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[2014 TRC] South Africa v New Zealand in Johannesburg (04/10/2014)

The Boks have Victor Matfield, NZ should bring back Brad Thorn or something.
 
stormer2010 said:
Heard on the radio this morning Habana and Vermeulen might still feature. Habana has to clear a concussion test today and they'll give Duane right up till whistle blows to pass fit. I must say.. much as I love both these players or maybe because of it I hope they aren't forced in if not absolutely 100% fit.
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I can understand Duane's situation. But if Habana isn't okay, then we have enough quality wingers to replace him. De Allende and JPP will not be unworthy replacements, especially against Savea
 
heineken said:
I can understand Duane's situation. But if Habana isn't okay, then we have enough quality wingers to replace him. De Allende and JPP will not be unworthy replacements, especially against Savea
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Yeah, both those players are rock solid on defense. Shame, I kinda liked Savea's try ratio being a round 100% strike rate. Oh, well, he'll just have to score on an overlap, on Hendrick's side or score two in his firts Euro fixture this November.
 
stormer2010 said:
Yeah, both those players are rock solid on defense. Shame, I kinda liked Savea's try ratio being a round 100% strike rate. Oh, well, he'll just have to score on an overlap, on Hendrick's side or score two in his firts Euro fixture this November.
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Hopefully if he goes to Hendricks side Hougaard will be there to make a cover tackle...
 
heineken said:
Hopefully if he goes to Hendricks side Hougaard will be there to make a cover tackle...
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I would have thought Hendricks will be directly marking Savea all match? Or is Hendricks likely to shift to the left wing if Pietersen /de Allende are selected?
 
Darwin said:
I would have thought Hendricks will be directly marking Savea all match? Or is Hendricks likely to shift to the left wing if Pietersen /de Allende are selected?
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Oh yeah, you're right. Hendricks and Savea are on the same side...

Maybe if Pietersen starts...
 
The big question from the AB's perspective is who will start at 12? Before the Argentina test it appeared the AB's selectors favoured Crotty's stability at 12, but Fekitoa really exceeded expectations against Argentina. Personally I would go for Crotty (with Fekitoa on the bench), but it wouldn't surprise me if the AB's selectors give Fekitoa another crack.

Despite Mealamu's strong match versus Argentina I expect to see Coles back starting at hooker. I don't expect to see any other unforced changes - if Retallick is ruled out he will be a massive loss.
 
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Darwin said:
I would have thought Hendricks will be directly marking Savea all match? Or is Hendricks likely to shift to the left wing if Pietersen /de Allende are selected?
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I'd fully expect JPP to slot in at 14 and Hendricks to go to 11, yes.
 
Darwin said:
The big question from the AB's perspective is who will start at 12? Before the Argentina test it appeared the AB's selectors favoured Crotty's stability at 12, but Fekitoa really exceeded expectations against Argentina. Personally I would go for Crotty (with Fekitoa on the bench), but it wouldn't surprise me if the AB's selectors give Fekitoa another crack.

Despite Mealamu's strong match versus Argentina I expect to see Coles back starting at hooker. I don't expect to see any other unforced changes - if Retallick is ruled out he will be a massive loss.
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What about SBW??

I read that he might make an appearance in the last test...
 
heineken said:
What about SBW??

I read that he might make an appearance in the last test...
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SBW won't be featuring. He isn't in South Africa, and was still playing league only 4 days ago. It is rumoured he may turn out for his province (Counties) sometime in the near future, before joining the AB's for their end of year tour.
 
Darwin said:
The big question from the AB's perspective is who will start at 12? Before the Argentina test it appeared the AB's selectors favoured Crotty's stability at 12, but Fekitoa really exceeded expectations against Argentina. Personally I would go for Crotty (with Fekitoa on the bench), but it wouldn't surprise me if the AB's selectors give Fekitoa another crack.

Despite Mealamu's strong match versus Argentina I expect to see Coles back starting at hooker. I don't expect to see any other unforced changes - if Retallick is ruled out he will be a massive loss.
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Coles will start for sure.

Farkkkkkkk Crotty vs Fekitoa is a hard one, I would start with Fekitoa personally as I think he needs it and is a more long term solution, however the selectors like the stability that Crotty offers and he did great in his last start too, nice dilemma to have.

Hoping to see Retallick back, he is massive this year.

heineken said:
What about SBW??

I read that he might make an appearance in the last test...
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Last test will be Aus I think they mean, he is playing 2 games for Counties this / next week ? so struggle to see him getting a run before the EOYT tbh.
 
Just having a look at the rankings. Sadly, no matter the outcome we won't be able to retake our rihgtful place as top dog.

The good news is we can't be overtaken into 2nd by Aus either no matter what the outcome for either game. So 1st, 2nd and 3rd is just about as intrenched as it has been the last few years. the gap between SA and NZ can shrink to as little as 1 or blow out to as big as 7 if either side gets an unanticipated big margin win. Aus will stay the same and can only lose points to Argentina if thelatter manages the upset.

Home (on 89.27 points) at home -vs- Away (on 93.75 points)
 
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Chikwa said:
Hansen has a way of getting his troops to feed off the energy of the opposing crowd like he did last year. He tells his boys this is why we play this game. Relish the challenge before you.The game against the Puma's was a good result with breath taking tries but not a good performance.This is the Bok's best chance .
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I agree Chikwa, this is going to be a really tough match for the AB's, and the unbeaten run is still hanging over their heads as well.
Looks like some of the Bokke talisman players are going to be on the field after all.
Shaping up to be a much tighter affair all the time.
 
Bok team to be announced at around 12 CAT today, and there is a possibility that Vermeulen might start, as well as Habana, as both trained yesterday with the team.
 
heineken said:
Bok team to be announced at around 12 CAT today, and there is a possibility that Vermeulen might start, as well as Habana, as both trained yesterday with the team.
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Vermeulen, great! Habana.. I am going to speak heresy and say he hasn't seemed 100% himself this RC.. I'm sure he'll bring his best though I can't say I'd have been sad to see someone new get a shot. That said his replacement would likely have been JPP swapping wings with Hendricks so it's not like it'd acyually be someone new. But if Senatla werre fit or maybe the in-form Mvovo.. a bit of much over muchness really but up against a very clinical and motivated AB side every bit of muchness counts IMO. Argh, am I in one of those moods today. I might as well close up shop and spend the day catching up on movies as I'm going to be debating myself in circles the whole day..
 
stormer2010 said:
Vermeulen, great! Habana.. I am going to speak heresy and say he hasn't seemed 100% himself this RC.. I'm sure he'll bring his best though I can't say I'd have been sad to see someone new get a shot. That said his replacement would likely have been JPP swapping wings with Hendricks so it's not like it'd acyually be someone new. But if Senatla werre fit or maybe the in-form Mvovo.. a bit of much over muchness really but up against a very clinical and motivated AB side every bit of muchness counts IMO. Argh, am I in one of those moods today. I might as well close up shop and spend the day catching up on movies as I'm going to be debating myself in circles the whole day..
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Now here I'm going to differ with you.

I'd rather start De Allende or JPP. Senatla and Mvovo has some defence flaws, and that is one area you can't jeopardise against the AB's
 
I wouldn't call Habana the incarnation or avatar of Good Defense though.. that's not where his value lies.

De Allende is not purely a winger and JPP though a rock solid on defense won't score tries all by himself like Habana, Mvovo or Senatla can.
 
stormer2010 said:
Just having a look at the rankings. Sadly, no matter the outcome we won't be able to retake our rihgtful place as top dog.

The good news is we can't be overtaken into 2nd by Aus either no matter what the outcome for either game. So 1st, 2nd and 3rd is just about as intrenched as it has been the last few years. the gap between SA and NZ can shrink to as little as 1 or blow out to as big as 7 if either side gets an unanticipated big margin win. Aus will stay the same and can only lose points to Argentina if thelatter manages the upset.

Home (on 89.27 points) at home -vs- Away (on 93.75 points)
Click to expand...

This scoring system doesn't seem to give any real reward to NZs current form. We have lost ONE match in three years yet are only a couple points away from being overtaken by a team that hasn't beaten us in 3 years?! Surely for NZ to be dethroned we should have to lose 3-4 games out of the next 7-8 and Boks win all, not just the next 1-2 results. Don't really agree, sorry.
 
Jack Reacher said:
This scoring system doesn't seem to give any real reward to NZs current form. We have lost ONE match in three years yet are only a couple points away from being overtaken by a team that hasn't beaten us in 3 years?! Surely for NZ to be dethroned we should have to lose 3-4 games out of the next 7-8 and Boks win all, not just the next 1-2 results. Don't really agree, sorry.
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They are ranked no.1. That is the reward. It'd take 2 games straight not just 1 'odd' result to dethrone them and then that team is under the pressure to maintain the results. That probably means the team that wins NZ two games straight (and assuming you don't sli p up against a team ranked far less) is in better form so swapping out seems fair in my mind. If Aus managed to beat us twice and swap for 2nd I wouldn't complain; they'd be subjectively in better form. Same here regarding NZ and SA. I don't know what you'd want? It's a dynamic system; you have to maintain the results in order to maintain the position. So far NZ has been doing a sterling job of that so no reason to start- if I can translate an Afrikaans idiom- 'going to look for the baboon beyond the mountain'; looking for trouble/issues that aren't current or relevant.
 
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Last time we weren't ranked #1 was in 2009 when South Africa beat us three times in the series. I say it has so far been a pretty fair system.
 

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