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Tri Nations 2005

JASON

Cricketer Of The Year
Some one had to kick off this thread since it starts tonight. :happy:

Australia V South Africa - tonight. Wallabies plagued by off field controversies and in fighting (between Matt Henjack [much maligned] and Lotte Tuquiri) as well as other silly off field stuff.

But whenever in the past the Wallabies have had this sort of off-field stupidity going on , they tend to play better and come away victors. So I suspect this one is likely to be no different , although the current South African Team moulded by Jake White is pretty strong as they showed last week.

My prediction Wallabies over the Boks by under 10 points.

Prediction for Tri Nations overall - Likely to be a tight split between ABs and Wallabies.
I favour the Wallabies to lift the Tri Nations this year , with the ABs tired after the Lions Tests, but the ABs could pull it off too.

My prediction Wallabies to win the Tri Nations in a close contest over the ABs . Tonight Wallabies over Boks by under 10 .
 

Blaze

Banned
How would the All Blacks be tired?.. Australia have played more test matches this year than NZ has.

Boks to be too strong in Africa for AUS I would say.
 

shaka

International Regular
i would probably predict Boks just winning. Close match, Home advantage will be the difference. What Henjak and co did was idiotic indeed
 

Somerset

Cricketer Of The Year
I'm still predicting an Australian victory even after the events lately - should be a great tight match though.

Not sure what you mean by saying the All Blacks are tired - three test matches against a side that was disappointing followed by nearly a month's break gives them more than enough chance to keep on top of their fitness and perform to their best.
 

Smudge

Hall of Fame Member
Blaze said:
How would the All Blacks be tired?.. Australia have played more test matches this year than NZ has.

Boks to be too strong in Africa for AUS I would say.
Exactly - JASON often comes up with some very strange comments when it comes to rugby.

We played a Lions side that wasn't really as tough as we thought - and the series will be a month in the past by the time we get round to our first match. How can we be tired.

I agree that the Boks should be the favourites tonight - the Wallabies' build-up has been very unsettled.
 

Craig

World Traveller
Interesting comment by Dave Wilson (former Aussie flanker) that he said there was an inch between Richie McCaw and George Smith. Would like to see what some of the Kiwis here think about this (and in particular Voltman).
 

Smudge

Hall of Fame Member
Craig said:
Interesting comment by Dave Wilson (former Aussie flanker) that he said there was an inch between Richie McCaw and George Smith. Would like to see what some of the Kiwis here think about this (and in particular Voltman).
You think I'm an expert or something? I was always a wussy first-five/fullback. :p

I think Smith and McCaw are very similar players in many aspects - both are fearless and very close to the law when foraging at the tackle, both tend to take a few tags on the back after ending up on the wrong side.

However, I think McCaw is a more consistent tackler - Smith may be more likely to make a big hit, but McCaw will string together 4 tackles in a minute.

Ball skills are fairly even, although Smith seems to have perfected the wee chip through. McCaw seems to have taken on a rather arduous ball-running role in the ABs, but to his credit he makes a lot of yards.

Support-wise and cleaning up loose ball, I'd put McCaw in front as well.

Overall, I think McCaw is more consistent, and would have him in front of Smith any day of the week.
 

Blaze

Banned
Voltman said:
Exactly - JASON often comes up with some very strange comments when it comes to rugby.
.

One of his classics was that he thought that Umaga and Mealamu shouldn't have been playing in the second test at Wellington because he thought the ref would send them off any chance he could after the Brian O'Driscall incident.

He also predicted radical changes for the third test and called for half the junior all blacks team to be selected.
 

BoyBrumby

Englishman
I'm desperately hoping for an AB whitewash or it's going to make NH Rugby look even more ar$e than we already do. 8-)

Actually I think the ABs will win 3, but may come unstuck against SA on the High Veldt.

SA to beat Oz today cos they always seem to at home & Oz to avoid the wooden spoon by returning the favour at home.

EDIT: Of course I mean Oz to avoid a whitewash...... I was drinking last night....
 
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Blaze

Banned
McCaw and Smith are fairly even IMO but McCaw is more of a leader and is a little bit smarter IMO. He means more to NZ than Smith does to AUS.
 

Burpey

Cricketer Of The Year
The Boks will win tonight for the reason that i can't see Aus winning. NZ to win the tournament. They taught the Lions a footballing lesson and should carry their form into the Tri-Nations. Jason, I don't think they could be tired after thrashing the Lions and having a few weeks rest since
 

_Ed_

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South Africa 22
Australia 16

Great game, will be a really exciting Tri Nations this year if this first match is any indication. The two sides look very evenly matched, it will be interesting to see how the All Blacks fare against the Springboks next weekend.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
SA showed little other than the advantage of home ground support and the fact that they are still the undisputed champion of the cheap shot (Berger is a great player but played the man rather than the ball from the moment he came on).

Aus would feel that they should have beaten a very ordinary Springbok side but made errors at crucial times and should have kept the ball in hand more (cant understand why they took off Sailor, he was by far the most dangerous player on either side).

As we saw in the Lions tests, lineouts make a huge difference.

Pretorius MOM - give me a break. Forwards gave him time and he simply kicked the ball into the stands and was a weak link in defence.
 

KennyD

International Vice-Captain
social said:
Aus would feel that they should have beaten a very ordinary Springbok side but made errors at crucial times and should have kept the ball in hand more (cant understand why they took off Sailor, he was by far the most dangerous player on either side).

Pretorius MOM - give me a break. Forwards gave him time and he simply kicked the ball into the stands and was a weak link in defence.
Word out brudda!

Sailor was looking great, he needed more ball.
 

JASON

Cricketer Of The Year
Blaze said:
One of his classics was that he thought that Umaga and Mealamu shouldn't have been playing in the second test at Wellington because he thought the ref would send them off any chance he could after the Brian O'Driscall incident.

He also predicted radical changes for the third test and called for half the junior all blacks team to be selected.
That's Jason for you !! :D :D
 

JASON

Cricketer Of The Year
burkey_1988 said:
The Boks will win tonight for the reason that i can't see Aus winning. NZ to win the tournament. They taught the Lions a footballing lesson and should carry their form into the Tri-Nations. Jason, I don't think they could be tired after thrashing the Lions and having a few weeks rest since
Jason as usual predicts wrong !! :( :( :confused: :down: :down: :crybaby: :surrender
 

JASON

Cricketer Of The Year
Having watched the game, I have to say Paul Honiss did help the Boks particularly in the second half. The Paulse try came about after , Honiss wrongly penalised George Gregan for not releasing the ball close to the Boks line when it was clear as daylight for all to see the Boks jumping over the ball and killing it and preventing the ball to be released.

This after Gregan had won a turnover in a ruck and was about to make a pass when Boks skipper came challenging and killed the ball along with others !!

That should have been a Wallaby penalty then and there but Honiss chose to penalise George Gregan and instead award the penalty to the Boks.

I am sure Eddie Jones must have made a note of this !!
 

JASON

Cricketer Of The Year
_Ed_ said:
South Africa 22
Australia 16

Great game, will be a really exciting Tri Nations this year if this first match is any indication. The two sides look very evenly matched, it will be interesting to see how the All Blacks fare against the Springboks next weekend.
After last night I have changed my mind. I think the ABs will make a clean sweep !!

This will also pacify Sir Clive who can then regain some respectability (and restitution) by citing the whitewash of Aus and SA by the ABs. :laugh: :laugh:
 

shaka

International Regular
Good win SA, I did not think they could come back after a last minute 1st half try by the Aussies.
 

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