JOHANNESBURG
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mso-ansi-language:EN-ZA;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">– Rugby writer Jacques van der Westhuyzen shares his predictions for the weekend's crunch Rugby World Cup games.
England v New Zealand
Tomorrow, Yokohama, 10am
The sparring between Eddie Jones and Steve Hansen has been a treat this week. It was always going to be that way, and the clash between their teams in the first semi-final promises to be just as entertaining.
Some would argue they are the two best teams at this year’s World Cup and are worthy of being the finalists, and they’d be right. Both England and New Zealand have played some outstanding rugby and the ease with which they got the better of Australia and Ireland in last week’s quarter-finals suggests there is little to choose between them. I’m predicting a very close match, with no more than a few points to seperate them after a pulsating 80 minutes.
Both have big, powerful packs but in England’s case they have the mobile and destructive “kamikaze kids”, the flanks Tom Curry and Sam Underhill, according to coach Eddie Jones, with big Billy Vunipola at eight. The All Blacks though have dropped their specialist opensider, Sam Cane, to the bench and opted for the big bruiser, Scott Barrett, on the blindside, to play alongside Ardie Savea and Kieran Read.
For me, New Zealand are still the best team in the game. They have more weapons and will ask more questions than England and will win by five to eight points.
South Africa's Herschel Jantjies runs on his way to score a try. Photo: Shuji Kajiyama/AP
South Africa v Wales
Sunday, Yokohama, 11am
The Springboks are the only semi-finalist to have lost a game so far - the opener against New Zealand - while Wales have a clean record and will believe they have what’s needed to also knock over Rassie Erasmus’ team.
Wales are Six Nations champions and a well-drilled outfit, but they have their flaws. They’ve conceded the most points of the semi-finalists up to now, letting in tries by Georgia, Australia, Fiji, Uruguay and France last week. The Boks will know they’ll get opportunities to punish Wales.
The Boks on the other hand don’t let the opposition in. They conceded only three points against each of Namibia, Italy and Japan, and against Canada they conceded just seven points, so good luck to Wales breaking down the best defence at the World Cup.
The Bok plan will be simple: play the game in Wales’ half and hit them with the pack. And then hit them again with the bench players in the second half. Try-hungry wingers Sbu Nkosi and Makazole Mapimpi will ask serious questions, while Wales’ best chance of causing an upset will come through their backs.
The Boks’ rush defence means there may be a few holes out wide for Wales to exploit and in Liam Williams, Josh Adams and George North they’ve got a few seriously good attackers.
I doubt Wales will be able to match the Boks’ physicality though and over the 80 minutes they’ll run out of steam; Boks by 10 points.