Pool D preview: South Africa v Fiji
It’s the pragmatic against the romantic, when South Africa and Fiji meet… the pedestrian against the flamboyant, the hard minds in hard bodies against the free spirits of the islanders and it is the hard men who are much more likely to win.
The Fijians expect much the same style of physical rugby that they experienced when they beat Namibia 49-25.
That may be so but there is a vast difference in the calibre of the executors of the style. There are no club players in the South African teams, nobody who plays for a local club’s second team as is the case with Jane du Toit.
It may not be the team the Springboks would like to consider their best starting team but there are at least 10 players who would be first choice and, as against Wales, a powerful bench. Locks are a problem.
The injuries to locks Victor Matfield and Johann Muller have left the Springboks thin in this department.
Fiji have just three changes to the team that played Namibia, at No.8, flank and hooker with the introduction of Sakiusa Matadigo, Akapusi Qera and Sunia Koto.
It’s hard to see how the Fijians can so blow the game apart that they can win.
They are likely to find first-phase possession hard to come by. They did not dominate the Namibian pack the way the Samoans were able to do at set pieces.
And they are also likely to run into far tougher tacklers than they did against Namibia when Vereniki Goneva ran in four tries.
Both sides have goal-kickers who have coped at the World Cup much better than most – Morné Steyn of South Africa and veteran Seremaia Bai of Fiji.
Players to Watch:
For South Africa: Massive Frans Steyn who has moved up to inside centre, young and fresh Patrick Lambie with his impressive set of skills, Fourie du Preez, who surely will be better than he was against Wales when he seemed beset by uncertainty, effective Heinrich Brüssow and, when he gets on, Herculean Bismarck du Plessis. Then you will want to see of big Bakkies Botha really is over his injury and not just having his health tried out on the basis of “Play or go home”. Oh, and you will want to see action-man, harum scarum François Hougaard who obviously enjoys what he does.
For Fiji: Vereniki Goneva is an obvious attraction and so is the other wing, Napolioni Nalaga who was such a star when he played in France for Clermont Auvergne. Both loose forwards brought into the starting side can certainly impress – Sakiusa Matadigo, who has made a name for himself in French rugby, and flank Akapusi Qera. And then there are locks Wame Lewaravu and Leone Nakarawa, who can run, pass and dummy with the best of them.
Head to Head: Big, flashy Vereniki Goneva against ardent, hard-working, committed Odwa Ndungane, the forceful South African locks against the galloping Fijians, front row against front row.
Recent Results:
2007: South Africa won 37-20 in Marseilles
1996: South Africa won 43-18 in Pretoria
Prediction: South Africa to win by 15 points or more.
The teams:
South Africa: 15 Pat Lambie, 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Odwa Ndungane, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Schalk Burger, 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Danie Rossouw, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 John Smit (captain), 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 François Louw, 19 Willem Alberts, 20 François Hougaard, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Juan de Jongh.
Fiji: 15 Kini Murimurivalu, 14 Vereniki Goneva, 13 Gaby Lovobalavu, 12 Seremaia Bai, 11 Naipolioni Nalaga, 10 Waisea Sedre Luveniyali, 9 Neemia Kenatale, 8 Sakiusa Matadigo, 7 Akapusi Qera, 6 Dominiko Maiwiriwiri Waqaniburotu, 5 Wame Lewaravu, 4 Leone Nakarawa, 3 Deacon Manu (captain), 2 Sunia Koto, 1 Campese Ma’afu.
Replacements: 16 Talemaitoga Dautu Tuapati, 17 Waisea Nailago, 18 Netani Edward Talei, 19 Sisa Koyamaibole, 20 Vitori Tomu Buatava, 21 Nicky Little, 22 Ravai Fatiaki.
Date: Saturday, September 17
Venue: Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington
Kick-off: 18.00 (06.00 GMT)
Expected weather: Partly cloudy with a high of 15°C, dropping to 9°C.
Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: George Clancy (Ireland), Vinny Munro (New Zealand)
TMO: Matt Goddard (Australia)
By Paul Dobson
