Springbok team announced for Samoa clash. Added the Samoan team as well.

Here is the Springbok team selected for their encounter with Samoa. there are 723 caps in the starting 15, there are 111 RWC caps in the run on 15.
The bench has 317 caps, and 37 RWC caps. The run on 15 has 39 RWC tries between them.

South Africa v Samoa, 30 September 2011, North Harbour Stadium, Auckland

15 Pat Lambie (KwaZulu-Natal) – 9 caps, 2 RWC caps
14 JP Pietersen (KwaZulu-Natal) – 40, 9, RWC tries 4
13 Jaque Fourie (Western Province) – 67, 13, RWC tries 9
12 Frans Steyn (Racing Metro, France) – 46, 10, RWC tries 4
11 Bryan Habana (Western Province) – 72, 9, RWC tries 9
10 Morné Steyn (Blue Bulls) – 32, 3, RWC tries 2
9 Fourie du Preez (Blue Bulls) – 60, 9, RWC tries 2
8 Pierre Spies (Blue Bulls) – 45, 3
7 Schalk Burger (Western Province) – 66, 11, RWC tries 2
6 Heinrich Brüssow (Free State) – 18, 3
5 Victor Matfield (captain, Blue Bulls) – 108, 12
4 Danie Rossouw (Blue Bulls) – 61, 13, RWC tries 6
3 Jannie du Plessis (KwaZulu-Natal) – 28, 4
2 Bismarck du Plessis (KwaZulu-Natal) – 40, 7
1 Tendai Mtawarira (KwaZulu-Natal) – 31, 3, RWC tries 1

Replacements
16 John Smit (KwaZulu-Natal) – 109, 15, RWC tries 1
17 Gurthrö Steenkamp (Blue Bulls) – 36, 5, RWC tries 1
18 CJ van der Linde (Golden Lions) – 73, 7, RWC tries 1
19 Willem Alberts (KwaZulu-Natal) – 7, 3
20 Francois Louw (Bath, England) – 9, 2
21 Francois Hougaard (Blue Bulls) – 13, 3, RWC tries 3
22 Jean de Villiers (Western Province) – 70, 2

Victor Matfield will captain the team. It is a mobile pack, probably the most mobile pack that can be selected, Bismarck du Plessis is getting his opportunity to stake his claim.

The welsh supporters can rest assured the Boks are out to win this one.

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

Replacements:
16 Ole Avei,
17 Anthony Perenise,
18 Logovi’i Mulipola,
19 Ofisa Treviranus,
20 Filipo Lavea Levi,
21 Junior Poluleuligaga,
22 George Pisi

Yep very strong team and I don't have any doubts that SA will win this one with a bit to spare. No bonus for Samoa which is good for us.

That's some team. The 'Boks are still a good bet to win the whole damn thing.

By all accounts this will be the starting backline for the QFs.

Mobile pack yes but still one that weighs over 900kg!

Samoa will be good for the first half but then fatigue and Morne's boot will take die bokke well clear.

I assume you mean morne will kick for territory and WE WILL SCORE TRIES?

Hope springs enternal BB! ... we all know secretly you wish Quade Cooper was born in the Karoo!

Seriously though, I think it will be a tight match to begin with, Morne's kicking & the odd try will take SA clear by 60 mins and then I think SA will relax and open the game up.

fa0019 wrote:
Mobile pack yes but still one that weighs over 900kg!

....

fa0019 wrote:Hope springs enternal BB! ... we all know secretly you wish Quade Cooper was born in the Karoo!

Seriously though, I think it will be a tight match to begin with, Morne's kicking & the odd try will take SA clear by 60 mins and then I think SA will relax and open the game up.

No mate, not Quade, rather the MAN DAN.

surprised you didn't say George North there!

No it gatts that has the man crush on old Georgy..

People are writing Samoa off too quickly - This is a big wounded beast and IMO there will be casualties - If they get ahead early on then they can develop a frightening momentum - Its their last chance at this RWC and they will be out for blood. SA 29 Samoa 24 for me with quite a few scares along the way

RubyGuby wrote:People are writing Samoa off too quickly

Yeah maybe. I just think SA are too strong and experienced. I think they'll strangle the life out of Samoa at the set piece and breakdown and feed off any Samoa mistakes.

Wales were able to punch holes in the SA midfield with Roberts and Faletau so maybe Samoa can do the same. I just think the Boks are too canny and will find a way to win even if Samoa have their moments.

SA look like real title contendors right now.

RubyGuby wrote:People are writing Samoa off too quickly - This is a big wounded beast and IMO there will be casualties - If they get ahead early on then they can develop a frightening momentum - Its their last chance at this RWC and they will be out for blood. SA 29 Samoa 24 for me with quite a few scares along the way

On the contrary, i have heard and seen more people believe Samoa can beat us than have written them off.

I think this one is there for SA, but it certainly won't be an easy match (then again, is there such a thing against a PI team?) I think SA have a seriously good shot at this RWC.

Have to say thats actually a really top team. 36/1 South Africa v Ireland in the World Cup Final

A strong team, I think Samoa may struggle with this one.

biltongbek wrote:

RubyGuby wrote:People are writing Samoa off too quickly - This is a big wounded beast and IMO there will be casualties - If they get ahead early on then they can develop a frightening momentum - Its their last chance at this RWC and they will be out for blood. SA 29 Samoa 24 for me with quite a few scares along the way

On the contrary, i have heard and seen more people believe Samoa can beat us than have written them off.

Bill, thats nothing to what us Welsh had to endure in the build up to the game where most were sure Samoa would put us away, then afterwards, we only won because they had a 4 day turnaround compared to our 7.

Alas, SA should win this game, thats a great 22 for the match. Think it could be a very scrappy/physical game but SA should run out winners by a score or 2 at the end. Samoa will have their moments and i see them troubling the SA defense at least a few times but SA seem to be growing into the tournament, I think the win against Wales did them a lot more good than anyones realised.

Comfort there is no denying that the match against wales were twofold.

Wales came out firing and played top class rugby but couldn't convert when they had to.

south Africa didn't respect the breakdowns as they should have which resulted in them being under pressure for a lot of that game, but they rallied and took the opportunities presented to them and showed character. That game gave them exactly what they needed for this tournament, focus and a platform to improve from.

biltongbek wrote:but they rallied and took the opportunities presented to them and showed character. That game gave them exactly what they needed for this tournament, focus and a platform to improve from.

absolutely, SA have always had the players, but as we've talked about before, mentally they didnt seem all there after the Lions.

beating NZ started the growth of this mental beast, beating Wales then strengthened this further and a south african on a roll is a hard thing to stop. They've just been getting better, and better, and they look liek they're enjoying themselves more.

Maybe its all that 'world cup pedigree'

my dog was a pedigree before Greyghost phoned the SPCA.

ahh dont feel so bad bill, hes still pedigree, chum.

Talking of which, has the got out of jail yet?

I have a sinking feeling he has had enough and won't be back.

sadly.

I enjoyed him most of the time.

sh1t, that sucks

I think if anything, he was too consistent.

he knew a huge amount about his rugby, it was just overshadowed by how much he hated wayne barnes.

shame, I found him jokes most of the time! I even tried to dedicate a thread to him once and got told off by the mods.

to be fair, I did cast him as a demonic-end-of-days-bring-about-the-apocolypse kinda guy (along with the rest of NZ) as I had a theory that the world will end should NZ win the world cup (2012 - apocolypse predictions etc) and that Wayne Barnes was an angel from above sent to stop them....

....yeah, i should probably stop drinking.

Maybe you should drink more, and share those interesting thoughts rambling through that inebriated mind of yours.

biltongbek wrote:Maybe you should drink more, and share those interesting thoughts rambling through that inebriated mind of yours.

the mods would never allow it, my thinking is far too out of the triangle for them.

PM those thoughts to me, as I am the model of eloquism and diplomacy I will rework yur thoughts into more socially acceptable ramblings.

biltongbek wrote:PM those thoughts to me, as I am the model of eloquism and diplomacy I will rework yur thoughts into more socially acceptable ramblings.

I think my main focus this year will be to convince the IRB that:

All scrum halfs should be forced to sport mullets.
All referees should be given jet packs.
We should encourage players to booze at half time.
Henson was born that colour.
Wales CAN beat anyone on their day.

Wales were able to punch holes in the SA midfield with Roberts and Faletau so maybe Samoa can do the same.

Wales were still left needing a scrappy late try in order to win the match and that was against a Samoan side with 3 or 4 days rest and preperation. SA are going to have to take on the full force of Samoa fresh and prepared. I still thing the Boks will win the game but it's going to be a hard day at the office for them.

I think thats a really strong side, prefer du plessis as hooker. Really like watching Alberts as a player so its a shame hes dropped to the bench.

All in all this is a team that should sqeeze the life out of samoa. Wales were nervous in that samoan game, desoerate not to lose rather than desperate to win. The boks should be comfortable winners.

If Bismark and Burger we're welsh we'd be in with a shout of this tournament, ball carriers on an epic scale - us welsh don't seem to be able to do that, Faletau maybe in the future but not as destructive as the 2 above, great watching them play. C'mon the boks - beat samoa and all the pressure comes off us.

WelshinEdinburgh wrote:If Bismark and Burger we're welsh we'd be in with a shout of this tournament, ball carriers on an epic scale - us welsh don't seem to be able to do that, Faletau maybe in the future but not as destructive as the 2 above, great watching them play. C'mon the boks - beat samoa and all the pressure comes off us.

What surprised me about Burger was his distribution so far this world cup. I've seen him putting in flat-gainline passes and putting people through gaps.

MIKE PHILLIPS CANT EVEN DO THAT FOR FSSSSSSSSSSITHJDFK!!! CAN WE AT LEAST PLAY A FLANKER WHO CAN DISTRIBUTE AT SCRUM HALF. ERWHGFGHDJATEF

burger

Burger spent most of the Super 15 at first reciever as unofficial flyhalf after the stormers lost the 1st 2nd and 3rd choices to injury.

I am overawed and totally shocked where does all this Schalk Burger love come from all of a sudden?

But anyway I do agree his offloading and passing has been a revelation thus far. It does disprove the myth though that you can teach an old dog new tricks

This is an interesting one. It looks a very good side. Near the best side you can pick. Bismark gets to start and puts a claim to the shirt or is this just PDV resting his regular captain?

Also it seems SA want to give their A squad (or close to it) a hit out before the quarter final with Australia. No resting of players here or camps for injured players. This is getting your A squad primed. Has PDV been bashed over the head? His selections seem to make an awful lot of sense. Or have I been bashed over the head and am I blind to his insanity?

Biltongbek, do you think Alberts should be starting ahead of Spies? IMO Spies is the weak link of a fantastic backrow.

Rory I would like Alberts to start because of his physicality and ball carrying go forward ability against Oz with Spies coming on once the Ozzies have been softened up front. I believe Spies will then be more effetive with fresh legs and his speed

Looks like a side intent on losing with BP if you ask me

We won't do that to you guys gatts.

I think Alberts is a really good player, or could be really good if he started games at 8. Don't rate Spies so much, only see glimpses of good things he can do.

smit not starting..he's the captain..

biltongbek wrote:I am overawed and totally shocked where does all this Schalk Burger love come from all of a sudden?

But anyway I do agree his offloading and passing has been a revelation thus far. It does disprove the myth though that you can teach an old dog new tricks

Always rated Burger, huge work rate and never stops running, I remember meeting him in Cardiff a few years ago, Hulk Hogan said he had the biggest arms in the world, he never met Burger! Bigger arms than most peoples thighs

Samoa can compete at scrummage,and breakdown areas.Lineout/restarts are weak.Goalkicking good consider them a NH side now.
Want a Italy /Samoa win that might mean an All Blacks v Boks final,hope they can finally winthis one.
May not be contesting 2015,and I expect to be dead by 2019

I have added the Samoa team selection to the top.

So lambie will step into 10 if Morne gets injured with JDV to 12 and Frans to 15?

Go Boks!

biltongbek wrote:I am overawed and totally shocked where does all this Schalk Burger love come from all of a sudden?

But anyway I do agree his offloading and passing has been a revelation thus far. It does disprove the myth though that you can teach an old dog new tricks

Bill, you know for a fact I am full of nothing but love, butterflies and spare eyes to give to other fans on this board.

Comfort wrote:ERWHGFGHDJATEF

I couldn't agree more.

That's comforting to know thanks.

plus, his rep took a battering after the lions tour, its only fair to praise them when they're good if you're gonna knock them when they're not so good!