Michael Cheika: Gravitational shift on cards when All Blacks host Springboks

Click bait

No team is undefeatable. Not between these 2 teams.

Like the Bok side that lost to Argentina last year?

Strange comment.

I’ve been following AB rugby for 30 years and have never seen so much depth in the forward pack, the exception being no.6 where we still don’t have a decent standout.

The backline does have it’s missing competents, like 10s who are really 15s, no test-proven centres and a weird lack of wings (for an AB side), but no team is perfect.

The World Champs should come out on top in both games. They’re the best team by far.

But I LOL at “lack depth in almost every position”. They don’t lack depth in most positions, they lack combinations and settled and consistent selections week-to-week. The only places they’re really lacking beyond 2 decent players are first-five and wing.

Depth list (disregarding injuries):

Hooker - Taylor, Taukei’aho, Aumua, McAlister

Props - Lomax, Tosi, Newell, Bower, De Groot, Norris

Lock - Scooter, Vaa’i, Holland, Tuipolotu

Loosies - Savea, Sititi, Lakai, Kirifi, Jacobson, Blackadder, Papali’i, Lio-Willie

Halfback - Roigard, Ratima, Hotham, Christie, Fakatava

First-five - Beauden and DMac

Centres - Jordie, Tupaea, Ioane, ALB, Tavatavanawai, Havili, Proctor

Wing - Reece, Ioane, Narawa, Clarke

Fullback - Jordan, Love

The forward pack is world class and their scrum smashed the mighty French scrum to pieces in 3 games.

I wouldn't say the AB's lack depth. It's more wrong combinations and lack of cohesion. Also lack of experience. There is always a lot of good players in NZ. So depth is not a problem.

Hey, we have four international halfbacks, with a 5th still eligible until he departs for England next year, and a 6th taylormade to replace him at any point.

Abs have plenty of front row, half back, 10 and 12 depth as well. Could have wing depth if Razor selects well

And pigs can fly

Hey siri.

Set Reminder for in 10 weeks to come back and have a laugh.

I think the AB might lose one in Argentina and the Boks will win at least one in NZ, NZ really lack depth and and can only play one way very one dimensional team at the moment

IN WORLD DO YOU LIVE BUD🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

Much as I would love to see your prediction come true I suspect that SA will be too strong for Aussie, will edge Argie but lose twice in close contests to the ABs. SA to be 2nd on the log just behind NZ.

He’s actually suggesting the ABs flip it on SA and dominate them with their set piece power game.

If you’re trying to say “bring it on then”, good on you, NZ won most of the games with free flowing rugby instead, so SA can do the same to them if they get it right too.

Agreed. One win from two. I can’t see the Boks winning both.

I can see Boks winning both, form in next 2 games for both sides will give us a indication, in fairness to Cheika Boks did not win LY tests against ABs with the nu style groove it was classic hits and you would expect both teams will be playing that same somg before any funky stuff gets a jam

The World Champions should always be favourites in any game they play, no matter who, where or when they play for the 4 year period until the next World Cup. That’s the way it is for World Champion teams.

The Boks are not getting old - they just recruited a whole bunch of Under 20’s World Champions into their squad and left out players like Mapimpi and De Klerk. That sounds like you’re getting your excuses in early.

Yes NZ will have to be at their absolute best but they have the talent and coaching to do it. A series split of 1-1 would be a success for NZ, a 0-2 series loss would be unfortunate but not surprising given how bloody good SA are, and a 2-0 series win would be totally unexpected but absolutely wonderful for NZ going forward to the 2027 World Cup.

Lol, they said the same prior to the 2023 WC! Ageing Boks are like a good red wine, they just keep getting better.

I will rather have ageing players like Etzebeth, Lood de Jager, and Kolisi, with a wealth if winning experience, to balance the enthusiasm of youth.

If you are relying on the age factor, prepare for some more heartbreak 💔

“Ageing”

I agree with you. NZ v SA games are usually tight affairs and it is high time NZ came out on top again after the recent frustrating losses to SA over the last couple of seasons.

I don’t think NZ start as favourites at all. They will be tight games for sure, especially if the weather is not conducive to running rugby, but the ABs have not solved many problems that plagued them last year, and due to injuries will once again be going in with new combinations - that shouldn’t be an excuse but they will use it.

Last year the adjective on everyone’s lips was the “ageing” Bok team. And yet, they got it done. Experience matters. And Erasmus is quietly going about his business plugging key “ageing” positions with promising young players. Maybe I’m wrong - time will tell - but the pace of transformation of the team with youth while balancing experience looks like it’s being well managed.

The thing people forget is that the depth in many positions allows you to manage rotate the workload of “ageing” stars in a way you can’t if you are forced to flog the same players, which prolongs their careers. But there are promising young players at 9 and 10, a raft of quality locks to rotate plus the emergence of the younger Ruan Nortje, the new 8 in Cobus Wiese & other strong flank options in Cameron Hanekom and Elrich Louw (unfortunately injured) and a raft of front rowers. The wing positions are healthy. The only positions where I feel depth is too thin is at centre, with Damien de Allende overplayed. Even at hooker there is now the emergence of Marnus van de Merwe, whereas before there was too much reliance on Mbonambi and Marx. So I think the ageing tag is possibly true for people who don’t watch the URC and see the proliferation of talent there.

That’s not to say the All Blacks can’t beat the Boks. At home they will always be favourites. But while they have a younger squad they have less depth and have a number of injuries in key positions. If they beat the Boks - and they may well do - it won’t be because of the age of the Boks squad. It will be because they played better.

Rieko doesn’t have acceleration.

Reece being slow is a myth based on last years where he got gassed by Bielle-Barre, as most wingers are. He’s not as fast as some to be sure but fast enough. His defence is solid and he gets himself involved. Not sure why we need Ioane in midfield since he still doesn’t know how to distribute to his outsides. There are a number of better players than him at centre but not many better wings.

Caleb Clarke would be heavier and faster than 90% of international wingers

Xavier Tito- Harris looked pretty sharp for AK last night, and there was a Fijian dude on the wing for Waikato I would have liked to have seen get some more ball.

Wing is the one position where the coaches really should just play the guys who are in form, nevermind the ‘time served showing faith they’ll come right’ nonsense.

No doubt I’m looking forward to that enough for now everyone saying Pumas lost to England is because they had heaps on ice and some of those new dudes they went alright, Pumas will be up for this at home we must!crush!them! destroy their hopes and dreams for comp in 2 games !😂