Springbok Appreciation Week

First topic message reminder :

Rugby comrades. A grave travesty has befallen us.  Over the past two weeks, since the Springboks were unduly compromised in their quest for Rugby Championship glory by yet another filthy and unfair refereeing Frak up of epic proportion an even worse rugby culture sin has been committed.

New Zealand fans have besmirched the finest and most holy of all rugby protocols but improperly dismissing the springboks. I'm deadly serious when I say there are some things you just don't do and this is one of them.

Beyond the fact that the inevitable sporting karma will smite the All Blacks in response in the most humiliating way (for example conspiring that we lose to Wales) the fact is beyond selfish self preservation - it's just contrary to all ethics or morality.

So, in part repentance for this haenous and scurrilous treachery I propose to make a mends for my part in this underhanded sculduggery by proposing springbok appreciation week.

Let us celebrate the team that prior to apartheid politics invading sport were the most feared rugby nation on earth. Unflinching brutal giants who pounded the turf with their mighty hooves and swept across the rugby field like their namesake across the wild plains of their fine sun baked country.

Let us rejoice in their plethora of unsurpassable bulls cheerleaders and their insatiable appetite for dried exotic meats.

I recall the shiver of emotional anticipation I felt as a small lad the first time I saw that deep green and gold uniform clad unit run out into a cauldron of fanatical support and realised I'd been gyped for a decade believing it was all about the Bledisloe cup. 

No other team had led me to become quite so physically ill with nervous anticipation as the might of the springboks, out greatest adversaries. The finest pinnacle of combative aggression in sport. Long may they live. Huzzah!

France will be comforted by that fa0019.  

I appreciate the Springboks.

Again the ruthless springboks show that they have the teeth to slay a wounded side. Again on the wrong side of the referees for discipline, but this time there can be few complaints. Have they done enough? I'd say they did all they could to set up a fascinating final next week.

How did that €1000 bet on Australia go GE?

Well I lost it.

But luckily got my losing bet back because of the number of yellow cards.

GloriousEmpire wrote:Rugby comrades. A grave travesty has befallen us.  Over the past two weeks, since the Springboks were unduly compromised in their quest for Rugby Championship glory by yet another filthy and unfair refereeing Frak up of epic proportion an even worse rugby culture sin has been committed.

New Zealand fans have besmirched the finest and most holy of all rugby protocols but improperly dismissing the springboks. I'm deadly serious when I say there are some things you just don't do and this is one of them.

Beyond the fact that the inevitable sporting karma will smite the All Blacks in response in the most humiliating way (for example conspiring that we lose to Wales) the fact is beyond selfish self preservation - it's just contrary to all ethics or morality.

So, in part repentance for this haenous and scurrilous treachery I propose to make a mends for my part in this underhanded sculduggery by proposing springbok appreciation week.

Let us celebrate the team that prior to apartheid politics invading sport were the most feared rugby nation on earth. Unflinching brutal giants who pounded the turf with their mighty hooves and swept across the rugby field like their namesake across the wild plains of their fine sun baked country.

Let us rejoice in their plethora of unsurpassable bulls cheerleaders and their insatiable appetite for dried exotic meats.

I recall the shiver of emotional anticipation I felt as a small lad the first time I saw that deep green and gold uniform clad unit run out into a cauldron of fanatical support and realised I'd been gyped for a decade believing it was all about the Bledisloe cup. 

No other team had led me to become quite so physically ill with nervous anticipation as the might of the springboks, out greatest adversaries. The finest pinnacle of combative aggression in sport. Long may they live. Huzzah!

you are miteyggborat?

Tours would of cause be less period travelling and shorter because the Australia portion would be separate Tours.There is no good reason you couldn't cancel the 4Ns/6Ns and get rid ofJuly/
November matches once every 4 years.That way you could accommodate both incoming and
outgoing Tours the cycles would be possible including Europe ones.If you want to be picky
Fa100 the same applies only to Danie Craven for the Boks in NZ.IF you consider more than
one match in a Country a Tour France has done it in both SA and NZ.By the same token
winning twice in SA in 2006 could be considered a Tour by the loose definitions here.

GloriousEmpire wrote:Well I lost it.

But luckily got my losing bet back because of the number of yellow cards.

Of course you did old boy.

fa0019 wrote:

GloriousEmpire wrote:Well I lost it.

But luckily got my losing bet back because of the number of yellow cards.

Of course you did old boy.

Walter Mitty strikes again.

GE is like the opposite of Nostradamus. Always bet against his picks and you're onto a winner. It's almost spooky how often he's wrong. You could toss a coin and get more right than he does

Very Spooky yes

Agree with you totally mystri

It's like he's connected to the spirit world somehow.

Well I put my hand up and say I over-estimated Australia and under estimate South Africa. South Africa brought an amazing attitude and that may have made the difference.

Australia have been nothing but underwhelming this year. Incredible the Lions series went to the last game. I'll put my hand up and say 3-0 predictions to the Lions were nothing to be scoffed at.

The one thing about Australian rugby has been their street smarts. They know what they've been good at and have known which areas of their game to hide. This year it's been disappointing to see a lack of a game plan. What are their strengths. Not the backs for sure. I really don't know what they're trying to achieve out there. They lack direction and tactical nous. From an Aussie side I find this difficult to fathom. Jake White would've got the Aussiea playing to their strengths and taking the game away from the opposition. Deans had defence as his weapon but does Link really think the Wallabies can play like the Reds of 2011? I'm starting to think he does and he's in denial that he cannot with the players he has.

Maybe he`s just written off this year waiting for injured players to return,using 2014 to
rebuild .Having to start your reign as a Coach playing the best two sides in the world in
your first few matches for any coach.Given a lot of your best experienced players are injured too.He now has the rest of the year to restore confidence versus Argentina and the NH tour
3rd bledisloe may be a game to far.BUT?

Timani, Higganbotham, Pocock, Beale and an in form Ioane would help Alan. But Deans had even more injuries last year and still found a way to come second. Link is just starting out but just as he felt free to criticise - and justifiably in some part - he will learn that regular losses will invite the same external pressures.

Would be typical of oz to regroup from here and win the WCup in 15. About this time they were dour before both their last two wins so wouldnt put it past them.

Would be typical for us not to win Tman. Let's not go there either!

Stuart Barnes wanted a Wallaby win in Argentina for the sake of world rugby. Does that mean Australia can beat Wales but lose to England in November? The way I see it they need to keep losing until they figure out you need a solid front five to be able to compete at test rugby. Tonga and Samoa learnt that having fast, aggressive backs will only get you so far. Having them win without the fundamentals right won't get Australia back up the rankings in the long run. NZ had the same long learning curve through the late 90s and 00s.

Seeing as SA appreciation week is coming to a close - thankfully in time for the looming match in Ellis Park - let me say how impressed I've been with De Villiers. I was critical of him last year and thought his best was behind him and it was time to invest in the youth of SA rugby. But he had a strong Super campaign and has conducted himself with good grace and pragmatism in the face of adversity. So good on ya mate for putting pride back into the surname De Villiers and you serve as a timely reminder that we shouldn't be so hasty to do away with experience at the first sign of trouble.  

Yup same re JDV, although part of it is hes had to step up with Fouries departure and the inexperience hes had to carry around him in the backs. To date he and Habana are the only true world class backs SA have had for 2-3 years bar the odd F Steyn and Kirchner performance. But on an off the field JDV is real class. Cant be more impressed.

Good pass from JDV for the Kirchner try at the weekend as well. He's been a bit of a blunt instrument in the past at times, but he's certainly playing well at the moment.

Thought Etzebeth was pretty useful as well. Agile for such a big bloke - a real athlete.

The SA vs NZ showdown is going to be a cracker.

JDV has often got good passes away but you'll find its not until hes had a bit of space and time to think about it- normally he goes down with it as hes not the quickest thinker on his feet say in the C Smith mould but I've noticed given more time he does the right thing. Not sure if he'll get the same width vs the ABs and you rarely see JDV get the quick, short nifty passes in- hes very laboured- 'safe'- you could say in that respect.

No disrespect to our SA friends but SA appreciation week is over for me. We've a test match to win and the ceasefire has ended. We're at war again.  

Yeah plus BT wasnt shaken out of his funk by our magnanimous display of comaraderie at all.

Good thing about this one is everythings out on the table- the stakes are high for both sides, its the last match of this calibre for the year so nothing will be left on the field when its over. Mighty challenge for the ABs and they really need this match specifically to reconfirm the top spot.

Yes it's an issue with the global season that it peaks at this time of year and then the standard declines right through the AIs and down to 6N before the super rugby starts again.

just gotta itch that itch ay GE?

GloriousEmpire wrote:Yes it's an issue with the global season that it peaks at this time of year and then the standard declines right through the AIs and down to 6N before the super rugby starts again.

True, the AB's really need to up their game and test England this time. Time to man up and shake off the runny noses and feverishness that we all get in Nov/Dec.