NPR

I just wish Wiese can pass a bit more, he is definitely the traditional bashing bok 8, he just have eyes for the nearest defender to run into him as hard as possible. I hope Hanekom gets some game time on the year end tour.

Argentina"s no. 10 must be one of the best 10s in world rugby currently.

Time to bring Pollard on.

Could easily be red. Yellow is a cop out.

Illegal entry, no arms, targeted shoulder and makes head contact.

But totally missed the head contact by the south african directly before.

Those politicians do not look like they want to be there

Rightly upgraded to red

Arg attacking scrum dismantled

At least a pen, probably a yellow... And is

All going Pete Tong for Arg now.

Marx try, Not sure he actually got that past the boot.

Boks running free from their 22.
Not Grounded. No try

No doubt about that one, PSdT with his second.

Emphatic

Is there any Cup the Springboks don't have ?

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 5:04 pm Is there any Cup the Springboks don't have ?

Whatever cup is shared between SA and Ireland

bok_viking wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 5:34 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 5:04 pm Is there any Cup the Springboks don't have ?

Whatever cup is shared between SA and Ireland

Only the 6 nations

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 5:04 pm Is there any Cup the Springboks don't have ?

We lost the Raeburn Shield.

It sucks, even if it is only a virtual trophy. They really should make a real version like the Ranfurly Shield.

Boks undoubtedly the best side in the world by a country mile right now.

Every one of their 23 makes every side in the world I reckon. I certainly cannot see an All Black being good enough to make the side.

Ox Nche was a machine in the scrum today. MOTM for sure.

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 6:41 pm Boks undoubtedly the best side in the world by a country mile right now.

Every one of their 23 makes every side in the world I reckon. I certainly cannot see an All Black being good enough to make the side.

Disagree. While this is now undoubtedly the next Bok side ever, there is very little between them and Ireland, the All Blacks and France IMO. Any match between those 4 sides is a coin toss as far as I’m concerned.

And Scotland, England and the Argies are all able to topple us on their day as well.

I don’t think the top of the rankings table has ever been this competitive in my lifetime.

Nothing in the top 2.

Congrats, Bokke. Probably the best side in history.

What a player Eben is, like a mashed up version of Matfield, Pinetree, Guzzler and Nobody, on ste.... nah, won't go there.

Enjoy, Saffers.

Enzedder wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 6:41 pm Boks undoubtedly the best side in the world by a country mile right now.

Every one of their 23 makes every side in the world I reckon. I certainly cannot see an All Black being good enough to make the side.

What I always find interesting is how the next generation of players come through. The Bokke are an above average/excellent side at the moment, but are the powers that be working on replacements for the retirements that will come? Notably half the ABs issues currently, imho, is due to having poor development options and plans.

This isn't restricted to rugby btw, not seeing the Panthers (NRL) really developing first class players though they look likely to add another title to their excellent results list this year, AFL is less prone to this due to the sports overriding philosophy of building up weaker teams in the transfer window, but the periodic decline in Ozzie cricket is definitely due to this.

Sards wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 7:31 pm Nothing in the top 2".

Bit harsh on Rassie.

I see what you did there, Kiwias

Lucky for Rassie he can pick Tony Brown's big brain.

Blake wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 6:36 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: ↑Sat Sep 28, 2024 5:04 pm Is there any Cup the Springboks don't have ?

We lost the Raeburn Shield.

It sucks, even if it is only a virtual trophy. They really should make a real version like the Ranfurly Shield.

Surely no one cares about that bean counting thing.

The Boks haven't won a grand slam tour in our life time. When they've had the rare chance they always lose a close one, I suspect the sides they're playing take it much more seriously than the Boks do (on the the other thread you've said the Wobblies have a Lions tour and RWC, but didn't notice they have a grand slam tour attempt this year). Or the schedule throws up three matches like this year, which they win but don't have the forth test.

Pre-RWC the test for the Boks was winning a grand slam (and how good it was, did they also beat France as part of the slam, did they beat the Baabaas when they were a more serious opponent, how many tour matches were lost, etc), and winning a test series in NZ. The other measures were ABs in SA and the Lions, but the Boks hardly ever lose a home test series and Lions tours to SA were more common then than now.

I've posted it before, the Boks have the squad depth to assemble a 50 man squad in the 3 or 4 weeks URC is on break in November and before the European competitions start, base themselves in a single city and travel on match days. Play 2 to 3 matches a week: all the 6N teams that can fit in, Portugal/Spain/Romania/Georgia, as many URC teams that can fit in (makes sense to boost the comp we're playing in).

The early/mid 90s tours to Europe/South America were madness, a squad of 30 or so rocking up and playing three matches a week, both tests and tour matches. Taking on everything at least two countries can throw at them. Probably why that model collapsed, it was a crazy amount of matches in such a short amount of time.

When the Boks came back to test rugby:
1992 three test tour of England and France with 10 tour matches,
1993 two test tour against the Pumas with 4 tour matches,
1994 two test tour of Wales and Scotland with 11 tour matches,
1996 five test tour of Pumas/France/Wales with 5 tour matches,
1997 five test tour of Italy/France/England/Scotland with 2 tour matches,
1998 grand slam attempt tests against Wales/Scotland/Ireland/England with 4 tour matches,
2000 four tests against Pumas/Ireland/Wales/England and 5 tour matches.

... we do now have the depth to try one of those 12 match tours playing multiple times each week, where everything is stacked against the Boks. Pitching up in Europe with our 50 best and playing 8 to 12 matches against as many different test sides as possible, all away from home (not neutral like a RWC), and some URC teams to make up the numbers. It would be ridiculous and a real challenge.

A bit annoying that the Wobblies have scored a grand slam attempt this year. Entirely possible they'll lose all four.

I still like the Raeburn Shield as a concept. Would like it if they made a physical one to add some spice to some matches where it is on the line.

Regarding the Grand Slam, I 100% agree. It would be great if we could get a crack at it again. It's become so difficult now with the November international window only being 3 weeks, so to try and go for the slam one of the home unions would have to be willing to agree to an "out of window" test. In the past Wales have been quite accommodating when it came to those matches, so it is possible, but it's still annoyingly difficult to arrange.

I see this year England, Scotland and Ireland are all playing 1 out-of-window match each, so hopefully that is a new precedent and in future they will make it an official 4 week window and give 1 SANZAAR team a crack at the Slam. That would be grand. I suspect the French are the holdouts to make that a thing.