It wasn’t a pretty year early on for the Springboks.
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“They have grown game on game in this tournament and we know the challenge that faces us from a talented South African side”.
But a successful Test career which began in 2004 appeared ended when a shoulder injury curbed du Preez’ ambitions during a disappointing 2011 World Cup for the Springboks which ended with a quarter-final loss to Australia. Amazingly they just didn’t seem to have anything else to offer.
Being involved with the southern hemisphere big three of New Zealand, Australia and South Africa means the Pumas are a more unsafe side.
But they went back to basics to win their next three matches and top Pool B.
“Without doubt, we should have scored a try in that period”, Jenkins said.
“There’s not many more brutal games to lose than a World Cup semi-final by a point”, Roberts admitted.
“They have got over the shock of being beaten by Japan and that’s galvanised them as a team and as a squad”. Wales have had a great time in the pools stage, and are no easy-beats.
Momentum is crucial in World Cups. Commitment and toughness are the cornerstones of their game.
Ireland face Argentina and Australia take on Scotland in Sunday’s quarter-finals. “We are just looking forward to a massive battle”.
De Villiers was captain when the Boks were stunned 34-32 by Japan in their tournament opener. “We don’t want to make excuses”.
“It’s a World Cup quarter-final”, he said, “and to play in games of this magnitude is what you dream about”. He has had to adapt to circumstances in each and every game, helping re-organise as injuries struck.
Wales’ run to the last eight has been plagued by injuries to several backs and Roberts’ will now line-up alongside 20-year-old Newport Gwent Dragons centre Tyler Morgan on Saturday. But how much more pain can one side take?
New Zealand’s scrum faltered a little bit against Tonga in Newcastle last week so I am sure the French will be eyeing a few gains there, but they were poor against Ireland and I can’t see them getting the result they crave.
While they’d certainly like to be playing this match in front of a vocal crowd in Cardiff, the confidence gained from their Twickenham win over England should aid them here. In the 30-Test history of this fixture they have only won twice.
“But we have to get through this one”. England were so spooked by its implications that they shuffled their midfield trio to deal with it, and to disastrous effect as it turned out, with the decision to play Brad Barritt at no.13, with Sam Burgess and Owen Farrell inside him, coming back to haunt them.
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Are South Africa genuine title contenders? Replacements: 16-Adriaan Strauss, 17-Trevor Nyakane, 18-Jannie du Plessis, 19-Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20-Willem Alberts, 21-Ruan Pienaar, 22-Pat Lambie, 23-Jan Ser; 9-Gareth Davies, 10-Dan Biggar, 11-George North, 12-Jamie Roberts, 13-Tyler Morgan, 14-Alex Cuthbert 15-Gareth Anscombe.
