Playing 7 Tests (including one in Japan) is easier than 3 for Springboks (plus 2 midweek games where, I guess, just a few Boks featured).

Flying across the globe (and playing, by the way) is easier than flying in the same timezone after nice time at home.

Speaking about 3N, I have never seen Boks playing away at the other side of the globe the very next week after the home Test. ABs did just that in Bloem this year.

Moreover, before this years 3N, ABs have beaten Boks at their own backyard almost twice as much than lost. 9 to 5. It certainly affects the rankings, when Boks clearly have been weaker than ABs for years. And (bar some few exceptions) Boks have usually played in November tours in Europe much worse than the ABs. It, too, does affect the rankings.

You have valid point about S14, I agree, 4 or even 5 game tour is a huge ask for any SA team and it puts them in disadvantage. Frankly, I do not see how it can be otherwise in round-robin system (surely, no SA team would like to travel across the ocean to Aus/NZ 2 times to make each trip shorter) when Aus/NZ are fairly close to each other while SA is far away.

Hovewer – bar this (and 2007) season for the Bulls and fairly long winning streak at home for the Sharks – SA teams consistently have been poor even at home. Now where Kiwis have the enjoyed some advantage, when beating SA teams at their own turf for years?

Yeah mr poppavitch, first you flee eastern europe then nz. Why is that? No one like you?

cant you just accept you had a purple patch this year, and we didnt? We came right and you didnt. Its sport for gods sake

They can only truly enjoy that rating when the playing fields are close to level, which they are not at present, a fact expressed and confirmed earlier this year by Mils Muliana, the AB captain.

It is incumbent upon SARU, South African journalists and Springbok supporters to always keep this fact in mind and express it in public. Otherwise we stand the risk of demeaning our players and our results.

We need to make it a priority to even the playing fields.

1) BIL games do not count, as BIL aren’t ranked team.

2) Before this year’s 3N Boks were HUGELY laggind behing the ABs in the rankings – by more than 3 points. Thanks to 3-0 win and NZ loss to France, Boks leapfroged them and became no1, despite own loss to Australia.

Since then Boks have played 3, lost 2 (both to lower ranked teams), while NZ have played 6 (last 3N Test vs Australia, Tokyo Test vs Australia plus 4 European Tests all away from home), won all 6.

That’s how.

So why you working as a security guard in OZ then? Greener pastures? Or did you start getting scared in South Auckland?

Old timers should be upgraded regularly else we going to be trading on age old shares pretty soon. We got to get fresh blood into the system or we going to stew in our ancient juices. De Villiers better bust some gut this next year and ring some long overdue changes and start calling the shots himself.

Smit & co. must just be players, not player coaches, if their influence is extending beyond the on field management and into board rooms and change rooms to the extent where no decisions are taken without his veto able acceptance then its getting to a tail wagging the dog syndrome and can hardly be healthy or profitable. It then means some players carry far too much clout for the overall value and evolutionary progress of the team.

tell me also, is it 4 losses to Scotland your team has had ? bwahahaha seriously, another team that has never recorded a victory against us… you must love being the best for 3 month or 5 week stints, a record to be proud of for sure…

Go play in the traffic dingbat

Bugger…you taken the wind out of my sails.

I was hoping for some banter!!

The wallabies have some way to go as one swallow does not make a summer although the youngsters are showing promise.

Aus is a small rugby nation…smaller than Scotland, Wales but we are over achievers.

You see we use brain and not brawn. SA cannot go past brawn and it most times brawn loses out.
Its coming fast and de villiers knows it but he has woken up too late.

done nothing to facilitate the moving out of old players.

yet most kiwis I know said at the time that SA were deserved winners, not too many SA’s said that over the preceding years did they??

You always got to catch France on a bad hair day then they easy picking’s, catch them on a good hair day or when they bristling with Gallic c.cksure anxiety and you in for a tough day at the office with a few sore or broken ribs and noses to be writing home about.

I’m not so sure about Boks on the way down. Never write them off, but I agree your boys are on the up, in fact I reckon they may take the next WC. I’ve said that before as well. Young side full of talent.

jeez, who rattled your cage Poppa? You on a tea break from the security rounds?

giving you lot a chance.

It irks many how no depth team over performs. Enjoy our lowly postion while it lasts because it aint going to last.

The bokke are moving down and the wallabies are on the way up.

Skop, I stick up for my boys. Patriotism, but not blind patriotism. They were c r a p at the end of the season and I would be the first to admit that, but I still feel they won when it counted this year.

and as for Ireland, still a country that hasnt beaten us, yet they showed you guys up didnt they… 4 losses against NH opposition, two of them club sides… keep believing your the best, what excuses you going to bring up now?? as Ive said before, we can add IRELAND to the “teams SA were lucky not to face in 07″, cause we all know you would have lost to them too.. as results indicate..

and is it 42-33 overall, that tells me whose the best… yuo must love living in denial.. idiot!!

Hey just giving advice.

many kiwis here and they love a banter…we love it and happy to return the favour.