NPR

Fassi and nKosi are free. Hallelujah.
Should have released all the Sharks not involved this weekend.
Now we are going to enjoy the URC

Did Nkosi fly out to the UK just to be released again a week later??

boere wors wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 7:56 am Did Nkosi fly out to the UK just to be released again a week later??

This does seem the case. A bit silly, but I assume they needed him there to cover any injuries that may have popped up.

Glad they're both being released anyway, hopefully in time to play next weekend.

boere wors wrote: Thu Nov 18, 2021 7:56 am Did Nkosi fly out to the UK just to be released again a week later??

His new passport got a run at Heathrow

My signature got released too....

handyman wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 12:34 pm

Blake wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 11:30 am

handyman wrote: Fri Nov 12, 2021 10:06 am



We're not experimenting with a new team, so no reason not to aim for a full house.

The last time we went 3/3 on a NH tour was 2013.
2 wins on a tour pretty much the norm since then.

2013: 3/3
2014: 2/4
2015: RWC
2016: 0/3
2017: 2/4
2018: 2/4
2019: RWC
2020: Covid
2021: 1/1*

Clean sweep is definitely possible, but realistically we should be too surprised/disappointed if we lose 1.

Come on, we're a different team with Rassie and Nienaber.

Told you so.

First of all, weird that you felt the need to come back to this.

Second, I said we are good enough to AIM for 3 from 3, not that we are going to go 3 from 3.

Bow to my superior rugby knowledge.

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:30 pm Bow to my superior rugby knowledge.

Liquor, she's a bitch.

handyman wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:41 pm

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:30 pm Bow to my superior rugby knowledge.

Liquor, she's a bitch.

I wouldn't know. Too busy being right all the time to be drinking.

We will need to have some honest conversations about the Springboks, the selection policies, the supporters constant ref bitching and our planning going forward.
Today we lost and need to take that on the chin.

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:51 pm

handyman wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:41 pm

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:30 pm Bow to my superior rugby knowledge.

Liquor, she's a bitch.

I wouldn't know. Too busy being right all the time to be drinking.

First, learn to read. Second, learn to understand.

Sards wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:54 pm We will need to have some honest conversations about the Springboks, the selection policies, the supporters constant ref bitching and our planning going forward.
Today we lost and need to take that on the chin.

Fassi, Fassi, Sharks, fuck 5Bar, Newlands smells of piss, Fassi, Sharks, ANC, Fassi.

Sandstorm wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:59 pm

Sards wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:54 pm We will need to have some honest conversations about the Springboks, the selection policies, the supporters constant ref bitching and our planning going forward.
Today we lost and need to take that on the chin.

Fassi, Fassi, Sharks, fuck 5Bar, Newlands smells of piss, Fassi, Sharks, ANC, Fassi.

Take a genpayne girl.

Sards wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 5:54 pm We will need to have some honest conversations about the Springboks, the selection policies, the supporters constant ref bitching and our planning going forward.
Today we lost and need to take that on the chin.

Agree with you for once.

I think we have a good foundation; but we need to evolve. Teams are figuring us out.

FORWARDS
Happy with the forwards and how they are playing. Our players are excellent and our depth is insane.
Only question is around Duane's succession for me. Not sure he'll last for the next RWC (he was considering retirement after the Lions Series) and I'm not convinced we've found a replacement yet.
Kwagga and Wiese both bring...something...to the table, but I don't think either are what we need long term. They are both half of Duane on their best day. Hoping Nienaber pulls in a new No8 next year. Hoping it will be Evan Roos but his URC form will determine if he is a real contender.

BACKS
We are in shit here. We have issues with players, we have issues with decision making, and we have issues with execution. I am getting more and more concerned.
If a backline can't turn 20 penalties into a couple of tries, there are serious problems. DDA and Jantjies are the only 2 backs that run straight. I know our backs aren't the biggest anymore, but none of them or creating space for one another or running onto the ball. We are 10 years behind out opposition in attacking play...it's just dinks and grubbers and up-and-unders, hoping for mistakes.

I think Willie can offer a lot, but it's time to experiment with alternatives. Not sure if it is Fassi, Galant or maybe event Tyrone Green yet, but we need to bring a new playmaker from deep into the mix. One with a lower error count. At 9 we are also struggling. Faf absence is really being felt. H Jantjies is a shadow of the player he was in 2019. We can't afford to carry him. He is killing our attack.

Springbokke did well. They could have won easily so no need to panic.

Our defense wasn't that great today. Marcus Smith did a Quade Cooper on us.

Our forwards still pretty damn good. Etsebeth is a vokken machine.

We miss our waterboy

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:13 pm Springbokke did well. They could have won easily so no need to panic.

Our defense wasn't that great today. Marcus Smith did a Quade Cooper on us.

Our forwards still pretty damn good. Etsebeth is a vokken machine.

We miss our waterboy

We'll need to learn to live without him. He'll only be back towards the end of the TRC next year.
The season was weird. 5 losses, and 3 of them by penalty kick in the last couple of minutes of the match.
It's only really been the second Aussie test we were properly beaten.

I think that's what's making this so frustrating; the close losses of matches we should have won.
Bad decisions and bad mistakes at crucial times. We are creating opportunities, but just don't have the skill to finish off a lot of them.
Or me make silly mistakes and sabotage ourselves. We have the makings of a champion team, but we are still off the pace for being real 2023 RWC contenders.

Nienaber ends the year with a 8W-5L-0D record, which isn't great. 61% is not good enough for a World Champion team.

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:20 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:13 pm Springbokke did well. They could have won easily so no need to panic.

Our defense wasn't that great today. Marcus Smith did a Quade Cooper on us.

Our forwards still pretty damn good. Etsebeth is a vokken machine.

We miss our waterboy

We'll need to learn to live without him. He'll only be back towards the end of the TRC next year.
The season was weird. 5 losses, and 3 of them by penalty kick in the last couple of minutes of the match.
It's only really been the second Aussie test we were properly beaten.

I think that's what's making this so frustrating; the close losses of matches we should have won.
Bad decisions and bad mistakes at crucial times. We are creating opportunities, but just don't have the skill to finish off a lot of them.
Or me make silly mistakes and sabotage ourselves. We have the makings of a champion team, but we are still off the pace for being real 2023 RWC contenders.

Nienaber ends the year with a 8W-5L-0D record, which isn't great. 61% is not good enough for a World Champion team.

It was an unusual year. Next year we can only hope for a normal year with crowds.

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:34 pm

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:20 pm

OomStruisbaai wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:13 pm Springbokke did well. They could have won easily so no need to panic.

Our defense wasn't that great today. Marcus Smith did a Quade Cooper on us.

Our forwards still pretty damn good. Etsebeth is a vokken machine.

We miss our waterboy

We'll need to learn to live without him. He'll only be back towards the end of the TRC next year.
The season was weird. 5 losses, and 3 of them by penalty kick in the last couple of minutes of the match.
It's only really been the second Aussie test we were properly beaten.

I think that's what's making this so frustrating; the close losses of matches we should have won.
Bad decisions and bad mistakes at crucial times. We are creating opportunities, but just don't have the skill to finish off a lot of them.
Or me make silly mistakes and sabotage ourselves. We have the makings of a champion team, but we are still off the pace for being real 2023 RWC contenders.

Nienaber ends the year with a 8W-5L-0D record, which isn't great. 61% is not good enough for a World Champion team.

It was an unusual year. Next year we can only hope for a normal year with crowds.

That’s not normal for Kings Park.

Difficult year, I agree.

But, there hasnt been a single game where we looked like certain winners throughout the game (Argentina and Georgia aside). Which I think is not good enough for a world champion.

And, there hasnt been any development in the squad and game plan, which I find very worrying. It was made all to be about consistency, but we failed, scrambeling to narrow wins or losses week after week. In these regards it has been another lost year.

boere wors wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:59 pm Difficult year, I agree.

But, there hasnt been a single game where we looked like certain winners throughout the game (Argentina and Georgia aside). Which I think is not good enough for a world champion.

And, there hasnt been any development in the squad and game plan, which I find very worrying. It was made all to be about consistency, but we failed, scrambeling to narrow wins or losses week after week. In these regards it has been another lost year.

Meh, the only Tier 1 team that looks unbeatable against other T1 oppo is NZ when they are on-song. The rest of us just get enough points after 80 mins to win.

boere wors wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:59 pm Difficult year, I agree.

But, there hasnt been a single game where we looked like certain winners throughout the game (Argentina and Georgia aside). Which I think is not good enough for a world champion.

And, there hasnt been any development in the squad and game plan, which I find very worrying. It was made all to be about consistency, but we failed, scrambeling to narrow wins or losses week after week. In these regards it has been another lost year.

Pretty much. The game plan is based on the skill set of the squad . It's that way or the highway. Rassie and Nienaber do not seem to want to deviate or nurture new talent or attempt something different. The odd important win like the ABs scalp merely filled the cracks with polyfilla. It also appears that without Rassie on the field directing the game we are losing those matches which puts a huge question mark on Nienabers ability. The track record is there unmistakably. There is also far too much focus on the reffing in an attempt to manipulate decisions which has got us embroiled in off the field matters instead of focusing on building forward. Just my 2c

Sards wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:16 pm

boere wors wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 6:59 pm Difficult year, I agree.

But, there hasnt been a single game where we looked like certain winners throughout the game (Argentina and Georgia aside). Which I think is not good enough for a world champion.

And, there hasnt been any development in the squad and game plan, which I find very worrying. It was made all to be about consistency, but we failed, scrambeling to narrow wins or losses week after week. In these regards it has been another lost year.

Pretty much. The game plan is based on the skill set of the squad . It's that way or the highway. Rassie and Nienaber do not seem to want to deviate or nurture new talent or attempt something different. The odd important win like the ABs scalp merely filled the cracks with polyfilla. It also appears that without Rassie on the field directing the game we are losing those matches which puts a huge question mark on Nienabers ability. The track record is there unmistakably. There is also far too much focus on the reffing in an attempt to manipulate decisions which has got us embroiled in off the field matters instead of focusing on building forward. Just my 2c

Good post, spot on with all of that, especially the bolded part.

I don’t want them to deviate, I just want them to adapt.

When the gameplan works, it works well and we should continue using it. But sometimes a team we very well prepared for it, or the referee in the day isn’t calling blocking runners, or an opposition player is having a blinder in the air…then you have to adapt.

We lost the first NZ test and todays test because we failed to read the game and adapt. The first 20 mins of the second half were great because we actually needed Nienaber to tell the backline to carry the ball up in to contact. They couldn’t figure that out on their own. We have a bunch of robots at 9 and 10.

We need to get better at reading the game and spotting and creating opportunities.

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:33 pm
We need to get better at reading the game and spotting and creating opportunities.

I don’t think that’s ever been a Bok strength, mate.

Sandstorm wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 8:13 pm

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:33 pm
We need to get better at reading the game and spotting and creating opportunities.

I don’t think that’s ever been a Bok strength, mate.

so even more a reason to get better at it

boere wors wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 8:16 pm

Sandstorm wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 8:13 pm

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:33 pm
We need to get better at reading the game and spotting and creating opportunities.

I don’t think that’s ever been a Bok strength, mate.

so even more a reason to get better at it

No shit. But you can’t teach cattle to showjump.

One thing about the NH . They give their youngsters a chance. And it's wonderful to see these young athletes.
And they mix up the squad according to the opposition. We seem to be stuck in a groove. And our youngsters have no experience after this season bar carrying tackle bags.
This has been a wasted year for Springbok rugby.

Sandstorm wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 9:12 pm

boere wors wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 8:16 pm

Sandstorm wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 8:13 pm

I don’t think that’s ever been a Bok strength, mate.

so even more a reason to get better at it

No shit. But you can’t teach cattle to showjump.

Joost and FDP were brilliant at it. Willie le Roux is supposed to be this visionary counter-attacking genius but he's not. He's gash and has been for a long time now.

Blake wrote: Sat Nov 20, 2021 7:33 pm I don’t want them to deviate, I just want them to adapt.

When the gameplan works, it works well and we should continue using it. But sometimes a team we very well prepared for it, or the referee in the day isn’t calling blocking runners, or an opposition player is having a blinder in the air…then you have to adapt.

We lost the first NZ test and todays test because we failed to read the game and adapt. The first 20 mins of the second half were great because we actually needed Nienaber to tell the backline to carry the ball up in to contact. They couldn’t figure that out on their own. We have a bunch of robots at 9 and 10.

We need to get better at reading the game and spotting and creating opportunities.

Reinach was ksk, worst the Herschel in the Scots test . Jantjies need to be on 10. From the start.

NIENABER MUST FALL

Sards wrote: Sun Nov 21, 2021 10:43 am NIENABER MUST FALL

Replace him with Peter de Villiers

Sards wrote: Sun Nov 21, 2021 10:43 am NIENABER MUST FALL

Replace him with Peter de Villiers

Sards wrote: Sun Nov 21, 2021 10:43 am NIENABER MUST FALL

Replace him with Peter de Villiers

I am grateful we didn't play Ireland and France.

The Kiwis lost 3 games for the season and they are calling for the coaches head.
I reckon they got the hardest matches tho

Sards wrote: Sun Nov 21, 2021 1:40 pm I am grateful we didn't play Ireland and France.

The Kiwis lost 3 games for the season and they are calling for the coaches head.
I reckon they got the hardest matches tho

They call for their coach head since he was appointed.

The 6 Nations will be very competitive. The All Blacks will struggle against England.

Definitely a weird year, in retrospect. All things considered, I think it's been a good one. But I'm also glad that it's behind us, and hope that the next time we see the Boks play it's in a full stadium in SA.

The good:

Our forward pack, even with key injuries, is still world class. Really enjoyed the Ox/Bongi/Trevor and Kitsoff/Marx/Koch dynamic. It's ludircous to think we've probably got the two best front rows in the world in one team.
Great to see Kolisi hit such good form, really looking forward to him carrying the team forward to 2021
DDA and Am are arguable the best centre combination we've ever had.
Something that doesn't get mentioned enough is how good our discipline has been all year. Only a couple of cards, and generally our penalty count has been low all year. Such a contrast to years gone by.
Considering what the players went through since June, I think they've performed exceptionally well.


The bad:

I don't think we've really built much depth to this team. Players like Kwagga, Wiese, Kriel just felt like stop gaps; they did well enough but not to push for starting spots.
9/10 is a real problem for us. I think Pollard got a free ride all year when EJ probably should have had much more game time.
Our gameplan is going to have to evolve at some point. Especially when we come up against teams like England who can field our kicks.

The ugly:

Whether you think he's right or wrong, Rassie has done some damage to the Springbok brand.

assfly wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 6:34 am
DDA and Am are arguable the best centre combination we've ever had.

Whilst I'd still much rather have JdV/Fourie, I did initially think "what are you smoking", but Boks just really haven't had a settled quality combo since them.

And no anything involving Juan de Jongh doesn't count.

TheNatalShark wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 6:49 am

assfly wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 6:34 am
DDA and Am are arguable the best centre combination we've ever had.

Whilst I'd still much rather have JdV/Fourie, I did initially think "what are you smoking", but Boks just really haven't had a settled quality combo since them.

And no anything involving Juan de Jongh doesn't count.

RWC 07 & 11: Frans Steyn & Jaque Fourie!

assfly wrote: Mon Nov 22, 2021 6:34 am Definitely a weird year, in retrospect. All things considered, I think it's been a good one. But I'm also glad that it's behind us, and hope that the next time we see the Boks play it's in a full stadium in SA.

The good:

Our forward pack, even with key injuries, is still world class. Really enjoyed the Ox/Bongi/Trevor and Kitsoff/Marx/Koch dynamic. It's ludircous to think we've probably got the two best front rows in the world in one team.
Great to see Kolisi hit such good form, really looking forward to him carrying the team forward to 2021
DDA and Am are arguable the best centre combination we've ever had.
Something that doesn't get mentioned enough is how good our discipline has been all year. Only a couple of cards, and generally our penalty count has been low all year. Such a contrast to years gone by.
Considering what the players went through since June, I think they've performed exceptionally well.


The bad:

I don't think we've really built much depth to this team. Players like Kwagga, Wiese, Kriel just felt like stop gaps; they did well enough but not to push for starting spots.
9/10 is a real problem for us. I think Pollard got a free ride all year when EJ probably should have had much more game time.
Our gameplan is going to have to evolve at some point. Especially when we come up against teams like England who can field our kicks.

The ugly:

Whether you think he's right or wrong, Rassie has done some damage to the Springbok brand.

Good post! Nothing to argue there.