Official Springbok Tri-Nations Thread

[killadoob]

Helix i wont be worried until i see the Aussies play a decent side

I think the two games the Aussies have won has been purely on the opposing team playing poorly

handling errors from the all blacks and poor break down play by us resulted in loses

I want to see this new look Aussies team when either SA or NZ are playing well before i make a judgement

The Aussies where lucky today because i believe at 17-19 down the All blacks should have been awarded a penalty try, now you will put those points together and say the All blacks would have lost but the chain of events would have been different

If the all blacks had been awards that try i believe there was no way back for the aussies

Im glad they lost though, Aussies will never go to them next week and win

Alf we have 3 home games, 2 against Aus and 1 All blacks

 

[UnoPanelvan]

you know the ref was South african and the linesman was not australian

its just something that looked like a should barge, remember we get slow motion replay's the ref's see it in real time

Yeah sure, that does not clear them from what they allowed to happen. The ref was a idiot with his eyes stuck in his rears and the linesman was more concerned about the replacement than watching the action. I would just like to know what the Ausies do to always get away with their dirty tactics. A nice game but I just cannot believe how desisions always end up in the Ausies favor. Against the boks the same happened. I am sure the Refs believe it is beyond the ausies to cheat yet all their genes screams CONVICT"S

 

[mancombseepgood]

am I the only one more worried about the Aussies than the AB's ..... kark record in SA or not, this new Aussie team is looking dangerous.

Nope, I'm with you there - they have something good going and young legs.

 

[LancelotSA]

The stats that say the most :

AB turnover 23 times; Aus 10
AB handling errors 18; Aus 6

Related to this and the mention of the breakdown above.... I am still convinced the Aussies are getting away with murder at the breakdown. It seems to have got worse now that the worst censure is a free kick and not a penalty! It seems to not be a bother to commit offences any more because at best you slow down the opposition ball (well at best you get you hands on it) but the worst is a free kick, no direct points lost.

it works both ways lance

if one team uses the new rule to their advantage, kudos to them

I actually don't think it has to do with one team using the rules but more one team bending the rules and getting away with it for some reason. I don't agree with you as I do not see why the team that sticks to the rules should come out on the losing end. That means the laws are not being implemented properly...

As we are aware, the laws are not written in stone. If a free kick is not enough of a penalty to prevent the opposition from deliberately slowing the ball then they need to be reviewed. Why do you think the ABs are so desperate, and constantly mention, the need to get McCaw back? They need someone who infringes too to negate the opposition speed on attack.



We also should not at all be surprised about an Aussie revival. Yes, they have Deans but they also have the style of rugby, and players, suited to the new laws. They have never had the power game but more the running game. The new rules play into their hands. If anyone suffered the most it is SA as they are taking away the importance of powerful strong forwards (I refer specifically to the new law being tested where you can collapse the rolling maul).

there is no bending the rule, you give away a free kick

no rules being bent

giving away a free kick is not bending the rules, just the same in soccer if you give away a free kick your not bending the rules

Interesting after this discussion of ours, Killadoob, that Bob Dwyer has made similar sort of comments regarding the situation at the breakdown. Now it is also his opinion but I do not for one second doubt that he is more of an expert on rugby than you and I will ever be.

He appears to feel refereeing is not up to scratch and he then specifically mentions the two matches that Australia won for the sub standard performance of the ref... and this from an Aussie!

Dwyer enters Tri-Nations referees’ debate

By Peter Bills in Sydney
Monday, 28 July 2008

Bob Dwyer, Australia’s first World Cup winning coach, has entered the growing debate over the controversial performance of southern hemisphere referees in this year’s Tri-Nations.


Dwyer spoke out in the light of two refereeing performances regarded as inferior in Tri-Nations games over the past 10 days. Both matches, refereed by New Zealander Bryce Lawrence in Perth and last Saturday’s in Sydney handled by South African Craig Joubert, saw a free-for-all at the breakdown, which turned out to be the key phase.


All Blacks coach Graham Henry admitted after his side’s defeat to the Wallabies in Sydney “The breakdown is a big problem. Too many players were off their feet and that makes it especially difficult.”


Both Joubert and Lawrence not only ignored players off their feet, but also those regularly crossing the offside line and handling the ball on the ground. That phase of play became a jungle in both matches and Dwyer says lessons must be learned.


“Some of what went on was farcical” he said. “But if referees don’t referee what is in front of them and what is in the law book, you end up with this sort of chaos. I talked to some international referees not that long ago and asked them about a point, and their reply astonished me. They told me ‘Oh, we don’t referee that, or we don’t do it like that’.


“I felt like asking them how many different interpretations there are of the English language. I mean, if it is down in the law book in black and white then how come they insert their own interpretation.”


Dwyer praised Australian referee Matt Goddard for his performance in the clash between New Zealand and South Africa in Dunedin. Goddard was so strict in the first half hour that no flow was possible in the game. But, said Dwyer, once the players got the message, the game opened up and was a superb spectacle.


“It’s like players have to be pulled up repeatedly in the first 20-30 minutes. That might mean more penalties than you would wish to see but it seems to lead to a better game eventually. There was another example of this last Saturday. What Craig Joubert did get right was yellow carding (NZ lock) Brad Thorn for a high tackle after only six minutes.


“Call it a coincidence if you like, but there were no more high tackles in the whole game. The players had got the message. The same has to apply to the breakdown and being offside. Players were frequently offside in midfield but Joubert didn’t penalise anyone until about ten minutes from the end. Referees have to lay down strict markers for players, especially under these new ELVs.”


The standard of refereeing in all the Tri-Nations matches to date has been poor. At times in Sydney on Saturday, Joubert seemed to abdicate his duties, allowing scrums to collapse and not stopping the game and re-setting them as the law book requires. The scrum feed was almost always crooked and at the breakdown, players coming over the top at rucks were allowed to continue, even when off their feet.


Dwyer added “I’ve been saying for some time the standard of refereeing worldwide is a problem. We need to get it sorted urgently.”

 

[killadoob]

All blacks playing very good rugga at the moment.

Finally the Aussies are playing a good team who is performing well

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

And the AB's win, doing us a favour ..... I think if the Aussies had won again today, the Tri-Nations title would have been very hard to wrestle away from them.

 

[LancelotSA]

And the AB's win, doing us a favour ..... I think if the Aussies had won again today, the Tri-Nations title would have been very hard to wrestle away from them.

Yip, but Shaun Veldsman did not do us a favour by giving that final try and hence a bonus point! Looked lost to me....

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Operative part being "Shaun Veldsman" ........ he's given plenty of dodgy type decisions as TMO and Ref.

 

[killadoob]

No lance it did look like he lost it, but when he grounded it he had his finger tips on it. Thats all that matters, sure he lost it after he had put it down.

 

[.geek]

Steyn, Pienaar back to Currie Cup

South Africa coach Peter de Villiers has released three members of the 2007 World Cup-winning squad in preparation for the Mandela Challenge test against Argentina in Johannesburg on August 9.

A Springbok media release on Sunday said World Cup winners Francois Steyn, Ruan Pienaar and Gurthro Steenkamp, plus winger Odwa Ndungane, had returned to their provincial teams to take part in South Africa's domestic Currie Cup competition.

Adriaan Strauss
Adrian Jacobs
Andries Bekker
Bakkies Botha
Bismarck du Plessis
Brian Mujati
Bryan Habana
Butch James
CJ van der Linde
Conrad Jantjes
Enrico Januarie
Fourie du Preez
Jaque Fourie
Jean de Villiers
Joe van Niekerk
Jongi Nokwe
JP Pietersen
Juan Smith
Luke Watson
Percy Montgomery
Pierre Spies
Schalk Burger
Tendai Mtawarira
Victor Matfield (captain)

Source: SuperSport

 

[Genius.]

Why oh Why are we playing this test before our Tri Nations tests at home. This could lead to injuries.

 

[.geek]

Butch to continue at flyhalf

As has been his wont, Springbok coach Peter de Villiers came up with some perplexing decisions when he trimmed his squad on Sunday for Saturday’s one-off test match against Argentina in Johannesburg.

That makes a lot of sense.

SuperSport

 

[Devill]

That makes a lot of sense.

SuperSport

ROFL

Well it makes as much sense as PDV himself

Glad to see some players go back to the prov. teams, but wtf does he want to do without Steenkamp?

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

No Steyn and Pienaar ......... but he retains Twatson

 

[killadoob]

Yea meph im shocked by this man.

Look pienaar has not been playing so it does not matter but NOT STEIN

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

people b*tch that Pienaar and Steyn aren't playing well but duh, they aren't getting any game time to improve. Methinks there are players that don't deserve their spots but have some sort of link to coach, so they stay no matter what (Twatson being the biggest fscking culprit .... with his daddy being in the political scene).

 

[.geek]

Has anyone noticed the surprise inclusion of Jonge Nokwe?

 

[JustGadgets]

If they play a similar game they played against Argentina (and score similar points) I'll be very proud

 

[.geek]

I hope it's a good game.

Bokke!

 

[killadoob]

Well i don't see them running riot against the blacks, there is no way in hell we will score so easily.

I just hope we back our players up and i hope our players don't go crash the ball when there is no support. I hope the support arrives because if it does not, we will lose again.