KOB1987
John Eales (66)
i saw the team release earlier and thought it felt like both Kolbe and Le Roux had been playing for 20 years.
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Rugby Championship 2025 : South Africa v Australia Round 2
- Thread starter TSR
- Start date
TSR
Steve Williams (59)
I don’t want to get ahead of myself here after a couple of good showings - but there is a real opportunity for the Wallabies to lay down a marker this weekend and really, IMO, not a lot to lose unless they get thrashed.
Everyone (including me) assumes the Boks will come out breathing fire, narrow their game, put the ball up for their chasers and try to batter the Wallabies into submission. The only reason I think that may not happen is if Erasmus either thinks everyone’s expectations will give him a chance to play expansively or if they were actually playing to plan and he just feels they need to execute better. Selection of the team and public comments from him suggest neither of those two things are right.
The Wallabies have been caught on the hop early in a number of games. But in the second and third Lions test - led by Skelton and very well aided by White in test 3 - the Wallabies very clearly stood up to the attempted bullying.
The big challenge here is if the Wallabies can physically batter the Boks early then they’ll really set down a marker. Then they’ll really put the aura of the Boks under pressure. And I’d still back them to open the game up as it wears on. Even 2 months ago I would have said this wasn’t possible. But if Skelton, Tupou and Valetini all fire - backed by the work rate of Frost, McReight, Wilson/Hooper and Pollard plus Ikitau & Sua’ali’i in the centres, I reckon we’re a show.
Our catching at the back will be key. Wright & O’Connor will be under a lot of pressure. But if we can secure the box kicks and turn the Bok forwards around early rather than let them settle into there game plan that will make a massive difference.
Everyone (including me) assumes the Boks will come out breathing fire, narrow their game, put the ball up for their chasers and try to batter the Wallabies into submission. The only reason I think that may not happen is if Erasmus either thinks everyone’s expectations will give him a chance to play expansively or if they were actually playing to plan and he just feels they need to execute better. Selection of the team and public comments from him suggest neither of those two things are right.
The Wallabies have been caught on the hop early in a number of games. But in the second and third Lions test - led by Skelton and very well aided by White in test 3 - the Wallabies very clearly stood up to the attempted bullying.
The big challenge here is if the Wallabies can physically batter the Boks early then they’ll really set down a marker. Then they’ll really put the aura of the Boks under pressure. And I’d still back them to open the game up as it wears on. Even 2 months ago I would have said this wasn’t possible. But if Skelton, Tupou and Valetini all fire - backed by the work rate of Frost, McReight, Wilson/Hooper and Pollard plus Ikitau & Sua’ali’i in the centres, I reckon we’re a show.
Our catching at the back will be key. Wright & O’Connor will be under a lot of pressure. But if we can secure the box kicks and turn the Bok forwards around early rather than let them settle into there game plan that will make a massive difference.
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Ignoto
John Hipwell (52)
When they get power back, you're going to have some very cranky people coming for you!
Dctarget
David Wilson (68)
What's the wrap on your bench props? Typical Saffa monsters?
Dctarget
David Wilson (68)
I know Blue says Pollard is the messiah but I thought he was shocking for Leicester in their grand final loss. Missed a conversion from in front and threw an intercept. So he is human and definitely can be pressured.
Le Roux also feels like a panicked selection. But if O'Connor can roll back the years, why not Willie.
De Allende will make a lot of difference in defence.
I'm also not that swayed by Du Preez. I think he's a good Premiership player where he can bully the smaller players but struggles to make the step up to test level. Praying I'm not proven wrong.
I don't think this team isn't any better than last week's, probably on par. But I would still expect them to steam roll us either way so we'll see.
Le Roux also feels like a panicked selection. But if O'Connor can roll back the years, why not Willie.
De Allende will make a lot of difference in defence.
I'm also not that swayed by Du Preez. I think he's a good Premiership player where he can bully the smaller players but struggles to make the step up to test level. Praying I'm not proven wrong.
I don't think this team isn't any better than last week's, probably on par. But I would still expect them to steam roll us either way so we'll see.
TSR
Steve Williams (59)
Mentally I reckon we’ll be 100% up for it.
What will be telling is whether physically and tactically we are. Really hope we push forward in defence.
Heavyd
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
| Ox NCHÉ | Prop | 30 y/o | 23/07/1995 | 1.76 m | 123 kg | 5 ft 9 in | ||
| Thomas DU TOIT | Prop | 30 y/o | 05/05/1995 | 1.90 m | 136 kg | 6 ft 3 in | ||
| Malcolm MARX | Hooker | 31 y/o | 13/07/1994 | 1.89 m | 116 kg | 6 ft 2 in | ||
| RG SNYMAN | Lock | 30 y/o | 29/01/1995 | 2.07 m | 131 kg | 6 ft 9 in | ||
| Ruan NORTJÉ | Lock | 27 y/o | 25/07/1998 | 2.00 m | 113 kg | 6 ft 7 in | ||
| Jean-Luc DU PREEZ | Back row | 30 y/o | 05/08/1995 | 1.94 m | 114 kg | 6 ft 4 in | ||
| Marco VAN STADEN | Back row | 30 y/o | 25/08/1995 | 1.84 m | 112 kg | 6 ft | ||
| Grant WILLIAMS | Scrum-half | 29 y/o | 22/07/1996 | 1.74 m | 80 kg | 5 ft 9 in | ||
| Handré POLLARD | Fly-half | 31 y/o | 11/03/1994 | 1.89 m | 98 kg | 6 ft 2 in | ||
| Damian DE ALLENDE | Centre | 33 y/o | 25/11/1991 | 1.89 m | 106 kg | 6 ft 2 in | ||
| Jesse KRIEL | Centre | 31 y/o | 15/02/1994 | 1.86 m | 98 kg | 6 ft 1 in | ||
| Canan MOODIE | Winger | 22 y/o | 05/11/2002 | 1.91 m | 94 kg | 6 ft 3 in | ||
| Cheslin KOLBE | Winger | 31 y/o | 28/10/1993 | 1.71 m | 76 kg | 5 ft 7 in | | |
| Willie LE ROUX | Fullback | 36 y/o | 18/08/1989 | 1.84 m | 92 kg | 6 ft | |
BDA
Jim Lenehan (48)
I'd be pretty surprised if the Boks don't get the W this weekend.
Having watched the game 3 times now it seems pretty clear that hubris got the best of the Boks. They thought they could just turn up and throw the ball around and they'd run over the top of us. To be fair them, that's precisely what they did to us in Australia last year. There was such a gap between the two teams last year that the Boks could win with basically any game plan they wanted. The gap has closed considerably since then and last week showed that if they get the game plan wrong we are capable of running rings around them.
We're clearly a team on the rise but we're still a work in progress imo. I'd say we're a good team (capable of a great performance), but not yet a great team. We're still struggling with consistency over 80 minutes. games 1 and 2 against the Lions we couldn't muster more than 40 minutes good rugby per game. Same problem last week. We can't shift 22 points in 1 quarter and expect to beat the best teams.
This Boks team is, at least for now, still a great team. Playing on home soil they should be able to win comfortably provided they execute the right game plan.
Having watched the game 3 times now it seems pretty clear that hubris got the best of the Boks. They thought they could just turn up and throw the ball around and they'd run over the top of us. To be fair them, that's precisely what they did to us in Australia last year. There was such a gap between the two teams last year that the Boks could win with basically any game plan they wanted. The gap has closed considerably since then and last week showed that if they get the game plan wrong we are capable of running rings around them.
We're clearly a team on the rise but we're still a work in progress imo. I'd say we're a good team (capable of a great performance), but not yet a great team. We're still struggling with consistency over 80 minutes. games 1 and 2 against the Lions we couldn't muster more than 40 minutes good rugby per game. Same problem last week. We can't shift 22 points in 1 quarter and expect to beat the best teams.
This Boks team is, at least for now, still a great team. Playing on home soil they should be able to win comfortably provided they execute the right game plan.
The Ghost of Raelene
John Eales (66)
As would most. Going back-to-back there would be astounding but lets hope so.
Wallabies can't afford to have a slow start. Doesn't mean score a million points but you can't let them have a 20 point start. If they can make it an arm wrestle there may be some puckering start
Wallabies can't afford to have a slow start. Doesn't mean score a million points but you can't let them have a 20 point start. If they can make it an arm wrestle there may be some puckering start
Age is a real issue when it comes to the WC and then needing the players to back up over and over for 2 months. I thought that was the thing that would case Ireland to come unstuck at the last one.
Tomthumb
Peter Johnson (47)
Yeah last year might as well have been 10 years ago it feels so irrelevant. That Wallabies team had no real attacking plan as Schmidt was still installing the basics, and the best player on the Field last week was out injured
Biggest concern for the Boks has to be their defense on the outside. They defend so narrow that there is so much space on the outside if you can get the ball there, and the Wallabies have the outside backs that you cant really afford to give time and space to. If the Wallabies can get a bit of front foot ball I think they can continue to exploit it
Biggest concern for the Boks has to be their defense on the outside. They defend so narrow that there is so much space on the outside if you can get the ball there, and the Wallabies have the outside backs that you cant really afford to give time and space to. If the Wallabies can get a bit of front foot ball I think they can continue to exploit it
Heavyd
Nicholas Shehadie (39)
I'd be resting a few and giving Carlo, big Lukhan, Hunter and Toole a run. If we don't get the result even coming back 1/1 from South Africa is a success, but the two crucial must win games are the Pumas. We need to solidify our world ranking for the RWC draw and these two games are really are the only ones that matter. Then throw the kitchen sink at the AB's once the Argies are hopefully put to the sword.
Mark Panga
Stan Wickham (3)
Dctarget
David Wilson (68)
The 3+ we got from SA really help. If we lose twice to Argentina by any margin we undo that good work. But any points we pick up regardless of opponent are good, especially away. And any Argentina loss will be good.
Need to win home games against Argentina, then any away wins against NZ, England or France will do us wonders.
