The depth

So Van Staden covers hooker to make space for Kwagga on an otherwise unchanged bomb squad.

Fairly obvious now that the boks see the closers as a unit with a specific role/mandate. Up the tempo and take the game away from opposition that should already be stretched.

By extension the starters’ job is to absorb the adrenaline and passion fuelled early onslaught while redlining the opposition. Forcing their forwards to work in mauls and scrums and then to chase back to support the kick receipt.

Like so much of what Rassie cooks up it’s the classic South African plan of “maak sag voor en skop op die fullback boys - tien teen een is hy n pateet.” (Soften them up up front and kick on the fullback boys - ten to one he’s a co-ord.)

@Smuts

It's the obvious test match strategy; surpised everyone else is not at least trying it.
Start with a bash-a-thon/arm wrestle; when you get the edge; finish with a bitch slapping.
Everything else is just a bit of nonsense really.

@mohikamo yeah, it’s what you guys did to us for years.

I wonder what the long term plan is for handre pollard. He is still pretty young, and when the big pressure is on he is absolutely indispensable .
I really hope rassie and co keep him suitably psyched so that he doesn’t lose interest.
A u20 WC as well as several rugby championships and two world cups is some kind of experience.

Italia
15 Ange CAPUOZZO (Stade Toulousain, 29 caps)
14 Louis LYNAGH (Benetton Rugby, 8 caps)
13 Juan Ignacio BREX (Toulon, 47 caps) – capitano
12 Tommaso MENONCELLO (Benetton Rugby, 32 caps)
11 Monty IOANE (Lione, 40 caps)
10 Paolo GARBISI (Toulon, 48 caps)
9 Stephen VARNEY (Exeter Chiefs, 35 caps)
8 Lorenzo CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 31 caps)
7 Manuel ZULIANI (Benetton Rugby, 36 caps)
6 Ross VINTCENT (Exeter Chiefs, 18 caps)
5 Andrea ZAMBONIN (Exeter Chiefs, 13 caps)
4 Niccolò CANNONE (Benetton Rugby, 56 caps)
3 Marco RICCIONI (Saracens, 35 caps)
2 Giacomo NICOTERA (Stade Français, 35 caps)
1 Danilo FISCHETTI (Northampton Saints 56 caps)

A disposizione
16 Tommaso DI BARTOLOMEO (Zebre Parma, 4 caps)
17 Mirco SPAGNOLO (Benetton Rugby, 18 caps)
18 Simone FERRARI (Benetton Rugby, 67 caps)
19 Federico RUZZA (Benetton Rugby, 65 caps)
20 Riccardo FAVRETTO (Benetton Rugby, 7 caps)
21 David ODIASE (Zebre Parma, 2 caps)
22 Martin PAGE-RELO (Bordeaux, 19 caps)
23 Tommaso ALLAN (Perpignan, 86 caps)

@Smuts maak sag en slaan met die agterlyn was Craven's recepy.

I think the Italian starters will give Bok B starters a run for their money. But hard to see them holding out when the A finishers come on.

Like the Bok model for AB Wales.

Pace is too fast for SA already and not even ten minutes in.

Garbisi hit high?

Based on last week that’s a RC

Sounds like it

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

Based on last week that’s a RC

Fuck yes that's red

Saffa claiming mitigation for an on purpose shoulder because he was being tackled already.

Only yellow if it's against black but red for anyone else.

Consistency

That’s all we ask for

Only yellow, his feet shifted slightly backwards.

Pretty unfair, there's no way Mostert was expecting to have to make a tackle there. Just bracing himself for impact after being surprised by a ball carrier changing direction.

And that was fucking dodgy by Moodie.

Saffa commentator is fucking hilarious. Trying to claim Lynagh tackled Moodie in the air because both his feet were off the ground, as though he's never understood how running works.

And what's the bet we see some of the players Rassie has subbed coming back on later?

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

Pretty unfair, there's no way Mostert was expecting to have to make a tackle there. Just bracing himself for impact after being surprised by a ball carrier changing direction.

I presume you’re taking the piss

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

Pretty unfair, there's no way Mostert was expecting to have to make a tackle there. Just bracing himself for impact after being surprised by a ball carrier changing direction.

I presume you’re taking the piss

Nah man, why would you be expecting a player to use footwork? Not only that, you're advancing at a player that could well be carrying the ball when you meet, so there's no way you'd even think you might have to tackle them. Outrageous.

@Bones As soon as 14 came off the coach said ‘don’t worry, you’ll be back. Stay ready.’ Can see it in the body language. World Rugby created the problem and have no clue how to fix it

Brex should get a fucking card for that too. What a fuckface

Italy doing a good job of playing the plucky battler that doesn't really expect to win. They should be really pushing SA around the park, put them under pressure and make Rassie look stupid when he runs out of players.

If you’d just tuned in you’d think Italy were a man down

Not playing intelligent rugby

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

Pretty unfair, there's no way Mostert was expecting to have to make a tackle there. Just bracing himself for impact after being surprised by a ball carrier changing direction.

I presume you’re taking the piss

Nah man, why would you be expecting a player to use footwork? Not only that, you're advancing at a player that could well be carrying the ball when you meet, so there's no way you'd even think you might have to tackle them. Outrageous.

I am genuinely flummoxed

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

Pretty unfair, there's no way Mostert was expecting to have to make a tackle there. Just bracing himself for impact after being surprised by a ball carrier changing direction.

I presume you’re taking the piss

Nah man, why would you be expecting a player to use footwork? Not only that, you're advancing at a player that could well be carrying the ball when you meet, so there's no way you'd even think you might have to tackle them. Outrageous.

I am genuinely flummoxed

Oh, so that reasoning doesn't work now? I'm facetiously flummoxed. There was hardly even any force, Mostert went just as far back as Garbisi, you can see it in his feet.

Rassie doesn't trust his "B" props. By the 25th minute, both Steenkamp and Louw have been called to replace the starters. I don't know if Louw has 60 minutes in his legs.

@cgrant said in Italy vs Springboks:

Rassie doesn't trust his "B" props. By the 25th minute, both Steenkamp and Louw have been called to replace the starters. I don't know if Louw has 60 minutes in his legs.

I doubt that's the case - he just knows he can bring them back on later when there's an "injury".

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

Pretty unfair, there's no way Mostert was expecting to have to make a tackle there. Just bracing himself for impact after being surprised by a ball carrier changing direction.

I presume you’re taking the piss

Nah man, why would you be expecting a player to use footwork? Not only that, you're advancing at a player that could well be carrying the ball when you meet, so there's no way you'd even think you might have to tackle them. Outrageous.

I am genuinely flummoxed

Oh, so that reasoning doesn't work now? I'm facetiously flummoxed. There was hardly even any force, Mostert went just as far back as Garbisi, you can see it in his feet.

Skinstad thinks the same as you

Led with shoulder, other arm tucked, straight to chin

If that’s not a RC I honestly don’t know what the fuck is

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

@MiketheSnow said in Italy vs Springboks:

@Bones said in Italy vs Springboks:

Pretty unfair, there's no way Mostert was expecting to have to make a tackle there. Just bracing himself for impact after being surprised by a ball carrier changing direction.

I presume you’re taking the piss

Nah man, why would you be expecting a player to use footwork? Not only that, you're advancing at a player that could well be carrying the ball when you meet, so there's no way you'd even think you might have to tackle them. Outrageous.

I am genuinely flummoxed

Oh, so that reasoning doesn't work now? I'm facetiously flummoxed. There was hardly even any force, Mostert went just as far back as Garbisi, you can see it in his feet.

Skinstad thinks the same as you

Led with shoulder, other arm tucked, straight to chin

If that’s not a RC I honestly don’t know what the fuck is

Ok now I'm genuinely flummoxed. If only that was the case when teams did it against black. Consistency, right?

Boks dropping high balls on an Italian contest. Knock on advantage to Italy and the Italian openside is again on the ball to win a penalty. He’s having a good game.

10-6 to Boks.

Kolisi off at the 45th minute. Snyman on because they need some size at the lineout.

If Italy can keep their discipline the Boks will start to play desperate.

Lynagh playing excellent

Tactics very good by Italy in these conditions. keeping the Boks pinned in their own half.

YC surely.

Straight off his feet when Italy were hot on attack.

Boks down to 13 men.

Italy take 3.

Boks 10-9