Ireland v South Africa - 22/11/2025

[TRF_Olyy]

Chicago Hounds & Springboks.

Sport is about who you're geographically lumbered with
You think I want to support Sale? Or STEVE BORTHWICK?

 

[munstermuffin]

In the loose, fine. In the scrum, it was bad. If Ox was healthy, Furlong gets at least 1 yellow himself.

I've warned Ireland fans for years about the scrum and they still let Porter go out there. He's a complete liability.

But Furlong was fine in the scrum too and held his own. All the issues were on Irelands Loosehead side. Bealham gave away few penalties too but not major issues on THP side.
He was solid in scrum not sure how you basing your analysis on

 

[munstermuffin]

It is bad. We lost 85-0 to Scotland.

Your little digs are about as effective as Doris trying to convince Carley that Wilco Louw wasn't annihilating your loose heads.

Not a dig just never seen some one anti promotion of their own teams. That is all.

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

Firstly South Africa won no complaints so congratulations.

However the style is horrific. They have talent but seem hooked on just power and no more.

On the ref. No complaints either. He was correct for all calls I think except the SA 10.

On Ireland all the talk is on 10. Sam struggles massively with defensive side and until.that is sorted it will hamstring us as alot of changing positionally to try hide him. Jack has his faults too and my point isn't to hammer any 10 but say the opposite. 10 wasn't really issue tonight but we have bigger issues. And if the overall squad isn't sorted then Andy will have probably his biggest challenge to gel a squad for RWC.

If all they are relying on is power, that's incredibly limited as a gameplan and others should find ways to beat it or mimic it if it's so successful.

I've never understood about complaining how people are winning. It's very much a "you" problem, not a them problem. It's for the rest of the world to find out how to beat it.. Can you tire them out? Can you get your own big lumps in to front up to their big lumps? Can you do something to nullify their power? Really limited gameplans should be easy to beat.

I don't think South Africa have just power, they can use it but you don't get their record by bludgeoning your way to victory because you get found out. Wales with Warrenball used to operate like that and, after a period of success, they got found out and teams countered them.

I say this as someone who thoroughly dislikes South Africa as a team and many of their fans but they clearly have a working formula and it's for everyone else to figure out how to beat it, not whine about it.

 

[Saintjay]

If all they are relying on is power, that's incredibly limited as a gameplan and others should find ways to beat it or mimic it if it's so successful.

I've never understood about complaining how people are winning. It's very much a "you" problem, not a them problem. It's for the rest of the world to find out how to beat it.. Can you tire them out? Can you get your own big lumps in to front up to their big lumps? Can you do something to nullify their power? Really limited gameplans should be easy to beat.

I don't think South Africa have just power, they can use it but you don't get their record by bludgeoning your way to victory because you get found out. Wales with Warrenball used to operate like that and, after a period of success, they got found out and teams countered them.

I say this as someone who thoroughly dislikes South Africa as a team and many of their fans but they clearly have a working formula and it's for everyone else to figure out how to beat it, not whine about it.

Pretty much this. Everyone knows exactly what your going to get with SA. Slightly varied formulas based on 2019. Kicks when in own half, scrum on penalties to either get pens, or launch attacks. Kick for corners, driving lineout.

Be simplistic there is more to it but that's them. It's up to others to be good enough to counter or plan to stop it.

I like the slight old school style of SA rugby. I don't doubt it's how Borthwick would love England to be.

 

[munstermuffin]

If all they are relying on is power, that's incredibly limited as a gameplan and others should find ways to beat it or mimic it if it's so successful.

I've never understood about complaining how people are winning. It's very much a "you" problem, not a them problem. It's for the rest of the world to find out how to beat it.. Can you tire them out? Can you get your own big lumps in to front up to their big lumps? Can you do something to nullify their power? Really limited gameplans should be easy to beat.

I don't think South Africa have just power, they can use it but you don't get their record by bludgeoning your way to victory because you get found out. Wales with Warrenball used to operate like that and, after a period of success, they got found out and teams countered them.

I say this as someone who thoroughly dislikes South Africa as a team and many of their fans but they clearly have a working formula and it's for everyone else to figure out how to beat it, not whine about it.

I don't disagree. It is up to rest to stop. And nothing wrong but it a terrible watch. It is an "us" problem.
They play winning rugby but it just terrible as a spectacle

 

[Ragey Erasmus]

I don't disagree. It is up to rest to stop. And nothing wrong but it a terrible watch. It is an "us" problem.
They play winning rugby but it just terrible as a spectacle

Tbh I think it's a gross oversimplification in the same way England were accused of in 2003 or Saracens when they were dominating. Looking back at games in that era, England and Saracens did so much more than bludgeon their way to victory. I think it becomes a way to cheapen their winning formula. They have an offloading game, a kicking game, a territorial game, they tick all the boxes and play pragmatically. I imagine it's dull for those who opposed them and fell they can't get into the game but for neutrals, not so much.

 

[munstermuffin]

Tbh I think it's a gross oversimplification in the same way England were accused of in 2003 or Saracens when they were dominating. Looking back at games in that era, England and Saracens did so much more than bludgeon their way to victory. I think it becomes a way to cheapen their winning formula. They have an offloading game, a kicking game, a territorial game, they tick all the boxes and play pragmatically. I imagine it's dull for those who opposed them and fell they can't get into the game but for neutrals, not so much.

I can't disagree. But like we lost by 11. And felt like it was an 80 min hammering

 

[Ddanno]

It is bad. We lost 85-0 to Scotland.

Your little digs are about as effective as Doris trying to convince Carley that Wilco Louw wasn't annihilating your loose heads.

 

[ChicagoKid]

How’s life in the basement?

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

I paid 140 euro to watch Carley...

SA were so much better, we had nothing behind our pack but my God, that was not a game of rugby.

At least we weren't robbed by the same ref stealing a living this time unlike Spurs stadium last year.

Well we were robbed of a good time just not of a fair result.

 

[Ddanno]

Carley and Dickson. What a reffing team

 

[Ddanno]

How's life in the basement?

Awww you're so cute

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

As the Saffas said to me in 2022, who gives a ****, there's a world cup soon.

We were ******* awful, had a ref who decided the winner pre-kick off (thankfully not influential to the result unlike the 2024 CC Final) and still we're competitive in parts.

Everyone will forget about us because we don't belong at the top table of rugby, but this is a squad that'll show up in two years time.

 

[ChicagoKid]

I paid 140 euro to watch Carley...

SA were so much better, we had nothing behind our pack but my God, that was not a game of rugby.

At least we weren't robbed by the same ref stealing a living this time unlike Spurs stadium last year.

Well we were robbed of a good time just not of a fair result.

Is $140 a lot or a little?

 

[ChicagoKid]

As the Saffas said to me in 2022, who gives a ****, there's a world cup soon.

We were ******* awful, had a ref who decided the winner pre-kick off (thankfully not influential to the result unlike the 2024 CC Final) and still we're competitive in parts.

Everyone will forget about us because we don't belong at the top table of rugby, but this is a squad that'll show up in two years time.

Ireland shouldn’t let James Ryan play another test. He isn’t good and that was a bush league cheap shot.

 

[jackie d]

Furlong was poor too.

Imagine if Ox was fit? Ireland got dominated by a scrum that doesn't even have their first choice props.

Furlong was excellent. Won his battle

 

[jackie d]

Yes but we were in trouble even 15 v 15. We were beaten badly in physicality. Sam wasn't great today and I could easily go provincial way but we all sick of that. Fact is no half back would look good behind that pack. You always felt SA just had that bit more

Scrum wise we were in trouble but around the pitch tackling wise etc esp when 15 v 15 we matched. Of course then that drive is taken out of the legs when down so many

 

[jackie d]

It is bad. We lost 85-0 to Scotland.

Your little digs are about as effective as Doris trying to convince Carley that Wilco Louw wasn't annihilating your loose heads.

If he drove straight he mightnt have had. But carley was afraid of the big bad boks giving out to him

 

[jackie d]

By their own standards? Agreed. Yet they somehow managed not only to win, but to be in control. All the time. It's not that they didn't push hard enough or weren't clinical enough. they just had no incentive to take those chances. They had the score lead, fresher legs and a better scrum. And if push comes to shove, they have the most resilient 5 meter defense in the sport's history.
That's what is so effective. so brutally constrictive, about their strategy. They don't just get the penalty, take the 3 points and restart. They slowly push you closer and closer to another yellow card. And they force you to make uncomfortable decisions (like putting Aki as a flanker. 'Correct' but risky) and force you to take quite a considerable amount of risks. The most dangerous aspect of their strategy is that it snowballs beautifully. Physically, psychologically, score wise.

Anyway. Other issues. How is it that the refs awarded a penalty try without issuing a yellow card NOT a scandal? It's not just that the ref, tmo and assistant refs missed it. Every south african player did so too. Coaches and staff, too. I really, really dont get it.

Thats what you picked up regarding the refs??