The Springboks opened their 2019 Rugby World Cup campaign on Saturday against old foes New Zealand and after 4 matches under Rassie Erasmus, South African and the All Blacks now have a points difference of only 10 between them.
I want to start off by giving my 5 cents as I did on Twitter after the match and then I will share some other thoughts on things I have seen over the past 24 hours on social media and on things I heard…
So the @Springboks lost but it’s not over…all this match has decided is who will take which route to #rwc2019 Final on 2 November.
Time to refocus and move on guys…there is a World Cup to win & be called WORLD CHAMPIONS! #StrongerTogether pic.twitter.com/TyJbwwIgM7— TheYellowCap (@theyellowcap) September 21, 2019
I honestly believe in this Springbok team and to expect Rassie to chop and change after only one match, against the current World Champions, would be even more fatal.
Secondly, we have to mentiont Cheslin Kolbe, who is clearly playing with what every Springbok needs just half a dose of to make them unstoppable. Somehow, it is weird how Rassie has not asked Chessie to talk to his fellow team mates and tell them what inspires him to play the way he does…
Cheslin Kolbe is slipperier than a buttered otter ⚡️
What a talent ⭐️#RWC2019 #NZLvRSA #RWCYokohama pic.twitter.com/cYMZKvoKh6
— Rugby World Cup (@rugbyworldcup) September 22, 2019
Being active on social media, especially Twitter, I noticed right after the game how mainly Faf de Klerk’s name was thrown around as the main reason for the Springboks’ downfall and to an extent I can understand why but one has to understand that the game plan was focused on the conditions, which are very humid which causes sweaty hands which in turn gives reason to put the opposing team under pressure with high tactical kicks and that is where the problem lies. Many of Faf’s kicks weren’t always tactically correct and caused more problems for the Boks instead of the All Blacks.
Handré Pollard and Willie le Roux were the other two names thrown into the mix as Bok culprits on the day. Willie more so than Handré, although I think Pollard was the main reason the All Blacks scored those 2 quick tries. Willie also struggled under the high ball as his pivot did and then there was that pass to Cheslin Kolbe, which needs zero explaining if you even only understand the game vaguely.
The topic that has not died down yet and will continue for the next couple of days is by far, Gerome Garces performance with the whistle.
I want to make this clear that I have in recent times stopped bashing referees but to defend Garces’ performance on Saturday is really not on, especially when there are so many incriminating video clips doing the rounds with valid arguments.
Garces has missed a lot in this game…
— Brian O’Driscoll (@BrianODriscoll) September 21, 2019
Or this? pic.twitter.com/s7NMQD7Vdy
— Andre DRE Africa (@Arnie_DRE) September 21, 2019
Just another day at the office for #JeromeGarces pic.twitter.com/9D7e3PZ7fM
— Andre DRE Africa (@Arnie_DRE) September 21, 2019
Genuinely, how do refs miss this shit?! Right under @AndyGoode10 ‘s best mate Jerome Garces’ nose. Dane Coles using Mr McCaw’s special side entrance.#RWC19 #NZLvRSA pic.twitter.com/AVSvbRpTmz
— Rucked Over (@RuckedOver) September 21, 2019
With a referee, 2 assistants and a Television Match Official on duty, how did THIS (Neil Ungerer tweet video clip) go unnoticed?
Proper New Zealand sportsmanship #RWC2019 #NZLvRSA pic.twitter.com/BeaZyzgtnb
— Neil Ungerer (@krayzkcee) September 22, 2019
With all this said and done, I wanna ask Springbok supporters not to give up on their team now. The stage has been set for the boys to now build to the quarter-finals and get better game by game and make sure they peak at the right time.
Hope to see you all believing in the boys when they make it to the end…
