The Rugby Championship 2017

[waiopehu oldboy]

Draw, venues & match officials have all been confirmed:

19 August: Australia v New Zealand, South Africa v Argentina
26 August: New Zealand v Australia, Argentina v South Africa
9 September: New Zealand v Argentina, South Africa v Australia
16 September: Australia v Argentina, New Zealand v South Africa
30 September: South Africa v Australia, Argentina v New Zealand
7 October: South Africa v New Zealand, Argentina v Australia

Plus, of course:

21 October: Bledisloe 3

https://pulse-static-files.s3.amazo...-TOC-Match-Official-Appointments-TRC-2017.pdf

[rant alert] Pretty sure I said this last year, in 2015, & probably 2014 as well, but can we please, please, please NOT start with Bledisloe 1 & 2 in weeks 1 & 2 Every. Fucking. Year? I know there's issues around Allianz being available in September but surely there's wriggle room for the remaining fixtures? [rant ends].

 

[KiwiM]

Didn't a few years back the NSW Government set up some 10 year deal to host the first Bledisloe? It ain't changing any time soon.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

^^^^^^^ I could live with that, but why do we then ALWAYS have to play Bledisloe 2 a week later? Surely it could be mixed up a little.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

My thoughts exactly WOB. I'd like to see a change in the scheduling, or at least a rotation of the fixtures.

 

[Twoilms]

Id be more concerned with attendance. I mistakenly went all the way out to Homebush to watch the Wallabies for the first game last year. Took my partner to her first ever test match. Won't be making that mistake again. Will be lucky to fill half a stadium.

 

[RedsHappy]

Id be more concerned with attendance. I mistakenly went all the way out to Homebush to watch the Wallabies for the first game last year. Took my partner to her first ever test match. Won't be making that mistake again. Will be lucky to fill half a stadium.

Absolutely key point.

Historically, 2 BC games at home would be a huge income source for the ARU. Say 80,000 @ ANZ, 52,000 Suncorp assuming, as used to occur, sell-outs.

Total $ income at a net yield (i.e. after paying all stadia and related costs) of say $60 average per ticket = $7,920,000.

With the darkest of palls over all things Australian rugby, the very poor trend line of 2017 Super and Wallaby Test attendances, all coupled with a general assessment that we have little chance to even once beat the ABs let alone ever win a BC again, and this year we could see:

ANZ 45,000, Suncorp 40,000, new net yield per ticket of say $50 = $4,250,000.

(The decline in ARU share of F&B net income etc would be similar.)

Potential income difference: $3,670,000.

Serious if it happens this way. If it does this type of income-down figure (trending over time, the above $7.92m income figure would have less in the last 2 BC Tests year in 2014) comes close-ish to neutering the supposed '$5m saving' from culling a Super team (if that figure can be believed).

If such Wallaby crowd Test trends continue into 2018 and are matched by dire Tahs and Reds Super 2018 income trends (as are real today) the code's gross income situation overall will be in very serious decline.

Commercially, the rugby 'income and cash flow death spiral' that some of us have been predicting for some time could come sooner than first imagined.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Springboks to wear red v Argentina:

Also blue & yellow later in the year:

Not everyone's happy about it:

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/bakkies-hits-out-at-red-bok-jerseys-20170811

Not often I'd agree with BB but I think he's got a point here............

 

[Dan54]

^^^^^^^ I could live with that, but why do we then ALWAYS have to play Bledisloe 2 a week later? Surely it could be mixed up a little.

Yep, but isn't that more about travel schedules, though I prefer it to be mixed up, player's well being may come into it.

 

[The torpedo]

Springboks to wear red v Argentina:

View attachment 9634

Also blue & yellow later in the year:

View attachment 9635

Not everyone's happy about it:

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/bakkies-hits-out-at-red-bok-jerseys-20170811

Not often I'd agree with BB but I think he's got a point here....

I'm gonna admit that I don't mind the red kit - just use black shorts instead maybe? Not referencing the Saders, but red and black actually do look good.

Exhibit A:

http://imgur.com/gIGc9rw

Exhibit B:

One thing I'd like to see is that gold-black gradient Boks kit be a full gold kit (think an inverse of the home)

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Bokke v Los Pumas at Port Elizabeth, 01:05 AEST Sunday:

Referee: Romain Poite (France)
Assistant referees: Pascal Gaüzère (France), Nic Berry (Australia)
Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

South Africa: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Ross Cronje, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Jaco Kriel, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth (c), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Francois Hougaard, 22 Curwin Bosch, 23 Damian de Allende

Argentina: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Nicolas Sanchez, 9 Martin Landajo, 8 Leonardo Senatore, 7 Tomas Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Guido Petti, 3 Enrique Pieretto, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 1 Nahuel Tetaz Chaparro. Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Lucas Noguera, 18 Ramiro Herrera, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Tomas Cubelli, 22 Juan Martin Hernandez, 23 Matias Moroni

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Highlights:

 

[Ulrich]

Nothing too flashy, but it certainly looks a bit more like Springboks running onto the field this year.

The style of play reminds me of the late 90s and early 2000s. I think we'll still get exposed out wide but it's nice to see (largely) the same Bok side run out week in and week out.

Gotta back it up with another victory this week.

 

[PaarlBok]

Springbokke real test ahead. If they can beat the Pumas and Wallabies away from home, it will be an improvement.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Argentina vs South Africa
@ Estadio Padre Ernesto Marlearena, Salta - 05:40 Sunday AEST
Referee: Pascal Gaüzère (France)
Assistant referees: Romain Poite (France), Nic Berry (Australia)
Television match official: Glenn Newman (New Zealand)

 

[Dan54]

Thinking I might get out of bed for this test. I must admit to be a little bit pleased to see the Bokke looking better this year, and can see the tests against the ABs as being quite tasty!

 

[Ulrich]

Thinking I might get out of bed for this test. I must admit to be a little bit pleased to see the Bokke looking better this year, and can see the tests against the ABs as being quite tasty!

Ironically it may be closer in the land of the long white cloud than in the republic.

I remember a certain 0-19 game or something to that effect in Cape Town in favour of your mob and if I am not mistaken we have not played a game against the All Blacks there since.

It will be tasty:

“I was involved with the Bulls when they were winning Super Rugby, and there was a great culture there and it bred success, but even that did not match what is currently happening with the Boks. I have never experienced a team culture as good as the one currently pertaining to the Boks and it is a massive turn-around from last year.”

https://www.supersport.com/rugby/springboks/news/170824/Bok_manager_lauds_best_culture_ever

We have never really matched up skills-wise, but we've always had the heart to compete with the All Blacks. That was lacking last year.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Argentina: 15 Joaquin Tuculet, 14 Ramiro Moyano, 13 Matias Orlando, 12 Jeronimo de la Fuente, 11 Emiliano Boffelli, 10 Juan Martin Hernandez, 9 Tomas Cubelli, 8 Juan Manuel Leguizamón, 7 Tomas Lezana, 6 Pablo Matera, 5 Tomas Lavanini, 4 Matías Alemanno, 3 Ramiro Herrera, 2 Agustin Creevy (c), 1 Lucas Noguera. Replacements: 16 Julian Montoya, 17 Santiago García Botta, 18 Enrique Pieretto, 19 Marcos Kremer, 20 Javier Ortega Desio, 21 Martin Landajo, 22 Nicolas Sanchez, 23 Matias Moroni

South Africa: 15 Andries Coetzee, 14 Raymond Rhule, 13 Jesse Kriel, 12 Jan Serfontein, 11 Courtnall Skosan, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Francois Hougaard, 8 Uzair Cassiem, 7 Jaco Kriel, 6 Siya Kolisi, 5 Franco Mostert, 4 Eben Etzebeth (c), 3 Coenie Oosthuizen, 2 Malcolm Marx, 1 Tendai Mtawarira. Replacements: 16 Bongi Mbonambi, 17 Steven Kitshoff, 18 Trevor Nyakane, 19 Pieter-Steph du Toit, 20 Jean-Luc du Preez, 21 Rudy Paige, 22 Curwin Bosch, 23 Damian de Allende

 

[Ulrich]

A scrappy performance with the points for the log taken in the end.

This Bok team must be one of the paciest there has been in a very, very long time.

The back three are not perfect, but neither were Pietersen, Habana & Montgomery when they started out.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

I see Lavanini got yet another YC for foul play then another, therefore red, for a deliberate knockdown. Gotta be the biggest piece of filth in the game ATM & the sooner the judiciary give him a prolonged holiday the better.

 

[PaarlBok]

Ugly win by the Boks. We cant complain and will take them. Watched the Wallaby vs AB test and its going to be a mountain to climb from here. Hope we keep on playing attacking rugby.