James
Cricket Web Owner
Sure is - mighty impressive.
Lost for words in regard to the All Blacks now - so ordinary. Cant help but question whether the players have literally given up.
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Official Rugby Thread
- Thread starter KennyD
- Start date
Lost for words in regard to the All Blacks now - so ordinary. Cant help but question whether the players have literally given up.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
NZ's heaviest defeat to the Boks since 1928, or so the BBC reckons.
On the on hand, it's very impressive the ABs haven't gone down by more than 16 points to RSA in over 90 years, but on the other it's a bad look for a team with 5 losses in 6 tests. Must be their worst run since 98?
He's really broken a fair bit of unwanted new ground yer man Foster, hasn't he? First ever loss to los Pumas, first home series loss to Ireland and now this.
Has to be off soon, surely?
On the on hand, it's very impressive the ABs haven't gone down by more than 16 points to RSA in over 90 years, but on the other it's a bad look for a team with 5 losses in 6 tests. Must be their worst run since 98?
He's really broken a fair bit of unwanted new ground yer man Foster, hasn't he? First ever loss to los Pumas, first home series loss to Ireland and now this.
Has to be off soon, surely?
Flem274*
123/5
We pulled it back a bit but the scrum was grim for first 30. 1 and 3 again the most pressing issue with us.
We've got the talent everywhere but there.
We've got the talent everywhere but there.
They haven't given up
Howe_zat
Audio File
According to some guy on the internet, he was told to resign if he loses in SA.
Fuller Pilch
Hall of Fame Member
In answer to BB's (that's @BoyBrumby, not Beauden Barrett) statements and questions:
NZ's heaviest defeat to the Boks since 1928, or so the BBC reckons.
And back in 1928 at least the ABs drew a 4 test series over there 2-2, and done without perhaps the greatest fullback of all time (George Nepia) as we didn't select any Maori players in teams to tour SA until 1970.
On the on hand, it's very impressive the ABs haven't gone down by more than 16 points to RSA in over 90 years, but on the other it's a bad look for a team with 5 losses in 6 tests. Must be their worst run since 98?
Yes, I remember '98 well. We had great players either retiring or losing form, yet those were at least close losses which we could have won. These have been thrashings.
He's really broken a fair bit of unwanted new ground yer man Foster, hasn't he? First ever loss to los Pumas, first home series loss to Ireland and now this.
Has to be off soon, surely?
Short answer, yes.
NZ's heaviest defeat to the Boks since 1928, or so the BBC reckons.
And back in 1928 at least the ABs drew a 4 test series over there 2-2, and done without perhaps the greatest fullback of all time (George Nepia) as we didn't select any Maori players in teams to tour SA until 1970.
On the on hand, it's very impressive the ABs haven't gone down by more than 16 points to RSA in over 90 years, but on the other it's a bad look for a team with 5 losses in 6 tests. Must be their worst run since 98?
Yes, I remember '98 well. We had great players either retiring or losing form, yet those were at least close losses which we could have won. These have been thrashings.
He's really broken a fair bit of unwanted new ground yer man Foster, hasn't he? First ever loss to los Pumas, first home series loss to Ireland and now this.
Has to be off soon, surely?
Short answer, yes.
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Fuller Pilch
Hall of Fame Member
Well done to the Wallabies. Good game that.
ripper868
International Coach
Enjoyed that tbh - think a bit over-reffed on both teams at times, but enjoyable all the same. Don't think anyone will challenge South Africa tbh, they looked class above.
Feel for Quade, looked a bad injury, could well be his time as a wallaby over.
Flem274*
123/5
Yeah it's grim when the injured player is putting his hands over his eyes instead of where it hurts. That's when you know he's done for a while.
A lot of positives to come from that for Australia, especially with all the injuries and no Hooper. This is the most physical Australian side I can remember in a while. Very good at dominant contact and holding their own at set piece. Rennie is slowly building a very, very good side who will be dark horses for the world cup if they keep players fit. Not quite in the top tier with SA, France and Ireland but they're knocking.
South Africa are beatable tbh. Wales did, and they're very good but not clear world #1-3 good. We really lack players at #3 in particular. Angus has his bad days in Super Rugby and Lomax struggles to scrum well in Super Rugby, so this was always going to be above what he can currently offer. Bower was at the centre of several bad plays outside scrum time as well.
The current generation of props just aren't good enough (and I'm extending that to the card merchants like Ofa and Nepo who got sent backwards in Super Rugby finals) and we should invest in Ross, de Groot, Newell and Williams.*
*I used to think Williams was porky until I saw him in the flesh against Ireland. He's leaner in person, because he's just ****ing huge. He should be starting for the evil franchise.
ripper868
International Coach
Yeah have to agree with that - many a time we've had to find the 'smart' ways to win when we get bashed, now we just seem to give it back on a near equal footing - What I think we don't have is a genuine 'star' that can break the game on his own, Koroibete can be that guy sometimes, but I'm talking like a proper game breaker in the mould of a Kolbe - for me there no player in the Aus team that puts a 'oh ****, why'd you kick it to him' kind of feeling across - it may be that I've just not seen enough SR since living in the UK, but just feels like the talent isn't as 'elite' as it perhaps used to be - i could be talking out my ass of course with rose glasses, as obviosuly you've got to be good to be Test level.
Thinking about it again, i guess Tupou is probably that guy.
Thinking about it again, i guess Tupou is probably that guy.
James
Cricket Web Owner
What I couldn't quite believe in his post match interview was him saying that was their best performance all year. Was he actually watching the game? Was there a single aspect of play where we actually dominated the Bok? The general public aren't interested in "improving", "the right track", etc - they want wins and that's all that matters.
With Scott Robertson being heavily linked to the England job - and if the media is to be believed with Razor having met the powers that be in Sydney recently (during England's tour), it will be an absolute joke if he slips through NZ Rugby fingers and Foster leads us to the World Cup.
With the way Australia are playing, the Bledisloe is under serious threat this year.
James
Cricket Web Owner
Given this is probably the weakest All Blacks team of the professional era and the worst All Blacks coaching/captain of all time, the Wallabies stand a chance. Especially with their muscle up front. If not now - when?
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ashley bach
Cricketer Of The Year
This couldn't be further from the truth.
The All blacks gave their absolute guts out there tonight, and although the scoreboard doesn't look good for them, it's certainly not from lack of effort.
The disappointment from the players tonight was plain to see, they were absolutely gutted.
But the simple fact was the Springboks were superb, in particular with their defence, the green wall was rock solid tonight.
They tried hard to breach the defence, but just lacked important touches which broke the play down and set them back.
Malcolm in the middle of the scrum Marx, had a gigantic game, that turnover he created right on halftime was huge at the time.
Beauden Barrett had a fantastic game, hopefully he's all right after that terrible collision 5 minutes before time.
What was amazing to see after Faf de Klerk's injury in the first minute, was him standing on the sidelines 20 minutes later with a big smile
on his face, what a tough nut he is, was sure he was down and out for the night.
James
Cricket Web Owner
Say what? He was at fault for missing the up and under for the first try, and for me, is one of the main reasons the attack is not firing the way it should. He upsets the balance of the team because we're forced into playing Jordie for his goal-kicking rather than Jordan playing in his natural position. Beauden's kicking game is also lack-luster as was shown last night and he can't defend at 10. If Razer takes over, I'd bet money that the first thing he does is bench Beauden.
Barrett is a good player, but he's an impact sub, and not a starting first-five from my point of view.
James
Cricket Web Owner
They may have shown effort but they didn't show intelligence when they were out on the field. As you said, the green wall was rock solid which should have made them switch it up with more of a kicking game to try and push the Bok back. We were constantly trying to run it from our own half which produced regular errors and infringements rather than playing a territory game.
Flem274*
123/5
nah bro, im sorry this is your website and all but this is terrible analysis.
we could have played a backline of smith, carter, lomu, nonu, conrad, goldie and cullen last night and still potentially lost because we had **** all ball and the ball we did have was deep in our own half. That's on the forwards. Plus our game plan sucks, which is on Foster.
like every youtube highlights reel rugby fan you're focusing on positions that have nothing to do with ball security and are the secondary element to forward momentum.
let's say the tight 5 actually do their job and beauden is on the bench with richie at 10 and jordan at 15 - the defence is weaker because jordan is never present on it (which is reason #1 of 2 main reasons Jordie plays 15 ahead of him) and if you're going to seriously argue Mo'unga is a better defender than Beauden Barrett (who is fine not great on d) then well....
The individual talent of Beauden Barrett (and our entire backline tbh) plus the workrate of Savea, Cane and Whitelock (with cameos from Scott Barrett) has been the only reason we've been competitive at all in the past two months.
If you can actually look at last nights game and go "Ah yes, Beauden Barrett, there is the main problem" then that's completely wrong. Where was Bower in recent weeks? Taylor? Angus? Ofa? Nepo? Lomax? Coles? Akira? The Wifebeater? Being ****, that's where.
James
Cricket Web Owner
You can question my analysis - doesn't matter in my association to CW.
I agree, but I was responding to Barrett having had a great game which I disagree with. As I mentioned in my second post, we had literally no kicking game last night, and Barrett has proved over the years that it isn't his strength. That's one of the reasons why I believe Mo'unga would be a better fit - especially against the Bok. We needed to get into a kicking duel with them last night and play a territory game.
Why is Jordan playing 15 for the Crusaders but 14 for the All Blacks, Jordie 12 for the Hurricanes but 15 for the All Blacks? If Beauden is great on defence, why doesn't he defend in the line, in the natural 10 position? But Mo'unga does defend at 10.
We were destroyed at the break-down by Ireland and now South Africa - that's on Cane and ultimately the captain and coach go down with the ship. Did he pilfer any Bok ball? Did he have any strong carries? Is he a lineout option? Is he even big/strong enough to move bodies from rucks? He tackles well, I give him that, but he's clearly not a leader and doesn't command the 7 spot.
Beauden isn't the main problem (one of them), but it's clear we've been ordinary on attack for a while now and need a change in there to try and unlock the back-line. Mo'unga at first-five is that man for me. But yes, as you say, it all starts up front, and we've been poor there and lacking go-forward which puts the backs under un-due pressure.
If I was to name a main problem, it's Foster though who never should have been appointed coach. You can see at the press conferences he's lost, and the game-plans seem to be non existent.
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