Former captains size up quarterfinal opponents
● Corne Krige is one of two Springbok captains who has exited at the quarterfinal stage of a Rugby World Cup. That makes him best placed to know which is the team to avoid.
When Krige captained SA at the 2003 edition in Australia, SA lost 25-6 against England in Perth.
It booked them an unwanted play-off date with New Zealand.
At the time the Boks were in no shape to beat John Mitchell’s side, who walloped them 52-16 earlier that year.
SA were beaten 29-9 in Melbourne in what remains SA’s most disappointing World Cup.
There’s no New Zealand to worry about as the pool stage meanders to its eventual conclusion.
With Japan beating Ireland last week, the hosts made a mess of Pool A and the quarterfinal permutations.
Japan played Samoa yesterday and regardless of the result, a win against Scotland in Yokohama on October 13 will get them into the play-offs.
Ireland should get the better of Samoa and go on to face the Boks in Tokyo on October 20.
Having beaten Italy on Friday, SA are expected to see off Canada on Tuesday.
The Ireland quarterfinal, despite Joe Schmidt’s side not quite finding their high notes of recent years, is one Krige would like the Springboks to avoid.
“I’d much prefer to play Japan than Ireland.
“There’s results that need to take place for that to happen, but there’s the Scotland game. I think Scotland were unsettled by the Ireland game and it wasn’t good for their confidence,” Krige said.
“If we somehow do get Scotland in the quarterfinals, it will be difficult, but with the way Pool A is shaping up, it shouldn’t come as a surprise if Japan and Ireland push through to the play-offs.”
Should the Boks somehow get a quarterfinal they didn’t envisage, it won’t be the first time that’s happened.
When John Smit captained the 2011 group in New Zealand, they topped Pool C.
Australia were expected to head Pool D, but in losing to Ireland in Auckland, the Springboks had to face Australia instead of Ireland in Wellington.
SA infamously lost the “Bryce Lawrence” quarterfinal 11-9, while Wales beat Ireland 22-10.
SA don’t have the rock-and-the-hardplace play-off route as champion teams have to deal with what’s in front of them.
Krige though has been impressed by Japan, even though the Boks may not play them.
“Japan’s very quick around the park and they move the ball wide quite well. They don’t have a dominant pack, but they’ve got hard-working forwards. They always have decent ball to work with,” Krige said.
“I wouldn’t be surprised if they top the pool, but they also missed out in 2015 and they’re looking in decent shape.”