By Ouseburn (on 18/11/02)
November 22 2002

Well if we believe the South African Coach Straeuli, they don’t think Saturday’s match is an impossible task but there are looking at the bigger picture and the opportunity for some of their young players to be blooded... South Africa

So Straeuli’s bigger picture is the World Cup! He is looking for his young players to play their way into World Cup contention. Now whilst I’m sure we will all agree he may have a bigger picture on his mind, I have no doubt that the Boks will want to restore pride in both themselves and their rugby proud nation. They lost to Scotland for the first time in 33 years and that must have a psychological effect on the team. Straeuli is fairly new to this post (approximately 7 months) but as with all sports if you don’t win the critics come out of the woodwork and want your head. He is already under pressure because of the last few weeks’ results but is insisting he concentrating on England and not stories!

The South African assistant coach Tim Lane claims this team is young and inexperienced but that they are excited at the prospect of playing at Twickenham on Saturday and will not be intimidated by the occasion. It does seem that we have heard this all before! Remember the inexperience of the All Blacks? To be fair to them, most of their players are in their early twenties only a couple in their thirties. No doubt about it this Springbok team will be up for the game on Saturday and will be wanting desperately to put one over on England delivering a cautionary word Lane said:

"Sport is a cruel game and the line is fine between winning and losing. We saw that in the Tri-nations. England have experienced it in the last two matches. Had Ben Blair scored for New Zealand against England and had Matt Burke kicked the last penalty with a few minutes to go, we may be reading about England rugby being in crisis.

As it is, we are reading that they are the best team in the world."

We shall see, we shall see...

South Africa Team

15 Werner Greeff, 14 Breyton Paulse, 13 Robbie Fleck, 12 Butch James, 11 Friedrich Lombard, 10 André Pretorius, 9 Johannes Conradie, 8 Joe van Niekerk, 7 Pedrie Wannenburg, 6 Corné Krige (captain), 5 AJ Venter, 4 Jannes Labuschagne, 3 Deon Carstens, 2 James Dalton, 1 Wessel Roux.

Replacements (from)

Lukas van Biljon, C.J. van der Linde, Bakkies Botha, Marco Wentzel, Pierre Uys, Norman Jordaan, Adrian Jacobs, Brent Russell.

England

So England march on to the final part of this Investec Challenge series, knowing full well that the South Africans will play out of their skins on Saturday, to try and beat what many are calling the best team in the world at the present time - yes that’s England!

Clive Woodward says they have respect for the Springbok and know it’s going to be a tough game. The respect shows in the team selection, he could have tried other players out but he has gone with the strongest team possible. The only change is Christophers who comes in for the unfortunate Simpson-Daniel who has been diagnosed with glandular fever, I’m sure we all hope he makes a speedy recovery!

According to Jason Leonard who will get his 99th cap on Saturday and who picked up his MBE from the Queen at Buckingham Palace today said:

"He expects a traditional South African welcome - a very physical no nonsense approach. South Africa are a tough side thought we have the psychological advantage because we beat them last year"

Yes a rather nice memory to be going into this match especially with home advantage, lets hope it turns out that way.

I do feel sorry for Austin Healey however in Clive’s own words:

"Austin is obviously a better bench player than Christophers in terms of where he can play..."

I understand what Clive is getting at but it must dishearten Healey because to be fair to him he has given his all over the last few years for England, you either like or hate the guy but he has scored the tries when needed.

England Team

15 J Robinson (Sale), 14 B Cohen (Northampton), 13 W Greenwood (Harlequins), 12 M Tindall (Bath), 11 P Christophers (Bristol), 10 J Wilkinson (Newcastle), 9 M Dawson (Northampton), 1 J Leonard (Harlequins), 2 S Thompson (Northampton), 3 P Vickery (Gloucester), 4 M Johnson (Leicester, Capt.), 5 B Kay (Leicester), 6 L Moody (Leicester), 7 N Back (Leicester), 8 R Hill (Saracens).

Replacements

M Regan (Leeds), R Morris (Northampton), D Grewcock (Bath), L Dallaglio (Wasps), A Gomarsall (Gloucester), A Healey (Leicester), T Stimpson (Leicester).

What more is there to say? Lets go to it boys:

The game's afoot:
Follow your spirit; and, upon this charge...

'CRY GOD FOR HARRY ENGLAND AND ST. GEORGE '

Henry V (1599) Act3, Scene1

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Ouseburn's Twickers Diary - Part 2

Ouseburn's Twickers Diary - Part 1

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