Springboks v All Blacks II: still work to be done

[Len]

That mullet is fucking chain.

[morepork]

Yes! Scored after full time.

[Lizard]

Well. I've never seen a Springboks team give up like that. At home, too.

Who in their right mind would have thought that that game plan would succeed against the All Blacks? Its disappointing to see them play that way. Hopefully this is the wake up call they need.


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[zer0]

Frustrating at first, but ultimately satisfying in the end. Off back to Eden Park to play Australia for the (kind-of) record...

[I R Geech]

Watching New Zealand just has an air of enivitability about it at the moment. Seems that they have hit a new level at the same time that the competition has fallen backwards. Can't see them losing for a while unless they are reffed out of a game or there is an orgy in the toilet on the way home, because no one is even close.

[cashead]

They're benefitting from structures put in place by Hansen and Henry, where they incrementally built experience with the next generation.

The Springboks failed to do that, and now they're paying for it.

[scuzzaman]

They're benefitting from structures put in place by Hansen and Henry, where they incrementally built experience with the next generation.

The Springboks failed to do that, and now they're paying for it.

THIS.

The All Blacks of today are a vastly different team from the RWC side, but the attitude, approach, expertise, mindset, fitness ... everything is working at peak level. It's a phenomenal achievement.

[Lizard]

If you didn't know anything about test rugby, and you looked at the RC results for this year, you would be forgiven for thinking that the All Blacks must have been undeservingly relegated down from a higher division of the competition. They've just played at a different level.

Although I understand the media and public comments lamenting the lack of competition, we should not forget to sit back a little and enjoy watching this team which is likely to be the most dominant team any of us will ever see in our lifetimes. (I, for one, have now been able to let go of 2007 and have nearly done the same with 1998).

[Spy]

You can't please some people. They flip from bemoaning a less-than-perfect AB performance in a narrow win or loss, to complaining that the All Blacks are too good and that rugby's boring. Fuck off. Things will even up soon enough. Enjoy the good times while they last, I say.

[dk4]

Very impressed with the results coming in and the new players performances.
Coaches have done brilliant job.

Perhaps it would have been useful to play against Èngland this autumn international. I am keen to see how SA and Aus will perform..

[aotearoa]

Perhaps it would have been useful to play against Èngland this autumn international. I am keen to see how SA and Aus will perform..

In all honesty, it might have been useful for the ABs ($$$$$,) but I don't think it would have done England any good at this stage of their development. Could only see one result.

[dk4]

Dont mind adding one more win vs England. They seem to be building a good team.

[Lizard]

England's problem is that they need to complete Eddie's development plan (which seems to rely rather optimistically on the clubs doing as he wants) before everyone gets pissed off with Eddie. It might happen, it might not. It would be good if the All Blacks could play them soon because otherwise all we will hear about is "Well if we'd played you in 2016-17 we would have won."

[zer0]

England's problem is that they need to complete Eddie's development plan (which seems to rely rather optimistically on the clubs doing as he wants) before everyone gets pissed off with Eddie. It might happen, it might not. It would be good if the All Blacks could play them soon because otherwise all we will hear about is "Well if we'd played you in 2016-17 we would have won."

This is the key aspect of his England tenure for me. Put simply, I'm interested to see how long the RFU can put up with the negative off-field impacts (trolling the clubs) in return for positive on-field results (winning tests).

[Lizard]

England's problem is that they need to complete Eddie's development plan (which seems to rely rather optimistically on the clubs doing as he wants) before everyone gets pissed off with Eddie. It might happen, it might not. It would be good if the All Blacks could play them soon because otherwise all we will hear about is "Well if we'd played you in 2016-17 we would have won."

This is the key aspect of his England tenure for me. Put simply, I'm interested to see how long the RFU can put up with the negative off-field impacts (trolling the clubs) in return for positive on-field results (winning tests).

It's not just the clubs. Eddie has a track record of losing the suits and the dressing room, to an extent, leading to poor results.

He was fired by Aussie with 2 years left on his contract.

He was binned by the Reds after only a year.

After a short term, successful role with the Springboks, he had a disaster of a time with Saracens, falling out with the board very quickly.

To be fair, he seems to have kept people largely onside in Japan, but that must be culturally quite different. Perhaps that was one of his motivations in reducing the number of foreign-born Brave Blossoms?