RWC Pool B: All Blacks vs Springbokke, Sat 21st September, 18h45 , International Stadium Yokohama

[waiopehu oldboy]

I'm hopeful that even if the stream doesn't completely shit itself there will be enough issues that spark cut a deal with TV1 whereby the remaining AB Pool matches are FTA without the onehour delay. They'll probably have to part-refund those who signed up but not much: let's face it, no-one signed up 'cos they desperately wanted to watch AB v Namibia.

I love it when a plan starts to come together.......

"Spark Sport are shifting coverage of the All Blacks vs Springboks match to TVNZ after their streaming services failed for many viewers.

"Frustrated fans took to social media to complain about the quality and reliability of the coverage, with many who had forked out for a tournament pass demanding a refund.

"It prompted Spark to shift coverage to free-to-air television."

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/11...ort-as-some-subscribers-vent-their-frustation

Managed to sit out the hour delay & resist the temptation to jump online "just to see who's awake". Was expecting ads after every stoppage but there were none so overall happy to have sorta kinda trusted good old TV1 over this new-fangled streaming thingo.

Oh, also somewhat pleased with the result.

 

[Shaker]

Kolbe is such a great player to watch, even was good under high balls which is impressive for his height.

Meanwhile Le Roux was awful under the high ball.

 

[Derpus]

Meanwhile Le Roux was awful under the high ball.

Le roux is the bokke version of KB (Kurtley Beale)

 

[Up the Guts]

Le Roux has lost his speed of late. He used to score chip and chases for fun in his hay day.

 

[Derpus]

Le Roux has lost his speed of late. He used to score chip and chases for fun in his hay day.

Soooooo like KB (Kurtley Beale)?

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yeah, and it needs to get reffed. They have completely let it go for the last couple of years.

I stand by my earlier comments about Willie Le Roux. He is WOEFUL.

Saw some jumper pulling in the lineouts in the OZ/Fiji game today as well. It's shit and I want to see it stamped out.

 

[JRoss]

Well done AB's and with few penalties! That's a damn good start and Shag will be very happy with the discipline and no injuries. So far the ones who need the most improvement is the officiating across all the games we've seen.

 

[LearningCurve]

Well done AB's and with few penalties! That's a damn good start and Shag will be very happy with the discipline and no injuries. So far the ones who need the most improvement is the officiating across all the game we've seen.

I thought that the refs were meant to be going hard on high tackles this RWC but gee the Boks were getting away with lots of them. Their defensive line speed was impressive but thought that the ref could have slammed them on high shots.

 

[Dan54]

All blacks kissed on the cock by the ref tonight.

F*** of back to tv Kearnsie, and make yourself look stupid there!!

 

[Dan54]

Well I loved the game, proper bloody test and brutal as buggery. Bokke taore into us for first 20, and stand up Scotty McCleod that defensive set up was bloody good.
All the players stood up I thought, 2 newbies on wing looked pretty good, BB was bloody good, fair enought MOTM, but I thought ALB was great at 13 and Savea was his usual monster! All in all a happy kiwi fella here!

 

[Ulrich]

I did not read any of the commentary up to this point.

This game was strange to me. Mapimpi does not release the tackler in front of the line and a penalty is given instead of a yellow (perhaps some press pressure there).

Then, the AB scrum collapses, but the boks are penalised. Several knock-ons missed. SA offside all day yet when it counts the most suddenly the ref sees it.

I am somewhat disappointed with all of that, but nothing excuses the lacklustre defense and the poor kicking from SA. For that alone NZ deserve to win, not to mention the lack of finishing when in danger zone.

Congratulations NZ!

 

[JRoss]

Well I loved the game, proper bloody test and brutal as buggery. Bokke taore into us for first 20, and stand up Scotty McCleod that defensive set up was bloody good.
All the players stood up I thought, 2 newbies on wing looked pretty good, BB was bloody good, fair enought MOTM, but I thought ALB was great at 13 and Savea was his usual monster! All in all a happy kiwi fella here!

If the AB's happen to win this cup and Savea goes on uninjured, he could well be MOTT. He is truely outstanding and a pleasure to watch.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I did not read any of the commentary up to this point.

This game was strange to me. Mapimpi does not release the tackler in front of the line and a penalty is given instead of a yellow (perhaps some press pressure there).......

The way Garces was asking for a jersey number I felt sure he was going to his pocket but then it seemed as though the TMO got in his ear & persuaded him it was just a penalty. My theory is that if it's a Yellow (which I believe it was) then it's probably also a penalty try as if you remove Mapimpi from the play AB score for sure & it's pretty much Game Over for SA which I think is why the TMO intervened.

 

[BDA]

As a neutral I loved this game. Similar to the last game they played, SA had NZ under all sorts of pressure in the first half but somehow they still go into half time behind. The All Blacks' ability to score 2 tries in the blink of an eye is scary. Anyone that didn't have them as favourite before should be rethinking their position. I wouldn't be surprised if we see a replay in the final.

For the record, I did think the All Blacks got the rub of the green in terms of some 50/50 call (which we should all be use to by now ), but nothing to cry foul over.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

The second best thing about the spark/TV1 coverage last night (no ads being first best) were the comms. Sumo has always been a fav of mine & I thougt Beaver was excellent in the second seat. Studio panel was OK, too, but maybe all the new faces had something to do with that.

 

[Dismal Pillock]

The second best thing about the spark/TV1 coverage last night (no ads being first best) were the comms. Sumo has always been a fav of mine & I thougt Beaver was excellent in the second seat. Studio panel was OK, too, but maybe all the new faces had something to do with that.

Here on the upper west Pitcairns we had some poms who were actually really good and K Te Nana and Melodie Robinson on the sidelines. Comms seem to change every match but NO JUSTIN MARSHALL shrieking shartstorm so everythign is going really, really well.

 

[formerflanker]

Well I loved the game, proper bloody test and brutal as buggery. Bokke taore into us for first 20, and stand up Scotty McCleod that defensive set up was bloody good.
All the players stood up I thought, 2 newbies on wing looked pretty good, BB was bloody good, fair enought MOTM, but I thought ALB was great at 13 and Savea was his usual monster! All in all a happy kiwi fella here!

Agree with all of that and would only add that NZ confirmed their favouritism to win the Cup.
(Unless they have peaked too early!!!!)

 

[zer0]

The second best thing about the spark/TV1 coverage last night (no ads being first best) were the comms. Sumo has always been a fav of mine & I thougt Beaver was excellent in the second seat.

It was very much the American style play-by-play caller and expert commentator who sometimes chips in with useful tidbits. I much prefer that setup to Sky's chuck-Nisbitt-or-Johnson-in-with-a-gaggle-of-former-players-to-produce-sh*tty-bantah-and-inane-rambles.

 

[Ulrich]

The way Garces was asking for a jersey number I felt sure he was going to his pocket but then it seemed as though the TMO got in his ear & persuaded him it was just a penalty. My theory is that if it's a Yellow (which I believe it was) then it's probably also a penalty try as if you remove Mapimpi from the play AB score for sure & it's pretty much Game Over for SA which I think is why the TMO intervened.

Usually it is a yellow and penalty try.

Personally though (no relation to this game) I think it should be one or the other.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^ in many ways I'm happy it was neither, it would've killed the game as a contest.