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[RWC2019][Pool B] Round 3 - South Africa vs. Italy (04/10/2019)

I guess Mbonambi is now first choice Hooker. He has really come in the the last few years. He was epic against England when they played in South Africa
 
Bongi deserves the start, as Marx for some reason doesn't seem as interested this year. Perhaps this bench warming gives him a wake up call. Lood and Beast rewarded for solid form as well.

Mapimpi, le Roux and Faf will cost us this world cup if we persist with them...
 
I'd be inclined to have Nkosi over Mapimpi but there's no way any of those guys are costing SA a world cup. Faf de Klerk is world class.

I had to check to see if there was another Faf in the squad when I read that.
 
Goodey said:
I'd be inclined to have Nkosi over Mapimpi but there's no way any of those guys are costing SA a world cup. Faf de Klerk is world class.

I had to check to see if there was another Faf in the squad when I read that.
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We relied incredibly heavily on both de Klerk and le Roux in 2018, as both players were at the top of their game. This year however has been very different. Faf's performance against NZ was the worst I have ever seen him play, and Willie seems to have forgotten how to play rugby, which has happened before.

Faf's delivery is slow, he takes steps before passing, and his box kicking at the moment has to be the worst of any 9 in World Rugby. They are 2 players who, on their day, can easily be among the best in the world, but unfortunately, at the moment, at a world cup (and in the RC), they have been abysmal. These 2 players alone gave away 14 points in our first game. A try from an attrocious Faf pass for NZ, and a butchered try from an equally bad pass from Le Roux to Kolbe.

Obviously I hope they both come right, because when they are on song we are very hard to beat with the pack we have being so good. Unfortunately form dips as massive as theirs tends to take a while to fix. We have a history of players playing on reputation and letting us down (J de Villiers/Victor Matfield in 2015, Bryan Habana/John Smit in 2011).

Mapimpi is all gas. His positional play is extremely bad, and he doesn't know how to defend cross kicks, and is generally very bad in the air. He just isn't good enough at this level yet.
 
I just read Jesse Kriel is out of the tournament and has been replaced with Damian Willemse. Bad news for Kriel but I like Willemse's inclusion. Not that I think he'll get a look in mind you apart from maybe against Canada just to get a hit out in the tournament (assuming we get passed Italy of course) before the play offs just in case injuries rack up and he is needed.

I am on the fence regarding the named trio of Le Roux, Faf and Mapimpi. I agree they do not seem to be at their best. Neither is Marx or (E) Jantjies though in their cases they have payed the price. I still marginally prefer (H) Jantjies ahead of Faf and in my books this is Faf's last chance to show why he is the encumbant. Mapimpi has been on the end of some try assists. Other than that he has been a liability IMO. I'm still on the Nkosi is better bandwagon. On Le Roux though.. not sure we have an option better than him. He hasn't been poor mind you. Not Faf/Mapimpi/Jantjies poor. Gelant didn't do his chances much good in his start against Namibia. I felt he was trying to hard and wanted to take on the entire Namibian defense himself. I've never seen Frans Steyn as anything other than cover for the centers. I have a lot of time for Willemse but prefer him at 10 over 15 and this tournament might be a year or two too early for him.
 
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TRF_stormer2010 said:
I just read Jesse Kriel is out of the tournament and has been replaced with Damian Willemse. Bad news for Kriel but I like Willemse's inclusion. Not that I think he'll get a look in mind you apart from maybe against Canada just to get a hit out in the tournament (assuming we get passed Italy of course) before the play offs just in case injuries rack up and he is needed.
Click to expand...

Yup, I posted it in our pre-RWC squad thread.

I think it's a great choice by Rassie. Willemse has shown good form playing in England and he's accustomed to Rassie's gameplan. He helps us fill some gaps as Willemse can basically play anywhere in the backline.
 
TRF_heineken said:
Yup, I posted it in our pre-RWC squad thread.

I think it's a great choice by Rassie. Willemse has shown good form playing in England and he's accustomed to Rassie's gameplan. He helps us fill some gaps as Willemse can basically play anywhere in the backline.
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I pray that is not the case. We've ruined so many exceptionally talented backline players in SA by giving them the utility tag. The guy is still very young and I am happy enough to see him in the fold but I see him as our best option to backup and take over at 10 long term.
 
TRF_stormer2010 said:
I pray that is not the case. We've ruined so many exceptionally talented backline players in SA by giving them the utility tag. The guy is still very young and I am happy enough to see him in the fold but I see him as our best option to backup and take over at 10 long term.
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No me too.

But it's nice to have good utility backs, even though I don't think we'll see Willemse at 10 during this WC.

I think he's there mainly for fullback, and should Mapimpi not have a good game, I can see Willie being moved to 11 with Willemse coming in at 15.
 
TRF_stormer2010 said:
I pray that is not the case. We've ruined so many exceptionally talented backline players in SA by giving them the utility tag. The guy is still very young and I am happy enough to see him in the fold but I see him as our best option to backup and take over at 10 long term.
Click to expand...

How many have there been now? Off the top of my head:

Gaffie du Toit
Brent Russel
Ruan Pienaar
F Steyn
Patrick Lambie

Trying to think of more.
 
I get that Rassie has his first choice players, he has dropped Marx to the bench, why doesn't he follow through and do the same with Willie, Faf and Mapimpi? I would drop Mapimpi out completely! Starting to lose a bit of faith in the selections to be honest. Also never understood the infatuation with Flouw, the guy is mediocre at best and would rather have taken Marco van Staden to the WC.
 
TRF_heineken said:
Form is temporary, class is permanent... That goes for bad form too... they'll come through...
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Well Said

You would think Nkosi was Joe Rokocoko at his peak the Bokkies talk about him He had 1 good game against Los Pumas in Pretoria when the tackling by Moyano & Tucalet was pathetic

Mapimpi has scored 5 tries in his last 3 Test Matches
Willie LeRoux is the guy most under pressure
Even more so now Willemse is in the squad He's the nearest thing to Beauden Barrett in World Rugby with his versatility & explosiveness

Elton at #22
Willemse at #23
 
rugga658 said:
Italia have NO chance of qualifying
They will not beat Bokkies or All Blacks
Click to expand...
While I agree it is highly (HIGHLY) unlikely... speaking categorically about events still to happen isn't a great idea.
 
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rugga658 said:
Well Said

You would think Nkosi was Joe Rokocoko at his peak the Bokkies talk about him He had 1 good game against Los Pumas in Pretoria when the tackling by Moyano & Tucalet was pathetic

Mapimpi has scored 5 tries in his last 3 Test Matches
Willie LeRoux is the guy most under pressure
Even more so now Willemse is in the squad He's the nearest thing to Beauden Barrett in World Rugby with his versatility & explosiveness

Elton at #22
Willemse at #23
Click to expand...

Actually, Mapimpi has scored 10 tries in his 10 tests. Something only a guy like Rieko Ioane can boast about.
 

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