[2021 Rugby Championship] Round 5 South Africa v New Zealand (25/9/2021)

[Jer1cho]

if you're going back 5 years, you probably should've mentioned the other game in 2017.

There's a reason I said last 5 games lol. Thats the Springboks for you though. We never slightly capitulate. We always fail on an immense scale.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Its near impossible for the ABs to not win this RC - 10 points ahead on the log, with a 90+ points diff.

A bonus point in either game - ABs win
SA fails to get a bonus point in either game - ABs win
Even if SA wins with bonus points, and denies the ABs a bonus point, in both games, they have to win by at least 91 points over the two games - ain't gonna happen.

So the Bokke know its a lost cause now... and that will make them dangerous - you'd be a fool to discount them in this game. They were awful and clueless against Quade and the Wibbles last week but the ******** have this tendency to grow an extra leg when they play the ABs.

I reckon it will be closer than some people think.... AB's by 5

More to the point nobody really cares about the rugby championship, they only care about the games within it, and this is a pretty massive game - it's the 100th between the all blacks and springbok.

given apparently papalii and lienert brown are injured, it's probably the team you'd expect them to pick. Bridge ahead of Reece and Jordie ahead of mckenzie for aerial skills I'd say.

as for the boks, they'll be glad to have lood back, and I think it was clear after the last game that mostert wasn't getting picked in the loose forwards. They've gone quite the opposite there with Kwagga, but it's probably a good pick to challenge for turnovers given the all blacks game plan.

boks still without psdt and kolbe, also snyman. But the all blacks without smith whitelock mounga cane coles and lienert brown.

 

[Jer1cho]

boks still without psdt and kolbe, also snyman. But the all blacks without smith whitelock mounga cane coles and lienert brown.

Difference is All Blacks backups are equally as good. Wheras ours are a massive class apart. Orie is 100x crapper than Snyman. Kwagga at least 20 billion times crapper than PSDT. Then basically everyone is way crapper than Kolbe lol. All Blacks could play 3 teams in a World Cup and 2 of them would make the final.

 

[Twistie]

if you're going back 5 years, you probably should've mentioned the other game in 2017.

Just Finished watching that game will be awesome if All Blacks can repeat it on Saturday but if we cant 1 point or a 100 as long as we can pull off a win.

 

[Hmmmmmm]

Just Finished watching that game will be awesome if All Blacks can repeat it on Saturday but if we cant 1 point or a 100 as long as we can pull off a win.

Just beat them by the odd 40 points and I'll be happy

 

[Derpus]

What absolute rubbish - Boks are clearly our toughest opposition throughout the history of the game... what about Aussies abysmal record against us in the Bledisloe Cup, you haven't won it since the days of Eales & Gregan, 20 years ago !

What about it?

 

[Oliver Madden]

Everything says the ABs should hammer the Boks on Saturday but I'm expecting a good, old fashioned scrap. I think the Boks will go back to their kick-chase and set-piece type game. They were quite expansive early on against Australia, I can't see them doing that against the All Blacks. As long as the ABs keep their discipline and don't give up easy penalty chances for Pollard I see them winning by maybe 12 points. SA have to offer more in general phase play, their attack has looked awful this year. Kolbe is a huge miss. Where are the game-breakers for the Springboks?.

 

[Jer1cho]

Look how we played against NZ in that epic in 2018. Sure we had some good fortune but it was a very complete performance. Much like the 2019 WC final which was arguably the most clinical 80minutes we have played. At the moment though it seems like everyone is just a bunch of robots trying to remember what they are supposed to do.

 

[GoTheNaki]

Kinda wish we were both full-strength. On paper it looks to be one hell of a game... And I hope it is. I really wanted to see Mo'unga here for these two games, and Smith is honestly superior to TJ, they were close at one point... But now I'd take Smith any day of the week.

We still have a problem in the centres... We still seem to have ZERO CLUE about what pairing is going to start crucial games... Is it Goodhue/ALB? Is Ennor going to be in there somewhere, I feel he will be... Where does this Havili/Ioane pairing rank for the future... I think if they defend well, I'd rather have those two running at a line than any other pair for NZ right now, even if everyone was fit, or no major injuries(Ennor ACL?). Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu last played in 2015... 6 years ago, and we are still none the wiser.

 

[ChicagoKid]

Kinda wish we were both full-strength. On paper it looks to be one hell of a game... And I hope it is. I really wanted to see Mo'unga here for these two games, and Smith is honestly superior to TJ, they were close at one point... But now I'd take Smith any day of the week.

We still have a problem in the centres... We still seem to have ZERO CLUE about what pairing is going to start crucial games... Is it Goodhue/ALB? Is Ennor going to be in there somewhere, I feel he will be... Where does this Havili/Ioane pairing rank for the future... I think if they defend well, I'd rather have those two running at a line than any other pair for NZ right now, even if everyone was fit, or no major injuries(Ennor ACL?). Conrad Smith and Ma'a Nonu last played in 2015... 6 years ago, and we are still none the wiser.

Agree with this. So many top players missing on both sides and then you throw in extended quarantine for the Boks.

I also wish this game was played in SA or NZ. Feels anti-climatic to have it in a small stadium, in a small town in Australia.

 

[Gay-Guy]

For the first time in Fosters tenure as head coach he has not decided to experiment in selections. Every player he has chosen is there specifically for the Springboks. 3 outside backs who can jump and a tall fullback with a long punt to nullify the Bok box kicks. The fastest midfielders in the squad to stretch the Bok defensive line. Beauden at 10 for his speed off the mark and little chip kicks as well as his combination with his brother Jordie. TJ at halfback for experience and to harrass Faf. 3 number 8s in the looises with the hard grafter Jacobson at the back, the power running of Akira on the blind, and the constant menace of Ardie as openside. Lineout colossus Retallick and dirty Scott Barrett in the engine room. The experience of Moody and Taylor with in form Laulala up front. This team is tailored made specifically to nullify the Bok gameplan. If the chosen squad fails then the reserve bench is chosen to make a comeback through all out attack. Tuinukuafe and Tuungafasi are props to stabilise the scrum but the rest of the reserves are chosen for impact. Taukeiaho for his dynamic running, Tuipulotu for his power running and passing, Blackadder for his energiser battery support, Webber the quickest AB halfback, Tupaea for his ability to make breaks and Damian to do his usual free style game.

 

[NZbloke]

What about it?

Pretty logical really - you were saying how poorly the Boks have played against the ABs over the last 10 years, my point was anyone can select certain periods where the opposition played poorly against us, which is why I mentioned Aussies poor Bledisloe Cup record over the last 20 years... therefore the best gauge to rate the ABs main rival is by looking at the overall history of the game, that team is obviously the Boks, & lets not forget they're the current world champions too.

 

[Derpus]

Pretty logical really - you were saying how poorly the Boks have played against the ABs over the last 10 years, my point was anyone can select certain periods where the opposition played poorly against us, which is why I mentioned Aussies poor Bledisloe Cup record over the last 20 years... therefore the best gauge to rate the ABs main rival is by looking at the overall history of the game, that team is obviously the Boks, & lets not forget they're the current world champions too.

my point is that the ABs have no real rivals. Yeah the Springboks professional era record is 2% better than the Wallabies but they are both in the 20s still. Even factoring in the non-professional era it only rises to just over 30% for the Springboks (though IMO comparing professional and non-professional is kinda pointless..

For me a rivalry has to involve a genuine contest. It's like when newspaper articles talk about the Wallabies and ABs renewing their rivalry in the Bledisloe. There isn't one. If the Wallabies didnt win the Bledisloe for another 30 years I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

But I mean, sure, by the strict definition every single team the ABs play are 'rivals' and I guess by virtue of being the best of a distant lot the Springboks are the ABs 'main rivals'.

Springboks v Wallabies is what an actual rivalry should look like. Pretty much 50/50 and any given match could go either way.

 

[NZbloke]

my point is that the ABs have no real rivals. Yeah the Springboks professional era record is 2% better than the Wallabies but they are both in the 20s still. Even factoring in the non-professional era it only rises to just over 30% for the Springboks (though IMO comparing professional and non-professional is kinda pointless..

For me a rivalry has to involve a genuine contest. It's like when newspaper articles talk about the Wallabies and ABs renewing their rivalry in the Bledisloe. There isn't one. If the Wallabies didnt win the Bledisloe for another 30 years I wouldn't be the least bit surprised.

But I mean, sure, by the strict definition every single team the ABs play are 'rivals' and I guess by virtue of being the best of a distant lot the Springboks are the ABs 'main rivals'.

Springboks v Wallabies is what an actual rivalry should look like. Pretty much 50/50 and any given match could go either way.

Big diff between 2% & 30% - both professional & amateur eras have to be involved... we will have to agree to disagree on this one.



In the amateur era the rivalry between the ABs/Boks was huge & also brutal... those were the days of rucking, so if you got on the wrong side of the ruck the forwards would ruck you out like a pip with rips in your jersey with cuts & bruises to go with it too... have a look at this 1956 article of the Boks tour of NZ concerning the AB prop Skinner & some of the other Bok forwards.

Flash Back: Springboks vs All Blacks 1956

It is a rivalry that has been going on for the best part of a century – the battle for the No.1 ranking of the world. This is Part Three in the Battle of the Giants. In this episode we look a…

allblacksopenforum.wordpress.com

Another article about the 1981 Boks tour of NZ that divided families & friends throughout the whole country, had riots etc.

Stuff

www.stuff.co.nz

 

[Derpus]

All i see are arguments for a return to amateurism haha.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Sorry derps, the wallabies are good guys and all, we just aren't really that into them. Move on bud, the relationship with the boks had gone through some tough times and australia was young and free, so we advanced the australia affair, but it's always been the springboks for us, deep down.

Dont spoil our anniversary. It's going to be passionate, heated, and physical. We're going to go hard on d, we'll get exhausted, sucking in the big ones.

 

[Gay-Guy]

A massive game coming from Beaudy...he knows this is the crucible of his future as a first five. He played second fiddle to Carter at the 2015 RWC and Mounga at the 2019 RWC. He doesn't want to be know as second fiddle at the 2023 RWC. I expect him to take command of the game in a way he has not shown before for the All Blacks. A loss reinforces the argument to have Mounga is the number 10 incumbent.

 

[GoTheNaki]

Imagine going through school boys, through regional, through super rugby, then into International and facing the Haka... Do you guys think that is a really big "I've made it" moment? Or even performing the Haka... The emotions you would feel.

 

[GoTheNaki]

WOO someone put the ball out?!

 

[Derpus]

Sorry derps, the wallabies are good guys and all, we just aren't really that into them. Move on bud, the relationship with the boks had gone through some tough times and australia was young and free, so we advanced the australia affair, but it's always been the springboks for us, deep down.

Dont spoil our anniversary. It's going to be passionate, heated, and physical. We're going to go hard on d, we'll get exhausted, sucking in the big ones.

Bro I'm not saying the Wallabies are the rivals? I'm saying there are no rivals.

Are you even reading my posts?