Playing To Your Strengths

There isn't time to develop the Boks. There have been many missed opportunities and bad decisions, so the best course of action is to focus on what strengths the Boks currently possess, and how that may give us an advantage over Ireland in particular. The Boks have an abundance of speed. I'd say that this is the fastest team in the World Cup, I haven't seen a team with as much raw pace as we do. It must surely be the fastest Bok team that has ever been assembled. We must use that speed. As per skills, this team has many limitations, so a quick and direct approach would be best. The Boks would do well to work on transitions, as mentioned before, and selecting players who can give them that platform. Kwagga is one of the best at disrupting opposition ball, creating transitions, fragmenting opposition attacks, and has the ability to work other players into space. Esterhuizen and Snyman are brutes, but they also allow the Boks to play through the line. As we saw against Scotland, one offload can create the space we need. We don't need intricacy. These two are enough to give the Boks some linebreaking threat and allow the Boks to take attacks beyond one phase. Pollard coming back will help bolster the midfield. My team: 

1. Ox
2. Bongi
3. Koch
4. Etzebeth (c)
5. Snyman
6. Smith
7. Mostert
8. Wiese
9. Williams
10. Pollard
11. Mapimpi
12. Esterhuizen
13. Kriel
14. Arendse
15. Willie

Where were those big names tonight? All of them were useless. 

Kitshoff, Malherbe Dud Toit and Kolisi were all a big part of the problem today.

Our scrum did nothing until Ox replaced Kitshoff.

Malherbe got one scrum penalty and could have got more for belly flopping….his old fault,

Du Toit….where to start…a ball lost literally on the Irish line, another ball bobbled over the sideline, 6 useless runs for 8 metres and a penalty

But Kolisi dwarfs all that….5 runs for 3 metres and 3 balls lost. Utterly useless as he so often is.

Then there was Dud Allende, the ball killer. How many promising situations did he misread or botch with 2 turnovers conceded And his opponent gained 66 metres, his big run through a missed Dud tackle.

…….

Time to to admit Dave, these emperors have no clothes

That's 5 turnovers conceded for DDA in his last two outings. The price of blind burrowing away from your support .

I was thinking before the match if we lost Allende and Du Toit would cop it along of course with Erasmus. I should have remembered they also don't like Malherbe ever since Mike made it know he had connections with the Malherbe family. Kolisi getting flack is the only surprise in their blame game. He looked okay to me. 

I don't take credit for anticipating so much of all this as it's so boringly predictable from the ever so predictable these talking heads. It's been the sane story for a few years

Yes the commentators spoke about Libbok missing the tackle not Allende.

The test was lost primarily because we didn't sink 3 penalties and one conversion I think it was. Two penalties would have won us the game. Ireland got lucky and they know it. 

Our defence was superb. We botched some good try scoring opportunities ourselves. 

We got on top in the second half. 

However none of the critics here are hammering Ireland's backs for only scoring one try the same as we did.

The cold facts are we missed having Marx, Lood Pollard and Am in the match mix. 

I am sure there will be tweaks if we meet again. 

I think consideration must be given to starting Ox and Snyman in the pack. 

In the backline we must first assess Pollard. There are all sorts of permutations possible. I would like to see Willie, Moodie, Pollard and Williams in the mix. Mpimpi must come in for Arendse. 

How about this backline and backline reserves. 

Faf, Libbok, Mpimpi, Allende, Willemse, Kolbe, Willie. 

Reserves - Williams, Pollard and Moodie. 

If you don't like a 5-3 split but want a 6-2 split it might be possible to play Pollard at fly half or at 13.

One will have to see how Pollard goes. 

For once Mozzzz got it right when he says we could still win the RWC. I don't know the rules for getting out the Pool stages but what if Ireland threw the match against Scotland. Ie Assuming we beat Tonga is there some way we could still not make it out if the pool stages?

Ireland probably realize we are their biggest threat. 

Good one Beanhead , everyone is already on edge and you had to mention Ireland throwing the Scotland Test so that the Boks don't make it out of the Group Stage. Don't mention Tonga beating you, there would be Panic Stations all around. Just kidding Beeno

Yep maybe Ireland better not lose against Scotland otherwise it might bite them? 

Hackedwaugh Tonga, unlike Ireland, are dirty players as are Fiji. I am always concerned about injuries when you play these teams. 

We must not mess about with Tonga. Play a strong team and rack up the tries.  We don't k now if Ireland will pull a fast one against Scotland. 

Tonga and Fiji are not dirty - they are not experienced enough as Tier One Nations (Boks and All Blacks included) to hide their Dark Arts. But now they are slowly learning as you saw with Fiji.against England and against France and Wales and then against the Wallabies. Tonga and Samoa need their National Side to be in Super Rugby like Fiji instead of a Combined Moana Pacifica Team (Tonga and Samoa combined).

Hackedwaugh just because you haven't leaned to hide you dark arts doesnt mean you are not a dirty side! 

I agree however they are improving and need better competition. I put the blame for this squarely on the heads of NZ and Australia who live off island talent. It's been like that for years. 

Under Rassie we are only a 60% winning team. Winning a world cup and being buddies with the President of Saru buys you a lot of forgiveness. 

We are number 2 in the world. That is pretty good unless you are totally arrogant.

I would also suggest to wait a bit to see what happens. This world cup has a way to go. 

Beeno the voice of sanity keeping it real. Reminds me of a leiem about if you can keep your head when others are losing theirs, then you are a man my son. Hahahahaha.

Corny king take a few deep breaths, a tranquilizer and you will feel better. 

Hackedwaugh can you as an honest broker cheer this guy up. My cold facts may not be helping. 

@JW what is going on with your posts? - Nothing is appearing.

@Beanhead "take a few deep breaths, a tranquilizer and you will feel better. 

Hackedwaugh can you as an honest broker cheer this guy up. My cold facts may not be helping. "

hahahahahahahaha Too funny Beanhead.

Hi Hakwa, I posted an image of a weee chap in a tin foil hat on a coffee mug with the narration: 

" I wear this tin foil hat to stop the government satellites from controlling or reading my mind. I am not crazy, paranoia is just a heightened state of awareness".

A perfect fit for wee Beeno but the image won't display. Maybe Beeno is sabotaging my posts?