Official 2011 Rugby World Cup Thread

aplon have tackling have improved dramatically and tackles the big guys like everyone. so its nonsense saying he is too small. so why then not drop habana also as he is also a small player and to a certain extend lambie. you don't see the big teams like the all blacks and the aussies picking players over their size. its utter BS. if you tackle properly and be consistent your job is half done. you must have players with a big hearts no matter the size they build. lambie plays a decent game at fullback, but he sometimes lacks proper positioning on the field and gets caught out too often and he is a bit slow to. the only reason i think that he is in the team is for for kicking abilities. aplon has shown that he is a very good game breaker that can bring our backline in the game and create opportunities out of nothing.

just my 2c
 
SinghDude said:
..and coz Steyn is that damn good.

How many other okes can kick 60m penalties ?
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Morne's not too far off but yeah, in international rugby currently Frans is probably the only guy who can knock them over consistently from that distance..
 
My concern for Sunday is this defensive pattern we using means not committing more than 1 or 2 players to the ruck situation. All the players are basically standing in a straight defensive line or C config defensive line, tackling, getting to their feet as quickly as possible and getting ready to tackle some more. It's worked very well but Australia have a lot more class in the backs then we've been exposed to in the pool games. I don't see how we going to keep them out indefinitely employing this tactic. We have to put them under pressure at ruck time and force turnovers and to do that we have to commit more forwards which creates gaps in the defensive line so there is an element of risk.

I agree kicking away ball is a no-no but we really battle to carry it through the phases past 4 or 5 phases. That for me is a massive issue with South African rugby. The inability to protect and hold on to the ball for numerous phases. As the coaching staff say, "earn the right to go wide".

It's going to be titanic on Sunday. We will employ the strangle and suffocate tactic against OZ, pressure Genia and in turn create pressure on Quad. I expect him to get hit and hit hard early on by anyone that can actually reach him. We got to be careful of Genia on the blindside too. He's nailed us down the blind side far too often.

Our attacking options must include running at Adam Ashley Cooper. I'm anticipating a big game for Jacque Fourie where he exposes Adam Ashley's defensive frailties. Fourie Du Preez needs to show some form of old and put pressure on Genia and expect a mountain of work from Schalk and Heinrich on both attack and especially defense. No 1 and 2 respectively in terms of tackles made so far this RWC!!!!

The extra prop on the bench suggests when Bismarck comes on John will go off and not move to tighthead which is a relief. Hougaard could be on sooner rather than later with both JP and Brian nursing bumps from Samoa.

Jean De Villiers is due a big performance. Let's hope he shows some timely form. For me our lack of attacking prowess lately is as a result of our inability to carry the ball past 6 or 7 phases and Jean's inability to do what he is a master at doing and that is line breaks!! He's a big and fast inside centre and he needs to be breaking 1st time tackles getting us on the front foot and over the gain line. He has not but Sunday I hope he does...
 
Stevie G said:
do you think so seriously? dan carter is worth 2 players
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Dan Carter is a huge blow!!! Even for the AB's!!!! 2009 AB's without Carter and Richie were nowhere!! Richie is taking an injury into the Argentina game. There's every possibility that the AB's will be without Richie and Carter for the semi's should they make it.
 
sandmanm34 said:
Morne's not too far off but yeah, in international rugby currently Frans is probably the only guy who can knock them over consistently from that distance..
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Steyn is the only guy. We have the biggest kicker and most accurate. I would rather the biggest go home than the most accurate.

There is no ways steyn is a bigger blow than carter. Carter is massive for the all blacks. He can tackle, kick, makes runs, slips people in. He is their engine i reckon without him they are in big trouble.
 
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killadoob said:
Steyn is the only guy. We have the biggest kicker and most accurate. I would rather the biggest go home than the most accurate.

There is no ways steyn is a bigger blow than carter. Carter is massive for the all blacks. He can tackle, kick, makes runs, slips people in. He is their engine i reckon without him they are in big trouble.
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But from what I hear, Colin Slade is just a good a player. He is NO Dan Carter of course, but at the end of the day. One player does not make a team. It's a blow, but gaps are meant to be filled.

WRT to the fullback issue, I think Aplon is a much better attacking player than Lambie. You got Morne Steyn on the field as a place kicker, so why do you need Lambie. Aplon likes finding those miniscule gaps and breaking the defence. I still say, Gio is not meant for the wing. He like to break through the middle.

But who am I to say these things. PDV gets paid to make decisions and is apparently the expert. So lets see what happens
 
One player may not make a team but when that player is one of the best tactical kickers and one of the most accurate kickers in the game you may find yourself in trouble.

Carter knows when to kick for possession and when to run the ball, something that is very rare actually. He doesn't make the team but he ads plenty to the team. I don't think there is a more influential player in world rugby. Having said that the all blacks are an insane team so perhaps he won't be missed.
 
craigdoepie said:
WRT to the fullback issue, I think Aplon is a much better attacking player than Lambie. You got Morne Steyn on the field as a place kicker, so why do you need Lambie. Aplon likes finding those miniscule gaps and breaking the defence. I still say, Gio is not meant for the wing. He like to break through the middle.

But who am I to say these things. PDV gets paid to make decisions and is apparently the expert. So lets see what happens
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'Bambie' is useless as far as I have seen... Aplon will have more of an effect at fullback than he will.
 
sandmanm34 said:
Dan Carter is a huge blow!!! Even for the AB's!!!! 2009 AB's without Carter and Richie were nowhere!! Richie is taking an injury into the Argentina game. There's every possibility that the AB's will be without Richie and Carter for the semi's should they make it.
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carter is out for good isn't he, sorry been playing bf 3 and working so i am kinda outta the loop here.
 
Mephisto_Helix said:
When did you start taking make-sense medication? :p

I agree 100% though, we need to make like this is a final and keep that ball in grindy phase the whole game. One or two kicks for position yes but these aimless kicks of late, hell no.
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Lol, soon as we started supporting the same team :p

And yes if we can carry it up and retain ball possesion we should trump them.

sandmanm34 said:
Correct. For the rest of the world cup. 6 weeks I think it was.
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I heard 10-12 weeks. But 100% confirmed he is out for the rest of the WC.

Hell I think that he must be THE most dissapointed player at a World Cup. Twice he has got injured when everything was looking good with him set to play in the final.... I can not help but feel for the man.
 
Devill said:
I heard 10-12 weeks. But 100% confirmed he is out for the rest of the WC.

Hell I think that he must be THE most dissapointed player at a World Cup. Twice he has got injured when everything was looking good with him set to play in the final.... I can not help but feel for the man.
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Could be.

Devastating blow for Dan. Very upsetting for him and for anyone who appreciates the game of rugby (present company included) but knock over OZ and AB's will be just that much more vulnerable.
 
sandmanm34 said:
Could be.

Devastating blow for Dan. Very upsetting for him and for anyone who appreciates the game of rugby (present company included) but knock over OZ and AB's will be just that much more vulnerable.
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Also "good" news for SA /AUS is that McCaw is playing injured this weekend. If he gets another knock on the foot he might also be out for the rest of the WC.

Do we all remember what happend to NZ the last time they played without McCaw and Daniel Carter in a WC knock out game? 2007 vs France?
 
The stats on verusco.com for the top 10 player rankings for pool D says it all:

Number of Line Breaks:

2: Francois Hougaard

This guy NEEDS to start!
 
Not sure if this has been pointed out before or if it is even relevant but Bryce Laurence was the ref when OZ lost to Ireland in the pool game and he is Sundays ref too. Hopefully a good omen!!
 
The celtic cousins having a good 'ol scrap.


All even 30 mins to go...

Ireland playing better in the second half
 
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