Boks warned Scotland are a different beast from World Cup encounter – RugbyPass

The third season of the Celtic Challenge will get underway next month with the teams competing in a new home-and-away league format.
Having been spoiled by the giants of the past, New Zealand have been caught up by the rest of the world.
Scott Cummings believes Scotland have to beat one of the best teams ever to grace world rugby if they are to realise their own dreams of joining the elite.
Gregor Townsend’s side take on back-to-back world champions South Africa at Murrayfield on Sunday, having opened their Autumn Nations Series campaign with a 57-17 thrashing of Fiji.
The Springboks are in Edinburgh this week for their first of three successive Tests against Home Nations sides – with further dates against England and Wales to follow – buoyed by their recent Rugby Championship triumph.
WATCH as Springbok superstar Cheslin Kolbe joins the Behind The Ruck podcast to share some ‘stepping tips’
WATCH as Springbok superstar Cheslin Kolbe joins the Behind The Ruck podcast to share some ‘stepping tips’

That dominant campaign extended the Boks’ record to 12 wins in their last 14 Tests since a pool defeat by Ireland at last year’s Rugby World Cup, their only setbacks a 24-25 loss to the Irish back in July and another single-point defeat – 29-28 – in Argentina.
Scotland have yet to beat any of the top three sides in the world under head coach Townsend, with 10 straight defeats by Ireland, three against South Africa and two by New Zealand.
The last of those losses to the Springboks came in Marseille last September when, after a closely-contested first 40 minutes, the Boks exerted themselves with two tries early in the second half and shut down the Scots’ attack with an iron-like grip to win their RWC pool encounter 18-3.
Glasgow lock Cummings insisted that defeat will not provide particular motivation on Sunday, but agreed Scotland need a statement victory against one of the world’s top three if they are to fulfil their potential as a team.
“I think playing the world champions is all the motivation you need,” he said. “There were a lot of parts of that (World Cup) game where we did play well. It was 6-3 at half-time. We defended well in that first half, a lot of great set-pieces and stuff.
“Obviously we’ll look at that game to see where we can improve. We’ve changed a couple of things so there’ll be stuff that we’ll be looking to try against them. It’s not all about stopping them. It’s about us imposing our game on them as much as we can.
“In international rugby, you want to play against the best teams if you want to improve as a team. You don’t want to be playing easy matches. Scotland have obviously been pushing throughout the years, but we need to take that next step. There’s no point in us just staying where we are.
“We want to push on, try and properly compete with those big teams in the world. You’re going to come up against great players and South Africa are obviously some of the best just now.
“Getting to have a game at Murrayfield against them is a big moment for us this week, a really important one. They’ve been back-to-back world champions and are that big-ticket match.
“The Springboks play a very structured style, so we’re going to have to find ways to break it up and impose our own game plan. We’re going to be playing against some of the best but we’re excited for it. We’ll be going in there with some confidence. It’s at Murrayfield and we can’t wait for next weekend.”
Cummings, 27, won his 40th cap against Fiji alongside Grant Gilchrist in Scotland’s boiler room.
After the Pacific Islanders recovered from a 26-0 deficit to make it 29-17 early in the second half, a third and fourth try from the returning Darcy Graham took Scotland clear before further late scores from Duhan van der Merwe and Huw Jones embellished an encouraging eight-try victory.
“It’s great to have Darcy back,” Cummings said of the wing who has now scored 16 tries in his last nine Tests. “He’s an unbelievable player, whenever he plays for Scotland.
“He’s got the ability to spark something. Even that cross-field kick from Adam (Hastings) – there’s just this bit of magic, getting the touch on the ball and scoring a try. We’ve missed him and we’re excited to see what he can do over the next years to come.
“It’s funny, we’ve got a team full of players who can create magic moments, we definitely do, but it’s also up to the forward pack to give them the platform to be on it.
“We know that a lot of the time if those magic moments are happening, us forwards are doing a good job in creating the space for players like that. We’ve got such good quality backs that can create something, but we have to do the hard yards up front as well to try and provide the space for them.”
Revitalised Adam Hastings is hoping he has done enough to be named in the Scotland 23 for Sunday’s showdown with world champions South Africa.
Louis Rees-Zammit joins Jim Hamilton for the latest episode of Walk the Talk to discuss his move to the NFL. Watch now on RugbyPass TV

Not possible. Gregor Townsend and no bench = same Scotland. Boks by 20
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Having been spoiled by the giants of the past, New Zealand have been caught up by the rest of the world.
The burgeoning Gloucester forward was nervously hacking around the golf course when a fateful WRU email landed in his inbox.
What is life like for those who traverse the rugby world as supporters, and is the game as accessible as it should be?

Foster was literally whinging about the TMO in the Ireland series in the presser AFTER the RWC final. NZs whinging about the final itself was apparently picked up by voyager 2 which was near the asteroid belt. I often hear talk about NZ players being poisoned or similar nonsense during the 1995 final. NZ boast that they are 'superstars' and 'humble heroes' on their own website. You gave England the same treatment in 2002-2003. They told the rest of us then what you were like, we should have listened. I would give as much credence to a NZ supporter disliking us, as I would to Krusty the clown saying the same thing. Let's just say your judgement may not be the best.
Regarding 2016, as the referee had basically let NZ away with cheating their way to victory via filthy dangerous play and fouling he was hardly going to pull Sexton up when clearly trying to stop a grounding. NZ always leave the boot or arm in to hurt a try scorer.
BTW NZ have literally being whinging about Ireland since Soldier field. You are just very bad losers. We will be delighted to be shot of you on Friday.

Loads of criticism aimed at Borthwick. The only relevant ones being the ill thought substitution of Smith.
The Autumn internationals (or 'year-end' tours) have never been about winning at all costs rather more about putting fringe players and new game plans to the test. There's plenty for Borthwick to work on but with a plethora of top rated players now available to England the 6N is the immediate target.

Ireland were no1 for more weeks than any other team between 2019 and 2023 but were ranked #5 for RWC 2023 because the rankings were taken in 2019. So you can rant about the quarter-funeral RWC matches but Ireland and France finishing joint 8th and Scotland finishing joint 16th has everything to do with the draw and little to do with Rugby ability. NZ may well pull it off this weekend. But they will sweat and bleed (a lot) to do so. We don't like arrogant teams in Ireland. That will be made crystal clear on Friday.

Was misconduct and he was correctly punished and banned. Sexton and Leinster apologized
1. Ioane's behaviour to the Irish crowd is also misconduct under the same rule that Sexton got sanctioned.
2. An Irish player guilty of historical misconduct is not mitigation for NZ abusing Irish supporters, captain, vice captain. Should Irish players start slapping NZ players around because two of them are associated with Domestic Violence?
3 Humble teams don't mock beaten opponents. Arrogant teams do.
4 No apology or contrition for any of this by NZ.

Nice read. Those damn spoilt Kiwis. Can pop over the Tasman to God's country with little effort and win rugby games routinely.
One thing, why are we policing the chasing lanes? Why encourage high ball kicking? Sometimes a chasing player may do something brilliant but it's mostly an easy way to move the ball and I'd prefer it was discouraged.

And Sexton's behavior with referee Peyper?

"Records show All Blacks' greatest rugby adversary is now Ireland" … and I focus on the "is now". You conveniently take it over the period since 2016 to compare the SA-NZ to IRE-NZ, knowing that for the period 2016-2018 SA was coached by Allister Coetzee and experienced their worst performances vs NZ EVER! Just do your little comparison of the period post Coetzee to now and you will see a very different picture. Let's forget about the quarter-funeral RWC matches, Ireland is playing awesome rugby and are deservedly No1, and yes, NZ is very keen to knock them over again (especially in their back-yard), but the real rivalry remains NZ-SA. BY the way, I reckon NZ is going to pull it off this weekend.

For once a nice rugby article instead of hostile bs

Daft spud.

Were you shocked by Sexton trying to rip Barrett's head off when he scored that final try in that return game?
Sexton once again the beneficiary of incredible double standards. Some of the rules simply didn't apply to him. The referee even watched that replay about 5 times in slow motion to see if he grounded the ball. If an NZ player had made that tackle it would have been a yellow card.
Ireland led by Sexton were the biggest bunch of whingers to ever play the game. NZ's dislike of Ireland was not caused by losing to them, it was caused by the Irish players, commentators and media being such giant crybabies.
I genuinely think Ireland are the best team in the world, and I think they will beat the ABs on Friday, but they are by some distance the team I like the least, and I know many people, not just from NZ, who feel the same.

The New Zealand performance in the return fixture in 2016 was filthy. A lot of Irish supporters were pretty shocked by it, viewed it as de facto cheating just to avoid another defeat.
Also shocked by the abuse to Ireland, captain, vice-captain and spectators after the full time whistle in Paris defeat, last match.
Sledging is sledging, but that happens during the game and targetting spectators should be completely out of bounds.
The Irish public used to enjoy these matches, even in defeat. Now they are necessary but unpleasant, because NZ apparently cannot accept or respect successful challengers.

Thanks for the analysis Nick, thought provoking as usual. Couple of queries though, in the pic where you've circled Williams bind , I'm pretty sure it shows Stuart's knee on the ground, surely that's a NZ penalty? Also having had the chance to watch it again the All Black scrum seeems to improve after halftime, but before either England or the All Blacks replace their props. Not sure if that was the result of Tuipolutu coming on or some halftime tips. Either way this is only Williams second international season, so he'll be better for the experience.

if the clock could be turned back, Jones should still have been given the top job, to be assisted by Farrell, Borthwick, Catt, & Rowntree, and after 2019 he should have been replaced by Farrell.

that's bizarre.
As Eddie Jones showed us in 2022 and 2023, great coaches don't stay great forever. Mallet was a properly world class coach in 1998, and never hit the same heights after that.

Still not the best coaching team hopefully it will be better Union must arrange more games for namibia if they want to be competitive in rugby…I am from Namibia and there is alot of politics in rugby as well..

You're right about Papalii, but he doesn't have much experience in closing stages and gets caught out alot. Cane is better there.
Sotutu isn't a scratch on Ardie, and Sititi is already in.
So that only leaves you not liking Ardie. He's the current world player of the year. Let that sink in. And then let it sink in that you need a blend with experience that players like him possess, you cannot pick flat out teams based on the best 'potential' skills, you need the experience. Papalii yes, which is coming anyway considering cane is off soon, but Ardie, you can't drop him. Sotutu doesn't trump him or Sititi I think.
I think maybe you're right for the next world Cup though…but we have to blend into that team over many more games

SCW really dislikes Eddie, doesn't he?
His words in 2019 before the RWC final that he now says should have resulted in Eddie's firing:
"Was Saturday’s sensational World Cup semi-final win over New Zealand England’s greatest ever performance? Yes, unquestionably, would be my answer."
So let's fire the coach one game later? Duh!

Ireland have every right to back themselves for a win. But the key variable has little to do with recent record etc.
The reality is that Ireland are a settled team with tons of continuity, an established style, and a good depth chart, whereas NZ are fundamentally rebuilding. The questions are all about what Razor is doing and how far along he is in that program.
NZ are very close to really clicking. Against England all of the chatter is about how England could have closed out a win, but failed to do so. This has obscured the observation that NZ were by far the more creative and effective in attack, beyond the 3-1 try differential and disallowed tries. They gave away a lot of unnecessary penalties, and made many simple errors (including knock-ons and loose kicks). Those things are very fixable, and when they do so we are once again going to be staring at a formidable NZ team.
Last week we heard the England fans talking confidently about their chances against NZ, but England did not end up looking like the better team on the field or the scoreboard. The England defense was impressive enough, but still could not stop the tries.
Ireland certainly has a better chance, of course, but NZ is improving fast, and I would not be surprised at a convincing All Black win this week. It may turn on whether NZ can cut out the simple mistakes.

Fair to say that NZ have come to respect Ireland, as have all teams. But it's a bit click-baitey to say that the game is the premier show-down for NZ.
SA has beaten NZ four times in a row, including in the RWC final.

Would URC care if the Welsh regions go? I doubt it so it's not leverage for the Prem.
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