The Rugby Thread - Part Deux

Vrotappel said:
No 9 and 10 got a lot of ball and messed it up. Sacha FM should not be starting.
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Of course the 9 got a lot of ball. That will always be the case. The problem is the ball went 9 to a forward 9 to a forward. I don’t think the ball went down the backline once.

Hopefully this is a lesson to Rassie that a game of rugby is won on the scoreboard NOT how many scrum penalties you win.
 
TedLasso said:
Great. Love it. We are now the underdogs!! Let's go bokke!!
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Kept waiting for the magic, it never came. We relied on the ref to bring that sweet yellow card from all our pressure. Not saying the ref cost us, but another ref would have called things differently.

But at the end of the day we were kak and didn't deserve a win. Cant catch a pass, then go play for the sharks rather
 
Jean Claude Vaaldamme said:
First half we hammered them in the scrums. We tackled them back meters. We were on the front foot all the way. Why would we keep kicking for 3 points. Should have buried them there and then.
We needed Manie there in the first half and it would have been all over.
Was Kriel even on the field?
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I have a theory on these bs ads

Screenshot 2026-08-22 at 21.18.28.png
 
I just kept seeing the ref arm going up to penalise us. We were hond kak and Rassie can say what he wants, he has to take this kne on the chin as his fault.

Team not prepared mentally or physically. Kak performance and it could get worse.

Had to walk around at Ellis Park congratulating the few AB fans who were not sure if they were allowed to celebrate too much.
 
netstrider said:
I just kept seeing the ref arm going up to penalise us. We were hond kak and Rassie can say what he wants, he has to take this kne on the chin as his fault.

Team not prepared mentally or physically. Kak performance and it could get worse.

Had to walk around at Ellis Park congratulating the few AB fans who were not sure if they were allowed to celebrate too much.
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Lol glad I got the cheap seats
 
Didn't take our opportunities, period.

Marx getting ripped in the tackle as he is about to dot down and Grant getting charged down, 2 critical moments in what was up until then a tight contest, which we were leading by 4 points.

Boks 11 22 entries with a conversion rate of 0.9 points, NZ 9 22 entries with a conversion rate of 3.4 points...

Marx rip in the tackle, Sacha held up over the try line, Jasper held up over the try line, I think OX too... so many scoring opportunities but caught short. 1 more phase or pass away from converting. A general lack of accuracy plagued the side throughout the fixture.

Much is said about Tony's impact on this squad and for all the good work he has done, for all the attack has matured and evolved, we still behind the likes of Ireland, France and NZ in terms of fundamental ball handling skills. We have so many strengths in other departments that the deficiencies are plastered over. No hiding it yesterday...

NZ then made easy meters in the last 20 minutes. Sacha from a restart kicking the ball into the dead ball, scrum on the halfway, another critical error. Too many errors that inevitably went punished.

We played so much rugby and enjoyed long periods of dominance but with nothing on the scoreboard to show for it.

55 minutes we turn down a kickable penalty and opt to scrum some more as there was a period of scrum dominance. Scrum is in their 22 just off-centre field. Golden opportunity to score, we down 16-19. We get penalized at the scrum, Steenekamp walking around... NZ exit and score soon after... 14-point swing for the 2nd time in the game... Some punters crying that we should have kicked our goals, others crying that we should have kicked less penalties and gone for the kill. Hindsight is such a cozy place from where to comment.

man, it was painful to watch...

Ethan and Lord knock each other out of the match, probably with concussion so NZ now tapping into their bench. Further advantage SA but the boys coming off the bench did a job.

De Groot actually came into the match sick and you could tell. He was getting bossed at the scrums. Bouwer, who replaced him, did a much better job at the scrums (still got bossed mind you)...

So, to conclude, no need for panic. I wouldn't make too many changes for Cape Town although Rassie likely will. We made critical errors at inopportune times but the game plan was sound. Take half the opportunities created and don't get charged at the box kick and you're probably winning this test. That what makes the loss so unappetising. WE DID ENOUGH TO WIN!

Ethan Hooker in for Kurt-Lee potentially, Siya starting and Paul on the bench. Might see Cam on the bench. I'm hoping Lood gets a start. Man is a weapon in the lineouts and carries hard, good hands too and he brings much needed rugby IQ to a pack lacking some of that.

Thomas du Toit and Boan Venter, good chance both will feature.

Pollard potentially in for Sacha or Manie, it's a tough call. Boks will look to grind out a win in CT but it could be a huge mistake gearing up for a 17-14 type grind because I just can't see how one could restrict NZ to 2 tries or less. The style of rugby they're playing it would take something extraordinary to keep them to 2 tries or less. 5-1 they outscored us last night. That is a hiding of note. You not offsetting that deficit kicking penalties. Have to outscore them. Do we outscore them with Pollard at 10? I don't think so...

Sacha isn't a test 10 yet, IMHO. Too selfish a player and lacks the distribution skills of an international 10. 12 or 15 for me. He definitely starts because he is absolutely clutch, just not at 10...

Our bench last night failed epically. Marco and Cobus yellow cards, Steenekamp walking around penalty etc but one shouldn't judge too harshly. Can one play themselves out of the Bok side, playing 20 minutes off the bench, when momentum is swinging so violently against your side? Maybe, maybe not...

much to ponder... in Rassie we trust... We are now back to being underdogs and world's number 2 ranked side. Just like we like it...
 
sand_man said:
I'm so depressed today...
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AB's definitely worked out the bok's blind spots for example charge down by a big tall lock coming at Grant from the blind side, and the holdups on the dotting down.

Clearly they identified few weak spots. Credit to them for that.

I still think the score flatters the ABs a bit. Even though the AB's played better on the day..
 
lexity said:
AB's definitely worked out the bok's blind spots for example charge down by a big tall lock coming at Grant from the blind side, and the holdups on the dotting down.

Clearly they identified few weak spots. Credit to them for that.

I still think the score flatters the ABs a bit. Even though the AB's played better on the day..
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Rennie effect. Proper coach.

He's been at the helm for what? 6 weeks? Achieved a lot in such a short space of time. Fast learners, these New Zealanders. SA and the rest of the world should be very worried ahead of the 2027 RWC.

And yes, the scoreline does flatter given SA dominated so much of that match... it hurts man!! FFS!!
 
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