RWC Semi-Final 1 Match Prediction: South Africa vs New Zealand

After some incredible rugby, we are down to our final four. You might have heard that there are no Northern Hemisphere sides left in the tournament, I think a few might have mentioned it. The first of the semi-finals will treat us to one of the biggest rivalries in international rugby. The Springboks and the All Blacks go head to head this saturday, and anyone with tickets is sure to get their money’s worth.

The Springboks will be glad to see that Bismarck Du Plessis is ready to play after some early injury clouds. This allows them to leave their front row unchanged, with Tendai Mtawarira and Frans Malherbe joining the Sharks star. The young Malherbe will be challenged by an experienced and talented All Blacks pack. Joe Moody gets the nod at loosehead and is joined by Dane Coles and Owen Franks. Coles scored a try last time these two sides met, and you can rest assured he will be hungry for another.

The All Blacks have probably the best second row pairing in the world, and they’ve flexed their muscles with the selection of Brodie Retaillick and Sam Whitelock. These two are generally at the heart of all of the All Blacks success, and their form will be a worry for the boks. Heyneke Meyer has made a big call, sticking with the form of Eben Etzebeth and Lood de Jager. These two have made the absence of Victor Matfield almost unnoticeable, and their dominance at lineout time will be a major challenge for the All Blacks. That said, their youth will be tested on this stage, and they will need to be at their best against this All Blacks pair.

Jerome Kaino, Richie McCaw, and Kieran Reid all start in the backrow for New Zealand, and they will be a worrying presence for South Africa. At their best these are easily three of the best in the world at their positions, and if the Boks give them anything, you can be sure that they will take it with ruthless efficiency. Reid was at his devastating best last week against France, and if he can pull off another performance like that the Springboks will have to chase the game. South Africa have stuck with their trio of Francois Louw, Schalk Burger, and Duane Vermeulen. Louw and Burger will be workaholics as always, and Vermeulen showed he is still a devastating weapon for South Africa with his match winning offload a week ago.

Fourie Du Preez remains the choice at 9, while 21 year old Handre Pollard starts at 10. Pollard’s ability to handle the pressure will be questioned, however it should be remembered that he has beaten the All Blacks in a big game before. His attacking ability will test the All Blacks backs. Aaron Smith start once again after an incredible performance against France. Carter proved decisively that he is not too old or banged up to continue to perform at this level, and you can rest assured that he will want to do it again.

The All Blacks returned to their normal pairing of Ma’a Nonu and Conrad Smith, and the effect was devastating. Their performance against France will be worrying the Springboks. Should Nonu be allowed to control the gainline, then the Boks will be in big trouble. That being said, they have just the man to prevent that from happening in Damian De Allende. De Allende is joined by fellow youngster Jesse Kriel, and these two were heroic in The Rugby Championship. Kriel’s form has suffered badly since the start of the tournament, but he has been very good in defence, and De Allende has remained a destructive force in the Springbok midfield.

Julian Savea and Nehe Milner-Skudder have, like the All Blacks as a team, been riding a wave of stellar form, very quietly. Then, against France, they exploded into life, with Savea grabbing a hat trick, and Milner-Skudder helping himself to a score as well. If these two can find themselves some space it will be a major worry. Ben Smith continues to produce for the All Blacks, and his evasive running and smart play will help the All Blacks find gaps throughout this match. The Boks have their own potent back three, with Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen, and Willie Le Roux. The physicality battle between Savea and Pietersen will be as gripping as the pace battle between Milner-Skudder and Habana. I cannot wait to see these 6 stars of our game go head to head.

Victor Vito and Sam Cane will bring a lot of physicality and attacking ability to the All Blacks scrum late in the match, and having the explosive playmakers, Beauden Barrett and Sonny Bill Williams on the bench means that the Springboks will need to use their own subs wisely. Victor Matfield and Ruan Pienaar are two great options to close out a game, but should the Boks need to come back, Patrick Lambie, Willem Alberts, and Jan Serfontein will be excellent options to that end.

Last time around, this match was a true nail biter, with a heroic All Blacks comeback breaking South African hearts, but both teams were vastly different then. The Boks have welcomed the return of Vermeulen, and Israel Dagg is no longer even in the side for the All Blacks. In my estimation, the All Blacks have gotten a lot better since then, and they are peaking at the right time, meaning they will be quite hard to stop. The Boks have the ability to pull it off, but I haven’t seen them perform anywhere near the level of the Kiwis a week ago in Cardiff. It will take a great effort from the Boks, and sadly, I cant see them pulling it off.

Prediction: New Zealand 24- South Africa 20