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FORUM / RUGBY /  THORmeulen claims blue ribbon prize; Rugby 365

THORmeulen claims blue ribbon prize; Rugby 365

Started by Just_win6 REPLIES189 VIEWS· 09 Oct 2014, 06:47
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JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
09 Oct 2014, 06:47
#1
09 Oct 2014, 06:47#1

Twelve matches, 49 tries, plenty of drama and - most of all - heaps of entertainment. Now it is rugby365's turn to dish out our famous Rugby Championship kudos.

New Zealand won the Rugby Championship, while South Africa and Argentina made big statements in the final round.

Australia had yet another big wobble.

However, all-round it was an entertaining tournament with many highs and some lows.

We bring you the best and worst of the 2014 Rugby Championship!

Player of the tournament: All Black wing Julian Savea was so impressive it was suggested he was better than Jonah Lomu, However, we opted for Duane Vermeulen, who consistently produced world class performances in the tournament and played through the pain barrier to help the Springboks break that All Black hoodoo.

Best forward: It should be Duane Vermeulen as well, but he already has an award so this goes to the other man that consistently produced world class performances - Brodie Retallick.

Best back: There were many who put their hands up at various stages - Israel Folau, Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Aaron Smith, Handré Pollard, Tevita Kuridrani, Conrad Smith, Malakai Fekitoa, Juan Martín Hernández, Manuel Montero and Nicolás Sánchez. However, our award goes to the BUS, Julian Savea.

Best coach: His team won the tournament, even before the final round, and for that Steve Hansen gets our vote.

Moment of the tournament:  It has been a long-time coming, but we are giving it to Argentina for finally breaking their Rugby Championship duck.

Team of the tournament: Yes, they did stumble in the final round, against a vastly improved South African team, but New Zealand is still No.1.

Try of the tournament: There was that awesome Manuel Montero try when he waltzed through several Wallaby defenders, there was Ruan Pienaar's try two minutes into the first Test at Loftus Versfeld and that amazing All Black try when - after Australia had spilled the ball inside the All Black 22 - Aaron Cruden and Julian Savea worked the opportunity with inter-passing on short side to put The Bus into space. However, our award goes to the Francois Hougaard try in the Springboks versus All Black Test at Ellis Park, which finally laid to rest the theory that the Boks are not creative enough to counter from inside their own 22 and score a sublime five-pointer.

In case yo missed it, watch this Rugby Championship montage (more awards follow below the video clip!)
 


The 'did that really happen?' moment: The direful and forbidding sight of a Springbok scrum in retreat, the Pumas pushing backwards 10 metres at a time.

The 'don't try that at home' moment: Pyrotechnics going wrong at Eden Park in Auckland, putting three spectators in hospital.

Back to earth with a bang: We may never know which hookah-smoking blue caterpillar advised the Wallabies that they were actually a real threat to the All Blacks, but in the most classic of 'flatter-to-deceive' displays they coughed up 50 points just a week after holding an out-of-sorts All Black team to a 12-all draw.

Most brutally honest assessment: "They were there for the knockout [blow] and we didn't deliver it. All we lacked was knowing how to win it," Argentina coach Daniel Hourcade told reporters in Salta after his team's 31-33 loss to South Africa.

Father time simply can't catch up: Victor Matfield silenced a few critics with his more than credible performances in the tournament, having turned 37 on May 11 this year.

Father time is way behind: All Black captain Richie McCaw, who turned 33 on December 31 last year, made an astonishing 77 tackles in six matches -  that is an average of almost 13 tackles per match.

The gemütlichkeit award: This one goes to New Zealand and South Africa for continuing the long tradition of goodwill and mutual respect that exists between their national teams - the All Blacks and Springboks. Long may this tradition live!

JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
09 Oct 2014, 06:56
#2
09 Oct 2014, 06:56#2
 Not a bad summary, balanced. Boks were pandered to of course 
Many players had great performances. Richie's tackles were a huge achievement but they are not the eye catching type so such contributions don't stay in the mind as much as a fantastic back-line try from inside the 22 for example. Glad there was room to acknowledge a wide variety of players & types of contributions.
Congrats to Vermeulen he has come of age.
JW
Just_winCaptain18,570 posts
09 Oct 2014, 07:01
#3
09 Oct 2014, 07:01#3
 Yeah Cloudy, that was a new one on me also but nice to have such an award 
Seems appropriate for Boks & ABs too, especially with de Villi ers & Richie.
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
09 Oct 2014, 07:11
#4
09 Oct 2014, 07:11#4
 Must say this is a good article,   Cloudy - I think the best translation is "camaradery"  
Vermeulen is indeed a hard man - would not like to be in an argument with that one - he will flatten me with his little finger.    He should have been a Springbok in 2009 already - but the coach's fixation with Pierre Spies - the guy built like Tarzan who played rugby like Jane - was too strong.       
3K
3ku1Pro2,580 posts
09 Oct 2014, 07:40
#5
09 Oct 2014, 07:40#5
 Gotta say in some quarters ppl are overstating and overexagerrating one win. Lets be honest it was one game, where SA played the game of their lives. But like some have said compared to NZ, SA need to work and improve on their Clinical Ability, Proficiency, and killer instinct. Until they show the consistency NZ has over the past Three years, not just againgst NZ but like NZ everyone, then well no SA are the real deal. But yes Vermulen is prob player of the RC, but its a toss up between Vermulen and Savea. I still consider Read the best #8 in the world. Im sure that well be an unpopular opinion, but he has struggled for full fitness all year. And well look to proove himself on the Eoyt. 
CL
clevermikeCoach57,555 posts
09 Oct 2014, 08:59
#6
09 Oct 2014, 08:59#6
 3ku1
To be the best in the world player in any position youhave to maintain the high standard you set inyour career.   I think Read and Vermeulen play different styles of rugby and in their respective styles they are both tops.   
The nex step is tocondsider the contribution each of them makes to theiteam effort and here is the crux of the matter.  THat does not mean the contribution is limited to winning games only.  A player can stand out in a losing effort as well.   
In essense I think in all RC games played Vermeulen made a bigger contribution to the Springboks than Read did to the All Blacks.   
As to wgho is the best in the world in position no 8 - it is a close call between Vermeulen and Read.  Based on the performances of Read last year - I think he was - based on the performances this year - I thhink Vermeulen pipped himat th post.
Even in the fantasy games Vermeuken outscred Read in the pointscoring stakes - even thou that does not mean he was in fact better.  
Incidentally I do not think the win is over-rated - especially insofar as the Read-Vermeulen issue is concerned.   The sum-total of all games make up th series - and that is what needs to be aplled inthis case.

BE
Beeno1Captain40,032 posts
09 Oct 2014, 09:25
#7
09 Oct 2014, 09:25#7
3 IQ how many times do I have to tell you bent read is a show pony. Loves to excell on the wing and flop over the line too the ooohs and aaahs of his raptured fans.How matfield gets a mention is atribute to his ability to con the oaks year after year.
mcaaaws powder puff tackles are really nothing to shout about. His cheap shot on Louw will not be forgotten and ditto that other twit messum's cheap shot on the Mighty Burger.
I trust you will all note which was the best try - yes indeed the one by Francois Hougaard dispite all the plaintive bleatings of the kbbs!
Sorry about OZ. They really were the better side in the first test against NZ then had a bad day at the Office in the return game. Thereafter they were shafted against Argies. 
Boks of course were the real winners of the RC as in both down under tests we were the better side.
So another RC goes nz way via RAWs. Yaaaaawn
Boks must just play for 80 minutes and we will whip the wee abs by at least 20 points!!! Apart from Savea which wee ab would make the Boks? None really. ENOUGH SAID.
— END OF THREAD —

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