All Blacks v Springboks - Eden Park, Sept 14th 2013

[Rassie]

Brisbok South Africa looking good or Australia being that bad? It has very much to do with closing the gap on the All Blacks cause Australia both teams played and fter it both performances were compared. So I don't know why you are confused?

 

[aeneas]

Groan. Don't give up the day job Hugh.

 

[Rassie]

It's not a SA rugby highlights reel without a possible eye gouge at 1:06.

You guys got the ankle tap we got the eye gouge, head but, 15 man brawl and 5 knuckle shuffle

 

[Ash]

Brisbok South Africa looking good or Australia being that bad? It has very much to do with closing the gap on the All Blacks cause Australia both teams played and fter it both performances were compared. So I don't know why you are confused?

He was talking about SA narrowing the gap on NZ in the IRB ranking, nothing to do with Aus/

 

[Rassie]

Worrying about the IRB rankings when the WC draw have been done is a bit pointless isn't it? Why would SA care about the IRB ranking? No cups for no 1 spot and no incentive. The gap SA would like to close will be the performance on the field to what it was between NZ and the rest of the teams.

 

[Brisbok]

Worrying about the IRB rankings when the WC draw have been done is a bit pointless isn't it? Why would SA care about the IRB ranking? No cups for no 1 spot and no incentive. The gap SA would like to close will be the performance on the field to what it was between NZ and the rest of the teams.

Haha Rassie, I must say it is very rare that I agree with anything you post and this is certainly no exception! Of course the Boks want to be the number 1 team in the world! Every team wants to be ranked number 1 in the world, regardless of the timing. Meyer and JdV have stated that is their goal on countless occassions and so it should be.

 

[Hawko]

Brisbok South Africa looking good or Australia being that bad? It has very much to do with closing the gap on the All Blacks cause Australia both teams played and fter it both performances were compared. So I don't know why you are confused?

I was and I wrote the original. I was trying to explain to a previous poster why the SA team was now within a whisper of being no. 1 in the rankings, despite the AB's not having lost a test since England last year. It had nothing to do with Australia, except that we had just lost badly to both teams, which gave them both a boost.

 

[Rassie]

Brisbok correction. The fans want to be number one to run around and brag on the internet. The players just want a win and don't care by how many or how it was done. SA vs NZ have always been about rugby supremacy and you are as only as good as your last game. In the end win or lose one things is for sure NZ will be the World Champion till 2015 and will be cqalled that no matter where they are on the rankings. That is the right you get for winning the WC.

 

[Rassie]

Hawko I got that part. But hence why I say they won't care about the rankings as the no 1 team get less points for winning matches everywhere than other teams would get. That is why AB are only a small margin ahead. Hence why they got 0 against Argentina.

And as you can imagine SA would have gotten more points for beating Australia at home by more than 15 than NZ would have gotten for both games against Aus. So the rankings is only of concern to coaches when it comes to WC draw time and hence SA and Aus made sure they won their European leg last year until they were save. But Wales losing at home really put a spanner in Australia's works.

Otherwise the Rankings is pretty much pointless as no 1 ranked still don't give you the World champions tags. If you disagree go look when the WC final whistle went the fans and players reaction compared to a team who just took no 1 in the rankings?

 

[Brisbok]

Boks unchanged:

South Africa: 15-Zane Kirchner, 14-Willie le Roux, 13-JJ Engelbrecht, 12-Jean de Villiers (captain), 11-Bryan Habana, 10-Morne Steyn, 9-Ruan Pienaar, 8-Duane Vermeulen, 7-Willem Alberts, 6-Francois Louw, 5-Flip van der Merwe, 4-Eben Etzebeth, 3-Jannie du Plessis, 2-Bismarck du Plessis, 1-Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements: 16-Adriaan Strauss, 17-Gurthro Steenkamp, 18-Coenie Oosthuizen, 19-Juandre Kruger, 20-Siya Kolisi, 21-Jano Vermaak, 22-Pat Lambie, 23-Jan Serfontein.

 

[Dan54]

All Blacks 5 changes from last week.
Messam starting for Luatua, Nonu and O Franks back in, Coles starting at 2 and Cane for Richie, with Todd on bench. Interesting that Luatua is on bench covering lock.

NEW ZEALAND: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Daniel Carter, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (c), Sam Cane, Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Steven Luatua, Matt Todd, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Charles Piutau.

 

[aeneas]

All Blacks 5 changes from last week.
Messam starting for Luatua, Nonu and O Franks back in, Coles starting at 2 and Cane for Richie, with Todd on bench. Interesting that Luatua is on bench covering lock.

NEW ZEALAND: Israel Dagg, Ben Smith, Conrad Smith, Ma'a Nonu, Julian Savea, Daniel Carter, Aaron Smith, Kieran Read (c), Sam Cane, Liam Messam, Sam Whitelock, Brodie Retallick, Owen Franks, Dane Coles, Tony Woodcock. Reserves: Keven Mealamu, Wyatt Crockett, Charlie Faumuina, Steven Luatua, Matt Todd, Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Beauden Barrett, Charles Piutau.

Well we will know if Coles is test hooker for the future after this game. Nonu vs JdV will be exciting to say the least.

Good call on Luatua covering lock. That seems curious at the very least. Im expecting that messam is going to have a huge game, and he will need to, given the opposition and Luatua waiting in the wings.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Well we will know if Coles is test hooker for the future after this game. Nonu vs JdV will be exciting to say the least.

Good call on Luatua covering lock. That seems curious at the very least. Im expecting that messam is going to have a huge game, and he will need to, given the opposition and Luatua waiting in the wings.

With Thrush the only lock cover in the current AB squad, you would expect that barring injury the AB coaches will be wanting Whitelock and Retallick to play 80 minutes.

Read will play 80 also.

The concern IMO is over Messam's game fitness - first test back, and Cane's ability to handle 80 minutes against the Boks playing the sort of role in a gameplan that demands alot out of the openside - he's still only 21 years old.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

I expect that Battleship and Strauss will give young Coles a lesson on how the #2 jumper works.

Old Man River Mealamu may be needed a little earlier than planned if the young bloke gets shown up by two of the 4 best hookers in World rugby.

 

[No4918]

Messam and Cane make a very mobile combo. Could be a chance to see the wide Australian game plan executed well by the ABs this week.

 

[Muttonbird]

I expect that Battleship and Strauss will give young Coles a lesson on how the #2 jumper works.

Old Man River Mealamu may be needed a little earlier than planned if the young bloke gets shown up by two of the 4 best hookers in World rugby.

Hansen thinks Coles is more than ready.

He does seem to be gambling with selections in certain positions while being conservative in others. He wants to win this and bugger the future, that's his style. Although, his style is also to not pick players who have given up or signed overseas. Hore has given up.

I think Hansen is prepared to gamble on a few selected positions per match as long as he feels most of the squad is experienced.

Boks at $3.30 to win and as such are clear underdogs. I too have the feeling they "played-their-final" last week in Brisbane.

Rugby: Coles' toughest test overdue

Nick Walker, Newstalk ZBSeptember 12, 2013, 11:59 am​

All Black coach Steve Hansen believes Dane Coles' toughest test assignment to date is overdue.
Coles' selection to start at hooker against South Africa at Eden Park on Saturday is raising a few eyebrows, but Hansen says he would have started a few more tests were it not for a calf injury earlier in the year.
"He's a guy we see going forwards, it doesn't necessarily mean he'll start next week but we think it's time to give him an opportunity in the big ball park and see how he goes."
There are five new faces in the starting 15, with Liam Messam, Owen Franks and Ma'a Nonu all fit again, and Sam Cane coming in for the injured Richie McCaw.
Steve Luatua will provide locking cover from the bench, opening up a spot for Matt Todd.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Hansen thinks Coles is more than ready.

He does seem to be gambling with selections in certain positions while being conservative in others. He wants to win this and bugger the future, that's his style. Although, his style is also to not pick players who have given up or signed overseas. Hore has given up.

I think Hansen is prepared to gamble on a few selected positions per match as long as he feels most of the squad is experienced.

Boks at $3.30 to win and as such are clear underdogs. I too have the feeling they "played-their-final" last week in Brisbane.

I would hardly put Hore in the 'given up' category.

I can't see a single gamble in this test lineup. If he went for Messam on the openside to keep Luatua in the starting lineup, that would've been a gamble.

It's our best available pack. Coles form is well ahead of Mealamu's. first choice props and the locks pick themselves.

 

[Muttonbird]

I would hardly put Hore in the 'given up' category.

I can't see a single gamble in this test lineup. If he went for Messam on the openside to keep Luatua in the starting lineup, that would've been a gamble.

It's our best available pack. Coles form is well ahead of Mealamu's. first choice props and the locks pick themselves.

Here's the article. Steve Hansen will know what Andrew Hore has indicated to him.

Rugby: Hore's impending retirement a catalyst for change

Guy Heveldt, Newstalk ZBSeptember 12, 2013, 12:36 pm​

The first sign from the All Blacks coach that he doesn't expect Andrew Hore to be in rugby for much longer.
Speculation is growing that the 79-test hooker will retire at the end of the Rugby Championship.
He's been replaced by Dane Coles for Saturday's test against South Africa at Eden Park.
Steve Hansen says Hore's uncertain future had a big bearing on the team naming.
"We know that whether he's going to retire this year or next year, at some stage he's going to have to be replaced. We've been planning for that for quite a while."

Andrew Hore = given-up.

For me Hore would have made the ABs a stronger team because he would have given du Plessis a stern test.

 

[ACT Crusader]

Hore will be 35 tomorrow, he started his test career back in 2002. One of my favourite AB performers over the last 3 years. He plays a very physical game and is a menace at the breakdown so he's probably thought this is all his body can take and fair enough I'd say.

 

[whatty]

I am going to throw my klippies and coke at the TV if I hear.
"Not won at Eden Park since 1934 or something" again.

A three game losing streak big deal. We never play in Auckland.