South Africa v Ireland - 6 July 2024

[Leonormous Boozer]

(Irish time)

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Weird build up to this one. Lots of noise from SA camp telling Ireland what Ireland have said and why SA are ******. Tony Brown with the claims that Ireland have been claiming to be the best team in the world again.

I think Ireland’s squad have too many miles and too many losses under the belt this season so I suspect whatever squad SA name today will win on Saturday.

 

[rN_X]

Springbok team to face Ireland at Loftus Versfeld:

15 – Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 93 caps, 75 pts (15t)
14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 31 caps, 91 points (14t, 3c, 5p)
13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 67 caps, 80 points (16t)
12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 78 caps, 55 points (11t)
11 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) - 15 caps, 65 points (13t)
10 – Handré Pollard (Leicester Tigers) – 69 caps, 698 points (7t, 96c, 152p, 5dg)
9 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 56 caps, 50 points (5t, 5c, 5pg)

8 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 41 caps, 35 pts (7t)
7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) 78 caps, 40 points (8t)
6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Racing 92) – 83 caps, 50 points (10t)
5 – Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 74 caps, 15 points (3t)
4 – Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 120 caps, 30 points (6t)
3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 70 caps, 5 points (1t)
2 – Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 69 caps, 70 points (14t)
1 – Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 28 caps, 0 pts

Replacements:

16 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 65 caps, 85 points (17t)
17 – Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0 points
18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 50 caps, 5 points (1t)
19 – Salmaan Moerat (DHL Stormers) – 4 caps, 0 points
20 – RG Snyman (Leinster) – 34 caps, 10 points (2t)
21 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 18 caps, 0 pts
22 – Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 9 caps, 10 points (2t)
23 – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) – 1 cap, 7 points (2c, 1p)

Stats and facts:

Springbok record against Ireland:

Played 28, Won 18, Lost 9, Drawn 1. Points for: 530; Points against: 412. Tries scored: 72; Tries conceded: 38. Highest score: 38; Biggest win: 38 points (38-0). Average score: 19-15. Win %: 64.2%.

Miscellaneous:

Only two players in the forward pack – Ox Nche and Kwagga Smith – have fewer than 69 Test caps.Only one player in the backline has fewer than 30 Test caps, namely Kurt-Lee Arendse.Only three players in the team were not members of the RWC-winning squad (Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Salmaan Moerat, Gerhard Steenekamp).Willie le Roux needs only six Test caps after Saturday’s match to join the select club of Springbok centurions.The total Test caps for the Springbok starting line-up is 966, the second most experienced team ever selected by South Africa after the 987-capped side for the RWC final last year.There are 403 caps in the backline, with 563 caps among the forwards. On the bench there are a further 182The average caps per player in the backline is 57, the forwards 70, while the players on the bench average 22.

 

[big ginger 8]

Not expecting good things for our second half scrums in particular.

Are the new rules re free kicks in play for this or is that just the 20s so far?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

69 Test caps

 

[big ginger 8]

Etzebeth says 'Irish media definitely targeted me' after RWC comments https://the42.ie/6424707

Are they incapable of getting their head space right without this ****?

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Considering how tough these players are on the pitch they sure are thin skinned off it

I guess it's hard to build the underdog/hard done by/us against the world mentality when you're back to back RWC champs so have to try and find it elsewhere

 

[rN_X]

Etzebeth says 'Irish media definitely targeted me' after RWC comments https://the42.ie/6424707

Are they incapable of getting their head space right without this ****?

Media at it's best. I watched the interview. This is once again taken out of context by the media.

 

[Saintjay]

Not expecting good things for our second half scrums in particular.

Are the new rules re free kicks in play for this or is that just the 20s so far?

New rules in play plus a trial on new TMO protocols.

 

[big ginger 8]

Media at it's best. I watched the interview. This is once again taken out of context by the media.

I think their are large cultural difference in humour and how we communicate between the countries which is contributing a lot but the eagerness of coaches and players from SA to make loads of comments about us is just strange.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I think their are large cultural difference in humour and how we communicate between the countries which is contributing a lot but the eagerness of coaches and players from SA to make loads of comments about us is just strange.

If we were at full strength and Sexton was still around this wouldn’t be happening. They smell blood and want to embarrass us, need to create a false narrative to do it.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

I think their are large cultural difference in humour and how we communicate between the countries

Ben Youngs was joking on his podcast about how he almost got into a fight with Etzebeth (pushed whoever pushed him without realising who it was) and how Etzebeth is lucky everyone else piled in and split them up, and the comments sections were full of the angriest nerds you have ever seen as if it wasn't a very blatant joke

 

[Saintjay]

It has a lot of pre-Lions vibes about it. I kind of hope Ireland win the first test just to see the reaction.

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

Lads, this is ******* insane haha. It’d be so funny if they choke this series.

 

[Groundhog]

Not to harp on it, but the noise coming out of the SA camp does really baffle me a bit. I just don't know why you would bother as back to back world champions.

I'd be delighted with a 1-1 result here, but I think we will lose by more than a score in both games. I also don't think it will be that great a learning experience for us. JGP being out might allow us to build some resilience at the 9 position, but who knows.

 

[unrated]

Weird build up to this one. Lots of noise from SA camp telling Ireland what Ireland have said and why SA are ******. Tony Brown with the claims that Ireland have been claiming to be the best team in the world again.

I think Ireland's squad have too many miles and too many losses under the belt this season so I suspect whatever squad SA name today will win on Saturday.

There is a rivalry brewing atleast from an SA perspective. Pair that with having lost the last few against Ireland, and a narrative in the SA media that Ireland maybe does not quite accept the world cup results.

I think the URC is enough to get the local public hyped for this Ireland game despite the bad results, and then the 1-2 thing.

So in a way I'm saying the reaction you are witnessing is pretty much to be expected.

I think we know there is a real chance that Ireland can beat us at home now with their quality. And being our first big test since the world cup it would be a double whammy loss, as we are not only expected to do well after the world cup but also now need to defend the unbeaten home record against the nr2 team in the world with maybe a squad that could potentially have a world cup hangover.

If we keep this in mind, it makes sense why rassie is playing the mind games already, small margins.

 

[saulan]

Media at it's best. I watched the interview. This is once again taken out of context by the media.

Yea, a lot of this feels like media trying to build up hype (the videos - especially with the desire to try to sell out the stadiums) and journalists repositioning statements and perspectives that come up in broader discussions as a lot more malicious than what they are.

I’m not seeing the same posts that you guys are picking up from my normal sources of SA rugby media that I find reliable.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I think their are large cultural difference in humour and how we communicate between the countries which is contributing a lot but the eagerness of coaches and players from SA to make loads of comments about us is just strange.

I find the noise a bit manufactured myself. For my part, I see it more as a media stunt than anything else. Tbh, I've gotten used to the noise and just ignore it. It's been a hallmark of the "Rassie" era and I wouldn't be surprised if Eben specifically is taking on the role of the court jester in order to satisfy the media and take that pressure off others (players) but that is pure speculation and I can fully understand non South Africans not having to deal with it on a near day to day basis finding it weird or annoying.

For me it is enough to get me up the mere fact that we have had a poor run vs Ireland and Ireland have been the form side the last while and we are hosting. Expecting a cracking few games. Just a pity about the unavailable players but that is rugby.

 

[big ginger 8]

I find the noise a bit manufactured myself. For my part, I see it more as a media stunt than anything else. Tbh, I've gotten used to the noise and just ignore it. It's been a hallmark of the "Rassie" era and I wouldn't be surprised if Eben specifically is taking on the role of the court jester in order to satisfy the media and take that pressure off others (players) but that is pure speculation and I can fully understand non South Africans not having to deal with it on a near day to day basis finding it weird or annoying.

For me it is enough to get me up the mere fact that we have had a poor run vs Ireland and Ireland have been the form side the last while and we are hosting. Expecting a cracking few games. Just a pity about the unavailable players but that is rugby.

I mean Rassie is a known factor at this stage and everyone expects his shite.

The Etzebeth stuff I think is genuine to a degree from him but a misunderstanding of what any Irish players would have meant when saying that.

But it's not just those two. De Allende called Irish players emotionless (insane from a teammate of POM) and Tony Brown has said we think the world cup doesn't win for SA doesn't count, which he's pulled out of his arse.

It's definitely manufactured but it's manufactured imo by the SA camp knowing the media will lap it up. From my perspective it's just weird that they feel the need to do it. Why do they need the external motivation? They're favourites and most Irish fans are predicting a home sweep for a reason.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I mean Rassie is a known factor at this stage and everyone expects his shite.

The Etzebeth stuff I think is genuine to a degree from him but a misunderstanding of what any Irish players would have meant when saying that.

But it's not just those two. De Allende called Irish players emotionless (insane from a teammate of POM) and Tony Brown has said we think the world cup doesn't win for SA doesn't count, which he's pulled out of his arse.

It's definitely manufactured but it's manufactured imo by the SA camp knowing the media will lap it up. From my perspective it's just weird that they feel the need to do it. Why do they need the external motivation? They're favourites and most Irish fans are predicting a home sweep for a reason.

Probably its a bit of everything I'd imagine. Playing for the media and the interest and money it generates is certainly a factor. Placing the focus where you want it. I also believe there is a cheeky joy in seeing the impact (irritation) abroad from what I've seen from Rassie in particular. That'll rub off.

But even so to an extent I can understand the added motivation even if manufactured is valuable. Even from a personal POV I'll never forget that in my 2nd to last school year we were beaten in our local derby by a 3 digit margin (although we weren't in the same league it is our neighbouring high school). The next year in the cloak room we had this long talk where all the usual tropes were put on the table. The humiliation, the fact that this would be the only chance for the senior boys to make it right etc etc. We weren't given a chance (being half the size of school, 2 leagues lower and the fact that we are just local boys and our best players get poached early on) but by the 60 minute mark we were a number of scores up even if they came close to hauling us in we were so out on our feet. That emotional drive counts an awful lot and is cheaply and easily manipulated.