[2017 Rugby Championship] Round 6: South Africa v New Zealand (07/10/2017)

[Penne Rara]

All Blacks team named:

1. Kane Hames (4)
2. Dane Coles (53)
3. Nepo Laulala (8)
4. Samuel Whitelock (91)
5. Scott Barrett (12)
6. Liam Squire (11)
7. Sam Cane (48)
8. Kieran Read (105) - Captain
9. Aaron Smith (66)
10. Beauden Barrett (58)
11. Rieko Ioane (8)
12. Sonny Bill Williams (41)
13. Ryan Crotty (30)
14. Nehe Milner-Skudder (10)
15. Damian McKenzie (7)

16. Codie Taylor (24)
17. Wyatt Crockett (66)
18. Ofa Tu'ungafasi (9)
19. Patrick Tuipulotu (13)
20. Matt Todd (9)
21. Tawera Kerr-Barlow (26)
22. Lima Sopoaga (11)
23. David Havili (1)

I would have liked Beauden to get a week off for this one, or to at least be on the bench. He looked so exhausted last week (even though he didn't play like an old man on the field for the first 40 minutes), and some other key players would've deserved a short break as well.

 

[Red Enigma]

No faith in this team to produce a top 80 minute performance even if game is at sea level. Weakest bench so far this season and when the changes start we are going to have some unusual combos. Probably win but I don't expect the performance to be much better than last weekend. Lack a penetrating midfield so much will depend on how much the back three can get into the game. Slow ball through SBW will remain the biggest hassle, but Hansen now seems content to let him take the ball to the ground and start again. That thinking has the merit of getting SBW out of the line in deference to the flair of the back three given fast ball movement.

Whatever, as usual it will be a great game to watch simply to see game plays, strategies and individual skills.

 

[TRF_heineken]

So no Whitelock or Retallick in the pack.

The Bokke should target the lineouts now surely.

Bok team will be announced at 14:00 today Local Time

 

[saulan]

So no Whitelock or Retallick in the pack.

Whitelock is starting.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Whitelock is starting.

My bad. Apologies.

 

[Penne Rara]

Scott Barrett is a solid lineout operator too

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I mean what does conservative tactics mean anyway? Kicking for territory and keeping it up front?
We can and will try to gain dominance with our forwards, but a territorial game plan is questionable with modern counter-attacking rugby (espeicially with the likes of NMS and D-Mac in the Kiwi side).
Also we don't really have the personnel to play that game in any case, we'd have to bring in Steyn at 15 and perhaps give Bosch a few years to be our 10. Yawn.

By conservative i meant:

- Avoiding low percentage offloads and riskier passes that might cause turnover.
- Not playing with ball in hand inside their own 22.
- Kicking points when the option is available rather than going for tries or quick taps.
- giving the pack an above average share of the ball and focus on clean recycling of the ball.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Geez, a lot of changes in our pack for this match.

Kitshoff Starts.
Lood Starts alongside Eben
PSDT on blindside
Francois Louw at no. 8

Wilco Louw on the bench to make his debut

 

[JohnKA]

Another record breaking loss heading our way , we have the players to challenge the all blacks but not the coach .

 

[SomeOke]

Honestly I feel like we don't have the players at the moment but there is certainly no shortage of young guys coming through.

Selection does baffle at times. Why not give JLDP a start rather than playing PsdT at 7? Why drop Mostert when our line-outs were so **** agaisnt the ABs last time? Why isn't Dreyer getting dropped rather?

Anyway I'm not going to throw my toys, lets see some improvement boys! Would love to shut up the AB supporters in CpT.

 

[Zapphod]

Honestly I feel like we don't have the players at the moment but there is certainly no shortage of young guys coming through.

Selection does baffle at times. Why not give JLDP a start rather than playing PsdT at 7? Why drop Mostert when our line-outs were so **** agaisnt the ABs last time? Why isn't Dreyer getting dropped rather?

Anyway I'm not going to throw my toys, lets see some improvement boys! Would love to shut up the AB supporters in CpT.

WTF!.
Here in NZ we have sat through a week of "South Africa is going to get slaughtered" by both the South African fans and coach and you want to shut us up?

Most Kiwi's in my sphere are regarding the 57 point scoreline as an anomaly and fully expect this game to be a lot closer, I really wish South Africans would stop undermining their team and take that game for what it was, one point of data in a long data line.

 

[SomeOke]

WTF!.
Here in NZ we have sat through a week of "South Africa is going to get slaughtered" by both the South African fans and coach and you want to shut us up?

Most Kiwi's in my sphere are regarding the 57 point scoreline as an anomaly and fully expect this game to be a lot closer, I really wish South Africans would stop undermining their team and take that game for what it was, one point of data in a long data line.

I think you misunderstand me mate, I have no issues with the Kiwi supporters in NZ. No offense intended.
I have slightly more of a problem with all the Saffers in Cape Town who support the Kiwi's and who have been extremely vocal about our poor performances.

You'll see at the game, the Kiwi support will be huge! There is a reason why Newlands seldom gets AB games. It can get embarrassing.

 

[User1245]

Is PSDT the new Danie Rossouw?

The forced positive is Cassim is gone and the chosen positive is Rhule is nowhere to be found. Thing about Dreyer is that he already has a rep for giving scrum penalties away and he has lived up to that reputation at Test level so far. At least Wilco Louw is on the bench. If Jesse Kriel doesn't produce the goods in this match then surely a serious rethink in our centre department is warranted. DDA looked handy when he came on against the Wallabies but he too has not really warranted his selection this season.

44-10 to NZ. If our set pieces function then maybe 37-10.

Most Kiwi's in my sphere are regarding the 57 point scoreline as an anomaly and fully expect this game to be a lot closer, I really wish South Africans would stop undermining their team and take that game for what it was, one point of data in a long data line.

You're too kind. The score before that one was 57-15 and the one before that was 41-13. And before that was the 2015 RWC match which was a completely different team/coaching staff. I know the Kiwis want this rivalry but it's gone sorry to say.

 

[SomeOke]

DDA looked handy when he came on against the Wallabies but he too has not really warranted his selection this season.

I feel bad for DDA (and definitely not because I'm a biased Stormers supporter with a man crush) he's played 50 minutes of super rugby this year (50 good minutes I might add) come straight back from injury into the Bok squad. When is this guy going to play some rugby.

 

[Kiwiwomble]

I would have liked Beauden to get a week off for this one, or to at least be on the bench. He looked so exhausted last week (even though he didn't play like an old man on the field for the first 40 minutes), and some other key players would've deserved a short break as well.

agreed, i think hes bedding in enough now it time we make sure we have a definitive back up (whoever it might be) by giving someone else a couple of games, Argentina and RSA would have been a good two game run for someone

 

[mania]

agreed, i think hes bedding in enough now it time we make sure we have a definitive back up (whoever it might be) by giving someone else a couple of games, Argentina and RSA would have been a good two game run for someone

agree. going forward either sopoaga or dMac need to show they can back up at #10

 

[Red Enigma]

AB selectors like versatility in players - my gut feeling is Perenara would make a great Number 10 with his existing skill set, certainly his attacking mojo. Let the 15 do the goal kicking, whoever it is.

 

[Caitlyn Jenner]

Perenara did actually fill in a bit at 10 this year for the Canes and looked surprisingly comfortable. He was especially good there vs the Bulls. Doubt they'd ever throw him there at test level though...

 

[The Jones Boy]

Sopoaga deserves a chance to be the no.2 first five, he certainly has the skill set.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Is PSDT the new Danie Rossouw?

The forced positive is Cassim is gone and the chosen positive is Rhule is nowhere to be found. Thing about Dreyer is that he already has a rep for giving scrum penalties away and he has lived up to that reputation at Test level so far. At least Wilco Louw is on the bench. If Jesse Kriel doesn't produce the goods in this match then surely a serious rethink in our centre department is warranted. DDA looked handy when he came on against the Wallabies but he too has not really warranted his selection this season.

44-10 to NZ. If our set pieces function then maybe 37-10.



You're too kind. The score before that one was 57-15 and the one before that was 41-13. And before that was the 2015 RWC match which was a completely different team/coaching staff. I know the Kiwis want this rivalry but it's gone sorry to say.

I don't get the plan with PSDT. HM and AC have tried him at Flank, and everytime there was a below par performance. But what is interesting of this weekend's team is that AC has filled the gaps everywhere, with Stormers players.

Kitshoff, PSDT, Flouw, Louw are all Stormers (ex-stormers in the case of Louw) players, so AC I guess hopes that the local boys will play better at home.

The loose trio is a stormers trio, and I guess that Flouw and PSDT will swap roles here and there when required.

We also have a french ref for this match, so it will be interesting to see how we do at scrums. I think Dreyer was at times very harshly penalised last weekend, when his opponent was in fact binding on his arm, but one thing Dreyer has to work on, is his feet positioning, it was last week too far back, and there he needs help from his lock behind him, maybe Lood with his extra length will stabilise Dreyer more than Mostert.

But if we look at the entire forwards pack, it seems to me that the intention will be to have the forwards run at the opposition. Kitshoff, Lood, PSDT are all very good with ball in hand, so I think we will see a lot more pick and drives, mauls and pods...