The Rugby Championships

[rowan]

Mind-numbing predictability. Only with SA versus Aussie can we really expect the unexpected. Still, the crowds will come, simply due to the high quality of the teams involved.

[cashead]

^ “Wallabies” and “high quality.”


Maybe they could do a big old song and dance about it, and how unfair it all is.

[cashead]

The takeaway from this year’s tournament

1. The Boks aren’t back, but they’re not far off. They’ve uncovered some genuine world-class players to join Etzebeth and Louw like Malcolm Marx, Jan Serfontein and Steven Kitshoff that they can build around. However, there are some glaring weaknesses, like Elton Jantjies lacking the composure for big occasions, their back three being defensively frail and some ongoing questions about their halfbacks. Cronje, for example, was a bit shit. Their front-row lacks genuine depth as well, with a serious lack of quality options at tighthead behind Malherbe and Oosthuizen.

2. This tournament has done wonders for building All Blacks depth, with players like Damian McKenzie and Kane Hames growing into their roles after being thrust into the starting line-up. Havili and Tu’ungafasi showed good value off the bench too. SBW may not be the attacking force he once was, but he has reinvented himself as an excellent defensive 12.

3. Australia have continued to flatter to deceive, lacking the killer instinct that defined great Wallabies sides of old. They still have a few test quality players, but they’ve all got some sort of caveat. Part of the problem may lie with the coaching too, with Cheika’s ongoing inability to take ownership of his bullshit, while being quick to claim credit when things go right against Argentina. His selections often make little sense, with an ongoing lack of continuity or logic behind his selections. As good as McMahon went at 8, for example, why persist with him when he won’t be available soon? Or the constant chopping and changing at second row. Why?

4. Argentina have regressed at the rate of knots since the World Cup 2 years ago, and they have a mountain of work to do. Their veterans are long in the tooth, while their young players aren’t really coming through at the moment.

[morepork]

Argentina. The Southern Hemisphere's answer to Italy.

Or is that a predictable comment?

[cashead]

I’d also add that Milner-Skudder is the new Kahui: an excellent backline player who’ll probably have a short but decent test career, finishing out his playing days in Japan where there’s a 9 to 10-month break between seasons because he keeps getting injured.

[morepork]

Very true unfortunately. Japan does have better food than Wainuiomata though.

[J Dory]

I’d also add that Milner-Skudder is the new Kahui: an excellent backline player who’ll probably have a short but decent test career, finishing out his playing days in Japan where there’s a 9 to 10-month break between seasons because he keeps getting injured.

Poor Skud, unfortunate injury, he's a special player, the way he kind of skips on the spot then disappears leaving potential tacklers grasping at thin air, reminds me of Shaun Johnson. Hope he makes it back in black.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[Spy]

He is good. I think he's lost some pace, though. When he came on the scene in 2015, he seemed fast as well as jinky. But he got run down easily when he nabbed an intercept in the first test against the Boks, and again in the latest match he had a couple of chances but didn't have the gas to clear the defence.

[scuzzaman]

SBW may not be the attacking force he once was, but he has reinvented himself as an excellent defensive 12.

An absolute necessity considering that, when you give the ball away every time it is passed to you, you kinda have to be a defender or what's the point in you being on the paddock?

I happily admit I was dreadfully wrong about the margin; fair play to South Africa ... that was a game of three halves at least!

[rowan]

As I've been saying:

There were major lessons for Hansen: Sonny Bill Williams has hit the used-by date, Lima Sopoaga is probably a stop-gap No.10, and there is everything to gain by fast tracking Wellington's little Exocet Asafo Aumua as a World Cup hooker prospect.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/ar ... ref=NZH_fb

[scuzzaman]

I doubt SBW is too old, or has suddenly lost the physical attributes that made him a star.

I think he's grown too comfortable and isn't the self-motivated player he used to be. He's hit his Tiger Woods plateau mentally, not physically. but that's the coach's job, isn't it? To recognise and deal with such patterns in the players ... ?

[J Dory]

As I've been saying:

There were major lessons for Hansen: Sonny Bill Williams has hit the used-by date, Lima Sopoaga is probably a stop-gap No.10, and there is everything to gain by fast tracking Wellington's little Exocet Asafo Aumua as a World Cup hooker prospect.

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/ar ... ref=NZH_fb

You and Rattue know your stuff alright.

[morepork]

Perhaps we could have a whip round and award a Most Persistently Prescient Poser Award. Sorry, poster.

[rowan]

How about an award for the Hindsight Experts aboard. Brave fellows!!

Anyway, it was just an observation. Nothing for anyone to get their knickers in a knot about. I'm still not sold on Damian McKenzie's defense yet either. I think he may well develop into a useful cover as a utility, but wouldn't want him in a starting role against the big guns at the RWC.

[morepork]

What do mean "hindsight" you womble?

[Doorzetbornandbred]

Rowan are you related to dave at all?

[morepork]

Dave's not here man.