[2019 Rugby Championship] Round 1: South Africa v Australia (20/07/2019)

[unrated]

If the team selected to play against Australia can get the win and look good in doing it, then it will be a huge motivation for the 15 in NZ to also put in an excellent performance, maybe upping their game as they feel the pressure from the guys who played Australia. Maybe that motivates them to play out of their skin and get the win against NZ. On the other hand if the team loses vs Australia there will not be as much pressure as the standards competing against them would have been dropped their places might then not be under as much threat.

 

[TRF_heineken]

If the team selected to play against Australia can get the win and look good in doing it, then it will be a huge motivation for the 15 in NZ to also put in an excellent performance, maybe upping their game as they feel the pressure from the guys who played Australia. Maybe that motivates them to play out of their skin and get the win against NZ. On the other hand if the team loses vs Australia there will not be as much pressure as the standards competing against them would have been dropped their places might then not be under as much threat.

I don't think we will look good this weekend. The rustiness of some players and the type of team selected makes me think we will play a bit more forwards orientated plan and try and bash them in the midfield.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Both teams have been announced and added to the OP.

 

[Derpus]

Big packs. 940 (SA) v 921 (Aus).

Looking forward to seeing Naisarani get his debut. At 1am and almost certain to lose i think i'll catch the replay.

 

[Dai Perk]

I think we're going to see a lot of, let's say, experimental sides during the Rugby Championship... I have a feeling the top coaches are really looking to use this as an opportunity to find out what kind of depth they really have, rather than specifically focusing on winning the tournament. The obvious prize, shining on the horizon, is the RWC, so if you can get a look at some of your less-used players in a high-pressure international situation without it affecting your World Cup chances, you have to really go for it, right?

 

[unrated]

I think we're going to see a lot of, let's say, experimental sides during the Rugby Championship... I have a feeling the top coaches are really looking to use this as an opportunity to find out what kind of depth they really have, rather than specifically focusing on winning the tournament. The obvious prize, shining on the horizon, is the RWC, so if you can get a look at some of your less-used players in a high-pressure international situation without it affecting your World Cup chances, you have to really go for it, right?

We will do as you say and test people in this environment but that is not to say that the Springboks will not try to win it. We have not done so for a long while now and Rassie has made it very clear that he wants to win it.

You can look at the breaking up of the squad into two from two perspectives that might work together.

Firstly with the world cup in mind we test new players, thereby breaking up our squad into two but secondly that if we want to win the championship and the fact is we actually do, then we would need a team based in NZ two weeks before the game to prepare as NZ will be our biggest hurdle in getting there *winning the RC. Against Argentina in week three we will see a combination of these two squads as I cant see Rassie sending 15 players to prepare in Argentina as they did in NZ, this squad will look very close to what our world cup squad will look like. Then we host Argentina for a second week, by this time the championship will have been decided and we can really go wild in testing players and combos as this match would mean nothing in the greater scheme of things with our only eye on the world cup.

So in conclusion you can perceive some of the decisions made as with an eye on the world cup but at the same time you can also see it as a strategy in trying to win the RC.

Why should we even care? Because the All Black would need to feel the pressure and start fearing South Africa more if we stand a realistic chance of beating them in the very first game of the world cup. A win would also start brewing confidence amongst the squad. In some cases confidence is bad, AKA Japan 2015 but with the dreadfull four years we have had in contrast to the 2015 team i would say that a winning run would only do good, hence why winning the RC should be high up the priority list.

 

[Oliver Madden]

Very interesting game this one. I actually agree with what Erasmus is doing regarding team selection. The fringe players need to be tested in a pressurised environment because they may need to be called on in the World Cup in the likely event that injuries hit at some point. I don't think this game will be beautiful to watch but I think the Boks will overpower the Wallabies. That SA pack looks quality. I think Australia may really struggle this year sadly. I think they're quite weak in the front 5. Boks by 14.

 

[Derpus]

Very interesting game this one. I actually agree with what Erasmus is doing regarding team selection. The fringe players need to be tested in a pressurised environment because they may need to be called on in the World Cup in the likely event that injuries hit at some point. I don't think this game will be beautiful to watch but I think the Boks will overpower the Wallabies. That SA pack looks quality. I think Australia may really struggle this year sadly. I think they're quite weak in the front 5. Boks by 14.

Considering we just came off our worst year in 50 years, i think it's safe to say our diminishing form will be more of a norm than an anomaly.

Once the Murdoch money evaporates Australia will slide out of the top 10 for sure.

 

[JohnKA]

If Damian de Allende is not starting now he will be starting vs the all Blacks , Seem like I am the only person not to rate De Allende at all , he keeps getting selected and I just don't understand on what merit .. i guess next week will tell but I am pretty sure he will start vs the all blacks

 

[Umaga's Witness]

I'm looking forward to his championship which will be streamed on ESPN+ for anyone who can't watch it on TV. I'm rooting for Australia because I've visited there.

Even though you met australians? Or did you refrain from talking to any?

Considering we just came off our worst year in 50 years, i think it's safe to say our diminishing form will be more of a norm than an anomaly.

Once the Murdoch money evaporates Australia will slide out of the top 10 for sure.

Edit: not meant to be sarcastic

If Damian de Allende is not starting now he will be starting vs the all Blacks , Seem like I am the only person not to rate De Allende at all , he keeps getting selected and I just don't understand on what merit .. i guess next week will tell but I am pretty sure he will start vs the all blacks

hes a big boy .

 

[unrated]

The only year I rated de Allende was his breakout year, think it was 2014 or 2015 since then every year he has dissapointed. So I'm waiting for Esterhuizen or Steyn or Serfontein to show Rassie that de Allende is a waste of time

No disrespect to de Allende though he is probably a great guy and everything, just think that at Springbok level we have better options

 

[JohnKA]

Same here , in his breakthrough year yes was good , since then below average. I am a Sharks fan and a Esterhuizen fan but we as Sharks fans know Andre is not the best 12 , I would really like Serfontein #12 for the boks , Steyn and esterhuizen seem like the same player these days .

The only year I rated de Allende was his breakout year, think it was 2014 or 2015 since then every year he has dissapointed. So I'm waiting for Esterhuizen or Steyn or Serfontein to show Rassie that de Allende is a waste of time

No disrespect to de Allende though he is probably a great guy and everything, just think that at Springbok level we have better options

 

[profitius]

Its a disrespectful team to put out against Australia. Its also disrespectful and damaging to the tournament.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Its a disrespectful team to put out against Australia. Its also disrespectful and damaging to the tournament.

Why?

 

[JohnKA]

I think this team has a very good chance of beating the Aussies ..

Its a disrespectful team to put out against Australia. Its also disrespectful and damaging to the tournament.

 

[profitius]

Why?

Because its not the strongest team.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Because its not the strongest team.

So will you say the same about the All Blacks and the Argentinian teams as well? Nearly every team hasn't put their strongest team out this week, and all of them are more focused to prepare for the World Cup, while also trying to stay competitive.

Just a question: Will it be disrespectful if this team wins by more than 10 points???

 

[Derpus]

Its a disrespectful team to put out against Australia. Its also disrespectful and damaging to the tournament.

I don't think it is. It makes perfect sense, actually.

And they won't even break a sweat beating the Wallabies at altitude.

 

[JohnKA]

Well in all fairness we are resting our "strongest" to play the best team in the world , so it makes sense , the Aussies is not the strongest and the team named to play them will be more than enough to compete with the Aussies.

 

[profitius]

So will you say the same about the All Blacks and the Argentinian teams as well? Nearly every team hasn't put their strongest team out this week, and all of them are more focused to prepare for the World Cup, while also trying to stay competitive.

Just a question: Will it be disrespectful if this team wins by more than 10 points???

Yes. They might win by that or more but they've increased the chance of losing.


You can be sure

So will you say the same about the All Blacks and the Argentinian teams as well? Nearly every team hasn't put their strongest team out this week, and all of them are more focused to prepare for the World Cup, while also trying to stay competitive.

Just a question: Will it be disrespectful if this team wins by more than 10 points???

Experimenting devalues the tournament. It sends out a bad signal that the tournament is just a warm up contest.


NZ are the only team who have earned the right to heavily rotate their squad. SA and Argentina hasn't won the competition for a long time so it looks bad when they do it.