Oh the build up for SA v Ireland has already started, can't wait!
“When I said that after the game: the thing was obviously you shake the guy’s hands and probably 12 out of the 23 when I shook the hands told me, ‘See you guys in the final’.
“Because the way the logs worked out we were going to play France and they were going to play New Zealand and my immediate thought was, ‘Are these guys seriously not even thinking about the All Blacks in the World Cup quarter-final playing against them?’
Even more, from former international Darcy
Making some bold claims on the ‘best team in the world’ debate, D’Arcy said:
“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.
Interesting banter, to think that just 'cos he likes Ireland, everyone else does! People's favourites my arse
16 days later
1 month later
Squad vs Ireland
Springbok squad for Incoming Series:
Forwards: Phepsi Buthelezi (Sharks), Ben-Jason Dixon (Stormers), Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz), Thomas du Toit (Bath), Eben Etzebeth (Sharks), Johan Grobbelaar (Bulls), Vincent Koch (Sharks), Siya Kolisi (Racing 92), Frans Malherbe (Stormers), Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears), Bongi Mbonambi (Sharks), Salmaan Moerat (Stormers), Franco Mostert (Honda Heat), Ox Nche (Sharks), Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92/Sharks), Evan Roos (Stormers), Kwagga Smith (Blu Revs), RG Snyman (Munster/Leinster), Gerhard Steenekamp, Marco van Staden, Jan-Hendrik Wessels (all Bulls), Jasper Wiese (Leicester Tigers).
Backs: Lukhanyo Am (Sharks), Kurt-Lee Arendse (Bulls), Damian de Allende (Wild Knights), Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles), Andre Esterhuizen (Harlequins/Sharks), Aphelele Fassi (Sharks), Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (Stormers), Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath), Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles), Wilie le Roux (Bulls), Manie Libbok (Stormers), Makazole Mapimpi (Sharks), Handre Pollard (Leicester Tigers), Cobus Reinach (Montpellier), Morne van den Berg (Lions), Edwill van der Merwe (Lions), Grant Williams (Sharks).
Players on standby:
Forwards: Jean-Luc du Preez (Sale Sharks), Joseph Dweba, Neethling Fouche (both Stormers), Celimpilo Gumede, Elrigh Louw, Wilco Louw (all Bulls), Ntuthuko Mchunu (Sharks), Ruben van Heerden (Stormers), Andre-Hugo Venter (Stormers).
Backs: Suleiman Hartzenberg (Stormers), Jordan Hendrikse (Lions), Ethan Hooker (Sharks), Quan Horn (Lions), Siya Masuku (Sharks).
Wilco Louw and Neethling Fouche would walk into any international team. Can't remember when we had so much depth in TH fatties.
@OomPB said in Springboks 2024:
Wilco Louw and Neethling Fouche would walk into any international team. Can't remember when we had so much depth in TH fatties.
Maybe we'll see the Double Bomb Squad, with 2 front rows on the bench and a couple of loosies that can play in the backs too!
@OomPB said in Springboks 2024:
Wilco Louw and Neethling Fouche would walk into any international team. Can't remember when we had so much depth in TH fatties.
Well you've always had width.
27 days later
@OomPB Strong, but old in a lot of places, squad. I think there will have to be a pretty high turn over before next RWC
Forever Green, Forever Gold - so green and gold rugby then? haha https://greenandgoldrugby.com/
@Machpants Boet you are at the wrong green and gold.
I would like to see the youngsters getting playtime specially BJD, SFM, Grobbies, ext. Sadly AE cant tour and Moodie and Willemse still injured.
18 days later
Wallabies test 1 has been successful and the likes of SFM , BJD and Elrich Louw has been superb. Rassie will probably rest a few and give the others like Fassi, Mapimpi, Am, Libbok, vd Berg, Thomas Tank, Grobbelaar, Wessels, Moerat a run.
Don't know if you'd want to bench SFM after that sort of performance - keep giving him minutes so that his confidence can grow, he definitely looked up to standard against the Wallabies.
14 days later
3 months later
2024 was probably the best rugby season the Springboks had. All credit to Rassie Erasmus and his coaches for creating unbelievable depth in all positions. PSdT again getting the player of the season reward for all the hard work he set in. Sad news today is that Steven Kitshoff had an rugby ending neck injury and wont be able to play rugby again.
2025 will have massive challenges.
Kitshoff injured his neck playing in the Currie Cup against Griquas.
@OomPB said in Springboks 2024:
Sad news today is that Steven Kitshoff had an rugby ending neck injury and wont be able to play rugby again.
That's terrible news.
More grist for the mill
@Machpants weird, clickbaity framing. The article says he came off the panel last year after serving a four year term. Also says he was upset that Farrell got 2023 coach of the year over Nienaber because he felt RWC winning coach should always get the award but also reminds us that Hansen lost out in 2015.
@Smuts As much as I agree that Rassie should have got it over the coach of a team that came 5/12 in the Sevens series, I'll take any opportunity to laugh at South African rugby folk being precious ....
The thing is though, if he's adamant the winner of the RWC should get it, then wouldn't you expect the same to apply to the winner of the biggest prize in sevens rugby, the Olympics?
@MajorRage if you enjoy savouring obviously made up bok Preciousness why stop your fantasy there?
South Africa withdrew from Super rugby in protest because Nche wasn’t named 2020 rookie of the year
All SA referees are boycotting World Rugby until the Webb Ellis trophy is renamed the Dr Jaco Johan Erasmus’ Big Cup of Refs’ Tears
The boks deliberately lost the the 2011 QF to spite NZRU for failing to sanction Laurie Mains for continuing to spout shit excuses about 95
If these are too realistic you can just read rugby365 headlines I guess
Springbok home fixtures in 2025 (venues and kick-off times TBC):
5 July: SA v Italy
12 July: SA v Italy
19 July: SA v Georgia
16 August: SA v Australia
23 August: SA v Australia
27 September: SA v Argentina
@OomPB said in Springboks 2024:
Springbok home fixtures in 2025 (venues and kick-off times TBC):
5 July: SA v Italy
12 July: SA v Italy
19 July: SA v Georgia
16 August: SA v Australia
23 August: SA v Australia
27 September: SA v Argentina
Will be interesting to see how Australia go over there.
They are improving and will have the benefit of the Lions series the month before the Boks matches.
They may be able to nick a match off the Boks if Rassie continues his rotation and depth building policy
@DaGrubster said in Springboks 2024:
@OomPB said in Springboks 2024:
Springbok home fixtures in 2025 (venues and kick-off times TBC):
5 July: SA v Italy
12 July: SA v Italy
19 July: SA v Georgia
16 August: SA v Australia
23 August: SA v Australia
27 September: SA v ArgentinaWill be interesting to see how Australia go over there.
They are improving and will have the benefit of the Lions series the month before the Boks matches.
They may be able to nick a match off the Boks if Rassie continues his rotation and depth building policy.
In reality, it’s a pretty easy home run for the Boks
@DaGrubster try to figure out if its easy or tough from your comments. Playing against the Lions can cut both ways. If they get bashed what then?
Which players in the current squad that are to retire before the next WC will be replaced by someone realistically likely to be better?
@Frank said in Springboks 2024:
Which players in the current squad that are to retire before the next WC will be replaced by someone realistically likely to be better?
With the current Springbok team, I’ve found it difficult to predict the playing level of uncapped players, as the coaching team seems to get a lot out of them. Who would’ve said Nche would eventually be the best loosehead prop in the world before he became a regular part of the Springbok team in 2021 as a 26 year old? Who would’ve guessed De Allende would be the most complete 12 since Nonu, if you saw him play in 2017? Where did Am come from, all of a sudden, in 2018 and ’19? This was a guy who was playing for the Southern Kings when he was 23 years old. The next year, he’s a Springbok. The year after that, one of the best centres in the game. It’s the same with Mapimpi, Mbonambi, Arendse, Kwagga, and so on.
The problem – if you’re an ABs fan, not a Springbok fan, obviously – is that the current Springbok coaching team have produced a team culture which gets the most out of a lot of the players. So it doesn’t really matter whether the next generation is more or less talented than this one. Erasmus seems to be able to get them at the level necessary to win games, which is what truly matters. Players like Cameron Hanekom and Ruan Venter are very talented rugby players but they won’t become regular Springboks unless they can perform the way Rassie wants them to perform (someone like Evan Roos is a good example of someone who has found it difficult to strike this balance despite being a real talent).
It's a very strong and effective team environment, which makes up for any potential issues in depth. Fassi isn’t as good of a playmaker as Willie Le Roux. But he has found other ways of contributing and other players have picked up some playmaking responsibilities, which is able to mask any frailties that were there. It works very well. It’s also very annoying when you don’t particularly like someone like Erasmus. You have to give him credit. But also, I really don't want to.
@Mauss said in Springboks 2024:
@Frank said in Springboks 2024:
Which players in the current squad that are to retire before the next WC will be replaced by someone realistically likely to be better?
With the current Springbok team, I’ve found it difficult to predict the playing level of uncapped players, as the coaching team seems to get a lot out of them. Who would’ve said Nche would eventually be the best loosehead prop in the world before he became a regular part of the Springbok team in 2021 as a 26 year old? Who would’ve guessed De Allende would be the most complete 12 since Nonu, if you saw him play in 2017? Where did Am come from, all of a sudden, in 2018 and ’19? This was a guy who was playing for the Southern Kings when he was 23 years old. The next year, he’s a Springbok. The year after that, one of the best centres in the game. It’s the same with Mapimpi, Mbonambi, Arendse, Kwagga, and so on.
The problem – if you’re an ABs fan, not a Springbok fan, obviously – is that the current Springbok coaching team have produced a team culture which gets the most out of a lot of the players. So it doesn’t really matter whether the next generation is more or less talented than this one. Erasmus seems to be able to get them at the level necessary to win games, which is what truly matters. Players like Cameron Hanekom and Ruan Venter are very talented rugby players but they won’t become regular Springboks unless they can perform the way Rassie wants them to perform (someone like Evan Roos is a good example of someone who has found it difficult to strike this balance despite being a real talent).
It's a very strong and effective team environment, which makes up for any potential issues in depth. Fassi isn’t as good of a playmaker as Willie Le Roux. But he has found other ways of contributing and other players have picked up some playmaking responsibilities, which is able to mask any frailties that were there. It works very well. It’s also very annoying when you don’t particularly like someone like Erasmus. You have to give him credit. But also, I really don't want to.
Very good synopsis.
10 days later
5 July: SA v Italy
12 July: SA v Italy
19 July: SA v Georgia
16 August: SA v Australia
23 August: SA v Australia
6 September All Blacks vs Springboks Eden Park
13 September All Blacks vs Springboks Cake Tin
27 September: SA v Argentina
1 month later
@Tim said in Springboks 2024:
True dat. South African rugby respects the hell out of the All Blacks, often to their own detriment. The respect is not returned, and the Springboks would do better if they were more ruthless.
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
The respect is not returned
LOL you honestly think the ABs don't respect the Boks?
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
@Tim said in Springboks 2024:
True dat. South African rugby respects the hell out of the All Blacks, often to their own detriment. The respect is not returned, and the Springboks would do better if they were more ruthless.
What a stupid comment.
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
@Tim said in Springboks 2024:
True dat. South African rugby respects the hell out of the All Blacks, often to their own detriment. The respect is not returned, and the Springboks would do better if they were more ruthless.
The Boks need to be MORE ruthless? What have the ABs been playing, well-fed hippies?
@Machpants said in Springboks 2024:
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
The respect is not returned
LOL you honestly think the ABs don't respect the Boks?
Not as much as the boks respect the ABs.
