Aphelele Fassi, Cheslin Kolbe, Canan Moodie, Damian Willemse, Ethan Hooker, Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu, Cobus Reinach, Jasper Wiese, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Siya Kolisi (capt), Ruan Nortje, Lood de Jager, Thomas du Toit, Malcolm Marx, Ox Nche. Bench: Marnus van der Merwe, Jan-Hendrik Wessels, Wilco Louw, RG Snyman, Kwagga Smith, Grant Williams, Manie Libbok, Andre Esterhuizen

Firstly a Monday team selection. Love the innovation.

Secondly, he’s picked the better halfback to start but the quicker halfback to finish.

Thirdly, in the history of Springbok rugby has a captain been dropped effectively mid-series?

Fourthly, a conventional 5/3 bench suggests to me that he is more concerned about his backline play so needs options.

@Frank said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@stodders said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@pakman said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

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Will Razor roll the dice too?

I think Razor will roll the dice
He's gonna got out on a limb and make one change.

I think there will be 3.

@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

Ferner backs player from his own province to get more minutes in the Black jersey.

I really can’t stand it when Ferners get all provincial one-eyed when it’s the All Blacks we are talking about.

But hey, didn’t Scooter, Fletch, Codie and Will play well.

Kind of taking the piss mate, hence why I said Lakai or Jacobson as bench cover over Kirifi (also a Hurricane) in my initial comments, because they cover more positions. It’s just whenever I mention a Hurricane some on here get a little pissy.

That Boks team is a smoke screen. No way it doesn't change before Saturday.

@akan004 said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@pakman said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

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That looks like a team that wants to play Tony ball. Will ask a lot more questions of our defence than last week and I think having Snyman and Esterhuizen on the bench gives them far more impact than last week's bench. Not sure how good their backline will be on defence though. Could be a very high scoring game.

Herein lies (at least some of) the Boks problems at the moment.
The introduction of a more attacking mindset (and to be clear - I am in favour) has affected our usually great defence.
If they can get the defensive pattern right to work with Tont-ball, we'd be in a better place.

Then we just have to work on:
Lineouts
Mauls
Rucks
... basically everything else.

@Billy-Webb would there be time to work on that stuff when they still haven't got the midfield lift off a ruck perfected?

@Chris said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@African-Monkey said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Chris said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

Noah Hotham available for this test match.

Hmmm, Ratima available too? If so, there's your 1 and 2 halfback for this game, if not, do they start Hotham or does he come off the bench?

I think Ratima is still out, maybe Hotham comes back off the bench.

Christie is playing OK, but as others have said, needs to be pulled earlier as he faded a lot last week. I'd def do Ratima if fit and poss. look for Hotham to start

I just hope Christie and Rieko are replaced.

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Chris said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@African-Monkey said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Chris said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

Noah Hotham available for this test match.

Hmmm, Ratima available too? If so, there's your 1 and 2 halfback for this game, if not, do they start Hotham or does he come off the bench?

I think Ratima is still out, maybe Hotham comes back off the bench.

Christie is playing OK, but as others have said, needs to be pulled earlier as he faded a lot last week. I'd def do Ratima if fit and poss. look for Hotham to start

Doesn't look like Ratima is fit based on the official update. Hotham will be touch and go.

@Victor-Meldrew said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Chris said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@African-Monkey said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Chris said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

Noah Hotham available for this test match.

Hmmm, Ratima available too? If so, there's your 1 and 2 halfback for this game, if not, do they start Hotham or does he come off the bench?

I think Ratima is still out, maybe Hotham comes back off the bench.

Christie is playing OK, but as others have said, needs to be pulled earlier as he faded a lot last week. I'd def do Ratima if fit and poss. look for Hotham to start

It probably depends a bit on whether or not Hotham is 85% or 95%.

@Frank said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

I just hope Christie and Rieko are replaced.

If Christie plays (due to injuries) I'd like to see him get the hook at half time or just after, give Preston a half. I'd like Clarke to replace Ioane

We should really fuck him up and name our team on Saturday morning.

@Jimmy-Jimmy said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

We should really fuck him up and name our team on Saturday morning.

Bracket every position

Hahahaha love it

@pakman said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

No Eben, no DDA?!

Could have done with him coaching us for a year or so to light fires under some arses.

Rightly or wrongly he doesnt reward bad performances.

Unlike the Allblacks.

Confused...didn't Lakai play nearly the whole of the last test vs France Nov 23?
Also played well. Has one try vs Japan ..though could argue they are minnows

@Saguto Came on early after Finau knocked out and played outstandingly.

@antipodean said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

LOL Fuck off.

Lakai has literally no body of work deserving of an All Blacks jersey. At least Finau has been busy doing the hard work in his limited opportunities. His cleans are excellent and his carries in close make ground. He's worth persisting with IMO.

Are we watching the same player? Finau has been fucking useless and has complete shit for brains.

Finau's best efforts were against France B, which should be discarded.

Parker seems more consistent.

SA still controlled a lot of possession and territory, and our defence faded in the last 20 minutes.

Don't get too excited yet.

@Tim said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

Finau's best efforts were against France B, which should be discarded.

Parker seems more consistent.

SA still controlled a lot of possession and territory, and our defence faded in the last 20 minutes.

Don't get too excited yet.

Sititi will be better for playing. Same for Lomax and Williams. Losing Taylor earlier than planned won’t have helped the plan to counter the Bok late surge. Likewise losing Narawa.

I would expect ABs to be better conditioned towards the end of the next test. Also helps if play is down the Bok end

@stodders I have a couple of South African friends where I live. We all seem to be talking our chances down.

@Tim said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@stodders I have a couple of South African friends where I live. We all seem to be talking our chances down.

Boks are 4-time World Cup winners and reigning champions. Can’t hide from being favourites. Got to wear it

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@mariner4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

f

Aside from Higgins (only a matter of time),

Riley Higgins is not contained by time, time answers to Riley Higgins.

@stodders said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Tim said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@stodders I have a couple of South African friends where I live. We all seem to be talking our chances down.

Boks are 4-time World Cup winners and reigning champions. Can’t hide from being favourites. Got to wear it

Probably should be 6 time winners.

@KiwiMurph said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

Rieko may get a reprieve with perhaps not too many changes to the back 3 wanted and at least 1 (and possibly 2) changes already occurring

I'd look a Roane to 14, Clarke in to 11

@Jet said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@pakman said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

No Eben, no DDA?!

Could have done with him coaching us for a year or so to light fires under some arses.

Rightly or wrongly he doesnt reward bad performances.

Unlike the Allblacks.

Because Etzebeth played so poorly.

@Tim said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

Finau's best efforts were against France B, which should be discarded.

Parker seems more consistent.

SA still controlled a lot of possession and territory, and our defence faded in the last 20 minutes.

Don't get too excited yet.

Parker was only on for 8 or those minutes.

@Canes4life said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

It’s just whenever I mention a Hurricane some on here get a little pissy.

So, most of the time then!

@Saguto said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

Confused...didn't Lakai play nearly the whole of the last test vs France Nov 23?
Also played well. Has one try vs Japan ..though could argue they are minnows

Got a try against the French too.

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Jet said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@pakman said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

No Eben, no DDA?!

Could have done with him coaching us for a year or so to light fires under some arses.

Rightly or wrongly he doesnt reward bad performances.

Unlike the Allblacks.

Because Etzebeth played so poorly.

Rassie is either prescient or full of shit

Based on one average Etzebeth match I’d wager the latter

The ABs and the Springboks are quite inconsistent with wins at the moment so I wouldn't be surprised to see a reverse result from the previous weekend.

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

maybe he thinks we got the rub,

Like home sides do generally. When read in sequence it was remarkable exercise in cherry picking decisions (which is why I remarked).

Dickson didn't seem to be as pedantic as usual, and it ended up at 10 penalties each (I think) so read into that what you will.

@Snowy said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

maybe he thinks we got the rub,

Like home sides do generally. When read in sequence it was remarkable exercise in cherry picking decisions (which is why I remarked).

Dickson didn't seem to be as pedantic as usual, and it ended up at 10 penalties each (I think) so read into that what you will.

The Springboks are obviously cheats consistently flouting the law and deservedly penalised, whilst he was unreasonably harsh on us.

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Snowy said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

maybe he thinks we got the rub,

Like home sides do generally. When read in sequence it was remarkable exercise in cherry picking decisions (which is why I remarked).

Dickson didn't seem to be as pedantic as usual, and it ended up at 10 penalties each (I think) so read into that what you will.

The Springboks are obviously cheats consistently flouting the law and deservedly penalised, whilst he was unreasonably harsh on us.

That's exactly how I read it too!

@booboo said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@Snowy said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

@nostrildamus said in All Blacks vs Springboks II:

maybe he thinks we got the rub,

Like home sides do generally. When read in sequence it was remarkable exercise in cherry picking decisions (which is why I remarked).

Dickson didn't seem to be as pedantic as usual, and it ended up at 10 penalties each (I think) so read into that what you will.

The Springboks are obviously cheats consistently flouting the law and deservedly penalised were not penalised anywhere near enough, whilst he was unreasonably harsh on us.

Fixed

I’m not so harsh on Dickson’s performance. I agreed with every penalty he called on South Africa.

Fortunately this upcoming test, the ref will have no bearing on the outcome of the match given we will win by 20.

It's DEFCON1 so they bring out the GOAT

Yeah have to say Dickson has improved markedly from the world cup, as has his training regime it appears. Still wouldn't want to see him reffing another PI nation against an "upper tier" team.

Xavier Roe is still training with the squad, so plenty of halfbacks in Wellington.

Apart for the first 20 minutes, our kicking game was average. To me we took the foot off the throat with the Boks gradually working their way back into the game.

Justin Marshall ( don’t usually quote him ) said we lacked variation i.e. we could have kicked from 1st and 2nd as well.

I like the way Ireland do it - moving the point of attack around first and then from center field they kick long into corners. That’s how I remember.

Hate the box kick but recognise the issue with static ball and players getting smashed in the carry. Has to be something better?