Hane vs Springbokke

[BillyWebb]

Screaming headlines aside....
Point still remains that despite many trying, very few have managed to get the better of Matfield in the last couple of seasons.

 

[Thomond78]

Well, ten minutes in, Hairydonkey's making a good fist of it. France are looking frankly scary. The power and speed of the buggers is alarming. If that's what going back to white shorts and red socks does, pray they don't have a royal blue RWC 2011 jersey in the pipeline, or we're all goosed...

 

[cyclopath]

Thought Bismarck was a bit lucky - that shoulder on Heymans was clumsy, and I've seen less cop at least a penalty. He needs to be careful, pinged for breakdown skullduggery too.
France looking very physical.

 

[Sully]

It is evening out now. The French do look good. Cept for that throw!!

 

[cyclopath]

Terrific strike back by the French - in the corner.

 

[Biffo]

Terrific strike back by the French - in the corner.

You watching the right game?

 

[Biffo]

Now I see what you mean. My broadcast is a little delayed.

 

[Sully]

The frog pulled bananas leg to make it look like he was kicking the man on the ground!!

 

[cyclopath]

Yeah, but Habana was being a bit of a cock too.
Dumb mistake from Steyn with that trip.

 

[cyclopath]

Thomo was right - Harinordoquy has been very good - the comms were going on about him being in front of the kicker for the France try, but it didn't look that obvious, and we got no replay, so I'll defer to someone who watches it again. Their pack good as a unit at the breakdowns, but Brussouw getting some handy steals nonetheless. Some of the SA forwards would be better served doing less shoving and "hard man" stuff around the fringes, and getting stuck in a bit more. SA lineout good as usual.
French 9 very quick, and the French midfield quite strong and able to stand and offload a bit.
Good game to watch from a contest point of view. Still too much aimless kicking from both sides though.

 

[Thomond78]

Brussow and Dupuy's kicking are the difference between the teams at the moment.

 

[cyclopath]

Not sure what Jon Smit is smiling about after getting reamed yet again in a scrum? The French front 3 are PUMPED!!

 

[Thomond78]

Not sure what Jon Smit is smiling about after getting reamed yet again in a scrum? The French front 3 are PUMPED!!

That's real "Don't show the pain" smiling. The Bok scrum is being eaten.

14-13 at the moment, btw. The breakdown stuff is magnificent, and the mauls are giving me wood. Isn't it great to have them back? :yay

 

[cyclopath]

Yeah, the forward contest is willing. Beautiful French interplay between fatties and backs, Trinh Duc buggers it up.

 

[cyclopath]

Some easy penalties letting SA off the hook a bit. France should get back to how they were playing 5-10 mins ago.
Gonna be close I feel at the end...

 

[cyclopath]

Kankowski is no Spies.

 

[cyclopath]

There'll be cards soon if the Bokke keep getting pinged at the ruck / maul like this.
Thomo must be almost speechless with so many mauls in one game!!

 

[Thomond78]

If the French had another week together to get that last pass right, this would be a rout. What they're doing to the Bok scrum is more or less what happens to the pretty new kid in a Turkish prison shower block...

 

[cyclopath]

That was a botch up.
Yeah, the French scrum is mullering the Bokke. How long can they keep carrying Smit?
And Brussouw steals it AGAIN - they guy is a freak over the ball.

 

[cyclopath]

What was Morne thinking not calling for the mark? AND he got belted by Chabal for his trouble.
French hard on attack.