Category: World Cup 2023
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Bok keys to victory
The build up to this year’s RWC final has not been without drama and controversy but the sideshows are all but past us with the matter of final to look forward to. This is rugby purists’ dream final having the All Blacks and the Boks face off in a final to decide the bragging rights…
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How much gas do the Boks have left in the tank?
I am sure I am in the same boat as the countless Saffas who witnessed the rollercoaster ride that was the Boks great escape on Saturday night. The Boks were outplayed, outmuscled, out strategized but for the dynamism of the Bomb Squad they managed to squeak out a victory. This will not go down in…
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Form rankings going into the RWC quarter finals
As we head into the quarter finals of the RWC we now know who will be competing for the coveted William Webb Ellis trophy and teams are either flying or limping into this portion of the tournament. I will take a look at the form rankings of the teams and would love to hear your…
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What we know and what we still need to learn about the Springboks
It has been a few days since the defeat to Ireland and the emotion of the loss has died down and one can dissect the performance under the cold, harsh light of day. The Boks had the opportunities to win the match and in order to be the best team at the RWC they couldn’t…
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Blessing or a curse?
The Springboks came out swinging with the 7-1 forward laden bench and came up agonisingly short against a fired up Irish outfit. The path for the Boks to go all the way has just got that much harder or has it? France looms large in the quarter finals for the Boks with a daunting task…
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Bomb Squad – Genius or Madness?
The Springbok squad announced today by the Jacques/Rassie brains trust has raised eyebrows across the rugby world and the consensus is that no one knows whether this is genius or madness. I am leaning towards the genius side but only just marginally because they are more than often correct on the big calls. The 7-1…
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Who do the Springboks want to play in the RWC quarter finals?
We are getting to the business end of the pool stages at the RWC and we can start to see how the teams are lining up after the dust settles. We have seen Ireland, France and New Zealand have hit outs with varying degrees of success. Should South Africa win against Ireland they will top…
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Who does South Africa call up for Malcom Marx?
The tournament ending injury to Malcolm Marx has thrown the cat amongst the pigeons for Rassie Erasmus and Jacques Nienaber meticulous RWC plans. Malcolm is a vital cog in the Springbok squad as a starter to set the tone with his physical presence at the gainline and over ball. He is also a nightmare to…
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Rugby World Cup 2023 Power rankings
The RWC is well under way and we have been able to see all of the big teams in action so now I will delve into who looks good and who doesn’t. Number 1 – France After all the talk leading up to the RWC France had some lofty expectations to live up to and…
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Winners and Losers from first week of RWC 2023
Winner: Bunker system I know this is a controversial one but being able to take the emotion out of the stadium and hand it over to a qualified person with time to make the difficult decision is a huge plus in my book. We have seen time and time again cards decide the outcome of…
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Job Done
Does anyone remember South Africa vs Fiji tied 20 all after 60 minutes in the 2007 Rugby World Cup Quarter Finals? No because we got the job done and ran away with it in the last 20 minutes before hoisting the Webb Ellis Cup. Today’s match against Scotland was the same, it was a grind…
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What to make of the current crop of All Blacks
What to make of these All Blacks after the damp squib performance against host France in the opening game of the World Cup. They flatter to deceive with blockbuster showings in the echo chamber of local New Zealand matches but the reality is that they have been treading water whilst the rest of the world…