V
@stodders said in Springboks v Italy II:
But the Boks have 11 reasonably experienced players playing alongside the rookies. And none of the rookies are playing in combos with other rookies.
Guess that's kinda my point. We aren't in that position with settled combos quite yet. Good progress though.
SA approach is one we should look at
@stodders said in Springboks v Italy II:
@Victor-Meldrew they have a clear way of playing. It helps. Quite a lot of change coming in the next 2-3 years as their squad changes.
They have an insane amount of talent, but SA always has. Rassie is adept at selecting the right players for how he wants to play. They still bleed when you cut them though 😂
Hope so. Want to roll them over in the RC.
Like the French team. Was more commenting about how much more clinical SA are for 80 mins and how much depth they have.
Thinking more about how much better SA are at developing players.
And playing for 80 minutes...
EDIT: The Barrett Conglomerate make up for stupid cards though.....
@Bones said in Springboks v Italy II:
@Victor-Meldrew said in Springboks v Italy II:
Hate to think what they'd do to the French team currently in NZ.
Lose horribly.
Who are the new players?
I heard the Saffa commentators talking about 4 debutants.
Strikes me SA are years ahead of us player-pool/development wise
A 14 man Sth Africa with loads of new players are making the Italian A team look a bit silly.
Hate to think what they'd do to the French team currently in NZ.
After Iga Swiatek beat Amanda Anisimova 6-0 6-0 at Wimbledon, she runs into the stand and embraces her family, coach, cousins and friends.
John McEnroe: "This is going on longer than the match....."
@Catogrande said in Mid-Year Tour : Japan v Wales Test 2:
Monkey off the back. Now have to back this up.
I hope so. Really don't like to see Wales in this place. Supporters deserve better
@Bones said in Springboks v Italy II:
Wiese goes full Wiese. Red card for a headbutt.
I thought there was nothing in that - just touched his forehead with the Italian player. Totally deserved Red for stupidity in today's reffing environment, though.
@Bones said in All Blacks v France 2:
Also, just a thought for the NZ justice system. Maybe replace jail with having to hang out with Wheeler and Dagg?
Just fucking ban wingers from rugby media for 10 years
Really impressed that uber-fat bastard was able to keep up with the mobile stretcher/trolly
Cowan-Dickie injury looks nasty
@MiketheSnow said in Mid-Year Tour : Japan v Wales Test 2:
Thank god for that
Hardy and Edwards did their best to fuck that up
Don't be too hard on your team, Mike.
Don't forget you had all your Lions missing.
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks v France 2:
@Bones said in All Blacks v France 2:
And kudos to Razor for the selection continuity - looked to me like it paid dividends. PT and EN slotted in perfectly.
I'm liking what I'm seeing more than last season. Whether it's the right way of getting back to the top remains to be seen and much tougher challenges await, but I'm seeing the direction they want to take.
Last year we lacked a bit of direction and looked a bit timid both on the field and with selection.
Yeah. Way better than last year. Periods of switch-off we've had since 2017/8 still happening though - whole 2nd 40 this time.
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France 2:
I like Ratima but he's an enormous step down from Roigard.
But a big step up from what we've had before.
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks MOTM v France II:
Roigard Ardie Patty T
A number of the starting pack very close
Snap
This forward pack looks the real deal
@sparky said in All Blacks v France 2:
@Darth-Sader Rot appeared in 2017. Grew in 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021. Schmidt and Ryan made some of it disapppear, but lots of it is still there.
TBF, the periods of shit and flaky play have been decreasing in the last few years.
@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks v France 2:
@Canes4life said in All Blacks v France 2:
Proctor saved the day there.
Haha you are consistent
TBF, Proctor hasn't been great but has done some real good stuff on defence
AB's have hit the "Shit Re-start" switch