Controversial Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has found an unlikely ally in All Blacks assistant Steve Hansen.
South Africa were well beaten by Australia in the Tri-Nations opener after de Villiers decided to leave most of his top players at home and a woefully understrength Springboks side will also run out against New Zealand in Wellington on Saturday.
With all eyes on the World Cup in September and October, the All Blacks have taken a more measured approach to player management, with forwards Kieran Read, Keven Mealamu, Brad Thorn and Owen Franks rested again this week after heavy Super Rugby workloads.
It makes a mockery of an All Blacks-Springboks Test, traditionally the most fiercely contested match-up in world rugby, but forwards coach Hansen refused to criticise de Villiers.
“No, I think South Africa have done what’s right for their team,” Hansen said today.
“The most important tournament of the year is the Rugby World Cup and every rugby nation is looking at that as the case. So they’ve looked at their team and they’ve obviously got a lot of injuries or guys that are niggly, guys that are tired, just like our guys and they’ve decided they’ll throw the Tri-Nations opportunity to win the game.
“They can sit at home, where I imagine they’ll play their top sides, which will prepare them well for the World Cup.
If you win the World Cup and don’t win the Tri-Nations, regardless of what country does it, who cares? If we won the World Cup and didn’t win the Tri-Nations, do you think people will be complaining about the Tri-Nations? I can’t see too many and it will be the same in South Africa, same in Australia.”
The 21 ”injured” Springboks are at a training camp in South Africa, and without their stars were completely outplayed by the Wallabies in Sydney.
Apart from the four rested players, New Zealand are expected to name a near full strength side tomorrow but Hansen warned against completely writing off South Africa.
“I think a lot of them were pretty new or very inexperienced players so they would have got very good learnings out of that game. They’re good players and they can play a lot better than they did in that test but maybe that was Australia that made them look poor”, he said.
“I think you’ll see a different beast… I think we should be expecting a vastly improved Springbok side. Two reasons, one they’ve been beaten and they’ll be hurting and the second reason is they’ve had that game under their belts.”
Meanwhile, Hansen said skipper Richie McCaw would start at openside flanker despite training at the back of the scrum at times this week.
Hansen said McCaw, 30, was still seen as a specialist opensider but without the services of Read, the coaching staff needed to cover their bases.
“He’ll be wearing the No 7 jersey and he will be the openside flanker. He’s the best No 7 in the world so I’m hoping his long term future is at No 7. We need to have flexibility in the loose forwards and at the moment the flexibility of him being able to go to 8 allows us to give Reado the time out of the environment that he needs. So I wouldn’t read too much into it, there’s no big plans to turn Richie McCaw into a No 8 other than when we need him to play there as a back-up player.”
The Dominion Post
Is Peter de Villiers still the fool?
I would recon that SANZAR wont like this comment by Steve Hansen, there might be repercussions for him.
Everyone is asking for less rugby, when will the Rugby bosses stand up against the Television tycoons? I would rather watch 10 high intensity TEST matches per year than 14 plus watered down Internationals.
We could do with something like this-
BOK Fact No 45: The quickest try ever scored in a Bok test was by Fourie du Preez against the All Blacks in Wellington in 2006. Du Preez scored in 15 seconds
Marc Hinton writes – OPINION: Smart guy that Graham Henry. The All Blacks coach recognises this week for what it is – another glorified trial against opponents of limited ability.
Thus the weary get another week to recuperate and the scratchy get another game to search for that form. And some key fringe men – I’m thinking of Adam Thomson, Sitiveni Sivivatu and Ali Williams to name but three – get another chance to not only press their claims, but gain much-needed test experience.
That’s the upshot of this Springboks “B” team that Peter de Villiers has elected to bring out for the away leg of their Tri-Nations. Never mind what he says this week, this is a team full of tackle dummies, few of whom will see the light of the World Cup from anywhere but their couches.
Even Graham Henry according to Marc Hinton have seen this Tri Nations for what it is
Marc Hinton Rugby heaven NZ
Last week in Sydney showed clearly that this is not a competitive outfit a la the Boks at full strength. That group has their feet up and their reputations intact back in the republic.
This one has far too many limitations in the pack and far too much greenness around the gills to put the frighteners on either the Wallabies or All Blacks.
This is a South African side serving its own purpose. To allow the heavy-hitters to catch their breath ahead of the real skirmishes looming in September and October.
And Henry has to use this test (and the return fixture in Port Elizabeth, for that matter) to serve his own purpose.
It’s taken a while, but I think he’s now come to realise that in World Cup year, and especially in a World Cup year featuring such a concentrated buildup so close to the tournament, no one really gives a damn about the Tri-Nations.
Sure they’re rugby tests, and we want to see the All Blacks win. But not at all costs. Even the diehard knuckleheads who think the big picture is something hanging in The Louvre can probably even appreciate that.
Smart teams use tests – even Tri-Nations ones – to serve their purposes in World Cup year. Smart teams mix it up a little and find a few key things out ahead of the big one. Smart teams understand it’s all about playing at your best later, not sooner.
I think Henry now realises that. He hasn’t always; but he does now.
The decision to send Kieran Read, Brad Thorn, Owen Franks and Kevvy Mealamu back home this week reinforces that.
Henry gets it. And amen to that.
cont…
Next week is another matter. A dangerous, near full-strength Wallabies outfit is coming. There are some psychological points at stake. There is fortress Eden Park to defend. There is a game-plan to perfect against a side many predict could be the final hurdle come World Cup time.
That’s a match that the All Blacks need. A real test.
But that’s next week. For now Henry can continue to experiment, to warm up the engines of a few, to cool down those of others, and to work out in his own mind just who can be trusted, and who can’t, when it really counts..
Not that we shouldn’t enjoy this week in the capital.
It will be a step up on Fiji. That’s for sure. And for a few there are still major statements to be made.
…Finnished
The 3N is a tired, boring competition. It will only get longer and more boring when the Argies join next year.
aaaaah, marc hinton … not one of my favourate kiwis,
but
i think he’s got it spot-on (this time)!!
..
o, and gooooooooooodmorning everyone!!
2@ superBul:
Bok fact no 46? The Boks got hammered in that match. 35-17? or in that region?
@ Ashley:
More Ashley,
Die Toetse moes nooit gebeur het nie.
Even GH is anoyed with the Tri Nations this year.
@ Scrumdown:
hey that was something positive, dont pee on it :LOL:
10@ superBul:
Hehe. Yes at least it was positive.
It still doesn’t take away from the fact that these guys didn’t do the basics right. Catch, pass, run, llok for the support player, don’t just pass without looking, stop kicking away possession etc.
super @ 9
exactly
..
hopefully this will start changing by the next wc!!
12@ biltongbek:
Why should they? Ons is mos groot en sterk, ons hoef nie ook slim te wees nie!
@ Scrumdown:
Jy is seker reg, maar wat die ouens vergeet is dat in die vroee 20ste eeu was ons natuurlik sterk, van all die beeste rondgooi, deesdae gooi almal ysters rond, en nou is almal sterk en ons nog steeds dom.
@ biltongbek:
12
and the only way is to play them again, not too many changes please. That is the only way you can asses them properly.
@ superBul:
Can they at least change wynand olivier?
Please, pretty please!
Or do you think someone will introduce him to his backline?
That is actually bad manners from the team manager, you know.
Wynand has played how many tests for SA?
And yet to be introduced, maybe he is shy.
biltongbek wrote:
Interesting question that
But go and look whitch games he play, almost every time in the second stringers. Never given a chance with a full strenght team. Maybe they must send him home , the Bulls know how to use him. Maybe he feels about Dick Muir like i do @#$#@@
17@ biltongbek:
I think Ou Wynand has a tube of superglue in each pocket of his shorts that he squeezes onto his palms before each move. If the ball gets to him quick enough, phat, it’s stuck and he CANNOT pass it. Hence the crash ball with no chance of a quick offload.
If the ball gets to him too slowly, the glue has dried and the glazed surfaces just slide off one another and he either knocks or drops the ball.
If we lose the ball to the opposition before it gets to him, the glue has dried and when he tries to tackle it just slides off the opposition player and the tackle is missed.
Oh sh1t, enough of the BS. Wynand Olivier has failed to make the step up from a VERY competent Super Rugby player to an acceptable International player.
He’s had sooooooo many chances it’s not funny anymore.
Drop him from the squad and work at developing another youngster.
Hello Tricky Dicky, are you reading this?????????????
@ Scrumdown:
I doubt Tricky dicky can read.
@ superBul:
Wynand has played in 33 tests from 2006 (5 years) with 21 starts, and has scored just 1 try.
The try was against the giants of NH Rugby Italy in 2009.
The Boks won 10 -32.
@ biltongbek:
The black c-a-t… cat sits on the f-e-n-c-e……fence?
20@ biltongbek:
I bet the smelly box can read his bank statement that shows the Lions paying him monthly for a job he has no input into.
How much is it, R 1m or R 2m? Per year or for the duration of the contract?
Either way it’s tantamount to “taking money under false pretences” IMO.
@ Scrumdown:
You have to be able to spell, to enable you to read. Don’t think he can spell.
Let’s face the facts, more than one pass becomes complicated for Tricky dicky, add to that a runner on the angle and now you are starting to bring trigonometry into the equation.
WWWWAAAAAYYYY above his level!
25@ biltongbek:
Dick is a big time coach. He took Pirates Rugby Club to the SA Club Championship title I’ll have you know.
Then The Sharks grabbed him and we all know how successful he was there. Ask any Sharks supporter. He won………….Oh sh1t, he won squat with the Sharks!
I guess there goes my arguement!
@ Scrumdown:
Ja boet, maybe you should have started your argument with Dick WAS a big time coach.
That could have worked.
scrumdown @ 14
lol
27@ biltongbek:
But he has a green blazer with a gold trim!
Poor old Charl Swartzel only has a plain green one.
Hmmmm, wonder which one carries more weight in their respective sporting codes?
GBS ek het n artikel op Draft , kyk of hy reg is dan plaas jy hom asseblief, ek vra jou spesifiek want dalk soek jy minder postiewes oor Peter in die berig, netnou dink die mense die site is pro Peter.
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