[June Tests 2018: 2nd Test] South Africa vs. England (16/06/2018)

[SomeOke]

I just think England continually tried the wrong options. It was clear the territorial kicking game wasn't working for them Willie/Vermulen have protected our young wingers, and our kick chase has been extremely good.
On the other hand we continually left space out wide and the narrow carries were also yielding results, they just need to change their angle of attack a bit and I think the score would have been much closer, maybe even an England win.

SA just did enough this game, defended well enough, kicked well enough, scrummed well enough, and didn't t lose their heads as much as the English players. These teams are still close.

Vermulen was immense again, the rest of our players were all decent, with no real stand-outs, some guys like DDA and Faf did a lot of good, but also quite a lot of bad, some guys were just solid.
Bongi Mbonambi has been the biggest surprise thus far (in a good way), being a set piece rock in both the scrums and the line-outs and having a lot of energy around the park.

 

[Yoshimitsu]

I got totally smashed last night (not big or clever) and watched the game as live when I rolled in at about 1am. Luckily I forgot most of it so I just put myself through it again...... with a hangover......... the horror.

Firstly, well done South Africa. General level of performance was excellent with some even better individual performances. Vermualen a well-deserved man of the match.

Now England. ******* hell! That was ******* shite! Every time I looked for crumbs of comfort hopes were dashed as someone did something shockingly bad.

In the unforgivable category we have the actions of Mako Vuniploa, Nathan Hughes and Ben Youngs (I have a very small amount of sympathy for him). I'm not sure how coaches address that level of idiocy? As other have stated just shouting at them to stop being ***** isn't going to work. I'm not convinced that Eddie wants to man manage this group but that's what is needed.

In the just not good enough category we have pretty much the entirety of the rest of the team. Poor execution, poor decision making, poor attitude just generally poor. Annoyingly through all of the rubbish you can see glimpses of the gleaming machine that England could be. However, in order for that machine to run it needs to be hitting about 85% efficiency. It's nowhere near that. Not at all. The issue for Eddie is that it's not one problem in one area, it's lots in many. Scrum has been minced twice in two weeks, Maul defence isn't working (and we can't use ours effectively). Carrying is generally not dynamic enough and Nathan Hughes and his stand still handing people off routine doesn't get the job done. It's going to be worse without Billy Vunipola who it appears is unfortunately injury prone. I feared for him when I saw his reaction to the tackle he missed and it appears he has broken his arm.

Owen Farrell had a very poor game indeed. His captaincy style is unlikely to do anything other than antagonise referees. Experience would lead me to believe that in a game where the officials can make the difference this isn't a good idea. If he's been less busy being tough and shoving people about he might have noticed the Beast picking the ball up and running off with it………….

George Ford apart from making a game endingly bad decision went O.K. for the most part. Yet England definitely looked a different animal with Danny Cipriani on the pitch. I'd start Danny next week. What's to lose (apart from another game………….)?

I thought Curry and Shields looked like a balanced flank unit. The latter was a bit unlucky with the try that wasn't but both players made telling turnovers in critical situations. However, the entirety of the England pack with the potential exception of Billy V were out muscled.

Mike Brown I genuinely can't work out how to rate that performance. He did some quite awesome things in defence and was in place for his try. But being unable to gather the high-ball is kind of important.

The rest, meh at best. I was hoping George would slay the lurking ghost of Hartley and he's singularly failed to do that. Sinckler doesn't lack commitment but doesn't fill me full of confidence. Launchbury is our solid lock and went O.K. but for whatever reason Lauchtoje seems to be less than the sum of it's parts. Maro was at least less Haskelly this week. Youngs needs to be reminded what professionalism means. Elliot Daly and May look a threat every time they get the ball. So instead of getting it to them we will persist with contestable high balls. Henry Slade. Hmm having watched the game again I barely noticed him, that's probably not a good thing. Who have I missed? The subs bar Cipriani didn't really have a chance to influence as the rot had well and truly set in

The darkest hour comes before dawn. I'm hoping to God this is it but I'm not convinced it is. The only thing that could make this worse would be hearing that Eddie has been on the phone to Sam Burgess................

 

[RedruthRFC]

Binny's broken his arm again.

"re-fractured" according the the RFU Twitter feed, I didn't know that was a thing. I had always been under the impression that once healed a fractured bone is as strong as it was in the first place, or does this mean that he was brought back before it was properly healed? Any thoughts from the medical / sports science types here?

 

[RedruthRFC]

Marler and Brown clash with fans after loss:
https://m.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Sprin...at-marred-by-post-test-row-with-fans-20180617

Somethings definitely not right with the attitude of the English players. Farrell was doing a lot of complaining to the ref during the game, which is fine to an extent as the captain, but trying to do a sneaky conversion on a non-try when it's being referred to TMO and arguing no you can't do that I've taken the kick, shouting you said play on when a penalty for offside is blown (play on being called after the player has done the wrong thing then being picked up by assistants) and also the irony of him saying we are trying to have a game of rugby here when a scuffle breaks out when it was shortly preceded by the ball being thrown at Vermuelens head and the hand in face of PSDT. Not really setting the best example for the rest of the team.

Then you have the interview situation, I get it, you are upset you lost, but it's part of international rugby these days to have post match interviews, it reflects poorly on the team. And then finally this incident with the fans (I'm interested in whether it's SA fans or English fans). I'm not condoning the actions of the fans because I am sure they are the ones that instigated this with some sort of comment from the crowd, but as an international you should be able to ignore it and walk off and not engage the idiots in the stands. Looks at the form of abuse the football players in England face every time they give a throw in or corner at a rivals ground. They block it out and get on with things.

I think the English team needs a mental coach or sports psychologist in their employment to work on that (worked for SA the last time we won a World Cup I think). If you have one, fire them and get a new one.

Spit on, good post, have a like!

I picked up on the two things from Farrell that you did and couldn't believe how he was treating the referee and was amazed that the referee didn't tell him to wind his neck in. I have no idea what he thinks he's achieving treating him like that, it's asking to put his back up and end up on the wrong side of him IMO. I also wonder if this sort of chippy petulance rubs off on his team. Oh for the days of an arm on the shoulder and a quiet chat from Chris Robshaw, I was always really impressed with the way he dealt with referees. Maybe it's because this is the sort of approach that I would much prefer myself, but it seems a lot more constructive to me.

I'm a massive fan of the quote that Warren Gatland picked up from Paul O'Connell - "Let's be the best at everything that requires no talent." England were pretty much the antithesis of this yesterday. I'm surprised by the number of people excusing Ben Youngs' behavior, these kind of interviews are always inane and full of clichés, but I don't see the question as being as purposely inflammatory as many do - a quick look around social media suggests to me that it was the sort of question that the average fan on their sofa wanted to hear an answer to. In terms of the POC quote, if Ben Youngs can't be trusted to take a deep breath and make the right noises with a microphone in his face, what chance does he have of making the right decisions under the pressure of a test match. The same goes for Brown and Marler.

I recently pointed out the irony of the "great men make great All Blacks" quote given the number of these great men who have done some pretty morally and legally dodgy things, but I do have to wonder whether the current crop of players many of whom have been practically full time rugby players since a young age have picked sufficient mental fortitude along the way. I have no idea how much help a psychologist could be in this regard or whether it's so deep-seated in personalities that a lobotomy and re-wiring is required. I remember the RFU Tweeting a video in which players had questions / comments read out to them and was amazed how many of the players reacted very defensively and / or aggressively to the merest him of criticism. It's almost as if a lifetime of being put of a pedestal doesn't prepare you mentally for adversity!

 

[McTallshort]

Has anyone heard the full interview with Chris Jones from the BBC and EJ? Very uncomfortable but to give Chris his due he didn't back down.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b694nc

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Has anyone heard the full interview with Chris Jones from the BBC and EJ? Very uncomfortable but to give Chris his due he didn't back down.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b694nc

Link goes somewhere else but I found some text of what was said. Jones really can't deal with being under pressure and having his decisions questioned and the team seems to be going the same way. Everything is fine when on top but when things go bad the coach and players get all emotional and defensive, they lose all their professionalism.

The only way we can turn this around before the world cup if we keep Jones is to get in some proper assistants. He is the opposite of Lancaster; Lancaster allowed his assistants to control too much, particularly Farrell, Jones doesn't seem to want assistants who are anything except yes men and even then apparently doesn't seem all that interested in them. We need extremely competent and strong assistant coaches to get England playing properly and make them confident in what they are supposed to do. Get some proper sports psychologists in to deal with the discipline and tendency to go to pieces.

However I'm not confident Jones will do either. Some assistants on a temporary basis again and then back to Jones running the show. For all we know it's his attitude that is damaging England's performances. If that's the case it will just snowball, performances will get worse, Jones gets more spiky, players get more annoyed, lose more games through stupidity, rinse and repeat until something blows.

It really is staggering how only 1 year ago England were the side you could never write off as they would play the full 80 and could strike at any point. We nearly always finished stronger. Now? Guaranteed collapse after 20 mins. That can't be a fitness thing. Players who were fit enough to play a full 80 2 years ago don't suddenly become so unfit they can't manage 20 2 years later.

 

[McTallshort]

Link goes somewhere else but I found some text of what was said. Jones really can't deal with being under pressure and having his decisions questioned and the team seems to be going the same way. Everything is fine when on top but when things go bad the coach and players get all emotional and defensive, they lose all their professionalism.

The only way we can turn this around before the world cup if we keep Jones is to get in some proper assistants. He is the opposite of Lancaster; Lancaster allowed his assistants to control too much, particularly Farrell, Jones doesn't seem to want assistants who are anything except yes men and even then apparently doesn't seem all that interested in them. We need extremely competent and strong assistant coaches to get England playing properly and make them confident in what they are supposed to do. Get some proper sports psychologists in to deal with the discipline and tendency to go to pieces.

However I'm not confident Jones will do either. Some assistants on a temporary basis again and then back to Jones running the show. For all we know it's his attitude that is damaging England's performances. If that's the case it will just snowball, performances will get worse, Jones gets more spiky, players get more annoyed, lose more games through stupidity, rinse and repeat until something blows.

It really is staggering how only 1 year ago England were the side you could never write off as they would play the full 80 and could strike at any point. We nearly always finished stronger. Now? Guaranteed collapse after 20 mins. That can't be a fitness thing. Players who were fit enough to play a full 80 2 years ago don't suddenly become so unfit they can't manage 20 2 years later.

The interview is at the start of the program.

 

[Openside7]

I think it was clear that the effects of altitude and our poor discipline were significant factors in our defeat at the weekend. However, from a selection standpoint, I think there is one glaring issue: George Ford at 10.

I say this knowing there are many in the pro-Ford camp that will point to his play on the front foot, his cut-out pass to put Jonny May down the right or other deft moments of interplay in attack during the first 20 minutes as reasons why I'm a moron, but hear me out.

Yes, his attacking play is good and he has lovely touch on his passing, however, England's other options are not significantly worse in this area, Cipriani is more or less on par and Farrell has not been far off in recent times.

Although he came onto the scene as a dangerous runner, he simply does not offer a ball-in-hand threat at all these days. Cipriani is significantly better and Farrell breaks the line far more regularly - both of these two are also much safer on the ball in the event they have to carry. Ford gets rag-dolled every time he steps and anyone gets a hand on him, he either goes backwards several yards or gets held up/returns deathly slow ball. I think SA wised up to this and started drifting better onto our midfield as the game moved on, which obviously did not help us.

His kicking out of hand is solid, but with Farrell, Slade and Daly already in the XV it adds nothing.

Now onto the real issue. Fords general physicality and technique in defense and at the breakdown is shocking. Even disregarding all of the above, I do not understand how you can have a player that loses 5-10m minimum every time the opposition runs down their channel. He tackles high every time, not sure if it's something he picked up as a junior in rugby league, but it's pointless. He's not strong enough to stop the offload anyway, so why bother trying? On the weekend almost every single SA score was preceded by momentum generated through Ford's weakness, either him directly falling off tackles / giving up yards, or the players around him pinching in because they don't trust his defence, leaving space out wide. Watch any set piece or moment in open play where he defends the 10 channel and you see Curry and Farrell both swarm to the channel around Ford. England also try and hide him on the blindside wing once phase play starts, which led to multiple occasions where he will get up from a ruck in center-field and run the opposite way to the SA attackers, to reach the safety of his wing, rather than heads up defending. Swapping Ford for a reliable presence who can contribute to all phases of the game at 10 (Farrell would be my choice) would add more to the team than any other possible change ahead of the next game on saturday, so if someone could let Eddie know that would be much appreciated.

Also, Shields for Robshaw and swap Daly and Brown back around.

England's woeful performances over more than a year now appear to be the product of a series of fundamental problems with English rugby in general and some coaching inadequacies in the national setup. Whilst it is always easy to focus on a few individuals - Ford in this case - and I share many of the concerns about his inability to influence the game when the team are on the back foot, which is the majority of the time, the central issue is the fact that the pack are unable to physically impose themselves on any other team. Whether it is the scrum, lineout or breakdown, England are fairly consistently bullied and, as a consequence cannot deliver fast ball for the attack, where Ford does excel, or slow down the opposition ball enough to allow the defence to do its job.

These core problems, allied with a fairly passive defence, that struggles to stop anyone on the gain line, combined with poor tacking technique (Farrell, Ford are key culprits given the key channel they cover in this respect), mean most of the better teams England face are allowed to dictate both the pace and style of game played. The situation is further exacerbated by the chronically poor decision making been made during the game, resulting in endless penalties being given away with consequent cost in ground and points handed away.

The traditional strengths of English rugby have been a powerful pack; if we can rediscover that core dominance in the form of a powerful scrummage, a solid lineout, a set of forwards who can get over the gain line and stop the opposition doing the same, England, combined with the backs they have, would be a force to be reckoned with again - assuming they can sort out the others frailties already discussed.

 

[Vieux Talonneur]

but I do have to wonder whether the current crop of players many of whom have been practically full time rugby players since a young age have picked sufficient mental fortitude along the way.

They haven't. And a main reason is the academies where they get their arses wiped for them on demand from an early age.

Johnson went to NZ as a kid, Richards spent a year getting beaten up in France, Easter went pretty much everywhere before pitching up at Quins. On the back of these experiences they ended up as independent thinking and influential grown ups. Julian White also learned to look after himself (perhaps too well!) in NZ. Rodber and Lewsey were hard as nails army officers, Dooley, Ackford, Richards (again) and many others were coppers, jobs that force you to grow up and be mentally tough. At the moment we have an awful lot of robotic man children who know nothing other than AP clubs and academies. How many even attempt to balance playing with education as Jamie Roberts and Mat Tait did? Imagine how beneficial the Curries would have found a year fending for themselves down under playing in NZ's second tier? I wouldn't wish any to have the kind of hardships that Beast and Kilosi had to endure, but overcoming their backgrounds made them the men they are today. Bottom line, the more rounded, resourceful and independent a person is, the more likely they are to maximise their playing ability and become leaders.

This isn't just me ranting, the RFU has identified this lack of toughness and leadership arising from the academies as a real problem.

As a snapshot, our starting pack yesterday came from the mean streets of

Millfield
Haileybury
Epsom College (after some state schooling)
Christ's Hospital
Harrow
Somewhere in NZ
Oundle
Harrow

In 03 our whole front row and Back came from state schools. Not to mention the likes of Reagan, Grewcock and Leonard backing them up. Men who never took a backward step. Did they have a naturally harder edge?

 

[ratsapprentice]

I picked up on the two things from Farrell that you did and couldn't believe how he was treating the referee and was amazed that the referee didn't tell him to wind his neck in. I have no idea what he thinks he's achieving treating him like that, it's asking to put his back up and end up on the wrong side of him IMO. I also wonder if this sort of chippy petulance rubs off on his team. Oh for the days of an arm on the shoulder and a quiet chat from Chris Robshaw, I was always really impressed with the way he dealt with referees. Maybe it's because this is the sort of approach that I would much prefer myself, but it seems a lot more constructive to me.

I think they're two sides of the wrong coin... neither style is ideal. Farrell too abrasive, Robshaw too deferential.

I recently pointed out the irony of the "great men make great All Blacks" quote given the number of these great men who have done some pretty morally and legally dodgy things, but I do have to wonder whether the current crop of players many of whom have been practically full time rugby players since a young age have picked sufficient mental fortitude along the way. I have no idea how much help a psychologist could be in this regard or whether it's so deep-seated in personalities that a lobotomy and re-wiring is required. I remember the RFU Tweeting a video in which players had questions / comments read out to them and was amazed how many of the players reacted very defensively and / or aggressively to the merest him of criticism. It's almost as if a lifetime of being put of a pedestal doesn't prepare you mentally for adversity!

Dean Ryan has identified this as quite a significant problem and is trying to do something about it with the age-grades.

https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2017/feb/21/england-dean-ryan-rfu-youth-development

Has anyone heard the full interview with Chris Jones from the BBC and EJ? Very uncomfortable but to give Chris his due he didn't back down.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b0b694nc

TBF, this was at least the second interview in a row where he had been asked in so many words/it was intimated that he should be fired.
Imagine someone doing that to you and how you'd react? The same goes for being asked the same question multiple times?

And just a snapshot our starting pack yesterday came from the mean streets of

Eh... I wouldn't think of it that simply. Wilko went to Lords Wandsworth College.

I don't think the schooling has too much bearing - the academy environment definitely does though.

 

[Scotty]

So no billy, mako, genge. Injured/
Youngs not answering questions after the game which is pathetic
Brown and marler kicking off
Faz(captain) mouthing off at the ref

People are right somethings wrong with the mentality in the england camp.

So
Marler
Lcd
Williams
Isiekwe
Launchbury
Wilson/shields
Curry
Hughes (with no billy hughes is closest, kind of prefer simmonds though)

Youngs
Ford
May
Faz
Slade
Solomona
Daly

George
Hepburn
Sinkler
Itoje
Simmonds
Spencer
Loz
Brown/woodward

Is there a reason loz hasnt been used? Hes on form and almost always makes an impact off the bench.

Hughes isnt fit enough/ on form.
Shields seemed v slow ball in hand, did anyone else notice this?

 

[Big_Grumper]

**** it, for the last game I'd go with:

Marler
LC-D
Williams
Lunchbox
Isiekwe
Shields
Curry
Simmonds
Robson
Cips
Earle
Faz
Daly
May
Woody

Not sure about the bench but it would contain Hepburn, Spencer, Itoje, Slade & Brown. Deffo no place for Youngs, Hughes & Ford.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

So no billy, mako, genge.

Literally all our heavy ball carriers

lol

 

[Pieter Steph du Teague]

**** it, for the last game I'd go with:

Marler
LC-D
Williams
Lunchbox
Isiekwe
Shields
Curry
Simmonds
Robson
Cips
Earle
Faz
Daly
May
Woody

Not sure about the bench but it would contain Hepburn, Spencer, Itoje, Slade & Brown. Deffo no place for Youngs, Hughes & Ford.

I really like the look of that. Earle's been in and around squads for a while now; I'd really like to see him capped next game.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Only positive, May has been looking like he is more than merely a very quick guy now and is one of the few who looks like he is actually putting effort in.

 

[Reiser99]

I just think England continually tried the wrong options. It was clear the territorial kicking game wasn't working for them Willie/Vermulen have protected our young wingers, and our kick chase has been extremely good.
On the other hand we continually left space out wide and the narrow carries were also yielding results, they just need to change their angle of attack a bit and I think the score would have been much closer, maybe even an England win.

SA just did enough this game, defended well enough, kicked well enough, scrummed well enough, and didn't t lose their heads as much as the English players. These teams are still close.

Vermulen was immense again, the rest of our players were all decent, with no real stand-outs, some guys like DDA and Faf did a lot of good, but also quite a lot of bad, some guys were just solid.
Bongi Mbonambi has been the biggest surprise thus far (in a good way), being a set piece rock in both the scrums and the line-outs and having a lot of energy around the park.

As I posted when the game was on at 59 minutes on the SA 10 metre line, we kicked it up in the air. The players can't play what's in front of them and stick rigidly to the game plan that hadn't been working. When England scored their tries, they played quick front foot ball, getting it out wide. The kicking game didn't work at any stage, but none of them, especially Youngs, Ford and Faz as playmakers, thought let's do something different. SA may have defended narrow, but they also knew they could because they saw England weren't bothering to attack out wide and were happy to kick it too quickly for no reason other than, that's our game plan. SA won because they adapted and played what they could see, not what was on paper.

I also keep mentioning how EJ said when he took over that he wanted England to play heads up rugby and they have been going the opposite way ever since. At the moment either it seems EJ isn't the right man for the job, or he's lost the players in which case he isn't the right man for the job. Some how he needs to get these players back to where they were 2 years ago, just to compete, but I don't see it happening.

 

[Mumbles119]

Only positive, May has been looking like he is more than merely a very quick guy now and is one of the few who looks like he is actually putting effort in.

Agreed. But I hope that someone doesn't teach him what rugby is. I love the madcap unpredictability of what he is going to do next. It's both terrifying and magic to watch.

 

[Dunhookin]

Well understandably there's a lot of dismayed wondering and head scratching going on with how poor we are playing - and behaving. Something is up in camp - and it's so disruptive that the team are undermined mentally to the detriment of even basic on field competence.

That's not in anyway to detract from SA's performance and achievements, they look a pretty effective team now and well deserve their success.

The comments made about Farrell's poor referee liaison skills are notable - and for me expose the tip of a very large squad wide iceberg. I believe there is a massive problem within the whole squad about referee appreciation, which the players and management are failing to recognise. Player meetings about improving discipline to reduce the high ping count are not making any difference - because the players don't recognise how deep rooted within their psyche this problem is - therefore, they are unable to take ownership - and consequently unable to deliver any improvements.

How telling might it be if the whole squad were asked to rate how they viewed referees by answering one simple question. The brief that its absolutely imperative they answer completely authentically - not how they think they should answer. The question:

'How do you see referees fellas - friend or foe'? I strongly suspect that 75% of them - would answer 'foe'. The immediate mental considerations here are 'attitude' and 'mindset' - which are not the same. The former is deep rooted - the 'true interior' of each player, built up by the culture, life experience, significant influences - and notably management style/attitude they've been exposed to. There is no quick fix - but the sooner the first step is taken - true recognition that this is a huge problem that will take time and commitment to improve - the better.

Mindset is more readily improved - it's temporary and can be fickle, but again, progress can only be seen after the initial recognition phase has been accepted by the players.

I'd say with the breakdown, this problem is our biggest concern and priority.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Only got to watch the game last night. Saturday was my twins first birthday party and then Eskom introduced Load Shedding, didn't have power for 4 hours! with a house full of family members. At least we didn't need electricity to have a braai.

As for the game. A good ol' proper test match. England again got a fast start, but then didn't score any points for 60 minutes? Does that count as a semi-shutout?

For SA:
Congrats Beast on your 100th test! First SA prop to achieve this milestone. Had a pretty good game too, that run which setup Duane's try was like the beast when he started out at prop for the Sharks way back when.
Bongi Mbonambi really impressed me. He was solid in the lineouts, did his part in the scrums, poached a ball at a ruck, and had a pretty good run.
Pieter Steph Du Toit is just getting better at this dual role of playing flanker and lock.
Duane Vermeulen went into proper Thor:Ragnarok mode.
Pollard's making it really hard for other flyhalves to overtake him.
De Allende was for me the weak link (again) such a big strong guy, but then can't keep hold of the damn ball, or even look for supporting runners.

Overall happy with the performance, we still have a problem out wide on defence, but it was still a bit better than last week. So signs of improvement.

My biggest worry about this team was this first 2 games was played with so much emotion as the driving force. What will happen when the emotion is gone?? We can't have a new black captain after every game a player reaches his 100th mark. Sometimes it's just business. And that is my only worry. Don't get me wrong, emotion is a great motivator, especially in sport, but at some stage we can't rely solely on that.

Interesting to see so few posts about the Ref. Well I'm going to say that he was far too lenient towards the English players. How can he allow 4 consecutive professional fouls on the 5m line without sending someone to the bin?? Most refs give a warning after the 2nd penalty and then bin on the 3rd infringement.

For me the biggest let-down was that we couldn't finish. De Allende and Mbonambi's run coul easily have resulted in a try had they got a pass away. And had Faf's passes went to hands more frequently and not straight into touch, we could have had 2/3 more tries.

 

[unrated]

After England was up 12-0 in the first few minutes, a friend who was sitting a few seats away got up and said he's rather going to the bar, I asked him if he had a short memory, did he already forget last weeks match? Nonetheless he was ignorant and went to the bar, I stayed because I knew we could come back from 12-0 and we did, my faith was repaid and when he came back from the long queues in the bar, suddenly I not only had a home team that was winning but also a cold Black Label.

Our centre combination was the only problem area that I noticed so really hope that we can at least experiment with the midfield in the next game.

The crowd was really amazing, I did some introspection though. When I'm watching at home, I stay very quite building up the emotions within, while other people might be screaming, I'm also very objective in front of the tv. It helps having the commentators share their opinions. When I'm in the stands I take notice that its not in my personality to scream/boo at the decisions made by the ref, or to moan about mistakes made by the team. But isn't it the job of the home supporters to make it an intimidating atmosphere for the visiting team? even if you are wrong it might actually be the right thing to do to boo every decision that goes against your team, to heckle the ref, to only cheer the home team. The supporters have to play their part in helping their team to get that extra 1%. Even though I knew I was biased sometimes about the calls we just went with it, to hopefully put that bit of extra pressure on Poite.