age_master
Hall of Fame Member
That said, Barnes signing for the Tah's is almost as shocking as Karmichael Hunt going to AFL.
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Official Rugby Thread
- Thread starter KennyD
- Start date
Smudge
Hall of Fame Member
Terrible result for Australian rugby. The utterly despised Waratahs (by everyone outside NSW) continue to attempt to buy a Super 14 title when it's constantly failed for the last 13 years. Meanwhile, the Reds will - unfortunately - be a rabble next year and that is not a good outcome for Australian rugby.
ripper868
International Coach
Damn right. The team that could be made of young players (debuted or got their first consistent becnhing/starting role with the Reds) to have left Queensland would read quite well...Just need Ioane and Mcmeniman to not resign and the reds are moving backwards 2 years.
EDIT: I'll just add the waratahs are despised by most outside of Newcastle, Sydney and Wollongong, or probably Moore Park would be more accurate, the support of Super 15 teams in country NSW is about 40% Brumbies, 40% Force and 20% Waratahs from my experience.
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BoyBrumby
Englishman
Yeah, it had to be us with the returns from 2011 expected to be the lowest in the open era.
Can see why the yarps & the eyeties might be a little miffed tho, on the face of it it does rather look as if the removal of the requirement that the hosting government underwrite the tournament was done solely to give us a free run at it. Our plan also includes a group and two quarters in Leekist territory too, which is contrary to the IRB's edict that tournaments should be held in one country.
ripper868
International Coach
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From what I saw NZ had very little attacking talent. Last time I saw them they were a fierce, disciplined side. Tonight they just looked like a lot of strong, fast monsters who can't scrummage, line-out or even catch a high ball. South Africa destroyed them.
social
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Equal (at worst) in scrummage, whilst lineouts, selections and tactics were totally inept
NZ is paying for injuries and political bias in choice of coaches
TT Boy
Hall of Fame Member
Backs are still a real threat and like they showed in the first half, they can score at anytime, anywhere. But the Boks did a real good job on them, targeted Sivi and Rokocoko weaknesses (up ‘n’ under/high ball) and exploited it to perfection. It wasn’t great conditions to play running attacking rugby but in comparison to the Bok backs, they still looked dangerous. Everytime the Boks tried to go wide; they ****ed up, lost yards and usually the ball.
Anyhow, take a bow Morne Steyn for most points in a tri-nations game. And what a game from Brussow against the master.
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Yeah, I presumed the poor handling was largely down to conditions to some extent. But even accounting for that, I wasn't at all impressed. It could just be that I haven't seen much of them since last year, and the dip in quality in that time- whatever the reasons behind it- is pretty big. They just aren't on the same level as South Africa any more judging by that display.
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
Yup sums it up. I recorded the match rather than waking up to watch it live. Theres clearly one side in world rugby thats a step ahead the rest and its South Africa. In saying that, we hardly helped our own cause on Sunday morning with the amount of dropped ball, misthrown lineouts, penalties conceeded and bizarre tactics to play the game in our own half. Facing Australia in Sydney in a few weeks time, where we haven't exactly had a great time of it, won't be easy if we don't fix those elementary errors and play a smarter style of rugby.
Somerset
Cricketer Of The Year
With regard to Brussow, he was sensational on Sunday morning, and in my view outperformed McCaw (albeit on a more powerful side). I almost think that having Burger suspended has been a blessing in disguise for the Springboks, giving Brussow ample opportunity to experience test rugby at the highest level.
As for the All Blacks backs, pretty average stuff. Rokocoko's clearly in no form but his decision making was poor. Sivivatu went from brilliant to woeful, though at least by beating defenders and finding the gaps in the Springbok defence when on the attack, he created the chance for the All Blacks to play the attacking style of rugby that we obviously wanted to employ.
Magrat Garlick
Rather Mad Witch
Not the greatest edict anyway. It basically rules out Wales & Scotland.
BoyBrumby
Englishman
You say it like it's a bad thing...
Seriously tho, can see pros and cons to both sides, tbh. Think the fact that (arguably) the best two tournaments (95 & 03) were in the one country tends to make me favour it being all within one set of borders tho. In 91 & 07 there was the slightly odd cases of the nominal hosts (ourselves and les frogs, respectively) playing quarter-finals in another country because we lost a group game.
Meanwhile, Bath trio get 9 months each.
Shocking, really, given Stevens got 2 years for the positive test. Sets a precedent where refusing to pee is the way to go.
ripper868
International Coach
Wobblies to play Saffies this weekend
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
14. Lachie Turner (Waratahs)
13. Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies, captain)
12. Berrick Barnes (Queensland Reds)
11. Drew Mitchell (Western Force)
10. Matt Giteau (Western Force)
9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
7. George Smith (Brumbies)
6. Richard Brown (Western Force)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
3. Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
19. David Pocock (Western Force)
20. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
21. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
22. James O’Connor (Western Force)
15. Adam Ashley-Cooper (Brumbies)
14. Lachie Turner (Waratahs)
13. Stirling Mortlock (Brumbies, captain)
12. Berrick Barnes (Queensland Reds)
11. Drew Mitchell (Western Force)
10. Matt Giteau (Western Force)
9. Luke Burgess (NSW Waratahs)
8. Wycliff Palu (NSW Waratahs)
7. George Smith (Brumbies)
6. Richard Brown (Western Force)
5. Nathan Sharpe (Western Force)
4. James Horwill (Queensland Reds)
3. Al Baxter (NSW Waratahs)
2. Stephen Moore (Brumbies)
1. Benn Robinson (NSW Waratahs)
16. Tatafu Polota-Nau (NSW Waratahs)
17. Ben Alexander (Brumbies)
18. Dean Mumm (NSW Waratahs)
19. David Pocock (Western Force)
20. Will Genia (Queensland Reds)
21. Peter Hynes (Queensland Reds)
22. James O’Connor (Western Force)
Magrat Garlick
Rather Mad Witch
South Africa (15-1)
Francois Steyn; JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Heinrich Brussow; Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield; John Smit (capt), Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: Chiliboy Ralapelle, Jannie du Plessis, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Ricky Januarie, Ruan Pienaar, Adrian Jacobs
no change except Pienaar in for Olivier on the bench.
Could see the Aussie backs running away with this. If they dare.
Francois Steyn; JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana; Morne Steyn, Fourie du Preez; Pierre Spies, Juan Smith, Heinrich Brussow; Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield; John Smit (capt), Bismarck du Plessis, Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: Chiliboy Ralapelle, Jannie du Plessis, Andries Bekker, Danie Rossouw, Ricky Januarie, Ruan Pienaar, Adrian Jacobs
no change except Pienaar in for Olivier on the bench.
Could see the Aussie backs running away with this. If they dare.
PhoenixFire
International Coach
Pienaar was on the bench last game? Bit of a fall from grace, no? I remember him having a poor kicking game against the Lions, but has been really been that bad?
Magrat Garlick
Rather Mad Witch
Pienaar was injured last game. Comes in now on the bench.
He's not been all bad - did have a fairly poor game in Bloemfontein and was subbed off - but Morne Steyn missed one kick from nine at Durban. Scored all 31. Couple that with a lacking desire to play running rugby and M Steyn gets the gig by default.
TT Boy
Hall of Fame Member
New Zealand tried to play sevens rugby and got nowhere. South Africa will play the same way, so expect aerial bombardment for the Aussie backs and no time to breath.
But Australia's best chance is to go for the jugular, for as they showed in the Eden Park test, their kicking game isn't there to compete with the Boks.
All eyes on Baxter (and the referee) as well. The Boks scrum has been surprisingly very good and strong so far.
Only real concern for the Boks is the bench, you don't need two scrum-halves in Ricky and Ruan, who also doubles up as your fly-half and why two replacement locks in Dinosaur and Bekker. They should get another more mobile loose forward into the mix, a Kanko or Deysel.
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