Re-Union Program

I normally like the views evpressed on the Re-Union program and was very disappointed by the panel contributions tonight - no objective assessment this time around.   They praised Mc Caw as awesome - yet he had a very average game - not dominating at all.   A lot of discussion on their props - who is according to them young and inexperienced - and also the Greyling incident.  

Where they were near the mark was criticism of Morne Steyn's display and the issue of aimless kicking.   Some oncentration on missed goal kicks and also that Cruden is still young and inexpeeienced.   Must admit I think the All Blacks are worried about Goosen though.   No discussion of any problems in the All Black display - but they sounded releived that the All Blacks at least won.

I really expected something more - an analysis of the plays and the problems of some elements of the All Black team.   I think they are not ready to admit that in certain elements of the play - the All Blacks was weaker than the Springboks.   .

I wonder what would have happened if the Springboks were not saddled by three weak links in the team - namely Kirchner, Morne Steyn and of course Greyling.

McCaw's very best days were in the early two thousands. He was never best in the world then though, well and trul behind the likes of Richard Hill, Serge Betsen and the world's best George Smith. But being an All Black makes all the difference. As rugby has become more increasingly biased towards the All Blacks, he has been afforded the opportunity to be as sloppy as he likes and get away with it. He is one of the triuly great myths of sport and even as a leader, he is a nonentity. When has he ever displayed great leadership when the team was on the ropes? Never. In each of the those moments he has wilted most. Nobody ever calls it as it is in rugby. One of the reasons I most like American Football, every team is reffed properly and the salary cap allows for real competiviness. And most of all, the discussions are more technical and accurate. Last year the panel gushed over Lambie v Australia, yet he was charged down three times, never made a tackle and played NO part in ANY attacking moves. It's all a load of rubbish. McCaw had a howler thoughout 2009, being completely dominated by Brussow thrice, yet was Player of the Year. It's truly ridiculous.  

 Since 2009 Brussow has been consistently dominated by bigger and more gifted players, Pocock made Brussow his man servant in 2011 and now cant even crack his own national side.  Quite simply he is not fit to wipe the sweat from Richie's nutsack.  I mean has he even played 50 tests?  Richie will forever be discussed among the games greats while Brussow....well cant see him being discussed much at all.

In 2011 Brussow nullified Pocock and gave us parity, at the World Cup, after Brussow was injured, Australia had total domination. Please call it as it is. McCaw a sloppy, slow and average overhyped myth. What aspect of his game is legal or accurate? He links well, but then so do dozens of lossies. Poi-e, you can only be a New Zealander, and for that you have my pity.  

 Be honest, Brussow was Pococks prison bitch.  To even mention his name in the same breath as Richie is an insult to all rugby fans, kindly delete your post and apologise to the board

 Lol. We're not talking about the same Brussouw who was dropped by an open handed slap from the Samoan fullback? I forget. The name is so forgettable I'm surprised anyone even remembers who he is. 

@clevermike,

i watched the game again with the sole purpose of comparing McCaw to the Bok looseforwards and IMHO, McCaw had a great game, the stats back up what i saw as well, but each to their own.

dont think theres anyone who dosent seriously think that goosen is a threat and if it wasnt for injury, he might have taken out the IRB rokkie of they year, but i think aaron smith just might sneak in with that one in 2012.

like i said bro, no such thing as an easy game against the Boks, regardless of the circumstances heading into the match and while i was expecting a win, i was as i always am against the Boks very nervous, :o)

@catdog,

For what reason do you pity New Zealanders? And why does your ignorance make you so sour in your comments that you post vile that only highlights your own lack of knowledge and total ignorance.

Most times you make absolutely no sense at all. But a comment such as "For that you have my pity" is bordering on racism? If you continue down these lines then I am sure the moderator will find this post very quickly.

Everyone is allowed an opinion and I do appreciate that we all can get  a bit heated at times (I have been part of this issue as well) but lets start getting our board back to discussion of rugby rather than discussions around nationality?

Stand up as a South African and not a "MORON" and to our Kiwi posters could we please get some respect back as well...........

@requiescat,

ur antiNZ and McCaw sentiments are well documented here and i can understand it cos ur dad is pieter van zyl and McCaw turned him into a used tampon while ur beloved Boks looked at him with shame and disgust.

be that as it may, but here are the main issues with brusoow. brussow has been playing international rugby for 5 years yet has only accumulated 17 tests, he is too fragile for this mans game and why the Boks have had to go with bigger and better players to compensate for brussows inabillity to cope with the demands of international rugby.
McCaw on the other hand needs only one more test and since 2011 where he didnt play every test, and he would have equalled brussows test career in the last 5 years, o_O
when/if brussow starts to play more game time against the All Blacks, then come back and run ur mouth, but untill then if brussow wants to know what its like to beat france and ireland, he should feel free to send McCaw a text, cos he has no idea what that feels like.
 

Sasu

On review of the situation I must admit you are right about McCaw - but then I sometimes write things to needle people into responding - try and stay within limitations though.   However, I am afraid tht on the whole there are indeed some issues that did not work in favour of the All Blacks in the test and would have  liked them to have discussed it in some detail on the program.    For iunstance they spoke about the youth of the All Black props - discussed the Greyling incident - mention that he was stupid, but in all fainess never mentioned that it was his first test ever (and also his last) 

What they did mention though was the apology of Meyer to McCaw after the game and made a favourable comment about that one.   They said that th previous coach would have talked a lot about the unfairness about the referees - bu no apology.   Do you realize that nobody here in SA ever understood the mutterings of De Vlliers though.

I have given up on the garbage coming from the local village idiot - no use responding to him - he will never ever learn to stop talking rubbish - so lets leave it at that.

Let me add one comment though - if the All Blacks played like they did on Saturday and if  Meyer gets rid of the three handicaps the Springboks had to play with on Saturday (I mean Kirchner, Morne Steyn and Greyling) I do not give them a 10% chance of winning the game in SA.