Anyone got an Irish jersey?

Not at all expecting the Boks to do well at the WC.

If history is anything to go by then, then odds of winning it twice in a row are also very slim.

As a result I'll probably end up supporting Ireland. One has to respect what they've done and how they've done it. Elegant and efficient are how I'd describe them and I doubt anyone could argue that don't deserve the big Cup this year.

So...anyone got a jersey for me?

Ireland have yet to perform well at a WC, but even if they could beat the Boks in the group stages, that would surely be something of note. I have a feeling our early campaign hinges on Ireland, and then France. 

The Irish have a logical gameplan based on forcing the opposition to choose between two things. They keep the ball close to the previous rucks, unless the wide ball is out, and that makes it harder to stop them. It's not like a classic Wallaby side who needs space out wide, and breakdown parity ruins their game, the Irish are built differently. It'll be interesting for sure. It's theirs to lose. NZ will be the toughest they have been since 2017 though. 

I see NZ as the most likely to win but I want Ireland to win.

It would be fantastic for the game for someone new to win it. For Ireland to finally get over the hump would be incredible. They've had so many great sides come and fail at the WC, they've surely got to break that duck sooner rather than later! France is another who has come so close. In fact, they were robbed in 2011. Three throat slams by NZ, yet they receive the penalty to win the game. Despite over 50 uncalled NZ infringements. It was the lowest point the sport has ever seen.  I wouldn't begrudge either side a WC, if they deserve it.

Yeah, I mentioned that game in here and was told I just hate the ABs.

France was robbed blind that day. Another destiny decided by incompetent referee's.

Good lord Shark, is that a good or a bad omen?  

Looks like the character in the Leprechaun Horror movie : )

I think the Ireland fans in here need to come out of the woodwork.

We like how the ABs play but we can't support them because...reasons. The English deserve respect for holding the game together at times in the NH, but I think Saffas have the most respect for Ireland.

Am I wrong in thinking this?

I've never known Saffas to have a a particular respect for anyone aside from England (begrudgingly), NZ, Aus, and France at times. I have some Irish connection though it's not in my DNA, and I still never considered Ireland as anything!

A French woman just won the Evian major golf tournament …first time ever by a French lass. Just saying.

When it comes to LGBT Moz, I don't and cannot respect that. Let it not be said that I disrespect you Moz, because I respect your contributions (despite our differences) more than any other poster. 

Thanks for those nice word Deus.

This was a Ladies Major, no LGBT involved as far as I know. That said, despite of what the media tries to project, most people are upset  with the new proselytizing efforts of this community. Particularly the exposure of kids as young as 6  to very advanced material. It’s irresponsible and very confusing to these youngsters.

With regard to the rugby, I always read your original and technical material Deus…keep it up!

It's irresponsible and confusing to kids. 

I suppose one has to be grateful for crumbs but how pathetic do you get. 

What would you like me to say HasBeen ?

Hope their kicker's in-form. Been only 7 tries total in the finals of the World Cup...between 87 and 2015

I definitely don’t want Ireland to win. I say if any team deserve, it will be France. They’ve played some memorable rugby over the years. Agree that New Zealand had a bent ref when they won it for the first time. 

Irish are the worst winners. I know, I was in Dublin when Ogara made that school boy play and John Smit were trying to talk to the boys. The rest of my time there I had to sit and listen how great Ireland is. 

No thanks, but I do appreciate how good their rugby have become and they still hold a lot of rugby values. 

But then again, the have some of the most annoying rugby players on the planet. Johnny Sexton ring a bell

Moonrover, not sure what you’ve been drinking but in fact there’s been 16 tries scored in RWC Finals from 1987 to 2015 so you’re way out! The Boks also scored 2 in the 2019 final but interesting to note that despite winning 3 finals, these are the only tries the Boks have been able to muster!! Says a lot about Bok backplay or rather lack of it….

moola

As Moon has shown us all recently, in quite a few posts already.... you cannot really take anything that he posts, seriously .... it must be those meds that he takes for his depression...so it's not just the drinking...

You are quite correct, that there were 16 tries scored in rugby world cup finals during that specific period that he quoted..... and it was incredibly easy and quick to check.

Crazy hey.... just how pathetic and prolifically stupid one must be.... when the stats that you post, don't even get over the 50% mark for accuracy or reliability..... eish

As my Dad would say, 'he don't know shit from sugar'

I honestly thought we had a lot more Irish fans among us.

If not for the Boks, who'd we like to see take Cup home?

As I have Irish ancestry on both sides of my family, I would definitely like them to win if my ABs don’t cut the mustard.

Funnily, I have never rated the RWC as the “be all and end all” of rugby competitions. Although the winner gets the title of World Champion, that team was just the winner on that day and doesn’t necessarily play the best teams to get there.

Give me consistency any day…….

I don't particularly like or dislike the Irish team...I have a soft spot for Scotty, but they are no hopers...from the teams who have never won the trophy, France is probably the most worthy and in top form too...will cheer them on if they make the final.

Same here, Moola.

I prefer high ranking to a WC win.

Draad...sies!!! You frog lover ;)

I actually don't like them, but I like their brand of rugby more than that of Ireland...and NZ is the Old Foe, so I won't cheer them in the final, unless it's vs the Poms , so it's them by elimination.

1. Bokke
2. Scotty
3. Japan
4. Argie
5. Fra
6. Ireland 
7. NZ
8. England
9. Wales
10. Aussie

With the ones in bold the only real contenders IMO , but a lot can happen at a RWC...

Which team has the highest percentage of players born in the country….surely that must be the most worthy winner, 

My bet has been made and I placed my bet on France winning the RWC 2023.

 The Goats I wrote off some time back.

AB's are always overlooked but have no fear they are back big time.

Time for a new RWC team to receive the honours.

I agree, the World Cup and World Rankings are two different comps. You don't even have the best team play the best teams. 

What is up with the pool stages. It should just be a straight knock out comp. 

The boks lost to the All Blacks who were number 1 or 2, then beat Japan, ranked 9th, then beat Wales and then England. So they lost to the 1 or 2 team in the world but then crowned world champs. 

I never like Ireland, can't stand them and hope they crash out of the pool stages. SA and Scotland to knock them out, again. 

But if the boks keep playing the way they do, I would say for All Black and France to meet in the final again. 

I've really been impressed on how the All Blacks have turned around, can't say the same for the boks

Draad….you’ve hurt my feelings again 

Becs, you lot are our oldest foe...even older than NZ...we love to hate you lot, but would be lost without you...fierce rivalry...may it last forever...it's only sport.

Phew…I thought you hated me  

IRE has developed there Rugby pretty dam good over the last years and will be worthy winners….you can say the same for France and the AB that is almost back to there Ruthless Potential…Off course I would like the Boks to win again, but I can’t say that I am confident over our chances….the Bok camp is chaotic at the Moment with Team selection, trying to develop a more attack side to our game, our HC is leaving and Rassie is having a Jolly good time…the games we’ve played so far shows how unorganised we actually are….a little bit like headless chickens….but it is WC and anything can happen…My Favourites other than the Boks, is AB and France…and the Red Rosie’s, should finish last : )

Moz - SA has 100% of its players born in SA, I’m almost sure of that

Mpower….that’s fighting talk  

Nah Becs just some fun…ENG is not really my Favourites in Rugby, but they do have that ability to win on the big stage…when firing on all cylinders and Owen Farrell is not so full of Himself, they are a Formidable team.

Well, I’m not confident of much success during this RWC. I’d be happy to be proven wrong ! 

Becs, England is a great place with great people.

Without you guys our favorites two sports would most likely fall apart.

klop, but make it three

Mpower, I do admire how well Ireland has done, they’ve followed the New Zealand model with central type contracts and all player recruitment goes through Ireland. The decide which foreign players play for their teams. Ruan Pienaar had to go even though Ulster wanted to keep him. 

So for that I do admire them. Their ball in hand has improved a lot and so has their scrums. I just developed a dislike for Irish fans when I lived there. They are even worse than England when it comes to winning. 

I know when I was playing at Landsdown road and setting with some of the Irish boys. Remember Paul O Connor was there. That guy was a true athlete, always working on his fitness. 

I just said to the guys, your mind set is wrong. You always hope for a win. South African players don’t hope for one, they just believe they would win. 

I think Joe Schmidt did a lot of good work there. Ultimately, Irish players now believe they are winners. 

So on one hand I’m glad Ireland is doing so well and there are more competition in the top nations. 

But I’m also pissed off how poor the boks have done over the last 2 years. It was all Lions and just a 38% losing record. Not good enough. 

Especially when we have the stormers that are finalist 2 years in a row against these Irish teams. 

The stormers are a scratch team, not even our top players, just shows the talent we have. 

But with Stick and David’s we are nowhere. Where is Swys and Proudfoot 

Korn, the thing with New Zealand was that they were always nearly there. They are not at their very best, but are thereabouts what they were in 2003 even if the cast isn't as stellar. It was sheer arrogance that lead to the Boks thinking they were anywhere close to them. In both tests of 2021 the All Blacks ripped us apart. They couldn't finish, committing many handling errors. In the test Frans salvaged, they blew 5 try scoring opportunities. All they had to do was hold onto the ball. They did they same in the first test. In the loss to us last year, they did they same m, carving our defence apart. They wouldn't win the battle for territory, however, and that was the key factor. They conceded very soft tries trying to attack from deep. They corrected that in the next test and won, even though they were less dangerous ball in hand. Again, they conceded very soft tries. They found some combinations in the front row, and found a bit of balance in their tactics. This season they look more comfortable on the ball, and their defence is much stronger. They conceded a very soft try to Kolbe, and we didn't look like breaking them down once through the course of the game. Yet the arrogance goes on... "we won the last 60 minutes". Look at that second half, they thoroughly exposed us. The Kolbe try, the lineout try from a penalty that shouldn't have been, and a lone effort from Kwagga. We had nothing. When the Boks aren't good there is perhaps no other nation in world sport that lies to itself like South Africa. I don't have a problem with the world cup format, but do have a problem with the double ranking points. It kept afloat the Bok myth for a longer time than it ought to have been. In the past, the world champion usually didn't expose that flaw so much, but these Boks did. How? Because they were not a good team to begin with. They had one good game in the World Cup... the final. And even in that performance, we can pick apart the play of many players and issues with the gameplan. This draw looks like a good bit of karma for the 2019 schedule. 

Would be fun to set up some Microsoft Teams sessions for the WC games.

Haha imagine all of us watching rugby together...the sound emanating for that meeting would surely be the first of the apocalyptic trumpets.

I'd be very keen but I doubt many others here would be brave enough.

Becs you only need to beat Japan, Wales and Oz to make the final

Compare that to us needing to beat Scotland, France or NZ and Ireland to make the final

I know, Saffex. But I’m still worried about our capabilities. 

Eddie jones will spring a surprise or he would regret not being able to coach England with this draw. Don’t think Oz is anywhere near the top teams. 

Two silver medals for him, only gold he got was with SA

Last year's loss to Wallabies is a warning. They only need a couple of key wins. They have plenty of ammunition, though losing their 13 is a bit of a downer. I wouldn't take them lightly. Any opponent who has one more gear than us is someone to be respected. They have another gear. 

“ But with Stick and David’s we are nowhere. Where is Swys and Proudfoot “ - KingK this is very true….both swys and Proudfoot are in SA….so why they have not been approached, is a Mystery to me….the only reason can be Political with this Transformation process.