Relief, Happiness, Joy
I have been a member of this forum for more than two decades. It's been fun and a privilege and I have had the fortune to meet a couple of the Ferners in person over the years and have formed friendships with one or two that have transcended rugby.
So please indulge me when when I am say I am absolutely stoked with the Bok victory. It's not crowing - it is relief, happiness, joy.
It's been a tough RWC for me personally to follow. 2019 was an unexpected joy - one that came from low expectations. 2023 had high expectations which I realized as a result made it so much tougher to follow.
A one point victory over an excellent French side in the QF set the tone. Another 1 pointer against an inspired England who played way above anyone's expectations was just crazy.
Then the privilege of facing the "Old Foe" again in a final again for the first time since 1995 was the dream set up finale. I could have swallowed a result either way. Both teams had originally been drawn in so-called pools of death and their chances were rated below France and Ireland. Both had shown their mettle and made it to the end.
And on the day many factors, for and against both sides added to the drama of the encounter. Mbonambi getting injured in the 2nd minute of the game severely undermined the Bok plan. Less power in the scrums, less accuracy at lineouts. A coaching gamble that almost backfired at the last minute.
A red card for Sam Cane reducing the AB's to a man down for 50+ minutes of the match. (A separate thread is needed at some time - again - about red cards). And I take my hat off to the AB's. That 2nd half you wouldn't think they had been playing with a man down all that time.
Tiny margins, marginal calls... it could all have been different on the day.
As I said up front, I am super happy as a Bok fan. Equally, I salute the team that at least for me always, is the yardstick I measure the Bok performance by.
See you in the 2027 final again hopefully!
@W32 said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Beauden blames the ref
Dont put words in his mouth. He spoke well and was asked about a specific instance Barnes got wrong which meant three points for the Boks.
@W32 let's be honest here mate, Rassie and.Bok fans would be calling these.errors out to had.the shoe been on the other foot.
It is what it is, the Boks won, but that doesn't hide issues with officiating, more highlights some deeper issues with the game.
@taniwharugby said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@W32 let's be honest here mate, Rassie and.Bok fans would be calling these.errors out to had.the shoe been on the other foot.
It is what it is, the Boks won, but that doesn't hide issues with officiating, more highlights some deeper issues with the game.
Yes they would have. And the punters on here would be pillorying them for it.
@akan004 given he did, have to assume he can.
But it highlights a bigger issue that he only rules on a knock on if it results in a try...ignoring other errors.
@akan004 Yeah, he can.
The inconsistency (and there was nothing the officials last night could do about this) is that they don’t check to see if there any issues before penalties and drop goals are scored. This massively penalises attacking teams who go for tries ahead of those who score in 3s.
@Billy-Webb said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
I have been a member of this forum for more than two decades. It's been fun and a privilege and I have had the fortune to meet a couple of the Ferners in person over the years and have formed friendships with one or two that have transcended rugby.
So please indulge me when when I am say I am absolutely stoked with the Bok victory.
It's not crowing - it is relief, happiness, joy.
It's been a tough RWC for me personally to follow. 2019 was an unexpected joy - one that came from low expectations. 2023 had high expectations which I realized as a result made it so much tougher to follow.A one point victory over an excellent French side in the QF set the tone.
Another 1 pointer against an inspired England who played way above anyone's expectations was just crazy.Then the privilege of facing the "Old Foe" again in a final again for the first time since 1995 was the dream set up finale. I could have swallowed a result either way. Both teams had originally been drawn in so-called pools of death and their chances were rated below France and Ireland. Both had shown their mettle and made it to the end.
And on the day many factors, for and against both sides added to the drama of the encounter.
Mbonambi getting injured in the 2nd minute of the game severely undermined the Bok plan. Less power in the scrums, less accuracy at lineouts. A coaching gamble that almost backfired at the last minute.
A red card for Sam Cane reducing the AB's to a man down for 50+ minutes of the match.
(A separate thread is needed at some time - again - about red cards).
And I take my hat off to the AB's. That 2nd half you wouldn't think they had been playing with a man down all that time.
Tiny margins, marginal calls... it could all have been different on the day.As I said up front, I am super happy as a Bok fan.
Equally, I salute the team that at least for me always, is the yardstick I measure the Bok performance by.See you in the 2027 final again hopefully!
enjoy your win we will see you in four years time
@Billy-Webb and you should absolutely soak it up, that's sport.
Sure big games that will always have moments of what ifs and maybes particularly for the losing side, but at the end of the day, it says "2023 South Africa"
Sport is cruel.
Soak it in.
@taniwharugby said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@akan004 given he did, have to assume he can.
But it highlights a bigger issue that he only rules on a knock on if it results in a try...ignoring other errors.
Ardie being falsely penalised early in the game that resulted in 3 points an example , it was there on the screen , and Barnes apologised to ardie for getting it wrong .
3 points still stands .
I think I’ll take a bit of a break from rugby for a while.
It was quite shit to fly around the world for a game that was essentially over in the first half. I think rugby hates itself.
Having said that, of course I know that it was the execution by our players that landed them in those situations. It’s a fast game and sadly that’s rugby.
Full congratulations to the SA posters. One thing which has made me enjoy today has been the 100% positive interactions with SA fans, all of them expressing support for us losing a man for so long, or congratulating the huge effort to get in touch and potentially win the thing. They were relieved and just wanted to talk rugby. It was a real pleasure to talk with those people today around Paris.
However, I can say that unless rugby changes a few things, I’ll never make the huge investment in going to this game ever again. At the game, it was clear to see the huge impact it had on the team playing with 14, and I’m immensely proud of the effort to get so close. They were completely fucked, what a fucking effort by the forwards. It was a shame we didn’t have McKenzie on earlier - he gave their defense kittens with his passing and running threat.
I’m not going to bother with anything else about the game, it’s done and in the history books.
Congratulations SA. It’s a great team with a bunch of players I’d happily have in black shirts.
@gt12 I wrote us off at half time too but it was far from over as it played out. Poor goalkicking and a lack of rugby smarts cost us the win in the 2nd half. A very winnable game even with only 14 men.
@gt12 totally get how you are feeling,
My way of coping with the disappointments of the earlier world cups was to start following a few other sports and a few other teams , spread it around a bit , so all your sporting eggs aren’t in the same basket .
It’s worked for me .
@akan004 said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@gt12 I wrote us off at half time too but it was far from over as it played out. Poor goalkicking and a lack of rugby smarts cost us the win in the 2nd half. A very winnable game even with only 14 men.
I thought we dropped a huge amount of ball as well, and we don't seem to be talking about it. It was one of the keys to losing - drop ball, missed kicks, TMO/discipline (choose your poison) and arguably lack of rugby nous.
When Mbonambi went off, I thought we should be kicking for lineouts and putting pressure. If that starts disintegrating, you create space in the middle of the field.
Cane having no mitigation reminded me of Ta'avao having no mitigation vs Porter's "absorbing" tackle - which broke Retallick's cheek-bone and decided the Irish series. A change in direction of the player with the ball which catches the tackler off guard without time to adjust down for some reason isn't seen as mitigation. Whereas Kolisi, lining up Ardie from in front and deciding to go high does have mitigation?
The way these are ruled is just totally beyond me.
Etzebeth's yellow for front on head on head in the England game. If Cane is red that is red surely? These decisions go two different ways, and decide two knockout games, and as far as I can tell they are just total fucking bullshit.
This post isn't about the result of the final, which we didn't deserve to win. It probably fits better in the 'state of the game' thread - but I hope supporters of all countries can agree we are sick to fucking death of shit card rulings ruining games and something needs to be done.
@Dodge This is a wind up surely? It wasn't just the cards. He ignored SA high shots, admitted he got the Ardie penalty wrong but gave them 3 points anyway, let them away with murder at the ruck, ignored their knock ons and forward passes.
RIP rugby, that was a great advertisement for NRL or almost any other sport. Just gutting that the biggest match on the world stage gets decided by officials
@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
An impressive effort from the Bok defenders to say the least.
Jordie will be having nightmares about big, tall blond South Africans.
@Nepia said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Machpants said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Gunner said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
he penalty which Barnes then said sorry, that wasn’t actually a penalty. That 3 points made a difference. The TMO gets involved and changes calls all the time, so why can’t a ref change his call in this instance, when he’s clearly fucked up.
Yeah this is the only reffing thing that really annoys me
Yeah agree, that's the winning of the game and it was a mistake (no malice he just fucked up like all humans do on occasion) - why can't Barnes just say "I fucked up, lets have a Bok scrum here as a restart"?
Why not actually change to the correct decision?
@nzzp yep, especially in that final quarter we blew several chances with pushed passes and then when they were taking pop shots for a DG, we kept kicking it back to them, instead of to touch to harass their lineout.
We made alot of poor decisions, that game was there for the taking despite the cards, but we failed to take the chances, I reckon if we had picked up some more points, the game may well have opened up with SA chancing thier arm too cos they also blew a couple of chances with ball in hand.
Man some people need to grow up... 
Rugby World Cup: Referee Wayne Barnes targeted with death threats during World Cup final | Newshub
Wife Polly Barnes took to social media after being part of a "vile atmosphere" amid angry fans at Stade de France on Sunday.
@booboo said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Nepia said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Machpants said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Gunner said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
he penalty which Barnes then said sorry, that wasn’t actually a penalty. That 3 points made a difference. The TMO gets involved and changes calls all the time, so why can’t a ref change his call in this instance, when he’s clearly fucked up.
Yeah this is the only reffing thing that really annoys me
Yeah agree, that's the winning of the game and it was a mistake (no malice he just fucked up like all humans do on occasion) - why can't Barnes just say "I fucked up, lets have a Bok scrum here as a restart"?
Why not actually change to the correct decision?
given they can call back a knock on after the fact...why didnt the TMO intervene and say 'Wayne you got that wrong, overturn penalty, NZ Scrum" it is a very shitty line WR have allowed the TMO to go down, both instances go to what BArnes saw in real time, and he made a call, unless its foul play, he made a call, live with it.
@nostrildamus said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Cane said he was surprised the Bok moved/swerved back into him. I'd agree but still a clumsy tackle.
A sudden dip and late change of direction?
Stay classy NZ.
Fuck this shit makes me ashamed and angry
Wayne Barnes' wife decries 'vile atmosphere', 'death threats'
:quality(70):focal(1976x650:1986x660)/cloudfront-ap-southeast-2.images.arcpublishing.com/tvnz/T3DX6XPOHZHFLGOWRTPHXY4F7Y.jpg)
"It's just a game k...heads," added Polly Barnes.
@MN5 said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
I thought this was quite a cool pic
That happened right in front of me. DDA broke off victory lap and walked 5m over to do that. Class.
All 3 locks were very good, and all the props. Taylor cocked up several throws however. It was a mighty physical effort from a pack down a man, but sadly in the brains department we are still lacking: why on earth did we stop competing on their throw? They had a part-time hooker playing way more minutes than he is used to, and we picked quite a few off in a row and then... just stopped competing? Incredibly poor decision, just bizarre.
Aaron Smith was very good, the decision to sub was poor - but standard Foster fare.
McKenzie should have been on earlier, but he should have had more of a go in earlier games too, so again business as usual for Foster.
Mo'unga was okay, and B Barrett okay-ish. Again our lack of brains hurt us - their lineout was shit, and we still wouldn't kick for touch and compete in a close game.
Jordie made a few errors but also did a lot of very good cover work.
On the other side: Pieter Steph - that was one hell of a game. Best I've seen him play, and reminiscent of Dusattoir's amazing effort in the final we won. If SA had lost he would still have been MOTM. I strongly dislike the way SA play the game, and think it is a terrible waste of some special outside back talent - but hey, they got the result.
@kiwiinmelb said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@taniwharugby said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@akan004 given he did, have to assume he can.
But it highlights a bigger issue that he only rules on a knock on if it results in a try...ignoring other errors.
Ardie being falsely penalised early in the game that resulted in 3 points an example , it was there on the screen , and Barnes apologised to ardie for getting it wrong .
3 points still stands .
I'm not sure that's what he did say - or at least mean.
I think Ardie referred him to the replay on the screen and he meant, "I didn't see the replay on the screen".
@reprobate said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Cane having no mitigation reminded me of Ta'avao having no mitigation vs Porter's "absorbing" tackle - which broke Retallick's cheek-bone and decided the Irish series. A change in direction of the player with the ball which catches the tackler off guard without time to adjust down for some reason isn't seen as mitigation. Whereas Kolisi, lining up Ardie from in front and deciding to go high does have mitigation?
The way these are ruled is just totally beyond me.
Etzebeth's yellow for front on head on head in the England game. If Cane is red that is red surely? These decisions go two different ways, and decide two knockout games, and as far as I can tell they are just total fucking bullshit.
This post isn't about the result of the final, which we didn't deserve to win. It probably fits better in the 'state of the game' thread - but I hope supporters of all countries can agree we are sick to fucking death of shit card rulings ruining games and something needs to be done.
This is my take. I don't think anyone is blaming the officials for us losing. But the level of outright ineptitude with respect to consistency in decisions when you have the fucking TV to replay. I've said before, I'd be happy if African Jesus wasn't penalised but if that's the case, Sam Cane was a penalty either. And as for the TMO interjecting because SF fell over, well fuck. 30 blokes fall over all the time in rugby. I expect the next test to be played to have 0 on 0 by minute 15.
@MN5 said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@sparky said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
An impressive effort from the Bok defenders to say the least.
Jordie will be having nightmares about big, tall blond South Africans.
If that was SF making that tackle, he's gone for 6 weeks.
@taniwharugby said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@booboo said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Nepia said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Machpants said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
@Gunner said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
he penalty which Barnes then said sorry, that wasn’t actually a penalty. That 3 points made a difference. The TMO gets involved and changes calls all the time, so why can’t a ref change his call in this instance, when he’s clearly fucked up.
Yeah this is the only reffing thing that really annoys me
Yeah agree, that's the winning of the game and it was a mistake (no malice he just fucked up like all humans do on occasion) - why can't Barnes just say "I fucked up, lets have a Bok scrum here as a restart"?
Why not actually change to the correct decision?
given they can call back a knock on after the fact...why didnt the TMO intervene and say 'Wayne you got that wrong, overturn penalty, NZ Scrum" it is a very shitty line WR have allowed the TMO to go down, both instances go to what BArnes saw in real time, and he made a call, unless its foul play, he made a call, live with it.
Fucking great point. Barnes shot himself in the foot by admitting fault.
@pakman said in RWC Final: All Blacks v Springboks:
Now World Rugby reviewing whether or not Kolisi yellow updated to red. If so, match replayed.
They'll reverse the penalty back to SA because Ardie fell over on to some grass.