The one factor that the all blacks have never faced ……

I have been listening to all the pre-match talks, about the all blacks are number one in the world and that they have been the best for 4 seasons. Ellis Park is one place where they have always struggled to win, the altitude will overcome them, the big bok forwards, the boks have a better backline than before. For each of these the All Blacks have an answer and it has been heavily discussed. By the sounds of it, the All Blacks believe that they can win as they know how to counter all of these.

But and a very big BUT, they have never ever played with Jetlag. Yes, that is right Jetlag, the boks had to overcome this for many years and have devised a plan to get around it, but the all blacks had never had to fly for 8 hours, play at altitude and then try to get use to the effects of Jetlag.

The Aussies and Kiwis have been rubbishing it for years now, but think about it. They flew for 18 hours to get to Argentina and then some travelling around, play a test match took them some to get going. They then had to travel to the airport, get on a plane and land in Joburg.

So for that reason, I back the boks, if the All Blacks can overcome this. They will be the best All Black team I have ever seen in my books. But and a very big but, they will not know what hit them once they start feeling light headed, legs starts turning to jelly and that extra gear that they are looking for to up the tempo, is just not there.

Go Boks!!!!!

moodaa

In some ways kingcorn has a point - the AB's had an easy win against the Pumas last year and a more difficult game this year.  However, my initial response was the same as yours - the All Blacks won convincingly in Soweto last year - so what is the issue?

Although I mentioned repeatedly that I think the AB's will win tomorrow - I do believe that they are not going to have as easy a game as last year.   The main reason for that is that Meyer has made some really questionable selections - but despite that to my mind the Springboks have a slightly better team than the one they fielded in Soweto, whilst the All Blacks have some problems with players who performed well last year - and whose form thus far this year have been rather poorer than last year.

The fact that Carter is not available and that McCaw is poor compared to what he was before his sabbatical - are major factors as well.  As a Springbok supporter, I would have been much more worried if Cane was starting ahead of McCaw.

Can the Springboks beat the AB's - yes I give them a 40% chance to do that.   My brain says the AB's shall win, my heart says otherwise.   However, lets wait and see what happens tomorrow.   For the AB's sake I hope it is not another 2012 Twickenham test that awaits them tomorrow.    

Mozart

There has been extensive coverage on the jet lag issue over the past few months.  The summary of the situation is that -

*   travelling from west to east is much more problematic insofar as the jet lag issue is concerned - than it is when travelling from east to west; and

*   that wheras in the case of SA teams it will take them 6 to 7 days to get rid of the effects of jet lag, it will take the NZ teams only 3 to 4 days to achieve the same.

In this case the AB's had to travel from west to east and I assume that led to the kingcorn item.   However, the number of time zones has an impact on the jet lag issue and since the number is relatively small in the case of Argentina - SA compared to those in the case of Australia and New Zealand, the jet lag affect should have worn of f by today and not really be a factor tomorrow.    

 Phew.....when i read the heading i thought i was going to hear that there is a woman in our team.

 Now theres an evil idea maybe we can distract a few All Blacks with some cleavage while our team runs away for a try. Just might work.