The difference between good and great has got very little to do with skill and talent at test level.
Last week someone asked me whether I agree with the common sentiment in the media of late of whether this current Springbok side was the greatest one in history.
Well firstly I believe it is silly to compare this team with teams in the 1950’s, 30’s or 70’s as the game has changed so much, but perhaps there was a case of comparing them to Springbok teams since 1992 when we came back from isolation…
It was a tough question, because I want this team to be the best of all time or the last 20 years, and in recent times they make it difficult for you not to think they just might be, but I was also very aware of the fact that as time goes by, memories fade and if we have to go and study the winning World Cup team of 1995, or Mallet’s charges of 1997/98 one would realize that they were very special teams, with some very special players and moments in their own right and time.
But I was still stuck with the question, was this team the best we had?
Before the Tri-Nations started I said this team is on the brink of greatness, and era very seldom seen in rugby and one that comes around once or twice in a fan’s lifetime.
A couple of things would determine whether this team is truly great, or just very good.
Greatness is also a matter of subjective perception. For instance is a team that wins trophy after trophy great? Even thought they lose the odd match in-between?
Is a team great when they win World Cup’s?
Or is a team great when they are recognized as the number 1 team in the world, by consistently beating the best or top 5 teams on the ranking list?
Personally I would go for the last option, which was also my point when we won the World Cup and became the number 1 team in world rugby following that victory and I said it is not a true reflection of the standings in power in world rugby at the time.
Today we are the number 1 ranked team in the world (and still world champions by the way) because we beat the top two sides in world rugby twice. I also have little doubt we will remain the top team in world rugby following our traditional end of year tour and it would be a deserving title and honour, unlike 2007.
But does that make this team great, or the greatest?
I could not avoid the question, but I also could not pin it down on any one thing why I thought this team was exceptionally good, but not great. Yesterday’s loss also did not give me any answers really, because we have all known and discussed possible weak areas in this team so it was or is not the definitive reason why I believed this team was good but not (yet) great.
I then read this week how Springbok legend Tiaan Strauss handed over the jersey’s to the team for their match in Brisbane, and Tiaan hit the nail on the head and pinpointed the elusive ingredient which I could not come up with why I believe this team is good, but not great.
Tiaan in a speech to the players mentioned that great teams were defined by the character in that team. A character which saw the All Blacks dominate world rugby in the last 20 years where no matter what the touring schedule, no matter what the injuries, no matter who the coach or game plan, losing is simply not an option for them. It was ingrained in that team’s character, and that is what is missing from our Springbok team still in my view.
We are sitting as some suggest in a golden age in Springbok rugby, many factors prove this. We have immensely experienced, skillful and talented players, that much is clear. But over and above having the talent and the skill, this team needs the character to show and prove, they are indeed the greatest Springbok team in history.
@Loserer – G’nite, next time.
117@Loserer – Cheers Lossie !
116@JimT – I used to keep score for the first XI when I was in High School. Love Cricket, although it could also be that I was the only girl amongst the boys 😆
118@grootblousmile – Just a quick hi and bye
Agree, we need a scrum doctor, like Proudfoot at WP. Since he took over from Gold things start to happen at Province.
Don’t agree with CJ, he never dominated.
Smit need a scrum doctor and if that doesn’t work I’ll write him off, not before.
5 more minutes…
124@Boerboel – I’m no expert, but John Smit haven’t really played there for very long? Sharks did not give him very much play time during the Super 14.
124@Boerboel – Mathew Proudfoot or Dougie Heymans…. the 2 best scrum guru’s in SA at the moment.
@grootblousmile – 118 I tend to agree, move JS back to hooker. Now that’s tough on Bismark but it’s the price you pay for a good leader. Not sure about your options at TH, count the ex-pats out, it’s too late for that in the 3N, maybe the EOT? Who would you suggest?
One tactic would be to bring Bismark on at 60 minute mark & move JS to LH.
@grootblousmile – 118 – I seem to have heard that plea a few times before!! To get these guys back does someone have to dig deep into their pockets?
@Loserer – 123 Now we hear the truth of the matter 🙂
@JimT – Long stop, not a cricket term used in these parts!! 😉
Back stop is like wicket keeper in rounders tho!
@Loserer – Now you would be on the team! The wimpy boy would be doing the scores!!
All this talk about scrum doctors. Can’t they figure this out for themselves? JS has been around a long time, he’s a smart cookie, lots of videos to watch/study. Surely he can work out a solution. It’s true he was “popped out” once or twice but it was never that bad. I’m going to watch the game again tonight & re-evaluate.
@Loserer – No he hasn’t been there for long, been retreaded from hooker late last year and played TH mostly this year. You are right, Sharks didn’t give him much game time. However, he played TH and sometimes LH at junior level.
128@JimT – It’s far too late for the Tri-Nations to change now… but we have to remedie this for EOY Tour… the bloody NH scrums are way more solid than what we have in the SH at the moment.
If the Bokke choose not to play “Overseas” players (which I agree with in principle), then they better fork out the moolah to bring CJ AND BJ back to SA… preferably to the Bulls, of course…. to play with Vic and Bakkies…
@carol – 132 You mean she swings a mean bat(or a rolling pin)? Do we still have those things? 🙂
@grootblousmile – So cheesed off the Boks are not playing Wales this time. However they are playing the Leicester Tigers, trying to get some London Keo guys interested in a trip. Uncle 4man is the only one to put his head above the parapet!! It is being played on a Friday!
@JimT – As an ex-TH (well at school level and early at varsity) I think the hype around John Smit is over-done. He played well against the BIL and the All Blacks. Aussies are known to bend the rules.
We can’t change anything in a week’s time so next week JS will have to play and I am convinced he is going to have a great game.
@grootblousmile – 135 I think existing contracts may preclude a quick solution. Surely there must be some promising THs in SA?
@carol – 137 I read somewhere that there were negotiations for a game against Saracens. True or false?
@JimT – The Bulls one punted to take over from JS got his head up his arse after Saturday’s game, so JS remains the man.
132@carol – lol, I couldn’t bat to save my life, but I was a mean bowler
Okay, outta here, it’s a school night for me.
Hope all of you have a sunny Monday
138@Boerboel – Problem is… and here I agree full-heartedly with our friend and blogger, tight head, the Tight Head prop is the anchor around which a scrum is built… and John Smit is supposed to be that anchor.
Look, I like John Smit and absolutely value his role as captain, but I feel we need a freegin solid specialist tight head, to anchor the scrum.
139@JimT – SA is horribly short on classy TH’s at the moment…..
I blame the farking Pound and the Euro… hehehe
@Boerboel – 138 The rules or laws raise an interesting question. I’m told that it’s against the rules for a LH to lift a TH. But where do you draw the line? I mean the TH could game the rules by standing up early & winning a penalty.
I think the whole problem lies with the crouch,touch, pause & engage. It’s all geared around the big hit from the entire scrum, which leads to frequent scrum collapses. Better to revert to early engagement where props can wrestle into position. Actually I think that’s safer & enables the front row to use their skills/technique.
@Loserer – 143 Bye, bye this blogging is addictive.
@JimT – Not heard that one….I thought all the Saracens were South African anyway!! 🙂
146@JimT –
Law 20.8(i) is pretty clear:
Lifting or forcing an opponent up. A front row player must not lift an opponent in the air,or force an opponent upwards out of the scrum, either when the ball is being thrown in orafterwards. This is dangerous play.
Penalty: Penalty Kick
I feel that the Refs no F…all about the scrum and allow this pushing up to get out of control.
@carol – 148 It will be called a national trial! 🙂
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