The Boks can still win the WC

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Sep 24, 2023, 01:21

After a nice dinner and Chardonnay. I’m a little more relaxed. We played awfully and still had a shot. Although to be fair Ireland had numerous blown chances in the first 20 minutes. Ireland won with a shrewd last 10 minutes congrats to them for winning a big one..but it’s not doom and gloom for us,


This was a typical Bok effort, an arm wrestle…..we never tried to open up the game, even though our back three looked threatening. In these arm wrestles anybody can win.


The same was true in the last WC in the semi. Playing a static game we gave Wales a shot and they might have won absent a brilliant Francois Louw  turnover. We were lucky. Today we weren’t, there was no Francois Louw moment.


We need to go back and look at the win over the ABs when we played with spirit and weren’t afraid to use our back three. The players need to be given the right to take some risks, not when we are 15 points ahead… but from the start. The right to play rugby. If we are going out, let’s go out with our guns blazing, I guarantee we will play better that way.


Secondly, get rid of the antics…Harrassmiss in black flashing his lights. Get rid of that and leave it to Nienaber to run the match.


Thirdly there are some obvious selection changes. Our bomb squad front row is far more destructive and that has been the source of many of our wins. Perhaps they should start.


Snyman and Etzebeth is the best locking combination on the planet…start them.


I really don’t know what to do about the loosies, they are so unbalanced. But make sure Vermeulen is there for the last 20 minutes. And Kwagga was way more productive than Kolisi. Get him on after the half given we are stuck with this small loosie as captain.


In the backs….start Pollard. In today’s type of test Libbok’s long suites are irrelevant and his issues, defence and kicking are game losers.


And change the damn centres, they are completely robotic. It’s a risk given Harrassmiss’ dithering over 4 years. But as we saw today, playing centres with no imagination is a dead end. But whatever we do get Esterhozen on at 12…I don’t care if Dud Allende is moved to 13, although we would be more dynamic with Moodie.


I thought today might be a banana peel….that the AB win was hopelessly over interpreted. Today’s loss also isn’t definitive. We can come back with resolve and dedication. But the time for Harrassmiss  on center stage is over….make some changes…get focused and go out there and play some rugby

Sep 24, 2023, 03:09

Aren't you overreaching abit there Moz? Anyone can win the RWC 2023 but we want it to be the ABs :D. If by some act of reckless reffing in the Quarters (rumours have it that we have certain NZ moles as refs) you should slip against Da French then cheer for us as we will revenge on your behalf in the Finals.

Sep 24, 2023, 03:20

Come now Hakwa let’s keep it real…..I’ll cheer for you guys against pool leaders Italy.

Sep 24, 2023, 04:18

:D:D:D That's Fair Moz

Sep 24, 2023, 06:46

Yes, Ireland didn't run away with the game. Unfortunately we're so bankrupt on attack - the only decent move we did came from scrum dominance close to the line. For the rest everything bogged down in midfield, we tried to stretch it with floaty long passes that don't work because by the time the ball lands the defense has shifted with it, and always the maul, the maul, the maul which don't work well against a team with physical parity. Willie, for all his error rate, is still our best attacking distributor by a mile and needs to be in the mix somehow.

We can't go into a game like this again without breakdown specialists. We were owned on the ground. Marco, Kwagga and Duane probably the best bets to fill that role, just a question of how you balance the trio. PSDT was as clumsy as ever against capable opposition and Kolisi likewise did his all too frequent disappearing act. Wiese is dumb muscle. RG needs to start.


And yes, hopefully all the hype about Libbok's "no-look" crosskick has settled now. Fuck me South Africans are so easily impressed by a shiny bell that rings once.

Sep 24, 2023, 09:34

Usually Rassie switches the whole front row at the same time. 
Every time this has happened the Bok scrum has become immediately dominant.

This time was different - because the whole front row was not switched at the same time.
Ox replaced Kitshoff around the 45th minute and immediately the scrum became dominant.

It is easier to see who is performing well, when subs are made over time - instead of all at the same time

Our scrums have rarely been good in the first half of the game this season. At first I thought it was Malherbe, but it seems to be Kitshoff

So scrum domination by the Boks appears to be from switching Kitshoff with Ox. Perhaps it is time for Ox to start. 

Bongi was on the pitch until around the 65th minute. Malherbe was still on the pitch for a decent amount of the 2nd half. 

Another question was who caused the early pushes in the scrum that conceded 3 tries to the Irish.

The best scrums happened just as Ox got onto the field (when combined with Bongi and Malherbe). That might mean that the Nykani was causing the early push. Or Deon Fourie as well, who is clearly too small to be an international hooker. I would rather use Escom at 2, and give him a run to see how he throws.

Rassie must be asking why he has 4 scrumhalves, but no one that can throw the ball into the lineout. 

Sep 24, 2023, 09:43

Glad you are catching up with me regarding the front row sharkie. I have said for some time now I is our strongest loose head. Actually mush of this is because he is inlyb5ft 9 and 118 kg. Gets underneath the opponent tighthead. Yes Malherbecstill looks to be our strongest tighthrsd at 130 kg - he is carry about 6 kg too much weigbtm

Sep 24, 2023, 13:28

I don’t think too many are hearing the ‘shiny bell’ today Pakie. The aura we gained in the NZ test is gone and we are left with a job to do. It can be done but we have to accept the points you make and address them…..no more wishing and hoping.

 
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