Rugby World Cup: Big hits, raw anger and venom

Daniel Carter and the All Blacks sampled Samoa's trademark tooth-rattling defence during the historic Apia test. Photo / Dean Purcell

SA will return to brutal basics — just how Samoa like it

In the most unpredictable of World Cups, there are at least a couple of anchor points that will provide an element of relief that not everything can be pushed off course.

One of those points that should prove reassuringly predictable is that having suffered a humiliating defeat, the Springboks will arrive at Villa Park on Sunday with raw anger fuelling them. Their response after losing to Japan will be to come at Samoa in the most direct and overtly physical way.

Under pressure the Boks will revert to what they know: they will ask what they do best and the answer, as it has been for more than 100 years, is physical intimidation.

South Africa have always been convinced that if the wall is still standing after charging into it nine times, it will fall on the tenth as long as they charge harder. It's a thought process that has served them well - given them a relentless toughness and brutality that tests the character of their opposition.

What makes their likely response so mouth-watering is that Samoa rather enjoy the physical stuff themselves. They are the proverbial brick wall and as they ably demonstrated when the All Blacks played in Apia this year, Samoa rugby do a particularly special line in aggressive defence.

They remain the masters of warrior rugby - absolutely lethal when it comes to high impact tackling. Even the All Blacks were a little rattled by the ferocity of Samoa's defence - ball carriers who were hit early becoming noticeably wary the next time they were in possession.

It's a quality skill that Samoa have - it creates hesitancy and wariness in their opponents and everyone knows the fear of what could be coming in often is the more powerful tool than what actually comes.

What all this means is that the game of the weekend is likely to be in Birmingham rather than at Twickenham where England will be playing Wales. The Pool of Death hasn't lost its special status as such, it is just that Pool B has suddenly become equally if not more fascinating because of the sheer unexpectedness of what happened in Brighton.

There is now no one with a good feel of what will transpire: South Africa could romp home, or maybe they will be tackled into another panicky mess by the Samoans.

Whatever, the chances of this game being dull are zero. When they met in 2011 at North Harbour Stadium, it was one of the best games of the pool round. There was venom and nastiness in many of the exchanges and the battering both took was huge.

The only guaranteed aspect to be replicated from 2011 is the ferocity of the battle.