Rugby Championship 2025: South Africa v Australia

[Braveheart81]

Anyway. What does everyone here think? Can the Aussies upset the boks in Johannesburg? If so, where will the game be won?

Given the Wallabies only win at Ellis Park was in 1963 I'm going to say no.

On the other hand, we've never lost at Cape Town Stadium so we're a much better chance in the second game.

 

[Yoda]

I think with either Edmed or Donaldson at 10 you HAVE to play White at 10 to take pressure off them both.

Edmed won't start. I'm guessing it will be Donno start JOC (James O'Connor) on the bench.

 

[Blue]

Don't think so. Unless Rassie pulls some weird shit in the name of innovation and has 8 players starting with 15 on the bench.

Who's your starting 10? Pollard or Libbok? I think Pollard has dropped off recently and Libbok is temperamental. So our great depth at flyhalf might be a win.

We have no tight head and no fly half against the Bokke I think you guys will be fine.

Pollard. Always reliable. Was ion very good form for Leicester. Looked sharp in two cameos this year.
Libbok. They really must believe in the guy. The problem is he does a a lot of brilliant things but then kicks at 50%. I think they will start him with Pollard on the bench.
Sasha FM is the future. Proivided he can stay fit. Crazy good with a very high ceiling. HE was injured a lot this year but he was absolutely brilliant when he played.

 

[Brumby Runner]

Have to see who of the Wallabies go down with training injuries before the game yet.

 

[Yoda]

Anyway, who do we think Joe will start at 10? Logic would suggest Donaldson but he hasn’t shown much confidence in him this year so I wouldn’t be surprised if he threw O’Connor in there

JOC (James O'Connor) hasn't played a full game all year. I suspect he'll be on the bench. Donaldson to start. Imo, he should have started v Lions.

 

[Mark Panga]

Don't think so. Unless Rassie pulls some weird shit in the name of innovation and has 8 players starting with 15 on the bench.

Who's your starting 10? Pollard or Libbok? I think Pollard has dropped off recently and Libbok is temperamental. So our great depth at flyhalf might be a win.

We have no tight head and no fly half against the Bokke I think you guys will be fine.

That’s just stupid. Fed up with this. We have tightheads. Tom and Zane have played well all Super Rugby season v NZ teams. They performed well against Slips and 7As (Allan Ala'alatoa) v brumbies. Your negativity is so ignorant. Bugger off.

 

[cyclopath]

I dunno - I’ve worked in an office all my life. If I had to lug turf and paving tiles around all day I reckon I’d want to take something. I get blisters picking up anything heavier than a pen.

This is why we have AI.

 

[Wilson]

That’s just stupid. Fed up with this. We have tightheads. Tom and Zane have played well all Super Rugby season v NZ teams. They performed well against Slips and 7As (Allan Ala'alatoa) (Allan Ala'alatoa) v brumbies. Your negativity is so ignorant. Bugger off.

Robertson is a solid loosehead, but he got absolutely chewed up at tighthead quite a few times in super rugby this year, particularly when he came up against test level props.

Nonggorr is probably better than Robertson (as a tighthead) at his best, but he's still pretty variable at this point in his career and it's going to be a massive ask for him to perform at altitude. We're a long way from the old days when these guys would usually get a few trips to the Highveld in super before having to rock up there in gold.

 

[Backintheolddays]

My humor or my fat fingers making typos?

Anyway. What does everyone here think? Can the Aussies upset the boks in Johannesburg? If so, where will the game be won?

Think the Lions were generally poor and if we we don’t match that intensity, improved set piece, and be more aggressive in backs defence with be Boks by +20

 

[Major Tom]

Gotta be honest here, I don't love seeing the speculation about players with otherwise clean records taking PEDs, whatever broader problems there are with them in the South African game.

Because I mentioned Siya Kolisi?
I genuinely think about his acl recovery quite a lot. Never seen someone return so quickly and to pretty much the same intensity as him. Very radical approach however it was done.

 

[chiraag]

Robertson is a solid loosehead, but he got absolutely chewed up at tighthead quite a few times in super rugby this year, particularly when he came up against test level props.

I don't think that's right at all. The force scrum was largely solid whenever Robertson was at TH this year, but got absolutely chewed up whenever he went off in the second half

 

[Major Tom]

He’s scrummaging is not solid at test level. There’s enough evidence to show that he struggles to make the step up from super to the next level. At no point in this season did I think he dominated his opposing prop.

 

[rugbyAU]

Tupou, Skelton and Valetini in contention to play next week

Three big names in mix to play Springboks in huge boost for Wallabies

Taniela Tupou, Will Skelton and Rob Valetini are all in contention to face South Africa in Johannesburg, where the Wallabies last won in 1963.

www.smh.com.au

 

[LeCheese]

Tupou, Skelton and Valetini set to play next week

Three big names in mix to play Springboks in huge boost for Wallabies

Taniela Tupou, Will Skelton and Rob Valetini are all in contention to face South Africa in Johannesburg, where the Wallabies last won in 1963.

www.smh.com.au

I really don't think there's anywhere near that level of certainty behind Joe's statement

 

[fatprop]

He’s scrummaging is not solid at test level. There’s enough evidence to show that he struggles to make the step up from super to the next level. At no point in this season did I think he dominated his opposing prop.

And yet he is the next best option

 

[Major Tom]

Yeah until De Luttis gets fit. Probably gonna have to give him some time in the saddle earlier than we’d like.

 

[Caputo]

Isn't this a bit over the top. Or Australia's fixation for the next messiah complex. Plenty of potential for MDL but he has hardly been on the pitch for the last 2 years. 9 Games for the Reds (incl touring trials), 1 for Aus 20s & 1 Aus XV.

 

[Major Tom]

Yeah not ideal. I don’t want to throw him against SA. But I could see him getting a go on spring tour. Or perhaps against the ABs (he’s at least played their LHPs) or Argentina. We desperately need to get another genuine THP to back up AAA, TT and Nonggorr in time for the RWC.

 

[Wilson]

I don't think that's right at all. The force scrum was largely solid whenever Robertson was at TH this year, but got absolutely chewed up whenever he went off in the second half

Go back and watch the Reds v Force from round 7 if you want an example - the Force scrum was under pressure from the start and that continues all game, Robertson had no answers for Hodgman, but even when he was off yellow carded and the Reds were scrumming with 7 men (George Blake at loose head) they were winning penalties. Pearce (and Coxon when he came on) are also responsible, but the weaknesses in Robertson game were very much on show there.

 

[BDA]

For the first game, i actually wouldnt mind seeing the hooper start at six, with Valetini coming off the bench. With skelton in the starting pack we should have enough grunt in the first half but i worry the physicality falls off a cliff in the second half. Plus Valetini is a bit short of game time...injecting him in the second half could be a game changer