Comments on: Matfield to prolong AB pain

By: Nils

Nils — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:41:11 +0000

@CenturionShark (aka LondonShark): 50 000 – that’s a size of normal NZ city.

By: Nils

Nils — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:39:09 +0000

@CenturionShark (aka LondonShark): They were. And, as you remember, the game was very close in the end.

I’m afraid, Big Vic is daydreaming here. 3N are long gone and since then “brilliant” Boks have gone down, while “average” (and in Durban plain pisspoor shocking!) ABs have gone up.

And since reportedly tired Matfield-led Boks were humbled at the very start by Frogs who then were massacred by presumably fresh as daisies ABs in the very last Test of much longer tour, it can be only one outcome:

this time Vic will taste a huge defeat, leading “All Stars”.

By: CenturionShark (aka LondonShark)

CenturionShark (aka LondonShark) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:26:11 +0000

@AiDoc: Please, we get 50 000 for a Currie Cup semi final. How many people were in attendance for the NPC semi's? I hate to say it but the crowds in NZL are shocking.

By: CenturionShark (aka LondonShark)

CenturionShark (aka LondonShark) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 22:23:34 +0000

@west: Injuries are part of the game mate. Besides, wasn't Carter and McCaw there in Hamilton?

By: Slumtown

Slumtown — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:25:48 +0000

And btw … dream on Matfield. You couldnt even beat Ireland or France and now you reckon you can take the AB´s?? Ja boet wake up and smell the coffee.

By: AiDoc

AiDoc — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:18:36 +0000

@bananas: The NZRFU gets a badly needed million pounds for this game. It is having a serious cash flow problem, exacerbated by preparations for the RWC. As the MIB is the only team in the world that can fill stadia, its a win win. Charity gets a slice too.

By: Slumtown

Slumtown — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 15:05:00 +0000

Personally I think we got seriously lucky in the tests against the Lions. It was shocking how we lost the leads we built up in the first half and at times we were simply just defending. The last test was stupid. How in gods name do you ever play a second string team against the Lions?? A clean sweep would have been nice Snor.

We played well in the Tri Nations but got lucky with Morne´s one man show as well as the final match where Frans Steyn did some ridiculous stuff from the 60m mark. We did the same we did against the Lions against Australia for our only loss of the Tri Nations.

These in my opinion were clear warning signs. We dont know how to commit at the breakdown, we are slow to support, we dont recycle fast enough, we dont look like we know what to do with the ball in the backline at times and we kick all our possession away endlessly. We are in trouble at the moment and the trouble is a result of not learning tricks of the trade that make NZ so successful. Are NZ better players than the Boks – no, are the bigger, fitter, faster? – no, Do they have stronger lineouts and scrums than the Boks? – no, do they kick better than the Boks – no… so its clear the difference lies in 2 things:
team spirit and a rabid desire to win
and 2 … playing together as a team, dominating rucks, tirelessly chasing the ball, charging straight over the top of opposition ball in formations of 3 or 4 and willing to run the ball straight with fast offloading.

Thats the difference and the part we seem incabable of adapting.

By: Nils

Nils — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 13:12:11 +0000

@Blouste: I see your reasoning.

I’d keep in mind that while result 0-3 looks indeed shocking as such, it does not seem so disasterous (ok, it’s bad, I agree, it cannot be good) if you keep in mind that this ABs team (while playing at times shockingly poor – see Durban) was beaten by a very good SA side and not by that much even then. You do not see any 3-53 or even 0-19 stuff.

And this, no doubt, bitter pill was slightly sweetened by 4 consecutive wins over Aussies.

So I would not call summer season disasterous. Just simply mor or less bad. Purely because at that time South Africa were much better than anybody else in the south.

By: west

west — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:10:01 +0000

@Blouste: bearing in mind you never played a full strength AB team , god they had Donald at flyhalf and centre. At present after seeing the limited gameplan of the boks and the Abs now with confidence in there backline i think they would rip the boks apart like previuos years before, just my point of view i am sure other wouldnt agree

By: Nanashi

Nanashi — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 12:05:32 +0000

Barbarians’ Team:
Drew Mitchell (Australia); Joe Rokocoko (New Zealand), Jaque Fourie (South Africa), Jamie Roberts (Wales), Bryan Habana (South Africa); Matt Giteau (Australia), Fourie du Preez (South Africa); Salvatore Perugini (Italy), Bismarck du Plessis (South Africa), W P Nel (Free State Cheetahs), Carlo del Fava (Italy), Victor Matfield, captain (South Africa), Rocky Elsom (Australia), Schalk Burger (South Africa), George Smith (Australia)
Replacements:
Stephen Moore (Australia), Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa), Quintin Geldenhuys (Italy), Andy Powell (Wales), Will Genia (Australia), Morne Steyn (South Africa), Leigh Halfpenny (Wales).

By: Blouste

Blouste — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:07:11 +0000

@nama1: Nama off the topic of this thread ,but I saw your reply onthe KP thread and just wanted to say…

I agree whole heartedly with the father of that boy and your sentiments.
This is exactly the point I was trying to make.
Things like this should never happen in sports and merit selections should always be the standard.
Doesn’t matter to wich side the knive cuts.
Unfortunatly someone like rossineri always have to play the racism card.

Sad realy after so may years …

By: Blouste

Blouste — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:03:01 +0000

@Nils:
Not the case at all, but help me if I’m wrong…

If we lose 3-0 to the All Blacks we see that as a disgrace, not because of your team being bad or anything, on the contorary….just because of our highly competitive nature.
I thought it to be the same in your country…

We always strive to be the best, even when aknowledging the other team were the better one its always a bitter pill to swallow…

By: Blouste

Blouste — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:53:31 +0000

@Transformation:
Must admit, did assume..
Never the less, my point still stands with regards to the Springbok, AB teams.

@rossoneri:
Your idioticness astounds me…
I have never stated anything that supports your statement.
You on the other hand seem to have some racistic undertones in your posts…
Get a life and move on from the past f@ck nut !!!

By: Blouste

Blouste — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:51:50 +0000

@Transformation: Must admit, did assume.. Never the less, my point still stands with regards to the Springbok, AB teams. @rossoneri: Your idioticness astounds me... I have never stated anything that supports your statement. You on the other hand seem to have some racistic undertones in your posts... Get a life and move on from the past fuck nut !!!

By: Nils

Nils — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:51:49 +0000

@Blouste: "anything but a disgrace"?!? Alright then, it's a disgrace to lose 3 times to South Africa, right? How lowly you rate your own team.

By: Nils

Nils — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 10:49:17 +0000

I do not see BaaBaas going even close to the ABs now.

In June/July, perhaps. Now ABs are clearly on their way up, slowly but surely.

ABs by a big plenty.

By: nama1

nama1 — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 09:00:25 +0000

Oppas Victor. Die AB’s het intussen geleer om Afrikaans te verstaan.

By: bananas

bananas — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:51:14 +0000

What is the point of this match ? Are they raising money for charity or is it the 10k match fee …

By: CarlHaymanWillBeBack

CarlHaymanWillBeBack — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:26:47 +0000

If Stephen donald plays we have a good chance of losing that guy is not an all black hope we dont play to many of our reserves or the barbarians may embarrass us after a decent end of year

By: iceman

iceman — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 08:15:12 +0000

The All Blacks will rout this team!

This is only a money game for the Boks.