[RWC2023] South Africa vs Ireland (23/09/2023)

[Bada-Bing!]

Shouldn't the Boks have announced their 23 by now?

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Shouldn't the Boks have announced their 23 by now?

Do they need to? I think my mum could have a decent stab at it and get maybe only 2 positions wrong

 

[IT157]

Shouldn't the Boks have announced their 23 by now?

I'm hoping for 5 scrumhalf's this time.

 

[Bada-Bing!]

Do they need to?

Nah they don't; I am just taking the mick out of them usually announcing their 23 5 days in advance of the game.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

I'm hoping for 5 scrumhalf's this time.

The Box Squad

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Saw a man in a dark green and yellow anorak on the way to work this morning. To say he caught the full force of my umbrella is an understatement, gauntlet laid Boks.

 

[Half Pint]

I think my mum could have a decent stab at it

Yeah, I heard your mum is part of the new-look bomb squad - Fearsome lady!

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Yeah, I heard your mum is part of the new-look bomb squad - Fearsome lady!

You best hope she doesn't read this, you're dangerously close to the mark

 

[Jer1cho]

Nah they don't; I am just taking the mick out of them usually announcing their 23 5 days in advance of the game.

As far as I know we are announcing the team this evening. 7-1 bench incoming. Will be same team as Scotland, but I think Willie le Roux will start at 15.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

7-1 bench doesn't scare me much. Our backs on the bench include Henshaw and Murray who bring a lot of physicality to their positions. VdF, Ryan and Doris all have serious engines too. I'm mostly worried about how long our starting props can go, realistically we need them to do a good 65 min shift. Keeping handling errors to a minimum will be huge for this. Boks will wanna scrum all day.

 

[Groundhog]

I think we will just about edge it. This is the highest stakes game we have played in a very long time.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

This is where the draw really screws you, the QFs are going to see a looooooot of walking wounded.

Can't you settle this match via snakes and ladders or something? Warhammer 40,000? Snap?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Surely the 7-1 bench rumours are just a joke?
It only happened the first time because of a late injury

 

[Jer1cho]

Surely the 7-1 bench rumours are just a joke?
It only happened the first time because of a late injury

Yeah also doesn't work as well with Marx gone. I think the team for this game was settled on quite a while ago anyway.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

Surely the 7-1 bench rumours are just a joke?
It only happened the first time because of a late injury

Not enough scrum halves?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

This is where the draw really screws you, the QFs are going to see a looooooot of walking wounded.

Can't you settle this match via snakes and ladders or something? Warhammer 40,000? Snap?

After decades of underachieving Ireland win the cup by going SA - Scotland - NZ - England - France breaking the all time consecutive win record (tier 1) in the process.

That'd be a hell of a way to do it but also shows how unlikely it is because of this bogus draw. Been great for the wacky pool stages but there'll be no need to watch the semi finals.

 

[Lé Ddanno]

England? Hahahahaha

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

Absolutely no idea how this is going to go. Don't think SA are going to do anything other than try brutalise Ireland up front. Ireland hands need to be superb as I think they will want to reduce set-piece (which is double-edged as a lot of Ireland play comes from set piece).

I think losing the first test in NZ was probably the best prep for this team - it isn't all over if we lose. Can't have the wheels fall off if it doesn't go our way.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I give Ireland as 2 point favorites even though I am somewhat confident. I'd have been more positive with Marx and if I knew we had someone that could take over the goal kicking or was confidant Libbok had is sorted at this stage.

As is I think Ireland will start with a 7 point head start simply due to goal kicking and I don't know if we are 8 points better than them goal kicking aside especially since I believe they'll have the psychological edge in that this is their big one and they'll be up for it whereas we've done the job vs NZ and Scotland so (in our minds) we've done a job and our position is more secure as Scotland is already behind us whereas Ireland will want to qualify now essentially- or to put it better this for them is a knock out game already more so than for us. And we really need that mental edge to get going as a team and you simply cannot manufacture that intensity that we can work ourselves into when needed. You can convince the head but the heart is a difficult thing.

Surely the 7-1 bench rumours are just a joke?
It only happened the first time because of a late injury

I really hope its rumors only. I mean are we really going to have a scummy on the wing or move Kolbe from wing to scrumhalve if we have injury there? The benefit is simply not worth the risk especially so since having Fourie and Van Staaden doubling for hooker and loosie as well as Mostert there gives you more versatility in the forwards than what we've had. That said I'd still expect a 6-2 split if simply because that's been our MO.

 

[O’Doyle Rules]

The more I think about it, the more I don't think ireland won't get past the 1/4. How we have let ourselves believe NZ is the easier option is beyond me.