The Rugby thread

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sand_man said:
We can beat anyone on our day and hopefully we will.

However....

The lack of a goal kicker might just be the kicker. It's not that Manie can't kick for goal cause he's been proficient for the Stormers, over 2 URC seasons. He hasn't transferred that form to test rugby. Maybe it's nerves? but the law of averages suggests he'll come right at some stage. But if we don't find some consistency in our goal kicking we not making it out our pool, let alone the final. In 3 world cup finals we've scored 2 tries (both against England 2019). Kicking win matches, especially against the No. 5 and No. 1 ranked sides we share a pool with.

My biggest fear is we don't make it out the pool stages. We will be getting ragged, slagged and bagged for the next 4 years if that happens. The haters (and there a lot of them) will be living rent free for the next 4 years!!

Pool A is a slam dunk, France v NZ fixture aside, it's going to be a cake walk. 13th ranked Italy might put up a fight, 16th placed Uruguay might entertain, 21st placed Namibia might win friends... that's where the challenge ends...

Pool B is the pool of death. 1st, 3rd and 5th ranked sides in 1 pool?!! Makes me sick!! We need to hit the ground running. The Scots are every bit capable of beating us. I think we might pump them up front and our push defense needs to be on point to negate their dangerous backline, one of the best in international rugby. Deprive them of time and space. It's a HUGE game in the context of the pool!! HUGE!! Tonga, the pool banana peel, but shouldn't pose a genuine threat to the front runners. Romania the pools cannon fodder. Ranked 19th and coming into the tourney with zero form.

From the Boks perspective, knock over Scotland with the best possible 23, next Romania where the rest of the squad can be used, Ireland next and the strongest 23 will play, last game of the pool Tonga, 1st October, we will finish our pool games first so some rest before the quarters (if we make it), Scotland v Ireland on the 5th October could decide their fates. My good mate is adamant Scotland are beating Ireland. He's often right with his predicts. But he also has SA winning the world cup.

Pool C/D are quite unpredictable due to the flaky form of what otherwise would be pool front runners. England, Australia, Wales are all teetering.

Pool C, Fiji a dark horse, really like how their game has evolved under first Vern Cotter and now Simon Raiwalui. They've introduced a lot more structure into their game and focused on cleaning up their set piece. I'm expecting them to be super competitive in every fixture. Could they knock over Wales or Australia and secure 2nd spot in their pool? Would be magnificent!! Hope they do and will be backing them all the way!! Portugal are the pools cannon fodder. Georgia the pools banana peel. Under estimate them at your own peril.

Argentina, under Cheika, have already knocked over big dogs NZ, England and Australia (all at home to boot). Not expecting any surprises in pool D though. England and Argentina should qualify, more a case of who wins the pool. Japan's game has done nothing but lose momentum since 2019. Disappointing for them, all the momentum and form they found in the RWC has slowly dissipated since. Currently ranked 14th behind the likes of Italy, Samoa and Georgia. Chile are the pools cannon fodder. Samoa another making up the numbers.
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Actually, Libbok wasn't particularly great wrt his rate of converting kicks.

Yes, he kicked alot over in totality, but his hit/miss ratio wasn't great at all with just 76% in URC for the season (per unitedrugby.com stats). Just scraping over 75% shows that he regularly has plenty bad days to offset any of the good days he has I'm afraid.

And no, really nobody in SA better wrt kicking for points. Something has gone horribly wrong at grassroots lvls wrt kicking for points the past decade or so it would seem.

Can only speak from personal experience with my son the past 10 years, going through primary school to highschool to club. Even Craven Week/tours to Greys College. Absolutely zero kicking coaching or interest by coaches in developing the skill, and not just for points, but tactical kicking, to the point that saw many boys getting dropped from their teams if they even dare kick the ball, saw it happen to Jaden Hendrikse at Glenwood and others, incl my son, who was fullback and yet dropped because he would employ field kicking tactics instead of running from his own in goal area.

Varsity Cup, baby boks, seeing alot of reasons for concern for the future wrt kicking.
 
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sand_man said:
We can beat anyone on our day and hopefully we will.

However....

The lack of a goal kicker might just be the kicker. It's not that Manie can't kick for goal cause he's been proficient for the Stormers, over 2 URC seasons. He hasn't transferred that form to test rugby. Maybe it's nerves? but the law of averages suggests he'll come right at some stage. But if we don't find some consistency in our goal kicking we not making it out our pool, let alone the final. In 3 world cup finals we've scored 2 tries (both against England 2019). Kicking win matches, especially against the No. 5 and No. 1 ranked sides we share a pool with.

My biggest fear is we don't make it out the pool stages. We will be getting ragged, slagged and bagged for the next 4 years if that happens. The haters (and there a lot of them) will be living rent free for the next 4 years!!

Pool A is a slam dunk, France v NZ fixture aside, it's going to be a cake walk. 13th ranked Italy might put up a fight, 16th placed Uruguay might entertain, 21st placed Namibia might win friends... that's where the challenge ends...

Pool B is the pool of death. 1st, 3rd and 5th ranked sides in 1 pool?!! Makes me sick!! We need to hit the ground running. The Scots are every bit capable of beating us. I think we might pump them up front and our push defense needs to be on point to negate their dangerous backline, one of the best in international rugby. Deprive them of time and space. It's a HUGE game in the context of the pool!! HUGE!! Tonga, the pool banana peel, but shouldn't pose a genuine threat to the front runners. Romania the pools cannon fodder. Ranked 19th and coming into the tourney with zero form.

From the Boks perspective, knock over Scotland with the best possible 23, next Romania where the rest of the squad can be used, Ireland next and the strongest 23 will play, last game of the pool Tonga, 1st October, we will finish our pool games first so some rest before the quarters (if we make it), Scotland v Ireland on the 5th October could decide their fates. My good mate is adamant Scotland are beating Ireland. He's often right with his predicts. But he also has SA winning the world cup.

Pool C/D are quite unpredictable due to the flaky form of what otherwise would be pool front runners. England, Australia, Wales are all teetering.

Pool C, Fiji a dark horse, really like how their game has evolved under first Vern Cotter and now Simon Raiwalui. They've introduced a lot more structure into their game and focused on cleaning up their set piece. I'm expecting them to be super competitive in every fixture. Could they knock over Wales or Australia and secure 2nd spot in their pool? Would be magnificent!! Hope they do and will be backing them all the way!! Portugal are the pools cannon fodder. Georgia the pools banana peel. Under estimate them at your own peril.

Argentina, under Cheika, have already knocked over big dogs NZ, England and Australia (all at home to boot). Not expecting any surprises in pool D though. England and Argentina should qualify, more a case of who wins the pool. Japan's game has done nothing but lose momentum since 2019. Disappointing for them, all the momentum and form they found in the RWC has slowly dissipated since. Currently ranked 14th behind the likes of Italy, Samoa and Georgia. Chile are the pools cannon fodder. Samoa another making up the numbers.
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I tend to agree but somehow Wales under Gatland always do well enough in World Cups.

Remember we beat Japan 41-7 in 2019 only for Rassie to say straight after that Japan will make the quarter-finals. I feel Wales will get better fairly quickly because say what you will about Gatland, he has a simple plan and his players should theoretically be fit after their trips to the Alps and was it Turkey? I think his main cohort just needs some more games together.

I expect Australia will top their group. They are getting better every game. They also seem to have Wales' number most of the time.

That puts Australia v England in the QF and you'd expect Australia to roll England there which potentially puts us on a collision course with Australia in the SF if we top our group and win the QF. We tend to struggle with Australia but at least we beat them handsomely recently.

Argentina v Wales in the other QF is also difficult to call. I'm assuming Fiji don't beat Wales in the group.
 
netstrider said:
I expect Australia will top their group. They are getting better every game. They also seem to have Wales' number most of the time.

That puts Australia v England in the QF and you'd expect Australia to roll England there which potentially puts us on a collision course with Australia in the SF if we top our group and win the QF. We tend to struggle with Australia but at least we beat them handsomely recently.

Argentina v Wales in the other QF is also difficult to call. I'm assuming Fiji don't beat Wales in the group.
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Quarters by rankings (potentially) - also puts into perspective how lopsided the draw is....

EDIT: Updated rankings

SA (3) v NZ (2)

IRE (1) v FR (4)

ENG (6) v Aus (8)

ARG (7) v Wales (10)
 
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Yea, Ireland has a long reputation of being the best team between World Cups. This year their expectations are so much higher due to their recent record and the fact that they are actually the number 1 ranked team. Let's see if they can cope this time around, or if the wheels are going to come off again.
 
Owen Farrell only getting a four game ban still feels like BS for a serial offender...

Taking all considerations into account, including the player’s acceptance of foul play, clear demonstration of remorse and his good character, the committee agreed a four-match suspension
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His good character?! You mean apart from all the other times he has tried to take his opponents head off? :X3:
 
Cray said:
Owen Farrell only getting a four game ban still feels like BS for a serial offender...



His good character?! You mean apart from all the other times he has tried to take his opponents head off? :X3:
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Owen gets a four game ban, that’s taking the piss… and unreasonable, Owen is an outstanding player who plays hard sometimes.

How unfair, that’s it, England team should all wear #justiceforOwen black arm bands.
 
Whright said:
Owen gets a four game ban, that’s taking the piss… and unreasonable, Owen is an outstanding player who plays hard sometimes.

How unfair, that’s it, England team should all wear #justiceforOwen black arm bands.
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He got off very lightly. But this just means he'll get an even bigger ban when he does this again during one of the WC pool games.
 
Very little chance of Bokke winning the RWC this year. I give them a punchers chance as you can never say what will happen in sport with absolute certainty.
 
Whright said:
Owen gets a four game ban, that’s taking the piss… and unreasonable, Owen is an outstanding player who plays hard sometimes.

How unfair, that’s it, England team should all wear #justiceforOwen black arm bands.
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Yup, and hopefully they will get ridiculed and fined just as the JusticeforBakkies arm band wearers were at the time.
 
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Whright said:
Owen gets a four game ban, that’s taking the piss… and unreasonable, Owen is an outstanding player who plays hard sometimes.

How unfair, that’s it, England team should all wear #justiceforOwen black arm bands.
Click to expand...
they are still not sticking to their own rules. It's supposed to be 6 games minimum.
 
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