Victor Matfield has been frighteningly calm this week when quizzed on South Africa’s response to their 32-12 loss in the Tri-Nations opener.
“They [the All Blacks] did a lot of things right but I must say, we also weren’t there 100 percent,” the Springbok lock said when asked how they would turn things around at Westpac Stadium.
“We were probably about 97 [per cent] and we know in these games if you’re 1 or 2 percent off your game, you will get smashed. And that’s what happened.”
Matfield was one of the better Boks at Eden Park and always has a ready smile away from the rugby field, but you get the feeling he will be issuing his pack with some fairly straightforward instructions before tomorrow night’s rematch.
“We all know how we play, we won’t go away from that,” he said. “We’re a team that likes to put pressure on the other team, to really strangle them.”
It’s an intimidating thought.
Matfield is also promising an improved effort in the lineout where the All Blacks enjoyed unfamiliar dominance in the season opener.
South Africa would not allow the All Blacks the luxury of so many quick throws, he said.
“Hopefully this week we will be there earlier and better prepared.
“Because we weren’t there and we weren’t quick enough in our [chase] lines we gave them space and time and they penalised us for that.”
Meanwhile, Boks lock Danie Rossouw has passed a fitness test and will start the test against the All Blacks.
Rossouw, who replaced the suspended Bakkies Botha in the Springboks lineup, tweaked his calf in training on Tuesday and had been in doubt to start alongside his Bulls team-mate Victor Matfield in the second row.
The South Africans had called in Bulls lock Flip van der Merwe as second-row cover, but the Boks match squad will now be as announced, with Andries Bekker remaining on the bench as the backup lock.
Oh dear if that was a “97 percent” performance then we are up the creek …
It was such a disapointing performance that it will need more than an ‘exponential’ improvement this week to make any difference. To cut a long story short for me lack of commitment was the biggest problem!
Hmmm, I feel as long as we have cheese griller as the scrumhalf we are in for a looooong day, not to mention Smit as hooker, this is the first time that I am in agreement that he is NOT our best hooker, and the captaincy should be changed now, in enough time before the 2011 WC
Tripples, you do realise Bismarck is injured, and if John Smit has to step aside tomorrow we have Chilliboy as hooker. My advice is be careful what you wish for.
I do I do hehehe, the thing is, there are others that they can bring in for a few games, the captaincy thing must be sorted post haste
am more worried about old worsie at scrumhalf!!!
Tripples wrote:
come now Tripples its too easy to try and put all the problems down to one player, yes his passing isn’t the best and it puts pressure on the backs and he is nowhere near to Fourie when it comes to his kicking but from what I could see he was not the worst player on the field last week in fact I think he played better than almost all of the forwards whoe were just simply substandard. The game plan of having a forward who seems to have butter fingers try and pick the ball up from the base of scrums to give it to Januarie who then must distribute or try and dart through a non-existent gap also puts pressure on the backline.
Afternoon all
Remember the story yesterday about the Boks who have so many total years of experience? You know what that smell like? A team too old and long in the tooth…..methinks what needs to happen is that younger players in several positions who have performed WAY better this season should make their appearance in the Boks.
Lets look at those positions:
Scrumhalve – Dippenaar or Kocket or Ruan, maybe even Hougaard
Inside centre – De Jongh
Right Wing – anybody but Jean dV, he is not a wing fer pete’s sake! Bes on the inside a few years ago, maybe even last year, so get rid of him, NOW. Play Hougaard there, he has run around Aplon in the S14 final, so I consider him better & if not him, then Aplon.
Flanker – Get rid of Schalk and get Potgieter, Deysel or even Vermeulen in there. Ok, Vermeulen is a no 8 but should be in the 22
Hooker – need I really go into this, it should be a no-brainer, for some stupid reason its apparently a brain teaser unlike anything else. Get rid of the overweight SLOOOOOOW Smith and Chilly, Matfield to be captain, and get Botha and Liebenberg in there.
Who can beat this team? Why is Piet Snor so hooked up into his “old house” this season? Fer crying out loud think about the RWC next year and forget about trying to win the 3N this year. Get the young blood in there now and get them up & ready for next season.
Why is this so difficult?
Expecting another but closer loss tomorrow, very much like the unexpected but actually should-have-been-expected losses seen in the past when the young Turks did the trick….. most recent the Boks loss to the Wallabies last year in the 3N, best remembered one the inexperienced Boks who won the Walabies in the ’95 RWC opener.
NO COOK! that was more like 30%, get the heebie jeebies thinking that could be 97%.
PDV is running out of ideas, he doesn’t want to take chances with new guys, and if you guys think he is innovative enough to evovle this team towards the RWC next year.
Well boys, keep it alive!
An Asian guy in South Africa for the World Cup was trying to exchange Yen for Rands and asked the teller, “Why it change? Yesterday i get Two Hunat Rand fo Yen and today only get a Hunat Eighty?”
The bank teller said “Flucktuations”
The Asian says”Fluc you Sout Aflicans too”
@ biltongbek:
Dont depress us before the game, still a while before the World Cup. 😥
Hello everyone. Just back from Joburg and a good few days in the Berg.
@ Bullscot:1 – Bullscot have to agree. If that was us giving 97% 🙄 we are in huge trouble. Hope we can bounce back tomorrow.
@ ps in CT:Its too late to start fiddling with the squad, after the world cup is when the changes should come, some key guys are still injured. We will see an improved showing tomorrow, if Smit had an off day (I didnt notice) then so be it, his work rate was the highest amongst SA forwards in the recent tests with the 6 Nations…he still has what it takes. Victor has proved as a Captain for the Boks, that he is too prone to let his head drop and become emotional…he may be over it now, but the Captaincy of Smit must not be underestimated. de Villiers should be at centre…no question. At the moment they should start Ruan at Scrummie.
goooooooooooooodafternoon guys
phew, what a hectic day
busy as a bee
busy
busy
busy
.. thats me!! 😀
bitterbek @ 9
waa’oo’ moan djy nou wee?
#13
4man for president!! 😉
I think that what Smith lacks of in playing hooker, he more than makes up for in the stability he brings to the team being their captain.
Ouma spuit parfuum agter haar ore, aan pols, hals en tussen haar borste.
Kleinkind vra: Ouma, wat van die gat in die osoonlaag?
Ouma: Hom kom ek sommer met die waslap by, my kind!
ESHLIE
Ek moun nie, ek praat net kak met die diere.
biltongbek @ 19
😯 eshlie!! 😆
jaaa, dis PRESIES hoe dit pronounce word, lol
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