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<blockquote data-quote="TRF_heineken" data-source="post: 979643" data-attributes="member: 40658"><p>I guess here is where the conundrum lies with a team like Japan. They are now caught inbetween. They have to play against top teams to remain competitive and be a more constant performer on international level, while also trying to assist the region of Asia in improving the sport in their countries, so it might become a delicate balancing act, and both sides of the argument has merit.</p><p></p><p>Japan is already leading the way in the region, I guess the question will be if they will have followers or will they remain an isolated beacon in the region?</p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p>I think Argentina have improved significantly, They have managed to beat the Springboks a couple of times, and have become a real force for teams visiting Argentina. This was their first 4-year cycle in playing in the Super Rugby as well as the Rugby Championship. I think their issue has more to do with the naivety they have about themselves and of other teams who have gone through these cycles before. I've said a lot about Argentina in their own thread and received a lot of flak for saying it (mostly because I'm not an Argentinian and in their views my opinion is misguided, which it might be, but I still think it has merit).</p><p></p><p>They performed very well this season in the Super Rugby, and even reached the final for the first time ever. They were confident because of that, and thought that it could be a building block for their campaign, and rightfully so. Then it was time for the RC, and in their first game, they played against the All Blacks, in Argentina, and nearly beaten the AB's, losing 20-16. Again, it all seemed like their planning is heading in the right direction. </p><p></p><p>But then they played the Springboks, and they lost, mostly due to some great individual play by Sbu Nkosi. But if you look at the players who started in this game, for South Africa, only 3 players who started this game, played in the final of the World Cup. Siya Kolisi, Lood De Jager and Sbu Nkosi. And 2 players that was on the bench, RG Snyman and Vincent Koch. Add to that if you look at the bench, only Faf De Klerk and Frans Steyn was part of the final. And if you look even broader than that, 8 players for South Africa didn't even go to the World Cup.</p><p></p><p>It might be unfair of me to compare Argentina to South Africa now, but to me, this comparison must be made:</p><ol> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">We were in the same conference in Super Rugby and our teams played each other twice.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">South Africa's resting and rotation policies both in Super Rugby as well as Rugby Championship proved to work. And this policy has been used for the second 4-year RWC cycle in a row now. We were 3rd in 2015 in the RWC and 1st this time around. That is something factual that our players can go the whole way in a World Cup tournament, be competitive in Super Rugby and RC, while limiting injuries and fatigue of players.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">1 loss in a World Cup is not the end of the tournament. I know a lot of Argentine fans are blaming the loss against France as the main reason for their demise, but that to me is a very narrow-minded approach to this campaign.</li> <li data-xf-list-type="ol">Player selection. South Africa went through a process where foreign based players was only allowed to be selected if they played more than 30 tests for SA, and we found that this policy is not working, and abolished that policy. We selected Cheslin Kolbe, Faf De Klerk, Frans Steyn, Francois Louw, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Cobus Reinach & Willie Le Roux. With only Le Roux, Steyn and Louw having more than 30 test caps. You have to choose your best players, no matter where they play in the world, but in doing so, you have to involve them in the planning process, and have them play some games and have them in the training camps, and not out of necessity because someone got injured.</li> </ol></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="TRF_heineken, post: 979643, member: 40658"] I guess here is where the conundrum lies with a team like Japan. They are now caught inbetween. They have to play against top teams to remain competitive and be a more constant performer on international level, while also trying to assist the region of Asia in improving the sport in their countries, so it might become a delicate balancing act, and both sides of the argument has merit. Japan is already leading the way in the region, I guess the question will be if they will have followers or will they remain an isolated beacon in the region? I think Argentina have improved significantly, They have managed to beat the Springboks a couple of times, and have become a real force for teams visiting Argentina. This was their first 4-year cycle in playing in the Super Rugby as well as the Rugby Championship. I think their issue has more to do with the naivety they have about themselves and of other teams who have gone through these cycles before. I've said a lot about Argentina in their own thread and received a lot of flak for saying it (mostly because I'm not an Argentinian and in their views my opinion is misguided, which it might be, but I still think it has merit). They performed very well this season in the Super Rugby, and even reached the final for the first time ever. They were confident because of that, and thought that it could be a building block for their campaign, and rightfully so. Then it was time for the RC, and in their first game, they played against the All Blacks, in Argentina, and nearly beaten the AB's, losing 20-16. Again, it all seemed like their planning is heading in the right direction. But then they played the Springboks, and they lost, mostly due to some great individual play by Sbu Nkosi. But if you look at the players who started in this game, for South Africa, only 3 players who started this game, played in the final of the World Cup. Siya Kolisi, Lood De Jager and Sbu Nkosi. And 2 players that was on the bench, RG Snyman and Vincent Koch. Add to that if you look at the bench, only Faf De Klerk and Frans Steyn was part of the final. And if you look even broader than that, 8 players for South Africa didn't even go to the World Cup. It might be unfair of me to compare Argentina to South Africa now, but to me, this comparison must be made: [LIST=1] [*]We were in the same conference in Super Rugby and our teams played each other twice. [*]South Africa's resting and rotation policies both in Super Rugby as well as Rugby Championship proved to work. And this policy has been used for the second 4-year RWC cycle in a row now. We were 3rd in 2015 in the RWC and 1st this time around. That is something factual that our players can go the whole way in a World Cup tournament, be competitive in Super Rugby and RC, while limiting injuries and fatigue of players. [*]1 loss in a World Cup is not the end of the tournament. I know a lot of Argentine fans are blaming the loss against France as the main reason for their demise, but that to me is a very narrow-minded approach to this campaign. [*]Player selection. South Africa went through a process where foreign based players was only allowed to be selected if they played more than 30 tests for SA, and we found that this policy is not working, and abolished that policy. We selected Cheslin Kolbe, Faf De Klerk, Frans Steyn, Francois Louw, Vincent Koch, Franco Mostert, Cobus Reinach & Willie Le Roux. With only Le Roux, Steyn and Louw having more than 30 test caps. You have to choose your best players, no matter where they play in the world, but in doing so, you have to involve them in the planning process, and have them play some games and have them in the training camps, and not out of necessity because someone got injured. [/LIST] [/QUOTE]
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