From Jan de Koning on rugby365.com
Veteran Wallaby loose forward George Smith, one of a handful of celebrated players with 100 Test caps, believes the set pieces will be the key when Australia tackle South Africa in a Tri-Nations crunch match in Cape Town on Saturday.
Speaking in the build-up to the Newlands showdown against the unbeaten Springboks, Smith said the Aussies have done a lot of work on their set pieces.
The Boks – in their back-to-back wins over the All Blacks the past fortnight – showed that they are not just secure in their own set pieces, but often also dominate on the opposition’s ball.
Having squeezed the life out of the normally efficient All Black pack, the Boks showed that they are now the masters of the set piece world.
In the last Test, in Durban at the weekend, the Boks won 25 out of 37 set pieces that were contested, 68 percent from these primary phases going to South Africa – which included the Boks turning over two All Black scrum balls, while also stealing three and disrupting a fourth of the Kiwis’ eight line-outs.
Not surprising then that the Wallabies are looking to improve their set-piece play.
“You must make sure you are complete in your own set piece and disrupt them as much ball in that area for them as you can,” Smith said, when asked how they plan to end the Boks’ victory march.
“We have done a lot of work on our set piece, to make sure we execute that well and when you do get the opportunity to disrupt their set piece you must take full advantage of it.”
He said that set pieces have been South Africa’s strength, but it is also their physicality within games that is a concern.
“In any Bok side you play, they are a physical team,” the Wallaby flank said.
He said he doesn’t think the Wallabies will be underdone, despite not having played a Test for three weeks – their last outing having been a 16-22 loss to the All Blacks in Auckland last month.
“The guys have been playing club football, but that’s obviously not Test level,” Smith said, adding: “The boys have been training hard in Sydney and playing for club sides.
“I don’t think the [Aussie] boys will be underdone in this game. The boys have been training particularly hard and everyone has an understanding of what needs to be done here in Cape Town.
“The boys have the full knowledge that we have to play particularly well to beat them [the Boks].”
He also dismissed the notion that the South Africans might start showing some ‘battle fatigue’, considering they will be playing in their third consecutive Test this week.
“I don’t think it [third game in a row] will be a factor,” ASmith said, adding: “They’re professional players and if they recover as they should be, I don’t think fatigue will be a factor.”
He also pointed out that the Boks will have a three-week break of their own after Saturday, which means they will be able to “empty the tanks”.
The 29-year-old Wallaby flank, now in his 10th season of international rugby, says he always enjoy visiting Cape Town and playing at Newlands.
“We always seem to get a good reception from the crowd, they love Australians here,” he quipped.
20…… wat is dit?
28# More KleinPiet, hoe hang die ghoentjies vandag daar in die Strand?
27 & 29….dit werk definitief vir my hoor, maar ek het nie gunstan plain gerook soos julle nie, hehehehe het maar ligte sigarette gerook, rook al vir 25 jaar…….jy kry 3 verskillende sterktes nicotine so julle kan high vat………maar ja dit werk vir my
31….gaan kyk op www . twisp . co . za
vertel julle alles daarvan, twisp is maar die beste elektroniese siggie
33 Ek rook nie gunston plain nie….rook gold dollar!!!
#32 hang lekke oom, hang lekke. wind die waai so biki te veel virrie bike anders net reg!
Hoe lykit innie ooste vanmore – jul aand?
#35 😆
Ag shamepies hehehehehe
#33 EEE Dan gaan ek dit probeer!
Nee darem nie gold dollar nie.
Okay ek moet rol….praat later julle. Sal daai website kyk. Waar koop mens dit?
Daai E-siggies is ‘n flippen joke !
#40 werk vir my, miskien is jy die joke 😆
Wie wil nou met pienk longe in die begrafplaas loop le ??
Waa’s my Kamele… ???
#40 gbs
Nee man hoe se dan nou so? Ons kry net hoop hier by EEE!
hier is al omtrent 15 mense, mans en vrouens by die werk wat dit rook, en al omtrent 6 is soos ek, heeltema af van ander siggies
41 – EEE,
My maiki issie lief vir my vandag nie, net beledigings… snik, snik
en ek sit sommer hiet by my tafel en vat nou en dan ‘n trekkie…..hehehehehe
en ek het toe ek laas week gevlieg het sommer so skelm ook trekkie gevat
#45 Ag sorry maiki, sallie weer nie……
HOU NOU DADELIK OP MET TJANK!!!!! KAN NIE HIERDIE EMOTIANAL BLACKMAIL MEER VERDRA NIE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
hehehehehehe
46#….besem nie aan die brand geraak nie? hehehe
43 – AB,
‘n Girl het dit hier aangebring by die kantoor en my laat try…. eishhhhhhh dis darem maar ‘n power substitute… wel, dis my opinie….
… seker maar omdat ek GEEN begeerte het om op te hou rook nie…
48 – K9,
Bwahahahahahahahahahaha
#46
Maarn mens kan dit mos enige plek legal rook?
#47 emotional dammit!!!!
#48 Bwaaaaaaaaaaahahahahaha nee want dan was ek aspo*&tertjie
#51 Yep, dis net al die mense weet nog nie daarvan nie so mens kry maar kyke hier en daar
OK julle ek is uit, praat later weer!
Cheers Abel Kraamsaal !
Elektronika is ‘n snaakse ding. My TV sein raak heel weg, ek begin by die antennas en die boksies en alles wat ek raak sien, maar niks help nie. Uiteindelik was dit die kabel wat so op sy eie sit en breek!
# 36 PS
Nee, laatmiddag, 5nm hier, en moosa warm, ek gaan nou-nou n koue bier drink anders dooi ek…
Terloops, weet iemand hoekom se mens DIE Strand en DIE Paarl in Afrikaans, en nie die Kaapstad nie?
57 – Boel,
The “Ghost in the Wires / machine”… ek is oortuig daarvan dat Elektroniese goed so effe van hulle eie persoonlikheid het…. ‘n vroulike persoonlikheid…
58# Niemand antwoord my ook eens hier op die nuwe blog nie, op keo het hulle darem ten minste gese fck jou Pietman…….
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