Hey gang,

Heard there is a new w(h)ine coming out this month in stellenbosch, they are going to call it Bobskin!! Man that has got to be the worst, worst worst bit of commentary ever! I think the problem is that he is way too close to that squad to be even remotely impartial or no-inflammatory. Anyway thank goodness for Kobus and Afrikaans, because when i was watching it live after the first 2 minutes i made the switch and what a relief...

Anyway post the test match and listening to Darren etc. as well as reading all teh post match reports on the different websites i decided let me watch this game again cos clearly i missed something, because i didnt think Alain Roland was so bad ey. But i guess that could be cos the team i was supporting won. So i watched the test again, not once, not twice, but thrice. The focus of my viewing was Danies yellow card, Rene Rangers shoulder charge, Jeans tackle and Richie and Zanes high tackle, Meisie kinds swinging forearm....

Guys, truth be told the ref missed a few things...on both sides, and he blew for some wrong things, but on the whole he blew a decent game. But lets go threw the talking points quickly. Penalty South Africa, Danie R in his infinite wisdom slaps Richie on his head, Richie, lashes out, he Danie kicks Richie. nothing in it, but dumb football. Had he not got a yellow card not too many would have complained, but alternatively had he gotten one which he had, i doubt too many would have complained too, i mean say it was Ma'a Nonu who had kicked John Smit, the Bok supporters would have been calling for blood. Which leads me to Rangers 'shoulder charge'. Please do me a favour and watch it again minute 35. Conrad had Zane around the legs ranger came in at pace had his left arm around Zane, right arm was coming up over he made contact with an already falling Zane and boom penalty, even Daren at half time said the other angle shows it was much worse thus implying it wasnt as bad as it looked. initially, like the different camera angles that dont show a try, but the other one does...

Jean tackled Rene, lifted him beyond the horizontal and didnt bring him back down safely...its a dangerous tackle, even Jean knew it cos when he finished he sat there and looked at the officials, but he got away with it so we move on. If he hadnt been cited not too many would have batted an eyelid, because he is not that kind of player...10 seasons of rugby and only one yellow card.

If we want to nit pick Zane had a high hit on someone i dont know who but it wasnt pinned, and Meisiekind gave DC a swinging forearm across the throat when they were chasing a kick, silly, nothing in it but it was let go....

Lets go to Richie, minute 42.22, he tackles Danie, gets up goes to the correct side competes for the ball, goes off his feet and lets go. penalty and a warning. Minute 60.31 (almost 20 minutes later) Boks on attack. AB defense hits the ruck with venom, a whole lot of them go off their feet. Ref calls Richie out cos he is the captain. His words are team warning, anyone else goes off their feet in this area again. It wasnt for Richie. 72.39 Richie penalised in the SA half, he tackles the player, keeps his feet, drives through and over the ball, picks up the ball and presents it to his side penalty against him.

It may seem like a defense of the ABs but please go and watch it again and let me know, maybe i dont know the laws that well enough. The problem wasnt the Blacks or the ref, because, Rangers call was from the assistant, Danies call was from the assistant. Jeans citing was from the citing commissioner.

Lets get to the game. The Boks were much better, and i think had Danie not been binned, they would have been there or there abouts at the close because in my mind the ABs werent as clinical this game. the Boks were much more competitve and looked like a rugby playing nation when they carried ball in hand, they actually looked very dangerous too. The fight though was lost in the rucks and mauls. The ABs had more numbers driving forward with intent as opposed to the Boks. Most times the ABs got pinned it was because the body position of the Boks and the attitude, was just wrong and the ABs were allowed to drive through and put more numbers there. general physics i guess, force and inertia on one side meeting no reisistance on the other well you generally blow straight over and if you are not balanced, well you will fall not so?!

For the Boks, I have said this many times, John Smit is just not up to it as a hooker. Compare the way Stephen Moore, Andrew hore, Mealamu, Liebenberg, Botha, Bismarck, Chilliboy....they all carry the ball up with purpose, John goes in waiting to get tackled. Victor is not prevalent anymore. Spies, as i said, if his pack doesnt dominate he is nowhere and i mean nowhere. Ricky i have defended endlessly and i dont think he had such a terrible game, but Ruan set the backline alight when he came on, made a few mistakes but on the whole he is just a delight to watch. Bryan needs the hunger back, he just looks stale. he needs some time on the sidelines to ponder life like Mills did, just so he realises that the jersey isnt his. Bring on Hougaard, Basson, Mvovo, you know! Other than that we loved Zane at 15, he did everything well, he was the bright light in the backs. Then there was Jacques who was fantastic as always. Schala and Flouw were bloody good too and hard working and all the things you require from international loosies. I think Guthro got shown up a little, he scrumed in a lot but wasnt caught. BJ was a much better choice than CJ.

All in all a much better showing by the Boks, but what killed them is their attitude at ruck time as well as that damn kick and chase game. Its gotta go. The interpretations of the laws have changed so now instead of having big forwards and wingers chasing the high kick, there are one maybe 2 backs at best...doesnt bode well for retrieving the ball.

The Blacks all had decent games. Piri, Ma'a, Keven and Mills, players that many doubted all had fantastic games. Supporters reckon Ricky is a prop playing no 9, what about Piri? only difference is everyone supports Piri. Every time he touched the ball there was appreciation from the crowd and he delivered. He in my mind is waaay better than Jimmy, and he doesnt have the red mist liability either. DC had a good game, but left his kicking boot at home as well as 13 points or so. i know many of you want to dub Richie a cheat, but do me and yourselves a favour. the Man is that good and shaiza does he work hard.

The tri nations i guess has started well fro the ABs, i would rather they be losing now but ey at least i havent been receiving any smses the last too weeks. the first match they were sublime but last week, they showed they can be beaten. They are still work in progress and hope they up their game against the Ausies and at soccer city, because thats a real yardstick for where they are at

For the Boks, i dont believe for a second its all doom and gloom. you dont go from being pace setters to nobodys in a year. They had 2 teams in the S14 final, even though one of them was assisted by the refs and assistants to win and get into the semis.....jookes just making a point :) They have the players and the coaching staff. Lets be honest, last year it was the coaching teams brainwave that gave them the Tri-Nations last year. i think they have to take some hard decisions. John Smit, on his bum on the bench, Victor on his bum, Spies on his bum or on the wing, imagine??Jean at 12 not 14, bryan on his bum. The guys just look tired. Bring in Duane at 8, give chilliboy a start at 2 start with andries. Jacues louis Potgieter/Ruan at 10, basson/Hougaard. now is the time to start experimenting. The old guys just dont seem to have the same passion, i am sure they want to play but its just not coming together.

Against Aus this weekend, good money should be on the Boks to win but there has to be a fat attitude shift. more aggression at the break down and not stupid aggression. Aus are smaller in the backs but in Genia and Cooper the in form halfback combo. Gits one of the best players in the world. Adam Ashley Cooper one of the most underrated backline players in the world. cameron Shepard and Junior OConnor, and Rob horne. Judge them on size they lose hands down, but ability and skill these boys are tooo exciting. their forwards even though on paper should be pap, they gave the Boks a good work out last year. The loosies are ok at best, not fearsome by any means but Rocky is one competitive guy and if he is allowed to run loose at the backs, he will be a handfull and their main source of go forward ball. Brown was a handicap last year and we'll see how he goes. George is gone but Pocock isnt a bad replacement and he has big guns.

Its an away game so the Boks are supposed to lose it, but the Wallabies are under the pump, so too the Boks. The Boks will be aggressive, may even boil over once again because its the nature of some of the players...History is against them in that they havent won in Brisvegas in a while. But they are hungry to put right the performances in New Zealand, but against them is also the fatigue of being away from home for 4 weeks. 2 losses and a little bit of doubt creeping in.

Div will change his game plan and i really hope he wins, as much as i like the Aussie style of play, i want him and his charges to issue a good beating based on goood running rugby to the Aussies, so some damn blinkered idiotic Bok supporters can back the f down and leave him be!! I want to support the Boks this weekend hope the overly aggressive idiots stay at home!!

Happy viewing

Y