[2018 Rugby Championship] Round 3: Australia v South Africa (08/09/2018)

[TRF_heineken]

Venue: Suncorp Stadium
Time: 12:00 CAT (SA, GMT+2)​

 

[unrated]

Just saw something interesting on the log above.
SA and Argentina basically cancelled each other out with 53 points scored and 53 Points conceded each. We literally cancelled each other out, but of course we came away with one bonus point.
Then to make it even weirder, Australia has a points difference of -53 and NZ has a +53 points difference. Coincidence?

 

[unrated]

 

[User1245]

My missus offered to buy me a ticket to the match here in Brisbane and I declined. I spashed out in 2016 for premium tickets and was treated to a dire Test match. I feel like the Boks are on a slow burn to the bottom and I'm not optimistic about the team bouncing back like they did when they were once a force. When was the last time they played well? 2014? Pretty sure that's the last time they beat the ABs. Only to be beaten by Japan in the next year. We'll continue to see blimps in the radar and then followed by a steady decline. Rinse, repeat.

 

[mdaclarke]

I think the Boks have too much natural resources to decline forever. I actually think the "problem" is that the All Blacks are much much much much much stronger than the rest.
All the other teams can beat each other. For example the Boks beat England this summer. England are a strong team.

 

[TRF_heineken]

I honestly don't know what to expect from this weekend, and I guess I'll remain reserved until I see the team and if there will be any changes to the squad. I think it's time that Rassie look at replacing Whiteley and maybe move Flo to 8 and bring in Marco van Staden, or have PSDT at 7 and move Kolisi to 6.

In the backline I just hope the guys are up for the challenge as it was more of an attitude issue in that our defence was so damn poor.

I would also like to RG Snyman having a run alongside Etzebeth, but I think that's wishful thinking.

 

[All Black]

Looking forward to this game. I don't care who wins as long as it's a goodie which I reckon it will be.

Hope Pollard comes around though. I seen the kid in the under 20s and he looked very promising then. I don't think we've seen the best of him.

 

[Oliver Madden]

this will be an interesting game but I would favour Australia at home. I actually thought Australia played pretty well at times in the 2nd Bledisloe cup test and if they play like that in this match they'll beat the Springboks.

 

[Derpus]

My money is on Australia at home. Hopefully Folau and Tupou return to the 23 which would be a big boost.

I think we saw plenty in the Ireland series from Australia with the Bled being utterly meaningless. I think they'll beat both the Bokke and the Argies at home and beat one away to pinch second.

 

[SomeOke]

Talk is Kitsoff will come in for the Beast, Bongi will come in for Marx, Ptsd will come in for Flouw, Elton will come in for Pollard and DDA and Kriel will return to the centre's, seems like a lot of changes, won't comment until it's confirmed.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Talk is Kitsoff will come in for the Beast, Bongi will come in for Marx, Ptsd will come in for Flouw, Elton will come in for Pollard and DDA and Kriel will return to the centre's, seems like a lot of changes, won't comment until it's confirmed.

The rumour mill is just not something I tend to take attention to as much anymore. I can understand the change for Kitshoff and PSDT and to an extent DDA and Kriel. But why sub Marx? Especially when we are playing against Pocock and Hooper...

 

[unrated]

The rumour mill is just not something I tend to take attention to as much anymore. I can understand the change for Kitshoff and PSDT and to an extent DDA and Kriel. But why sub Marx? Especially when we are playing against Pocock and Hooper...

Agreed, We mainly need him for his fetching i dont even care about ball carrying and line out throwing. Rassie would be dumb to do this, but i think he knows this and i expect Marx to start.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Agreed, We mainly need him for his fetching i dont even care about ball carrying and line out throwing. Rassie would be dumb to do this, but i think he knows this and i expect Marx to start.

I get what the article is saying in having Marx ready for the All Blacks, but to be honest, why?? I don't think we should look at toppling the All Blacks in NZ right now, I think that is a gap far too wide for us to look at. But we should try and win this weekend's match, especially since we drew against the Aussies twice last year. And our record at Suncorp isn't very good either.

 

[SomeOke]

Rassie is juggling a number of different balls at the moment, and as much as he says he needs to win at all costs, I believe developing depth at hooker is also a bit of a concern.

If that is the team though, it's basically the exact same team Allister Coetzee was playing at the end of 2016, might be interesting to see how the same team performs under different management.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Rassie is juggling a number of different balls at the moment, and as much as he says he needs to win at all costs, I believe developing depth at hooker is also a bit of a concern.

If that is the team though, it's basically the exact same team Allister Coetzee was playing at the end of 2016, might be interesting to see how the same team performs under different management.

Winning is certainly one of the things we need, if only to boost morale ahead of the All Blacks. But I think attitude is a key thing too.

Depth at hooker and some other positions are important yes, but then again, the guys on tour do have a few games behind them so there is no point to "experiment".

 

[mania]

go the mighty boks

 

[Derpus]

Teams:

South Africa to take on the Wallabies
1. Steven Kitshoff
2. Bongi Mbonambi
3. Frans Malherbe
4. Eben Etzebeth
5. Franco Mostert
6. Siya Kolisi
7. Pieter-Steph Du Toit
8. Warren Whiteley
9. Faf de Klerk
10. Elton Jantjies
11. Aphiwe Dyantyi
12. Damian de Allende
13. Jesse Kriel
14. Makazole Mapimpi
15. Willie Le Roux
Reserves
16. Malcolm Marx
17. Tendai Mtawarira
18. Wilco Louw
19. RG Snyman
20. Francois Louw
21. Embrose Papier
22. Handré Pollard
23. Cheslin Kolbe

Wallabies team to face the Springboks
1. Scott Sio (47 Tests)
2. Tatafu Polota-Nau (84 Tests)
3. Allan Alaalatoa (25 Tests)
4. Rory Arnold (15 Tests)
5. Adam Coleman (25 Tests)
6. Lukhan Tui (9 Tests)
7. Michael Hooper (c) (84 Tests)
8. David Pocock (71 Tests)
9. Will Genia (92 Tests)
10. Kurtley Beale (76 Tests)
11. Marika Koroibete (13 Tests)
12. Matt Toomua (35 Tests)
13. Reece Hodge (29 Tests)
14. Dane Haylett-Petty (23 Tests)
15. Israel Folau (66 Tests)
Reserves
16. Folau Faingaa (1 Test)
17. Tom Robertson (23 Tests)
18. Taniela Tupou (4 Tests)
19. Izack Rodda (9 Tests)
20. Ned Hanigan (13 Tests)
21. Joe Powell (4 Tests)
22. Bernard Foley (60 Tests)
23. Jack Maddocks (2 Tests)

 

[Derpus]

Foley dropped for Beale who is shite at 10.

Arnold finally promoted to the starting team after finish the season on fire. Toomua for his first start in a few years.

Marx rested and Jantjies promoted.

I think the Wallabies have the better team, if only just.

 

[TRF_heineken]

So the 6 changes that were rumoured were true for the Boks. Love the bench though, that will be some impact later in the game.

Here's hoping Kriel and De Allende perform like we know they can, De Allende especially has been pretty good for WP in the Currie Cup, and Kriel has been great all season for the Bulls.

Jantjies getting a second chance, maybe his last chance to impress Rassie.

The pack is pretty much an attempt to try and tick the boxes of covering most areas, and I think the plan is going to be to clear out Hooper and Pocock at the rucks instead of trying to compete for the ball against them.

 

[mdaclarke]

Strange Bok team. Stronger bench than starting line up!