I’m looking forward to the 3N tests, it’s gonna be mud ‘n blood ‘n guts and hopefully glory.

Even Oz are going to be a whole lotta fun with Deans at the reins.

A mouth watering prospect . .

Who said the AB’s were so brilliant…I didn’t
But you can bask in the RWC Glory until such time as you play further tests this season, when hopefully all the contestants come in on an even keel again,

Patrick.

I’m not getting carried away with the WC win, but the fact is, we won.

Actually they beat the boks 2-0 in the 2007 3N, didn’t they?

Then that begs the question, if they were so friggin brilliant, why didn’t they beat France in the QF, and the “slomo poms” beat France?

Sheridan has never been a problem for the AB’s front row…..he has always come off second best, in fact on a couple of occasions he’s been replaced, because he couldn’t cut the mustard against the AB’s from rowers.

The rush defense was Jake’s masterstroke and all NZers will remember the first time we encountered it. It was at Newlands and the Boks got 13 points up in 13 minutes, due entirely to the rush defence. NZ is excellent at playing rugby in the normal style….all it needs to beat NZ is to introduce something they’ve never seen before, and in come the CHOKES !

I don’t think you should get carried away with your RWC win……you didn’t play NZ, and they beat you 2 out of 3 in the Tri-Nations, even though they were only half-fit, and did not have enough matchplay up their sleeves. You’ve got a big shock coming if you think you’re got the AB’s measure on the basis of beating the slomo Poms,

Patrick.

Since when has a rolling maul been described as a set piece. The rolling maul has never been more than just a ground winner. One side puts the ball in, and it is impossible to get at the ball, so it becomes a permanent fixture at the back of the maul, until such time as the maul collapses, or is dropped in some other way, or occasionally a try is scored from it.

I’m quite sure there will be more thought given to negate the rolling maul, so look forward to a change in a couple of years time. I understand the forwards enjoy the rolling maul even though not many tries have been scored from them,

There was a new rule suggested to allow the maul to be collapsed, thus making it an even contest, but when the chips got down it was decided that collapsing was too dangerous, and we’re back with the rolling maul, just the same as it was last year.

Patrick.

You’re a bit confused on scrum dominance. By dominance I mean one scrum dominating the other, not both sides scrummaging all afternoon whilst the backs look on. If there has been any scrum dominance in the last 3 years it has to be the AB’s. Their from row cleaned out everything put in front of it.

Set scrum results are determined 99.9% of the time by the team putting the ball in. Loose ball dominance has been NZ’s for about 5 years simply because they have been fitter than other teams, amd they have been more mobile this gaining dominance at breakdowns. I repeat, there is no set-piece scrum dominance anymore because the contest is always decided by who has the ball to put in…..very occasionally a mistake is made which has allowed the odd scrum to backfire.

Patrick.

NO, anyone but him.

Both the Sharks and Bulls packs were very strong in the rolling maul area in last year’s S14, and the Boks rush defence has been a thorn in the side of most teams under Jake, do you dispute this?

#117, You obviously didn’t watch the WC semi between OZ and England (were you still in mourning after the quarter finals?), do you think that there might have been a slight amount of scrum dominance in that game? Just asking . . .

#119 Add Sheridan to that list, he was pretty destructive in the WC.

Patrick, did you watch Heinkie vd Merwe? Woodcock? Hayman? last year?

No Scrum dominence?..yeah, I do know where you are coming come, But that statement does not hold water.

would be interesting to see how strong the kiwi scrums are this year without Hayman there.

Forward dominance now has been transferred to control at the breakdown stage, and the team that gets the most players to the breakdown first, invariably gets the loose ball…..again this is partly stifled because the Reffs still players allow players flopping over, thus killing the loose ball,

Patrick.

“But that’s why they brought us here and why they pay us the money they do. We are signed to do our job and if we don’t, they should send us home.”

- PAUL TITO, ex Taranki lock.

You’re a bit up yourself if you think the new rules were devised to counter-act the SA game. How long has it been since the SA game dominated rugby…….this RWC blip aside…..one helluva long time. You keep on about your Bok pack, but the AB’s in recent years have done yours like a dinner, but your lineout has been a power of strength. The new rules are designed to improve rugby for the spectaors and are nothing at all designed to curb any perceived SA strength in the game,

Patrick.

Rucking is still allowed….but most modern day players have no idea what rucking is because they have it totally confuse with stomping. To ruck a rugby ball means you have to have your body in front of the ball, not on top of it. Rucking is a backwards movement, not an up and down movement.

And hands are not allowed in the ruck, that particular law was left out. The breakdown rule will not change from last year because the reffs continue to allow players to flop over the ball on the ground, just as they allow the ball to be placed under the hookers feet, or behing them if possible. The Reffs are still the greatest blight on our game.

Patrick.

Rucks/mauls and lineouts don’t change though.

Dan loop ek maar weer!!!