Around the tackle area though constant Bok mediation and ‘professionalism’ will surely slow the game down relentlessly against most teams barr the All Blacks, because the short arm rewards that tactic. I suppose it is how the ref interprets the day.

The Boks strengths have been the lineout, their rush defence and swarming the breakdown.

The All Blacks have had a habit of avoiding touch for awhile now, to the point where Carter often couldn’t find touch even when he needed to. Now they can avoid it altogether. The Boks have a weak front row and the 5m rule means their rush defence is ineffective. This gives the All Blacks untold room to attack. Given that the lineouts under the ELVs tend to favour the defending side, it’s not really an attacking weapon until some coach figures out the right combinations/calls. And given that no-one’s throwing straight, the All Blacks can get off scott free despite having few jumpers.

The Boks remain strong in the tackle area, but the breakdown isn’t the point of contention it was under the ELVs because the ref will call short arm penalties without second thought. If the Boks do have strong ball carriers, they need to start using them, because their number one problem is their pivot. Carter and Giteau are going to destroy the Boks under the ELVs, given room to create.

We all know the type of first five that South African rugby prefer. The only flyhalf they’d had in recent memory that would suit the ELVs is Errol Tobias. That’s at Springbok level, I’m ignorant about the Currie Cup.

It’s possible that South Africa will play better this weekend. New Zealand started like a house on fire and their fitness over 80 minutes is impressive. The fact that the Boks only scored off a well-worked turnover, deep in their own half, doesn’t bode particularly well, considering the amount of chances the All Blacks created.

South Africa’s inability to score tries is a big part of why their Tri-Nations record is worse than it ought to be. Given that the ELVs are meant to encourage try-scoring & keeping the ball in play, it requires more of a philosophical shift that a one week fix.

Also OJ, I don’t see why you think the BOKs will struggle under the ELVs? Juan Smith and Burger have had exceptional work rates for the past four years, and Spies/Kankowski are exceptional runners in open play. Van Der Linde is tidy in the loose, Matfield and Botha also. I imagine Smit would struggle but that Du Plessis or Brits would thrive, so there is a definite balance there.

A lot of South Africans think he ought to have been sent off, but a red card would’ve been ridiculous. The one week suspension is enough. He was cited and reprimanded. He also apologised on the field. Smit trying to milk a card was humourous. He looked pretty good for a guy who could’ve died. Boks fans are pretty angry that Thorn only got one match while someone like Burger gets five, but at least he was cited.

It was a stupid bit of retaliation, though it probably served its purpose in terms of the All Blacks bashing the Boks around a bit. It’s funny to hear Boks supporters outraged about foul play. In the history of SA vs. NZ, this incident rates about zilch.

Anyway, the All Blacks didn’t look unbeatable, but the Boks weren’t very good. People want them to play to their strengths, but their strengths are nullified under the ELVs & one week isn’t long enough to fix that. There’s a good chance they’ll lose to Australia on this leg.

I think they’ll be much more difficult to beat in South Africa.

You sound like a very relieved man, typical NZ one eyed account of the game. Beautiful how you enhance every Bok indescression and airbrush the AB’s mistakes.

It was never going to be easy for the Boks to win but they have another shot at it this coming weekend. You make it sound like the Boks were just mere flies being sswotted away, I think reality might have been a bit different.

Everything said and done, the AB’s played better and deserved to win.

Whilst I agree SA were providing some niggle (as usual BB & BJ) and late shots Thorns actions were inexcusable and a stronger ref may have put him in the bin. It was late, he lifted him up and did not bring him to ground safely as he must if he lifts. His one match ban would back this up. Lets face it the little hold down of the head was nothing, he would get that in league week in week out.

The very first test I attended was the 1986 Bledisloe loss at Athletic Park and 4 years later I was there to see the All Blacks end their 4 year unbeaten streak, also against the Wallabies. Add the 1993 pasting by the Lions and the 1998 loss to the Boks to the losses listed above and it’s a pretty bad record comparitively (for instance they’ve not lost at Eden Park since 1994 and I think Carisbrook has only hosted 5 losses by the AB’s in its 100 year history).

However, I think Inky was meaning that since 1999 the AB’s have beaten SA every time they’ve played in NZ – the last loss to the Boks was a 13-3 loss at…gasp…Athletic Park!!!