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

[ncurd]

This is the third 7 - 1. Second in the world cup. Has nothing to do with fitness. Does it really work we don't know since the time SA won using it was when the AB just did not pitch so the 7 - 1 was never tested that game. What we do know is that against Ireland the game was lost due to kicks missed. Those kicks might have came from the 7 - 1 or maybe not.

You didn't have a replacement kicker that usually requires one on the bench or on the field. You didn't create space for one and thus were not able to fix a fundamental problem once it became apparent and lost the game as a result.

Its pretty hard to argue that not having sufficient backs support in a kicker wasn't a direct consequence of packing your bench full of forwards.

 

[rN_X]

You didn't have a replacement kicker that usually requires one on the bench or on the field. You didn't create space for one and thus were not able to fix a fundamental problem once it became apparent and lost the game as a result.

Its pretty hard to argue that not having sufficient backs support in a kicker wasn't a direct consequence of packing your bench full of forwards.

There was no decent kicker in the squad anyway at that time. If I am correct Pollard only arrived that week and therefore not selected. Had there been a proper kicker it would be another story.

 

[ncurd]

There was no decent kicker in the squad anyway at that time. If I am correct Pollard only arrived that week and therefore not selected. Had there been a proper kicker it would be another story.

Not having a backup kicker is a fundamental failure of any planning.

Its not like Pollard had jet lag or anything.

 

[Zac_ETNZ]

Considering the 7-1 split with no replacement hooker (line out thrower I don't think the game says it has to be the hooker) and no replacement kicker was a massive contributer to the loss against Ireland I don't think it was masterstroke you think it is. Even if they win Saturday its a 50% success rate.

With still no obvious benefit.

I think it's a tacit admission that their big men can only last 40-45 minutes, playing their forwards-driven bullying game - so the 7/1 split suits their cattle and game-plan. Because of the type of game we play, 5/3 suits the ABs just fine.

 

[rN_X]

Not having a backup kicker is a fundamental failure of any planning.

Its not like Pollard had jet lag or anything.

It is but sadly there is no other option other than Pollard at this stage.

The other 10's in the country can hardly make it at URC level

 

[SteveAustin794582]

Oddly happy with the 7-1 side. Probably because I think we need to chance our arm here. Personally just would've wanted Van Staden in there ahead of probably Kleyn or Wiese/Vermeulen.

Onto Bongi- I hear you can hear him clear as day- it's just the "w" is phonetically what you hear in the English "vet" and not "wet". So the sound is absolutely there or close enough that i can understand Curry hearing what he did. For me personally I am happy enough that for myself I am convinced that in context he shouted in Afrikaans. If I weren't I'd at a personal level actually be unhappy with his inclusion. And I don;t even believe we absolutely *need* him there. His throw ins havn't exactly been at 100% and in general play I actually prefer Fourie and Van Staden.


man, am I hoping for clear skies and more importantly a dry field. I feel NZ handles the wet better than us in that their handling probably goes down 5% and ours 50%. More importantly though, our wingers and Willemse are steppers rather than NZ's swervers/drifters and slippery surfaces kills our attack dead so if its slippery we only really have the bomb and pressure and hope.

The first 20 minutes for me will determine who wins. If we can't stay in touch I can't see us chase more than say an 8 point lead with 30 minutes remaining and even that would be a mountain.

I used to think it never rains in SA, and was all hard cricket pitches. But then I watched the U20 world cup this year and it looked just like NZ.

 

[SteveAustin794582]

Couple of posters saying the 7:1 split has no back

Considering the 7-1 split with no replacement hooker (line out thrower I don't think the game says it has to be the hooker) and no replacement kicker was a massive contributer to the loss against Ireland I don't think it was masterstroke you think it is. Even if they win Saturday its a 50% success rate.

With still no obvious benefit.

Deon Fourie is the replacement hooker, unless I'm missing something?

 

[ncurd]

Deon Fourie is the replacement hooker, unless I'm missing something?

Everyone knows that's a fudge.

 

[miccloarch]

I think it's a tacit admission that their big men can only last 40-45 minutes, playing their forwards-driven bullying game - so the 7/1 split suits their cattle and game-plan. Because of the type of game we play, 5/3 suits the ABs just fine.

Razor era loading. How long ago was it unheard of to have props and hookers with ball skills? Watch him do a 4-4 or 3-5 with proper hybrids. Remember Ardie in his early twenties?

Couple of posters saying the 7:1 split has no back

Deon Fourie is the replacement hooker, unless I'm missing something?

He is. The fact that he also covers loose forward at his height is incredible and shows how valuable utility players can be.

 

[SteveAustin794582]

Good team selection by SA, nothing wrong or overly risky with going all out in the forwards. Tight games and wet weather games even more so, are forward battles. Can't help but think that the SA forwards looked pretty ineffective and tired in the 1sst half against England, and in this way the coach may feel that it would be too much of a risk in the final 20 minutes not to have the freshest legs as possible.

I still maintain my theory of Fresher beats Better.

For the AB's it's going to force a game plan that targets the wings throughout the entirety of the match, as there won't be much space around the break down or mid field. England showed that high balls are almost guaranteed against the shorter SA wingers if they are static (i.e. 20 meter kicks). The SA wingers will have to stay back somewhat for both that and the cross field kick, meaning the SA rush defence will have the SA centers coming up quick to cut off the AB attack, and here the AB's need to put mid-field chip kicks in to force them to double think as well.

The rain will be a shame, but it won't dirsupt the kicking game at all, but it will make it more likely that knock-ons result from the regather, which could mean more scrums, which may eventually favour SA.

If I were NZ I would challenge the SA line-out strongly in the 1st half if the chance comes to kick for the corners.

Psychologically NZ will want to start fast in order to get 1 try, so as to ruin the SA idea of impregnable WC final defence.

NZ have Jordie for long range kicks in the wet, and he might have to take the wide out conversion attempts too if it's raining as Richie's success rate is around 66% for these. A bit concerned tat we haven't really used DMac much off the bench in the knock-outs as Beaudie been playing so well, and wonder if we aren't sure how to get both guns working at the same time. DMac could be sensational in the wet with 15 minutes to go.

Currently I think the advantage is with SA on paper given the conditions, but the first 15 minutes will make things a lot clearer I suspect.

 

[Jer1cho]

I used to think it never rains in SA, and was all hard cricket pitches. But then I watched the U20 world cup this year and it looked just like NZ.

Western Cape has its rainy season in the winter. Whole tournament was there smack in the middle of it. They had freakish floods over that time as well. In the highveld like Joburg it doesn't rain at all in winter. Maybe one or two days. The URC has been a big hoo for our players in that sense though.

 

[unrated]

 

[ncurd]

Will the conditions suit SA? These are the same conditions as last week and they limped home to beat an England side that whilst their best game in ages never threatened to score a try. Will they get the same level of scrum dominance that was by far the deciding factor last week? Will NZ lets a player of the bench who will single handedly cause a 10 point swing?

 

[donschorn]

I was at the stadium on saturday.. Boring match and atmosphere!
I have tickets for the final, but i don't know if it will be nicer, and enouth to hav

 

[donschorn]

Are you using your tickets for the final

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

A shame for Am and Libbok, but understandable in both instances. A strong Bok selection come rain or shine, but probably one that will not score more than two tries from open play if NZ play as they did in the QF.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

No surprise at the 5-3 split on the bench. Brodie swaps with Sam and Laulala promoted to backup tighthead. Otherwise as expected.

 

[Ospervat]

Not having a backup kicker is a fundamental failure of any planning.

Its not like Pollard had jet lag or anything.

Faf is pretty handy.

 

[unrated]

Faf is pretty handy.

Damian Willemse also plays 10 sometimes

Cheslin is there too.

 

[Bruce_ma gooshvili]

I would like the ABs to win it as the smaller nation and for 7-1 to blow up in the Boks face. I still have no clue, so time to hedge some bets

If heavy rain -
Boks 21 - 9 ABs

If not heavy rain -
Boks 23 - 19 ABs

If Faf, Bongi or a Bok winger get injured
ABs 19 - 15 Boks