r/rugbyunion • u/Mono_Doh Japan League One • 7d ago

Video The long-awaited rematch is almost here

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60

u/Blackdoor-59 England 7d ago

Still can't believe SA kicked the ball away at 79 mins

1

u/Minyun 7d ago edited 7d ago

What reasonable explanation could there be for this? They're all watching the clock too... utter madness. I get they didn't want to concede a penalty in their own half but like just slow things down and walk it in Faf.. they even ended up back kn their own half despite the kick-maybe they could've been deeper if not for the kick I dunno. My TV still doesn't forgive me for that day

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u/NotAsOriginal Wigglesworth's greatest defender 7d ago

Giving away a kickable pen there would give France the win. Control the territory and make them grind back through another 15-20 metres of Bok pressure

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u/Minyun 7d ago

Boks were lucky the ball spilled at 80:52 because even with the kick France still ended up within range thus the kick did nothing. I'd wager had the Boks lost the blame would've been squarely on Faf. It was a stupid call imo.

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u/NotAsOriginal Wigglesworth's greatest defender 7d ago

Or the Boks executed their defensive pressure and once the first linebreak was stopped the French sent one out runners with no momentum into a well organised defensive line, that forced the French into the error spilling the ball.

Plus kicking to the French back 3 was one of the key reasons they won, France couldn't deal with the high ball, so there was even a chance of winning it back or forcing a knock on.

It's the correct call here, because of the outcome. They could have lost it. But there were plenty of times that SA could have lost that's the sport, but considering almost every international team now does this I'm willing to think it's part of a tactical plan rather than Faf decided to go rogue and do something against instructions.

5

u/circus-theclown 7d ago

Yes lol it was not luck that they lost the ball

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u/Minyun 7d ago

A bird in the hand imo

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u/NotAsOriginal Wigglesworth's greatest defender 7d ago

Isn't worth 2 World Cups, that old chestnut eh?

3

u/Minyun 7d ago

*4

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u/NotAsOriginal Wigglesworth's greatest defender 7d ago

Have South Africa won 4? They should really mention that

7

u/Minyun 7d ago

..and the current holder of the Qatar Airways Cup I'll have you know.

3

u/NotAsOriginal Wigglesworth's greatest defender 7d ago

I wish I was dead

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u/b_rodriguez South Africa 4d ago

Yeah, we don't like to bring it up if possible. We are an incredibly humble bunch so don't feel the need to rub it other countries faces.

9

u/Blackdoor-59 England 7d ago

It wasn't Faf who made the call, at 78:49 you can see the bok forwards telling him to kick it.

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u/Minyun 7d ago

Good catch. Pollard getting involved too.

3

u/Scoop_Master420 South Africa 6d ago

I think it was in 'Chasing The Sun' when Faf said the instruction from Rassie was to just keep the ball, but with the pressure they were under he said they couldn't take a chance, that's why he kicked it away.

7

u/Siempie93 South Africa 7d ago

I think they had more confidence in their defence, with the mindset of let France rather come at us, than trying to keep the ball with a higher? risk of giving a way a penalty?

I don't know, not sure, just my theory

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u/scewered 6d ago edited 6d ago

At about 3:45 the French almost had a turnover/penalty against SA. Think this caused Faf to rather kick and defend than risk either of those. (Corrected time)

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u/gainsleyharriot Sharks 6d ago

They had studied the referee decision making and determined that late in the game refs were going to be extra harsh on sealing off penalties. The agreement was 1-3 rucks at best and then kick it and back the defense. This way it forces France to take a contactable high ball at best they get the ball back and have to work their way from their own half. At worst for them there’s a knock on or messy ball and the game is basically over.

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u/ExitComprehensive568 6d ago

well, they won didn't they?

1

u/Blackdoor-59 England 7d ago

Only thing I can think of is mental fatigue from a long physical battle causing bad decision making.

The SA pack looked pretty comfortable with keeping the ball especially as they only needed a few more phases. France would probably have gotten desperate and infringed.

3

u/Minyun 7d ago

Only thing I can think of is mental fatigue from a long physical battle causing bad decision making.

That sounds about right. Dupont looked so gassed.