Preview: South Africa vs Wales

South Africa vs Wales: Quarter-Final Preview

If you’re expecting a game of free-flowing running rugby, you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time.

This a World Cup knock-out game, in which the players will be intent on making as few errors as possible, trying to capitalise on turnovers conceded  by their opponents, spending 80 minutes in an ongoing endeavour to dominate territory and possession, and looking for penalty goal opportunities in the opposition half.

The game will be more about winning collisions and tight defence and kicking the ball through the posts than about attacking ball-playing flair. Tries are more likely to emanate from exerting sustained pressure or from capitalising on opposition errors than through adventurous, creative play from deep.

Wales showed admirable fortitude in beating England at Twickenham, were held out only by extraordinary defence by Australia, and despite multiple injury woes do still have the skills and intelligence to win this quarter-final. Their defence is organised, resilient, and courageous. In Dan Biggar they have one of the most accurate goal-kickers in the world.

The Springboks have recovered from the ignominy of defeat to Japan to return to their traditional power game and the predictable but effective skills suitable to their approach. Gaining territorial advantage and using possession to put opponents under pressure are cornerstones of their game, as is winning collisions, tight defence, and kicking goals. They’ve been so much more effective at that in pool games two, three, four than in the miserable game one, and are now looking to advance in their RWC mission towards an almighty semi-final clash with the All Blacks. Defensive and infringement discipline will be crucial.

Key players:

For the Springboks, game-plan execution revolves around the nearly flawless Fourie du Preez. The lock pair, Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, formidable game after game. Duane Vermeulen’s return from injury has been a boost. Handré Pollard needs to show he is a top-class Test 10. For Wales, Jamie Roberts for his brain and brawn, Biggar for his boot, Gareth Davies as a livewire 9, and loose forwards, Sam Warburton, Dan Lydiate, and Taulupe Faletau, so effective individually and as a trio.