but...
1. The rolling maul is very effective in wet weather
2. Australia is not good at defending rolling mauls
3. It is a traditional Bok strength- which should be retained while getting better at going wide when it is on.
4. etc, etc
but...
1. The rolling maul is very effective in wet weather
2. Australia is not good at defending rolling mauls
3. It is a traditional Bok strength- which should be retained while getting better at going wide when it is on.
4. etc, etc
Agreed…we should absolutely retain the option. But Ireland had no problem defending it. The question is whether the new tactics will actually be deployed in close games against good teams…or whether it’s just a decoration.
The Boks used the rolling maul a number of times, When the Aussies lost their loosehead prop in minute 48 - non-contested scrums were the result and the pop was replaced by a light-weighht player making the mauls easier to carry out. The last try was scored after an Aussie player were yellow-carded for bringing down a preceeding maul. Not surprising - given the crcumstances,
What tactics would you have liked to have seen in those conditions?
The question I’m asking is whether any of the new tactics will ever become second nature to the Boks….the joy with which they reverted to the rolling maul last night showed that tactic is clearly part of the DNA of our rugby.
Will putting a center into space ever be with this team. Am got the ball 3 times yesterday. Granted the conditions were awful but Paisami got twice as much ball.
In truth, the possession and territory stats were almost dead even, the rolling maul was the difference.
The Boks Backline can run effectively and our Rugby history until present, shows that. Fassi,s try is evidence of that.
If we stay in the habit of running more ball in hand, it will stick and become second nature…
The wet weather on the other hand, gave us the platform to exploit our Maul strength and we executed that very well. There is small signs already of a more balanced playing style….and it can only get better.
The rolling maul is part of the DNA of all top teams - and is used by all at times. Yesterday it ws more of a tactic because of the circumstance and the lose of 2 playrs that made the mauls easier,
When the conditions being better the wider play would happen anyway as was proved again yesterday.
The rolling maul should be part of the strategy not it's mainstay like it was at the WC. Gets worse when the only strategy is the rolling maul, scrum, up an under and the lineout.
We are playing a great all round game
Well only time will tell.
Lets judge the tactics after the All Black games.
Fucking idiots on here keep bitching and moaning while the Boks keep winning
Except against Ireland at home. We did beat Portugal at home though.
Last I checked we did beat Ireland at home and Rassie is now at 69% and by the time the RC is over his record will be 72% coupled with back to back WC’s
Yeah our coach is shit and our side is shit
Keep beating that ignorant rugby drum of yours
The likes of Kirwin, Horan and Cooper are speaking shit and what does Eben know calling Rassie a rugby genius - how dare Eben do that
We tied with Ireland at home, which is a moral victory for Ireland. It’s like the stock market, you never hear a negative voice until the market begins to plunge. That will probably not be before next year given the easiest schedule I can recall, this year.
But this 31 year old team won’t be replaced without considerable pain.
No moral victory at all the game is played on a field for 80 minutes - being home or away counts for very little. No amount of home support is going to make you play any better on the day, if crowd support was required to lift your game you should not be playing the game.
There is zero shame in losing to the best Irish side ever thanks to a last minute drop goal handed to them by an individual error by a player who should not even be in the Bok side
Nothing easy about our RC schedule - what rubbish. Two away games to Oz and a home and away to the Argies. There is one fixture which is in favour of the Boks and that is not having an away game against NZ if home advantage counts that much which I don’t believe it does.
We have just won the toughest scheduled WC ever so we are due an easier RC schedule if there is such a thing
But one thing is for certain this Bok side is a shit hot one directed by the best coach we have ever had. Who cares how old the side is - Rassie is introducing youngsters left right and centre - Horn, Fassi, Edwil vd Merwe, Moodie, Jordan Hendrikse, Sacha, vd Bergh, Wessels, Steenkamp, Mchunu, Grobelaar, AH Venter, Thomas, Nortje, Moerat, Buthelezi, Ruan Venter, BJ Dixon, v Staaden, Roos and Elrigh Louw all had test game time this season
That’s 21 younger players
Home field advantage is probably in the range of 5 points….studies show home team wins 58% of matches. So that’s probably about right. World Rugby Rankings use the following adjustment:
Q. How do you allow for home advantage?
When calculating points exchanges, the home side is treated as though they are three rating points better than their current rating. This has the effect of 'handicapping' the home side as they will tend to pick up fewer points for winning and give away more points for losing. In this way, the advantage of playing at home is cancelled out
To me that’s too little. They probably fixated on the value of a penalty, I bet the maths will demand more points to create a 58% win ratio. But call it 3 to 5 points.
I’d say we are at least 10 points favored against Oz….beyond home field advantage.
Against the ABs, call it even…..so home field advantage is critical.
This schedule favors the Boks.
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…..the rolling maul X 3