MotM vs South Africa, II
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Wow votes for Ben Smith. Just watched the test again and I'm a huge fan of Bender, but that was his worst test by some margin. Out of the starters I would've had him at 15th.
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@No-Quarter said in MotM vs South Africa, II:
@Crucial said in MotM vs South Africa, II:
@taniwharugby said in MotM vs South Africa, II:
This ALB looks the business doesn't he!
ALB, Big Beast Brodie Retallick, Read....but pretty much anyone could have had a vote today.
Really? I know the score said otherwise but that was a really inaccurate sloppy performance for a lot of the time. I thought there were quite a few players that shouldn't even be on the voting list, either for playing poorly or not really imposing themselves.
TJP was a microcosm of the overall performance. Scored a brace but had a crap game otherwise. I haven't seen an AB halfback pass that badly since forever (and I praised his passing last week)My votes went to ALB, Kaino and Coles
I thought we dominated across the park in the first half and the stats back that up. You can't do that with only a couple of guys playing well. At no stage did I think SA were in the game at all, they never looked close to scoring.
A few handling errors and wrong decisions on attack were annoying but come with the territory of playing a risk/reward attacking game.
Gezz you're a tough ask. 9 tries to fucking NIL in SA!
As I said, the result and score seems at odds to what I watched. I don't know if that is a result of a poor Boks team crumbling or the ABs still managing to be way better than other teams even when they are not humming.
All I know is that when watching the game I was getting frustrated at how discordant the ABs seemed to be. Passes weren't going to hand, 50:50 balls didn't have the right person in the right place, TJP looked like he had dipped his hands in KY before the game, even Reado was fumbling the ball on the ground. Players were getting isolated turning the breakdowns into a shambles etc etc.
I just feel that if we play like that against a team with a bit more steel to them we will be relying on a moment of magic to come off in order to win rather than just to add to the mounting score.
I think there really is a danger of the Convicts giving us a scare at EP. Psychologically the ABs must be feeling that they can walk over anyone even when being sloppy. The Wallabies will be dragging their shackles into town with a growing confidence and knowledge that dumb tactics aren't going to win. Getting in our faces defensively and busting a gut for 80 though, will see them gain some real credibility. -
That first half was definitely frustrating to watch. The ABs seemed to make easy yards and half breaks but would stuff it up with poor handling and having to scramble to clean up. Often promising movements would end up with SA booting it back down field. The last 30mins were a lot better when things started to stick and they grew in confidence.
Will be interesting to see how the final game plays out. ABs won't be lacking motivation with the consecutive record/nonrecord and Edan park record on the line. They don't seem to like the Wallabies much so that should also give them a boost. A smith will be wanting to have a big game too if he is in the team.
Similarly the Wallabies will be wanting to get pay back for the first two games. Question is whether they can actual turn up and play some decent rugby. It was only a week ago that they got beaten by THAT Bok team so it remains to be seen. -
I went for BBBR, ALB and BB.
Barrett had a nightmare with the boot (from tee and from hand in the first half) but his passing was sublime in putting players into the gaps and his running was something the Boks could not match.
ALB is class. This is the start of a long career with the All Blacks I reckon.
BBBR was massive and into everything. He is one of the main reasons why the AB are so dominant. -
I thought the first half the AB's displayed an arrogance that suggested they were in danger of believing their own press.
Sure impose yourself but there were too many poor options no look off-loads, spilled balls etc
I was really fucked off at half time.
Sure SA were awful and never looked like being in the game but despite it blowing out at the end with 20 mins to go we were only one intercept away from it being all tied up. Which to me spoke volumes about how unforced errors were keeping the BOKs in the game.
Last quarter was pretty good
but is that the worst Bok rabble ever? -
@dogmeat I commented in the match thread - noted the ABs were being pretty loose with ball carrying at times, but the saffas were specifically targeting the expected offloads and trying to spoil the ball anyway possible. It was pretty smart... until the ABs corrected it.
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I went BBBR, ALB and Crotty.
There's no way I could reward Read for his first half performance, neither Ben Smith who had his worst game in living memory.
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@Crucial said in MotM vs South Africa, II:
@taniwharugby said in MotM vs South Africa, II:
This ALB looks the business doesn't he!
ALB, Big Beast Brodie Retallick, Read....but pretty much anyone could have had a vote today.
Really? I know the score said otherwise but that was a really inaccurate sloppy performance for a lot of the time. I thought there were quite a few players that shouldn't even be on the voting list, either for playing poorly or not really imposing themselves.
TJP was a microcosm of the overall performance. Scored a brace but had a crap game otherwise. I haven't seen an AB halfback pass that badly since forever (and I praised his passing last week)My votes went to ALB, Kaino and Coles
I gotta say I thought that was one of Kainos worst games! he just looked off the pace and tired I was hoping he'd get yanked earlier than he did... Cant remember seeing him get held up in the tackle carrying the ball like that before either.
Loving ALB - gotta say I never thought he was that amazing at the Chiefs - but fuck me has he stood up and grabbed his chances with both hands. Biggest difference between him and Fekitoa is that instead of trying to do everything himself he looks to free up those outside him.
Agree on TJ - annoying when you read articles saying he's really putting pressure on smith.. err no.
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