Bay of Plenty’s long wait: When the 2024 semi-finalists last won the NPC

I thought Gatland was a Poophol during the Lions tour. Now he’s confirmed it.

Eben and co was exceptional like these youngsters, but not world class at the time. Only experience can bring that.

As for dominating? Who knows what the future hold. What I do know is that, yes, SA have the talent to dominate beyond 2027. Also is very capable of a hattrick of WC's. Coaching and tactics and rule changes etc makes it hard to say this or that will happen.

We all know that WR just wait to see what SA comes up with so they can ban it. Despite that, the Boks just innovate something new to still stay at the top. That must really rankle and irritate considering nothing they do to stop the Boks work, because the Boks take that same changes and twist it to their advantage.

It is what it is when you have a genius rugby brain at the fore front. After 2027, we may have another coach, but personally I hope Rassie stays. There is no one like him, nor has there ever been nor will there ever be again.

By saying the Boks goose is cooked, and that before even the 2027 WC is just madness. This Bok team is much better than what they were in the '19-'23 WC's.

Reality isn't a strong point in some fans. Makes them like donkeys with blinders. Sees nothing but the road ahead.

Have nice day now. And good luck for France.

I’m not sure why youre getting so excited. This is the trouble with fair weather fans when their team wins two on the trot.

Generational players is very few and far inbetween who is world class from the off. The younger players can only become world class with the proper training and experience isn't something that can be bought. It's something they have to earn through their careers.

As for SRP being a good competition, I disagree. It's slanted in NZ favour and always has been. It's not what it used to be. The URC is now rated as the top club competition in the world next to the top 14 outside of the CC, and I didn't make up that rankings. You feel SRP is better because of our bias towards the NH, but it simply is not.

Yes, I don't know all the young Bucs of NZ coming through, but most of those you named I've seen and they are very good players but not exceptional nor world class. Just as with SA youngsters, that is something that will come with experience and they will become world class and is definitely the future for them.

NZ and Australia don't have the player pool depth that SA have. NZ's are bigger than most, but then most of their stars came from the Island nations like Fiji, Samoa and Tonga. If you count them, then maybe yes, they have as big a pool.

NZ will always be a top 3 team, as will SA. At least for the next 2 decades. That doesn't mean that other countries don't have some world class youngsters coming through either.

I don't claim that SA will win everything for the next 20 years. Nor that they will win the next 5 WC's. A lot depends on players, coaches, law changes and how the game keeps changing. There is too much variables. SA do have a bright future for the next 20 years , players who will hold the flag high. Same with NZ.

Nothing and no one can stop the Rivalry. I know the Irish is trying to replace the Boks with themselves as the main rivals. Everyone tunes in to watch the Boks vs AB's, all over the world. Every year. That is the most anticipated Tests by everyone every year.

SFM is mid. Good for his age, internationally the equivalent of Harry Plummer. We just prefer to pick good players than bad ones for the sake of 'depth'. CM and DW are not 10s, suffice to say. More like 15s really.

10x the population but still needed a poisoning to win the first RWC?

I understand where you are coming from. No shortage of players is fine. The talent pool in SA is impressive. But who is going to replace PSDT? Or Marx/Mbonambi? Or Arendse/Kolbe/Mapimpi? Those players have not been replaced by anyone so far this season. Pollard has barely found a successor.

SA might have to start doing SAXV games so I can get a better understanding of the talent pool, or indeed just to get some players playing those positions.

Thought Crowley should've gotten the yellow, since neither player was the tackler in that situation (neither had possession) and Crowley actually moves towards Molina.

SRP is much better than you want to admit. The Fijian Drua and Moana Pasifika bat well above their weight, and the Brumbies & Reds have both been pretty decent since Schmidt came in.

But of course, this oak will just ignore it and claim that a competition with only 3 good teams is a good one. Sure bro.

The Japanese league is better than SR. Which is why I’ve been advocating for NZ to join it somehow.

But you won’t.

You don’t know SA rugby well enough then. To understand the strength of our player pipeline and development.

I’ve had this debate far too many times with folks on here who don’t want to listen. It’s boring now - but I’ll say it one last time.

There’s a difference between depth of the Bok squad. And The available talent in SA. There’s plenty. And so if or when players come in, they’ll be as good as any of the players we’ve ever had before.

This fact doesn’t change just because Rassie “sticks to 25”.

Razors sticking to Fosters core group too. Has hardly played anyone new. The boks have played close on 49 players. And there’ll be a few new faces against wales.

But the difference between SA and NZ - we have 10x the population you have. And we have way more players than you.

So we will be fine. Never had a shortage of players.

You can’t even find a decent 3rd string 10. We’ve got 5 x 10s in contention for the WC squad.