Ireland vs South Africa pre-match talk and squad announcements.

First topic message reminder :

The much anticipated Autumn Iinternationals has arrived and South Africa will begin their three test tour against Ireland on Saturday at Landsdowne road. With a record of only one win in their last four test matches and 3 straight losses between 2004 and 2009, the Springboks would like to continue their resurgence against Ireland and emulate their two point victory of 2010.

But will they be up for an Ireland team who have been just about as disappointing as the Springboks were in 2012.

Ireland who boast wins over Scotland and Italy and a Hard earned draw over France at Stade de France earlier in the year has a disappointing return of 5 losses, 2 wins and 1 draw for the year.

South Africa has not fared much better, with 4 wins, 3 losses and 2 draws for the year.

Both teams will rue lost opportunities during the year where execution and specifically goal kicking have haunted the Springboks in Particular. Their goal kickin records stands at a miserly 55% for the year and will lose you more tests than win.

Ireland will be without their inspirational captain Brian O'Driscoll and South Africa after a long season will bewithout the services of Arguably the best Hooker in world rugby Bismarck du Plessis, the athletic Andries Bekker, talisman Schalk Burger, Pierre Spies, Heinrich Brussow, Johan Goosen, Bryan Habana (yeah I know I am complaining a bit much here), Frans Steyn and Coenie Oosthuizen.

Will this end of season tour be a bridge too far for an injury riddled South African squad or will they be able to overcome an Irish team who hasn't convinced this year.

Likely SA matchday 22.

1. Beast Mtwarira
2. Adriaan Strauss
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Juandre Kruger (Marco Wentzel)
6. Francois Louw
7. Willem Alberts
8. Duane Vermeulen
9. Ruan Pienaar
10. Patrick Lambie
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaco Taute
14. JP Pietersen
15. Zane Kirchner

Bench
16. Gurthro Steenkamp
17. Schalk Brits
18. Pat Cilliers
19. Flip v d Merwe
20. Marcelle Coetzee
21. Franco v d Merwe
22. Jan Vermaak
23. Morne Steyn

I'll update if someone provides me a likely Irish matchday 22.

Thats it for Ireland i am afraid. Should have done more in the first half

Thank god captain slow is off. Ireland's worst player consistently every match he plays. Terrible scrum half.

Ireland starting to get back into this now. I'm backing them to win.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

JmD wrote:Oh fantastic, McFadden. Here comes the game changer

Trimble wasnt exactly playing well.

At least he was carrying hard in midfield. McFadden on the wing is about the rugby equivalent of boiled potatoes. I'm sure he won't be awful, but nobody is getting excited over it.

Fecking come up with something guys...

Maybe time for ROG?

Now...I'm a happily married man...but has anyone else noticed how purty these SA chaps have become? Could it be the rock hard manly roaor, ness is all gone? A team of wanna be premier footballer spece boys?
Such lovelt haircuts and moisturised complexions......and that's the 2nd rowers!!!

Should have given that kick to Ruan.

South Africa miss a 3 point shot - turning point?

That wasn't very quiet! respect the kicker please.

HERSH wrote:That wasn't very quiet! respect the kicker please.

Oh shut up you

Not really a turning point...Lambie kicked it too high so it dipped before going near the posts. Ireland need to ensure they don't give away any penalties here...

12-13 and about 13 minutes or so to go.

That should have been an Irish penalty!!!!!!

...and as I type that, they do!

The crowd should respect the kicker though!

Thats not very sporting to boo and make lots of noise.

12-16 with just over ten minutes to go.

Some tactical subs coming soon for Ireland methinks...

Surely an Irish penalty? Don't think the officials have covered themselves in glory today. 12-16, Ireland need a try.

Henderson, Bent and O'Callaghan on.

Thank feck for that Saffer knock on.

Story of Irish rugbys life, so close yet so far away

Michael bent!

Ireland know they need a try...it has to come NOW!

Come on lads you can do it...straighten up and keep at them...give it some

Oh schitt, not again.

not going to happen. Reddan far too slow, bad replacement.

So clueless in attack.

Superb South African defence there. Ireland haven't had a point this half.

Game over. Very disappointing from Ireland. We would have won today if we moved the ball around quicker. That's never going to happen with Murray at scrum half. Appalling from Ireland.

GunsGerms wrote:Game over. Very disappointing from Ireland. We would have won today if we moved the ball around quicker. That's never going to happen with Murray at scrum half. Appalling from Ireland.

And Reddan has been quicker?

Duty281 wrote:Superb South African defence there. Ireland haven't had a point this half.

Tbf its pretty easy to defend against ireland

Really poor second half. Totally unacceptable tactical display albeit with a few good individual performances.

eirebilly wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Game over. Very disappointing from Ireland. We would have won today if we moved the ball around quicker. That's never going to happen with Murray at scrum half. Appalling from Ireland.

And Reddan has been quicker?

The players actually dont know what to do when we have the ball. Its funny to look at.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Game over. Very disappointing from Ireland. We would have won today if we moved the ball around quicker. That's never going to happen with Murray at scrum half. Appalling from Ireland.

And Reddan has been quicker?

The players actually dont know what to do when we have the ball. Its funny to look at.

I dont say this often but this loss is down to Kidney, bad bad substitutions.

eirebilly wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Game over. Very disappointing from Ireland. We would have won today if we moved the ball around quicker. That's never going to happen with Murray at scrum half. Appalling from Ireland.

And Reddan has been quicker?

*cough*paulmarshall*cough*

Ireland need a moment of magic and they need it now.

Sounds like some of the crowd (probably Saffer fans) seem to think the match is due to finish, I can hear them counting down...

Come on Ireland one last push...

MOTM is no.5 McCarthy (?)

eirebilly wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Game over. Very disappointing from Ireland. We would have won today if we moved the ball around quicker. That's never going to happen with Murray at scrum half. Appalling from Ireland.

And Reddan has been quicker?

The players actually dont know what to do when we have the ball. Its funny to look at.

I dont say this often but this loss is down to Kidney, bad bad substitutions.

Its not just the substitutions- the whole tactical plan was boneheadingly incompetent. Another totally toothless display from the the backline as well. The pack fronted up very well.

eirebilly wrote:

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

eirebilly wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Game over. Very disappointing from Ireland. We would have won today if we moved the ball around quicker. That's never going to happen with Murray at scrum half. Appalling from Ireland.

And Reddan has been quicker?

The players actually dont know what to do when we have the ball. Its funny to look at.

I dont say this often but this loss is down to Kidney, bad bad substitutions.

yes thats why we lost. It had nothing to do with our attack and defence . Yhe subsitutions thats the problem!

Oh well

why did he kick it?

FT 12-16.

So close, and yet so far.

Game over, 12-16 FT. Cracking first half from Ireland, very poor second half.

Why the Frak did he kick!? Useless rog!

"SA are there for the taking"

D'Arcy was playing well and should not have been subbed. Sexton was well off form (except with the boot) and should have been subbed. Would have prefered Madigan over ROG. Reddan was absolute pish again and i have no idea why he is in the side.

eirebilly wrote:

GunsGerms wrote:Game over. Very disappointing from Ireland. We would have won today if we moved the ball around quicker. That's never going to happen with Murray at scrum half. Appalling from Ireland.

And Reddan has been quicker?

At least ten times quicker. Murray doesn't even arrive at the ruck on time he's that bad. He is probably the worst scrum half in international rugby.

The pace instantly increases every time Reddan comes on. Send Murray to London Irish.

Sadly Ireland never really looked like creating a try. SA were poor for much of the game and were there for the taking.

6Ns 0 - 4Ns 2 (HT)

Can't believe ROG chipped at the end. He'd have been as well booting thr ball into the top teir of the stand.

He has a habit of doing that against SA

I would be more disappointed if it wasn't so expected. Forwards were pretty decent, the backline bar Zebo, and Bowe were insipid. Six defeats on the trot, likely to drop out of the top 8. I can't see how that is acceptable especially against as poor a side as that South African one.

anotherworldofpain wrote:"SA are there for the taking"

Well, brains, its turned out they were!

HERSH wrote:He has a habit of doing that against SA

You're just loving this arent you HERSH