...that apparently those mega paid coaches and players don't.
Like, for example, you can't score points without the freaking ball. Rugby 101.
Like, for example, if you keep putting kicks up and you can't recover a single fucking one of them, maybe it's time to, oh, I don't know, stop doing that?
Amazing how I know these things without getting paid a single cent for my expertise. Lions, hire me as a consultant and we'll avoid future fiascos like tonight's.
As long as the Boks revert to those tactics when they ‘have to win’…eg disappointingly against the Bargies at Twickenham ….I’m guessing our club teams will do the same.
The Boks can pull this off because of the best defense in world rugby and game breakers like Kolbe, plus dominant set piece. The Lions lineout is crap and their backs are average across the board with the exception of Krappies and maybe Henko and Quan, and Krappies was off. Cronje is a tryer but he's not going to step two defenders from a nothing position to win the game for you.
So you have to work for your points. You have to engage as a team, run the rhythm, as they've been doing so well the last 7 games. Not kick and hope the other guy doesn't know what to do with the ball. It's Leinster, ffs.
I guess the Lions played "playoff rugby". That bullshit concept of being at the business end of something, so now suddenly you can't run the ball because the risk is too high.
Well, 31-7. I'd rather take the risk.
Hilarious post Pakster.
To me its amazing how little some oaks, the Mampara Gimps Union, know about rugby. eg Rassie is a crap coach, Du Toit is merely a process tackler, Allende is useless. the Boks have a soft underbelly, Luke Watson is bettter than schalk Burger etc etc. Bwahahahahahahahahaha .
Pakster the Lions have some problems one being an inadequate squad who have punched above their capabilities thanks to their coaches who have got a great deal out of the players at their disposal.
The Lions certainly don't need your very limited "expertise" Pakster to make matter worse for them Hahahahahahahahahaha. Never realised how delusional Pakster is. The Lions should pay Pakster to stay away methinks!.
The Lions should pay Pakster to stay away methinks!.
On second thought Beeno, yes they should. Much easier money for me!
You forgot women in your title………..
Pretty sure I mentioned plebs, Becs ;)
Ha ha ha ha ! Naughty Pakie :)
"Plebs" (plural) or "pleb" (singular) is an informal, often derogatory British term for an ordinary person from a low social class, uncultured background, or the working class
you're very kind becs
shame on you Pakie ... we've already lost ouDawie
I'm still so pissed about that game.
One could feel the wave of momentum shifting the Lions way. Like they were on the verge of getting past Leinster and running away with it...but then they kick the ball.
Perhaps it was the loss of Venter that caused them to go into their shells? The disallowed try was also at a crucial stage. It happened right at the time in the game where the Lions normally have downloaded the position and then start to rip onto them.
Still, the kicking was obviously not working Leinster looked deadly every time they had the ball, why would you hand it to them? Crappies had what I consider to be his worst game of the season.
We've gotten so used to seeing a one-off runner being mixed in with people running angles, going wide...the randomness had become a staple. And then suddenly it was all gone on Saturday.
Terrible disappointment.
Let's hope a big lesson was learned.
The chasm is massive when it comes to ball in hand play from the rest of the world vs South Africa. We don't see any smooth backline play or basic 101, pin and pass. We always relied heavily on individual brilliance from players like Danie Gerber, Joost, Habana, Kolbe and a few others that would just be able to use their athletesism to score. We normally just smash and tackle and play off turn over ball. Where as the Argies, Ireland and even England are better with ball in hand. NZ and Aus have always been right up there and so have France.
I was pulling my hair out watching the Stormers, it goes to Gelant, Grubber, I goes to Sasha, he takes on the line and tries to break it. Goes to Willemse, caught with ball in hand. Simalane on the wing, tries to jink and runs backwards. The Lions looked the most complete, but then you watch Leinster 2nd string, having so much depth, ball in both hands and the pace they use to run on the ball with depth, causing the player to bunch up. The speed with they play at. The lions did okay, they did go from side to side but no inroads and got caught with the ball. Standing way too flat.
I don't think SA can ever play like that or will. To many players trying to razzel dazzle
I've started to think that it's because we have such a good power punch that we automatically ignore the jab.
Our forwards are generally so dominant that the backs have historically been a sort of afterthought.
I don't think anyone can argue too much against complaints that our backs tend to be ball chasers for the most part.
It's why we were so excited about the Lions and so annoyed on Saturday. They were the one SA side that was mixing up their attack. The backs were building on the momentum created by the pack and the pack were doing the same when the backs gained advantage.
...and on Saturday that all vanished in a puff of smoke.
...and to make it worse, my favourite player might be out for the year.
...and I broke up with Hollie on Sunday morning, via WhatsApp.
Ja I've changed my relationship status with Hollie to "It's complicated" after she sent all my messages for the TMO to review. I've received three yellows and a red so far and all my scores with her before last weekend have been disallowed.
Man you could see the Lions weren't comfortable playing that game. The kicks weren't accurate, the chase poor and the players couldn't dominate the contests.
I still don't know what to make of it - playing so far away from your strengths by design. Ah well. Hopefully they're learned something. Hopefully.
My best guess is that it was a poorly thought out response to the rush defence.
If they do this then we do that.
I'm not sure they were expecting Leinster to come off the line so quickly.
But still...for the love of all that is holy...have a plan B!
Oaks you ought to appreciate Rassie and his coaching team more. The Boks have been superb on attack. Backs look much better when playing for the Boks than their home franchises,
That rush defence has been unpicked by so may teams, you just need a level headed player that doesn't get spooked and just wait for the dog leg and allow the player to over run, with a short flat pass. The lions ran out of back line players and they were very thin.
Leinster created a Flying V, nice deep with about 5 passing options off every move, once they get behind you it is tickets as the player can straighten, pulling the wide defender in and then just a simple pass left or right to get the player to score. The magic is in the setup and the dummy runs, but you have to have about 3 or 4 players willing to draw the defence and knowing they won't get the ball. Our players always wants hands on the ball as they are afraid they won't get a chance to run.
That said, I also think Leinster gets away with obstructive running, they do touch defending players but only slightly for it to be deemed not obstruction
When I watch our franchise teams playing better URC teams you would never guess we have done so well on the international scene..
We have a limited amount of excellent players and the best coach in world rugby. We are now at a point where new blood is needed. So are there the players AND will they be ready to win a third World Cup.
Its a very tricky place to be. The Tests against the wee abs will be revealing.
This is gonna be a huge year for the Boks, Beeno.
The soap opera of Boks vs Abs is gonna deliver on all fronts. I very much doubt there will be a dull game.
As a die hard Stotrmers fan, where are you on Roos at the moment? He was shocking on Saturday, but I'm still hopeful for him because the man is warrior and I can't not support a warrior.
Roos is not an 8th man. He does not possess the grunt needed to make bone crunching tackles or carry the ball in traffic.
On Saturday he again made almost zero headway taking up the ball. He mostly needs someone behind him, pushing, to break the line.
What he is good at is exploiting space around rucks, linking with the backline and he's fast. He would be much better served as an openside flanker.
My Springbok Pack to be considered, judging from URC and Champions Cup Performances 2026:
1. Ntuthuko Mchunu
2. Andre Hugo Venter
3. Wilco Louw
4. Adre Smith
5. Jd Schickerling/ Ruan Nortje
6. Paul de Villiers/ Cameron Hanekom
7. Elrigh Louw/ Ruan Venter
8. Francke Horn/ Cameron Hanekom
Mchunu has been a revelation since joining the Stormers. Besides Wilco, he is my favourite Prop!
I see that Francke cracked the nod for the 40-man alignment camp.
Too right!
Stoked for the guy. He's a bloody excellent captain.
Mahashe got in too. Surely he's the breakout player of the season. Him getting rid of Pretender on Saturday for the disallowed try might just be my best moment of the season. It was a proper "Tsek, jou naai."
Plumpster there is no doubting that Roos is a warrior. But I strangely find myself agreeing with Mampara Power. Roos is unlikely to make it at number 8 in a Bok side. He looks to have more potential at 6. Love to see him getting a chance there for the Stormers. I am needing to sit down. The shock of Mampara Power getting it completely correct is astounding! Hahahahahaha.
Wiese is the more effective type of player. I am hearing that Augustus is doing very well overseas. Powerful and pacy.
Wondering how many young players will get a crack at the wee abs.
Also wonder if Dave will make a comeback when the series against the wee abs starts.
Get over it Dave you are much appreciated on this board by the vast majority. although IMO you do overdo the foul language.