Archive for ‘Match Previews’
Wednesday, September 26th, 2007
Georgia coach Malkhaz Cheishvili is convinced the ‘Lelos’ will build on their heroics against Ireland by registering their first World Cup victory on Wednesday.
A heroic 14-10 defeat to Brian O’Driscoll’s side secured Georgia’s first ever tournament point and has lifted confidence levels to unprecedented heights.
They face fellow Pool D outsiders Namibia at Stade Felix Bollaert in Lens tomorrow and both sides will be desperate to celebrate their first World Cup success.
Cheishvili said: “We’ve put together a very experienced team. We’re heading directly to victory and we’ll certainly play a good game.
“Our focus has been a more tight and collective game. We’re focusing on keeping control of the ball as much as possible and directing the flow of the game.”
The rivals have met just once before with Georgia triumphing 26-18 during the IRB Nations Cup in June.
Namibia sit nine places lower in the IRB rankings at 24th and coach Hakkies Husselman knows his side starts as underdogs.
Husselman said: “Georgia is a tier two nation, so the odds are against us. If we lose it will be expected, but it will an upset if we beat them.
“If we stick to our game plan and do what we practiced, then we can beat them. But at this level if you make a mistake, you concede a try.
“I think Georgia have played quite well. They lost 14-10 to Ireland and 33-3 to Argentina. They have had 10 days rest since last playing, while we’ve only had four.”
Namibia skipper Kees Lensing, who has been restored to the front row after recovering from a toe injury, has demanded once last push from his team.
The Natal prop said: “The guys are a bit disappointed after losing 63-3 to Argentina last weekend.
“It’s the end of the tour and the guys want to go home. We have one big job ahead and we want to go out and do our best.”
Tags: rugby world cup, rwc 2007, rugby world cup betting
Posted in Match Previews |
Tuesday, September 25th, 2007
Canada will revive their oldest rugby rivalry on Tuesday when they go in search of a first win of the World Cup against Japan in Bordeaux.
Japan played five provincial games on a tour of Canada in 1930, shortly after the Canadian Rugby Union had been founded, and the first official Test between the two countries was staged two years later in Osaka.
The Canadians are acutely aware of their rugby history - and coach Ric Suggitt does not need to remind his men that the Cannucks have always managed at least one victory at each World Cup.
They arrived in France targeting three but after defeats to Wales and Fiji, and with Australia to come at the weekend, tomorrow’s clash now represents their final realistic opportunity.
“I don’t think it will be difficult to get the players motivated,” said Suggitt.
“The players have a lot of pride and they know in the record books that Canada has come away with at least one victory.
“We go into every game, as the old hockey saying goes, giving 110% and we will not hold anything back.”
Suggitt, who has lost experienced flanker Jamie Cudmore with a broken hand, decided to change his entire back row in a bid to counter a Japan side who are quick on their feet.
“We realise they are very quick and play with a lot of tempo in the game and we have some fresh legs in the back row, putting Aaron Carpenter back there and Adam Kleeburger and Colin Yukes. Hopefully we can take away some of their strength,” Suggitt explained.
“Dave Biddles has been playing well but we kept him out of this game. He is a bit more physical and we will need that against Australia come Saturday.”
Japan, playing their fourth game in 18 days, have recalled full-back Go Aruga and open-side flanker Philip O’Reilly, who missed the Wales game through injury.
Japan coach John Kirwan, the former New Zealand winger, said: “I played Canada in 1991. They have a proud history.
“We are the underdogs in this game. They play very well.”
Canada have played Japan more than any other team since those first two Tests in Osaka.
Ernest Pinkham played in the second game as a winger and, aged 99 and living in Vancouver, he is Canada’s oldest international.
Canada lost the game but forward Bill Wharton consumed 16 bottles of sake at the post-match reception and still managed to walk from the banquet.
It was a feat considered by the rest of the Canadians as “the most brilliant individual performance” of the tour.
Pinkham recalled: “The trip to Japan was one of the highlights of my life. To cross the Pacific Ocean by ship and play for my country in a foreign land was a great thrill.
“We had a good team and we gave a good account of ourselves. They were a hell of a nice bunch of guys and we made friendships that lasted a lifetime.”
After 17 Tests, Japan hold a 9-8 lead. Canada head into tomorrow’s clash determined to square the ledger.
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Tuesday, September 25th, 2007
Romania snatched a late 14-10 victory to condemn plucky Portugal to the wooden spoon in World Cup Pool C and deny veteran hooker Joaquim Ferreira a fairytale finish to his career.
The Portuguese, who were the last team to book their place in the tournament courtesy of a repechage victory over Uruguay, produced a battling performance to lead for most of their final pool match in Toulouse.
But Romania flanker Florin Corodeanu spared his side’s blushes with a close-range try nine minutes from the end which put them in front for the first time.
It was a cruel finish for Romania’s acting captain Ferreira, who had scored the only try of the first half to give his side the scent of a first-ever World Cup victory.
Portugal have now lost 12 of their 13 meetings with the Romanians but they were in determined mood from the start against jittery opponents and scored a deserved try through their most experienced player Ferreria, who was winning his 84th and final cap.
The 34-year-old hooker, who was leading the Portuguese in the absence of broken-hand victim Vasco Uva, was driven over in the 18th minute after Romania suffered a rare line-out loss on their own throw.
Fly-half Duarte Cardoso Pinto added the conversion to bring up a century of points for his country and extend the lead to 7-0, which was the half-time score.
Romania largely dominated the set pieces and enjoyed a territorial advantage but they ruined their good work with a host of handling errors against their tigerish opponents.
Winger Catalin Fercu produced Romania’s only clean break of the first half but he slipped on the lush surface and full-back Iulian Dumitras was off target with a long-range drop-goal.
A superb break out of defence by Portugal winger Antsnio Aguilar set up the position for the try and full-back Pedro Leal almost added a second after an exciting touchline run just before the interval, while Pinto also missed with a drop-goal attempt.
The Portugal scrum was put under even more pressure in the second half and their defence was forced to work overtime to keep the rampant Romania forwards at bay.
Replacement lock Sorin Socol rumbled his way to the line only for television referee Kelvin Peaker to disallow the try for a knock-on but the pressure told on 62 minutes when replacement hooker Marius Tincu forced his way over for a legitimate score.
Scrum-half Valentin Calafeteanu added the conversion to tie the scores but replacement fly-half Gongalo Malheiro, Portugal’s record pointscorer who was sent on for his 36th cap after an hour, restored his side’s lead with a 40-metre penalty 12 minutes from the end.
However, the weight of possession told when the more physical Romania forwards drove once more for the line and Corodeanu got the all-important touch, with fly-half Dan Dumbrava adding the conversion before hitting an upright with a late penalty.
Tags: rwc 2007, rwc, rugby world cup betting
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Friday, September 21st, 2007
South Africa will rely on their fringe players against Tonga in Lens as they seek to maintain their 100% record in World Cup Pool A.
The Springboks, who have thrashed Samoa and holders England in their opening two matches, have established themselves as genuine rivals to favourites New Zealand for the title.
Having put out strong line-ups so far in the tournament, coach Jake White will give his peripheral players a chance to impress at the Stade Felix-Bollaert and at the same time rest some of his star names.
Eleven changes have been made to the side which overwhelmed England 36-0 at the Stade de France last Friday, with only lock Bakkies Botha, flankers Wickus van Heerden and Danie Rossouw, and winger JP Pietersen retained.
Bobby Skinstad has been appointed as the Springboks captain for the match and he is aware of the task facing his side when they take on the Tongans, who are also unbeaten after wins over the United States and Samoa.
“They are very physical, very good on the ball, protective of their ball and big, hard tacklers,” said the 31-year-old Sharks back-rower.
“They have got guys at inside centre who are the size of loose forwards and their wings are even bigger.
“It is a crash-bang side that we have really got to get in their faces and be physical, and prove that we have the physicality to play them at their own game.”
Tonga shocked fellow Pacific islanders Samoa 19-15 in a blood-and-thunder encounter in Montpellier last weekend.
They had blindside flanker Hale T-Pole red-carded for a dangerous tackle in that game, and he will serve a one-match ban on Saturday.
He is replaced by Viliami Vaki in the back row, while there are just three other changes to the team from Sunday with Sione Tu’ipulotu, Emosi Kauhenga and Aleki Lutui coming in.
Tonga are expected to lose to the Springboks, setting up a probable qualification decider against England next week.
Coach Quddus Fielea has chosen not to rest his star players for the match against the current world champions, saying: “We have said all along that we take things game by game, and that we will try to win every game.
“We had some targets when we arrived and, realistically, you could say that we’ve achieved them. Anything now is a bonus.”
Number eight Finau Maka caused devastation in the Samoa ranks with his charging runs and big tackles last weekend, and he is sure to be Tonga’s go-to man again in Lens.
Given the Tongans’ surprising form, White has taken a risk by playing his reserves, but he has some of his big guns on the bench in case his team do suffer.
“One of the things we discussed as a group is putting some senior members on the bench to help them prepare,” he said.
“So we have John (Smit), Victor (Matfield) and Percy Montgomery, just to mention three of the bench, there just to add a little bit more stability and confidence within this group.”
If Montgomery does come off the bench - White vowed earlier in the week he would - the full-back will become the Springboks’ most-capped player.
He is currently sitting on 89 Test appearances along with legendary scrum-half Joost van der Westhuizen.
White said of the Sharks number 15: “Monty doesn’t get the credits that are due to him.
“He is professional, experienced and he’s been there and he is a team guy. But his main role is to be a goal-kicker and we have seen how important goal-kicking can be in the tournament.”
Montgomery is the leading scorer at the World Cup with 47 points to his name from the opening two matches.
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Tuesday, September 18th, 2007
Italy vs Portugal
Italy will be looking to put down a marker ahead of their probable winner-takes-all Pool C match against Scotland when they meet Portugal at the Parc des Princes.
The Azzurri have struggled for form at the World Cup, having been thrashed 76-14 by New Zealand in their opener and then scraping past Romania 24-18 last week.
At this rate, the Scots will go into the expected qualification decider in St Etienne on September 29 as the favourites, but a dominant performance against the Portuguese would give the Italians some much-needed confidence.
Coach Pierre Berbizier saw some encouraging signs against the Romanians and wants to see his team push on from there.
“I saw a good reaction in Marseille during the first few minutes of our match against Romania,” said the former France player and coach.
“We started playing really well and we showed the reaction that I want. Now we have to keep up that level we showed in the early stages of the match against Romania.
“We will continue to work on that. A match in this competition requires a huge mental preparation and we expect to develop that aspect in the best possible way.”
Only seven of the team that beat Romania are retained for the Paris encounter.
It will be a special night for one of the players recalled, scrum-half Alessandro Troncon, who will earn his 100th Test cap.
He is reunited with former Leeds Tykes utility man Roland de Marigny at fly-half while elsewhere behind the scrum, only full-back David Bortolussi and centre Gonzalo Canale are spared the drop.
The survivors in the pack are experienced quintet Andrea Lo Cicero, Martin Castrogiovanni, Marco Bortolami, Mauro Bergamasco and Sergio Parisse.
Parisse will move to openside flanker to accommodate the inclusion of number eight Manoa Vosawai, while Carlo Del Fava comes in at lock and Leonardo Ghiraldini at hooker.
“There are some injured players and we made our decision with that in mind,” said Berbizier.
“Alessandro Zanni is injured so is Josh Sole, so that’s why Sergio Parisse will have to play as number six and not as number eight like he always does.
“He’s done that for us before. It’s not ideal, but we have to adapt to the situation.”
Tournament debutants Portugal have not claimed any points from their opening two games, but they have picked up many friends along the way.
After a 56-10 defeat to Scotland on their debut, the amateurs were smashed 108-13 by the All Blacks in Lyon on Saturday.
With a programme of two tough games in four days, coach Tomaz Morais has been forced to ring the changes, retaining just six players from the New Zealand game.
Winger Antonio Aguilar and centre Diogo Mateus keep their places in the back division, while Morais keeps faith with hooker Joao Correia, prop Ruben Spachuck, lock Goncalo Uva and number eight Vasco Uva in the pack.
Prop Rui Cordeiro, who scored a try against the Kiwis, and goal-kicking fly-half Duarte Pinto are two of the players recalled.
Daniel Hourcade, the assistant coach of the Iberians, admits his side have work to do on their defending.
“We have to improve our tackling,” he said. “We can4t make the same mistakes that we made in the last two matches.
“We have to learn from that and improve. Italy is a team that even if you give them the slightest bit of space, they can be really dangerous.
“But if they are under pressure like they were against Romania, they can make mistakes and that is the idea. Pressure is the most important thing.”
Italy beat the Portuguese 83-0 the last time the two teams met, in a World Cup qualifier in L’Aquila, but Ghiraldini cannot see that scoreline being repeated.
“We’ve seen a lot of teams who, before the World Cup, weren’t very well prepared, like Georgia or Namibia,” said the hooker.
“But then when they come here, they are ready for the challenge. Every match is different in the World Cup. It’s hard to think that our match against Portugal could be similar to the one in which we beat them 83-0 in the qualifiers.”
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Posted in Match Previews |
