2012 Rugby Championship Round 4 Game 1 New Zealand vs South Africa - 15 Sep

[Hugh Jarse]

Game over. Cruden kicks another PK on the whistle. Darkness 21 - Saffer 11.

Darkness 2 tries to 1. Saffer missed 7 or 8 Penalty kicks at goal which would have made a difference if some had landed.

 

[Bruwheresmycar]

McCaw - legend. Slowing down? I don't think so.

Yea, he makes the game worth watching alone. Seems to have a 6th sense for rugby sometimes.

 

[Blue]

If Steyn had no missed so many kicks, the Boks would be well clear.

Greyling OMG.

He is an utterly useless player who is not even good enough in Super Rugby.

Dam we have some rough calls tonight

You make your own luck. You create momentum and the calls fo your way.

M Steyn and Greyling. What a complete and utter joke to select these guys.

And Smittie's constant dick swinging makes me sick to my stomach. I watched the last 20 with no sound. Yes you twit we know McCaw is good.

 

[crangs81]

Boks denied the bonus point. They really haven't had the best of luck tonight

 

[whatty]

If they ever pick Morne Steyn again!!! The Broederbond will have a lot to answer for.

 

[Blue]

And now Smittie congratulates McCaw in the interview. This guy wanks off to images of Richie for sure.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

As the President of the "McCaw is a No 8 Club", I have tasted some humble pie tonight.

It was a game that suited a slowing down 7 almost an 8 type of player though.

 

[Blue]

Why did it take unitl the last 20 to bring Goosen on and 7 minutes for Lambie?

For that Meyer deserves every bit of heat he will no doubt get.

 

[Blue]

Hard to pick MOM. Dagg for Darkness. Pinnear for Saffer.

(M Steyn's boot is MOM for Darkness!)

What!?

His kicking and option taking was terrible.

We need F du Preez back and thank god talk is that he is on his way back.

 

[Bardon]

ABs created very little in the game but they didn't need to with Steyn's kicking. SA pack stepped it up a few levels compared to last time, but apart from Habana for his try the backs didn't. Rest of the championship is now a procession for the ABs. Still a tough game to come in SA and a possibly in Argentina too, but both will be treated as individual tests.

Comparing expectation to performance Argentina have been the most impressive team in the RC. Australia and South African fans must be really worried about how easily NZ wrapped up the championship without really having to up their game.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

What!?

His kicking and option taking was terrible.

We need F du Preez back and thank god talk is that he is on his way back.

Agree with Du Preez. Really struggled to come up with a Saffer MOM though. P'raps Habana cause he scored a try but he was very quiet.

Who else for Saffer MOM?

 

[ACR]

Boks denied the bonus point. They really haven't had the best of luck tonight

That's there own fault, they chose to kick the ball away when they are actually terrific when they keep the ball (in their forwards). I can't believe they are still trying to play like it's 2009. Ridiculous.

The ref is going to blow it however he sees it so there's nothing you can do about that (or rely on the ref).

^^^Also, Smithie gushes about McCaw like a schoolgirl but quite frankly, he deserves it. The guy is the perfect rugby captain. If he's not better than other forwards he will certainly outwork them, by a mile.

 

[Dam0]

Don't know whether I put it down to great play by the Boks or awful stuff from us but I was spectacularly underwhelmed by that performance. Our forwards are just not getting stuck in enough, and our backs are not clinical enough.

Its a cliche to say it is the mark of a good team to win playing awfully. At some point a good team actually has to play well if they want to be considered a good team.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Why did it take unitl the last 20 to bring Goosen on and 7 minutes for Lambie?

For that Meyer deserves every bit of heat he will no doubt get.

Plenty in Gaggerland have salivated over the prospect of a Saffer backline with Goosen and Lambie starting.

It is only ever a cameo that we get to see. too little too late.

 

[Roundawhile]

Thank you everyone for the commentary

 

[Dam0]

^^^Also, Smithie gushes about McCaw like a schoolgirl but quite frankly, he deserves it. The guy is the perfect rugby captain. If he's not better than other forwards he will certainly outwork them, by a mile.

"The reports of my demise are greatly exaggerated." - Richie McCaw 2012

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Don't know whether I put it down to great play by the Boks or awful stuff from us but I was spectacularly underwhelmed by that performance. Our forwards are just not getting stuck in enough, and our backs are not clinical enough.

Its a cliche to say it is the mark of a good team to win playing awfully. At some point a good team actually has to play well if they want to be considered a good team.

Dam0

I guess that is Test rugby. Winner takes all and the end justifies the means.

If you want excitement, then go the the local rugby club or high school and watch some of that footy. I have found excitement peaks about Under 16's. After that they tend to get too tactical, too drilled, too templated, too rick averse.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Thank you everyone for the commentary

Welcome. Enjoy going to bed early with another Wobs victory under our belt.

 

[Dam0]

Dam0

I guess that is Test rugby. Winner takes all and the end justifies the means.

If you want excitement, then go the the local rugby club or high school and watch some of that footy. I have found excitement peaks about Under 16's. After that they tend to get too tactical, too drilled, too templated, too rick averse.

Good post. I agree with you but only to a point.

We are not playing well, and have not played well since the third Irish test. I genuinely think that the AB's at the moment are a 20 point better team than anyone else at the moment but we are playing like we are only just a little bit better.

 

[Ruggo]

SA just pissed that against the wall. It was theirs for the taking. I thought the SA tight five and forwards were great tonight and should be right old pissed at the backs. M. Steyn has more lives than a cat. Tactically baffled as the Bokke went wide when they had NZ rattled when they did go direct. Meyer seems to be a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic persisting with Kirshner and Morne.