Springboks v Wallabies
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@SidBarret said in Springboks v Wallabies:
@Nepia - which players are you unfamiliar with?
Welcome to the Fern 😉
Would love a write up on the Boks squad Sid. I watched a few of the provincial games but would be good to hear your views.
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@ACT-Crusader Thanks, let's see if I last another 20years
On theroar and G&G there is a lot of performative outrage about SA selecting a B side for this game, it is a heavily rotated side, but not down a lot in terms of the "first choice available" team. There are some big name injuries in the squad at the moment, Nche (as of today), Etsebeth, Kolisi, Hendrikse and Pollard so they would never have played anyway.
The starting frontrow is first choice, but there is some rotation on the bench with Marx and Nyakane being in front of Dweba and Du Toit.
The second row is the one place where they are going in soft by resting both Mostert and De Jager. Orrie is solid, similar to Mostert, but less physically talented. There is plenty written about Kleyn's selection so I am not going to go into that, but the Munster fans have been raving about his play so we'll see. RG Snyman has looked very good coming back from three years of injuries.
The backrow is uninspiring, but we'll see. We're missing Kolisi and it is between Van Staden and Kwagga Smith for that spot, but I think Smith is pretty far ahead. Van Staden is a no fuss, tough openside, but lacking in star power. PSDT has had a tough run of injuries in 2021 and 2022, but reports regarding his form from Japan is positive. Vermeulen looks like a man that is in the last six months of his career and needs to prove that he is still worth his spot. On the bench is Evan Roos who had an outstanding 21/22 season at 8 for the stormers, but had a tougher go this past season with injuries blunting his effectiveness.
At half back De Klerk is being rested and with Hendrikse out, Reinach comes in. Libbok is getting his long deserved start at 10. His exclusion from the squad in 22 was mistake that came to bite us hard when all the other flyhalf fell over in the middle of the season. He has been brilliant for the stormers and plays very similar to Mo'unga and should give the backs much more direction and edge than they had in 21 and 22. He is known to get yips with kicks at goal from time to time though.
I'm not a fan of Esterhuizen, but Harlequin fans have been thrash wanking themselves over him for years now amd he was admittedly quite good against Italy last year. Am is Am.
Arendse and Moodie come in for Mapimpi and Kolbe - not a big change in terms of quality. Moodie is 21 year old winger in the style of Ben Smith, very good in defense and in the air and has added some flair to his attack this year. Arendse is in my opinion a better version of Kolbe, he is that good.
Given the team selected I think there is going to be some tweaking of the tactics, with fewer contestants kick and more punting it long, forcing Australia to either run it back or kick back and giving the speedy outside backs space to attack.
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@SidBarret As an avid Bok supporter, I agree with everything you said, EXCEPT Arendse being better than Kolbe. Although very similar, (a fit) Cheslin Kolbe is in the top 3 best players in the world, slightly behind Ardie Savea and Antoine Dupont
I am a bit disappointed that in a game where squad rotation is so prevalent, Evan Roos isn't starting. I'm a big Duane fan, but as you said he is (has been for a while) in the twilight of his career. Roos needs as much test match game time before the WC to move him up behind Jasper Wiese as the Bok No 8. If he can cut out a bit of his shithousery, he'll be world class.
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@SidBarret thanks bro. Good to have you back.
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Wallabies co-captain James Slipper is in doubt for their opening Rugby Championship Test against South Africa after suffering a knee injury at training.
Coach Eddie Jones sent an SOS to uncapped prop Blake Schoupp following Slipper's mishap, which is a massive blow to Australia's hopes of a first ever win in Pretoria.
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@Bovidae that will be a meteoric rise for the young fella if he does get a bench spot. He was the Brumbies regular loosehead bench option. Started a couple of games, could be into the cauldron against the Boks.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Springboks v Wallabies:
@Bovidae that will be a meteoric rise for the young fella if he does get a bench spot. He was the Brumbies regular loosehead bench option. Started a couple of games, could be into the cauldron against the Boks.
Not bad for a bloke that was a teacher in his day job last year.
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For all the talk of the Springboks resting blokes, we aren't winning this one.
In fact, I'm not sure I actually want us to win. I mean sure I'll be cheering for it and very happy if it happens, but thinking longer term I think the last thing this Wallaby team needs is any sort of hype or expectation.
We want to be sly, under the radar dogs. We scrape over Wales in the pools, inch past the Argies and well hello we're one win away from the World Cup final and nobody even knows we're there.
I'll tip Bokkies to win 28-13 with a late Springbok try to widen the margin a little.
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Wallabies team to play South Africa:
1 James Slipper (c) (127 Tests), 2 David Porecki (10 Tests), 3 Allan Alaalatoa (64 Tests), 4 Nick Frost (9 Tests), 5 Will Skelton (24 Tests), 6 Tom Hooper*, 7 Michael Hooper (c) (124 Tests), 8 Rob Valetini (30 Tests), 9 Nic White (59 Tests), 10 Quade Cooper (76 Tests), 11 Marika Koroibete (51 Tests), 12 Reece Hodge (62 Tests), 13 Len Ikitau (26 Tests), 14 Suliasi Vunivalu (1 Test), 15 Tom Wright (23 Tests)
Reserves: 16 Jordan Uelese (15 Tests), 17 Matt Gibbon (5 Tests), 18 Zane Nonggorr*, 19 Richie Arnold*, 20 Pete Samu (32 Tests), 21 Tate McDermott (21 Tests), 22 Samu Kerevi (41 Tests), 23 Carter Gordon*
*denotes uncapped
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@Machpants No, that was me haha. The media release says "finishers", but I hate that term, so wrote down "reserves.
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Fuck sake! Visual media guys then
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/F0VbGzUaUAAg_ru?format=jpg&name=900x900 -
@Tim said in Springboks v Wallabies:
Big question mark over Michael Hooper. Will be interesting to see if he can still play at test level.
You mean the greatest openside since professionalism
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These Wallabies aren’t quite cherry ripe but they’ll be up and about.
That forward pack will be Bledisloe winning-good when they’re all fit. Eddie needs to find out quick on Vunivalu, so throw him in the deep end instead of RTSing him for months. Like it. Boks obviously have to give guys a rest or deal with injuries. Good chance for Oz here.
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@ACT-Crusader said in Springboks v Wallabies:
@Tim said in Springboks v Wallabies:
Big question mark over Michael Hooper. Will be interesting to see if he can still play at test level.
You mean the greatest openside since professionalism
What happened to the Hoopah! filter?
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@Stargazer said in Springboks v Wallabies:
@Machpants No, that was me haha. The media release says "finishers", but I hate that term, so wrote down "reserves.
Yep well another reason to consider this the best rugby forum, intelligent use of editing!!!!
Four debutants named to play South Africa in TRC opener
