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The All Blacks might just con the Springboks this time around
I suspect the All Blacks will win this weekend.
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Nothing to do with form, obviously. On this season’s performances, South Africa is by far the better side.
I just think a siege mentality will be sufficient to see the All Blacks rise to the sort of level we’ve seen so infrequently in recent times.
Playing in South Africa, rather than at home, should aid this rather flakey side.
This strikes me as a group with big tickets on itself. A group who can’t understand why their every deed isn’t greeted with universal approval.
They are the All Blacks, after all. They’re entitled to reverential treatment from all and sundry.
At least that’s the vibe they give off.
Only, that’s the sort of stuff that’s reserved for the great All Blacks teams. Teams that enjoy sustained success over a period of years, teams whose worst performance isn’t too far from their best.
These guys are nowhere near that, yet still appear to want to be loved and adored like serial winners are.
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I think they’re low on confidence, on the whole, and wounded by even the merest criticism.
That’s why I reckon South Africa suits them. They’re away from the pockets of negativity at home and in a country where they’re well aware everyone’s against them.
While many of us back here are still wondering what the hell happened with Leon MacDonald, I doubt the players have even given it a second thought.
Some might even be delighted he’s not on the coaching staff anymore.
If they were playing at home, MacDonald’s sudden – largely unexplained – departure would be a distraction or ‘outside noise’ that no-one within the hallowed walls of the team hotel wanted to deal with.
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It can basically be ignored for the next couple of weeks – or shut off entirely – should the team deign to play well.
And I say deign because this does strike me as a lazy side. One happy to take soft or low-percentage options, rather than do the difficult things well.
Trying brilliant things gives the illusion of being expansive or positive, but actually it’s just weak..
You never know. Day time kickoff in Johannesburg, they might con the Springboks into an end-to-end shootout. Last man standing wins 36-33 or something like that.
I hope South Africa keeps things conservative. I hope they kick, tackle and try and dominate through their set pieces.
I want to see how many All Blacks are actually prepared to take a bruise, rather simply being content to shovel the ball to someone else.
They have it in them and if Scott Robertson really does have any coaching chops, then he’ll hopefully be hammering home the message that these players need to compete physically.
Never mind going around the Springboks, this is an occasion when they have to go through them.
I don’t want to be too melodramatic here, but I’d be telling the players their manhood was on the line. I’d be laying it on thick with messages about and images of the great All Black teams that have conquered South Africa before.
Anything and everything to convince the team it has a battle to fight and win.
I’ll be the first in line to congratulate them when they do.
The scrums will set the tone - interesting to see how RSA fare without real locks
The bok backrow need to step up in a major way and win the collisions. Look for Siya to set the tone and Ben Jason to earn / not earn his spot.
Kick the tires and light the fires...
The ABs played one of their best games ever when Foster was for to be replaced by Robertson.
Will the current team rise for Robertson? Lots of people with emotional investment in the Crusader Super Hero. Nervous times for them.
& the big burly Boks will be all puffed up again. Such BS!
After all if they can scrape past 14 ABs surely against an actual 15 ABs is possible? Quick, puff up more (oh of course, & forwards fake the injures near end of 1st half for extra resty by bys ).
ABs remember last game & convincing win in Sth Af. Fully focused, been there, done that.
Meanwhile, back with the Bok... 'Puff the magic dragon...'
eye suspect the only con here is Hamish Bidwell and your readers think that too 2 to
He is winding up both sets of teams but there are plenty of grains of truth in what he is saying.
No disrespect to Argentina who planned and played brilliantly in the first test. But why couldn't NZ solve the issues presented to them on the restarts for example? Never mind a great team but surely a good team can solve that?
This 'All Black' legacy is also misunderstood. You earn the right to be the best. There is no unwritten rule that NZ should be the best. That's arrogant and disrespectful to every other nation. And the respect that his NZ showed to other teams has been poor since Fosters time. What was the main reason NZ lost to Argentina in Match 1?
They Didn't respect them enough to prepare properly for it.
Disagree with this. NZ lost the first test against Argentina due to an unbalanced forward pack. Pretty hard for the backline to function if they're constantly under pressure and going backwards.
Then for the second match, it was instead the Pumas who had the unbalanced pack, and were subsequently punished for it.
What a load of rubbish. SA have the home town advantage, they have not lost a game yet in the Rugby championship. NZ on the other hand have lost a game and lost a coach.
Razor hasn't shown himself to be the great redeemer only an ordinary man who has lost already.
If the ABs win it will be for the same robust game mindset they showed when they last played SA in a WC final with 14 players against 16 (TMO included).
14 against 19🤔 what a load of rubbish. Do you see South africa crying about losing by 1 point to the Irish? I love watching the Bokke play the All Blacks but if they think like you they will lose these two games against South Africa.
Why is our rugby journalism and broadcasting so rubbish at the moment. Watching a sky presentation based on trying to attract a wider demographic rather than selecting the most articulate thinkers on the modern game is simply painful.The Australians may be struggling with their teams but their journalism and presentation of both Union and League Is light years ahead. This article only confirms the paucity of NZ sport journalism masquerading petty remarks for thoughtful analysis
Weather, cards, injuries, refs, uncontested scrums, the bounce of the ball, and moments of inaccuracy can all swing close games. Without the benefit of some "uncontrollables" like this it is very unlikely the ABs will win.
The Boks would be favorites in NZ, and will be a much tougher proposition at Ellis Park. And Rassie will be constantly reminding them about what happened in Joburg after the Boks walloped NZ in Nelspruit.
The Boks will miss their regular second rows (both starting and replacements), but NZ also have injuries to starting forwards (Tuipulotu and De Groot). And, of course, Retallick and Whitelock have retired since the RWC. It's not obvious that the Bok second row will be outplayed.
It would be a surprise to me if SA run away with it, but also a surprise if NZ can deliver a win.
If be replaying the WC Final for inspiration... Oh so close.
A good wind up Hamish😆
That should get a few fired up on either side!
Hamish - maybe a deeper analysis vs just throwing stuff at the wall would be more helpful
Two historically great teams, one tweaking players/ systems and the other starting what is essentially a total rebuild. The Boks should win, but ABs absolutely can turn them over if the wind blows their way. Unfortunately something has to be printed daily so we get a lot of blah blah blah, which this article definitely is. A win will give bragging rights for a whole week, a loss will motivate to improve next week. It's sport, nothing is final or forever.
I think the team that makes the fewest mistakes on Saturday wins. Groundbreaking I know...
There is a weird mentality among NZ rugby journalists to put any All Blacks underperformance down to laziness, complacency etc... when their poor performances are due to poor tactics and poor execution - clearly the reason MacDonald has been given the boot. Their attack has regressed to what it was in Fozzie's first season and Razor knows that's not good enough.
The frustrating thing for fans is that every ABs coach has to go through a period of trying to show how smart and innovative they are by making the exact same mistakes the last lot did. The template for how to deal with modern defences already exists, but inexperienced Super Rugby coaches elevated beyond their station refuse to use it (or are incapable), let alone build on and improve it.
Farrell and Rassie/Neinbar have been able to evolve and improve their teams constantly. They have a template that works, and they build on it. By the 23 World Cup the ABs had finally achieved something close to this, but new coaches always have an ego and have to make it "their team"
Unless Razor can draft in someone like Tony Brown, Joseph, Cotter, etc... who actually know what they are doing he will be gone by this time next year.
To be fair, The All Blacks will find it very tough this weekend. They a few brilliant players like Savea, Barrett & Jordan. They still need to find their identity under Razor. No doubt they will be better in a year or 2.
Some of the Bok player are playing the best rugby of their careers like PSTD, KLA, De Allende, Kriel & Kolbe.
The bench is also very strong. The best hooker in the world, 3 very mobile loose forwards & mr ice cool - Handre Pollard.
I have no doubt the All Blacks will look to run the ball from everywhere & try to lure the Boks into playing the same style on the day.
I think Hamish touches on one good point.
These are the All Blacks after all. And so I have no doubt this game will be much closer than what some might be giving the ABs credit for.
Boks by 15.
Well written Hamish.
So, according to Bidwell here in the span of two sentences, the All Blacks deciding to focus on perfecting the basics, and the Springboks deciding to experiment are both rubbish ideas that expose them as weak and lazy sides.
Really?!
The Christy Doran of Rugby Pass.
I was really struggling to know where he was going with the MacDonald discussion in those two sentences.
To be honest this is an overly pessimistic and negative view of the All Blacks. They are a good team trying to find a way to be great again. They deserve respect and they should be adored by their fans. Nobody has given them a free pass or thinks they are the best. The reaction to the Argentina loss was big enough and not even their own players said that it was acceptable. Instead they were critical of themselves saying they need to produce performances every week rather than a great one after an off day. It sounds to me like they are a team trying to improve and find ways to get better and that they are well aware of the challenges they face in their aim to become the best again. So I do not understand the point of view of the Author who seems to think that they are a bunch of self-loving, overconfident narcissists who are not willing to hear criticism and feel that they are entitled to universal adoration and love from their fans.
Must come from his belief that because theyre overseas they can ignore what people think.
If you only care about yourself and theres no one to stop you in the street and tell you to keep your head in I guess your ego gets carried away and true self comes out?
NZ sports journalists are some of the most egotistical and thin-skinned people you'll ever meet. They relish the chance to insert themselves into a narrative, and eagerly await any opportunity to unleash a tirade of negativity towards the national team. Then act all shocked when the coaches clam up and quit being all polite towards them. Bidwell has probably gotten his knickers in a twist ever since the All Blacks said they don't read what the media write, and instead focus on the game.
When I read the headline, I didn't click on it. No, my first action was to check whether the author was Benny BS Smith. Because I don't read his drivel.
Hamish's take on the ABs is an interesting one but not accurate. The only way they will win is if they can fool Rassie into some sort of complacence. After the last Ellispark nightmare, I think that is very unlikely.
It is a Bok/AB test and it will be hard fought matter.
What a sour old-man piece - do us all a favour and take your ant-acid tablets.
Desperate
Utterly bizarre piece as per from HB here