I don’t think there were any fans booing George Ford personally, they were booing SB’s decision to bring him on and the assumed decision to bring Marcus Smith off. It’s unfortunate for Ford, but it’ll be the same again on Saturday. The negativity around Slade’s continued selection doesn’t come from last weeks defensive performance, it comes from watching a toothless midfield attack for years and years. Why not roll the dice and try something different? A lot of the frustrstion around selection also comes from the fact that we are one year in to world cup cycle. It’s not all about the game this weekend, it’s also about developing a group of players who can challenge for grand slams and world cup in the years to come. That doesn’t mean playing 23 x 20 year olds, but there’s too many players currently in the set up who are past their peak.
Pretty much on the money - certainly the people around us at Twickenham all thought it was a straight Smith/Ford swap. There is no ill will to George Ford (first game of the 2023 World Cup anyone?)
@@zuzanalarge1183 totally agree with all you say… the booing is for the really poor management of the team by SB. And considering he’s paid a bloody fortune it’s inexcusable to make such blindingly obvious errors. England players earn 25k a match so they have to deserve to be there.
I dunno, Slade has been one of the form 13s in the Prem the last few months and a star for us in six nations so there's no reason why he shouldn't get picked
Best Flanker in English rugby back... Hard as nails Sam Underhill... From a saffa.. he is class and should never have been dropped by that nob..Bok worried
True story. When I started watching rugby more it was 2007 WC.. We trounced them 36-0 in group stage.. Was one of my favourite bok games for awhile. And yet who made it all the way to the final? And lost within a few penalties. Of our 2 trophies 2 were against the English. But both those times no one gave England a chance to even get to the final. Never underestimate England. They also why we have mongrel as South Africans- my family goes back to 1820s settlers.
Now that we're eventually on opposite sides of the fence, lol, all I want to say on this one is very best of luck to your team, Tim. You're a scholar and a gentleman :) Let's all hope for consistent, accurate refereeing and a good ole game of rugby 🤛
From South Africa. I think it's going to be tough first half and something of a punishment for England in the second half. Always love your posts. Thanks Tim
Tim, you sound like the England cricket team in the 80's.Playing the West Indies praying for rain 😂.Rassie did say he expected England to play the kicking game before the announcement of Steve's team. Fassie is awesome in the air and counter stike threat with Kolbe and Kurt Lee.Will be interesting to watch.I just hope the boks are more accurate with their handling.
This Kiwi totally agree could never understand Underhill's omission . Good luck for Saturday. Cheering for the South! I think this is the best team available to him and seems a much more coherent selection than his previous efforts. Here's to a great match with no major injuries or cards.
As a South African fan, I will never get used to us being favorites and I will also never overlook any opposition. I am concerns that quite a few of our players haven't had any game time in a few weeks, also concerned that the weather could play a role, so hopefully the rain stays away. Also hoping Manie has tweaked his kicking and will slot some conversions this weekend!
Makes no difference he isn't upto the task either. For someone who is touted as the next big thing hes never shown it for England, always gets stopped and turned over easy and gets ran through on defense
If you are an international 13 and you have to pick one player you would like to play against. 100% of players would choose Slade. Zero attacking threat. Agreed on the bench, it really is a shocker
Isiekwe and Dombrandt are a real head-scratcher. There's better players in and around the squad. I might even put Daly on the bench to have Roebuck on the wing over Slade in the centres. Hey ho, England aren't a million miles off.. just not quite refined enough and I don't fancy our chances against SA. They're an excellent side.
Yeah that's not how rugby works. Without a focal point at 12 the 13's threat is always going to be diminished. All the best attacking teams have that attribute see Aki, de Allende, Jordie, Tuisova, Tuipolotu etc. On Saturday, Lawrence must step up and give us some go forward and Marcus needs to get the other playmakers, like Slade into the game. The past two weeks have proved he can't do it on his own. Also please rewatch Slade defensive performance on player cam and tell me guys want to play against him. He was relentless for 80 mins
@@lucascarlisle9116 didn't he miss like 50% of his tackles and kept creating dog legs. Got turned over a few times aswell. Him and Lawrence both need to step up because they're both below internal standards
@@Stvalgore89 The stats don't really tell the story in a blitz D. Individual players will miss more tackles with this system, but if implemented correctly the attackers get mopped up, either by inside defenders or on the scramble. I think the stats say he missed 5 - at least 3 were players evading him having been forced back inside after he got into the passing lane and stopped the attack going wide. I don't recall a consequential 'genuine' missed tackle from Slade, unlike CCS who made two basic misreads which cost 75m a piece. The dog legs were caused by other players outside him not trusting the system the team has chosen to adopt. If Sleightholme goes with him on their first try he takes Suaalii man and ball. Point is, you can't half-arse a blitz and I think it's unfair to pin England's defensive failures on the only guy that is actually doing what he's been asked to do for the full 80. The turnover on the floor - that was our bloke missing the clear out and landing on top of Slade which cause the ball to squirt out… Agree both centres need a big game up against arguably the best combo in the world right now 👍🏼
@@lucascarlisle9116 I get it, but Slade could have any of those 12s playing along side him and he still has no attacking threat ball in hand. Even worse when we actually pick him at 12, as you said all the top sides play with a destructive ball carrier at 12. (NZ are just blessed that Jordie is a great footballer as well as being 6"5). We have been desperate for more pace and power for years.
In my very humble opinion, England's front row and centres are a problem and have been for years now. SA's, on the other hand, are so strong. Plus, the strength of their bench their depth is incredible.
I am very nervous about this game. I remember a very similar vibe before the WC2023 semi-final. No-one really gave England a realistic chance. Everyone predicted a 10-20 point victory for SA. And we all now know how that went. Will be at Twickenham to watch. Can't wait, but super nervous.
We didn’t get drained by France this time and we won’t be caught flat again (hence why we played out B team last week so the starting line up is fresh as daises and rearing to go)
@@timbaker4253 I agree with you. Those are 2 key differences from this time. I hope the weather will co-operate and that it does not rain. The team SA picked in the backline (speedsters) is geared for some expansive/quick rugby plus a lot of kick&chase. So lets hope for good weather. A ref that lets the game flow. No yellow/red cards on either side.
Freddie Steward's return is awesome! Lets talk about the elephant in the room: Toulouse beloved Jack Willis not being allowed to play, what a shame! His flair, his chasing ability and power would have done wonders here...
You can't be seduced by premiership form. It's a very average league these days. Performances against those teams just don't translate at international level.
No, we need a new England coach who recognises and selects genuine talent and gives them a frame work in which they can express themselves and innovate.
I don't think people were necessarily boing Ford going on but that they thought Smith was coming off. That was the mood in the rugby club I was in. Agree on Dombrandt; doesn't cut it in internationals. Freddie perfect for this game.
Very keen and nervous for this game as an England supporter. One thing I find very interesting was the age of the players so just did some adding; The avg England team age is 26.7, and the Boks avg age is bang on 30. A very experienced and lethal Bok team is coming and looks like they want to RUN
I’m sick of being an England fan it’s not enjoyable and I’ve had enough. Our coaches are crap and inept. I don’t want to watch bloody box kicking and if that’s Englands tactic then I hope they bloody lose because that not rugby to me. If they win doing it then there is something wrong with rugby!! The fact Ford is still on the bench is an utter disgrace. Furbank has not been given the opportunity to attack. Again that’s the coach’s fault. One off wins is not enough I want a dynamic inspiring England team that excites us with there play but then pigs 🐷 might fly! Surely you need more players like Smith in attack not less! Freeman should be in the centre.
Completely agree mate, its getting increasingly frustrating, isn't it!. I'd love to see them have courage in selection and have a proper go, and if they lose, they lose. Not so toothless as it is now.
You're not a real England fan if you think the inclusion of Ford is an "utter disgrace". He's got 98 caps and is the best fly half in England at the moment. Happily have you go off and support a different sport mate, toodle-oo 😊
@@wjhd6823 Ford is the best fly half in England!? Presumably you’re having a laugh 😂 or you know very little about rugby! The autumn series was going well in that 1st game vs NZ, we were heading for a win and then for some inexplicable reason SB subbed Smith for Ford and ever since then it’s gone pear shaped!
@@jameswyatt4443 I agree on a normal week, but with Willie approaching 100 caps there was always the thought that Rassie might try get him to 100 before the end of the year...and aside from that, with game management Willie is ahead of any fullback in world rugby...but as a runner and attacker, Fassie is one of my favourite players, been wanting him in the team for years now. Happy he is showing his class
@@jameswyatt4443 I thought Rassie would go for a 5-3 split so he could have Willie on the bench...he went 5-3 without Willie...Rassie is so hard to predict haha
Feels like back to the future, with the Leicester duo back. Even if you can live with the first 15, the bench is shocking. Not one of them gets anywhere near the SA bench. Borthwick really laying his chips on the table and will get blasted if we lose
Have to play to your strengths. I honestly cant see where Englands is at the moment as they dont seem to be able to move game plans mid game when the flow changes.
As an international bench, that’s shocking. Feels like this team is taking a step back to something we tried and ultimately failed with, why would it work now 🤷🏻♂️ England need a direction and need to stick to it. Starting with a new centre partnership
So, we're going toe to toe with the 'boks physically (oh dear) and kicking the leather off the ball again. Think I'll find some thing else to watch on Saturday. I may extend that disinterest until Borthwick is just a distant memory. Regarding the bench, I'd rather watch THE BENCH than the players who'll be occupying it............
Ford was not being booed. The fans were booing the coach for his robotic substitutions. Whether Ford is out of form and should have been picked are legitimate questions. The defence system failures and lack of conditioning are not the players fault. The loss of two coaches who had been in place for a short period was disturbing and disruptive. There has been no indication of why this happened or how it was allowed to happen but clearly they were unhappy to stay on. The implication is some sort of dysfunction. Not the players fault but serious questions for the management.
The Sad thing is that England do have a very promising crop of players that should have been given game time during WC2023 and are left by wayside or hoovered up by the French leagues. I suspect we could post a matchday squad whereby many more would have slotted into your combined team. The most frustrating aspect is the continued use of players that simply do not perform at international level. We need to be a little more ruthless in selection for the good of the team not the ego of the coaches.
I’ll be at Twickenham and greatly looking forward to it. There is currently no greater challenge in World Rugby. I certainly won’t be booing players as they come on
Completely agree re Dombrandt and Isiekwe. The former has had too many bites of the cherry and has failed to shine, the later whilst still a terrific club player, just looks a shade off ability wise for international rugby.
Tim your love of Ford is weird! So what if he has 98 caps!? Does that mean he should be picked just because of his no of caps. England fans have every right to vent their feeling’s booing Ford because anyone with a semblance of a rugby brain wouldn’t bring him on, especially after what happened vs NZ. If on 60 minutes Ford is brought on I will definitely be booing as loud as I can because it’s a frigging joke especially when I’ve paid a train fare, £109 for the ticket and £200 for a hotel room because of the late kick off.
Luv mi highball, luv mi Dan Cole, luv mi lineout, ate inside centres (not raycist just don’t like em) ate defending. Propa norf brexit rugby this, none of that champagne crap
I think hes a man with a plan. Making the boks heavy favourites. Wonder why the NH media always write the boks off in world cups. That just motivates them. Make them favourites and its going to be a close game.
Borthwick has done it again. He's rushed a player in with little game time after an injury lay-off. In this case it is JVP but he's already done it this Autumn with Tom Curry and Ford and that didn't end well.
Underwhelmed with the selections. Glad to see Sam Underhill back. Not sure I have a lot of faith in Steve Borthwick and the relatively inexperienced coaching team. Good news is we seem to have some good young players for the not too distant future, but not holding out a great deal of hope for a sporting masterclass this weekend…🤷🏼♂️
Exactly what I thought they would do, kick to the edges and target the shorter wingers with the tap back, especially under the new rules, hence my prediction of Fassi at fullback.
Don't forget when England played the Boks they had just come off that 'Super Test' against France, I honestly don't belive any other team would have beaten France that day.
Tim looking forward to a great game. Did you see the South African Podcast Behind the Ruck, who interviewed Sasha Feinberg Mngomezulu, I think you will find it fascinating. It’s a pity his not in the Autumn series .
Looking forward to this one.Ex i.o.w now living in Aus daughter living in Durban. England will want to prove they can win; but the Bocs , gee what a great team they can allways put out.I am with supporting Ox
Man, don't underestimate the desperation of the England team to prove a point Tim, the Boks might just have a off game and England might put in a 80 like the first 20 against Aus, but, then again we might see a 20+ for the 4x back to back no1 ranked trc championship springboks 🇿🇦🔥😎😉
1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George (captain), 3 Will Stuart; 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Martin; 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 10 Marcus Smith; 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 12 Henry Slade, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Tommy Freeman; 15 Freddie Steward. Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Alex Dombrandt; 21 Harry Randall, 22 George Ford, 23 Tom Roebuck.
Hi Tim, proudly South African and a great fan of your channel, insights and opinions. I'm afraid you've got your prediction wrong in my opinion, but you might have done it with reason 😂. The game will be close and hopefully the Boks will win it in the last 5 minutes. You are right, on paper the Boks look far superior, but the game is played on grass 😉. Enjoy the game, I'll be shouting my heart out from sunny South Africa. Hopefully I'll be the first to apologize to you after the game for disagreeing now!
WOW Tim Boks by 17, that is a big call mate. As a Saffa, I too am a bit worried about this game. England are hurting after 2-0 and we could make it a whitewash. They didn't take the Wallabies seriously and got a spanking of note. (Hats off the Wallabies, fantastic to see there rebuild really cracking on). If they come out with the same attitude, as they did against the AB's this will be a war. AB's were lucky to get away with the win. My prediction it will come down to Marni's kicking. I predict England will give away kicking opportunity penalty early to feel out the Boks and their confidence in his kicking. If he misses it will allow them to take advantage. As you say England’s lineout and maul defense has been good so far, so they will feel confident to take on the Boks in the lineout.
Agree with you on the law change. - sub six foot back three players will become a thing of the past. - box kicking will go through the roof. I don't know why this is a surprise. I reckon Steward could be something like 60% to get the ball back on a good box kick.
Absolutely no way. Steward will not chase box kicks, he’s a fullback, he’s receiving them. In any case what you don’t understand is that anything over 20% for getting your own kicks back is high, 60% is wildly ignorant to say. And Fassi is just as good in the air.
@jameswyatt4443 Steward is used pretty often to chase kicks in this scenario. If it's a good kick he will be better than 50 -50 to get a lot of kicks back.
@ No he won’t. You’ve obviously never seen the stats on retrieving your own kicks, 20% is high. It’s not going to happen yet you think 50% for Steward, who as I said will also be up against Fassi who is elite in the air as well. This year the Springboks have the highest percentage of winning back their own kicks, and it’s 29%. Also, to go back to your original comment, you said short wingers will be a thing of the past, so how come the shortest wingers in the world, Kolbe and Arendse are the best kick chasers? It’s almost like you have no clue what you’re talking about. In any case, you’re overreacting to the change in how referees deal with box kick escorts, once players are used into it won’t have a huge effect.
The change to the law with no blockers is a weird one for player safety. Leaving players wide open to get smashed and injured, I thought player safety was supposed to be a big issue with world rugby.
What i love about the springboks are the won a world cup based on box kicks then moved on. Now others try the same whilst we have moved beyomd it. Its relevant but i love that we lead whilst the other follows whilst we already calculated the law changes and adapted to it. Always ahead
I have serious concerns around Steward's pace in defence but I understand the logic of his selection. I had hoped that Randall would start but can again understand Borthwick seeing him as a better option as an impact sub however it would be nice to see him play alongside Smith. I would have picked Underhill ahead of Curry so think this could strengthen us. Agree completely about the impact of the change in defence coach.
Like you I have a great deal of time for Henry Slade. It would be so good to see him just go off the script a couple of time like he can. Watched him so many times simply glide through defences.and give a killer pass. Marcus Smith can bring him into the game but Slade has to move to the right area to allow him to do that. As for defence? It's the system not the individual that is failing.
That selection is such an admission of defeat 😂😂. I keep clamouring for Borthwick to make different selections based on talent but it’s a waste of energy. Now I’m just clamouring for him to be sacked. Too many high quality players getting totally ignored and it’s really annoyed me since Borthwick started the job
I dont like the new "Access" law, but if we're going for the aerial assualt, id have started Roebuck. CCS is a bench player for the last 30 mins lime Kwagga Smith, I think. Would rather see these changes: CCS - Hill/Pearson Sleightholme - Roebuck (Switch to bench) Cowan Dickie - Dan Isikwe - Coles Dombrandt - B Curry Ford - CCS 6-2 split makes more sense against the Saffas
Just checked the officials for this match, and the ref is Andrew Brace, with the TMO Ben Whitehouse. England just became favourites for this test match. Expect the Boks to get at least three TMO originated yellow / red cards
Interesting take on box kicks and counter attacks. I'm not sure I quite understand your logic. Surely, if the laws now favour the attacking players, this gives more chance of the attacking formation becoming more broken up as the attacking side commits more to the idea of winning the box kick, and thus needing to provide a platform to take advantage of winning possession 'behind the lines' - like a parachute drop on D Day. So you get the main attacker - some fit fast winger - running towards where the ball is coming down - and a whole load of bigger blokes trying to get up to him in support, and because the attackers feel more confident in their chances of winning the ball, they commit more to this supporting move, and in doing so, risk breaking up their own cohesion. And a team that is now suddenly less cohesive in structure, is exposing itself to a rapier like counter attack from a defender who can win the ball and start weaving through the gaps created by the now strung out attacking team. So I suppose the argument here is that if attackers have a less obstructed path to the ball, they'll sack the receiver and increase their chances of winning possession. I guess that's fair enough. But my counter argument is that we already have a game in which obstruction of the attacker is fairly rare, and has been penalised for years. And being able to shield the defender is never something that can always be done - and crucially, when it can be done, it's invariably when the attackers are in a good position to wrap up the receiver anyway - so with or without a shield, the defender isn't going on the counter. So I don't think it's going to affect the amount of counter attacking, because the new rules will simply not affect the circumstances in which counter attacks develop under the old system. Maybe that makes sense and maybe it doesn't. And bravo to anyone who reads all this.
As a SA fan, I have also been watching the development of England and have been confused at times as to what the plan is. Henry Slade is a great player however when he was at 13, he didn't have the pace to get away from the defence when in a half gap. I am not sure if moving him to 12 is the answer either. Sam Underhill will pose a problem for the boks, his defence is great. I do however feel that England's problems start off the field and by that I mean, the NZ game needed a "nerves of steel" player steering the ship in those last 10 mins against NZ however he (Faz) has moved away from England all together and due to policy is no longer available. SA knew they needed Pollard to close out those RWC games and did everything in their power to bring him back. Owen Farrell has been that player for England but due to being vilified by the press and the wider population has forced him abroad. I am no expert on anything but that game would have ended differently and a lot of subsequent self doubt that now exists would not be there
My problem with Borthwick’s selection is that it’s confused. We start with an attacking 10 but our attacking 9 is on the bench. The bench 10 plays a territorial game but the 9 that suits him is starting. The attacking 8 that plays his club game with the starting 10 is on the bench and likely won’t spend any time on the field him. The starting 10 prefers a running game but the full back is a kick chase specialist that would better suit the 10 that’s on the bench. And, last time I checked, it’s the 8,9 & 10 that are key to controlling the game and determining what type of game that the team puts out on the pitch. All that said, I can see England winning more than their fair share of the line out which may compensate for the weakness in the scrum and that may give them a way into this game. It’s a slim chance but a chance nonetheless!
I feel this is a huge week for George Ford. Smith has pretty firmly cemented himself as the best 10 in England, so Ford has to play from the bench, and we’re finding out that just isn’t what he’s built for. There’s no energy from the team after smith comes off (which isn’t fords problem exclusively, but he also isn’t helping), and if he isn’t going to be a spark off the bench, what is the benefit of having him at all? He’s still a great player, but England as currently constructed may not have room for him
Tim, I love your podcasts; by far the best rugby podcasts out there. So I feel for you this weekend. I’m afraid your 17 point difference is a bit optimistic. This is not like the 2023 World Cup semi-final, nor like the 2019 WC Final. The Springboks are a far more settled and confident side, and the English have gone backwards. I predict a 40-point difference.
Yes it's definitely been defensive errors costing England. The crucial missed tackles have to be weeded out. I have minor reservations about Steward. Let's hope he has a good day and SA are a little below top form.
I don’t think there were any fans booing George Ford personally, they were booing SB’s decision to bring him on and the assumed decision to bring Marcus Smith off. It’s unfortunate for Ford, but it’ll be the same again on Saturday.
The negativity around Slade’s continued selection doesn’t come from last weeks defensive performance, it comes from watching a toothless midfield attack for years and years. Why not roll the dice and try something different?
A lot of the frustrstion around selection also comes from the fact that we are one year in to world cup cycle. It’s not all about the game this weekend, it’s also about developing a group of players who can challenge for grand slams and world cup in the years to come. That doesn’t mean playing 23 x 20 year olds, but there’s too many players currently in the set up who are past their peak.
Couldn't agree more
Pretty much on the money - certainly the people around us at Twickenham all thought it was a straight Smith/Ford swap. There is no ill will to George Ford (first game of the 2023 World Cup anyone?)
Our players are not conditioned enough or fit enough to beat sa, it will be embaressing watching this match.
@@zuzanalarge1183 totally agree with all you say… the booing is for the really poor management of the team by SB. And considering he’s paid a bloody fortune it’s inexcusable to make such blindingly obvious errors. England players earn 25k a match so they have to deserve to be there.
I dunno, Slade has been one of the form 13s in the Prem the last few months and a star for us in six nations so there's no reason why he shouldn't get picked
Best Flanker in English rugby back... Hard as nails Sam Underhill... From a saffa.. he is class and should never have been dropped by that nob..Bok worried
You don't need to worry! Although I am an England rugby fan but South Africa have enough power and intelligence to win this game.
I’m a saffa and I’m nervous about the game! We can never underestimate the English team
True story. When I started watching rugby more it was 2007 WC.. We trounced them 36-0 in group stage.. Was one of my favourite bok games for awhile. And yet who made it all the way to the final? And lost within a few penalties. Of our 2 trophies 2 were against the English. But both those times no one gave England a chance to even get to the final.
Never underestimate England. They also why we have mongrel as South Africans- my family goes back to 1820s settlers.
You are allowed to be nervous but I honestly would not worry! We are pants.
@@jamess3408 😂 we are pants. I've not heard that before. I think it'll be closer than you think.
The Springboks will win, never fear ☘🏴☠👍
I don’t think the Boks would be amateur enough to underestimate England. They are forcing their hand.
That's fine, Fassi is the best Bok in the air.
Dudes flying without a pilots license. Absolute mad man.
Now that we're eventually on opposite sides of the fence, lol, all I want to say on this one is very best of luck to your team, Tim. You're a scholar and a gentleman :) Let's all hope for consistent, accurate refereeing and a good ole game of rugby 🤛
England are a great wet weather team. Pray for a blizzard boys.
😂😂😂
@@Brucemcleod2345 That's about it, right? :)
@@davidpearn2484 Yes, I used the words "consistent", "accurate" and "refereeing" too close together in a sentence, I know ;)
Scholar and a gentleman? Is that a Norm MacDonald reference?
If so, you definitely have a doghouse in your yard 👍🏻
That team screams 2023 World Cup Semi-final gameplan, i'm expecting lots of kicks.
From South Africa. I think it's going to be tough first half and something of a punishment for England in the second half. Always love your posts. Thanks Tim
Tim, you sound like the England cricket team in the 80's.Playing the West Indies praying for rain 😂.Rassie did say he expected England to play the kicking game before the announcement of Steve's team. Fassie is awesome in the air and counter stike threat with Kolbe and Kurt Lee.Will be interesting to watch.I just hope the boks are more accurate with their handling.
This Kiwi totally agree could never understand Underhill's omission . Good luck for Saturday. Cheering for the South! I think this is the best team available to him and seems a much more coherent selection than his previous efforts. Here's to a great match with no major injuries or cards.
As a South African fan, I will never get used to us being favorites and I will also never overlook any opposition. I am concerns that quite a few of our players haven't had any game time in a few weeks, also concerned that the weather could play a role, so hopefully the rain stays away. Also hoping Manie has tweaked his kicking and will slot some conversions this weekend!
That England bench is horrific!... I've not seen an England bench that bad for 10 to 15 years 😬
Have you not been watching rugby for 10 to 15 years? Holy hell I've seen some real stinkers
Agree . There are far better players than this lot. Why no Hill or willis ?
@@samoday2992 Willis isnt available because he plays in France
@samoday2992, there's no impact there at all. Completely agree
@@henryburton6529I dare say he's talking about his brother Tom.
Its going to be a hard day for Henry slade at 12, a Damian and a flying Peter steph du toit flying at you..... be prepared for big hits.
Lawrence lines up at 12 in defence
So be it! Just to remind some people how overrated Slade is..
Makes no difference he isn't upto the task either. For someone who is touted as the next big thing hes never shown it for England, always gets stopped and turned over easy and gets ran through on defense
If you are an international 13 and you have to pick one player you would like to play against. 100% of players would choose Slade. Zero attacking threat.
Agreed on the bench, it really is a shocker
Isiekwe and Dombrandt are a real head-scratcher. There's better players in and around the squad. I might even put Daly on the bench to have Roebuck on the wing over Slade in the centres. Hey ho, England aren't a million miles off.. just not quite refined enough and I don't fancy our chances against SA. They're an excellent side.
Yeah that's not how rugby works. Without a focal point at 12 the 13's threat is always going to be diminished. All the best attacking teams have that attribute see Aki, de Allende, Jordie, Tuisova, Tuipolotu etc.
On Saturday, Lawrence must step up and give us some go forward and Marcus needs to get the other playmakers, like Slade into the game. The past two weeks have proved he can't do it on his own.
Also please rewatch Slade defensive performance on player cam and tell me guys want to play against him. He was relentless for 80 mins
@@lucascarlisle9116 didn't he miss like 50% of his tackles and kept creating dog legs. Got turned over a few times aswell. Him and Lawrence both need to step up because they're both below internal standards
@@Stvalgore89 The stats don't really tell the story in a blitz D. Individual players will miss more tackles with this system, but if implemented correctly the attackers get mopped up, either by inside defenders or on the scramble.
I think the stats say he missed 5 - at least 3 were players evading him having been forced back inside after he got into the passing lane and stopped the attack going wide.
I don't recall a consequential 'genuine' missed tackle from Slade, unlike CCS who made two basic misreads which cost 75m a piece.
The dog legs were caused by other players outside him not trusting the system the team has chosen to adopt. If Sleightholme goes with him on their first try he takes Suaalii man and ball. Point is, you can't half-arse a blitz and I think it's unfair to pin England's defensive failures on the only guy that is actually doing what he's been asked to do for the full 80.
The turnover on the floor - that was our bloke missing the clear out and landing on top of Slade which cause the ball to squirt out…
Agree both centres need a big game up against arguably the best combo in the world right now 👍🏼
@@lucascarlisle9116 I get it, but Slade could have any of those 12s playing along side him and he still has no attacking threat ball in hand. Even worse when we actually pick him at 12, as you said all the top sides play with a destructive ball carrier at 12. (NZ are just blessed that Jordie is a great footballer as well as being 6"5). We have been desperate for more pace and power for years.
In my very humble opinion, England's front row and centres are a problem and have been for years now. SA's, on the other hand, are so strong. Plus, the strength of their bench their depth is incredible.
Can hear the cheers now from the Bok camp that Freddie Steward is playing, a JCB can turn quicker than Freddie. 😢
Tend to agree and if Freddie claims that high ball then what change of direction and he slips over.
Freddie is excellent in the Air i actually agree with this and can also be a strike runner .
What about a JVP ?
Steward is a better all round player than furbank
@@samoday2992 Only if he's not challenged. Put some competition in and in my opinion he wilts.
I am very nervous about this game. I remember a very similar vibe before the WC2023 semi-final. No-one really gave England a realistic chance. Everyone predicted a 10-20 point victory for SA. And we all now know how that went. Will be at Twickenham to watch. Can't wait, but super nervous.
We didn’t get drained by France this time and we won’t be caught flat again (hence why we played out B team last week so the starting line up is fresh as daises and rearing to go)
@@timbaker4253 I agree with you. Those are 2 key differences from this time. I hope the weather will co-operate and that it does not rain. The team SA picked in the backline (speedsters) is geared for some expansive/quick rugby plus a lot of kick&chase. So lets hope for good weather. A ref that lets the game flow. No yellow/red cards on either side.
@ In Rassie we trust
Freddie Steward's return is awesome! Lets talk about the elephant in the room: Toulouse beloved Jack Willis not being allowed to play, what a shame! His flair, his chasing ability and power would have done wonders here...
The elephant is the coaching staff and weak unfit players, wel get stuffed in this match all over the park, couldnt come at a worse time.
if I was Ted Hill I'd be off to France and earn some big bucks.
You can't be seduced by premiership form. It's a very average league these days. Performances against those teams just don't translate at international level.
Mercer did OK...
No, we need a new England coach who recognises and selects genuine talent and gives them a frame work in which they can express themselves and innovate.
We wasted Simmonds too, it's so predictable these days
@@thewomble1509like who then?
Just shows lack of direction from Borthwick. He is just treading water, not the right man for the job needed, I'm afraid.
Why does it show that?
Like the fact that your not biased at all! You give it Straight love your content keep it up!
I don't think people were necessarily boing Ford going on but that they thought Smith was coming off. That was the mood in the rugby club I was in. Agree on Dombrandt; doesn't cut it in internationals. Freddie perfect for this game.
What England really need is a few more vice-capitains
Agree 3 is not enough.
The crowd didn't boo George Ford. It booed Borthwick for his decision to take off Marcus Smith the week before.
I love your analysis and passion for the game. Milton from South Africa. Please keep it up.
Very keen and nervous for this game as an England supporter. One thing I find very interesting was the age of the players so just did some adding; The avg England team age is 26.7, and the Boks avg age is bang on 30. A very experienced and lethal Bok team is coming and looks like they want to RUN
Nobody is booing George Ford, they are booing Borthwick for the insanity of his substitutions.
I’m sick of being an England fan it’s not enjoyable and I’ve had enough. Our coaches are crap and inept. I don’t want to watch bloody box kicking and if that’s Englands tactic then I hope they bloody lose because that not rugby to me. If they win doing it then there is something wrong with rugby!! The fact Ford is still on the bench is an utter disgrace. Furbank has not been given the opportunity to attack. Again that’s the coach’s fault. One off wins is not enough I want a dynamic inspiring England team that excites us with there play but then pigs 🐷 might fly! Surely you need more players like Smith in attack not less! Freeman should be in the centre.
Completely agree mate, its getting increasingly frustrating, isn't it!. I'd love to see them have courage in selection and have a proper go, and if they lose, they lose. Not so toothless as it is now.
You're not a real England fan if you think the inclusion of Ford is an "utter disgrace". He's got 98 caps and is the best fly half in England at the moment. Happily have you go off and support a different sport mate, toodle-oo 😊
Get ready for every team boxkicking non-stop after the rule change.
@@wjhd6823 Ford is the best fly half in England!? Presumably you’re having a laugh 😂 or you know very little about rugby! The autumn series was going well in that 1st game vs NZ, we were heading for a win and then for some inexplicable reason SB subbed Smith for Ford and ever since then it’s gone pear shaped!
Freddie Steward was MASSIVE in the semi, he's class.
We remember that in SA !!! he was dropped??
Slow as a barge and can't tackle.
the biggest game is France vs New Zealand, England vs Boks will be a Bore Fest, the Boks will smash the English margin of 25 points!!!
as soon as I saw that Fassie was at 15 for the Boks, I knew Rassie was preparing for an aerial assault...
Fassi is simply ahead of Willie though. Tactics aside, Fassi was playing/
@@jameswyatt4443 I agree on a normal week, but with Willie approaching 100 caps there was always the thought that Rassie might try get him to 100 before the end of the year...and aside from that, with game management Willie is ahead of any fullback in world rugby...but as a runner and attacker, Fassie is one of my favourite players, been wanting him in the team for years now. Happy he is showing his class
@ I thought we’d put Willie on the bench.
@@jameswyatt4443 I thought Rassie would go for a 5-3 split so he could have Willie on the bench...he went 5-3 without Willie...Rassie is so hard to predict haha
I'm quite worried as a Springbok fan. Can't underestimate this England team.
Feels like back to the future, with the Leicester duo back. Even if you can live with the first 15, the bench is shocking. Not one of them gets anywhere near the SA bench. Borthwick really laying his chips on the table and will get blasted if we lose
100% truth
What concerns me as an England fan is there's absolutely no deception to that team selection.
The Boks know exactly what they're dealing with.
I believe Twickenham crowd is going to sing "God Save our Team" as Eben Etsebeth and RG Snyman are in starting line-up.....
Kick to Fassi, kolbe and Arense. Good luck with that plan😂😂😂
And can you imagine they thought that would be Englands tactics 3 weeks ago and have practiced the counters 😂😅😏
Worked well in the semi final cannot do much if they get hit as soon as they catch
Is this really where England should be 2 years into Borthwick's reign? Relying on box kicks to marginally win games? And failing at doing even that?
Have to play to your strengths. I honestly cant see where Englands is at the moment as they dont seem to be able to move game plans mid game when the flow changes.
Totally agree boring Borthwick and his team of coaches will gone after next year's six nations. 🏉🫣
Forwards coach going backwards
Marginally win? He’s looking to not have a rout - so he isn’t binned.
As an international bench, that’s shocking. Feels like this team is taking a step back to something we tried and ultimately failed with, why would it work now 🤷🏻♂️ England need a direction and need to stick to it. Starting with a new centre partnership
So, we're going toe to toe with the 'boks physically (oh dear) and kicking the leather off the ball again.
Think I'll find some thing else to watch on Saturday. I may extend that disinterest until Borthwick is just a distant memory. Regarding the bench, I'd rather watch THE BENCH than the players who'll be occupying it............
Ford was not being booed. The fans were booing the coach for his robotic substitutions. Whether Ford is out of form and should have been picked are legitimate questions. The defence system failures and lack of conditioning are not the players fault. The loss of two coaches who had been in place for a short period was disturbing and disruptive. There has been no indication of why this happened or how it was allowed to happen but clearly they were unhappy to stay on. The implication is some sort of dysfunction. Not the players fault but serious questions for the management.
The Sad thing is that England do have a very promising crop of players that should have been given game time during WC2023 and are left by wayside or hoovered up by the French leagues. I suspect we could post a matchday squad whereby many more would have slotted into your combined team. The most frustrating aspect is the continued use of players that simply do not perform at international level. We need to be a little more ruthless in selection for the good of the team not the ego of the coaches.
I’ll be at Twickenham and greatly looking forward to it. There is currently no greater challenge in World Rugby. I certainly won’t be booing players as they come on
No doubt about it. Same tactics as the semi final.
Completely agree re Dombrandt and Isiekwe. The former has had too many bites of the cherry and has failed to shine, the later whilst still a terrific club player, just looks a shade off ability wise for international rugby.
Bloody hell those two wouldn't make the Welsh bench 😳.
Tim your love of Ford is weird! So what if he has 98 caps!? Does that mean he should be picked just because of his no of caps. England fans have every right to vent their feeling’s booing Ford because anyone with a semblance of a rugby brain wouldn’t bring him on, especially after what happened vs NZ. If on 60 minutes Ford is brought on I will definitely be booing as loud as I can because it’s a frigging joke especially when I’ve paid a train fare, £109 for the ticket and £200 for a hotel room because of the late kick off.
Willie Le Roux has 98 caps but Rassie didn't pick him ...
Underhill finally!
Let's go...looking forward to a very entertaining weekend of rugby🎉🎉🎉
I would never boo Ford, but I would boo Borthwick for bringing him on unnecessarily.
Rassie called this in his Press Conference
Noooo wayy, wooooow
Agree 100% with the combined squad.
I think Earl is lucky to be at 8 over Wiese
Itoje over Synman? Dream on.
Only Smith makes it to the combined team in my books.
The game is going to be epic, England knows how to turn up for the context
@Camcolito @sonneblom79 Well boys, if we're that strong I assume you are going Boks by 30 right?
Luv mi highball, luv mi Dan Cole, luv mi lineout, ate inside centres (not raycist just don’t like em) ate defending. Propa norf brexit rugby this, none of that champagne crap
Tim Visagi going Springboks by 17 just proofs again he is a new born South African. We are glad to have you Tim!
I think hes a man with a plan. Making the boks heavy favourites. Wonder why the NH media always write the boks off in world cups. That just motivates them. Make them favourites and its going to be a close game.
😂😂😂
He is a realist.
Borthwick has done it again. He's rushed a player in with little game time after an injury lay-off. In this case it is JVP but he's already done it this Autumn with Tom Curry and Ford and that didn't end well.
Big fan of Freddie Stuart, definitely agree about George Ford. Great rugby player
Underwhelmed with the selections. Glad to see Sam Underhill back. Not sure I have a lot of faith in Steve Borthwick and the relatively inexperienced coaching team. Good news is we seem to have some good young players for the not too distant future, but not holding out a great deal of hope for a sporting masterclass this weekend…🤷🏼♂️
Exactly what I thought they would do, kick to the edges and target the shorter wingers with the tap back, especially under the new rules, hence my prediction of Fassi at fullback.
Don't forget when England played the Boks they had just come off that 'Super Test' against France, I honestly don't belive any other team would have beaten France that day.
With a NH ref South Africa wouldn't have beaten France that day
@@henryburton6529 Yeah because the NH refs are NH biased.
@@henryburton6529 And the salt is still flowing😅
100% agreed.
Salt makes things tastier, and SA love the seasoning just as much
Weekend Special is rock solid under the high ball
You are very good at this. Cheers
I'm calling a close game unless the box kick is not a factor but with the law changes I see it as a great equalizer
Great video Tim. Only disagreement is Itoje ahead of Snyman - that call is a howler.
Happy to see Steward back! Thought he was class during the World Cup!
Tim looking forward to a great game. Did you see the South African Podcast Behind the Ruck, who interviewed Sasha Feinberg Mngomezulu, I think you will find it fascinating. It’s a pity his not in the Autumn series .
Aphelele Fasi is lethal running from the back. The English kicking game could get unstuck very quickly. Anyway, great respect for your content from 🇿🇦
Looking forward to this one.Ex i.o.w now living in Aus daughter living in Durban.
England will want to prove they can win; but the Bocs , gee what a great team they can allways put out.I am with supporting Ox
Combined squad is bang on. Might be a difficult watch on Saturday but let’s remain positive😂
I would have had Unders over Kolisi
@ it’s a tight one!
Itoje over Synman, no way.
@@Camcolito Has Snyman ever been shortlisted for world player of they year?
@@henryburton6529 Does that decide who to pick for this one game on current form?
Man, don't underestimate the desperation of the England team to prove a point Tim, the Boks might just have a off game and England might put in a 80 like the first 20 against Aus, but, then again we might see a 20+ for the 4x back to back no1 ranked trc championship springboks 🇿🇦🔥😎😉
I really hope England can make a game of it.
1 Ellis Genge, 2 Jamie George (captain), 3 Will Stuart; 4 Maro Itoje, 5 George Martin; 6 Chandler Cunningham-South, 7 Sam Underhill, 8 Ben Earl; 9 Jack van Poortvliet, 10 Marcus Smith; 11 Ollie Sleightholme, 12 Henry Slade, 13 Ollie Lawrence, 14 Tommy Freeman; 15 Freddie Steward.
Replacements: 16 Luke Cowan-Dickie, 17 Fin Baxter, 18 Dan Cole, 19 Nick Isiekwe, 20 Alex Dombrandt; 21 Harry Randall, 22 George Ford, 23 Tom Roebuck.
Still a very good England team. If we Boks are not on our A game from kickoff, it could be another stressful one like that bloody semi.
We're walking along, singing a song, walking in a boxkick wonderland.
Hi Tim, proudly South African and a great fan of your channel, insights and opinions. I'm afraid you've got your prediction wrong in my opinion, but you might have done it with reason 😂. The game will be close and hopefully the Boks will win it in the last 5 minutes. You are right, on paper the Boks look far superior, but the game is played on grass 😉. Enjoy the game, I'll be shouting my heart out from sunny South Africa. Hopefully I'll be the first to apologize to you after the game for disagreeing now!
Looking forward to a good game whatever the weather and winner!!
WOW Tim Boks by 17, that is a big call mate. As a Saffa, I too am a bit worried about this game. England are hurting after 2-0 and we could make it a whitewash.
They didn't take the Wallabies seriously and got a spanking of note. (Hats off the Wallabies, fantastic to see there rebuild really cracking on). If they come out with the same attitude, as they did against the AB's this will be a war. AB's were lucky to get away with the win.
My prediction it will come down to Marni's kicking. I predict England will give away kicking opportunity penalty early to feel out the Boks and their confidence in his kicking. If he misses it will allow them to take advantage. As you say England’s lineout and maul defense has been good so far, so they will feel confident to take on the Boks in the lineout.
Agree with you on the law change.
- sub six foot back three players will become a thing of the past.
- box kicking will go through the roof.
I don't know why this is a surprise. I reckon Steward could be something like 60% to get the ball back on a good box kick.
Absolutely no way. Steward will not chase box kicks, he’s a fullback, he’s receiving them. In any case what you don’t understand is that anything over 20% for getting your own kicks back is high, 60% is wildly ignorant to say. And Fassi is just as good in the air.
@jameswyatt4443 Steward is used pretty often to chase kicks in this scenario. If it's a good kick he will be better than 50 -50 to get a lot of kicks back.
@ No he won’t. You’ve obviously never seen the stats on retrieving your own kicks, 20% is high. It’s not going to happen yet you think 50% for Steward, who as I said will also be up against Fassi who is elite in the air as well. This year the Springboks have the highest percentage of winning back their own kicks, and it’s 29%. Also, to go back to your original comment, you said short wingers will be a thing of the past, so how come the shortest wingers in the world, Kolbe and Arendse are the best kick chasers? It’s almost like you have no clue what you’re talking about. In any case, you’re overreacting to the change in how referees deal with box kick escorts, once players are used into it won’t have a huge effect.
It was great to meet you at DHL Stadium hope to see you in SA again
The change to the law with no blockers is a weird one for player safety. Leaving players wide open to get smashed and injured, I thought player safety was supposed to be a big issue with world rugby.
Looking forward to the game. Not going to make a prediction. I will be watching Wilco.
What i love about the springboks are the won a world cup based on box kicks then moved on. Now others try the same whilst we have moved beyomd it. Its relevant but i love that we lead whilst the other follows whilst we already calculated the law changes and adapted to it. Always ahead
I have serious concerns around Steward's pace in defence but I understand the logic of his selection. I had hoped that Randall would start but can again understand Borthwick seeing him as a better option as an impact sub however it would be nice to see him play alongside Smith. I would have picked Underhill ahead of Curry so think this could strengthen us.
Agree completely about the impact of the change in defence coach.
Yo. RG is one of my favourite players. Can't drop him 🙈🤣
Winning is EVERYTHING.
I think its going to be an awesome game.....go bokke 😊
Like you I have a great deal of time for Henry Slade. It would be so good to see him just go off the script a couple of time like he can. Watched him so many times simply glide through defences.and give a killer pass. Marcus Smith can bring him into the game but Slade has to move to the right area to allow him to do that. As for defence? It's the system not the individual that is failing.
That selection is such an admission of defeat 😂😂. I keep clamouring for Borthwick to make different selections based on talent but it’s a waste of energy. Now I’m just clamouring for him to be sacked. Too many high quality players getting totally ignored and it’s really annoyed me since Borthwick started the job
Saffa fan here and excited to see Sam back
Got to get behind the boys and pray!
I dont like the new "Access" law, but if we're going for the aerial assualt, id have started Roebuck. CCS is a bench player for the last 30 mins lime Kwagga Smith, I think. Would rather see these changes:
CCS - Hill/Pearson
Sleightholme - Roebuck (Switch to bench)
Cowan Dickie - Dan
Isikwe - Coles
Dombrandt - B Curry
Ford - CCS
6-2 split makes more sense against the Saffas
Aerial bombardment is this honestly the best plan our coaches can come up with, I love Cole and Ford but on the bench so much for development
Just checked the officials for this match, and the ref is Andrew Brace, with the TMO Ben Whitehouse.
England just became favourites for this test match.
Expect the Boks to get at least three TMO originated yellow / red cards
Look forward to a tense match
Interesting take on box kicks and counter attacks.
I'm not sure I quite understand your logic.
Surely, if the laws now favour the attacking players, this gives more chance of the attacking formation becoming more broken up as the attacking side commits more to the idea of winning the box kick, and thus needing to provide a platform to take advantage of winning possession 'behind the lines' - like a parachute drop on D Day. So you get the main attacker - some fit fast winger - running towards where the ball is coming down - and a whole load of bigger blokes trying to get up to him in support, and because the attackers feel more confident in their chances of winning the ball, they commit more to this supporting move, and in doing so, risk breaking up their own cohesion.
And a team that is now suddenly less cohesive in structure, is exposing itself to a rapier like counter attack from a defender who can win the ball and start weaving through the gaps created by the now strung out attacking team.
So I suppose the argument here is that if attackers have a less obstructed path to the ball, they'll sack the receiver and increase their chances of winning possession. I guess that's fair enough. But my counter argument is that we already have a game in which obstruction of the attacker is fairly rare, and has been penalised for years. And being able to shield the defender is never something that can always be done - and crucially, when it can be done, it's invariably when the attackers are in a good position to wrap up the receiver anyway - so with or without a shield, the defender isn't going on the counter.
So I don't think it's going to affect the amount of counter attacking, because the new rules will simply not affect the circumstances in which counter attacks develop under the old system.
Maybe that makes sense and maybe it doesn't. And bravo to anyone who reads all this.
More box kicks, more knock-ons, more scrums. Boks are licking their lips!!!
As a SA fan, I have also been watching the development of England and have been confused at times as to what the plan is. Henry Slade is a great player however when he was at 13, he didn't have the pace to get away from the defence when in a half gap. I am not sure if moving him to 12 is the answer either. Sam Underhill will pose a problem for the boks, his defence is great. I do however feel that England's problems start off the field and by that I mean, the NZ game needed a "nerves of steel" player steering the ship in those last 10 mins against NZ however he (Faz) has moved away from England all together and due to policy is no longer available. SA knew they needed Pollard to close out those RWC games and did everything in their power to bring him back. Owen Farrell has been that player for England but due to being vilified by the press and the wider population has forced him abroad. I am no expert on anything but that game would have ended differently and a lot of subsequent self doubt that now exists would not be there
I would never take Itoje over RG
Okay
One can last a season. One struggles to put 4 games together. I know who I'd want in my team.
@rob.1 but when both fit to start, I know which 1 I'd want. The African
@@pauljansen6650 African ethnicity or nationality?
@@rob.1 RG's 4 games have more impact than Itoje's career
My problem with Borthwick’s selection is that it’s confused. We start with an attacking 10 but our attacking 9 is on the bench. The bench 10 plays a territorial game but the 9 that suits him is starting. The attacking 8 that plays his club game with the starting 10 is on the bench and likely won’t spend any time on the field him. The starting 10 prefers a running game but the full back is a kick chase specialist that would better suit the 10 that’s on the bench.
And, last time I checked, it’s the 8,9 & 10 that are key to controlling the game and determining what type of game that the team puts out on the pitch.
All that said, I can see England winning more than their fair share of the line out which may compensate for the weakness in the scrum and that may give them a way into this game. It’s a slim chance but a chance nonetheless!
I don’t think they were booing George Ford, I think they were booing the manager’s decision to bring him on.
I’m here for the memes
I feel this is a huge week for George Ford. Smith has pretty firmly cemented himself as the best 10 in England, so Ford has to play from the bench, and we’re finding out that just isn’t what he’s built for. There’s no energy from the team after smith comes off (which isn’t fords problem exclusively, but he also isn’t helping), and if he isn’t going to be a spark off the bench, what is the benefit of having him at all? He’s still a great player, but England as currently constructed may not have room for him
Good player definitely not great.
Not everyone hates.box kicks. It is a valuable tactic to open a defensive.
Tim, I love your podcasts; by far the best rugby podcasts out there. So I feel for you this weekend. I’m afraid your 17 point difference is a bit optimistic. This is not like the 2023 World Cup semi-final, nor like the 2019 WC Final. The Springboks are a far more settled and confident side, and the English have gone backwards. I predict a 40-point difference.
Yes it's definitely been defensive errors costing England. The crucial missed tackles have to be weeded out. I have minor reservations about Steward. Let's hope he has a good day and SA are a little below top form.