Sam’s the man in round one
13 Sep 2011
MARK KEOHANE selects his all-star XV and match 22 after the first round of the World Cup and says none was better than Wales captain Sam Warburton. Only two Boks and one All Black make his team.
Keo’s RWC Form XV
15. Israel Dagg (NZ)
14. Vereniki Goneva (Fij)
13. Jaque Fourie (SA)
12. Jamie Roberts (Wal)
11. Digby Ioane (Aus)
10. Quade Cooper (Aus)
9. Ben Youngs (Eng)
8. Sergio Parisse (Ita)
7. Juan Martin Fernandez Lobbe (Arg)
6. Sam Warburton (Wal)
5. Paul O’Connell (Ire)
4. James Horwill (Aus)
3. Ben Alexander (Aus)
2. Bismarck du Plessis (SA)
1. Andy Sheridan (Eng)
Substitutes
16 Marius Tincu (Rom)
17 Martin Castrogiovanni (Ita)
18 Brad Thorn (NZ)
19 Schalk Burger (SA)
20 Will Genia (Aus)
21 Sonny Bill Williams (NZ)
22 Richard Kahui (NZ)
The positions in which there was most competition definitely in the centres and at loose-forward. Wales’ Toby Faletau had a huge game against the Boks, but Sergio Parisse is the most complete No 8 at this tournament. It was hard to leave Schalk Burger out of the Form XV but Lobbe was immense against England. Jerome Kaino, David Pockock, Heinrich Brussouw and Radike Samo also had huge games in round 1.
Sonny Bill Williams was also very good, but Jamie Roberts get the nod because of the quality of the opposition and the intensity of the match.
A selection that may surprise many is Ben Alexander at tighthead. I was at that game and those first 40 minutes were brutal. He stood up to the Italian pack who couldn’t get parity in those first 40 minutes. There was one magnificent shove that should have resulted in a pushover try, but all-round I think Alexander will end this tournament as the most talked about tighthead.
Fill up the thread with your picks of round one.
293 Comments
13 Sep 2011, 08:32 am
Sam’s the Dragon!
13 Sep 2011, 08:32 am
hope you are not referring to Sam Stosur, although some might have made the same mistake, the dragon slayer!
13 Sep 2011, 08:33 am
Yes… the young man really had a blinder… seems he’s come from nowhere… and wonder if he will sustain this high level of play…
All the best to him… awesome when great talent makes an appearance.
13 Sep 2011, 08:40 am
would be wonderful if he could lead his team to victory over the ABs in the QFs. Their performance on Sunday alone deserved a shock result, and I wont mind if it just happens to come later
Any chance we could get Gatland to coach the boks next year? Would he be happy as assistant to Allister to ordained?
13 Sep 2011, 08:40 am
i doubt it. Like I said before the game, this was Wales’ World Cup. They prepared for South Africa and South Africa alone for months on end. We’ve seen this weekend play themselves out of their skins. Sam himself looked like he injured his neck, but refused to leave the field.
But hey, we need great players on the international stage, so we hope for the best.
13 Sep 2011, 08:42 am
SBW cost the All Blacks 2 tries through stupidity. He was a mixed bag.
The 3 big changes I’d make…
1. No room for Toby Faletau? He was by far the best nr. 8 in the first round. Parisse played well, but Faletau was almost as good as Warburton.
2. Rory Best (Ireland) has to be in the 22 if he’s not the starting hooker. He had a great game for Ireland, even if they struggled a little.
3. Richard Kahui has to start over Goneva. He created his tries himself and also was brilliant link. Goneva didn’t have to do quite as much for his 4 tries.
13 Sep 2011, 08:42 am
Who would be your coach….?
13 Sep 2011, 08:46 am
Serious s h I t hot eye candy as well
13 Sep 2011, 08:46 am
JF is one of my favourite Boks… however this is the second test in a row he’s missed 50% of his tackles (4 from 8), had average m/run ratio and minimal line-breaks (albeit he is playing under to Snor’s game-plan)… Rougerie would have been my pick from this round.
13 Sep 2011, 08:49 am
John Smit needs to be there as the best captain.
13 Sep 2011, 08:49 am
Cannot believe Jaque Fourie is there , favorite on mine but he had a mixed day. Would go with Nonu
13 Sep 2011, 08:53 am
Yeah, Warburton was great….
Apart from the fact that he didnt release the tackled player for any of his steals, therefore with a ref who applied the rules correctly, the Boks would have had about 5 penalties…
Also Theuns Kotze should have been the reserve 10 in this “All-star team” – had an awesome game for the Namibians… Wouldnt be surprised if an SA frnachise picked him up (Playing for UJ at the moment)
13 Sep 2011, 08:56 am
Funny that keo is picking Sheridan at 1. Some of the UK press I saw suggested he had a very poor game, and did not make the impact he should have.
13 Sep 2011, 08:57 am
And is this a bit previous anyway? Is “Round 1″ actually finished yet? There’s still 3 teams to play their 1st game tomorrow…
13 Sep 2011, 08:59 am
Actually – looking at the other early comments, did Keo actually write this article while still on the plane on the way out to NZ???
. There’s lot’s of wrong selections in there think.
13 Sep 2011, 09:00 am
Brussow on bench above schalk. Schalk is my idol and still works really hard but Brussow is more efficient.
13 Sep 2011, 09:01 am
@Staal(Staal)-10: Sure he does.
13 Sep 2011, 09:02 am
@BillTong(BillTong)-14: LOL epic fail !
13 Sep 2011, 09:07 am
@McSchalkBurger(McSchalkBurger)-16:
Schalk is perhaps even more valuable to the Boks now than he was before. Withouth Juan Smith and Bakkies… we have to have a man of steel in the mix and no one is harder than Schalk.
Plus he has an excellent game… to drop him now makes very little sense at all.
13 Sep 2011, 09:07 am
Brad Thorn?
Really?
Could you not come up with any other name?
13 Sep 2011, 09:15 am
@ufo(ufo)-19: look ufo.. i don’t want to harp on about what has previously been posted here but honestly we are messuring our players with “substandard instruments” cause they (Bissie & Vic and maybe Guthro excl.) are not even close to the best at their position in the world … at this moment. imo.
i have always been a Schalla supporter and have got huge respect for him but he is honestly not even close to what he was…..imo.
Let’s hope he gets better cause there is no-one else…. they are all crocked!
13 Sep 2011, 09:15 am
@McSchalkBurger(McSchalkBurger)-16:
It’s a team of the week. Schalk was very very good.
13 Sep 2011, 09:18 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-4:
i meant wallabies.
13 Sep 2011, 09:24 am
@Staal(Staal)-10: bwahahahah the “aura”
13 Sep 2011, 09:25 am
Jacque Fourie did not play well, brad Thorne struggled to make an impact. I thought SBW was very influential in the AB game, and kahui had a sublime game. Where’s the Aura he had about 50-60 mins of game time?
13 Sep 2011, 09:25 am
J Fourie didn’t do enough to get into this team. Schalk on the other hand worked like a divorced diamond miner
13 Sep 2011, 09:28 am
Keo: where’s jerome kaino? He was huge in defense and carries!!!!! McCaw had no impact, he just seems at all sorts but I’m sure that’ll change. Read needs to comeback quickly, Vito is not the answer at 8.
13 Sep 2011, 09:29 am
@Dawn(Dawn)-8:
not as good as watching the us open final. was that djokovic’s girlfriend?
13 Sep 2011, 09:33 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-28: yes, physi/girlfriend he is guaranteed massages with happy endings…
13 Sep 2011, 09:33 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-29: physio
13 Sep 2011, 09:37 am
Keo: the Japanese back up no.8 was also very good. Huge workrate.
13 Sep 2011, 09:37 am
Didn’t see the final.
Novak has killer eyes.
Guaranteed fall down weak knee stuff
13 Sep 2011, 09:39 am
Trans
13 Sep 2011, 09:39 am
Jackie ?!?
*chortle*
1 good run vs Wales aside, he was awful, missed tackles everywhere.
Krusty should move him to 12.
If Keo wanted so desperately to throw a sardine off the Bokke-boat, then surely Frankie goes to Hollywood, who is always no less than v.good and vs Wales he was excellent.
13 Sep 2011, 09:47 am
Frans Steyn for Dagg by a long way … what are you smoking Keo?
13 Sep 2011, 09:49 am
Parisse may be a top player but he was disappointingly quiet on Sunday – 1 good pass and an interception which led to nothing. Poor call there. Faletau was far superior. Horwill and O’Connell (despite the commentators ridiculous praise for the latter) were no better than average. Vickerman actually impressed – he was all over the place.
13 Sep 2011, 09:57 am
JB Cowper: he’s smoking the pipe that makes you quickly realize that unlike frans Steyn, Dagg is not a one trick pony and he’ll cut you up into pieces at will.
13 Sep 2011, 10:03 am
anyone punting francois steyn over dagg is smoking crack
13 Sep 2011, 10:04 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-38:
for sure.
13 Sep 2011, 10:06 am
Ben Youngs??? The guy was one for about 25 mins,scored a great try but didnt do much else really.
Lobbe??? Kaino was massive for NZ-took physicality to Tongans and carried all day
Alexander??? Castrogiovani was give OZ a nightmare in scrums,his work in tight was phenomenal.A true tighthead
Goneva?? Kahui was ridiculous,practically played with Tonga on his own out wide
Biggest ripper of them all is Sheridan…The guy is over the hill,very very average.No longer the powehouse in set piece and mobility is suspect.Even British werent satisfied with his performance vs Pumas.Roncero,Romanian LH was decent vs Scots etc
And the love affair with with Parisse continues…Toby Faletau was huge vs SA.
And even though O’Connell wears 5 he really is a tight lock,more of a 4.O’Callagahan is more the 5.
13 Sep 2011, 10:09 am
KIWI TROLL ALERT!
13 Sep 2011, 10:11 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-34:
when the ABs change their fullback going into a world cup it usually ends in tears. pick daggy boy I say. in a world cup you dont need the solid experienced players who know exactly what to do when and how. go with the flashy youngsters.
13 Sep 2011, 10:14 am
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-37: @Transformation(Transformation)-38:
Lol
Is it me or has Dagg lost half a yard??? He is still brilliant with ball in hand but his speed doesnt seem to be what it was.(He wasnt an out and out speedster i know) and NO in not saying he is slow.Just has to do more “dancing” now that before
People must relax with the comparisons to Cullen….Who was the best attacking player of HIS GENERATION.And had speed to burn.
13 Sep 2011, 10:14 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-40: ben youngs swung the game for the poms, that wigglesworth bloke was average. youngs kept the opposition on their toes, sniping and providing crisp service.
13 Sep 2011, 10:14 am
jetlag’s really bad in week two…i think its showing on keo…
13 Sep 2011, 10:14 am
that fullback
jew
is not bad
at all
13 Sep 2011, 10:18 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-43: nah he hasn’t he’s never had out and out pace. he’s decent and has that deceptive shimmy/stutter step that saw him waltz past spies last year. he is no slouch though.
13 Sep 2011, 10:20 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-44:
Beg to differ on crispness of pass.Youngs has an average pass,he is however brilliant around the fringes-A bit like Sarel Pretorius.His pace is what swung the game.Game was otherwise pendantic as usual.But ya Wigglesworth is rubbish.But Youngs is all over the place-great with ball in hand but otherwise AVERAGE.Genia performance was better than Youngs cameo
13 Sep 2011, 10:21 am
@BillTong(BillTong)-14: @sparticus(sparticus)-18: Yes round 1 is finished. Round 2 starts on Wednesday.
13 Sep 2011, 10:22 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-47:
Anyone can waltz through/past Spies sbali….ANYONE
Rob Carney would have scored that try through Spies.
13 Sep 2011, 10:23 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-43: quite frankly, i don’t get the obsession to “compare” a current player to one that retired a long time ago and the subsequent use of that comparison to pillory the current player.
o’connor to horan…
who cares if someone compared the two, o’connor is a talented player on his own merit. same thing with dagg.
13 Sep 2011, 10:24 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-38:
Just you wait, ‘enry ‘iggins, just you wait
You’ll be sorry but your tears’ll be to late
Your favourite team’ll be broken and my team’ll be sunny
Will I help you? Don’t be funny
Just you wait, ‘enry ‘iggins, just you wait…
13 Sep 2011, 10:24 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-48: his service to johnny was better than wiggleswhat-what
13 Sep 2011, 10:28 am
What did jaque fourie do to make this team?
13 Sep 2011, 10:28 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-50:
13 Sep 2011, 10:31 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-54: he broke the line once
13 Sep 2011, 10:32 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-53:
Did it change attacking momentum of the game overall though? It was the try kuphela.
Jonny is over the hill sbali,2 out 7 for him…Sheesh
Lawes is going to be a star sbali,mark my words.Unayonke into edingwa iLock and more..Mangayeka ukuba isibhanxa nje!
13 Sep 2011, 10:34 am
Keo still on about the Boks having the ‘best centre pairing in the world’? If they ever were, it was perhaps for one season, long gone now. Now they are merely experienced and solid.
13 Sep 2011, 10:34 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-54: Someone must have seen him play alongside Spies, and then he looked AWESOME.
13 Sep 2011, 10:35 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-54:
Exactly…..He has just become a staple for keo crew to put a 13,they dont even analyse games of other 13′s…
13 Sep 2011, 10:37 am
Katman
Ouch.
13 Sep 2011, 10:39 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-57: yeah momentum swung, can’t help if you’re playing with tindall @ 12 and johnny in the pocket.
johnny be good is on his last legs…
lawes is great but i just get fed up when watching northampton games and the way the Pom commentators go on and on and on about him. he’s the biziniz though.
13 Sep 2011, 10:44 am
FFS, surely John Smit must be there! Hahaha….
PDV to be the coach. Hahaha…..
13 Sep 2011, 10:47 am
http://youtu.be/FuZZFVzvToU
Die video bewys dat daai skop nie oor was nie. AB ondersteuners is regtig ‘n patetiese klomp mense. Lees bietjie op rugbyheaven al die kommentaar. Ek lees net vrees raak die heeltyd. haha
13 Sep 2011, 10:48 am
Frans Steyn’s performance on Saterday after I watched a replay last night really was not so flash after all. Unfortunately I only started watching when SA were already leading 10-3. I don know that FS scored a try by then and that he also made that monster clearance kick of some 70m.
The rest of the game he did the following:
15′: Not in position to catch a high up and under on the 22 of SA. FdP had to do it.
20′: Not in position to catch a high up and under. Morne Steyn had to compete with Hook for the ball. Hook won it back in the air.
24′: Let the ball bounce in the 22. Won about 20m with his clearance.
26′: Had to run back after the ball was kicked over his head. Knocked the ball backwards into the in goal area. Kicked it out on the 22.
32′: A clearance kick by Wales is fielded by FdP against the touchline. FS not in position.
36′: With FS not in the right position, Habana had to run back to field the ball after a kick forward by Wales. He gave it to FS who eventually arrived to lend support. He kicked it out between the halfway line and the 10m line of Wales.
40′: Together with JPP, he tackled Hook on Welsh 22 after an up and under by MS.
43′: Fielded the ball in Bok 22 and kicked it out on Bok 10m line.
45′: Went to ground with ball in Welsh half of the field. The ball came out the Bok’s way.
47. Out of position after a kick forward by Wales. Tried to shield the ball into touch but had to eventually kick it himself into touch 1m from Bok goal line.
52′: Got tackled to the ground with the ball after receiving it from Burger. Hold onto the ball and was penalised for holding.
54: Too late to stop Faleta (Welsh 8) from scoring.
58′: Tackled Roberts a few metres from the goal line. Saved a try.
60′: Missed a clearance kick after Bissy stole the ball with the Boks under a bit of pressure.
62′. Handled and passed the ball to Hougie who made some ground before being tackled.
65′: Joined back line and passed to Hougie.
68′: Out of position after an up and under by Wales. FdP had to run backwards to try and field the ball. He knocked it backwards before gathering it.
71′: Out of position after an up and under by Wales. FdP catch a mark. Give the ball to FS for the clearance which he missed. The Welsh FH kicked a grubber to within a few metres of the Bok try line. After a quick throw in by Hougie and some interplay between him and FdP, Hougie was eventually penalised for shielding the ball with his body. Hook missed what could have been a winning penalty kick.
76′: Made a tackle on the half way line.
So, to sum up:
1. He was caught out of position about 8/9 times and other people had to do the catching from up-and-under by Wales.
2. He joined the back line about five times. Scored a try once, recycled the ball once, was penalised once and passed twice.
3. He missed two clearance kicks trying to get distance on them. One of which could have indirectly led to the Welsh scoring the winning points from a penalty.
4. He missed the Welsh try scorer. (I mention this because people blamed RJ last year after he didn’t stop Read from scoring. Similar situation.)
The only positives I could find was the try, three 50m+ clearances and a tackle near the goal line of the Bokke. Other than that, he was ordinary to poor.
13 Sep 2011, 10:51 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-62:
Tindall plays 13 though isnt it? doesnt wear 13 due to superstition I think
But ya i hear u
13 Sep 2011, 10:53 am
“MARK KEOHANE selects his all-star XV and match 22 after the first round……”
Keo you dumb bast………d.
The first round ain’t over yet!!
8)
13 Sep 2011, 10:58 am
@cane(cane)-67:
Uh, actually it is. Samoa, Canada, Georgia & Russia weren’t involved in the first round.
There are 5 rounds, with each team playing 4 games. This Round Wales, France, England & Italy aren’t involved in. Their next games fall under round 3.
And the only team who misses 2 rounds but plays twice in 1 round is Romania. They miss round three and five but play twice in round 4.
13 Sep 2011, 10:58 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-66: tuilagi played 13, tindall @ 12
13 Sep 2011, 11:00 am
@cane(cane)-67: Crikey, you’re right Cane. If this were indeed the end of round one the AB’s would almost be at their traditional halfway mark. Say it ain’t so.
13 Sep 2011, 11:01 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-68:
Ooooops.
Keo,
You Brain Surgeon,
and part time Rocket Scientist.
13 Sep 2011, 11:04 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-70:
Hello Katman,
(spoken in the manner in which Jerry greets Newman.)
13 Sep 2011, 11:07 am
@cane(cane)-72: Jerry? No offense, but you strike me more as Mr Costanza.
13 Sep 2011, 11:08 am
@cane(cane)-72:
Seinfeld-fan huh?
13 Sep 2011, 11:11 am
If there was a lesson to be learnt from Sundays game, I think it’s that we need to move away from the ‘pure finishers’ on the wing and look at the most talented players who can also finish when put into the right situations. With the defence being so tight at test level these days wingers need to do it all themselves. Australia don’t bother with ‘out and out’ wingers anymore either, with Iaone having played a lot of centre, and we all know about O’Connor. Toeava and Kahui were also an example of talented players who don’t score ‘wingers’ tries. They play like they’ve got an extra centre on the field…
We are still stuck with trying to make things happen in the midfield and then wanting finishers like Habana to get things done.
That’s why I cant’t agree with mshiniwami about Lwazi Mvovo being a good winger. For me it really is a case of what a winger can do anywhere in the backline. Mvovo doesn’t look for work. I wouldn’t trust him as a first receiver. He can’t kick. That pass he threw to Aplon against Australia summed it up for me. Needed to kick, but didn’t back himself so threw a hospital pass to Aplon who luckily made some space for himself.
We’d be best changing our perception of what a winger needs to be and look at getting the best backline players that SA has onto the wing if they aren’t locked into another position. If that means Hougaard at 11, or Johann Sadie at 14, then so be it.
13 Sep 2011, 11:11 am
@>^..^< katman(katman)-73: @Taahirah(Taahirah)-74:
I’m closer to Uncle Louie, but Frank Costanza is pretty close.
8)
13 Sep 2011, 11:19 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-75: lionel mapoe has also been great @ 13 for the lions but is very unlucky with injuries, barring bjorn basson’s defence, you really have no replacement for his pace, so you’re stuck there!
13 Sep 2011, 11:26 am
Jaque Fourie?? what the heck
13 Sep 2011, 11:31 am
@cane(cane)-72: LOL
13 Sep 2011, 11:31 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-77:
Basson is even worse then Mvovo. Can’t tackle to save his life and is extremely prone to mistakes. I like Mapoe but the Lions need to play good S15 rugby, and he needs to show us what he can do all-round before he gets near a Bok jersey. At the moment he feels like a development project. He also didn’t do himself any favours by moving around franchises abandoning his contracts.
13 Sep 2011, 11:36 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-80:
I think next year we need to get both Jaque Fourie and Johann Sadie into the starting team. I don’t mind which one plays on the wing, but one of them has to. Think it might be a good call going with Sadie on the wing. The space just isn’t there for these out-and-out wingers anymore. We need guys with a more rounded skill-set.
13 Sep 2011, 11:38 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-75: @Transformation(Transformation)-77:
Its all about the balance of your team.
But there is still a place for out and out wingers.Doing what wingers do.Which is to finish,use their speed as there is no substitute for speed and also cover at the back helping the fullbacks and chase up on offensive kicks etc.
The AB’s and even their media are at loggerheads with the same notion of these multitasking wingers. That can be a problem as they dont have out and out speed and arent specialists at knowing where to cover at the back etc Kahui also is an avg kicker,Iaone is terrible at it and at centre had to many defensive lapses.Many are questioning this Fullback/wing role that Henry has implemented. Remember that Henry went with the former specialist roles at wing with Sivi,Rokocoko,Gear,Howlett etc who arguably were more dominant that current AB class.
Its the job of the inside backs to create space.If they cant then thats their flaw.Pace must be held at a premium out wide,as well as great feet and finishing. (What you are envisioning is sort of like a trio of Adam Thompsons in the loosies)
13 Sep 2011, 11:40 am
Johan Sadie’s defence is also very suspect!! The Griquas centres opened him up like a can od sardines!!
13 Sep 2011, 11:40 am
od=of
13 Sep 2011, 11:42 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-81:
Digby iaone has played 80% of his rugby on the wing.
It was an experiment to move him to 13 which didnt work for both reds and aus.I think his straight running was what made him such an interesting prospect there but never materialised.At the Force he was always a winger,and at reds has been mostly a winger-filled in at 13 with Tirunui/Fainga the 13′s first.
13 Sep 2011, 11:44 am
@THE MAULER(Boks still my team)(THE MAULER)-83:
Exactly.He is small in build thus has to work on his technique & attitude towards defense.
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-81:
By the way: Habana was a 13…..JP a 15…..
But when they became SPECIALIST wingers is when they had MOST success.
13 Sep 2011, 11:44 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-82:
If you can find a player with a balanced skill-set who can play on the wing, I think you’re set.
NZ for example. They might well end up playing Dagg at fullback… but if Mils were still in the same sort of form as a few years back I’d have no problem making Dagg the starting 11. Scores lots of tries, runs excellent support lines, can kick… Out-and-out wingers have been suffering because they haven’t been offering much under the tightening defenses, especially not against the rush defense which pretty much cuts them off.
I don’t mind if we have wingers that are in excellent form, but if there are other players who are better, but not playing on the wing, we shouldn’t be afraid of playing them there.
An example: Jean de Villiers had some of his best games on the wing for the Springboks – at one stage he was scoring roughly a try per game. I’d expect the same sort of thing from Sadie, while Jaque Fourie is a proven finisher who averages roughly .5 tries a game and runs excellent support lines, cuts back inside, can break tackles etc.
13 Sep 2011, 11:45 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-80: look at his game and quit harbouring vendettas about irrelevant issues. last year everyone was conviced mapoe is not a 13, even himself. now he has played quite well for the lions.
@THE MAULER(Boks still my team)(THE MAULER)-83: don’t worry, this is the new pretext for the “return of the white wing”
we need more “footballers”!
13 Sep 2011, 11:47 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-75:
The best AB winger is an OUT and OUT winger: Sitiveni Sivivatu and second Hosea Gear…They may rue leaving those guys behind.because Guilford,Toeava arent inspiring confidence. Kahui played wing in 2009 and was ok/avg,then they shelved that.Now they bringing it back…tinkering
13 Sep 2011, 11:49 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-88:
Lol! SA has always had good wings be it black white purple…. Centre is what worries me…
13 Sep 2011, 11:49 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-86:
Habana was a 13 at U21 level. They made him into a winger as soon as he went to the Bulls because he doesn’t control the ball well and doesn’t run good lines. Poor off the ball on offense (but usually really good off the ball on defense).
I’m not saying don’t select a genuine winger anymore. Rather a different skill-set. Look at how Iaone scored against Italy. That’s the sort of line you’d expect from a centre, and something we’ve not seen from Habana for a very long time, and not seen from Pietersen ever. It’s the sort of try that we saw from Sadie vs the Blues…
Speed isn’t the best measure of a winger anymore, because defense has become so tight that you need someone who runs excellent support lines etc. I just don’t think we’ve got a winger in SA who currently warrants being selected for the Springboks after this WC.
13 Sep 2011, 11:50 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-87:
Guess we differ in principle/ideologies then.
I’d have Hosea Gear/Sitiveni Sivivatu at wing before Dagg even though he can do a very good job there.
13 Sep 2011, 11:50 am
At the End Of THE CUP.
It would be great to see an All-Stars selection play the Champs.
In the manner of the Barbarian spirit.
With at least 50% of the All-Stars being from so called Minnow Nations.
Attack, then attack, then when you are bored with attack, attack again.
13 Sep 2011, 11:54 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-88:
Vendettas? You really think Basson is a good player then? Him and Sarel Pretorius (who half of you think should be there) would combine to miss about half the tackles every game then. If scoring tries made you a good winger, then John Daniels should’ve been a 100 test Springbok. Basson is useless everywhere besides finishing.
I’ve got nothing against Mapoe, and never said anything about him playing centre. If he settles and has an outstanding season next year then sure, select him. But I don’t recall him having a good S15 this season? (or was he injured).
It’s not a vendetta. It’s an opinion.
13 Sep 2011, 11:57 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-89:
I agree to a certain extent msh.
Wings are the Positions that should be selected purely on form.
Confidence, luck and a positive outlook. All requisites of a finisher.
And you only get that with great form.
13 Sep 2011, 11:57 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-89: don’t worry, when mjekevu, sithole, mbovane get in the mix he’ll be hardpressed to hold off his stance.
13 Sep 2011, 11:58 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-92:
I would’ve had Sivivatu as well (but I don’t rate Gear as an All Blacks – brilliant S15 player though). Sivivatu was a strong runner who they used really well running into the 10-12 channel (which you know of course) because he broke tackles. Habana doesn’t have that same strength, and Pietersen definitely doesn’t. Our wingers don’t run the lines like these guys.
13 Sep 2011, 11:58 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-94: are you high? i’m talking about mapoe!
13 Sep 2011, 12:01 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-91: rubbish!!, go and look up on youtube the 2nd british & irish lions test at loftus and see the tries scored by both habana and jpp of 2nd phase ball and 1st phase ball respectively.
13 Sep 2011, 12:02 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-96:
Look man. I’ve said I really like Mbovane and Mjekevu, and Sithole has also done very well at the Sharks. Mbovane is probably the more physical runner of the three, but mshiniwami himself named two players who are both big strong runners (Gear – referred to as the next Lomu when he was playing U21 rugby, and Sivivatu who’s got that Fijian strength of shrugging off tackles).
Mjekevu is a lean guy who operates well in space. Do I think he’ll be a Springbok? I don’t think so no. Hope he proves me wrong. I do think he should be starting 11 for the Lions though because he’s an excellent finisher, especially when there’s a bit of room to manouvre.
13 Sep 2011, 12:03 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-91: hosea gear had no equal during last year’s eoyt, he was busting tackles willy nilly but hey wayne smith is known as a “tinkerer”, he might be living up to his reputation.
13 Sep 2011, 12:04 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-98:
You didn’t say you were talking about Mapoe did you? That’s why I mentioned both players. So calm down
Also continuing on from my previous post.
Mjekevu = Playing centre at the moment?
Mbovane = Played centre right through High School no?
Sithole = Centre?
Looks to me like they are centres who you are now tipping as ‘out-and-out’ wingers
13 Sep 2011, 12:06 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-101:
Busting tackles, and when he wasn’t doing that?
This isn’t the NFL where you can send on your offense when you’ve got the ball and forget about everything else. Hosea Gear when he has the ball in his hands is very strong… but off the ball he’s very average, which is why he’s not there anymore.
13 Sep 2011, 12:10 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-100: mbovane more physical runner? i don’t know how you get to that when mjekevu is 1.90m 94kg vs tshotsho who is 1.77m 81kg.
tshotsho is the more elusive runner imo, with a killer sidestep but that’s besides the point.
13 Sep 2011, 12:11 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-97: Fair enough about Sivi but they you contradict yourself with Hosea Gear in terms of him just being a good S14 player…but earlier you gave Toeava glowing appraisal-what has he done at TEST LEVEL???
Think you being incredibly harsh on our wingers especially JPP,the second half of S15 he can off his wing multiple times,he run the angle off the inside channel at lineout better than anyone,also comes back on channel 1 off the fringes,great in the air both on defense and offense.Big bloke who is very effective in contact and when in space can open up big time speed wise.He is isnt in good form plain and simple but rate him higher than Guilford,Toeava,Kahui etc on the wing.Habana tries hard but its not happening,hasnt for a while.Kick chase also employs them to stay out wide as well.
13 Sep 2011, 12:13 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-102: sbura has been a wing all along, from Queens, so was Wandile.
13 Sep 2011, 12:15 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-105: it doesn’t matter what both toeava and sadie have done in their careers, they are “footballers”, so in his mind are automatically better.
13 Sep 2011, 12:16 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-100:
Mbovane is more of a winger.And exposure to sevens where he is finisher has only fostered that.
Sithole is an out and out winger.Always played there at Sharks.Can be turned into a centre though,robust playing style
Mjekevu is a midfielder,always been.But his body has taken time to mature,he is still only 20.Like many they starting him on the wing to allow him to get grasp on top flight rugby ala Robbie Freaun a couple years ago.
13 Sep 2011, 12:18 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-106:
Mjekevu was a 13 throughout KES/Lions age groups.in std8/9/10 lol or grade 10/11/12
13 Sep 2011, 12:18 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-105:
Toeava has been far better at test level then people give him credit for. The kiwis criticise him because he was called in as a youngster and makes a fair amount of mistakes, but he has a lot of strengths to his game as well.
I may be harsh on Pietersen, not sure. Might simply come down to coaching/game-plan, but when you’ve scored 2 tries in your last 20 tests, then you shouldn’t be assured a spot. I’d like to see someone with a bit more grunt if Pietersen doesn’t step it up. I’d definitely say he’s capable, but definitely needs to show more urgency then he has been.
On current form, especially considering our lack of penetration in the midfield, I would not have looked past Sadie on the wing.
13 Sep 2011, 12:22 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-109:
He’s making these things up as he goes. Sithole also played a lot of centre. More then on the wing. It doesn’t really matter though I’m more concerned about their attributes.
Mbovane, from what I’ve seen, is a very strong runner for his size. He doesn’t jink etc. He often breaks tackles. Had a very good Junior World Champs (when he played ahead of that hopeless Skosan).
13 Sep 2011, 12:26 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-111: bwahahahaha “amking them up as he goes” hey and “mbovane is the more PHYSICAL RUNNER”?
13 Sep 2011, 12:27 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-110:
Have to disagree there mate.Toeava has been overall pretty mediocre at Test level.Never worked as a 15 when he got in in 05,subsequent years have been pretty sporadic in quality of Test selection and performances. He has cost them in a few Tests due to his lapses in concentration and error rate at crucial times. Does a lot of good things but can be VERY average like his catching up and unders,finishing,defensive efficiency especially alignment etc nah mate he is jst a deer in headlights most of the time in big tests.COUNTLESS times
I have to question this unbelied confidence/hype on Johan Sadie.He is a very good player,one for the future but not Bok standard in ANY position as off yet.He hardly has a body of work to work off,just flashes.you claim mvov doesnt deserve his Bok caps yet you “wont look past Sadie” at wing for a Bok berth-a player who hasnt really played that position consistently AND has less than 15-20 games as a starter in top flight rugby??? Hmmmmmm
13 Sep 2011, 12:28 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-111: where did you see sbura play centre? Queens, SA Academy, SASchools, Sharks u19/21, Currie Cup…please enlighten me.
13 Sep 2011, 12:30 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-111:
Nah mate…now you are mistaken…Mbovane doesnt jink??? the guy has the most devastating feet in SA at the moment,powerful explosive change of direction and speed galore.He is a strong runner for his size much like Leial Masaga.
ummm mate Sithole is Transie’s cousin…blood cousin….He has played wing more than any other position from his Queens College days….
13 Sep 2011, 12:30 pm
Been fun mshiniwami & transie. I’m out. Before I go, here is what I’d be looking at as our starting backline next year… definitely a work in progress but in this direction.
9 Francois Hougaard – If he gets good game-time at 9. Otherwise Pienaar or even Duvenage.
10 **Read below**
11 **Read below**
12 Juan de Jongh
13 Jaque Fourie
14 Johann Sadie
15 Francois Steyn
20 Pienaar (first-choice)/Duvenage (if no overseas players)
21 Jean de Villiers
22 Pat Lambie
*Need a solution at flyhalf like I said yesterday. Would like to see what Johan Goosen can do at S15 level, then decide if that’s a good direction to go in. I think Lambies a fullback, but if the Sharks turn him into a 10 and he performs, then I wouldn’t mind him at flyhalf (but turn Francois Steyn into the full-time goalkicker).
*Need a genuine finisher on the left wing. I’d love a new Habana, but would reserve that jersey to whoever does best at S15 level (long as they can tackle as well).
13 Sep 2011, 12:30 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-113: well said…
game, set, match.
13 Sep 2011, 12:31 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-115:
Sorry that was a mistake. I meant to say “Mbovane doesn’t JUST jink. My bad
13 Sep 2011, 12:35 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-113:
Can believe what you like but the forum about him on thesilverfern.com summed it up for me. He’s been a mixed bag at times, but he’s also shown a HUGE skill-set. To compare him to Hosea Gear who only knows to stand by the touchline is just wrong. He’s been set very high standards because he got called in when no one knew who he was, and hasn’t lived up to them, but he’s not half bad either.
And I think you’ll see what Sadie is capable of next year. Probably wasn’t fair on him to not get much game-time for the Stormers, but when he did he was excellent. And he’s saved WP more then once. Apparently the Griquas ran all over him? Didn’t know he was the sole person responsible for WP defense.
13 Sep 2011, 12:37 pm
I thought Sithole is a Venda / Tswana / Shangaan name from Matebele / Zulu extraction, what he doing from south of Umtata.. you telling me you not a dinkum Xhosa Transie .. or how it work ?
13 Sep 2011, 12:37 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-115:
I see. So he is willing Sithole into the Bok squad then
13 Sep 2011, 12:37 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-116:
Cheers mate
9 Francois Hougaard –
10.Pat Lambie/Elton Jantjes
11.Gio Aplon
12 Juan de Jongh
13 Jaque Fourie
14 JP Pieterson
15 Francois Steyn
13 Sep 2011, 12:38 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-119: no, he was supposed to JUST defend his channel, go read MAULER’s post again, the griquas centre!!!
cheers hennie
13 Sep 2011, 12:39 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-114:
My apologies if I’m wrong. Thought he was a centre. May have confused him for someone else in the Sharks franchise who also played wing, not sure.
13 Sep 2011, 12:40 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-122:
See you all. Have a good day.
13 Sep 2011, 12:40 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-121: where did i say sbura MUST be a bok like you said of sadie?
13 Sep 2011, 12:43 pm
Warburton is a classy player – but his turnovers came from a horizontal position (bar one) – he has pace, skills and is strong and he is competant as a fetcher (but any Southern hemisphere ref would have blown him for his body position against SA. Brussouw to me was twice as good – he had made 22 tackles by the 60min mark – if our forwards were better as a unit imagine the additional impact!
13 Sep 2011, 12:44 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-119:
We have our differences mate so will just leave it there. A winger is a winger plain and simple for me.Gear is a better winger than Toeava. Skillset is one thing-Gaffie also had a great skillset but performances on THE PITCH with consistent quality are the true criteria for me and Toeava after 6 years has yet to deliver period.NZfern.com/high standards or not.otherwise he would have been an incumbent by now.
Sadie has had a few good games but not about to go goo-goo gaga until he is a consistent performer with gametime to warratnt Test selection especially when there are players who have shown greater efficacy that him in the positions especially wing.
13 Sep 2011, 12:46 pm
@NicG(NicG)-127:
Agree 100%
13 Sep 2011, 12:47 pm
JPP, like always blows hot and cold, so I’d still give him the benefit of the doubt. Habana on the other hand is past it. He’s been damaging his reputation the last 2 years and should probably consider retiring before he loses all face… or go play overseas for a while.
I’d actually choose either Ndungane’s at this stage. Neither have much pace left, but they’re hardworking. Mvovo is still an option, but if they continue with the up-n-unders they should use Basson. It’s ironic that they rarely used the up-n-under towards Basson earlier this year. That’s his main (and seemingly only) skill and they almost never made use of it!
13 Sep 2011, 12:47 pm
whats happening boys?
13 Sep 2011, 12:50 pm
Best SA 10 prospect going forward I seen recently is Johan Goosen new prodigy for Free State.. complete NO 10 much like Gary Van Aswegen but far more robust and physical.. I say watch Goosen.. to me he’s the better No. 10 coming through, better than both Lambie and Jantjies.. and Lambie is far too much a utility player come full back than a true No. 10
13 Sep 2011, 12:55 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-130:
Habana has been strugglin for form for the better part of 2 years yes but he still has plenty of speed.None of the SH wings in OZ,NZ have more pace than him period.Jane,Guilford,Gear,Toeava,Iaone,Oconnor,Ashley Cooper etc he at the very least as quick as these guys.Plain to see on his scramble defense that he still is pretty quick.Hauls in people pretty much all the time.
He is just not playing well,speed not the problem even though is isnt the out and out speedster he used to be.Only Rod Davies is probably quicker on the international circuit.
13 Sep 2011, 13:00 pm
JPP still better bet than any the other wingers for a WC position… and even Habana is not ready for the trash heap… The wingers we got there are fine.. JPP, Aplon, Habana, Ndungane can cover all purposes.
I would consider JPP to 15 and play Aplon / Habana / Ndungane at 11 / 14 if bringing Steyn to 12 for Fiji / Namibia / Samoa
Though for the big games
FS
JPP
Fourie
JdJ
Habana
Butch
Hougaard
Alberts
Burger
Brussow
Muller
Mostert
JdP
BdP
GS
Beast, CJ, Smit, Spies, Louw, Pienaar / FdP, MS
when bringing on Spies – Alberts goes to 2nd row and Smit just makes bench perhaps have Chili instead. Fly in Mostert and Van Zyl for Matfield / Botha cover
13 Sep 2011, 13:00 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-133: lachie turner would smoke habana
13 Sep 2011, 13:03 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-133: That’s fine. He can run the 100m in the Olympics. I never complained about his pace. He’s not as fast as previously, but still fast.
But he rarely chases the kicks. Rarely make an effort to help with the defense and rarely get involved in open play. He had a good game against NZ a few weeks ago… granted, but that was again gone this weekend.
That’s my point. Ndunganes are slow, but currently more capable rugby players.
13 Sep 2011, 13:07 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-136:
Fair enough.
@Transformation(Transformation)-135:
Lachie Turner does deserve to be on same pitch as Habs as badly as Habana is playin Id have him everyday of the week and twice on Sunday ahead of that “try hard” no ability Turner.Jongi would smoke Turner…hehehe
13 Sep 2011, 13:11 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-133: And Digby Ione?
13 Sep 2011, 13:11 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-135:
look man, there’s a line…and you just crossed it there…
13 Sep 2011, 13:12 pm
@Helen(Helen)-131:
We are all scratching our nuts Helen!
Want to join us?
13 Sep 2011, 13:13 pm
Truth is, I just don’t like Habs. There is something unlikeable about the guy.
13 Sep 2011, 13:15 pm
From all the posts on here, there should have been around 8 boks in the best XV for the week. They only just beat wales by 1 point due to the touch judge not giving wales the penalty kick they slotted. Optomistic bunch.
Boks looked woeful. Im not blaming the players, its your clown coach. Australia is envious of your player talent, but laugh at the idiotic manner in which they are managed.
13 Sep 2011, 13:16 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-141:
There is Everything likeable about the guy!
13 Sep 2011, 13:19 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-138:
Digny isnt an out and out speedster,more a power runner much in the Hosea Gear mould/speed wise.Quick but not quicker than Habana>Better yes not quicker
13 Sep 2011, 13:23 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-142:
Yeah….Envious indeed,have been through generations…even across coaching generations…Makgraaf-du Plessis-Viljoen-Straeuli-White….great records & managers all of those blokes huh? Only Mallett has any semblence/modicum of excellence…somewhat…
13 Sep 2011, 13:28 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-142:
1 point due to the touch judge not giving wales the penalty kick they slotted.
The two (2) Neutral Assistant Referees, standing under the uprights, deemed the kick, NOT OVER THE UPRIGHTS.
Of all people in the stadium, they had the best view.
Better than the 34,000 great unwashed.
Better than the Referee, the much maligned Barnsey.
Better than the Kicker himself.
Better than even the TV Comentators.
Wales lost………………………………………..fair and square.
13 Sep 2011, 13:34 pm
@cane(cane)-146: Why you being nice to us?
Im suspicious now.
Or am I misreading it?
13 Sep 2011, 13:34 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-141:
we’re listening…
13 Sep 2011, 13:37 pm
france coach sshits all over his players in an interview hehehehe
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-2011/news/article.cfm?c_id=522&objectid=10751513
13 Sep 2011, 13:41 pm
@cane(cane)-146: Your not seriously debating weather that kick went through or not. watch the replay you chump
13 Sep 2011, 13:42 pm
@cane(cane)-143: What exactly? He has become an a$$hole these past 4 years.
@conan wishes he was a springbok #4 locks girlfriend…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-148: Dr Crane, I cannot stand him.
13 Sep 2011, 13:53 pm
@cane(cane)-146:
come on cane, thats lame…the kick didn’t go over/through the posts.
blame the kicker for not making it a dead certainty by sailing it through the ‘sweet spot’.
13 Sep 2011, 13:56 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-150:
Next he’ll be telling us that the 1995 All Blecks were poisoned by a Third Force…
13 Sep 2011, 13:59 pm
The French coach is very wrong to do this in the media!
Rugby World Cup: Public rebuke dents French pride
6:42 PM Tuesday Sep 13, 2011
France’s Pascal Pape scores against Japan at North Harbour Stadium. Photo / Paul Estcourt
France coach Marc Lievremont’s public dressing down of his team after its unimpressive opening Rugby World Cup win against Japan has stung the pride of his players.
Even though France scored six tries in a 47-21 victory on Saturday, the lacklustre attitude that allowed Japan to close the gap to 25-21 after trailing 20-3 angered Lievremont, who lambasted his players in a news conference the next day.
“Our match was littered with loose play, technical mistakes, errors of discipline,” Lievremont said. “Wastefulness in our finishing, wastefulness in our organisation.”
The halfback pairing of halfback Dimitri Yachvili and first five-eighths Francois Trinh-Duc came in for some heavy criticism, while flanker Imanol Harinordoquy was vilified by Lievremont for his attitude on the pitch.
“His conduct (against Japan) annoyed me,” Lievremont said. “We know his talent, and very often he was extremely amateurish in certain phases. Given his experience and the role he has in this team, it’s annoying.”
Yachvili was annoyed that he heard the criticism “from a journalist” rather than from Lievremont before the conference.
“It’s a real pleasure, it’s touching,” Yachvili said sarcastically. “No, I would prefer to be told directly rather than going through the press. He spoke out in anger. I probably deserved him saying it, or not. (But) I would rather it happened another way.”
Yachvili, who plays for Biarritz, touched upon how things are different for him at club level.
“At Biarritz over the last four years, if they had something to tell me they did it to my face without problem,” he said. “It has to stay intimate because it’s something that stays between the coach and the player. A coach has to be a bit of a psychologist as well.”
Still, he insists there is no animosity between him and Lievremont.
“He’s under a lot of pressure from the press as well. I don’t hold it against him,” Yachvili said. “But it’s up to me to prove him wrong, as well.”
Aurelien Rougerie, who will captain France with flanker Thierry Dusautoir rested for the match, also felt Lievremont could have cut his players a little slack.
“We’re not naive, either,” Rougerie said. “We know how we did. We weren’t happy with our own performance.”
Yachvili, a veteran of 53 caps, makes way for Morgan Parra against Canada in France’s second Pool A match on Sunday.
While he does not contest that decision, because he feels squad rotation is crucial to keeping players fresh, Yachvili insists the criticism aimed at him and at Trinh-Duc was excessive.
“What you need to do is fulfill your end of the bargain (and win), which is what we did,” Yachvili said. “Which is why I find it a bit upsetting when I hear certain things, because the essential thing is to win, even though we didn’t do it in style. What would people have said if we had won 28-27?”
Centre David Marty, who came on in the second half against Japan, also thinks the players deserve a bit of a break.
“Of course we want to do better,” he said. “But we shouldn’t start panicking after the first match in a World Cup.”
Given that Lievremont has paired Trinh-Duc with five different scrumhalves since he giving him his debut in 2008, demanding that the halves play with seamless efficiency appears somewhat unrealistic.
“The system’s like that,” Yachvili said. “It’s been years that we haven’t wanted to put a fixed halfback pairing in place, because as soon as we have a bad match it’s because of the halfback pairing which can mask other problems.”
Despite all the criticism, France received a bonus point in the victory
Considering Scotland’s laborious win against Romania, Ireland’s patchy performance against the United States and England’s struggles against Argentina, France’s result was not the worst of the first week.
“I haven’t seen a hammering since the start of the tournament, the so-called weaker teams have managed to take up the challenge,” Yachvili said. “When I see the other results, I tell myself we didn’t play that badly because I think the Japanese will cause problems for a lot of teams.”
- AP
13 Sep 2011, 14:07 pm
no Frans Steyn? don’t think Dagg would have handled the french. no kahui?
13 Sep 2011, 14:24 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah)-147:
Just a fact of life.
Barnsey is being crucified for no reason.
End of.
13 Sep 2011, 14:30 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-150:
I have watched it, frame by frame.
Hoping I could say the Wales ‘Was robbed”.
I cannot.
And nobody else can either.
I STATE AGAIN:
The best two people to judge were the AR’s.
Both standing beneath the posts.
No other Human Beings on the Planet had a better view.
End of.
Full stop.
Period.
13 Sep 2011, 14:35 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-154:
i know i read it earlier.
had me laughing….silly frenchies hehehe
13 Sep 2011, 14:38 pm
@cane(cane)-157: Wales was robbed! That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.
13 Sep 2011, 14:39 pm
@conan wishes he was a springbok #4 locks girlfriend…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-158: Can you imagine if Pdv came out in the press and said insulting things about the Boks being naive and annoying to watch?
13 Sep 2011, 14:41 pm
I thought the Welsh 13 owned Mossie on Sunday.
Nonu was very good at 13, and I hope the ABs will pick him there for the big games…
13 Sep 2011, 14:44 pm
@willievz(willievz)-161: i might have to watch that duel again, you say the oke OWNED TB13ITW?
13 Sep 2011, 14:50 pm
That’s the thing with RWC’s….a lot of the more competitive games will go down to the wire and much like their cousins in the SWC’s, some games will be won on pure guts and a dash of luck.
13 Sep 2011, 14:50 pm
@cane(cane)-156:
@cane(cane)-157:
oh ok, my apology then…i thought you were saying the opposite.
13 Sep 2011, 14:50 pm
@willievz(willievz)-161: Ja mossie wasnt that good the weekend. That 13 of wales looked overweight! lol
13 Sep 2011, 14:57 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-162:
The third best 13 in the world got owned on Saturday, Transie
13 Sep 2011, 15:02 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-159: the last comment might come back to bite PdV in the butt
IRB back ref Barnes
Tuesday, 13 September 2011 9.11 a.m.
The International Rugby Board has defended referee Wayne Barnes after he failed to review a Wales penalty kick against South Africa.
The Springboks, the Rugby World Cup holders, edged Wales 17-16 at the Wellington Regional Stadium on Sunday.
Wales had reason to feel aggrieved after James Hook squeezed a penalty narrowly through the posts during the Pool D match, only for the touch judges to deem the kick to be wide.
Hook appealed for Barnes to consult the television match official, but he chose not to.
The IRB has since backed the English referee for following procedure, despite his decision seemingly costing Wales dear.
”Under protocol, the referee may consult the assistant referees or the TMO if he is unsure as to whether a penalty kick, drop goal or conversion has been successful,” the IRB said in a statement.
”During the match in question, the match official team felt at the time that there was no need to consult the TMO following a Wales penalty kick as they were confident that the kick was not successful.”
“Correct protocol was therefore followed. The IRB will not be making further comment.”
South Africa coach Peter de Villiers also defended Barnes during a press conference on Monday.
“I stood there when Morne (Steyn) did his warm-ups and some of them (kicks at goal), we thought they were over,” De Villiers said.
“At that height, it came in but it could be behind the post.”
”Those guys who make the decisions are paid big bucks to make the right ones and they seldom get it wrong.”
13 Sep 2011, 15:04 pm
@willievz(willievz)-166: even I would OWN mossie if i was playing off the rampaging JAMIE ROBERTS
13 Sep 2011, 15:04 pm
Sheri is one of my favourite players and had some good warm-up performances but last weekend wasn’t one of his better games, anyway here’s my XV:
1. Pulu (Ton)
2. Tincu (Rom)
3. Castrogiovanni (Ita)
4. Albacete (Arg)
5. Lawes (Eng)
6. Kaino (NZ)
7. Warburton (Wal)
8. Lobbe (Arg)
9. Semenzato (Ita)
10. Arlidge (***)
11. Danielli (Sco)
12. Williams (NZ)
13. Nonu (NZ)
14. Goneva (Fij)
15. F.Steyn (SA)
13 Sep 2011, 15:10 pm
@cane(cane)-156: ‘Barnsey is being crucified for no reason.’
lol never thought I’d hear you say that cane but you’re quite right it was in fact NZer Vinny Munro who was so certain the ball went through the posts who assured Barnesy not to go to the TMO.
13 Sep 2011, 15:12 pm
@cane(cane)-157:
WAS ROBBED
13 Sep 2011, 15:14 pm
Quade Cooper a ‘boofhead’ for baiting McCaw
FRED WOODCOCK
Last updated 15:30 13/09/2011
Former Wallabies great Nick Farr-Jones has labelled Quade Cooper a ‘boofhead’ and says the first five-eighths apparent lack of respect for All Blacks captain Richie McCaw could come back to bite Australia.
Cooper’s recent cheap shots include using elbows and knees on McCaw. Although he escaped sanctions after being cited following the latest incident from the Tri-Nations test in Brisbane last month, Cooper has accepted he is ”public enemy No 1” in New Zealand.
Farr-Jones said he had no doubt that Australian team management would have given Cooper a stern message heading into the World Cup.
”I have no doubt, whether it’s Robbie (Deans, the coach) or my old teammate in the management of the team, Bob Egerton, or whether it’s the captain, James Horwill, but someone should tell boofheads like that to pull their head in,” the 1991 World Cup-winning captain and halfback told Radio Sport today.
”I only played in the amateur days but I don’t care whether it’s amateur or professional, or what sport you play, sport is all about respecting opposition and respecting the great culture when you’re playing the All Blacks. It is New Zealand rugby.”
On the Wallabies’ arrival in New Zealand last week for the World Cup, Cooper insisted there was no ”bad blood” between himself and McCaw and said he respected the All Blacks ”for what they’ve done and the history they have”.
”I haven’t had much to do with (McCaw) off the field but I know that when he’s on the field he wears his heart on his sleeve and does a great job of leading the All Blacks around the park,” Cooper said.
”I respect the All Blacks, but at the same time we’re here to win a competition, we’re not here to make friends, it’s all about playing rugby and enjoying it at the same time.”
However, Farr-Jones was in little doubt that a lack of respect had been evident on Cooper’s part.
”One of the things I’m talking about is the need for respect in international sport,” he said.
”There’s probably one player, in particular, in our Wallabies squad who has probably lacked respect for one key individual in your All Black team.
”Just from a distance, and I’m just another punter who looks on, my antenna vibrated very nervously when I watched what I perceived to be the lack of respect.”
There’s every chance the Wallabies could meet the All Blacks in the October 23 final at Eden Park in Auckland, and Farr-Jones is concerned Cooper’s antics would backfire on the team in that situation.
”I am pretty sure, if by chance we end up playing together on October 23, it might just come and bite him on the arse,” he said.
”There’s no doubt it could come back and bite you and it won’t be just him, though, it will be the whole squad that will be impacted by it.”
- Stuff
13 Sep 2011, 15:15 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-167: Yeah! I hope he is gracious and accepts the bad calls when they affect his team.
13 Sep 2011, 15:17 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-167: This is the sentence I completely disagree with:
Wales had reason to feel aggrieved after James Hook squeezed a penalty narrowly through the posts during the Pool D match, only for the touch judges to deem the kick to be wide.
Since when was this conclusively accepted? I challenge anyone to review the 2 camera angle replays and tell me with 100% certainty that the kick “squeezed narrowly through the posts.”
It’s impossible. No way would a TMO have been better placed to call the result of the kick than the 2 TJs standing directly behind the posts.
What irresponsible and sensationalist reporting.
13 Sep 2011, 15:20 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-168:
Transie, despite Mossie’s experience, I still think he could have done with a calming influence on his inside…
13 Sep 2011, 15:23 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-174: calm down spooner
13 Sep 2011, 15:26 pm
Wallabies told to stop back-chat around refs
GREG GROWDEN Last updated 11:13 13/09/2011
The Wallabies were on the wrong side of a 15-9 penalty count against Italy and have been lectured by coach Robbie Deans about stopping the back-chat to referees.
The Wallabies have been told to keep their mouths shut whenever they are within earshot of a referee over the next six weeks because of the fear loose lips could sink their World Cup campaign.
Wallabies coach Robbie Deans was unimpressed that his players were twice penalised for back-chatting during the weekend victory over Italy, with Irish referee Alain Rolland repeatedly finding fault with Australia’s play.
Rolland gave Italy the advantage of a 15-9 penalty count, with the Wallabies often penalised at the breakdown. Several frustrated Wallabies made cutting remarks that were overheard by Rolland, who promptly marched them further down the field.
Deans took note and after the 32-6 win gave the team a stern lecture about the importance of discipline for the rest of the tournament.
Asked why the heavy penalty count went against them, Deans said: ”We were a little bit slow to adjust in the game.
“There were a couple of occasions there where the referee in an attempt to manage the game was talking to the player group, and they didn’t adjust. Well, that’s not sharp. And of course a couple of them [penalties] were for back chatting, which is inexcusable. I have already talked to them about that.”
Wallabies captain James Horwill was similarly unimpressed that his players gave Italy easy metres, saying such behaviour could prove costly later in the tournament, especially in the later stages.
”We just need to be more disciplined,” Horwill said. ”It was something we spoke about before we went into the game. Our discipline has to be strong, but we probably gave away a couple of silly penalties for back chat and things like that.
”Moving on in this tournament, you can’t do those sort of things – give up 10 metres for back chat or get a penalty turned against you for saying things to the referee. So we need to tighten up that area of things.”
However, Deans is not asking for an easy ride from the referees – just consistency.
”Our players were possibly a little anxious in the first half,” he said. ”And I think the refs are possibly a little bit anxious as well. They’ve obviously had the blow torch on them, which is good. They are really policing the areas which they indicated they would, and that’s important for the game.”
Will that now ease up?
”I hope not. Consistency is the key. And if you draw a line in the sand, it is easier for players to adjust. Getting on the right side of the line is good for everybody.”
Wallabies selector David Nucifora added that it was crucial to not allow penalties to blight their game.
”That many penalties in the first half didn’t let us get a flow in the game. It just kept going penalty kick, lineout, maul, so the game was being played at their tempo. We have to adapt, and we did in the second half where we got more rhythm, and caused more problems for their defence,” Nucifora said.
Looking ahead to this Saturday’s match against Ireland, Nucifora warned that their next opponent will be considerably more difficult.
”The breakdown will be hotly contested,” Nucifora said. ”The Italians did apply a lot of heat in that area yesterday, and the Irish won’t be any different. They have a number of good players around the tackle area. But they have a more diverse attacking repertoire, compared to the Italians, and will ask a lot more questions of us.”
- Sydney Morning Herald
13 Sep 2011, 15:28 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-172:
Always was, and remains so, a very classy man. hats off to you, Mr Farr Jones.
Cooper will get his come-uppance. Pr*cks always do.
Speaking of which, how is BaXXies coming along I wonder ? Hope he recovers in time to get back on the pitch.
13 Sep 2011, 15:30 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-174:
*chortle*
suck eggs my little nanny-goat.
13 Sep 2011, 15:32 pm
England under pump over numbers,
Last updated 09:43 13/09/
Martin Johnson’s team could face a fine from Rugby World Cup organisers after concerns were expressed about the ease at which the numbers on the back of their shirts peeled off during the scratchy 13-9 victory over Argentina in Dunedin on Saturday, according to a report in the Telegraph.
The English are also attracting criticism for their decision to go bungy-jumping, among other extreme sports, less than two days after their match at the Dunedin stadium.
England’s shirt number debacle has caused plenty of discussion with the Telegraph, who claim the white numbers were applied to the shirts by a New Zealand company, reporting that tournament organisers have sought assurances from England that there will be no repeat in Sunday’s match against Romania.
The issue is seen as a breach of the tournament participation agreement.
”There was an issue with the bonding of the numbers to the shirts and we will work with Nike this week to ensure the problem is rectified before the Georgia game,” a (English) Rugby Football Union spokesman said.
Meanwhile, Johnson has been criticised for allowing players to participate in a day of extreme sports after their underwhelming win over Argentina.
Former England coach **** Best said he was surprised that while outside-half Jonny Wilkinson had stayed behind to practise his kicking at the team headquarters in Queenstown, seven players had taken part in a series of extreme sports.
Tom Palmer, James Haskell, Nick Easter, Chris Ashton, Simon Shaw, Dylan Hartley and Ben Foden completed the challenge which also featured jet-boating, a helicopter ride and white water rafting,” the Telegraph reported.
Best, who coached the 1993 British and Irish Lions to New Zealand, questioned whether the players may even have been in breach of their contracts with the RFU.
”It’s not something I would have encouraged during my time as a coach and I am surprised that the players were allowed to do it now,” he told the newspaper.
”I’m not party to what it says in their individual contracts, but I know that in certain contracts, players are banned from taking part in any sports like that.”
England forwards coach John Wells said: ”I think it’s just a case of giving the guys a break. We’ve been together since the beginning of June and the guys haven’t had a lot of time to enjoy each others company.”
There were no concerns from the players.
Ben Foden wrote on Twitter: ”Hell of a day! Love Queenstown!”.
Ad Feedback – Stuff
13 Sep 2011, 15:32 pm
meh heh heh heh heh heh heh heh
~GULP~
*burrrrrrrrrrrrrrp*
13 Sep 2011, 15:38 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-178: Farr Jones knows that whatever issues Quade has, don’t belong on the pitch, where he can put his team at risk. Robbie ought to get this nonsense settled before he does something really stupid at a crucial time in the World Cup. His personal vendetta’s don’t belong with a team and staff who have been preparing for a World Cup for 4 years.
13 Sep 2011, 15:42 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-178:
So this site does have trolls.
13 Sep 2011, 15:42 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-181: fetal alcohol syndrome?
shame
13 Sep 2011, 15:50 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-145:
Yes Jake White is a great manager!! You should be thanking your stars you had him. Take SA rugby before he took over to where he left it and that’s all that is needed to be said.
We are going to need someone with his player selection abilities and technical skills post WC. It’s rebuilding time and it aint going to be easy.
It’s hard to judge Pdiv, he took over a WC winning team NO 1 in the world. He has done a lot right in my opinion and some wrong, just like any coach you’re never going to get it all right. His media utterances ruined his reputation a bit probably more than his coaching results did.
I think he didn;t bet on age taking its tole like it did though but we’ll see. It’s a team that knows how to win ugly and that’s a WC team.
13 Sep 2011, 15:54 pm
Jaque Fourie? Seriously, keo? The same Jacque Fourie whom you gave 6 out of 10 for his performance against Wales? I know you are prone to pretending your (soometimes very recent) opinions never existed, but even by your standards, that is just ridiculous. Jaque made 4 tackles and missed 2 – he was a nonentity both on defence and in attack.
As for Warburton – well, he basically just dove into the rucks side-on and lay all over the ball on numerous occasions – he was just lucky to have that blind Pommy Wayne Barnes as the ref, or his side would have been severely penalised. But I guess you’re basing your evaluation on the McCaw Philosophy that cheating is commendable if you get away with it.
13 Sep 2011, 16:07 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-182: why is quade painted as the aggressor here and richie as the harpless bystander getting bullied?
13 Sep 2011, 16:10 pm
@pierre(pierre)-186: how come when other opensiders get the better of SA it’s because they’re cheatitng, yet when our heinrich gets away with the same stuff, he is just BRILLIANT?
13 Sep 2011, 16:14 pm
Warburton was very good on the day but if you watched the build up matches you would see he is not nearly as consistent as Richie or Heinrich and what sets those two players apart from all the others is their ability to out perform anyone even when their team is performing poorly.
13 Sep 2011, 16:17 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-160:
now THAT would be some kinda funny…
13 Sep 2011, 16:18 pm
Samoa aiming to emerge from ‘Pool of Death’
PREVIEW: Samoa have set their sights on a quarter-final berth at this year’s Rugby World Cup, but have no illusions about the challenge ahead as they prepare to negotiate the tournament’s ‘pool of death’.
Every tournament has one, and in the case of this year’s Rugby World Cup, it is Pool D – with reigning world champions South Africa (currently ranked 3rd), Wales (6th), Samoa (10th), Fiji (15th) and Namibia (20th) – that has gained the moniker.
Despite this, Samoa’s forwards coach Tom Coventry told journalists in Rotorua on Tuesday his team has high expectations for the tournament, particularly after their stunning 32-23 victory over Australia in Sydney two months ago.
“You have to be realistic about your opportunities and where you sit in the pecking order, but certainly the match against the Wallabies has given us a lot of confidence.
“We’d like to make the quarter-finals. The ultimate goal is winning the World Cup. Whether that’s a bridge too far, I don’t know. We’ll find out in the pool games.”
Samoa opens its campaign against Namibia in Rotorua on Wednesday and Coventry said it would be important for the team to put in a strong first-up performance.
“Anybody can get up on their day and cause an upset, so we’re very wary of Namibia tomorrow and conscious of not getting too far ahead of ourselves.”
Coventry said Samoa was likely to employ a running brand of rugby and would look to involve giant wing Alesana Tuilagi, who was so impressive in the win over Australia in July.
With the weather expected to clear in Rotorua after three days of unsettled conditions, the stage should be set for an entertaining afternoon.
“We’ve got a few other things up our sleeves which you will see tomorrow. One of the options is to get the ball to Alesana, but there’s plenty of strike power in the rest of our team as well,” said Coventry.
“Our plan is to use the width. We have a game plan that is pretty exciting and involves just about the whole XV.”
It is a tactic Namibian coach Johan Diergaardt is expecting and his team will look to combat Samoa’s expansive style with a game plan they didn’t use in their opening match, a 49-25 loss to Fiji.
“We’ll try to keep ball in hand, slow down the rucks, starve them of the ball, not kick into their hands like we did (against Fiji). We want to keep the ball away from them.”
Namibian flanker Jacques Burger gave some insight into both the challenge and the mindset of his team as they prepare for the Samoa match.
“We have to play like there’s nothing to lose. Our work rate has to be better than theirs. We won’t outskill them or outpace them or outpower them, but we can outwork them.”
Ad Feedback – Reuters
13 Sep 2011, 16:19 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-171:
oh blackie (sigh)…in the land of the cheats…a one-eyed referee would be king…
13 Sep 2011, 16:19 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-187: Ask Farr Jones.
13 Sep 2011, 16:21 pm
@pierre(pierre)-186: Are you the number 4 lock for France?
13 Sep 2011, 16:29 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-174:
i know, kiwis (some of them) have their heads so deap up their own arrses sometimes its just laughable.
its like the video replays they’ll show over and over and from a zillion different angles if its anything anti bok or any other team, but if its an all black transgression then the camera angles and replays somehow magically dry up…
13 Sep 2011, 16:37 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-178:
oh he’ll come along just fine for the 16 october, dont you worry and thank you for asking, you type that into your keyboard and hit save…its a date.
oh and btw how’s kieran? send my regards…
13 Sep 2011, 16:43 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-191:
Samoa will give the Welsh a pakslae, because:
1) Wales will be psycologically dented after their loss against SA.
2) History proves that Wales don’t perform well against the Islanders
3) Wales’ game plan was set for the Boks. A change in game plan at short notice will do them no favours
4) It will almost be a home game for the Samoans
5) Wales will be more nervous as the Samoans would still not have played SA and therefore potentially without a loss, maiing their chances at 2nd place safer at the time of the game
13 Sep 2011, 16:44 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-187:
i know its quite funny.
although i loved it when quade moered reechie in the 3n final after clearing him out close to the blacks try line.
13 Sep 2011, 16:47 pm
So far, South Africa has won a world cup for each of our post apartheid leaders.
Mandela at ’95
Mbeki at ’07
If Zuma does not stay on for a second term, this cup will be ours!
Also, I rate our chances at 2019 (Motlanthe) and 2027 (Malema)
13 Sep 2011, 17:02 pm
@Helen(Helen)-199: You are assuming that Malema will only have one or two terms. I’m sure he will be a life president which means we will only win again in 2071…
13 Sep 2011, 17:07 pm
@Helen(Helen)-199: @ballitoboy(ballitoboy)-200: both of you over-estimate malema’s popularity.
13 Sep 2011, 17:09 pm
”He is just the sort of rugged, no-nonsense customer to lend essential defensive stability to the channel against the muscular, athletic Pacific Islanders who are, let’s face it, not averse to the sort of borderline illegal tackling style that once marked James’s play a little more routinely than it does today.
It seems an opportune occasion to “rest” Morné Steyn who, on second viewing of the champions’ stuttering Wales opener, did not appear quite as vulnerable in general play as some have made out, but is not best suited to playing these foes.”
It seems some Cape Town journo’s are now starting to realise that they sounded like fool when they shouted at the rooftops about MS poor defensive effort.
At leat Rob Houwig has the balls to kinda admit it. This is his take on why Butch should face the fijians.
short **** Keo and his c untlings yap like neutered poodles and they will behave as such as well.
13 Sep 2011, 17:11 pm
Maybe some on here should also have a 2nd viewing and take of the striped glasses.
i
13 Sep 2011, 17:12 pm
“Boofhead”???
13 Sep 2011, 17:17 pm
**** team
Why is this world cup so freeking longggggggggg?
Just another money scam
13 Sep 2011, 17:17 pm
Great white shark predawn wayne dawnpre …
Guys, guys! Please be original!
13 Sep 2011, 17:21 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-204: an australiasian term I used to hear on Neighbours and Home and Away growing up, can’t be 100% certain and I’m not sure of the South African equivalent but I believe it refers to a ‘yob’ or ‘meathead’ type character.
13 Sep 2011, 17:23 pm
13 Sep 2011, 17:27 pm
@Boksarenumber4(Boksarenumber1)-205: they want to keep people in kiwiland spending money for as long as possible.
13 Sep 2011, 17:29 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-207: it’s called a “Spies” in SA
13 Sep 2011, 17:32 pm
Trans you looking for moeilikheid!
13 Sep 2011, 17:38 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-210: Actually, its called a malema – lots of hot air and nothing original and always taking a potshot at someone who has actually achieved something. Exactly what Cooper is doing to McCaw
13 Sep 2011, 17:38 pm
Why is there no KeoTV during WC?
13 Sep 2011, 17:41 pm
Guru jetlag does terrible things to the appearance
13 Sep 2011, 17:45 pm
Dawn, it couldn’t look much worse
seriously, I think we all would like to see some keoTv with new zealanders, sheep and some humor involved, right?
13 Sep 2011, 17:52 pm
Shame maybe they didn’t bring the cameraman and the dirty white backdrop
13 Sep 2011, 17:54 pm
Yeesh comments are stadig nowadays
13 Sep 2011, 18:04 pm
Dirty white backdrop… JS is in NZ
13 Sep 2011, 18:05 pm
Jis my comments don’t all reflect
13 Sep 2011, 18:07 pm
Spent the whole day watching cheap dstv movies. Damn well rained the whole time.
13 Sep 2011, 18:10 pm
Ja the weather is terrible! What movies did you watch, anything spicy
I like movies the same way I like my steak…. Blue 
13 Sep 2011, 18:13 pm
Flicked channels and watched whatever was on!
That salt is a kuk piece of celluloid
13 Sep 2011, 18:16 pm
Go watch cowboys and aliens, good movie to pass the time, otherwise get modern family series, its the funniest stuff I’ve ever seen
13 Sep 2011, 18:23 pm
Too laZy to move!
13 Sep 2011, 18:29 pm
From Tank lanning – HOW TRUE IS THIS:
England lock Paul Ackford agreeing with me in his column in the Telegraph:
And now Smit is finished, even if he appears reluctant to acknowledge the fact himself. The thing with great players is that they never fall off the cliff altogether. The descent into ordinariness is gentle, complicated by the defiant flourish, the temporary return to form. Veterans forwards know how to get by, know how to hang on at the edge of rucks and mauls rather than battling away in the centre of them. They invented most of the shortcuts, and their game management skills can often mask their decline.
Against Wales, de Villiers replaced Smit with Bismarck du Plessis after 56 minutes when his side was behind on the scoreboard and struggling to regain control of the Test. It was exactly the time when all of Smit’s leadership skills and experience should have counted. But de Villiers was forced to bring du Plessis on, a more energetic and credible candidate, because Smit was fading. Smit was not the only one.
No team has ever won back to back Rugby World Cups and this is why. Coaches, either for sentimental reasons or because they cannot identify the moment when a legend finally becomes a liability, instinctively hang on to the guys who have served them so well.
And finally, the Rugby World Cup 2011 by the Numbers, according to research done by MasterCard:
95 000 international fans will be visiting New Zealand for RWC 2011
US$224.5 million made on ticket revenue based on sales of 1.35 million tickets
US$204.1 million to be spent on accommodation during the Tournament
US$187.7 million to be spent on food and beverage
7.5 million litres of beer to be poured
7.35 million pies and sausages to be consumed
150,000 litres of sports drinks to be consumed
13 Sep 2011, 18:33 pm
Blue steak??
13 Sep 2011, 18:36 pm
No more like medium rare but more rare than medium. I was tring to be funny with that comment
13 Sep 2011, 18:45 pm
Blue steak (not sure about spelling) is served very very rare…
13 Sep 2011, 18:47 pm
the Bok team DID NOT have a captain after smit went off!!!!
the coaches thought muller was the cappie, muller thought schalk was the cappie, du preez just took over and ran the show as he saw fit!!!!! Wtf?
http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/it-needn-t-be-smit-at-the-helm-1.1136477?showComments=true
13 Sep 2011, 18:51 pm
Headless chickens
13 Sep 2011, 18:52 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-229: whoever made the call to go to the corner made a huge (and correct) cappy’s call
13 Sep 2011, 19:10 pm
so it’s clear, the Springboks don’t need Smit to close down close games…the era (error) of the ‘AURA’ is over!
Mpundulu, uyave mfana wam!!! Asimdingi uSmit bwahahahahaha
the All Black without Richie would’ve lost kwedini!
13 Sep 2011, 19:20 pm
Ive read PdVs comments and they are obviously not going to change a thing.
They are banking on their bench pulling them out of the fire, thats what they’ve taken from the welsh debacle.
I reckon with Bakkies out and this tactic, its as good as over.
A starting pack without Bakkies and Bismarck, aint going to be good enough.
13 Sep 2011, 19:25 pm
You need great teams to win world cups not mediocre ones. Teams that are strong in all positions but have 5 or 6 real weapons that are the best in their positions in the world, we no longer have that. We’ve got ageing mediocrities and a balance that is all wrong and shorn of dynamism, intensity, committment and hunger.
13 Sep 2011, 19:31 pm
Winston churchill-ish
13 Sep 2011, 19:35 pm
yeah but without the motivation unfortunately, wish i could say something more positive, but its not looking good. the worst is, its seems such a total shame, since if they just picked the right players and shelved the constant kick-chase nonsense, the Boks would still be in with a shout, but they got the blinkers on, not looking at the lessons from the games as they involve, they think they just need to ride it out, but you cant get two bigger wake up calls than NZ and Wales in the last 3 weeks. If they dont get it now, they never will. True vokmaarvoort stupidity, without the forward commitment unfortunately.
13 Sep 2011, 19:44 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-201: who?
13 Sep 2011, 19:47 pm
@cab(cab)-236: The Bulls’ performance in the Super15 using the same olf tactic should have been a warning.
13 Sep 2011, 19:51 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-229: Is that why we won in the end? Because Smit, the liability, was off the pitch.
13 Sep 2011, 19:52 pm
@NoRugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-225:
Plod must start the match and play for only 20min – then off to the bench and sit his has-been fat arse down.
13 Sep 2011, 19:54 pm
@kwas(kwas)-239: Start if Plod starts and plays 21min of the match against Fiji …………. Boks lose.
13 Sep 2011, 20:02 pm
Pierre Spies at 15.
I feel that Frans should move to 12, whilst Jean is injured and, based on the insight of various journalists (who wish to remain anonymous), Mark Keohane (who is desperate not to be anonymous) and other unbiased analysts on this blog like Tacitus and other supporters of the Last Outpost of the Boere Empire, Spies is the perfect choice for 15.
Now, I realise that they haven’t actually spelt it out so specifically, but their assessment of Spies’ strengths and reasons for his failing to make an impact in tight matches, all lead to this obvious conclusion.
It’s a fairly common agreement that young Pierre needs more space than these tight games grant him, in order to express his own special brand of magic. Unfortunately, this would relegate him to games against the 2nd tier nations. Games that are normally reserved for increasing the number of Springboks in the Bulls franchise; including a few black players to underline the coaches commitment to transformation and giving some ageing Boks still under contract a run on the basis of including experience.
Now, before some of the less perceptive analysts here suggest that he should revert to wing, just look at the facts. By the time our wings actually receive the ball they are pinned against the touchline with a hoard of cover defenders about to swamp them. This is not the space that our man envisages to cast his spell. Besides, with his instinct to go to ground as soon as a tackler appears, we wouldn’t get too far through that route.
The answer is obvious. As an 8th man, Spies is used to falling back to field the high ball and on the few occasions I’ve seen him kick, he has quite a hefty boot.
At 15 he has more than enough space to operate in as an explosive “strike runner” (Tacitus description), and as for his perceived reluctance to tackle, the majority of players running at him are a lot smaller than those monsters in the pack.
Whilst I would like to take the kudos for this moment of insightful brilliance I must pay tribute to those analysts I mentioned earlier for pointing me in the right direction.
13 Sep 2011, 20:22 pm
@ David, very interesting point but ask yourself, will he be better than steyn? NO! Will he be more explosive and game breaker than aplon? NO! This is typical tacticus, trying to find a place for one of his beloved bulls. I would pick, steyn, aplon, lambie or jaque fourie before I pick spies
13 Sep 2011, 20:26 pm
@NoRugbyGuru_0_(RugbyGuru_0_)-243:
But that’s because you’re “NoRugbyGuru”. Just listen to the experts.
13 Sep 2011, 20:29 pm
@ David, “I’ve seen him kick, he has quite a hefty boot”
well I have seen Quentin davids kick and he has a hefty boot on him too but just booting the ball for distance doesn’t make you a good tactical kicker, there is more to it…
13 Sep 2011, 20:32 pm
OK that’s it. Stegman has been overtaken by spies.
13 Sep 2011, 20:36 pm
@ David, hmmm yes the “experts” also said kabamba floors will make a good wing
13 Sep 2011, 20:37 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-246:
Not until Agile arrives to confirm it.
13 Sep 2011, 20:45 pm
The “experts” said conrad jantjies will be good flyhalf and they said JS can play TH or LH. Ts ts ts
13 Sep 2011, 20:47 pm
The experts said the bulls will open up a can of whoopass
13 Sep 2011, 20:50 pm
Boks run on with Smit and Spies and Habana and FdP vs Fiji and Samoa… we may have squeaked a win out of Wales… don’t be so sure those dead legs will hold out another 160 mins vs the Islanders.
Only safe game in this pool is Namibia.. all the other 3 are tail spins and we JUST baled out of one disaster by the skin of our teeth don’t mean we gonna do the same vs the 2 Islander sides.
13 Sep 2011, 20:56 pm
Just watching the replay of the England Argentina game (didn’t see it last week) and apart from the shocking kicking, there was some exciting play. I really am a fan of the Argi loose forwards, particularly Fernandez-Lobbe (the number 8) and Leguizamon (the openside flank). Great work rate from both.
13 Sep 2011, 20:57 pm
that’s number 8
13 Sep 2011, 21:09 pm
England got out of jail that game even closer than we did, though ours was a 1 point game and theirs was a 4 pointer they were trailing by 6 most of the game and had Contepomi or Fernandez slotted at least some of their kicks England would have been dead and buried by 60 mins.Wilkinson also missed about 4 kickable penalties but the momentum was all with Argentina the entire first 60 mins. Only swung around once Youngs came on and Wilkinson took a line kick instead of another attempt at poles and this time set up the forward platform for Youngs to take the game from out of Argies grasp.. Almost much the same as our situation when Hougaard broke Welsh hearts.
Argentina played with passion and heart to the death and to a man, England just sneaked that game, very much like SA did vs Wales
Could be the omen that SA / Eng gotta shoot it out for a finals birth again. Our joint styles are almost on equal one dimensional par.
13 Sep 2011, 21:33 pm
Don’t expect PDiv to make sweeping changes to the starting 15. Unlike France who have made 11 changes for the match against Canada.
He will keep the loose trio intact and hopefully they will combine more effectively as a combo. Looks like this is his first choice and they need plenty game time together. Unless Spies falls off the bus totally.
Willem Alberts will be on the bench covering lock and 7.
Flo will be elevated to the bench.
I reckon Butch will be given a start at 10 and JDJ will slot in at 12.
13 Sep 2011, 21:39 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-255:
Spies fell off the bus a long time ago.
13 Sep 2011, 21:39 pm
Smit will never stay with the Fijians or the Samoans, he will be exposed even worse in a loose running game, and if Spies won’t tackle same as FdP cannot then Fiji and Samoa are going to have free lunch all afternoon busting through first phase defense.
If PdV don’t start Bismark, Alberts, Hougaard and bench Smit, Spies, FdP we could even get a bloody nose from the Islanders because they will not fold and lay down if they do happen to expose our weaknesses they will continue to exploit them and won’t choke on the lead like Wales did.
13 Sep 2011, 21:41 pm
agree, with frans at 12, lambie at 15 and hougaard replacing JP
13 Sep 2011, 21:47 pm
Nope I reckon would be a mistake to put Steyn at 12
Keep him at 15, play De Jongh 12 and Hougaard 9, Butch 10, Aplon 11
Bismark MUST start at 2 and Spies can ONLY operate off bench
Louw would be a handy inclusion at 7
Need Mostert here sharp.
13 Sep 2011, 21:49 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-257:
I can’t see FdP being dropped and the best we can do is to try and play him back to form after his layoff. Spies doesn’t have the same excuse and persisting with him is only prolonging the problem. I’d like to see Schalk at 8 and Alberts at 7, where he’s most effective if we’re going to build a loosie combo going forward.
13 Sep 2011, 21:57 pm
The Islanders are going to relish playing vs FdP and Spies… NO resistance anywhere around the scrum fringes or through 9 / 10 channel if Spies, FdP, Morne are the ones shoring that channel.
Only way to contain them is Hougaard to 9 and Burger or Alberts to 8 because once they are through the first line of breakdown around scrum fringes then its open season at the back. Those big mobile tanks will take some stopping and if its only De Jongh and or Steyn at back with any stopping power don’t be surprised if we chasing the game again like last time. This time Smit is TOTALLY ineffective and cannot command any kind of galvanizing ability… so Bismark, Mostert, Brussow, Burger, Alberts, Hougaard, Butch, De Jongh, Frans will need be on the park.
13 Sep 2011, 22:00 pm
@David(David)-256:
Unfortunately, Spies is the only specialist no. 8 in the squad – Alberts will be denied the chance to play there while he’s covering as lock. That is, until a decision on Bakkies is taken and Matfield is fit again.
13 Sep 2011, 22:00 pm
@David(David)-260:
I warned some time ago at banking on Smit, FdP and Spies… well looks like nobody going to heed the warning till the wheels have actually come off…
We got lucky last week… Wales choked at the prospect of unseating the Boks… Fiji and Samoa won’t be nearly quite as respectful.. if they get a slight whiff of some blood they’ll go all out for the kill.
13 Sep 2011, 22:02 pm
As far as Frans is concerned, regardless of where he plays, he should be instructed to drop for goal whenever he’s within range. At best we’ll get 3 points, at worst it’ll be a 25 dropout and we’ll get posession whilst the opposition will avoid trying to kick for position.
I reckon that’s why the ABs have failed to win a RWC since 1987. They’re focussed on beating the opposition as opposed to winning the game.
13 Sep 2011, 22:09 pm
Shampoopaloo;
Spies to bench-agree.
M.Steyn to bench or out-agree.
FdP- got more brains than rest of Boks in total, made the try that sealed the match give him a chance to find his feet man.
JdJ- still a bit imature, needs to learn how to offload.
F.Steyn- centre, Lambie- fullback, still thinking about that one??
13 Sep 2011, 22:13 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-262:
I agree about the problem caused by the lack of specialist 4 cover with Danie and Alberts the only option, making 8 a problem area. Spies is not a specialist 8, in my opinion, if you consider his performance there, and Schalk can do the job just as well or better.
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-263:
You were quite right, although of the 3 you mention, FdP is probably the one who can come right, without disrupting the team as whole. It’s too late in the day to change the whole approach and team dynamics with the current players.
13 Sep 2011, 22:15 pm
@bokke bo(bokke bo)-265:
Aplon at 15 if Frans moves, although dropping Morne would require a backup kicker like Lambie.
13 Sep 2011, 22:15 pm
crazy world. Muller now said to be injured, and Bakkies trained ok. Must be a new brand of horse tranquillizer!
13 Sep 2011, 22:24 pm
Roberts would never have smashed that midfield like he did if De Jongh was there, he would have got taken down much earlier than the havoc he caused through JdV, Butch and Morne,… De Jongh would have sorted him early… I don’t know what everyone is crying about offload because NO ONE offloads at 12 unless its SBW… De Jongh offloads as good as any the others … perhaps even better than some … and at least he injects some kind of activity through first channel of resistance unlike Schalk or anyone else trying to bash through the closed barn door.
We playing the WRONG game with Spies, FdP, Morne 8 / 9 / 10 and we will continue to play the wrong game.. and FdP is as poor a tackler as Spies and Morne are
Forget the kick chase it won’t work.. I am telling you EMPHATICALLY if you want to go ANYWHERE past semi’s this time FORGET the FDP / MORNE kick chase game, and play Hougaard 9, Butch 10, JdJ 12 .. I’m not concerned about wings they will feed off whatever is happening before them and will come into the game and into their stride once the platform at 8 , 9 , 10 is well sorted and 12 / 13 are functioning effectively as a unit.
13 Sep 2011, 22:26 pm
@bokgat1(bokgat1)-268:
best temporary fix.
danie & alberts 4 & 5 brussouw 6 Flouw 7 Burger 8.
super. we’re playing musical chairs in the wc
13 Sep 2011, 22:29 pm
Bokgat1;
My son’s girlfriend tells me that Andries Bekker is doing bench press ups in anticipation of being called up for the shoot outs. Interesting indeed!
13 Sep 2011, 22:30 pm
signing off. it’s 4:30 am in Singapore
13 Sep 2011, 22:32 pm
Craven was absolutely correct when he identified the spine of the team to be crucial and balanced
2, 8, 9, 10, 15 is the axis where the rest of the peripherals function off.
I prefer Frans at 15, and i even go with JPP at 15 and rather play Aplon, Habana on wings
I’m not sold on Lambie.. he got the correct calm mindset but he’s too middle of the road for me… he’s a backup only in my mind and never a go to man. Unlike Hougaard and even players like De Jongh and Aplon who can spark activity when its on..
FdP may have the rugby brain but he has lost his mojo and I doubt he gets it back where he don’t skrik for niks… like Spies I reckon he don’t really wanna get hurt so rather play somebody there who ain’t bang.
13 Sep 2011, 22:37 pm
Though if I play Lambie I play him 15 before I play him 10 or 12… I reckon at 15 he can actually be a handy asset.
Would call up Mostert before relying on a fading Bakkies, and an injured Matfield.. and if Bekker is ready without playing any rugby for how long .. I dunno about that.
Brussow, Louw, Burger, loose trio with Alberts at 4 and Spies off bench would work fine for now. Especially against rest of the pools games where we not up against any stringent line out proponents..
13 Sep 2011, 22:37 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-269: stop believing and perpetuating that morne is such a bad tackler. he is not.
he tackled plenty.
problem started with the entire forward pack not knowing where to go. they were systematically being ground to a point where the were divided and conquered and because of that there was no pattern of defence in the backline with forwards supporting in defence in crucial times.
sure. the guy ran over morne that took the break. moerse. that’s happened to many backline players getting a forward -eight i think it was- running into a pass and hitting a defender ball and all and bursting through.
hell. is hook and williams now the underwoods of the world now that F Steyn bumped them on their axis – the both of them in one go.
there has never been a problem with morne’s defence to the point everybodys carrying on now. so why is it now such a big problem. he may not be honniball. or whoever convenient we can think of.
but hardly man. morne is easily in the top 5 tackling flyhalves we’ve had in the last 10/ 15 years. this is becoming a total classic case of adressing the symptom instead of the cause.
13 Sep 2011, 22:39 pm
Lightning here in Jhb, so cheers!
13 Sep 2011, 22:46 pm
the boks maybe thought they were going to play a clinical game and come out winning by 6 or 7 points on mere history of getting the win if they apply their minds. and…. going through without any injuries. which explains a tentative approach. not committing to tackles and contact.
the welsh were up for this game like we were up for england 36-0. so we got a physical game. we even had 5/2 split, to make it safe. which almost also didn’t work out. expect a more focused and hardened approach from all involved in the next few outings.
13 Sep 2011, 22:46 pm
@bokke bo(bokke bo)-271: on 2 thumbs
13 Sep 2011, 22:49 pm
heard a saying on tv tonight that the vets probably heard before. all plans change after first contact…
13 Sep 2011, 22:50 pm
@shooter(shooter)-275:
I’m not concerned with Morne half as much as I am with FdP.. FdP sets the pace and momentum of the back line and Hougaard would have it humming a whole lot faster and more direct. My main concern with Morne is not so much his tackling but his lack of direction in getting the back line motoring where Butch , JdJ, Fourie would do. … Morne is not the problem in the back line or the team only he is not the solution either.. his primary function is to kick us out of trouble which he does very effectively.. Hence I even considered Morne at 12 at one point but now I reckon it won’t work though I rather have Butch 10 and Morne 12 than the other way around..
For Fiji I play
Frans, JPP, Fourie, JdJ, Aplon, Butch, Hougaard
I leave Habana, Morne, Lambie, Pienaar, Ndungane and FdP out… to decide who takes bench spots and whether we play a full front row on bench or a 4/3 split.
13 Sep 2011, 22:51 pm
@shooter(shooter)-279: or something like that…maybe it was … no plan stays the same after first contact.. oh well. get the point.
13 Sep 2011, 22:52 pm
Shampoopaloo; FdP will die in order to bring the WE trophy home. The only thing that can wipe away 30 years of pain (since being cheated out of winning the flower bomb test and having to travel against time to play the All Blacks) is bringing the cup home from the land of the long white cloud. Indeed, that would make DC proud. Sorry, I know I’m getting a little sentimental and emotional.
13 Sep 2011, 22:58 pm
@shooter(shooter)-275: Top five tackling flyhalf so lets rank them
1. Henry “The Lem” Honiball
2. Butch “The Butcher” James
3. Meyer Bosman
4. Andre Pretorius
5. Pat Lambie
6. Jannie de Beer
7. Jaco Pretorius
8. Joel Stransky
9. Morne Steyn
So where would he feature in the top 5?
13 Sep 2011, 23:01 pm
@JL1(JL1)-283: Butthen again Percy was rubbish tackler, but had a good boot and was good with his positional play and linking
13 Sep 2011, 23:04 pm
Ja. that backline would do well. no problems.
thing about FdP.. he has always! been “slow” in getting the ball out. some guys like their 9′s to be quick all the time. run run run. and service service service.
FdP has never been that kind of scrummie. funnily enough. he varies the pace of the ball to the backs. i have also gotten very frustrated by it in the past. and still do. but he does that. if you think about it? was that one of the things that has made him so good in the past… i don’t know.
i understand that you propose to change the status quo from time to time. and i don’t mind certain players being picked and others not. i think we should keep in mind their strengths. after every game the easy-to-spot errors are being highlighted to such an extent that many observers forget to observe the plenty value that the same guys also added.
i would play FdP for another game or two to get his confidence back to where it should be. i think he is moving over the mental problem he’s had since coming back into S15 earlier the year. ok…it’s taken him a while.. but he’s nearly there.
for fiji
Fdp, butch, hougaard, JdJ, Fourie, steyn/lambie.
with lambie, habana and morne bench.
13 Sep 2011, 23:08 pm
Got to be out still some work to do here before hitting the sack .. cheers
If we play Smit and Spies vs Fiji we are asking for some more bitter medicine we can well do without right now… same goes for FdP in my book… Hougaard would be FAR better vs the islanders than FdP. Spies can come off bench he may even be an asset when they are tiring and he is fresh… but when they are fresh he is totally ineffective and a passenger.. as is the aura Smit who’s the worst liability of the lot
13 Sep 2011, 23:11 pm
Shooter 275; It is a known fact that as long as Morne Steyn is our flyhalf, the opposition consistently target that channel and get rewarded. Fact is fact. Have you ever seen him hit a runner back???
13 Sep 2011, 23:16 pm
@JL1(JL1)-283:
1. Henry “The Lem” Honiball
2. Butch “The Butcher” James
3. Meyer Bosman – you mean the two games he played for SA?
4. Andre Pretorius – i wouldn’t rate him this high.. do you.. mmm. reserve judgement
5. Pat Lambie – not a regular i consider.
6. Jannie de Beer – he was ok – better than pretorius
7. Jaco Pretorius – his tackling at 15 and wing was better than at 10.
8. Joel Stransky – more than 15 years ago
braam v straatten.
louis koen.
morne is at least on par with everybody from 4 upwards. and bosman doesn’t count imo.
we could maybe maybe to a wider search for all SA 10′s.. so i’ll say i’ve made a rather general statement. my point is though… morne got exposed at 15.. that is where this fallacy is coming from and knee jerk reaction.
NObody was complaining about his defence before wc. now because he was the glaring runned over guy… everybody is saying he is a bad defender. i don’t buy it. can he improve.. yes, he should work on his defence because it is the easiest place where he can to add to his game.
btw bosman has been really useles at centre these days. i also rated him big time first year or two. now i don’t.
13 Sep 2011, 23:22 pm
@bokke bo(bokke bo)-287: ja. many times. and i’ve seen him tackle low just as many times.
and i’ve seen him tackle forwards all the time. since when (examples?) do opposition target him for this channel running all the time for a fact.\\
13 Sep 2011, 23:32 pm
@shooter(shooter)-288: D hougaard, brent russel, werner greeff (he could tackle a bit), did gaffie ever play 10? and Pienaar.
13 Sep 2011, 23:33 pm
Shooter; just look at our recent away campaign in Tri Nations. Enough said.
Nite all
13 Sep 2011, 23:34 pm
jaco pretorius/ you mean JvdW..yes.
13 Sep 2011, 23:40 pm
@bokke bo(bokke bo)-291: sure. go watch the most recent game again. and tell me if MS was such a weak defender.
the other rumour is that he stands too deep.
he doesn’t all the time.
his biggest disadvantage- however- is the fact that he has relative slow hands. takes alot of time receiving and sending the ball away. and that maybe he lacks a little bit of plain pace. which is why the backline is sometimes slow in getting off with him there.
anyway. away too. bye >
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.