[RWC 2023 Final] New Zealand v South Africa 28/10/23 20:00 BST

[Ospervat]

That includes dozens (!) of tries in enthralling games against Romania, Namibia and Italy.

Seriously, how many games were worth watching this time? Half a dozen? And next RWC, there will be 24 teams.

I watched about 80% of games.

As a rugby enthusiast and being passionate about a game I played for 40 years I would suggest this.

A person can choose to embrace (positive frame of mind) it or reject ( negative frame of mind) it. I know which one I'm choosing.

 

[Horacito]

Sam Cane's press conference is the most soulcrashing thing I've seen in rugby lately, I really feel so sorry for him, he seems like a great bloke

 

[Gray_Mouser]

You can have a positive frame of mind and still wish there were more competitive games.

 

[SteveAustin794582]

SA 4 wins in 8 tournaments.
NZ 3 wins in 10 tournaments
that makes their achievement more impressive really.

Food poisoned your way to the first and referees guided you to your 4th. The most average team to have ever won the world cup.

 

[SteveAustin794582]

SA had the toughest road
Ireland
Scotland
France
England
New Zealand

AB's on the other hand.
France
Ireland
Argentina
South Africa

South Africa being so average made you think the opposition was good. Case in point, nz hammered an Argentinean side that almost won against England, whereas SA just got past the same English side.

 

[Ospervat]

Food poisoned your way to the first and referees guided you to your 4th. The most average team to have ever won the world cup.

I'm not a SA supporter. I'm an England supporter. Not sure who the "your" is that you are referring too.

I put rugby first. I'm a purist at heart.
I acknowledge and respect the achievement. That's all.

 

[Ospervat]

These are moot points. Outcomes are based on so many fluid variables. Any comparison of this nature really doesn't hold sway.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

One thing I would say for the all blacks, having watched all world cups since and including 1995, that is the least chokey I've seen them play in a playoff game where they were either losing or it was close.

 

[Ospervat]

You can have a positive frame of mind and still wish there were more competitive games.

Sure. The point being made however is that these games aren't worth watching. I disagree. I think they are. IE positive mindset.

 

[SteveAustin794582]

Yeah but Kolisi was bent at the hips as well as other factors, clear mitigation. YC is correct.

Bent at hips isn't sufficient, as evidenced by the amount of locks red carded for tackling smaller players.
Savea was standing absolutely still and the tackler has the duty to avoid the head. No mitigation for mine as Savea was not moving at all.
De Allende on the other hand was moving in open space on a 3d plane and Sam's tackle was fully wrapped.
Very poor subjective decisions by the ref

 

[pagliaccio_euforico]

You sound like Matt Williams

while accurate that's the meanest thing anyone has ever said on these boards

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Such a depressing final from a Irish(/European) POV. I think the two best teams in the world let the occasion get to them in the QFs. NZ played out of their skin in the QFs and didn't really get to the level today. SA knew how to gamble v France and it just about paid off.

But before I get backlash from that paragraph, the finalists turned up when it counted, that's more valuable than being the best/most dominant/most skilful team in the world when it comes to world cups.

Well done Bokke. You know how to win. I really hope Neinbar makes his stamp on Leinster and Irish rugby over the next decade because we have underachieved for the talent we've produced.

Johnny is out. But he's inspired 15 years worth of talent. We'll be the NH team to end the SH's dominance of this cup, I promise you.

 

[Hydraulxx]

Yoh, happy SA won the game, i felt like NZ stepped up after the 50min mark. The ref IMO missed multiple calls for both sides.

I also feel for Sam Cane. I was hoping for mitigation just so that a red card wouldn't affect the final. It looked like SA were running on empty for the last 30min.

I thought Bongi going off injured early was game over for us, Deon cost us our lineouts but he was solid in the scrums and did well in the loose. I called PSTD for MOTM at half time as he was insane in the 1st half already.

Huge respect to NZ for the way they played especially in the 2nd half while 14 down. Ardie and Telea had massive games,

This was the final i was hoping for in 2019 and got it now

 

[Jimbo]

I still find it crazy that SA have won more WCs losing pool matches than NZ have lost total pool matches.

 

[saulan]

I'm very happy. We needed this. Well done New Zealand and I'm so sorry that a card played an important role in that second half. But it was a massive game of pitching up and being willing and take the hips and applying tone pressure. What a game.
So much stress. It means so much beyond what many can understand. Well done to this squad. Well done for getting back to back. Well done for turning this around. And I'm so sorry if in any way I've been an arrogant winner!

What a win! Thank you forwards! Thank you for closing out! Thank you Kwagga ******* Smith! Thank you Deon Fourie. Sorry if I've missed any of the controversies and I'll engage on that in a second viewing… but this means so much… and I am so disconnected and SA needs this so badly and I am so happy for the rest of the nation. Thank you so much Kolisi for providing so much hope in a country in a land that lacks so much of it. What a game.

Consolidations New Zealand. You sticked up so far being a man down for so long. You were amazing. But we were always going to be empty barrels against you so much. We respect you so much. Until the next RWC. Thank you. I apologise and you pushed so hard. Until next time <3

Still drunk, but want to apologise for how incoherent this is. What a terrible set of paragraphs. This win still hasn't properly sunk in yet… and in all honesty - won't sink in until I start seeing the reactions of the country back home. This means so much to me… but I know how much it means for so many more back home where they need a little something to distract them from the pain and suffering from everyday life. Thank you Springboks for being the shining light once again for the nation.

Was it a game for the record books or the neutrals? No. It was absolutely dire and a slug fest of knockout rugby. But that is where this current set of Springboks with Rassie thrives.

Once again, my condolences to New Zealand supporters. Many ruled you out early on after your pre-game against us and your France game, but you were valiant again today, and could easily have taken that away from us. You remain the team that causes the most anxiety for us and I'm looking forward to our future battles against each other.

I can't believe we got the second win in a row. Thank you Siya and team for pulling it across the line. I look forward to seeing how much this meant to the nation in the morning and the week to come.

Congratulations Jean Kleyn. World Cup Finalist and World Cup Winner on top of your URC win. No one can ever take that away from you. What a 6 month period you've just had.

 

[Hankstrom]

Hey all, sharing a few pics as I was lucky enough to watch the game IRL.

Bravo South Africa for your 4th WC, but it doesn't make sense to me that the team playing that kind of rugby wins the world cup.
An Australian told me tonight that Rugby League is winning over Rugby Union in Australia because faster, fresher, etc etc.
I don't know if that is true, but I felt a bit the same watching SA tonight, almost wanted to leave at half time.
I feel for NZ, they started to play too late maybe but that's the game. What a team though, impressed by the aura of these guys.

Anyway, Top 14 starts again tomorrow and I can't wait.

Edit: cant attach photos for some reason, server issue on TRF's end. I'll try again later

 

[croadymeister]

Poor decision making from NZ not taking those two kicks at posts. Gonna be a long old 4 years trying to bury that regret. Unfortunately Cane red card ruined what could have been a great game too,also think Kolisi was lucky to get a reprieve too.

Apparently that Felix Jones from the SA coaching staff is joining us after World Cup,any chance he can let us into their secrets when we face them again

 

[croadymeister]

3 games in row with the help of the referee is very suspicious

Yeah I can smell a rat with this,however will be swept under carpet due to Kolisi romantic story. Maybe the guy talking about food poisoning scandal pre 1995 final is on to something. The tournament was in their country after all which makes me suspicious.

 

[IT157]

Yes absolutely, winning is what counts and is what the history books will show. Full marks to them.

Just something I've seen scrolling through the web- Matt Dawson on BBC has just said they're the greatest side ever.

They're absolute a great side, but you can't be the greatest losing to Ireland and beating England by 1 point lol

Kolisi as a double winning captain is pretty special though- he's some 6 when fully fit.

Dawson speaks utter drivel most of the time.

 

[IT157]

I thought New Zealand were the better team in the final.

Again, South Africa win by a point!

The Cane card could have gone either way. Pre-tournament that normally is a red. But throughout the tournament they seemed to have been a bit more lenient and looked for any mitigation. I thought yellow was fair, but can also understand red. Feel sorry for Cane. He already gets enough stick from kiwi fans.

This game also confirmed New Zealand are still top tier. I read a few comments that New Zealand were a slight tier below France, Ireland, and South Africa. This should nip that in the bud!

Kind of weird that New Zealand lost the opening game and the final game.

And England ended up winning more games that New Zealand. Yeah, I know England didn't face the greatest competition, but still.

Fair play to South Africa. They beat France, England, New Zealand, and Scotland. So their run this tournament was harder than their 2019 win. And one point games show how close it was.

South Africa have now won 50% of the World Cups they have competed in. Also the first team to win 4 Rugby World Cups. And second team to win back to back Rugby World Cups.

France are a youngish team, and I fancy them to win the next one. Of course a lot can potentially change in 4 years.