The Rugby thread

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sand_man said:
Personally I'm a big fan of Jake White as both a person and a coach. He does make noise regarding player drain but I feel it's entirely vindicated. It's the same for every franchise but I don't think we appreciate the extent of the challenge.

Re the Champions cup. Our full strength squads are adequately competitive. In order to qualify for Champions cup you must finish top 8 in URC. I get Mallets thinking but finishing top 8 without any internationals wouldn't be guaranteed. I don't see how leaving internationals out would be feasible for both club and player? The club would be losing a competitive edge in URC and the players would be losing out on match fees and a source of income. Doesn't make sense to me. Leinster usually exclude their internationals only when they all but qualified. Leinster are probably the only example of a club with enough depth to be able to do this. I'm sorry but I'm going to have to vehemently disagree with Mallet on this...

I do see the value of Boks competing in the CC though. That would be a massive boost for a comp that has lost a lot of it's allure over the years. The standard of CC rugby is below par though.

What we can agree on, the amount of rugby our boys are playing now is ridiculous. There is barely any sort of meaningful break. The solution to that is to bolster the squads. Plenty of talent coming through the schoolboy system but not yet of the standard required to compete in URC and/or Champions Cup. Personally, and this might be somewhat contentious but I would want SA franchisees to abstain from competing in Champions Cup and Challenge Cup, for the foreseeable future....
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It's not necessarily that all Boks should not play URC. I'm thinking of players like Eben, Kolisi, Ox and so on. Fringe or rising players like Elrigh for example could play and perhaps even Eben for a game or two. Leinster do play their top players in some URC games but not necessarily all of them at once or all of the time. Blend youth with some experience.

The main thing is we have been in 3/3 URC finals, hosting all three and winning one. SA has proven good enough for the URC. Europe is not sold on our participation in the CC. The logical next step is for us to focus on that. We are world champs and a rugby powerhouse after all. SA should strive to be in and to win the best competitions.
 
netstrider said:
It's not necessarily that all Boks should not play URC. I'm thinking of players like Eben, Kolisi, Ox and so on. Fringe or rising players like Elrigh for example could play and perhaps even Eben for a game or two. Leinster do play their top players in some URC games but not necessarily all of them at once or all of the time. Blend youth with some experience.

The main thing is we have been in 3/3 URC finals, hosting all three and winning one. SA has proven good enough for the URC. Europe is not sold on our participation in the CC. The logical next step is for us to focus on that. We are world champs and a rugby powerhouse after all. SA should strive to be in and to win the best competitions.
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What SA has achieved is nothing short of miraculous! Our teams are 100% home grown while at the same time we have 50-100 of our best players playing abroad. No other nation on earth finds themselves in similar circumstances.

CC is a tough nut to crack. You look at teams that have won it in the past. There's almost always been a South African contingent/influence. Toulon's golden era, 3 wins 2013,2014,2015 included the likes of Bakkies Botha, Juan Smith, Danie Rossouw and Habana. Big Joe another who plied his trade there... Saracens had Schalk Brits, Koch, Schalk Burger, Neil de Kock, Brad Barritt... etc etc etc

Anyway, even stacked sides would battle to go to Boudreaux or Toulouse and win. Stacked sides are losing away in URC. One needs to be realistic...
 
Careful when referencing Leinster as an example of what we should be doing. The resources at their disposal is beyond ridiculous. Leinster would beat Ireland. The Sharks are the closest thing we have to Leinster in terms of international representation and look how poorly they've performed.
 
Arzy said:
That would be me!

I have a select group of trained monkeys that run models for my picks. If they get it right they get additional bananas and conjugal visits. If they don't they get electroshock therapy.
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I should have made the connection?!! Hahaha, my bad!!

I use the same monkeys aka bookies...
 
Screenshot 2025-04-25 120416.png

Case in point. 11 Bok starters for the fixture against Ulster. Sharks should be a shoe-in but they anything but. Their form is so flaky!! Jake gets stick but really Plumtree should have been on a plane out of here months ago... imagine what Jake would do with this Sharks squad?
 
So the Munster fans arer so salty about losing they are going crazy on social media. Their media is going crazy to the extent that the URC had to release an official statement of what transpired.

Funny how they (Irish) are always fast to call out Saffas out for moaning. Such a blatant example of the pot calling the kettle black.

Crazy
 
cavedog said:
So the Munster fans arer so salty about losing they are going crazy on social media. Their media is going crazy to the extent that the URC had to release an official statement of what transpired.

Funny how they (Irish) are always fast to call out Saffas out for moaning. Such a blatant example of the pot calling the kettle black.

Crazy
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Some context would be great
 
Enzo Matrix said:
Some context would be great
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URC statement: Munster-Bulls error and 'entirely untrue' Piardi rumours

www.rugbypass.com

URC statement: Munster-Bulls error and 'entirely untrue' Piardi rumours

The United Rugby Championship (URC) have issued a detailed statement addressing the officiating error during Munster’s Round 15 match against the Bulls.
www.rugbypass.com www.rugbypass.com

Basically they were asked to reduce to 14 players because they had no replacement front rower which was wrong because the 1st injury was a head injury.

They were on 14 players for 12 minutes or so can't remember and now Munster is claiming that that incorrect decision by the officials cost them the game.
 
Very well done Bulls!

Lovely!

Got some flack online for watching the game and trying to play. Ended up watching and not playing.

Special team brewing here.
 
netstrider said:
Very well done Bulls!

Lovely!

Got some flack online for watching the game and trying to play. Ended up watching and not playing.

Special team brewing here.
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Great win that!! Played to their strengths, Bok rugby of old. Dominating from set piece to set piece, robust defense, plenty strategic kicking. Incredible win!!
 
Arzy said:
I have a select group of trained monkeys that run models for my picks. If they get it right they get additional bananas and conjugal visits. If they don't they get electroshock therapy.
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Electroshock therapy it is then? :laugh: Tough night to call!
 
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