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[2018 Rugby Championship] Round 4: New Zealand v South Africa (15/09/2018)

TRF_heineken

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Venue: Westpac Stadium
Time: 09:35 CAT (SA, GMT+2)
 
This used to be the marquee fixture of the RC, but no more, unless it's at Ellis Park. Can't see the Boks improving sufficiently in one week to be a factor in this one. End of a 3 matches away and the toughest one of the lot. That's got to change with the suggested change in the fixtures I read SANZAAR Are proposing come 2021.

Read Rettalick is out , as well as Laumape. But Crotty, SBW and Reiko likely to return and Tuipolotu to come into the 23. Out goes quality to be replaced by quality.

Will Vermeulen be selected for this match?
 
We're going to get spaaaaanked. A 15 point margin would be a good result, in fact a pretty optimistic one since NZ beat Aus away by 25+ points, and we just lost there.

My hope is for a spirited performance and lots of drive, any improvement will do.
 
i reckon Boks will step up. they always do.
 
Well, I expect to see some changes, and Rassie has already confirmed that Pollard will start again. But what worries me is there is no mention whatsoever about Duane Vermeulen and if he will be available for selection.

I'm thinking that should Vermeulen not be picked, we should play Flo or PSDT at no. 8 and bring in Marco van Staden. What do we have to lose to start the livewire flanker?

I also think that RG Snyman will start ahead of Sous and partner up with Eben.

In the backline I think it will be just Kolbe starting in Mapimpi's place with the centres and Willie and Dyanthi remaining. I'm just wondering if Faf will get a reprimand for his poor showing? Maybe start Papier at 9?
 
Australia didn't so much win last week as South Africa lost. If they cut out half of the thousands of stupid mistakes they made they'll improve massively.

They'll still lose by 20-30 regardless, though.
 
Probable Springbok starting XV:

15 Willie le Roux, 14 Jesse Kriel, 13 Lukhanyo Am, 12 Damian de Allende, 11 Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10 Handre Pollard, 9 Faf de Klerk, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6 Siya Kolisi (captain), 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth, 3 Frans Malherbe, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Steven Kitshoff

Gonna get smashed again
 
Interested to see Kriel on the wing because it might force him to run straight. His girlfriend should be worried about how he can't run a straight line. Am has been a bit of fizzle but that was to be expected. He is not a flash 13 so if he doesn't put in the hard graft he disappears. With Whiteley no longer being captain I thought we dodged an embarrassing bullet by not having to sack him but he is back for some reason. The guy tries hard and is a great leader for the Lions but he just doesn't cut it and Duane is miles ahead.
 
I would like another player in our forward pack who plays to the ball, whether that player is Vermulen/Flouw/van Staden I really don't care.

That said I've become convinced that selection is not our problem. We've tried almost everything over the past 5 or so years and it hasn't come right.
I imagine our problems are more along the lines of lack of experience/cohesion/wrong tactics/mental issues etc.

I'm sticking with my new mantra; expect a bad result, be happy with any progress, try to enjoy the rugby.
 
Our biggest selection problem has to be the loose trio, Siya, PSdT and Warren won't cut it. If we had Siya, Marco/Flouw and Vermeulen it's a different match imo. Otherwise, though not the prettiest bok team; we really do still have the personnel.

Whether we have the patience or any real or basic ball skills at all remains to be seen, though. Honestly with the unintelligent rugby we're playing; the best we can hope for is damage control (Keep it within 30 points, score at least a try). I'm usually very optimistic come this fixture, but I can't help dreading watching us going nowhere on attack for 10 phases and then coughing up the ball with some terrible execution followed by the ABs viciously scoring on the counter.

We seem very clueless on attack, our MO seems to be comprised of getting it as wide as possible, realising there's no space and grubbering possession away, otherwise we grind to a halt and predictably send it up. How do we expect to get any go forward when we play off 9, a big forward receives, another big forward binds to his waist or shoulder and they crash it up, allowing the defence huge time to set, fan out and wait for the next pod or crabbing Kriel, or Dyantyi with no space at all. We need to learn how to exploit the defensive structure of our opponents, we need to learn to run at the gap not the man and we need to learn that constantly shooting the ball wide as fast as possible is NOT how you play a game of running rugby, doubly so when you've made absolutely zero space with your one dimensional attack. How have we forgotten how to create gaps? Why don't we loop, switch/scissor like the other teams? Keep the ball alive? It's all way to amateurish for my liking.

You beat the ABs by retaining possession and relentlessly attacking, we are incapable of the former and very ineffective at the latter.

I hope Faf gets his **** together, he needs to stop fumbling at the base before a pass, use the ball when the ref commands, stop dodgy box kicks, stay onside and not do stupid **** like kicking the ball out of his opposite numbers hands.

Both Faf and Willie need to reign it in and play with a bit more brains and a bit less urgency because all they're doing is ruining our attack with their frantic attempts to spark magic. I sympathise with them both having to be the "brilliance" on attack but we need their mindset in ALL our players not just 9 and 15 (hellooo 10?).

Interested to see Kriel on the wing because it might force him to run straight. His girlfriend should be worried about how he can't run a straight line.
Oooh snap! Glad I'm not the only one who had this thought.

I think putting Kolbe against Ioane or the like is pretty mean at this stage, so I reckon the rumors that Kriel will play 14 are true. I prefer Am with his leg drive and pace at 13, he's a bit more loose defensively but then again Jessie is a bit hot and cold on defence himself. This seems the best way to deal with Pimpi's injury.

I definitely want Pollard at 10 because I'd rather have a flyhalf who can't kick goals than one who falls to pieces when it matters most. I don't see him magically finding form against NZ but we can hope right?

My team:
1. Kits
2. Marx
3. Malherbe
4. Etzebeth
5. Snyman
6. Siya
7. Marco/Flouw
8. Vermuelen (Warren if not ofc)
9. Faf
10. Pollard
11. Dyantyi
12. DDA
13. Am
14. Kriel
15. Le Roux

16. Bongi
17. Beast
18. Louw
19. Mostert
20. Flouw/PSdT
21. Papier
22. Jaintjies
23. Kolbe

ABs by 20
 
The matchday 23 is as follows (with Test caps in brackets):

1. Karl Tu'inukuafe (6)
2. Codie Taylor (35)
3. Owen Franks (101)
4. Samuel Whitelock (102)
5. Scott Barrett (22)
6. Liam Squire (19)
7. Sam Cane (57)
8. Kieran Read – captain (112)
9. Aaron Smith (76)
10. Beauden Barrett (66)
11. Rieko Ioane (17)
12. Ryan Crotty (38)
13. Anton Lienert-Brown (27)
14. Ben Smith (71)
15. Jordie Barrett (6)

16. Liam Coltman (2)
17. Tim Perry (2)
18. Ofa Tuungafasi (19)
19. Patrick Tuipulotu (16)
20. Ardie Savea (28)
21. TJ Perenara (48)
22. Sonny Bill Williams (47)
23. Damian McKenzie (18)
 
Good good, Hansen rolling out the best 23, although I wouldn't be surprised to see SBW scratched if he can't train today.

Jordie vs Waisake debate still there.

I wouldn't be against putting Naholo on the bench if SBW can't play - we already have Ioane, J Barrett and B Smith that can cover centre if needed. It'd be good to get Crotty and ALB through a whole game though.
 
You beat the ABs by retaining possession and relentlessly attacking,
agree. you play it tight and try and create holes through the fringes. lots of pick n goes and keep it tight. thats SA rugby. once the holes start appearing around the fringes ,then, you send it wide
 
good to see tuipolotu back.
still not a fan of dropping waisake for jordie. benders the best FB we have.
 
more or less full strength, think Jodie really needs to show something in this game, the other in the outside mix are stepping up
 
Good good, Hansen rolling out the best 23, although I wouldn't be surprised to see SBW scratched if he can't train today.

Jordie vs Waisake debate still there.

I wouldn't be against putting Naholo on the bench if SBW can't play - we already have Ioane, J Barrett and B Smith that can cover centre if needed. It'd be good to get Crotty and ALB through a whole game though.

I may or may not be part of the setup irl :p
 
AB's by at least 30. Rassie is too wishy washy with some combo's like the centre paring. Am is useless, it seems only Sharks supporters rate him for some obscure reason. The loose trio will get shown up again and Louw brings nothing from the bench. Lock pairing is too light with Mostert there.
 
Springboks:

Willie le Roux, Jesse Kriel, Lukhanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Aphiwe Dyantyi, Handre Pollard, Faf de Klerk, Warren Whiteley, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (c), Franco Mostert, Eben Etzebeth, Frans Malherbe, Malcolm Marx, Steven Kitshoff.

Reserves:

Bongi Mbonambi, Tendai Mtawarira, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman, Francois Louw, Ross Cronje, Elton Jantjies, Cheslin Kolbe.
 

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