Boks ca win RWC says Argie coach

Ex Sport 24

Durban - Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade believes the Springboks will be strong contenders to win the Rugby World Cup this year.

The Pumas are in Durban to tackle the Boks on Saturday in the final round of Rugby Championship fixtures this season, and Hourcade has been impressed by what he has seen from Heyneke Meyer’s men so far.

“They are a great candidate for the World Cup. They are going to arrive in a very good shape and with a team that has played a lot together,” said Hourcade.

“As a matter of fact they lost their last two games in the final moments, and they probably deserved a win in both of those matches even though they didn’t get it.” (That oaks with a significantly depleted match 23!!)

Hourcade had special praise for Bok flyhalf Handre Pollard.

“He’s a great player and he’s had a very good season this year in Super Rugby and now he’s in a good condition in the Springbok team,” said the Pumas coach.

“He’s an excellent player and he’s in a good moment.”

But Argentina have a big name of their own pulling the strings at flyhalf in the form of Juan Martin Hernandez. The 32-year-old played for the Sharks in Durban in 2009, and Hourcade considers himself lucky to have a player of Hernandez’s ability.

“Juan Martin is a great player. He’s a world class player. His natural position is 10 but I also like him playing at 12,” said Hourcade.

Kick-off on Saturday is at 17:05

Please note the sensible comments re the Boks being the better side against Oz and the wee abs!! 

Beeno as always spot on!!

Th e Boks were the better of New Zealand, but the better team won in Australia. It was all Australia for most of the first half with a brief spell of Bok fury to end the half. It was all Australia in the second. The loses exposed an unbalanced side of the Boks. 

 Sure - the side was poorly selected in the first place.   They should never have had Matfield in the mix for the Aussie test - that put us at a disadvantage to replace him early in the game and then there was also Pienaar - him who forgot to switch on the lights before the game and never did during the game as well.  Heinke van der Merwe was bad as well.
I do not think your assessment of the first half was correct - leading 12-7 does not indicate the Aussies was the better team in that first half and they got further behind early in the second half - so the problem was basically with the useless bench selection and the two starters was wrong too.  Meyer's usage of the bench was in any event seriously problematic and so was the string of aimless kicking by SA players in the second half in an effort to protect their lead.  A badly managed test all-round.
I am unsure about the outcome of the NZ-Australia test today - so let us wait and see what happens - they are singing th National Anthems now - so have to go soon.       

Leading on the scoreboard perhaps, but Australia dominated territory and had better quality possession for the first 30 minutes. They had two try opportunities blown in that first half and blew another two in the second. Their main issue was losing the breakdown battle in Bok territory, which took the sting out of their attacks that ultimately shredded the Bok defence. Read play Michael, you need to dig deeper if you want to talk about what happened on the field!

Card you should just accept the verdict of the Argie coach and Beeno that the Boks were the better side. Given a full strength 23 Oz dont have much if a chance. Ditto the haplesss wee abs.

Australia can match our best halfback combination and have by far the best centre pairing in world rugby. Their loose trio is world class and their defence vastly improved.