RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks
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@MajorRage no way would I miss the race after all that work. But also would have targeted a different race because of this possibility. The marathon isn't a race you can just defer once you've peaked for a date especially as Auckland is the last one of the year.
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@foobaNZ said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
I think they'll swap Coles in for ST on the pine.
Whitelock to bench, Retallick to start.
I'm expecting the same at hooker and I think the plan would've been for BBBR to start.
But, I wonder whether it makes sense vs the Boks to start with Whitelock's lineout skills and finish with Brodie's grunt?
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@Chris-B said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
But, I wonder whether it makes sense vs the Boks to start with Whitelock's lineout skills and finish with Brodie's grunt?
The coaches have talked Whitelock up as a finisher. They described him as a 'calming influence' when he subs on. So I think they like him being fresh and clear headed to assist Ardie (Cane usually subs off & Savea usually plays the 80)
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@Richie8-7 I'm running the Auckland marathon haha. Gives me motivation to finish quickly I guess.
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@akan004 said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Looks like ST and Tamaiti will be in the 23. Both were at the PC.
From McLoed during this press conference:
When we look at last year in particular, where and how we got beaten, we were tending to ‘defend the man’ system. Ireland were too good last year in being able to put the ball into spaces and play through us A lot of that is coached in Super Rugby in New Zealand and I do know that northern hemisphere sides in particular will target Kiwis who play up here because they know they are going to be man-focused rather than ball-focused, so we had to shift our skillset in the way we looked at things as defenders. So we planted the seed earlier this year with the leaders, got them to work right through the Super and then it got tested early on – throughout all the games we have been tested quite thoroughly on that. However, when the push came to shove, particularly with Ireland who were going to test us the most, it stood up and that was really pleasing. It’s relevant against the South African boys. You don’t need to make as many decisions on the ball but you still need to be able to see where the ball is going and watch the influence on the bodies in front of them. That has probably been the biggest shift for us and we will see if it can hold up again -
@Duluth said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@akan004 said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Looks like ST and Tamaiti will be in the 23. Both were at the PC.
From McLoed during this press conference:
When we look at last year in particular, where and how we got beaten, we were tending to ‘defend the man’ system. Ireland were too good last year in being able to put the ball into spaces and play through us A lot of that is coached in Super Rugby in New Zealand and I do know that northern hemisphere sides in particular will target Kiwis who play up here because they know they are going to be man-focused rather than ball-focused, so we had to shift our skillset in the way we looked at things as defenders. So we planted the seed earlier this year with the leaders, got them to work right through the Super and then it got tested early on – throughout all the games we have been tested quite thoroughly on that. However, when the push came to shove, particularly with Ireland who were going to test us the most, it stood up and that was really pleasing. It’s relevant against the South African boys. You don’t need to make as many decisions on the ball but you still need to be able to see where the ball is going and watch the influence on the bodies in front of them. That has probably been the biggest shift for us and we will see if it can hold up againThis is the shift the Crusaders used when Ronan O'Gara came on board with them in 2018, he changed the defensive system to NH system of defending where the ball is going rather than defend the Man.
A few interviews around with O'Gara and Robertson mentioning this but I have not got the time to search them atm. -
@Chris-B said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Duluth Brodie or Frizell to play 80 minutes?
Probably Brodie
Shannon subs off relatively early in most games and it's been rare for him to go 80. He did do 80mins last week but dropped off significantly
I think it'll be similar to the subs v Ireland. SF was off at 59mins. Cane went long in that game (75mins) but generally goes of ~65-70mins. That was possibly Canes best ever match so it made sense to go long.. depends on how his legs are in this one
Ardie Savea is amazing when you consider his output and how often he goes 80
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@game_film said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@BerniesCorner greatest trick the devil ever pulled.
"...was convincing the world that he did not exist"?
the Bokke dont exist?
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@Duluth Somewhere there's footage of George Bower interviewing Richie after that game.
At halftime he said he had to ask Aaron Smith how to put the ball into the scrum.
(Which was a bit surprising - I'd have thought that would've been a scenario they would have practiced for - but, RM may have been joking).
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Three hopes I have for the final:
1 - The team is not too emotional
It’s been an up and down ride over the past 4 years and with Fozzie’s fate having been sealed weeks prior to the RWC, this final of final matches will have the team feeling a range of emotions. Despite the rollercoaster ride, it is clear that the players have a positive relationship with Fozzie and have bought into his ethos to see themselves through some low moments when fans and commentators alike have heaped on. Being in the big dance already carries its own set of bright lights, world watching emotions, but this extra layer (plus retiring players) will bring an extra layer of ‘buzz’ on Saturday night. We need to enjoy the occasion, but get stuck into our work early to settle any of those extra emotions.2 - Discipline discipline discipline!
The thought of seeing Pollard knocking over penalty kick after penalty kick, or constantly kicking to the corner for attacking lineouts, makes me want to throw up. Our last two outings have shown a renewed commitment to discipline that we haven’t seen for several seasons. It will take every bit of patience, judgment and leadership on both sides of the ball to keep Barnes sometimes over eager whistle from having more influence than we all want. So more of the same please ABs!3 - 10 + 12 + 13 = victory
Maths was always been my strong point at school, but for many rugby aficionados out there they will try and tell you that backs can’t win you a game of footy. Rewind 8 years and the last time the ABs won the RWC final we had a world class 10-12-13 axis in Carter, Nonu and Smith. The mercurial, the experience, the dependability, the leadership. All three of them had a major influence in not only that match, but the success of our RWC campaign.This weekend the ABs have three very different players - much maligned players mind you - that are carving out their AB legacy forming a very formidable axis of their own. Individually they all have the brilliance and skill that would have any opposing defence worried. But as an axis we have yet to see them lift to the heights we have seen over the past couple of weeks. And it has not been surprising to see all of Mo’unga, Barrett and Ioane feature in TSF’s very own Man of the Match polling. They are all playing with confidence. Their defence is rock solid. Their linking play has been superb. When they take on the line they are proving a real handful. To all the old cauliflowered eared forwards watching this weekend, watch a little closer at numbers higher than 1-8 and see what 10, 12 and 13 will do to bring home the victory for the good guys.
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Absolute 100% confidence of the win here.
Foster's cunning 4 year plan of playing miserably so that the weight of expectation no longer lies on the team and every team going to to play them goes in as favorites is playing off richly.
Finally the AB's have entered a RWC with the mantle of being the underdogs and it's really paying off.
We can only hope that SA expecting a cakewalk will be surprised by a display of adequacy like the Irish were and we romp to a historic victory.
Can't wait for Fozzie to lift the RWC this year and next year receive his knighthood for services to rugby just like McCaw and Carter.
A brilliant tactical plan that no-one saw coming - not even Eddie Jones.
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