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Semi Finals

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
IMO that was an artificially close game. Did the Springboks even spend a single minute inside the ABs 22 in the whole game? They got a few long range penalties but never looked like scoring a try.

The ABs dominated every aspect of play.
Except for the breakdown and the scrum, which is why NZ got smashed in the penalties count.

Anyway, well done NZ, definitely deserved the win, and can't see anyone stopping them now.
 

aussie

Hall of Fame Member
One day I'm a take rugby serious outside of world cups, since W-Cup 2003 - I just watch simply to admire NZ, clearly one the great sporting sides.
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
Except for the breakdown and the scrum, which is why NZ got smashed in the penalties count.

Anyway, well done NZ, definitely deserved the win, and can't see anyone stopping them now.
They didn't get smashed in the breakdown. There were a few turnovers, sure, but that's inevitable when you have 70% possession. The penalties were mostly random.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
They didn't get smashed in the breakdown. There were a few turnovers, sure, but that's inevitable when you have 70% possession. The penalties were mostly random.
I didn't say they did, but NZ hardly dominated either, and SA definitely had the better of it in the first half.
 

hendrix

Hall of Fame Member
I didn't say they did, but NZ hardly dominated either, and SA definitely had the better of it in the first half.
They're a big team. They'll win some rucks.they did absolutely nothing else except defend pretty well, and even then they conceded 2 tries.
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
Kaino deserved that yellow despite Marshall's defence of him. Make more of an effort not to impede play from an flagrantly off side position. If a saffer did that I absolutely would have wanted yellow.
In the end it was the best thing that could have happened to us as we started playing more disciplined rugby when we had 14 men.

Nerve racking game. Hendrix and myself nearly had to eat humble pie despite H's comments that the ABs were the better team.

I actually think the saffers defended that darn well that they deserved to be in the running for the game. They also understood the rules of the game better than we did. Kieran Read in particular was bewildered when he was pinged multiple times for illegal defence against a rolling maul.

We need to be smarter.

Still our composure was incredible and years' of planning game scenarios for a match like this paid off:

e.g, - the drop kick
e.g, - the tactical grubber kicks when all else was failing to breach the defensive line.

We thought on our feet in the game and came up trumps. We lost 20-18 in 2007, this time we won by the same scoreline.

I didn't chew nails but did have a tense stomach throughout as that match could have gone either way.
 

ohnoitsyou

International Regular
not really, considering they've lost to Japan, Argentina, the Wallabies...frankly just about everyone within the last couple of years. SA just aren't that good at the moment. Could still beat us of course, but I think they would have lost against a lot of other teams this world cup. Their lineout is their only real strength right now. If the ABs win their own ball in lineouts and scrums I can't see SA doing anything.
What a call
 

ohnoitsyou

International Regular
Considering how we dominated both possession and territory its a testament to the strength of the South African defense that we resorted to kicking as often as we did, much to the dismay of the crowd i was with. The boo's whenever Ben Smith kicked followed by the cheers when he recovered it would have made Rattue proud.
 

wellAlbidarned

International Coach
Considering how we dominated both possession and territory its a testament to the strength of the South African defense that we resorted to kicking as often as we did, much to the dismay of the crowd i was with. The boo's whenever Ben Smith kicked followed by the cheers when he recovered it would have made Rattue proud.
Yeah I had the same. Kicking doesn't always work but surely it's better than ramming into their defence over and over.
 

social

Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
Ridiculous to think that the Boks could've won if not for an amateur hour mistake by JP Pietersen as they offered literally nothing in attack
 

Hurricane

Hall of Fame Member
someone just pointed out that the do over and two points DC got us when habana charged early was the winning margin.
 

ohnoitsyou

International Regular
Ridiculous to think that the Boks could've won if not for an amateur hour mistake by JP Pietersen as they offered literally nothing in attack
Untrue. The All Blacks were excellent in defense and Habana still made three or four plays that could of have a serious impact if things went a little differently. Pushing us in the scrum, dominating the breakdown, and forcing errors has always been the best way to beat this New Zealand side.
 

Uppercut

Request Your Custom Title Now!
someone just pointed out that the do over and two points DC got us when habana charged early was the winning margin.
It's true but NZ's domination of possession+territory in the second half meant they were always going to be more capable of closing the game out once they got a small lead. Whereas if SA had been leading I'd still back NZ to find a score with ten minutes left.
 

Frost

U19 Debutant
Well based on the first half I don't think nz have much to worry about from either of these two sides
 

Spark

Global Moderator
Ridiculous to think that the Boks could've won if not for an amateur hour mistake by JP Pietersen as they offered literally nothing in attack
how could you tell? the ABs gave away a penalty almost every time SA got close to the 22.
 

Bahnz

Hall of Fame Member
Argentina have been reading too much of their own press about becoming 'the new France'. Running the ball from inside your own 22 is is a risky proposition when you've got a full compliment, but it's suicidal when you're down to 14 men (especially when the opposition have David Pocock in their pack). Fun game so far, but the greater experience of Australia is winning out.
 

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