Why Boks will Win 2019 WC

[Mr Mwenda]

The Wallabies usually drop a game or two at this time of year, but these results are a culmination of several factors eating away at the team. The biggest issue facing them, IMO, is a culture of blame, rather than ownership. Just listen to the rhetoric this boy spews out. Expecting him to take any responsibility is an exercise in futility because you've made a fatal mistake - it's never his fault, it's never his responsibility. "Wah wah wah, this happened and that happened and he did this and she did that and they did that other thing and it was sunny and it was windy and there was a bit of cloud and wah wah wah wah wah wah wah." Of course, if shit goes right, he can't claim credit fast enough. You then see this filter through into the team, like Kurtley Beale being a big stupid dumb idiot moron lackwit and getting binned two weeks in a row and then arguing about it with the ref both times WHILE THE BIG SCREEN RIGHT BEHIND HIM IS SHOWING WHAT HE DID, WHICH IS THE EXACT OPPOSITE OF WHAT HE CLAIMS HE WAS DOING, or Cheika having a tantrum about the Wallabies not getting awarded tries (the ref, AR and TMO were spot on, so shut up. Hooper was a mile offside, and the Koroibete - I think - try would never have withstood TMO scrutiny).

Australia really seem to have lost it mentally, particularly against England and calmer opponents are making hay. Australia are another team that seem to have lost how to think.

[rowan]

Pretty sure I heard all this just after the 2014 AIs as well. De ja vu?

[Mr Mwenda]

For someone who constantly champions bringing new teams into established tournaments, it's odd that Rowan seems to have no faith that things can ever change regarding SANZAR....

[rowan]

Have you been mixing drugs and alcohol again, Mwenda? There's no connect between what you just wrote and reality. In other words, what you just wrote was confused waffle.

Before the last World Cup I ridiculed a bunch of guys on another forum who were convinced, on the basis of the preceding AIs, that Australia and SA were falling apart and England and Ireland might well be contesting the final the following year. That's one of the reasons I'm on this forum now! Which has nothing at all to do with letting new teams into tournaments or not. In fact, I'm not even an advocate of bringing new teams into established tournaments. You managed to get that wrong as well. I'm in favour of a promotion-relegation fixture for the 6 Nations, if that's what you were alluding to, though I think it should be at the home of the incumbent - or at least home and away - to avoid a team going up just to get thrashed.

[morepork]

Rowan if you can't treat posters that visit this board with a little less condescension then please fuck off to another forum.

[rowan]

I see. A little state of Apartheid here, one rule for the in-crowd, another rule for others. You know as well as I do that I was responding to a silly comment, and that the vast majority of your own responses to my well-intentioned posts have also been silly. Now you come along with all this self-righteous indignation as if you were the most serious-minded member of the forum. You won't even permit a fair fight. There's a word for that . . .

[morepork]

I'm not going to clog up the thread engaging your nonsense. Just take the advice.

[rowan]

2010 AIs SA & Australia go 3-1, 2011 they go 2-2 in the Rugby Championship (RC), then exit the World Cup at the semis & quarter-finals stages, respectively - Wallabies finishing 3rd.
Summary: Good AIs followed by average RCs, a good RWC for Australia but an average one for SA.

2012 AIs SA have 2 wins and a draw, Australia again goes 3-1. 2013 Summer Internationals (SIs) SA go 2-0, Australia 1-2. RC SA go 4-2, Australia 2-4.
Summary: Good AIs followed by good SIs & RC for SA but poor SIs & RC for Australia.

2013 AIs: SA 3-0, Australia 4-1. 2014 SIs both go 3-0, RC SA go 4-2, Australia 2-3-1.
Summary: Good AIs followed by good SIs, a good RC for SA but a poor one for Australia.

2014 AIs: SA 2-2, Australia 1-3. 2015 RC SA 0-3, Australia 2-1. RWC Australia finish 2nd, SA 3rd.
Summary: Poor AIS followed by a poor RC for SA, but a good one for Australia, and both had good RWCs.

2016 AIs: SA 3-0 Australia 3-2, SIs SA win 1 from 1, Australia 1 from 3, RC both go 2-2-2.
Summary, good AIs and SI for SA, average AIs and poor SIs for Australia, both have average RCs.

Conclusion:

Australia's results in the AIs have presaged their World Cup form on 1/2 occasions, their SIs form 2/5 times and their RC form 1/4. Thus, very little correlation in general.

South Africa's results in the AIs have presaged their World Cup form on 0/2 occasions, their SIs form 3/3 times and their RC form 3/4. Thus, no correlation with RWCs, but a close correlation with both SIs & RC results.

[rowan]

My impression was that he never had the respect of the white players in the team.

The immediate future for Allister Coetzee doesn’t look particularly bright today after it was reported that SA Rugby sought legal advice before formerly removing the head coach from his role.

After two tumultuous and painful seasons in charge, Coetzee met with a review committee on Wednesday to defend his position.

While there has been no official word from SA Rugby as of yet, behind the scenes there is an understanding that he will not be continuing in his role as Springbok coach.

According to TimesLIVE the decision has effectively been made by SA Rugby but they are seeking legal advice before removing Coetzee to make sure “all the labour law hurdles have been cleared”.

https://www.rugbypass.com/news/sa-rugby ... ve-coetzee

[Sandydragon]

Hands up who is surprised? Anyone? I can’t see anyone else doing much better givn th circumstances, but his days were numbered following th loss to Wales.

[rowan]

Indeed.

[Mellsblue]

Yep. Any hear Coach of a major nation who loses to Wales should be sacked immediately.......if they select Wood at no8.

[rowan]

Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus will be allowed to pick overseas-based players who have less than 30 Test caps if he gives valid reasons for their selection.

According to Rapport newspaper, the executive committee of SA Rugby has given him the necessary approval.

'Rassie spoke to us about it,' said re-elected SA Rugby president Mark Alexander. 'The [30-Test cap eligibility] rule remains, but we will consider every request by Rassie on its merits.

'The Boks are SA Rugby's flagship and we will do everything we can to give them the necessary support.'

In an interview in SA Rugby’s online magazine, Erasmus said they were working on a plan to manage overseas players.

'I’ve said before that all players who are eligible for the Boks should be considered, but we have to look at our home-based players first – and we have some wonderful talent playing here.

'Having said that, I believe some of the more experienced players from overseas clubs can still add value, but they must be utilised correctly.

'In a World Cup year, we can use players with fewer than 30 caps, so we will probably have to test those players at some stage before the tournament in Japan next year. We are working on some plans to manage just that, while we also can’t neglect the players based in South Africa.'

http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/detail ... ction-rule

[scuzzaman]

I'll be very surprised if SA ever make another RWC final, let alone win one.

[rowan]

Because South Africa always has poor World Cups ??

[scuzzaman]

No.

(weren't you complaining about other people responding to things you didn't say? bygones.)

Because South Africa is in a state of rapid cultural, political, and economic decline, with insane policies being championed at all levels of government and these being enforced against notable cultural artifacts of especial significance to the white population, i.e. the rugby union. It won't be long before even larger proportions of the population are more concerned about surviving the day than about entertainment ...

If you think South Africa's previous showing at RWCs has anything to do with what happens next you're barking up the wrong trouser leg.

[rowan]

It's not decline. It's a transitional stage which the white minority - who maintain the lion's share of the nation's wealth - are resisting. We are seeing a lot of non-white players coming through the system now, at long last. Did you see the highlights of the Canes - Sharks? New Zealand's top team at the moment had a very lucky escape against a visiting team that (from the video highlights) appeared a feature a number of non-white players. That was a glimpse of the future for you. South Africa almost certainly won't win the next World Cup, but they could well return to dominate this game in the future the way they did throughout the amateur era. All it needs is for the white minority to stop resisting.

[morepork]

Are you from SA Rowman?

[scuzzaman]

South Africa is following the path of Rhodesia/Zimbabwe, and since the death of Mandela and the corruption of Zuma, the decline is accelerating.

Your optimism is a simple denial of reality.

[rowan]

Are you from SA Rowman?

No, never been there.

[rowan]

I thought this game had been canned . . .

The decision to field a second-string side against Wales and to cotton-wool the first-choice stars ahead of the first Test against England is the right one, writes JON CARDINELLI.

Rassie Erasmus recently described the exhibition match against Wales in Washington DC as a money-making exercise, one that may alleviate the financial pressure on the union and keep a few more players in South Africa.

http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/detail ... ds-or-bust

[rowan]

Currie Cup down to a single round this season Is this an acknowledgement that, with Super Rugby etc, there is simply too much top flight rugby these days for both the players and the fans to keep up with??

Currie Cup Premier Division fixtures (all fixtures subject to change):

Friday, August 17

Free State Cheetahs v Blue Bulls, Bloemfontein 19:00

Saturday, August 18

Pumas v Griquas, Nelspruit - 14:05

Friday, August 24

Golden Lions v Griquas, Johannesburg - 19:00

Saturday, August 25

Sharks v Blue Bulls, Durban - 15:00

Western Province v Free State Cheetahs, Cape Town - 17:15

Friday, August 31

Pumas v Western Province, Nelspruit - 19:00

Saturday, September 1

Blue Bulls v Golden Lions, Pretoria - 15:00

Free State Cheetahs v Sharks, Bloemfontein - 17:15

Friday, September 7

Sharks v Pumas, Durban - 19:00

Saturday, September 8

Griquas v Blue Bulls, Kimberley - 15:00

Golden Lions v Free State Cheetahs, Johannesburg - 17:15

Saturday, September 15

Golden Lions v Western Province, Johannesburg - 15:00

Griquas v Free State Cheetahs, Kimberley - 17:15

Blue Bulls v Pumas, Pretoria - 19:30

Saturday, September 22

Free State Cheetahs v Pumas, Bloemfontein - 15:00

Sharks v Golden Lions, Durban - 17:15

Western Province v Griquas, Cape Town - 19:30

Saturday, September 29

Western Province v Sharks, Cape Town, 14:00

Friday, October 12

Pumas v Golden Lions, Nelspruit - 19:00

Saturday, 13 October:

Griquas v Sharks, Kimberley - 15:00

Blue Bulls v Western Province, Pretoria - 17:15

Saturday, October 20

Semi-finals

Saturday, October 27

Final

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/CurrieC ... n-20180514

[rowan]

I've always been a big fan of Eddie, but it's obvious England are falling apart both on and off the field since he's taken over. He set a bad example with his personal conduct last week, and now the players are following suit . . .

England's defeat by South Africa was marred by a post-match confrontation between players Mike Brown and Joe Marler and fans.
The Harlequins duo exchanged angry words with supporters after England lost their fifth straight Test, beaten 23-12 by South Africa in Bloemfontein.
England head coach Eddie Jones said he did not see the incident.
But asked if his players won or lost with dignity, he told BBC Radio 5 live: "I think they always do."
England led 12-0 but the defeat means South Africa have wrapped up the series 2-0 with one match to play.
A further sign of England's frustration came when scrum-half Ben Youngs walked away from a television interview after one question.
He subsequently apologised on social media for conduct that was strongly criticised by Sir Clive Woodward in his role as a pundit.
"Just wanted to say sorry I walked off during my interview with Sky Sports," Youngs said on Twitter.
"Obviously was very emotional and disappointed with result. We go again in Cape Town."
England lose fifth match in a row

https://www.bbc.com/sport/rugby-union/44507276

[rowan]

History of South African Rugby. Interesting read: https://www.sahistory.org.za/article/ea ... uth-africa

[rowan]

This will certainly keep 'em on their toes . . .

Cape Town - SA Rugby is set to make a groundbreaking decision that will cut the country's professional player pool in half.

According to president Mark Alexander, the new system will aim to reduce the number of professional players in the country from around 990 to around 460.

It means that the major franchises will only be able to contract between 40-50 players per season.

Any surplus players who are not contracted will then be placed into the draft system and used whenever they are needed.

"We’ve created a false market in this country. It’s simply not sustainable having 990 players trying to make a living," Alexander said on Wednesday at the launch of this season’s PRO14.

"We have the biggest number in the world.

https://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/sa-rugb ... m-20180830