The NZ/SA Rivalry, how fierce is it?

[pjm]

Every country has supporters from the far left side of the "Displays Appropriate Social Behaviour" bell curve.

NZL is not the only country with troll infestations.

Yes but lucky for Australia most of ours follow League.

 

[Braveheart81]

Every country has supporters from the far left side of the "Displays Appropriate Social Behaviour" bell curve.

NZL is not the only country with troll infestations.

Yes but lucky for Australia most of ours follow League.

It all comes down to the casual sports fans. In Australia rugby doesn't have many of them so we get less of the idiotic gloating comments.

Following rugby in NZ is almost universal so there are far more casual fans whose insight is little more than winning good, losing bad and subsequently the gloating happens with each win and the whinging happens with each loss.

 

[cyclopath]

I understand the envy around Richie VII, but what's wrong with Nosferatu?

He's a scary looking mofo, but nothing beyond that that I can see.
Nosferatu is apt, BTW!!

 

[the sabanator]

Yes but lucky for Australia most of ours follow League.

99%. As a league follower it's always cringeworthy to see what mungo followers post on their various social media outlets.

 

[the sabanator]

I understand the envy around Richie VII, but what's wrong with Nosferatu?

Mainly the fact we can't find a decent second row and he's f***ing good

 

[zer0]

Mainly the fact we can't find a decent second row and he's f***ing good

As you were then.

 

[Scoey]

I understand the envy around Richie VII, but what's wrong with Nosferatu?

I hope I'm not the only one, so for all of those punters out there that feel too silly to ask, can you explain 'Nosferatu' for me?

But I don't get the dislike either. Retallick is one of my favourite NZ players. A proper hard lock is difficult to dislike for mine. Etzebeth is one of my favourite SA players too. Both were dicks early on when they were trying to work out how to be 'hard' but are maturing nicely and are a joy to watch now.

 

[aeneas]

I hope I'm not the only one, so for all of those punters out there that feel too silly to ask, can you explain 'Nosferatu' for me?

But I don't get the dislike either. Retallick is one of my favourite NZ players. A proper hard lock is difficult to dislike for mine. Etzebeth is one of my favourite SA players too. Both were dicks early on when they were trying to work out how to be 'hard' but are maturing nicely and are a joy to watch now.

I assume Nosferatu comes from Brodies teeth. tis another name for Dracula / Prince of Darkness.

 

[Scoey]

I'll be buggered. I am a prolific Googler and would normally just gave Googled 'nosferatu' but just assumed that it was a made up word. Thanks man, makes heaps of sense now!

To save anyone else Googling..... The one on the left is Retallick.

 

[zer0]

I hope I'm not the only one, so for all of those punters out there that feel too silly to ask, can you explain 'Nosferatu' for me?

Brodie Retallick, NZ's premier lock: http://fanboynation.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/dracula-intro-nosferatu.jpg

Nosferatu, the vampiric movie star: http://www1.pictures.zimbio.com/gi/Brodie Retallick New Zealand Blacks Headshots QBUC_xABZnll.jpg

EDIT: Too slow, it seems.

 

[aeneas]

Given that he plays for the All Blacks, Nosferatu might be very apt, Prince of Darkness and all.

 

[the sabanator]

I hope I'm not the only one, so for all of those punters out there that feel too silly to ask, can you explain 'Nosferatu' for me?

But I don't get the dislike either. Retallick is one of my favourite NZ players. A proper hard lock is difficult to dislike for mine. Etzebeth is one of my favourite SA players too. Both were dicks early on when they were trying to work out how to be 'hard' but are maturing nicely and are a joy to watch now.

Etzebeth is definitely a joy to watch. If Courtney Lawes could stop trying to put a big hit on everyone and actually insert his size and power into the game in a more well rounded fashion he could join these three.

 

[Braveheart81]

Prince of Darkness? Brodie's just misunderstood.

 

[Bullrush]

I think the Kiwis are being polite referring to the rivalry but they have had the wood so much on us that I can hardly imagine the really believe it any longer.

Sadly, it has become over-romanticized.

I think South African fans hang on to this notion that it's a big rivalry but we know we are about 80% likely of getting our arse reamed. So what do we do? We get lost in the romance of it. Talk it up. Smooth over the fact that we can't run with them with warm and fuzzy stuff. Then we sit down, watch, get excited for maximum around one hour and then cry in our beers.

If not romance, there is obviously huge respect between the two sides which not many other oppositions, if any, seem to share:

http://www.nzherald.co.nz/rugby-world-cup-2015/news/article.cfm?c_id=522&objectid=11531865

 

[Scoey]

Wow! I had no idea. That right there is what Rugby is all about. Well played those men.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Indeed, it's the very foundation of the ethos of our great game.

 

[PaarlBok]

Since this thread started the teams have played 5 times. 4 wins to NZ.

What is the WC record between the two sides?

 

[Braveheart81]

What is the WC record between the two sides?

One all.

SA won the final in 1995, NZ won the quarter final in 2003.

 

[PaarlBok]

Conrad Smith
SS

“They are a special opponent and it’s a very special rivalry,” said Smith on Tuesday. “I grew up during the apartheid era so when I was young the big rivalry was with Australia, but that has changed over the past few years. We’ve gone back to regarding the Springboks as our biggest rival.
“There is something special about playing them, and playing them in a semifinal will be extra special. We have a good relationship with most teams we play against, but South Africans have a special respect for the game. That’s why two minutes after going all out against each other on the field, we are able to shake hands, walk off the pitch and have a chat with them.”

The Bokke won the WC twice, 1995 will always be a special WC beating the All Blacks in the final.

If we lose on saturday, it wont be near a train smash like we lost vs Japan. For some reason losing to the All Blacks never hurt that much, BUT beating them specially in NZ is much better then winning a WC.

 

[Dewald Nel]

Let me put it this way: ANY match vs. the All Blacks feels like it's the biggest match of the year. Even a dead rubber after the RC is decided. Nothing comes close, excep a world cup final perhaps slightly edging it - but nothing on an annual basis.

There is history, mutual respect and admiration between the 2 sides. We have been pretty much second in the battle since 1992, but no matter how badly we're going, we're always up for this.

The semi-final could probably end badly for us too, but we're not accepting it until it actually happens. Hopefully we take a leaf out of Scotland's book from the past weekend.