FR Bismarck du Plessis (SAF) 265
FR John Smit (SAF) 200
LK Mark Chisholm (AUS) 120
LK Andries Bekker (SAF) 120
LF Rocky Elsom (AUS) 340
LF Pierre Spies (SAF) 270
HV Matt Giteau (AUS) 635
HV Fourie du Preez (SAF) 500
CT Jaque Fourie (SAF) 310
CT Jean De Villiers (SAF) 260
OB Bryan Habana (SAF) 510
OB Lachlan Turner (AUS) 430
5 try bonus 200
Total Points 4160
Saturday, August 29, 2009
Marching on to glory
The Springboks continued their inevitable march on to TriNations glory by completely smashing the disheartened Wallabies. They were too clinical, too powerful and too fast for the hapless Aussies, who continued their bewildering run of errors - spilling the ball 13 times, mostly at crucial junctures.
Robbie Deans must be tearing his hair out - his supposedly professional players continually make schoolboy errors. Richard Brown's catching was downright embarrassing. But all those beginning to bay for his head need to take a step back and realize this is a Springbok team in their prime. They have 7 players with more than 50 caps - world cup winners all of them. They are the best team in the world by some distance right now, and it's no real shame to lose to them. New Zealand are also no slouches... Australia is just in an unfortunate position to have to play the world number 1 and 2 sides week in and week out. If they were playing the Six Nations, Australia would be almost guaranteed winners. There's no shame in being number 3 right now.
It will be interesting to see if Deans changes his side much for next week's game in Brisbane. The Boks look an unstoppable juggernaut right now. They have defied critics by producing the first bonus point try haul of the competition, and Australia will be more demoralized than ever this week after losing four on the trot (including 2 home games).
Henry will be quivering a little over in New Zealand too. He'll be cheering the Aussies on this week because the thought of facing a bouyant Springbok team looking to be the first side to go through a 6 game TriNations undefeated will terrify him. These Boks are true champions, and the rest of the world looks like it will have to be content to swim in their wake for the next year or so.
Congrats to Fourie and Habana for scoring three tries off what amounted to little more than three touches of the ball. True class.
Friday, August 28, 2009
Tri-Nations Predictions: Week Six
Andrew's Prediction
Despite the injury toll and Deans fulfilling his promise to cull his underperforming regulars, this won't be the walkover some are predicting. Like a wounded and cornered kangaroo the Aussies are a dangerous prospect. With Robinson replacing the aging Baxter, the Aussies will be seeking parity, perhaps even dominance, at scrumtime. The Wallaby defence has been outstanding and that's not going to change, especially against a side who have struggled to score tries. O'Connor, Cross, Hynes, Turner, Cooper & Giteau is an impressive and potentially lethal backline, if the Wallabies can keep their hands on the ball and find some space - expect Morne Steyn to get a lot of practise improving his girlie tackling. Giteau's had a mediocre tournament thus far, if the little general finally regains his form and the Australian's can keep a lid on their ill-discipline then they can win this.
Unfortunately, the Springboks are also like a wounded kangaroo - they'll kick you to death. They're rightly brimming with confidence, but... after a few weeks of sane silence, De Villiers is starting to run his stupid mouth of again, and the madness is returning to his selections. There's surely no tactical reason to replace Steyn with Pienaar, so either it's the beginning of Frans' punishment for choosing to eat croissants for breakfast for the next couple of years or it's the patented De Villers insanity - I suppose we should just be grateful that it's not Earl Rose. Morne Steyn's stranglehold on the flyhalf jersey means we're unlikely to see a change in tactics, so it'll be more of the same dreary old grind. The Australians are going to be under the cosh for 80 minutes, but against all the odds, the Wallabies are going to rally in the final quarter and win this.
Australia by 5. Matt Giteau top Test Rugby points scorer.
Kynan's Prediction
More delusional thinking from Andrew. South Africa are unstoppable right now. They are playing winning rugby and have proven themselves too aggressive and powerful to be overcome by their easily rattled rivals from Down Under.
There have also been some indications that some running rugby is in order, so don't be surprised if Habana and Foruie actually touch the ball this week. I've selected them both on that assumption - so here's hoping I'm right.
Either way, Australia are a team in disarray right now, and losing Sharpe and Barnes will be a bigger blow than they care to admit. Giteau has looked off the boil, leaving Barnes as the only real playmaker, and Sharpe is the muscle in their pack. He has the iron to stand up to the likes of Bismarck and Bakkies - without him, it really could be a slaughter.
And let's not forget, South Africa's only two TriNations victories in Aussieland have come in Perth...
South Africa by 12. Spies top TR points scorer.
Despite the injury toll and Deans fulfilling his promise to cull his underperforming regulars, this won't be the walkover some are predicting. Like a wounded and cornered kangaroo the Aussies are a dangerous prospect. With Robinson replacing the aging Baxter, the Aussies will be seeking parity, perhaps even dominance, at scrumtime. The Wallaby defence has been outstanding and that's not going to change, especially against a side who have struggled to score tries. O'Connor, Cross, Hynes, Turner, Cooper & Giteau is an impressive and potentially lethal backline, if the Wallabies can keep their hands on the ball and find some space - expect Morne Steyn to get a lot of practise improving his girlie tackling. Giteau's had a mediocre tournament thus far, if the little general finally regains his form and the Australian's can keep a lid on their ill-discipline then they can win this.
Unfortunately, the Springboks are also like a wounded kangaroo - they'll kick you to death. They're rightly brimming with confidence, but... after a few weeks of sane silence, De Villiers is starting to run his stupid mouth of again, and the madness is returning to his selections. There's surely no tactical reason to replace Steyn with Pienaar, so either it's the beginning of Frans' punishment for choosing to eat croissants for breakfast for the next couple of years or it's the patented De Villers insanity - I suppose we should just be grateful that it's not Earl Rose. Morne Steyn's stranglehold on the flyhalf jersey means we're unlikely to see a change in tactics, so it'll be more of the same dreary old grind. The Australians are going to be under the cosh for 80 minutes, but against all the odds, the Wallabies are going to rally in the final quarter and win this.
Australia by 5. Matt Giteau top Test Rugby points scorer.
Kynan's Prediction
More delusional thinking from Andrew. South Africa are unstoppable right now. They are playing winning rugby and have proven themselves too aggressive and powerful to be overcome by their easily rattled rivals from Down Under.
There have also been some indications that some running rugby is in order, so don't be surprised if Habana and Foruie actually touch the ball this week. I've selected them both on that assumption - so here's hoping I'm right.
Either way, Australia are a team in disarray right now, and losing Sharpe and Barnes will be a bigger blow than they care to admit. Giteau has looked off the boil, leaving Barnes as the only real playmaker, and Sharpe is the muscle in their pack. He has the iron to stand up to the likes of Bismarck and Bakkies - without him, it really could be a slaughter.
And let's not forget, South Africa's only two TriNations victories in Aussieland have come in Perth...
South Africa by 12. Spies top TR points scorer.
Week Six: Andrew's Team
* New buys in italics
FR Stephen Moore (AUS) - $1,162,500
FR Bismarck du Plessis (SAF) - $1,225,000
LK Victor Matfield (SAF) - $1,262,500
LK Mark Chisholm (AUS) - $1,062,500
LF Pierre Spies (SAF) - $1,245,000
LF George Smith (AUS) - $1,177,500
HV Fourie du Preez (SAF) - $1,120,000
HV Matt Giteau (AUS) - $1,295,000
CT Jaque Fourie (SAF) - $1,220,000
CT James O'Connor (AUS) - $887,500
OB Peter Hynes (AUS) - $1,137,500
OB Bryan Habana (SAF) - $1,205,000
Team Value: $14,000,000
Cash in Bank: $986,000
I had to make a lot of forced changes to keep up with injured (and culled) Wallabies. With money no longer an object, I could easily afford all the players I wanted, but transfers are getting tight so I'll be hoping for minimal team changes next week from both these sides. Matfield, Spies, du Plessis all pick themselves. Chisholm has the potential to get a similar total to Sharpe's usual haul and he scores a lot of tries for a lock. I chose du Preez over Steyn at HV. He's a class player at any time but I'm hoping that reaching his test half-century will bring out the best in him - and I still believe that Steyn is a very average international flyhalf. Fourie and De Villiers are pretty neck-and-neck in points this tournament, and in the end I plumped for Fourie because of his awesome 1970s haircut. For the backs, I picked Hynes because he was a TR-points scoring machine in his cameo last week and Habana because with Pienaar at fullback he might even get passed the ball... but I'm not counting on it.
FR Stephen Moore (AUS) - $1,162,500
FR Bismarck du Plessis (SAF) - $1,225,000
LK Victor Matfield (SAF) - $1,262,500
LK Mark Chisholm (AUS) - $1,062,500
LF Pierre Spies (SAF) - $1,245,000
LF George Smith (AUS) - $1,177,500
HV Fourie du Preez (SAF) - $1,120,000
HV Matt Giteau (AUS) - $1,295,000
CT Jaque Fourie (SAF) - $1,220,000
CT James O'Connor (AUS) - $887,500
OB Peter Hynes (AUS) - $1,137,500
OB Bryan Habana (SAF) - $1,205,000
Team Value: $14,000,000
Cash in Bank: $986,000
I had to make a lot of forced changes to keep up with injured (and culled) Wallabies. With money no longer an object, I could easily afford all the players I wanted, but transfers are getting tight so I'll be hoping for minimal team changes next week from both these sides. Matfield, Spies, du Plessis all pick themselves. Chisholm has the potential to get a similar total to Sharpe's usual haul and he scores a lot of tries for a lock. I chose du Preez over Steyn at HV. He's a class player at any time but I'm hoping that reaching his test half-century will bring out the best in him - and I still believe that Steyn is a very average international flyhalf. Fourie and De Villiers are pretty neck-and-neck in points this tournament, and in the end I plumped for Fourie because of his awesome 1970s haircut. For the backs, I picked Hynes because he was a TR-points scoring machine in his cameo last week and Habana because with Pienaar at fullback he might even get passed the ball... but I'm not counting on it.
Week Six: Kynan's Team
* New buys in italics
FR Stephen Moore (AUS) - $1,162,500
FR Bismarck Du Plessis (RSA) - $1,225,000
LK James Horwill (AUS) - $1,197,500
LK Victor Matfield (RSA) - $1,262,500
LF George Smith (AUS) - $1,177,500
LF Pierre Spies (RSA) - $1,245,000
HV Morne Steyn (RSA) - $1,160,000
HV Matt Giteau (AUS) - $1,295,000
CT Jacque Fourie (RSA) - $1,220,000
CT James O'Conner (AUS) - $887,500
OB Adam Ashley-Cooper (AUS) - $1,205,000
OB Bryan Habana (RSA) - $1,205,000
Team Value: $14,242,500
Cash in Bank: $812,500
So I'm down to 2 trades... I'm not completely happy with my team, but I don't feel like risking it. I took a risk on Habana already - I'm sure Hynes will score five times what he does, but if SA can cut loose and really take it to the Aussies, and with Pienaar at fullback (he may actually pass the ball, unlike Steyn) I think Habana just might get in a run or two, and hopefully a try.
FR Stephen Moore (AUS) - $1,162,500
FR Bismarck Du Plessis (RSA) - $1,225,000
LK James Horwill (AUS) - $1,197,500
LK Victor Matfield (RSA) - $1,262,500
LF George Smith (AUS) - $1,177,500
LF Pierre Spies (RSA) - $1,245,000
HV Morne Steyn (RSA) - $1,160,000
HV Matt Giteau (AUS) - $1,295,000
CT Jacque Fourie (RSA) - $1,220,000
CT James O'Conner (AUS) - $887,500
OB Adam Ashley-Cooper (AUS) - $1,205,000
OB Bryan Habana (RSA) - $1,205,000
Team Value: $14,242,500
Cash in Bank: $812,500
So I'm down to 2 trades... I'm not completely happy with my team, but I don't feel like risking it. I took a risk on Habana already - I'm sure Hynes will score five times what he does, but if SA can cut loose and really take it to the Aussies, and with Pienaar at fullback (he may actually pass the ball, unlike Steyn) I think Habana just might get in a run or two, and hopefully a try.
I'm looking for an improved showing from O'Connor too - he was dire last week. But his elusive running has been a thorn in the Springboks flesh thus far. Also gambling on a big showing from Jacque Fourie. Again, I believe Pienaar will slot into flyhalf during phase play to try get the backline moving, and Fourie may actually get one pass this game.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Injuries create havok
Those of us stretched thin on transfers have suffered even more tragedy - Barnes and Sharp (stalwarts in any decent fantasy rugby team) - have been withdrawn from Saturday's game because of injury. No immediate replacements have been named - expect Chisholm or Mumm to take the place of Sharp and maybe Ashley-Cooper to slot in for Barnes, with Cross slotting in for Ashley-Cooper, though there has been rumour of young buck Quade Cooper taking his place.
Additionally, there's potential for Elsom and O'Connor to miss the game due to niggling injuries - if that happens, then truly woe is me!
Also on the rumor mills: Lachlan Turner out, Peter Hynes in. So there could be all sorts of transfers that need to get made, which is really going to throw this competition (Fantasy Rugby, not the TriNations) wide open, as it is generally league leaders who seem to be short on trades.
On the SA front, rumor has it that Pienaar may replace Steyn at fullback. I have already purchased Steyn, so that will be a horrible blow...
All sorts of excitement for tomorrow's team announcement!
In unrelated news, Kiwi centers McAlister and Smith are out for the rest of the TriNations with a cracked cheekbone and a torn hamstring respectively. (Keep that in mind for two weeks time...)
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