9 Responses to Habana exposed

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  1

  tight head on 11 November 2010 at 12:31 pm

  Mc Look there are 2 issues:
  Firstly his positional play and secondly his actual tackling ability when he is in the right position.
  The second issue is all about what is going on in his head that is making him seem to lack committment and tackle technique.
  The first issue is more interesting to me as I have to ask myself, What is the tactical plan he is being asked to carry out on defence?
  Is he being asked to rush up on the inside and if so why?
  Is he being allowed to risk defence for the option of an intercept or is this just in his nature?
  And lastly, getting his positional play on defence right is easy, so what are him and the coaches doing about it?
  Of course the very fact that these clips are being shown means that international coaches are on to this before us and I see Wales appear to be looking to attack this weakness on Saturday!!
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  2

  Morné on 11 November 2010 at 3:09 pm

  @ tight head:

  I said this yesterday elsewhere about the issue…

  The problem with this is complex however. One can easily blame the player for his failings, but if you look at the video you can also rightly question the defensive structures or plan and how its implemented, and also if the Springbok coaching staff are aware of the problem and if so, why it was obviously not addressed. (It happened twice against Ireland last weekend too)

  For one, a player will be too aware of tendencies if it is pointed out to him (which suggests it has not since he continued to make the same mistakes) and two, defensive structures need to ensure that players trust the guys on his inside and outside which is also based on the evidence, clearly not the case.

  Questions then need to be asked on who decides on these structures, and the reasons behind it. If the reasoning behind this is sound, then we need to look to the player and find out why he is failing.

  The main thing is, it can be fixed, the question however remains, why wasn’t it…
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  3

  tight head on 11 November 2010 at 3:41 pm

  Exactly right Morne.
  The biggest question is, Why is this being allowed to happen?
  I am more concerned about the coaching here than what the player seems to be doing.
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  4

  Pam Anderson on 11 November 2010 at 5:13 pm

  See Alberts is fit for the bench.
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  McLook on 11 November 2010 at 9:35 pm

  tight head wrote:

  Firstly his positional play and secondly his actual tackling ability when he is in the right position.

  I think the two issues are related. The main issue is that his tackling technique is not on par and he knows it and the coaches suspect it. He lacks confidence on defence and are trying to disguise his problem “by going for the intercept”.

  He prefer to tackle from behind/side and he and the coaches believe he is fast enough to turn around after a failed intercept attempt to chase and haul the attacker in. Problem is that the opposing teams have now developed innovative ways to exploit this weakness in our defensive structure using kicks and or attacking his channel close to the goal line (like the McCaw try) where there is not enough space for him to haul the opponent in with “superior speed”.

  Habana got away with this firstly because of the excellent defensive qualities of Jaque Fourie next to him, secondly, because of his foot speed and the fact that attackers were more focussed on preventing intercepts than exploiting it. All three those aspects have changed now he lost a yard or two in pace, he didn’t have exeptional strong defenders next to him on 13 and 15 against Ireland (and on the rest of this tour) and opponents are not scared of the intercept any more they now actually want him to rush up so they can exploit it.
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  6

  superBul on 11 November 2010 at 10:17 pm

  Maybe he was made by FduP.
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  7

  Old Griquas 14 in Sydney on 12 November 2010 at 12:38 am

  @ tight head:
  I’m in accord with your thoughts, tighthead.

  I’ve watched this video over and over again and I find it difficult to blame the player alone for these lapses in defence. Habana hasn’t altered his technique at all, it’s the lack of defensive patterns causing 80% of the problems, IMO.

  No evidence is exhibited in these clips of any system; several of the clips show the problems arising within Habana’s own 22m, and he has to commit, and mostly he does, to the player with the ball. He is entitled, in that instance, to be able to rely on his fellow defenders to effect the cover tackles – and those cover defenders don’t exist.

  What you get with Habana is a specialist winger; indeed, he can (from outside his 22m) turn and chase the ball carrier, with a view to picking the carrier off with a rear tackle, nothing wrong with that strategy, as clearly, he has the foot speed to chase and catch.

  Wing defence requires a specialised technique. Habana has refined his own technique over the years and it has worked to a point that has been satisfactory, but now, backline personnel changes come in to play. When you combine an ineffective defensive pattern with an individual’s own limitations, and everything happens in open space and can be so clearly viewed, you see a glaring deficiency.

  It is sad to see a champion player go through the rough times, as Habana is experiencing currently. The coaches have to adapt and amend their patterns. Habana’s teammates need to identify the weaknesses and turn them into strengths.

  Habana is one of my all-time favourite world class wingers. He has my support at a time in his career when he needs a top up to his confidence levels. C’mon Bryan, you can do it mate (just don’t do it against the Wallabies!!).
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  8

  McLook on 12 November 2010 at 3:22 am

  Here is what I see on this video. 1. The first try is made by Gitua (I think it is hin – not clear on the video) with his fast and clever probing running line. He draws both SA centers on him because our No13 has to watch the Aussie No13 going in for a short pass. Gitua is trying to get his back between our No 12 and his No13 coming in for a short pass. Jaque Fourie seeing it coming keeps moving in to prevent the short pass. Habana however is not trusting his inside defenders and move off his line and shift in behind Jaque Fourie. Gitua then pops the ball over Fourie and his No13 to the man outside now in space because Habana is not in his channel. Habana could have prenevted this try by staying in his channel.

  2. Second try. Again good running lines by the Aussies but Habana once again is not trusting his inside defenders and move off his line.

  3. Third try. Habana again not staying wide enough. This time he had little choice as there was not another defender on the inside. It is however his hesistation to commit that cause the try. I also have the feeling if he stayed wider and deeper Asley-Cooper would have held onto the ball longer as Habana would have had the man outside Ashley-Cooper covert. This would have allowed the cross defenders to close Ashley-Cooper down.

  4. The fourth try was just absolute rubbish tackling technique on Drew Mitchell.

  5. Fifth try. Habana had little change as the AB’s had a huge overlap. However, I can not help but wonder what would have happened if Habana stayed right on the side line and moved in form wide and deep instead of sitting shallow forcing him to back peddle.

  6. Sixth try (McCaw’s try). Habana find himself totally out of posistion; again to flat an out of his channel. He needed to stay on the sideline and deep moving in later when there is nobody outside him to recceive the ball.

  7. First Irish try. Habana again way out of position. If he stayed wide and deep the kick wouldn’t have been an option. See how far Habana is in front of his No13, with no opponet in front of him. What the hell was he doing there?

  8. Last try Habana goes for the intercept instead of watching the Irish No7.
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  9

  Treehugger on 12 November 2010 at 7:52 am

  Think he has been overated 4 a long time, Bulls coaching staff didnt exactly fight 4 him 2 stay, has become a bit of a glory boy just looking 4 that try at the expence of defending our own line and causeing other players 2 have 2 come out of position and opening a gap 4 the opposition.