TEST RUGBY: Fierce Test Predicted

12.06.2010
France v South Africa in Capetown

Venue: Newlands Park

Referee:Bryce Lawrence (New Zealand)

Preview
The World Cup soccer tournament is being held at the same time in South Africa as this tour of the Republic by France. So the nations is really focused on soccer but instead of drawn defensive soccer games expect something very different in Capetown.

I recently watched again the South Africa v France rugby test played last November in France. I don't think I have seen a more physical game of rugby for sometime. Not dirty. Just pure physical confrontation as only this magnificent game can bring. France won that brutal game and then promptly folded against New Zealand a few weeks later.I Ah! French rugby!

Last Five Encounters
13.11.2009 France 20-13 in Toulouse
24.06.2006 France 36-26 in Capetown
26.11.2005 France 26-20 in Paris
25.06.2005 South Africa 27-13 in Port Elizabeth
18.05.2005 Drawn 30-30 in Durban

South Africa has not defeated France since June 2005, losing the last three in a row.

GWC Rugby Rankings
World Table-France 2nd, South Africa 4th
IRB Rankings-South Africa 2nd (88.60), France 4th (85.43)

Prediction: Who knows? You certainly cannot predict the French. I'll Say France by 5

Teams

South Africa
15 Zane Kirchner, 14 Gio Aplon, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Wynand Olivier, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ricky Januarie , 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Francois Louw, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield , 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 BJ Botha, 2 John Smit, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, 17 Jannie du Plessis, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 Dewald Potgieter, 20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Juan de Jongh, 22 Jean de Villiers.
Head Coach: Pieter de Villiers

France
15 Clement Poitrenaud, 14 Vincent Clerc, 13 David Marty, 12 Maxime Mermoz, 11 Aurélien Rougerie, 10 Francois Trinh-Duc, 9 Morgan Parra, 8 Julien Bonnaire, 7 Wenceslas Lauret, 6 Thierry Dusautoir (c), 5 Romain Millo- Chluski, 4 Lionel Nallet, 3 Nicolas Mas, 2 Dimitri Szarzewski, 1 Thomas Domingo.
Replacements: 16 Guilhem Guirado, 17 Jean Baptiste Poux, 18 Julien Pierre, 19 Louis Picamoles, 20 Dimitri Yachvili, 21 David Skrela, 22 Marc Andreu.
Head Coach: Marc Lièvremont