All Blacks Vs Springboks RC Week 2
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@Machpants it's also pretty safe, South Africa has a tiny betting market, so you need to give longer odds to get kiwis to bet against the All Blacks.
Even if the bookies thought it was really a 50/50 game, the odds would be shortened for New Zeland due to the relative betting volumes.
That said, $3 for the boks seem very tasty. Oz was paying $3.55 on the high veld last week.
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One other thing that I really like about the Springbok side selected is that they won't panic if they go down a score or two. I sometimes feel other teams get psyched out when the All Black get a lead, but with this bench I can see South Africa staying in the fight
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@Machpants said in All Blacks Vs Springboks RC Week 2:
@SidBarret My money as safety bet is already on the Boks
With the usual pattern of one good game followed by a crap one, you're wise. Be ultra-happy if we win, but a close loss could be progress of sorts against what looks to be a very, very good Bokke side.
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@Machpants said in All Blacks Vs Springboks RC Week 2:
@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks Vs Springboks RC Week 2:
@Daffy-Jaffy said in All Blacks Vs Springboks RC Week 2:
Springbok team to face New Zealand in Auckland:
15 β Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) β 84 caps, 65 pts (13t)
14 β Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) β 23 caps, 74pts (11t, 2c, 5p)
13 β Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) β 32 caps, 30 pts (6t)
12 β Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights) β 70 Tests, 45pts (9t)
11 β Makazole Mapimpi (Cell C Sharks) β 36 caps, 110pts (22t)
10 β Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) β 28 caps, 36 pts (2t, 4c, 4p, 2d)
9 β Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) β 46 Tests, 41pts (5t, 2c, 4p)
8 β Jasper Wiese (Leicester) β 20 caps, 5pts (1t)
7 β Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) β 63 caps, 15pts (3t)
6 β Kwagga Smith (Blue Revs) β 31 caps, 20pts (4t)
5 β Lood de Jager (Panasonic Wild Knights) β 65 caps, 25pts (5t)
4 β Eben Etzebeth (captain, Cell C Sharks) β 110 caps, 15pts (3t)
3 β Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) β 59 caps, 5 pts (1t)
2 β Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) β 57 caps, 60 pts (12t)
1 β Steven Kitshoff (Ulster) β 72 caps, 10pts (2t)Replacements:
16 β Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) β 59 caps, 70pts (14t)
17 β Thomas du Toit (Bath) β 16 caps, 0 pts
18 β Vincent Koch (Stade Francais) β 42 caps, 0 pts
19 β RG Snyman (Munster) β 24 caps, 5 pts (1t)
20 β Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) β 67 caps, 30 pts (6t)
21 β Duane Vermeulen (SA Rugby) β 66 caps, 15 pts (3t)
22 β Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks) β 2 caps, 0 pts
23 β Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) β 4 caps, 19 pts (8c, 1p)Eddie was wrong
This is the A team
How was he wrong? He went out of is way to say the opposite
He said that wasn't the best SA team before the match
When questioned how he felt Australia would have gone against the A team he spat his dummy, saying the journalist was being a smart arse -
@MiketheSnow Eddie should have just taken it onto the chin and said something like "yeah mate, that came back to bite me, didn't it, mate? Obviously their squad depth is superb, mate, and I guess I learned to shut my big ol' mouth next time, mate. Mate"
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@Bovidae Willie play 15 like a 10. They could select Willemse in 15, but Pollard is injured or KLA but he is a wing/15. Both play most of their rugby in 15 for their franchises. Willemse maybe more in 12. Willemse never play 10 at the Stormers.
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@Bovidae I think your view of Le Roux is tainted by the second NZ game in 2021 when he was truly awful.
Personally I would have transitioned away from Le Roux after 2019 in favour of Warrick Gelandt, but the selections over the last three seasons forces Nieramus to select either Le Roux or Willemse at 15.
Le Roux has been good in a very specific role for the boks in 2022 so his selection is kinda expected.
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@SidBarret Le Roux is rocks and diamonds. When heβs good heβs really good but he can be quite erratic in his decision making. He can often get caught between when itβs the right time to run, kick or pass. I think the ABs will test him.
There are some very experienced heads on that Bok bench so I expect they will empty it early to make the most of it.
Looking at that Bok team I really hope we select Finau on the bench.
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@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks Vs Springboks RC Week 2:
Looking at that Bok team I really hope we select Finau on the bench.
Wonder if we'll see Scooter at 6. Foster/Ryan have done that before against big packs.
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@sparky said in All Blacks Vs Springboks RC Week 2:
The Big Bad Boks donβt frighten me.
Yeah, but you're not Eddie Jones.
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Pakman teams
A. Whitelock 100%
EDG/ST/TL/SW/BBBR/SC/Frizell/AS/Nuggie/DMac/JB/RI/CC/WJ/BB
Bench: OT/CT/NL/SB/LJ/FC/RM/BEI'd like to see Stevenson get a run, but with DMac unchanged that'd be just too much!
B. Whitelock < 100%
EDG/ST/TL/SB/BBBR/SC/Frizell/AS/Same backs
Bench: OT/CT/NL/Josh Lord/Finau/FC/RM/BE -
@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks Vs Springboks RC Week 2:
Wonder if we'll see Scooter at 6. Foster/Ryan have done that before against big packs.
That will depend on Whitelock's fitness. If he starts, then yes, I expect SB at 6. It also provides some insurance if SW has to leave the field. Then put two loosies on the bench.
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One day you would expect the 6-2 split is going to bite them on the arse in a big game , itβs a matter of time imo
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I understand why people want Scott Barrett on the field and I understand why they want him to to be a 6, but I just don't see it working. He's not quick enough off the mark, too slow to the breakdown, not explosive enough, too slow off the scrum, not quick enough in support of the ball. None of which is a problem at lock. Trouble is, Whitelock is the key lineout lock, and Retallick does everything Barrett does but at his best he's better and bigger. Barrett is pretty much the 5.5 to the old Taine Randell 6.5. In most AB teams he'd be a sure thing, but to me he just doesn't quite fit in a side containing arguably our 2 best locks ever.
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@reprobate not sure people 'want' SB at 6, is more that some of the issues we have at 6 are papered over if we play him there.
Really think this is an opportune time to give Finau a run, see if he is the physical presence we need, or more in the Fifita mold.