We can beat South Africa – Warburton; Planet Rugby

Wales will face South Africa at Twickenham having lost to Australia's in Saturday's Pool A decider at the same venue, but the Welsh skipper says last November's victory over the two-time World Champions means they do not fear the Boks.

"We beat South Africa eleven months ago," said Warburton.

"The game before that out there, we performed extremely well and could easily come away with the win then if it wasn't for one incident.

"So even if we were down initially (after the loss to Australia) the players are already looking forward to next week. We've still got a quarter-final against a side that we've beaten in the past twelve months and we can take massive confidence from that."

Warburton stood by his decision to chase a try when three points were on offer against the Wallabies. 

"It's a hot topic now. We felt we needed a try to beat Australia. We were six points behind and two penalties would have brought us to a draw. They were a man or two down, so any country would have backed themselves to go over.

"You have to put your hands up and say they defended really well. At least I can sit here with no regrets. I thought we got extemely close a few times and backed ourselves to go for the corner.

"You have to give Australia a lot of credit there. I am happy, though, it was a tryless performance against one of the best attacking teams in the world."

Wales coach Warren Gatland echoed his captian's thoughts in praising Australia. 

"I thought it was courageous defence by Australia," said Gatland. 

"We got over their line three times and were held up. It is just fine margins. If Dan Biggar kicks before half-time it's 9-6 and maybe your mentality changes.

"The boys will have a day off tomorrow and Monday is a recovery day as well. The guys know how close that was. What was pleasing for me was in the changing room the guys are already focussed on next week. The focus will purely be winning that quarter-final."

Gatland admitted that Wales had specifically tried to use the choke tackle to slow the Wallaby attack down. 

"It was a strategy for today. We talked during the week about what was effective slowing the Austalian ball down because they are a potent attacking side," said Gatland.  

"It negated some of their attacking strengths and I thought we did that fantastically today."

Gatland was surprised to see Australian captain Stephen Moore doing a lot of talking to the referee when the Wallabies were down to 13 men.

"He was quite comfortable talking to the ref as much as he could to wind down the clock," said Gatland. 

"If you are a captain as a hooker you are right there in front of the ref and we were conscious when (Will) Genia was off, the clock was winding down at scrum time.

"I can't really comment on referees otherwise I will get a huge fine. I will probably try to get my feedback back to World Rugby. 

"In fairness, Australia have done a great job of defending. We created chances and didn't finish them off but you have got to give Australia some credit for heroic defence."

 It was clear for all to see the Oz was winding down the clock with any delay they could but this is what all teams do.
It is best that Wales praise the Oz defence because the alternative is to say the Welsh offense against 13 men was lousy. It's better to be positive. We haven't heard why Wales didn't go wide on attack instead of keeping it tight. The fact is that they got over the line a few times but were held up so it's not as though it was a useless strategy.
If Wales had won their morale would have been sky high. Going up against the Boks they have to patch up their backline again. Wales may have to depend on an emotional high performance as they have so many injuries. Hard to pick the winner, ill go with Boks by 3.

These chest beating blowards remind me of rooitwit who will no doubt be supporting Wales. Warped button also reminds me of two renowned blowhards we have here!!!! Wales are in for the.most physical game of their lives and can forget about the test they won against a poor bok side very tired and with the passenger matfiled. Wales must prepare for their RWC excit.

 Bok blowhards are gearing up already... but usually with a disclaimer, i.e. the much maligned Matfield. Sir Graham thinks that more than one Boks forward is over the hill & he didn't even bother to comment on the backs. 
I pick the Boks by 3, Wales are wounded.

Beeno, the worst Boks that day were Reinach and Lambie. What did Victor do wrong exactly? 

 If you cannot see that our Tight 5 was dominated that day - then nobody would be able to tell you anything.  Matfield was weak in the line-outs and holidaying in the backline - expecting other players to recover balls without his support.  He was avoiding driving mauls like the plague and the scrum late on when we were 5 meters out was a shambles.   That guy is a handicap in any team and if you cannot see that since his return to rugby our Tight 5 went to pieces resulting in us losing more and more tests  - nothing will convince you otherwise.
THE MAN IS USELESS AS A LOCK - GET THAT INTO YOUR THICK SKULL.     

 Fox wee matfiled (105 kg) backline play that day was poor - as it always is. Need I say more. The worst lock ever to rtepresent SA and a disaster that has hung around the kneck of Bok teams for a decade. Huge threat to our RWC hopes.
Wise up Fox you and Mozzzz are loosing cred with some bizarre takes on matters.

As for that renowned blowhard JW - I must remind you of your samoaner call!  pop went the weasel!!
Warped button is obviously trying to rally his tropps but its all over! Hahahaahahhahahaha - What impertinece from the half bake!
Hilarious board this is! When ou maaaikie and Dr Mozzzz are not getting too grumpy that is.

Beeno, your hysterical posts are damaging your credibility. Boks are going up against a wounded Welsh team that has been emotionally drained after a win against the Poms & a loss against Oz (their failure to score when Oz was down to 13 has got to have damaged them).
We will see if Lood & Etzabeth get enough game time. Matfield will probably start if fit. If he comes off the bench then Boks stand a chance. Weak Bok backline against a second string Welsh back-line... bodes well for Boks. This is why I picked them by 3.
JW helping where he can

  JW I predict the Boks to win and so do you yet I am hysterical.Have a quiet moment and reconsider!
We are taking Wales as a warm up game for match against France. We had hoped to be able to wallop the hapless wee abs but hopes are fading given the abysmal performances thus far -  that have ab fans grasping at straws and Hansen in a quandry and secretly hoping mcaaaw remains injured and woody woodcock goes home etc etc.
Beeno reading between the lines  and getting the big picture

The Welsh are not afraid of SA. In their minds they dominated what was the best attack in the world and kept them tryless. That's s bold statement. They manhandled an Aussie side that ripped our team apart.

 Beeno, it is all about tone & dignity

 Are you daft or something?  Meyer's selections coost us dearly that day when the Aussies beat us 24-20.   We were stuck with the dismal Pienaar and the useless Matfield meant that we did not have suffucient back-up at lock.  Van der Merwe on the bench was an abortion.
The ripping apart in the backline was on both sides - even though you pretend not to see reality.
What you forget is that the Aussie test was the first test match where De Allende played at 12 for the Springboks and the first test where Kriel played for the Springboks.  Since then your campaign has become falser and falser - with you constantly fall back on that as supporting your continued BS.           

 Wales can beat SA but they need to change their gameplan.
Against the aussies they play to impose their forwards' physicality and they succeeded except in scrums. Many times the aussies were caught going high and kept this way till the maul was called, their attack was nullified and during the second half the Welsh possession and territory were clearly superior (64% and 68%). The Welsh failure was not be able to change it when they were 2 men up.
But against the boks they need to play with their backline. Their forwards won't impose that easily to the boks'.
If they continue playing with Tipuric and Warburton they can take advantage of one of the weakest points of the boks, at least till the moment, the breakdown. But once they get the ball they should be able to open it to the backline to try to find possible defensive mistakes there of an inexperienced bok backline.

Michael, Ruan provided very quick service in the RC. Pollard was also excellent. Damian was blunt on attack and an open highway on defence. Kriel on the otherhand was the one who showed promise. My agenda has always been to speak the truth Michael. Nothing more, nothing less. 

OK - all I can say is that what you say about Pienaar is unbelievable crap.  Your agenda has been to speak the truth - LMAO.  Let them come you are indeed funny.   
By the wy you believe you are right about De Allende - you are joined by the crap specialists Mozwrt, Ceradunce and Pakie - while every commentator, panelist and reporter who wrote about him and every player who commented on him has been wrong. I would say that takes the cake - the most self-centered people on this site thionk they are specialists who knows more than everybody else.  LMAO  
      

 If you are right, then reference these things. I have the games available. You tell me the incident and I will find it and we can all see for ourselves with the footage. All year you have been unable to do so. Yoy cannot even tell the difference between how Meyer has been using him and how Coetzee used him. Yoy don't even know how either team used him period. Been unable to talk anything but ESPN numbers. Numbers you do not understand or provide context to. Saying Pienaar didn't improve his service is a rrd flag for bias. But you go to great lengths to deflect criticism of players, even going so far as to blameva player who wasn't on the field for their transgressions! LMAO!! And you have the gall to accuse me of bias and errancy? ROFLMAO!!!!!!

 Ok
Lets just go to basics.  Matfield played in 12 tests since he returned to rugby - and we lost 6 of those because our Tight 5 capitulated.  Even the England test last year we won despite Matfield - remember the yellow card  in that test.  The test in this tournament we lost - who was the lock in that game who ignored the instructions of Meyer as to mauls?
Now why did our Tight 5 weakened so badly?   Just start looking where Matfield is on the field of play - look at his non-existent ball carries in traffic - look at his absence from rolling balls and even if he join  up look at him pushing the mauls forward with his arms - not his shoulder.   Look also how we struggle in scrumming when he is on the field of play.
No other top 8 international team would use him in their test teams - so why should we?    

 gatland is a master in picking a team's weak spots and i know for a fact that he will try to whip up the pace of the game and try to retain the ball for long periods of time. thats his game plan.
for us to beat the welsh we need to starve them of the ball and try to stretch them on defence. 
1. shelf the useless kicks if you cannot find grass dont kick2. attack them in the wider channel's try and suck in roberts on first and second phase with our big ball carriers and try to create space out wide.3. kick deep and push hard of defence to shut down space.
we are up against a great welsh side with a great coach and i am sure he wants to target us at the breakdowns and hope we play in his hands with our aimless kicks. if we arrive there pack wont bully us but if they match us there backline can be potent on the day.
lets hope meyer does not go ultra conservative again and try to attack narrow. the welsh are great on defence and we need more than just one off runners of 9 to take it to them.

Victor was immense in that England test! Also, our scrumming woes did not disappear when he was gone either. In fact, they were still present even when it was Lood and Eben playing together. So by your reckoning it must be Eben at fault! But then you do blame Jannie. So what you are saying is it's mainly Victor, but also mainly Jannie.  
And what do you suppose Lood is doing in those mauls as he is the jumper 90% time? Walking backwards! Very good! We have never had issues with Vic and mauls. 

 DF 
With due respect Matfield was absolute BS in that test - he might as well not been playing - have you forgotten about that yellow card. ball possession loss. missed tackles and absence of ball carries in traffic.  
Then there is the joke - Etzebeth had to carry the load of the useless Matfield as well as his own.   The problem remains the two dummies in the Tight 5 - but the eorst of the two was Matfield - bcause he is physically-deficient.  
Have you got any idea what the role of the lock who originally caught the ball is in  a maul?  Obviously not - that player directs  and co-ordinate the maul.   Howeve3r, Matfield is useless in that respect is sueless in mauls - he gets pushed out with ease out of mauls and normally ends up on the grass beside the maul.   When that happens he joins th maul from the back - but push with his hands instead  of the shoulder.   Get the message?
I do not close my eyes to some aspects of play - I look at details which often enough is way over your head - I am afraid.     

Mike we all know that.... SA has the best tools but the worst mechanics.

Gatland is one of the best so is Eddie Jones but HM is only fit to coach Currie Cup