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'They’ve got a chance': All Blacks win gives Springboks hope against France
By Josh Raisey
Former South Africa back-row and 2007 Rugby World Cup winner Bobby Skinstad believes the All Blacks‘ victory over Ireland on Saturday at the Stade de France will give the Springboks belief that they can do the same against France tonight.
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The All Blacks entered their quarter-final with Ireland as underdogs, with everything suggesting Andy Farrell’s side would win. Ireland are ranked the number one team in the world, they were unbeaten at the World Cup, they had beaten New Zealand the last time the two sides had met and they had won three of their four meetings since the 2019 World Cup. The exact same can apply for France and South Africa- Les Bleus are ranked second in the world, they are unbeaten at this World Cup and they beat the Springboks this time last year.
But speaking after the Ian Foster’s side pulled off a titanic 28-24 win in what he described as “one of the greatest clashes I’ve ever seen,” Skinstad said his compatriots will now think they have a chance of pulling off a similar upset at the same place this evening in the last quarter-final of the weekend.
“I think it gives South Africa the thought that maybe they’ve got a chance,” he said. “It’s a team that’s ranked above you, a team that’s playing better than you, but you are able to knock them over on the night.”
The Springboks have already lost this World Cup, as had the All Blacks, and while the former flanker feels Fabien Galthie’s side are playing better than Jacques Nienaber’s, the All Blacks’ performance would have been just the tonic they would have wanted. Moreover, the events of the Springboks’ last meeting with the All Blacks – a record loss for New Zealand in August – compared to their last meeting with Ireland – a victory for Ireland in the pool stages- will give Siya Kolisi’s men more encouragement should they potentially meet them in the final.
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The weather was dreadful but the playing surface was great so there is no real excuse for such another poor standard of play from both sides. Dragons just the better team. But, what a shocking decision by the TMO not to award the Fifita try. This pretty much sums up Welsh rugby with poor teams and poor officials. The WRU have a lot of work to do and it needs to be done quickly to avoid rugby being lost to our future generations.
Go to commentsNo chance of Borthwick selecting any young talent. He announced his selection policy from the outset with naming a poor OF as Captain, retaining an equally poor Youngs and Vunipola brothers when there were many better EQP in the Premiership. SB revival of Leicester was based on SA muscle and a terrific Welsh flanker he has generally ignored young English talent.
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