Week Three Retrospective: Kynan

Predictions

Kynan - Boks by 2. Du Plessis top TR scorer.
Andrew - All Blacks by 7. Du Plessis top TR Scorer.

Moral of the story... always back the Boks! Turns out Morne Steyn was top scorer by some ways. Also great showings from Sivivatu, McCaw and Beast, though Bismarck wasn't too shabby coming in at No. 5

Team Points

Kynan - 2,535 points
Andrew - 2,265 points

Thoughts

It was predictably a tight and brutal game, given the conditions. The stats were dominated by mobile forwards who did a lot of close-in ball carrying and tackling - all the loosies, Beast and Bismarck (except Juan Smith, who had a fantastic game - but that doesn't always translate into TR points bizarrely).

Sivivatu defied the trend and racked up a ton with some brilliant line breaks. He and Conrad Smith were the only beacon of hope for the All Blacks, and kept them in the match until late in the second half by looking consistently dangerous. On that note, I just have to add - this was the worst performance I have seen from an All Black side. They were abyssmal. Yes, the Boks were brilliant and put them under huge pressure, but the Kiwis compounded that by failing at the most basic skills required to play this sport - catching and passing. Coupled with a slew of brain explosions (they actually reminded me of Dick Muir's Sharks team - running from their own dead ball line!), the All Blacks never stood a chance. Tactically they were naive - Graham Henry defended this, claiming they played the right tactic as they couldn't match the Boks in the tactical kicking stakes, in which case I say, you got the selection wrong idiots! Rokocoko had a nightmare game. If they needed some tactical kicking, why didn't they play Cory Jane?

Under Henry and Co., this All Black team is looking sloppy, fatigued and one dimensional. Their backline has failed to spark even once this season (barring some fantastic Sivivatu runs), their forwards have been outmuscled by both the Boks and the French, their lineout is a complete disaster, and their team discipline reminds me of a Bok team pre-Jake White. Even the usually brilliant McCaw is flopping around the rucks, giving away penalty after penalty. He should have been binned on Saturday, personally giving away at least 5 penalties. They're a disgrace to the black jersey, and it's time for Henry to fall on his sword.

If the Boks keep up their standard of play, the Aussies are in for a hiding at Newlands. They cannot match the physicality of Bakkies and friends, and are too heavily reliant on front football for their awesome backline to be a danger.