South African rugby has this reputation of having a powerful scrum. In fact the perception is that South African rugby is totally dependent or at least of being over dependent on its scrum to the extend that if you can counter the South African scrum the Springboks are easy to beat.
After having watched the Stormers scrum getting totally annihilated by the Crusaders I have come to the painful conclusion that the perception of South African rugby having a powerful scrum is a myth. It is a myth that is actually causing more harm than good because the fact of the matter is that we rely too much on that perception and are therefore way too vulnerable. The problem is that we actually think we have a powerful scrum and rely on it but our opponents have no difficulty in beating us in the scrum.
This myth is based on the fact that the 1937 Springboks used the scrum to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand and the fact that the 1949 all Blacks were behind in transforming to a 3-4-1 scrum formation. They actually asked Danie Craven to help them with their scrum and struggled quite a lot in the scrum during the initial stages of that tour. By the end of the tour their scrum was as good as the Springbok scrum writes Winston McCarthy.
Since then the All Blacks have targeted forward play and are clearly the leaders in world rugby when it comes to scrums and rucks. That year, 1949, was the last time the All Black lost the scrum battle against us and one only need to read tour records of 1956, 1965, 1970, 1976, 1981, 1992, 1995, 1996 and watch video footage of tri-nation series since 1996 to see that we have never been able to beat the All Blacks in the scrum since 1949.
The few times that we were able to more or less hold our own against the All Blacks in the scrums we could do so only with the help with exceptional individuals namely Mof Myburg in 1970 and Os du Randt in 1995 and with illegal tactics (Johan Strauss in 1976).
I personally can’t recall one occasion where we actually dominated a New Zealand side in the scrum (both super rugby and test rugby).
For a nation that stakes its entire game on scrummaging strength we are a joke to be honest. It seems that each and every nation that decides to take us on in the scrum has no difficulty in succeeding.
In 1974 the British Lions targeted our scrum and destroyed us up front. In 1981 the Jaguars toured South Africa and scored a push-over try. Two years ago during the EOYT, Italy dominated us in the scrum. Scotland gave us a hiding last year and I have difficulty recalling us dominating the weak Wallaby scrum over the last 10 years.
The issue is not whether we can sometimes hold our own in the scrum it is about dominating because if we want to play rugby around the scrum as platform we need to dominate in that area and not just hold our own.
It was embarrassing to see a South African team so totally out scrummed as was the case on the weekend with the Stormers and South African teams need to accept the truth that we are not as good in the scrums as we think we are. It is time to face the reality and let the myth go.
The last time we put up a reasonable scrummaging performance was in the first test of the 2009 Lions series. However that lasted for a brief period and the Lions rectified the problem with apparent ease in the second and third tests of that series.
I for one don’t believe the myth anymore in fact I reckon we are going to get out scrummed in this year’s WC by the French, the All Blacks, the English and dare I say it the Italians should we play against them. We will probably (but only just) hold our own against the likes of Samoa, Fiji, Australia and Ireland. Truth is I don’t think we can dominate any of the top six rugby playing nations anymore in the scrum.
I would like to be proven wrong but there is a massive scrum coaching problem in South Africa in my opinion and I had my gutsful of seeing SA teams getting pushed back in the scrums week after week.
I can’t remember when was the last time we had a powerful scrum. Not weak, but never the best in the business.
@ biltongbek@1:Agree, that is exactly my point. We base our game on the scrum as platform but can’t dominate and I would not agree that we don’t have the players. How many frontrowers of yester year are involded in rugby coaching in SA? Naka Drosky was a hooker and Os helps at the Cheethas but thats about it. I reckon our coaches does not have enough technical knowledge to put our scrum back were it belongs namely as the best scrum in the buisiness.
Yet we have had some excellent scrummaging props
Johan Styger, Tommie Laubser, Piet Bester, Gary Pagel, Guy Kebble, Rob Kempson, Marius Hurter, Faan Rautenbach, Dawie Theron……………..
@ Loosehead:
maar die meeste sterk stutte word oor die hoof gesien omdat daar n pissie vaskop is wat met die bol kan hol bvb verbrokkel herris.kies eerder n avarage footballer met uitsonderlike scrumvaardighede bv dougie heymans veral op vaskop
@ smallies72:
Dougie Heymans…. that was the name I was looking for. He kicked my arse on more than one occasion.
#5
klink of jy harsingskudding opgedoen het terwyl hy jou gat geskop het
da’em wat jy sukkel om sy naam te onthou!! 😀
..
hoe’t jy by sy naam gekom? iemand anders gevra om jou gat te skop? 😆
Daughter walks into the living room and say “Dad cancel my allowance, rent my room out, throw all my clothes out of the window, take my TV, stereo, iPhone and jewellery to the charity shop. Sell my car, take my front door key and throw me out of the house”.
Well she didn’t actually put it like that… actually she said… “Dad, this is my new boyfriend, he’s a Stormers supporter”.
cheers ouens
eks uit
chat môre weer!!
@ Loosehead:
hy was n ou bul gewees 200 plus gamess vir die vrystaat
Mostly it’s been a selection problem. Some good props just never got a chance because they weren’t part of the Bulls/Stormers or Sharks setup!! You can argue if you wish. Guys like Daan Human, Wian du Preez, and lately WP Nel!!
The props are there, but our coaches persist with the safe options! How can Coenie, Adriaan Strauss and WP Nel contain the Crusaders pack of Ben Franks, 2. Corey Flynn, 3. Owen Franks, 4. Luke Romano, 5. Chris Jack, 6. George Whitelock, 7. Richie McCaw (c), 8. Kieran Read,, but they aren’t really in the frame?
Imagine using that front row with players like Bakkies/Flip and Vic/Bekker at lock, and Brussow/Flouw, Juan/Alberts/Johnson, Burger/Spies as the loosies?
Provincialism and favouritism is the Boks downfall
@ Cheetah4eva:
Agree 100% The blight of Rugby in SA from primary schools through to the National side.
If you don’t go to the right school, the right varsity, the right club or play for the right union, you are just making up the numbers.
Shocking!
We need a proper tighthead who can and wants to scrum all day long.
Don’t think we had a decent 3 since Cobus Visagie.
This is what Chris Rattue wrote in today’s NZ Herald about South African scrummaging:
A major mystery remains about South African rugby: why are they such ordinary scrummagers?
They have the bulk but not the attitude and/or technique to match. South African rugby should forget about the frills and institute a crusade to turn their scrums into massive weapons of destruction. At the moment, South Africa is letting the rest of the world off on this score, considering scrums should be at the heart of their power game.
But they are unlikely to ever match New Zealand and Australia in attacking flair for the simple reason they don’t have Maori and Pacific Island players.
Virtually all of rugby’s most dangerous attacking backs have Maori or Polynesian/ Melanesian heritage, to the point that even England sneak visiting players with those bloodlines into their national lineup.
Sonny Bill Williams, Ma’a Nonu, Robbie Fruean, Israel Dagg, Hosea Gear, Joe Rokocoko, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Rupeni Caucaunibuca, Rene Ranger, Isaia Toeava, Will Genia, Quade Cooper, Digby Ioane, Lote Tuqiri – there’s a strong common denominator there and one not available to South Africa. If you can’t beat them, don’t even bother trying. That will be the South African motto.
The past two World Cups have been won by teams with narrow gameplans. The rules may have changed, but that rule can still apply.
De Villiers got the message loud and clear at Newlands, and his team is still dominated by an old guard of influential forwards. What’s the bet South Africa arrive at the World Cup with a plan you could write on the back of a postage stamp, so long as it is big enough to fit the words “drop” and “goals” on it? They could swap notes with England – and rest assured, both countries will be all the more dangerous for sticking to their knitting, rather than trying to weave any fancy patterns.
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