@MajorRage I was also joking, or trying to?
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.
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
@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.
Based on?
@KiwiMurph said in Springboks 2024:
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
@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.
Based on?
Just a reality with the mostly one sided results over the last 30 years. The boks were often a little star struck by playing the abs. Not good.
The pearl clutching is funny though
@mariner4life said in Springboks 2024:
time for the #justice4respect armbands
Thanks for making my point
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
@mariner4life said in Springboks 2024:
time for the #justice4respect armbands
Thanks for making my point
Who knew @mariner4life was an ab!
@Machpants said in Springboks 2024:
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
@mariner4life said in Springboks 2024:
time for the #justice4respect armbands
Thanks for making my point
Who knew @mariner4life was an ab!
Hmmm you make a good point. The fans more so than the ABs.
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
@KiwiMurph said in Springboks 2024:
@W32 said in Springboks 2024:
@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.
Based on?
Just a reality with the mostly one sided results over the last 30 years. The boks were often a little star struck by playing the abs. Not good.
The pearl clutching is funny though
It's 2025 not 2017
22 days later
One of the dirtiest, flop on to the ruck off his feet players of the last decade.
I wish him all the very best with his health and post rugby life.
@ACT-Crusader said in Springboks:
One of the dirtiest, flop on to the ruck off his feet players of the last decade.
I wish him all the very best with his health and post rugby life.
There are players I disliked more.
@W32 said in Springboks:
@mariner4life said in Springboks 2024:
time for the #justice4respect armbands
Thanks for making my point
Ill help you out here.
As soon as this little period for the boks is over you will be back to being crap and everyone will be against you again!
You’re welcome.
@ACT-Crusader said in Springboks:
One of the dirtiest, flop on to the ruck off his feet players of the last decade.
I wish him all the very best with his health and post rugby life.
Good career, wasnt as good as saffas thought he was.
Good luck to him.
"He could have died!!!!!!!!" 
Excellent player. Gave a few All Black frontrowers a bit of a hard time for a wee while. I hope the Springbok fans around the world make sure he never has to buy another beer in his life.
@DaGrubster said in Springboks:
@ACT-Crusader said in Springboks:
One of the dirtiest, flop on to the ruck off his feet players of the last decade.
I wish him all the very best with his health and post rugby life.
Good career, wasnt as good as saffas thought he was.
Good luck to him.
Great post - you’re right that he wasn’t as good as the rugby gods’ chosen fans thought he was. He was better.
@DaGrubster said in Springboks:
@W32 said in Springboks:
@mariner4life said in Springboks 2024:
time for the #justice4respect armbands
Thanks for making my point
Ill help you out here.
As soon as this little period for the boks is over you will be back to being crap and everyone will be against you again!
You’re welcome.
True, the little period of two straight world cups and world #1 ranking will probably come to an end at some point. Thanks for the reminder
@Smuts said in Springboks:
Great post - you’re right that he wasn’t as good as the rugby gods’ chosen fans thought he was.
Fair comment, we New Zealanders sometimes underestimate other countries' players.
@nostrildamus ha bloody ha ha.
SA isn't revert coming back to SR, euro sponsorship money
from planet rugby
Springboks rake in the green: As many rugby unions struggle to make ends meet, SA Rugby provided a positive update in an internal newsletter. According to Rapport, SA Rugby chief executive Rian Oberholzer revealed that for the first time, sponsorships for the Springboks and the other national teams have exceeded the sum collected from their TV broadcasting deals. It is reported that SA Rugby has seen a 200% increase in certain cases.
Are there any regions in South Africa that aren't represented by a high level team? Are the four URC teams all connected to the 14 Provinces? I read somewhere the Cheetahs are looking for options.