All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham
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@Rancid-Schnitzel winning 3 big games on the trot (especially when you consider who the 1st 2 are likely to be) was always going to be hard, regardless of how we were tracking, but agree this side seems to lack the instincts and adaptability to do it.
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@taniwharugby said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
@Rancid-Schnitzel winning 3 big games on the trot (especially when you consider who the 1st 2 are likely to be) was always going to be hard, regardless of how we were tracking, but agree this side seems to lack the instincts and adaptability to do it.
It think it was mentioned that it's about winning despite having an off day. That used to be an AB speciality. Now if we have an off day we fall apart and get spanked.
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Well it's good to see Foster is back to his record setting ways, though I don't think he'll be able to grace us with anymore records at the RWC as we've already been bundled out in the 1/4 finals prior and I don't think he'll be able to top that.
Our forward pack got bullied and beaten up, unfortunately without BBR, Scooter (to stay on the field) and Frizzle (can't believe I'm saying that) we lacked the ability to carry the ball forward. The thing is those 3 can carry the ball, their replacements just can't.
We play a pod system which is only effective if you break the advantage line (you need a good ball carrier in each pod) to get you quick ball and go-forward otherwise you simply go sideways across the field. RM and BB then lack a tactical distance kicking game to get us out of trouble so lots of lateral movement stuck in our own half going for cute plays to try and generate some attack.
Defense was brave but again we lost the physical battle, it's pretty easy to not give away penalties - you don't put your hands in the ruck and you make sure your behind the last feet. However if your doing that but just getting beaten up and loosing meters then sometimes it boils down to pushing the envelope to try and slow the ball down or turn it over and thus penalties ensue.
I would hope it's that and not the fact that the players don't trust each other or the defensive patterns to work hence they "take it upon themselves". That's the worst case scenario though given McLeod's defensive patterns of late it might be true.
Just a horror game, we can only flush the dunny and move on, RSA prime favorites to take this RWC at a canter unless Ireland or France can bully their forward pack.
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@mencey said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
This maybe the wake up call we need B 4 the WC. They needed a couple of more warm up games IMHO. This is just a shit show of unbelievable proportions.
so...the last 4 years haven't been enough of a wake up call? losses to argentina, series losses at home to ireland....but this, final game right before the RWC...this is the wake up call?
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@Windows97 said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Well it's good to see Foster is back to his record setting ways, though I don't think he'll be able to grace us with anymore records at the RWC as we've already been bundled out in the 1/4 finals prior and I don't think he'll be able to top that.
Italy?
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@chimoaus said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
@Windows97 said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Well it's good to see Foster is back to his record setting ways, though I don't think he'll be able to grace us with anymore records at the RWC as we've already been bundled out in the 1/4 finals prior and I don't think he'll be able to top that.
Italy?
Lol - not even I'm that fatalistic
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@chimoaus said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
@Windows97 said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Well it's good to see Foster is back to his record setting ways, though I don't think he'll be able to grace us with anymore records at the RWC as we've already been bundled out in the 1/4 finals prior and I don't think he'll be able to top that.
Italy?
I was just about to post a warning about Italy. We lose to France and the Italian game is huge. Traditionally they have a style we can struggle against, and Fozzie and his team do love to break records.
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@Windows97 the only other loosie with strong ball carrying ability is Akira. I'm so disappointed that we have not managed to harness his talent (for whatever reason). As much as I like Jacobson, he's not a test 6. He didn't play badly per se, but is not able to match the physicality of the big teams so we're always going to be under the pump.
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Its pretty damn horrible that we've gotten to this point. I've always felt the book Fever Pitch by Nick Hornby brilliantly captures the mindset and agony of a hardcore fan. That book is about Arsenal from the 70s and their less than stellar run up until 1990 but I strongly identified with it. I'm sure I probably speak for most of us when I say I was absolutely captivated the first time I saw the ABs play (in my case 1985). I bawled my eyes out when they lost to Aus in 86. I'd hitched my wagon and there was no getting off it. Every loss was absolutely gutwrenching. So obviously there were the periods of agony (world cup drought) and ecstacy, but I don't think I could complain as much as Nick Hornby could about Arsenal in Fever Pitch. They had some absolutely dire times. One part in particular I found impossible to contemplate at the time. There was a stage when Arsenal were so shit and the whole set-up so pathetic, that the fans started cheering for the opposite team en mass. They'd had a gut full of shit results and could no longer give a fĹŻck. I would never believe it but I'm feeling that I'm approaching that stage. I've gone from suffering depression from any loss in any situation to finding a potential loss to Italy amusing. Obviously I'll never cheer on the opposition or want us to lose, but it's amazing how much you lose that passion when excellence turns to mediocrity. When hope and optimism morph into dejection and a type of fatalism. Maybe it had to happen one day and maybe there are more glory days ahead. Maybe I'm just getting older. But I've never given less of a fĹŻck about an AB team that during these past years.
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yes, hoping the wider coaching group can bring what @BerniesCorner noted, and then some....
I often think it's worth at least once challenging a ref's view on the lineout – with extended time in the air by the boks, by quickly lowering the defending players and NOT engaging in the maul. Challenge the ref to call 'obstruction' and see how that plays in the mind of the ref, the opposition.....
plenty for all to work on for Sept 9 – but all in all, it should be a great RWC with various teams on the up / down / sideways.... (and overall friendly timeslots for most games, watching from NZ).
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Get a grip. Whether you beat France or not you’re getting into the QF’s and then you only have to win 3 games to be world champs.
Same as all the other contenders. But unlike all the rest, apart from SA and France, you’ve got the depth to do it.
Your biggest obstacle is your selectors refusal to pick a backline and bench (and loosies) on merit. Let’s hope they don’t sort their shit out.
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@BerniesCorner said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
There's too much negativity on here. We can still win this.
Didn't have a shit show vs SA after 15 minutes man down and penalty avalanche.
Schmidt and Ryan are smart will adapt.
Cut out all cute shite inside our own half.
Use JB's boot more.
Value territory more.
Fast paced pick n goes.
Patience be prepared to go through the phases.
We have played some outstanding rugby in the last 9 months. We can do itAgree 100%. Saturday morning was a shit sandwich but we have eaten quite a few over the years with loss to SA in WC final, early WC exits to France, losses to Ireland, Argentina, draw with England etc. Just got to be smart from now on - this was a great reminder to the team on what test matches require. Defence was really good for that first 20 but being a man down for nearly a whole game will gut any team.
The main thing I am worried about is “cutting the cute shit in our own half” or even 22. Mounga kicks long for Crusaders but BB has done that short stuff all year for the Blues. The media loved it when ABs won and the coaches don’t say anything when we lose, so is it a strategy or just players playing heads up (the arse) footy?
But still confident the forwards can compete with SA and France, and backs will not do a JB again.
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@No-Quarter said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
@Windows97 the only other loosie with strong ball carrying ability is Akira. I'm so disappointed that we have not managed to harness his talent (for whatever reason). As much as I like Jacobson, he's not a test 6. He didn't play badly per se, but is not able to match the physicality of the big teams so we're always going to be under the pump.
I agree. There is something about LJ I like, especially in Super, but at AB level sometimes he doesn't seem that obvious/impactful.
Maybe he has far superior stats over Akira (or at least more consistent workrate-related ones) but at test level I'd suggest Akira has had more dominating/impactful moments. -
@Smuts said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Same as all the other contenders. But unlike all the rest, apart from SA and France, you’ve got the depth to do it.
Doesn't Ireland have better depth than previously?
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@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
@Smuts said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Same as all the other contenders. But unlike all the rest, apart from SA and France, you’ve got the depth to do it.
Doesn't Ireland have better depth than previously?
Yes, but what they had previously was fairly crap.
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@NTA said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Same as all the other contenders. But unlike all the rest, apart from SA and France, you’ve got the depth to do it.
Doesn't Ireland have better depth than previously?
Yes, but what they had previously was fairly crap.Fair enough I was just wondering why Ireland weren't considered along with SA NZ and France. The French depth in particular is rather impressive.
NZ get a surprise tick for finding some injury replacements over the last 1-2 years that are better than the incumbents (perhaps the fairydust magic of "learnings"). -
I rate the AB's to beat anyone on their day.
However this team as displayed a remarkable lack consistency - either very good on our day or very bad, which gives most people the yips when it comes to winning the RWC.
It was looking like we had turned the corner this year with a number of very good performances until we turned into a brick wall called RSA.
A close or competitive loss I would regard as progress - to utterly shit the bed in a record defeat by some margin is quite another matter.
At the end of the day this game doesn't really matter (aside from filling the record books with another Fozzie special) but the lack of consistency is worrying and deservedly so.
