Springbok team vs England

Firstly, Beeno Biscuits, you are taking this way too seriously.

And secondly, it's Dr. Lucky :)

No, the England fans aren’t too chuffed with most of his selections again.

Why put JVP with Fin Smith and then Alex Mitchell with Marcus Smith ? It makes more sense to pick a known partnership surely.

And he’s still putting Charlie Ewels on the bench. Let’s see if he can get yet another red card when he comes on, shall we ?! Saying that, he’ll probably come on and win the game for us…ha ha ha !

"Saying that, he’ll probably come on and win the game for us…ha ha ha !" - That's the spirit, Becs.

Poor sladester, not getting a fair deal ;)

No, poor Sladester. He’s being treated disgracefully by Borthwick ;)

Mozzietard of course the Boks will lose a test at some point. No side has ever won 100 percent of the time yet you are confused by even this observation.

Obfuscation you said this is a tricky period implying a loss could be imminent. Why? It’s a simple question.

Mozzietard of course the Boks will lose a test at some point. No side has ever won 100 percent of the time yet you are confused by even this observation.

It wasn’t just luck, it was Pollard. He made every crucial kick he had to make…..Muanga, Barrett and Ramos missed theirs….if just one of them made that one crucial kick, no win. So no it’s not a neutral statistical experiment….the dice were loaded.

But here’s the kicker(no pun intended) if Marx hadn’t got injured and Pollard brought over as his replacement that advantage wouldn’t have existed. Lucky didn’t even pick him.

"Poor old HasBeen ….it’s a tricky period. Why? Why is it necessary for you to prepare us for a Bok defeat. Personally I never think the Boks are going to lose, even with a lock playing at flank and a man who has no clue about backline play coaching the Boks."

As a mathematician and one fond of statistics, it's strange how you don't notice the way Rassie is managing his odds... he'll never deliberately lose, but he knows which games to have the team perform at their best...save it for when it counts...

he'll never deliberately lose, but he knows which games to have the team perform at their best...save it for when it counts...

Perhaps the best example of that was the English WC final after we played an awful match against Wales and finally used our backs a bit against England. The other notable example was the Wellington test, which I think he had more or less conceded, but decided his best shot was to pick a running team and give it a go.

Both turned out to befuddle the opposition, but why they couldn’t see it coming is a mystery. Particularly the Wellington debacle.

So yes Erasmus is a tactician…there have been several innovations. Some silly like the mid field maul, but others game changing like the 5/2 bench. Lots of smoke and mirrors.

But he has still been extraordinarily lucky and crucially has coached in the weakest NZ period since readmission. There are only the Boks and the ABs that count. And when one of the two is weak, the other inevitably looks great.

For me though dominating with the best Bok pack ever against weak NZ opposition should be expected. Building a great backline with the likes of Kolbe, Willemse, Arendse and Sacha should also be expected….and our back play remains mostly reactive, except when Sacha is playing.

When I ask Chat to name the greatest rugby team ever, this is what comes out of the accumulated rugby opinion.

Overview

The New Zealand All Blacks (specifically the 2011–2015 squad) are universally regarded as the best rugby team of all time. They boast an all-time winning percentage of over 76%, hold three Rugby World Cup titles, and dominated the sport as the first-ever team to win back-to-back tournaments in 2011 and 2015. [1, 2, 3]

While several other elite teams have dominated during different eras, none match the sheer consistency and legendary status of the All Blacks. The debate often centers on a few standout squads across history: [1]

1. The New Zealand All Blacks (2011–2015): The pinnacle of modern rugby. Led by legends like Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, this squad combined devastating attacking power with unmatched tactical discipline, dropping only a handful of matches across a four-year span. [1, 2, 3]
2. The South African Springboks (2019–2023): Recognized as the ultimate big-game team, they are the only nation to win four Rugby World Cups (1995, 2007, 2019, 2023). Their physicality and innovative "Bomb Squad" bench tactics have redefined modern forward play. [1, 2]
3. The 1974 British & Irish Lions: Often cited by purists, this legendary touring squad went undefeated in South Africa, winning 21 of 22 matches and drawing the other in one of the most brutal and dominant Test series ever played. [1, 2, 3]
4. The 2003 England Squad: The only Northern Hemisphere team to win a Rugby World Cup. Driven by Jonny Wilkinson's kicking masterclass and a relentlessly physical pack, this team spent years at the top of the world rankings. [1, 2]

…

More or less what I said above. If we win the 2027 WC perhaps that will shift, but only if we play attractive rugby. The box kick may be effective but it’s a largely disliked style of play.

For me it's out of the 1974 Lions, the 1996 All Blacks and the 1998 Springboks.

The 1937 Springboks who won the series in NZ were the team that gave the Boks the edge before being excluded….apparently full of greats. And Louis Babrow who sewed up my chin after an unfortunate tackle from behind.