55 Comments

• 1.Griqua_warrior:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:09 pm

  We should not judge individual players, but combinations instead.

• 2.stormersboy:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:15 pm

  Yes indeed. I am curious to see how that front row does though…

• 3.grant10:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:19 pm

  the mere fact that Smit is spoken of as a certain starter brings shudders down my spine…

• 4.Sasuke:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:20 pm

  That is a huge front row.

• 5.grant10:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:22 pm

  at least post WC I wont have to stress anymore…

• 6.Sasuke:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:22 pm

  @grant10(grant10)-3: He will start the first few games then PDV will realise Bisamarck needs to start the rest of the tournament. Then Smit will be on bench duty.

• 7.Sasuke:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:25 pm

  @grant10(grant10)-5: How do you know? What if the new coach wants Smit to help with the transition of the new boks? lol

• 8.grant10:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:29 pm

  @Sasuke(Sasuke)-6: @Sasuke(Sasuke)-7:
  I can only imagine the frustration of players like Bissy….must be huge. Watching the sharks do so well with Chadwick, Burden and Herbst last Saturday was a revelation…..

  I have no doubt Plods removal from the system will be a massive boost to both the sharks and boks…

• 9.stormersboy:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:32 pm

  @grant10(grant10)-5: What will you do with all the extra time?

• 10.I am a stormer:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:33 pm

  I can’t stand it when people say that the results of the Tri-Nations don’t count.

  Why?

  Oh, of course. It’s a World Cup year and we should only concern ourselves with a competition that happens every 4 years. That’s bollocks, man.

  Now you want us supporters merely to be satisfied with the form of the players.

  Every single test match should be equally important. Losing is a non-negotiatable. Everything else just cheapens the Bok jersey.

• 11.he's not the messiah. he's a very naughty boy!:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:34 pm

  @grant10(grant10)-5:
  and we wont have to hear all about your stress, again and again…hehe

• 12.he's not the messiah. he's a very naughty boy!:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:35 pm

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-9:
  hahahaha

• 13.Sasuke:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:35 pm

  @grant10(grant10)-8: The Sharks have great front rowers coming through the system. They have three explosive hookers in the form of Bismarck, Burden, Cooper.

• 14.he's not the messiah. he's a very naughty boy!:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:37 pm

  @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-10:
  thats what the all blacks say every year,.come the world cup year.
  then they lose.

• 15.Sasuke:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:39 pm

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-9: Lol choose a new player to pick on.

• 16.grant10:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:42 pm

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-9: a few more bonds!

• 17.I am a stormer:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:43 pm

  @he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-14:

  As dominant a com as the WC is, the intervening years are just as important. Otherwise the results gap between the Boks and the AB’s is just going to get wider and wider.

  In fact Sanzar should scrap the Tri-Nations in a WC year. It makes the S15 look more important than the tri-Nations.

• 18.Sasuke:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:44 pm

  @he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-14: Exactly. The reason why the All Blacks cant win the World Cup is because they dont put any emphasis on the World Cup. They will rather concern themselves with a tournament that is played every year where only a handful of people watch and three teams take part. The All Blacks have a backyard mentality.

• 19.Transformation:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:44 pm

  @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-10: um. henry is resting some of the crusaders, why?

• 20.stormersboy:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:46 pm

  @grant10(grant10)-16: yeah now that’s worth talking about!!!

• 21.grant10:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:48 pm

  Only players I dont really like in Bok set up are Plod….[ absolute con job....bloody useless imo ]…Spies…..and M Steyn….

• 22.bryce_in_oz:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:49 pm

  Seems the Mandela Cup doesn’t mean as much to the Japies as the Bledisloe does to the Aussies and Kiwi’s… ain’t no way they’ll be resting players for that humdinger… ever…

• 23.Sasuke:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:49 pm

  @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-17: Exactly. The Trinations should be played every two years.

• 24.Nils:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:56 pm

  Just curious, will Ryan and others read little into ABs results should they lose a game in 3N?

• 25.he's not the messiah. he's a very naughty boy!:
  19 Jul 2011, 15:57 pm

  @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-17:
  yes for sure the win-loss ratio is important but as you say in a wc year its the only comp going. agree they should scrap 3n but will the sh teams be certain of attracting nh/or other teams in order to fine-tune their teams? that they need to do this goes without saying. so either they do it with nh internationals or with the sh’s other two teams.
  if you think about it they havn’t done that this time round, fine-tuning i mean. in 2007 the boks played england twice and samoa once before playing the 1′st team at home twice. thats 5 games played for fine-tuning then and this time round they’ll only have the two home games in the 3n to get the 1st team hot n ready.
  so thats one other consideration to make in a wc year. as for the rest, sure, we should be turning that win-loss ratio around.

• 26.topaz:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:02 pm

  i am glad that john smit is back leading from the front and especially with so many debutants in the team.captain fantastic won’t disappoint.it’s time atlantic seaboard speedo-wearing eco-warriors throw their support behind captain fantastic and the team.

• 27.grant10:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:03 pm

  @topaz(topaz)-26: No thanks….I would have preferred Chilliboy starting and Strauss from the bench.

• 28.Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:04 pm

  @Sasuke(Sasuke)-23:

  depends..

  how many of their first choice players are they resting?

  what time is it there in “latvia”

  

• 29.I am a stormer:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:04 pm

  @he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-25:

  It doesn’t have to be teams from the NH. I’m sure the likes of Argentina or the Pacific Islands teams would be interested.
  But what’s done is done.
  It’s all about the TV revenue anyway. They pull the strings.

• 30.Nils:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:07 pm

  @Sasuke(Sasuke)-18: I hardly agree with “forward mentality” of “**** with the results, we are building towards the World cup of 20xx”.

• 31.Nils:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:08 pm

  @Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-28: I presume internet has become available in “south africa” recently, so you can check it easy. 8)

• 32.he's not the messiah. he's a very naughty boy!:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:08 pm

  @Sasuke(Sasuke)-18:
  agreed. the 3n is, in truth, really the wc but its only the wc between us (the big 3). at the end of the day you want to win the wc thats between everyone else including us.

• 33.I am a stormer:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:09 pm

  @Transformation(Transformation)-19:

  I somehow doubt that Henry will rest too many Crusaders on the 30th July.

  The AB’s will come at us full tilt.

• 34.he's not the messiah. he's a very naughty boy!:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:10 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-24:
  who knows what ryan and the others will read into anything, about anything? who knows?…

• 35.Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:14 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-31:

  do you still think sa are the only team to play in green and gold?

  

• 36.Nils:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:14 pm

  @he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-34: As soon as one loss happens, there will be deafening screams of “choking”, even if another title will be in the bag in the process. That’s my feeling.

• 37.I am a stormer:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:19 pm

  @Sasuke(Sasuke)-23:

  I’ve been advocating that, as well, for a while.

  And go back to the long tours of 15 matches with 3 tests thrown in. Then we’ll have Wednesday and Saturday matches.

  That way people get to watch their favourites like Steggman and Smit twice a week.

• 38.Nils:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:20 pm

  @Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-35: Yes, you are correct.

  Australia have gold and green – you see, the words turbo reversed. Frankly, there is not that much of green visible, last game they all looked strikingly yellow for me, probably because their pants were down anyway.

  Funny thing, even when Boks play their closest color rivals Irish, one can easily see who is who. Likewise, when Italians tackle Frogs.

  Never saw any problems, when Poms B-sides were whipped by Pumas at Twickers a few years ago, both teams played in their traditional colors and were perfectly recognizible. Ironically, theoretical confusion with Argie stripes now was the main reason for pissing the Blacks on their own turf. A bit childish.

• 39.he's not the messiah. he's a very naughty boy!:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:25 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-36:
  well, in fairness i have to say – you do know that silly old quote of ‘history repeating itself’ don’t you?
  if theres anything you bet on with certainty regarding the ab’s, its that you’ll just never know if they can win a wc, you’ll just never know.
  (whispers) no matter how good their form, no matter what the bookies say, no matter where they sit on the irb world rankings, no matter what…

• 40.Caper:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:28 pm

  Gio Aplon is the most dangerous counter-attacker, space exploiter and line breaker. If his great form, good line kicking and amazing game breaking moments of the last two years are not a big enough statement to the Bok selectors then nothing will be.

  Frans Steyn has not had a good game for the Boks since before he went to France. Don’t assume that he’s still in 2007 RWC form.

  Aplon for Bok fullback.

• 41.Nils:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:31 pm

  @Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-35: Although I have to admit, my memory was at fault – close color rivals indeed do not use their traditional colors when meet each other, they use change kit.

  In English case it is grey anyway, not black.

• 42.Nils:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:33 pm

  @he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-39: yes, I know that. likewise such as “there always is the first time”.

  They surely can win, the question is, will they do it this time. I am cautiously optimistic. Optimistic – because they are full capable of doing, cautiously – because I have learned my 2007 lesson well.

• 43.Big Hit:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:34 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-38: you can easily see who is who when the Boks play Ireland and when Italy play France because one side always wears white? As for England v Argentina, it’s pretty self-explanatory http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QL9-uuzh7KU

• 44.WP Till I Die:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:41 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-38:

  Up until 1961 the Wallabies wore a green strip with gold lettering and trim (just look at the strip for the Kangaroos, the Aussie national rugby league team).

  In 1961 they changed their jersey to a primarily gold jersey with green lettering and trim, in order to avoid a colour clash with the Springbok jersey (which has been green since the 1906 tour to Great Britain, except back then they had white collars and blue shorts).

  When the Wallabies toured SA in 1933, they wore sky blue jerseys; when the Wallabies toured SA again in 1953, the Springboks wore white jerseys.

  I’m actually not sure when exactly the gold collar started being used on the Springbok jersey.

• 45.Nils:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:43 pm

  @Big Hit(Big Hit)-43: Yes, you are correct and I already admitted my mistake.

  As for Eng-Arg, why it wasn’t such an intolerable issue in their previous meetings? Anyway, as long as it is just dark grey, fine with me.

• 46.Nils:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:45 pm

  @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-44: The more teams change their colors, the more confused I become. Why just not stick with current (not bad) ones and use another color only in very serious need to avoid total chaos?

• 47.Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.:
  19 Jul 2011, 16:54 pm

  @WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-44:

  wikipedia let you down?

• 48.WP Till I Die:
  19 Jul 2011, 17:05 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-46: @Gunther is looking to the future with hope in his heart.(gunther)-47:

  Hmmm, according to an article published in the Daily Mail on 20 September 1906, about the visiting Springboks: “The team’s colours will be myrtle green jerseys with gold collar. They would wear dark blue shorts and dark blue stockings and the jersey would have been embroidered in mouse-coloured silk on the breast a springbok, a small African antelope.”

• 49.Blitzbok:
  19 Jul 2011, 17:08 pm

  No **** face Bismarck!! what a relief. we might stand a chance after all. At least a 20% boost to our performance.

• 50.Blitzbok:
  19 Jul 2011, 17:15 pm

  @Caper(Caper)-40: Aplon is not the best attacking fullback! kirchner is. He beat more defenders, made more line breaks that the entire Bok backline did in 2009!! Best in 2010 too. But he not sound on defence like Aplon. Frans has been okay at fullback and poor at outside centre, poor at 10. Not his fault. hes been played out of position. hes our best 12. a 12 only. a far better player than de Quota and Quota Jacobs and beach boy poser Olivier.

• 51.RL:
  19 Jul 2011, 21:05 pm

  Ryan, tell your makeup person less blush on the cheeks and no, I repeat no lipstick.

• 52.TheTackler:
  20 Jul 2011, 05:49 am

  If the quality of their game is good enough, they ought to win. And if the quality of their game isn’t good enough, they’ll lose. This is rugby, not synchronised swimming or rhythmic gymnastics. Or tiddlywinks.

• 53.munkiboi:
  20 Jul 2011, 10:21 am

  @bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-22:

  they should rename the bledisloe cup the new zealand cup once they’ve held it for 10 consecutive year. how many more till they reach that feat?

• 54.Bouts:
  20 Jul 2011, 11:07 am

  Acually, this series will show us where we stand post-WC. Majority of this squad will be our first choices next year!

  Especially againt the Wallabies. Most of their team will be the same next season.

  I suspect PDV will decide with the results of these 2 games overseas whether he’ll re-apply for the position of coach post-WC, or leave a mess for the next coach.

• 55.Mike H:
  20 Jul 2011, 16:07 pm

  @Sasuke(Sasuke)-18:

  ROFL don;t put any emphasis on the WC? What do you call the 3 years of mourning that follwed their last WC failure.

  The ref drilling they gave old Barnes.

  Lol no emphasis on the WC? They even rested players in 2007, differently but did it.

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