Springboks
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2024 was probably the best rugby season the Springboks had. All credit to Rassie Erasmus and his coaches for creating unbelievable depth in all positions. PSdT again getting the player of the season reward for all the hard work he set in. Sad news today is that Steven Kitshoff had an rugby ending neck injury and wont be able to play rugby again.
2025 will have massive challenges.
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Kitshoff injured his neck playing in the Currie Cup against Griquas.
Kitshoff provides post-op update
NEWS: Stormers and Springbok prop Steven Kitshoff has shared a message on social media following his neck fusion surgery on Wednesday.
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More grist for the mill
Springboks great resigns from World Rugby Awards panel after coach snub
Ex-Springboks boss Nick Mallett reportedly resigned in disgust from the World Rugby Awards panel after South Africa were snubbed in the coach category.
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@Machpants weird, clickbaity framing. The article says he came off the panel last year after serving a four year term. Also says he was upset that Farrell got 2023 coach of the year over Nienaber because he felt RWC winning coach should always get the award but also reminds us that Hansen lost out in 2015.
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@Smuts As much as I agree that Rassie should have got it over the coach of a team that came 5/12 in the Sevens series, I'll take any opportunity to laugh at South African rugby folk being precious ....
The thing is though, if he's adamant the winner of the RWC should get it, then wouldn't you expect the same to apply to the winner of the biggest prize in sevens rugby, the Olympics?
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@MajorRage if you enjoy savouring obviously made up bok Preciousness why stop your fantasy there?
South Africa withdrew from Super rugby in protest because Nche wasn’t named 2020 rookie of the year
All SA referees are boycotting World Rugby until the Webb Ellis trophy is renamed the Dr
JacoJohan Erasmus’ Big Cup of Refs’ TearsThe boks deliberately lost the the 2011 QF to spite NZRU for failing to sanction Laurie Mains for continuing to spout shit excuses about 95
If these are too realistic you can just read rugby365 headlines I guess
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@OomPB said in Springboks 2024:
Springbok home fixtures in 2025 (venues and kick-off times TBC):
5 July: SA v Italy
12 July: SA v Italy
19 July: SA v Georgia
16 August: SA v Australia
23 August: SA v Australia
27 September: SA v ArgentinaWill be interesting to see how Australia go over there.
They are improving and will have the benefit of the Lions series the month before the Boks matches.
They may be able to nick a match off the Boks if Rassie continues his rotation and depth building policy
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@DaGrubster said in Springboks 2024:
@OomPB said in Springboks 2024:
Springbok home fixtures in 2025 (venues and kick-off times TBC):
5 July: SA v Italy
12 July: SA v Italy
19 July: SA v Georgia
16 August: SA v Australia
23 August: SA v Australia
27 September: SA v ArgentinaWill be interesting to see how Australia go over there.
They are improving and will have the benefit of the Lions series the month before the Boks matches.
They may be able to nick a match off the Boks if Rassie continues his rotation and depth building policy.
In reality, it’s a pretty easy home run for the Boks
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@DaGrubster try to figure out if its easy or tough from your comments. Playing against the Lions can cut both ways. If they get bashed what then?
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@Frank said in Springboks 2024:
Which players in the current squad that are to retire before the next WC will be replaced by someone realistically likely to be better?
With the current Springbok team, I’ve found it difficult to predict the playing level of uncapped players, as the coaching team seems to get a lot out of them. Who would’ve said Nche would eventually be the best loosehead prop in the world before he became a regular part of the Springbok team in 2021 as a 26 year old? Who would’ve guessed De Allende would be the most complete 12 since Nonu, if you saw him play in 2017? Where did Am come from, all of a sudden, in 2018 and ’19? This was a guy who was playing for the Southern Kings when he was 23 years old. The next year, he’s a Springbok. The year after that, one of the best centres in the game. It’s the same with Mapimpi, Mbonambi, Arendse, Kwagga, and so on.
The problem – if you’re an ABs fan, not a Springbok fan, obviously – is that the current Springbok coaching team have produced a team culture which gets the most out of a lot of the players. So it doesn’t really matter whether the next generation is more or less talented than this one. Erasmus seems to be able to get them at the level necessary to win games, which is what truly matters. Players like Cameron Hanekom and Ruan Venter are very talented rugby players but they won’t become regular Springboks unless they can perform the way Rassie wants them to perform (someone like Evan Roos is a good example of someone who has found it difficult to strike this balance despite being a real talent).
It's a very strong and effective team environment, which makes up for any potential issues in depth. Fassi isn’t as good of a playmaker as Willie Le Roux. But he has found other ways of contributing and other players have picked up some playmaking responsibilities, which is able to mask any frailties that were there. It works very well. It’s also very annoying when you don’t particularly like someone like Erasmus. You have to give him credit. But also, I really don't want to.
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@Mauss said in Springboks 2024:
@Frank said in Springboks 2024:
Which players in the current squad that are to retire before the next WC will be replaced by someone realistically likely to be better?
With the current Springbok team, I’ve found it difficult to predict the playing level of uncapped players, as the coaching team seems to get a lot out of them. Who would’ve said Nche would eventually be the best loosehead prop in the world before he became a regular part of the Springbok team in 2021 as a 26 year old? Who would’ve guessed De Allende would be the most complete 12 since Nonu, if you saw him play in 2017? Where did Am come from, all of a sudden, in 2018 and ’19? This was a guy who was playing for the Southern Kings when he was 23 years old. The next year, he’s a Springbok. The year after that, one of the best centres in the game. It’s the same with Mapimpi, Mbonambi, Arendse, Kwagga, and so on.
The problem – if you’re an ABs fan, not a Springbok fan, obviously – is that the current Springbok coaching team have produced a team culture which gets the most out of a lot of the players. So it doesn’t really matter whether the next generation is more or less talented than this one. Erasmus seems to be able to get them at the level necessary to win games, which is what truly matters. Players like Cameron Hanekom and Ruan Venter are very talented rugby players but they won’t become regular Springboks unless they can perform the way Rassie wants them to perform (someone like Evan Roos is a good example of someone who has found it difficult to strike this balance despite being a real talent).
It's a very strong and effective team environment, which makes up for any potential issues in depth. Fassi isn’t as good of a playmaker as Willie Le Roux. But he has found other ways of contributing and other players have picked up some playmaking responsibilities, which is able to mask any frailties that were there. It works very well. It’s also very annoying when you don’t particularly like someone like Erasmus. You have to give him credit. But also, I really don't want to.
Very good synopsis.
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