Latest / Rugby Rivals - Sir John Kirwan & Victor Matfield / Where Are The Crowds? Why so many empty seats?
Transcript
- 0:00The Sharps really had a young team.
- 0:01Just kids, there was probably three guys that were still at school last year.
- 0:05So, yeah, well done to the All Blacks.
- 0:07They're doing well.
- 0:08You know, I think actually Rushies told those provincial sides not to play anything like the Springboks.
- 0:14The Bulls coach comes up to you and says, Oh, hi, Victor.
- 0:17I'm a South African.
- 0:18And guess what?
- 0:19I'm going to try and play the All Blacks at their own game.
- 0:21Wow.
- 0:22Wouldn't you sack them straight away, Victor?
- 0:23It just smells of conspiracy.
- 0:25The Springboks would have a look at this and say, hmm,
- 0:29If we really put the pressure on, if we bring the physicality, they look vulnerable.
- 0:33You know, it is a bit disappointing for the South African public, I believe, because they're not tuning up.
- 0:38There was still a lot of empty seats.
- 0:40It would have been better if it was cheaper.
- 0:43I think Esau rugby maybe got a draw.
- 0:50Right, welcome to Ram Hand-to-Hand Courier's.
- 0:54rugby rivals.
- 0:56That means it goes from one person's hand all the way to another person's hand, just so you understand, JK.
- 1:04First question for you, All Blacks have been, you know, I don't know, 150 points, 140 points so far, three games.
- 1:11Are you just trying to make us complacent, Victor?
- 1:14What's going on?
- 1:17Yeah, I think we've said it before.
- 1:22I think with Rossi allowing
- 1:25All our players to play overseas and I mean there's 40 guys in the Springbok squad.
- 1:32So I think the Stormers was a good test.
- 1:36The Sharps really had a young team.
- 1:38I mean, if you look at that Sharps team, it was kids.
- 1:40There was probably three guys that were still at school last year.
- 1:43So really young team, not any experience.
- 1:46The Bulls were a bit better in the second half.
- 1:49Guys like Johan Froblah, Elric Lowe came onto the field.
- 1:53You can also see the difference.
- 1:55The moment there's some experience.
- 1:57So, yeah, well done to the All-backs.
- 2:00They're doing well.
- 2:02But I think there's going to be a different team when they face the Springboks on Saturday.
- 2:08I think there's going to be something they haven't seen on tour so far.
- 2:13Intensity, physicality, great plan, and also,
- 2:19It hasn't felt, especially the Bulls and the Sharks, that there was any attacking threat.
- 2:24So I think on Saturday, there will be everything.
- 2:28Yeah, I actually think it's a bit more of a conspiracy theory out there, Ricardo.
- 2:34You know, I think actually Rushy's told those provincial sides not to play anything like the Springboks.
- 2:40We haven't even seen high kicks.
- 2:43We haven't even seen kicking to the corner on a lot of mauling.
- 2:45There's been just no, actually no resemblance to what we're expecting.
- 2:51I think it's pretty sad for the relationship and for the, you know, for the,
- 2:57for the tour i get it i get it i would do exactly the same if i was russie not release the players but it does um you know it is a bit disappointing for the south african public i believe because they're not turning up to watch yeah and you know to what you turn up to the people enjoyed it i was there uh i mean the opening the new loft is the lights it was just
- 3:26People were going crazy in that second half when the Bulls came back as well.
- 3:29So I think the fans enjoyed it.
- 3:32I mean, ticket prices are very expensive for South Africans.
- 3:35And there's a lot of test matches.
- 3:37So a lot of the guys need to pick.
- 3:39And I mean, there's two games at the Haagfeld.
- 3:41So I also think a lot of the guys that would have gone to Loftus have paid to go to either Alice Park or Soweto.
- 3:49So, yeah, it's difficult.
- 3:51But I mean, there were still over 30,000 people.
- 3:54They were loving it.
- 3:55And I thought it was a good game that second half.
- 3:58Is that the problem, Victor?
- 4:02I guess my question is to Victor.
- 4:04So you agree with not releasing players to play these provincial games against the All Blacks?
- 4:10Well, I think the most important thing is the test match on Saturday.
- 4:15So whatever Rossi needs to prepare for the test match is what you need to do.
- 4:20I don't think he knows exactly who he's going to pick it.
- 4:23So...
- 4:24Everyone that's there is still in the run to be picked for a test match.
- 4:27So I think that's probably the right thing.
- 4:30I did enjoy that he did send back Johan Grobo and Alvarez Lowe.
- 4:33Of course, it definitely did make a difference in that second half.
- 4:38But unfortunately in South Africa, and we've mentioned it, with our decision to let players play overseas, the depth in our provincial teams just aren't the same as they were 15, 20 years ago.
- 4:53You've got a starting lineup.
- 4:54And that's why we struggle in the Champions Cup as well.
- 4:58We definitely need that quality and we need that at provincial level.
- 5:01But, I mean, it's working for us at test level again.
- 5:05I don't necessarily agree with that from a rugby and spectacle point of view because, you know, 44 doesn't go into 23.
- 5:12So there's sort of 20 players that I reckon you could take a little bit more of a risk for them as well.
- 5:18I mean, rugby players have got to play.
- 5:19I mean, I'm not saying that it's a South African team.
- 5:21That's why you're not touching your spin box.
- 5:24Your opinion doesn't count.
- 5:26I know it doesn't count, but I'm going to give it anyway because that's what I'm like.
- 5:30Because I think that when you look at it, the other question I wanted to ask you, because I've been thinking about this.
- 5:38So do you think now it's time for your teams to come back?
- 5:43Would your teams be stronger if they were playing Super Rugby?
- 5:47No, they weren't.
- 5:48Because, I mean, there's over 50 players playing overseas.
- 5:53Yeah.
- 5:54And all of them can be selected for the Springboks.
- 5:56So there's even fringe players that's not playing for the Springboks, that's playing overseas because they know if they play well there, they can be picked.
- 6:04Where in the old days they would have played in South Africa.
- 6:07So that's where our teams are.
- 6:10I think still, if you just add the front row of the Bulls on Saturday, it would have been a different game.
- 6:16If you added Cameron Harnakom, it would have been a different game.
- 6:19So Kirtley Arendts on the wing.
- 6:23So there's quite a few that would have made a difference.
- 6:27So, yeah, I think if everyone is back, our teams are still, I mean, the Bulls have been in the final of the UFC three, four years in a row.
- 6:37And they're competing.
- 6:39But we are struggling when it goes that step up to Champions Cup, especially if you have to play weekend and week out.
- 6:45Of course, the depth just isn't there at the moment with everyone playing overseas.
- 6:50Victor, I just want to pick up on something you pointed out, talked about just before, is the ticket prices.
- 6:56I've heard a lot of people talk about the economy's flat and the ticket prices are very high for this tour, for the average fan.
- 7:05Is that disappointing?
- 7:08Because there was like 15,000 people showed up at the Sharks.
- 7:11I know there was more at the Bulls, but there was still a lot of empty seats.
- 7:15And do you think it would have been better to maybe –
- 7:18charge less get more people there to create you know to give more people the opportunity to be exposed to this tour than maybe sort of charge them so much yeah and especially with i know with the test matches you can charge whatever you want because the people want to be there they're paying for the spring box but i think for these uh provincial games it would have been better if it was cheaper
- 7:42and you could make the stadium full.
- 7:43People want to experience this.
- 7:45And the other thing that's a problem, and that's a new system where SA Rugby takes over the stadium.
- 7:50So everyone that's got tickets, season tickets at Loftus, or they've got a box at Loftus, weren't allowed to use it.
- 7:58They had to pay again for their tickets.
- 8:00They had to pay again for their boxes.
- 8:02And the people just feel, well, I've paid for my box.
- 8:05Now I have to pay another 50,000 Rand to get my box back.
- 8:09And...
- 8:10They don't want to do it.
- 8:11So I think we need to look at that system.
- 8:15We want people at these games.
- 8:16And I think Issa Rackley maybe got it wrong.
- 8:21I just wonder though, Jacob, interested in your take on this.
- 8:24Is this a sort of a, you know, our unions need to make money.
- 8:28You know, players need to get paid.
- 8:29There's a lot of costs for the unions and they need to generate as much revenue as they can.
- 8:34And that's why they charge so much for ticket prices.
- 8:37But at the same time, don't we want more people exposed to the game because that's a long-term investment.
- 8:42If I can get someone to go and fall in love with the game by going to being at a game, I can generate revenue for the next 20 years off them.
- 8:49So are we getting...
- 8:50Should we have a different approach?
- 8:52Should we just try and get more people at these games?
- 8:56Well, I think, I mean, what Victor mentioned around this tour.
- 8:59So a couple of things.
- 9:02This hasn't happened for 30 years.
- 9:04So the rugby unions aren't used to what they should do.
- 9:09I always remember when the All Blacks...
- 9:11Sorry, can I just come in here?
- 9:13So South Africa, he said rugby take over the game.
- 9:17So the unions have nothing.
- 9:18They get a fixed price and it's a racket tape.
- 9:22Yeah.
- 9:23Back in the old day, I think...
- 9:25Although the union would have run it, they want the stadium full, they want all the season ticket holders there.
- 9:31So that's the difference in South Africa at the moment.
- 9:33Yeah, and look, Victor, I agree.
- 9:35And way back when I had blonde hair and Riccardo did have hair, like what used to happen is in the old tours, the provincial unions would have to take over all the costs.
- 9:46So what would happen, they'd send the team, but you kept all the ticket prices.
- 9:52One massive thing that happened in New Zealand during the World Cup
- 9:57in 2011 was that World Rugby took over Eden Park, you know, all, and they lost a lot of long-time support, especially what I used to call, you know, the Auckland Mafia in a nice sense, you know, all the wealthy box owners, you know, they'd been paying for their boxes for 20 years and they wanted to use it.
- 10:19So I think there's a balance there of understanding because a lot of these people get,
- 10:25you know, pretty frustrated because they pay a lot of money and then they don't get the opportunity to use it.
- 10:30So if we're going to have these tours in the future, and I hope we do, there's two things that need to change.
- 10:35I think the South African Rugby Union and New Zealand Rugby Union need to realise they've got to try and promote in the region, so the ticket prices and the availability of boxes and stuff need to be available.
- 10:48And the second thing is you possibly need to release the players and let them play.
- 10:54And that won't be a coach's decision.
- 10:56That needs to be a decision's art.
- 10:57Because like I said, I would do exactly the same as Russie, do exactly the same as Dave Rennie's done.
- 11:02I'm not criticising them.
- 11:03What I'm saying is that I would do the same, but is it right for the game?
- 11:07And the answer is probably no.
- 11:09So if you drop the ticket prices, everyone's available.
- 11:13You know, everyone gets injured.
- 11:14Poor old Caleb Clark got injured this week, you know.
- 11:16It's part of our game.
- 11:17And I think that we need to put the fan in the driver's seat a wee bit more than we do the coaches and the players sometimes.
- 11:27And I get it.
- 11:28Like, I get it.
- 11:29I just think we need to reassess some of our stuff.
- 11:32You know, the footballers are not a physical game.
- 11:34Footballers play Sunday, Tuesday, Saturday, you know, so.
- 11:40So Victor, you got a chance to watch the All Blacks in person.
- 11:45Um, what do you think?
- 11:48Yeah, I think they're looking good.
- 11:50Um, I think they really dangerous in transition play at the moment.
- 11:59Um.
- 12:00It's like the All Blacks of old.
- 12:02I must say there was a few guys that really impressed me.
- 12:06I thought Sekner, the open sider.
- 12:10Kit I didn't know was really good.
- 12:12And then J.K.'s favourite, Viko Iohoni, I thought was outstanding against the Bulls.
- 12:18And I still think 13 is his position.
- 12:21He just looked sharp.
- 12:23He looked fast.
- 12:24Every time he touches the ball, he looked really dangerous.
- 12:29I think there's a few guys that put their hands up and said, listen, we want to be selected for the first Test match.
- 12:36But I do think there was just a little bit in that second half where I thought the Springboks would ever look at this and say, if we really put the pressure on, if we bring the physicality, if we keep them in their half, they look vulnerable.
- 12:51So I just thought something in that Bulls game.
- 12:54In the first half, I thought the All Blacks were great.
- 12:56In that second half, I was just...
- 12:58Once the pressure came a little bit from the Bulls, I just saw something that I'm looking forward to for Saturday.
- 13:06I think you are absolutely lying, Victor.
- 13:10I'm not.
- 13:10I promise I'm not.
- 13:13I think you've got that wry smile on your face, and I personally believe that deep down you don't think the All Blacks have a chance.
- 13:20I can see it in your face, mate.
- 13:22I can see it.
- 13:23You're just being humble and nice, but you do not think we have a chance because you don't think we've been tested at all with Springbrook type of rugby, which I think Russie has told all the provincial sides to actually play like the All Blacks if you want, but do not play like the Springbrooks because we want to lull them into a false sense of security.
- 13:44I love that answer, but your body was telling me something else, brother.
- 13:49I'll tell you.
- 13:50I spoke to Neil LeBrain, the attack coach, before the game.
- 13:53And he came out and he said, no, they want to play more.
- 13:56They're not going to kick.
- 13:57And I was like, that might be trouble for you tonight.
- 14:01But that was their plan.
- 14:02And I mean, we haven't seen the All Blacks against the Stormers a little bit.
- 14:07I thought the Stormers put up a good fight.
- 14:10They put them under pressure.
- 14:12remember these teams also, they're in pre-season.
- 14:15So they're actually off.
- 14:16They only came back for two weeks just to train for these games.
- 14:19So the fitness levels of the players aren't there.
- 14:23So I thought the Stormers also put them under pressure a little bit.
- 14:26But it's going to be a different game on Saturday.
- 14:28That's why the Smirk is there.
- 14:31But I think the All-Black team is going to be a great game.
- 14:35You just answered the question.
- 14:37The Bulls coach comes up to you and says, oh, hi, Victor.
- 14:40I'm a South African.
- 14:41And guess what?
- 14:42I'm going to try and play the All Blacks at their own game.
- 14:44Wow.
- 14:45Wouldn't you sack him straight away, Victor?
- 14:46Like, what's he doing there, mate?
- 14:48You know, you're a Bulls, man.
- 14:49Like, is he on something, man?
- 14:51Is he on something?
- 14:52You know, like, it just smells of conspiracy.
- 14:56It smells of conspiracy for me.
- 14:58I think Rushy's told the bloody provincial sides to do that.
- 15:01And that's what they've done.
- 15:02There wasn't even a box kick, was there?
- 15:04There's some random... Why not too much wait too long?
- 15:07Yeah, yeah, no way too long.
- 15:09And there's a couple of random kicks in the middle of the field, which you just, nah, it's a conspiracy.
- 15:15You're right, JK.
- 15:16The time to worry, as a Kiwi, the time to worry about South Africans is when they're telling you how good your team is.
- 15:23How good you are.
- 15:24Yeah.
- 15:24And how you're going to win.
- 15:25Look at that cheeky smile on his face.
- 15:29He's not believing one word he's saying.
- 15:31It's like, come on.
- 15:33We're on to you, Victor.
- 15:35No.
- 15:36I really think it's going to be a great this match.
- 15:38I think it's going to be a close game.
- 15:41It's funny you talk about Riko Ioane because I'm with you.
- 15:44I thought that that's as well as I've seen him play in five or so years.
- 15:49He just looked like a different person.
- 15:51He looked like a threat every time he got the ball.
- 15:55He made good decisions.
- 15:57He looked like the player we all hoped he would become five or so years ago.
- 16:02Yeah.
- 16:05You know, you boys have been a big fan of Rico's, Jake Knight.
- 16:08That is shit, mate.
- 16:09That is shit.
- 16:10No, it's not.
- 16:11It is.
- 16:12It is shit.
- 16:12I think you look like the player he was three years ago.
- 16:16I'll tell you what Rico's done.
- 16:19I'll tell you what Rico's done over the last three years that you're talking about.
- 16:24So when Vern Cotter got to New Zealand, right, he brought a style of rugby that was not like the Blues.
- 16:30And that style of rugby was your 12 and your 13, you're 13.
- 16:33need to run as hard as they can and get the forwards over the advantage line so the forwards can then punish the opposition.
- 16:39He completely changed what the Blues play, and he said to Rico, stop outside breaks.
- 16:45What we want you doing is defending and crashing the ball up.
- 16:49When he got to the All Blacks, the All Blacks said, you can't pass and you can't defend, so start working on this.
- 16:56Rico was the best defensive centre we had in the All Blacks for the last...
- 17:02Two years because he didn't play last year, right?
- 17:04Two years before that.
- 17:06But what happened was he concentrated on his defence.
- 17:10So this guy's been growing.
- 17:11And then what I think happened was he went to Leinster, he went to Leinster, and all those things came together.
- 17:19So I get really frustrated because everyone sort of says, oh, Rico's not the player he was.
- 17:25What Rico does is what the coach wants.
- 17:28And he's always done that.
- 17:29And he fell out of favour with Razor because Razor didn't think that he could pass or attack, which for me was harsh on Rico.
- 17:38Has not being selected has the last 12 months added to his motivation?
- 17:44Yes.
- 17:45But this kid will do what the coach wants and that is incredible.
- 17:48What these coaches want is a bit more of an expensive play.
- 17:52Rico, we want you to get over the vantage line.
- 17:53We also want you to pass.
- 17:54We want you to turn up.
- 17:55We want your work rate to be a lot bigger.
- 17:57We want you to pick the ball up from the base of the ruck and score a try like a forward would.
- 18:01You know, and I think we're seeing that not just in Rico.
- 18:05I think we're seeing that in a lot of players, you know.
- 18:07So I think the criticism of Rico over the last three years has been a little bit unfair.
- 18:14I just want to come in on his defence as well.
- 18:16And you speak about his defence.
- 18:17That was another thing that was outstanding.
- 18:20Just the way when he closed up, when they were under pressure.
- 18:23And you could see he worked with Jockney.
- 18:25So that made a big difference as well.
- 18:29Yeah, look, and look, Victor, like for me, mate, like, you know, you've been a player at that level.
- 18:35You know, they said his defence wasn't good like three years ago.
- 18:40Not four years ago.
- 18:41And he just went away and worked on it.
- 18:43And he became, you asked Grant Fox, he became our best defensive centre, right?
- 18:49You know, does he need to work sometimes on his passing?
- 18:53Yeah, possibly.
- 18:54All players have got something to work on.
- 18:56But what frustrated me a wee bit was he did give away a bit of his...
- 19:01He had a great outside step and break.
- 19:05Because he had that little step and then he'd accelerate into the hole.
- 19:09And he's forced.
- 19:10And he probably stopped doing that because, you know, they said, you know, you should be getting us over the advantage line.
- 19:16So I'm really pleased for him.
- 19:18I'll be interested.
- 19:18I think he'll be selected at centre, but I'll be interested to see what happens because the one thing that has happened on this tour is that they've created internal competition, which I think is the healthiest thing you can have in an international side.
- 19:34and hard to achieve, hard to achieve, right?
- 19:36Because when you have S matches every week, it's hard to rotate.
- 19:39And I think that's where, you know, Russie's really showing the light and changed.
- 19:44I mean, JK, I don't want to ever be the person that disagrees with you, but I think Rico himself said that his whole mindset's changed this year.
- 19:52You know, that he's enjoying his game more.
- 19:54And to me, that was what I could see on the weekend.
- 19:57He just looked like someone that was really enjoying being back.
- 20:02and playing top-level rugby, and that came across.
- 20:06Yeah, I don't disagree with that, and I think that his time in Leinster was really positive.
- 20:12But, Ricardo, what I'm saying to you that one of the hardest things for a back, and you two would not know this because besides you lurking out wide and doing pop kicks over the top of...
- 20:23defense is Victor and you being out the back line because you were tired, Ricardo.
- 20:27Besides that, you guys didn't spend a lot of time out there.
- 20:30But the hardest thing about a back is switching from a defensive mentality to an attacking mentality.
- 20:36They're two different mentalities.
- 20:38And you've actually got to train it, right?
- 20:42And so I'm not saying that Rico's not enjoying his football more because I think he is because when you don't get picked –
- 20:49and last year he was out of favour, it's bloody hard to enjoy your football.
- 20:54And I think Leinster has been an amazing time for him to see a new style of rugby, a new lifestyle, and he's come back fresh, and hopefully we see that combination of his attack and his defence.
- 21:08Another player that I thought could well be important for the next week, Bodum Barrett at fullback.
- 21:15I think I might have said that last week.
- 21:17Yeah, but now you saw him a callback.
- 21:20I don't agree with you.
- 21:23I don't think Bowden's going to make this squat.
- 21:25I don't think he's going to be in a 23.
- 21:28I think he will be.
- 21:29I think it depends on Damien McKenzie.
- 21:31The interesting thing, we haven't seen Will Jordan.
- 21:36I think the guys will probably go with a 6-2 split as well.
- 21:42On the bench.
- 21:43I think they're hopeful that Will will be there and that Camaroy guy will be there, but Damien McKenzie is more doubtful.
- 21:53Yeah.
- 21:53So if Damien's not available, then I think Bowdoin will definitely be in the 23.
- 22:00You know, I think the selection for the first time in a long, long time is really hard to predict, which is, you know, probably if I said to you, Victor, what's the South African side, you'd be going, ooh, okay, yeah, I think there's, you know, I think there's going to be a few guys.
- 22:14But, you know, and I think for the first time in three years at least,
- 22:19you know, this is what we're going.
- 22:21Who's going to play on the wing?
- 22:23You know, is he going to go with Ruben at 10?
- 22:26You know, Roy guard 9, 10, Jordy, Rico.
- 22:30What's happening on the wings?
- 22:32You know, Leroy Carter's really stood up.
- 22:34If Damien's not going to be good, who's he going to play at fullback?
- 22:36He might play Moby at fullback.
- 22:38You know, like, it's just really interesting for the first time, and I wouldn't know.
- 22:43Notice I didn't name any forwards, Victor.
- 22:49uh i must say i can't believe he's team today because he's been naming his team on monday so it will be interesting to see this week if it's going to do it again well i think internally you know as we all know internally for the internally guys don't train on a monday they don't get picked so that's his philosophy so he will internally they
- 23:14probably know from yesterday already, but I wonder if he's going to announce it today.
- 23:19Give us an insight, Victor.
- 23:20Can I just ask you, who are you supporting?
- 23:26I'm feeling you're a little bit anti-Orblack today.
- 23:29I'm not anti-Orblack, I'm just anti-you.
- 23:31Oh, okay.
- 23:33You've always been anti-me.
- 23:36I'm interested, Victor.
- 23:38We've been talking a lot about the All Blacks, obviously because we've been watching them twice a week, getting an idea of where they're at, getting an idea of who's playing well, et cetera, et cetera.
- 23:48What the hell have the Springboks been doing all this time?
- 23:50What are they doing?
- 23:53Sitting around singing songs.
- 23:55I don't know.
- 23:56What's going on?
- 23:57No, well, they've been to Argentina.
- 24:00A few guys rested.
- 24:01So this last week would have been a pretty tough week for them.
- 24:06I think Rossi would have.
- 24:08worked them really hard.
- 24:09And I've heard in the last year or two, whenever they've got a week like that, they really get stuck into each other.
- 24:17And that's why he probably got the 40 guys because they go all out for a whole week.
- 24:23So they need the extra guys there as well.
- 24:26So I think they'll be prepared.
- 24:28They'll be well prepared.
- 24:29They had two weeks now to get ready.
- 24:33I think the team probably could have been announced a week ago ready internally.
- 24:38Rossi likes that the people know where they're standing.
- 24:41So I think preparation will be there.
- 24:45They'll be ready to go.
- 24:46Hopefully there's one or two guys that we need to wait and see, a guy like Oxen Chair, if he's ready to go.
- 24:55And yes, then we'll see you.
- 24:58I'll see you.
- 24:59Big week.
- 25:00How's Sia, Victor?
- 25:02Sia's out for the whole 12.
- 25:06That's sad, eh?
- 25:07Yeah.
- 25:07He might be ready for the America game, but, yeah, he won't be able to play the first three.
- 25:12That's sad.
- 25:14He's such a good leader.
- 25:15I see Sia and Ardy went to church together yesterday.
- 25:21Nice.
- 25:22That's nice.
- 25:22Yeah.
- 25:23Yeah.
- 25:23That's great.
- 25:25That would be the same as you and JK going to a pub together.
- 25:28Yeah.
- 25:29Are they Catholics?
- 25:30Remember?
- 25:31He's just sitting in his ice bath with water.
- 25:34So let's start, first of all, with our Ram Hand to Hand couriers.
- 25:39Who delivered under pressure for you?
- 25:42We'll start with you, Victor.
- 25:43I'm going to stay with the South Africans because I know JK is only going to go.
- 25:47So I'm going Ram Hand to Hand courier.
- 25:51Play of the week, I say Marcel Coutier.
- 25:55I think the Bulls were under pressure, but it just shows.
- 25:58I think Marcel is very unlucky that he hasn't been picked in the last four or five years for the Springboks, who hasn't even been in the squad.
- 26:08He's just a guy that leads from the front in that second half.
- 26:11I mean, the way he carried, the way he...
- 26:14Got into the breakdowns, his defense was just unbelievable.
- 26:17And he's just, I love watching him.
- 26:19He just keeps going and he fights for every, every meter.
- 26:22He's almost like Ardy just fights for every meter, every time he carries.
- 26:26So I think he stood up and it could have been a massacre in that second half.
- 26:31And I think he led from the front to turn it around.
- 26:34Nice.
- 26:35And JK, your Ram hand-to-hand couriers who delivered under pressure for you?
- 26:41Rico.
- 26:43Yeah, I thought Rico delivered under pressure, been under pressure for 12 months, really delivered.
- 26:50So yeah, I think pretty easy, good defensively, you know, good on attack, looking really, really sharp, looking sharp off the mark, you know, looking fast again.
- 27:02So yeah, so that would be my Rams hand to hand delivery of the week.
- 27:10Right.
- 27:10And then for our other
- 27:12Um, partner, obviously clip drift.
- 27:14What was the moment of the week for you?
- 27:19Victor?
- 27:20Yeah.
- 27:21Clip drift moment of the week.
- 27:22I'm not going to give it to a player.
- 27:24I'm going to give it to.
- 27:28my beloved fortress, Loftus-Fersfeld.
- 27:31It was just unbelievable.
- 27:32I think we've seen it before in France with all the lights and it looks like a rock show before the game.
- 27:39And I thought the beginning of the game, players coming out, even with the Harker, when the lights went down, just the way they presented that match was unbelievable.
- 27:49So to everyone at Loftus,
- 27:52Well done.
- 27:53It's just amazing to see where we're going with rugby and all the entertainment around it as well.
- 28:00So my Clip Drift moment of the week is for Loftus Verschelt and the show that they put up.
- 28:08What's a good rock show for Victor Metfield?
- 28:10What's an ideal concert for Victor Metfield?
- 28:14No, you have to come to South Africa.
- 28:15We have to play Afrikaans music.
- 28:18J.K., do you know Afrikaans music?
- 28:22So we've got Afrikaans is Groot, or the Kroon in South Africa, and the Kroon is actually at Loftus, big stage in the middle, all the Afrikaans singers, and it's just a party.
- 28:34Back in the day, well, I still listen to a little bit.
- 28:38I used to listen to Lady Blacksmith Mambela.
- 28:41Have you heard of them?
- 28:43Good, but that's not Afrikaans.
- 28:44It's okay.
- 28:45I know it's not Afrikaans, but it was a South African band.
- 28:47Okay.
- 28:48And another guy I used to listen to a little bit was a guy called Johnny Clegg.
- 28:51Johnny Clegg.
- 28:52Have you heard of Johnny Clegg?
- 28:53Also not off the cards.
- 28:54I know Johnny Clegg very well.
- 28:56What's your favorite artist, Victor?
- 29:01Haven't you heard Steve Holzmeier?
- 29:04The blowball song.
- 29:08Come on, guys.
- 29:09I have to listen to that one.
- 29:11Every time we ran out of doctors, he's playing.
- 29:13There's another guy, Kurt Darren.
- 29:16So when I scored my try against the Chiefs and we put up that record score,
- 29:21or what is it 63-7 in a final, a team that can't attack, that only kicks the ball, scoring 63 points.
- 29:30When I scored, they played Kaptein.
- 29:32So he's got a song called Kaptein.
- 29:35Kaptein, Spani, Sailor.
- 29:37So they played that.
- 29:39So Kurt's also one of my favorites.
- 29:42I'm really starting to get worried about this.
- 29:45I don't want you singing.
- 29:47What was your Clip Drift moment of the week?
- 29:49Well, mine's not a moment.
- 29:51Mine's two players, I think.
- 29:54Leroy Carter and Anton Segner.
- 29:56Like, I think if you're a young guy going on tour, you know, like Victor said, the team will be named this week.
- 30:04But I think Anton's...
- 30:07just really stepped into that role.
- 30:09Like, he is, for me, a purist number seven.
- 30:13Like, he's over the ball, his work rate's incredible.
- 30:15There was a couple of times where the ball sort of broke down, and he was the first one there, like 50 yards away from the last break.
- 30:21So he's obviously got a big motor.
- 30:23And Leroy Carter...
- 30:26He's pretty big.
- 30:27He doesn't, yeah.
- 30:28He's bigger than my sports, yeah.
- 30:29Yeah, he's totally bigger than you think.
- 30:31He's one of those guys.
- 30:33And then Leroy Carter.
- 30:34So for me, the Clip Drift moment of the week is, you know, those two guys, if you're going to sit back and have a, you know, a brandy and coke and be satisfied that you've done all you can to be selected, those guys would do that.
- 30:45And I think that, you know, when you're on tour, that's all you can do.
- 30:49And then it's up to the coaches.
- 30:50So I think those two players, whether they'll be named or not, um...
- 30:55you know, have, you know, they would sit back and have a Clippies and Coke because they'd think, well, I've done everything I can now.
- 31:03It's up to the coaches.
- 31:04So I thought that was, that's my sort of moment of the week because those moments are really, really important for players.
- 31:10You've got to do everything you can to get selected.
- 31:12And if you don't, you know.
- 31:15Yeah.
- 31:16All right.
- 31:16Now, so we've obviously got the team selected being named in the next few days.
- 31:21I might grab you during the week, get your thoughts on your teams, and we'll put them on the team room.
- 31:27So if you want to sign up, join us on the team room, rugbyrivals.com, and you'll get some exclusive insight from our genius commentators, Victor Matfield and John Kerwin.
- 31:41I had to think of the right word.
- 31:43I will be in South Africa, so I'm really excited about that.
- 31:47So I'm leaving in a few hours.
- 31:48So can we do a, we should do a rugby John Kerwin South Africa diary.
- 31:54We'll put it up on the rugbyrivals.com site and just, and the best part of it will be the first time you go out and have a few drinks with Victor.
- 32:03Okay.
- 32:04And we'll do it first thing in the morning.
- 32:05I love to make him drunk one night.
- 32:08You have to go drink for drink with me on brandies.
- 32:11That will be fun.
- 32:13Oh, I can't wait.
- 32:15I can't wait.
- 32:16All right.
- 32:18Thank you very much, gentlemen.
- 32:19Welcome to the end of another episode of Ram Hand-to-Hand Careers Rugby Rivals.
- 32:25We'll see you next week, or we'll see you in the team room.