Media hearsay at this stage, but it appears as though the source is correct.
I think various travel restrictions for SA players in France and the UK - as well as those of SA will make it impossible for SA to participate in any games on test level this year, It must be borne in mind that SA players are not only playing in SA - but also for various clubs in the UK and France and all SA Players will be in quarantine for 14 days anyway - so it would be an exercise in futility to try and get an SA team together under present circumstances with adequate training together before a series, I think by February next year things would have improved, depending on the progress in finding a vaccine against the Chinese virus.
Moolaa, we only just started playing again after more than 6 months out, nothing to do with "wussing out"...no use in sending an unprepared squad...that would have been stupid.
Moolaa
With respect that has nothing to do with the present scenario,
Actually, the All Blacks face Steph with a runner to pull him out of position and send an inside runner into that space. They have never shown any fear facing him. That's not a mark of a quality player, but an exploitable weakness. I can't believe Josè the super coach hasn't made some adjustment to this. Many teams have been exploiting this vulnerability. The plastics only seem to notice the affect of the overloads this creates, such as the 2 or 3v1s that involve Mostert or Thor. The culprit who created the opening never gets held into account.
Moolaa...I dont like Shark's big mouth either, but I don't see how you can call the AB victory over the Boks in the group stages a whipping...the score didn't actually reflect the match. It could have gone either way IMO...and by the way..the Poms didn't beat you in the semi...you lot folded for some odd reason. I still don't get why the Poms were hyped to such an extent...even the Japs gave us more of a match...
The pool stage wasn't a whipping, but it was a good demonstration of the bluntness of the José model. They held us at arm's length, and we couldn't inflict a dent. They did what England couldn't do, match us physically.
The Erasmus model was based on not allowing the opponents any space.....much assisted by forward dominance. That model was very vulnerable if a team could find a bit of space.
The ABs did......Wales did when they got a scrum with enough space to exploit DudToit. But the Japs were not physical enough to create space and the Poms never showed.
The AB game was close......all of our games against the ABs should be close.....nothing new.
All right Moola, I accept your congratulations.
Apparently the players based in Japan haven't played any rugby, the Boks playing for the Stormers had their first game for the year this past weekend....just a coupe of examples as to why it was called off and that's not taking into account the logistical nightmare of gathering the european based players. Nieabar himself said that the players hadn't clocked up enough playing hours so participation was a no go in the interest of their welfare.
Dave....it's just common sense. Assembling players out of Covid ravaged europe would be a logistical nightmare and to front with a squad of local players cheapens the jumper. I guess it's fine with those who'd still expect the Boks to win.....but won't. Besides all of that it was felt that the players welfare needed to be taken into consideration with regards to lack of game time.
SARU not Rassie made the right decision.
Argentina’s domestic-based players have been in Australia preparing for the Rugby Championship. They were previously in Uruguay. They will be joined by European-based players next week. The players are to fly to Australia on Monday.
The Rugby Championship will start and finish in Sydney. Game one will be a Bledisloe Cup match on Saturday, October 31. The final game will be between Argentina and New Zealand on Saturday, December 05. In short, the majority of Argentina’s players will have been away from home from September to December.
The updated match schedule means that Argentina will play all four matches on consecutive weekends. Australia and New Zealand will have byes.
......
Kudos to Argentina for upholding the spirit of rugby, which we have ignored in our craven to decision to chicken out. The Bargies apparently haven’t found the logistical issues to be a knockout factor.
Another piece of idiocy blaming SARU for problems resulting from Government issues.
@Mikey
Who are you talking to?
LOL
What a joke
Comparing the "Suzy" incident to a worldwide deadly pandemic
Fucking ludicrous
Some people also seem to forget the results of the last 2 games between SA and NZ just prior to the world cup.....
One also has to look at what happened during that SA vs NZ first world cup game where the ref clearly assisted NZ with the scrums, and constantly and incorrectly penalized SA ...…….it was blatantly obvious
"Obviously it sticks in your throat the ABs beating the Boks in that tournament..... "
Not at all moola, you have it all wrong dude
I would easily accept the All Blacks beating SA in that game 100 out of 100 if it means that SA still lift the World Cup trophy...... when the All Blacks can't even make the final
As you very clearly already know by now.....o ne game.... does not make you a world champion
I just thought it best to clear that up
Comparing a 15 man rugby side getting sick with a "tummy bug" versus a worldwide horrific pandemic...… with over 1.1 million deaths...…. is slightly obscure in my mind though
If you don't see a problem with that equation..... then you indeed do have a problem
"And yet when NZ decided to look after their own players because of the pandemic by having the teams play here where it was safe, we were accused of being arrogant and manipulating the competition to suit us."
Firstly, I never saw that.....nor did I once comment on whoever created that thread or said that
Secondly, if you still cannot see the incredible disparity between 15 rugby players with a stomach bug..... and 1.1 million people dying from a pandemic.....then you indeed have a problem
I am not making this about NZ playing rugby at all Cloudy, I am directly referencing moola's stupid statement about SA not travelling to NZ because of Covid-19..... but we must "harden up and get on with the job at hand...." just like NZ did in the 95 world cup?
This is a sick comment to make..... so do you agree with this statement Cloudy?....
"Tha Argies didn’t have a problem DA. More balls than the Boks..... And the ABs were actually sick in 1995. No-one is asking the Boks to play whilst suffering from COVID-19. THAT’S the big difference"
So... they must just harden up and get on with the job at hand, risking their own life in the process..... for a rugby game
Again, you are stupidly comparing a sick rugby player, with a simple and common stomach bug.... to a pandemic that has al ready killed over 1 million people ….. and if these players don't take that life threatening risk and travel and play rugby... …….they are not in the same league as the mighty All Blacks who played a rugby game with a stomach bug back in 1995
Is that your take on this moola?
Cloudy
Db mentioned we would not be sending a side due to us being under prepared.....and that is because of Covid,
If Covid restrictions were never put in place, we would have gone and would not have been under prepared
moola then said after my post about 1.1 million people dying from this pandemic... that that did not stop the Argies, who have more balls than the Boks.... and mentioned that the AB's were actually sick in 1995 when they played,,,,
So you tell me what he meant by that?
"My understanding of being ‘unprepared’ was the fact that you guys hadn’t played much rugby so you wouldn’t have been ready to play teams who were already match fit"
Cloudy, please explain to me why we have not played much rugby at all, which has directly led us to not being prepared at all for the RC...…. does it have anything to do with
player availability?
Injuries?
Time and dates?
TV Schedules?
Logistics?
Covid…….. Oh shit
Ja, I think it was the right choice, not an easy one given that our world class players have been playing in Europe for long enough.
Although, our Green vs Gold matches was absolutely diabolical which proves that we don't have much in reserve.
People forget how strict the SA government has been on training and sports and that people in SA have in lock down for much longer.
Being stuck indoors for 3 months, no contact or any training structures. All of this contributes to match readiness
The difference with Bargies is that they simply don't have a choice but to show up.
They don't have a local product to protect, their Skitso team are basically the same on paper.
Where as SA Currie Cup is the oldest comp in the world, it has been taking a back seat for the stupid conference system, but if you look at the history of the Currie Cup, then it is far more important to SA then risking your best players, reputation and your own domestic product for a schekkals
Taking 50 players out of your Currie Cup completely dilutes it to a sub standard club competition.
The local teams have gone through massive cuts pre-covid and no longer have the player depths (Not that they were there before)
So I for one are happy that we go the curie cup going again, looking forward to the local matches and enjoying some of the local talent getting form.
Looking forward of watching rugby again every weekend on teams that I'm actually interested in.
Don't forget either, the big curry cup matches use to get 40 000 plus fans. You don't get that anywhere in Europe or the rest of the world.
I for one support that we get back there, put us in a position of bargaining once we get over Covid
Some good points Korn.
"common knowledge that you guys had a concern of not being match fit"
Precisely, because of Covid….. nothing more, nothing less
"Unprepared to me is just that"
In any other year I would 100% agree with you...… but this is 2020 and we all know exactly and precisely why we are "unprepared", so stop hiding from it..... it is Covid, period
"doesn’t mean you might get sick with Covid"
So all of our players are not risking their liv es, to go and play a rugby game in another country.... spending days in a sealed off pressurized plane...… exposing themselves to countless other outside factors...… just to go and play a game in NZ
Is that your stance.....?
You are just trying to defend some stupid and insulting comments from moola
Brilliant points Korn, well said
