Official Rugby Thread

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by ripper868

Throwing the avatar out there for the weekend.

Southern hemisphere vs Northern hemisphere - I'll say Southern to take a 3-0 clean sweep...if it doesn't happen you get my avatar, if it does i get yours...one week

I'll be in that; fancy the Micks to turn the yarps over as it goes.

[ripper868]

And boosted by the return of BOD as well. Should be a good game.

Looking forward to see how the Welsh and English go against the running styles of the Wobblies and AB's.

Wondering if the tactics from England will be to knock on at every opportunity to force a scrum.

[ripper868]

I just noticed Dagg has signed with the Crusaders for next year and beyond (yes I'm a couple months late i know)...**** me the All Bla...sorry crusaders will be a massive force next year.

[social]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

I'll be in that; fancy the Micks to turn the yarps over as it goes.

Saffies will belt them - theyre better at the boring stuff and will bash the NH sides every day of the week and twice on Sundays

Only risk are the Wallabies who are likely to revert to type

[BoyBrumby]

Originally Posted by social

Saffies will belt them - theyre better at the boring stuff and will bash the NH sides every day of the week and twice on Sundays

Aside from Ireland having won their last three meetings and the Boks having no Burger, absolutely.

[Marcuss]

[Samuel_Vimes]

Yeah, can't see SA winning in Dublin. Empty seats may help them though.

That said, Brussow out means a lot more than Schalk 'see-how-quickly-I-can-get-sent-off' Burger.

[ripper868]

Potgieter a handy replacement though, wouldn't go writing the Bokke off just yet....secretly hoping the Irish do beat them though, my second favourite team are the Irish

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by ripper868

Potgieter a handy replacement though, wouldn't go writing the Bokke off just yet....secretly hoping the Irish do beat them though, my second favourite team are the Irish

Not in the squad. Deon Stegmann will debut.

And the Bok's got no fit centres left in the Republic (Fourie, Wynard and JdJ all out), so fullback Zane Kirchner will play 13 and Pat Lambie will play 12 if JdV is ruled out. Adi Jacobs is on the bench for the Boks that despite playing about 20 minutes in all of the Sharks Currie Cup campaign. Frans Steyn could easily fit in at centre but he can't join up with the squad until after the Irish game.

If it wasn't for the Boks back row, I would seriously lump on the Micks.

[ripper868]

Ahh...jokes on me for not looking at the squad...What bout Aplon, Van de heever?

[TT Boy]

Originally Posted by ripper868

Ahh...jokes on me for not looking at the squad...What bout Aplon, Van de heever?

Aplon is at 15 for the Ireland game. Van de Heever not in the squad. Bjorn Basson who will play for the Bulls in Super 15 next year and was the leading try-scorer in the Currie Cup will start on the wing against Ireland.

Bok squad:

Forwards: Willem Alberts, Bakkies Botha, Keegan Daniel, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Alistair Hargreaves, Ryan Kankowski, Victor Matfield, Tendai Mtawarira, Coenie Oosthuizen, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Juan Smith, Pierre Spies, Deon Stegmann, Adriaan Strauss, CJ van der Linde, Flip van der Merwe.

Backs: Gio Aplon, Bjorn Basson, Jean de Villiers, Francois Hougaard, Bryan Habana, Adrian Jacobs, Elton Jantjies, Zane Kirchner, Patrick Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, Frans Steyn, Morne Steyn.

[Somerset]

Originally Posted by ripper868

I just noticed Dagg has signed with the Crusaders for next year and beyond (yes I'm a couple months late i know)...**** me the All Bla...sorry crusaders will be a massive force next year.

I did a quick outline of the Crusaders first choice XV (IMO): B.Franks, Flynn, O.Franks, Thorn, S.Whitelock, G.Whitelock, McCaw, Read, Ellis, Carter, Guildford, SBW, Fruean, Maitland, Dagg. Essentially the only non ABs will be Fruean (who was unlucky to miss out on selection for the end of year tour anyway) and Sean Maitland (a very promising player in his own right). I'm not sure how the Bulls are shaping up but I wouldn't mind placing an early bet that the Crusaders and Bulls will be the two powerhouses in 2011.

[ripper868]

Nearly regretting my decision to back the Boks looking at that squad.

On the Crusaders...surely there is some sort of rule about stacking one team full of AB's in a world cup year...they are effectively goin gto have about 24 games together to get it right for the cup...Then again, the Reds have all the wallabies that will be playing at the WC anyway so it's all swings and roundabouts

Would love to see how much money is behind that Crusaders team, must have some seriously deep pockets/friends in high places to bring that bunch together.

Crusaders/Reds Final IMO

[Somerset]

Originally Posted by ripper868

Nearly regretting my decision to back the Boks looking at that squad.

On the Crusaders...surely there is some sort of rule about stacking one team full of AB's in a world cup year...they are effectively goin gto have about 24 games together to get it right for the cup...Then again, the Reds have all the wallabies that will be playing at the WC anyway so it's all swings and roundabouts

Would love to see how much money is behind that Crusaders team, must have some seriously deep pockets/friends in high places to bring that bunch together.

Crusaders/Reds Final IMO

You might find it interesting to know that in 2002 15 of the All Blacks in the end of year tour squad were from the Crusaders; this year its only nine, so its certainly not unusual for the Crusaders to be dominated by All Blacks. I will comment that I'm not a big fan of the likes of Guildford and Dagg signing for them, given they're both Hawkes Bay players and yet playing in a completely different area of the country for their Super Rugby. I guess that stems from feeling a bit sorry for a player like Colin Slade who plays for Canterbury in the ITM Cup and would otherwise have appeared for the Crusaders, but effectively had to sign with another franchise (the Highlanders) to get any real gametime next year.

[ripper868]

Yeah there is no doubt the saders are the NZ 'flagship' i suppose, was more just shocked that Dagg had signed for them, makes an already incredible team that much better. Especially given Dagg was a player the Highlanders could have built a team around (as well as Cowan and now Slade)