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Ce qu'il faut savoir sur la demi-finale Angleterre v Afrique du Sud
Les finalistes d’il y a quatre ans, qui sont aussi les finalistes de la Coupe du Monde de Rugby 2007 déjà organisée en France, se rencontrent cette fois-ci un tour plus tôt.
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Le sélectionneur de l’Afrique du Sud, Jacques Nienaber, a conservé le XV de départ et le banc qui ont battu la France au même endroit dimanche dernier. Cobus Reinach et Duane Vermeulen conservent respectivement leurs places de demi de mêlée et de troisième ligne centre.
Siya Kolisi sera le capitaine des Springboks pour la 11e fois en RWC, égalant ainsi le record de John Smit.
Pour l’Angleterre, Joe Marler sera titulaire au poste de pilier gauche et George Martin en deuxième ligne, reléguant Ellis Genge et Ollie Chessum sur le banc. Freddie Steward est rappelé au poste d’arrière à la place de Marcus Smith.
Au total, 26 des 43 joueurs impliqués lors de la finale de la RWC 2019 sont de retour à Saint-Denis pour cette demi-finale : Elliot Daly, Manu Tuilagi, Jonny May, Tom Curry, Courtney Lawes, Maro Itoje, Jamie George et le capitaine Owen Farrell étaient titulaires sous le maillot anglais et vont l’être à nouveau pour ce match, tout comme Mbongeni Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe, Eben Etzebeth, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Vermeulen, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe et le capitaine Kolisi pour les Springboks.
HISTORIQUE
Le premier match entre l’Angleterre et l’Afrique du Sud a eu lieu en décembre 1906 à Crystal Palace. Il s’est achevé sur un score de 3-3. Les deux équipes se sont affrontées 44 fois depuis lors. Les Springboks se sont imposés 27 fois, remportant notamment quatre des cinq rencontres disputées dans le cadre d’une Coupe du Monde de Rugby, dont deux finales. L’Angleterre a gagné 16 fois. Sa seule victoire en RWC remonte à la phase de poules de l’édition 2003.
MATCH MARQUANT
En 2019, c’est indéniablement l’Angleterre qui était annoncée favorite en finale face à l’Afrique du Sud. Mais c’est finalement Siya Kolisi qui a soulevé le Trophée Webb Ellis au terme d’un match marqué par une performance d’une efficacité redoutable de la part des Springboks, qui se sont appuyés principalement sur la puissance de leurs avants et sur la précision au pied de Handré Pollard. La magie des ailiers Makazole Mapimpi et Cheslin Kolbe a fait le reste.
POINT-CLÉ
C’est la tactique de l’Afrique du Sud dans le jeu au pied qui domine les débats jusqu’à présent. Manie Libbok et les Springboks ont utilisé très efficacement les chandelles dans cette compétition, notamment contre la France dimanche dernier. C’est en partie la raison pour laquelle Freddie Steward a été rappelé dans les rangs anglais pour ce match : sa capacité à gérer les ballons aériens devrait permettre à l’Angleterre de répondre à ce danger et de pouvoir gagner du terrain par la même occasion.
LE DUEL
Maro Itoje face à Eben Etzebeth. Itoje n’a manqué que 10 minutes de jeu sur l’ensemble des matchs qu’il a disputés avec l’Angleterre et les Lions britanniques et irlandais contre les Springboks. Cette fois-ci, il pourra se mesurer à celui qui est peut-être le meilleur deuxième ligne du monde à l’heure actuelle, un Eben Etzebeth dans la forme de sa vie.
LA STAT INCROYABLE
Dimanche dernier en quart de finale, l’Afrique du Sud a marqué trois essais en première mi-temps, bien qu’elle n’ait passé que 99 secondes avec le ballon dans la moitié de terrain des Bleus dans le même laps de temps.
Etzebeth a marqué en deuxième mi-temps un quatrième essai décisif. Il s’agissait de son troisième essai en huit matchs, un bilan exceptionnel pour un joueur qui n’avait franchi la ligne que trois fois au cours de ses 110 premières sélections.
L’ARBITRE
Ben O’Keeffe (Nouvelle-Zélande). Après avoir arbitré le quart de finale entre l’Afrique du Sud et la France, O’Keeffe s’apprête à arbitrer à nouveau l’Afrique du Sud pour ce qui sera sa première demi-finale de Coupe du Monde de Rugby et son cinquième match dans le tournoi. Il a également été l’arbitre de la victoire 42-39 des Springboks sur l’Angleterre en juin 2018.
Par ailleurs, Mathieu Raynal (France) remplace Andrew Brace (Irlande) en qualité d’arbitre assistant lors du match du 21 octobre. Andrew Brace ne pourra pas tenir sa place en raison d’une élongation au mollet.
LES ÉQUIPES
ANGLETERRE : Freddie Steward ; Jonny May, Joe Marchant, Manu Tuilagi, Elliot Daly ; Owen Farrell (capitaine), Alex Mitchell ; Joe Marler, Jamie George, Dan Cole ; Maro Itoje, George Martin ; Courtney Lawes, Tom Curry, Ben Earl.
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Remplaçants : Theo Dan, Ellis Genge, Kyle Sinckler, Ollie Chessum, Billy Vunipola, Danny Care, George Ford, Ollie Lawrence.
AFRIQUE DU SUD : Damian Willemse ; Kurt-Lee Arendse, Jesse Kriel, Damian de Allende, Cheslin Kolbe ; Manie Libbok, Cobus Reinach ; Steven Kitshoff, Mbongeni Mbonambi, Frans Malherbe ; Eben Etzebeth, Franco Mostert ; Siya Kolisi (capitaine), Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Duane Vermeulen.
Remplaçants : Deon Fourie, Ox Nche, Vincent Koch, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Faf de Klerk, Handre Pollard, Willie Le Roux.
Comments on RugbyPass
I reckon it may be Jordan at 10 and Nohamba at 9, both players have played together alot and both have been on the Radar for a long time. After Pollard got injured in 2022 with Elton sidelined on a path of self destruction Erasmus and Nienaber indicated that the other options in the country at the time were thin but that Jordan and Manie were the 2 they were looking at. In the end Frans steyn played flyhalf, Willemse slotted in there on the end of year with Libbok as back up. Jordan was right there in the thinking back then so expect him to take the Jersey either as the starter.
1 Go to commentsHaha did he also* say it in a sarcastic teacher sort of manor or was it the petulant English snob sort of wail?
44 Go to commentsWell said Mils. It is a big boost at last having Fergus Burke back at 10 for the Crusaders. Had a great season last year as the article says. Mils is also right about captain Codie Taylor’s performance in his return to the Crusaders last week. He was all class.
4 Go to commentsLet’s make them both Capt. I think we'd get the best of both of them and it would help alleviate some of the pressures of the role. They'd have to confer over on field decisions which should lead to “ learnings “ for both. They are our two best consistent performers.
16 Go to commentsOur best player by far..but not a good Captain..poor tactician cost the AB'S and Canes games by not taking the easy points and going for tries when the lineouts were a shambles..can he read a game? And his throat slitting gesture should disqualify him from the AB Captaincy..it is not the appropriate behaviour of an AB Captain.
16 Go to commentsForget what was said or how many players said it. TONY BROWN IS THE NEW ATTACK COACH. That’s the only story worth freaking out over. The springboks are going to grow their game an awful lot over the next cycle and it’s not just the 19 disgustingly arrogant Irish players who refused to shake Ebens hand and said “see you in the final if you can cheat your way past France” who will find that out first hand.
123 Go to commentsOn one hand I think it's a bit ridiculous that this gar into the season and with only 2 wins the Crusaders may make the finals. On the other hand if it was only top 4 or 5, then that last several weeks may be mainly dead rubbers. Nope, 8th place after round robin shouldn't be able to lift the trophy.
4 Go to commentsI do think the media in NZ treated him badly. Sam is a legend. He is humble, a great rugby mind and leader. What happened in the final could happen to anyone. The margins is so fine these days. I lay blame at the feet of the coaching staff and NZ rugby. The stats tell’s all. The AB’s was the worst disciplined side in the WC with more red and yellow cards than anyone else. Problem is NZ rugby is not training their players to play safer. And thats the danger a fast game brings. More yellow and red cards. But Sam Cane in my eye was and still is a great ambassador for the game, that just had a stroke of bad luck.
6 Go to commentsI hope Jim and co. Add this to their list of icebreaker questions they can ask all their guests going forward. So we can eventually hear what everyone thinks about this subject. “What do you think Ireland meant…”
123 Go to commentsHe’s a dominant personality. That might be both a good and bad thing in team dynamics. Certainly it ruined Smith’s first crack at 10 with Owen at 12. BTW, Bristol flatter to deceive. When things really matter, they tend to deliver less rather than more. Farrell would have been good for them
44 Go to commentsGot a lot of over the top abuse from Crusader fans, in particular, who thought every 7 they had was miles better. Now we will see if anyone is better? Laid his body on the line every game so finishing early makes sense. A lot of life left after rugby.
6 Go to commentsA poor decision to appoint Carley as not only is Pearce a better referee but also importantly speaks French.
2 Go to commentsHe is 100 % on the mark. Malicious arrogance with a lack of respect for the other teams mostly the south. they must learn from True rugby nations like the Boks and Kiwis
123 Go to commentsThis Outiniqua boy has played sublime rugby and deserves a spot in BI LIONS team. Well played son
4 Go to commentsI don’t like to see players miss big matches but this ban looks to be tailored to allow him to compete in the final. In principle a suspension for a very dangerous tackle in a semi should warrant missing the relevant final. Done now. One the flip side having both teams with very strong squads/teams available for the final will add to the occassion hopefully.
1 Go to commentsTalent to burn and a huge engine..hope he gets a shot at higher honours
2 Go to commentsIf anything like his dad he has a bright future, Soane was the best ball carrying props ive ever seen using a combination of pace power and footwork.
1 Go to commentsThose who saw Sharks vs Clermont and Ox N'Che vs Rabah Slimani should have a good idea of the best scrumagers… May be not the best props…
2 Go to commentsIt's been an unusual era of unpopular, highly competitive, domineering, fairly big fly halves in the home nations with Farrell, Sexton and Biggar. Russell is different in personality and player I think. I'd rank Sexton first of the three because he is just as good a game controller but also has a great passing game. And his competitiveness never seems to cause problems with refs.
44 Go to commentsThank goodness he wasn't born in Scotland, he'd have been a great candidate for the Scottish Barbarians. I wouldn't put it past them to push for a “where the player was conceived” rule 😂
2 Go to comments