South Africa vs USA - Match Preview

USA coach Mike Tolkin has made 12 changes to the starting XV that lost to Scotland in his team’s last game. Seven of his match-day 23 will be making their RWC 2015 debuts.

Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer, in contrast, has retained 13 of the 15 players who started against Scotland, replacing only the two who are nursing injuries.

Tolkin is looking beyond the clash with the Springboks towards Sunday’s final pool game against Japan, which he believes offers the Eagles their best chance of a victory at the World Cup. Meyer has opted for continuity ahead of the Boks quarter-final match, no doubt wary of a repeat of his team’s Japanese horror show and keen to increase cohesion and momentum.

We learned when Japan provided the all-time biggest shock in Springbok rugby history that nothing should be taken for granted, but barring the unforeseen, this Bok team should win comfortably against this weakened USA team. The Eagles will offer physical intensity and strong effort but are unlikely to trouble the Boks overmuch – barring of course another Springbok implosion.

Key players:
For the USA, the only three to retain their places – hooker Phil Thiel, number 8 Samu Manoa, and fullback Blaine Scully, plus two of their Sevens stars who helped the USA achieve their first-ever World Series Sevens Cup title (at Twickenham in May), Danny Barrett (blindside) and Folau Niua (outside centre). For the Boks, Fourie du Preez (because Bok World Cup fortunes revolve around him), plus three of the players with whom the Eagles will struggle to cope – locks Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager, and 8 Duane Vermeulen.

The big match-ups:
Thiel has a rare opportunity to test himself against the world’s toughest hooker opponent in Bismarck du Plessis, and scrumhalf Niku Kruger against the now iconic Du Preez. Oli Kilifi scrums against Frans Malherbe, one of the strongest, cleverest scrummaging tightheads in world rugby. Andrew Suniula has the unenviable task of marking Damian de Allende.