So ... in 2023
The Springboks played 12 games .... and won 10
The Springboks beat the All Blacks twice, once by a record margin
The Springboks beat France
The Springboks beat England
The Springboks beat Scotland
The Springboks beat Australia by 40 points
The Springboks beat Wales by 50 points
I am quite sure there could have been some space for at least one award at the World Rugby awards for a South African player.....
Etzebeth for POTY was the best bet, but not too many will argue with Savea. Libbok as breakthrough player was iffy. I don't know much about the other contenders in that category, but Libbok has hardly been a revelation. There's the "no look" crosskick. And then a lot of missed tackles and place kicks.
We don't feature much in the dream team either, which is not really surprising. Our backs barely get the ball so how are they supposed to make a case for themselves? Kolbe is the only Bok back I'd have in there since he was better than either Jordan or Penaud in their direct encounters. Forwards we have few positions of clear dominance or superiority. Etzebeth is there as he should be. Steph had a massive final, but he was fairly quiet in the rest of the WC. Ox could probably have cracked a spot had he played more.
Savea was a great choice, I do have to agree Pakie ...
I just thought Eben was a definite, because he has had a monstrous year .....
I don't think it's too much to say that we could have had a shoe-in for team or coach of the year .. although I will probably be shot down in flames because of our "shitty" style of play or our too many close wins.....
I said a while ago on here, fuck the haters.... play to your strengths ....and that is precisely what Jacques and Rassie do ...... let the haters continue to hate....
Yeah Coach of the Year is a tough one. Not sure what exactly the criteria is. Maybe Ireland beating the Boks had something to do with swinging it Farrell's way because I'm pretty sure he and Rasnaber would have been the two main contenders.
Rassie was undoubtedly coach of the year.
Savea is one of those flashy players that look good out in the open. He is quick and so gets noticed more.
Eben does the heavy lifting not always as noticeable.
Frankly I am not too fussed. The RWC is ours and that what really matters most. Thecsesrfscare nice to get but the Cup is the biggest prize.
The two sides that only made the quarter finals Got 5 players in the RWC team. Nz got four. The Boks who won the tournament got 1. Obviously the judges went for flash. The clever backs who got nowhere were more highly valued than the brilliant defenders who stopped them dead in the tracks.
Had Pollard played against Ireland we would have had a comfortably win even though missing Marx, Lood and a fully fit Am. Ie we would have been undefeated.
To me wining is what it is about. I feel great that the Boks won. I wouldnt feel good if we played twinkle toes ballarina rugby and lost.
That is why Rassie is my type of coach. He played this RWC to win
Unfortunately the anti Rassie brigade so hated our coach that they were dismayed that we won and took no joy in the outcome.
I honestly wouldn't want to stand in their miserable shoes. Fancy degenerating to the point where the Boks wining the RWC makes you miserable.
Poor DOS and Mozzz are inconsolable. They spend their time fininding every reason under the sun why we should not have won and trying to prove that this twice World Cup winning coach is terrible.
Hahahahahaha hilarious stuff from these two bigoted boneheaded buffoons.
Yeah I wouldn't worry about awards too much either. Likely to be a fair bit of internal politics and balancing acts involved.
Yeah, agreed on both posts
These rewards are more like participation trophies that they give to the kids that didn't win so that they don't feel missed out.
Agree, Savea is a flashy player. Etzebeth got snubbed last year too. He is a game changer.
Anyway, Farrell as the best coach. Didn't win the world cup or got past the quarters after so much hype. The boks could have knocked them over in the pool stages if we had a proper kicker
Look at Beanbag, claiming a moral victory in a comprehensive loss. The same name months ago claiming a moral win over NZ in the RC, when the Boks were again dominated for 80 minutes. It's interesting how these people claim moral wins, or rightful wins, when it suits them. When the Boks are gifted results by a ref, it's never a problem. Hypocrisy of the highest order.