Rugby Championship 2025: South Africa v Australia

[The Ghost of Raelene]

That's it. You watch his movements for his second try. Was trudging in midfield with a few other players but read the play perfectly, stayed alive and ended up running the perfect support line. He does it all the time. Bobby V or Hooper would never score the tries he does.

Although the one big area he needs to work on are his dives to score. No flair or panache. Almost forgot to ground it the second time. Need to show him videos of Ben Tune, Chris Latham, Matt Giteau etc.

Just get it down. Don't think we need the big units swan diving and blowing out a shoulder when 120kg tests out the laws of physics.

 

[barbarian]

Is that going to get the punters in the door, though? Come on mate we're in the entertainment market and Harry needs to understand that.

I want swan dives at a minimum. Somersaults, backflips, any sort of choreographed work (using the ball as a phone/grenade/bowling ball etc). And if he blows out his ACL, well at least that would be funny and make it onto the news. Any publicity is good publicity!

 

[Tomthumb]

Have to admit the run meters are from getting it open space twice. His ability to be in position is undeniable though.

Yeah that ability to be in the right place is world class. While he cant run a crash ball like Valetini (not many in the World can) he does things that no other loose forward in Australia does. And he does it at a higher workrate than any of them

I think his non stop engine has rubbed off on the team too. Easy to follow your captain when you see him giving everything he has every game

 

[parkfootyenthusiast2]

Quite strange reading all the Harry Wilson criticism after he scored 2 tries and captained the Wallabies to a 16 point win over the Springboks at Ellis Park

As far as I'm concerned the guy has got himself the 8 jersey and captaincy set in stone. Absolute workhorse, a great leader and has still got room to develop further

For me, Wilson is a bit of an interesting case. He is a fantastic defender, made a number of cover tackles that could've easily ended in 5 points if he hadn't scrambled to shut down a much quicker man, his support work and line running is great, a shifty set of hands, the lineout work is much improved, and he is without a doubt the spiritual leader of the team. The group seems to love him and his ticker, and he sets the platform for what's expected from the whole team.

I still think he is a fundamentally flawed player in his ball carrying height, and his general nervousness when a kick-off comes his way lol. I think the comments about this more reflect the fantastic depth we have in the back row at the moment. As somebody said earlier, McReight, Valetini and Hooper are all playing world class right now, Gleeson has been a great spark in his time off the bench, CdC is growing nicely and Tizzano is very solid too. Hooper could theoretically slide into the row but Frost Skelton and Williams have all excelled lately also. These are great problems to have.

For me, HW gets the nod always because of that platform/attitude he sets and for the niche things he does that no other 8 in the world does - you can live with him getting folded a couple times on carries because of this. The only silver lining of a potential week off for him is that we get to see what the team looks like with a Hooper McReight Valetini back row, 3 great talents in their own rights but do they combine effectively?

All this depth is a great problem to have, and something we haven't had for a really long time. We will need it throughout the course of TRC and the Spring Tour.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Is that going to get the punters in the door, though? Come on mate we're in the entertainment market and Harry needs to understand that.

I want swan dives at a minimum. Somersaults, backflips, any sort of choreographed work (using the ball as a phone/grenade/bowling ball etc). And if he blows out his ACL, well at least that would be funny and make it onto the news. Any publicity is good publicity!

Not sure we'll see Harry doing and Digby type moves but potentially a more Ray Gun type approach?

 

[barbarian]

Not sure we'll see Harry doing and Digby type moves but potentially a more Ray Gun type approach?

Now you're thinking. It's been the glaring deficiency of the Schmidt regime, and I fear Joe is on thin ice with the higher ups if he can't fix it.

 

[PhilClinton]

All momentum will go out the window if we end up needing to play Van Nek and Hamish Stewart. Hopefully we have a safe week at training.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Can't help but think LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) would be a valuable inclusion this week on the bench. SA can not afford to lose this game and will come out blazing. Being able to bring on a big aggressive body when Skelton comes off could be huge along with Bell.

Hard to see guys being dropped after such a win but it's not a drop due to form but a taking of the fight back to the Boks.

 

[Uh huh]

I think he was left out due to wife giving birth otherwise would have been there
Presume new baby has arrived and he has joined early!
lets wait and see anyway
Otherwise it’s only Toole left?

It's important to consider exactly how the Wallabies won that game; through exploiting gaps in broken field, forcing errors with excellent cover defence, and above all: through counter-attack. Given there is an opportunity to inject Corey Toole into a team that's playing that kind of rugby, I think it would be an error in judgement to pick Filipo Daugunu instead.

The stage will never be better set for Toole, and the bulk tries he's scored in Super Rugby have earnt him this shot. I hope they give it to him.

 

[Wilson]

Can't help but think LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) would be a valuable inclusion this week on the bench. SA can not afford to lose this game and will come out blazing. Being able to bring on a big aggressive body when Skelton comes off could be huge along with Bell.

Hard to see guys being dropped after such a win but it's not a drop due to form but a taking of the fight back to the Boks.

Most likely way it happens is probably going 6-2 with two locks on the bench, particularly if one or both of Valetini/Wilson are unavailable. Tate's recent performances on the wing do make that much more possible though.

 

[Ignoto]

Now you're thinking. It's been the glaring deficiency of the Schmidt regime, and I fear Joe is on thin ice with the higher ups if he can't fix it.

Careful what you wish for! I could have sworn my younger self saw Matt Burke do a Swan dive and absolutely buckled his shoulder.

Knowing how much our backs are made of glass, we may never see Jorgensen on the field if he does that!

 

[Uh huh]

Can't help but think LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) would be a valuable inclusion this week on the bench. SA can not afford to lose this game and will come out blazing. Being able to bring on a big aggressive body when Skelton comes off could be huge along with Bell.

Hard to see guys being dropped after such a win but it's not a drop due to form but a taking of the fight back to the Boks.

Here's the thing: I completely agree, and have advocated for Salakaia-Loto since before the start of the Lions tour. His performance for the FNPs just added weight to his claim. The problem is that Williams has completely turned a corner since being benched and is making metres for fun. He's made it very hard to drop him.

Again, it's one of those good problems.

 

[Uh huh]

Careful what you wish for! I could have sworn my younger self saw Matt Burke do a Swan dive and absolutely buckled his shoulder.

Knowing how much our backs are made of glass, we may never see Jorgensen on the field if he does that!

I remember exactly what you're talking about and it wasn't a swan dive: it was a rudimentary (and entirely necessary) dive to reach the line, after which Christian Cullen dived on him, rolling him over onto his back with his ball carrying arm trapped against the ground.

Sickening stuff, but we won the Bledisloe so *shrug*

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Most likely way it happens is probably going 6-2 with two locks on the bench, particularly if one or both of Valetini/Wilson are unavailable. Tate's recent performances on the wing do make that much more possible though.

Here's the thing: I completely agree, and have advocated for Salakaia-Loto since before the start of the Lions tour. His performance for the FNPs just added weight to his claim. The problem is that Williams has completely turned a corner since being benched and is making metres for fun. He's made it very hard to drop him.

Again, it's one of those good problems.

I'm probably going into the world of worrying what they will do over focusing on what the Wallabies can and should do which is worry about themselves and maintaining the rage and not think about the noise Rassie will get up to.

Wonder how Rassie approaches this week. Games and fluff packed away following that?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

He is very smart. Runs perfect lines when he's not trying to run over the top of defenses.

Harry runs excellent supporting lines, it's one of the best features of his game.

 

[Wilson]

Wonder how Rassie approaches this week. Games and fluff packed away following that?

I doubt he'll panic too much, just crack the whip at training and get them grinding. He probably drops Libbok, tweaks his backrow a bit, and makes sure their ready to play tighter for longer but mostly it will be about letting the same guys make it up to him.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Don't expect panic but the bs might be quieter this week and shelve the quirky crap like mid field line outs.

Saw a midfield lineout this week in a Schools game. Thanks a lot Rassie....

 

[Agent]

Can't help but think LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) would be a valuable inclusion this week on the bench. SA can not afford to lose this game and will come out blazing. Being able to bring on a big aggressive body when Skelton comes off could be huge along with Bell.

Hard to see guys being dropped after such a win but it's not a drop due to form but a taking of the fight back to the Boks.

Agree.... LSL (Lukhan Salakaia-Loto) needs a run and will fill the enforcer role very nicely that Skelton has played so well in recent weeks, especially if he can continue the form he displayed in his games against the Lions.

 

[Wilson]

Don't expect panic but the bs might be quieter this week and shelve the quirky crap like mid field line outs.

Saw a midfield lineout this week in a Schools game. Thanks a lot Rassie....

I don't think they'll pull out the trick plays early (but the didn't in this game either). I doubt he'll necessarily ban them from it though, just make sure they understand the need to earn the opportunity to do it against top flight opposition.

He may also have another one up his sleeve, but I imagine if he does he still wants to save it for the All Blacks.

 

[Tomthumb]

Pollard coming back in will be huge for the Boks. They really overplayed as the game went on and the Wallabies took full advantage. Expecting a much tighter affair in Cape Town