Publications
Partners
Cape Town - The Springboks have hinted that they will aim to keep the ball away from Samoan danger man Alesana Tuilagi in their final World Cup Pool D clash at the North Harbour Stadium on Friday.
WIN a pair of the new adidas rugby boots
Click to BUY the new Drifta Mobile USB Decoder
Springbok backline coach Dick Muir rates the 117kg giant very highly, but insists they have devised a plan to counter the burly winger.
"I tried to lure him to the Sharks (Muir previously coached the Sharks) in 2007. He only played one warm-up game for us and we didn't have a jersey that fitted him. Eventually we had to get a supporters’ jersey," Muir told Die Burger newspaper.
"He was loaned to us from Leicester, but we had to send him back after England called up many of Leicester's players.
"It looks like he's only getting better, but we have a plan to stop him," said Muir.
That plan is most likely to be the Boks' tactic of trying to dominate the Samoans at the set pieces. Lock Victor Matfield will have a big role to play in the lineouts - a prospect Muir is relishing.
"We want to make sure that Samoa doesn’t get a lot of possession. The lineouts are therefore an important part of our assault.
"Victor (Matfield) won't struggle with his match fitness. We are looking forward to the pressure he's going to put on Samoa’s lineouts. He brings a different dimension to the team."
The Boks have also left no stone unturned in making sure they dominate the scrums as well. The inclusion of a full front row - John Smit, Gurthrö Steenkamp and CJ van der Linde - on the bench, shows the importance they attached to this facet of play.
And if the South Africans can execute effectively - the prospect of dealing with a rampant Tuilagi would be slightly negated.
The game on Friday kicks off at 9h30 (SA time)
Teams:
South Africa:
15 Pat Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Frans Steyn 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Substitutes: 16 John Smit, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 CJ van der Linde, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 Francois Louw, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Jean de Villiers.
Samoa:
15 Paul Williams, 14 David Lemi, 13 Seilala Mapusua, 12 Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 George Stowers, 7 Maurie Faasavalu, 6 Taiasina Tuifua, 5 Kane Thompson, 4 Daniel Leo, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Mahonri Schwalger (captain), 1 Sakaria Taulafo.
Substitutes: 16 Ole Avei, 17 Anthony Perenise, 18 Logovi'i Mulipola, 19 Ofisa Treviranus, 20 Filipo Lavea Levi, 21 Junior Poluleuligaga, 22 George Pisi.
WIN a pair of the new adidas rugby boots
Click to BUY the new Drifta Mobile USB Decoder
Springbok backline coach Dick Muir rates the 117kg giant very highly, but insists they have devised a plan to counter the burly winger.
"I tried to lure him to the Sharks (Muir previously coached the Sharks) in 2007. He only played one warm-up game for us and we didn't have a jersey that fitted him. Eventually we had to get a supporters’ jersey," Muir told Die Burger newspaper.
"He was loaned to us from Leicester, but we had to send him back after England called up many of Leicester's players.
"It looks like he's only getting better, but we have a plan to stop him," said Muir.
That plan is most likely to be the Boks' tactic of trying to dominate the Samoans at the set pieces. Lock Victor Matfield will have a big role to play in the lineouts - a prospect Muir is relishing.
"We want to make sure that Samoa doesn’t get a lot of possession. The lineouts are therefore an important part of our assault.
"Victor (Matfield) won't struggle with his match fitness. We are looking forward to the pressure he's going to put on Samoa’s lineouts. He brings a different dimension to the team."
The Boks have also left no stone unturned in making sure they dominate the scrums as well. The inclusion of a full front row - John Smit, Gurthrö Steenkamp and CJ van der Linde - on the bench, shows the importance they attached to this facet of play.
And if the South Africans can execute effectively - the prospect of dealing with a rampant Tuilagi would be slightly negated.
The game on Friday kicks off at 9h30 (SA time)
Teams:
South Africa:
15 Pat Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Frans Steyn 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Substitutes: 16 John Smit, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 CJ van der Linde, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 Francois Louw, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Jean de Villiers.
Samoa:
15 Paul Williams, 14 David Lemi, 13 Seilala Mapusua, 12 Eliota Fuimaono Sapolu, 11 Alesana Tuilagi, 10 Tusi Pisi, 9 Kahn Fotuali'i, 8 George Stowers, 7 Maurie Faasavalu, 6 Taiasina Tuifua, 5 Kane Thompson, 4 Daniel Leo, 3 Census Johnston, 2 Mahonri Schwalger (captain), 1 Sakaria Taulafo.
Substitutes: 16 Ole Avei, 17 Anthony Perenise, 18 Logovi'i Mulipola, 19 Ofisa Treviranus, 20 Filipo Lavea Levi, 21 Junior Poluleuligaga, 22 George Pisi.
