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Week 3: Springboks vs All Blacks - Round 2

Charles does have a point about the Tri Nations being no exhibition of super SH runnning rugby. Not that I see that as a major criticism.

The problem is, at the moment, there's only one outstanding team in international rugby. If there were a world cup now, SA would be massive favourites and you'd struggle to think of anyone close enough to beat them.

I wouldn't slag off the Boks because they have played 'boring' rugby. Fact is, their pack is awesome and they have a good goalkicker. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. People act like winning games without playing 7s rugby is somehow cheating; it's not. We know that SA have the quality from 11-15 to run it against the best of them. But, playing the ABs who also are strong in this department, they've chosen to use the forwards and kicking (where SA are stronger) to win. This makes complete sense.

The Springboks now remind me very much of England 2003; they can dominate upfront, they will force pressure and then punish you with penalties and drop goals from a reliable kicker. And if they feel like it, they've got more than enough talent in the outside backs to run through anyone. If they keep up like they're going I can see a period of dominance lasting right up until the RWC 2011.

As for the All Blacks, they need to regroup. . They are missing players like Hayman, Jack, Williams and Carter who were essential to their pre-RWC dominance. They have nothing in the 2nd Row worth talking about to replace them, and Donald is a very flaky option at 10 imo. Added to the fact that they have no in-form scrum half, and world class players like Woodcock, Mealamu, So'oialo, Sivivatu, Rokocoko and Muliaina aren't on form, then you have a shaky looking side. Having said that, they'd still edge it over other teams in the world, but that's more an indication to the general standard of international rugby at the moment. Ireland are the strongest in the NH, but only just, and in no spectacular fashion. France are France. And Australia aren't up there either.

Hopefully by the autumn the NH can get some wins over SH sides and we can get some really competitive tussles over the world number 1 spot.
 
It is kind of frustrating having JDV, Fourie, Habana and F Steyn in the backline and not using them to run. But i'm not complaining because it works. SA rugby and SA sport in general is in a very healthy state atm and about bloody time too! Those horror years pre 2007 are thankfully gone.

ps. on a further note regarding running rugby, I watched a 2000 all blacks-springboks game on youtube. It was amazing. It's hard to believe that was over 9 years ago now!

The reason running rugby is not so common nowadays (I reckon anyway) is because professionalism has created players and defensive patterns that are remarkably difficult to get through. Just watch a game from 10+ years ago to see how the defensive lines are not really lines at all but resemble something like an Italian bus stop.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (KZNSharksFan @ Aug 6 2009, 01:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
It is kind of frustrating having JDV, Fourie, Habana and F Steyn in the backline and not using them to run.[/b]
I understand SA are content to rumble and kick, with the odd set move - they did it in 1995 and 2007. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

But JDV and Fourie don't have the ability to mix it up and bring the wide players in to the game. So it's not as if they have that in reserve, like Aus 1999 and England pre-2003 RWC.

Looking back on the last RWC, France-NZ was the worst result possible. But it is what it is.
 
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (TheBokke @ Aug 5 2009, 06:57 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>
Alot of games in the 6 nations are not exactly spectacles either.[/b]
You also have the issue with 6N that Italy doesn't really belong (they have won 6 games in 10 years in the 6N) and Scotland has struggled in recent years. At least all of the games in the 3N have a hope of being competitive.
 

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