[2014 TRC] New Zealand v South Africa in Wellington (13/09/2014)

[Chikwa]

Nothing could be bigger than last year.
The Boks scored 4 tries against us last year, and we had to find a way to score 5, up on the high veldt, to secure the championship with a win.
Last year was the most incredible game of rugby I have ever seen.
This year we will go there with an insurmountable buffer (Barring a catastrophe in Argentina) and it won't have the same edge, not since Aussie beat the Boks in Perth.

We wee pretty average today, if the Boks could have kept their 1st half composure for longer we would have been in real trouble, Hendriks was on fire but Le Roux was strangely off his game.



We don't have any more games against Australia...

Boks getting all the praise and the scoreboard read AB's 14- Boks 10. Boks played very well and still lost. Hopefully Steve Hansen is not thinking like the rest of the kiwi's on this forum otherwise the squad will go to Sa expecting to lose!

 

[Icemn]

Well, as a reasonably tall prop myself (188m)- the disadvantage comes at getting very low at scrum-time while keeping a straight back. You get away with it easier at LH prop, but it's not all that much of an advantage in scrummaging.

quite tall, i'm 179

Boks getting all the praise and the scoreboard read AB's 14- Boks 10. Boks played very well and still lost. Hopefully Steve Hansen is not thinking like the rest of the kiwi's on this forum otherwise the squad will go to Sa expecting to lose!

well the AB for me need to worry... we looked like we had no plan B and out of ideas most of the game, the boks dominated the breakdown, they got fantastic turnover ball BUT they kicked everything away... this is what saved us... the Boks were their own worst enemy... The AB were very lucky BUT i must add, the Blacks did show some pretty good defense....

when the Boks get a lineout on your try line, they maul 99% of the time... and +- 95% of the time they score from the running maul... NZ seemed to have found a way to stop this maul, which i feel is the boks strongest weapon, 2nd their lineouts, 3rd boot of Stain (Morne) 4th scrum (moved down the pecking order as its not so effective anymore)

 

[Chikwa]

The boks were coached to anticipate the AB's attack. Hence the exceptional defensive performance by the boks. It also highlights the obvious that at the moment our backs are not breaking the line decisively with the exception of saves. Which is why Nonu and sonny bill Williams are vital in 2015

 

[nzlizard]

The boks were coached to anticipate the AB's attack. Hence the exceptional defensive performance by the boks. It also highlights the obvious that at the moment our backs are not breaking the line decisively with the exception of saves. Which is why Nonu and sonny bill Williams are vital in 2015

Nonu hardly breaks the line anymore, he tries these kicks which 90% of the time are useless.

Ben Smith had more broken tackles in 40 minutes of rugby than Nonu had in the 3 previous RC games.

 

[nickdnz]

Agree that Nonu can hardly be called an effective line breaker any more. He's barely a good ball carrier.

In Super Rugby he was averaging clean breaks of 0.64 per game.

Ryan Crotty was at 0.94 line breaks per game, while Fekitoa was making 1.17 clean breaks per game.

Again defenders beaten between the three reads:

Fekitoa: 3.82 defenders beaten per game.
Crotty: 2.67 defenders beaten per game.
Nonu: 2.54 defenders beaten per game

Running meters:
Fekitoa: 60.06m carried per game
Crotty: 36.8m carried per game
Nonu: 21.3m carried per game

 

[Big Ewis]

about that, shouldn't Nonu be dropped altogether, seeing how Fekitoa is right up there for a spot and Crotty's an on-form center also ? Better implement either of those two and create a strong partnership with Conrad before the WC, no ?

 

[nzlizard]

about that, shouldn't Nonu be dropped altogether, seeing how Fekitoa is right up there for a spot and Crotty's an on-form center also ? Better implement either of those two and create a strong partnership with Conrad before the WC, no ?

Yeah I feel this may be the blessing in disguise for him and a safe way to get dropped, if SBW and Fekitoa steps up on the EOYT he will not be returning as SBW will be 2nd five and Fekitoa will be back up.

 

[Darwin]

Agree that Nonu can hardly be called an effective line breaker any more. He's barely a good ball carrier.

In Super Rugby he was averaging clean breaks of 0.64 per game.

Ryan Crotty was at 0.94 line breaks per game, while Fekitoa was making 1.17 clean breaks per game.

Again defenders beaten between the three reads:

Fekitoa: 3.82 defenders beaten per game.
Crotty: 2.67 defenders beaten per game.
Nonu: 2.54 defenders beaten per game

Running meters:
Fekitoa: 60.06m carried per game
Crotty: 36.8m carried per game
Nonu: 21.3m carried per game

Stop using stats to back up your arguments. You will put me out of a job

One of the interesting things the stats show us is just how much Nonu has kicked the ball this season. Despite playing significantly less minutes than the likes of Crotty and Fekitoa he has kicked the 2-3 times more. Sure 1 or 2 of his kicks paid off, but the vast majority were just wasted possession because (a) he isn't a natural kicker and (b) isn't great at judging when to kick and when to pass. For some reason Nonu seems to think he is some sort of creative player these days. Personally I would prefer it if he focused on doing what he used to do best - run the ball hard at the line and break tackles with his power (and deceptive footwork for such a big man).

 

[Icemn]

run the ball hard at the line and break tackles with his power (and deceptive footwork for such a big man).

Hear Hear

him, tana and cullen must have the best sidesteps then Carter

back to Nonu, ya he has been lucky in being the only real 2nd 5-8 so he knew he will be selected. His workrate has gone down not sure if its form? but he doesn't bring the intensity anymore... malakai should get more gametime i feel, god i forgot what this thread is about... there is a thread for nonu already...

lets continue and talk about the issue at hooker rather

 

[The Jones Boy]

Bruce Robertson had the best sidestep ever, slightly smaller than Kirwans but much quicker and less telegraphed.