Preview: Boks v Argentina

The Bok team to take on Argentina in the semi-finals of Rugby World Cup 2007 was announced today.

Match Details:

Date: Sunday 14 October 2007
Venue: Stade de France, Saint Denis
Kick-off: 21.00 SA (19.00 GMT; 20.00 BST)
Referee: Steve Walsh (New Zealand)
Touch judges: Alain Lewis (Ireland), Chris White (Eng)
TMO: Tony Spreadbury (England)
Touch judges 3 & 4: Joël Jutge (Fra), Wayne Barnes (Eng)
Assessor: Steve Hilditch (Ireland)

Springboks:

[TABLE=44]

Argentina:

15 Ignacio Corleto, 14 Lucas Borges, 13 Manuel Contepomi, 12 Felipe Contepomi, 11 Horacio Agulla, 10 Juan Martín Hernández, 09 Agustín Pichot (c), 08 Gonzalo Longo, 07 Juan Martín Fernandez Lobbe, 06 Lucas Ostiglia, 05 Patricio Albacete, 04 Carlos Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe, 03 Juan Martín Scelzo, 02 Mario Ledesma, 01 Rodrigo Roncero.
16 Alberto Vernet Basualdo, 17 Omar Hasan, 18 Rimas Álvarez Kairelis, 19 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 20 Nicolás Fernandez Miranda, 21 Federico Todeschini, 22 Gonzalo Tiesi.

Player Profiles:

  
 
 
  
 
  

Facts and Figures:

- South Africa’s record against Argentina:
   [Played 11 – SA 11 – Arg 00]
   [SA Points for: 444 – Points against: 250 – Average score: 40-23]

– The biggest winning margin against Argentina is 32 in a test in Buenos Aires in 2004, while the closest that Argentina came to victory was in 2003 with a one point loss when Louis Koen kicked the winning penalty goal just before the final whistle in Port Elizabeth.

– South Africa’s record at Stade de France is: Played 4; Won 2; Lost 2; Points for: 110; Points against 67; Average score: 28-17. Both lost tests were against France, while the other two were victories against England.

– In 1999 the Springboks trounced England in the quarterfinal of RWC 1999, 44-21, and in this tournament during the pool stage England was again on the receiving end, 36-0.

– This is the third time that South Africa reached the semifinal in RWC tournaments, previously in 1995 and 1999.

What they’re saying:

Joel Stransky

Stransky believes that Fourie Du Preez will be the key player for the Boks as they head into the semi-finals.:

“Du Preez has a major role to play. He will have to control matters for the Springboks,” Stransky told Die Burger.

“I have always thought Butch is a good player. He has got rid of the negative things in his make-up. But Du Preez impressed me a lot. I don’t think there is a flyhalf in the world who would not like to play on his outside because he takes such a lot of decision-making pressure off the flyhalf’s shoulders.

“This suits James, who can simply play his natural game. And Du Preez also takes a lot of the kicking responsibility.

He stressed the need to remain calm at this stage of the competition.

“I think it is very important that we avoid any tendency towards a fear of failure and instead be relaxed and calm as we head into this stage of the tournament.

“This is a time when we must allow space for the creative mind to come through, the players must just stay relaxed and mustn’t get too tense. I have stayed in their team hotel for the past couple of days and I am confident they will do that. They appear to have the recipe right. They look relaxed, they also look focused.

“The key is to focus on the Pumas. It is a very old adage, but it is nonetheless a very important one in this sport – you have to take each match one at a time. We must avoid falling into the trap of getting ahead of ourselves.

“If we do that, then there is no reason we should not go all the way. It was said beforehand that this was one of the best prepared Springbok squads to ever leave South African shores, and it still appears to be like that. A huge amount of planning and preparation has gone into this World Cup challenge and it started the day Jake White took charge.”

Fourie Du Preez

Star Bok scrumhalf Du Preez believes that the Bulls and Sharks players can draw on the experience of this year’s Super 14 final as they head into the semi-final stages of the World Cup.

“I think we Bulls players proved a lot to ourselves that day because the match was really over when we struck back to win. It showed us that we must never give up and it showed us that we could win a really close deciding game in a big competition.

“But it was not just the Bulls players who benefitted. We had played two semifinals in the Super 14 up to that point and lost both, and by winning the third we showed we could do it. The Sharks also won their semifinal quite easily.

“The experience of playing in these big playoff games brings massive value at this stage of the World Cup. I could feel it last Sunday when with 20 minutes to go in the quarterfinal we were level with Fiji.

“I remember thinking to myself that I had been in this situation before in the Super 14 final and also several other times during the Super 14 season and we had won the competition.

“Fiji were very difficult opponents to prepare for in the quarterfinal because we watched their two previous games and we knew from that that we were a much better team than them. So yes, we did feel we were in a no-win situation, we would have looked silly if we had lost, and we were expected to win.

“So when they fought back against us in the middle stages of the second half, we started thinking that we were in an unexpected situation and it made us very tense. Fortunately we used the experience we have in the team after four years together to calm the situation and win the game.

“But on Sunday we are playing a tier one nation, and we will approach the Argentina game like we approached the England game. They have had an excellent World Cup, and we know we have to play well to beat them. That is what makes this game different to some of the others we have played.

“Their tactical play is outstanding. They kick a lot of high balls, and they don’t play out of their own half at all.

“Their defence has also been brilliant, and has been a huge part of their game. I think they must have the best defensive record at the tournament. But it is their kicking that sets it up. They kicked the ball 60 times in the Ireland game, where they were really impressive, and that is almost unheard of.

“But we are a good tactical team too and I reckon we have the players and the strategy to counter them. We must just make sure we are accurate in everything we do and our tactical kicking game must be pinpoint.”

Martin Johnson

“Argentina are a team that can make it very difficult for you, but I think that South Africa will just have too much firepower for them.

“The Springboks haven’t put in an 80 minute performance at this World Cup, but then they haven’t had to. I think they have a good 80 minute performance in them, and now that they have reached the semifinals, I think they will produce it.”

Zinzan Brooke

“It would be nice to see Argentina put up a fight as they have really done well at this World Cup, but I heard their captain Augustin Pichot speaking after their quarterfinal win over Scotland. He spoke about how tired his players were.

“To me that was an interesting comment as it is not something you would normally say even if you felt it. Even if you are tired, you should never say it. I just think that the Argentinians have played too many hard games.”

John Eales

“I think the Latin fairy story can continue for one more week. I know it will be a massive upset if it did happen, and you would expect the Pumas to win only two or three of every ten games they play against the Springboks, but I think it might just be one of those two or three occasions.”

Butch James

Bok flyhalf James says the team are coping well with the pressure of being in the semi-finals of the World Cup.

“We haven’t really felt it that much so it’s been good but we always know our supporters back home always want nothing less than a win from us.

“It’s a little bit of pressure but I think it’s good to have that sort of pressure because it fires the guys up a bit more.”

He talked about winning ‘ugly’.

“As long as we win I don’t care what the spectators think.

“We haven’t played much high-risk rugby while we’ve been here so we’ll be sticking to the way we play.

“The reality is that you’ve just got to get out there and somehow get more points than the other team. You don’t really need the perfect game.”

Victor Matfield

“You don’t often get in the semifinal of a World Cup so when you get there you must use the opportunity.

“I think the nerves will be there, they should be there, it’s a World Cup semifinal, it’s a big occasion. I think nerves are good, it gives you a lot of adrenalin and helps for a better performance.”

The Bok lock talked about the likely approach to the Argentina game.

“They play a style that fits quarter- and semifinal style rugby. They have a very conservative game plan, they’ve got a great kicking game and a great defence and we all know that’s how you win World Cups.

“That’s why they haven’t lost yet and that’s the way you play test rugby when you’re under pressure.

“We’ve also seen it with England in the previous World Cup, they had the best defence and with Jonny there they had the best kicking game.

“Everyone thought they (England) won’t be there but they just showed that once Jonny came back with his kicking game they’re a force to be reckoned with so if that’s how you win pressure games then that’s how you have to play.

“But you will still see some mix. There’s always going to be turnover ball where you’ll see some exciting rugby and that’s when you need game breakers.

“You need those sorts of players who can score from the opportunities they get, because the fact is there’s not a lot of opportunities in semifinals and finals.”

CJ Van der Linde

“My knee is fine; I don’t have any aches. We know what to expect on Sunday and we’re ready for it.

“Things could be tough up front because the Pumas are well known for their game up front. They scrum and drive well. We will have to match them up front to win.

“They have a good front row. But when you play in the World Cup semifinal everyone is good.”

Bob Skinstad

Bob expressed his high regard for the captaincy of John Smit.

“I think John is the best captain I have seen or have ever played with.

“There is a very special relationship between John and Jake, and I think it rubs off on the team. They work well together, there is a good understanding between them and they make a great partnership.

“I think my role, and it’s been quite clear from the beginning, is that if I can back up John, if I can take one ounce of pressure off his shoulders, then I’ve done my job. I have a good relationship with some of the younger guys. We’re trying to form close-knit, confident, expressive and enthusiastic players.”

Bakkies Botha

“Everyone knows that we must turn it up a notch higher this weekend and we know if we lose this weekend it’s all gone. The four year dream is all gone and I think we will definitely be at our best this weekend.

“The players want that Cup and to get that we must win this weekend. I am going to prepare like it is the last Springbok game of my life.

“We know that the Argies are a passionate squad and they will come out very aggressive and that’s my game and I love it. I’m actually like a young boy, I can’t sleep at night because I am looking forward to the weekend.”

Carlos Ignacio Fernandez Lobbe

“It is a dream we had before the World Cup, it was a target we aimed for.

“We knew it would be very tough to arrive at this point in the competition but we always believed in our team, our spirit, our way of play.

“After five very tough games we are in the semi-finals. So this week we are enjoying it a lot.”

Ignacio Corleto

“They have perhaps that little weakness that they are so arrogant they think they can brush the world aside.

“They did that against Fiji, it came out in the papers that they were going to win, that it was an easy match for them and to me it didn’t look at all easy.

“I hope they keep thinking that…It’s historic, it was always the same…(South Africa) always wanted to brush the world aside, always said they were the best.”

“Apart from their physiques, they are guys who play physically, they are guys who play to hit.

“They like to hit and their game is based on that, on one on ones and going to hit you, they crash into you every time and the basis of their game is that and they win that way, beating the other team mentally.

“Abroad, playing away sometimes they’re untidy, we saw that against Fiji, they dropped quite a few balls.

“They made many mistakes, so their strength is not throwing the ball around, they are not France, or New Zealand or Australia but physically they play you like no other side in the world.”