[2024 TRC] South Africa v New Zealand - 31/8/2024

[miccloarch]

Quick word on Justin Marshall: his analysis is boring and one-dimensional. It's complete clickbait focusing on selections because he knows every AB fan is a selector in their own fantasy world. Now there's a horde that seemingly just parrot his useless talking points.

Does he really think the ABs should play an outdated brand of rugby that Rassie figured out 6 years ago already? Dude's freaking clueless, he should stick to comms.

 

[ChicagoKid]

The World Cup is the primary goal for everyone but performance within the cycle does matter.

It's also relatively new in the entire history of the sport. Traditions matter. The AB v Bok rivalry goes back a century and absolutely matters a great deal. RC itself is less of a deal but it's still a trophy. Easy to say you don't care about these things if you have a losing record.

Don't get me wrong though, Boks are favourites for this game and the RC despite the injuries. World Champs x 2, confidence through the roof, playing good rugby. Seems to me there shouldn't be any excuses.

It matters, just not very much. It's like the Olympics: winning a world championship is great but there is nothing close to an Olympic gold. That puts you in legendary status, particularly in smaller countries.

AB vs Boks clearly matters because even when Boks were at their nadir, they still showed up. But the RC doesn't matter to Rassie. These next two tests matter, absolutely.

But there is a reason SARU has spent the last 6 years trying to leave and join the six nations: the future of elite rugby is in the north.

 

[miccloarch]

But there is a reason SARU has spent the last 6 years trying to leave and join the six nations: the future of elite rugby is in the north.

There are also plenty of reasons why this shouldn't and likely won't ever happen. South Africa is not a European nation and has no history or business belonging to that competition.

 

[ChicagoKid]

There are also plenty of reasons why this shouldn't and likely won't ever happen. South Africa is not a European nation and has no history or business belonging to that competition.

USA has no business hosting the Rwc31 but we all know what this is about: $$$.

The North has $$$ and SARU has a massive TV audience. History doesn't have anything to do with it.

Take it from an American who has watched college football conferences over 100 years old collapse in a weekend; there are no sacred cows.

Traditional rugby fans can get as mad as they want, but the game needs $$ and could learn a lot from American marketers on achieving sustainability.

 

[miccloarch]

How to beat the Bok rush defence:

• Force them behind the gain line. Obvious answer but easier said than done. Speed of attack is the only solution but you can't be predictable. You can try a French style pick and go down the middle to draw them into the breakdown but they're too good and too physical for that to work reliably so you're gonna have to kick at some point.
• Chip kicks are too obvious so you have to pick your moment carefully but kicking flat to grass could work pretty well. Box kicks need proper prep as well.
• They rush narrow so there's space out wide making the cross kick an option but you can only take that option if you have time and space so you're back to square one, force them backwards. You can't maintain line speed if you're going backwards.
• Less obvious answer: go back to go forward. Play deep off second receiver (12 or 15) to draw them further forward than they want to be and break up the close links between defenders. Key point, don't panic if you go backwards a few phases.

And that's always been the AB problem. The tools for success are there but they keep choking under pressure and now it's happening outside of World Cups.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

How to beat the Bok rush defence:

• Force them behind the gain line. Obvious answer but easier said than done. Speed of attack is the only solution but you can't be predictable. You can try a French style pick and go down the middle to draw them into the breakdown but they're too good and too physical for that to work reliably so you're gonna have to kick at some point.
• Chip kicks are too obvious so you have to pick your moment carefully but kicking flat to grass could work pretty well. Box kicks need proper prep as well.
• They rush narrow so there's space out wide making the cross kick an option but you can only take that option if you have time and space so you're back to square one, force them backwards. You can't maintain line speed if you're going backwards.
• Less obvious answer: go back to go forward. Play deep off second receiver (12 or 15) to draw them further forward than they want to be and break up the close links between defenders. Key point, don't panic if you go backwards a few phases.

And that's always been the AB problem. The tools for success are there but they keep choking under pressure and now it's happening outside of World Cups.

I agree with pretty much every single word.
The brilliance of RSA's plan is that it is reasonable simple for them to execute while the counterstrategy is not only intricated in terms of execution, but also requires quite the mental stamina.

I wholeheartedly agree with the less obvious answer and i think that is the way the ABs should approach this game. I wouldnt say the same thing about other teams. AB's toolkit is different and they should exploit that. And the ABs need to have a good gam, tho. You drop the ball, a scrum entails and it is downhill from there. And everyone, everyone knows it, which plays right into RSA's plan. It's as if RSA's players have blind faith in their plan. That leads to patience and that prevents chocking.

I always get the impression south africans have doubts, like all human beings, but in the back of their head there's this perpetual record that says "we just need a good scrum. Penalty, kick to touch, maul and we'll have possession 10 meters away from their tryline'.

 

[Alex Anghel]

Come on you, mighty All Blacks!

 

[TRF_Olyy]

ABs looking strong so far, really came out the blocks firing

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

That's harsh.

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

How was that knock on not called?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

How have they awarded that?

 

[Jaguares]

Mbonambi lost the control. No try

 

[corny]

The ruck was formed there.

 

[corny]

Brace is lost.

 

[Ceteris]

South Africa getting away with a lot here

 

[Alex Anghel]

Brilliant try!!!!'

 

[Gavin]

Some penalty that. It's at altitude right?

 

[corny]

Brilliant stuff.

 

[Hankstrom]

Cool game to watch. Ellis Park is so beautiful, the light, the crowd, the players, I want to teleport now

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Clarke/Jordan are probably my favourite wing partnership in the game atm, so good