The Rugby Thread - Part Deux

Werner1975 said:
I read it somewhere on Supersport (the amount SARU will pocket) but can't find it. Quite a few $$$. Obviously they will say the money will be used to fund rugby programs here in SA but we know better. Someone always gets a handout or benefit from these deals ....
Click to expand...
Are you saying SARU can say one thing, and do the opposite?

i.e. safe in the knowledge nobody will hold their feet to the fire?
 
I bet if we lost on Saturday most people here would have said no the series isn't finished and would be excited for Baltimore.
Why would a fan complain for more rugby? Would you rather play Wales and beat them by 50?
 
Jean Claude Vaaldamme said:
I bet if we lost on Saturday most people here would have said no the series isn't finished and would be excited for Baltimore.
Why would a fan complain for more rugby? Would you rather play Wales and beat them by 50?
Click to expand...
I think the important thing is to have the number of tests being decided by a grass-roots group, rather than an astro-turf group.

Then it doesn't really matter whether it is 3 or 4... because the decision genuinely came from the people.
 
Jean Claude Vaaldamme said:
I bet if we lost on Saturday most people here would have said no the series isn't finished and would be excited for Baltimore.
Why would a fan complain for more rugby? Would you rather play Wales and beat them by 50?
Click to expand...
If we lost on Saturday, regardless of the Baltimore result, we would have lost our 2nd home series in history, to the AB's...

Fortunately we won it and now it's NZ fans saying, "wait, the series is still alive and we have a chance of drawing it".

90% of punters and fans know though, the 3 tests in SA constitutes the series with the 4th being a money grabbing, exhibition match... unions are constantly in a fight to remain solvent. Rugby union is not a particularly profitable business venture so one must take $ when on offer.

It should have been a 3 test series, but if there were to be a 4th, it should have been played in Mbombela or Gqeberha.
 
netstrider said:
Hopefully we can win in Baltimore as well. No more home crowd for the Boks. It looked to me as though the All Blacks' legs were taken away from them in the second half. The physical demands of the tour may finally have started taking its toll. Considering the Boks looked somewhat undercooked for the first test, here's hoping they are fresher than NZ for this final test.

I suspect there will not be that many changes from the Boks. 4 tests with the same team is good practice for Round of 16, QF, SF, Final next year. Will have to play the best team from then on as there won't be tough tests apart from the first game against Italy in the group stages.
Click to expand...
Criminal that we likely to meet NZ in the quarter finals. 2 best sides in the world contesting a quarter final! Stuff up of a draw...
 
Werner1975 said:
Obviously I'm speaking for myself. I don't know them and how they operate. Let's just say that I don't trust anyone when it comes to money.
Click to expand...
Money is neutral, like all tools. Can be used for good or bad.

Economic boycott is an adequate check, tho', on the evil that can be done with money.... as long as the playing field is kept level i.e. no legal privilege - direct or indirect - in markets.

The fact you don't trust SARU with that money(which I agree with you about) indicates an un-level playing field.

If the body in charge of the sport so many people love and support can't be trusted, there is a reason nobody has replaced them..... it's sure fire way to know if there is undue force being used.
 
I don't say say SARU is all bad but just the way that they have entrenched themselves with Multichoice to keep up the rugby broadcasting monopoly is wrong. And government must also have a finger or hand in that pie 'cause they have done nothing to oppose the SARU/Multichoice alliance on this.
 
sand_man said:
Criminal that we likely to meet NZ in the quarter finals. 2 best sides in the world contesting a quarter final! Stuff up of a draw...
Click to expand...
Seems to keep happening, too.

You'd think if it were a simple error in the past, that it would have been corrected by now.
 
handyman007 said:
So are we saying we won the series and this test in Baltimore is an exhibition and a chance to give the fringe players some game time?
Click to expand...
Opinion is divided.

Vast majority of punters consider Baltimore little more than an exhibition match...

Some have likened it to a 3rd/4th place World cup playoff game. A game no one really wants to play, but is compelled to.

Tests between NZ and SA will never not be intriguing, fiercely competitive and globally revered. But much like the pre world cup Twickenham test in 2023, this one is struggling for context....
 
Let's not forget under the guise of player welfare, recently, national teams can have a 'home game' that is played literally on the other side of the planet.
 
lexity said:
Let's not forget under the guise of player welfare, recently, national teams can have a 'home game' that is played literally on the other side of the planet.
Click to expand...
Fiji 'at home' in Wales? More about the lack of infrastructure in Fiji, their home ground doesn't pass muster..

Ireland playing Japan in Australia? Cause they don't want to travel?
 
If the series was indeed 3 games and the decider was played at a neutral venue, that would be very controversial.

Especially if it wasn't done consistently going fwd (which would be just nuts).

Home games come with some definite advantages.... but everyone has home games(except if you are Fiji, apprently)

That's why the Baltimore game can be played as a non-friendly, official test match but it doesn't make sense for it to be part of the series.
 
lexity said:
If the series was indeed 3 games and the decider was played at a neutral venue, that would be very controversial.

Especially if it wasn't done consistently going fwd (which would be just nuts).

Home games come with some definite advantages.... but everyone has home games(except if you are Fiji, apprently)

That's why the Baltimore game can be played as a non-friendly, official test match but it doesn't make sense for it to be part of the series.
Click to expand...
Baltimore is considered part of the series though.

This has always been punted as a 4 match test series. I think the venue for the 4th wasn't decided until the 25th hour and there had been speculating for months, over where it would be... and when it was announced as the States, the home series concept lost 25% of its credibility...

It's just one of them...

We tour NZ in 2030 and it will most likely follow the same format IE 3 in NZ, 1 abroad, most likely USA, as they host RWC 2031...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X