The Rugby thread

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So we are going to the World Cup with 4 scrumhalves and only 1 flyhalf?
Pollard is a huge loss and I wonder if keeping him on standby is a wise decision.
Am will also be missed. At least Am & Pollard will be in the UK whatever that means.
 
Katelknaap said:
Willemse is a decent player in his own right, but a World cup level flyhalf he's not.
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We don't play a normal backline anymore. Especially in open play.

It doesn't really matter.

I'm just slightly concerned about not having someone to kick.
 
rietrot said:
We don't play a normal backline anymore. Especially in open play.

It doesn't really matter.

I'm just slightly concerned about not having someone to kick.
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With our style of play, the kicking is a massive cause for concern. Yes, our scrumhalves do a lot of box kicks through which we try and win back possession. Line kicks, whether under pressure on your own goal line, or whether we are trying to win territory, is the flyhalf's responsibility. This is something a flyhalf learns over many years and, since Willemse does not have much experience there, he's not proven that he will be able to cope.

He also not a goal kicker which has been proven by the fact that Faf and even Cheslin has taken shots at goal in games where he was on the field. A great attacking fullback he is, a flyhalf, at best, a stop gap measure.

Manie has his limitations, but God help us if he gets injured early on and Pollard is still not ready.
 
Faf will kick everything away again. We will revert to our instinctive style of play
 
Canggu said:
I also can't see the south african rugby team progress beyond the first round...they may be lucky to make it to the quarter finals and come home after their match vs the All Blacks.
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Voetsek!
 
Speedster said:
If that's the same instinctive style that has won us 3 WCs it's probably a good thing, no?
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Lol it is not even an instinctive style. It is very much coached and game plan. And we are doing less up and under box kicks.

Anyone who says that is instinctive has never played rugby and just have no idea what they are talking about.
 
Online rumors are suggesting Eddie is leaving Michael Hooper out of the Aussie squad due to injury. Not that I believe they have much of a chance to win, but it's sad that some of the World's best players won't be at the tournament.
 
Have been out of action since last week with the flu.

Some points -:
- We played better in the second half against the Pumas, well controlled and some nice tries.
- Goal kicking is a major concern - left 14 points on the table with missed kicks. This is gonna cost us in the WC.
- a nice blend of youth and experience in the group selected for the WC.
- Pollard not in the group is a HUGE loss.
However, I remain positive that we can get out of our group.
 
Werner1975 said:
Have been out of action since last week with the flu.

Some points -:
- We played better in the second half against the Pumas, well controlled and some nice tries.
- Goal kicking is a major concern - left 14 points on the table with missed kicks. This is gonna cost us in the WC.
- a nice blend of youth and experience in the group selected for the WC.
- Pollard not in the group is a HUGE loss.
However, I remain positive that we can get out of our group.
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99% sure we get out of our Group but beating the All Blacks or France will be tough. We still have lots of time just need to decide who our kicker is and not constantly chop and change.
 
L-Dog said:
99% sure we get out of our Group but beating the All Blacks or France will be tough. We still have lots of time just need to decide who our kicker is and not constantly chop and change.
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Does it matter who the kicker is? Can anybody in the squad actually kick reliably?

Is there actually anybody who wasn't selected that can kick reliably, whether local or foreign based? I can't really think of any tbf. Seems like a real hole in the current talent pool, and worried a longterm issue looking at youth lvl etc, school, varsity cup and clubs.

Son been playing club/schools for almost 10 yrs, KZN schools and Sharks academy and didn't dawn on me until now, that I've not seen a single kid receive any kicking coaching, at all, in all this time, not for poles and certainly not tactical (heck, been many instances of players dropped for even daring to kick the ball, even when a try was scored as a result (Being dropped happened to Jaden Hendrikse at Glenwood and many others over the years, witnessed the fallout it first hand as son went to same school and had same issues.)
 
Katelknaap said:
Online rumors are suggesting Eddie is leaving Michael Hooper out of the Aussie squad due to injury. Not that I believe they have much of a chance to win, but it's sad that some of the World's best players won't be at the tournament.
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Confirmed
supersport.com

Australia dump Hooper, Cooper and gamble on youth for World Cup | SuperSport

Eddie Jones tore up the World Cup script on Thursday, dumping Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper from his Wallabies squad for the tournament and gambling heavily on youth for the tilt at a third world title.
supersport.com supersport.com
 
Katelknaap said:
Confirmed
supersport.com

Australia dump Hooper, Cooper and gamble on youth for World Cup | SuperSport

Eddie Jones tore up the World Cup script on Thursday, dumping Michael Hooper and Quade Cooper from his Wallabies squad for the tournament and gambling heavily on youth for the tilt at a third world title.
supersport.com supersport.com
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If its due to injury, Eddie can't be blamed, it's forced, just like our Pollard situation. But if they were left out for other reasons, then I'm not sure why you won't pick your best/ experienced players.
 
Werner1975 said:
If its due to injury, Eddie can't be blamed, it's forced, just like our Pollard situation. But if they were left out for other reasons, then I'm not sure why you won't pick your best/ experienced players.
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The old guys can be too smart when Eddie's plans aren't going according to plan...

We had a similar situation with Pieter de Villiers.
Not saying this is the case but possible. Would be funny if Aus completely fail due to internal politics.

Teams used to include these players in the hope that they will be ready for the quarters
 
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Yea, I dont know what they offered Eddie to take that job. With the players they currently have, there'd no way in hell that they can win the cup. On a good day they can be competitive like the last New Zeeland game showed, but a "competitive" showing is the best they can hope for. On a bad day a number of teams are going to blow them away.
 
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