - ABs are very likely to score just by keeping the ball in hand

Duty281 wrote:What on earth was that decision all about?

It was around the shoulders not neck. Weird

mikey_dragon wrote:Wasn't really a neck grab IMO. In all fairness NZ should have been penalised two phases earlier for falling all over the wrong side of the breakdown.

Or the boks a few before that for not releasing. Usual story with rugby games, plenty of penalisable offenses from both sides.

The TMO in this match has been awful, interfering when not required and not interfering when a clear forward pass was thrown for the AB's first try.

Actually, the TMO's have been awful during the whole tournament.

blackcanelion wrote:

mikey_dragon wrote:Wasn't really a neck grab IMO. In all fairness NZ should have been penalised two phases earlier for falling all over the wrong side of the breakdown.

Or the boks a few before that for not releasing. Usual story with rugby games, plenty of penalisable offenses from both sides.

Yeah you're absolutely right. It's just in my view NZ tend to do that a lot more often and the ref calls it fair game. If it gives you an advantage then I guess there isn't any need to stop doing it.

Garcias probably the pick of the boks so far.

I'm picking a penalty try

Or a penalty

4 minutes to keep Garcia out of it.

Jeepers, not enjoying this

3 minutes can we keep Garcia out....

I've got a bet on ABs to win and both teams to score 20 points - looks like I'm going to miss out!!

Wales need New Zealand to win, we don't want Hansen to be sacked and New Zealand want Gatland off us.

Ben Smith MOTM?

Matfield didn't quite have the required level anymore to come in in such a game.

Du Preez was terrible though and basically cost South Africa the win.

OK. Relieved. True colours obviously exposed for all to see and the fact I have just 1 eye. Well played boks.

Well well - NZ win a semi final courtesy of a missed forward pass ...

BTW that maul defense around the 70th minute might have won NZ the World Cup.