What has been learnt from this weekend?

If the Boks had played their first-choice team against Italy, we would not have learnt much.

However, testing like today discovers some diamonds in the rough, players that can step up for the next World Cup to replace ageing players. If even one player can make the grade in a single test, it is experimentation worth doing, especially given the Boks no longer have dirt tracker rugby tours for mid-week games to test new players.

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1. Loosehead Prop Thomas du Toit

What has been learnt? A failed experiment. He might not be a test standard prop, at least on the loosehead.

If Rassie subbed him in the 30th minute, that suggests a significant loss of faith. Despite starting his career as a loosehead, it may be too late to convert him back

2. Hooker Malcolm Marx

What has been learnt? Not much. He is still the first choice and will likely remain so until at least the next World Cup.

It is, however, good to test new players alongside established players on the pitch, such as Marx.

3. Tighthead Prop Wilco Louw

What has been learnt? He is a test standard prop who can make the next World Cup, perhaps as the first choice.

Certainly, a good option to replace Frans Malherbe, who probably will not make the next World Cup.

He needs more game time to understand the systems and gel with the top players.

4. Lock Salmaan Moerat

What has been learnt? Nothing that we did not know, that he is a decent player – but not test standard.

5. Lock Ruan Nortjé

What has been learnt? He had a very good game today, his best Bok performance to date. He is an able replacement for Mostert. Might not be a first-choice player, but he is certainly a squad player for the next World Cup. A solid backup for Lood and Snyman.

6. Loosehead Flanker Marco van Staden

What has been learnt? It is essential for the Boks to test new players in this position. The breakdown is better with him, as a specialist number 6 that is able to compete at the breakdown.

7. Blindside Flanker Pieter?Steph du Toit

What has been learnt? He has returned from long-term injury, and he should make the next World Cup, but more squad depth is needed to cover number 7. A position that needs more testing.

8. Number 8 Jasper Wiese

What has been learnt? He is the moron as many expected. Not only is he dumb muscle, but a Dean Greyling style of player. He has potentially destroyed his career for the Boks. More testing is needed here for potential replacements

9. Scrum-Half Grant Williams

What has been learnt? He is now without doubt the first choice to start games. He needs some more game time to peak for the next World Cup. However, a backup is needed for him, and it is certainly not Reinach.

10. Fly-Half Manie Libbok

What has been learnt? He is looking like the second-choice fly-half behind Sasha. He remains the best Bok flyhalf at getting his backline running. Pole kicking remains a key issue.

11. Left Wing Makazole Mapimpi

What has been learnt? Still a good player, but has fallen behind Edwill in the pecking order

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12. Inside Centre Andre Esterhuizen

What has been learnt? : He is still the backup to Delande, at least for now. A good game, but he chose not to pass a few times when he should have allowed the ball to go wide. His second life career as a loose forward is progressing well. Delande is aging, so giving Esterhuizen more game time is good.

13. Outside Centre Canan Moodie

What has been learnt? He got some valuable game time in the number 13 position. He probably does not have the pace for an international winger. If he can continue to improve his defensive game within the Rassie umbrella, he is a contender for the next World Cup at 13.

14. Right Wing Edwill van der Merwe

What has been learnt? He is a certainty for the next World Cup. Resting Kolbe and Adrense was a good idea to test new players. He is a solid backup wing and needs more game time and experience against the top teams. He has 2 tests and 2 man-of-the-match performances.

15. Fullback Willie le Roux

What has been learnt? Not much, except to confirm he needs to retire and become part of the coaching staff. He no longer has the pace, and he will likely miss the next World Cup.

Substitutes.

Jan-Hendrik Wessels:

What has been learnt? Probably the find of the match. He could become the backup hooker to Marx.

Agree by and large. Libbok is fine on attack, hopeless on defense and likely to miss kicks under pressure. I remain unconvinced by Nortje and Moerat. Van Staden was excellent today, but nowhere in the URC final. We do need a fetcher though.

Thomas has never been a convincing scrummager. Frankly neither was Wessels at prop. At hooker his fine play in the loose is a real plus and the fact that he could be pressed into service at prop in an emergency is another plus.

But the revelation of the day was Edwill, obviously ball in hand, but even more so taking the high ball.

The other revelation is just how ordinary the ABs continue to look.

Agree with most of the above comments especially as to the furue of Willie, .

Van der Merwe was a standout player fir the Lions and he is a class act,

As to Esterhuizen I disagree with you - at the age of 64 he ahd plenty of tume to how development as at center and he never did. If De Allende is to be replaced I prefer Willemse and after him Hooker to replace him.

I never really rated Libbok as a test level player, Wih Polard on decline - we really needed a thinking flyhalf to replace him.

To my mind Van de Berg is a better scrummie than Williams - but we have other good scrummies all over the show,

I worrya lot about the prop situation = pher than OX we need a lot of real camdidates, We can do withot dumb muscle like Wiese at 8 - but Hanekom is still around as a loosie and so is Roos.

Roos had his usual game today….lots of effort, few tangible benefits.

O frankly believe Hanekom is the top class loosie [ nut Roos is definitely also a candidate.

Too me the team seemed disjointed and frustrating to watch. I haven't seen the Tony brown influence everyone has been arriving about. There were a couple of tries of the set piece by the backline that was slick. Especially off the line out when Wessels finally found his jumper. Is position hooker. That guy is really mobile for somebody of his size. He could play openside flank and have even greater damage. What a specimen.

Looks like Ox has nailed down the loose head. I feel for Thomas really like him as a player but agree that he hasn't hit the lights out.

Moerat, well, don't get me started. If you look for any content on him all you get is a lot of hype. He is a product of a propaganda machine that started at youth level. How he comes from a family of rugby players and how his dad and uncles missed out on Rugby. How he is the heir apparent to unleash his family generational talent and make up for missed opportunities and redress the past.

He is kak.

No matter what Dave says.

Jasper, I never got why Rassie kapt picking him. I'll go for Roos. The guy tries so hard, I think when he learns to relax a bit and stop trying to prove himself and just play, read the game and enjoy it, he'll do so much better, but Rassie is the cause of his behaviour.

I think we are well stocked and tighthead, just loose head that worries me a bit if Thomas failed.

Can't say I have ever been a super fan of Wille, but his had his moments and his downs are equally frustrating. A project that has lasted too long.

Next in line is Willemse and Fassie. Time for the experiment to pack it in.

Mpimpi never impressed me, always poor on defence and catching, but great support player and finisher. However, lost some pace over the years and at 35 it is time to say goodbye to him.

We have Moodie, Hooker, Edwill, Kolbe and Arendse. We are good for wings

Wonder if the game would have been better if we did not get the red card

"If the Boks had played their first-choice team against Italy, we would not have learnt much.

However, testing like today discovers some diamonds in the rough, players that can step up for the next World Cup to replace ageing players. If even one player can make the grade in a single test, it is experimentation worth doing, especially given the Boks no longer have dirt tracker rugby tours for mid-week games to test new players."

This is what all of last year was about. We had an entire season of "testing". But no worries let's assume Erasmus learned nothing last year and still needs more testing.

The "leanings"...

We already know Willie is past it.

We already know that Edwil is a Kolbe/Arendse clone and right up there with them.

We already know Moodie is great 13. Nothing about his performances at the Bulls suggests anything different.

We already know AE is far stronger than DDA, a bigger brain and better at making meters.

We already know Manie is a great distributor but that he has NOTHING else.

We already know Williams is probably the best 9 in world rugby - yes I rate him over the Frenchie.

We already know that Wiese is easily our best 8. That head butt wasn't a headbutt and the ref is retarded. But not as absolutely retarded as anyone that thinks Wiese is dumb muscle. Our best 8 by a country mile.

We already know that PSDT is a tackler and can't make ground with ball in hand - achieved almost no ground against a very kak Italian side. His inability to make running meters is a given at the this point.

We already know that Marco is the toughest player in the Boks side but that Mandela will replace his as soon as he's fit. But I'm happy for Marco. I picked him before anybody else here, but he had a quiet season, and has now started to come back. Then again, this was Italy, so I won't big up my call until at least the Australian games.

Moerat has absolutely no cause to be there other than his family's rugby history and the fact they Rassie see's him as the next Kolisi. There are at least 5 better players in his position - not a single person here sees him differently.

Nortje didn't have a great game and doesn't live up to the role of being a replacement for Sous - a failed experiment. Though, that was already evident had you been watching the Bulls.

Marx is the world's premier 2

Ox beats anyone at scrum time and Tank boy has never lived up to his name - which I did say in a post I made about him when I stressed my concern over our future front row.

Great - We learned extremely little from this game.

What did we lose?

What we lost.

1) The chance to get Williams and Sacha on and playing together. 3 games into the season and our best 10, perhaps the best Bok 10 ever, has barely had a sniff. Never mind giving him the opportunity to play with our best 9 and see what the synergy looks like.

2) We lost the chance to start Fassi and Willemse in the same game with Willemse at 12 and Fassi at 15 - So we still don't know what that looks like.

3) We lost the chance to combine Moodie with DDA or Kriel with AE. Instead we played a combination that won't ever see a single minute's worth of important game time together.

4) We lost the chance to actually start with our strongest pack and look at what the scrums look like.

5) We lost the chance to start with our strongest pack see what rucks look like.

6) We lost the chance to see just how devastating Williams actually is behind our best pack and how much advantage Sacha could draw from all of that. A massive inexcusable error as far as I'm concerned because we're now 3 games down and we don't know what any of that looks like. It's still a complete question mark. The downside being that Manie is now back in the mix and morons are calling him better than Pollard...because he chucked a few good passes against a horrible Italian side. So not only didn't we get vital information but the selection of Manie has flooded the situation with misinformation. Great.

We already know that Ox, Marx, Eben, RG, Jasper are our front line forwards.

We know that Rassie favours Lood over most others too.

We know that Hanekom is miles better than Roos and if anybody will replace Jasper it will be Hanekom(Captain America).

All in all, we learned almost nothing that anybody with half a rugby brain didn't already know.

We lost a massive opportunity to pick our best side and slot in a couple of newbies to see a) where we stand and b) how the noobs fit into Rassie "system".

...now let's go and have a look at NZ. They played a side very close to their strongest.

What did they gain? They gained valuable game time as a unit. The got a chance to test a couple of final build combinations. They built synergy and already look miles better than they did last week. They looked far better against a French side that is much superior to the terrible Italian side that came here.

As a result, yet again, the Boks are left with more questions than answers while the Kiwis are now left with merely having to add a few finishing touches to their side and they'll be more than ready for us when we arrive on their shores devoid of cohesion and with our best team having maybe only a game or two as a unit this season.

Here is my prediction...write it down. The Boks are going to lose both games in NZ. There will be all sorts of excuses and blame placed on individual players but at no point will any of the Rassie worshipers here dare to comment on the fact that the Boks have more talent at their disposal than anybody else but that we will have lost those games because of all the musical chairs and a massive lack of cohesion amongst our players.

And on top and aside from all of this...it's all for nothing because I'll put money on Rassie going with a side against the ABs that is very close to the WC final side. Which will prove that all this experimenting is just a big bunch of BS and we'd have been better off just playing that team and getting them firing before we went to NZ.

Dress it how you like, but this Italian series was wasted, much like most of last year.

So you think you know better than Rassie on almost all the issues?...what are you gonna say if we don't lose both AB games?....actually only trusting the people who picked up the team from nowhere and won two RWC on the trot.....how's that for an appeal to authority?..but everything eventually goes stale...but there's some life left in this team...

Umm, how am I appealing to authority by countering the authority and the mainstream logic?

The majority of the team that won the WCs was picked by Meyer, and then Coetzee added a few players. Rassie didn't add many new players at all. The ones he did add were mostly necessary replacements for retired players.

And again, we won three knockout matches by 1 point. I'm not gonna go into re-explaining the vast amounts of good fortune required for that.

...but let's not argue about the future. Let's see what happens.

Bookmark this post and we revisit once those games are done.

I'll summarise my prediction and add to it here.

1) The Boks pick a very similar side to the one that won the WC.

2) The Boks lose the first game - very likely get blown off the park in the first half.

3) Rassie makes a few changes and some of those changes end up being combinations that he had a very long time to test but never really tested in combination with his 1st choice players in any meaningful games.

4) The Boks lose the second too.

5) Everybody here blames individual players and Rassie gets off almost totally unscathed.

6) Massive changes are rung for the EOYT - mainly to be able to hide behind experimentation as an excuse when France beat us and we go very close with Ireland(possibly losing to them too).

7) We end the year still not knowing what our best team is.

There we go. I'm brave enough to put my neck out there and make a clear prediction of exactly how I see things playing. Of course I could be wrong. I don't have a crystal ball, but I'm confident enough in what I think to put it out there.

Now you do the same and then we compare notes as the year goes on.

...or don't be brave enough and rely on ambiguities and jargon instead.

I was mentioning my own appeal to authority...have edited it now for better reading.

"The majority of the team that won the WCs was picked by Meyer, and then Coetzee added a few players. Rassie didn't add many new players at all. The ones he did add were mostly necessary replacements for retired players."

Exactly, and they achieved absolutely sweet fckall until Rassie molded them into a team...the best Bok team ever.

"1) The Boks pick a very similar side to the one that won the WC. Yet slightly different...

2) The Boks lose the first game - very likely get blown off the park in the first half. In your dreams...we've lost games in both of our title challenges, we didn't panic, why would they do so now?

3) Rassie makes a few changes and some of those changes end up being combinations that he had a very long time to test but never really tested in combination with his 1st choice players in any meaningful games. Extrapolating outside the bounds of logic here.

4) The Boks lose the second too. You doom prophet you...it's possible we lose 2 on a trot vs NZ in NZ, it's highly probable, but you seem to be looking forward to it.

5) Everybody here blames individual players and Rassie gets off almost totally unscathed. No, only in your view...you're just being petulant.

6) Massive changes are rung for the EOYT - mainly to be able to hide behind experimentation as an excuse when France beat us and we go very close with Ireland(possibly losing to them too).

7) We end the year still not knowing what our best team is.

There we go. I'm brave enough to put my neck out there and make a clear prediction of exactly how I see things playing. Of course I could be wrong. I don't have a crystal ball, but I'm confident enough in what I think to put it out there.

Now you do the same and then we compare notes as the year goes on.

...or don't be brave enough and rely on ambiguities and jargon instead.

You're negative nonsense actually deserves a Beeno response...I miss him.

My prediction...we're in with a shot vs NZ in NZ...before Rassie only Snôr could achieve that in the last 20 years...Rassie did it first try...have Faith young padawan.

'......at the age of 64 he ahd plenty of tume to how development as at center and he never did.'

Ag Nee man, .....cannot be..LOL

Draad

Not seeing something the same way you do doesn't automatically equate to doom prophecy.

Also, the word prediction means to make an assessment or call the outcome of an event that has not occurred yet.

Saying "we have a chance" ain't a prediction. All you're doing is saying that we might win or they might win. So your prediction is just a superposition. IE it's not a prediction at all.

So, will you put your neck in the line aand actually make a prediction? I was very specific with mine, while I know I could be wrong.

Are we gonna win none, one or both games in NZ. What about France? How does the team look going forward after NZ?

It's easy to call someone a doom prophet, much more difficult to actually make a specific prediction based on your own assessment things.

What that tells me is that you aren't very confident of our chances either. And if that is the case, then am I really a doom prophet for only voicing your fears?

If you are confident of our chances then make a prediction that we'll win both games.

See, how that works. If you want to join in this game you can't just chuck ambiguous stones. You actually have to make a call. You don't like what I'm saying, then say the opposite and stick with it.

So, you gonna make some calls or you gonna hit me with "it's by design" and move on...?

If you're not in fact brave enough to make some calls, that's fine too. I've made mine and I'll bookmark this thread. And we can revisit my calls after NZ and then after the EOYT again.

...but just remember, it won't be as sweet for you as it could be if you actually make some calls and they turn out to be correct.

...and yes, I'm looking forward to us losing in NZ.

That will be a wake-up call.

So, what you need to add to you sentence about looking forward to it's..."You seem to be looking forward to it because you think it will be a wake-up call for the Boks and actually increase their chances of winning the next WC."

Looks a touch different when you add in my actual motivations, huh? Doesn't look at all like the anti-Bok type stuff you appear to be try to paint me with.

What ButtPlug fails to realise is the ageing squad. The team that won the last World Cup would never win the next World Cup due to age, resulting in injuries, or declining form.

So, what Rassie knows is that the best team today will not be the best team in 2 years. He just does not know which players will be past it in 2 years. At least 6-7 players of the 2023 team that played in the last World Cup will not make the next World Cup, at least as the best in their position.

(e.g Willie Leroux, Faff De Klerk, Kolisi, Deon Fourie, Bongi, Reinach, Koch, Mapimpi) - others include Eztebeth, Delande.

The World Cup is also in Australia, less suited to older players than, say, the Northern Hemisphere. Raw pace is needed, and we saw Mapimpi get caught from behind.

He is forced to keep testing younger players to see which ones can step up and get enough game time before the next World Cup.

Shark trust you to be ignorant enough to get it totally wrong regarding Thomas as loosehead - the Bok scrum was dominant throughout including while the Tank was on - hell the last scrum penalty awarded before he departed was credited to him

So why was he subbed - helllllllooooo

We lost Wiese, we were down to 7 in the scrums so as Rassie pointed out it was a tactical move - get a specialist loosehead on in Ox given we only had 7 - Thomas is not a specialist loosehead he now plays tighthead

Try wake up instead of ignorantly blagging on about the merits of a player who was doing a good job up to the tactical substitution

For me it goes without saying that Wilco, Marx and PSDT are always good

v/ Staaden had a good game for a change - Moerat and Nortje were nothing more than our 4t or 5th choice lock pairing

Williams was excellent as was Manie

Esterhuizen had his best test given how effective his loop around passes created space - Moodie was very good, is deceptively strong - he needs to be invested in at 13 and not wasted on the wing

Both wings were excellent, Edwil is another Kolbe/Arendse clone. Willie was off his game - the occasion got the better of him

Ox was great as always as was Wessels. Big fan of Cobus Wiese he is so much better than the likes of Moerat, Nortje or Mostert - big physical mongrel who likes to impose himself

Roos was excellent at mopping up - looked full of fight

Reinach is long past it - move on

Sacha was very good as was Hooker in the little time they had on the park

Anyone in the pack could have been subbed. Surely you would take off the player who is playing the worst.

Thomas du Toit received low ratings for his performance at loosehead prop against Italy on July 12, 2025. Multiple rugby outlets noted that he struggled in the unfamiliar position:

1. RugbyPass gave him a 4/10, stating he was "hooked before the break after a few scrummaging errors" and that his efforts with the ball in hand were not enough to keep him on the field.

1. FLO Rugby rated him even lower, at 3/10, commenting that he was "selected out of position and paid the price," struggled in the scrum, and was withdrawn before halftime. The review emphasised that while du Toit is a top-class tighthead, he is "simply not suited to loosehead at Test level".

1. Rugby365 awarded him 5.5/10, noting he "put in a massive scrum effort after Wiese was red-carded" but was replaced after 30 minutes due to a less-than-impressive showing.

1. Planet Rugby echoed these sentiments, describing his performance as a struggle and highlighting his early substitution after 30 minutes, linking it to his difficulties playing out of position.

In summary, Thomas du Toit’s ratings ranged from 3 to 5.5 out of 10, with consensus that he was exposed at loosehead, struggled in the scrum, and was substituted early due to performance issues.

Unluckily with Thomas on LH, the scrums kept on collapsing and Ox came on immediately making a difference.

So Shark,s assessment is correct that it was a failed experiment and that is why Ox took over.

Thomas is a bit off the odd man out as his scrumming on TH is not much better.

Remember the 38 year old Portugal LH prop that clearly won the scrum battle against him.

Rassie does not start Thomas a lot or even use him of the bench. He needs to improve on his scrum work ASAP.

We'll win at least 1 in NZ, I think both, but that's a tall order...everything up till then is preparation.

Shark, I understand all of that very well.

That's what all my posting is about. The fact that we need to figure out our best side for the WC now...and that side needs time together. We experimented all of last year. Rassie knew how old his players would be in 2025...so it's not like he woke up one morning and they were all suddenly 32.

If Rassie doesn't know which of the older players will be up to in 2 years time, well then actually has his answer...they need replacing now.

"So, what you need to add to you sentence about looking forward to it's..."You seem to be looking forward to it because you think it will be a wake-up call for the Boks and actually increase their chances of winning the next WC."

Your ideas of improving the Bokke's chances aren't necessarily correct...and don't talk k@k when the kickoff whistle blows, you'll be cheering on the Bokke with every fiber of your being, so stop this sacrilege nonsense you're sprouting immediately... :-)

Rassie does not know which of his geriatrics are going to make it to 2027, so he's giving everyone one of them a chance to bow out on their own terms, plus he's giving some the opportunity to reach a few milestones...while they're sharing their knowledge and xp with the young guns...by the time the next RWC hits, our team will peak at the right time...in 2019 it was in the final, in 2023 it was vs France...the genius will have a strategy to get us over the line...and hopefully enough luck too.

Oh my fuck how stupid are you - if your scrum could be under pressure because you are down to 7 men you are going to sub one of your props helloooooo

Its not going to be Wilco your specialist tighthead for Nthlabakanye on debut now is it?

Its going to Thomas a non specialist for a specialist loosehead in Ox

I can’t believe how profoundly rugby ignorant some of you are

Name a single scrum Thomas struggled in prior to being subbed - fuck me Rassie is on record explaining the substitution it’s not even my obvious call

Geez talk about rugby thick

Thomas is powerful chap, who can’t scrum. Has never been able to scrum, I have been saying it for years.

Helloooooo go watch the game again and see there was plenty of scrums where he struggled and collapsed the scrum, with no man down…duuhhh… wake up.

Again you are talking thru your ass and refuse to see that ultimately he was subbed because he couldn’t hack it!

No matter how much you scream you coward keyboard warrior, Thomas didn’t hack it and that is why he was subbed…..

what the fuck is wrong with you always screaming like a baby?? Get a grip and debate like a grown up…take a chill pill twat.

Completely endorse Plum’s post above on how the Boks got to where they are……I never predict a Bok loss, but these tests in NZ are going to be titanic.

Dr Lucky took a year but he did turn around our fortunes at RWC2019….but we haven’t progressed since then. The best game. The Boks have played under the Dr is the 2019 final.

His secret ingredients…..player belief and a return to traditional Bok strengths. Those two things are synergistic. HM and Coetzee both made the mistake, as did many on this Board, of believing we had to play ‘expansively’

Dr Lucky proved we had to earn the right to play expansively by tending to the basics….but having earned that right he has never kicked on.

No Bok coach has ever had this chance to really establish the Boks as rugby’s premier team,

Think about it….a weak NZ team, a disastrous Aussie team. NH teams that remain pretenders, although annoyingly Ireland has the Dr’s playbook.

And then there’s the talent now we are choosing from 60 million people not 4. The best tight forwards ever, dead eye dick Pollard the games best pressure kicker, and wings….where do we play Edwill he would walk any other team.

And if Plum is right…..here’s the excuse ‘we aren’t concerned, this is the key year for building our WC team, experimenting is essential’ . That’s a Bok standard.

Anybody really look at that crowd yesterday….stunningly happy….totally into it. Soccer may be over in South Africa…..this is a nation being built by rugby. It’s hard to comprehend, but it’s awesome.

As Long as this happy crowd does not start blowing the vuvuzela:)

I dont mind testing new players, but we learn nothing from playing the geriatrics- the likes of Reinach and Koch, who have never even been first-choice players.

Reinach will be 37 by the next World Cup, and that is far too old, especially given it is going to be on the hard, fast pitches of Australia. Faff De Klerk will be 36.

Mpuff you lying waste of fucking space - name the scrum Thomas struggled in you pathetic twat

Thomas is a great player and damn good scrummager as he has proved for Bath and the Boks

Too many fucking idiots on here who are too rugby ignorant to work out he was subbed for tactical reasons - we were down to 7 in the scrum you dumb fucks

Rassie, yes the coach himself has said as much

Go watch another sport as rugby is not your thing

Fuck me it’s like dealing with a bunch of retards

And you being the biggest retard of them all….fuck off and go change your nappy….you arrogant idiot!

seriously get a life you twat….what a joke you are ha ha ha…

Name the scrums fuckwit instead of lying

But you are too much up a chicken shit to man up

and point to the scrums Thomas struggled in

You fucking lying scum - thick as pig shit is being kind to you

What possible tactical advantage does Ox provide apart from being a way, way better scrummager Dave. This all sounds like nonsense

"Dr Lucky took a year but he did turn around our fortunes at RWC2019….but we haven’t progressed since then. The best game. The Boks have played under the Dr is the 2019 final."

I would wager the 1 point victory vs France in Paris was better...close to the best Bok victory in history...even better than the Pom game in 19.

All of his scrums while tank was playing before he got subbed…..

yet again you are a fucking coward , you can only speak like that while you far away!! Come face me and I will put that ugly head of yours up your own ass!!

Mister tough guy I dare you cunt!!

Spot on Moz… tank can’t scrum to save his life!!

And all that mister big mouth Searle does is speak utter nonsense!!

The French win was certainly our best win in the last WC, but compare these stats:

ENG

SA

FRA

SA

The clean breaks are the distinguishing feature and the turnaround in the possession/territory we accomplished in the second half against the Poms in 2019. We never really achieved ascendancy against France.

Then there is the stunning defenders beaten numbered 43 for France 12 for the Boks. The Boks had to make twice as many tackles 104 to 201 and only made 79% of them.

Plum

We already know AE is far stronger than DDA, a bigger brain and better at making meters

You must be kidding all of us with the above, Esterhuizen is not a player with ball sense, When have you last seen him making a clean line break - never once in tests and extremely rarely plaing for the sSharks. He as zero ball sense and dimunitive ball skills, Not even remotely a test level player, ..

Mozart

Stats don't win matches - are you still thinking SA did not win the 2023 RWC? Do you stiill carry on thinking of th e past- is it not time to start looking at the present and the future?