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

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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.

Bad start to the lineout and scrum for NZ

Yes set piece was shocking but then bad kick from Habana and Nonu puts in a good kick and SA caught napping at the lineout and never set their defence.

SA imploded

SA linout in the NZ 22 to a NZ lineout on the 5m

Dan Carters collar bone gone with that hit??

Bismark has won a turnover, and broken Dan Carter in the space of 2 minutes

Disgusting decision

Rubbish decision by Romaine Poite that is absolute bollix is that yellow card.

rubbish decision!!!!

That is a terrible decision

Ref should have asked about the tackle too

That is a complete shocker, wow.

Why did the ref say what's wrong with the tackle to confirm what he thought? He was offside but nothing wrong with the tackle.

awful call from the ref, nothing wrong with that tackle, offside maybe.

NZ clearout is rubbish. Far too many Bok players standing over the ball. Smash them out the way!!!

Jesus, another weak yellow card. Refs are turning into a bunch of bloody softies. Really not a fan of this TMO for foul play crap as well

Now Habana has broken Dagg

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Why did the ref say what's wrong with the tackle to confirm what he thought? He was offside but nothing wrong with the tackle.

Ref said high and dangerous

wales606 wrote:

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Why did the ref say what's wrong with the tackle to confirm what he thought? He was offside but nothing wrong with the tackle.

Ref said high and dangerous

said no arms too, which isnt right.

I was hoping nobody would score until SA were back to 15, rather unfair

What the hell was Habana doing? He was nowhere near the ball and smacks into Dagg.

bsando the TMO would've stopped the yellow card if the ref was listening but he chose to ignore his advice.

Try for NZ but the breakdown is still ugly. We can't get clean, quick ball.

Wow nice try! Shocking defence. What do the boks do now? Need to crush this AB's momentum and play some more run in NZ's half

nathan wrote:

wales606 wrote:

kiakahaaotearoa wrote:Why did the ref say what's wrong with the tackle to confirm what he thought? He was offside but nothing wrong with the tackle.

Ref said high and dangerous

said no arms too, which isnt right.

Yeah, that was it

2 touch judges and a TMO and they all let Poite decide that a good tackle was both high and a shoulder charge?

Wayne Barnes was demoted from the IRB's elite panel of refs for yellow carding Stephen Ferris for a legitimate tackles which also cost Ireland the match. Poite could be in line for the same.

Another bad poite decision

Poite making more mistakes according to Marshall

Apparently the ball is in play as soon as the player starts the run for a free kick

Didn't know that

Just as well GE is away...

So many things to work on for NZ. Kicking is atrocious. Get the ball out in the clearing kicks.

Great try SA. All from the poor clearing kick.

Big call to go for the corner, and a big maul from the pack

Good try for Bismark - he is playing well today.

What a classic try by the boks! Just knew they were going over. Game on!!

how many times were the all blacks playing it on the floor!

Bismark is everywhere

nathan wrote:how many times were the all blacks playing it on the floor!

How do they get away with it???

SA have looked the better side so far - they have built the most, but were pretty unlucky to spend 10 minutes with 14 men.

Unfortunately, some dodgy kicking and a couple of weak tackles have cost them 14pts

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

Sounds like the Auld Mug is already effecting you kiwis...

Three more races mate.. Though spoke to Tom Slingsby yesterday and he wasn't exactly enthusiastic..

£10 says that'll be another urine weak yellow

feel sorry for the man, clearly he shouldnt of been sent off.

Don't want to take that bet. Oh dear...

Well thats killed the game

Cheers TMO, Poite for ruining a classic game. Speechless, what a pile of crap! So angry.

Luatua must be on so I'm going to look at interest how things change at the breakdown with the big fulla on.

Is rugby not a contact sport anymore?

bsando wrote:Is rugby not a contact sport anymore?

your not allowed to lead in to tackle with your elbow so that yellow was correct. However he should never of got the first yellow.

so the refs have given up making the teams put the ball in straight. that lasted long.

Wasn't going to log in as I'm watching on a computer at my hostel in Chisinau but I just had to vent. That's BS right there. Poite just ruined the contest. Great tackle on DC, shame DC got hurt but that's life. Talk about a unilateral decision for the first yellow. I'd have taken a penalty for the second. I reckon 15 on 15 would have gone to a 3 point game either way but now Read's over and this could be five points for NZ due to those rubbish decisions.

BTW Barrett is playing bloody well.

Didnt the an all black player lead with the forearm against Earls last summer and nearly knocked him out? He got a try instead of a yellow though. Different rules apply to the ABs.

Messam still on sorry. I think the elbow was high but really it came from Messam's reaction. TMO said head and then corrected himself and said neck. Feel bad for Poite in that regard as the TMO stitched him up with that description. The reverse of what happened for the first one.

Bonus point one try away for NZ. Doesn't matter how dodgy the decision was, you need to get that four try point with one man off the field.

Really annoyed

This game was shaping up to be a nail biter

The TMO's powers were extended specifically to stop refs making a complete man sausage-up of decisions, and Poite has managed it anyway.

Feel really sorry for SA because they will never know if they really were good enough to win this test match.

The citing commission decision for the red card will be interesting. If he gets a ban it will be a complete shambles.

Yes, the game was shaping up for a fascinating last quarter. We'll have to wait for Soweto for the return match.

Still a game to be played though. SA won't give up. They know NZ have a bonus point within their reach.

Nonu should've gone wide there. Clever from JDV.

True Leinster Hosea Gear.

I think the only people that should be yellowed for tackling Carter are New Zealanders in a World Cup year.

Kia it's not Soweto. It's Ellis Park. Huge. But the thing is with these conditions I reckon the Boks have an edge. Dry crisp conditions suit the ABs down to the ground so I'd tip us to sneak that one too.