Are the Springboks ready for rugby's greatest rivalry?

Hi BB, Might be able to thx to friends who share on the internet. Usually download and watch later when the games are in OZ or NZ but this one could be available at a decent time. Cant wait for the game and also the reactions to follow. I've found those to be quite enjoyable other than the odd rant. There's still the last Bledisloe and the EYOT to look forward to. But this game!!!!!!!!!!! What is there really to say, "Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more"

Yes we have the players do we have the coach and by the way what is the definition of a coach what is the coaches job.In 1970 Jansens tackle on Cottrel perhaps changed the game in the favour of the Boks.Was the playing of Jansen at centre a tactical move. This tells me that rugby is not only played on a rugby field but a lot of rugby is played between the ears. Have we got the coach that can unleash the natural ability of the players to play above themselves.Only Saturday will tell.

So, if you round out the averages we should win by 5? ;) I predict Steyn to be the key. He could easily kick the Boks to victory but can he unleash the backline to ram home the forwards hard work? Far too many what ifs etc for mind. As far as I'm concerned the Boks will always be our greatest rivals and equals in every way. My heart says the ABs by plenty :) My head says the Boks by a few :( Either way I am looking forward to an epic. Best of luck to you and the boks also. Is it kick off yet???? ;)

I think you should try the article business. always interested in what you have to say. Let me leave you with these thoughts. In the history of South Africa vs New Zealand, you hold an advantage of 3.6 points per match. that is how close it is. In the pro era your advantage is 6.8 points per match, largely due to SA being rather poor between 1992 - 1997 and the last 3 years. Our best period against NZ was 2004-2009 when it was 7/8 in wins. This weekend we must keep structure to the game at all costs, New Zealand has become more dangerous from open play, counter attack and handling areal kicks from either themselves or their opponents. that is how they score the majority of their tries. they also have learnt to play less rugby in their half, and prefer to get out of their half with an exit strategy of up and unders or grubber s through the line or line kicks. We therefor need to keep as much ball in hand as possible, the team who is most accurate with their kicking will dominate territory and therefor have more opportunity to put the other under pressure. We on the other hand have learnt to use our forward more effectively by them not being stationary when reicieving the ball, and the secret to our attack is force and pace. The all Blacks have one area where they are clearly ahead of us and that is offloading into space. Other than that, I have not much more to say. Good luck to your team, may you get close, but not close enough. ;)

Hi BB Had a whole lot of things I wanted to post and get your opinion on but I am literally sick from the anticipation and waiting for the game that I am over talking about anything in depth. Am sure plenty of opportunity to post my thoughts another day. May even try this article business. ;)

Thanks BB. Have further thoughts/rants that i would like your opinion on but will have to do so at a more approporiate time as my work is currently suffering and i dont need to be O Connered out the door (weak i know but couldnt help it) :)

I remember being in the SA army in '81 and reading reports of the tour. I think the experience the Boks had was unique, and they must have amazing memories of how they were shepherded around the country, often sleeping in strange places! There were a number of those players, in particular the backs, that would have been considered very good, even great, in any era. As for the game this weekend, I've mixed feelings. My heart longs for a resounding SB victory of course, but my head tells me that this SB team is only about 85% of the AB team, and the ABs will find a way. For the the unknown is how will the ABs respond to being matched in several departments for much of the game. They're not used to it, and may rise to the occasion. Let's wait and see. A comment on the stadium and rivalry. These teams are professionals, and have spent a lot longer in each other's countries than players have done in the past. From what I hear, the ABs have had a warm reception wherever they've been, around Johannesburg over the past few days. So they won't be phased by the passion in the stands. I must add that its sad that the ref plays such a role. I think they are tremendously affected by the situation, as well as by which teams are playing. The French response after the last RWC had a lot more merit than just being sour grapes. I'm hoping rugby finds a away to improve objectivity by the officials, before the sport becomes too tainted to bother with.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff-nation/assignments/share-your-news-and-views/9240647/Lose-to-the-Springboks-Yeah-right It's a gag, before you get too excited...just a bit of a giggle...

Hi Ken, read my last paragraph contradicting previous paragraph deliberately. It was the same feeling as you had initially. In 1981 I was well set in my ways and had a view. Rugby to me was life - how dare others 'not involved with the code' take from me my enjoyment, It was selfish of me, I thought I suffered but in reality it was nothing like the suffering of the suppressed under apartheid. I was self centred, probably knew better but did not want to admit it. I also acknowledged after the that tour, that I thought about it' when all the emotion was out of play that the tour should not have allowed to proceed. As for racism, don't for a minute think that I condoned racism, I in fact resented it then as I do now. When I entered Mt Albert Grammar (same high school as Rob Muldoon and later Kenny and Brian Williams) I believe I was one only 2 students non Caucasians (might be wrong here) among 1016 others. All my childhood life I had been subjected to taunts and scraps 'because I was different', my skin was a different colour and did it affect me?...yes initially but with education, I got over it. Anyhow this forum is about rugby not politics, I merely was responding to an earlier post, but I will be letting it go at this point,

Ja, but NZ infringes shrewdly. They do it in a group, or very dynamically. You have to admire how clever it all is. Kind of like a ninja!

Evening mate, I remember your message of theother day, you live in the US? Are you going to be able to watch the game live?

Hi again BB (good to see you stayed) and all other fans of the great game. like some others i am not a Kiwi or a SAFA, just an old rugger that played and loved the game. This particular thread is a marvelous read no constant wingers no trolls just plain conversation and deep underlying passion. Hope it's a great game. The AB's for me, yes they may have a few stars but what makes them special is their desire and respect for the Jersey. Thx to all of you who keep the game alive

Hi DR, I think there is an element of truth to it. What's the saying? If it smells like a fish, looks like a fish and tastes like a fish, then it is most likely a fish. The point is any team plays to the edge of the laws, some in different areas that others, we overdo the physical stuff, Australia does the cunning stuff (collapsing scrum for example) and the All Blacks overdo the breakdown and "legal obstructive pods " I read today the NZ camp suggested Bisarck got off lightly, and by the same token HM suggested he hopes Nigel Owens will focus on cynical infringing in their redzone by the AB's. Each camp will use th media to focus on where they believe opposirion trams get away with stuff. It is all gamesmanship, but yet both camps won't be airing issues unless their analysts ave come up with concrete concerns.

Hi BB, I listened to Nel this morning on the radio over here. It is interesting how wrong some perceptions are even with stats to support the contrary! Certainly some food for thought. Are the ABs more cynical than other teams inside the 22 or are they simply penalized less which makes them seem more cynical? Am struggling waiting for this game. Nerves and anticipation are killing me! ;)

Interestingly (for me anyway) having become a rugby fanatic at 12 years old, after 87 world cup, I never got to see or really hear much of the Springboks, other than the 83 tour. The rivalry that was being belt up was between the ABs and the Wallabies. I remember talk around NZ of the Ellas, Campo and Conner and the 86 Bledisloe. At this time I was a soccer fan. So early in my rugby 'life' oz was the team to beat they were the enemy. When SA was admitted back into rugby my Dad was so excited he became like a kid, talking about the rivalry between the two greatest rugby nations, SAs mountain like forwards, their hard running backs, the brutal, physical encounters where no quarter was given, none was asked. Yet for me beating the Wallabies was the ultimate. Now 20 odd years later, while I still enjoy our wallaby rivalry, I understand and appriciate what my Dad was so excited about. For me now the ultimate confrontation, the ultimate test is SOUTH AFRICA at home with thousands of fans riding the emotional wave, willing their team on. I hope some day I can take My Dad to an AB Vs SA game in SA. Damn I can't what for this week end.

Hi Dsat, yeah I am wondering about the message HM is trying to send. To be honest I don't think it will be helter skelter. I think it simply means we will attempt to keep more ball in hand and only kick when necessary. Brendon Nel on Supersport did some analysis on the All Blacsk in the Rugby Championship and came up with some real interesting facts. 12 of the nineties tries the All Blacks scored thus far has been from turnover counters and high kicks that they used to presussurise defences and that is where Ben Smith has been very effective. Only seven tries came from structured ohase play or set pieces. The All Blacks have also been the team that has kicked the most and has had virtually no attacking play from within their half. His summation was that the All Blacks are actually contrary to the lerception out there been playing more inline with our style of play than their own style of play. Obviously with tantalising skills and handling. I did some stats myself a few days ago and SA had more line breaks than the AB's so far, but the AB's have had more offloads, (42) SA only (28) Another interestigpng stat was that NZ has given an inordinate amount of penalties away in their redzone in general play and breakdowns. Maybe we can read some into those statistics.

Sure BB Bretts Capetown piece and yours make for refreshing reading in the traditional buildup sense by contrast with much of the tv oriented promotional spin we are subjected too these days. We increasingly seek authenticity in commentary and you gents including David Baker offer earnest viewpoint and it strikes a cord with many. In saying I have to smile in perusing Harrys cut and thrust and in the knowledge that I have forwarded it to the ABs war room, it will be great to see the counter thrust to the Harry battles. On HM again, as he is a more open book than many and in his desire to open up the game and use perhaps read into that 'use width', he is not only challenging his players to grow but challenging supporters to take risks. So nerve wracking all round really but while being compelling to look forward to it has risk a plenty. HM is making a rallying call and he is getting real response.

I was in high school played 3 rd grade for my school and was so angry at the protesters interfering with my tests against the mighty Bokke until my dad explained to me how as a Pacific Islander Bryan Williams was only allowed to tour for the all blacks in South Africa as a honorary white , that in the 60's NZ was forced to leave Maori and Island players at home at the request of the South African rugby union that's when I realised that rugby was also a political force in those days despite what we were taught Muldoon saying"politics should not interfere with sports" was a fantasy land sorry to get political wrong topic but condoning racism was what you did supporting that tour "Rugby Tragic" and seeing Tim Shadbolt on tv initially I thought he was some skinny trouble maker ruining my personal rugby experience until I read about Nelson Mandela and even the experiences of the token black taken on that tour in 1981 and how he ate his meals separate from the rest of the team,I apologise for maybe going over the top but I thought like you before that tour mate but during and after that tour I realised if we did nothing than we were just turning a blind eye to something that was intrinsically wrong.

tragic - whilst running rugby was rife in 87 and prob thanx to auckland, it was another aucklander that almost killed running rugby. grantFox for me killed my enthusiasm. me and my friends went and played league when Fox was at his most influential. (dropping buckShelford def didnt help) it was cullen that reintroduced running rugby back to NZ and it hasnt been as dynamic since. i came back to rugby because of cullen . signed back up at my norths club hoping to see or play alongside cullen in a club game. never happened tho.

well said