The Rugby Championships 2022, weeks one and two

I didn’t write a review after week one because I was frustrated by one match and didn’t get a chance to properly watch the other. It made for a very terse review. But time heals some frustration and the contrasts between weeks 1 and 2 makes for an interesting story. So here we go. Rather than week 1, week 2, I’m doing the two matchups over both weekends.

South Africa v New Zealand

In week one, SA kicked and tackled the life out of NZ, strangling their attack, running riot at the breakdown and winning every aerial battle (except one, which saw a horrific mid-air collision and a red card). There were a few moments where SA pulled a fingertip tackle or similar out of the bag and stifled a possible fight back but there were far, far more occasions when the ref found a reason to whistle, usually the wrong way (IMO) and stifle any momentum the ABs were starting to build. At one point the penalty count was 5-0 and of those one penalty just shouldn’t have been given (he should have caused use it) and three were the wrong way… It’s just impossible to build any momentum when the ref denies you any continuity and territory like that.

Roll around week two and the discussion is really who will replace Foster after the Boks murder the ABs again. There were a few tweaks, Scott Barrett in as a hybrid lock/flanker, Frizzel to start which made the loose forwards more aggressive and bigger which helped at ruck time and for ball carrying (although the maul defence was worse) and a reworked front row stood up better, possibly helped by changes in the Bok front row too. A tweak to the defensive tactics for the high ball, and slightly less accurate kicking from 9 meant they looked far, far better there. And the unthinkable happened. The AB roared out to a comfortable lead. SA fought back to retake the lead but, as in years gone by, fitness told in the end and the AB ran out comfortable winners. Four tries to two and while I’m sure every Kiwi had doubts when SA took the lead in the end it was pretty comfortable.

The contrast was startling.

Argentina v Australia

Despite what I’m sure the Australian fans and media are saying, this is not really a story about the referee, although he does play a minor part.

In both weeks, Los Pumas roared out to a good start. In week one, the subs for both sides had a big impact in different directions. The Wallabies subs raised their game, the Pumas subs dropped theirs and the Wobs pulled away to a rack up a big game. In week two most of the subs that changed the game for the Wobs started and didn’t have that impact plus the game started with a lot of niggle and Los Pumas calmed it down, the Wobs didn’t, which annoyed the ref and caused him to (IMO) whistle correctly for offences but then select the harsh end of punishments for the offences because the guys in gold were irritating him. For example, there was a little push, I forget by who on whom. It drew a penalty. Is that within the laws? Absolutely. I’ve certainly seen it completely ignored, in fact in the earlier match I saw a loosely similar incident ignored. But that match was played in generally good spirits and cleanly. It was an isolated incident (and I think the ref might have felt Le Roux acted in a way to invite it having rewatched it, plus it was a one handed push, nothing nasty). This one, we had a turn, step across and take the kicker out with a shoulder, so they’re not quite the same, but the ball had gone dead so it wasn’t stopping him chasing his kick. It was clearly a late, off the ball incident, penalty is not unreasonable, but you could let it go in a more friendly match…

The penalty count was not as high as the first SA v NZ match but it pulled back the Australians a few time and gave Los Pumas space and comfort when they needed it on occasion.

Conclusions

After two weeks (of six) Argentina are top of TRC (by points difference), NZ are bottom (no bonus points). There’s a long way to go and after these results who knows how it’s going to play out?