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[2021 Rugby Championship] Round 3 Australia v South Africa (12/9/2021)

Yeah, It has become a little bit one dimensional. Mix it up a bit. Remember how you were at the start of rassie's reign? You beat england in a series at home with attacking rugby, and despite atrocious defence at the time, and coming off a few years off very poor rugby by springboks standards.

now, on who was the best between 1921 and 1976, well I think you can discount all of the games in South Africa, since the all blacks had to be all white for those matches. So, that would mean the all blacks had a slight winning record against the boks during that time, I believe. perhaps we just wipe the whole period of history from our memories. Certainly I'm not proud that we played the springboks at all during those times.
Whether we strictly *need* to mix it up or not I for one hope we do. Though I expect it will come naturally bit by bit.

On the last paragraph, well I am sorry you feel that way. History is what it is all one can do is learn from it. I'm not even going to start arguing dates and nuances. Lets leave it as that. New Zealanders will say they were the top dog and South Africans will claim dominance up till the isolation years.
 
Since Pollard's latest injury his form have really been poor. He was already struggling with his kicking since the Lions tour. I really hope Goosen start getting into the mix soon. Need someone to start pushing pollard for that starting spot but I guess Goosen will only be looked at for the end of year tour.
 
Since Pollard's latest injury his form have really been poor. He was already struggling with his kicking since the Lions tour. I really hope Goosen start getting into the mix soon. Need someone to start pushing pollard for that starting spot but I guess Goosen will only be looked at for the end of year tour.
That's a gross exaggeration. In the second Lions test, he was exceptional. He was good versus Argentina.
 
That's a gross exaggeration. In the second Lions test, he was exceptional. He was good versus Argentina.
If you call his lions form exceptional and against argentina good you should have a look at your standards. He was at most good against the lions and okay against Argentina. We have seen much better performances from him and his goal kicking is okay at best.
 
If you call his lions form exceptional and against argentina good you should have a look at your standards. He was at most good against the lions and okay against Argentina. We have seen much better performances from him and his goal kicking is okay at best.
He's what 11 months into a 12-15 month recovery for tearing his ACL? If his form hasn't improved by the fall internationals, then I'll concede something is off.
 
He's what 11 months into a 12-15 month recovery for tearing his ACL? If his form hasn't improved by the fall internationals, then I'll concede something is off.
Yet his form is currently not at the best or even near. Best thing to help push a player to perform beter is competition for places thus I am saying bring in goosen that will push him for the starting spot. Elton Jantjies can't and neither will Morne Steyn. Willemse don't even know what he is anymore. I would also consider him a better option for #12. Our depth at #10 is really thin.
 
Yet his form is currently not at the best or even near. Best thing to help push a player to perform beter is competition for places thus I am saying bring in goosen that will push him for the starting spot. Elton Jantjies can't and neither will Morne Steyn. Willemse don't even know what he is anymore. I would also consider him a better option for #12. Our depth at #10 is really thin.
Well Goosen can't join the squad till the fall internationals. By that time, Pollard will have 2 games against Elite competition to prove himself.
 
Well Goosen can't join the squad till the fall internationals. By that time, Pollard will have 2 games against Elite competition to prove himself.
True. I don't want him to be dropped from the squad. I would just like Goosen with the squad as he can add so much more than the current other options.
 
You can hardly blame a nation for striving to be the best. And I'm splitting hairs here but for a surety NZ hasn't been #1 for 150 years. I'll give you the modern era but pre-isolation and professionalism SA was #1 if you apply the rankings backwards. Forget the rankings even, SA have the era 1921 to 1976 by 21 wins to 13 for NZ. That's a 62% win ration over NZ specifically prior to isolation.
boks were only #1 because they refused to play against our brownies.
 
still whinging about the officiating

"It was a game of narrow margins – Wallaby captain Michael Hooper should probably have been penalised with just over a minute to go, those dominant Bok scrums should probably have netted penalties, and the Boks could have, and maybe even should have won," he wrote. Keohane
 
New Zealanders will say they were the top dog and South Africans will claim dominance up till the isolation years.
even though we werent allowed our brownies?!? that whole period should remarked with an asterix as they were not true full NZ sides. it was pretty disgusting our govt curtailing to SA politics and not allowing our maoris and PI's to play

that entire period between boks and ABs should be called the white period
 
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finally got around to watching the game last night. wow Boks were weak. hits were soft . physicality non existent. what's happened to pollard? all the creattivity has been coached out of him. what a waste of a great talented 1st 5
why do Boks bother selecting backs? should just put in another forward pack
 
still whinging about the officiating

"It was a game of narrow margins – Wallaby captain Michael Hooper should probably have been penalised with just over a minute to go, those dominant Bok scrums should probably have netted penalties, and the Boks could have, and maybe even should have won," he wrote. Keohane
In a nation of 60 odd million, you are zeroing in one writer. It's like when people watch one movie on America and then try to act like they know what they're talking about.
 
Interesting technical point.
Valid or not?

Ridiculous. 80 minutes was up, siren had gone, game over. Gets the goal, game over. Misses the goal, Boks kick it out, again, game over.
Sick of salty fans (and DOR's) picking over games for errors by the ref.
 
I'm guessing you missed the entirety of the 2011 Super Rugby.

Great day to be a Quade and Wallaby fan.
Well, you must have missed all the tests that Kiwi boy Quade played against the ABs, because heaps of times against us he made plenty of really silly errors when the pressure was applied... great to see that he's put a lot of hard yakka in to massively improve the mental toughness/composure part of his game.
 
Interesting technical point.
Valid or not?

Merely academic. I haven't talked to a single person who doesn't accept the loss. In general we put it down to an aussie side that played smart and a generally flat performance from our side across the board.
 

That is a damning stat indeed. I am all for keeping to our "rugby DNA". I just think Nienaber needs to remember we have a proud history of running the ball as well. Minimalism is all well and fine but any designer will tell you only so if it retains function. We are at a point where we are losing function. Lions tour was fine. We hadn't played any rugby as a team for 2 years and its sensible; keeping it simple. BUT I think the expectation was that it would develop.
 
Boks are playing far too much predictable 10-man rugby stuff - they've got some top backs with plenty of pace, need to get them involved in the game as much as possible.
Reckon they need a running 1st-five to keep the defence in two minds, he either runs at the line looking to offload, spreads the ball wide quickly or kicks if it's the best option... just basically kicking most of the time makes it too easily for sides to read & defend against.
 
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