[2017 Rugby Championship] Round 3: Australia v South Africa (09/09/2017)

[WaterboySA]

Mostert rested, well deserved. PSDT will not let the Boks down. Hope Handre gets a few minutes to play, not more than 20.

 

[unrated]

Sa has been playing well and confidence is up between fans and players (as previously discussed) but everytime I see that backline (with the exception of our centres) I get demotivated and negative about the future.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Sa has been playing well and confidence is up between fans and players (as previously discussed) but everytime I see that backline (with the exception of our centres) I get demotivated and negative about the future.

Yeah. I feel your pain.

Hopefully this is the start of some sort of transition...

If I was Australia, I'd have Kuridrani run at Rhule all game...

 

[George Ford]

I suppose it depends on how the Bok forwards get on. If they dominate it'll make things hard for Oz. If the Australian forwards can get enough ball I think they'll win. They are a very good attacking team.

I expect the Wallabies will have focused more on their scrumming and set-piece as they're fully aware how this Boks unit completely dominated a well renowned Pumas pack and they themselves were dominated by the ABs.

Sa has been playing well and confidence is up between fans and players (as previously discussed) but everytime I see that backline (with the exception of our centres) I get demotivated and negative about the future.

Yep - gotta admit Aus backs looking more superior on the face of it. This should be considered thee test for this Boks back three to silence their critics.

 

[galumay]

as they're fully aware how this Boks unit completely dominated a well renowned Pumas pack and they themselves were dominated by the ABs.

I think thats a stretch, Puma's pack has been rubbish for a few years now, and the Wobs werent really dominated by the AB's - especially after TPN came on, we actually went pretty well from memory. I actually think the line out is the bigger concern.

On another note, disappointing DHP is out.

 

[George Ford]

Mostert rested, well deserved. PSDT will not let the Boks down. Hope Handre gets a few minutes to play, not more than 20.

This move should only make Mostert more hungry for the ABs test, however, PSDT is not a like-for-like replacement in that he is an all round player on the park, whereas Mostert is a true agent for "donkie-werk", so to speak. Would actually have started De Jager to soften up the charges at first.

I think thats a stretch, Puma's pack has been rubbish for a few years now, and the Wobs werent really dominated by the AB's - especially after TPN came on, we actually went pretty well from memory. I actually think the line out is the bigger concern.

Oz pack never went forward once, albeit perhaps steadied their ship as the game got more loose, which is not necessarily the impact from TPN.

If Boks don't misfire - Aus forwards will have a hard time settling up front and that could have a ripple effect on their attack.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Pollard on the bench ahead of Bosch is thoroughly the right call going forward. Strange to see DDA there instead of Lleyds though seeing as Pollie can cover the centres. I suppose they have Jesse Kriel that covers fullback. I guess I just want to see Lleyds play and if it isn't for the Bokke then please can we have him at WP?!!

Cronje back and Oosthuizen available makes me happy though. Almost makes up for our wings. We still have a lot of room for improvement. Hope we can just be more accurate than what we were in Argentina (even if the scoreline was fattering).

 

[Durbanite]

Cronje back in at 9 asap was a good choice, even if Hougaard had a good game in Salta AC would've still benched him imo. Good that Coenie isn't injured as we would've missed his contributions.

I know AC is adamant about continuity etc but a bit of a change up from 11 through to 15 isn't too much to ask for, I think AC could've at least benched Coetzee, Rhule or Kriel for one of the last 5 games to test the waters (aside from Mapoe's run, which was a forced change), now all we get as backup for the backline is Pollard and DdA (Who was not at his best before the comp and has gotten little ball time), should've had Leyds over DdA with AC being so damn insistent about Pollard who can cover the centre just fine.

I think the set-piece will be critical in this game, if memory serves AUS has the best lineout stats in the comp atm, and their forwards are no strangers to the dark arts of scrummaging. If our forwards don't start to dominate we will be in a lot of trouble because I don't see our current backline winning a game on their own against a firing team at home. I suspect Cheika has some tricks up his sleeve as well, (like focusing on Skosan rather than Rhule as everyone is expecting or instead of running at him, keeping him busy under the high ball for instance)

The odds are against us if history is anything to go by, I suspect this match will be a very close affair. Happy about the ref, say what you will about the French referees but they can turn a molehill into a mountain in the best of situations.

I like how every match we have played against a new team this year is "the ONE that tests us" it shows that we're still on an upward curve and that the fans still aren't yet ready to accept the Springboks as rehabilitated and rightly so. I think a loss at home to AUS won't be the end of the world, as long as we improve and learn from the encounter and then pip the Aussies at home in SA.

It'll be close, but I think we have what it takes and more. If the Aussies win, it'll be from a try in the dying stages imo. Boks by 7

 

[Icemn]

Aus by 15

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

Looking at the squads I'm coming down in the favour of the Boks. Their defence has become quite miserly and if they can nullify Genia, Folau and Beale there is little to be scared of. I like Hodge, but not so much on the wing. I dont like Kurindrani or Speight at all really (although the former did well last time out) and as others have said the Aussie pack isn't a strength.

After I massively bigged up Skosan he has done little to get my pulse racing (although last week he had the excuse of a narrow pitch and he has effectively scored two tries in five matches). I am expecting better performance by the Bok wings in this match, more like what we saw in the first match against Argentina.

From his quotes about Pollard and territorial kicking in recent weeks I think AC clearly views him as his first choice, so I think he'll get 15-20 minutes here.

I will say Springboks by 16 (10 points added due to concerns about the atmosphere in Perth)

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Bokke by 16! I wish I were as confident as you as a neutral, Bruce. I am going to buy into that however. I called your estimate of the Salta match overly generous o us and it turned out being not being generous enough despite it being a bit of a scrappy match... my English left me just there- my apologies.

Alright then. Bokke by 16. I like it. If Lleyds was there at 14 I might actually have believed it.

 

[mania]

if boks keep it in the forwards then i see a 12+ to SA

 

[Larksea]

feel like this is such an important game for Aussie, they showed a bit of character and improvement against The AB's and to confirm they have improved and prevent Cheika from having a stroke they really need to start winning their home games against Bokke.

 

[galumay]

feel like this is such an important game for Aussie,

Spot on Larksea, I have mentioned it previously - the Wallabies seem to take one step forward and then 2 back, their inconsistency in form has been very frustrating.

If they can be consistent and play as well as they did in a game and a half against the AB's then they will comfortably prevail over the Boks IMO. The area of the game the Boks can probably win consistently is the lineout, so the Wobs will need to have a plan to counter that.

I think the Wobs will win comfortably at home, 12 points plus.

 

[mania]

...The area of the game the Boks can probably win consistently is the lineout... points plus.

scrum. i envisage the Boks owning the WBs in the scrums.

if they were consistent then WBs would never be in this mess in the first place. keep in mind too that Boks are searching for their consistency.
this will be a tight game and aus have a lot to prove.

but my moneys on the Boks for this game. SA just seem to have had a better season, and mid year tours as well as coetzee seems to have such a better handle on the team this season.

either way i hope both teams have an awesome time expressing themselves and have no major injuries.

 

[The Jones Boy]

No Stephen Moore, thats interesting.
How do you feel about that Galumay?

 

[galumay]

Happy! But I dont presume to know more than the professional management and coaching staff - I just cant see why or how he gets picked from the perspective i have.

 

[The Jones Boy]

Interesting- I know there has been a building momentum around Moore's automatic selection under Cheika.
Some folk are wondering if he's a bit one dimensional, and if he still has the hunger, and if he is getting a bit long in the tooth.
I don't know about that so I'm keen to find out the Aussie perspective on Moore from our resident members.

 

[Hound]

I suspect it's a confidence issue combined with losing half a step.

He's the exact example of a player I think would turn things around and bounce back with a spell in Europe.

 

[galumay]

I have never rated Moore, particularly as a Captain, he rubs Refs up the wrong way with his squeaky, whinging and he has never seemed to have the necessary respect of the playing group. His work as a 2 has been consistent in terms of the line outs but rarely has he offered much else. I would describe him as a good Super Rugby player, who could never translate that into much more. Now I think he is simply getting too old and is already looking to life after Rugby, I dont think his heart is even in it anymore.