Between the referee, Habana and box kicks the Springboks nearly lost this Test. The score line is certainly flattering to the Welsh and we should be concerned by the fact that we made such hard work to put away a Welsh team that was fairly average on the day.
In the end the Springboks showed great character and composure, coming back from 17-6 down. Things started going better when the Springboks kept the ball in hand and kicked less. In fact they started off well by keeping the ball in hand forcing a penalty within the first minute. The Springboks then got the ball again and at about 2 minutes into the game they gave the ball away with a silly box kick. The Springboks didn’t see the ball again until after the first Welsh try, 3 minutes later.
This try of course was no try as there was undeniably gross obstruction by Shanklin.
[youtube] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0VhC4uJO0I&feature=player_embedded [/youtube]
The Springboks again went on attack after that try and created a 2-man overlap on the left hand side, just for Francois Steyn to ruin the overlap by skipping two players, sending the ball with a long pass to Habana on the wing. It was really very simple what they needed to do, Steyn or the man next to him should have ran directly at the his opposite outside defender and that would have put at least 2 Springboks (three if Steyn kept the ball) in space on the outside. In fact the man outside Steyn could have made a dummy angled run to the inside of Steyn to draw the defenders in and/or made them hesitate. Even more basic just moving the ball throught the hands would have created the overlap. [There were a few more such incidents in the match where the Springboks built clear overlaps and then with poor passing /decision making ruined what looked like certain tries].
The Springboks then forced a ruck on the Welsh goal line and out went the ball to Spies, who was firstly standing too deep and secondly had no support players, trying to force his way through 5 Welsh players.
That was just absolute rubbish playmaking.
I am getting increasingly irritated and frustrated with the Springbok backline play. Not only are they making annoying mistakes on defense but they are butchering tries with poor decision making and are also far too one dimensional when they send the ball down the line.
The second Welsh try also resulted from a kick down field. The kick was on and probably the right option as the Springboks were pinned in their 22m area but with the best lineout in world rugby why not kick the ball out?
The third Welsh try was on first impression a dubious one. I was not entirely convinced George North was not in front of Stephen Jones when he gave the cross-kick. On the video below it seems that he was not (if so then marginaly so) and surely he should get the benefit of the doubt (if there is any). So I can live with the try being awarded. A lot more concerning is the fact that this try was again the result of Habana sitting too flat and infield on defence.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kLkLwlXXtg8&feature=player_embedded [/youtube]
Last week I was full of praise for Ruan Pienaar. This week he had an average game in comparison and I thought we looked a little more dynamic around the fringes when Francois Hougaard came on. Ruan Pienaar again controlled the game well around the rucks and scrums but the Welsh defence was a lot more aggressive on the gain line than was the case with Ireland. Wales obviously watched the Ireland game and sharpened up their defence around the fringes. This is where your flyhalf needs to start creating play a little wider and Morné again did not impress as a playmaker. Ruan Pienaar kicked too much, probably on instruction, and that deterred from his overall performance. It is interesting that the Springboks forced only one penalty after Hougaard had come on.
I might be a bit hard on Bryan Habana in my first sentence but his defense is still a huge concern. The Springboks look vulnerable every time the opponents took the ball to his side of the field and his direct opponent, an 18-year old, scored two tries. Once again a try against the Springboks by means of a simple corner kick, the result of Bryan Habana being out of posistion. How many more of these corner kick tries are we going to give away?
Deon Stegmann played well, being active on defense and at the breakdowns, but Willem Alberts made a huge impact when he came on. One must however say he fulfilled and is expected to fulfill a different role to that demanded from Deon Stegmann though.
In the end I thought the Springboks played better in the first half than the half time score suggests, apart from repeatedly kicking possession away, we actually looked OK when we kept the ball in hand.
Matfield’s captaincy and the calming effect he seems to be having on the team must be complimented. If there were any doubts whether the Springboks can go to the worldcup without John Smith then I think these first two games have provided us with an answer.
The way the Springboks came back in the second half, the commitment of the players and the defense at the end was impressive. The Springboks should start to trust themselves with the ball in hand and they clearly need to work on their attacking variations and their decision making when they do take the ball down the line.
The Springboks need to impliment more “starter moves” and apply more variety as they seem to be doing the same thing over and over, namely forwards coming in on an angle and bashing it up or Jean de Villiers bashing it up.
I would have liked to see the Springboks play more for the corners in the first half and maul, pod or impliment those “starter moves”, off the lineouts in their 22.
Tactically the Springboks didn’t play as well as they can and their lack of initiative (predictability) when running with the ball as well as poor decision making when they create overlaps /opportunities, were in general, disappointing for me.
However, I am as happy as the next person with the win and thought the Springboks made Wales look better than they were.
29@ McLook:
Ek het nie ‘n probleem met Morné as en wanneer hy SELF die bal opvat in die aanval nie, maar hy stuur dalk die spelers langs hom bietjie sleg weg.
Niks wat ‘n ordinttttlike agterlynafrigter nie sal kan fix nie… soos jy sê so paar angles en dummy runners… Fourie du Preez terug…
Maar ons kort sy dodelike skopvoet in die Wêreldbeker….
GBS@30. Absolutely. It is irritating me out of my skin. Basic stuff for international players. I blame the coaches. The AB’s spend hours and hours during practice doing high intensity running and passing against defenders (small sided games) to get used to moving the ball under pressure and to make the right decisions under presssure.
grootblousmile@31 wrote:
Morné hoef nie ‘n Quade Cooper te wees nie. Hy kan sy lyn wegstuur al wat kort is bietjie agterlyn afrigting. Die bulle onder slapchips het die meeste drieë gedruk in die S14. Paar klein verstelingkies, paar goeie starter moves and ‘n skrummie wat kan dikteer en die kaap is weer hollands.
32@ McLook:
Yip, I get absolutely “Beflok” about that…
I also get absolutely the moer in with Habana’s poor positional play on defence.
Ok manne word laat hier in Nu Zolland. I am out of here.
33@ McLook:
Eerlike vraag… wat is jou opinie van Tricky Dickie Muir?
Ook nie Morne se skuld as die senters heeltyd ‘n ‘cruch ball’ wil doen nie, gaan my verstand te bowe dat ons heeltyd oor of deur spelers wil hardloop, in plaas van gapings skep om ons vinnige manne weg te stuur.
Ons voorspelers kook, en ons het die agterspelers om drieë te druk, nou kort ons net die regte afrigters, dan is die kaap weer ene blou bul horings !
Pity I just could not catch McLook on this last question.
To me the backline looks rudderless and not coached… left to do their own thing.
That is an endictment on the backline coach but also on the players, seeing as International players should naturally know and do better.
Skip passes in a backline is a dodgy thing and only the option when a certain defender comes up too quick, I feel… for the rest it should be easy stuff, draw your man, pass well and let the ball do the work….. setting that overlapping player over…. should to rights not be a problem.
Habana should have passed one ball on Saturday, but sought glory ball for his record… it was sooooooo on on the outside!
GBS nou werk dinge weer, hel dit is frustrerent, intermittent fault, jy ken baai bollie
39@ superBul:
Jy sal moet dink aan iets VREEEEEEESLIK pittigs of opspraakwekkend om te comment op jou 10 000 ste comment… jy is op 9 998 nou
39@ superBul:
Rekenaars en Modems het persoonlikhede…. meestal vroulike persoonlikhede… hehehe
weer gesukkel, weet rerig nie wat fout is nie maar moet se dit maak my moerig
Had a good look at the 2nd George North try, North was definately in front of the kicker (Stephen Jones)… should have been a penalty SA.
To all my fellow blogging friends thank you all for the patience you showed for some of my naging posts. The ones who left bon voyage 😆 This place gives me a lot of joy and pleasure. I was in all types of moods here, that might be the reason why i sometimes react out of sorts, almost like my hero Bakkies 😆
This is my 10 000th post here and a hope to bewith you for a long time. Enjoy the blogging.
My friend GBS might have passed his 20 000th by now , congrats to you. It is a great pleasure and priveledge to help here on this site we worked hard for.
To others who could not stay with us because of personal differences thanks for being part of the development of this site. to me is is still a shame that petty diffeneces could chase you off. So many of the things we say here must be taken with a large pinch of salt.
This is the end of my essay and i would like to end with a
GREAT THANK YOU
44@ superBul:
Lekker my ou vrind… 10 000 grootes!
Mens kan op jou staatmaak!
OK, here goes my 20 000 th comment….
I enjoy rugby, I enjoy friendship, I enjoy humour….. I find all here at Rugby-Talk.
I would be out of place if I did not thank those who write Articles here on Rugby-Talk… thanks friends!
SuperBul, my friend… it is a privilage for me that I have you helping here as Administrator.. my right hand!
To the readers, bloggers…. you help make Rugby-Talk what it is…. a true rugby family!
Gooooooooooi Mieliessssssss!
@ superBul:
Super and GBS!!
We should be thanking you !!
Strength to both of you ahead!!
Well done manne!!
47@ tight head:
Don’t thank me, pay me…… hehehe
grootblousmile wrote:
Good afternoon gbs, tell you what, if you’re ever in my neck of the woods will buy a nice cold one. Think you would love the atmosphere of a 6 nations test, mostly really good spirits at Murrayfield win or lose.
49@ Bullscot:
Thanks Bully, will remember the invite
@ grootblousmile:
50 : Anytime man, by the way if you do get chance to watch our game vs New Zealand would be interested to hear who if any Scots played well. I think Southwell did quite well at fullback, was strong under the high ball good kicking and also tried to run it back nicely, if all the others played as his level then the score may not have been as high, although I did feel the All Blacks could just up their game whenever they felt like. I said before the game wasn’t happy and hoped that the Lamonts have been playing well to get in ahead of Nikki Walker, well didn’t think much of them and in time Walker was on I also thought he tried hard to run it and make more of game of it. In the scrums Murray must have done well, not my area of knowledge, because for much of the game that he was on I think Scotland scrum did well. I know SB Williams got man of match but I thought Carter was sublime, of the forwards Messam stood out for me.
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