Rugby Championship Match Thread - Sat 2nd - SA v NZ / Arg v Aus

[Kiwias]

Jordan played his best test so far. He was very productive.

Yes, in defense and attack as well.

[Gumboot]

Ha ha. I first read that as Jordie. Was thinking he did productively keep the naughty seat warm.

The Barretts probably deserve a thread of their own.

[OomStruisbaai]

Boks will have to up their ball possession stats against AB's. We've been comfortable to play without the ball against less threatening oppo. AB's have too many weapons for that. Their counter attack is superb. Savea, both Ioanes and Jordan will carve us up if our kicking is shit.

Yep we have to play different. More ball in hand. DMac can create out of nothing.

The Wallabies first tackling was weak.

[Gumboot]

Blackadder played really well when he replaced Savea, as did Taukei'aho when he came on early for Taylor. Weber played well, too. Heartening to see these fringe players in such good nick.

[Chilli]

This is a very good All Black team.
They will put Argentina to the sword next week and be brimming with confidence when they meet the Bok$

[Gumboot]

Havili's another one who's really stepped up. He reads the game so well - organised on defence, always looking for work, and he knows when to back himself close to the line. The midfield mix is intriguing. Havili looks to have nailed his spot, but what happens when Goodhue's fit again?

[Flockwitt]

What is Razor going to do next year with the Saders? Ennor's going to be back as well. They've got ridiculous depth in the back line. And that's only considering the potential starters. 2025 McLeod's going to be NZ's 12 FFS.

[Sards]

Damn. Missed second half. First was enough. ABs definitely are going to be a challenge. We are going to have to go at them very physically. And make the ref aware of them slowing the ball down by lying on the opposite side of the ruck and their offside in the backline. Wings should be really fast. And big. Willie is going to really be challenged on his positioning and defense with the chip ahead.

We can do it

[Sards]

I,ll rather take touch bore good defending forwards tests then this touch rugby from both teams.

The Wallabies defense don't excist.

And you are happy with WP playing the same.

[OomStruisbaai]

Damn. Missed second half. First was enough. ABs definitely are going to be a challenge. We are going to have to go at them very physically. And make the ref aware of them slowing the ball down by lying on the opposite side of the ruck and their offside in the backline. Wings should be really fast. And big. Willie is going to really be challenged on his positioning and defense with the chip ahead.

We can do it

Dot get to far ahead. We first need to beat the Aussies.

Next Sunday
09h05 All Blacks vs Pumas
12h05 Springboks vs Wallabies
Obus Super Stadium

[Ymx]

Havili's another one who's really stepped up. He reads the game so well - organised on defence, always looking for work, and he knows when to back himself close to the line. The midfield mix is intriguing. Havili looks to have nailed his spot, but what happens when Goodhue's fit again?

I hate to say it, but I think Goodhue wasn’t all that in the season leading up to injury.
I’d back keeping Havili where he is.

But Goodhue can do center of course.

[Sards]

Damn. Missed second half. First was enough. ABs definitely are going to be a challenge. We are going to have to go at them very physically. And make the ref aware of them slowing the ball down by lying on the opposite side of the ruck and their offside in the backline. Wings should be really fast. And big. Willie is going to really be challenged on his positioning and defense with the chip ahead.

We can do it

Dot get to far ahead. We first need to beat the Aussies.

Next Sunday
09h05 All Blacks vs Pumas
12h05 Springboks vs Wallabies
Obus Super Stadium

That should not be a problem. ABs have softened them up already

[Certain Navigator]

Blackadder played really well when he replaced Savea, as did Taukei'aho when he came on early for Taylor. Weber played well, too. Heartening to see these fringe players in such good nick.

Much as I'm a fan of Taukei'aho, it has to be said his lineout throwing went to pot after a while.

One who didn't play well — at least not in his core areas — after coming on was Perenara. Whatever skills he may have once had as a halfback have long gone.

Despite his stated preference for playing at fullback, I much prefer Havili at 12. At 15, at least for the Crusaders, he was a complete ball hog who ran as much sideways as he did forwards. Those opportunities don't exist at 12 and he's a much better player for it.

[Gumboot]

Blackadder played really well when he replaced Savea, as did Taukei'aho when he came on early for Taylor. Weber played well, too. Heartening to see these fringe players in such good nick.

Much as I'm a fan of Taukei'aho, it has to be said his lineout throwing went to pot after a while.

One who didn't play well — at least not in his core areas — after coming on was Perenara. Whatever skills he may have once had as a halfback have long gone.

Despite his stated preference for playing at fullback, I much prefer Havili at 12. At 15, at least for the Crusaders, he was a complete ball hog who ran as much sideways as he did forwards. Those opportunities don't exist at 12 and he's a much better player for it.

Yeah, Taukei'aho's throwing can be an issue, but he has time on his side. Remember the Dane Coles Award all those years ago? But I sure hope Aumua's fit, coz we're quickly running out of hookers.

I was really worried about Havili at 12 and prior to this season I don't think he'd played well there at all, but very happy he's proved me wrong this year. My main concern was how he'd cope with the extra pressure on defence in the midfield, but he appears to be one of those players who plays better with less time to respond or think about what he's going to do in any given situation - that's my tin pot theory, anyway. Great instincts and reflexes, and he loves scoring tries which is nice. The acid test will be how he copes with the Bok behemoths, though.

[assfly]

The All Black counter attack is still as deadly as ever, so Boks are going to have to be clinical in their kick chase.

[Chilli]

The Aussie team will be a different beast for the Boks
They play a more attacking/ running type of game.
Their forwards are pretty good and they have an exciting backline.

It is going to be close

[OomStruisbaai]

Yep we can't look further then the next match.

[handyman]

Sunday's sport is going to be awesome. Rugby at 12:00, light the fire at halftime, watch second half, braai after the match, Italian Grand Prix at 15:00.

Tough to top that.

[Chilli]

Sunday's sport is going to be awesome. Rugby at 12:00, light the fire at halftime, watch second half, braai after the match, Italian Grand Prix at 15:00.

Tough to top that.

You forgot the breakfast rugby

[handyman]

Sunday's sport is going to be awesome. Rugby at 12:00, light the fire at halftime, watch second half, braai after the match, Italian Grand Prix at 15:00.

Tough to top that.

You forgot the breakfast rugby

True, but I will unfortunately miss that game.

[handyman]

Yep we can't look further then the next match.

Very true. Take it one match at a time. Aussie will have been targeting the 2 tests vs SA.

[Sards]

Honestly. Aus should be no problem at all.

If they are then our rugby and NH rugby is truly vokked

[OomStruisbaai]

Nienaber will start with his strongest starting XV and bench. Its 4 in a row , so at some stage he'll need to rest some of them. Our lot haven't played in front of crowds, that will help the Wallabies a lot. We saw in Benneton what massive difference it made to the home team.

[Gumboot]

Honestly. Aus should be no problem at all.

Yep, anything less than a 30-point romp will be a moral victory to the Wobblies.

[FalseBayFC]

Not been impressed by the Wallabies at all. Having said that they will probably click and give us a stern test or even beat us. Playing such a green flyhalf is always going to result in inconsistent performance, Lolesio has a long way to go. I have been surprised at the poor performance of the Aus frontrowers and loose trio. They've been average against fairly inexperienced All Blacks counterparts.

[Chilli]

Honestly. Aus should be no problem at all.

Yep, anything less than a 30-point romp will be a moral victory to the Wobblies.

It's Sards

[Blake]

The Aussie team will be a different beast for the Boks
They play a more attacking/ running type of game.
Their forwards are pretty good and they have an exciting backline.

It is going to be close

Yep - I think a lot of people are underestimating the threat they are going to pose because the All Blacks took them apart so comprehensively. There is still a very good team in there with some serious attacking threats at the back. Koroibete and Kerevi are tanks. If they break the line it can get very ugly, very quickly.

I think we have them up front though. Their pack is a bit green and we might be able to shell-shock them. Time will tell.

How the referee polices the breakdown will be crucial as ever. Hope we can adapt and that it is done consistently, but I have no doubt it's going to be the focal point of the game. Either the Aussies are going to string together some fast phases and run us ragged, or we are going to blow them off the ball, disrupt every ruck, force penalties and maul them to death.

[Sards]

The Aussie team will be a different beast for the Boks
They play a more attacking/ running type of game.
Their forwards are pretty good and they have an exciting backline.

It is going to be close

Yep - I think a lot of people are underestimating the threat they are going to pose because the All Blacks took them apart so comprehensively. There is still a very good team in there with some serious attacking threats at the back. Koroibete and Kerevi are tanks. If they break the line it can get very ugly, very quickly.

I think we have them up front though. Their pack is a bit green and we might be able to shell-shock them. Time will tell.

How the referee polices the breakdown will be crucial as ever. Hope we can adapt and that it is done consistently, but I have no doubt it's going to be the focal point of the game. Either the Aussies are going to string together some fast phases and run us ragged, or we are going to blow them off the ball, disrupt every ruck, force penalties and maul them to death.

Our defense will be too strong for Aus.
Koroibete and Kerevi are the only 2 that look useful and they are the constant go to. It's very predictable. If we don't win by 20 we are going to be slaughtered by the ABS. Our forwards will destroy the Aussies forwards. Our backline has far too much pace for their backs....

[assfly]

At the risk of sounding arrogant, I think you're giving Australia too much credit.

Three games in a row they've been spanked by the NZ team that didn't even seem to be trying most of the time. They are incredibly disorganised in both defence and attack, and if the Boks can bring the same intensity from the Lions series then we should win comfortably. Their flyhalf looks like a total liability, reminds me of Bosch. Pack looks lightweight and could be in for a very long afternoon.

[Chilli]

At the risk of sounding arrogant, I think you're giving Australia too much credit.

Three games in a row they've been spanked by the NZ team that didn't even seem to be trying most of the time. They are incredibly disorganised in both defence and attack, and if the Boks can bring the same intensity from the Lions series then we should win comfortably. Their flyhalf looks like a total liability, reminds me of Bosch. Pack looks lightweight and could be in for a very long afternoon.

Dear Mocker God's,

Please don't punish the rest of us for the arrogance of the $harks supporters

[Sards]

At the risk of sounding arrogant, I think you're giving Australia too much credit.

Three games in a row they've been spanked by the NZ team that didn't even seem to be trying most of the time. They are incredibly disorganised in both defence and attack, and if the Boks can bring the same intensity from the Lions series then we should win comfortably. Their flyhalf looks like a total liability, reminds me of Bosch. Pack looks lightweight and could be in for a very long afternoon.

Dear Mocker God's,

Please don't punish the rest of us for the arrogance of the $harks supporters

Play to lose and you will.

[assfly]

Please don't punish the rest of us for the arrogance of the $harks supporters

I'm a Springbok supporter and we're the world vokken champions.

[Sards]

Please don't punish the rest of us for the arrogance of the $harks supporters

I'm a Springbok supporter and we're the world vokken champions.

I don't get this demonization of Sharks supporters. Like we are not allowed to support the boks even though we have the most players there and we actually pay our players.

[handyman]

Overall
Tests 88
SA 48
Aus 37
Drawn 3

In Aus
Tests 39
SA 12
Aus 25
Drawn 2

[Sards]

Overall
Tests 88
SA 48
Aus 37
Drawn 3

In Aus
Tests 39
SA 12
Aus 25
Drawn 2

We all know that history has absolutely no relevance today. Look what the boks have done against the grain.
A RWC after losing a pool game. Losing the first BILs match and winning the series

[handyman]

Overall
Tests 88
SA 48
Aus 37
Drawn 3

In Aus
Tests 39
SA 12
Aus 25
Drawn 2

We all know that history has absolutely no relevance today. Look what the boks have done against the grain

Lad, with all due respect, you only started watching rugby a little while back.

[Sards]

Overall
Tests 88
SA 48
Aus 37
Drawn 3

In Aus
Tests 39
SA 12
Aus 25
Drawn 2

We all know that history has absolutely no relevance today. Look what the boks have done against the grain

Lad, with all due respect, you only started watching rugby a little while back.

Ja. I remember the 1990 CC final like it was yesterday...but a blimp in time. Remember I got smashed in the carpark

[OomStruisbaai]

At the risk of sounding arrogant, I think you're giving Australia too much credit.

Three games in a row they've been spanked by the NZ team that didn't even seem to be trying most of the time. They are incredibly disorganised in both defence and attack, and if the Boks can bring the same intensity from the Lions series then we should win comfortably. Their flyhalf looks like a total liability, reminds me of Bosch. Pack looks lightweight and could be in for a very long afternoon.

Dear Mocker God's,

Please don't punish the rest of us for the arrogance of the $harks supporters

When the $hark$ supporters read to much Keo and speaking about World Champs then the rest of us must start worry. The Springboks only play well as underdogs and losing to the Wallabies ain't the best team to lose.

[handyman]

At the risk of sounding arrogant, I think you're giving Australia too much credit.

Three games in a row they've been spanked by the NZ team that didn't even seem to be trying most of the time. They are incredibly disorganised in both defence and attack, and if the Boks can bring the same intensity from the Lions series then we should win comfortably. Their flyhalf looks like a total liability, reminds me of Bosch. Pack looks lightweight and could be in for a very long afternoon.

Dear Mocker God's,

Please don't punish the rest of us for the arrogance of the $harks supporters

When the $hark$ supporters read to much Keo and speaking about World Champs then the rest of us must start worry. The Springboks only play well as underdogs and losing to the Wallabies ain't the best team to lose.

Sjoe, stadig oom, dis nou eers kwart voor 2. Wag eers tot die boeing oor is.

[assfly]

When the $hark$ supporters read to much Keo and speaking about World Champs then the rest of us must start worry. The Springboks only play well as underdogs and losing to the Wallabies ain't the best team to lose.

I don't read Keo. Just call it based on the game I watched on Sunday morning.

We will not be the underdogs this weekend. We will rightfully be the favorites.

It would take a monumental turn of form for Australia to beat us. Let's wait and see what they can do.

Edit: I see that Cooper and O'Conner may be in the mix. I may adjust my predications slightly if they are selected