Where does one begin, in 2009 PDV led his charges to a series win over the Lions and to the Tri Nations trophy, during this time there was a lot of criticism for the way they played and also a couple of controversial issues raised in regards to on the field “fouls” commited by Schalk Burger (alleged eye gouge), Bakkies Botha (clearing out the ruck with no arms), this continued into 2010 with Bakkies Botha (head butt) once again in the frame. There were also a number of spear tackles which saw Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie receive bans for these dangerous tackles.
During this period South Africa received 7 yellow cards and only had 3 yellow cards by opposing teams.
Prior to the Autumn internationals in November 2009 PDV had a win rate of 75%, since then he has played 13 tests and only won 5 of which 3 has been against Italy bringing his win percentage to 30% against first tier opposition.
His win percentage has dropped to 63% in the last year and is slowly becoming worse by the match.
Below are his results against major opposition since the Tri Nations in 2009.
South Africa 13 France 20 Toulouse 13 November 2009
South Africa 10 Ireland 15 Croke Park 28 November 2009
South Africa 34 Wales 31 Millenium Stadium 5 June 2010
South Africa 42 France 17 Newlands 12 June 2010
South Africa 12 New Zealand 32 Auckland 10 July 2010
South Africa 17 New Zealand 31 Wellington 17 July 2010
South Africa 13 Australia 30 Brisbane 24 July 2010
South Africa 22 New Zealand 29 Johannesburg 21 August 2010
South Africa 44 Australia 31 Pretoria 28 August 2010
South Africa 39 Australia 41 Bloemfontein 4 September 2010
It is clear to see the wheels have come off, and there seems to be no one around to fix it.
The most obvious reason is the players who have not been available due to injuries, bans, compassionate leave and residency permits.
But the question is how much of this can be put down to these unavailable players because most of the new players that were tested over the winter can be commended for playing well enough in the international arena, Juan de Jongh, Francois Hougaardt, Gio Aplon, Francois Louw, Flip van der Merwe have all done enough to prove that they are worthy to wear the Green and Gold.
It is true that indiscipline has cost us, but then again South Africa has proven under the tenure of Jake White that they have improved their disciplinary record and did shake off the bully tag and had been complimented on their on field and off the field behaviour as ambassadors for South Africa after their world cup success in 2007.
Why then have we gone back to the ill disciplined and dirty play that Jake White has worked so hard to eradicate? Is it down to frustration, or perhaps unhappiness in the dressing room that no one is permitted to make public? Is it perhaps just down to the individuals themselves?
The next issue that has been branded about many times is the inability of South Africa to change the way they play, we have often in the past year been kicking possession away only to be attacked from deep and rather often due to our visibly poor defensive structures leaked very soft tries.
In just the last two matches we conceded 8 tries within the first 30 minutes of the first half, only to then start controlling possession and coming back scoring well worked tries by keeping ball in hand.
The real question here is how can the Springboks be so incredibly poor in one half only to outscore their opponents in such a manner that they have complete control, but then have the ability to simply switch off and revert back to school boy errors and inept defence.
My summation is that this team is poorly coached, their technical deficiencies are clear for everyone to see, they simply do not show cohesiveness in the way they attack the rucks and mauls. Their communication is woefully inept, there combinations work in stops and starts and overall as competent as they can look one minute they can be completely outplayed the next.
They seem lethargic during the match and do not look match fit, their concentration levels seem to dip and rise inconsistently and in International rugby this inconsistency is punished severely.
Player management seems absent to say the least and players who are completely out of form continue to run on to the field with what must surely be very low confidence.
It is fair to say that South African rugby is falling behind and has shown very little or no progress at all in the past twelve months.
Being a Springbok supporter becomes very hard when there is no proof or reason to believe in the effectiveness of the management team, and I for one is now advocating that PDV, Dick Muir and Gary Gold seem to be completely out of their depth and should there for be removed.
There is not much time left to turn this sinking ship around and if anyone is going to be brave enough to make changes, now is the time.
Political correctness aside, it is time to appoint coaching staff that will have the ability to make the hard decisions, remove those players who are hanging in there because of their past glories and reputations, and bring a fresh perspective on a flailing game plan.
The simple fact is, this coaching team and players is not going to win a world cup, there is no doubt in my mind that if we continue with the status quo, we will come back with our tails between our legs and write this part of Springbok history in very small print on the back page of our rugby annals, to be forgotten and never to be remembered.
I know this is drastic, but we might as well accept that even though change may not bring us the desired result next year, at least it will bring back hope to this passionate Springbok supporter.
I don’t think its drastic to replace underachievers, its simply common sense.
But that is in short supply at SARU HQ.
Hopefully there will be some sort of a push and Regan will realise the game is up.
I have a dream we might get an administrator like Haroon Lorgat in – brutal and ruthless when needed, a coach with a pedigree like Deans would not go amiss either. Imagine what he could do, or Heyneke Meyer or Allister Coetzee.
And now tired and emotional I’m going to try call it a day.
ek is ma net n leek wat klub rugby en so n bietjie semie profinsiale rugby gespeel het,maar ek sien die bokke is in groot kakka ek kan nie verstaan waarom ons afrigters nie kan sien dat daar fout is nie,dalk is dit n geval van dat hulle hulle tegniese plafon bereik het en nie meer beter kan doen nie,of dalk is hulle net te hardkoppig om te erken dat hulle gevou het
@ smallies72:
Smallies jy weet ons praat nou al weke hier op R-T en vele ander blogs oor baie dinge. Spelers oud, spelers oorspeel, spelers verby hul tyd…..
Afrigter deurmekaar soos katkots in n tuimeldroeer. Ek is al so opgesweep ek sal sommer persoonlik vir Dick gaan klap of die swaard vashou want hy het nie die guts om in sy eie swaard te val nie.
Gary Glitter gold soos GBS hom noem moet daardie laaste 3 minute van gister se toets as verpligte deel van sy CV insit. Dit behoort almal te laat sien hoe die pods nie gedoen moet word nie en hom ver weg van n rugbyveld hou.
Maar jy sal verbaas wees wat een nuwe besem in die span kan veroorsaak. Daar moet dalk net raak gevat word en die regte vrot besem(s) weggegooi word.Ek sou begin met PdeV die res sal outomaties volg. Ek het nog die heeltyd gehoop Peter sal die nodige kundiges inbring en sy afrigting span vernuwe. Ek het gehou van Peter se agter sy spelers staan. Ook van sy beleid oor kleur, hy het nie oorboord gegaan nie. Maar jammer ou Peter jy valmaar saam die wat jy jou vriende noem.
@superbul kry nou n nuwe afrigter laat die ou manne rus gaan na europa met youngsters en skryf ma die toer af teen skoolgeld vir die youngsters,verplig die bulls om vir vic danie gutro nie in die cc te gebruik nie so ook sharks met smit wp met scalk mossie cheetahs met smith,as hulle dit nie doen nie kan ons ma die wb tata se
@ smallies72:
wat my heeltemal dronkslaan is die feit dat Suid Afrikaners wat harde manne moet wees die moeg ouens is, niemand anders kla so erg daaroor nie. Gister het niemand vir my moeg gelyk nie,wel stupid.
Daardie laaste move was erg stupid, geen ou het vorentoe probeer dryf nie , net die bal gevat en op die grond gaan le, oor en oor. Ek sal weer kyk maar in een van daai pods het die baldraer amper sy eie kop in die gras geduik.
PDV must go!!!
….and take all the deadweight (players and coaches) with him on his way out.
Australian hooker Saia Fainga’a was suspended for two weeks on Sunday after being found guilty of a dangerous tackle during the Tri-Nations match between South Africa and Australia at Vodacom Park in Bloemfontein on Saturday.
Ondersteun Bafana! Nee, seriously… nie net is hulle NET SO veel ons nationale span as soos wat die Bokke is nie, maar hier is Bafana se uitslae na die WB:
SA 1-0 Ghana
SA 2-0 Niger.
Laat ons nie vergeet dat ons Frankryk en ‘n hele paar ander groot kannonne geslag nie, maar Ons het 17 plekke geklim, dit VOOR die oorwinnings oor 23ste geplaaste Ghana – die hogste van alle Afrika spanne.
DIT in teenstelling met die Bok span se rekord, soos ons hier bo sien, nie die heel beste is nie.
So kom, doen die regte ding. Ondersteun Bafana. Dalk wen ons nog die CAF beker!
My gemoed is swaar vandag…ai, maar ons Bok span is besig om vinnig onder te gaan.
BiltongBek, Good article.
Think you spot on there with us kicking away our possession plenty and allowing them to just attack us back everytime with our weak defence. That is a weak point of ours. Again yesterday we done it. If we need to kick then kick it way out so we can take lineouts and not allow them those quick throw-ins, just to run straight back with us. We gave them too much possession again.
Then how can we take complete control of huge amounts of the 2nd half? Only to throw it away again?
Remember too we have some players just not playing well. Habs cost us 14 points last week and we had to play catch up there too, then AGAIN yesterday, his defence was not good and allowed another 3 tries through, by playing out of postion most of the time and leaving his channel wide open. That alone put us under huge pressure and the team had to make up from there. I feel had it not been for those missed tackles that lead to tries, we could have won it yesterday. Aplon made a huge difference coming on and should have started.
Tell me too about that Lineout? Not sure if it was legal or what, where they scored a try straight after. Or were we just fast asleep there?
Then to take John off when he was actually playing well yesterday was a mistake.
Both Victor and John has copped huge, huge flak on so many blogs and yesterday both these players had great, great games. Shows you what experience can do and they still both have the will to play. Just both now need a well earned rest.
Not sure what is going on with Habs though. Why is he playing out of position most of the time? Should we blame the coaches there?
Remember too we are playing without a out and out fetcher. I think many will say what can one player do? Well just look at last year when we had Brussow. HE was outstanding and won us soooooooooooooooooo much ball. Also FdP is missed, though Hougaard is a good replacement. But FdP is still our best scrummie. Two players can make a massive difference. Just look at ABs if Carter or McCaw don’t play? We need a out and out fetcher and Louw is not our man either. Never impressed me when he played for the Boks this year, but he was very good with Stormers in the S14. Think Brussow will only be back next year.
Maybe we need to get rid of Dick Muir and Gary Gold. Don’t think PdV will go but we should get another backline and Forward coach.
@ Puma: Hey Puma…you chatting on Keo too? saw someone called “Puma” in the forum there. Just read through some of their comments, not registered though.
@ Greenpoint-Gunner: yea…or darts….let all start watching darts :)…or snooker 🙂
@ bos_otter:
Hel ou maat vir so fatap span soos wat so baie nou beweer doen ons flippen goed om die Abs en Aus te wen tot die Ref se invloed begin tel. Nou weet ek ek gaan allerhande goed genoem word , so laat ek dit self se. Ek is nie a swak verloorder nie, ek blameer nie net die ref nie en nee ek dink nie al die Bokke is nog briljant nie.
Maar ek sien nie net nag soos die hele lot nie. Gaan soek iets positiefs vandag op al die web blaaie , koerante ens. daar is net afbreek afkraak van almal om die Bokspan. Vandag is net Gurthro Steenkamp onaangeraak.
Niemand se iets goeds vir n briljante comeback van die moee , ou. pe John Smit nie. Wat hy gister gedoen het het tog immers die pad gewys. Laasweek was hy afgekraak tot in die grond in, die week speel hy met daai moee lyf n baie goeie game, wys net.
Ja van die goed wat gese word is waar, dink net as JS behoorlik bestuur word en vir ons 60 sulke minute kan gee. Selfde met Matfield, kry die SPAN reg en hy sal sy briljantheid byvoeg, dit word ervaring genoem. Dink aan van sy goeie aangee in die Bulle se S14 aanslag , sy oorduik bo oor die skrum, watter jong lat sal daardie ervaring he en guts om so te doen. Gee net vir die ou manne julle volle samewerking en daarby bedoel ek coaching. Coaching kan die voorspelers laat saamjag en dan kan die ervaring die eksta spice wees.
Maar een ding is versekker daar is nog baie skop oor in hierdie afgeskryfde spelers.
@ bos_otter:11 – Yes Bos, that is me there. I still blog on keo, never left there. Where all of us met here before gbs started this blog. Though I mostly blog here. Also on SW and WTR sometimes.
Okay going out now. Beautiful day here in Umhlanga. Going for lunch down to one of the hotels by the beach front.
Catch up later. Cheers everyone.
Puma wrote:
Yes whats going on with him? But look at his games for the Stormers too, they them self wanted him replaced during their campaign.
I think Habs miss FduP the most. Fourie made him, so many times the little kick was chased to perfection and FduP also knew exactly how to put him into a gap.
baai puma
@ superBul:13 – Super, The thing that hurt me most yesterday, well a big heartsore to put it that way. Was our magnificent come back and to almost get a win there to lose it in the last sec. That really hurt.
At least we can see we can comeback if we have to. We had the guts and played really well in the 2nd half. Pity we had to chase such a big score. But we have to look at the postives in that test yesterday. Maybe you, Bek, Tighthead and Morne can put up some positives from that test and let us talk on that too.
Okay off to lunch now. Great day here and the heat is coming back too quick for me.
Catch up later.
Summer is here far too quick. I love the winter months.
Cheers all.
@ smallies72:16 – Cheers Smallies.
@ superBul:15 – Super, Agree FdP not only makes Habs play well he makes many others. HOPE like crazy his shoulder is now better and we have him for next year. He is a massive loss too the Boks this year. So too is Brussow.
Okay off to lunch catch up later. Now really out of here.
Cheers.
@ superBul: Yes Super…dit is nie net doom and gloom nie, maar n span wat as die werleld kmapioene beskou word, gee nie elke keer 3-4 drie weg voor halftyd nie. Die eerste keer was erg genoeg…leer hulle dan nie? Hierdie ouenes word demm goed betaal om n job te doen…en hulle doen dit nie…klaar!!
Daar is baie positiewe….ek is nie net n ou suurgat nie. Ek is bly om te sien jong mannetjies soos Hougie doen goed….dit was verfrissend om VM te sien hoe hy die senters wys hoe dit gedoen moet word….lekker om JS te sien sy hart uitspeel….ect ect ect, MAAR…
die ouenes tackle nie….los huge bleddie gap’s oop en nooi die ausies amper uit om te gaan score. Daar is n paar ouenes in die span wat nie meer daar hoort nie…ons moet hierdie ouens laat gaan. Wat soek Janawarie nog op die bench?….stuur Habana terug province toe om homself weer te vind….ect ect ect.
Dit is een ding om positiewe goed te vind en te maak of niks verkeerd is nie, maar hey, mens moet ook verdomp besef as daar iets fout is en dit fix.Dinge kan nie so aangaan nie
maybe we should follow North Korea in dealing with failure
“…past North Korean athletes and coaches who’ve failed to produce have been reportedly shipped off to prison camps ”
“Reports from the single-party state say that coach Kim Jong-Hun has been forced into hard labour after his team’s failed World Cup campaign”
“North Korea’s World Cup coach punished, demoted to builder”
http://www.digitaljournal.com/article/295359
🙂
gie gie gie
evil bastards 👿
superBul wrote:
moet net uitwys…die Auzies is n baie jong span met min ervaring…en hulle het die mees ervare span ooit met 750 test caps gister gewen….partykeer het jy meer as net ervaring nodig ou maat. Hierdie jong mannetjies hardloop draaie om al daai “ervare” spelers. Hulle is fikser, vinniger en honger vir sukses. Ek se nie hulle moet die hele span vervang nie, maar daar moet n mate van gesonde kompitisie vir possisies binne in n span ook wees, sodat almal hard sal werk om hulle possisies te behou.
@ bos_otter:
Kyk moet my nie verkeerd verstaan nie, daar is manne wat gerus kan waai maar die wat gister op die veld verskyn het miskien 1 of 2 weg.
laat ek so se hier is my reg en weg lys
15 François Steyn, nie hom nodig nie, hy het niks vermag nie en wat my betref geen bydrae op verdediging
14 JP Pietersen, speel met rukke en stote maar kan bly
13 Jaque Fourie, bly
12 Jean de Villiers, bly maar , net jammer hy hou De Jongh uit
11 Bryan Habana, weg
10 Morné Steyn, bly
9 François Hougaard, bly
8 Pierre Spies, bly net net want wie anders,
7 Juan Smith, bly
6 Schalk Burger, bly maar net tot n ware fetcher reg is
5 Victor Matfield, bly
4 Danie Rossouw, bly
3 Jannie du Plessis, bly
2 John Smit (captain), bly
1 Gurthrö Steenkamp bly.
Replacements:
16 Chiliboy Ralepelle, bly sal hy wel solank die coach bly
17 CJ van der Linde, bly maar , worry nie wat van Werner Kruger?
18 Flip van der Merwe, bly
19 Ryan Kankowski, weg
20 Ricky Januarie, weg ver weg
21 Juan de Jongh, bly verseker
22 Gio Aplon bly.
Peter de Villiers as hy aleen bly miskien afhangend van drie aanstellings , 2 ass coaches en n mediaman
Dick Muir weg , gaan pla die Lions
Gary Gold weg , go dig gold somewhere else
@ superBul: ek stem min of meer saam met jou bly of gly , maar ek will graag byvoeg…PDV speel die ouenes in die grond in. Hy moet van tyd tot tyd n bietjie jonger spelers intrek sodat die ou manne kan rus en so ook n bietjie van al daai ervaring aanpaas…..dit is mos nie moeilk om te verstaan nie. Ek was altyd gek oor Habana, maar rerig, stuur hom terug om weer sy voete te vind en bring hom terug sodra hy weer reg is. Dit geld ook vir Spies, maar soos jy se, wie sit ons in sy plek, wat soort van my punt bewys….as PDV ander ouens bietjie die kaans gee om hulle staal te wys ect, dan sou ons dalk nie in hierdie penarrie gesit het nie.
Rus vir John Smit meer…bring vir Bismark in van tyd tot tyd….die ou speel baie goed. Rus ook vir Victor en laat Andries Bekker meer speel….ect ect
Al wat ek probeer se is, ons moet ons opsies n bietjie probeer oophou deur meer Bokke te train, sodat as iemand van die veld afgaan agv beseering of om gerus te word, daar iemand is om sy plek te vat. Kyk hoe het ons in die begin gesukkel sonder FDP. Dank die vader Hougaardt het vir die bokke begin speel. Dinge sal beslis verbeter wanneer Bakkies, FDP, Brussow terug is, maar ons het die talent om in hulle plekke te speel en Hougie is n goeie voorbeeld…kyk na die super 15 spanne en hoe goed SA daarin doen.
Ek is nuuskierig….in jy lys hier bo, wie sal jy in die manne se plekke sit wat jy graag “weg” wil sien?
klaar gewerk….oppad huistoe….vleg weer p…. later met julle klomp diere 🙂
superBul wrote:
In die volgorde
Bjorn Basson/ Gio Aplon / Lwazi Mvovo
superBul wrote:
Heinrich Brussow / Dewalt Potgieter
superBul wrote:
Dewalt Potgieter / Willem Alberts / Duanne Vermeulen
superBul wrote:
off course as Fourie du Preez terug is sal dit verseker hy en Hougart wees
Sarel Pretorius /Charl McLeod / Jano Vermaak
Okay back from lunch. Just had another look at that last lineout. What the heck was the linesman looking at? That lineout was short of being thrown in. Not 5 metres there at all. So that should have been picked up. After that they get a try. Now tell me, why we never get those calls for us? That cost us 7 points.
That is why John should still have been on, he would have picked that up. He would have spoken to the ref or shown the linesman it was short. That cost us 7 points. Should never been allowed.
Now will see if “All Out Rugby” Even pick that up. Most our rugby chat shows have deteriorated so bad. I hardly watch them. We need new faces there to keep those shows fresh, that all rugby lovers want to watch them. Also need some sense of humour there. Sometimes those shows are soooooooooooooooooooo boring like our commentators.
Anyhow that lineout was not 5 metres and should have been picked up by the linesman that was right there. Just had a re-look at it. Not good enough really. Need to get the refs and their assistants smart and ready for next years world cup.
Okay just watched “All Out Rugby” Just a waste of time really. Not much said there at all. Why they bother I have no idea. To think that programme goes out to New Zealand, is embarrassing. We used to be way, way better on our rugby chat shows. A programme I hardly missed. Now really can’t be bothered. Not much on that show at all. Will watch Boots this Thursday. That too has fallen down really way down. Not what it used to be. I hardly watch that show now either.
Only person on either show that is fresh and alert and I enjoy is Ashwin. The others add nothing at all.
I would rather wait for Morne’s article here on the game and also Tightheads. They give more insight to the rugby that was played at the weekend.
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