All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham
-
The Springboks did what they always do and we didn’t adjust. This perplexing failure of the ABs to deal with the predictable is the biggest worry.
They didn’t adjust quickly enough to the referee, who like most northern hemisphere whistlers seemed to intent to show his superiors his affinity with every minor clause in the rule book.
They knew what the Boks would bring, but continued to put themselves under unnecessary further pressure with poor exits, dropped balls and constant infringements.
Their heads clearly weren’t in the right place and the Boks, having had their arses smacked in Auckland a couple of months ago, were up for this one.
I don’t think the ABs turned into a bad team overnight but I do believe this humiliation suggests the mental fragility that bedevilled them for much of the past four-year World Cup cycle is still there.
Perhaps they’re reading too many of their own positive press notices or perhaps many of the veteran members of the team like Beauden Barrett feel they’re on a victory lap. Either way, there’s a residual flakiness to the team. If their tails aren’t up, they are instantly flustered and then compound the damage with stupid errors and acts of outright stupidity like that of the other Barretts.
What is the source of it? While Schmidt and Ryan have clearly brought the team forward on a technical basis, the top two inches are missing and that comes down to Foster. He seems a genuinely nice bloke and is clearly well-regarded by many of the players. But the mental softness I think comes from him, as shown in his own undying loyalty to Cane as captain and Beauden Barrett.
Can they turn it around in the WC proper? I very much doubt it. World Cups are won by teams with strong set piece, impregnable defences, astute kicking, mental and physical discipline and an ability to adapt to the ref.
On all those measures, I wouldn’t be putting money on the ABs.
@His-Bobness I don’t think the ABs are a poor team now. I just think the strategy they have is wrong. It all starts with a high risk kicking game. A blindside bomb in their 22, cross kicks in our 22… the mindset is wrong for tight test matches.
-
The Springboks did what they always do and we didn’t adjust. This perplexing failure of the ABs to deal with the predictable is the biggest worry.
They didn’t adjust quickly enough to the referee, who like most northern hemisphere whistlers seemed to intent to show his superiors his affinity with every minor clause in the rule book.
They knew what the Boks would bring, but continued to put themselves under unnecessary further pressure with poor exits, dropped balls and constant infringements.
Their heads clearly weren’t in the right place and the Boks, having had their arses smacked in Auckland a couple of months ago, were up for this one.
I don’t think the ABs turned into a bad team overnight but I do believe this humiliation suggests the mental fragility that bedevilled them for much of the past four-year World Cup cycle is still there.
Perhaps they’re reading too many of their own positive press notices or perhaps many of the veteran members of the team like Beauden Barrett feel they’re on a victory lap. Either way, there’s a residual flakiness to the team. If their tails aren’t up, they are instantly flustered and then compound the damage with stupid errors and acts of outright stupidity like that of the other Barretts.
What is the source of it? While Schmidt and Ryan have clearly brought the team forward on a technical basis, the top two inches are missing and that comes down to Foster. He seems a genuinely nice bloke and is clearly well-regarded by many of the players. But the mental softness I think comes from him, as shown in his own undying loyalty to Cane as captain and Beauden Barrett.
Can they turn it around in the WC proper? I very much doubt it. World Cups are won by teams with strong set piece, impregnable defences, astute kicking, mental and physical discipline and an ability to adapt to the ref.
On all those measures, I wouldn’t be putting money on the ABs.
The mental fragility has been there since 2017 under Hansen. I think it's actually improved, but still a long way to go and ain't going to be properly fixed under Foster's tenure.
-
NH scribes will be cleaning the front of their pants up and getting ready to type up a storm now.
-
NH scribes will be cleaning the front of their pants up and getting ready to type up a storm now.
@Mattasaurus And it’s deserved at least on that showing.
-
@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Hammering
Boks barely got out of 3rd gear
We didn't get out of first, so not completely flattering.
@booboo said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
@MiketheSnow said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Hammering
Boks barely got out of 3rd gear
We didn't get out of first, so not completely flattering.
Both SA’s choice
-
One bonus is there is absolutely no expectation from me we will win this WC, probably first time I have ever gone into a WC feeling that. I can enjoy the cup without pressure and if we do turn it around I will be stoked.
@chimoaus said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
One bonus is there is absolutely no expectation from me we will win this WC, probably first time I have ever gone into a WC feeling that. I can enjoy the cup without pressure and if we do turn it around I will be stoked.
Have to totally agree. Well said that man.
-
Worried about the situation at 10.
I cannot visualise Mo'unga or Barrett schooling the French or Irish and after today the Boks.
I just can't see it.
Flat track fly halves.
I haven't seen a dragging a game by the scruff of the neck performance from ether of them in recent memory.
-
Don’t ya love a Fern thread after an AB loss.
Time to unload on our preconditioned selection issues or talk about players “we missed” or about the mentality of certain players.
We got beaten. We gave away a shed load of penalties. We were camped in our 22 as a result. We made errors when we had some momentum. We didn’t get the result we wanted just before half time with that try. We had cards. Boks capitalised on us having to defend for long periods.
-
@African-Monkey we just got humped by a record score in the lead up. Are you serious? This is Foster ball all over. Top team haven't played for a few weeks and rolls out the B/C side in Dunedin, another two weeks off and the top team gets humped. And then we have France after another two weeks off. France would put 70 on us with a two man advantage.
@Joans-Town-Jones It's a meaningless fixture at the end of the day. Yeah, we shouldn't be getting smashed, but better to happen now then when it counts.
We already smashed the Boks this year with something on the line yet that doesn't seem to matter now?
Some real drama queens on here at times.
-
Worried about the situation at 10.
I cannot visualise Mo'unga or Barrett schooling the French or Irish and after today the Boks.
I just can't see it.
Flat track fly halves.
I haven't seen a dragging a game by the scruff of the neck performance from ether of them in recent memory.
@Steve said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Worried about the situation at 10.
I cannot visualise Mo'unga or Barrett schooling the French or Irish and after today the Boks.
I just can't see it.
Flat track fly halves.
I haven't seen a dragging a game by the scruff of the neck performance from ether of them in recent memory.
People definitely weren't saying this after we schooled the Boks at Mt Smart and Richie Mo scored 20+ points...
-
Don’t ya love a Fern thread after an AB loss.
Time to unload on our preconditioned selection issues or talk about players “we missed” or about the mentality of certain players.
We got beaten. We gave away a shed load of penalties. We were camped in our 22 as a result. We made errors when we had some momentum. We didn’t get the result we wanted just before half time with that try. We had cards. Boks capitalised on us having to defend for long periods.
@ACT-Crusader Yup, happens every time
-
@BerhamporeNinja said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Well done SA!, along w the loss we're gonna take alot from that game! Roigard our no.2, ALB is still trash,Newell is not good enough, Degroot is too slow around field and still unfit to be effective at scrum time, Telea's a definite starter
I'm intrigued you watched the game, and one of the big things you took out of it was de Groot isn't the answer? The scrum largely held whilst he was on, but once he departed Williams got wrecked. He also carried much better than Williams.
@frugby lol our whole fwd pack got pumped! i thought Williams held is own whilst Newel was getting owned, and I still think Degroot is a liability on cover defence hes too slow to get across, missed some crucial tackles
-
Worried about the situation at 10.
I cannot visualise Mo'unga or Barrett schooling the French or Irish and after today the Boks.
I just can't see it.
Flat track fly halves.
I haven't seen a dragging a game by the scruff of the neck performance from ether of them in recent memory.
@Steve said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Worried about the situation at 10.
I cannot visualise Mo'unga or Barrett schooling the French or Irish and after today the Boks.
I just can't see it.
Flat track fly halves.
I haven't seen a dragging a game by the scruff of the neck performance from ether of them in recent memory.
I want to see them kicking long and starting the game in their territory - especially when you are struggling to win contact. Mounga can play that game. Not sure about Beaudy?
-
@ACT-Crusader Yup, happens every time
@African-Monkey said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
@ACT-Crusader Yup, happens every time
But you know if I was picking the team it would’ve been Moody, Taylor, Newell, Whitelock….
-
Don’t ya love a Fern thread after an AB loss.
Time to unload on our preconditioned selection issues or talk about players “we missed” or about the mentality of certain players.
We got beaten. We gave away a shed load of penalties. We were camped in our 22 as a result. We made errors when we had some momentum. We didn’t get the result we wanted just before half time with that try. We had cards. Boks capitalised on us having to defend for long periods.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
We were camped in our 22 as a result.
Also because the best territory kicker in the squad is Roigard - our starting backline can't flip field position with distance exits
-
Don’t ya love a Fern thread after an AB loss.
Time to unload on our preconditioned selection issues or talk about players “we missed” or about the mentality of certain players.
We got beaten. We gave away a shed load of penalties. We were camped in our 22 as a result. We made errors when we had some momentum. We didn’t get the result we wanted just before half time with that try. We had cards. Boks capitalised on us having to defend for long periods.
@ACT-Crusader said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
Don’t ya love a Fern thread after an AB loss.
Time to unload on our preconditioned selection issues or talk about players “we missed” or about the mentality of certain players.
We got beaten. We gave away a shed load of penalties. We were camped in our 22 as a result. We made errors when we had some momentum. We didn’t get the result we wanted just before half time with that try. We had cards. Boks capitalised on us having to defend for long periods.
Very well said
-
@His-Bobness I don’t think the ABs are a poor team now. I just think the strategy they have is wrong. It all starts with a high risk kicking game. A blindside bomb in their 22, cross kicks in our 22… the mindset is wrong for tight test matches.
@kev said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
@His-Bobness I don’t think the ABs are a poor team now. I just think the strategy they have is wrong. It all starts with a high risk kicking game. A blindside bomb in their 22, cross kicks in our 22… the mindset is wrong for tight test matches.
Being beaten by a record 28 points is the definition NOT a tight test match
-
@frugby lol our whole fwd pack got pumped! i thought Williams held is own whilst Newel was getting owned, and I still think Degroot is a liability on cover defence hes too slow to get across, missed some crucial tackles
@BerhamporeNinja said in All Blacks vs Springboks - Twickenham:
@frugby lol our whole fwd pack got pumped! i thought Williams held is own whilst Newel was getting owned, and I still think Degroot is a liability on cover defence hes too slow to get across, missed some crucial tackles
Well let's play Williams instead and see how we get on. Exactly like 2019 when we dropped Franks in the favour of ball playing props (Laulala, the irony). It didn't work, test rugby is won by having props who carried hard, not dynamically, just going hard up the guts, and scrummaging well. Williams got schooled, which can probably be explained partially by the locks behind him. Newell was the one more or less holding.
