All Blacks v Springboks I: underestimating a wild animal

[Lizard]

All the talk is about whether the All Blacks astonishing run (TRC aggregate score 128-39) can continue, but there some sub-issues to think about.

1. With the Championship getting close to being sewn up, should Hansen use his last home game for the year to give some new blood a run? Personally, I would prefer to stick with what is working but roll subs early again if the game permits. We can play silly buggers with the side v Italy in November.

2. The only forced change for NZ will be at open side. Do you simply bump up A. Savea from the bench, or retain his considerable threat as a high-tempo impact player, and put the solid but unspectacular Todd in the XV? Savea must be the long term option at 7 and think he should be given a shot.

3. Can the Boks adopt a coherent game plan? If so, what should it be? With Jantjes running the backline, surely the Boks should be adopting a modern, Lions style running game?

4. Can Etzebeth play 80 minutes like the world-class lock he is without also being a poorly-tempered fuckwit at some point?

5. Can Starting Franks take the outright record (currently shared on 83 with Perugini) of most tests played without scoring a try? I would hope that the boys could force him to hang on to the pill while they rumble him over at some point. (See the stats thread for more on this).

[Eugene Wrayburn]

1. You obviously wait until the championship is claimed. You can dick about with the team in the Republic or the Pampas.
2. You obviously start Ardie. It's about time to see if he can be hihg octane from the start. If he can then Sam may return to his most familiar role.
3. Yes they should be adopting the Lions style, but almost certainly won't. The Lions were far and away the best SA franchise but I suspect all that some will see is that they too lost against the Kiwis when it came to the final.
4. Why break the habit of a lifetime?
5. That dam has to break sometime. I'm sticking a fiver on him for first try scorer.

[Spy]

It's hard to see this being closer than, say, a converted try and a half. The AB's are clicking, the Boks are not. I've rarely felt this confident of a win before a South Africa test.

Re Lizard's talking points, I think the philosophy of big changes between Tests is gone for good. Tried it, didn't work. There might be a change in the front row, and of course there will be one at openside. It's worth bearing in mind, despite what we're seeing, that this is still a team learning new combinations after a mass-load of experience retired. Easy does it on the starting changes, get the bench involved as required.

Start Ardie. No question. Given Todd's luck, he probably won't even get named in the 23.

[Spy]

Anyway, teams have been named:

All Blacks
1. Joe Moody (16)
2. Dane Coles (42)
3. Owen Franks (83)
4. Brodie Retallick (53)
5. Samuel Whitelock (78)
6. Jerome Kaino (72)
7. Ardie Savea (5)
8. Kieran Read - captain (90)
9. Aaron Smith (53)
10. Beauden Barrett (42)
11. Julian Savea (46)
12. Ryan Crotty (20)
13. Malakai Fekitoa (18)
14. Israel Dagg (54)
15. Ben Smith (54)

16. Codie Taylor (6)
17. Wyatt Crockett (51)
18. Charlie Faumuina (39)
19. Luke Romano (25)
20. Matt Todd (3)
21. TJ Perenara (22)
22. Lima Sopoaga (2)
23. Anton Lienert-Brown (2)

[Spy]

Springboks
15. Johan Goosen 9 caps
14. Bryan Habana 120 caps
13. Jesse Kriel 15 caps
12. Juan de Jongh 16 caps
11. Francois Hougaard 36 caps
10. Elton Jantjies 8 caps
9. Faf de Klerk 6 caps
8. Warren Whiteley 9 caps
7. Oupa Mohoje 11 caps
6. Francois Louw 49 caps
5. Pieter-Steph du Toit 14 caps
4. Eben Etzebeth 50 caps
3. Vincent Koch 4 caps
2. Adriaan Strauss (captain) 60 caps
1. Tendai Mtawarira 81 caps

16. Malcolm Marx 0 caps
17. Steven Kitshoff 4 caps
18. Lourens Adriaanse 3 caps
19. Franco Mostert caps
20. Willem Alberts 38 caps
21. Jaco Kriel 4 caps
22. Morné Steyn 63 caps
23. Damian de Allende 18 caps

[Spy]

So Todd does make the 23. Just noticed Sopoaga makes the bench ahead of Cruden - hope he goes well. I watched him practicing his field kicking before the Wales game in Dunedin, and he was landing them on a dime. Stable team, no real surprises.

[rowan]

Good to see Ardie getting a start. The 2 Saveas starting together. Happy days!

[Lizard]

I'm about to get on a plane to DC via Houston. I'm guessing I'll be lucky to find a replay at the other end.

My PA is lucky she's a temp or I'd fire her for this sort of oversight.


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[cashead]

Do you have any idea how tempting it is to post false updates come game time? "Oh crap, the Springboks are running wild!" "Holy shit, they won! FUCK!"

[Lizard]

Fill yer boots, son.

Or you could be a legend and link to a full vid I can watch while killing 4 hours in the vile United lounge at Houston airport.


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[canta_brian]

Fill yer boots, son.

Or you could be a legend and link to a full vid I can watch while killing 4 hours in the vile United lounge at Houston airport.


Sent from my genius using brilliance

If your device is android you could go the kodi option.

[jared_7]

Looking forward to this. Big boss pack, and 6 forwards on the bench. Argie made inroads through the middle last week, maybe SA will double bluff and go wide, anticipating the ABs tightening the defence around the fringes?

Looking forward to seeing Savea at 7, Hansen in the prematch has thrown the gauntlet down to him.

[jared_7]

Not an overly competitive anthem-singing industry in NZ, I feel like Ainslie Allen and Liz Marvelly have basically shared the duties for 10 years?

[Spy]

We've probably hit peak haka, I suspect. I hope so, anyway.

[cashead]

Ainslie Allen always does the South African anthem for some reason. She's certainly much better than that guy from the 2009 test that the Boks played in France. Yeah, that guy.

Lizzie Marvelly seems to have been doing the anthems for the home tests all the time for the last few years, for sure.

Also, kick-off time, boys.

[jared_7]

We've probably hit peak haka, I suspect. I hope so, anyway.

I think they an drag it out for another couple of minutes; they can move on from fireworks to lasers and probably include an AIG-sponsored ad-break in the middle.

Don't disrespect it, Spy.

[Spy]

Lineout working well so far.

[Spy]

Good start NZ. 3-0.

[jared_7]

Scrappy game so far, both teams feeling their way into it. Ref's been quite trigger happy as well.

[cashead]

Heh, the Boks make it to the All Blacks'' 22 and immediately turn into headless chickens.

[cashead]

What are you shaking your head for, du Toit? You were never onside at any point.

[Spy]

Good rugby South Africa. Broke us up the middle again.

[cashead]

Oh, that is an absolute pisser for Jantjies. He'd been playing so well so far.

[Spy]

Made that look easy.

[cashead]

Poor Jantjies must be absolutely mortified right now.