Never questioned Maloney’s accuracy (Geoff) or knowledge (Harry). His style is not up to the standards of professional TV commentary. Repeating player surnames ad nauseam, with the second and third mention of the same name simply rising in pitch and duration seriatum might help for radio commentary but hardly adds value to the picture.

True story! As a bok supporter I can vouch for the esteem in which he is held by players and supporters alike. Not as close to the detailed politics that accompanied his tenure as my kiwi brethren, but from where I stood he carried it all (injury, an inconsistently perf team, vocal skeptics, a vicious press and a crushing red card call) with dignity and fortitude.

The Maloney and Harrison circus- show detracts from the game across the board. It’s gone past the sublime, through the ridiculous to the unconscionable. Stan persist. Never thought I’d say this, but grateful for every game in NZ with Nisbo and Marshy, simply because the others are beyond poor.

Bro

Even as a bit of an outsider without as much history and context, I dare say the RA boards record in the last 3-4 years had been unacceptably poor. They’ve plumbed new lows this year and while miss-management is one thing, this goes beyond that and smacks of gross negligence and deliberate prioritisation of personal egos at the expense of the game. I can just imagine how WB supporters must feel (20 years and more of political meddling, incompetent management and corrupt showboating almost destroyed Springbok rugby forever and the risk is alive and well). The good news is, the world needs a strong/ competitive WBs team not just for the Lions and RWC, but beyond. We’re all willing you onwards and upwards. It can’t get worse. WB rugby will recover. Let’s just hope this crop of leaders get it right (my fear is there are enough other muppets besides Hamish on the board that are clearly both out of their depth and need their motivation examined closely. Preferably with a chair. In the face).

Edsackery

I’ll never forget an interview with Steve Hansen after the ABs walloped the Boks some time in 17 or 18…. asked whether he took pride in the record score he demurred (like only a kiwi or an Afrikaner can) and bluntly threw the question back at the reporter confirming why a strong Springbok side is crucial to New Zealand Rugby (these tests remain the yardstick for both teams) and deploring the role of politics in SA rugby and how he couldn’t imagine doing a pressure job like coaching the ABs when he wasn’t able to wheel his best 23 players onto the pitch on any given Saturday. Enough has been said about the case that Rassie had arguably managed that aspect into insignificance (so I won’t go there other than to reiterate that few saffas truly believe it’s 100% gone and there is no risk of it rising from the ashes to hobble the game once more… well that, and the fact that most SA players are leaving in droves to earn hard currency or give their families a different shot at life that includes electricity/ running water, quality education and a reduces the risks of becoming a collateral damage statistic in a cash in transit vehicle history much less facing rising hunger, anger, desperation and a laughably ineffective and polarised political landscape…). But I digress…. point is, I really believe that the players and coaches live for these real, tight contests and take little long term joy in one off’s like Twickenham or Albany.

Great read mate, made we want to watch the recording. Again. It’s of little consolation to AB fans, but agreed, it really was more of a draw than anything else. No one side managed to force their approach on the other like at Mt Smart or Twickers.

Lots of fair commentary, several things I disagree with but they’ve been analysed and talked to death by folk more qualified than I. One thing, there may be a replay I haven’t seen, a mea culpa I haven’t read, a recording that’s gone unheard… but my interpretation of Barnes comments to Ardie on the missed jackal were: “no mate, I haven’t seen the replay and sorry, I won’t look at it now as that’s not how I’m going to make this kinda call (I.e: in the absence of touch judge or tmo intervention, I reserve the right to make these Spot decisions to let the game flow). Yes, it was close, the picture I saw wasn’t a clear enough release. Good effort to ask, nothing to see here”. I haven’t anywhere read confirmation from the man himself that he supports this interpretation of admitting a clear mistake after reviewing the replay at Ardies request, vocalising an apology for cocking up, but refusing to change the call. If that’s proven to be correct, I fear the game is beyond repair already. Abandon all faith ye who enter here.

Time to monetise that IP mate…

Yup, not so easy when the shoe is on the other foot. Good reading.

Don’t forget Matty Williams

Willie belongs in the commentary box. Just imagine him against Smith..

7-1….. that’s not what I’d hoped for, too much risk for a final, particularly if scrummie goes down early or there is extra time. Guessing the reasoning is caution doesn’t beat the ABs in Finals rugby… and it’s difficult to argue that one but….. Large Cohones call. If it backfires, not so much.

Hmmm, not sure I agree. Twickers was with Marx, without Barret, Frizell if memory serves. In the dry. ABs flew in day before I have read. FFR was also in the dry (Saturday has an 80% chance of rain, which I submit will negate the run-on scrum dominance- not the replacements- and the aerial parity of the Boks, as per England where they looked horrendous). I wouldn’t be surprised if Pollard, Faf and Moody start. Rassie will spring his tricks, let see if they work out. Would love an SA win, but can’t see it. There was a reason Rassie wasn’t too perturbed about missing the ABs in the QF. But hey, I am just another fan with my theories. Hoping for a good game and uncontentious officiating.

As a Saffa fan I’d love to bank all praise heaped on my team in this article and nothing else, but that would be a little disingenuous and hypocritical. One has to say they got a fair dollop of luck in both QF and SF and made plenty mistakes. They also looked listless during and shattered after the QF, doesn’t bode well for the final and a skilled, rested ABs team timing their run to peak. I am not an England fan, but it would also be unfair not to recognise that they did an excellent job of coming up with a plan to win, took the conditions and the opposition into account more and played both these and the officials better for much of the game. Their inability to adjust at the last hurdle (Stewart will forever regret not putting that ball out) opened the door a smidgen for the Boks at the death. I cannot fault that- it was never going to be an AB/ Arg type game and different styles of play are a huge part of what makes sport special in my eyes. I am against forcing all teams to play one way (no issues with speeding up play by preventing the endless meddlingof medical staff for example). ABs to take it Sunday unless the Boks can somehow manage to bring their A game and get peak performance levels out of Mbonambi and PSdT (for 80 min) and 60 min out of Kitsoff, Malherbe, Vermeulen and Kolisi. They’ll need more rub of the green (unlikely for a third successive game) and make the right calls on conditions and officials (odds on some more controversy there one way or the other). Having said that, what that group has done, against all the odds (so many players and staff could be restricting themselves to their club salaries and waiving the BS, meddling & challenges of the national environment goodbye) for a country where hunger, violence, unemployment, desperation, despair and division are the order of the day will forever guarantee their place in the countries history.

I watched the Matt Wlliams drivel and felt Kearney was largely disagreeing with Williams opinions on SA (he agreed with one sub point about interpretation of complex scrum laws and disincenting illegal scrum practices), but hey, I am a lowly roar rookie only and come to bury Ceaser not to praise him. Williams punditry is divisive, disingenuous and lazy. Let’s restrict Real Madrid to select only midfield replacements on the bench, outlaw headed goals from free kicks and artificially force everyone to play like Manchester City, whether it’s raining or dry, irrespective of the other teams tactics, the officials and whether it’s a knock out game or pool play.

Different teams with different strengths, different officials, different conditions. For crying in a bucket, are we really advocating for the artificial enforcement of a single playing style, irrespective of all these variables…. day in, day out by adjusting the rules? Does every kid get a medal just for pitching up? Do Real Madrid use only fwd replacements, refuse static free kicks and play like Manchester City and should we be forcing them to?

I cannot agree, but that’s opinions for ya. Rassie hardly took the ABs and surgically removed their DNA/ recast them in green. The Boks are the SA national team, there aren’t acceptable ones and unacceptable ones. All teams evolve. I can’t recall Nik Mallets Boks putting 7 tries on the ABs (but I have indicated my aversion to stat’s, so maybe I am wrong) nor have I seen him argue for wholesale changes to the Boks knock out approach (I am sure there are clips out there capable of any number of interpretations). I have no beef with the arguments for an entertaining/ evolving game, I am disappointed by all these attempts to cast different styles of play as a biblical struggle between good and evil in the eye of the supposed neutral, tar the Boks with the brush of unfair generalisation and make them the scapegoat for disgruntled click bait journos (SA also have their Ben Smiths) simply because they’re the biggest target. Rassie has made many mistakes which his team will suffer the consequences of, but this rhetoric is simplistic and divisive and drives those SA supporters trying to talk the Rassies of the world out of their siege mentality into the very same corner. Yes, I feel strongly about this ????. Here endeth today’s sermon.

Dear team behind by 2 with 5 minutes to play, please don’t play to your strengths or consider the weather or officiating in any way when selecting tge play and last shot at victory. Rather take the entertaining option, yes, the one that your opponents have forsaken all game, because Matt Williams and Ben Smith say so and its clearer for the average spectator to have the ref call on a knock-on than a scrum infringement. This has gone from the sublime to the…. take up tennis.

Brilliant read, thx. As a Saffa fan, couldn’t agree more: 1. Siya for president, that country needs young, fresh, principled and credible leadership desperately. 2. Willies behaviour was downright embarrassing (as it too often is).

Wow, as a Bok supporter I’ve been consistently telling my fellow lovers of the green and gold that there their fears of a rising tide of unfounded, anti-SA hysteria are unfounded. Not so sure anymore. The Boks have proven they can vary their game and have plenty of running flair (Twickenham AB game just an example, along with much of the Rugby Championship). They’re also willing to and capable of playing the officials (not always successfully), the opposition (different games and tactics were demanded by the skills of Ire, FFR and England) and the conditions. No team in any sport gets to dictate the entire approach to a game, change day to night, force the opponent to play exclusively their way… it’s always a dance with multiple players driving the whole. I think most teams have a reserve front row. SA have used a 5-3 split in the last games, decided their approach and played what’s infront of them and to their strengths. The fact that these may differ from those of NZ, England or others in general or on the day is what makes sport varied and enjoyable. I hardly think you’d see a big serving tennis player forsake his approach and play to his weaknesses in general or on the day to give the crowd more volleys but lose the game. And it’s hardly like Ire, FFR or England were desperately trying to provide a no holds bared, ballet of touch rugby entertainment but shackled by the evil force that knows only one way. Quote stat’s about time in play and kicks from hand all you like, to me that’s not what makes a sport enjoyable and what every fan looks for. This is a RWC semi in pouring rain, not a game of Sunday arvo touch on the beach. Headlines and arguments like the above, respectfully, make it very difficult to talk the die hard Bok fans down off the ledge and back into the big party. Which, I submit, when you look at the goings on in our world today is a place worthwhile fighting for. The narrative of Matt Williams and the like has lost any semblance of objectivity and has become an alienating sour grapes soundtrack. The are plenty of balanced commentators from the NH or sides that are unexpectedly out (Rob Kearney example). I think SA were lucky to beat FFR and England and I think they’ll lose quite heavily in the Final (they look exhausted), but the polarisation some of these views is driving is unhelpful and unnecessary.

Us Saffas have long envied nations like Aus, Nz and others for their financial resources, administrative track record, ability to retain local talent and above all, the “perceived” ability to operate without the chain and ball of constant political interference. If these reports are true, I agree with all the sentiment expressed here. What a cluster of all f…s. Hamish must take accountability.

And the officials….no accusation of bias, but they’ll be under massive pressure to have the home team run deep (attendance revenue, advertising and sponsorship, broadcasting, vindicating the award to ffr….). Think it adds 20% to FFR game, which they hardly need…

I feel most ex players make weak commentators. But hey, opinions are like @rseholes and these are first world problems…