'These are the big stages': Foster's challenge to All Blacks ahead of Ireland clash

You raise a tricky dilemma. Any team is a sum of their parts. To make a point, lets say that South Africa aren't a team that has been able to take advantage, or use all if it's 'parts', to a maximum before, were as you could say that 2015 AB did use all of it's parts and become the 'most complete' team in history. Now a) that might not be exactly true of either team, and b) even if it was true one could argue that doesn't mean the result is going to go one way or the other. SA "limited" style could win out again ABs "complete" style etc.

I'm of the belief that attack trumps defence, that the ball will always beat the man.. that the AB's having been so good because they played the best style of rugby and won against all the odds. They have not had the best players, they make the best of their players. That's what I see clicking in this current side, theyre becoming 'complete' again. I don't know why they've not been able to do it all game. You can point to their discipline but it could easily be a drop in physical conditioning. They've all got bigger, it's been a big area of change in the NZ game. They've also lost cohesion

So yes and no. I think Sacha is someone to enable a complete game, but SA are going to also lose some key 'parts' to there game when the vets retire. Like how NZ still had some 'parts' post 2015, they had no one to link them, hence how I think this team now trumps those because they do look to have someone who can make them complete, despite the individual parts (read "players"). The parts will still matter though, England have some great props coming through, France look to have the best trajectory, will there be enough pieces for Sacha to put together? Your forwards will play a big factor, I really like the idea of BJD offload game adding to that completeness. That certainly doesn't take away from what theyve done, they might indeed have beat that opposite idea, or this new team. Certainly the chance is there to do it, and this current team hasn't been doing it. It will be hard to think of a 'great' team that is actually 'two' teams over a 4 year period!

Its weird to play in a different atmosphere, and obviously the home team is more comfortable since it is what they are used to playing in.

Good on Rassie for giving the wider Bok squad experience. I wish ABs coaches would wake to that. Of course, its all on his head if it blows up in his face if Bok don't take out the RC with all canons in & ablaze next week.