The 2018 Rugby Championship

troyzer

Tigerandahalf wrote: »

Things don't look great for rugby in the SH. Viewership and attendances won't be helped by another uncompetitive championship. There could be a serious loss of talent after the 2019 WC especially with the uncertainty of how the competition will be run. Is it 2020 that the Super deal is up for renewal with the various unions?

Yeah, end of the 2019 season. It's going to be a ****show of as you say, end of the current Super Rugby deal and everything that comes with the reset of a world cup cycle.

Mookie Blaylock

Have only just seen the haka that Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi's family performed for him after the game Saturday... yep... emotional stuff alright

Mookie Blaylock

Mookie Blaylock wrote: »

Have only just seen the haka that Te Toiroa Tahuriorangi's family performed for him after the game Saturday... yep... emotional stuff alright

Out of interest, is this considered cultural or religious ?

Yeah_Right

Deleted User wrote: »

Out of interest, is this considered cultural or religious ?

Cultural I'd say.

Argentina looked good against the All Blacks in parts last weekend. I don't think the AB's were anywhere near 100% but Argentina still opened them up nicely a few times.

I could see Argentina giving Australia a tough time of it. Pocock is back so that will make a significant difference to the Wallabies but it could be a tight enough affair. Probably the game of the weekend as far as the Championship is concerned.

I don't see what South Africa have to offer that will trouble the All Blacks. They are a very one dimensional team and whilst I think Rassie is a better player manager and they are playing a more structures style of rugby than under Coetzee, they still look fairly toothless with no real invention. They're decision making on the field is also poor (not unlike England) and they can't hold their shape through multiple phases.

The try they gave away last weekend from their own 5m lineout is as bad as you will see at International level. I wouldn't even call it schoolboy level, it was just deeply incompetent. Most of their scores came from the set piece, line-out maul or scrum penalty. After a few pick and goes the one dynamic player in their back line (de Clerk) produced a lovely piece of skill to put their winger into space at the corner but other than that they showed nothing. Working hard in defence is great and it's a start for Rassie but they need to develop an attacking game at some stage that isn't completely reliant on them having a turnover of possession in or around the opposition 22. They only looked like scoring against Australia when Australia made a mistake deep enough in their own half that South Africa could capitalise.

Going to go with both home teams winning, if there is an away win it will be Argentina. I only hope that the All Blacks don't humiliate the Boks, the tournament is not in a healthy place right now and needs the top teams to be at least somewhat competitive.

Jump_In_Jack

Deleted User wrote: »

Argentina looked good against the All Blacks in parts last weekend. I don't think the AB's were anywhere near 100% but Argentina still opened them up nicely a few times.

I could see Argentina giving Australia a tough time of it. Pocock is back so that will make a significant difference to the Wallabies but it could be a tight enough affair. Probably the game of the weekend as far as the Championship is concerned.

I don't see what South Africa have to offer that will trouble the All Blacks. They are a very one dimensional team and whilst I think Rassie is a better player manager and they are playing a more structures style of rugby than under Coetzee, they still look fairly toothless with no real invention. They're decision making on the field is also poor (not unlike England) and they can't hold their shape through multiple phases.

The try they gave away last weekend from their own 5m lineout is as bad as you will see at International level. I wouldn't even call it schoolboy level, it was just deeply incompetent. Most of their scores came from the set piece, line-out maul or scrum penalty. After a few pick and goes the one dynamic player in their back line (de Clerk) produced a lovely piece of skill to put their winger into space at the corner but other than that they showed nothing. Working hard in defence is great and it's a start for Rassie but they need to develop an attacking game at some stage that isn't completely reliant on them having a turnover of possession in or around the opposition 22. They only looked like scoring against Australia when Australia made a mistake deep enough in their own half that South Africa could capitalise.

Going to go with both home teams winning, if there is an away win it will be Argentina. I only hope that the All Blacks don't humiliate the Boks, the tournament is not in a healthy place right now and needs the top teams to be at least somewhat competitive.

Totally agree with this,
I only watched the Aus v NZ matches so far, but it struck me that Aus were never in those matches, and then hearing that SA and Arg were very poor in their exchanges, neither side really challenging each other away from home, and then the latest matches, NZ apparently having a bad day and still beat Arg by 22 points.
The Aus V SA match must have been better as the scoreline suggests it was a tight match, but I haven't heard anything about it in terms of quality.

Is it possible that the Rugby Championship could end if NZ continue to bulldoze the other teams?

Squidgy Black

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

Totally agree with this,
I only watched the Aus v NZ matches so far, but it struck me that Aus were never in those matches, and then hearing that SA and Arg were very poor in their exchanges, neither side really challenging each other away from home, and then the latest matches, NZ apparently having a bad day and still beat Arg by 22 points.
The Aus V SA match must have been better as the scoreline suggests it was a tight match, but I haven't heard anything about it in terms of quality.

Is it possible that the Rugby Championship could end if NZ continue to bulldoze the other teams?

The Australia v SA game was possibly one of the worst displays of international rugby I've ever seen.

Neither team looked like they knew how to hold onto the ball.

Jump_In_Jack

Jump_In_Jack wrote: »

Totally agree with this,
I only watched the Aus v NZ matches so far, but it struck me that Aus were never in those matches, and then hearing that SA and Arg were very poor in their exchanges, neither side really challenging each other away from home, and then the latest matches, NZ apparently having a bad day and still beat Arg by 22 points.
The Aus V SA match must have been better as the scoreline suggests it was a tight match, but I haven't heard anything about it in terms of quality.

Is it possible that the Rugby Championship could end if NZ continue to bulldoze the other teams?

The only performance worth talking about from last week was Argentina. They were inventive and took their chances, made a game of it but the All Blacks did the same in the second half and were too clinical on counter attack ball.

The tournament isn't going away, attendance and interest is clearly taking a big hit though.

Squidgy Black wrote: »

The Australia v SA game was possibly one of the worst displays of international rugby I've ever seen.

Neither team looked like they knew how to hold onto the ball.

Australia weren't as bad as all that. They were comprehensively second best at the breakdown but they were at least trying to play rugby. They couldn't hold onto the ball because South Africa were able to kill it or slow it after a few phases. It was a perfect game for Pocock but he was injured and it says a lot that Australia won despite giving away plenty of turnovers. South Africa kept spilling the ball in possession which evened things out but they did so at times under little pressure.

South Africa were physical and contested the breakdown well. Their set piece was solid bar one absolutely startling fluff on their 5m. Other than that they offered absolutely nothing, they look like they don't have a backs coach. Do they have a backs coach?

Clegg

Michael Hooper has pulled out of Australia's game with Argentina due to injury. Pocock moves to 7 and takes over the captaincy. Probably a good thing overall for Oz. Hooper is one of the bets players in the world but has been only half fit throughout the RC. HAsn't been anywhere near his best.

Updated team:

Scott Sio (48 Tests)

Tatafu Polota-Nau (85 Tests)

Allan Alaalatoa (26 Tests)

Rory Arnold (16 Tests)

Izack Rodda (10 Tests)

Lukhan Tui (10 Tests)

David Pocock (c) (72 Tests)

Pete Samu (6 Tests)

Will Genia (93 Tests)

Kurtley Beale (77 Tests)

Marika Koroibete (14 Tests)

Matt Toomua (36 Tests)

Reece Hodge (30 Tests)

Israel Folau (66 Tests)

Dane Haylett-Petty (24 Tests)

RugbyLover123

Must be the first Oz game in years Hooper has missed iirc. Went off in 3rd test against Ireland in the summer but other then that always been there. Incredible injury record for someone so abrasive.

They've really been working on their choreography, that was the most uniform Haka I've seen yet.

Oh god. Hope that's not a sign of things to come.

[Deleted User]

[Deleted User] wrote: »

They've really been working on their choreography, that was the most uniform Haka I've seen yet.

I heard the haka is all they bothered doing in training this week. Should be fresh for this one.

Synode

Good few handling errors so far. God I can't wait for the match in November

Synode

Class from Ben Smith after a beautiful pass from Taylor

Clinical. Although you can see SA are focusing on defence, you still get the feeling they're susceptible to a line break.

sydthebeat

Ben smith... Nuff said

Two forward passes in that SA try. Nicely taken though.

Synode

Game on

Those two springbok fans couldn't give a fcuk

Clegg

That's an incredible feck up from New Zealand.

Haha. Comical.

SuprSi

Wow, that's a very rare sight

Synode

Wow. Barrett with a Fardy

Deleted User

Deleted User wrote: »

Those two springbok fans couldn't give a fcuk

That one seemed pretty happy!

Synode

Looked like NZ knocked on in the tackle then blatantly holding on in the ruck

How did touch judge miss that spill.

Did it even go forward? Was there even a tackle once the loose ball was won?

prawnsambo

Beauden Barrett needs lessons from Ross Byrne.

SA getting some crazy luck. Can't see it lasting.