What a game awaits us next weekend

First topic message reminder :

Well I was harsh on the ABs last week but I stand by many of the comments I made. The ABs looked shaky for the first 15 minutes and Argentina looked sharp. They took a well deserved try but then NZ came back pretty much straight away.

Suddenly the handling was good and the ball was protected well. NZ shifted the Argentinians round the field and the gaps opened. It was a good all-round performance and senior players like Carter, Nonu, McCaw, Read were excellent and the young players like Savea, Smith and Romano and Retallick also contributed.

So now NZ has the rugby championship. But a humdinger of a match looks to be on the cards because SA looked ominous today and so much so that there was talk of them still being able to win the championship. That's how good they looked with Goosen in for Steyn. Their senior players like Habana also had great games and their confidence is high. NZ needed this match I feel where their attack finally clicked to go into the match with the right frame of mind. Argentina will look at the scoreboard tonight and feel they played better than the Wallabies but suffered a bigger loss.

It just goes to show if the AB attack does click, then they can put away good sides. SA will be pleased to see though when you keep possession there are gaps in the AB line. Argentina made a few line breaks but there wasn't enough variety in their attack to ask further questions of the AB defence. Hernandez just didn't take the ball in hand to the line but if SA can retain possession, they will be better adept at finding those gaps.

Conditions will be good in Soweto and though it is at high altitude, the ABs will relish a hard ground and good weather to get their backs into the game. What they'll need to do though is lay the platform in the forwards. McCaw was outstanding tonight and he will hopefully benefit from only playing 60 minutes of this match.

Sadly for SA supporters the championship is not on the line but these two teams don't need further motivation to win. It's the traditional foe and finally Meyer is picking a side that can get the best out of this Bok side. Hopefully next weekend we see a match where both sides are at their peak and we see a good game that befits two teams of this stature. We haven't really had much vintage rugby in this year's 4N where defence has dominated. If we can end the championship on a high with what looms to be a great matchup then so much the better. I for one can't wait because I love the games where a win seems a very difficult prospect before and during the match. SA are at home at altitude and the ABs don't win too many games there. So they are in the driving seat but SA will also be wary that NZ finally clicked on attack tonight and looked useful. Argentina and Australia will be an intriguing match as well but there seems a lot of expectation to this match. I hope it'll be a cracker and whoever wins had to work really hard for it. kia kaha

I think as Savea had a good game, put him out of the game this weekend and put him in the autumn tour or against Australia. Get a run of games where his confidence grows and then reap the benefits. Also, it sends Gear a message, that performance from the left wing last week is what we want from you so what have you got for us.

Savea has plenty in front of him but Gear is not getting any younger.

Hansen made it clear it was rotation, a chance for Savea to sit back, take in what he's achieved without piling on more expectations on the youngster, probably avoiding the contrast in results between his first two Ireland tests.

An interesting approach and it reflects the luxury of selection we have compared to Oz and SA. Gear is a 'happy day scenario' player- goes well when things are going well overall, missing when the pressures on. So if he has a blinder we should win convincingly. He'll love the fast grounds and the surprising opportunity he has here, Savea probably one of the first names in terms of form from the Argie match.

I can't help feeling the game will be won at the breakdown. I thought we were a step behind the boks in Dunedin. It was great to see the boks not only run last week, but use inovation (dummy runners, angled runners, etc.

The difference was I think the Boks were given no chance,Hansen benched Smith and when the Boks took the lead.The AB`s went up a gear and scored almost directly afterwards.This time they know to some extent what to expect.More bodies will be thrown in the breakdown area and both defences will live on the off side line with Rolland as ref.HE would`nt know offside if it bit him and he is distinctly whistle happy.Still he is good a spotting the front row dive at scrums to milk penalties so they willl have to stay up or else.

There's been a fair bit of critism over here over the standard of referees this year. It's probably fair to say that talkback callers and media hacks don't put much credence in NH refs, or in a IRB polictical processes that imposes them on the rugby championship.

I cannot understand how a former halfback can be so unaware of the offside line Taylorman, especially as he seems to be such a stickler for the rules elsewhere on the park.

Our discipline was poor in Dunedin and we didn't adapt well to the ref the whole game. We need to also protect the rucks more and punch up the middle more before going wide.

blackcanelion wrote:There's been a fair bit of critism over here over the standard of referees this year. It's probably fair to say that talkback callers and media hacks don't put much credence in NH refs, or in a IRB polictical processes that imposes them on the rugby championship.

NH Refs have been reffing 3N matches since it started in 1995?. Equally, SH refs ref 6N matches. It's called giving them game time and experience of both hemispheres. It's good practice in my view, rather than "IRB political processes" though I don't know what that actually means. There have been plenty of bloopers by SH refs too.