WELL DONE BOKKE, NZ & AUS.SOUTH RULE

PeeKay Wrote:

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> i see the book is marked down to R149 from R220. I
> was itching to buy one, but decided against it


I'm going to wait until it sells at R39.99 and then maybe buy it for my boss for Christmas in return for all the sh*t he has given me through the year <

Frodo Wrote:

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> PeeKay Wrote:
>

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>

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> > i see the book is marked down to R149 from R220.
> I
> > was itching to buy one, but decided against it
>
>
> I'm going to wait until it sells at R39.99 and
> then maybe buy it for my boss for Christmas in
> return for all the sh*t he has given me through
> the year <

Hey Frodo, maybe we can go dutch and then photostat a copy for the boss...<

gregbucks Wrote:

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> Frodo Wrote:
>

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>

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> > PeeKay Wrote:
> >
>

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>
> >

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> > > i see the book is marked down to R149 from
> R220.
> > I
> > > was itching to buy one, but decided against
> it
> >
> >
> > I'm going to wait until it sells at R39.99 and
> > then maybe buy it for my boss for Christmas in
> > return for all the sh*t he has given me through
> > the year <
>
> Hey Frodo, maybe we can go dutch and then
> photostat a copy for the boss...<


I like your thinking (tu)

SA should have got Mallet back.

I am happy with this choice of coach. They have had 5 proper days together which in or for an International is nothing. Lets see after the last test. They will win even easier next weekend. Going away like Frankel!

I always like to rank the Sanzar nations in order to give myself an idea as to what might develope in the Championship ( ie old Tri Nations ) when it comes around as well as the latter phases of the Super 15. At the moment I would call it as follows :

NZ
South Africa
Australia
Argentina

NZ - Impressive against an Irish side that looked quite competitive for awhile on Saturday. The major edge that NZ have had for a number of years is in their backline play. They are very creative, look for opportunity, look to put their partners into holes and time their passes very well.

Contrary to popular opinion I rate them no higher than above average up front. Their Achilles Heel is traditionally the lineout and this year I believe they remain 'light' in terms of international quality locks. Williams is probably past it whilst Rettalick hardly saw the ball against the Bulls two weeks ago. McCaw is clearly in the autmn of his career ( although still excellent ) whilst Read is in the summer of his.

How do you beat them? Starve them of possession up front, catch them on the advantage line behind the scrum and STOP AIMLESSLY KICKING BALL TO THEIR BACK THREE.

My rating : Well drilled with patches of absolute brilliance.

South Africa - So so start. Forwards nowhere near as dominant as they need to be to succeed with this style of play. But the signs are there that they can get better and more cohesive.

We have problems in the backline which other good sides are going to feast on - Hougaard is not an international class scrumhalf; a point I made a couple of weeks ago and need to repeat again. He is an excellent player but possibly best suited to a 'utility back' role.

Francois Steyn is very predictable. He looks to force openings where there are none and seldom passes to players in potentially better positions. Both these issues can be corrected.

The remainder of the backline played competently without necessarily excelling although Habana had his best match in 24 months. De Villiers seemed to fill the captaincy role quite well although he will need to take tighter conrol so as to avoid the headstrong players such as Hougaard taking abortive ( and ill considered ) tap kicks from in front of the poles.

The Springbok style may succeed in semi finals and finals but could come unstuck in longer tournaments as it becomes difficult to sustain that level of physical intensity without rotation of key players and forwards in particular.

My rating : Workmanlike with passages of brain dead play. What's new?

Australia - The Wallabies really give the impression that they have to cobble together a side with inadequate resources and certainly inadequate international class players outside of their best starting 15.

At their best they can beat anyone but at their worst almost anyone can beat them!

Genia is the best scrumhalf in the world bar none. But that's pretty much where it ends in terms of truly gifted players PRESENTLY available. Cooper and O'Connor will help an awful lot when they return. The remainder are simply adequate at best and a little disjointed at worst.

They have worked hard at producing better tight forwards in recent years and have, to some extent, been partially successful. But their best attribute is that they play relatively smartly given the limitations of their player resources. They may improve further if and when Ewen McKenzie succeeds Robbie Deans as national coach.

My rating : Smart but probably not good enough to threaten.

Argentina - I have not seen enough to make a call but they will bring what they usually bring : tough, totally uncompromising forwards who will grind away for 80 uncomplaining minutes. Allied to backs who probably would not frighten anyone.

Give them a couple of years in Sanzar competitions and they may well become competitive. They have already historically produced one of best flyhalves in Hugo Porta that I have seen in my lifetime.

My rating - Tough but should finish fourth.

Garrick, what or who would you change for next game to improve Springboks? Patrick- Zane, Ruan-Francios? Do think we will win easier or did the English learn something to beat us this time?

Frodo Wrote:

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> Imvho we were only average against the English and
> we should not read too much into this win. Where
> have all the locks gone - and I also think we need
> a backline re-shuffle - Frans Steyn at fullback;
> the wings are fine (Habana and Peterson), De
> Villiers and de Jongh at centre, Lambie at flyhalf
> and give Piet van Zyl a chance at scrum-half - yes
> Hougaardt is devastating on attack, but imo too
> slow a clearing the ball from the rucks
>
> But Meyer will probably stick with the 'winning
> formula' - Morne Steyn at flyhalf and 'kick and
> chase' - boring and the All Black (and perhaps
> also the Aussies) will kill us with that approach


With that, I agree. Bring him on as a impact player

Most of you make me chuckle with your moaning and grumbling (). We beat England with our new coach. Let's be happy with that for starters...

My only concern is Meyer's belief that Kirchner is a Bok. Lambie proved yesterday that he should start. I am a Sharks fan but the difference between the two is obvious...

Having Kirchner start and Wynand Olivier on the bench is an indication that Meyer still favours his old team. Hopefully he'll wean himself off that belief. They both should not be selected at all...

Craig Eudey Wrote:

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> Garrick, what or who would you change for next
> game to improve Springboks? Patrick- Zane,
> Ruan-Francios? Do think we will win easier or did
> the English learn something to beat us this time?


Craig - I think we HAVE TO try Pienaar as a starting option at scrumhalf. My concern with this option is that he is a 'confidence player' and always gives me the impression that he withdraws into his shell and sulks when things are not going his way. But his overseas form has been excellent and he may well have improved from what we have been used to.

I have to repeat - I'm not rubbishing the incumbent as a player but I am certainly questioning his credentials as an international scrumhalf.

I think Kirchner gets a slightly raw deal from fans but I feel that Lambie is the better player. So I would prefer to see the latter start regularly.

Let's not forget that we have a slew of players who are injured or were unlucky to miss selection - Names such as Burger, Bekker, Brussow etc., spring to mind. So finetuning rather than any wholesale changes is probably all that is necessary.

Robmartza - I see little evidence of 'moaning' but I see a number of differing opinions being expressed. The last time I looked that was the purpose of websites such as these. Comments other than slavish devotion to the status quo are not necessarily disloyal or unwarranted criticism.

On yesterday's evidence there is every possibility that the exposed form would see NZ put 20+ points between themselves and ourselves. I would like to see us reverse that!

Garrick, you obviously failed to notice the 'smiley' face in my previous post...in case you missed it I'll try again, here goes ()

Craig Eudey Wrote:

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> Now why can the Sharks not beat the lions and the
> rest of the Super 15 teams, when 10 of the
> Springbok team were Sharks and really were the
> platform for beating England? :S

yes well this is why the bokke didnt win by a bigger margen there were to many sharks in the team , maybe the coach will include more talented players from the rest of the country

but as they say a win is a win well done