Boks vs. Blacks

Well - this weekend marks the second last game for the Tri-Nations...which compared to previous tournaments is really not about winning the cup - it's more about finding the perfect 15 and deep enough bench to get you through the RWC which starts in...21 days. I'm so excited...I'm so ready for it...

I'm not even joking...I may have started working on a poster board tournament set up. I'm a little obsessed, okay?

But we have to focus on the moment and we're not at the World Cup yet - we're still in the shake down phase and the All Blacks have a massive game coming up this weekend. Not massive as in - world ending. Massive as in...Richie McCaw, Dan Carter and folk have all been left at home for the weekend and players from the injury list are coming back for the first time in...well for some like Isreal Dagg and Sean Maitland, almost two months. And all this would normally be a big deal but they're facing an almost full strength Springbok team. It's pride for the defending world champions who have been dragged through the dust without even a word of fight.

Here's the line ups...Boks are on the right:

1. Gurthro Steenkamp / Tony Woodcock
2. Bismarck du Plessis / Keven Mealamu (captain)
3. Jannie du Plessis / John Afoa
4. Bakkies Botha / Samuel Whitelock
5. Victor Matfield (captain) / Ali Williams
6. Heinrich Brussow / Jerome Kaino
7. Willem Alberts / Adam Thomson
8. Pierre Spies / Liam Messam
9. Fourie du Preez / Jimmy Cowan
10. Morne Steyn / Colin Slade
11. Bryan Habana / Hosea Gear
12. Jean de Villiers / Sonny Bill Williams
13. Jaque Fourie / Richard Kahui
14. JP Pietersen / Isaia Toeava
15. Patrick Lambie / Isreal Dagg

16. John Smit / Andrew Hore
17. Tendai Mtawarira (the Beast) / Ben Franks
18. CJ van der Linde / Jarrad Hoeta
19. Danie Rossouw / Victor Vito
20. Ashley Johnson / Andy Ellis
21. Francois Hougaard / Piri Weepu
22. Butch James / Cory James

It's tough to go through this list and bold the better of the pair especially when there are so many players that haven't stepped on the field in months. Even on the Boks side...Spies, Steenkamp, de Villiers, du Preez... I believe that the Blacks can win and if they truly pull this one out of the hat...it only goes to prove that the All Blacks not only have the starting 15 that can take it - they've got the bench to do it too. I still maintain that Hosea Gear should not be taking the starting bout on this. WHY IS CORY JANE ON THE BENCH!!! I hope...(not that this is a great thing to say)...Hosea sucks it but then Cory Jane comes in and cleans the field with Habana's shorts.

I guess we'll see. I say...All Blacks by 9.