First a nod to the retirees. *Nods*
Tonight we have the Little Cup Final, Glasgow v Toulon. The French side are half-way down their league table while Glaes are fourth in the URC, and have home advantage … but I think it will be a close-fought affair all the same. The Home of the Big Yin by 4.
Then tomorrow there’s the Big Cup Gladitorialism of Leinster v La Rochelle. Ronan O’Gara will be rubbing his hands at the prospect, especially after his club side beat the Blue Meanies last weekend in the URC semi-final. But Leinster have made 12 changes to the B-team they put out last week – mostly to concentrate on this Cup, one assumes. BUT Sexton is still injured, which could be a big factor; one of they Byrne brothers is in instead.
It’s a tough one to call too, but I think home advantage will tell again. The Home of Leopold Bloom by 5.
Onna telly this weekend
Friday 19th May
| Glasgow v Toulon | 20:00 | BT Sport 1 |
Saturday 20th May
| Leinster v La Rochelle | 16:45 | ITV1 / STV / BT Sport 2 |
Ovally Balls 
That looked very easy for SA. They create a huge blindside, setting up a ‘maul’ from a lineout in the Aus 22. Mbonambi takes the ball and gives it to Arendse, who canters in.
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Libbok’s been shanking them out of hand, but flawless off the tee. 17-5, after 31 minutes. Boks giving the ball a lot of air so far.
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anyone got a decent stream Refit ?
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Try this https://www.vipbox.lc/south-africa-vs-australia-1-live
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Refit, it’s Pretoria: booming music, Mexican waves and huge amounts of brandy are the order of the day. But I agree, the tit doing the music should be shot.
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very annoyoing only one I can get is vip.im and it keeps packing up after about 15 seconds. Oh well, don’t really want to see Boks hammering Aussies again anyway.
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Boks getting a bit loose and a bit too cute for me. But it’s how they were playing towards the end of last year and bodes very well for the World Cup if we can mix up our rugby like this.
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thanks refit, but just as bad tbh. Looks like I will have to watch the later game in french.
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66m penalty attempt by Hodge just doesn’t have the legs! Half time! 17-5. The Boks have been good value for their lead, but need to close it out in the 3rd quarter.
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Aus are playing everything through White (when they have the ball). So far, Quade seems to be there purely so there’s 15 players on the pitch.
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Bok forwards really making big yards ball in hand, especially Vermeulen and van Staden, who’s been huge, but just not clinical enough – knocks and not protecting the ball at the breakdown in particular.
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Pretoria stealing Murrayfield’s shtick and playing the Proclaimers.
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5m lineout for the Boks. Can they maul it over? Not if they overthrow it! That’s a couple of wayward darts from Mbonambi.
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Hattrick Arendse! First van Staden, then Vermeulen make great yards, du Toit makes it a loose trio triumph and Arendse takes a quick pass from Am to beat three defenders and score!
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third one, rim, worked on tht Refit, thanks. Was Kind of supporting the Aussies in this one, but then I remembered their coack, so come on Bokke.
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Some particularly choice options from the Director – cutting to the crowd just as the Boks rumble over the line and the ref is just putting his whistle to his lips.
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22-5 and Cooper looking for the hail Mary kick pass. Boks back on the Wallaby 5m line. A wee lad called RG makes his way onto the pitch. Checking for intentional maul collapse by Porecki. Yip! Yellow and a penalty try. 29-5 and looking ugly for the Wallabies.
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Poreki gets a yellow and concedes a penalty try for pulling the maul down before the line.
29-5 on 54 mins.
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Was Kind of supporting the Aussies in this one,
Dead to me.
then I remembered their coack, so come on Bokke.
You’re on notice.
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Oh dear. Mbonambi overthrows at a lineout. However no Aus players can gather the ball and Libbok just picks up the ball and strolls over the line.
Checking for a SA knock-on.
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Awww, PSdT knocked it on during the tackle. Back for a scrum.
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8 penalties conceded by Aus, to just 2 by SA so far.
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First we nick the Murrayfield shuffle, now we’ve got an all-Munster second row with Kleyn and Snyman in tandem.
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Aus scrum finally implodes, Boks kick to touch. Lineout 15m out. Wallabies are on the ropes here. The famed Eddie Bounce is looking a little splattered.
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If SA could fix their lineout, they could be a promising team.
*ducks*
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How does Am look so casual and relaxed in everything he does?
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Boks need to just hold the bloody ball a bit more! Too many cute kicks down blind alleys, when they have the defence stretched. Vincent Koch, Thomas du Toit and Joseph Dweba join the fray. And they’ve got an immediate chance to flex their muscle. New Aus front row too.
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Deon Fourie on for van Staden who’s been immense. Held up under the crossbar again after Grant Williams made a great break from the base of a ruck. Try line restart from QC out on the full! Boks opt for the 5m scrum. Deliberate knock by Wallabies? Arendse would’ve had a fourth… yellow and a penalty try. 36-5 with 12 to go.
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Yellow for Vunivalu and a penalty try for SA, after he knocks the ball down with Arendse stood behind him and no-one else.
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Quade gets subbed and I think that’s only the 5th time commentary has mentioned his name, he’s been that anonymous.
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Lineout’s been appalling, Refit. It’s the only area the Wobblies have been decent. Hardly heard Hooper’s name today either.
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PSdT gets his try, possibly the easiest he’ll score. He picks up the ball at the base of a ruck, steps over it and over the try line to dot down.
43-5. 75 mins.
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PSDT flops over from close range! The Wallabies have been hammered today. And the Boks have done it with a good deal of style too. 43-5
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Deebee – the commentary team did imply du Toit expended a lot more effort than required in that try – “diving over the ruck” lmao.
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The PA person deciding to blast ‘Final Countdown’ just as Carter Gordon lines up to convert his debut try, is pretty shocking behaviour.
Final score 43-12
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Right, a couple of hours until NZ/Arg and also the MLR final at the same time – that’s on BT Sport.
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Carter Gordon gets a consolation try on debut for Australia, with the final score being 43-12. Could have been a lot more too. Great start for the Boks, and I’m sure the 14 blokes who went to New Zealand early will have loved that! Really physical, often clinical, still some work to do on the lineouts and support play, but damn! I am happy with that one!
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Refit, I really wish they’d can the stupid music at every break in play. It’s pathetic and unnecessary.
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Aussies were shambolic today. Sack the coach. Boks a little loose, but entertaining, qnd looking full of pace and power. A little sighter today, tighten up a bit in the next game and they look a really good side in the making.
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ooh, England France six nations 2003 to follow. Nice.
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Dang, Hodgson charged down again, Magne 5 pointer.
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SBT – you’d think Charlie would have learned by now 🤷‍♂️
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SBT, the Aussies were apparently slighted because the bulk of the first choice Bok side is in New Zealand already, preparing for the All Blacks next week. The Boks have developed really good depth in most positions in the last couple of years and have added some sublime attacking to their power game. The lineout should be better with Etzebeth and de Jager in the second row, but frankly, none of the guys on the field today had a bad day. Might be that Aus are actually crap. I suppose we’ll find out next week!
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Looks like beautiful conditions in Mendoza! Hoping Argentina give the All Blacks a hiding. No idea what to expect from either side. Except maybe a yellow/red for Lavinini (spelling?) Really hope Argentina come out all guns blazing and put the Kiwis under the cosh.
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Plenty of time for discussion, with the Argentine anthem only just warming up.
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Absolutely perfect silence from the Mendoza crowd for the Haka. Well done to them. Not sure they’ll stay that way!
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ARG/NZ link, if needed https://www.vipbox.lc/argentina-vs-new-zealand-1-live
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Oh my word, that was close. NZ make a mess of clearing their line, DMac gets charged down and he only just beats the ARG player to touching down over the line. Only 25 seconds gone.
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Shaq’s bringing out the match ball in the MLR final and, good lord, it looks like a child’s ball in his giant mitt.
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