South African channel their inner Bradbury for the third time

Oddly, Wales beat England twice in 2019, making that Semi final the harder of the two to win. I wouldnt call it a Bradbury mate. Japan were also a tougher opponent than Ireland. I called before the cup that SA would lose to NZ in their opener, but win the final against NZ. I was only wrong on the opponent. SA would have done the same to NZ in the final as what England did to NZ in the SF

Haha - very funny. NZ, England and SA went into this RWC as serious contenders and in the end they got the bronze, silver and gold. Any one of the three could have won it and in each of the games contested between the three the best team on the night won it. The only argument for a Bradbury was that SA did not play NZ during the knock-out stages, but then had they played them in the final it would have been anyone's game!

Are you trying to be funny... or bitter?

Sorry for the blunt response above. I ain’t no Hedley Lamaar (See villain in Blazing Saddles). Your timing of the article is off and you clearly didn’t think before speaking / writing. Abraham Lincoln and Mikes Davis have some excellent quotes on both these topics. Perhaps look them up. That said, as insulting as it was, congrats on having the courage to submit an article, I haven’t done so yet.

Apologies for the blunt reply but I’m no Hedley Lamaar (see villain in Blazing Saddles...one of the best films ever). Well done for being brave enough to publish an article. I certainly haven’t done so yet. However, let Abraham Lincoln and Miles Davis below teach you 2 of life’s important lessons: 1) ‘Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt’ 2) Time isn’t the main thing, it’s the only thing Basically, think before you speak / write and always consider timing.

What’s this load of nonsense?? Coming into the tournament, the bookies and pundits had the 3 favourites as New Zealand, South Africa and England, with Wales behind them. Looks like they were right as all 4 made the semi’s, and England and SA competed in the final. Bearing in mind that before the tournament not a single point could separate the Springboks and All Blacks in their previous 3 clashes in 2018-2019. Won 1, lost 1, drew 1, with two of those games being played in New Zealand, and the wins/losses being a margin of 2 points either way. 1995 – Go and do some more research of the Springboks results during that period. They didn’t lose a game of rugby for nearly TWO full calendar years. Staring with the 18-18 draw in August 1994 at Eden Park, the very game between these two teams prior to meeting in the World Cup final. The Boks only lost again in July 1996. 15 straight wins, 16 with no loss, almost two full years. In their run they beat every single Tier 1 nation, except Ireland who they didn’t have the opportunity to play. 1995 – Unbeaten year. The only team to go unbeaten since were the All Blacks in 2013. Meanwhile the All Blacks lost to Australia, and France (twice, including in NZ) and South Africa during this period. Sure, there were reports of many of the players being sick during the week, but come Saturday there is absolutely no way they (ABs) would’ve been able to keep up with the fittest team in the world if they were all sick, nonetheless push them into extra time, on the high veld at Ellis Park at home in South Africa, the team they’d drawn with at their fortress Eden Park in the very game prior, the team (Boks) that had beaten both the Wallabies and France, who in turn they’d (Abs) been beaten by. There’s just no way, unless they are super human. 2007 – Again the Boks beat every other tier one nation except the All Blacks and Ireland (who again they didn’t play in 2007) in their run, including Australia (1-1) and England (4 times in 2007). They also beat the All Blacks the following year 2008 in Wellington, before the 3-0 wiping in 2009, and beating the B&I Lions that year too, the last team to beat them….. That team that started building in 2007 did some good things! The All Blacks are always either the favourites or close to it, but if someone knocks them out you can’t blame the winners of the tournament! Anyway take care…..

While that might be true, England’s quarter was a rather out of it Australia team though: their draw wasn’t only the AB. I’d rather take on that than a Japan with the winds in their sails, in Japan.

Well said

I find amusing the line reading "Australia and New Zealand both already knocked out"... Really???? I mean, NZ were a real chance of winning, but Australia????? Who are we trying to kid? I believe Ireland, Wales, France and even Scotland, Japan and Argentina posed a more serious threat to the Springboks. I also find the whole article disrespectful of the Wales and Japan squads of 2019, and the Argentina and Fini squads of 2007. In a time were rugby is uniting nations, I find this whole article an arrogant, resentful piece. Respect due to South Africa, the rightful winners of the World Cup.

This sharticle stinks, sank quickly and will be flushed down into the cesspit of ‘what were you thinking’.

No, sorry, your example does not work. Totally different set of circumstances. Luck played no part in this outcome. Just the opposite. To win the WC in rugby you have to beat the best opposition because the knock out format forces the cream to the top.

We have gotten rid of most of our fatal flaws over the years Cheika Foley Phipps Kepu TPM Mumm Hanigan and AAC.But we still have Hooper and Beale.The new coach must bite the bullet and dismiss Beale entirely and make Hooper earn his 1.2 miilon a year salary. Play in the forwards mate you are not a centre or winger. Finally Michael Cheika you leave in disgrace and will leave a legacy that will take decades to correct. Good Riddence you F#@in Clown. :angry:

I picked Bradbury to win this cup, if he was wearing a gold shirt. Because I couldn’t see us playing the consecutive heavyweight bouts that are so obviously needed, without some miraculous assistance like beating Canada in a final, after they had beaten England who had beaten NZ. But other than that scenario, Bradbury did not show at this cup. Well done SA.

@Panda, you are wrong, dead wrong!

I think I know what you were trying to say with this article. But, it hasn't clicked, and in fact your underlying assertion is by its very nature insulting. Bradbury got a medal through luck. Despite saying that you don't want to take anything away from South Africa's victory, the underlying premise is about taking credit away from the victor. South Africa didn't win the tournament due to Benny Hill style hijinks knocking out their competitors. They played the teams in front of them just like everybody else. The '95 food poisoning theory has never been proven. In fact, as a medico, and as someone who has been through a bout or two of legitimate gastro, I find it hard to believe those blokes could take the field let alone step away from a toilet. When you've got gastro, I mean really got gastro, you're not climbing off the pot. In 2007 we got to that final fair and square. Ditto 2019. Japan upset Ireland, and Scotland prior to the QF clash. And Wales were grand slam winners. The assertion that we "Bradbury"d our way into the final is, unfortunately, bunk. I know you weren't trying to be insulting with this article, though.

A problem though is that this “arguably easier draw” thing mostly comes down to SA meeting Japan in the quarters — because, let’s be honest, Wales is arguably an harder act than England: they are the Six Nations winners after all — which is insulting to Japan: they were the Boks’ opponents in this match instead of, say, Ireland due to beating both Ireland and Scotland.

I’m just a bad tempered old bloke mate hahahaha!

Comparing SA completely dominating every aspect that final to Bradbury's gold medal is ridiculous and a little clueless.