Lax All Black Pack Cracks But Shag Backs Dagg To Drag Match Back.

First topic message reminder :

Wow. Just wow. South Africa look to be in awesome form.

Granted Australian rugby is in its most miserable state for fifty years, but there is no disguising how intimidating  this Springbok side is.

The Boks have now married their power game with a rapier precision in the Back line and the experience to know when to switch modes. Add Morne Steyn's siege boot and back in form long range goal kicking and you have a serious unit that will be tough to beat. 

Normally poor tourists, South Africa easily outmuscled a fragile looking Australia and clinched a convincing win at the bastion of Australian resistance, the parochial Suncorp stadium.

In this kind of form I can see South Africa ending new Zealand's long run of success at Eden Park. Especially with captain Richie out injured and Dan Carter out of form.

Hats off to Heyneke Meyer. I was a detractor and I put my hand up and say I was wrong.

Most impressive is south Africa's command at the breakdown. Defensively they must have the best turn over rate in the rugby championship and on attack they can maintain pressure through numerous phases and patiently wait their chance to pounce.  Just awesome stuff.

Your reverse psychology won't work on us BB. SA have earned the right to worry us. You're in a much better position than last year and you should've won that test. Don't tell me you're not up for this and think your team has no shot of winning. Stop playing it safe mate. Say you'll win otherwise I'll say it for you.  

Haha, no psychology Kia.

I know my rugby. I know what we can do and can't do.

Mark my words, NZ will win this on a counter attack late in the second half from an unfotunate turn over.

Sounds like you've been travelling back in time in a Delorian to know the specifics of the game.

If you think it's going to be that close then you're obviously downplaying your chances. That may work with lions but we kiwis are cunning creatures. Don't let the sleeping in all day fool you into thinking we're stoners. It's because we're constantly scheming late into the night. You know perfectly well you have a great chance of winning on the weekend. You're just not counting your kiwi chicks until they hatch because they're so rare on NZ soil. I've mixed my metaphors so much I can't remember if I ever had a point to make.

Ah yeah it came to me. Tell me. What's this?   

No not rugby's greatest rivalry.

Why did the Springbok cross the road?

Because he didn't want to call the game to Kiwi fans.  

This is going to be fun gents- now we've got Biltong saying the AB's are going to win, and the kiwi's saying the opposite. Reunions poll predictably had everyone in the 'cautious' mode so the one thing going for us is the Boks have wiped 'complecency' of the table. The Boks look like a side that has either fixed a lot of their problems of the past or have established a team culture over the last year in spite of them...either way- theres a definite shift in Bok rugby that we've all been waiting for.

Can not wait for this ...match!!!

Biltong wrote:NZ will win, home ground, has no fear if the Boks, there is alot of lip service about this being a war, this being the ultimate test etc etc.

South Africa aren't there yet. They could win at home, but they aren't going to beat NZ in NZ.
The All Blacks will be up for this, they know if they stop us now they break our momentum for the RWC.

Talking historically about Eden Park that may be right, but the thing is, out of the South African players playing there this saturday night a lot of them havent been beaten on this ground.

All Blacks team announced,Owen Franks,Nonu,Messam,Mealamu back,Hore,Saulli,Thrush dropped.Luatua benched,Ben Franks dropped too experience over youth in most cases
Wonder what happens if Retalick or Whitelock injured.Luatua can cover both but is his
Tight work up to that of a specialist Lock?
Probably the most strong side NZ can put out off the wall thought why not Messam at 7 and
Luatua at 6.He is at least competent in all 3 back row roles though 8 is probably his best position.Cane at 7 makes me shudder at least Todd is a regular starter at Super level.

A New Zealanders perspective of South Africans, South African rugby and the Springboks.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby/news/article.cfm?c_id=80&objectid=11123336

Nelson Mandela is probably the greatest human ever? Had a good chuckle over that.

I think the valid point to take from that article is breaking the Eden Park hoodoo would go a long way to forgetting the disappointments of recent encounters. 2009 is still recent enough but something equally nourishing as those 3 defeats is wanted by SA fans. A win at Eden Park fits that profile.

 I'd agree with the Mandela comment actually- at least for the 20th century anyway...

SA didnt care about the Brisbane hoodoo and blew that away like a fly swat, Eden park only has a few more years added to it so once again it kind of goes in their favour- they already have a precedent as recently as a week ago to motivate them.

So many variables are in the Boks favour they just need to drive it home.

The AB's might get up for this and sure would prove theyve got what it takes under the pump.

And if they don't Laurie, I and over a million others would simply say...

"See what happens when you rip all the Auklanders out of the side!"...

This is just about a home game for the Boks, not one Aucklander in the run on side. Ive got my excuse ready already.

Woodcocks basically an Aucklander (from a Wellingtonians view) and there are a bunch of you on the bench.

1 Blue, 1 Highlander, 3 Cantabrians, 3 Chiefs and 7 Hurricanes origin players in the walk on team. I'm currently working on the theory NZ rugby is strong when other teams nick our talent............

south Africa seem to be favorites by many posters but you can't dismiss the ABs . really looking forward to it two best rugby sides can't wish for anything more

I think those that favour SA is more in hope that the status quo will change, rather tha the belief it will actually happen.

in the entire history of rugby I don't think anyone has gone to NZ, faced NZ and been favourites to win the match. Never has been and in all probability, never will be.

Talk of SA being favourites is a joke. its 40/60 SA/NZ at best.

Jimmy said it, the ABs are the underdogs:)

in all honestly my mate pretty good at predicting rugby scores and hes going with south Africa

NZ will win by 17 points. Steyn will have a surprisingly off game and the turning point will be a yellow card in which time NZ will score two tries.

fa0019 wrote:in the entire history of rugby I don't think anyone has gone to NZ, faced NZ and been favourites to win the match. Never has been and in all probability, never will be.

Talk of SA being favourites is a joke. its 40/60 SA/NZ at best.

I don't think we'll put 60 on SA fa but I hope we do as we're short on bonus points.  

20 drops goals kia more like. Probably be the only game where NZ put 60 points on the boks and the coach gets put into witness protection.... in the veld he'd get a heroes welcome mind.

Well jimmy my friend, we can't argue with your mate if he says SA. Can someone please hand me the toilet paper and a box of matches please.

Good old suzie has been up to her old tricks I see.

It's contagious fa, it's sweeping through the kiwi 606 team. Be very careful.

NZ take both Americas cup races today. The second leading every mark and stretching out to over a kilometre in the upwind leg.

3 races needed to win now. Oracle still need 10.

Irrelevant to rugby, but just thought Id mention it.

I wonder if dean barker could play inside centre?

You must be mistaken GE, you know the only thing Kiwis are good at is Rugby Union.

That it originated from SA may explain this, but on Superbru 60% of predictions so far are for a South Africa win

And that 60% is going to be wrong, I am going for Nz by 7.

Biltong wrote:And that 60% is going to be wrong, I am going for Nz by 7.

I reckon you will take them in the reverse fixture though. (I went ABs by 11 I think)

I eventually went for AB's by nine.

I see Jean de Villiers have won 8 of 19 tests against the all Blacks, that isn't a bad statistic at all.

Hopefully we do something in this test and his success rate against NZ will move to 45%

If the Boks pick up a bonus point at least Saturday the 4Ns will be up for grabs till the last match and the ABS would need to do a clean sweep again.Sorry can`t see that 5-1 and Boks takeit on bonus points or points difference.

These are the records against New Zealand of the Experienced Springboks that will play tomorrow, they will have to show leadership and step up to the plate.

BW du Plessis 62.5%
T Mtawarira 57.14%
JN du Plessis 44.44%
M Steyn 44.44%
GG Steenkamp 42.85%
J de Villiers 42.1%
BG Habana 41.17%
R Pienaar 27.27%

I think you're right Alan... its all about the bonus points in the two NZ vs SA clashes.

If the boks get a losing bonus point and stop NZ from scoring 4 tries (weather is poor right... looks therefore unlikely anyone will achieve try bonus point) I think they will be favourites for the championship.

A 50%+ vs. the ABs would be an amazing stat for anyone.... I think Jonno has 50% dead on. John Eales is 55%.

Biltong, do you have the number of games played for each of those players? Habana and JDV would have played the most?

emack2 wrote:If the Boks pick up a bonus point at least Saturday the 4Ns will be up for grabs till the last match and the ABS would need to do a clean sweep again.Sorry can`t see that 5-1 and Boks takeit on bonus points or points difference.

Exactly. Which is why that appalling decision made by the ref in the last AB game when NZ would otherwise have scored a fourth bonus point try was so vital. Still can't believe he let it go with a penalty.

ebop wrote:Biltong, do you have the number of games played for each of those players? Habana and JDV would have played the most?

Ebop, Jean de Villiers is 19 tests, I think Habana was somewhere similar, but can't recall.

like they said on Reunion- the rugby championship will not be won on bonus points. It will be won on away wins.

Sweet, ta biltong. Those stats must reflect away form and us pinching occasional away wins. Not much in it. The hoodoos are slowly being broken down. Weather update, it's persisting down with rain in AKL right now.

"Rain, easing to a few showers in the morning. Showers then increasing for a time in the afternoon, with some heavy with small hail. Strong southwesterlies developing in the morning, easing in the evening."

I'll give you better odds than 5-1 on when the heavy rain and hail shows up.

After last week the AllBlacks will be practising wet weather Rugby but in the past have
still managed to run in the rain.Weather is a great leveller and close game is likely Aron Smith
needs better protection from his forwards than so far this season.Also he wants to make sure his passing is less wild if it comes to a goal kicking game back Boks.Steyn is arguably the more consistent goal kicker.

Well I'm off to deepest darkest east Europe for a few days. Good luck to SA and the All Blacks for tomorrow's game.
Hope it lives up to the billing and ill be checking in for score updates so keep them verbose.

9 hours to go and now Im back on the AB side' willing them to win.

Now Im of the opinion that the ABs have soaked up the propaganda being flung around and they are clearly aware of the threat' well aware of the abilities of this side.

Im now of the opinion that the hype will have done its job' that the ABs are well aware that they need to lift a notch, play a brand of rugby above any they have played this year, and they will. And Im thinking that a small grain of complacency just might have creeped into the minds of some of the boks- particularly the newer ones.
This is why hansens picking the experienced guys is so crucial. Theyve faced this threat before. For this one I now believe that the boks are going to meet a better side tonight than any from the ABs have played this year. The media bandwagon has done its job. It has the travel wary boks...right where we need them

Hope I wake up with your conviction Tman. I'm predicting an AB win but I'm bloody nervous!

Good sightseeing in E Europe GE. Of the lady kind.

Was just going to ask.

ARE YA KIWIS GETTING NERVOUS?

Not nervous. Excited! The two best teams (and who have a ton of history) in the world going head to head at our (NZ's) most famous ground. All Blacks unbeaten there since '94. Boks haven't won there since 1937. So much history, so much to play for.

come on south Africa , come on New Zealand .  

Looking forward to this to numb the pain of the Ulster debacle last night.

Will NZ be superior upwind and engage SA in a tacking contest? Can SA get up off their foils and turn smoother?

That's why Messam's starting so he could start the haka...