Siya Kolisi in race to be fit for World Cup after knee surgery

Look at SA. They were in a slump. Their best players played in leagues around the world because there was just no money or future in SA for them. Fast forward and in came Rassie. Leading from the front, he managed to get the changes he needed to affect change, a change that rocked the rugby world and now in 2024 have a team that is double WC champs. Not with players that played in SA, but with players playing their rugby in various leagues across the world.

Rugby was a dying brand, but he blew life into it being innovative, moving with the times and taking advantage of it. These same heroes are revered, plying their trade in SA or elsewhere. Every youngster have their heroes and they follow them regardless of where they are. Every kid wants to be a Bok. With all these successes, money started flowing in and the heroes started coming back to SA. Suddenly there was money in the sport again in the country.

Rassie's impact stretches far beyond just being a successful WC coach. He changed the sport forever in the country, and it's brought forth a wave of talent, the likes such as other countries can only dream off. A whole new generation of superstars are born, because these kids all want to play rugby and all of them wants to be Boks.

For years to come because of the eligibility rules being side swiped, the Boks will mostly rule the rugby world and until countries drop old foolish habits like their eligibility rules that limits them profusely, they will be stuck at the bottom, staring up at the stars they will never be able to reach. Not because they are not talented, but because they don't have the best available.

So yes, let's not sugarcoat it. Losing eligibility rules is a must for future success to growing the game in your own country. By limiting a players abilities to earn and learn from other leagues will destroy the game in your country. It's a slow poison administration that is effectively poisoning the sport in the country.

Do not cry when your team is subpar filled with amateur players trying to win against an international team like the Boks. The Boks doesn't stay stagnant with strategies that won them 2 WC's, they keep evolving. Rassie does not mind players going and playing in leagues across the world because they spend the money in evolving those players to future stars, money SARU saves and can reinvest in the school, university and club rugby, thus saving hundreds of millions. Young stars that can light up the world stage, already known by other fans and ready to switch and light up the World stage and bring more glory to their country, even though they are not playing in the country.

Fools like Donald is chasing fools gold and is strangling NZ rugby and is stopping them from evolving. Others will follow SA, seeing how they keep evolving and keep getting stronger, with a pool of stars getting bigger and bigger, where they can start to choose more and more teams that could compete and beat the best, even though they are seen as the 3rd or 4th or 5th stringers in SA. The Boks can put out at least 3 teams that can beat any team in the world and all 3 would be top 10 in the world. That is not bragging, just mere facts.

Ewen + Cheika + Eddie = 47%

Robbie + Dave + Joe = 53% [even if they lose to Ireland]

Smith deserved higher. His defensive errors you've highlighted were part of a failing defensive system and trying to clear up JVPs charged down kick. Both very forgivable. Yet in attack he created most of our tries single handedly and both his kicking from hand and tee were great.

Will Stuart was also better than 6.5.

A lot of these ratings are pretty harsh, I think individually most players were pretty solid. It's the cohesion in attack and defence which was lacking. I'd rate the players higher and give a 1 to Wiggles and JEA.

It seems Wales and Aussie rugby left to themselves, are both self-destructive!

Wales tried to return to native coaches in 2004 post-Hansen. Mike Ruddock won a Grand Slam in year one then resigned a few months later after a player revolt. Smell of Ewen Mac?

Gareth Jenkins was the best club coach in Wales but failed dismally at international level, Wales didn't even get out of group in the 2007 RWC.

Gatland was parachuted in to build success from the rubble, which is what he did. Four 6N title, two RWC semis. Wales were a force again.

Robbie + Dave + Joe = 51%

If you have to go back to Knuckles in 2006 to find the last winnign Aussie coach you're relly in trouble!

Plummer's chosen to leave, so why not give Perofeta a crack? He's already played 10 at club level, and for the ABs XV. Ruben Love was a promising 10 before changing to Fullback, and he's expressed his desire to further develop his First Five-Eight skills. Why not ensure he gets a crack at Super level to see if he's got what it takes?

Razor's refusal to move on from established players has been hurting the ABs all year, and it unfortunately sounds like it won't change any time soon.

From the surface they are in a much better position than the Australian sides as surely they could simple move two into the English Championship?

1. Which two, and what happens to the others? 2. England doesn't need them or want them, as they'd need to become shareholders in the EP.

The regional system has never addressed Wales historical club-based culture. Effectively they tried to build four clubs into new superclubs in 2003-4 and it left far too many ppl out in the cold.