Rugbology October 30 2023.

Quick taps: Eddies decided to eat shit - Irish still crying into their Guinness - Taranaki NPC champions - Where's Roigard? Was he out with Telea but still not home? - Ardie finally world player OTY !

RWC.

Bugger, Bugger, Bugger !!

The stage was set, the rugby worlds greatest foes were ready to rumble and records were on the line. The whining of the Irish, the shrugged shoulders & disbelief of the French and the incompetence of the Poms had all faded away like the dust on a country road.

The All Blacks after a few years of a mixing rocking n rolling with bouts of fumbling and stumbling had made the final after dismantling the Argies whilst the Boks had a bit of an off-day against an English Bulldog that was full of fight but not flight. They dragged the Boks into a physical scrap from which they fortunately and thankfully emerged by a point via a late penalty.

If there’s one team that lives and breathes the Webb Ellis trophy, it’s the Boks. their determination and utter belief in the Bills glorification makes them very dangerous and hard to beat. They have a formula and a style of play that yes, the All Blacks could see coming but, in the end, couldn’t quite stop.

Once the whistle went, we all knew what was coming - high balls, committed chasers, fast and big defence, more high balls, attacking set piece looking for penalties and an iron will. The ABs needed to start well with speed and accuracy but failed to - dropping high balls, dropping passes, messing up a couple of attacking lineouts, getting knocked over and then got into card trouble.

The first half was not the ABs finest work whilst the Boks plan was working and 4 penalties later led 12-6 at half time. Not the end of the world but a man down would surely count in the end although the Boks were not really making the most of the advantage. The ABs would need to improve in the 2nd spell and hope the Boks ran out of gas although as I say that 7 fresh forwards have just run out in green jerseys !

Yes, the ABs improved, yes they scored the games only try but they simply could not find a way to deliver the winning blow. They battered away but the green line held as time ticked away and after 80+ minutes of graft, the 4th Bill belonged to the Boks. A gripping battle as one team guarded their castle gate and the other was unable to find their way in. As an advert for the game, probably poor but as an example of the ultimate battle between 2 styles and 2 worthy sides, it was outstanding.

As for the ref, Barnes was fine really and whilst he like all refs make errors and produce calls that can go either way, the TMO was the tragedy who ended up running a forensic eye over everything and turned Wayne into some sort of errand boy. The thing is that the more World Rugby tries to get all decisions right, the further you end up moving away from consistency which at the end of the day is all we want (anyone seen the Etzebeth forearm into Canes head for example?). So, is it careful what we wish for, or depower the TMO ?

By the known rules, yes Sams card was red but really so was Kolisi’s then. I’ve still no idea why the TMO yellowed Frizell as players fall over bodies at just about every well attended ruck. Topping off his playlist, the TMO rightly found a wee knock-on for Smiths try (beaut run fron Ritchie!) but wrongly instructed Wayne to scrub out the try and come all the way back for a line out penalty to the ABs. Wrongly why, because rugbys own law book only allows a maximum 2 phase backtrack and post the knock on there’d been at least 4 completed phases …………… how could Wayne not know this or are the refs so neutered that he’s forbidden to argue back or god forbid overrule the TMO? Who the hell is actually in charge - hence the errand boy tag. Fortunately, this very poor piece of officiating wasn’t result critical as from the resulting penalty plays the ABs did get their try.

As for the ABs tactics, the flat running game is just silly against the Boks, we still get the jitters in games against the them too and to Ardie, in a really tight low scorer, ffs take ya points!!!! It’s not a Hurricanes game on a Sat night in Palmy, it’s the bloody final for a Bill. Yes its lovely to want to score tries, but just 1 kick mate is all we needed.

Anyway, we couldn’t get it done, fluffed too many lines, missed kicks, lost the game as the Boks miraculously hung on for their 3rd 1 point win in a row and lifted a 4th Bill. They’ll be happy to be officially crowned Rugbys superpower and I’d imagine Rassie and co will soon be plotting to be the first to 3 in a row. Well done.

Northern hemisphere wave a failure and England still rubbish regardless of bronze medal.

Thankfully the Foster era has ended - he got too much wrong to be anything but ordinary as AB coaches go. he wants to carry on coaching though - perhaps Fiji ?

Sad ending for some mighty long term AB servants - Whitelock, Beaudy, Nuggy Smith and Coles plus Mo’runga, Nepo, Frizell and Leicester moving on. And a word to Sam Cane, big thanks for your service but do yourself a favour son and take up a playing junket in Japan.

A message to refs, don’t tell a player you got it wrong without reversing said ruling - it just confuses the players and eliminates your cred.

And the Eddie Jones comedy show across the ditch will not be renewed after just 1 season - The ARU board have just made themselves look like fools and have about as much credibility in the adult world as the Wiggles.

On to Razor - enjoy the summer.