Murray Beattie

Oh no, no. I just think he’s about to have a lot more free time on his hands.

Surely it’s not long before he’ll be able to see him as much as he wants

I’ve eaten some humble pie on Wilson this year for sure, he’s been immense. For me the difference between first three games and last three games Boks was Wiese. I also have been holding a candle for the man since that carry to close out RWC23 and I need him to get his flowers.

I hear you re: Wilson and think this was his best run of performances of his career. But I really don’t believe we defend the RC without Wiese and for that alone I think he deserves the 8 jersey

Lonergan apparently agrees with this

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We got robbed of this hairline making net 5 meters for 3 turnovers conceded

🏉2 here is so NB. Almost every weak Bok game in the last 24 months has been one where Jasper isn’t there.

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Me waiting for I don’t know how many years to watch my 4x (and counting) world champs host another World Cup at home while WR grows the game

Slightly tangential to your point but am I the only person who sees Hooker as our next gen 12?

Is it maybe a coaching thing? Feels like our coaching set up is not short of talent but that there is significant overlap in certain areas and gaps in others. Maybe time for Vic to get out of the studio and into a bucket hat.

Ja I think this better articulates my gripes. On top, the experiments (Moodie at wing) don’t seem to be paying off, so it ends up feeling like a double loss. It doesn’t help that the biggest positional issues are areas where there is no clear path of succession (hooker for eg)

Mega frustrating because we’ve missed an opportunity to get bulk minutes into the next gen (SFM, Hooker, any actual hooker) by going with the “safe” hands and have ended up with 3 very weird matches this Rugby Championship

Honestly should have called Piri Weepu off the set of Chief of War

I don’t know who Kyle Preston is or if he is even a real person but surely he’s better than this oke at 9

Brother got on the flight to Auckland instead of Arkansas.

My read is his only currency is 🏆 and while he may say differently in the media he'll sacrifice anything on that altar. A threepeat would be so exceedingly rare and achieving it would put him and this Bok set up in a pantheon of one and to be honest I am 100% here for it.

Ja if I hadn't been abysmal at stats at varsity I'd probably be able to give you some more meaningful insights other than my gut tells me this squad is a lot older than it is young.

Average age 29.9 by my count, 7 under 30 (Eskom literally just turned 30).

100% agree, and he also seems like a natural 8 cover in this Bok system.

Sous has been worrying me a bit this year. He’s a big energy player and he seems a couple percent off of his best. We’re still 2 years away from RWC and I’m worried about him and a few guys’ ability to get there and be at full steam. A year of elite rugby in your thirties seems to really hurt

I’d absolutely stick with Fassi. To me he’s been our best 15 over 2024 and 2025 and this was probably his weakest game, although I agree I don’t think he was bad. Willemse has seemed very off the pace for a while now, both for Boks & Stormers. He’s been v unlucky with injuries to be fair to him

Kwagga at 8 scares me. Especially if they've got Bobby V coming into that Aus loose trio. We're going to need some heft which JLdP provides (surely it's time for him to cash in a near decade of tackle bag carrying). Having Nortje somewhere in the 23 gives us a line out caller once Lood goes off.

Had very similar but perhaps Nortje or Wiese at 7? Especially given our newly minted line out frailties. Also unless I've missed it haven't seen Tshituka called up in the media?

Fassi can kick. Untested so would imagine it would be only if absolutely required but he has been working on it.

This is the part I’ve not understood. If (a big if) Tizzano was in such a solid position then surely the whole point is he has earned the turnover/penalty? Similarly, if you’re getting squashed by Ox in the scrums you can’t scrum in on the angle and then say well how else was I meant to beat him.

Exactly! '97 tour is the perfect example (except in reverse). Boks were bigged up post-'95 as this colossal team to beat (regardless of what was actually going on), teeing that Lions squad up to be raised to the pantheon when they won.

This then makes it tough for the Lions players to look “worthy” (whatever that might mean) in the eyes of the media as the media have said they’re playing a B grade tour and should win as a matter of due course. Media had effectively diminished the value of a series win before the series happened

Is it not maybe the opposition they’re up against that contributes to this nostalgia? Easy to get misty eyed in hindsight for teams that pushed the ‘09 Boks and ‘17 ABs to the brink. But unfortunately so much of this tour’s narrative was Aus weren’t worthy (which is bullshit)

Rupeni Caucaunibuca hands down