South Africa v New Zealand match preview

Will we see the contrast in game-plan we expect, with New Zealand using their ball-playing skills to play a wide attacking game and South Africa playing a narrower game running into contact to set up phases? Will New Zealand run, pass, off-load, and support to stretch the Bok defence? Will South Africa play their predictable game of physical intensity and attrition, waiting for turnovers and penalties?

Or will the All Blacks temper their adventurous approach to take the Springboks on at their perceived strengths, and the Springboks endeavour to play less predictably and be more enterprising on attack in order to surprise the All Black defensive organisation?

This will be a fascinating contest between teams with differing philosophies but who may each in turn be adapting their game strategies, if only in specific tactics and plays, for this one-off knock-out match. 

Among the decisive issues may be…
*     Winning the territory battle and pressurising the opposition into conceding penalties in goal-kicking range.
*     Counter-attack from opponents’ tactical kicking for position. The Boks have not executed this well in the tournament and will need to improve accuracy. The All Blacks have been better in this area but not brilliant.
*     Pressure on New Zealand’s 11 to 15 will be crucial because they can rip any defence to shreds. Bok defensive linespeed plus alignment discipline are essential.
*    The battle for quick breakdown recycling – and slowing down opposition breakdown ball.
*    Defending the lineout driving maul.
*    The tempo of the game. The All Blacks revel in a high tempo game.
*    Whether the Boks can actually surprise the All Black defence. They won their quarter-final with an isolated moment of magic – and need more of that. br>
Key players:
Fourie du Preez is South Africa’s director of operations, while Aaron Smith and Dan Carter perform that role in tandem for New Zealand. Damian de Allende to get the Boks across the advantage line, Francois Louw as the openside specialist, and Duane Vermeulen for his physicality and sometimes underrated ball-playing skills. Richie McCaw, as always, plus World Rugby’s 2014 player of the year Brodie Retallick, and the brilliant All Black back three, Ben Smith, Julian Savea, and Nehe Milner-Skudder.

The big match-ups:
The goal-kicking of Carter and Handre Pollard. At 12, Ma’a Nonu vs De Allende. Out wide, Savea vs JP Pietersen and Milner-Skudder vs Bryan Habana. Opensides McCaw and Louw.