Butch James anticipates the selection of Wallabies Berrick Barnes at centre position – Rugby News
The South African national Rugby Union team’s World Cup winning fly half, Butch James, has anticipated the selection of the experienced Wallabies international backs player, Berrick Barnes, at the centre position for their upcoming
encounter.
2011 Tri Nations’ champions, Wallabies, and defending world champions, Springboks, will face each other in the third quarter-final of the 2011 Rugby World Cup (RWC) on Sunday, October 9 at Westpac Stadium, Wellington.
James has urged Wallabies to play Barnes at the inside centre position for the upcoming must-win game. He added the selection of Barnes at the centre position in the Wallabies starting xv, will give them two playmakers in the
lineup. He added that Barnes can easily combine the moves with the Wallabies fly half, Quade Cooper, which will pose a real threat to the Springboks.
James further added, “They have relied on centres just recently that are more hard runners than creators for the players around them. With Berrick, there it opens up options. They will now be capable of attacking wide and attacking
close if that is what they want to do.”
Springboks will enter the match with a relatively poor track record against the Wallabies. They have lost both matches the teams have played with each other during this season. Besides this, Springboks have won just one match
in their last six encounters against the Wallabies.
James will start the match from the bench. He termed the Springboks unit a more functioning and together than the one which suffered a close defeat by Wallabies at Durban, in their last 2011 Tri Nations encounter.
James has termed the Springboks as more conducive to the knockout stages of the game. He added, “One of our biggest problem areas so far has been the cleaning out of ruck. But it doesn't really matter how much you work on that on the training field.”
He has also ruled out the general notion that the match will be a test of Springboks defence and Wallabies offence. He expects the Wallabies to persist with their game plan, which has brought them success against the world champions.
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