The Rugby thread

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Tournament has been running since 2008, SA have won it once and been 3rd 9 times!! We've made 3rd spot our own. NZ have won it 6 times, England 4 and France 3. 2020-2022 cancelled due to the flu...
 
sand_man said:
Chean Roux for a long time, Bafana Nhleko and now Kevin Foote. Dawie Theron when they won the tournament, back in 2012 was it?
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If we've continually under performed then surely it's a coaching (and possibly selection) issue?
 
Speedster said:
If we've continually under performed then surely it's a coaching (and possibly selection) issue?
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I think it's a uniquely complex combination of factors.

Hard to pinpoint 1 specific thing.

Not sure I would even be prepared to speculate.
 
I actually don't think we as good as we think we are.

Also, there's this perception that we bigger, faster, heavier, stronger than the rest of the world. That's false. Quite the opposite.

At U20 level, look at the size of France, England, Argentina, NZ, Australia etc etc I'd say man for man they outweigh our current Bok U20.

In fact our back line players are of quite diminutive stature.

The commentator last night in the England v Australia game commented on how the England 15 was the only backline player shorter than 6.3... And you look at some of their forwards, locks all over 2m with 2 around 2.03m-2.04m. The England side is massive and yes we beat them so size isn't everything...

But it's a factor at the breakdowns. When you got 85kg backs trying to clean 100kg backs it usually doesn't work out too well and there these mismatches all over the park.

Our U20s have been devastating on attack from set piece or first phase attack. As soon as they required to hold onto possession and play through multiple phases, they battle.

The key to beating them is defend 1st phase play effectively. Put more pressure on Pead, at source, and then defend the phase play that follows. 4 to 5 phases the Boks will ever kick away possession, turn it over at the breakdown cause the 80kg fullback is isolated and has a 105kg centre over the ball, or someone will knock on in the tackle.

Generally we produce fairly large forwards, on a par with the rest of the Top 8 nations. It's our backline players that are of a modest physique. Means everyone has to work harder and smarter at the breakdowns.

That's my take on it...
 
sand_man said:
I actually don't think we as good as we think we are.

Also, there's this perception that we bigger, faster, heavier, stronger than the rest of the world. That's false. Quite the opposite.

At U20 level, look at the size of France, England, Argentina, NZ, Australia etc etc I'd say man for man they outweigh our current Bok U20.

In fact our back line players are of quite diminutive stature.

The commentator last night in the England v Australia game commented on how the England 15 was the only backline player shorter than 6.3... And you look at some of their forwards, locks all over 2m with 2 around 2.03m-2.04m. The England side is massive and yes we beat them so size isn't everything...

But it's a factor at the breakdowns. When you got 85kg backs trying to clean 100kg backs it usually doesn't work out too well and there these mismatches all over the park.

Our U20s have been devastating on attack from set piece or first phase attack. As soon as they required to hold onto possession and play through multiple phases, they battle.

The key to beating them is defend 1st phase play effectively. Put more pressure on Pead, at source, and then defend the phase play that follows. 4 to 5 phases the Boks will ever kick away possession, turn it over at the breakdown cause the 80kg fullback is isolated and has a 105kg centre over the ball, or someone will knock on in the tackle.

Generally we produce fairly large forwards, on a par with the rest of the Top 8 nations. It's our backline players that are of a modest physique. Means everyone has to work harder and smarter at the breakdowns.

That's my take on it...
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I dont think we pick smaller backline players because we dont have them. We choose faster smaller players because they are more effective as we have seen the last decade or so.

Big centers. Rest smaller and faster. Thats the recipe to win
 
TheMightyQuin said:
Has the meaning of the concept of a Semi-Final changed??

Or am I missing something?

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The U20 comp works a bit differently. The way it is structured, by the end of it you will have all teams seeded. So those semi finals are playoffs for various standings in the comp IE the main semi final determines the playoff for 1st and 2nd, the losers of the main semi finals playoff for 3rd and 4th. And you have the other "semi finals" for 5th, 6th, 7th etc etc etc
 
sand_man said:
Georgia or Cheetahs?

Was this televised? Had no idea it was on... Georgia lost to Ireland last Saturday. 34-5 I think...
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Cheetahs.

Not sure if it was televised. I meant to try watch thr game but it was over when I remembered it was on.
 
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