The Rugby Championship - Round 2

[Gumboot]

Saturday, 17th August


Curtain Raiser
New Zealand vs Argentina
Eden Park, Auckland
7:05pm Local, 4:05am Argentina, 5:05pm Aus, 9:05am SA
Referee: Andrea Piardi (Ita)
ARs: Angus Gardner (Aus) & Nic Berry (Aus)
TMO: Marius Jonker (SA)






Main Event
Australia vs South Africa
Optus Stadium, Perth
5:45pm Local, 11:45am SA, 9:45pm NZ, 6:45am Argentina
Referee: Paul Williams (NZ)
ARs: Luke Pearce (Eng) & Hollie Davidson (Sco)
TMO: Richard Kelly (NZ)

[Sards]

Please dont....

Calling the Saffers the main event will make us unbearable

[LoveOfTheGame]

Please dont....

Calling the Saffers the main event will make us unbearable

No, only you Sards.

[Sards]

Please dont....

Calling the Saffers the main event will make us unbearable

No, only you Sards.

LOTG.....More so than ouboet...nah. I am the moderate one

[OomStruisbaai]

Vat die skrum

[handyman]

Springboks need to put this game away. We have been guilty in the past of not following up.

[Sards]

Springboks need to put this game away. We have been guilty in the past of not following up.

The Australians looked like kids. I believe they are getting some experienced players back. Like Mapimpi's mate.
So we will need to execute those opportunities better than we have.

[Jethro]

Please dont....

Calling the Saffers the main event will make us unbearable

"will make" ?

Be interesting to see what the reactions are from the losing team.

Australia - at least try to look like an international team, reckon they don't want to fall into the trap of training simply to counter Bokke tactics, the SA coach no doubt has some new tricks up his sleeve.

New Zealand - at least try to look like an international team, cut out the stupid passes, get the defensive line to actual stop Pumas aggression and show some pattern, see if we can't find another Barrett or three, be a hell of a lot more clinical. Don't think Argentina has too much more to offer, time for some retribution.

Good luck to all teams in Round 2.

[Guy Smiley]

If there’s anything the ABs don’t need it’s more fucking Barrett’s.

[assfly]

Springboks need to put this game away. We have been guilty in the past of not following up.

100%. Second test syndrome. Struck us against Ireland and Wales previously.

[Gumboot]

If there’s anything the ABs don’t need it’s more fucking Barrett’s.

On the bright side, they do have a 100% win record as ABs captains.

[OomStruisbaai]

https://sarugby.co.za/media/f3odgfht/24 ... 2080430000

Springbok team to face Australia in Perth:

15 – Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 5 caps, 10 points (2t)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 34 caps, 96 points (15t, 3c, 5p)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 72 caps, 80 points (16t)
12 – Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 36 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 43 caps, 150 points (30t)
10 – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 5 caps, 25 points (11c, 1p)
9 – Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions) – 1 cap, O points

8 – Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 5 caps, 0 points
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 80 caps, 45 points (9t)
6 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 21 caps, 0 pts
5 – Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0 points
4 – Salmaan Moerat (captain, DHL Stormers) – 8 caps, 0 points
3 – Thomas du Toit (Bath) – 19 caps, 0 pts
2 – Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0 points
1 – Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 5 points (1t)

Replacements:

16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 68 caps, 85 points (17t)
17 – Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 32 caps, 0 pts
18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 53 caps, 0 points
19 – Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 123 caps, 30 points (6t)
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 44 caps, 40 pts (8t)
21 – Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 12 caps, 10 points (2t)
22 – Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 15 caps, 91 pts (1t, 28c, 10p)
23 – Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 72 caps, 732 points (7t, 98c, 162p, 5dg)

Stats and facts:

Springbok record against Australia:

Played 94; Won 51; Lost 40; Drawn 3; Points for: 1 893, Points against: 1 660; Tries scored 223, Tries conceded 171; Highest score 61-22 (Pretoria, 1997); Biggest win 45 points (53-8, Johannesburg 2008). Win % 54.2%.

Miscellaneous:

Should Eben Etzebeth take the field it will mark his 124th Test, which will see him equal with Bryan Habana in second place and three caps short from equalling Victor Matfield’s Springbok Test record (127).
Should Kwagga Smith take the field, he will need only five more Test caps to join the club of Springboks with 50 Test caps.
Morne van den Berg, Ruan Nortje, Jan-Hendrik Wessels and Johan Grobbelaar will earn only their second Test caps in the match.
Should the Springboks win, it will be the first time they have won four successive tests against the Wallabies in more than half a century (they won seven matches in a row against Australia between 1969 and 1971).
A win for the Springboks would be their third in succession against the Wallabies in Australia – the first time that feat would have been achieved since winning four in a row between 1971 (3) and the return from isolation in 1993 (1).
The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 332.
There are 196 caps in the backline, with 136 caps among the forwards. On the bench there are a further 419 caps.
The average caps per player in the backline is 28, the forwards 17, while the players on the bench average 52.

[Sandstorm]

First 5-3 bench Rassie has used in ages!!!

[OomStruisbaai]

First 5-3 bench Rassie has used in ages!!!

Very brave selection.

Experience bom squad. Obvious he want to play Libbok with a kicker. Pollard maybe in 12 or Libbok/SMZ in 15.

[Sards]

Saturday, 17th August


Curtain Raiser
New Zealand vs Argentina
Eden Park, Auckland
7:05pm Local, 4:05am Argentina, 5:05pm Aus, 9:05am SA


Main Event
Australia vs South Africa
Optus Stadium, Perth
5:45pm Local, 11:45am SA, 9:45pm NZ, 6:45am Argentina


Teams and officials TBC...

Wtf Moerat as captain......Rassie is making a big call on our future.....especially with a very average player

[Sandstorm]

First 5-3 bench Rassie has used in ages!!!

Very brave selection.

Experience bom squad. Obvious he want to play Libbok with a kicker. Pollard maybe in 12 or Libbok/SMZ in 15.

2nd half will be Williams 9, Manie 10, Pollard 12, Am 13 and SMZ to 15 I reckon.

[Sards]

First 5-3 bench Rassie has used in ages!!!

Very brave selection.

Experience bom squad. Obvious he want to play Libbok with a kicker. Pollard maybe in 12 or Libbok/SMZ in 15.

It's probably a sympathy selection for Manie. Here boy, go play your last game ever for the boks

[Sandstorm]

First 5-3 bench Rassie has used in ages!!!

Very brave selection.

Experience bom squad. Obvious he want to play Libbok with a kicker. Pollard maybe in 12 or Libbok/SMZ in 15.

It's probably a sympathy selection for Manie. Here boy, go play your last game ever for the boks

Maybe. Alternatively with 2nd playmaker in Willie out and Fassi only good under a high ball, Rassie wants someone to get the backline moving besides SMZ.

[Sards]

First 5-3 bench Rassie has used in ages!!!

Very brave selection.

Experience bom squad. Obvious he want to play Libbok with a kicker. Pollard maybe in 12 or Libbok/SMZ in 15.

2nd half will be Williams 9, Manie 10, Pollard 12, Am 13 and SMZ to 15 I reckon.

I just don't understand why you would think SMZ is a 15. He is our future 10. An outstanding 12. But he is not good in the air. He is not a 15 but he is most certainly the other 2. This is what irritates me about utility players. They automatically are the best in all 3 positions. It never ever happens. 2 positions at best. Same as Willemse. He is not a 10s arse but handy in the other two positions.

Sascha must just focus on and play at 10. There are enough players to cover other positions. I want Sascha to be the best flyhalf the world has seen.

And I have no sympathy for Manie. He is a flake. Can't have that at the Springboks. And to move Sascha from 10 to accommodate Manie......just vok of

[Sards]

Very brave selection.

Experience bom squad. Obvious he want to play Libbok with a kicker. Pollard maybe in 12 or Libbok/SMZ in 15.

It's probably a sympathy selection for Manie. Here boy, go play your last game ever for the boks

Maybe. Alternatively with 2nd playmaker in Willie out and Fassi only good under a high ball, Rassie wants someone to get the backline moving besides SMZ.

Fassi only good under the high ball.

Hey
He has no pace....
He doesn't break tackles
He has too few metres

Eggman

[Sards]

Feel for the Aussies. Scrum is going to be a mess. Very powerful props starting and benching.

Aus is going to be scrambling to work something out

[Sards]

Love the back 3. Tough for KLA not playing. He is a try scoring machine. But Kolbes tricks got him the nod over performance.
This back 3 was my choice for Ireland with KLA over Kolbe.

[Sards]

Am has not been up to shape currently. Now at 12. I see an opportunity for the Aussies to target him. I wouldn't be surprised if Pollard subs him.

[average joe]

Ausie team been announced yet? Was hopping they can find a better bunch of donkeys this week.
I think our coaches have lost all respect for the Aussies.
Like the Haka the 7-1 (Kapa o Pango) or 6-2 (Ka Mate) bench is a sign of respect.

[Sandstorm]

Am has not been up to shape currently.

You must have missed the 2 minute highlights of the game against Portugal.

[handyman]

Wow, Rassie really not afraid to rock the boat. Supreme confidence to choose this team.

[Sandstorm]

Wow, Rassie really not afraid to rock the boat. Supreme confidence to choose this team.

Starting pack has 136 caps. 80 belong to PSDT

[LoveOfTheGame]

Wow, Rassie really not afraid to rock the boat. Supreme confidence to choose this team.

Yeah, I am not a fan of this selection. Pretty disrespectful to the Wallabies at home. Happy enough with the backline, but the forward selection is just wrong. Two locks that lack any mongrel. And I have no idea why Jan Hendrik is giving Rassie such a hard on. Hopefully the bench does not need to come on and perform a hail marry to win the test. Very, very cocky from Rassie.

[OomStruisbaai]

Wow, Rassie really not afraid to rock the boat. Supreme confidence to choose this team.

Yeah, I am not a fan of this selection. Pretty disrespectful to the Wallabies at home. Happy enough with the backline, but the forward selection is just wrong. Two locks that lack any mongrel. And I have no idea why Jan Hendrik is giving Rassie such a hard on. Hopefully the bench does not need to come on and perform a hail marry to win the test. Very, very cocky from Rassie.

You need to trust Rassie. Moerat have a lot of mongrel, always have but not good in the lineouts and thats where Nortje and Grobbies comes in. Also like Escom in 6. The backline is perfect.

Lets see how they go.

[Sards]

Am has not been up to shape currently.

You must have missed the 2 minute highlights of the game against Portugal.

Your standards are very low.

[assfly]

At first I love the sight of some new faces, but in reality that is quite a disjointed team. We could be in for a serious case of second test syndrome.

[Sards]

To lose the second match will be very difficult unless something rather spectacular happens.....you never count your chickens....ask Sandy.
The positive is that new players are getting a look in.
I just don't get Moerat........................................................

[Sandstorm]

I just don't get Moerat........................................................

I don't either. Must be "for leadership...."

[Gumboot]

Springbok team to face Australia in Perth:

15 – Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 5 caps, 10 points (2t)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 34 caps, 96 points (15t, 3c, 5p)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 72 caps, 80 points (16t)
12 – Lukhanyo Am (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 36 caps, 35 pts (7t)
11 – Makazole Mapimpi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 43 caps, 150 points (30t)
10 – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 5 caps, 25 points (11c, 1p)
9 – Morne van den Berg (Emirates Lions) – 1 cap, O points

8 – Elrigh Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 5 caps, 0 points
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 80 caps, 45 points (9t)
6 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 21 caps, 0 pts
5 – Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0 points
4 – Salmaan Moerat (captain, DHL Stormers) – 8 caps, 0 points
3 – Thomas du Toit (Bath) – 19 caps, 0 pts
2 – Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0 points
1 – Jan-Hendrik Wessels (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 5 points (1t)

Replacements:

16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 68 caps, 85 points (17t)
17 – Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 32 caps, 0 pts
18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 53 caps, 0 points
19 – Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 123 caps, 30 points (6t)
20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 44 caps, 40 pts (8t)
21 – Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 12 caps, 10 points (2t)
22 – Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 15 caps, 91 pts (1t, 28c, 10p)
23 – Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 72 caps, 732 points (7t, 98c, 162p, 5dg)

Cheers Oom, I'll update the OP.

[Monk]

I just don't get Moerat........................................................

I don't either. Must be "for leadership...."

I think this is a long game being played here.

[Blake]

Springboks need to put this game away. We have been guilty in the past of not following up.

100%. Second test syndrome. Struck us against Ireland and Wales previously.

And NZ and Argentina... Time for the Boks to put together 2 good matches in a row against the same opponent.

[Torquemada 1420]

If there’s anything the ABs don’t need it’s more fucking Barrett’s.

[Torquemada 1420]

I just don't get Moerat........................................................

I don't either. Must be "for leadership...."

Religious inclusion the next thing on agenda for SA rugby?

[Sandstorm]

I just don't get Moerat........................................................

I don't either. Must be "for leadership...."

Religious inclusion the next thing on agenda for SA rugby?

No

[OomStruisbaai]

I don't either. Must be "for leadership...."

Religious inclusion the next thing on agenda for SA rugby?

No

I know Moerat much better then you lot. He was captain material all his life. Moerat game is a bit like Fourie. He do the donkey work well. He is not that flashy type of lock. He is not big on lineouts. Rassie always look deeper then flash in players. Moerat is the example. He will be a great combination with Nortje, the aerial type.