All Black team vs Tonga

Starting XV:

1. Tony Woodcock (76)
2. Andrew Hore (55)
3. Owen Franks (24)
4. Brad Thorn (52)
5. Ali Williams (66)
6. Jerome Kaino (41)
7. Richie McCaw – captain (98)
8. Victor Vito (8)
9. Jimmy Cowan (47)
10. Daniel Carter (83)
11. Isaia Toeava (32)
12. Sonny Bill Williams (7)
13. Ma’a Nonu (60)
14. Richard Kahui (12)
15. Israel Dagg (7)

Reserves:

16. Corey Flynn (14)
17. Ben Franks (11)
18. Anthony Boric (20)
19. Sam Whitelock (18)
20. Piri Weepu (49)
21. Colin Slade (5)
22. Cory Jane (26)

Number of Test caps in brackets

A good strong opening.

Come on Boks!
Defend the damn trophy!

Here's my analysis of the BOK's

STRENGTHS:

- They are masters at playing tournament rugby because of the way they build momentum
- Has one of the best packs in the world built around the "blood brothers" (Vitor Matfeld and Bakkies Botha)
- they are the best defensive team in the world, because of their physical approach to the game. There is a saying in rugby that "You don't beat the BOK's, you just score more points than them"

WEAKNESSES:

- The coaching set-up is weak mostly because its felt that the black head coach (Peter De Viliers) is not qualified to lead a Bok side, therefore it breeds serious racial undercurrents which you will never notice from the players but which are openly expressed by fans especially in blogs.
- Some of the teams key players either lack form or are way past their sell by date, e.g Jon Smit (too old), Schalk Burger (returning from Injury), Guthro Steenkamp (returning from Injury), Heinrich Brussow (returning from injury), Fourie Duprees (poor form)

EXPECTED STRONGEST TEAM:
1. Tendai Mtawarira (the Beast)
2. Jon "Fatboy" Smit-captain (personnaly prefer Bismark Duplessis)
3. Jannie Duplessis
4. Bakkies Botha
5. Victor Matfeld
6. Heinrich Brussow
7. Schalk "Hannibal Lecter" Burger
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie Dupreez
10. Butch James/Morne Steyns
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean De Viliers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. JP Pieterson
15. Frans Steyn
SUBS:
16. Bismark Duplessis
17. CJ Van Der linde
18. Dannie Roussow
19. Willem "the bone collector" Alberts
20. Francois Hougaard
21. Morne Steyns/Butch James
22. Patrick Lambie


EXPECTED POSITION:

Will win their pool games, get past the quarters then LOSE to the AB's in the Semi's

@Masukuma

Very true, they really need to win this one if only to round up the sterling careers of macaw and Carter.

I have not watched a world cup final since 1995 and I really need to watch this one, the AB's must get there to allow me to watch my first world cup final in 2 decades, if they don't make it, again I will not watch, I can't stand the sight of posers like Quade Cooper drinking from the Webb Ellis again.

I always feel sorry for Greats like Tana Umaga and Jerry Collins who did not win the world cup in their rugby careers.

@Obi
You dint mention both Richie Mcaw and Dan Carter have no replacements. So can you imagine what will happen if Dan Carter is injured or even gets a niggle?? The AB heavily are reliant on a fit Dan Carter...