[2014 Mid-Year Test] South Africa vs Wales (1st Test)

[Gena_ZA]

No I'm cool with his statements, when he starts making excuses (only if they loose) it will be thrown back at him

 

[sharkfinsoup]

So F. Steyn is out of springbok rugby by choice. Seems odd for a guy with so much talent but it takes a lot of guts to admit your hearts not in it.

 

[big ginger 8]

Stormer2010 can I ask you what you mean by assisting/general?

 

[Thingimubob]

Anyone watching Southern Kings vs Wales?

 

[Draggs]

I am. 0-14 to Wales right now, tries for Turnbull and Allen.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

So F. Steyn is out of springbok rugby by choice. Seems odd for a guy with so much talent but it takes a lot of guts to admit your hearts not in it.

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_9344519,00.html

Read this just now after seeing your post. Interesting. TBH one could see it in his play and I have respect for him coming forward and admitting it. Best of luck to him. A big pity for SA as I believe he could've added a lot for us even if only as utility. We have the depth it's just there are so many injuries currently. I expect HM will bring in Jan Serfontein or Juan de Jongh for Saturday.

Stormer2010 can I ask you what you mean by assisting/general?

Well just whatever they do that does not fall under the key roles of a scrummie and that each of those players might not do usually or particularly well. So anything apart from service from the rucks- so a brilliant pass, feeding into scrums, a decent kicking game (though I appreciate in SA we consider this more important than elsewhere) and of course everyone needs to have some sort of running game and defence.

So to take two of those players as examples;
FdP would play a sweeping role on defense to counter chip kicks and is very much the primary decision maker even if for the most part (but certainly not always) not the primary play maker if that makes sense? Both rely on his fantastic reading of the game. He is also the master of putting a guy into a gap through just perfectly crisp passing. Cobus Reinach on the other hand will add something in terms of putting the opposition under pressure as he is a bit of a terrier and will harrass the opposition no end. You can see this in the stats in that he gives away more penalties (usually for being just that slight bit too enthusiatic) but also has the most tries as he is tenacious and opportunistic and this results in a try every now and again on top of spoiling the quality of opposition ball. Faf de Klerk likes to make half breaks and even if he doesn't put others into space he does make these regularly enough so that the opposition think twice about not covering him so that gives the guys outside him just that moment extra to work with.

Anyone watching Southern Kings vs Wales?

Am tuning in jst now!

 

[TRF_heineken]

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,16024_9344519,00.html

Read this just now after seeing your post. Interesting. TBH one could see it in his play and I have respect for him coming forward and admitting it. Best of luck to him. A big pity for SA as I believe he could've added a lot for us even if only as utility. We have the depth it's just there are so many injuries currently. I expect HM will bring in Jan Serfontein or Juan de Jongh for Saturday.



Well just whatever they do that does not fall under the key roles of a scrummie and that each of those players might not do usually or particularly well. So anything apart from service from the rucks- so a brilliant pass, feeding into scrums, a decent kicking game (though I appreciate in SA we consider this more important than elsewhere) and of course everyone needs to have some sort of running game and defence.

So to take two of those players as examples;
FdP would play a sweeping role on defense to counter chip kicks and is very much the primary decision maker even if for the most part (but certainly not always) not the primary play maker if that makes sense? Both rely on his fantastic reading of the game. He is also the master of putting a guy into a gap through just perfectly crisp passing. Cobus Reinach on the other hand will add something in terms of putting the opposition under pressure as he is a bit of a terrier and will harrass the opposition no end. You can see this in the stats in that he gives away more penalties (usually for being just that slight bit too enthusiatic) but also has the most tries as he is tenacious and opportunistic and this results in a try every now and again on top of spoiling the quality of opposition ball. Faf de Klerk likes to make half breaks and even if he doesn't put others into space he does make these regularly enough so that the opposition think twice about not covering him so that gives the guys outside him just that moment extra to work with.



Am tuning in jst now!

Juan De Jongh is out for the series...

Respect to Frans. Probably a family matter and that's why they asked for privacy.

I am watching the Kings vs Wales game, and I have to say, if this is how Wales will play on Saturday, we have nothing to worry about...

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Oh, that's right. De Jongh is sick and Boshoff turned an ankle. I forgot about that. Well, Serfontein is in the squad and has been in good form. I have a mild concern abot his defense still; not so much his physicality rather than positioning/technique but he isn't going to get any better not facing Jamie Roberst and George North baring down on him..

EDIT; not the trhead for it but, Hein, I believe you ought to be flying the flag of Deutschland?

 

[TRF_heineken]

Oh, that's right. De Jongh is sick and Boshoff turned an ankle. I forgot about that. Well, Serfontein is in the squad and has been in good form. I have a mild concern abot his defense still; not so much his physicality rather than positioning/technique but he isn't going to get any better not facing Jamie Roberst and George North baring down on him..

EDIT; not the trhead for it but, Hein, I believe you ought to be flying the flag of Deutschland?

He can take them both! And believe me, HM will make sure Jan is tactically well positioned, Roberts and North should rather be wary of Schalla, Vermeulen, Bakkies and the Bone Collecter baring down on them... And oh yes, Bismarck, I hope he smashes another Welshie like he did last year...

I see Romain Poite is the ref... FFS!!!

If I am in front of my laptop I'll change my flag... My Iphone doesn't want to change it.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Poite, hey. So the boys will have to police the breakdowns themselves is all.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Poite, hey. So the boys will have to police the breakdowns themselves is all.

They will have to police the entire F***ing ground! If he gives one Saffa a yellow, all hell will break loose... They will Bliksem him...

 

[Thingimubob]

Fairly bog standard win for Wales, 34 - 12 at FT. Obviously not the team that will line up on the weekend, but was a good hit out for those needing some more game time plus for those looking to force themselves into the test team. I thought Matthew Morgan and Jordan Williams were lookign very sharp, with both creating space for the players around them. Williams' reverse flick pass for Shingler's no try was superb!
Think Gareth Davies might have forced himself onto the bench imo, although Rhodri Williams played well too, so fairly happy with whichever get's into the squad. Anyone else notice how the scrum improved with Lee on the pitch? Or was that just my mind being slightly biased again Rhodri Jones?

 

[Big Ewis]

so Frans Steyn says he doesn't want to be a part of the series because he needs to think out his int'l career before moving to Japan...

 

[Draggs]

Fairly bog standard win for Wales, 34 - 12 at FT. Obviously not the team that will line up on the weekend, but was a good hit out for those needing some more game time plus for those looking to force themselves into the test team. I thought Matthew Morgan and Jordan Williams were lookign very sharp, with both creating space for the players around them. Williams' reverse flick pass for Shingler's no try was superb!
Think Gareth Davies might have forced himself onto the bench imo, although Rhodri Williams played well too, so fairly happy with whichever get's into the squad. Anyone else notice how the scrum improved with Lee on the pitch? Or was that just my mind being slightly biased again Rhodri Jones?

Disagree, Matthew Morgan was poor IMHO. Went sideways a great deal, and got himself isolated after breaks. Recall him chasing kicks only to miss the follow through tackle, not good for a fullback to do!

 

[Bull]

so Frans Steyn says he doesn't want to be a part of the series because he needs to think out his int'l career before moving to Japan...

Just reaffirms my feelings towards this idiot.

 

[Kapa O Pango]

One name: George North.

 

[welshglory]

If his team is not going forward he doesn't really make much of an effort.
I'd expect SA to test him under the high ball as well, it's certainly not a strength of his.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I certainly have respect for North but in the vast majority of teams 1 winger can only make so much difference and that is coming from a guy who played 95% of his rugby (at a very low level) on the wing.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I certainly have respect for North but in the vast majority of teams 1 winger can only make so much difference and that is coming from a guy who played 95% of his rugby (at a very low level) on the wing.

His name is always brought up when Wales play SA, and for the life of me, I don't understand why. First of all, Wales loses their games against us because their forwards are not the same calibre as ours. They are continuously put on the back foot by our defensive structures and our physicality is something they struggle to match/contain.

Excuse me if I don't shake in my boots by hearing the name George North. I would rather tremble if I were to hear names like Bismarck Du Plessis, Willem Alberts and Duane Vermeulen...

 

[Bada-Bing!]

I seem to recall a certain winger by the name of Jonah Lomu, who was a tad taller, 2 stone heavier and faster than George North and the Boks contained him rather well in a WC final.