Rugby World Cup 2015: Key Battles in New Zealand vs. South Africa

New Zealand vs. South Africa is a 2015 Rugby World Cup semi-final to savour. Over recent years there has been no more physical encounter in the sport than when the All Blacks and the Springboks collide.

Reflecting this, three of the five key battles at Twickenham on October 24 are in the pack. The ground will shake as the two sets of forwards get intimately reacquainted with each other. And with Julian Savea doing a fine impression of Jonah Lomu against France, heavy hits will also be found out wide. Amid such passion and power, much will come down to each team’s generals at half-back.

Here are Bleacher Report’s five key battles for the Rugby World Cup's first semi-final.

Schalk Burger vs. Jerome Kaino

Schalk Burger was omnipresent against Wales in the quarter-final. The flanker was often used at first receiver, either to charge upfield or to engage defenders before passing down the line. Twenty six carries, 11 more than any other player on the pitch, as per the BBC, was a serious contribution.

Jerome Kaino also had a very effective game in the last eight, nullifying the threat posed by France’s Thierry Dusautoir and Bernard Le Roux at the breakdown. As noted by stuff.co.nz, Kaino’s try on 50 minutes ensured he drew level with Alan Whetton as the top-scoring All Black forward at World Cups with five tries.

Former New Zealand captain Taine Randell called Kaino’s overall contribution “immense”, adding, as per stuff.co.nz: “That was the most encouraging sign out of today's game—a lot of people played well, but I think that was a result of the impact of our six, seven and eight.”

Burger versus Kaino is going to be brutal and arguably the key contest as South Africa and New Zealand fight for supremacy in the forwards.

Verdict: Level.

Julian Savea vs. JP Pietersen

Julian Savea’s performance against France was Lomu-esque. The way the bruising winger brushed off Scott Spedding, the beefiest full-back at the World Cup (see video above), said it all.

JP Pietersen, who will line up opposite the big man on the wing for South Africa is the physical antithesis of Savea. Pietersen is a good defender, but if Savea can get some momentum before running at him, he will prove too strong for the Springbok.

South Africa’s best chance of exposing or isolating Savea is to kick behind him and have Pietersen chase him and bring him down before he starts motoring.

Verdict: Advantage New Zealand.

Brodie Rettallick vs. Lood De Jager

Brodie Retallick is a giant of a man: Just ask Frederic Michalak who tried to kick over the lock with an injured hamstring (see video above). As 6'8" Retallick shows in his carrying and charge downs, size does matter, but even more so when it is combined with freakish athleticism. To take just one example, to charge Michalak down, he outsprinted McCaw in the defensive line.

Lood de Jager, at 6'9", is even taller than Rettallick. He has outshone Eben Etzebeth this World Cup in the South African second row. De Jager’s powerful carrying was a feature of his game against Scotland and Wales, and he bulldozed his way over against Japan in the first game. What’s more, De Jager is also the go-to man at the lineout. In short, Victor who?

Verdict: Advantage New Zealand.

Half-Backs: Aaron Smith and Dan Carter vs. Fourie Du Preez and Handre Pollard

GABRIEL BOUYS/Getty Images

Carter (left) with Smith

Aaron Smith and Dan Carter are the best half-back combination in the world when the New Zealand pack is going forwards. They can expect an advantage there against South Africa, but only a very narrow one.

Consequently, Smith and Carter will have to astutely manage the game; an area in which Fourie du Preez is an expert.

Du Preez has an uncommon understanding of space and a boot to execute what he sees. He box kicks with the best and is always looking to kick diagonally, behind the opposition wingers. As highlighted in Slide 2, this could be a key weapon for South Africa’s JP Pietersen against Julian Savea.

Handre Pollard is an assured 10, but his inexperience may play into Kiwi hands. Missing two important kicks against Wales showed the pressure of World Cup rugby may faze him. That won’t happen to Carter.

Du Preez is tailor-made for this game, but will Pollard’s inexperience be South Africa’s undoing?

Verdict: Advantage New Zealand, thanks to the kicking of the two fly-halves.

Kieran Read vs. Duane Vermeulen

The world’s two best No. 8s face off in this clash. Read, a former World Player of the Year, is the great all-rounder, but Vermeulen’s ability to make the hard yards could be a deciding factor in this individual battle.

Vermeulen has fought off injury troubles to make it to the World Cup, and after a couple of quiet performances, was fully up to speed against Wales. He constantly made dents in the Welsh defence, and his presence of mind to carry on the blindside of a late scrum, married with a delicious offload to Du Preez (see video above), took South Africa to victory.

It was gutsy, too. Pollard was looking for the drop goal in front of the posts that would have also given the Springboks the lead.

Read’s contribution, as alluded to, is more complete than Vermeulen’s, and his portfolio includes defence, rucking and the lineout. He is a third flanker when his team need him to contain the opposition, and a ball-carrier when offence is required.

Verdict: Level.

Overall: New Zealand will win three of five key semi-final battles, with the other two too close to call.