Carter the Player of the Decade

And no Wales didn't employee a kicking game: 

Kick/pass/run

Boks 36/67/71....we kicked 21% of the time.

Wales 36/115/114....Wales kicked 13.6% of the time.

They kicked with 64% of the frequency with which we kicked. Stunningly they still made 114 metres less than we did......a testament to the thing that won us the WC, defence.

No, I'm saying it wasn't a win at all cost match ...and have said as much before the RC match we drew against them in NZ....don't you play Poker or Blackjack? There are much to be said for averages and odds...and as a mathematician you know that very well.

Draad if you throw a coin once and it comes up heads.....the next time you throw that coin the chances of getting heads are exactly the same. 

In a rugby match.....in theory that's also true. But unlike the coin toss, there is motivation involved. The confidence that comes from beating an opponent vs the motivation to beat them next time. 

I would agree for any other team but the Allblacks. Without checking, I think you'd have to go back to 2009 to see them losing consecutively against the same opponent.

Let's see what happens next time they play the poms.

And BTW, they didn't trash us in this RWC...and a couple of 50/50's went their way. That match was a lot closer than the score would suggest. 

 I agree with you about the defense being the main(but not the only) reason for the Bok resurgence.

NZ is still the best team, but we are definitely closer than we were a few years ago.

BTW, I think England were totally overhyped...a good side, but they should not have beaten us at the end of last year. They played well against NZ and they deserved that win, but I don't see them repeating that performance anytime soon....the 6N would be interesting for sure.

As for NZ, definitely not the same team as in 2015. I wonder how long it will take them to get back to that kinda form...if ever....nothing is forever after all.

Nice post Draad. I agree with most of that. My belief has always been that the Boks should be challenging the ABs for world rugby supremacy. 

All the other countries , including all the NH countries simply don't have the same level of physicality across the park. NZ and the Boks can dominate them most of the time. When we don't it's because we have lost our way....tried to play 'expansive' rugby.

If we decide we are going to focus on set pieces, rucks and defence...we are a mighty challenge. But that shouldn't exclude having an attacking plan....as in the Wales match. Not having an urgency to attack off all the good ball we have in the opponents' half, makes it harder.

That's why the English test was so much more satisfying than the game against Wales...we were the aggressors. It was only spoilt a bit by the Poms and particularly their scrum being so poor.

To Rassie's credit he brought back Kolbe, who suits our counter attacking style perfectly. I believe in these small fast players with lightning reactions....although I wasn't always convinced about Kolbe.

So we are at a great launching point for Bok rugby with no confusion about having to play like the ABs and a potent team that should be substantially intact through 2023. All the more disappointing then that Rassie wouldn't have appetite to drive home our WC win by staying the 6 years.

Ah! ...yes, we do actually agree in general, but the devil is in the details...?

You are actually the one who convinced me that our small, fast players can compete with the likes of NZ...wasn't sold until Aplon played a few tests...was worried about Kolbe at 15, but after seeing what he did on the wing this year, I won't worry too much giving him the 15 jersey either.

Not sure why Richie McCaw gets so much negative press in this country but he's definitely one of my top 5 players of all time. The complete loose forward.

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Jerome if you recall Giteau was  moved to scrummie, because he was deemed too small .... and never made the transition. I take your point on defence, but Kolbe could survive by going low. Aplon who was even smaller brought the big guys down like giant Redwoods. 

But speaking about not supporting an idea until recently.....here's your take on Stephanie as a flank:

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"Etzebeth is not a flanker, never will be,.... and is too late to change kolbe to the scrummie position,.... scrummie is the most specific position in rugby,.... you need to play there since young to learn the game,..."

So you think Mohoje is a better loose forward than Dud, the Player of the Universe in 2019......waaaaaaaaaaahahaha.....and you criticize me for having some doubts about Kolbe.

2 I'm afraid we also need a backline coach...this team has no ideas, no technique....no understanding between players. Sure we have individual bits of brilliance...Kolbe today for example, but nothing sustained

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Kolbe shreds Rhule for a try. 

..

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Nope there were many incidents in that game. Look at it....he looked manifestly uncomfortable and unsure and made a multitude of mistakes. 

And Corn, there are plenty of big centres Odendaal, Vorster and even Venter......all of whom are bog ordinary, as I have pointed out, but probably better prepared to play test rugby. 

You are more on point when you say Kolbe was a bit of a revelation....a quick minded player. Just like Juan de Jong who is leagues ahead of all these guys as a professional centre.

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Full backs

Le Roux       -       6,5/10

Le Roux was brilliant at times – but in the latter part of the year showed some problems insofar as especially his passing game is concerened.    The only other player used at full back for limited times  were  Willemse – who played more at flyhalf  an wil be assessed in that position.

Wings

Nkosi           -       5,5/10

Kolbe              -      5,5/10

Dyantyi       -        5/10

Mapimpi     -        5/10

All four has pace – but there defense is seriously questionable.   Kolbe is physically too small to really compete and there  is a lot of work to be done insofar as development of the other three are concerned.

So we have discovered, while I had a few doubts about Kolbe's size...I recognized his talent from way back.

We also discovered Wanker thought he was too small to compete.

And hilariously we found Peeper believed Mohoje was one of a long list of loosies better than Dud du Toit.