RWC: South Africa - Wales (11-09-2011, 20:30)

[psychic duck]

From what I've read and watched, everybody seems to agree Riaan Viljoen is a lot better than Kirchner/Steyn/Aplon as a full back, yet he didn't even make the initial 55 man squad

also is it fair to say Kirchner is the worst 15 of the SA sides? Viljoen, Lambie, Jantjes, Ludik even Taute are better

and why is PdV so stubborn about F Steyn too, he's a poor full back, just stands back and hoofs the ball if he gets it, he never makes any breaks or anything in attack playing at 15

he has two possible roles which he is good at: centre where I think he is better than de Villiers or number 21 where he covers all back positions

 

[Nicolaas]

Isn't that abit harsh? They nearly got us last time we played them, but I think (and hope) SA will win this one.

That's almost as shocking as what this guy said:

well each time they almost (and only once) beat us before was in cardiff. i just cant see it happening in the world cup in new zealand. and i dont think its shocking that i said it but what big ginger 8 said i do find shocking, think he's just trying to stirr up something...

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

Here's holding thumbs. I'd like to add JdJ ahead of JdV to that list as well. Would you agree?

Juan de Jongh is a great talent who will be amazing for us after the RWC and I wouldn't mind JdV playing during his last World Cup. I am amazed at the fact that Jean de Villiers is only 30. I thought he was 34 or something. Juan de Jongh might be a better option for outside center.

 

[Nicolaas]

Juan de Jongh is a great talent who will be amazing for us after the RWC and I wouldn't mind JdV playing during his last World Cup. I am amazed at the fact that Jean de Villiers is only 30. I thought he was 34 or something. Juan de Jongh might be a better option for outside center.

i like juan de jongh but i just wish he would try to break less (not saying he shouldnt do it at all, have seen some amazing breaks from him in the past) and i think he should pass more. i think his tackling is better than jdv's though, goes for the ankles where jdv goes too high sometimes.

 

[big ginger 8]

well each time they almost (and only once) beat us before was in cardiff. i just cant see it happening in the world cup in new zealand. and i dont think its shocking that i said it but what big ginger 8 said i do find shocking, think he's just trying to stirr up something...

Nope my honest opinion I should have been more specific obviously there decent enough not by any means sayng they're **** but I'd be more scared of N.Z., Aus, France and ourselves as more often than not we lose games for ourselves. They're good at what they do but not the most intimidating team out there. No plan B and plan A is pretty retarded.

 

[Nicolaas]

Nope my honest opinion I should have been more specific obviously there decent enough not by any means sayng they're **** but I'd be more scared of N.Z., Aus, France and ourselves as more often than not we lose games for ourselves. They're good at what they do but not the most intimidating team out there. No plan B and plan A is pretty retarded.

well plan A cant be that "retarded" if they're #3 in the world at the moment...

 

[Thingimubob]

well plan A cant be that "retarded" if they're #3 in the world at the moment...

Yes but that same plan A has led to losses to teams like Scotland. It can work well for the Boks, but when it doesn't (like in the 21 - 19 loss to Scotland) they can't seem to change their gameplan at all.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Yeah but on the otherhand that plan A has led them to wins against the All Blacks, which Ireland has never achieved, and Wales haven't done for over 50yrs


People write off the Boks but they pose as much a threat as the Wallabies, imo

 

[Thingimubob]

Yeah but on the otherhand that plan A has led them to wins against the All Blacks, which Ireland has never achieved, and Wales haven't done for over 50yrs


People write off the Boks but they pose as much a threat as the Wallabies, imo

I'm not writing them off at all, and like I said it CAN be a good gameplan but they seem to be buggered if things don't go their way with it (a la Scotland 2010). Right now not thinking of the Aussies at all, all that matters is the game against the Boks, if we win then it's a great start to the tournament for us. Don't mind that we're getting written off by Bok fans, will be all the more sweeter if we win

 

[Nicolaas]

Yes but that same plan A has led to losses to teams like Scotland. It can work well for the Boks, but when it doesn't (like in the 21 - 19 loss to Scotland) they can't seem to change their gameplan at all.

please dont remind me of that day. dont know how one can beat the 3 strongest home nations and lose to scotland....SCOTLAND!?!?!?! aijajai...

 

[TRF_Ezequiel]

To be fair, it wasn't the best line up that lost to Scotland that day.

Steenkamp, Brussow, Burger, Spies, du Preez, Pietersen and Fourie did not play that day while we had guys like Kirchner and Stegmann, while Kankowski played at 8, who is not the best option for a match in wet conditions

 

[SavageLez]

1. Most of the key players were injured and did not go on tour as Ezequeil noted, many of those players have not even made the 30 man SA RWC squad. Which goes to show that it was almost a C team never mind a B team.
2. Weather assisted Scotland.
3. SA scored the only try and the only team to look like scoring but the ref had other ideas and blew Bakkies (may even have been a yellow card) for going off feet when clearly he did not. It was just reputation of Lions tour that counted against him.
4. Shocks do happen, Oz lost to Samoa afterall!

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

1. Most of the key players were injured and did not go on tour as Ezequeil noted, many of those players have not even made the 30 man SA RWC squad. Which goes to show that it was almost a C team never mind a B team.
2. Weather assisted Scotland.
3. SA scored the only try and the only team to look like scoring but the ref had other ideas and blew Bakkies (may even have been a yellow card) for going off feet when clearly he did not. It was just reputation of Lions tour that counted against him.
4. Shocks do happen, Oz lost to Samoa afterall!

Yeah there were a couple of key guys injured but I hate the B/C team excuses; it's a test still and you send the best you can.

Which brings me to something I've always found irritating about PdV's selection; in the event of having to cover for a 1st choice player he almost always goes for someone who has been in the set-up before even if that person has played absolutely **** over a couple of months rather than the new guy who might be in form and maybe even playing better than the 1st choice incumbent player did before injury.

I know there is the argument of you don't want to 'cheapen' the jersey by selecting new players all the time and the other that the player that was around the Springbok fold could possibly slot in better but IMO selecting a player that has been playing badly over a person that has been the best in position is just as much 'cheapening' the jersey and I don't buy the second argument as well in that I feel a player off form will only put pressure on his teammates and it'd be better to go for the guy on form even if he hadn't been around the national set-up before.

Examples for me is selecting Stegman ahead of Louw in the 3N away tests, so to Johan Muller out of farking nowhere, Kanko over Vermeulen EoYT 2010, also Kirschner over just about anyone else in SA. Pienaar over Pretorius recently. Things like that lead to quality player like F Louw/Pretorius packing up and moving abroad. I find it hard to believe Riaan Viljoen is still in the country.

At laest it looks a bit better for the RWC squad; yes we are carrying a few players that shouldn't be there but it's at an acceptable level IMO as most teams have a bit of dead weight hanging around the squads.

 

[Seaton]

Francios Louw and Sarel Pretorius were both injured, and would not have been able to participate in the away leg, or indeed in the formers case the whole Tri-Nations tournament...

SAcC Paedo- da ViLLIan!?!

 

[LPsoldier ZA]

I've always found irritating about PdV's selection; in the event of having to cover for a 1st choice player he almost always goes for someone who has been in the set-up before even if that person has played absolutely **** over a couple of months rather than the new guy who might be in form and maybe even playing better than the 1st choice incumbent player did before injury.

Agreed!

I could not have saud this any better myself...except for the fact that PdV does not have any balls to make the BIG decisions like that.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Francios Louw and Sarel Pretorius were both injured, and would not have been able to participate in the away leg, or indeed in the formers case the whole Tri-Nations tournament...

SAcC Paedo- da ViLLIan!?!

Huh?

Well, okay, so those two might be bad examples but I almost want to say that even if Pretorius wasn't injured PdV would still not have called him up. I'm sure of it.

EDIT; okay, I got it now. Too right!

 

[TRF_heineken]

Did any Bok fans watched the send-off yesterday? or were you at Mandela Square??

I must admit I got some respect for our Sports Minister! "Moer hulle bokke!!"

 

[Jer1cho]

Did any Bok fans watched the send-off yesterday? or were you at Mandela Square??

I must admit I got some respect for our Sports Minister! "Moer hulle bokke!!"

I was there. Got Bismark to sign my Bok jersey! It was awesome. Every single Springbok that went past gave me a high five!!!

On the game though, I think all one has to do is look at it from a ***le contender perspective. I can't see Wales being good enough to go all the way, as in beating us, Australia and New Zealand. We are, however, the third favorite for the ***le after New Zealand and Australia. We have what it takes to beat both New Zealand and Australia. I don't think Wales have what it takes to win a tournament like this, which is why I don't think they will be able to beat us. Still though, stranger things have happened in World Cups...

 

[TRF_heineken]

I just watched the 2009 B&I lions tour match vs. the Bokke at Loftus, i was at that game...

I forgot that monstrous tackle that Brussouw made on Shane Williams... that little stepper stood no chance!

sunday a week from now will be judgement day! i can't wait! been listening to Leon Schuster's Rugby songs constantly! I even aranged a Braai at my office today!

 

[Jer1cho]

i can't wait! been listening to Leon Schuster's Rugby songs constantly! I even aranged a Braai at my office today!

Well I work in what is pretty much a cinema theatre, as I am an Audio Engineer working on TV and Film. So, we got a brand spanking new Full HD Mitsubishi projector, and a massive screen. We are having a company breakfast next Sunday before the game, after which we will watch the game in HD on that mother of a screen, through a 22.2 Surround sound speaker set up. Yes. It's going to be rather good I reckon!