A Backline for the Northern Hemisphere

@mikey,

some players like kahui and bekker will benefit from the lack of games by signing up with the top league, as talented as both stars are, its clear that the strain of spXV and then All Black and Bok duties is just too much for the body to handle, and goose is fast heading onto that list too, so sharkboks start lambie and play goosen of the bench has a ton of merit.

most players though play in japan and then go to spXV clubs, happens a lot in both SA and NZ.
one thing u might not be aware of though is that the NZRU have already taken steps to start curbing this trend.
tamati ellison was recently denied an exemption to play for the highlanders after his top league stint, NZRU flatly said too many players are plying thier trade in japan and they would rather give that spot up to a younger upincoming kiwi player.

for me its not the top leagues lack of fitness which is the problem, its the lack of physicality, or should i say a lower level of physicality .
the speed and fitness of the japanese top league is on par with what the spXV has, but those hits from ranger, or motu matuu or nyakane which scream BOMFAAA arre seriously lacking in the land of the rising sun.

The J-League has a greater technical approach to the game. Physicality is one thing, but by your appraisal of their league you indirectly put the Southern Hemisphere into question in light of the North's superior tactical approach and physicality. There are pros and cons, but I see it thus, the J-League affords players the opportunities to ease their bodies in an overworked schedule whilst maintaining their standards. It has freshened them up. That's a good thing in my view. Rugby is unfortunately a bit backward and slow to learn from better run sporting codes.

 sasuke uchiha: "in my Bok team, i would get rid of players who only contribute to the theory that Bok DNA is 10 man rugby, and du preez and morne are poster childs of this.
as a kiwi, im looking to expand the expansive game, kicking the ball more times then bafana bafana is not a priority for me."

Yes of course. It is in the interest of the All Blacks that the Boks kick less, because that ensures more wins for the All Blacks...

In the Ellispark test the Boks kicked 20 times and the All Blacks 35 times. Only the gullible few would believe what you say.

In is only in the interest of the All Blacks to expand the expansive game to other nations, only because they now really woke up to the fact that kicking is very important. This year the All Blacks have kicked much more than usual and more than all their opponents in basically all matches up to now. And what is their record up to now?

Trusting you would be like Churchill going to Hitler for advice on the next battle.

 New Zealand have kicked more than the Boks for many, many years now. It's pure stu bborness by South Africans to accept it that has now regressed the Boks.

@cwdmerve,

"Yes of course. It is in the interest of the All Blacks that the Boks kick less, because that ensures more wins for the All Blacks..."
All Blacks vs Boks 49 tests in last 20 years
All Blacks won 34 for 69%
Boks won 14 for 28%
draw 1
All Blacks also have a superior record vs the Boks in SA in the same time line.

it dosnet really matter what style the Boks play, the All Blacks are hust too good for whatever they can come up with, which most of the time is their fifa tactics.

"In the Ellispark test the Boks kicked 20 times and the All Blacks 35 times. Only the gullible few would believe what you say."
so  thats proof the Boks should resort to the boring rugby they have played for so long???
or is it proof that attacking rugby is completely foreign to the Boks, i mean who the F runs from their 22 when the halftime siren has gone off and u have the lead??? morne and JDV thats who.

Boks inability to make good attacking judgements is because theyre noobs at it, years of that boring 10man rugby on the back of powerful Bok packs is still their default mode

"In is only in the interest of the All Blacks to expand the expansive game to other nations, only because they now really woke up to the fact that kicking is very important. This year the All Blacks have kicked much more than usual and more than all their opponents in basically all matches up to now. And what is their record up to now?"
its stupid to say that the All Blacks have only wised up to the importance of the kicking game this year, and shows a zero understanding of the evolution of the All Blacks attacking game.
after the 2009 TriNats, where the Boks whitewashed us on the back of du preezs impressive tactical kicking and morens drop goals and sniper boot, plus francois steyns long distance monster, the All Blacks went to great lengths to ensure the All Blacks kicking game was like the rest of their rugby game No1.

they focused in particular on du preez who was IMO responsible for the down fall of rokocoko and sivivatu, whose high ball game was very weak, something du preez recognised hence his peppering them with some pinpoint accurate box kicks coupled with good pressure from their backs.

the focus on du preez saw the henry hire an AFL coach to help them with certain skills and mick byrne a former player and coach of aussies rules became the All blacks skills coach.
this was a smart move from henry, as kicking and catching balls is the cornerstone of aussie rules.

there was also key player selections, like corey jane who had been a fringe player till the latter half of 2009.
henry started to really love the idea of wingers/fullbacks, as this ensured an extra level of security out back which is why jame, mills and dagg were household fixtures in the All blacks outside back trio.

with the defence side of things sorted, the All Blacks then started to integrate tactical kicking to be not just reserved for the kickers in the teams, but for everyone to be able to perform the act and more importantly apply it in the most efficent way possible.
is there any 12 out there who can tactically kick better then nonu at the moment on the international scene??? this didnt happen over night and certainly didnt happen this year as u so naively suggested.

rugby is an all round game, and smart kicking which the All Blacks know how to do and have worked hard on the last 5 years is now one of many weapons to go with that expansive game which has always been a class above the rest of the field.

but i tell u what, i hope the Boks do go back to their old school ways, as the numbers i provided showed u, it aint gonna change sweet F all, cos the All Blacks will always be too fast and too furious for ur slowBoks, and bok fans like u can continue to go to games which resemble a funeral with all its excitment, while the All Black fans will continue this never ending party courtesy the greatest and most exciting rugby team on the planet,,,,,

THE MIGHTY MIGHTY ALL BLACKS!!!