The Boks A team

[barbarian]

These guys I think will make a huge impact at the world cup, particularly Brussow who stole the show from McCaw in 2009. Im very excited to see the 2 games in South Africa, best team put together for a long time, arguably better than they have ever had.............

Best team the Boks have ever had? For your sake I hope not.

Whilst that team looks good across the park, my gut feeling is it lacks the 'World XV' players a team needs to win the RWC. At their best you would have guys like Matfield, Smith, Burger, FDP, Fourie and F Steyn pushing for a global side. But I doubt that they can get to their best as they are either carrying injury or one or two years past their prime.

But I will never rule them out of RWC reckoning. I sure as hell don't want us to play them. I wouldn't be too surprised if they won.

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[PaarlBok]

Think Morne Steyn just played him out of that 10 Bok jersey. Look like Lampie is one game away to nail it.

 

[Richo]

Think Morne Steyn just played him out of that 10 Bok jersey. Look like Lampie is one game away to nail it.

I'd much prefer to see Steyn. Lampie could be one of the sensations of the Cup.

 

[PaarlBok]

The one thing that caught my eye was our defensive structure. Our backline was nowhere and usually JdJ is a very strong defender for the Stormers. Look like Morne simply dont have it on defense or attack anymore. The moment since Lampie came on it looked way better. The kid look like matured nicely and time he get a go. Understand he'll start in 10 and Morne in 15 against the All Blacks this weekend. If he get it right in Wellington against the All Blacks (thats the same place we look like getting them in the WC semi) I cant see him not nailing that jersey. Morne was my man until the weekend and Lampie convinsed me otherwise.

 

[Sandpit Fan]

The one thing that caught my eye was our defensive structure. Our backline was nowhere and usually JdJ is a very strong defender for the Stormers. Look like Morne simply dont have it on defense or attack anymore. The moment since Lampie came on it looked way better. The kid look like matured nicely and time he get a go. Understand he'll start in 10 and Morne in 15 against the All Blacks this weekend. If he get it right in Wellington against the All Blacks (thats the same place we look like getting them in the WC semi) I cant see him not nailing that jersey. Morne was my man until the weekend and Lampie convinsed me otherwise.

Bokke certainly looked a lot more dangerous with Lambie at 10. He can kick alright as well, so Morne might struggle to get that jersey back.

 

[Mank]

Haven't seen/heard much of Butch lately. He's in Europe right? Tbh, he and Morne Steyn are similar in my mind. Basically exponents of 10 man rugby with decent kicking games but little distribution skills.

I mean no offence but have you actually watched Butch play, rather than just "seen" him play? Butch is a passing #10 with good vision and distribution skills. Has been for his entire career. Possibly you formed your opinion over the course of 2 or 3 games where he may have played to a certain game plan.

 

[PaarlBok]

I mean no offence but have you actually watched Butch play, rather than just "seen" him play? Butch is a passing #10 with good vision and distribution skills. Has been for his entire career. Possibly you formed your opinion over the course of 2 or 3 games where he may have played to a certain game plan.

Huge differense between Morne and Butch tackling technics.:lmao:

 

[Set piece magic]

Call it Bias but I think the boks bogie team is the wallabies. If you guys meet us in the quarters I cannot see it ending well... Last year we might not have put the boks away after fast starts but that doesn't happen in a rwc quarter final... If you meet a team that has an attacking mindset and can crack JDV, fourie, it will not be pretty.

 

[Nusadan]

Huge differense between Morne and Butch tackling technics.:lmao:

Butch=swinging carpark barrier

Morne=turnstile

 

[Blue]

I mean no offence but have you actually watched Butch play, rather than just "seen" him play? Butch is a passing #10 with good vision and distribution skills. Has been for his entire career. Possibly you formed your opinion over the course of 2 or 3 games where he may have played to a certain game plan.

Exactly. The game plan he was asked to play under Jake White was not at all to his strenghts but he adjusted admirably.

Unfortunately for him all that people think about is his "tackle" "technique" but he brought that on himself.

 

[disco]

Well I just hope our current crop of young Wallabies have as much success as the current crop of Springboks who have won the RWC, Tri-nations, British & Irish Lions series & lets not forget they also creamed the All Blacks 3-0 in 2009 plus had back to back victories on NZ soil which is a wet dream for us Wallaby fans.

I've been saying it all year & I still think this Springbok team has one massive game left to play & I'm predicting the RWC semi final.

 

[Blue]

Call it Bias but I think the boks bogie team is the wallabies. If you guys meet us in the quarters I cannot see it ending well... Last year we might not have put the boks away after fast starts but that doesn't happen in a rwc quarter final... If you meet a team that has an attacking mindset and can crack JDV, fourie, it will not be pretty.

And I would argue that the Bok team at the World Cup will be a whole different kettle of fish than the one you saw last year. I still don't think we will win it but good luck to anyone who has to come through us because it's not going to be pretty.

 

[PaarlBok]

Call it Bias but I think the boks bogie team is the wallabies. If you guys meet us in the quarters I cannot see it ending well... Last year we might not have put the boks away after fast starts but that doesn't happen in a rwc quarter final... If you meet a team that has an attacking mindset and can crack JDV, fourie, it will not be pretty.

All depend if you get past England.

 

[BDA]

No chance butch will be flyhalf. PDV has already shown his hand by confirming that he intends to stick with the now outdated kick and chase game plan. Steyn suits the game plan perfectly. brilliant place kicker and can kick the shit of those up-and-unders.Those who are saying James will play at 10 are just hoping more than anything.

The up side for the boks is that they still have a team that can implement the game plan to a tie. Also, unlike last year they will have FDP back (who should be able to implement the game plan better than Hoggard did, particularly because of his superior boks kicks) and Brussouw back (because lets face it they are ineffective at the breakdown without him). So there are some reason for Boks fans to be optimistic signs.

Unfortunately there are clearly other signs that are bad:-
1. The Boks are by all account too one dimensional for 2011 rugby. It worked in 2007, but changes in law interpretations have given a bit more to the attacking teams and teams like NZ, AUS have concentrated on taking their attack to a new level, while SA rugby is being left behind. You dont have to look any further than the Super 15 this year, the SA teams had pedestrian backlines. A guy like Pat Lambie could really get the bok backs on the attack but he hardly gets a look in. A good illustration of what is wrong with the status quo in SARU.

2. The Boks game plan worked a treat 3 years ago when I rated their first 15 as the best group of players in the world, but no way they still the best 15. Botha is officially in the twilight of his career. Spies is terribly out of form. Habana is nowhere near the player he was in 2007 (when he was offically named the best in the world) In fact IMHO he'd be no chance of making the Wallabies team. Should I continue...i think i will. SMIT! I'm not even going to start. Matfield is actually still playing some decent rugby, but again he is not in the form he was 3 or 4 years ago. François Steyn??!?! Honestly I know why SA fans love him (the same reason they like most players) he’s big and he can kick (and he won then a few games with his drop goals but honestly). SA rugby has much better outside backs but they keep bring back this has been who was never really that great as a test player and has done nothing but chase money in europe.


By the way I think the Wallabies may just beat the Boks next month. We’ve seen what happens to rusty teams.

 

[light]

Paarlbok, leave the Poms to us. I'd only feel truly satisfied if we beat South Africa, England and then NZ in the final rounds. Maybe in that order too

 

[BDA]

All depend if you get past England.

The quarter finals come before the Semi finals

 

[WESTCOMBE RANGER]

Paarlbok, leave the Poms to us. I'd only feel truly satisfied if we beat South Africa, England and then NZ in the final rounds. Maybe in that order too

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I wouldn't worry too much about England. We've got NO players I would put into a World XV, NO back rowers with any pace apart from Tom Croft, A turgid back line with only one flyer ( who I know you all despise ), and I can't of a match winner in the mould of a Carter or Cooper.
If you don't believe me think about this - If you had the choice of any English player to replace any of the current Super 15 side that you support, who would you pick.
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England to reach the quarters - Then its home time.
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[light]

I rate Haskell, Sheridan, James Simpson-Daniel, Wilkinson, Tindall and Croft very highly. Some may be out of form, but if there's one thing the Poms know, it's when to turn up. One of the teams that significantly lifts come world cup time IMO.

NB: Open to anyone, I'm curious to know who would make you World XV's? Maybe another thread

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

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I wouldn't worry too much about England. We've got NO players I would put into a World XV, NO back rowers with any pace apart from Tom Croft, A turgid back line with only one flyer ( who I know you all despise ), and I can't of a match winner in the mould of a Carter or Cooper.
If you don't believe me think about this - If you had the choice of any English player to replace any of the current Super 15 side that you support, who would you pick.
.
England to reach the quarters - Then its home time.
.

You blokes always worry me. England has the kind of game that can shut us down, especially in a knockout game. I'm hoping that somebody will have taken care of it before we have to!

 

[BDA]

I still have fond memories of put $200 on england at 5:50 to 1 at the last world cup. Yes indeed! The strippers softened to blow....Something tells me i wont get such great odds this time though