Rugby...

[Stretch]

A humdinger. Duane has balls of solid ROCK!

And apparently ribs of solid rock too

[Bianchisti]

And apparently ribs of solid rock too

I liked the comment by the commentator:

 

"His been scouring the restaurants of Johannesburg looking for some "spare ribs" all week"

[Shebeen]

What's that shebeen? You won't find many players with bmt like that!

 

I think he just proved why he is our number 2 pick for flyhalf

aha, exactly. I don't think Lambie's bmt was ever in doubt.,..he's bossed enough currie cup finals already to show that he turns up on the big day.

 

but let's be honest, heineken is never going to a world cup with out a banker place kicker in his starting 15. Someone who is consistent - frans steyn can also bang them over from 60m but his percentage is not high enough to take all the kicks from closer. So I think that relegates Pat to the bench, his ability to cover fullback and at a push centre holds him back there too.

 

That's a pity as he's such a great player, but I'll take pollard(who also worringly missed an absolute sitter on saturday) with another year's experience, a fit goosen or lambie as a starting 10 - please be this the end of morne steyn as we are so much more exciting with him off the field!

 

best take away from the Rc for me this year is willie le roux growing into the #15 jersey. The one that sideshow bob Zane owned last year.

[Shebeen]

oh, by the way if any kiwi wants to claim that they were 'hard done by' with the final penalty, just show them this little clip, also involving Liam Messam.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ccKGKtGjOA

[Frosty]

oh, by the way if any kiwi wants to claim that they were 'hard done by' with the final penalty, just show them this little clip, also involving Liam Messam.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ccKGKtGjOA

They mustn't forget the earlier incident that got Bismark the first yellow - a legit tackle.

Edited October 6, 2014 by geraldm24

[Stretch]

aha, exactly. I don't think Lambie's bmt was ever in doubt.,..he's bossed enough currie cup finals already to show that he turns up on the big day.

 

but let's be honest, heineken is never going to a world cup with out a banker place kicker in his starting 15. Someone who is consistent - frans steyn can also bang them over from 60m but his percentage is not high enough to take all the kicks from closer. So I think that relegates Pat to the bench, his ability to cover fullback and at a push centre holds him back there too.

 

That's a pity as he's such a great player, but I'll take pollard(who also worringly missed an absolute sitter on saturday) with another year's experience, a fit goosen or lambie as a starting 10 - please be this the end of morne steyn as we are so much more exciting with him off the field!

 

best take away from the Rc for me this year is willie le roux growing into the #15 jersey. The one that sideshow bob Zane owned last year.

 

 

agree 100% - lambie is our number 2 at the moment. Pollard is sensational...but, what a situation to be in..to have 2 of the top 5 number 10's in the world as your 1 and 2

[Shebeen]

agree 100% - lambie is our number 2 at the moment. Pollard is sensational...but, what a situation to be in..to have 2 of the top 5 number 10's in the world as your 1 and 2

don't forget that the entire RC would have changed if only morne steyn had found touch in Perth........

 

as you said great situation to be in,

 - pollard hardly played any S15 this year, yup ludeke went with JL potgieter

 - Lambie is lank short of gametime now currently, missed most of S15 and has been benched during the tests so hasn't played CC either.

 - Goosen is probably still the most talented, from what we've seen, but he's made of porcelain.

 

These okes are all youngsters and next year's S15 is going to be worth watching just for this contest for the pivot jersey. Frans steyn might decide that another WC medal is worth more than his image rights and we suddenly have a lot of options.

[rouxtjie]

Went to the game...

 

Was a religious experience...nuff said

[Stretch]

Went to the game...

 

Was a religious experience...nuff said

your head must have been pounding on sunday morning

[rouxtjie]

your head must have been pounding on sunday morning

Had a ride that started at 7am....very close to calling dinosaurs

 

Totally worth it though...

 

They had a special on klip & cola...brannas het nie brieke nie

[Pieterg]

Bokke bo!!!!!!

 

 

Vermeulen vir president

Edited October 6, 2014 by Pieterg

[GLuvsMtb]

Now for the interesting aftermath of the RC...

Lets see how many Boks get clearance to play the last 2 or 3 Currie Cup games. I must say that I would prefer it if the Bok group (or at least those who got more than 300 minutes of game time in the 6 games) are excluded from the CC. Somewhere there will be a laaitie who played his heart out for his province the whole season only to be told that he'll be watching from home or the local pub if the Boks are allowed to simply come in on the 11th hour.

[Shebeen]

Now for the interesting aftermath of the RC...

Lets see how many Boks get clearance to play the last 2 or 3 Currie Cup games. I must say that I would prefer it if the Bok group (or at least those who got more than 300 minutes of game time in the 6 games) are excluded from the CC. Somewhere there will be a laaitie who played his heart out for his province the whole season only to be told that he'll be watching from home or the local pub if the Boks are allowed to simply come in on the 11th hour.

I think that they've actually really stopped this now in general, but there are always exceptions. Although it's not on a case by case scenario, so it looks like Pollard can play, but De Allende can't.

[Shebeen]

as far as the log goes, looks like WP should wrap up the top spot, and even if the lions lose to the sharks they could still hold onto 2nd spot - it'll come down to bonus points or (WP throwing the final league game).

 

pumas and cheetahs should be dead on for the final semi spot, with the bulls only really mathematically in with a shot.

 

Really stoked that they are NOT allowing the returning springboks to play the knockout games, shows the depth in our rugby.

So it looks like the bulls came right in the end to restore natural order

cheetahs only beat the kings in their last 5 games

pumas lost 4 in a row

 

barring any weirdness, it looks like

 

WP vs Bulls (at newlands)

Lions vs Sharks (60/40% ellis park/durbs) 

['Dale]

Top 20 on the IRB world rankings (last week's position in brackets):

Last week's ranking position in brackets

 

1(1) New Zealand 92.60
2(2) South Africa 90.41
3(4) England 85.68
4(3) Australia 85.07
5(5) Ireland 83.44
6(6) Wales 80.70
7(7) France 80.01
8(8) Scotland 77.75
9(9) Samoa 76.35
10(12) Argentina 75.97

[Shebeen]

ok this does stink a bit. but Stormers were just as bad bringing back Schalk Britz when they had a long flank/hooker injury crisis few years back too.

 

I think we can all agree that Handre Pollard has shown in his short springbok career that he's got the bottle for the big time, a national treasure. You can damn well bet that new zealand rugby wouldn't allow an injured player to compete in the NPC like this.

 

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/currie-cup/news/141007/Pollard_to_be_rushed_back_for_Bulls

 

There are rules and there are rules. And the absurdity of some of the rules means that the Vodacom Blue Bulls will rush Springbok flyhalf Handre Pollard into action this weekend in their Absa Currie Cup match against Griqualand West at Loftus Versfeld.

At the same time, a fully fit JJ Engelbrecht has been forced to stop training with his teammates because he officially is a Bok contracted player, despite not being involved in the recent Castle Lager Rugby Championship.

Pollard has a bruised foot at the moment and did not train on both Monday and Tuesday and is likely to put in a token appearance on the training field on Thursday to prove he can play. According to the Bulls he must play.

You see, at the heart of the Absa Currie Cup rules is a stipulation that for any player to be involved in a possible semifinal they would need to have appeared in at least one league game.

With only the Griquas game left and the Bulls desperate to play Pollard in a possible semifinal – likely to be against Western Province at Newlands – it means he will need to get onto the field this weekend, even if conventional wisdom is that he should rather be rested with a tough end of year Springbok tour awaiting him.

Team doctor Org Strauss stressed to supersport.com that Pollard should be medically fit to play this weekend, however there can be many arguments as to why he should sit this game out rather than rush into Currie Cup action.

Still just 20 years old, Pollard needs to be managed well. The mere fact he falls outside the contracted Springbok squad – a fact that is likely to be rectified shortly – should not mean he should be rushed back.