Unpreditable

Skinstad wary of England

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Posted: Thursday October 21, 1999 02:11 PM

"Defeat does sting and that will be in the back of some players' minds," said Skinstad. Allsport UK/Allsport

PARIS (AP) -- South Africa's week-long break between matches won't give it any advantage in its quarterfinal clash with England, Springbok star Bobby Skinstad said Thursday.

After a tricky opener against Scotland, South Africa breezed through group matches against Spain and Uruguay and has spent the week relaxing in Paris.

England had a tough playoff against Fiji on Wednesday before traveling to the French capital.

"Is it better to have an extra game or extra rest? It is a difficult call but I think it is 50-50," Skinstad said.

"England haven't cruised through and the practice has been very constructive for us. But on the other hand England have been able to bring on players for 20 or 30 minutes and they have gelled in well."

Skinstad, battling back to form after injury, said that England's biggest threat is its unpredictability.

"What worries me about England is that the change their game plan from match to match," the 23-year-old flanker said. "They don't play to a set pattern so you really don't know how they will play and you can't guarantee who will be carrying the ball. That makes them harder to play against."

The defending champion goes into Sunday's quarterfinal at Saint-Denis as favorite, but Clive Woodward's team has the memory of a win in the last match between the two teams, 13-7 at Twickenham last December.

"I am not a revenge player. I don't look at it as motivation but defeat does sting and that will be in the back of some players' minds," Skinstad said.

After its low-key route to the last eight -- the Springoks strolled to easy wins in front of small crowds in Edinburgh and Glasgow -- the South African camp now feels that the World Cup has begun for real.

 

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