[RWC2019][Quarter-Final 4] Japan vs. South Africa (20/10/2019)

[Johnny Storm]

We just need to catch the ball properly and kick sitters from in front of the posts, that's all I'm asking for.

Wales have a star kicker with Halfpenny and Pollards 50% kicking record needs to improve.

 

[Jer1cho]

We just need to catch the ball properly and kick sitters from in front of the posts, that's all I'm asking for.

Wales have a star kicker with Halfpenny and Pollards 50% kicking record needs to improve.

Agree with that. He missed a sitter today. WC games are won by accurate goal kickers. Stransky, Monty, Wilkinson...

We really need to take the panic out of our game.

 

[james5000]

The Boks will stroll in to the final, while NZ and Eng knock 2 shades of **** out of each other.

Think the Boks should be favourites now

That Welsh team was very poor and it wasn't even a great looking 14 man French team.

 

[TRF_heineken]

If there is no room for improvement, then there won't be improvement. And there will only be poorer showings. Be happy about that.

And Mapimpi's 2nd try was a thing of beauty. Japan got a 5m lineout which PSDT stole, and we attacked from our own goal line. How many teams have done that against good opposition in this tournament. Not a lot.

We are only as good as our last game, and for many of the guys that played today, that was against Italy, not Canada. Faf for example wasn't in the 23 matchday squad against Canada. So this was his first game after 16 days...

 

[powerfulduck]

Think overall the score line flatters SA somewhat as was a keenly contested game. Thought Bok dominance at the maul and lineout meant the Japs we're fighting a losing battle all game really.

I enjoyed the brand of Rugby we've seen from Japan, brilliant by the hosts and genuinely thrilling to watch, personally love Shota Horie, at 33 that will be his last WC, but I'd love to see him in a meaningful composition in the next 2 years. I'm a fan of them after that and I hope they get opportunities within the next cycle

 

[mania]

The Boks did

true.

 

[Johnny Storm]

If there is no room for improvement, then there won't be improvement. And there will only be poorer showings. Be happy about that.

And Mapimpi's 2nd try was a thing of beauty. Japan got a 5m lineout which PSDT stole, and we attacked from our own goal line. How many teams have done that against good opposition in this tournament. Not a lot.

We are only as good as our last game, and for many of the guys that played today, that was against Italy, not Canada. Faf for example wasn't in the 23 matchday squad against Canada. So this was his first game after 16 days...

I am happy about the win, but I'm uncomfortable with the fact that the rot has set in after 16 days.

There were errors out there today that should never have been made. Granted, we could be now on an up-tick, but there were some gaping holes.

Too early to be congratulating ourselves we need to move forward with cautious diligent improvement.

 

[mdaclarke]

I think Rassie was very generous to the Cherry Blossoms in his post match interview.

The Boks left at least 15 points out on the field.

So what?!

Stop comparing us with NZ. We don't play like them, and NZ would probably have scored more points than we did, but what does that matter? You only need the win, that is it.

Agree 100%, the Boks play a more attritional game. They rarely blow other tier 1 teams away like the ABs but they are one of the few teams that can go toe to toe with the ABs

 

[Jer1cho]

Unfortunately we are a team that's hated among the tier 1 crop.

None of the other teams have the kind of issues we have to deal with. It's very easy to judge us, and to hate us, but this Bok team is one of the few positives we have as a country in absolute turmoil.

The Springboks are a real beacon of hope in what is a country in dire straights. It's very easy to hate a country like ours, but we need success in this tournament because, even if only for a while, we have very little to celebrate.

I know everyone was on the Japan bamdwagon, but trust me on this, our country has very few positives at the moment, and sport is one of the biggest unifying factors we have. The Springboks are not playing for a trophy, they are playing for hope.

 

[Johnny Storm]

Another thing that worries me is why didn't Kolisi intervene and tell Faf to stop kicking when it was putting the Boks under huge defensive pressure in the first half.

Tackle count was through the roof.

Is he an inert captain?

 

[ncurd]

Unfortunately we are a team that's hated among the tier 1 crop.

Man I know everyone wants the most hated tag but you've got to be the most week liked out the semi-finalists.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

Japan were never going to win this. They selected a squad for the World Cup with the aim of beating Scotland. They wanted to play fast paced rugby which meant choosing props and line out forwards that were good around the park but strong enough at art piece not to give away a massive advantage against Scotland. South Africa was the worst opposition they could have faced.

well done to japan for making the quarters.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Another thing that worries me is why didn't Kolisi intervene and tell Faf to stop kicking when it was putting the Boks under huge defensive pressure in the first half.

Tackle count was through the roof.

Is he an inert captain?

That was the plan. Let them have the ball and let our big forwards bash them. And it worked.

did you see their guys when they came off, they looked absolutely knackered. And a lot of them was rubbing their ribcage areas. So our tackles did the hard work, and then just let our basic attack do the finishing off.

it wasn't necessary for Kolbe's magic, nor an RG Snyman run and offload. We dragged them in, got the ball wide and have our speedster finish them off. Easy

 

[bushytop]

Unfortunately we are a team that's hated among the tier 1 crop.

None of the other teams have the kind of issues we have to deal with. It's very easy to judge us, and to hate us, but this Bok team is one of the few positives we have as a country in absolute turmoil.

The Springboks are a real beacon of hope in what is a country in dire straights. It's very easy to hate a country like ours, but we need success in this tournament because, even if only for a while, we have very little to celebrate.

I know everyone was on the Japan bamdwagon, but trust me on this, our country has very few positives at the moment, and sport is one of the biggest unifying factors we have. The Springboks are not playing for a trophy, they are playing for hope.

Lol... depending on who you speak too, all 4 semi finalists are hated... how the semis and final are going to get any substantial television audience (outside of the residents of Eng, NZ, SA & Wales) I'll never know.
Don't worry Jer... you're just part of the 'club' is all .

 

[SomeOke]

Another thing that worries me is why didn't Kolisi intervene and tell Faf to stop kicking when it was putting the Boks under huge defensive pressure in the first half.

Tackle count was through the roof.

Is he an inert captain?

The captain is never going to overwrite pretty much our chief strategical directive.
Box kicks are a huge part of our game, you must accept it or you can't accept Rassie's game plan.

We will have to play better than we did today to win the World cup but it's still possible, we basically just need to take the opportunities on offer and execute our gameplan better.
It's pointless to wish we would kick less, or suddenly adopt an attacking strategy, maybe in 4 years but that's very clearly not what Rassie has built.

We attack on counter attacks, and very obvious numerical numbers from sustained pressure, that's it.

Edit: Agree I don't think that SA are more hated than anyone else, in fact England have to be most hated (not that I hate them).

 

[TheOvalBall]

Another thing that worries me is why didn't Kolisi intervene and tell Faf to stop kicking when it was putting the Boks under huge defensive pressure in the first half.

Tackle count was through the roof.

Is he an inert captain?

He is no captain. And it shows.

 

[Jer1cho]

Lol... depending on who you speak too, all 4 semi finalists are hated... how the semis and final are going to get any substantial television audience (outside of the residents of Eng, NZ, SA & Wales) I'll never know.
Don't worry Jer... you're just part of the 'club' is all .

How many Welsh fans support NZ because of racial issues? There are just as many people in SA who want the Boks to succeed as there are people who want them to fail.

Just look at the Etsabeth saga. We are the very definition of self sabotage I'm afraid.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Man I know everyone wants the most hated tag but you've got to be the most week liked out the semi-finalists.

Seriously.

Hey where'd that WC awards nomination thread go.

 

[SomeOke]

He is no captain. And it shows.

I'm not sure we have great leadership options in our team honestly.

In any case Siya can be seen as a symbolic captain, to help unify the country and team, but also to get the politicians off Rassies back ultimately I think it's been a smart move. We haven't really had a good captain since Smit, Siya is a good bloke doing his best.

 

[bushytop]

How many Welsh fans support NZ because of racial issues? There are just as many people in SA who want the Boks to succeed as there are people who want them to fail.

Just look at the Etsabeth saga. We are the very definition of self sabotage I'm afraid.

Yeah I suppose that at least in Wales we all support Wales... just everyone else hates us! Saying that we do have a helluva lot of plastic Welsh (retired English) around our coast and I'm sure they'd 'Etsabeth' us if they had half the chance. In fact I'm sure I read a story only last week where some retired English OAP had her deckchair nicked by someone suspiciously resembling Alun Wyn Jones .