[2021 Rugby Championship] Round 2: South Africa V Argentina (21/08/2021)

[Jer1cho]

If one more person tells me Mbonambi starts ahead of Marx because of lineout throwing I will refuse to believe they watch rugby. Marx 100% and was colossal, Bongi comes on and misses 2 lineouts 5m out that would have secured a BP. Frikkin urban myth that.

 

[ChicagoKid]

If one more person tells me Mbonambi starts ahead of Marx because of lineout throwing I will refuse to believe they watch rugby. Marx 100% and was colossal, Bongi comes on and misses 2 lineouts 5m out that would have secured a BP. Frikkin urban myth that.

Time for Marx and Dweba to play. Bongi was subpar versus the Lions and was very poor today.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

If one more person tells me Mbonambi starts ahead of Marx because of lineout throwing I will refuse to believe they watch rugby. Marx 100% and was colossal, Bongi comes on and misses 2 lineouts 5m out that would have secured a BP. Frikkin urban myth that.

I picked up on that as well. And we needed that maul try because it didn't look like we were able to get anything constructive going ball in hand. Yikes! My swaer said we are holding it back for the all blacks. I said just like the B&I lions were holding back for us. At least back against the lions we had excuses. We are now 6 tests in. Time to start getting more accurate. TBF it was not as if Argentina were putting any pressure on us but still..

 

[mdaclarke]

Although it was a subpar performance from South Africa. They were without a number of key players. PSDT, Vermeulen, De Klerk, Etzebeth and this is a Pumas team that has beaten New Zealand and absolutely smashed Wales, although Wales were missing a number of players too.

I think it says a lot about the current strength in depth of South African Rugby. Also I think everybody would prefer their team to play more structured winning rugby than losing rugby that is full of flair and razzmatazz.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Those are some talismanic players for us for sure but we will have to go without PSdT at least for the remainder of the season. And though I am certainly not urging us to have a chuck about the game was all but in the bag at 60 minutes and it looked like we were wanting to open up a bit but it just wasn't on it seems. What that tells me is we can't afford to get into a position to play catch-up. Vs NZ in the RWC we saw it as well. We were largely in control for that game bar 3 minutes where they scored 2 tries in quick succession In such a position we will have to be able to turn it up. My hope is that we will be able to rise to the occasion and that our flatness this game was just due to the match essentially being over. Somehow I doubt that is the case though. At least not fully.

 

[Umaga's Witness]

If one more person tells me Mbonambi starts ahead of Marx because of lineout throwing I will refuse to believe they watch rugby. Marx 100% and was colossal, Bongi comes on and misses 2 lineouts 5m out that would have secured a BP. Frikkin urban myth that.

I would agree in the last few games bongis lineout throwing has been awful, and in general he hasn’t been near his best. But it’s hard to have watched rugby and not argue that in the past one of the key reasons he has been selected ahead of Marx is because of lineout throwing - Marx having some absolute nightmare games when mbonambi was coming into the team. Marx deserves to start at this point for me, and should have in game 3 of the lions tour, but not prior to that.

frustrating to see so much flair in the dying minutes, how about taking those risks earlier. Some odd selections by the pumas, not starting Sanchez or kremer. Kremer shoild be starting in the loose forwards against the boks I reckon.

very dominant display by boks. Pity they screwed up one of the few backline attacking opportunities though.

 

[Jer1cho]

I would agree in the last few games bongis lineout throwing has been awful, and in general he hasn’t been near his best. But it’s hard to have watched rugby and not argue that in the past one of the key reasons he has been selected ahead of Marx is because of lineout throwing - Marx having some absolute nightmare games when mbonambi was coming into the team. Marx deserves to start at this point for me, and should have in game 3 of the lions tour, but not prior to that.

I don't know man. Marx had one bad game for us. Which was the NZ opener in the RWC. He didn't start for the next 2 years. Even then, look at what he did off the bench in the WC. He was the one at the back of the 50m maul against Japan, breaking off and offloading for Faf to score. He was the one who had quick hands for try no.1 in the final. He was the one who tackled Slade so hard he spilled the ball for Kolbe to score. The guy was also the only glimmer of hope we had in the 2016 2017 horror show, with arguably the most complete no.2 performance ever against NZ in Cape Town. Both our hookers (all hookers for that matter) throw a rubbish one now and then, but it is a myth that Bongi does anything better than Marx does, let alone lineout throws as was showcased on Saturday (and in the Lions series).

Bongi is fine, and a pretty solid backup, but he offers nothing special, whereas Marx is a game changer when he is on form, which is far more often than not. His turnovers are too good a weapon to leave out till 60 minuites of a match as well.

 

[The Seeker]

I can't wait for Round 5. South Africa and New Zealand are steamrollin'.