All Blacks vs Boks

[Rapido]

@crucial said in All Blacks vs Boks:

@roninwc said in All Blacks vs Boks:

@NTA said in All Blacks vs Boks:

@mimic well I'm not going back now - the commentary from Marshall made me nauseous enough.

Excellent analysis Nick. I echo your thoughts about the broadcast.

As a former pretty boy back with good hair, I was never interested in the set pieces and only used that opportunity to fix my hair, straighten my socks, make sure the jersey is immaculately tucked in, etc.
Also to make eye contact with the closest pretty girl.

However, as I've matured and watched a whole shedload more of rugby, I have really enjoyed watching the set pieces as they really are the litmus test for how a team is going in any match... and that is difficult for a pretty boy back to admit.

Watching TV broadcasts out of NZ were always head and shoulders above others in terms of showing the game in detail, camera angles, focusing on the game itself.

But in recent years, the NZ broadcasts have fallen away somewhat. They have fallen into the trap of showing too much crowd or focusing on close ups on particular players and as you said, focusing on the backline when the real interest is what's happening with that scrum or lineout.

I think that Meg's commentary has had a lot to do with this as he is often talking over a scrum about how the backline is set or what the next backline move will be off the set piece and then the director/camera guys change the picture to show more what the backs are doing rather than focusing on the scrum.

It really pisses me off when we get a picture of SBW shaking or blowing into his hands rather than watch a scrum set. It seems the camera crews/directors really have a thing for SBW in particular as he get's more individual closeups than any other AB.

Now I have to go and wash my mouth out with soap... and then check my hair in the mirror as well while I'm at it

It's more the decision making from the producer that isn't in tune with the watcher. If the scrum or lineout is developing an interesting battle then you want to see what is going on there (without Marshall rabbitting on about something else). If they are pretty much restarts and the outcome is fairly certain then checking out the wide setup is great.
Either way, gag Marshall and the outcome is better.

I seem to be Marshy's white night.

But the only time I have taken the effort recently to complain about the NZ* comments man was when Marshall was absent from the Canes v Crusaders top of the table clash. Got some jokes though from Mehrts, even if zero analysis on how the on-fire Barrett and co were kept tryless.

I'm happy to have lack of scrum analysis if the comments man is enlightening me about backline set up out of camera shot. Especially on NZ scrums, as that is usually where the money shot is coming from. Scrum analysis happens on replays anyway, not live action.

*I've taken the effort several times to lament Kearns' ability to suck the will to live of anyone watching. Probably get some scrum analysis though.

[Stargazer]

@salacious-crumb said in All Blacks vs Boks:

@pn said in All Blacks vs Boks:

@stargazer said in All Blacks vs Boks:

(which wasn't

Great researching abilities! Thanks for the link. How was this not a test though?

B/c it wasn't officially declared a Test match. The '49 Tour to SA had four Test matches; Rhodesia was none of them. (They played Rhodesia twice.) (Worst AB tour ever.) (British Lions used to regularly play Rhodesia on their SA tours as well, and those were not test matches either.)

A good read about this "worst AB tour ever" (incl photos) on this SA site: http://springbokrugby.webs.com/1949allblacks.htm

On the same site, there's this about the two Rhodesia games, again from a SA perspective: http://springbokrugby.webs.com/49rhodesia.htm

On the Roar website: http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/07/10/miracle-bulawayo/

Ahhhh, the things you find on the web: a tiny wee paragraph about the AB's loss to Rhodesia in the Canberra Times of 29 July 1949: http://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/2815913

Okay, I'll stop now. But there's more to be found!

[booboo]

@pn said in All Blacks vs Boks:

@stargazer said in All Blacks vs Boks:

(which wasn't

Great researching abilities! Thanks for the link. How was this not a test though?

Back in the day Test matches were only between full member nations of the IRB. With the odd exception.

[pakman]

Second half thoughts:
Again, Boks weren't too bad for first 30.
In third quarter ABs scored in pretty much the only time they got into SB 22. At 58 Boks replace TH and hooker. Their scrum under the pump from then on. Three successive penalties, which dissipated any momentum they gained. Lineout not much better.
Lima coming on got the AB backs humming. Some nice touches from BB outside centre.
At 74 Pollard bad miss on ALB and Lima under sticks. Little resistance from there.
To me, Boks can stay with ABs for reasonable periods, but the pace at which we play eventually gets them to 'overheat' mentally (and physically), at which point decision making lets them down. ABs absolutely ruthless in such situations.
I think their Super set up this year, with only Lions playing dynamic rugby and too many dud teams has meant the players simply aren't used to extended periods of making decisions at speed. In contrast ABs have had benefit of many NZ Super derbies, which are probably second tier nation test standard.
Until and unless they can get their Super set up sorted can only see Boks are playing for second.
With their huge talent base we're all the poorer for this.

[pakman]

@pakman said in All Blacks vs Boks:

Second half thoughts:
Again, Boks weren't too bad for first 30.
In third quarter ABs scored in pretty much the only time they got into SB 22. At 58 Boks replace TH and hooker. Their scrum under the pump from then on. Three successive penalties, which dissipated any momentum they gained. Lineout not much better.
Lima coming on got the AB backs humming. Some nice touches from BB outside centre.
At 74 Pollard bad miss on ALB and Lima under sticks. Little resistance from there.
To me, Boks can stay with ABs for reasonable periods, but the pace at which we play eventually gets them to 'overheat' mentally (and physically), at which point decision making lets them down. ABs absolutely ruthless in such situations.
I think their Super set up this year, with only Lions playing dynamic rugby and too many dud teams has meant the players simply aren't used to extended periods of making decisions at speed. In contrast ABs have had benefit of many NZ Super derbies, which are probably second tier nation test standard.
Until and unless they can get their Super set up sorted can only see Boks are playing for second.
With their huge talent base we're all the poorer for this.

The new Super format will be a hell of a lot better for SA, and all the more so if Jaguares can reach anything like their potential:http://allblacks.com/News/31458/home-derbies-to-kick-off-super-rugby-2018