Rugby Championship 2023

They need to back Libbok I think. Willemse didn't want any outhalf duties today, and Le Roux had to cover for him stepping in at first phase instead of receiving the ball at second or third receiver in space the way he works best.

Barrett at 12 looks like it's fixed some of their problems. It's opened up the pitch for them. I felt they got a bit predictable over the last few years which is strange to say for a NZ side. They also look much better at the breakdown. A sure sign that Joe is having an affect I'd say.

South Africa are just so one dimensional. Match them up front and you go a long long way to beating them. You just know even after creating a mini break they will resort to one out runners. If they are smashing over the gain line then fine but when they're not then they will either give up pen or kick it away.

I’ve been thinking for a while that NZ were for once the dark horses in the RWC but now they surely should be close to their usual position as favourites?

There was quite a bit of negative talk about NZ last year and before, often from their own supporters. I thought it was overdone then. The same teams keep on rising to the top.

Agree with what you implied with your last point.

SA made a complete mess of the prep for this. Seems like another coaching set-up that has fallen in love with their perceived depth and what that can do for training. If they were trying to be too smart in thinking they were gaining an edge by sending the 'first team' it blew up in their face, with their players looking completely undercooked. It was their one chance in nearly a near year gap to get a proper competitive runout against a top tier nation before they face Ireland in the WC and wasted it.

NZ were good but SA were terrible. They looked like rusty players who were shell shocked and even basic skills were letting them down.

I cant see that game as being close to the intensity of last weekend with it being 2 weeks out from a world cup. It will be as close as a friendly can be in rugby, with many players just trying to get through it without an injury.

South Africa going close enough to full strength for this one but changing out a few guys to get a look at one or two players who haven't had much game time yet.

Scary to see those two front rows and think that Nche and du Toit don't make the 23.

Springbok team to face Argentina in Johannesburg:

15 – Willie le Roux (Vodacom Bulls) – 85 caps, 65 pts (13t)

14 – Cheslin Kolbe (Suntory Sungoliath) – 24 caps, 81 pts (12t, 3c, 5p)

13 – Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 59 caps, 60 pts (12t)

12 – Damian de Allende (Panasonic Wild Knights) – 71 caps, 45 pts (9t)

11 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 8 caps, 50 pts (10t)

10 – Manie Libbok (DHL Stormers) – 5 caps, 19 pts (8c, 1p)

9 – Grant Williams (Cell C Sharks) – 3 caps, 0 pts

8 – Duane Vermeulen (captain, SA Rugby) – 67 caps, 15 pts (3t)

7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) – 68 caps, 30 pts (6t)

6 – Marco van Staden (Vodacom Bulls) – 11 caps, 0 pts

5 – Marvin Orie (DHL Stormers) – 12 caps, 0 pts

4 – Eben Etzebeth (Cell C Sharks) – 111 caps, 20 pts (4t)

3 – Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers) – 60 caps, 5 pts (1t)

2 – Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 60 caps, 75 pts (15t)

1 – Steven Kitshoff (Ulster) – 73 caps, 10 pts (2t)

Replacements:

16 – Bongi Mbonambi (Cell C Sharks) – 58 caps, 60 pts (12t)

17 – Trevor Nyakane (Racing 92) – 59 caps, 5 pts (1t)

18 – Vincent Koch (Cell C Sharks) – 43 caps, 0 pts

19 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 32 caps, 20 pts (4t)

20 – RG Snyman (Munster) – 25 caps, 5 pts (1t)

21 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 47 caps, 44 pts (5t, 2c, 5p)

22 – Lukhanyo Am (Cell C Sharks) – 33 caps, 30 pts (6t)

23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 29 caps, 36 pts (2t, 4c, 4p, 2d)

Absolutely but I think that said more about NZ though than anything. That was the most cohesive and accurate performance I've seen from NZ in a long time and I think they've finally settled on an effective backline with their 12, 13, 15 axis being central to their last couple of performances.

SA desperately need an outhalf to play their game though. Libbok and Willemse aren't capable of playing a territorial game that concentrates on their pack moving forward. If Pollard doesn't recover from his calf injury, I don't think they're going to go past the quarter final.