Autumn Internationals Previews and Predictions

England vs South Africa

An intriguing contest in prospect. England are coming off one of their most promising Autumns for sometime, whereas, in contrast to Johnson’s men, South Africa have had a very tough tour. Despite playing fairly poorly they have still managed a close, albeit somewhat lucky win, over a ring rusty Ireland followed by a fighting win over the Welsh before finally unraveling in spectacular fashion against a decent but still eminently beatable Scot’s side.

England will feel that this is their match to lose although it would be a rash man who writes off a wounded Springbok side. Returning to England’s ranks are the captain Lewis Moody, Tom Croft, Dan Cole up front with Mike Tindall rejoining Hape in the  centres. The Boks have picked arguably their strongest side although this particular pundit has reservations about Kirchner’s worth at 15.

Prediction: England 32-18 South Africa

Look out for: England to continue their good work and wrap up a 75% win record this Autumn. Cheap shots from frustrated South Africans and yellow cards late in the game as a result. England to attempt to continue to play with width although to not attain the same heights as against Australia. Croft to be man of the match.

Wales vs New Zealand

Sadly no chance for the Welsh in what will have been an exceptionally poor Autumn campaign. The All Blacks have been about the most impressive team that the Compulsive Hooker has ever seen and no amount of Welsh pluck can mask their own failings. There are similarities in the way that the two sides play but there they end as in the efficiency of play and the way the AB’s seize opportunities – the Welsh are several leagues below. Wales are unfortunately a side mired in mediocrity despite the undoubted quality that resides at points within their ranks and have yet failed to make the necessary steps forward to enable them to compete at the top table.

Prediction: Wales 13 – New Zealand 45

Look out for: New Zealand to blow the Welsh away after an initial tough 20 minute showing from the men in red. Not a great deal of respect to be shown for the Haka from the crowd – perhaps Bread of Heaven to be sung over the top. AB’s back row to rule the day. Welsh backs to make little impression.

In Brief:

France vs Australia: France by a score in a close game in Paris.

Scotland vs Samoa: Scotland to win but only by a score. Samoa to push them all the way.

Italy vs Fiji: Another tight match but Fiji to win by two scores.

 

Weekend Rugby Awards

Team of the Weekend: New Zealand

Whilst they were forced to play in top gear for portions of the game (first half in particular) the All Blacks always looked like they had something left in reserve and that Ireland’s challenge would remain exactly that. With yet another master class display from Dan Carter and excellent marauding work from the back three – Kieron Read in particular – the result was never seriously in doubt.

Runner up: Scotland

Brave, determined and any number of other clichés that sit so well with a Scottish win – to bounce back from the defeat against the All Blacks in this fashion was a superb achievement. We didn’t see this match due to the vagaries of scheduling (why can’t the games be played over two days or staggered throughout the afternoon/evening) and so cannot comment on the style or perhaps lack of it shown by either side – yet it is a remarkable result to mirror their achievement against Australia last year.

Biggest Disappointment: South Africa and Wales

Whilst we could never be accused of supporting the Springboks, we can still sympathise with the majority of their fans. With no disrespect to the Scottish intended – this was a result that no South African would have countenanced pre tour – especially after the way the AB’s blitzed them.

With the pressure already on ‘P Divvy’ after a dreadful Tri Nations campaign and a stop start tour of the North (with the hardest game still to come no less) as a neutral we feel his days must (and should) be numbered. As English fans though we hope he takes the Boks all the way to the world cup.

For Wales, Friday’s 16 all draw with Fiji would have been a bitter reminder of the way they crashed out of the 2007 world cup. Coming as it did on the heels of a close game to the Bok’s, this would have been doubly disappointing. Yes it was a young and slightly experimental team and Fiji battled hard – yet Gatland and the rest of Wales know, this os a result that is simply not acceptable.

NH Obligatory Depressing Moment: Ireland

There came a moment towards the end of the first half where Ireland scored a well worked try after dominating the previous 10 minutes and snuck into the lead. At this stage Irish supporters around the world could practically be heard thinking ‘maybe today is the day that we finally beat the men in black…’

Sadly you could also see the same thought pop into the AB’s head at around the same time and their response was as calculated as it was brutal. In a twenty minute period from this Irish score through to around the 55 minute mark, the AB’s stepped up a gear as only they can and blew the nascent Irish belief away.

For much of this match Ireland did exceptionally well and challenged New Zealand’s superiority in many aspects of the game. Unfortunately there was always a feeling that Ireland were playing at the very edge of their abilities whilst the Kiwis were simply operating at 95%. That final 5% made all the difference and that moment of realization wins Ireland this unwanted award.

In Ireland’s favour, however, there were moments when they made the AB’s falter and look eminently human. It is these small portions of hope that they, and all other chasing sides including Australia and South Africa, need to cling on to. This New Zealand team may be the best in the world and, in our opinion, quite frankly one of the best we’ve ever seen, yet they are still human and can be beaten.

A back handed compliment was paid by Graham Henry to the Irish when he chose not to introduce Stephen Donald around the 60 minute mark as has been his usual trick. Clearly Henry felt there was enough threat in the Irish team to mean that the AB’s main man, Dan Carter, stayed on the pitch until the end. A Donald marshaled New Zealand is after all a much more frail and vulnerable thing than one led by Carter.

Inevitable Come Down Award: England

After the incredible highs of last week, England get this award although we must say that it is a little harsh. On a night when Samoa defended exceptionally well, England provided a workmanlike performance which, whilst it inevitably  failed to hit the heights achieved against Australia, was still reasonably good and had its fair share of positive moments.

Notable plus points were the continued excellent work from the back three who are improving as a unit game after game. Cueto and Foden in particular showed signs of brilliance, creating opportunities from nothing on several different occasions.

Also impressive was the work done by the tight five – several bullocking runs coming from Sheridan, Wilson and Lawes. At the back of the pack, Easter cut out the errors of the previous two weeks and Fourie showed enough to justify his continued selection on the bench against the Bok’s next week.

The Banahan experiment also provided enough evidence that he might yet make a test 13 although he currently lacks the finesse needed to be a top class operator. Not adding much in the way of pace, he did on the other hand make good use of his size and importantly was in the right place at the right time on more than one occasion. His intercept and ‘Sonny Bill Williams offload’ was an excellent example of this.

Regular readers might be surprised to hear us praise him – a man we had previously dismissed as ‘lumbering’ – yet his appearance at 13 was far better than any we’d witnessed on the wing. He’s clearly still got some way to go but probably deserves another chance to develop in this role.

Lesson of the Weekend: Small margins…

Rugby is undoubtedly a game of tiny margins. In England’s game against Samoa there were several occasions where England got over the line only to be called back for a foot in touch or a short forward pass. These were certainly the correct decisions by the referee although it is worth noting the difference they might have made. England dominated Samoa and it was only a combination of Samoan grit and tiny errors by the English that ensured it was not a much larger win.

We are not complaining you understand – simply noting that it is the cutting out of these errors that make the All Blacks so good. When there is a try scoring pass to make – they make it. It really is as simple as that.

Ireland, too, had a couple of opportunities when they were pressing from only a yard or two out but couldn’t quite make the telling run or pass. If the rest of the world are to catch up it is, as ever, this finishing ability we all need to work on.

Question of the Weekend: Can Sonny Bill Williams pass from left to right any other way other than out the back of his right hand?

And then secondary to that – is he going to patent it as even Matt Banahan was getting in on the act yesterday?!

Answers below please…

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P.s. Any sharp eyed reader noticing our lack of mention for Australia, Italy, France or Argentina must accept our apologies. We simply didn’t see the games or feel that they were particularly notable in anyway…