Argentina vs Scotland - Preview
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Argentina will be keen to show they are no one trick pony after a fantastic performance at the 2007 World Cup in France. Argentina are a side that are no longer a tough opponent who generally are overpowered by the better playing rugby nations.
Argentina can now lay claim to some serious firepower in the backs and a tough set of forwards that would match most teams. It is for these reasons that Scotland will be up against it in Argentina when they take on the home side. Scotland have not beaten Argentina in the last eight test matches between the nations and with Argentina at home I think Scotland will struggle to deliver enough spark to conquer the Argentines.
Contepomi can be expected to lead his side well while Dan Parks and Mike Blair will need to find something special for the Scots to surprise a team that will have a massive home ground support in Rosario. Argentina by 13 in what should be a free flowing game of Rugby.
Scotland: Chris Paterson, Simon Danielli, Ben Cairns, Graeme Morrison, Thom Evans, Dan Parks, Mike Blair (c), Allister Hogg, Johnnie Beattie, Alasdair Strokosch, Scott MacLeod, Matt Mustchin, Euan Murray, Ross Ford, Allan Jacobsen.
Replacements: Dougie Hall, Allister Dickinson, Alastair Kellock, Kelly Brown, Rory Lawson, Phil Godman, Simon Webster.
Argentina: Bernardo Stortoni, José María Núñez Piossek, Gonzalo Tiesi, Felipe Contepomi (c), Tomás De Vedia, Federico Todeschini, Nicolás Vergallo, Juan Manuel Leguizamón, Juan Fernández Lobbe, Martín Durand, Esteban Lozada, Ignacio Fernández Lobbe, Santiago González Bonorino, Álvaro Tejeda, Marcos Ayerza.
Replacements: Pablo Gambarini, Juan Gómez, James Stuart, Alejandro Campos, Alfredo Lalanne, Santiago Fernández, Hernán Senillosa.
South Africa vs Wales - Preview
South Africa play Wales tonight in what will be a good warm up for South Africa ahead of the upcoming Tri-Nations. Wales had a fantastic Six Nations and will be keen to show they were no one hit wonder when they take on the Springboks in Bloemfontein.
Wales are without a few of their Six Nations winning team and will face some challenges to step up, meanwhile the Springboks are undergoing a major transition after losing some major stars after their recent world cup win. The Springboks line up with just five of their starting world cup winning team will find the going tough and the decision to leave Victor Matfield on the bench seems a little odd given his line out dominance in recent years.
South Africa will be expected to win on home soil but Wales will give them a real scare if they are on song. I reckon the Springboks will win by 5 in a tight game and Wales will show they were no one hit wonder in the Six Nations.
South Africa: Conrad Jantjes, Tonderai Chavanga, Adrian Jacobs, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Butch James, Bolla Conradie, Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Luke Watson, Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Brian Mujati, John Smit (c), Gurthro Steenkamp.
Replacements: CJ van der Linde, Bismarck du Plessis, Victor Matfield, Danie Rossouw, Ruan Pienaar, Peter Grant, Percy Montgomery.
Wales: Jamie Roberts, Mark Jones, Tom Shanklin, Sonny Parker, Shane Williams, Stephen Jones, Gareth Cooper, Ryan Jones (c), Dafydd Jones, Jonathan Thomas, Alun-Wyn Jones, Ian Gough, Adam Jones, Matthew Rees, Gethin Jenkins.
Replacements: Duncan Jones, Richard Hibbard, Ian Evans, Gareth Delve, Warren Fury, James Hook, Morgan Stoddart.
Wallabies training camp
The Wallabies will unveil a new style of play this year under new coach Robbie Deans. The Wallabies game has been highly structured over the last ten years and whereas once the Wallaby style of play was cutting edge under Rod McQueen it has become predictable and lacking in imagination.
The structured style of play has plagued Australian teams in the Super 14 in recent years as all Australian sides have played a highly structured game taking out the flamboyance and unpredictability that could have been useful in the World Cup. In the 2007 World Cup sides like the Argentines and French were dynamic when they played free flowing unstructured rugby. If Robbie Deans can instil this successfully in the Wallabies they will develop in leaps and bounds. The advantage the Australian side has is they are an intelligent rugby playing team and are capable of adapting and reading a game well and determining what needs to be done.
We will see how far they have come in two weeks under Robbie Deans against Ireland on 14th June.