infonews.co.nz
INDEX
RUGBY

Youngest Bok gets a pat at the back

Saturday 8 October 2011, 3:22PM

By Rugby World Cup 2011

334 views

Pat Lambie's teammates praise maturity of the youngest Springbok
Pat Lambie's teammates praise maturity of the youngest Springbok Credit: Rugby World Cup 2011

WELLINGTON CITY

The youngest player on the field in Sunday's quarter-final between South Africa and Australia won't be in the precocious Wallaby backline, but guarding the fort for the battle-hardened veterans of the Springbok team.

Patrick Lambie was four when South Africa won its first World Cup in 1995 and is still a week short of his 21st birthday but he will have a huge responsibility at full back for the Boks, especially if the high kicks start coming his way in the swirling wind inside Wellington Regional Stadium.

Lambie's 10 caps may be only small change in the Springbok starting XV's collective 836, the most-capped starting line-up in Test history, but 73-Test wing Bryan Habana backs his teammate's talent and composure.

"He's a 20-year-old that's got an unbelievable head on his shoulders for such a young guy," said South Africa's leading try scorer. "I've a lot of faith in his ability."

South Africa's strategy is expected to centre on forward dominance, suffocating defence and the accurate boot of fly half Morné Steyn.

South Africa have conceded the fewest points (24) of any team and only two tries, while their success rate at goal is over 80 per cent. They've also been the least penalised team in the tournament to date, equal with Italy (33 penalties).

Same backline

Australia coach Robbie Deans has returned to the same backline that helped beat South Africa 14-9 in their last encounter in Durban two months ago, but it is in the forwards where Australia will face their biggest challenge.

They were penalised out of the game against Ireland when their scrum failed them and they also lost the breakdown battle convincingly.

For this match they will have the strength and organising ability of Stephen Moore at hooker and openside flanker and breakdown specialist David Pocock after both missed the Ireland match. They also welcome back wing Digby Ioane, whose power running can breach the line and give Australia the opening they need to pour through behind the defence.

Also coming off the physio table are inside centre Pat McCabe (partial shoulder dislocation) and full back Kurtley Beale (hamstring).

Despite losing wing Drew Mitchell (hamstring) for the tournament, the injury pendulum has generally favoured Australia at this point in the tournament, with South Africa have losing two key players in menacing second row Bakkies Botha and powerful centre Frans Steyn.

Habana recovery

However, they do have Habana in the line-up after his recovery from deep leg bruising, along with fellow wing JP Pietersen who has overcome a knee injury sustained in the physical final Pool D match against Samoa.

Both teams go into the match as the only nations to have won two World Cups and neither wants to bow out at this stage of the tournament. Australia did it in 2007 and hated the experience, while South Africa went on to win and the pressure from home to be the first to win two in a row is immense.

South Africa's vast experience and proven ability at this level - the starting XV includes eight players who started in the 2007 RWC final - will be key factors if the scores are close as the clock ticks down.

Experience also comes with age, and the defending champions will field the oldest team they've ever run out at RWC (average 28 years and 272 days).

By contrast Australia field their youngest line-up (average 26 years and 144 days) for a RWC knockout match since the 1991 final victory against England.