599 Comments

• 1.Waster:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:04 am

  Not going to be a popular opinion dragons

• 2.Jeraldjay:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:15 am

  Last time I check Butch is playing. If that 10\12 channel is as bad as you say it will be then Butch will be roped in.
  You’ve been spot on the last couple of tests Keo but I’m afraid your prediction for this one is WRONG.
  Tight game NO tries Morne vs O’Connor.

• 3.Monty:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:16 am

  I think many NZers would prefer to see the Bok go home Sunday week after being defeated by the All Blacks.

  Certainly the game of the weekend will be Bok vs Wobblies. I think this may be a first for me supporting the Bok. Ouch.

• 4.Waster:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:18 am

  @Monty(Monty)-3: Ireland and Wales will be a cracker too

• 5.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:21 am

  Geez Mark??? its the world cup forget about the 5 out of 6
  Aussies lost to Ireland remember??
  Boks are better than Ireland IMO
  You have given up on the boks

• 6.keo:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:27 am

  i hope I am wrong! Never before have I hoped to be as wrong as I am about this one … and when I am right it will be a quick move on cos it is not the call anyone wants to gloat about.

• 7.Kobus Kitty:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:29 am

  Sadly, this game could have turned out to be a comfortable win for the Boks. Pathetic selection will cost the Boks. Smit, Spies in particular and to lesser extent Danie.

  Well done Smit, you just screwed a nation of 50 million. You selfish f-ucking d-ick. I may travel to the airport and shove some sh-it in your face upon arrival without the world cup.

• 8.Jeraldjay:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:38 am

  @keo(keo)-6: Quick move on…….. I beg to differ.

• 9.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:39 am

  Bullsh1te. We gonna win this game.

  You keep harping on about 5 times out of 6. Look at Australia without Pocock. We were without Brussow for 2010. You’re also happy to include one game from 2009, but not the other two? The real figure is 5 times out of 8.

  Here are the 3 starting-xv’s versus Australia in 2010.

  1st test – Brisbane. Australia win 30 – 13.
  1 Gurthro Steenkamp
  2 John Smit
  3 BJ Botha
  4 Danie Rossouw
  5 Victor Matfield
  6 Schalk Burger
  7 Ryan Kankowski
  8 Pierre Spies
  9 Ruan Pienaar
  10 Morne Steyn
  11 Bryan Habana
  12 Wynand Olivier
  13 Jaque Fourie
  14 Gio Aplon
  15 Zane Kirchner

  2nd test. Pretoria. South Africa WIN 44 – 31.
  1 Gurthro Steenkamp
  2 John Smit
  3 Jannie du Plessis
  4 Flip van der Merwe
  5 Victor Matfield
  6 Schalk Burger
  7 Juan Smith
  8 Pierre Spies
  9 Francois Hougaard
  10 Morne Steyn
  11 Bryan Habana
  12 Jean de Villiers
  13 Jaque Fourie
  14 JP Pietersen
  15 Francois Steyn

  3rd test. Bloemfontein. Australia win 41 – 39.
  Same as week 2, except Danie Rossouw in for Flip van der Merwe. Lost the game after going far behind early, but did well to come back from way down.

  You’re just a ‘the glass is half empty’ sort of person Mark. You make the stats work for you, rather then being completely truthful.

  Harp on about the Springboks age, yet the All Blacks average age is around the same, if not older then the Springboks.

  We were always in control against Samoa – the team that beat the Wannabies earlier this year. It may not have been pretty, but we won didn’t we.

  You should just stay here in New Zealand. You’re already used to the AB supporter ways – thinking the AB’s are rugby gods of some kind.

  And get ready for even more abuse after Sunday nights game.

• 10.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:39 am

  Mark you never finished the your sentence
  The boks are going home on October 24 with the cup

• 11.aliboy:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:40 am

  Well, this Kiwi thinks that Keo has got this one wrong. I believe that the Boks will have too much up front for the Aussies and will win the game on penalties. 15 – 13 to the Boks.

• 12.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:40 am

  @keo(keo)-6:

  Do we need to save this video? Got a feeling it will dissapear.

• 13.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:45 am

  @aliboy(aliboy)-11:

  I think the Boks will score a couple of tries to win this one. How they do that I’m not sure… I’m a believer that Habana still has something left, and Jaque Fourie averages a try every 2 games, quite often scored from nothing.

  Plus we’re pretty much screwed with Bryce Lawrence the choice as referee. I’d like to know who makes these decisions. Wouldn’t surprise me if it was Paddy O’Brien as well. We’re going to have to play territory, and then attempt something in the midfield.

  Also think Jean de Villiers will be up for this game. A little rest will have done him good, and Frans Steyn adding something different to the midfield might snap him out of the one-dimensional feel he’s got.

• 14.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:45 am

  Look we can match them at forward i hope Spies has a huge game
  With their selection I think they are vulnerable at 12 and 13
  They should have picked Barnes at 12 maybe moved O conner at 13
  O conner hates it on the wing
  Now we can focus on Genia and Cooper

• 15.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:49 am

  @CoachPete(CoachPete)-14:

  O’Connor hates wing? Never heard that one before. If anything I’d say he adds another dimension, as he runs excellent lines, can make something out of nothing and goes looking for work.

  O’Connor hasn’t got the bulk to be playing in the midfield. He’s a brilliant winger, or a fullback if he needs to be.

  Hope the Boks do the same thing with Johann Sadie. Stick him in a position where you can make the most of his abilities, and work on the weaknesses – in Sadie’s case his defense.

• 16.stormer in a teacup:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:50 am

  Just the Keo prediction I was hoping for. I feel a lot more confident now.

• 17.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:51 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-15:
  He prefers 10 or 15 but cant play there
  They need him for his kicking, so he is on the wing

• 18.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:53 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-15:
  I agree he is an excellent rugby player I had read he does not like playing on the wing Does not mean he is not a treat He is

• 19.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:54 am

  @CoachPete(CoachPete)-17:

  Well he’s no 10, and I don’t think he’d have signed with the Rebels if he wanted to play fullback.

  His future is on the wing. The position is evolving, so it’s not a case of him not getting any ball, and defensively (which is half the game) he suits wing perfect. Makes excellent one-on-one tackles, good under the high ball, solid boot…

• 20.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:56 am

  @CoachPete(CoachPete)-18:

  I see. Habana didn’t like playing on the wing either (wanted to be a centre) but a smart coach will keep playing him there

• 21.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 05:59 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-20:
  I think O conner has better ball skills than Habana
  Habana is not a center
  I just feel he is wasted on the wing

• 22.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:05 am

  @CoachPete(CoachPete)-21:

  Better ball skills yes. But do you prefer your wingers not to have ball skills?

  Like I said, the position is evolving. O’Connor and Iaone are being used in different ways. It’s not like they stand on the wing waiting for 1 or 2 touches a game. They’re the 2 most dangerous runners in Australian rugby, and are used in midfield a heck of a lot.

  O’Connor hasn’t got the bulk to play midfield defensively, simple as that. Australia are already stuck with Quade Cooper at 10… having to move Digby Iaone into that channel to defend. The last thing they need is to lose move grunt.

  Everything good about O’Connor suits the position. It shouldn’t matter that he doesn’t enjoy playing there. If he refuses to play on the wing in the future, then he won’t be a Wallaby.

• 23.Slartibartfast:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:08 am

  Whooopieeee so happy keo did not pick the Boks!

  On a side note, how many of the 5 losses had Brussouw in the line-up?

• 24.Nuk3Fr33k1w1:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:08 am

  @Monty(Monty)-3:

  Yup. As a Kiwi, I really want/need the Bokke to win this weekend. Most Kiwis I know would much prefer a semi against the Bokke (assuming the ABs beat the Pumas) than a game against the Wobblies. Anyways, from what I have read of Keo’s predictions over the past year, he gets it wrong more often than not.

• 25.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:10 am

  @CoachPete(CoachPete)-21:

  Also, saying that he is wasted on the wing is like saying the position is not as important as others in the backline, which is complete rubbish.

  IMO you need to view what best suits the players skill-set and forget about the rest.

  And if you still think he is being wasted on the wing, then you need to re-think your ideas of what is required from a winger.

• 26.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:12 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-22:
  I think he will bulk up and end up at 12
  Barnes is one hit away from been a vegetable I think he is retiring
  Yes I like wings with great ball skills and aussie wings do look for work i agree.
  Yes i agree he cant be at 10 because of Cooper and not 15 because of beale. Deans wanted him on the team for his kicking so he is on the wing
  And yes he has stated he does not like playing on the wng
  So we sorta agree

• 27.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:16 am

  @Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-23:

  Brussow vs Australia:
  2 wins, 2 losses.

  The 1st loss was in Brisbane, alongside a team that included John Smit at tighthead, Odwa Ndungane on the wing and Ruan Pienaar at fullback. Also it’s just ONE game, with Australia having home-advantage.

  The second loss was this year in Durban, but he was taken off after 50… which appeared to be one of the main reasons we lost – that and John Smit moving to tighthead again. This time we have CJ van der Linde on the bench.

• 28.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:16 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-25:
  Bud, I under stand the game very well. i have read what O conner has said about playing on the wing He is there because its a team and the team needs him there and because of his kicking
  and this is my opinion he is better suited at 10 or 15 and possibly 12
  He does a fantastic job on the wing ,and that where deans needs him,

• 29.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:18 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-25:
  And for what its worth i hope he misses his kicks and F%$ks up on the wing

• 30.stormer in a teacup:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:19 am

  O’connor should be playing at 10 anyway. He is a much more rounded player than Cooper and should be closer to the decision making axis.

• 31.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:19 am

  @CoachPete(CoachPete)-28:

  Fair enough. I agree that he could do a job at 15 (not at 10, where he’d be another Cooper… tries too much. Didn’t think he did a great job there for the Force), but I still think having a winger like James O’Connor is a BIG advantage. Australia have got enough talented players who can play 10, 12 & 15 (Beale, but O’Connor would be 2nd choice).

• 32.aliboy:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:22 am

  Just looked out my office window at the temporary mobile home (camper van) park set up behind us on the waterfront in downtown Auckland. Nice sunny afternoon and a bunch of guys in green shirts are passing a rugby ball around in the open space between the vans. The guy with the Number “1″ on his back looks like he might have played there at some time. Not sure if shorts that tight are still legal however. Would have thought that they might be 700km’s south of here in Wellington, but they at least are obviously confident that their team will be in Auckland next weekend.
  Looked like there was a fuel truck pumping out someones van fuel tank. Usually a sign that they can’t tell the difference between petrol and diesel. Thought I might be able to have some fun at the expense of all the Saffas on here, but damn’it they must be the only french van in the park.
  Enjoy the game this weekend guys. It should be a cracker.

• 33.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:22 am

  @stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-30:

  That’s the equivalent of saying John Mitchell made the right decision in throwing all his eggs in one basket by giving the 10 jersey to Carlos Spencer back in 2003.

  O’Connor is a talented player, but he’s far too much about running the ball, trying stuff himself, to be playing 10.

  You won’t ever see him playing in the position on a permanent basis, take my word for it.

• 34.ShaunSwindon:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:22 am

  My money is on the Boks

• 35.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:22 am

  @stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-30:
  Hey A fellow Stormer to the rescue
  Hendrikp see i am not the only one

• 36.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:24 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-33:
  So when he bulks up and gets some muscle strength h is a 12

• 37.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:26 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-33:
  See if i was talking rubbish Stormer in a tea cup would be agreeing with you
  Basically i respect your opinion, but I am not taking rubbish either

• 38.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:27 am

  @aliboy(aliboy)-32:

  Cheers. Got my ticket sorted… and again I’ll be keeping my eyes open for Vrede in his All Blacks jersey.

  Was hoping to fly up to Auckland when we win this weekend, but plain tickets are far too expensive during the WC… so is everything else actually.

  Might do the drive if I get time off work.

• 39.hendrikp:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:29 am

  @CoachPete(CoachPete)-37:

  Sorry I didn’t mean to come across as not respecting your opinion. Just making a point that he’s not necessarily wasted on the wing.

• 40.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:30 am

  Keo the turncoat. Running at the first sign of trouble. Can’t wait to see your post-match contribution.

• 41.Slartibartfast:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:30 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-27:

  The thing is I think Brussow is more than enough to keep Pocock in check or if we want to be pesimistic, limit his impact on the game. Can’t leave it all up to Brussow though and the rest of the pack needs to come to the party as well.

  All up I still think it will be close and anyone can take it on the day. For the Boks it will be as simple as which team pitches on the day and if everyone do their part. For the Wobblies, I think the two injured players rushed back is a potential issue, outside of that is how much the Boks let their backline run…or not and the impact the ref will have on them.

• 42.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:30 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-39:
  Thats fine
  One question Would you play F Steyn on the wing?
  I bet not

• 43.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:33 am

  @CoachPete(CoachPete)-42:
  He started sometimes at 10 Played well at 15 and proved he was dam usefull at 12
  Kinda mirrors o’ Conner IMO

• 44.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:36 am

  @Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-7: Please could you video yourself attempting to do so. I’m sure Smit would rip your arm off and beat you with the wet end.

• 45.greatest13gerber:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:39 am

  keohane showingg his typical Blue and White Hoops lackk of faith..

  our strongerr benchh and ourr abilityy to play 80mins contritionn rugbyy will win us this game. Will Geniaa will be the key in this game. Not David Pockk.

• 46.Nuk3Fr33k1w1:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:40 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-13:

  Refs for the QFs are selcted by a panel including Tappe Henning. Im sure the chairman of the referee selctors panel is a Taffy. Cant think of his name right now but he was on the news the other night. Its a relatively transparent process and beyond the influence of P.O.B but Im sure some Saffers will still cling to their paranoid delusions and victim mentality.

• 47.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:44 am

  @Kobus Kitty (Esoteric post 44): I don’t mean any disrespect to you personally by that comment. Just the idea of someone shoving **** in Smit’s face is amusing as I don’t think that there’d be many people capable of pulling that off

  Ultimately though, should the ‘Boks’ RWC 2011 end on Sunday, the blame cannot be apportioned solely to Smit. I don’t think that he’s disgraced himself this tournament.

• 48.Slartibartfast:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:45 am

  @Nuk3Fr33k1w1(Nuk3Fr33k1w1)-46:

  Besides the Wobblies are way more worried about the ref than the Boks…and not without reason. Get in their half, get a scrum and we have 3 points…just watch.

• 49.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:47 am

  @Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-48:
  I think our front row is stronger and i think our scrums are fine

• 50.Slartibartfast:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:47 am

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-47:

  Blaming Smit is par for the course for some on keo, even if we win the cup he will not get any credit.

• 51.bananas:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:49 am

  Please can PDV come out in the press and confirm that JS will ONLY play hooker and that when he is blowing at 50mins he will be subbed ?? If he can give us that there is hope.
  Spies and FdP better man the f*ck up on Sunday as they have been pussies in 2011. I would be happier with Shalk at 8 and FH at 9 …. and thats an untested combo !! Hope they prove me wrong…

• 52.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:50 am

  @bananas(bananas)-51:
  No i think you are right

• 53.bananas:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:56 am

  @Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-50: So why has he agreed to switch to TH on so many occassions ? Too much time at the trough, he knows he is not no1 hooker in SA so that was his role of the dice NOT PdVs …. his win-loss ratio as capt has gone to **** since Lions/3N in 09 so that is also bollox.

  Sorry but the example has to be set at the top and he should have stepped aside for the sake of the team as PdV doesnt have the guts or intelligence to sort out the leadership.

• 54.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 06:57 am

  @Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-50: Ja, I really don’t get it. The team is bigger than the man.

• 55.CoachPete:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:04 am

  We will do well in scrums
  Win more lineout ball
  Pocock will leave early
  and there 12/13 are weak

• 56.ashampoopaloo:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:05 am

  that’s it

  End of the F’ng road chaps .., end of the f’ng line.., this time Keohane is right. Smit is the last straw that breaks the Bokkies backs, you cannot ignore the absolute dynamism of players such as Bismark Alberts Beast and Hougaard and favor the fckups of Smit Spies FdP over them and still expect to come away with ANOTHER miracle even though they saved your bloody arse vs Wales first game up, as if ONE miracle isn’t enough of a golden lifeline in such a knife edge competition. This time the selection of Smit over Bismark is gonna drive that last nail deep into the Boks disconsolate coffin, and they coming home.

  What a f’ng hopelessly inept and cowardly fckup of a decision.., that’s the end of the road.., John Smit will be remembered as the overweight overrated straw that broke the Boks backs in the quarter final of the 2011 WC. Congratulations you get wtf you so richly deserve, stupidity entrenched hero worship reliance has fckd the Boks best chance outa sight. Pathetic!!

• 57.ashampoopaloo:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:13 am

  bananas is right Smit shoulda walked just like Juan Smith put the team first ahead of his ambitions Smit shoulda put the team first and stepped aside for Bismark and Beast

  Now its too late Boks are fckd and they coming home, you don’t get baled out of a fckup of a decision TWICE in a world cup campaign.. End of the line Boks coming home because of ONE Fckng idiot has been of a player who has become bigger than the team.. John Smit will be remembered as the idiot that couldn’t put his team first ahead of himself dumb fck useless palooka dreary dumb fck!

• 58.JamesNkomo:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:20 am

  The fck Keo is supporting the Aussies. Hope you wearing yellow undies to match you frikken belly…

• 59.Test:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:20 am

  @stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-16: Snap, hopefully its another wrong prediction from Keo but I think this might be one he gets right for a change. The game against Samoa just made me realise that we had’nt learnt anything in terms of tactics. We cant just defend for 80min against top opposition and expect to win and not suffer heaps of injuries in the process.

• 60.poethklapp7:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:21 am

  Sonny Wool (the prediction sheep) picked the boks to take this one. Also backed england, ireland and NZ to go through. Pretty spot on.

  Clever sheep this, take some tips keo.

• 61.JamesNkomo:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:21 am

  @ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-57: and if they win?

• 62.Test:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:24 am

  @poethklapp7(poethklapp7)-60: Yeah I agree with Sonny Wool on Ireland…Dark Horse?

• 63.die gangslang:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:27 am

  Jeez boys, slow down. Give them a chance hey? Being a coach/expert/critic is one thing, but calling the Boks kak is maybe a bit rough. But then again I suppose the biggest critics on here played heaps of Test rugby, and retired at exactly the right time with all the biggest trophies and player awards/accolades…

• 64.poethklapp7:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:28 am

  @ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-57:

  Are you a saffa?

• 65.ashampoopaloo:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:30 am

  and Kobus Kitty is right too he may not be right about many things but about Smit and Spies Kobus Kitty is 100 % right spot on nail on the head and in its f’ng coffin.

  Hope he does go to the airport and does the deserved deed he’s suggested cause by God it will be thoroughly deserved.

• 66.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:32 am

  @Monty(Monty)-3: errrm…. the ABs were beaten by the Wallabies too. (And the AB team that was beaten by the Boks was only their B team…)

• 67.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:33 am

  I had my doubts about this game. But now that humpty dumpty has called it for the aussies there can only be one result.

• 68.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:34 am

  This is Branded Entertainment, folks. Don’t forget that. Mark is the voice of Marshall Betting Sharks. And the house must never lose. So while he’s good for their business (making the punters lose money), you’re better off following that psychic merino if you want any measure of accuracy.

• 69.poethklapp7:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:34 am

  @Test

  The welsh are looking pretty good but I think ireland found their game. a great loose forward battle. Gonna be a rwc classic this one!

• 70.stormer in a teacup:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:37 am

  We are right to be nervous. It is a 50-50 game, the kind we live for. What makes this game a different proposition is the boks have been together as a squad for a few weeks. We are a side that often takes a few games for us to gel properly. The other factor is the question of nerve. The Boks have the temperament to deal with the occasion. Whether the Wallabies do has yet to be seen.

• 71.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:40 am

  @Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-23: No such player as Brussouw. There’s a Brussow, though.

• 72.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:42 am

  @TheTackler(TheTackler)-71: Incorrect, pilgrim. It’s Brüssow. Look and learn – you’ll get there.

• 73.stormer in a teacup:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:42 am

  @ Slarti. Just like there is no such word as errrm.

• 74.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:42 am

  @TheTackler(TheTackler)-71: Brüssow, actually.

• 75.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:44 am

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-12: dis + appear = disappear. Not dissapear.

• 76.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:46 am

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-74: Spot on — I ignore umlauts. Too fussy. But well done, gute umlautner!

• 77.stormer in a teacup:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:47 am

  But what if you are disrespecting a pear?

• 78.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:47 am

  @stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-73: “errrm” isn’t a word. It’s a noise.

• 79.bananas:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:48 am

  @JamesNkomo(JamesNkomo)-58: Its called being objective, we all support the Boks but are frustrated at the lack of professionalism.
  Nothing wrong with being beaten by a better team, but if the planning and selection weakens our team the criticsm is more than justified.
  It is not being unpatriotic, this unfortunatly has been JS nice little duck whenever he comes up short on the pitch, he is just serving his country ! And collecting a few hundred thousand Rand along the way. And for that matter when you take the kings shilling you take the sh*t that comes with it.

• 80.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:48 am

  @stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-77: You say, “Bah humbug! Foul pear! I blow my nose at you! Pah!”

• 81.Richie_7:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:49 am

  @TheTackler(TheTackler)-75: f*ck + off = ?

• 82.Taahirah:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:49 am

  @TheTackler(TheTackler)-76: Too fussy.
  Ha ha ha!

• 83.Taahirah:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:50 am

  Boks by 12.
  Hope these naysayers log on Sunday morning.

• 84.ashampoopaloo:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:50 am

  got fckall to do with nervousness got everything to do with outright dumb fck stupidity. Favoring Smit over Bismark and Beast gotta be THE most stupid f’ng decision ANY rugby coach has ever made.. Right up there with favoring Skinstadt and De Beer over Teichman and Honibal

  Pdv will be remembered as the idiot that couldn’t ditch his overrated captain for the sake of the team same way as Mallet couldn’t put team first in a converse type situation and realized his mistake after the fact so will Pdv realize his, if he hasn’t done so already.

• 85.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:50 am

  @Richie_7(Richie_7)-81: No. Pah!

• 86.stormer in a teacup:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:51 am

  Tackles. You don’t do fussy?

• 87.Richie_7:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:51 am

  @TheTackler(TheTackler)-85: HAHAHAHAHA

• 88.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:52 am

  @TheTackler(TheTackler)-76: If you want to create an umlaut, you have to break some eggs. And therein lies the problem. You don’t have any.

• 89.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:56 am

  i must say i apreciate the fact that keo chose to give the wallabies the ‘kiss of keo’ and not the boks.
  he may in fact be a loyal supporter after all and not a manchurian candidate as i had suspected.

• 90.stormer in a teacup:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:57 am

  Boks by 4.

• 91.Richie_7:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:57 am

  @ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-84: And what will you be remembered for? Mallet cocked up royally and everybody knows it, but the man is still out there coaching International sides and giving input, unlike Jake who won a world cup and 4 years later lands his first proper coaching role looking after an Australian S15 side.

  Give the guys a break, it’s not as if you have a WC medal or any other rugby award for that matter which somehow makes you a expert on the subject. No matter what has happened in the last year, 6 months, 3 weeks, all that matters is the 80 minutes on Sunday. And until they’ve actually played. and if they stuff up, why get all worked up based on assumptions based on past games? They might just surprise you and have a blinder, and then what?

• 92.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 07:58 am

  An Indian called Asham Poopaloo
  Drank beer and went to the bar loo
  He met a big yarpie
  Who called him an apie
  And biffed him, ooh, square on the naloo.

• 93.iceman:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:01 am

  The weather will play a big part in the out come of this game!

  And I think the weather will suit the Boks style of play slightly more than it will Australia.

  If the Boks can get everything right on the day I think they can win it!

  The Ozzies will be under huge pressure at scrum time!

• 94.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:03 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-88: But I don’t want to create an umlaut so I don’t.

• 95.Peter_Davies_must_never_cum_to_my_gym_at_Virgin_Active_CPT:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:03 am

  Indians can’t fight! wtf! nogal moer a yarpie. Its like Sonny Bill moering a deaf disabled 69 year old hobo! pick on your size mate! Try Bakkies!

• 96.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:03 am

  tackles and objectivity are about as natural a fit as all blacks and world cups…

• 97.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:04 am

  @JamesNkomo(JamesNkomo)-58:

• 98.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:04 am

  Well hope our Boks don’t read here. What a load of doom and gloom nonsense. Keo we will be sending you the Minister of Sport if you talk our Boks down again….hehe.

  We should be getting behind our team and pumping them up not bringing them down.

  So yes, our biggest weakness is our 9/10/12 channel. But who says that FdP and JdV will not step up for this game? JdV sure is not in the class of Fransie, but will have seen how Fransie changed things playing at 12 he will have learned something. FdP was always world class. He is a better player than he has been. He gets up for this game and so does JdV then Morne will be fine. Otherwise we have Butch on the bench.

  Boks by 1 or 5. I don’t care how we win, we will win it. Ugly or very ugly who damn well cares. We here to win the cup.

  WE NOT GOING HOME THIS THIS SUNDAY.

  Go Bokke Go

• 99.TheTackler:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:05 am

  @Peter_Davies_must_never_cum_to_my_gym_at_Virgin_Active_CPT(p0ppa69)-95: Bakkies can’t even walk without a zimmer frame.

• 100.JamesNkomo:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:06 am

  @bananas(bananas)-79: for sure but my point is that we haven’t lost but we are already crucifying JS/Snor and everyone else. JS is a better scrummager and better line out exponent that Bissie. Bissie is better on the ground and in the loose. So who would you want when the game is tight and who would you want when the game is loose and the opposition are tiring? As long as we don’t move JS to prop I’m happy. By the same argument I would probably swap Spies and Alberts…

• 101.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:06 am

  Two things…

  Firstly…

  For all those who continually remind us that the boks are gonna get klapped for playing and starting john smit…

  I trust you will have the integrity NOT to come on here after the game on Sunday, if we lose, and say… “I/we told you so…”

  I can’t remember exactly who has said what… but many, if not most, if not all of you said or intimated we would not get through the pool stages of the world cup if we started smit… so you were wrong in the first place…

  Now you say we’ll get klapped by the aussies… and if we win you’ll say we were lucky and would have won by more if john smit had not played etc etc yadda blah…

  Eventually we will lose… could be Sunday… could be whenever… but it will not make you and your negative shoulda/coulda/woulda/if/but/maybe/perhaps theories any more substantive than they are right now today… simply your opinions… and not based on fact but based on your own supposition of what you believe would have happened had things been different… well… news chinas… things are simply what they are… no more no less…

  It’s also disingenuous of you to try and claim the moral/knowledge/expert high ground… because you make all your ‘factual’ negative shoulda/coulda/woulda/if/but/maybe/perhaps theories safely in the knowledge that your can never be proven wrong because it is impossible to prove retrospectively what would or could have happened… so while you’ll be quick to claim “we was right” just remember you haven’t proved anything… in fact you’ve hidden behind unprovable hypothesis to promote your feelings…

  As they say… even a broken watch is right twice a day and you will all be right… eventually when we do lose… you’ll claim then your theories were right… while simply ignoring the previous games that proved you all wrong…

  you rabbit on about john smit not winning anything but he won his last three games as captain… three out of three yessirree… he also made the highest number of tackles against wales… but you all insist he walks about the park doing nothing… so you ignore provable fact and promote non-provable supposition…?? How brave is that really…?

  Secondly…

  All the bissy worsphippers (isn’t that the term you give to people who don’t think john smit is evil personified…?) who believe bissy can play a full 80 minutes like the energiser bunny in every game he plays… despite being shown against samoa that, as good as he is, it’s almost impossible to play at that intensity for a full game…

  When john smit retires bissy will get the game time you all insist he should and will expect him to perform at the level he does for 20 or 30 minutes… and when he doesn’t I hope you don’t all turn on him like you have on john smit…

  I trust again that you will all have the integrity to stick by your man and NEVER criticize him for not producing the goods every minute of every game… And also please don’t suddenly criticize him for mistakes such as knock-ons, crooked throw-ins, entering the loose play from the side or penalties he gives away… in the present, you all ignore anything he does less than perfectly and simply focus on what smit does wrong… even if you have to make it up… such as saying he does nothing when he made the most tackles etc…

  I’m putting a marker down for you all to remember… next year or the year after… when the scales fall from your eyes… will you stick by your man bissy…? or will you put the boot in and turn your affections to the next best thing in town…?

• 102.Richie_7:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:08 am

  @Peter_Davies_must_never_cum_to_my_gym_at_Virgin_Active_CPT(p0ppa69)-95: Oi, give us the scoop on Peter Davies and the Virgin Active sauna incident

• 103.stormer in a teacup:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:12 am

  There once was a blogger called Tackler
  who as a knobend was rather spectakler.
  With an overwrought sphincter
  there was no-one distincter
  as a D o o s in the local vernacler.

• 104.Mighty Horua:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:14 am

  Spot on Keohane…..

  Wallabies by at least 10…..

  19-9

• 105.Boks_B_to_win_RWC_2011:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:17 am

  Hougaard to replace banana after 10 mins …. Hougie – Mr Rugby to score 3 tries ….!!

• 106.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:18 am

  @ufo(ufo)-101: Ufo buddy, absolute brilliant post. One of the best here ever. Agree totally.

• 107.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:19 am

  @Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-104:
  no man, don’t you know about the ‘keo kiss of death’?
  your teams gonna lose now that keo’s called them…its like clockwork, just ask around.

• 108.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:19 am

  @JamesNkomo(JamesNkomo)-100: @Puma(Puma)-98: well said u2 gentleman lol

• 109.stormer in a teacup:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:21 am

  UFO. Hear. Hear. Excellent post.unfortunately too many bloggers are too narrowminded to appreciate it.

• 110.justrugby:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:22 am

  Hi UFO

  It really has got nothing to do with liking Bissy or disliking Smit or being proved right or wrong,imo that’s all childish banter sh it ,it’s got to do with playing the best player for the Boks, Bissy is undisputedly the better player far more complete and what he offers Smit simply can’t, to deny this is to deny the truth ?.

  You by saying Bissy worshippers indicates to me you do not like him ? I will stick by him until he no longer delivers on the field, if that is the case I will call for him to go .

  For me being a Bok is about being the best and delivering the best, when Bissy can no longer like Smit deliver the best he must go, and the same should apply to any player.

  Again it’s not about liking anyone player hell none of us really know them so how can we like or dislike them !! But it is about the Boks and being the best no one player (read JS) has the right to that green and gold jersey !!!

  Off to breafast, till later !!

• 111.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:22 am

  @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-108: Dankie brudda…lol. Ufo’s post 101 is the best. Go read it.

  What you think of our new fb from the u21′s for Sharks this weekend? How you rate him to Viljoen that is coming?

• 112.JamesNkomo:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:22 am

  @ufo(ufo)-101: couldn’t have put it better myself – just looooooooong dude

• 113.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:22 am

  @Puma(Puma)-106:

  

  #justkeepingitreal…

• 114.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:23 am

  @ufo(ufo)-101: exactly bro

• 115.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:23 am

  @ufo(ufo)-101:
  riveting stuff man…riveting…

• 116.bananas:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:23 am

  @JamesNkomo(JamesNkomo)-100: Fair enough, ref JS his fitness is a concern and a big no no to TH.

• 117.poethklapp7:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:26 am

  Puma and ufo you are talking the business. Fck this negativity. Boks to walk it…

• 118.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:27 am

  @Puma(Puma)-111: gm brudda lol

  i am very happy for prinsloo, that kids going places , excelent FB and man with a big boot

  as for UFO , yeah i agree and have read it , we should’nt worry to much about Keo’s prediction for the weekend?? we all know by now to back against who ever he backs to win

  he just gave the Boks a one sided victory

• 119.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:27 am

  @ufo(ufo)-101:
  Extending your logic,

  NZ may continue to select Mils but we all know who is the number one AB 15

  If NZ scrape through to the final, your theory is the 15 jersey should still go to Mils?

• 120.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:27 am

  @poethklapp7(poethklapp7)-117: at ur nick name

• 121.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:28 am

  @ufo(ufo)-101: Post of the day IMO.

• 122.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:29 am

  @ufo(ufo)-113: Well done. Keep on doing it. Beautifully written post as well. Really enjoyed reading it.

  Written like that it makes people sit up and take notice. Hope it sinks in to some that can’t really see it or rather don’t want too.

• 123.rugbypedia:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:29 am

  This is like bad shopping channel advertising. “But do call now.” And shouting at the camera doesn’t make it any more clear.

• 124.bananas:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:32 am

  @ufo(ufo)-101: When Smit retires we will indeed see, however he hasnt yet and will continue to be pegged as no2 hooker in SA for me. The no1 hooker is Biz, and he too will be deposed which is very good news for SA rugby and is the circle of life …

  Get off your high horse, read through your lengthy post and apply it to yourself and JS as well !

• 125.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:32 am

  @poethklapp7(poethklapp7)-117: @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-118: Yip and today is Bok day. Not gonna let anyone bring our Boks down. We should all just stick together and keep supporting them.

• 126.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:33 am

  @justrugby(justrugby)-110:

  hey jr… how you doing bud…?

  you see the thing is i have never said i don’t like bissy… i acknowledge he is a great player… but i don’t subscribe to the school of thought that i you have to trash one player to promote another…

  is he the best hooker in the world…? that’s all opinion… really… it is just opinion… he does some thing better than smit and smit does some things better than him…

  smit… in my own opinion does the hooking basics better…. hissy does the hooking ‘extras’ better… most of us will talk of the necessity of doing and getting the basics right… but don’t inset that hissy has to do the basics right..?

  personally… and it is ONLY my opinion… i think smit is the better hooker… and hissy is the better loose forward… as a package i acknowledge hissy may bring more to the party… but until he does the basics better than john i would start with john and use hissy off the bench… this has been my stance since the controversy started… and it still is…

  for me being a bok is being the best too… bt because i don’t see it the same as you does not make it less so for me…

  but i believe in what is best for the team to be the best… and i believe smit is the best option to start…

  sure bissy will grow and mature… but for now it think smit is the best option for the team…

  @JamesNkomo(JamesNkomo)-112:

  sorry bud… thin is if you just try and make a point it always get s taken out of context… i don’t have all day to counter each counter point so tried to cover it all in one go…

  but appreciate you comment…

  @stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-109:

  thanks bud…

• 127.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:35 am

  I am picking Aus to win this weekend.

  Relying on scoring points via intercepts and penalties is a bit fragile to base a tick in the Bok column.

  Yes, defence wins RWC, but you need to have at least some ability to score points beyond cashing in on the oppositions mistakes.

• 128.poethklapp7:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:35 am

  @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts

  Ja thanks it came to me when I saw quade for the first time. Bokke by 6. Toooo easy

• 129.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:35 am

  @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-118: I have hardly watched our u21′s. So will take notice when I watch our Sharks this weekend.

  For next year we need two equally good players in each position. So still pleased we have Viljoen coming even if this youngster is superb. Though will always back our own first.

  Now have to go out. Catch up later.

• 130.Gregs:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:36 am

  @ufo(ufo)-101: Well said UFO.I am confidnet that JS will do well and the team will do well.To hell with Keo and whoever is negative about OUR Boks. We are behind them 10000% (bankvas agter die Bokke).

• 131.Ratel Brussow:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:39 am

  Keo sucks balls. He has loved this Aussie side for ages and has never looked at any of their failings. Feeling better this morning having seen the Aussie team.

• 132.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:39 am

  Weather for Wellington on Sunday indicates a max of 10oC and clear conditions.

• 133.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:40 am

  @Brads(Brads)-127: How many tries did Oz score against Ireland? How did Ireland beat Oz? Their Forwards killed Oz. The master brain behind that was our very own and last forward coach for boks 2007 wc. Gert Smal. Boks play that sort of rugby better. Ireland were playing Bok rugby buddy.

  Defence wins games in a world cup. NO team has ever won by playing attacking rugby. Not ever.

  Boks anywhere from 1 to 7.

  We will see your boys in the semi.

  GO BOKKE GO.

• 134.Boks_B_to_win_RWC_2011:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:41 am

  Brads your farking hope the Aussies win .. you all blacks are moer scared to face the Boks without Carter!

• 135.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:42 am

  @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-114:
  @Puma(Puma)-122:
  @once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-115:

  thanks guys

  @Puma(Puma)-122:

  hehehe… thanks puma… but i wouldn’t count on it… it is just my opinion and sure these guys will stick to their’s…

  @bananas(bananas)-124:

  

  so… people can lay into smit in the most derogatory way with nothing to do about the game on the field or how he plays it… but anyone who backs him is on a high horse…???

  not logical to me… but… okay…

  and… one (or two) long posts from me is too much…? but YEARS of word-for-word endless repetition over and over and over again repeating exactly the same sentiments over and over again ad nauseum when everyone already knows exactly what the smit haters feel… is okay…? put them all together and i bet they make my post look like a footnote…

  but hey… i’m glad you got that off your chest…

• 136.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:42 am

  Cheers everyone. Catch up later.

  GO BOKKE GO.

• 137.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:46 am

  @Brads(Brads)-119:

  brads… i have said many times now i believe experience it the KEY factor for winning worlds cup… (all else being relatively equal of course…) so yes… as i have said several times since he was dropped… I would keep mils at 15 for thee world cup… because while dagga may act instinctively and do amazing things… when things get tight you need some to think rationally…

  dagga is great make no mistake… i’d find a place for him on the wing…

  and for the record… yes… mils is my current favourite all black…

  @Gregs(Gregs)-130:

  exactly… they are our boks… and i back them no matter what… no matter who gets selected… to the hilt… all the time… never a question…

• 138.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:46 am

  The Oz tight 5 is several rungs below the Boks. And apart from Pocock, their loose trio is also inferior. They make up for it in the backs, but not by miles. Cooper has brainfarts more often than not, and Jean and Jaque are capable of smothering anything that Barnes and Ashley-Cooper have planned. Their real danger lies in their outside backs, but I don’t think this will be the type of game that sees them too often.

  Gonna be tight, but I reckon Boks by between 5 and 10. Let’s call it 22 – 16.

• 139.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:47 am

  @Puma(Puma)-133:
  Yes, but Aus adapt. Ireland adapted better and took them by surprise.

  As for no team has ever won by playing attacking rugby – wrong. NZ did in the first event.

  However, that is not my point.

  You will need to have the ability to cobble together something better than waiting for mistakes to win this RWC.

• 140.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:47 am

  @Puma(Puma)-136:

  cheers puma…

  i gotta go too…

  see y’all in cyberspace…

• 141.RugbyStudent:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:50 am

  Does anybody else find KeoTV annoying?

  Keo, here’s a thought, how many times did Australia win Ireland in the last 6 tests?

  Keo makes me not want to drink Windhoek Lager, visit worldofsport or buy Butch James’ book. Get rid of Keo and I’ll do those things.

• 142.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:51 am

  @Brads(Brads)-139: the AB’s only won that title with no Boks to play against

  and like ur own Kahui said earlier in the week, if one of the top playing nations aint playing it aint a real WC

• 143.Dawn:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:52 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-138:

  “You have to break some eggs to make an umlaut”!

  

• 144.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:52 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-138:
  The danger of Cooper is not him playing at 10

  The danger is that he doesn’t play at 10.

  When the opposition have control of the set play he is playing fullback.

• 145.Boks_B_to_win_RWC_2011:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:53 am

  Argentina by 3!

• 146.Boks_B_to_win_RWC_2011:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:54 am

  @ 143 … dik troll allert!!!

• 147.chris_h:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:54 am

  Given that I have my seat booked at the Slug in Wimbledon for 5 thirsty GMT I hope KEO is dead wrong. I am nervous though; we unravelled in the second half against Samoa and if that is repeated then we are going home. But if we keep it tight and make FIRST TIME tackles – and Morne is pinging them over – then who knows. Knock out rugby is a different type of contest. Come on the Boks.

• 148.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:54 am

  @Dawn(Dawn)-143: Well, that’s what they say.

• 149.mako:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:55 am

  He he he, thanks Keo, you have just sealed it for the Bokke! I was really worried that you would pick the Boks to win on Sunday. Now I can really relax and look forward to the game. Go Bokke!

• 150.RugbyStudent:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:55 am

  Keo, what is your analysis on the Australian defense? What’s that? That’s what I though…nothing.

• 151.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:56 am

  @Brads(Brads)-139: Yeah 87 was different. ABs had no compitition then.

  Now teams won’t play that sort of rugby against top class teams in a knock out game. ABs will against Arg but next week. NO WAY. Other wise they will be out. Your team tried doing it against France in 2007 and came unstuck.

  We will see your boys in the semi.

  Cheers buddy. Now have to dash. Catch up later.

• 152.RugbyStudent:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:57 am

  SBW and Quade Cooper to throw intercept passes to lose their games.

• 153.heboric:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:59 am

  If I was first, I would have said “Very predictable dragon”

• 154.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 08:59 am

  @Brads(Brads)-144: Doesn’t matter. He still does stupid stuff, regardless of where he finds himself. He doesn’t know the first thing about percentage play – knowing when the reward justifies the risk. When he does pull off a spectacular no-look 20m through the legs backhand pass behind his own goal line, everyone hails him as a visionary. But for every one of those there are three that don’t work out. Great fun to watch, but not the guy you want alongside you in the muddy trench. Because you’ll not see the end of the war.

• 155.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:00 am

  @mako(mako)-149:

• 156.Boks_B_to_win_RWC_2011:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:02 am

  Went to the pub with my girlfriend last night. Locals were shouting
  paedo and other names at me just because my girlfriend is 21 and I’m 50.
  It completely spoilt our 10th anniversary.

• 157.Boks_B_to_win_RWC_2011:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:03 am

  My son was thrown out of school today for letting a girl in his class
  give him a hand-job. I said “Son, that’s 3 schools this year. You want
  to stop before you’re banned from teaching altogether.”

• 158.mako:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:05 am

  Something else that I find very interesting is that the Aussies are running a poll on Rugby Heaven on who will win on sunday. 60% say they will in 40% are ready for a loss. When do only 60%of Aussies think they are going to win a match? They have already lost in their own minds!

• 159.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:08 am

  @mako(mako)-158: A lot of SA’ns also live in Oz and could have contributed to that 40%?

• 160.Slumtown:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:08 am

  Blah blah blah You guys at Keo are getting boring and one dimensional. Butch James blah blah blah – who the f U K won the Boks the Tri Nations in 2009? Butch James? What no? Morne Steyn? Ahhh Does he mention anything about the majority of those 5 defeats coming when we were sans Heinrich Brussouw? Oh no? So its not because we were without Heinrich that we lost or that we played dirtrackers against them, no gentlemen its because we didnt have Butch James – din din din – please buy my book here din din din. You bunch of lamers! Hope the Boks beat them just to shut you up.
  One thing saying you think the Ozzies are going to beat them and another to gloat about it – in my books thats unpatriotic. In some departments Ozzies are better than us – most notably the backline but on a man by man basis one cant discount the Boks. Gimme a break. if you want to say you believe the Ozzies are going to take it fine but dont be a d00s.

• 161.Jeraldjay:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:08 am

  @ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-84: Now PDV is an Idiot. You a schitzophernic achoholic.
  One minute his the cats whiskers and the next his ****. And you expect those on this blog to respect you opinion.

• 162.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:09 am

  why are these dudes still talking about this before the knockouts? they are sure taking the shine off this RWC as it will be remembered more for the threats of boycotts than anything on the pitch

  O’Neill demands change
  .Friday, 7 October 2011 5.22 p.m.

  Australian Rugby Union boss John O’Neill says the SANZAR nations are united in their quest for a better financial outcome in Rugby World Cup years.

  Speaking in Wellington on Friday ahead of the Wallabies’ crucial quarter final against South Africa, O’Neill revealed the ARU’s involvement in the code’s showpiece event will cost $16 million in lost revenue.

  He claims New Zealand, South Africa and Australia stand to lose a combined $38 million.

  “The issues that are on the table at the moment relating to the financial consequences of participating in a World Cup are acutely felt by Australia, New Zealand and South Africa and that has brought us together in a very unified way,” O’Neill said.

  “It is not frivolous, it’s a serious matter and we’d hope to get the World Cup out of the way and in a quieter moment sit down and look at the timing of future World Cups.”

  “The distribution policy, how much funding the IRB distributes, particularly to the major unions, and finally what we call the commercial rules about what you can and can’t do in a World Cup.”

  “I think let’s get away from the hurly burly of the tournament and sit down and resolve those issues together and not get caught in the divide-and-conquer north v south, which I think is the objective of some people.”

  The veteran administrator stopped short of matching New Zealand Rugby Union chief Steve Tew’s threat’s to boycott the 2015 tournament.

  However, O’Neill slammed IRB boss Mike Miller assertion that the All Blacks are ‘replaceable’ and called for a review of the governing body’s governance and management structures.

  “There’s a great saying that I picked up from a South African, ‘we’ll double cross that bridge when we get to it’,” O’Neill joked when asked if Australia would ever consider withdrawing from a World Cup.

  “I’m hopeful of a sensible resolution. Threatening to boycott a World Cup is not our style but equally the notion that any team is replaceable is nonsensical.”

  “A World Cup without the All Blacks, the Wallabies and the Springboks, I’m not sure you’d call that a World Cup– but that’s not a path we want to go down.”

  “We think the resolutions are there with a bit of give and take, and it’s about the IRB governing the game globally, not just about hemispheres.”

  Meanwhile, O’Neill concedes the result of Sunday’s cut-throat quarter final against South Africa is central to the health of the code in Australia

  “It’s extremely important, our objective as one of the world’s major unions is to be a world power on a consistent basis.”

  “It’s an inescapable fact that the health and well being of the game back in Australia does hinge, not solely but quite largely, on the success of the Wallabies and we’ve been building for this.”

  “World Cups come and go and our aim is to be in the top two or three in the world year in, year out and when people talk about world rankings this event tends to be fairly definitive in terms of rankings.”

• 163.Sannie Bill Who??iams:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:10 am

  Now that would make you very happy Keopie? Just because your gatgabba, that other short s hit was not picked.

  Think again!!! Boks to bring it home and 4 more years for the black p ussies.

• 164.mako:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:12 am

  Below is a very interesting article written by Australian rugby journo Paul Cully. Read this if you want to feel good going into the weekend. It is on http://www.rugbyheaven.co.au

  Australia v South Africa, Wellington, Sunay, 4pm AEST

  Four years in the making, four games into the World Cup and these Wallabies have delivered four halves of rugby – three, if we are in a less generous mood – befitting a team that has pretensions to be the best in the world.

  On the evidence of the group stages, New Zealand, Wales, Ireland, and South Africa have superior all-round qualities, in an order depending on your nationality. A limited England have at least grasped the concept of consistent physicality and the Wallabies’ conquerors in July, Samoa, have shown more but go home with nothing but hard-luck stories. This Australian team will be on a plane home in about a week unless there is a dramatic lift in execution, aggression and technique. The uncomfortable truth is that a quarter-final exit would be a fair reflection of the quality of their campaign to date.
  Yet, three events occurred at the weekend – two specific, the other a little more abstract – did enough to suggest it need not end this way.

  First, James O’Connor got his rhythm back. In worsening conditions against the Russians in Nelson, the youngster’s technique stood up to the examination. To say that he was kicking under no pressure is a lie. Every minute in a World Cup is a trial, and O’Connor coped superbly – particularly after missing his first shot. Subsequent reports suggesting Berrick Barnes will not start against South Africa have added significance to O’Connor’s excellence with the boot.

  Second, in the 50th minute of Springboks v Samoa game, the Samoans executed a move that was replete with possibilities for South Africa’s opponents. From an attacking Samoa scrum 15 metres from the Springboks left-hand corner flag, five-eighth Tusi Pisi and outstanding No.12 Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu ran a wraparound play that lured Jaque Fourie – the key man in the Springboks defensive patterns – out of the line and out of the play. Attracted to a sizeable decoy runner in the shape of Alesana Tuilagi, Fourie suddenly found himself 10 metres ahead of where the Samoans were heading. To his credit, Fourie scrambled well to tackle Paul Williams, but the ball was recycled quickly and No.8 George Stowers surged through the fractured line and over. It would be stretching the argument to call it a blueprint for the Wallabies, but the pace, inventiveness and intelligence of the move dropped enough hints. Even Fourie, with his fondness of rushing up fast to shut down the space on the outside, can be manipulated. Australia do not lack the brains.

  Third, the group stage finished. The point is blindingly self-evident but no less important for it. History shows that champions and chumps have frequently been anointed at the end of the group games with consistent inaccuracy. Sides that have produced some rubbish in the early rounds suddenly find themselves purveyors of gold. Teams that have appeared sloppy are reborn as desperate and urgent. The mindset changes when the loser gets a slap on the back and a plane ticket.

  Against Russia, the Wallabies ranged from good to very poor. Aided by one of the worst collective 40 minutes on the entire World Cup – and certainly the worst individual display, by Russian No.10 Yuri Kushnarev – they blew out to an early lead and barely broke sweat. Kushnarev’s inability, or refusal, to tackle led directly to three Wallabies tries, to Berrick Barnes, Ben McCalman and David Pocock. The same man also kicked a restart out on the full, to add to the inexcusable first act of the game when Russia contrived to get themselves offside from their own kick-off.

  With Kushnarev on the field in the first half, the Wallabies expressed themselves and showed some lovely touches, as we know they can. Berrick Barnes showed vision and awareness with a neat chip-kick to set up Drew Mitchell’s first try in the ninth minute and Mitchell’s incredible inside ball to Pocock in the 35th minute led to Stephen Moore’s try. Digby Ioane has many qualities but he cannot do that.

  And yet the Wallabies struggled to put the part-timers away. They were unforgivably unable to impose themselves at the scrum against a side who had been beaten comprehensively there by Ireland, Italy and the United States. James Slipper was unsteady at loose-head. He had a hand on the ground at the first scrum and was then penalised in the fourth minute. He won a Super title on the other side.

  They were shaky in the lineouts when they opted for anyone else but the money man Nathan Sharpe, with both James Horwill and Scott Higginbotham shelling first-half throws. Even their best slipped off tackles, with Moore beaten in midfield in the 28th minute and exposing Quade Cooper at fullback to charging Russian centre Andrew Kuzin.

  When the rain came the Wallabies treated it as some freak act of God that couldn’t be planned for. Perhaps it was in short supply at the pre-tournament camp on the Gold Coast. O’Connor twice knocked on and Rob Simmons was also guilty.

  They conceded three tries to a side that had scored four in their previous three games, one to a replacement five-eighth who crashed over at the back of an attacking lineout. Once again, the lack of an enforcer at the gain line was exposed. It cannot be Pocock, who needs to be the second man in.

  No doubt substitutions and injuries interrupted the flow against Russia but this squad has been together for four months. A drop-off in intensity has also been mentioned but that works both ways. The first half might have been much less flattering had the Russians turned up. By all accounts coach Kingsley Jones tore strips off his side at half-time.

  While the Wallabies barely got out of second gear in Nelson, the Springboks were being pulled all over the place – especially in the second half – by a Samoa team that has footwork and pace. Samoa have done them little favours in that regard. The world champions enter the quarter-final operating at a physical level far in excess of their previous encounter, the Wallabies’ 14-9 Tri Nations win in Durban, which came on the back of six weeks of inactivity. In the last 10 minutes against Samoa, they were virtually down to 13 men with John Smit in the sin bin and Frans Steyn incapacitated by that shoulder injury, yet they still held out.

  Their scrum is also in a much better place, walking the Samoans forward 10 metres in the 26th minute to mirror the gains they made with the majority of their remorseless lineout drives. At the breakdown, they have a player in Heinrich Brussow to counter Pocock, especially when working in tandem with the brutal Bismarck du Plessis. Behind the pack, Fourie du Preez is playing with more directness with each game, and remains a tactical kicker of the highest order. Pat Lambie at fullback has composure and bravery beyond his years.

  But there are flaws – and one in particular the Wallabies’ playmakers are already familiar with – Bryan Habana’s susceptibility to the well-aimed kick over his head. The way a scrambling Habana reacted to a Pisi kick in the 34th minute immediately brought to mind the Reds’ 19-6 win against the Stormers at Newlands in April. That day, having attacked down Habana’s wing early to bring him up into the defensive line, Cooper and Will Genia then tormented Habana by turning him around with a serious judicious space-finders. Against Samoa, Habana hacked his clearance unconvincingly across field and into the path of the rampaging Tuilagi. On Sunday it could be Ioane.

  Morne Steyn is another one who will have a target on his head, and the trouble the hard-running Fuimaono-Sapolu gave him in that No.10 channel casts the Wallabies’ decision over who plays at No.12 in a new light. From a 37th minute scrum move, the powerhouse Fuimaono-Sapolu broke through Morne Steyn and put his side on the front foot at the next ruck. This is the template that put Pat McCabe and Rob Horne into the jersey in the first place, and might be enough to earn McCabe a recall.

  Now all the Wallabies have to do is hit every collision with the ferocity of the Pacific Islanders, for 80 minutes, against 22 proud men from South Africa who really don’t want to go home with their trophy.

  Yes, Dan Carter is gone and the future pathway is little less hazardous, but this week the magnitude of the task could not be any greater.

  The tactic: Brussow will hold and obstruct Pocock as much as he can get away with at scrum time on the Springboks feed, giving as much room as possible for either Pierre Spies or du Preez to fly off the back. A gentle word from James Horwill in the ear of Bryce Lawrence would not do any harm. Referee management is just one detail that cannot be overlooked. We already know the Springboks analyse each referee and will be prepared.

  The danger: You know it’s coming but it doesn’t make it any easier to defend. Morne Steyn is going to launch it high towards the back three and let the Wellington weather do the rest.

  The prediction: Springboks by two points.

• 165.oneslickpenguin:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:14 am

  yaaaaaaaawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn.
  after this, no way am i buying the butch book. imagine *paying* to read drivel like this.

• 166.ashampoopaloo:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:14 am

  yeah UFO you are on ONE massive high horse about being so called ‘morally’ objective because you are UNABLE to be detached and objective about this situation facing this rugby team. Your love and so called blinded patriotic fervor and attachment to one John Smit has blinded you to what is ABSOLUTELY palpable obvious which is for the sake of the TEAM.. Smit should ride bench and Bismark should START..

  Smit has systematically worn this team down into a LOSING one in recent years and you people are simply UNABLE to see who should be rated above whom

  This single decision is the worst that could have possibly been made.. and no matter how much of a high horse f’ng sentimentalist Smit disciple blind man bluff you wanna remain it does NOT change that absolute FACT..

  Had Bismark started and Smit and Spies rode bench and better players started and not be sacrificed for some inane sentimentalist garbage about some ineffective and mythical leadership f’ng aura that has ONLY LOST in recent times this would be a walkover vs Wallabies.. now it is a DISTINCT advantage to them and NOT us…

  Ask Deans and Genia and Moore and Elsom who they prefer to face in this match Smit or Bismark and you will get a RESOUNDING compliance with what I am saying.. how much you wanna bet?

  So maybe you reckon you the so called prophet of Smitty boy discipleship but fact of the matter is it is blinded archaic stupid hero worship sentiment that will sink this team and NOT the OBJECTIVE decision making that SHOULD happen above this pathetic sucking up to somebody whop has NOT put his team first nor has he led his tyeam WHATSOEVER with distincion throughout the PAST TWO YEARS.

  Go ahead and list his wins vs his losses against the VERY teams he is about to be facing in this WC play off situation down to the wire and to the death…

  Like Keohane has stated he hopes he’s wrong and so do I… and if I am I will be first to acknowledge that PdV got it right by sending on Smit ahead of Bismark..

  BUT if I am RIGHT and you are WRONG.. lets see then who is the distinct holy hero worshiping patriot shall we.. lets see if Smits inclusion ACTUALLY DOES fckup Boks chances on Sunday.. let us see you come back here Sunday and ADMIT that it was YOU who was WRONG.. !!

• 167.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:14 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-154:
  I agree, the guy can be a liability. Except, he could spark a couple of unexpected moves from way back that result in try’s.

• 168.cab:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:15 am

  i think Keo’s right, but its got nothing to do with morne steyn.

  Good luck SA.

• 169.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:16 am

  This has become a cut and paste wankfest

• 170.mako:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:22 am

  @169.Brads:
  No mate it is a rugby blog, with a big weekend coming up. Skip the long articles if you don’t like them, but some may find it informative. I personally find the article interesting and wanted to share it with others who may also feel the same.

• 171.sparticus:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:22 am

  Hits must be low .

• 172.danuk:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:23 am

  Keo, the only thing I got from this rant was that PDivvy did not choose the team you wanted him to choose, so you want a “told you so moment” … yawn …

  Would be great if you could focus on what has happened thus far and that the Boks that lost the last 6 games are different from who we have now, with Brussow and FdP back. The last test against the Aussies we barely lost and that was with a team with little or no match fitness.

  If anything, what will be telling in this game will be:
  - The scrums and Bryce Lawrence’s interpretation. Guthro is a great scrum
  - The breakdown and if we can slow their ball down with Brussow and clear Pocock out ourselves
  - The defense of the 10/12 channel, depending on how much space Quade gets and the loosies covering
  - The effect and timing of the replacements from our side

  The Aussies go in as favourites, but I think we can win

• 173.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:24 am

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-159:
  yes, but it still means only 60% think they’ll win.
  that 60% must be ozzies.

  i dont think saffa’s or keewee’s are anywhere near as negative about their teams as the ozzies.

• 174.Namblack:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:26 am

  Those who think that Aus will be bullied by the Bok forwards must think again. Aus scrummed very well against SA in Durban, their lineouts are on par and they contest cleverly at the breakdown.

  Their backline has no match. I don`t care if its wet everybody plays in the same weather

  Aus by 5. (The score will be around 15)

• 175.Slumtown:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:29 am

  @Brads(Brads)-169: so why dont you pi55 off then?

• 176.kesbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:32 am

  Keo
  We all sad the AB’s would win the World cup every time since 1987
  We all thought Ireland would crumble against Australia
  We all thought Tongo would get thumped by France
  You get the picture

  Predications are dangerous especially when you need to make them with you sporting betting sponsor.
  Then Bok is safe – will you eat your words on Keo TV.

• 177.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:32 am

  @Namblack(Namblack)-174:

  Yeah right,thats why SA led in all statistical categories as well as scoreboard with OZ making little headway into SA territory.Forward ascendancy belonged to Boks who were playing their 1st Test of the year.

  All was going to plan UNTIL they put Smit at prop,Australia won a crucial tighthead,kicked downfield,Aplon dropped ball.Oz got another scrum with Smit at 3 and decimated Bok scrum getting right shoulder which opened up space & Oz scored.

  Jannie Dup came back on the pitch,SA regained forward momentum,then were on attack in last 5 mins controlling scrums,lineout,breakdown etc.Then Danie Rossouw dropped ball 10 metres from trying with Boks on attack.Game over.

• 178.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:34 am

  @Brads(Brads)-169: It’s a good read though. You should give it a bash.

• 179.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:35 am

  @danuk(danuk)-172:
  I am appalled.

  You have pre-rated the reasons why the Bokke may not win and from that analysis give your number one excuse as the ref.

• 180.Jeraldjay:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:35 am

  @Namblack(Namblack)-174: In Durban the players came back from a 6 week break buddy. Comparing their mental and physical conditioning to the team the Wallabies are facing on Sunday is like comparing Beyonce and Betty White or Elton John and George Michael which ever you prefer.

• 181.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:35 am

  @Namblack(Namblack)-174:

  SA also missed 2 tries with Jaque Fourie knocking on twice. one with tryline beckoning-other one failed to dot down and knocked. SA had more scoring chances than Oz.Fluffed them,rusty 1st test of yr.

• 182.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:36 am

  @mako(mako)-164: WOW!

  A whole article by an Aussie taking an indepth look at the weaknesses of the Boks… and NOT ONE PEEP about John Smit?!

  No comments about “the Aussies are stunned yet grateful that Smit has been chosen to start over the vastly superior Du Plessis”?

  WOW!

  If you read the constant sheep bleating comments to the same effect on this particular website (admittedly, it is a small but vociferously loud herd of sheep) you’d think this is the MAJOR weakness of the Boks.

  After all, if the Boks lose, it will all be one man’s fault…

• 183.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:37 am

  But seriously, thank sweet ***** Keo has tipped the Aussies.

  The Keo curse.

• 184.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:38 am

  Keo lining up a massive “I told you so.”

  Hope it backfires.

• 185.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:38 am

  Anyway, keo sounds so absolutely sure about the outcome on this vid. Not his gut feel, or his opinion, or his educated guess, but cold hard fact.

  So the pertinent question is, keo, how much of your hard earned dollars will you be taking down to your betting sponsors to place on the Aussies? Being as certain as you are, you could set yourself up for life here.

• 186.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:40 am

  After all, “it’s Australia’s World Cup to lose”

  

  Ireland had a good laugh at that one too.

• 187.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:42 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-178:
  I have already read umpteen media reports including these before coming on here.

  I am surprised you come on keo for your NEWS.

• 188.capebull:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:42 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-177: With you on that one , we outplayed OZ untill we got tired and they played Smit at 3. Did Burger play ?

  Keep it simple , kick the ball out , win line out drive the maul.

• 189.capebull:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:46 am

  But it could all change in SA’s favour if Butch play , nè Keo

• 190.capebull:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:48 am

  To go into any final as underdog suits me fine

• 191.David:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:48 am

  @once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-173:
  Those Aussies probably thought it’s a cricket match.

• 192.Ratel Brussow:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:48 am

  @capebull(capebull)-188: And also lets add a cerain no. 10s inability to control territory with the wind behind him and driving rain!!!!

• 193.David:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:50 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-185:
  I’m surprised that Keo has any money left to gamble, after all his wrong calls in the last few years. I reckon he’s given Marshalls free advertising to pay off his debts.

• 194.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:51 am

  @ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-166:

  hehehe…

  jaaaaaaaaa skop…

  you can repeat it as often as you like… swear as much as you want… and give your opinion ad nauseum… it still doesn’t make a single thing you say factual… it all still remains ONLY your opinion…

  the difference between you and me is i keep repeating it is only my opinion i’m expressing… i’m not claiming anything as fact… but in expressing what is simply your opinion… you seldom post any facts let alone “absolute FACTS’… if you replace each expletive with a fact your posts would hold a lot more credibility…

  try some originality too skip… come up with different insults and your own comebacks… instead of recycling other posters comebacks and your own way too often repeated points…

  two things…

  stuck record…

  broken watch…

  

• 195.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:51 am

  @Brads(Brads)-187: Bradley, Bradley, why so foul tempered? Stress is obviously a debilitating affliction.

  No one comes here for news, bud. We’re all here for the chat, but if someone happens to post an interesting article or link, then why not read it?

  But good for you for reading every single rugby report on the Interwebs before logging on here. We’d be lost without your informed guidance.

• 196.mako:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:52 am

  The Wobblies are in serious disaray. The public (Many of them) have no faith in their coach. Deans bulleted their NSW Waratahs skipper just before the WC, Waratahs players not too thrilled. They have lost to Samoa and Ireland in the last few months. O Connor is not kicking very well for posts. They know they are going to face a very experienced, very motivated Bok side on Sunday and they are going to have a tough day at the office. Their defence is not as strong as they like to think, having leaked tries to teams such as USA and Russia. Bokke have scored 21 tries in the tournament so far and leaked 2. Methinks the Aussies are in trouble.

• 197.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:55 am

  @David(David)-193: Ah, a trade exchange of sorts.

  I’m suspicious of keo’s sponsored predictions here for the simple reason that Marshall want him to help them make money. And they wont if the house loses. I’m sure there is something ethically deplorable to what he’s doing here – influencing betting patterns to benefit the master. If he were slightly more Pakistani, we’d be calling for his head.

• 198.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:56 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-195:

  You are wasting your time with Bradley.

  He is VERY thick-skinned.

• 199.Tacitus:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:57 am

  Fourie du Preez. If he is on song, we will win.

• 200.Dex:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:58 am

  Aussies are by far a superior team and not just on paper.

  Man for man in the backs particularly they are simply better and more skilled players, no two ways about it.

  Unfortunately it takes a far greater coach than PDV to develop a game plan to counter this fact.

• 201.David:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:59 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-197:
  I’m surprised you mention ethics and Keo in the same sentence. This is the man who recently told the world about a meeting with PdeV and the current players he wanted to get rid of, that I would have thought was confidential.

• 202.Brigadier Van Zyl:
  7 Oct 2011, 09:59 am

  personally, I’ve a good feeling about the ozzie game.

  PS: didn’t we lose in durban with our strongest side with butch at flyhalf?

• 203.Rugby-1:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:00 am

  This headline just made my day – Keo backing the Aussies thank the Lord. The Boks are guaranteed to win this Sunday

  Yet another helping of humble pie for you this weekend Keo, no wonder you are stacking it on

• 204.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:00 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-195:
  Agreed, I should have less angst.

  However, on a blog, if you are inclined toward the concept of cutting and pasting, then at least give some editorial comment to support it.

  It annoys me when bloggers post whole blocks of text from newspaper articles and just wait for the reaction.

• 205.mako:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:00 am

  @101.ufo:

  Great post mate, couldn’t have said it better. I like your attitude!

  As for those who think we are going to lose, you guys buy the beer next week!

• 206.wors:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:00 am

  Keo, with all due respect, I hope you are not speaking or come close to any of the players with this negativitity, because of they don’t BELIEVE that will win, they won’t. You are a great journalist and I like this website, but you are way too negative.

• 207.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:01 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-181: not to mention the othe 2 tries BEAST fluffed because he didn’t want to pass and went cluttered into an Aussie player with FOUR players – habana, mossie, spies, jdv – screaming for the ball on the inside. did you see beast do the same STUPID thing against Samoa? they show it on supersport all the time, if tendai had brains he could’ve changed direction and beat the defender but no, from 5 metres away he’d decided he is colliding with that play and bang he got tripped and went no further! pissses me off!

• 208.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:02 am

  @Rugby-1(Rugby-1)-203:
  Do you live in a commune by any chance?

• 209.Namblack:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:02 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-177:

  I’m not saying the Boks do not have a better pack it just that the expectation is that they will steamroll the Aussie pack something I still need to witness.

  If the Aussie pack can stand their own against the boks (Something far fetched only in the mind of Saffas) they have a good chance of beating them with a superior backline.

  It`s because of these simple non-statistical analyzed reasons that I give the Aussies my vote.

• 210.stormersboy:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:03 am

  Is it just me or is anyone else also tired of the “MY HOOKER IS BETTER THAN YOUR HOOKER” **** that everyone is posting here?

  Jeez you’d swear that we are from two different countries…..that are at war.

  Catch a wake up man and get behind South Africa!

  Nothing that is said here is ever going to influence the team selections or strategies.

  Everyone is so intent on being right that we’ve all lost the big perspective.

  Some days it makes me embarrased to be a South African reading some of this nonsense…

  We used to have onje of the highest education standards in the world (yes i know for some) but you wouldn’t know it reading this blog….

• 211.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:04 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-199: if he is rubbish as he has been, then what?

• 212.bananas:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:05 am

  @ufo(ufo)-135: okeydokey ufo, lets hope JS and ALL the other Boks prove you right on Sunday !

• 213.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:06 am

  @mako(mako)-205:

  thanks mako…

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-210:

  you’re absolutely correct Bud and that’s… a concrete cold fact…!!

• 214.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:06 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-210:

  Chill winston.

  The game rangers have managed to dart the @ss shampooer.

  Once the ringleaders are asleep the rest of the toytoyers should disperse fairly quickly.

• 215.David:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:08 am

  With apologies to a true exchange, which took place in the UK.

  Keo meets the editor of a popular tabloid in the pub and asks “Are you still peddling cr*p to the masses?” to which the reply was, “Yes, I am, are you still writing it?”

• 216.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:10 am

  @bananas(bananas)-212:

  cool man… win or lose i’m comfortable with the selections and will skree my lungs out for every single one of them… 1-22… if we win great… if we lose not so great…

  more than anything i hope the result is determined by the teams and not the ref or any other extraneous incidents…

  if both teams play to their full potential… i believe the boks will take it… but it’s a mighty big if and… just my opinion…

• 217.rossoneri:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:10 am

  Ok. Have not watched the video yet, but Keo has basically put the kiss of death on the Aussies now. Boks to win it.

• 218.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:11 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-210: what does level of education have to do with rugby banter?

• 219.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:12 am

  @capebull(capebull)-188:

  No Burger didnt play.Rossouw was at 7

• 220.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:13 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-218:

  education has everything to do with banter.

  that’s why langers and extraball are so poor at it.

• 221.danuk:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:14 am

  @Brads(Brads)-179: what is pre-rated?

  These are key areas where the match will be contested, thus the concept of a match. I just think these are the areas which will determine the outcome, so if the boks come out on top in these areas then the Aussies will loose, and if we don’t then we will loose

  No excuses, just simple logic

• 222.Brads:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:15 am

  @David(David)-215: Thats a keeper

• 223.Jeraldjay:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:15 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-199: Hear, hear.
  If the general is on song we are in the mix.
  What a great servant of SA Rugby this guy has been. Unassuming, never windgat. And some folk on this sight want to replace him with Hougie….. just like that.
  Believe me, I noticed it in the Samoan game, he is starting to express himself
  and will be ready on Sunday.

• 224.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:16 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-210:

  gun to your head (nigerian drug dealer holding the trigger) we’re gonna blow you away man, which would you rather?:
  1. lick bismarck’s crack, or
  2. suck & swallow john’s ccock

  you’ve got 3 seconds man, you better choose!
  tick, tock….

• 225.Namblack:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:16 am

  My take is that if the Boks lose the Smit/Bismarck issue will have nothing to do with it. I do not think these two players have that much influence on the outcome.

  The Steyn/James issue to me will have much more consequences.

• 226.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:16 am

  Again I wonder how Keo & his team go about when making predictions.

  Do you guys analyse anything?

  5/6 in favour of Aussies. Fine, but take a closer look at it.

  In 2008 when both teams could choose their best possible side, it was 1-1. Home victory each.

  In 2009 the Boks had the edge as we were at the peak of our powers with key players available. 2-1 To the Boks with an away victory as well.

  But in 2009 the Aussies finally promoted Genia & Pocock into the starting team and as a result beat the Boks the weekend after we ran them to pieces when Robbie Deans finally had to let go of a struggling Luke Burgess.

  In 2010 the Aussies turned the tables with an away victory.

  But again the Boks were without two players who were influential to our success during 2009.

  In 2011 the first match we all know we were never gonna win. The return match the Aussies won but even this result should be viewed in context of the Boks’s preperation with the subs and changes we made, not to mention our lack of match fitness.

  I’m not making excuses for anybody as you’ve seen I’ve given both sides their due and factored in why results went against them.

  On this basis the outcome you get is that SA wins their homegames & likewise Aussies beat us when playing at their home base.

  But now moving on to the competition we’re in now and factoring in everything that’s been mentioned above.

  Now add the relative performances of both teams during the Cup, which team has been improving and which team has been declining?

  Which team has the better defensive record in IN THIS COMPETITION taking into account the calibre of opposition?

  Which team has met the kind of pressure waiting on them and dealt with it successfully, how man Aussies can say they’ve won a RWC QF?

  In the environment of RWC Pressure, which team has the more reliable kicker?

  Now, you can say Aussies have a better attack, but to counter that the Boks have the best defence in this competition which has won them crucial games so far where as the brilliance of the Aussie attacked failed to get them the right result when met face on with solid aggressive defence.

  This doesn’t mean that the Boks WILL win, but it does suggest that they have a better chance than the Aussies have.

  You guys at Keo get paid to do this and it seems you’re sleeping on the job.

• 227.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:17 am

  @mako(mako)-170: Agree, cheers for sharing.

• 228.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:19 am

  @Gunther(gunther)-220: ExTraball has an MB ChB from UCT, what level of education should he aspire to to qualify for nuanced rugby banter?

• 229.danuk:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:20 am

  @Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-202: Agreed, I like language coming from the boks and especially the fact that the Wallaby strategy is based on the results this year

  About Butch … Not a bad player or guy, unfortunately Keo banging on about Morne being **** and Butch being fantastic is the problem.

  For me Morne is a better kicker and Butch a better distributor/defender. Morne’s tackling is not great and Butch is inclined to get a yellow card and is a slightly less dependable kicker.

  Big question for me is how JDV will go

• 230.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:23 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-228:
  honestly transie?…honestly?

  they give these things to retards if they have the time (to eventually get through) and money to pay for it.

• 231.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:23 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-228:

  Ahh does he now?

  Let’s not confuse “qualifications” with an education.

• 232.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:23 am

  I am happy with the team, my only hope is that PdV makes astute substitutions and doesn’t suddenly decide to try and play players out of position.

• 233.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:24 am

  @danuk(danuk)-229:

  jean is an intelligent guy… he knows frans took his chance with both hands…

  he knows he had lost his starting spot..

  and he knows people will criticise him should he not deliver as frans did…

  i expect a man-of-the-match TYPE performance from him…

• 234.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:25 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-228:
  and i say that as a generalisation and not specifically about et or anyone else.
  i dont want the wrath of ‘oh gawd!’ coming down on me hehe

• 235.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:26 am

  @danuk(danuk)-229:

  I see the Aussies have gone with Pat McCabe instead of Barnes has he performed well against JdV & J.Fourie last time out.

  Will be interesting to see how we deal with his hard running this time around.

• 236.Caper:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:27 am

  What absolute rubbish! We’re gonna lose against the Aussies, because of a weak 10-12 channel, defensively? Nonsense!

  We lost against Australia in Durban, BECAUSE Butch was there and not Morne Steyn. Butch may be solid on defense, but Quade Cooper isn’t exactly a ‘physical presence’. Every player on the field needs to step up defensively in order to keep those elusive backline players under control. When Morne played against the Wallabies we klapped them – by playing to our strengths.

  As much as I hate to admit it, the Boks look at their best when we dominate set pieces, get momentum through big ball carriers and Morne Steyn is on target – not when Butch sets out backline ‘alight’.

  Boks to take it by 5, but I don’t say that with much certainty.

• 237.stormersboy:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:28 am

  @Gunther(gunther)-214: True. It’s just really redundant by now,

• 238.Jeraldjay:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:28 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-228: Knowledge of the game and watching LIVE rugby is what it about. Soaking the atmosphere reading players body language.
  Loving the tradition of the game. Watching a Bok test match is 1st prize but watching Currie Cup rugby with all the Boks available in their respective teams is the ultimate experience.

• 239.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:30 am

  @wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-235: They only picked McCabe because he is (supposedly) big and tough. He has all the finess of Gurthro Steenkamp, but they want someone to pull a Jamie Roberts on Morne. I think they made a mistake. Barnes is a far better player.

• 240.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:30 am

  Another thing Keo fails to break down is the benches.

  Robbie Deans has so far appeared somewhat clueless to what exactly his bench means in his tactics.

  He usually makes subs when they can’t have a realistic impact on the match, against Ireland he sent on Palu with 10 minutes to go.

  Even when Deans sees a player struggle or his team lacking a spark he’s very hesitant in making subs and most time he leaves it too late.

  Whereas PDV has made this a strength, willing to bring on subs as early as the 50th minute and his subs are more often than not IMPACT players who provide energy and impetus to his team.

• 241.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:31 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-237:

  How’s the weather?

• 242.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:31 am

  @once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-230: are you suggesting ET is a re_tard? hehehe

• 243.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:32 am

  @Gunther(gunther)-231: i guess Slough Comprehensive is the only “education” worth anything.

• 244.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:33 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-239:

  Definitely agree, I was really happy to see Barnes not starting.

  He’s solid in defence, has the ability to take a gap and as a bonus has a neat boot on him.

  Deans plan to use him as an impact player to come and do drop kicks is a mystery to me, i thought impact players are meant to break the game open?

• 245.John Galt:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:33 am

  The biggest stumbling block for Saturdays game is not who plays, but rather how the Boks play.
  This bok side is about the strongest Ive seen recently and apart from 1 or 2 personal biases toward some players, I think very happy with the side, as Im sure most of us are.

  The Boks didnt win the WC2007 with a kicking game.
  The Bulls never won thier S15 trophies with an all out kicking game. Tactically their kicking game was superior but they scored a million tries by holding onto the ball along the way.
  The Sharks havent one the odd CC recently with the kick chase gameplan either.

  The only time the kick chase gameplan worked was in 2009 when the ELVs dictated that not having the ball was more beneficial to holding onto the thing.(hugely ironic as these ELVs were supposed to speed up the game and promote exciting running rugby) But I digress.
  The Samoa game should provide the perfect example of how to play and how not to play. First half, we kept posession, there was utter forward dominance and had our finishing been sharper, we could have been home and dry already. Second half, we went into our shells, kicked everything away and came within a ball hair of losing the game.

  If we kick posession away onto the likes of Beale, AAC, Ioane etc we will not win this game.

  Bokke, dominate at ruck time, hold onto the ball and let Morne and Fourie kick only when it is tactically necessary. Otherwise, lets suffocate these Ausies as only we know how.

• 246.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:34 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-243:

  not at all.

  you have lovely rugby banter.

  but then again you went to Dale

• 247.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:34 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-242:
  please refer to post #234

• 248.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:36 am

  @Gunther(gunther)-246: you wish i went to Dale xhosakid is a Dale boy, get it straight

• 249.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:37 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-242: ET is just damaged goods. The struggle wasn’t kind to him. He got left behind enemy lines, and no one had the decency to go back for him. So he’s still fighting, like those crazy Japanese soldiers, forgotten on their Pacific islands. Broken boy soldier, our Educated Twat.

• 250.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:38 am

  Deans even has Ant Fai’inga again on the bench.

  He made some telling tackles from the bench in Durban, but is Deans really going with the same plan that worked last time out?

  Now when Div does it he’s called dumb.

  From a selection point of view Div won that battle no doubt as we’ve picked a bench to go and win a match where Deans’s bench is aimed at defending a lead.

  And they say the Boks play a defensive game?

• 251.John Galt:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:38 am

  ‘…I think very happy with the side, as Im sure most of us are…’

  …I am very happy with the side…

• 252.David:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:39 am

  @Gunther(gunther)-246:
  That’s nothing. My daughter was expelled from Dale.

• 253.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:40 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-248:

  I don’t wish you went anywhere.

  Well not in an educational sense anyway.

  We’ll chat again when you are feeling better.

  @once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-247:

  extrabollock is emotionally retarded that much is certain.

• 254.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:40 am

  @Dex(Dex)-200:

  Guthro/Kepu….Guthro
  Smit/Moore….Moore
  Jannie/Alexander…Jannie
  Rossouw/Horwill….Rossouw(has been superb in RWC so far)
  Matfield/Simmons……Matfield
  Brussow/Pocock…..Brussow(Pocock injury-prone RWC)
  Burger/Elsom….Burger
  Spies/Samo….even

  Du Preez/Genia….Genia
  Steyn/Cooper….Cooper
  Habana/Ioane….Ioane
  de Villers/McCabe…..de Villiers
  Fourie/AAC,,,,,Fourie
  JPP/O’Connor….JPP
  Lambie/Beale….Beale

  Bench:

  Bismark/Polotu-Nau….Bismark
  CJ/Slipper…..CJ
  Alberts/McAlman…..Alberts
  Flo/Hodgson….Flo
  Hougaard/Burgess…..Hougaard
  Butch/Barnes…..Barnes
  Aplon/Faingaa….Aplon

• 255.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:40 am

  @John Galt(John Galt)-245:

  Not much wrong with kick & chase when it’s done at the right part of the field, meaning dropping on the wings/fullback just outside the 22.

  But if we kick and chase anywhere else we’ll be punished.

• 256.Skipper:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:41 am

  I must say that I have not enjoyed most of the articles on Keo’s site this WC. Very little positive support and encouragement for the Boks

• 257.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:42 am

  @wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-240: This is true, however PdV has also made some appalling subs during his tenure as coach. This RWC he has been pretty good, hopefully it continues.

• 258.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:43 am

  @Skipper(Skipper)-256:
  you should’ve been here in 2007…

• 259.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:44 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-254:

  Samo and Spies are cut from the same cloth. Muscles, speed, former wings, brilliant in space but soft in the grind stakes.

  We have a clear edge on the bench. Div has a bench made to win a match, Deans’s bench will try and defend a lead.

• 260.John Galt:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:44 am

  @wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-255:
  Thats assuming our kickers are acurate.
  Which they arent at present.
  Fouries kicking game is woefully of late. All that means is that you are gifting the Ausie back 3 to run back at you.
  Not bright.

• 261.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:44 am

  @David(David)-252:

  How is that possible?

  

  I thought Dale was the place people went when they were expelled from other schools?

• 262.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:45 am

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-257:

  That’s what I’ve been saying all along on this blog.

  Subs used to be a weakness of PDV, but right now at this tournament it’s his trump card and at the same time it’s been a stumbling block for Deans.

• 263.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:46 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-254:

  agree with most of your comparisons there…

  only doubtful about the jpp/o’connor one… think o’connor takes that one… IMO… o’connor the most naturally talented rugby player on the planet at the moment… (just a shame he’s a bit of a jerk along with that – hopefully he matures…)

  jpp’s gonna have to watch o’connor like a shark watch a fish hoek swimmer…!

• 264.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:47 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-249: but ET says the ANC aka neo-racist sold his noble ideals of non-racialism down the river of white wealth.

  what would you do if you fought for something and then your so-called comrades take the cash before you actually got the very thing you lost limbs to achieve?

• 265.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:47 am

  @wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-262:

  you have been… and you’re right…

• 266.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:48 am

  @David(David)-252:
  oh dear, that must be every parents worst nightmare, shame.
  well, that along with your daughter getting pregnant.

• 267.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:48 am

  @John Galt(John Galt)-260:

  It has to be accurate for us to have a shot at regaining possession or put them under pressure to make an error.

  But it’s still a safe enough option as I’d dare any team to run the ball out of their 22 against the Boks in the first 40 of RWC QF.

  It’s HIGH RISK Rugby and in RWC’s it would take a brave man to run from anywhere in the first half.

  One team who’d do it are the Aussies, the Boks know it and they’ll be prepared for.

• 268.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:49 am

  @David(David)-252: is Helen you daughter? he/she is a man/woman.

• 269.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:50 am

  @ufo(ufo)-263:

  Ye that also depends on which JPP shows up on the day.

• 270.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:50 am

  @Gunther(gunther)-253: i’m fine actually, are you ok?

• 271.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:52 am

  A lot has been spoken on this particular thread about the two teams. It is going to be an epic battle.

  However, there is also a perhaps overlooked aspect to the game which nobody has really examined in depth. What do you think Bryce Lawrence’s impact on the game will be?

  Will he be an astute and impartial officiator – what are the potential problem areas for both teams?

• 272.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:53 am

  @wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-259: soies was devastating in the 1st half of that debben game, if he can find the same chi, then we’ll have the aussies on the ropes come half-time

• 273.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:54 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-264: Old ET is only bitter that the division of the spoils excluded him. Typical struggle disillusionment. “Where’s my bit?”

  Anyway, the closest he came to losing limbs for the struggle was a nasty infection that almost claimed his johnson after a late night beer fuelled meeting ended in an awkward three way tryst with two female looking comrades. Long Live!

• 274.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:55 am

  How on earth did Deans not even get a place on the bench for Higgenbottom (sp)?

  He’s been their one true IMPACT player this year.

• 275.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:56 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-272:

  I remember Spies in that game picking up the ball from the base of the scrum, running and handing off Genia straight on his head !

• 276.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:57 am

  @ufo(ufo)-263: o’connor has skinned habana on many occasions

• 277.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:58 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-273:

  SACOS triathlon ?

• 278.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:58 am

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-271:

  The Aussie media have written countless articles of how they don’t like him.

  They think he unfairly penalised them in the scrums vs Ireland, and the Boks frontrow actually came out this weekend and agreed that some scrum decisions in that game could’ve gone either way.

• 279.cane:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:59 am

  THE LOVING HUSBAND

  A man had two of the best tickets
  for the Rugby World Cup Final. As he sits down, another man comes
  along and asks if anyone is sitting in the seat next to him..

  “No”, he says, “the seat is empty.”

  “This is incredible!” said the man, “who in their right mind would
  have a seat like this for the Rugby Cup Final, the biggest sporting
  event of the rugby world and not use it?”

  He says, “Well, actually, the seat belongs to me. My wife was supposed
  to come with me, but she passed away. This is the first Cup Final we
  haven’t been to together since we got married.”

  “Oh… I’m sorry to hear that. That’s terrible. I guess you couldn’t
  find someone else, a friend or relative or even a neighbour to take
  the seat?”
  The man shakes his head…

  ……..”No. They’re all at the funeral.”

• 280.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 10:59 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-276: Think he was comparing O’Connor to JP Pietersen there…

• 281.danuk:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:00 am

  @Skipper(Skipper)-256: I agree, the articles keo.co.za is more like a Keo’s and Ryan Vrede’s personal views on why they don’t like the coaches, players, etc.., and on what they think will happen.

  Emotional, biased and unbalanced. I might as well as my neighbour his opinion.

  Fortunately the bloggers provide some different views/perspectives

• 282.Yetirat:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:02 am

  Well you have to hand it to them, this is one helluva sales pitch from the Keo mob.

• 283.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:02 am

  @wpstormerbok(wpstormerbok)-278: Hmm… But in the same breath, have some games that he’s presided over not gone in our favour either? Unfortunately work often dictates that I often cannot watch the games so usually have to rely on word of mouth or read about it in the paper later.

  Given that you’ve provided an Australian point of view, it would be interesting to see a South African one, whether from the press or personal.

• 284.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:03 am

  @danuk(danuk)-281:

  Agree with that, it’s like listening to a biased AB supporter talking down the Boks.

• 285.Redrover:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:04 am

  THE BOKS ARE NOT COMING HOME !!!!!!!
  THE BOKS ARE NOT COMING HOME !!!!!!!
  THE BOKS ARE NOT COMING HOME !!!!!!!
  THE BOKS ARE NOT COMING HOME !!!!!!!

  ….and if you were a patriot then this should be your mantra, KEO!

• 286.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:06 am

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-283:

  They haven’t said anything other than the scrum issue and Gary Gold who said we’ve been analysing refs just as much as the opposition.

• 287.umbhoxoswede:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:07 am

  Love the negativity and talk of Boks having a winning chance in the wet weather. Wallabies may be fave’s but its a 50/50 call I reckon, the team that turns up on the day will win this. Keo to you ‘talk’ like you do on keo.tv in the pub? lol

• 288.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:07 am

  @Gunther(gunther)-277: Correct. Except that it turned out to be a pole vault. ET had to improvise.

• 289.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:07 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-276:

  good for him… he has a lot of talent…

• 290.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:11 am

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-280: well jp won’t be marking o’connor as bieber is a 14 and jpp is also a 14

  “jpp’s gonna have to watch o’connor like a shark watch a fish hoek swimmer…!”

• 291.Bouts:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:12 am

  Fine Keo, but the fact remains, from those 6 games, only 1 game had the current bok squad in it. And in that game, which Aus barely won, most of the players returned from injury and haven’t played for a long time. Prior to those 2 years the boks thrashed the Aussies… with the team to play them this weekend.

  Since you brought up Samoa, what was the result from their last game against Aus?

  Pocock reigned only because Brussow wasn’t there. Brussow is halfway in regaining his form after injury… Pocock is only starting his return.

  Point is, it is a knock-out game. Could go either way. Aus have the unpredictable expansive play, but the Boks will use the exact opposite… structured brutality… the one thing Aus hates!

  Funny how you’re sounding exactly like you did before you became braai-buddies with Jake 4 years ago. Your distaste for PDV has blinded you so that you barely got any predictions right this WC… for all the games.

• 292.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:13 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-273:
  during the anti war demonstrations against the usa’s invasion of iraq in 2003 i felt morally compelled out of good conscience to attend one of the meetings the organisers had called.

  basically, what happened was that all these ‘characters’ came out of the woodwork (at least i hope they were in the woodwork all along) wearing berets, full beards and old ‘unban the anc now’ type t-shirts, others those old red commie ones with the hammer and sickle, and these guys proceeded to start a moerse (and lengthy one at that) argument about the points of the meeting and/or the order of how those points should be tabled in the meeting. ironically and rather funnily they kept standing up and shouting “point of order comrade chair” at every opportunity in regards to the argument about the points, and it’s order, in the meeting.

  this was a an ‘interesting’ experience to say the least and all rather a shambles, which just left me with a deep sense of ‘i need to get the ffuck out of here & why the ffuck did i let my conscience get the better of me’ type of feeling. i went to one rally and never went back again.

  i really wanted to do something to make a difference and hopefully save some ‘seemingly’ innocent peoples lives…those basturds made it hard for me.

• 293.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:14 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-273: you think that’s where ET perfected his “breaststroke”?

• 294.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:15 am

  @Bouts(Bouts)-291:

  That’s why Keo’s been getting so many predictions wrong.

  They don’t do any breakdowns, just go with the popular flow almost.

• 295.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:15 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-290:

  was commenting on mshini’s comparative post…

  but you knew that…

• 296.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:15 am

  @cane(cane)-279: Cane was in Australia to watch the 2003 Rugby World Cup and was not feeling well, so he decided to see a doctor.

  “Hey doc, I dun’t feel so good, ey” said Cane.

  The doctor gave him a thorough examination and informed him that he had long existing and advanced prostate problems and that the only cure was testicular removal.

  “No way doc,” replied Cane “I’m gitting a sicond opinion ey!”

  The second Aussie doctor gave Cane the same diagnosis and also advised him that testicular removal was the only cure. Not surprisingly, he refused the treatment.

  Cane was devastated, but with the Rugby World Cup just around the corner he found an expat Kiwi doctor and decided to get one last opinion from someone he could trust.

  The Kiwi doctor examined him and said: “Cane Cuzzy Bro, you huv Prostate suckness ey.”

  “What’s the cure thin doc?” asked Cane, hoping for a different answer.

  “Wull, Cane,” said the doctor “Wi’re gonna huv to cut off your balls.”

  “Phew, thunk god for thut!” said Cane. “Those Aussie ******** wanted to take my test tickets off me!”

• 297.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:17 am

  @cane(cane)-279:
  hahaha
  very funny

• 298.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:18 am

  @once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-292: Ha ha, got to love commie red tape. At least they looked the Che Guevera part

• 299.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:21 am

  @ufo(ufo)-263:

  JPP is a better winger than O’Connor IMO. O’Connor is very talented indeed especially as a ball player but he isnt better than anyone really in the positions he plays 10/12/11/14/15. He is a “tweener” thus no real specified skillset. Valuable squad member. Dont think he is the most talented naturally,few names come to mind: Aaron Cruden,Johan Goosen,Kurtley Beale,Israel Dagg etc O’connor suspect under high ball, front on defense,question mark on his out and out speed.

  Good player though. But dont think he will ever be the “new Tim horan”…as many pundits have punted. Doesnt have the size,amazing acceleration nor hard nosed physicality that pocket tank Horan hand. O’Connor best suited for 15 but Beale is better than him there.

• 300.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:23 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-296:

  

• 301.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:25 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-290:

  O’Connor hasnt looked dangerous really all year. Had flashes at the Force but was playing 10 mostly.

  Test season,he aint sh*t so far.Habana returning to form.Habana on defense/scramble is still best on the planet.

• 302.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:27 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-288:

  oh well.

  we all have to overcome our hurdles in life.

• 303.rossoneri:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:29 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-290: Digby Ione and JPP will keep eachother busy on Sunday.

• 304.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:29 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-299:

  valid points all mshini…

  if it had been up to me… i would’ve ensured o’connor started at 10 for the force… and hope he does just that for the rebels…

  establish himself as a flyhalf and let him and cooper duke it out for the starting spot…

  yeah… call me crazy… but having those two calling the shots would be the most dynamic flyhalf combo ever… if cooper is off you have o’conner to sub… or vice verse…

  due to his talent… the force and aus have done a ‘sharks’ on him like they did to frans and ruan… and never allowed him to settle at his preferred position which he said early on was flyhalf… it may have changed since then but i think his choice of franchise says he still wants to play 10…

• 305.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:30 am

  @ufo(ufo)-295: point is you lost it when you said jpp will have to watch bieber like a fish hoek shark, why would he be watching o’connor when ioane will be the one whizzing past him?

• 306.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:32 am

  @rossoneri(rossoneri)-303: I don’t know what to make of that statement. Are they more than friends?

• 307.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:33 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-305:

  yeah bud… like i said… was commenting on mshini’s comparative post…

  how come you don’t address the original error…??

• 308.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:33 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-305:
  because ioane is niggly

• 309.rossoneri:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:33 am

  Devil’s Spawn Speaks!

  Australian boss O’Neill wades into IRB row

  Australian rugby boss John O’Neill says the Sanzar alliance is tighter than ever due to the IRB’s refusal to fully acknowledge their concerns about the financial future of the Rugby World Cup.

  O’Neill went on the offensive today after making a surprise appearance at the Wallabies’ team announcement, where he described IRB boss Mike Miller’s comments that the All Blacks could be replaced at a World Cup as “nonsensical”.

  ”Threatening to boycott a World Cup is not our style, but equally the notion that any team is replaceable is nonsensical,” O’Neill said. “A World Cup without the All Blacks, the Wallabies or Springboks, I’m not sure you would be calling it a World Cup.”

  Seated next to Australian coach Robbie Deans, O’Neill stole some of the thunder from the naming of the Wallabies’ quarterfinal line up to play South Africa.

  He claimed some parties were attempting to turn the debate over the financial model of the World Cup into a battle between the northern and southern hemispheres rather than the real concerns.

  “That has brought us [Sanzar] together in a very unified way. It’s not frivolous, it’s a very serious matter,” he said. “Let’s get away from the hurly-burly of the tournament and sit down and resolve those issues together and not get caught in a divide and conquer, north versus south debate, which I think is the objective of some people.”

  O’Neill repeated New Zealand Rugby Union boss Steve Tew’s assertion that the World Cup was becoming unaffordable for the Sanzar partners to attend, costing the ARU AUD$16 million in lost revenue.

  He said Miller’s comment that Sanzar’s losses did not account for money distributed by the IRB in the four years between tournaments was wrong.

  “I saw Mike Miller said, ‘the Sanzar countries haven’t taken into account the money we give them during the four years between World Cups’ – well that $16 million is net of what we get from the IRB.

  ”It’s a very easily calculated and supported figure and the Sanzar countries together it’s $38 million.”

  Asked if Australia would consider pulling out of the next World Cup if things did not change, O’Neill said: ”There’s a great saying I picked up from a South African and that was ‘we’ll double-cross that bridge when we get to it.”’

  O’Neill also backed calls by International Rugby Players Association boss Rob Nichol for the IRB to revamp its governance to become more competitive in the global marketplace.

  ”Democracy means different things to different people. As we do with our own organisation we are constantly trying to improve governance and management…

  ”If I apply that to the IRB I think, and it’s not a criticism, but a piece of common sense… everyone has to move with the times.

  ”It’s time we had a serious look at the management and governance structures of the IRB.”

  O’Neill’s intention may have been to simply show his support, but Deans looked slightly perplexed and the comments are sure to take at least some of the attention off the naming of a full-strength Wallabies XV.

  Fullback Kurtley Beale, wing Digby Ioane and second five-eighth Pat McCabe all return from injuries as the side that started the tournament opener against Italy was reunited, with exception of benched centre Anthony Fainga’a.

  - Stuff

• 310.rossoneri:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:34 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-306: You know what I meant!

• 311.wpstormerbok:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:34 am

  I’m near done with all the speculation and debate.

  Heart says BOKS by 8, Head says BOKS by 3.

  The I TOLD YOU SO brigade will have a field day should we not make it.

  But so what? Life will go on and whoever wins the WC will be worthy champions.

  Unless the ref misses a forward pass.

• 312.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:35 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-301: 2 games against fiji and namibia don’t mean zilch, habana’s so-called “return to form” is a myth.

• 313.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:37 am

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-301: as for pace, o’connor certainly burnt some gas to haul tommy bowe

• 314.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:40 am

  @ufo(ufo)-307: mshini’s post was fine…bieber is a 14 and jpp is a 14…but you made the Helen-sque gaffe of saying jpp will have to watch o’bieber like a fishhoek shark

• 315.Gunther:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:41 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-306:

  you see that’s how these rumours start.

  next thing you know they will be exchanging monogrammed gumshields.

• 316.rossoneri:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:42 am

  John Smit doesn’t put the wind up Wallabies
  GREG GROWDEN

  Last updated 05:00 07/10/2011

  Usually when a test skipper returns to an opposition lineup there is cause for concern. But there was no sense of alarm within the Wallabies camp yesterday when they found out that Springboks skipper John Smit would be hooking against them during Sunday’s semifinal.

  While admiring Smit’s vast experience, privately some within the Wallabies camp believe the 2007 World Cup-winning skipper is past his best, and now believe Bismarck du Plessis is the more formidable rake in the South African squad.

  The debate over whether Smit or du Plessis should be the starting hooker has been a tense discussion point in South Africa for some time, and du Plessis certainly has his admirers among those in the Wallabies squad, who have played against him at test and Super Rugby level and been impressed by his dynamic and often aggressive play.

  However, Wallabies tighthead prop Ben Alexander, the designated spokesman for the Australian forward contingent yesterday, opted against buying into the argument, instead explaining they would be confronting both during the match.

  ”They are two of the best hookers in the world,” Alexander said. ”John brings the experience, and has won everything there is to win, while he is a huge man. And having Bismarck coming on late in the game, with his massive skill set, only increases the challenge we have this weekend.”

  It will be a challenge, but at least the Wallabies’ pack has shown this season it is able to counter the Springboks scrummaging well during both their Sydney and Durban triumphs.

  ”It was good. We were happy in Durban that we kept hammering at them, and finally got a bit of pay for the hard work we put in. But we can’t read anything into that at all,” Alexander said.

  ”The Springboks are scrummaging much better and are much harder as a pack now. When we played those blokes in Durban, it was their first game for quite a while. And we know, their scrum has definitely been a weapon for them during the World Cup. No doubt they’ll be looking at it as a weapon this weekend.”

  Alexander is also eager to keep onside with New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence, who is officiating the quarterfinal. Lawrence will have refereed Australia three times in their past five games, including their pool loss to Ireland in Auckland.

  ”All you can ask from a referee is to be consistent and he was. He’s always been like that. I’ve never been penalised (by Lawrence) and wondered what it was for. If you do something wrong, you accept that you have to be penalised, but if you do something right, you also want to be rewarded. Bryce did that. Ireland scrummed well, and they were rewarded. We scrummed poorly, and we were penalised,” Alexander said.

  ”In Durban we scrummed well, and Bryce rewarded us that day. He’s one of the best at scrum time, definitely. We know what to expect. We’ve had him plenty of times.”

  - Sydney Morning Herald

• 317.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:42 am

  @rossoneri(rossoneri)-309: So even the Ozzies agree winning the world cup in 1987 and 1991 cannot be called a World Cup Win

• 318.Stawm:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:43 am

  Skop

  You definitely know your game dont you, your predictions the day before the Fiji game come to mind.

  As stated above, broken watch, broken record is what you are.

• 319.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:43 am

  Keo has given the Ozzies the kiss of death by supporting them.

• 320.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:43 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-314:

  cool transie… made a mistake… not the first time and won’t be the last…

  misread mshini’s post…

  not to proud or stuck on my high horse to acknowledge and apologise…

  apologies mshini…!!

  and thank you transie for taking the time to point it out till i got it…!!

  

• 321.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:48 am

  @Transformation(Transformation)-313:

  Tommy Bowe is a carthorse. Plus O’Connor had the angle on him.There is try on supersport where O’Connor scores for Force,he needed to weave about 10 times not be caught by average joes speed wise. Had that been Keith Earls or even Luke Fitzgerald that would have been a try.Had it had been Habs oconnor wouldnt have even bothered chasing. Bowe comes of his wing well,runs good support lines but he is no speedster.Spies would catch Bowe.

• 322.danuk:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:51 am

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-296: Brilliant!

• 323.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 11:54 am

  Do you think all this punting Butch James’s book will end if the Boks beat the Wannabies????

• 324.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:01 pm

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-321: well didn’t habana have the angle scrambling to reign in carthorse extraordinare JIMMY COWAN in P.E? much of muchness as you like to say.

  let’s give kudos where they are due…o’connor is o’connor and not horan in the same way habana is not ray mordt or any other brilliant saffa winger of old.

• 325.Boks_B_to_win_RWC_2011:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:07 pm

  the same way habana is not ray mordt or any other brilliant saffa winger of old.

  GIVE THAT MAN A BLACK LABEL!!!

• 326.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:07 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-323: Probably not. They still need to break even, at the very least.

  All I do know is that a book deal backed by keo’s HSM is the kiss of death for a player’s Bok ambitions. Luke, Butch… who’s next? If keo flogs your biography, the bench, at best, is your glass ceiling.

• 327.David:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:12 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-323:
  You must be joking. They’ll say Butch came and added some life to the backs, and should have been there from the beginning. Besides he he’s a must to start against the Argies (sorry ABs)!

• 328.Test:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:17 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-133: Defence may win world cups but you need balance as Jake White discovered (just in time) in 2007. If we hadnt developed our attacking game more in 2007 we would not have won. Also we have not been competitive enough at the breakdowns and when Bakkies was in form he used to do a lot of cleaning in that area which we have missed out on lately. You cant let your opposition have all the possession especially a good attacking team, we need to starve Aus of possession. Hopefully the boks will bring their A game on Sunday.

• 329.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:19 pm

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-326: At least we know that the Wannabies are going to loose now that Keo has predicted them to win. It takes alot of stress out of Sunday for me now.

• 330.David:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:27 pm

  @Test(Test)-328:
  You’re quite right. We’ve been counter rucked far to often and don’t seem to be able to do the same. Rather than look for an opportunity to counter ruck we fall back into our defensive lines far too early. Spies doesn’t even bother to get stuck in, he just retreats to a defensive position.

• 331.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:28 pm

  @Test(Test)-328: I see on ESP Cricket the Gary Kirsten sais the Proteas must stratagise around the chocking problem. The All Blacks new coach will be saying the same thing soon.

• 332.J.B. Cowper:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:36 pm

  Don’t agree with Keo at all – no bigger liar than statistics – Wallabies have edged an under-performing Boks side in recent years; this Bok side is firing – we’ll see; Boks to go through – NZ populace believe that and for that reason are shouting Australia. We’ll win the game at forward – Pocock has not had to confront Brussouw – that is only one of the differences and the Irish forwards showed how to beat them – the change will come when our impact players come on.

  Morne to do the conversions – Boks by more than 7 points.

• 333.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:39 pm

  Happy Birthday TuTuuuu
  Happy Birthday TuTuuuu
  Happy BIRTHday Dear Desmond
  HAAAPpy Birthday to you…!!

• 334.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:41 pm

  @J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-332: Agree 100% and the cherry on top Keo’s prediction

• 335.Heavens Game:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:46 pm

  The headline to this video, which I haven’t watched yet, is the best news I have had all week.

  REJOICE!

  Keo thinks Wobblies will win.

  KISS OF DEATH HAPPINESS!!!

• 336.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:48 pm

  @J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-332: I was in New Zealand for the 1st two games and I promise you every AB supporter I met supports anyone but Australia. And if they were going to lose it would only be slightly acceptable if it was to the bokke. The other interesting thing about the country is how much the Moaris hate the white New Zealanders as the believe that they stole their country from them. I actually found alot of them support the bokke over the AB’s for this reason. But I was trully impressed with the country very beautiful and real friendly helpfull people. But Australia another story, how anybody leaves South Africa to live there is beyond me.

• 337.Heavens Game:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:48 pm

  The relief is palpable…

  Weight lifted off my shoulders.

  Think I might go for an early “work lunch” and have a few boolies to celebrate.

• 338.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:49 pm

  @J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-332: Keo uses statistics like a drunk man uses a light post, for support, rather than enlightenment.

• 339.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:50 pm

  @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-337: I had the same reaction.

• 340.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:52 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-336: After the Fiji Game because the Irish had beaten the Ozzies and we had beaten Fiji there was a huge party in Wellington as both the Bok and AB supporters were so stoked.

• 341.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 12:56 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-336: The other interesting thing about the country is how much the Moaris hate the white New Zealanders as the believe that they stole their country from them.

  How long were you here Airwell and how many Maori did you speak to? That is quite a broad, sweeping statement that you’ve made there.

• 342.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:00 pm

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-301: there is nothing Habana can do that Hougaard can’t do better. Hougaard reeling in Israel Dagg for the cover tackle in the PE game was one example.

• 343.Esoteric:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:01 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-342: Forgive me for butting in here but… One example is exactly what it is… One example.

  Sure, he is good but he can prove himself on another stage, RWC is not it.

• 344.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:05 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-340:
  the bok and ab supporters were stoked to have oz join them in a three way knockout decider to get to the final? jeez, you guys must have been really pissed after the game.

• 345.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:08 pm

  @once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-344: We were but not for that reason it was that our teams we had supported had won and we were living the moment if that makes sense. Wellington has never rocked like that ever.

• 346.Sharkie10:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:09 pm

  This negativity is exactly what the Springboks dont need, maybe the odds are stacked against us, and even though Ireland beat the Ausies, we still underdogs.
  Which is great, it will just make the sweet taste of victory so much sweeter, and shut Keo and his hooligans up. The Springboks have what it take to win this World Cup, i have no doubt it. It does not matter what happened in the past matches or the Tri Nations, Stats and History stand for nothing at this stage of the tournament. Its all about what happens on the day, and i believe the Boks are passionate enough, to want this and pitch up on the day and go all the way.

  Bokke!!!!!

• 347.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:11 pm

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-341: I spoke to more than 10 as they are really friendly but even the white guys I spoke to about it accept that there is a level of anomosity about it. It was not a statistical sample it was my experience.

• 348.Boksarenumber3:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:22 pm

  Boks playing currie cup next weekend

• 349.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:24 pm

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-343: point taken, however are you suggesting that Habana is currently the better choice for wing than Hougaard?

• 350.Boksarenumber3:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:26 pm

  Fok PDV

• 351.Boksarenumber3:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:27 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-349:

  Habana is washed out
  He has become a defence player and yet he still attempts the intercept
  which leaves his try line open

• 352.Michael:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:30 pm

  > O’Neill said. “A World Cup without the All Blacks, the Wallabies or Springboks, I’m not sure you would be calling it a World Cup.”

  Hhmmm, so the first WC wasn’t a true WC after all, like us Bokkies have said all along

• 353.Michael:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:30 pm

  @Boksarenumber3(Boksarenumber1)-351: Best defensive whinger in the game. We need him for the opening exchanges. Hougaard on later to up the intensity along with Bissie et al.

• 354.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:33 pm

  @Transformation(Transformation)-324:

  Fair enough.But I dont rate O’Connor much,seems to be one of those that will fizzle out especially if he doesnt tighten up on his defense and high ball work. Beale in last 12 months has made tremendous strides and is probably the world best attack 15-full skillset and decent on defence and high ball for a small fella.O’Connor seems to have regressed.Also landing himself in a wee-bit of trouble along the way.

  Maybe a lil less Twitter & building O’Connor brand-more commitment to the game. Same for Zack Guilford.

  Would STILL take Habana above O’Connor on the wing.(mina)

  Ray Mordt…never saw him play so cant comment.Seen him at gym though when in JHB-old boy is still one HELL of a specimen,a freak in fact.In his 50′s but has a body of a professional athlete still.Respect.

  Pre-injury Ashwin Willemse was my favourite SA winger of all time.Had it ball.Pity.

• 355.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:36 pm

  @Boksarenumber3(Boksarenumber1)-351: i fully agree actually.
  @Michael(mikeybrass)-353: last year Habana was easily our worst defender on the field, this year he’s maybe a bit better, but to say he’s the best defensive winger is just ludicrous.

  i’m really lost on the logic of keeping obviously better players off the field because they will have in impact later on. that’s like one consolation bonus of having them come on, the downside being you spend most of the game with inferior players on the field! surely you want your best players to have the most game time?? what am i missing here?

• 356.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:38 pm

  @Michael(mikeybrass)-352: 1987 and 1991 not world cups

• 357.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:39 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-347:

  Those Maori’s sure do have good memories from pre 1840 but i’m sure the 10 you spoke to hate white Nzers because of something that happened 170 years ago.

• 358.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:40 pm

  @Michael(mikeybrass)-352: i do believe the answer we usually use for 2007 is “you can only play what’s in front of you”, and so they can in turn say this regarding 1987 and 1991. we were rightfully excluded from the competition and if you want to put yourself in the same corner as the likes of Louis Luyt, go ahead, but please don’t suggest that all Springbok fans feel the same way.

• 359.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:41 pm

  @Boksarenumber3(Boksarenumber1)-350: Ek sien jy’t weer dronk wakker geword.

• 360.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:42 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-342:

  Beg to differ especially in relation to the umbrella defensive scheme SA uses.Habana is intergral to its functioning and it was clearly evident when he left vs Samoa-holes opening up around Jaque Fourie channel.

  Our fullbacks hardly have to make on 1 tackles when Habana is there because he scrambles so well and outside attackers are wary of his defence.Thus holds line together somewhat. Has made his mistakes there but of late he has been returning to his best. Hougaard very important esp last quarter as we have seen with ageing Bok team-last 25-30 mins is where we tend to switch off.With Hougaard,Bizzie,Alberts,Aplon we certainly can keep intensity up and more-actually creating play not defending on backfoot. Ewen McKenzie wrote a column that agrees with this notion.

• 361.Kigganator:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:45 pm

  Fair enough, some players are over the hill, debatably some should start ahead of others, however with our so called non-perfect team, we have beaten every team set before us in this world cup. The last Tri-Nations game against the ozzies was much closer than what they would admit. I just find it despicable that a South African would turn against his team like this. When (and note I do not say IF) we beat the ozzies, will you bring your arrogant self on camera again and eat your words? You also dont make any sense wanting to drop the leading point scorer in WC because you are a Butch Fanboy. Morne has more than proven his worth and is not a walking yellow card.

• 362.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:45 pm

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-360: points taken, especially with regards to switching off in the last 20 minutes. at this point we just need to have faith that this system works i suppose, the next few games will be a stern test.

• 363.mshiniwami:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:49 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-357:

  Whether its 170 years ago is irrelevant due to that fact that the direct results of such acts are indicative of current NZ societal dynamics including distribution of resources etc Or am i wrong? i stand to be corrected but there is always a snowball effect to future generations-remnants/dynamics that continue to be unfavourable to indigenous population in relation to share in resources etc

• 364.Heavens Game:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:52 pm

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-360: Spot on Mishini. Good post.

• 365.David:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:54 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-362:
  It’s going to be great going to bed sunday night knowing that only the Argies stand between us and the final.

• 366.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:54 pm

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-363:

  you’re wrong Maori in NZ are disadvantaged because of their own doing not the white man, they have the same opportunities as everybody else, every single person in NZ is eligble for a govt student loan so they can educate themselves some choose to others don’t, its a cruel world we live in but if you get off your a rse you can achieve whatever you want, don’t blame something that happened 170 years ago

• 367.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:56 pm

  @Michael(mikeybrass)-353:

  hahaha you said:
  “@Boksarenumber3(Boksarenumber1)-351: Best defensive whinger in the game”
  is a defensive whinger better than an attacking one? hehe

• 368.David:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:00 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-366:
  Hell, they just want their country back. The Jews managed it after almost 2000 years, so what’s 170?

• 369.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:04 pm

  My heart says boks but the head says Oz.

  Predictions:

  Wales to pip Ireland – I would like Ireland to win but Wales are awesome.
  England to thrash France
  Oz to pip SA
  AB to klap Argies

  Semis:

  AB to whip the Ozzies
  Wales to pip the Poms

  Final

  Wales to win the world cup – yeah right…

• 370.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:05 pm

  Hello boys! Howz it hanging with all you swamp donkeys?

  I see keo is up to his doomsday tricks again?

• 371.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:06 pm

  @David(David)-368:

  no they don’t they just want more money given to them its nothing about getting “their” country back

• 372.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:06 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-357:

  this from stuff.co.za

  http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/5741412/One-for-the-Maoris-basher-sentenced

  would suggest that it is not all sunshine and roses in the the land of the long white cloud… and there is some sort of anti-undercurrent…

  An old man was subjected to an unprovoked attack in Auckland’s Sylvia Park mall with the offender announcing triumphantly to the crowd “one for the Maoris” as he swaggered away “like he had just won the World Heavyweight Championship”.

  William Morgan Lewis, 43, was convicted yesterday in the Auckland District Court of assaulting 67-year-old Warren Goston on January 11 in the food court of the Mt Wellington mall.

  Goston told the court he put his bag down on a table in the food court when he heard someone saying “f*** c***” and “f****** whitey” to him.

  As he looked up, the “powerfully built” Maori man with his hair in a bun “like the Maori chieftains of old” came advancing towards him.

  Goston said he turned to other customers nearby and asked if they would witness what was going on.

  He said he felt himself grabbed from behind and slammed onto the ground.

  “I was in the foetal position on the ground. He clenched his fist and raised it up in the air.

  “Then, in a quiet and strangely calm sounding manner, he said ‘one for the Maoris, folks’. Then he swaggered off like he had just won the World Heavyweight Championship.”

  Goston said he sustained bruising to the left of his body and a damaged knee.

  He said he had previously had two heart attacks, a major stroke that left him half-blind in one eye and had endured open-heart surgery.

  “Why would you pick on an old man like me who’s less powerful than him?”

  Lewis’ lawyer suggested Goston gave his client “a disparaging look”.

  Goston said that was “a complete lie”.

  Judge Thomas Everett said he found Goston’s evidence “lucid” and “credible”.

  He said Lewis appeared to have mental problems.

  The judge said if the attack had been carried out by someone who was “the full pound” he would have taken it “extremely seriously” as it appeared to be a race-hate crime.

  He convicted Lewis and ordered him to appear for sentence if called upon within the next six months.

  - Auckland Now

• 373.crock:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:07 pm

  Might as well flip a coin. Game is going to come down to a moment of opportunism, a mistake or a bad call by the ref. Impossible to call and difficult to see how Keo can have such a strong opinion. I suppose it’s a bit like picking up a hot chick in a bar – you prepare yourself mentally for failure so that when it happens it doesn’t hurt so much.

  We don’t know which Quade Cooper is going to pitch. If he has a sublime game, the boks are in trouble. If not, we should expect a win.

  Generally speaking – one has to commend Ireland and Wales for playing some incredible rugby. SH teams have been quite arrogant going into this world cup and they appear to be the most vulnerable. I won’t be surprised if the cup goes North this year. SANZAR need to relook at the Super Rugby and Trinations schedule. The intensity shown by Ireland and Wales is well above the big 3 and they don’t have massive injury lists to contend with.

• 374.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:07 pm

  I am not sure about the bottom half of the draw, but my money is on Ireland getting into the final.
  They also have the goods to upset the Kiwis or Boks in the final.
  Ireland is a great team even though they are also getting to the end of their best decade of rugga in a long time

• 375.Kigganator:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:08 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-369:
  I think there are a couple of high hopes there

  Ozzies been way too unpredictable. They will either win it greatly or lose miserably. Only 4 teams in this WC wort noting, SA, AUS, AB and Wales.

• 376.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:09 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-374:

  Wales are more balanced and are consistently performing well. Ireland are up one game and then mediocre. I personally would like Ireland to move to the finals but Wales are playing awesome rugger and would deserve a place in the finals just on that.

• 377.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:10 pm

  @mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-363: @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-366:

  Mshini

  Have you ever been to NZ?

  I have and I would tend to side with what NZINCHINA has said. The Maori (themselves relative newcomers to NZ just like the Bantu to SA) are given every opportunity to better themselves. There are many parallels with modern day SA – Maori have been given vast tracts of land for example.

  If you want to make something of yourself, it’s up to you to do it. No-one is owed anything in this life and if anyone thinks they are owed something, well, that’s the first step to overcome in order to alleviate themselves.

  Otherwise, the excuse of history becomes a rather convenient one to hide a lack of ambition, motivation or failure.

• 378.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:11 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-372:

  race relations in NZ are about the same as any other country but lets not go down that avenue as i’m sure i could drag up some articles about ever country but why would I bother, people in glass houses

• 379.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:13 pm

  @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-377:

  history is an excuse for failure, where does it end

• 380.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:13 pm

  @Kigganator(Kigganator)-375:

  Agree with you on your final paragraph. Still think that flair and brains will win on Sunday. If you go on that there is only one winner.

• 381.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:14 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-376:

  Agree, maybe its just my heart talking.
  According to rankings, the final has to be between NZ and Eng.
  According to world cup performances, it has to be NZ vs Wales
  According to world cup history, it should be SA/Aus vs Eng/Fra

  The whole Carter issue might be the prelude to a classic choke this year… I think even the Argies will back themselves this weekend

• 382.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:15 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-378:

  Why do you say that? Are Europeans discriminated against in NZ?

• 383.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:15 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-381:

  Would love Wales to win, if we are not in the final. Man that would be great. Ireland – well that would be better, but Wales to win this one tomorrow.

• 384.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:16 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-379:

  Indeed, where does it end?
  Will it be a 24 year long choke or a 28 year one? That’s the question?

• 385.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:17 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-378:

  you’re quite right nzch… and of course you could…

  point is… everybody knows this about south africa… your comment implies it is not the case with new zealand…

  i merely illustrated that is not necessarily the case…

  and i didn’t have to dredge and drag up some articles from the past… this man was convicted yesterday for the incident which happened in january…

  use it… don’t… deny it… don’t…

• 386.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:17 pm

  Happy Birthday Bishop TUTU. May you be spared many years to come…

  Go Bokke – moer hulle. LOL

• 387.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:17 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-383:

  Agree, whoever wins that game tomorrow, will be in the final…

  Fra and Eng are both very lucky to be in the qrts.

  Their performances have been on the wrong side of great

• 388.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:18 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-387:

  Yeah and I feel for Scotland as well. They have played admirably.

• 389.Michael:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:21 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-355: Your question was answered elsewhere, both in other threads by UFO and later on in this thread. We have good players starting; we have other players on the bench who are equipped with a better skill set to make an impact and increase the intensity. PdV is using his players well for the important matches.

  @Airwell(Airwell)-356: True by that logic

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-358: Whether we were wrongly excluded or not is not the point of course. It’s over whether the tournament could be called a WC before all the major rugby powers were involved. By John’s logic, only the tournament from ’95 onwards can be called a WC. Now if you want to talk about exclusion, that is a different subject as you know.

  @once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-367: LOL Good catch. Was on my way to lunch.

  Anyways, caio dudes

• 390.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:21 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-388:

  Best qrts would have been like this:

  SA vs Arg
  NZ vs Eng

  Aus vs Wal
  Ire vs Scot

  TThat would’ve been a fairer representation of world rugby at the mo

• 391.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:23 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-369:
  i hope you’re not a betting man bill.

• 392.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:23 pm

  Somehow, it won’t feel like a real world cup if the kiwis don’t choke.
  Much like a Spur burger without the patty. It just isn’t a burger then, is it?

• 393.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:24 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-390:

  For sure! For us to take Oz and the AB’s is going to be tough. Man oh man – I believe in miracles, where you from you sexy thing.

• 394.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:25 pm

  If anything, I am quite excited about the next 6 Nations.
  I will be thrilling stuff with more than one upset.

• 395.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:25 pm

  @once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-391:

  Naa only a realist – not with Wales winning the cup though. That was wishful thinking.

• 396.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:25 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-393:

  I’m from heaven, why do you ask? Are my wings showing?

• 397.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:27 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-396:

  Naa i’m looking upwards but getting the kilt feeling. LOL

• 398.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:28 pm

  Boks to thrash the Ozzies and then do the same to the Kiwis…

  Oh man that would be heaven…

• 399.BULLET:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:36 pm

  Keo, did you ever play rugby?

• 400.Great White Shark:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:37 pm

  What a tool.

  Even the Kiwis think we’ll beat Oz.

• 401.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:38 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-392:
  no, its in the sauce…a burger pattie’s just a burger patty, but once the spur put their basting sauce on it and then flame grill (braai) it….well, lets just say that like steers…its ffucking awesome.

• 402.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:40 pm

  I’m with Keo on this one. Been nervous ever since the Irish beat Aus.

• 403.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:43 pm

  @Mike H(Mike H)-402: j

  I’ve been nervous ever since PDivvy took over mate.

• 404.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:44 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-385:

  i’m not implying anything mate, I said race relations in NZ are about the same as every other country how is that denying anything, if you want to get ahead in NZ and live a good life you can it aint that difficult.

• 405.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:45 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-403:

  HAHHAHA harsh mate – i’ve seen far worse the Divvy in the last 18 years or so.

• 406.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:46 pm

  @Michael(mikeybrass)-389: sorry i didn’t read your post properly, reacted too quickly… my apologies. and yes, i guess discussing Habana this or that won’t really matter, both plans are different and we’ll just have to wait and see how it goes on Sunday.

• 407.14261774:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:46 pm

  I agree. An unfair sense of optimism was created by the pool games, even though both the welsh and samoa games were an avg display. Come monday fans will call for the heads of the coaches and administration, but after a few weeks the dust will settle, and nothing will change (except of course the coach), we will start another four years of piss poor unprofessional rugby administration! Sorry SA, sorry bokke, maar die waarheid maak seer!

• 408.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:47 pm

  planet rugby and rugby365 have written the Boks off, and now Keo… is any publication backing the Boks?

• 409.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:48 pm

  @Mike H(Mike H)-405:

  Please share!!! I haven’t…

• 410.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:48 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-403:
  @Mike H(Mike H)-402:

  I’ve been nervous for over 45 years every time the boks play…!!

  except once… when we played the jaguars in bloem… we’d beaten them the week before… and would no doubt beat them again…

  then hugo porta handed us our a$$e$ on a brown wintry highveld field…

  since then i never take a bok win for granted and realise anyone could beat us on the day…

  

• 411.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:49 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-408:

  I want you to beat Australia would prefer to play the Bokke in a semi.

• 412.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:50 pm

  @14261774(14261774)-407:

  I’m saying the same mate. It won’t be a shock to me at all. I’m used to disappointments – I support Province! Hehehe

• 413.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:51 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-374:

  Imagine the Irish win the WC –

  I wouldn;t mind seeing a new team win But still have hopes for SA but as Keo said reality is the Aussies have had our number and it will take something very special for us to beat them this time.

  I don;t think we could put a better team on the field from what we have to pick from, i just think the Aussies play a game we struggle with. The Reds proved that in the S15 as well. Killed SA opposition.

• 414.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:52 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-411:

  C R A P – you would prefer getting a bye into the finals… then you will hope that the Welsh are down with a bout of flu…

• 415.14261774:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:53 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-412:

  So am I, Lions

• 416.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:53 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-412:

  Ye i’m also a pronvince supporter so know what you mean

  Actually i don’t like pronvincialism, i’m all SA, but i’m from the Western Cape and some S15 and CC they are my team

• 417.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:54 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-411:

  Oh I have Suzzie’s number too…

• 418.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:54 pm

  Aussies are the team i fear this WC – can’t believe the Irish beat them ARG!!!

  Rather play the AB’s than Aussies.

• 419.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:54 pm

  @14261774(14261774)-415:

  Oh man I feel for you!

• 420.Great White Shark:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:55 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-408:

  Rob Houwing, Sport24 chief writer

  Cape Town – It could be so close that several pundits are almost preferring not to call Sunday’s World Cup quarter-final between defending champions South Africa and Australia in Wellington.

• 421.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:55 pm

  Perhaps history repeats itself and we’re in for another final between two teams from the same pool. Aus vs Ire is not that far fetched

• 422.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:55 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-410:

  AHHAHAHH

• 423.Jeraldjay:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:56 pm

  @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-377:
  ” Maori have been given vast tracts of land for example” They are the original inhabitants of New Zealand “Who gave this land to them”.
  You’ve been to NZ but no nothing about their history. Do you know that they are the ONLY original inhabitants to defeat the English colonialists. Therefore they “OWN” the land.

• 424.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:56 pm

  @Mike H(Mike H)-416:

  But this year will be different. Haven’t we been saying that for about hmmm 9 years. LOL

• 425.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:57 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-404:

  c’mon keep it real bud…

  that’s not the post i commented on… what did you say before that…? keo has even sorted out the response-numbers to help you track them down…

  let me help you out…

  357.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 13:39 pm @Airwell(Airwell)-347: Those Maori’s sure do have good memories from pre 1840 but i’m sure the 10 you spoke to hate white Nzers because of something that happened 170 years ago.

  You basically, sarcastically, dismissed Airwell’s comments as ridiculous… so i posted the story, (i’d coincidentally read yesterday) to illustrate that there could be credence to it and you had perhaps been a tad quick in dismissing his point…

  use it… don’t… (but at least don’t use the right comment…)

• 426.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:58 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-424:

  Not getting my hopes up man. We just don’t have the BMT those Bully Boys seem to breed.

• 427.stew:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:58 pm

  New World Cup concept – Iron Man rugby

  Each side can only pick 20 players for the tournament – no bringing in players if a player is injured or unable to play – sort the men from the boys

• 428.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 14:58 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-412:

  hehehe… and we have LOTS of practise…!!

  

• 429.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:00 pm

  @Mike H(Mike H)-426:

  Eish!!! I hate that comment, but true it is… Oh that hurt so bad.

• 430.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:01 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-411:
  you want to earn it fairly this time round.
  i respect that.

• 431.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:01 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-428:

  We have been oh so close, yet oh so far…

  We are at least the most consistent team. Consistently losing the games that count. LOL

• 432.KWAGGA ROBERTSE:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:04 pm

  And so Keo’s hard on for Butch grows stronger still………….

• 433.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:04 pm

  @Jeraldjay(Jeraldjay)-423: No, the land belongs to the sovereign nation of New Zealand.

  PS you obviously have never heard of the Treaty of Waitangi. Google it and educate yourself.

  Thanks.

• 434.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:06 pm

  BOKS GOING FOR THE RECORD

  We’ll do it for BAKKIES

  Kevin McCallum – In Wellington.

  Go Bokke Go

• 435.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:06 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-429:

  hahahahaha hurts yes

• 436.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:07 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-434:

  Aha! Justice for the Bokke then!

• 437.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:07 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-431:

  yeah… we won’t know what to do or how to behave if we ever do win anything again… will all be in a state of shock…!

  but (as we always say)… maybe next year…? i’ve got a feeling… that next year’s gonna be a good good year…!!

  

• 438.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:08 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-436:
  there’s never enough justice for the bokke

• 439.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:08 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-434:

  hehehe…

  Justice and a World Cup for Bakkies…!!

• 440.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:08 pm

  @Mike H(Mike H)-435:

  When do you think things will change? In our generation.

• 441.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:09 pm

  @Jeraldjay(Jeraldjay)-423: PPS the Maori are not the “original inhabitants of NZ. That was the Moa and the other flightless birds which were eaten to oblivion when the Maori arrived circa 1200/1300.

  PPPS their is still debate as to whether a separate people occupied NZ before the Maori arrived… the Moriori… possibly Melanesian rather than Polynesian … but nobody can really say for sure.

• 442.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:09 pm

  Do it for Peter too Bokke. He has been a unbelievable loyal coach. Win it for him too.

  Good luck Peter to you and your Boks.

  Keep believing Boks. Stay positive. We can and will win this weekend.

  Go Bokke Go

• 443.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:10 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-437:

  You don’t get more loyal supporters than those in the Cape mate. If this was happening at Loftus – you would be lucky to get 1000 supporters at game time. They just stop supporting their team when they don’t perform.

• 444.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:11 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-442:

  exactly…

  it really is time to put the niggle and differences aside and just support the guys 100% unequivocally with every positive vibe we can…

• 445.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:11 pm

  we need some more positivity around here, where is rugbygenius when you need him…

• 446.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:11 pm

  @once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-438:

  Moer hulle Bokke. Oh no that is what Bakkies does!

• 447.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:12 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-411: thanks… i think

• 448.Nils:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:12 pm

  @hendrikp(hendrikp)-13: “Plus we’re pretty much screwed with Bryce Lawrence the choice as referee.”

  Ag, puhleese, not this again. Pure whingeing for the sake of it. Bryce is SA best weapon, he loves kick those who scrum poor, look at the Aussie record when he takes on. Pisspoor.

  Or you are implying Bok scrum is even kakker? Then yes, they are pretty much screwed. But then again – who’s fault it may be? 8)

• 449.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:12 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-439:

  Top heading and front page in ‘The Mercury’ in huge big print too. Brilliant….

  Put a smile on my face. The confidence is up and I am feeling good for our Boks.

• 450.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:13 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-442:

  Peter??? Do you mean Pieter perhaps.

• 451.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:13 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-443:

  yeah…

  and payback had better be good when (and if) it happens…!!

• 452.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:15 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-449:

  cool stuff…!!

  but i’m still as nervous as a member of the fish hoek beach synchronised swimming team…!!

• 453.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:16 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-450: Everywhere I read PdV’s name is spelt ‘Peter’ so not sure if it is Pieter or Peter. But it sound the same.

• 454.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:16 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-452:

  Yeah I’m hoping but not confident.

• 455.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:18 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-453:

  Pulling your leg mate. Never been more nervous. If we win, I will go surfing at Sun City for sure…

• 456.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:18 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-414:

  you know what you’re going to get with the Bokke, you don’t have a Genia to bust a game open from broken play

• 457.ufo:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:19 pm

  outta here and most probably won”t be able to come online till monday…

  so have to say now…

  GO BOKKE…!!

  Leave your DNA on the field… your whole bodies if you have to… give it a full go for the full 80…

  go john smit… show us what you got…

  go bissy… show us what you got…

  just get that farking win for us…!!

• 458.Nils:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:20 pm

  Hi, Puma! Hi, Bill! Ready for tomorrow, freezer full of bottles?

• 459.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:20 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-456: imo our genuine game breaker is sitting on the bench in the form of Hougaard, guess he’ll have to make do with the 20min he’s given…

• 460.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:20 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-456:

  Yeah and our chief buster in Bakkies is injured. He would have busted quite a few I think…

• 461.Dawn:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:20 pm

  @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-377:

  “The Maori (themselves relative newcomers to NZ just like the Bantu to SA) are given every opportunity to better themselves. ”

  

• 462.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:20 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-452: hahahahaha. Good one ufo.

  I am nervous too. I always am before a Bok game. Just when I read that I felt a awesome vibe. The Boys are ready. They gonna fight for their country for Bakkies and Peter.

  They in mean confident mood. That means Boks are gonna fight like they have never fought before.

  WE gonna win it but it will be close.

  Just hope Bryce blows fair. That is all I ask of the ref. Every ref seems to blow different at the breakdowns. So hope we are on top of the refs game.

  Okay just had to post that good vibe I read in the papers.

  Need to take a call. Back later.

• 463.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:21 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-458:

  Howzit Mate. Yeah tomorrow i will be supporting Wales and France. I think the results may be different though. It is Sunday that worries me…

• 464.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:22 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-458: Always ready.

  Go our beloved Boks. We will see your boys next week Nils…hehe.

  Cheers bud. Have to go. Catch up later.

• 465.Nils:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:22 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-463: Exactly like me. My feeling is both will win.

• 466.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:22 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-459:

  Yeah, if we just had a few more players with his energy then I would be really confident.

• 467.Hondo:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:23 pm

  @Great White Shark(Predawn)-420:
  Not an easy Test to bet on
  The forwards are strong enough to beat the wallabies, they have no passangers among them now.
  But not having a 5th forward is a gamble: Brussow, Matfield and JC are all injury prone.
  The weather and the referee will account for a 70% effect of the result!
  Styen’s place kicking isn’t that effective in the windy, wet conditions, Cooper usually disappears in the heavy underfoot
  Aplon on the bench is a one up for the Aussies
  Boks by 8

• 468.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:23 pm

  hhmm so all pacific islanders think the boks were favoured by owens because he is racist, interesting

  Kiwi lawmakers back Twitter fiend’s stance
  Sapa-AP | 07 October, 2011 12:40

  Two New Zealand politicians have come out in support of Samoa center Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu, who is provisionally banned from rugby for his outspoken comments against a referee and the International Rugby Board.

  Fuimaono-Sapolu wrote on Twitter that Welsh referee Nigel Owens was racist and biased after controlling Samoa’s tournament-ending 13-5 loss to South Africa last week, and slammed the IRB for giving second-tier teams less rest between matches than the top-ranked teams in the World Cup.

  Peter Dunne, the government’s Revenue Minister, backed Fuimaono-Sapolu on Newstalk ZB radio and doubted whether the IRB would have treated England midfielder Mike Tindall the same if he’d written the same things.

  Hone Harawira, the Mana Party leader, issued a press release saying the IRB were “mean-spirited old f_arts” for penalizing Fuimaono-Sapolu “for daring to say what every Pacific Island player is thinking.”

  Harawira said the IRB was using rugby “to make heaps of money, and pound anyone for daring to criticize them.”

  “England gets caught cheating and nothing happens to them, but a Samoan gets whacked $10,000 for wearing a mouthguard with the wrong words on it,” he said.

  “England players get on the booze and bring the RWC into disrepute and nothing happens to them, but a Samoan rugby player gets hauled before the IRB for daring to say what every Pacific Island player is thinking.

  “Rugby commentators criticize the referee for favoring South Africa and nothing happens to them, but a Samoan rugby player has to front the IRB for saying the same thing.”

  Fuimaono-Sapolu, a qualified lawyer, was provisionally suspended when he missed his first scheduled judicial hearing on a misconduct charge on Tuesday, then got his case adjourned on Wednesday to Oct. 15 to give him more time to prepare his defense.

  He was asked to refrain from commenting on social media again between now and his hearing.

  Another issue Fuimaono-Sapolu raised involved allegations the IRB was be discriminatory for not honoring the second anniversary of the deadly Samoa tsunami, which fell on the same day as the Samoa-South Africa game.

  He tweeted: “Minute of silence for USA for 9/11. Nothing for Samoa for Tsunami. Both games played on anniversary days. Our dead not good enough?”

  When another user suggested 9/11 was a better known tragedy, Fuimaono-Sapolu responded: “That’s exactly what I’m talking about! that is ’racist’ against Samoans because we ALL know about it!”

  The IRB and Samoa Rugby Union had agreed to mark the anniversary by allowing the players to wear armbands, and a pre-match announcement on the public address system.

  Asked on Twitter why he hasn’t received support from the SRU, Fuimaono-Sapolu wrote: “because $$ They want it. They dont want to work hard to make SRU independent of handouts, a real business enterprise

• 469.NZINCHINA:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:23 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-425:

  I dismissed his comments because I find it very hard to believe that he spoke to 10 Maori randomly and they all said they hate “white” New Zealanders because of a treaty signed 170 years ago by the British, perhaps they should concern themselves with 2011 not what happened in 1840.

• 470.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:23 pm

  @Dawn(Dawn)-461:

  The Khoi and San were here first right???

• 471.Nils:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:24 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-464: Unless Boks screw up and/or planetrugby pundit eats is Puma jersey as he promised.

• 472.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:24 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-465:

  Your take on Oz – Boks?

• 473.Helen:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:24 pm

  My (heart) pick for the weekend:

  Ireland
  France
  South Africa
  Argentina

  Just imagine!

• 474.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:27 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-473:

  Well that will make my day, my week, my month and my year.

• 475.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:28 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-440:

  Maybe my kids generation need to breed some mentally tough folk down there!!

  Wine farming aint wheat farming

• 476.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:28 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-473:

  I would even give up my invite to 2+2 b/day tonight…

• 477.Nils:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:28 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-472: To be honest, I predict Australia to win.

  It’s roughly 50-50 call (Boks fwds vs Aus backs and Heinrich vs David), so I guess in their favour works being closer to home – despite Bryce Lawrence caning them for scrum shenannigans.

  But I may be easily proven wrong, as many times before.

• 478.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:30 pm

  @Mike H(Mike H)-475:

  Listen we can’t have the best of all worlds mate. The best rugby team, city, government – eina …

• 479.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:31 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-477:

  Don’t disagree at all. I’m hoping though…

• 480.Mike H:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:33 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-478:

  Probably just hit the nail on the head why we are not as mentally tough – we have it good down here

• 481.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:33 pm

  Off to stock up…

  Go Bokke, Go Wales, Go France, Go Argies…

  Cheers all and enjoy the rugger…

• 482.Nils:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:33 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-479: Sure, as I said it may go either way.

• 483.stew:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:34 pm

  Aus by 7 – going to be tight till the last quarter , got the feeling the Bokke will run out of puff – will never bet on the Aussies but have to think with my head instead of heart

• 484.Bill Reyts:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:35 pm

  @Mike H(Mike H)-480:

  Yeah and then add the sea, our Bishop 2 2, our mountain, our wine and then you know why everyone hates anything blue and white…

  Outta here…

• 485.stew:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:36 pm

  @Helen(Helen)-473: Such blasphemy !

• 486.Ontheotherhanddarren:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:41 pm

  It would break my heart to see the Boks lose on Sunday,but boy would it light up the Currie Cup;-)

• 487.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:49 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-357: don’t get so over sensitive like I said not a statistical sample but they do have a point you did steal their country.

• 488.malcolm:
  7 Oct 2011, 15:49 pm

  I think Keo is correct when he says the Aussies have a better team at the moment. I think their forwards will match ours for the most part while their defence is about as good as ours. It is in their backline offence that they have a huge advantage and it should see them through. The two factors that Keo is ignoring I believe that could see the boks upset this scenario are: Cooper while he can be brilliant is also very Carlos Spencer like and if you can get to him and unsettle him he can become a huge liability for the Aussies. Secondly I believe the boks have more heart than this Aussie team. We for the most part were getting beaten up to the same extent by Wales as the Aussies were by Ireland. We somehow still won and the Aussies did not and I think that speaks volumes of this bok teams guts.

• 489.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:00 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-425: I know what I heard that like the Stormersaders alot of the Moari’s for whatever reason support the Boks

• 490.Atreides:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:06 pm

  @ufo(ufo)-425: Did you see Black Panther’s story the other day? About a gang of maoris beating a pair of saffa expats “to a bloody pulp” for “being lippy”

  Not sure what was more disturbing; the obvious relish with which he told the story, or the fact that it didn’t seem to occur to him that a gang beating someone to a bloody pulp for giving them lip might just be a slightly psychopathic overreaction….

• 491.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:12 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-487: and the Romans claimed Britain from the Britons, then when the Huns stormed Rome and the Romans left, the Saxons came across the Channel and helped themselves to the land. Then the Danes helped themselves to a few Saxon kingdoms before the Saxons reclaimed the land from the Danes and proclaimed a united England for the first time, only for the Normans to arrive a hundred years later and defeat the Saxons, and help themselves to all of England (and later Wales).

  This is simply what happened back then, but no longer. And your point?

• 492.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:13 pm

  @Atreides(Atreides)-490: Moari’s that I met prefer South Africans to European New Zealanders as they had got to know them from their kids going to the same schools. One I spoke to said most of the South Africans working in their town were cops and us South Africans are good people. I must say did not experience any agro in New Zealand except from one chop at the Wales game.

• 493.seabiscuit:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:15 pm

  F-U-C-K THIS SITE!!! ITS A LOAD OF ****!!!

• 494.Atreides:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:16 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-492: Yea, the bottom line is you will get aggro types spoiling for fights in ANY country you visit in the world….got nothing to do with the race of the person….you just need to be aware of your surroundings and try to be careful about where you end up going

• 495.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:16 pm

  @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-491: The point is that the Europeans came there and stole their country. Rightly or wrongly some believe it and have a problem with it. And again the people I spoke to are not a statistical sample by any means.

• 496.Atreides:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:17 pm

  @seabiscuit(seabiscuit)-493: Calm down. Have a cookie.

• 497.charo:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:17 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-484:

  bill, you forgot the 11c water and 90km/h southeaster

  8)

• 498.Atreides:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:18 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-495: Have you ever seen Dylan Moran? Classic…talking about British colonisation…

  “You can have these shiny beads in my pocket, and we get everything from here to the horizon”

• 499.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:19 pm

  @Atreides(Atreides)-494: My experience of the country was that it was an awesome country to visit and much safer than SA with less aggro. Saying that I still prefer to live here than I would living there.

• 500.malcolm:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:19 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-492: I am in New York and have to watch the rugby at an Australian pub. There are people watching from all the participating countries at the pub. I have found the New Zealanders to be the nicest and the Aussies for the most part to be the worst. Surprisingly the English are a pretty jovial lot as well.

• 501.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:20 pm

  @Nils(Nils)-471: Nils I can assure you I don’t blog there. So whoever is that ‘Puma’ is is not me. So he can eat his jersey if we lose. I will not..lol.

• 502.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:20 pm

  @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-491: you’re right land always changes hands…like zimbabwe

• 503.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:20 pm

  @Atreides(Atreides)-498: No have not will look out for it.

• 504.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:20 pm

  @Transformation(Transformation)-468: the bottom line with this Eliota Fuimaono-Sapolu saga is that this is simply the biggest butt-hurt rant in the history of the game. his team lost and he’s just going on the ramage, complaining about absolutely every little thing. he may very well have a point somewhere in there, but you need to sift through the excrement to find anything of value. also not going to the IRB hearing and giving them this speech face to face speaks volumes.

• 505.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:21 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-501: liar, we know you blog there, you bog on several websites

• 506.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:22 pm

  Like 71% of the people on the site I think the Bokke are going to win because God is on our side unlike the heathen Australians who’s Prime Minister who said she does not believe in God

• 507.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:26 pm

  @wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-491: Egypt should claim reparations from Iraq for Saladin owning them so hard

• 508.Dawn:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:28 pm

  Where’s that Wooden Spoon to explain that “bantu” thang.

• 509.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:29 pm

  @Dawn(Dawn)-508: He did something to do with Britons and Normans

• 510.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:29 pm

  @malcolm(malcolm)-488: This Bok team has plenty guts. The reason we can play the 80min full on, is cause we are a team of 22 and not 15. Tired legs go off and some brilliant play makers come on with a fired up Bissie.

  Teams would kill for our bench. Never thought after the 2009 BIL that our bench would have ever been as potent. Just a pity we don’t have a full front row with Beast also coming on. We had to cover ourselves this time cause of niggle injuries to our wings and Brussow. We COVERED though and that is good.

  This Bok team will fight like never before for this win.

  We will win it. I have a good feeling. Not by much but we will. One point will be enough.

  Just hope Bryce blows fair for both teams. We need good reffing from here on in this tourney.

• 511.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:31 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-510: God will punish Bryce if he doesn’t

• 512.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:33 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-511: Honestly do not believe Bryce is so bad we should try and make sure he does not become a factor and concentrate on our game

• 513.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:35 pm

  @Transformation(Transformation)-505: Honest never blog there Transie.

  I blog here on keo. RT and Sharksworld. Damn that is enough…hehe. So whoever is ‘Puma’ on that over site it is not me.

• 514.MG:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:35 pm

  The prediction does not even warrant a response. Keo, you should be carefull, I remember a certain article heading saying in the line of “It is the Aussies World Cup to lose”, and the very next day they lost to Ireland. It allmost comes across that you guys are wanting the Boks to lose. It is shamefull how you have been reporting during this RWC. That includes Ryan. In the hard games, you guys immediatly back the opposition team. No 50 – 50 chance, just, “The Boks are going home” Shame, shame and again, SHAME! I know this is going to be a tough game, but we have REAL MEN, that are going to give their blood to defend our country’s honour on Sunday. Rather shut up and say thank you, because we as supporters are not good enough to be on the field, we have guys there that are not there just for a quick payday, they are there to win the bloody RWC! Go Bokke!

• 515.Robzim:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:36 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-512:

  Bryce will only be bad in the eyes of the losing team on Sunday.
  Watch this space.

• 516.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:36 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-513: over = other

• 517.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:36 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-510: my concern with Bryce is that he might over compensate for what he did to the Aussies against Ireland. if that’s the case, we’re in the dwang

• 518.Robzim:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:37 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-513:

  Must be a fan.

• 519.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:37 pm

  @Airwell(Airwell)-511: LOL.

  He has cost the Sharks a few times.

• 520.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:37 pm

  @Robzim(Robzim)-518: LOL

• 521.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:38 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-517: Well being a Sharks Supporter I don’t rate him at all. He has cost my team 3 games before.

• 522.fantasticbarnsmell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:40 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-521: i too am a Sharks fan, so i know exactly what you mean.

• 523.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:40 pm

  @MG(MG)-514: Very good post. Well said. I am with you on that.

• 524.MG:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:41 pm

  Bryce was the chop that penalised the Boks before we even engaged at a scrum in the Tri-Nations. The Boks will make sure he is not a factor.

• 525.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:42 pm

  @Robzim(Robzim)-515: Always the case with the loosing team always blame the ref but to be fair The ref was really kak in the Samoa game and we won it.
  @Puma(Puma)-521: Because you did not play well enough for him not to be a factor

• 526.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:43 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-522: Well then we know this ref well. He is not great and gets it wrong plenty times. So for that I am a bit worried about the ref.

  Dan Retief also wrote that refs have too much say in the out come of a game. Especially reffing the breakdowns. As everyone of them ref it different. Which is rather stupid. Should be one way to ref it and that is it. Confuses the teams.

• 527.charo:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:46 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-513:

  hi puma.

  nils got it wrong and trannie is winding you up.

  the writer of the article was talking about eating his puma(argentine) jersey which he loves, even with the ice cream and red wine stains.

  

• 528.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:48 pm

  @Dawn(Dawn)-508: why not google it, Cookie?

  You will find that the Bantu peoples are thought to have originated from the southwestern modern day border of Nigeria and Cameroon. They trekked to southern Africa (via central Africa) just like the Europeans and Arabs did (except they sailed in boats).

• 529.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:49 pm

  @MG(MG)-524: Exactly.

• 530.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:51 pm

  @charo(charo)-527: Okay.

  Looshead asked me if I blogged there as well the other day on RT. Said not me. So just thought that is what Nils was getting at here. Picked it up wrong.

• 531.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:51 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-529: typo – Loosehead

• 532.Puma:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:53 pm

  Okay I am off.

  Sundowner time coming up and the sun is out today…….heeeeeehaaaaa.

  Cheers everyone.

  Go Boks Go.

• 533.Transformation:
  7 Oct 2011, 16:55 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-521: list them, i can only remember 1 – hurricanes 2008 or 09

• 534.wp_boytjie:
  7 Oct 2011, 17:08 pm

  Did not enjoy Keo’s video ,but agree on Butch James.

• 535.nama1:
  7 Oct 2011, 17:09 pm

  South Africans discussing the claims or non-claims a indigenous people of another country have to “their” land or not…. or whether the indigenous tribe is indeed an indigenous tribe of that country.

  WOW.

  The arrogance of it all when they believe that they… and only they know the real truth. Sommer use the opportunity to get a shot in at the “bantu,”

  VOKKIT. Some people need a red hot piece of thorn wire put up their a.rses.

  I think I’ll go and get drunk with some All Black fans and discuss the weekend’s rugby.

• 536.Airwell:
  7 Oct 2011, 17:16 pm

  @nama1(nama1)-535: What is arrogant is you.
  There was one person who was talking about the Bantu and not ” South Africans ” it was me who made an observation of what I experienced in New Zealand and what a certain non statistical sample of Moari’s said to me about there claim to New Zealand. So chop enjoy your drink with your AB mates as they are generally good folk.

• 537.wooden spoon:
  7 Oct 2011, 17:16 pm

  Why are people putting inverted commas around the word Bantu?

• 538.JL1:
  7 Oct 2011, 18:04 pm

  @Puma(Puma)-501: Yes Puma, what is the use of being a fan and trashing your jersey, supporting them one day and not the next, like some people on here.

  Those are also people who you do not want as friends, “mooi weers vriende”

• 539.Boksarenumber3:
  7 Oct 2011, 18:24 pm

  ONS GAAN HUIS TOE SONDAG

• 540.Boksarenumber3:
  7 Oct 2011, 18:26 pm

  @nama1(nama1)-535:

  Totsiens

• 541.Boksarenumber3:
  7 Oct 2011, 18:28 pm

  Refs are bias, few are not
  They always spoil the game

• 542.JL1:
  7 Oct 2011, 18:39 pm

  I love it when the Boks are written off

• 543.once more unto the breach, dear springboks, once more...:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:21 pm

  @JL1(JL1)-542:
  guess you’ve been loving a long time….

• 544.Black Panther:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:27 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-504:

  “not going to the IRB hearing and giving them this speech face to face speaks volumes.”

  Yes, Justice4 Manu Samoa !!!!!!

  volumes and volumes and volumes…..

• 545.Dawn:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:33 pm

  Jinne seabiscuit there’s a tablet for that!

• 546.Black Panther:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:44 pm

  ““There’s a great saying that I picked up from a South African, ‘we’ll double cross that bridge when we get to it’,”

  ………………….~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~@@@@@@@@@@@@@

• 547.I am a stormer:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:49 pm

  The Bokke are going to do it on Sunday.

  I can feel it in my water.

  And as for you keo, you can suck eggs.

• 548.MG:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:49 pm

  JL1@542, Nothing like the Boks with their backs against the walls!

• 549.I am a stormer:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:51 pm

  @Black Panther(Black Panther)-546:

  or even better ” we’ll fall off that bridge when we come to it.”

  That was a kiwi opening up after a couple of beers.

  ~ guffaw ~

• 550.Black Panther:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:56 pm

  @Esoteric(Esoteric)-341:

  and the biggest pile of Chip Nation BS Ive read here in minutes.

• 551.grant10:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:57 pm

  go Bokkkkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeee

• 552.grant10:
  7 Oct 2011, 19:58 pm

  go boys!!!!

  Moer hulle pap !

• 553.Black Panther:
  7 Oct 2011, 20:03 pm

  @Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-414:

  you mean, just like in 2007 ?

• 554.I am a stormer:
  7 Oct 2011, 20:04 pm

  @grant10(grant10)-551:

  viva Bokke viva

  viva John Smit viva

  long live long live

• 555.Heavens Game:
  7 Oct 2011, 20:48 pm

  @Black Panther(Black Panther)-550: And to think you believe anyone actually gives a fark…

• 556.Black Panther:
  7 Oct 2011, 20:53 pm

  @NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-469:

  It was complete and utter BS. As if. ‘Great post-match conversations with the locals of all time’. Only in Chip Nation.

• 557.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 20:57 pm

  @Boksarenumber3(Boksarenumber1)-541: Bias is a noun, you chop.

  (Chop can be either verb or noun).

• 558.bananaboy:
  7 Oct 2011, 20:58 pm

  @grant10(grant10)-552: Now thats the spirit mate.

  Whoopa, hey mesa, hooba huffa, hey meshy goosh goosh.

  Looking at the world through the sunset in your eyes,
  Traveling the train through clear Moroccan skies
  Ducks and pigs and chickens call,
  animal carpet wall to wall
  American ladies five-foot tall in blue.
  Sweeping cobwebs from the edges of my mind,
  Had to get away to see what we could find.
  Hope the days that lie ahead
  bring us back to where they’ve led
  listen not to what’s been said to you.

  Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express.
  Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express,
  they’re taking me to Marrakesh.
  All aboard the train.
  All aboard the train.

  I’ve been saving all my money just to take you there.
  I smell the garden in your hair.
  Take the train from Casablanca going south,
  blowing smoke rings from the corners of my m m m m mouth.
  Colored cottons hang in the air,
  charming cobras in the square.
  Striped djellebas we can wear at home.
  Well, let me hear ya now.

  Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express.
  Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express,
  they’re taking me to Marrakesh.
  Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express.
  Wouldn’t you know we’re riding on the Marrakesh Express,
  they’re taking me to Marrakesh.
  All on board the train,
  All on board the train,
  All on board!

• 559.Black Panther:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:03 pm

  @Atreides(Atreides)-490:

  your take on that huh ?!

  so 1 minute Im apparently painting ‘NZ as Nirvana’ and the next minute a country of ‘over-reactive thugs’.

  How very confusing life must be for the Pigeonholers.

  As for “obvious relish”. WTF are you to interpret your own sick little Moral Code on others, I found the whole episode appalling. Au contraire, I find your obvious embellishment sickening.

  (btw – they werent Maoris, but Polynesians. It wasnt merely ‘lippy’, it was racist abuse of strangers by ‘foreigners’. The first acts of violence were started by the ‘foreigners’).

• 560.I am a stormer:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:03 pm

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-557:

  Big game tom at 5.

  Dis ek en jy.

  And i’m at coldplay.

• 561.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:11 pm

  @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-560: Pull a Malema and fake a man cold. Tell the missus she can take a friend.

  Lions by more than 10, by the way.

  Let’s call it 30-18.

• 562.carol:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:15 pm

  So, I have listened to Keo..

  Inwardly digested….

  and only have one thing to say…..

  GO BOKKE

  Prove Keo wrong !!

• 563.carol:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:16 pm

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-561:
  How did your Lions suddenley get so good?

  It is spooky….

• 564.I am a stormer:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:21 pm

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-561:

  Thank goodness for pvr. I’ll watch it on Sunday morning at my leisure.

  But wait a minute, that means I’ll have to watch it at 5 in the morning on a Sunday. Cos it’s the missus’s birthday that day.
  Otherwise she’ll remove my ballas with a blunt spoon.
  I’ll take a peek at the result and trust that I won’t have to push the delete button.
  Province by 1 point will suit me fine.

• 565.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:27 pm

  @carol(carol)-563: They had me over for a pre-season pep talk. I gave them the Al Pacino “inches” speech, with a bit of a local flavour. And the rest is history.

• 566.carol:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:29 pm

  @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-564:
  Sounds nasty, she is some woman that Mrs. Stormer.!!

• 567.>^..^< katman:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:29 pm

  @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-564: So how do the 2 Sunday QF’s fit in with her birthday? This is a tricky one indeed.

• 568.I am a stormer:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:46 pm

  @>^..^< katman(katman)-567:

  She’ll have the car started at the final whistle of the NZ v Argies game. And I’ll be lifting my kneees as we make our way out to lunch. A woman deserves quality time after all.

• 569.wallabie.:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:50 pm

  Bryce will be in favour of the boks this weekend. He does not want his team to face the wallabies…he knows they are on the rise!

  He knows the ABs will easily account for the boks!

• 570.wallabie.:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:53 pm

  speak in 5 weeks time…you boys will hear from me soones if the wallabies win the whole thing!

  No team has lost a game and gone on to win the Cup…thats what they said about the soccer world cup and Spain won…hopefully that is a good omen.

  Ireland and Wallabies in the Final!

• 571.I am a stormer:
  7 Oct 2011, 21:55 pm

  @carol(carol)-566:

  Just a bit of a balancing act. Everything’s well planned.

• 572.Black Panther:
  7 Oct 2011, 22:01 pm

  @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-555:

  Go discuss that with yourself in the 3rd-person, Boy George. You must be streets ahead in the AllTime Tally of Posts here on Keo, even Transie has been left behind in your self-absorbed wake.

• 573.corporal punishment:
  7 Oct 2011, 22:08 pm

  The weather has unexpectedly improved here in Welly… there is some sun about, and not much wind. Will it hold for Sunday’s game? Not sure, still plenty of cloud about. Either way, the pitch will be very heavy after all the rain we’ve had, not favouring the Wallaby running game.

• 574.corporal punishment:
  7 Oct 2011, 22:09 pm

  Just as I typed that, a shower started! So overall, my pick is the conditions are gonna favour the boks.

• 575.funkyzoo:
  8 Oct 2011, 01:00 am

  Keo that’s not a coherent analysis at all.

  Some teams raise their games for the big showdowns, and the boks are top of that list. Whether or not that is a laudable characteristic it is the case that the Boks turn up for the big ones. And when they do they are formidable for any side.

  There is a lot of stuff you can say about the Boks pressure game, not all of it positive, but it is worth noting that a style based on in-your-face intensity can be stepped up a couple of notches based on the fire-in-the-belly passion of a big occasion. Correspondingly a game based on creativity and panache is much harder to improve upon when that is what is called for.

  Unless there is major upset (eg red card, key injury) the game will be decided on inches: A missed tackle, the bounce of the ball, a marginal TMO decision or a missed penalty. Going into a game like that you would want a team that can up their game by an inch here and an inch there.

  I do not buy the idea that pretty rugby wins anything other than try of the day competitions. Nor do I buy the idea that any recent history between the teams is as important as the development of the teams through the RWC pool stages.

  The Boks approach is to apply pressure: In defence, in attack, by playing in their opponents half, in set pieces, by turning the forwards with up-and-under kick-chases, with drop goals and with long range penalties. The game plan is pressure, pressure, pressure. And then ruthless capitalization on errors. This game plan has the downside that it requires sustained intensity and accuracy, and that is hard to deliver in every game of eg a 3N campaign. But the good news about the game plan is that when the chips are down and the passion is flowing the team can up the pressure.

  What we have seen from the Boks has been very encouraging in this dimension. It is clear that as they have negotiated the RWC pool stages they have applied energy to the area of defensive structure and execution with fantastic results. Their goal kicking has been peerless and their positional play has been very good. The Bok set pieces have also started clicking. They have a plan and they have some battle-hardened practice in implementing it. What will happen this weekend is that they will fire up the afterburners and implement that plan with unprecedented intensity.

  I believe that additionally there is a pattern in the PDV bench management that treats the bench players as key game breakers rather than reserves that couldn’t make the starting 15. In the Bok game plan the starting 15 are tasked with applying intense pressure for 60 minutes with a goal of breaking the spirit and the endurance of the opposition. Keeping the scoreboard ticking is part of that. But the game is won and lost in the last 20; the first hour is a foundation for the real game. Smittie has the role of keeping the Boks in the game and helping orchestrate that hour of disruptive, intensive battle.

  And then the tired Wallabies have to face Bismarck, Hougaard, Aplon, James and co. They’re then facing a Bok 15 that is arguably better than the Bok starting 15, and they don’t have the depth of bench to match it. Who would want to play 60 minutes of brutal rugby against the Boks and then face a fresh Bismarck du Plessis, let alone game breaking open space players like FH and GA?

  To say that the Boks are evidently on the way home requires you to cite the evidence, and if the only evidence is that the Wallabies have won certain games in the past then my advice is to hedge any bets you have placed on the Wallabies.

• 576.nama1:
  8 Oct 2011, 01:31 am

  @Hondo(Hondo)-467:
  467.Hondo: Reply to this comment
  7 Oct 2011, 15:23 pm

  @Great White Shark(Predawn)-420:
  “Not an easy Test to bet on
  The forwards are strong enough to beat the wallabies, they have no passangers among them now.
  But not having a 5th forward is a gamble: Brussow, Matfield and JC are all injury prone.
  The weather and the referee will account for a 70% effect of the result!
  Styen’s place kicking isn’t that effective in the windy, wet conditions, Cooper usually disappears in the heavy underfoot
  Aplon on the bench is a one up for the Aussies
  Boks by 8″

  You never disappoint.

  “they have no passangers among them now.”

  You forget that Gurthro is in the pack. HE’LL be the reason that we’re lose the game.

  … of cause, when Aplon comes on to replace JP, it doubles the reason why we are going to lose. Fukking kallids, playing the game of the “white man”.

  @Boksarenumber3(Boksarenumber1)-540:
  Next time, try and remember your log on name, dronk donner.

  You started as Boksarenumber1, then Boksarenumber2, now you are Boksarenumber3. Alles as gevolg van drank en die feit dat jy nie kan onthou wat jou “log on” naam iWAS/IS nie.

  Dink jy nie dat jy miskien ‘n drank probleem het nie?

• 577.nama1:
  8 Oct 2011, 02:08 am

  @funkyzoo(funkyzoo)-575:
  “Some teams raise their games for the big showdowns, and the boks are top of that list.”

  The Boks lost the semi’s in ’99, and the 1/4′s in ’03 with a possibility to lose in the 1/4 in ’11. How does that record tell us that they know how to raise their game for the big showdowns?

  What we DO know is that…….. if they reach the final, they are more than likely to win it….but that is……IF they reach it.

  Jahh boet. Moenie te vroeg praat nie.

  Now compare their performances to that of France or Aus who played two more world cups.

  @I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-568:
  There is more than one way to give your woman quality time.

  … of course, you know your woman the best.

• 578.Samba Bok:
  8 Oct 2011, 02:36 am

  KEO YOU ARE OFFICIALLY A PR.ICK! I would call you a BIG PR.ICK but you’re too much of a MIDGET to be called that! How can you be so fcking negative against your own country.

  You don’t deserve to be called South African. Do us a favour and renounce your citizenship now and FARK OFF!! You are a disgrace to this country.

• 579.Black Panther:
  8 Oct 2011, 03:01 am

  Perfect conditions in Host City, Auckalofa. Bit of a breeze, but warm and sunny.

  Bring it.

• 580.Black Panther:
  8 Oct 2011, 03:02 am

  @Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-578:

  are journalists supposed to be patriotic ?!

  only if youre a numbskull with a chip complex, I suppose.

• 581.nama1:
  8 Oct 2011, 03:14 am

  @Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-578:
  The positive about his prediction is… whenever he predicts that team-X is going to win, you can be sure that team-Y WILL win.

  Give him that,…. at least.

• 582.Black Panther:
  8 Oct 2011, 03:21 am

  1,683secs left

• 583.nama1:
  8 Oct 2011, 03:31 am

  @Black Panther(Black Panther)-579:
  Who must bring it? The Argies?

  We all know you are going to win that battle. By 15-20, I reckon.

• 584.corporal punishment:
  8 Oct 2011, 05:56 am

  Fark the weather in hobbitville is blardy awful today! Fine now, but we had a southerly change at lunchtime, just as I was setting out on a 2 hour mountain bike ride. My nuts nearly froze off! I pity those poor welsh and Irish fans at the cake tin tonight….

• 585.corporal punishment:
  8 Oct 2011, 06:00 am

  Can’t believe it, mrs punishment has scheduled a dinner party at chez punishment tonite! Guests arrivin at 6!!!! And some of them don’t want to watch he rugby!!!!!!!!!!

  Having a sulk at the moment while I work out tactics to get to see the game live…. Might be best to buddy up to a couple of the men who like rugby and get them to propose they retire to the man cave to catch the game….

  Wonder if mrs punishment will bring our dinner to the man cave?

• 586.corporal punishment:
  8 Oct 2011, 06:03 am

  …. No one in the keo cave…. All alone….

  ….. the precious, we wants it, oh how we wants it, come to us precious, we wants the precious…..

• 587.corporal punishment:
  8 Oct 2011, 06:08 am

  … Those nasty saffas don’t love the precious as much as us, come to us precious, we will take care of you here, yessssss we will, live with us in hobbitville, for ever! No tricksey sneakinesses live here, they don’t love the precious like we do….

  We wants the precious!!!!!!!

• 588.corporal punishment:
  8 Oct 2011, 06:12 am

  …. That keo looks a a bit hobbitsey, he does precious! Don’t trust the keo pretend hobbitsey tho, he pretend to love us in hobbitville but he is tricksey, he wants the precious, he does he wants to steal the precious! Nasty keossey he is probably a dwarf not a honbitses! Nasty nasty keosses wants the precious, but the precious is ours, ours, ours!

• 589.corporal punishment:
  8 Oct 2011, 06:19 am

  …. Nasty keo pretend hobbitsey, we know you plan, spying on us hobbitses in your campervan, trying to chat up our hobbitsey women, all the while planning to steal the precious…. Nasty keo…. It’s our precious!

• 590.ET.:
  8 Oct 2011, 06:21 am

  @stor.e..boy(stor.e..boy)-210:

  ” We used to have onje of the highest education standards in the world (yes i know for some) but you wouldn’t know it reading this blog….”

  One definite reason is that since mid-Aug., due to increased responsibility I have written less and less and not at all in your morning.

  Another explanation is that your scum buddies Gunt(replace the ‘G’ with a ‘C’), Kakman and Transfornication have written a lot more in the mornings in my marked absence.
  Just today they as seeming dyslexic ‘academics’ wrote such garbage on ‘education’ and qualification.
  Yet they are gloriously unqualified to comment on either.
  U.C.T. science and medical faculties was the place to be from 1980 to 1991 or before for a real good education.

  PS. Note your “onje” in your sentence. Your aphasic agraphia is flaring up again. Stop bashing that soft head like that.

• 591.Peter Mkata:
  8 Oct 2011, 06:34 am

  I must say this edition of the world cup is probably the best ever because of the kind of rugby played so far, even the minnows have come to the party. Rugby like any sport , its primary goal is to entertain and play beautifully and attractively. That is how you get bums to fill up the stadiums.

  As for the boks, I am not really sure what to make of them. They have basically played “skop and jag” rugby for years and has not really made them dominant in the world. Winning ratio is in the 60s. Now all of a sudden we are playing some bit of expansive rugby which I must add was mostly against the minnows. We are probably gonna revert to boring rugby tomorrow ,and obviously depending on the weather, I am afraid that it will not win us the game. The Samoans and the Welsh during this world cup and the tri Nations team were breaking our defence line with ease and only covering defence came to our rescue. Will the older and experienced players take us through against the Aussies? Will sentimental selection issues come back to haunt us? When the Boks were really challenged by Wales and Samoa, they looked vulnerable? These tW countries lacked a killer punch and Aussies and All Blacks would have put us away easily with that kind of space in thos two games.

  So in conclusion, keo has hit it on the nail. I am not convinced that our playing strategy will get us through. The Aussies have got too much speed and brains and their combinations in general will shadow our guys. I am not convinced that we will outscrum them. It did not happen in the Tri nations. Hope I am wrong. That is take on tomorrows game through my coloured glasses.

• 592.oubaard:
  8 Oct 2011, 09:10 am

  @keo(keo)-6: Great site, can’t belief the guy running this show is such a d**che!

• 593.kesbok:
  8 Oct 2011, 09:18 am

  keo you still have time to change your mind here – or wont your sponsors let you!

  Boks will take these wannabies. The whole Aussie attitude – we have sen it all before over confident and undercooked. They will meet the battlehardned powerful boks with the best bench in world rugby.

• 594.Black Panther:
  8 Oct 2011, 11:36 am

  Peter

  sssshhh, don’t tell Transie.

• 595.fantasticbarnsmell:
  8 Oct 2011, 13:55 pm

  @Black Panther(Black Panther)-544: i’m not really sure what your point is? Bakkies Botha is not related to this issue in anyway…

• 596.loyalty counts:
  8 Oct 2011, 14:51 pm

  How predictable, Keo nailed his colours to the mast when he wrote that self indulgent bollocks about PDV before the Boks had even left SA shores. He obviously had an axe to grind and would not be able to grind it if the Boks came back victorious and has said nothing positive about their chances since. This is a group of legends (who seem to have far more respect overseas then they do in SA), they deserve their chance at defending the title and there is not exactly a raft of players sitting back home who would have done better. They also deserve the respect and support of the country instead of being abused by a small bunch of mindless idiots who have never put themselves out there and achieved anything. Even if they lose, the oldies deserve to be carried shoulder high through the airport for putting their bodies and reputations on the line for so many years for the Bokke instead of taking the easier option which is what we have all done and settled down into the armchair!

• 597.Black Panther:
  8 Oct 2011, 21:30 pm

  @fantasticbarnsmell(fantasticbarnsmell)-595:

  perhaps not

  but giving the big

  F U

  to the IRB most certainly is.

• 598.SjamBok:
  8 Oct 2011, 23:53 pm

  Keo is forgetting two things:

  1) Heinrich Brussouw was not present in the last couple of years.
  2) The Aussies have not played the Boks with the Nienaber defensive system in place fully.
  3) Rassie was no coordinating strategy against the Aussies before.

  Boks by 15.

• 599.captain fantail:
  9 Oct 2011, 01:35 am

  Well I picked the frogs and picked the boks, a tight game but the control, discipline and front up muscle will hopefully get the job done