posted Jul 21, 2008

SA missed two golden try scoring opportunities in the first half, that let Australia get into the match. if the boks had even scored one of those tries then they would have been 8 or 10 points to nil up and the wallabies would have buckled.

Aus looked mentally fragile and I believe they were there for the taking. SA lacked the composure to put them away on the day, and once Aus got the first try of the match the self belief kicked in, while SA were probably wondering how they could have domiated the game so completely in the first half and gone into the changing room two points down!!!

I have to say that Australia were greatly assisted by the ELV's, but then again that is the whole point of the ELV's isn't it, to help Australia win matches, right?

I'm not a great fan of club dominated rugby because you only have to look at football to see that the National squads suffer badly, but where the ELV's are concerned I'm quite pleased that all the money is in England and France and so its us who get to bin the ELV's in around 12 months time.

Okay thats not quite fair, I basically only want to bin the collasping of the maul rule, the free kicks for killing the ball (which is complete pap and there to be abused!) and that stupid rule that says you can't kick the ball out in the 22.

The 5m scrum rule can stay, it'll help negate that plague upon the sport which is the rugby league style blitz defence. (although basically all you need to do to destroy a blitz defence is attack from deep and pick off the outside centre. you are wasting your time trying to play flat infront of a blitz - unless you as leicester of course in which case you still do it again and again because you are all a bunch of brain dead morons).

Okay thats enough waffle for today

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posted Jul 21, 2008

It seemed to me that the ELVs are killing the game by encouraging endless infringements at the breakdown and creating a totally fragmented match. However, let's be honest the aim of the ELVs was never to improve rugby viewing but to try to help Australia compete so in that they have succeeded. Astonishing though that the one country where the game is struggling to get viewers is managing to hoodwink the rest of the world into bending over and accepting what the Aussies want.

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posted Jul 21, 2008

This game was so dull that I turned over and watched England getting spanked in the cricket instead.

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posted Jul 21, 2008

Christopher

You are right, it is astonishing that one country can hoodwink the rest of the rugby world when they only have one seat on the IRB...

Maybe they haven't actually hoodwinked anyone but its always easier for the UK and European powerbrokers to sit around doing nothing and getting free tickets and trips and then blame someone else when the people they are meant to represent have a problem with what they've let happen.

The ELVs have been in the pipeline for several years under an IRB committee involving people from various countries. Funny how the representatives from the other countries have failed to take responsibility for what they were involved in. A bit cowardly really.

The difference with Australia (and NZ and SA) is that they have just got on with things. What we're going to see in the NH for the next season is coaches, players and fans moaning about the ELVs everytime they lose rather than looking at their own deficiencies.

Six months ago apparently the ELVs were all about "helping Australia's scrum"... then people realised that a bad scrum was even more susceptible under the ELVs. Now apparently it helps Australia out in all other ways as well... go figure.

At least the ELVs give one thing to NH fans... another excuse to use when their team loses.

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posted Jul 21, 2008

Now the sparks are flying,both NZ and SA changed winning teams[other than injuries/suspension required]and paid the cost.One win each is hardly a disaster.SA have the crucial away win in the bag.Also now have home games to come.Thorne/Du Plessis for practical purposes was one match each.Aus showed how to win a close game when in the lead,keep possesion .pick and go play in other sides half.They made more handling errors in two minutes than an All black side would make in a season.Now all the Aussie greats are having a go at the All Blacks[one loss away from terminal decline Tim Horan].I say this beware the wounded All Black.They will probably lose at least one away match in Aus,maybe 2.The home Aus match I think they will win.it may come down to last match in cape town.Where a near full strength AB side are very capable of winning.the match in hong kong could go either way.The rebuilding process continues but SA will need to replace Mont gomery and several other over 30s .NZ lose Somer ville after 3Ns and a replacement for Thorn [long term].Mortlock for Aus is in same category needs eventual replacing.

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posted Jul 21, 2008

Captian S, that is possibly the most ifs and buts I've ever heard in such a short amount of space, even for a whinging pom.

andysw12, you have got it spot on there. I'm feed up with nearly every NH supporter claiming that the sole reason of the ELVs was to help Australia. In their eyes it doesn't matter what we do, it's always some sort of foul advantage we gained through devious means. Funny how the best THREE teams in the world aren't complaining about the ELVs isn't it?

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posted Jul 21, 2008

With you as well andysw12

Can't believe that the majority of the NH fans are getting to animated over the ELV's. They must be feeling really insecure about the ability of their players to manage the change in tempo that the ELV's will bring.

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posted Jul 22, 2008

having just watched the game over here (UK), SA must feel hard done by, the 'hands in the ruck' rule make the game so ridiculous that teams can't kick anymore!(hm, that sounds like league to me!)

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posted Jul 22, 2008

Yeah sounds like league to those that haven't played rugby before

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posted Jul 26, 2008

loved the game, but reading the comments shows the deep divide between the for/against in the ELVs. Both sides can watch the game and either claim the ELVs are a sucess or a complete failure. From my side, i have been fanatical since first strapping on the boots as a 6yo 35 years ago. However, I have found the game difficult to enjoy over the last few years, and felt we needed to make some changes to make it more enjoyable again. Not because the Aussies were crap, but that changes were needed (a large problem for the Aussies were the previous 2 coaches). I think the last RWC proved it. I therefore support what the ELVs are proposing to do. HOWEVER, the anti side should remember that 1. these are trials! 2. The final acceptance or otherwise will be voted on, and not just Mr O'Neil saying that they will stay, contrary to what most anti-people seem to believe. My hope is that they will keep most, be get rid of the ones that don't work (the general idea of a trial I thought)ie. unmatched numbers in lineout. I think its also worth remembering that these are pretty new rules, and thus the teams are going to take a while to get used to them. Game patterns are also going to continue to develop or change.

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