[2016 Rugby Championship] South Africa v New Zealand (08/10/2016)

[die_mole]

Stauss - best quote of the day
"We could have done better"

that's sweet coming from strauss, his head was up his ass until he got subbed off

 

[ianw16]

The statistics don't make very good reading for SA, either!

 

[Ospervat]

Watching the competitive first half between these two over in NZ I never expected to see a slaughter like this. The only consolation is that every other team has had the same hammering; but since shifting to Steyn at 10, that's 160mins from SA without them remotely threatening the try line and surrendering territory and possession at will (albeit they won one of those games). They aren't going to develop their game playing like that. Hopefully Pollard is fit next month? He can't come back soon enough. Wales will be the acid test for AC in November, if he loses that then the pressure will possibly become unbearable.

If AC can't turn it around then, from my perspective, the main hope for the Boks is that Ackerman wins SR next season (I'd put Lions as favourites) and then is happy to be considered for the national job.

The problem really starts at the top - politicians, management, administrators and coaches.

This is a business- when a company does badly it's not the employees who are to blame it's the decision makers.

 

[McTallshort]

The statistics don't make very good reading for SA, either!

View attachment 4609

Thats shocking. I know NZ are a fantastic team but come on SA where is your pride lads? The boks getting turned over like that is shocking and very sad

 

[Jaguares]

It should be a Tri Nations tournament between Australia, South Africa and Argentina and the winner has to play against the ABs

 

[Bada-Bing!]

So NZ have now scored 9 tries in one match v two tier 1 nations - France and SA. Says a lot about those two great rugby nations as much as how far ahead NZ is ahead of everyone else.

 

[TheOvalBall]

So NZ have now scored 9 tries in one match v two tier 1 nations - France and SA. Says a lot about those two great rugby nations as much as how far ahead NZ is ahead of everyone else.

NZ have been improving, but SA have been regressing badly.

 

[Crazy Horse]

Looks like the Boks ran out of gas badly at the end too, and probably got demoralized. I just saw the Liam Squire try on YT, and it amazing how much running the AB backs did with nary a Bok hand on them. It is as though they were in live motion while the Boks were moving in slow motion.

 

[The Jones Boy]

First up hats off to Larksea (again, this is getting to be a habit) I was genuinely worried before this match that our midfield defence was going to be a worry. I wondered if we would need Fekitoa to harden up the spine in the midfield.
Hands up, I was wrong. Fekitoa was not needed at all and may now be on his way to the UK.

NINE TRIES TO NONE.
Has the world stopped and give in reverse.????
This was in the Republic.
I just didn't think it was possible.

The ANC have a lot to answer for; racist political quotas for sports teams are not acceptable and contributing countries should now be engaging sanctions against South Africa until they drop this nonsense.
SA is a proud rugby nation and they don't deserve to be hampered in this manner.
My heart goes out to the Japie fans, this is not a result that bears contemplation.

 

[TheOvalBall]

First up hats off to Larksea (again, this is getting to be a habit) I was genuinely worried before this match that our midfield defence was going to be a worry. I wondered if we would need Fekitoa to harden up the spine in the midfield.
Hands up, I was wrong. Fekitoa was not needed at all and may now be on his way to the UK.

NINE TRIES TO NONE.
Has the world stopped and give in reverse.????
This was in the Republic.
I just didn't think it was possible.

The ANC have a lot to answer for; racist political quotas for sports teams are not acceptable and contributing countries should now be engaging sanctions against South Africa until they drop this nonsense.
SA is a proud rugby nation and they don't deserve to be hampered in this manner.
My heart goes out to the Japie fans, this is not a result that bears contemplation.

Can't imagine a lot of NZ rugby folk were too happy about the game itself, even though happy with the win.

 

[smartcooky]

Christ that must have been painful to watch for Bok fans. The All Blacks just absorbed all the first half pressure and then when the Boks ran out of gas in the second half the ABs just clinically dismantled them in the last 30 minutes.

A couple of stats really caught the eye

SAF - NZL
Metres gained 174 - 758
Defenders Beaten 2 - 33
Clean Breaks 2 - 11
Offloads 6 - 24

Staggering. If Barret had a better day with the boot, they could have pushed 70.

The Springboks are seriously going to have to change the way they play. Bish - bosh - bash - kick has been a winning formula for them in the past, but those days are long gone now. The game has moved on and it is played at too great a pace for that. It worked against the Wallabies last week because their forwards were like chocolate soldiers, and their backs were clueless on attack, but against the All Blacks, every time you kick it to them is an opportunity for them to punish you, and they are very good at taking those opportunities.

Individual All Black performances, in no particular order.

Matt Todd. I just could not believe the amount of work he got through. He won't feature much in the stats because much of the work he does goes unseen unless you're looking for it (like me!).

Anton Lienert-Brown. What can I say? The guy has been a revelation at test level. He just keeps backing up one excellent performance with another, always makes metres over the gain line (69 metres from 11 carries).

Ryan Crotty. Another workmanlike, reliable and mistake-free performance, and a steadying influence inside ALB. If we had any worries in the midfield with Moala and SBW out, those worries seem to have evaporated. This Crotty/ALB combination is working so smoothly, its hard to see how SBW & Fekitoa are going to fit back in.

Israel Dagg. In his last few tests, he really has effectively silenced the haters. He is fully deserving of his spot on the wing. 94 metres in 12 carries, two clean breaks seven defenders beaten and he bagged another double on the scoreboard.

TJ Perenara and Tawera Kerr-Barlow. Perenara was outstanding in this match and when TKB replaced him, things just carried on business as usual. If there is anything regarding half-backs that came out of this game, its that Aaron Smith had better clean up his act. His position is no longer safe. Based on today's performance. TJP has either taken or has a very strong case for the No. 1 halfback spot.

Beauden Barrett. Goal kicking aside, and another excellent heads-up performance from the world's No. 1 1st 5/8.

Brodie Retallick & Sam Whitelock. Do these two actually have an off switch? They must have tickers the size of Pharlap's.

My MOTM was ALB

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Why is RSA so content with kicking goals? I know they don't have confidence being in the 22 with the ball, but they have to get experience. I think they would have taken more away from this game had they scored 0, but had six attempts at trying, rather than 15 with no experience.

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Gawd. Doesn't this just say it all. 31% possession to RSA, with twice as much kick metres as ABs (860m v 430m).

 

[Cruz_del_Sur]

1H vs 2H stats should be interesting.

EDIT: just checked. Very interesting.

1H RSA possession: 28%
2H RSA possession: 34%


1H RSA territory: 20%
2H RSA territory: 36%

 

[nightmarehitter]

Super scary fact was at just on 71mins the score was still SA 15 -29 ABs

IN 9 mins the All Blacks raced to 57 points!!! INSANE!!!

 

[nik]

As soon as Steyn left the boks started playing expansively. However it was ABs who piled on the points.

Is this ABs best performance in South Africa?

This can change in a matter of months though. For example look at how the fortunes of England and Australia has flipped in les than 12 months.

Now I know this ABs team is pretty darn good compared to previous years. However I keep thinking about 2003, we put 50 on Boks in South Africa, 50 on Australia in Sydney. In a matter of months, we get knocked out by Australia in RWC semis. We get beaten soundly by boks in South Africa the following year.

Things can change quickly. It all depends how much each nation is willing to change.

 

[nickdnz]

Does anyone else find it amazing that the All Blacks, in 6 games, are in +176 points differential, and the next closest is Australia with -23...All Blacks really messed up everyone. I believe first team to get the try bonus point in every game...just crazy.

 

[The Jones Boy]

The quota is a very unpleasant and blatantly racist element that needs to be abolished.
SA should be able to choose their players on merit like every other country.

Secondly, I remain unconvinced that SA are poor players, totally unconvinced.
The coaching and management is the key here. The Boks are overtly capable of playing open attacking running rugby, but this Coetzee chap may be in the running for the worst coach ever. Never mind worst Saffer coach ever, but worst coach ever.
Once the AB's got a head start Bok heads went down and they just gave up in many situations. It was head shaking stuff. There are serious problems in the coaching. I can't remember a Bok team that dropped their heads like the one in yesterdays game.

On Anton Lienert-Brown, he had a great day at the office in the 2nd half. He also looked bigger than i remembered him at the Chiefs, has he been pumping serious iron?

I'm not convinced that the AB's are that far ahead of everyone else, this is more like the other teams are playing well below par.
The AB's have a team that are exceedingly potent at capitalising on teams that slack off in defence or offer up errors that can be punished.
For long periods of games opposition teams can hold the AB's trills and keep the scoreboard very close, or even be leading.
Modern rugby is still essentially an arm wrestle up front and at the break down, and up to this point in the year the AB's have not encountered a team that can show the fitness level required to maintain that arm wrestle for the full 80 minutes.
I believe that when they do the AB's will really be in a match where their mental fortitude will be tested. I saw plenty of AB mistakes in this match that you would not ever expect to be there in a scoreline that big. This is still a young team and they will make uncharacteristic mistakes that comes with new combinations and inexperience at the top level.
If they are confronted by the kind of pack that England on their day can muster (particularly at home) then Barrett better borrow Dan Carters kicking boots.
Maybe the powerful Irish pack will offer more resistance in the upcoming matches in the northern hemisphere Autumn.

The issue is not; are the All Blacks bad for world rugby. When you see fantastic running rugby it is always a pleasure to watch.
The issue is, why are in the current case, the Wallabies and the Boks so far under their normal high level of quality?
Yes the world cup has ended and that signals an exodus of older players from International squads but none mores than the AB's who lost a galaxy of glittering stars.
Are the AB's the only southern hemisphere team who planned for a succession after the RWC?

With Boks we can point directly at the quota system and the current Bok coaching personnel (AC looks waaaaay out of his depth) getting back players like Pollard will help their cause as well. Morne Steyn can kick goals but he's not worth Pollards bootlaces when it comes to running a backline.
With the Wallabies its a forward pack issue, they need a few world class players in key areas (front row props and no.8 in particular) they could also do with a genuine 1st five in the mould of the great Stephen Larkham.

 

[KeyboardWorrier]

Does anyone else find it amazing that the All Blacks, in 6 games, are in +176 points differential, and the next closest is Australia with -23...All Blacks really messed up everyone. I believe first team to get the try bonus point in every game...just crazy.

It's actually becoming really bad for the sport. I'm a massive All Blacks fan, but I think it's time they lost a game or two... people will just stop watching this game is the ABs keep dominating it so much. We really, really could do with an ABs Vs England game now.

 

[sharkfan]

As a Springbok supporter I would like to apologize to the New Zealand rugby fans and international rugby community for what you witnessed last night. The Springbok team that embarrassed and shamed themselves last night is not the Springbok team the world knows hard, uncompromising and competitive. Some drastic steps and decisions will have to be taken over the next couple of weeks to try and repair the damage.