RugbyBits

We’re back baby and we get this new season off with Thala, Shaun and Kooks chatting about what’s going on. Shaun and Kooks avoid the Sharks problems, Thala is basking in the Bulls victories. We take a hard look at fans and why the likes of Owen Farrell are putting their international career on pause. We take a look at the Champions Cup Round 1 fixtures and wonder where Wandi Simelane should go

Kooks, Shaun and Thala deal with their Rugby World Cup hangovers by looking at each of the top RWC teams to discuss where do they go from here. Listen as we discuss the Springboks coaching situation, what the All Blacks will do at flyhalf, what France can do to be less Dupont-dependent, who England should build around in the next four-year cycle, what the Proteas could possibly teach Ireland and why Rugby Australia should call Ronan O’Gara.

Kooks, Shaun and Thala break down South Africa retaining the Rugby World Cup after their 12-11 victory against New Zealand. The gents start by marveling at Pieter-Steph du Toit’s man of the match performance and Kooks talks about his attempt to commemorate his performance. We then break down the Springbok defensive performance, the impact of Kwagga Smith, where the All Blacks went wrong, the key moments in the game and how Wayne Barnes and the officiating team handled big decisions such as the Sam Cane red card. We then reflect on the Rassnaber era, Thala explains what he got wrong with the Boks, we discuss which player have possibly become the best players of all time after winning the legacy and why this victory and this Springbok team has achieved far more off the field than on. We then finish by reacting to Eddie Jones stepping down from the Wallabies job.

The full squad are all here to preview the biggest Rugby World Cup Final ever. Jared, Kooks, Shaun and Thala react to the match day 23s selected by the two teams, the impact of the 7:1 Springbok bench will seek to have, how the All Blacks will counter Ox Nche and Trevor Nyakane, the importance of starts and the kicking game and the most important players on both sides. We also discuss the significance of this Final, how crappy the 3rd/4th place playoff game is, what crime Luke Pearce must have committed in France to not get a knockout game and we pay tribute to Jacques Nienaber in his last game as Springbok coach.

Shaun and Thala are joined by Distracted Sports’ Tony O’Sullivan to debate selections and to get a Kiwi take on Saturday’s Rugby World Cup Final between South Africa and New Zealand. Tony shares the stress he has thinking about Ox Nche, why Dane Coles and Willie le Roux have similar roles in the team, the luxury of rotating between Sam Whitelock and Brodie Retallick and why Fletcher Newell might be the star of the final. Listen also for Tony’s unexpected review of the RugbyBits intro music too!