What a weekend that was.
I start off by saying the best team in the competition won the Tri-Nations, finish and klaar. The ref even tried to help us at the beginning of that match. I mean since time in memorial jumpers have been supported by lifters and zero penalties and now this bloody northern hemisphere ref wants to blow his whistle, the man was on crack!
It was one of the most nail biting finishes to a game I have ever seen. The difference between the 2 teams was that gollywogs 60m penalties, I mean have u ever? And what a time to get them right?!!
The outcome of the game was how it should have been, but inspite of all I said about the team needing to lose so we can make the big changes, I started hoping and believing that it was possible in the last 20 minutes, they showed the world and myself the true grit of the Abs of yester-year, something that has been lacking in the last 2 seasons.
I tried hard to figure out who the man of the match from a Boks perspective would be and i couldn’t think of any one person. Such is the nature of the way they played. Victor stole line outs, Bismarck was hard and uncompromising Heinrich took 2 loosies to get him off the ball, Fourie did his part, Morne kicked the ball...and passed, i was shocked. Jean intercepted and defended with Jacque Bryan ran hard, tackled hard played hard, odwa ran chasing his dreadlocks and kicked some very useful clearances and Gollywog ran by himself and kicked 60m penalties. John lead from the front as usual. And Pierre was kaka at 8 . But that to me is the mark of a settled team. I really had no hope most of the game till the Abs started to turn it on, but even then it wasnt the confidence of old that I had because there was a steely resolve to this Bok team and the ‘tatteredness’ of this current AB side...not to take away anything from this Bok side.
U know i look at this current Bok team and I quite like the outfit, they have in John Smit a very respectable person and player its littered with talent aplenty, yes Bakkies and Bismarck are hotheads sometimes and Gollywog too, but then again I dislike Tialata and am not Nonus biggest fan either. Love the coaching staff inspite of themselves. Then i thought about it, what is it that makes me dislike the Boks so, and the penny dropped....them damn fans!! A springbok supporter is the most annoying species on this planet, maybe an English/Australian supporter may be worse but i don’t live there so i am not exposed to their ranting and moaning...if its not the refs cheating, its the coach who inherited a team and thats why they are playing so well. But I am making peace with it, one day i will be able to support the Boks for a full game but congrats to you guys your team deserved their win. Back to the coach inheriting a team, Rudolf Streauli had a pretty decent team and look what he did with them...just food for thought. An article sent to me by Saul giving some credit to Pdivvy... http://www.rugbyrugby.com/news/story_1909155700.php
The main villain of the last 2 test matches though was Supersport, how dare they substitute the quirkiness and quick wittedness of the Oz and to a lesser extent the NZ commentators with one eyed Bob and Matt? I honestly listened to the commentary in Afrikaans, it was too painful, and to be honest the Afrikaans commentary was not half bad. Very relaxed and balanced.
Now onto my problem that is this sliver fern that is looking wilted and gloomy. The prospects for this team excites me in spite of its current state of affairs. I watch Reunion and I have also been catching quite a bit of the ANZ cup and man the rugby is class, even games between Tasman and Counties...I however, really am concerned about the fact that the success of this team rests with DC and Richie. I was really keen on the idea of canning this season and next to build a back up. Yes I am taking this world cup seriously because i don’t think i can take another 4 years of hearing we have 2 world cups and u have just one....when we weren’t allowed to play. The more i think about it too the more i think, even though i didn’t think the 3 wise men (Hansen, Henry and Smith) deserved the axe, the thought of what Robbie Deans could do with what New Zealand has to offer in terms of talent is quite exciting. I can see it in Australian rugby at the moment. Yes they haven’t had the results to date but the way they are playing I am most concerned about them come 2011. But anyway maybe we will get him post 2011. Back to the team. I think Hore is tired, what has De Melmanche done wrong to be treated like Hanyani? Read at 8 is poifect, bring on Newland or Meews or that big Otago prop. Give Stephen Brett or even Daniel Bowden a shot at no 10 for a consistent period, let him work on his defence. Bring on Gear and Masaga, The Ice man Toeava in the centres...anyway enough of that
Looking forward to Saturdays game. Even though its a nothing game its not really a nothing game, id hope that the Abs ring the changes and see what the new bloods can bring, cos some of the old guard are duds at the moment.
Well done again to the Bok team, and the supporters and more importantly for me i guess the coaching staff ;)
Comments http://sumrugga.blogspot.com/
Respect
Y
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Dear fellow rugby fans, let me start off by eating humble pie and declaring out right that the Springboks are currently the best team in the world! And coached by a damn great coach too I might add, inherited team or no inherited team...just an example to illustrate this...Big Phil Scolari went to Chelsea inherited a great team but something didn’t click and they didn’t perform. It takes a great/good coach/man to inspire his chargers to perform. Guss Hiddink came, same team, different results...
You know i missed this weekends game because I knew the Boks would win and i expected more of the same, but i should have known better though. Media reports slamming them as a boring side, a weakened and inexperienced Wallaby team with new combinations at crucial positions...they were bound to exploit this. Evidence being 2 out of the 4 tries came from set piece ball both attacking the flyhalf/inside centre channels as well as the inside and outside centre channels...both well constructed tries, the last one had a hint of obstruction (if you were a south African commentator and Australia had pulled that move ;)) but both very classy.
De Villiers and Fourie, if they played together more often would be undoubtedly the best centre combination in the world. I like Adi Jacobs and I was rooting for him to keep his position because over the last 2 seasons he has done nothing wrong and his combination with Jean was pretty sublime too!! But alas injury took its toll and what Jacques brings size, mobility, skill and defence, Adi has the other 3 but not size.
The backline selected baffled me a lot though. Why Morne at no 10 when you could play Ruan there and Morne at a position he has played before, no 15??
I feel for Oz, but to be honest I’d prefer to be in their position than where we are currently (we being the Abs) we are sooo at sea at the moment. Our whole game hinges on 2 players, Richie and DC, but mind you, i’d think SA’s game hinges on John Smit and Bakkies, when those 2 are not available you can see a marked difference in the team. Oz on the other hand have had about 2 yrs to rebuild and are getting it right. Even though Stirlo is integral to the team, they were quite competitive with a new centre combo a talented yet young fullback. Their scrum was solid and even got the better of the Boks from what i read.
The game before was impressive in that both teams tried to move the ball and for me that was a spectacle. Out of all the Tri-Nations games o the year i really enjoyed that one and not because of the result. For me the saddest part of it all was that it implied that a 70% Dan Carter is better than a 100% Steve Donald, and really i thought his game was coming together a lot more, how is that going to affect his confidence? I am still of the opinion that Conrad Smith should be at 12 and Ma’a at 13 if they are to insist with him. I enjoyed Read at no 8. All i say is more damn game time for de Melmanche!!
Anyway i think this weekend its all done, it would be interesting if not though because then there would be fire and brimstone in NZ the weekend after
Well done to the Boks, they did what they had to do, i guess it is a sign of a great side.
Happy viewing
Y
You know i missed this weekends game because I knew the Boks would win and i expected more of the same, but i should have known better though. Media reports slamming them as a boring side, a weakened and inexperienced Wallaby team with new combinations at crucial positions...they were bound to exploit this. Evidence being 2 out of the 4 tries came from set piece ball both attacking the flyhalf/inside centre channels as well as the inside and outside centre channels...both well constructed tries, the last one had a hint of obstruction (if you were a south African commentator and Australia had pulled that move ;)) but both very classy.
De Villiers and Fourie, if they played together more often would be undoubtedly the best centre combination in the world. I like Adi Jacobs and I was rooting for him to keep his position because over the last 2 seasons he has done nothing wrong and his combination with Jean was pretty sublime too!! But alas injury took its toll and what Jacques brings size, mobility, skill and defence, Adi has the other 3 but not size.
The backline selected baffled me a lot though. Why Morne at no 10 when you could play Ruan there and Morne at a position he has played before, no 15??
I feel for Oz, but to be honest I’d prefer to be in their position than where we are currently (we being the Abs) we are sooo at sea at the moment. Our whole game hinges on 2 players, Richie and DC, but mind you, i’d think SA’s game hinges on John Smit and Bakkies, when those 2 are not available you can see a marked difference in the team. Oz on the other hand have had about 2 yrs to rebuild and are getting it right. Even though Stirlo is integral to the team, they were quite competitive with a new centre combo a talented yet young fullback. Their scrum was solid and even got the better of the Boks from what i read.
The game before was impressive in that both teams tried to move the ball and for me that was a spectacle. Out of all the Tri-Nations games o the year i really enjoyed that one and not because of the result. For me the saddest part of it all was that it implied that a 70% Dan Carter is better than a 100% Steve Donald, and really i thought his game was coming together a lot more, how is that going to affect his confidence? I am still of the opinion that Conrad Smith should be at 12 and Ma’a at 13 if they are to insist with him. I enjoyed Read at no 8. All i say is more damn game time for de Melmanche!!
Anyway i think this weekend its all done, it would be interesting if not though because then there would be fire and brimstone in NZ the weekend after
Well done to the Boks, they did what they had to do, i guess it is a sign of a great side.
Happy viewing
Y
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