Seems to me they just wanted to do enough. Like slogging it out for 13 rounds and then Deon Fourier and Snyman from the bench finishing it off.
Seems to me they just wanted to do enough. Like slogging it out for 13 rounds and then Deon Fourier and Snyman from the bench finishing it off.
Something must be done in the grouping of Pools, it should not be a lottery. A system is preferred to maintain balance.
Too many high intensity matches over limited times does spoil it somewhat.
I surmise the AB's will clip us...past does not matter here...they may not be at their best but they now a super hyped to take revenge for 1995.
I agree Seb regarding the high intensity matches
Certain frontline players are not at their best at should be on the bench.
Anyhow it's something Bok management will be assessing.
The wee abs have to be the fresher side coming into this final as they have had an easier route. Plus they have an extra day off.
Will be interesting to see who Rassie selects.
You have to be tired after the run of games this side has had
Physically and mentally draining
There were 3 weeks between the Irish test and the France match. There was plenty of time for players to recover and just be kept match fit with short stints.
The real culprit is how we played the French match, having to make 158 tackles to the French 92. We have an energy sapping game plan….chasing kicks and tackling is a hard road.
And our coaches simply couldn’t get the guys up for England. If we had started with Kwagga and Esterhozen we might have injected a bit of energy. That was the game to do that, a match we supposedly were going to dominate….not the WC final.
We had one scheduling challenge ….England 6 days after France. But that’s standard fare for WCs and also tours like the Lions
So to the extent there is any validity in this latest version of the refs robbed us….blame our Neanderthal game plan
I said since 2021 that the Boks don't look fit. Compare the likes of Faf to where they were in 2018, and one sees a marked difference. It was apparent since the Lions tour that they struggled to maintain attacking shapes later in games. However, there has been ample time to prepare for fitness, and this still does not excuse the tactics. Erasmus was outcoached. It was apparent from game one for England that they were quite tactically aware, and focused on nullification, rather than imposing a system on the opposition. Erasmus was caught with his pants down. The Boks have been losing gainline battles for a good while now. Where have we been at the breakdown in key games? The lineout has been wobbly for a good while now. So little attention to detail, and so little in understanding where the personnel are at. Kwagga, Esterhuizen can't make the starting lineup, nor can Ox or Koch. Hoping to inject some life because the team isn't very fit isn't a very good plan when base fitness levels should be in place well before the tournament! As Kitch once remarked, the fitness team wins the competition. Even if that isn't entirely true, it is rather important. Erasmus is lost in his web of idiocy. He can't see the forest for the trees. I've seen excuses ranging from the wet weather, the ref, fatigue... it's all excuses and hogwash. The Boks were tactically outplayed, and too many individuals were severely exposed. The game against New Zealand will be very different, and I actually think this time around, this was the better match-up for the final, but the Boks really do need a real kick up the backside. They are very, very fortunate to still be here. In terms of performance, they don't deserve to be here. We deserve a good showing in the final irrespective of result. After several seasons of horrendous regressive and ugly rugby, with a view to the WC, Erasmus owes us that at least!
BOKKE!!!!
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I rewatched the first half of the English game and have a slightly different take on affairs now.
I'm not sure the Boks were fatigued or mentally drained.
I get the impression that they were told so many times that they need to be wary of how tired and drained they are, that they ended up trying too hard.
I'm probably wrong, but watching it, I get the sense that they focused more on making sure they don't look tired than they did on the job at hand.
Injuries and niggles aside, a week between games is ample time to recover. Club sides do it for months on end with most players playing most games.
Yes, "the step up" of test level, and WC rugby...yes, I know.
...but the Boks didn't look tired to me. They looked badly prepared.