Agree to disagree

In 5 years all that people will remember is the record, the same applies to Mourinho, the same applies to Smit, the same applies in Politics – American Presidents- Bush is a good case in point, The same even applies to Foster- No one will say he was a bang average coach if the All Blacks win next year- Books will be written, songs willl be sung about the Mooloo warrior wg
ho helped New Zealand to 3 world cups . Only purists like me worry about commentary.
That why John can preach today and no one asks him about Justice for Bakkies. He is just a World Cup and Lions winning captain.

Perhaps I should also say I. Although I think there are a fair few South Africans who agree with my perspective, it is also true that it is not everyone there are a lot of people who think he should just be quiet to and they are entitled to their viewpoint

Jacko what legacy has Rassie destroyed.
His legacy in this country is
1) A Springbok
2) He won Free States 1st Currie Cup in Pretoria after 27 years – Something like 3 sides in the History of our Rugby have won a Currie Cup in Pta.
3) He won a World Cup and Lions Series.
4) Perhaps most importantly he has transformed the Springboks into a brand for everyone in this country. This is something many of his critics locally basically said was impossible.
5) He revived both the Springbok and Free State Unions at a time when their were considered a lost cause

If you go through Twitter and look at the background of the people who support Rassie they are incredibly diverse more diverse than any of the previous coaches, captains or teams ever had.

South African Rugby fans in general will never forget that, it is the single biggest reason why Rassie will be okay even if the boks lose by 15 plus points on Saturday some loons will say he must be fired but SA Rugby can’t and they won’t

Rassie will leave after the world cup next year, the only question is whether he will have won 2 or 1 world cup.

We are fine with either to be honest because what he showed in number 4 above means much more than rugby to this country.

In terms of the videos, I think the Springboks do get a worse deal than the ANZAC Countries and the Home Nations in particular, I think they figure it’s a no win situation, if things don’t improve inspite of the videos they lose nothing causd they already not getting a great deal. The Springboks can’t be more unpopular internationally than they are as they have always been unpopular.

The one thing I do agree with that John Smit said is only the captain should speak to the referee. The rest I just found self-righteous given the Justice for Bakkies incident.

This is not a bit 😂

In the last 20 years Rassie Erasmus has been central to the revival of two institutions of South African rugby when both seemed dead. The 1st was Free State Rugby and the 2nd is SA Rugby.

He is not perfect, but he succeeded to a larger extent than any of his predecessors ever did in building a successful and inclusive Springbok team in particular and SA Rugby Union in general.

This is something many people thought impossible

For that South Africans will forever be grateful and SARU will never abandon him. I would like to win a 4th world cup in France next year, but with a World Cup and Lions series, after winning a Currie Cup in Pretoria, Rassie will always be a legend in my book especially given everything he has been through.

Great leaders often come about from a resilliance cultivated in the most unforgiving parts of society so they are very rarely as polished as people would like.
We can live with the snide remarks, it just comes with the territory

Just my 5 cents. Don’t think it’s remotely true that most South Africans are embarassed by Rassie. I would call it a polarised environment with perhaps 2 in 3 people supporting him.
I will admit to being sceptical of officials I still remember the e-mails sent by Aussie and NZ referees about getting the japies.
On a less obvious level I think even regulations are not evenly enforced – last week Eddie wrote a detailed article in the Telegraph undermining TMO, there has been no commentary nevermind a ban.
I also think the way the last 15 minutes of that game in particular was officiated was highly questionable but I will leave it at that.
I acknowledge that I don’t represent everyone in South Africa and I have a lot of affinity for Rassie given what he has done for Free State and Springbok rugby.

Finally I am so bored of hearing how unpopular he is making SA Rugby, the commentary on here and Twitter suggests a lots of people think South Africans are obnoxtious. I don’t follow the Springboks cause they are popular I support them because they are my team, I prefer them successful. Successful and popular would be great, but I can live with successful on its own. Most world cups bar New Zealand is pretty good in my view, could be better but I can live with being unpopular if there are more in the future

How many Wallabies would make this team?

How do you think the other players wives feel about a staff member who is sleeping with married team members.

I don’t think men would be happy if the physio slept with married team members of the Wallaroos and kept their job.

It’s not worth dealing with the hassle, especially with the players being away for so long, all you need is a photoof you at dinner with the Dietician in attendance and players would be fighting with their wives

Let me explain something to you Ken.
South Africans are very similar to Australians.

Culturally Queensland is to New South Wales as Gauteng is to the Western Cape. Perth is not unlike Durban or Port Elizabeth. In fact even the US was designed in a similar way by the British, it manifests in an conservative South relative to a liberal North

This site is great but everytime I read an Australian basically write that they are so much more sophisticated than South Africans I just roll my eyes. The above is why it is ao easy for in particular, white South Africans (Not a comment on racial atittudes, Black South Africans speak multiple african languages and culturally lose a lot by emigrating.) – who I would guess are 90% of the people writing here, to live in Australia.

Neglecting Robbie Deans and Scott Robertson are mistakes NZ Rugby will live to regret.

Thanks Nic, interesting read. Pollard at 12 and De Allende at 13 and then Am at 14 with Kolbie on the otherside is interesting –
Willie as our last line is disconcerting, would be great to have a 15 who can kick and tackle or atleast one, (Maybe Am at 15?) but I digress as I am sure Nienaber and Rassie have their reasons.
One questions on Etzebeth, if what he did on Saturday was illegal, how would one compete legally, i also thought contact in the air is only illegal if I impede the catcher as opposed to our shoulders bumping into each other.
Thx again

I’ll just leave this here. This is point of impact on Saturday. This is a textbok shoulder charge.

By the way WRE, Rugby League has very different rules about this sort of thing so it’s an irrelevant barometer.

Might have a point for using arms, it was just at his side with the unitial hit! At least not as dangerous as Faf's Neymar punch on White! pic.twitter.com/mGHTCfuvoJ

— BvR89 (@Bren_v_R) August 27, 2022

I dont think this is why the Boks lost though. Boks always just seem a little off in Oz, almost disinterested. As I wrote elsewhere the Boks are not going to get the good end of this sort of call in Oz, especially from a Kiwi or Aussie ref, I mean we all know about the mails btw. Australsians and getting the Japies.

In general though, NZ, Aus and the British Teams, basically the anglophone countries have a distinct advantage when personal biases come into things and it’s a 50:50 call.

In my view that’s where the Saffer persecution complex comes in, but it’s fine, non one though we would win in 2019 either, I csn live with that if we can get a 4th WWE badge in France.

Look, I don’t think this weekends outcome was all about the officials.
What I will say is of I was an international referee I think it is easier to give the short end of the stick to France – Caus they don’t speak English, Argentina cause they are a HISTORICAL minnow and the Springboks caus we are the bad guys.
Australia, New Zealand and the 4 British teams generally will have the balance of 50 50 calls.
I don’t know if I would say it’s intentional, I think it ia more a human nature thing, unconcious bias if you will.
But I didn’t come here to fight, just saying 😂

Watch more rugby then you’ll get it

Like I said, if you convert the conversion opportunity in the same way you need to convert a penalty opportunity it makes 42% – Do you know what a conversion is?

So Geoff, things half worked. Hoping the Boks are gonna be better in week 2 in Oz, but I don’t know cause we are always horrible in Australia, I would take a draw at this point.

As for the All Blacks – You know if Argentina win next week, technically 2 teams will have won series in New Zealand in a year after only 1 team could in the last 120 years. (Another Fozzie 1st. )

Is the All Black coach really just gonna keep saying how good everyone else is. How long before Schmidt and Cheika turn on eachother? One of the things Schmidt never worked out is how to beat Argentina.

Man its gonna get interesting if the Pumas win next week again. Before the start of this year only 1 team had won a series in New Zealand in 119 years, Argentina might be the 2nd in a year – Talk about a Fozzie 1st.

It’s not a great idea to let employees choose their manager. They can have a vote, but to let them decide. Did Savea and Friends come to the Press Conference this week.

The Springboks need some backline ingenuity, it’s bothered me for a long time that English win in Oz and we can’t. Especially because whilst we don’t have a stellar record we win more than we lose against the Poms even at Twickenham, even though we lost the last 2 games, I am sure I am correct over the last decade. I think thìs is the difference – that’s my coaches corner question, why are the Boks so bad against Australia.

Penalties are 40% of tries, you just need to kick the ball through the poles like surprise surprise, the team that gets a penalty needs to.

Surely you gonna tell us how that story ends 😂

As for this week, I must say I agree with some other posters that there are other jobs, that pay less money and don’t involve public oversight. I also genuinely think Robertson is better – to put things in perspective I think Foster would give us Blackadder like Crusaders as opposed to Deans or Robertson like.

Finally I will admit to supporting the Pumas this week.
1) I think the Boks can win the rugby championship
2) And yes I am embarrassed to say, the thought of the The Roar if the All Blacks lose, by say 10 points, 😁 , I was a quarter to subscribing to the Herald before last week. – I think I am one of the problems with the internet age 😂

Think you mean non-seffrican rugby fans 😁

So Nick does that mean France by 10 – 15 points in November?

You said Foster will be okay for a few games, does this mean you don’t give the Argentines much of a chance in New Zealand.

Surely if the Aussie take a Bledisloe test the heat will be on.

Finally, what do you say to the viewpoint that there are a lot of old All Blacks is 2023 not a tournament to far for Smith, Whitelock, Retallick and Cane(I know he is not that old in years, but his body is.)

Man, this is like the most invested I have been in the All Blacks in years.

On the Springbok side, I wish we could move on from Duane, What I wouldn’t give for up and coming Teichman or Big Joe.

Interested to see how the Springboks go in November, personally I think Ireland will be a struggle but France is winnable. People focus a lot on size when it comes to the Springboks, but the Springboks have not been the biggest team or pack for years now. England where bigger in 2019, The Lions Packs were bigger and the Welsh are also there and there about.

Personally I think Foster got lucky this weekend, 15 points is just a little to much against the All Blacks, they are always liable to hit you in the break and with both the 50:50 calls going the All Black way, yes they were better, but new dawn, I dont know if I am sold.

In my view this is all a plaster job and plaster jobs tend to split at the seams eventually.

Panelbeat your coaching team, to many old players, I think Argentina might win in Christchurch and the Wallabies will fancy their chances against this All Black team.

Goes without saying that I think Scott Robertson on a 6 year deal to 2027 would have been a better choice, would also have allowed him to gain experience.

I’m not a New Zealander but, I have read a number of interesting comments about this South Islander North Islander politics – I know, interesting observation coming from a Saffer.

If next saturday is 20th, given it is Wednesday, when is this Saturday?

Watched all the Ireland tests, all the English tests and been to 5 Springbok Tests this year.
Just saying

Sorry, Mark Robinson. He is the only voting fomer All Black.

There was an article on stuff where they mentioned the people who had a vote today. 9 people and Cooper is not one of them.

Look I’m sorry if the next comment is intepreted as sexist but I am talking about super rugby and mens rugby.