bandilions1Couch Critic previews Saturday's second test between South Africa and the B&I Lions including best bets and tryscorer specials with @Olimp_SA

 

 

 

SOUTH AFRICA vs BRITSH & IRISH LIONS – 2ndt Test, 31 July @ 18:00 (Cape Town)

 

Come 18:00 on Saturday Rassie might be next to the field in a lime green bib and Gatland up in the coaches box with his suit and tie. The talking will be a thing of the past and it will be down to 46 men (and four officials) to determine whether we enter the third test as a decider or a dead-rubber. Personally, as I type this I’m not quite sure where to throw my coin yet, but hopefully after a paragraph or two below I will have convinced myself…

 

Forty minutes into the first test the Springboks were doing exactly what Nienaber would have wanted. Tactically the Boks were bossing the game and refusing to play any rugby in their own area of the field (as we’ve come to know them) whilst the likes of Etzebeth, Mostert and even Am in centre field were bullying the sun-shy visitors in defence. Of course things changed drastically after the break and Nienaber commenting in the build-up pressor about the number of opportunities created by his team had me a touch perplexed and wondering whether the captain of the ship really knows how to change course, even just a touch?

 

It’s not often you get two such identical styles clashing. Gatland has clearly decided to opt for the Welsh approach of trying to force the hosts into playing some rugby – but that’s about as futile as expecting a South African to abandon the idea of a braai purely on account of there being a slight drizzle in the air. Use the boot and after that just physical overpower the opponent, those are the lyrics and everyone in Green and Gold on game day should be singing from the same hymn sheet. Are we going to see a Drakensberg Boys’ Choir like performance though?

 

It promises to be yet another al mighty tussle between two strong units and I honestly believe it will come down to a case of who can produce a channelled aggression approach the best. One is sure to see serious scrutiny from the officials for this one and the likes of Lawes, Etzebeth, Vunipola, Mostert, Farrell and Marx will have to bring plenty of fire but ensure they keep it clean enough to satisfy the judicial.

 

I’m a touch concerned that the SA bench is more like the Canine Unit than the Bomb Squad in its current guise but hopefully Kitshoff, Malherbe and co will have set the platform for success early doors. In the end the Boks don’t have a complicated strategy and a lot of it is based on pure heart and passion rather than skill and guile. If they can refrain from going a touch too far with the physicality aspect, I have a feeling the home side will get the job done in very tight, emotion-filled clash.

 

BETOLIMP BEST BETS

 

South Africa to win by 1-7 points @ 3.45

South Africa (1-8) / South Africa (1-12) @ 6.00

Tryscorers: No Tryscorer @ 21.00

 

(Note, all odds quoted are subject to change)

 

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