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Jason Ryan: Rassie Erasmus in three words, the Ox Nche 'wow' factor
All Blacks forwards coach Jason Ryan was put on the spot in Paris on Tuesday when asked to describe SA Rugby director Rassie Erasmus in three words.
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“In three words? I don’t know. Passionate, authentic. I haven’t got another one. That’ll do. I haven’t thought about Rassie at all, to be honest,” he said, dismissing the mind games and all the other distractions associated with South Africa’s 2019 Rugby World Cup-winning head coach.
The Springboks qualified for their second successive final with a last-gasp, 16-15 comeback victory over England last Saturday, a knife-edge contest where the scrum became a massive last-quarter factor.
That pressure culminated in referee Ben O’Keeffe penalising the English at the game’s final scrum, allowing Handre Pollard to kick the winning points.
Asked if the scrummaging of Nche had caught his attention, Ryan replied: “Telling you mate, it does. He is some human, isn’t he? Wow. He is pretty strong at what he does but we have got a pretty good plan we believe in as well. We’ll be up for it.”
The All Blacks assistant went on to give his overall opinion on how the scrum has been officiated at France 2023. “It’s been pretty consistent,” he reckoned. “There have been a couple here and there that the timings might have been off.
“Conversations have been happening all the time and they try to do the best they can along with the ARs (assistant referees). The communication has been pretty open. A decision can happen pretty quickly when you have 16 guys trying to hit each other at full force.
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“Their set-piece is phenomenal. They are a big team. They have got a really clear identity of the way they want to play and they have got good bits of variation of how they use the ball.”
That said, Ryan is immensely proud of the way the All Blacks have bounced back from their opening night defeat last month to make it all the way to next Saturday’s Stade de France final.
“We got to the final, so that’s not a bad stride,” he enthused. “We have made some good progress in a few areas. We are trending in the right direction and looking forward to a decent crack against the Boks, who we respect immensely.
“The boys have shown a lot of care. We have challenged them in certain areas on the training field and had some good honest conversations in our meetings. We have set ourselves up to give ourselves a chance, I’m extremely proud of what we have achieved and we have got one to go.
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“Accuracy is a big part of discipline. Often you talk about discipline but you have got to be accurate. Discipline can mean that sometimes you are a little bit passive as well. This contest is going to be a title fight.
“It’s going to be huge and accuracy and momentum shifts are a big part of it. Momentum shifts will swing and they can swing really quickly, the scoreboard can change quickly. Both teams can score and get momentum so being accurate around the park is quite an important one.”
The All Blacks go through their paces in Paris ahead of the Rugby World Cup final versus the Springboks. #RWC2023 #NZLvRSA #AllBlacks pic.twitter.com/riAfNbAH1c
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) October 24, 2023
Comments on RugbyPass
guys its fine! he understands why he did what he did and has taken accountability for it; why should he have to be accountable to a court? after all he did was abuse people in person - its not as if he was engaging in _online_ abuse!
1 Go to commentsChiefs flanker Kaylum Boshier yellow-carded for collapsing the scrum as it rolled towards the line. It was a maul….
1 Go to commentsyou know, i’m a leinster fan so I want Northampton to lose and it is gonna be tuff with Cortney lawes, Alex michell and the other guys🏉 lets go leinster🏉
1 Go to commentsWelcome to the Pro ranks. Those hard teams of old do hit the sole better though. its a dog fight at the top.
6 Go to commentsCan someone fill me in please, I've read a number of Ben Smith articles now and it seems he's got something again South Africa? Surely, this game was over and done with 7 months ago. Can't we have something a bit more interesting and relevant, or is this the calibre of journalist on this site?
227 Go to commentsNot sure what the Welsh are moaning about. They’ve had far more players off England, than England have had off Wales. Guys like Josh Hathaway and Kane James will play for Wales in the end. And they’ll be fsr better players for having played in the Gallagher Premiership, than they ever would have been had they stayed mired in the shambles that is Welsh rugby.
3 Go to commentsThis is all being blown totally out of proportion. First of all, since half the Irish team isn’t Irish - it’s very likely that none of the Irish players said that at all and, thus, we’re not being arrogant. Second, since half the Irish team is Kiwi - it’s very likely the Kiwi players were predicting a NZ SA World Cup final. Which they got spot on. Good on them!
163 Go to commentsAha. An Irishman with logic! Follow the flow: - Ireland peaks with a >80% win record between 2020 and 2023. And then… - crashes out of another QF at the WC; - Beat a poor French Team; - Beat 6N wooden spoonists Italy; - Play shite against eventual wooden spoonists Wales; - Lose against the most boring, “the worst English team ever” , a team widely regarded as unable to attack; - scrape through against Scotland. This article, No - Trimble, is on the money! Except for one glaring statement: _The Springboks have a few aces in the hole in this debate being the reigning world champions and official world number ones_ There is no debate, boys and girls. There it is. In black and white. “Reigning World Champions and OFFICIAL world number ones”. Come July, the overrated Andy Farrell and this overhyped team are going to enter into a world of hurt.
86 Go to commentsI’d like to know what homoerotic events Daniel enjoyed at 8th man. I clearly missed out!
19 Go to commentsThis article is missing some detail, like some actual context or info about what led to him abusing the ref.
2 Go to comments*They used to say that football is a gentleman sport watched by hooligans and rugby is a hooligan sport watched by gentlemen. How times have changed.*
3 Go to commentsexcept ot wasnt late wasnt late at all so dont know why you all saying its late he commits early and its your fault fir not paying attention
30 Go to commentsNot sure the Bulls need another average utility back in their ranks. Chamberlain has been ok for the Sharks but is by no means an X-Factor player. Bulls bought several utility backs which they barely use. A typical example would be Henry Immelman who plays mostly Fullback. The Bulls however have rarely played him this year and he has played wing or centre. Bulls want to build depth but seems like they have too many surplus players
1 Go to commentsABs lost against a side playing without a hooker - The guy playing, had one shoulder. Line outs were a gimme for the ABs, and the last 8 minutes 14 played 14 against a team that had been smashed 3 weeks in a row… Yet with all that possession, with all that territory, with all the advantages they actually had, especially in the last 8 minutes, they couldn’t buy a point. Those last 8 minutes determined if they outplayed the Boks or not. History will show that the Boks completely outplayed the ABs, especially in those last 8 minutes, the business end of any rugby match
227 Go to commentsWould’ve, could’ve, should’ve, didn’t.
227 Go to commentsKok will become a fan favourite
1 Go to commentsI am really looking forward to Leigh Halfpenny playing his first Super rugby game for the Crusaders Playing a long side his former Welsh and Scarlets team mate Johnny McNicoll.Johnny has been playing great, back in a Crusaders jersey.The attack has strengthened big time. Also looking forward to David Havili at 10. David is a class act, it also allows Dallas McLeod to remain at 12. A good thing.
1 Go to commentsIf he had stopped insisting on playing in the backrow, instead of wing, where everyone told him he should, he would have been a Bok years ago….
11 Go to comments‘Salads don’t win scrums’ 😂 I love that.
19 Go to commentsCan’t wait for the article that talks about misogyny in Ireland. Somehow.
19 Go to comments