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Former Ireland star says the right team won the Rugby World Cup
By Ian Cameron
Former Ireland scrumhalf Peter Stringer believes there can be no complaints over South Africa once again winning the Rugby World Cup.
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Although they were beaten by Ireland in the pool stages, the Springboks won their second consecutive tournament and their fourth in total ā a feat unmatched by any other side.
āI donāt think you can have any argument in terms of the team that won the competition,ā said Stringer. āIt was just another masterclass from South Africa. As a unit, they looked very comfortable in defence. They didnāt allow New Zealand any penetration through their line at all.
āEven during the moments when they were down on numbers, you had guys like Faf de Klerk, Cheslin Kolbe or Pieter-Steph du Toit coming out of the line and making really good decisions to stop the attack and not allow Richie Moāunga or Beauden Barrett any time on the ball.
āSouth Africaās defensive mindset, the level of aggression and relentless pressure of their line speed, is really something to admire, and you always felt they could go up a gear if needs be.
āThey were one of the favourites from the start and credit to their players and coaches and the decisions that they made around selection. With the strengths on their bench, being able to come through and manage those tough games ā winning all their last three by a single point ā is a mark of the quality side that they are.
āNew Zealand came back into it and had a little bit more territory and possession, but you just never felt like they were dominating the game. They were relying on something special from a creative player like Mark Telea to beat three or four defenders.ā
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Stringer ā who won 98 caps for Ireland across a storied career ā believes that the referees also got it right at the tournament.
āThe yellow and red cards obviously had a big influence on the game, but both were the right decision.
āThere was no late change of movement from Jesse Kriel, so the picture didnāt change for Sam Cane. You need to be seen to get your body height down and dip and Cane was always upright. With Siya Kolisi, his back is nearly parallel to the ground, so heās made the effort to get into the correct tackling position.
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āThere was a big directive from World Rugby coming into the tournament around head contact and people were wondering which way it was going to go, but thereās not been many talking points around cards, which has been great.
āWhatās pleasing from my point of view is that the referee and TMO are in constant communication. Heās always in the refereeās ear, so thereās no cause for to stop the play, deliberate over decisions and frustrate viewers.ā
Stringer, who competed in three Rugby World Cups ā also though the tournament was a good advertisement for the sport of rugby union.
āI think itās been a great tournament in terms of attracting new fans to the sport. I donāt think Iāve ever watched a World Cup where the four quarter-finals were as intense and closely contested.
āIt would have been nice to see France as hosts go a bit further while, from a supporterās perspective, I obviously wanted Ireland to be there at the end, but itās a mark of the quality that it came down to such fine margins between the top sides.
āIt was also great to see some of the second-tier nations progress. Fiji knocking out Australia was a highlight, and Portugal for me are a team that stand out for putting in some really good performances.
āAllowing these other nations to play together more often has been hugely beneficial, and the more game time they get against bigger and better opposition will make world rugby a more attractive game,ā concluded Stringer.
The Munster legend was speaking to Betway.
No he squared, youāre allowed to angle in like that, he started from the correct position parallel with lines. As opposed to not having to stop your momentum in order to square up and just flying straight in from the side, I suppose is the intent of the square up rule.
Iām looking at the cleanout now. He attempts to make shoulder on shoulder contact but Bongi is illegally off his feet trying to get his hands on the ball so has dipped extremely low under the clean. As a result only Frizellās arm can hook onto Bongi and he slides down the body. At this point hes thinking oh crap I canāt tip him or grapple, so he doesnāt put his weight onto his own legs to lever Bongi off, which would stopped his weight falling on him. He accepts he missed the clean and just falls on the ankle as a result. ill send you a still in another reply as this chat service treats them as spam
prnt.sc/w0JSCgQWWI6G
I checked the footage again now. In from the side straight onto the leg. Check it. It looks bad. He fell over onto the leg with all his weight.
Yeah for sure.
This is from the guidelines July last year since we are talking about it (had not looked them up yet)
And added to the laws (I take it)
The sanction is of course a penalty (not sure if this was a penalty offence last year). The intent was to discipline for safety purposes players who are being lifted (assume thats what tipped means), coming from the side and therefor hitting legs first, and at speed (with dangerous force).
None of these happened in Frizellās case, the TMO talked him up (again) to a card it seems to me.
I would not have given a yellow for that myself. Penalty at most but it does not matter what you or I think but what the ref thinks. Swain was intensional. Frizelle was not. Was it the right application of the law? It was an illegal act that resulted in injury. Had he not fallen on Bongiās leg it was probabily play on. The way that I explain it is the most plausable way that the ref and tmo would have seen it. The fact that Bongi was the only hooker is a moot point yes. Nothing to do with the All Blacks. But keep in mind the yellow also had nothing to do with the Springboks. I would not even have given Cane a red. It looked worse than it actually was.
Congratulations to the Bok! Champions of the Rugby World Cup...tournament.
And..
Congratulations to the Bok! Champions of the World Rugby RANKINGs...
...currently. & thatās the point, ie FACT āyour only as good as your last gameā.
The idea that there is a āWorld Championā for the 4 years is common but idiotic.
The world ranking system is the only meaningful system of anointing the actual current BEST team, ie the CURRENT RUGBY WORLD CHAMPION. Again, currently, the Bok.
RWC?..A great world celebration of Rugby at 1 place & time, Great! Worthwhile indeed. But labelling the RWC winner the ā world championsā for the next 4year ā is purely a marketing & commercial construct & label; WHY?? To justify it, ie make a commercially reliable marketing cash cow for 4 years ā¦. BUT FAKE. Theyāre the winner of a 1 game on 1 day of 1 tournament. & great, good win. But they are what it is Champion of the RWC.
The BEST team is temporal ā¦ by definition. So actual current BEST team is shown at the top of World Rankings.
So thank goodness (finally!) for the new world ranking test series system to label the true CURRENT BEST team, ie the CURRENT CHAMPION. The only true champion of World Rugby's is the winner of the proposed test series & finals of the top World Rankers. That a true CHAMPION title. We donāt have to wait a meaningless 4years any more.
In the meantime, congratulations again to the Bok the true champions of the Rugby World Cup.
More importantly CHAMPION of World Rugby (by ranking) ... but its momentary as alwaysā¦
See you in the next World Ranking test series... NZ, Ireland, France, England await you
(hopefully others, as the new eventual full world test ranking competition system will reveal)
I agree, not with sour grapes, but as a 3 time world cup winner including the FIRST Back2Back.
Firstly the -
The shotgun nature of world cups cannot be the true measure of a true champion team. It is very on the day and not reflective of any run of form or consistency.
Secondly the +
WC is all about who dares wins at the grand shootout. You think youre good? Lets goooooo, lets see how good you are, put it all on the line and lets see who is the real champ.
My view
I enjoyed the first Back2Back for 4 years and it was so good. I enjoyed our first win in 2011 after 25 years, that was amazing. World Cups are EVERYTHING, the one stage in 4 years that you must all be ready for to claim bragging rights for the next 4 years.
Right now I feel completely crap about losing the final but I know we were rubbish anyway and never worthy to take it.
This time around with Razor, we will be ready and if you thought 2 tries in 5 minutes in a final with 14 men was good, wait till next season. Poor Wallabies our neighbours are facing down the barrel of huge 100 point losses. This will happen.
The All Blacks scored the only try (and had another disallowed because of a slight knock on). They played most of the game with only 14 players. If the try had been converted they would have won. They should have won - they deserved to win.
the Boks played without a hooker firstly. Secondly they had players off for 20 minutes and so you were not that hard done by. At least you had a hooker that was not taken out by a flank
We didnt deserve to win it mate. I know it is a tough one but Sam Cane was always going to fluff it somewhere so he chose the grandest stage of them all, this guy had no place in the team.
And then thereās sausage rolls āFozzieā.
I sympathise you mate. I know what it feels. Like when Bryce Lawrence did his number and later apologised āI froze.ā I know what it feels like mate.
James I agree with you 100%. New Zealand deserved to win. From Ireland.
But they did not convert it. Get over yourself and show respect to the Springboks. We won the world cup fair and square. Stop crying and get on with your lives. World rugby hates the Springboks because they are an African nation. World rugby is bias even at the rugby awards. Could not believe that most of the best players on the planet is in the Springbok squad. They were not even considered for selection at the awards. Something smells like š©. I love my team. They are and will always be the most progressive and mind bending team on the planet. All Blacks always winning are old news lol.
One thing no one is taking into account instead whining like entitled little brats is that South Africa had by far the hardest route to the final of facing the other five of the top six teams in the world rankings (Ireland, New Zealand, France, England and Scotland) losing narrowly to Ireland in the pool stage. And they won it the hard way showing supreme courage and determination to win all their three knock-out games by a single point. Extraordinary. THE BEST TEAM WON. REMEMBER THAT 2019, South Africa played New Zealand and Australia within a week and beat Australia with their B Team, while their A team was sent ahead to play All Blacks (draw). Bokke is THE BEST TEAM EVER AND THEY PROVED IT TO ENGLAND, FRANCE, NEW ZEALAND, and if they are bad, then what are the other teams? Stop with the excuses. Bokke rules. Take your beating LIKE MEN - GRACEFULLY
Man I couldn't have summed it up more perfect than this. Thanks for good words Michael. Springboks are the very best team. Through all the adversity and challenges they have faced through the years, this World CUP was one for the history books. Congratulations to the Springboks for uniting our country during this very dark times. Other countries will never understand why the win means so much.
Hello Pigeons. Hereās a cat.
Which team will be the next back-to-back World Cup winners?
Unless South Africa wins the 2027 Rugby World Cup (which they are poised to do), the only chance for a new back-to-back winning team to emerge wouldnāt be for at least another eight to twelve years. Or maybe ever.
If this were to happen, I believe such a team would likely enter the 2027 tournament with a young squad, relying on youthful energy and raw talent - making it to the final. And winning it.
The majority of this team would then go on to the 2031 tournament and, if everything goes perfectly according to plan, secures another WC victory, achieving two-in-a-row. Making history.
Itās a familiar story.
Another potential scenario for the 2027 Rugby World Cup - the winner could be a young team from the 2023 tournament that takes valuable lessons from it.
They could return in 2027 on or under the radar and clinch victory. However, this team may not repeat the feat in 2031. Too old by then.
Several teams could fit into this second category, including Ireland, France, and England.
Similar to South Africa in 2019, England played solid, gritty, knockout rugby. They narrowly missed out on reaching the final. In 2027, they could be strong contenders, but a repeat victory in 2031 is unlikely.
New Zealand stands out as the top prospect for 2027. A young team, a new coach, and a fresh approach could position the All Blacks to win the 2027 World Cup and have the potential to compete again in 2031 with the same core team. Aiming for their 5th Rugby World Cup title. And second back-to-back. Thatāll shut the Saffas up.
For this to happen NZ Rugby will need to change their selection rules and open up selecting all blacks playing abroad - particularly the experienced ones who arenāt taking up space back home, and are adding to their experience in some of the most challenging leagues in the world. Certainly more challenging than SR. That experience, turns out, is invaluable at world cups.
(Ireland and France are undoubtedly also top contenders and shouldnāt be underestimated. Itās just Iām SH till I die).
However, I believe that South Africa winning a third consecutive title is as likely as any other scenario under certain conditions:
1. Continuity in coaching is crucial. Rassie Erasmus must remain in the picture until 2027. To facilitate the handover and entrench processes before he leaves.
2. Integrating a significant number of new young talent into the team is essential, especially in the pack. Fortunately, they will have the guidance of experienced players in their positions (Many double WC winners) over the next four years to groom this next generation of players.
3. Grant Williams at scrum-half seems inevitable. If not him, a world-class scrum-half needs to emerge by 2025.
4. Libbok has come out of 2023 looking good and with a winners medal. Heās young enough to still peak as an international 10 by 2027. But there are also other exciting high-potentials out there. For me a certain 10/12 out of Cape Town seems a very exciting prospect.
5. Body permitting - Lukhanyo Am at outside center would be my choice for captain of the Springboks. But where do we play Moodie?! What a 13 he is.
6. Players like Cheslin Kolbe, Damian Willemse, and KLA could hold on to that back three combination for a few years quite easily. We can also expect to discover more stars like them in the next four years. Cheslin and Willemse could win their third gold medals in 2027. Willemse will only be 29 in 2027.
Somewhere some high school kid is unaware that heāll be at the next world cup playing with his heroes.
The focus of the Boks should primarily be on developing the next generation of forwards. Approximately 25% of the squad should consist of 25 year-olds next year, with an additional 25% in 2024, primarily in the pack of forwards.
Maintaining a winning mindset, and winning the Rugby Championship (RC) should be a priority each year. And any other trophy up for grabs. Clinically win everything there is to win.
While it may seem like a long shot, Iād love to see a team achieve a remarkable 3-in-a-row victory in my lifetime. Itās 2027 or possibly never.
Go Bokke!
Let the abuse beginā¦
ticks off number 1 on the 3 peat to-do-list
Nice post Ian.
Yes the RC is an intersting one. Remember also that we will have the world like, Nations Championship or Cup or whatever, to test outselves before 2027, because Iām not sure the nature of the RC or 6N really preps you that well. They will look at the small tests through those games, like Rassie did this cycle, and to an extend Foster was able to achieve this year winning each RC game with a different strategy and different team.
I too think SA are poised for the 3 peat well. The second half of your post makes more sense to me, that any team doing double will have gone through a testing phase which could indeed have been a WC were influential players were young, too young to win (in this respect I donāt think anyone would have minded Eddie doing what he did, just next year). SA did not quite get that mix right this WC, for that to play out. They had the protentional to do so with a young backline at least, which could have gone onto 2027, but they chose against it in the crunch games. It is those games that prove pivotal in overcoming other hurdles. But were obviously talking super competitive models here. You youngsters did still get a good sniff of what it takes from this WC and will be in good stead for taking over next year.
Richie went to 4 Cups, as would many of these SAās. Itās about aligning those players. Thatās why I like Franceās youth. They missed that boat this time round though so canāt see it being them immediately (this is some generational talent). I think the mid thirties will continue to be broken down as a barrier, with a lot of the NZ forward pack possible still strong at 2031, and a few of the backs for 2027 in order to get a chance of the double at least.
SAās prospects of a 3 peat might be more certain for sure though. Donāt really know if, or how many, of the forwards can be replaced though? Id pick other nations to have a good one off 27ā first though.
Thanks Mr stringer, the one point that you also have to ask in all this, how many Irish, Scottish, French, English or All Black players are in the Springboks= None. Yet in all those teams there are at least one but in some cases 5 SA players. If asked they will all be glad the Springboks won. SA is a tough country but our people are good. Mr Stringer we appreciate your opinion
Well said sir
1 week on. 4 more years š¤
Pleased to agree with Peter Stringer
I don't know what game you were watching. New Zealand played most of the game with 14 players against 17 ( Ref and TMO) included and deserved to win
They have deserved to win a lot of what they didnāt. Ever stopped to think why?
Once again self entitled mindset that ABs ādeservedā to win. Thankfully itās not about who deserved but who actually won
šWell said Peter Stringer
It would have been fitting if say NZ had this performance in a semi final, for where they were at, they only scored twice against Ireland as well too right?
Ireland probably ruined their chances playing around trying to beat South Africa during pool play. They should have backed themselves to play their game and if they lost then it would have avoided NZ at least and we could have had a (looking from another perspective) more fitting Final?
Well itās irrelevant really, thats talking quarters not semiās, but yeah, getting what games Stricker wanted wasnāt going to happen this time around with the rankings. No one deserves anything other than what happened.
Is what Kriel did a normal tactic in NH play? Iāve never seen the likes before, and I can guarantee you Cane hasnāt either.
When the guy quoted was suggesting NZ attack just wasnāt as dominating as SAās defense was, that that was the difference, I was thinking we had someone who read a game well. I might have to take that back though as I just canāt agree with the specific points he made. Itās only for the betting agencies anyway.
Peter give yourself an upper cut -There Many red flags not least is lots of Irish comimg out supporting SA win - some of it has to do with Ireland beung the only team beating them and they feel better gaining second in the rankings - WR and who ever controls them sponsors and globlists made the call for SA to be given it - its so bloody obvious France England and NZ can feel they were robbed of straight forward wins even Scotland because Jesse Kriel should have been red carded - what would have happened then Referees in all those games had shockers blantant cheating and when it came to the ABs they were at the top of their game - Woodward is right over the target - Cane is a role model playing the came of his career if your going to send him off for that to Jesse Kriel who carried on ok then Kolisi should not have come back on NZ scored when he was off and they would have done it again had he not come back on easily SA were tired - I would also question the last scrum not being a penalty in NZs favour with an easy kick for goal - way to many decisions going in SA favour means it moves away from being a coincidence to being a pattern amd that means the fix was in for them to win - why well how about SA just buying it - they did 95 There was no way NZ a far better team wete going to gate crash their reunification party and they almost lost thats how good nz were with food poisoning
The game has been hijacked Any sport that allows beating is corrupt - Im now over sport and the Game I have played and watched for over 50 years World Rugby have brought the game into disrepute. The red card is a joke and in fact I wouldnt at all be surprised if teams are practising ball carriers to intentionally get hit high in low speed collisons to gain yellow and reds
Im not going to say this SA team are the greatest its bullshite - They were given the win clear as day for me - good team good players good coaches but in my book they Lost to France and NZ
Im also over SA and their off the field bullish behaviour from coaches and players - its a cringe
In South Africa we would call you a lutkop and give you a snotklap and tell you to grow up. I wonāt do that because every day since last World Cup Final Saturday night I wake up and smile and say ā we are World Champions for the 4th time and these poor bastards that are STILL looking for excuses as to why we won and they did not, go through the same realisation every day that they are NOT World Champions!ā In South Africa we say that must be so kuk to live like thatā¦every day! Have a lekker day thinking up more excuses!!!
Yoh, your bad losers in World Cups, seriously, first Suzie (even though Fitzpatrick himself said all of them was 100% on game day except one player from the squad who was not in match day team) now you lost due to the ref and TMO what next? You must work on your excuse for 2027 in the meantime, you have 4 years.
Cry me a riverā¦stop being so childish and actually provide sound technical critique. All youāve said( unnecessary long paras) is irrelevant. You didnāt referee nor have the technical experience to simply say it was fair.
Referees have made many odd calls over the entire tournament but to say it was intentionally given to SA is a sad and bitter point of view. Either way is bok fans don't care what people like you think as winners are used to losers whinging. What sort of name is Kerry for a man haha.
Nar the Irish donāt seem to have appreciated how they where pictured by others so itās just some sort of retaliation.
I think Iāll just believe its incompetence from a few of the off field match team on the day thanks Kerry. There was a distinct difference in those ones involved compared to the others, in games not involving SA Iāll point out.
The game is now played in replay with the TMO deciding which parts to look at. As a NZer, I agree the cards were correct and South Africa deserved to win. ABs were too arrogant in kicking for the corners (thinking they could score a try) rather than taking 3 points.
You should be ashamed of yourself
Quite right best team won! not arrogant , down to earth, humble christian captain! well deserved šš
Unbelievably bad critique of the contest. The Allblacks scored two tries, broke the Bok line multiple times whilst the Boks cynically slapped the ball down, cynically retiring and simulation to manufacture penalties. The Allblacks turned up wanting to score tries and world rugby said no, we are going to reward the cynical team. Does Stringer seriously want to watch a cynical side held tryless win RWC?
Well should the Boks say. Common guys. Itās good for the gamer let them score one try in 380 minutes of final play. I think thatās whatās we did. We let you score a try because we became bored with endless going nowhere phases. Let then score chaps. Theyāre not going to win anyway.
My Dad who used to be a hardcore fan and played provincially here in NZ has given up watching. He walked out on the final a quarter of the way through. I think that the Boks are an excellent and athletic team and very clever strategically. But when you can win four RWC having scored a grand total of two tries across all of them, I just canāt get excited about that. I can comfortably live with the fact that our team didnāt win (thatās sport, if we always knew the outcome then why bother watching) but show me some bloody tries. I thought that was the whole fecking point of rugby.
Cry more for us. The tears taste so good.
Itās just a PR stunt to appease unhappy betters.
His takes are funny, like ref said Kolisi made shoulder contact first, why are you making stuff up about height?
The second try was scored off the back of the other denied try 2 minutes later, so it had near zero impact on the game
Tough loss, I agree. But your path into the final? you had two tough games with ample breaks in between them. Your Semi was like a Captains warm up. That has not even entered your retort! Two tries? knock on donāt count? Most teams could have scored great tries after knock on. Itās a KO competition. How you play and depth of squad is what most people overlook. Good luck in the next RWC.
In your fantacy did the All Blacks win the game also? I am asking because you clearly did not watch the game.
12 - 11š
Crocodile tears for you sore pathetic loser. Get over yourself. Must be difficult to not accept you lost. Shame on you!
He's kind of implying that SA were comfortably the better side when a TMO intervention was the only difference between them winning and losing a world cup against 14 men. NZ played really badly and still nearly won after playing most of the match with a man sent off
SA were good but they lacked the penetration of the other top sides and I think they wouldn't have won this world cup without a lot of things going their way.
They remind me of Eddie's England in like 2018 or whenever they went 18-19 games unbeaten. They live off set piece, defensive pressure and forcing errors from the opponents. All their points just come from physical dominance, there is no magic.
France were the best team at the world cup but they conceded soft tries to SA and a Kolbe kick charge down cost them the world cup. Fair play to the little bloke.