posted Jul 7, 2008

Emack, hear, hear!

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posted Jul 7, 2008

To centremidnumba 7;
In answer to your post: " I dont get that the SA coach is sticking one of the worlds best 12s and the worlds best full back on the bench "
You should always consult emack6 for the answers, he seems to have them all! So allow me to direct you to the answer in his post: " Selection on racial grounds is totally abhorrent..."
I'm still battling to understand his earlier opinion on how 'being English and proud makes you neutral'.

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posted Jul 7, 2008

i dont think de villiers is selecting because of race, although its probably because a complete lack of black players in the team up until this point has meant maybe he wants to take his chance and create a mixed springbok team, its not really racism i just think he wants to give all players a chance. you have to remember black citizens make up a massive pecentage of the population, so even still under de villiers team, you could say they are under represented, although that probably being a bit too picky!
what i will never understand his is constant selection of adi jacobs. iv seen him play super 14, in which he was completely average, and have seen no improvement in internationals. it seems they have a issue at thirteen as the other player usually in the shirt in jacque fourie, a player next exactly setting the world alight. definately think that de villiers stormers partner, bobo should be given a chance he looks a cracking player.
second player is mujati, what is that about? every time he plays he gets destroyed in the scrum, he seems sluggish round the park and imo adds nothing to the team. dont understand why the beast doesnt start!

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posted Jul 8, 2008

I would like to clarify a few points,if I may.Firstly when I said I was English and Neutral,I meant to convey that I was trying to give an objective opinion based on past facts con cerning NZvSA the object of this thread because I do not support either camp.As to the selection of nation al teams [any]the best players concerned should be picked on there abilities,not on political, racial,or club precedence.The club/country thing should be sorted out BY ALL COUNTRIESand fixture lists arranged accordingly.I do not care if the finals of local competitions clash with Internationaltours /matches.Country should have precedence the rest is down to ad ministrators to get it right.I do not claim to know it all, nor do I wish to be perceived that way.My OPINIONS are I hope reasoned and backed up by facts.As to the effect good or evil of ELVs that is a job for countries and IRB administraters.It is up to coaches to adapt,and selectors to pick teams accordingley.The laws have changed constantly for good or evil over the 50 years I have been following Rugby.The full wheel[and the dribbling rush that went with it] rush stopping,the 8 man shove at the scrum.The peel at the line out,all examples of things past.BUT THE LAWS SHOULD HAVE APPLIED TO ALL RUGBY DURING EXPERIMENTAL PERIOD OTHERWISE ITIS A COMPLETE NONSENSE.As to the point on 2003RWC that the IRB admit that the REFEREE had a night mare and the BEST TEAM NEARLY LOST.In my opinion the two finalists had one very good match in the tournament [the semi -finals] .England had the better goal kicker that was decisive.Also in my opinion in ABs quarter -final ALL 3 officials had a MARE and THE BEST TEAM LOST.As to whether the ABs at full strength would have beaten SA in final is a moot point.But they did beat a full strength SA side in SA[and few do that].The coaching factor comes into the equation for current 3Ns and ABs have a proven track record [RWC ASIDE]SA and AUS are as yet[unproven at this level].Again speaking as a neutral ABs lose a match[any match]its a national disaster because it only happens about once a year at worst and 6 times in 4 years all away shows that some one is getting it right. Great players and captains seldom make great coaches,as an example Wilson Whineray was a great captain,and player [HE WAS A VERY AVERAGE PROP},I do not Know if he ever coached.Colin Meads was a great player[MAYBE the BEST] was a indifferent captain,never coached[as far as I know].Graham Henry not a great player but a great coach with Auckland Blues and NZ,good coach with Wales[basicly his team was inherited by next coach and won Grand slam] Lions tour lost [due to player mutiny ?][see record books for confirmation]The obsession by ALL COUNTRIES ON RWC is a bit over the top.The build up was wrong by Henry and co.[probably cost a NZ side a S14 title],Jake White got it right. But had SA won first leg of 3Ns would he have conceded the tournament as he did I think not.On selection I presume there is a group of selectors who pick a squad for tournament/match /tour and that coaches plus manager decide.When things go wrong they must accept blame.In my opinion the selection for the MOST IMPORTANT match for ABs in the RWC was wrong.To start a match with a second choice lock[no matter how good]with hardly any first class rugby in 4 years.A fly half/goal kicker about 90% fit[again no matter how good].The form Goal Kicker in the tournament {Evans]Mauger,Howlett not even on the bench.Against the best NHside at home and JOINT FAVOURITES was an accident ready to happen.The Reffing aside which ,was so bad the Officials [all 3] were censored by there own union,the result was down to missed conversion [better goal kicking and both Wilkinson and Carter[by there own high standards]was indifferent in early rounds.Again in my opinion SA made wrong selections Montgomery was probably a better bet than James at FH and too much off the ball stuff ruined there game plan.After Smit went of they lost shape,and ABs could have had another 3 or 4 trys.Next week no Thorn or Smit.Somer ville not even on bench,2 rookie locks against best pair of locks in world.Interesting in good handling conditions if the ABs get any thing like parity up front there backs should have enough to win it for home side.Lets hope for another titanic test match then on to OZ.

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posted Jul 8, 2008

I agree with a much of what emack6 opines. However, one thing he does get wrong is that "Jake White got it right", i.e. RWC. It really was Eddie Jones who got it right, not White.

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posted Jul 8, 2008

Was it not Jake White who asked Eddie Jones to join him in his quest? Ergo… “getting it right”

Think about boko!

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posted Jul 9, 2008

You clearly don't know the inside story, mate

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posted Jul 9, 2008

What is the inside story? I haven't a clue.

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posted Jul 9, 2008

Boko..

Eddie really coach the Saffers to World Cup glory? And Jake carried the magic water!

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posted Jul 11, 2008

yeah peterwest what a load of bulls, you must be blind, deaf and walking on crutches...or you're just devious!!

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