Dear Rassie - Springbok Coach

Dear Rassie!!!

Well, well, well, not so clever after all!!! 33-16!!!

Well done All Blacks, a 5-1 try count is significant. No argument, the better team won on the day. Patience, composure and keeping their gun powder dry in the first half made all the difference. A formidable opponent, today and always. Maximum respect!!!

Before we paste the Boks for this loss, let’s just remember who we were playing. This is the ultimate Rugby Rivalry, All Blacks vs Springboks.

The number of handling errors on the part of the Boks, was simply unacceptable. 5 entries into the All Black 22 and only one conversion. So many mistakes in the red zone. We just lacked composure, the chaotic play was so unlike this world number one team.

Sacha looked like he had his wings clipped, not ideal for a play maker. Grant Williams, 2 steps before distributing the ball made the All Black defence easy as pie. Williams as also frantic at times, the players didn’t know who he was going to pass to. 3 full backline runs the entire game. We need to build phases. What on earth was going on?

The forwards played their hearts out but the retention of the ball was appalling. Knock on after knock on after knock on. My goodness, we haven’t seen that for years. Jasper Wiese you were immense.

Lots of work to be done between now and next Saturday. Rassie in you we trust, please bru, sort the team out. Calm down for goodness sake!!!!

One little word about the ref…..good job to be honest but the rules are the rules, I have never heard about whiplash being considered when there is head contact? And if Eben’s charge down was offside the All Blacks 5 charge down and subsequent try was a mile offside. And if Marco Van Staden was offside then my Granny is Rassie. Anyway…..

Disappointing to lose, we are not used to losing, but, every great champion gets up from being knocked down. Let’s get up and bounce back. It’s not going to be easy, we now have to win 3 in a row.

Again, well played All Blacks!!!

Let’s go Bokke!!!

Dear Rassie!!!

Anyone have pre match jitters????? Fok this is massive boys, like proper!!!!

Dear Rassie!!!

Apologies for the previous comments, wrong team sheet.

Great team selection and maximum respect shown to the mighty All Blacks.

Pace at 9 to get us on the front foot and Reinch on the bench in case we get bullied. Hopefully that doesn’t happen.

10 is solid, hopefully Sacha doesn’t get too clever against this team. I would have preferred to see Pollard on the bench for this one so Manuel will have to step up.

The forwards are all deserving of their selection and there is proper cover on the bench. Note that Esterhuizen is a forward/back 😜

It’s going to be a humdinger of note!!!

Best of luck PSDT, a worthy and capable captain.

Let’s go Bokke!!!

Dear Rassie!!!

Don’t read anything into this match or the score, the end!!!

Thanks for coming All Blacks!!!

Dear Rassie!!!

The Pumas in Argentina are always going to be a tricky side to beat. Take nothing away from them, as always they put their bodies on the line and gave their everything. They were gutsy and played with pace. Maybe they were unlucky not to win, maybe…

The Boks looked like a new team. Lots of new combinations, very little cohesion and far too many players playing for themselves and not the team. Scrappy and the boys lacked a game plan of any sorts. But…..they won, even if it was dirty, unattractive and a poor performance.

So what’s changed?? Well nothing really, all the big boys (A Team) were not on the field. When they return, all things will be back to normal. Rassie is a master craftsman, there was no way he was going to show Dave Rennie the A Team before the first test. Why would he??? We’ll be clinical and fast and superb when we play the All Blacks.

So, let’s calm down, enjoy the win. It was tough and we roughed it out and got a result. Nobody cares if you win by 1 point or 20 points, it’s a win.

Well done Bokke!!!! Proud!!!!

Dear Rassie!!!

Please speak some sense into this team!!!! Second half needs to be a lot better Boys!!!

Jirreeeeeee!!!

Dear Rassie!!!

Now this is starting to look like an A Team!!!! Jirrreeee, this is power!!! A 6-2 bench….en nou??

So lekker to see Lood, Cameron, Cobus, Ethan and Sacha returning to the starting 15.

Let’s go with the armchair coaches comments…….and go!!!!

Bokke for life!!!!

Dear Rassie!!!

The squad for Argentina is interesting. Return to the Boks for Lood De Jager, Sacha F-M and Ethan Ho**er.

The forward squad is loaded albeit without all the A Team players. Some big boys in the front and hopefully our first phase ball is good enough to feed a backline that is capable of maximum destruction.

It’s going to be interesting!!!!

Let’s go Bokke!!!!!

Dear Rassie!!!

A win is a win ou pal!!! 43-0 doesn’t really really the story but year ago we would have been dancing on the rooftops with a score like that.

Firstly, this wasn’t our A team so it would be ridiculous to expect a polished performance. Players are competing for positions in the A team and if you consider that he squad has 70 odd players, it must be a really difficult environment today the least. So players get a start and they want to impress, they hold the ball a little longer than they should, run away from support and make some ‘interesting’ decisions to kick or run.

Based on that should we panic about the tactics employed on the day? Not sure, Rassie will sort that out and in Rassie we trust. Fassi’s kicking left a few questions to be answered but then he was being peppered with up and unders. I really think he is a solid full back. Moyo was outstanding, is he the next Pollard? Kobus Wiese, not Jasper, was colossal, he made a big statement on the day. Jasper was also immense and I have no doubt he’ll start at 8 for the A team. Paul de Villiers is an excellent fetcher and when Siya retires, he’ll take up number 6. The front row was also massive on the day. Our scrums dominated all day long.

I guess the only criticism was the lack of running rugby. Let’s get the ball to the wings and let those speedsters score tries.

Anyway, it was a fantastic day in sticky humid conditions and the Boks showed up in style.

He’s in your head, he’s in your head, Rassie, Rassie……. Don’t you love how he has rattled the cages of every Northern Hemisphere coach by announcing his team on a Monday. He, he, he, just brilliant!!! Why you may ask? Simple really, if the team selected works together for 5 days prior to the game, they at very least get know each a little better. Rassie is going deep with selections, the players need as much time as possible to bond as a team.

Go Bokke!!! We are so proud!!!

Raise you are a genius!!!