The Springboks’ woes are set to continue for the remainder of the year due to the severity of their shortcomings.
rugby365
The Boks’ stuttering form this season stems not from a singular weakness but rather an array of frailties in various facets. There is, therefore, no simple solution, hence the frustratingly slow rate at which the new-look Boks are progressing.
Ironically, it took the first loss in the Heyneke Meyer era at the weekend to illustrate that improvement is well being made, albeit it at a snail’s pace. The performance against the Wallabies was still a far cry from what is expected of a Springbok side, but it was a vast improvement on the shocking draw against Argentina.
Their tactical kicking, a key feature in their territory-driven game plan, was much-improved, as was their defensive effort. Although they leaked two tries, they increased their tackling accuracy from 72 percent in Mendoza to 88 percent in Perth.
It was the Wallabies’ ability to maintain possession, helped in no small part by Meyer’s reluctancy to play a specialist fetcher, that sucked in defenders and lead to the two five-pointers rather than any glaring glitch in their defensive structures.
There’s no doubt that additional changes to the side need to be made. A lack of an out-and-out opensider would be a recipe for disaster against the mighty All Blacks on Saturday, while Morne Steyn’s shaken confidence and suspect defence remains an on-going issue.
It’s important to understand, though, that whilst thrusting the likes of Francois Louw or Heinrich Brussow, who finds himself outside of the squad at present, or play-making prodigies Johan Goosen and Pat Lambie into the starting line-up would speed up the rebuilding process, it would not assure immediate success. Even with these talented prospects, the Boks would still struggle against their Antipodean rivals.
No amount of tinkering or time on the training field during the week will change the fact that the Boks are lambs to the slaughter what Saturday’s showdown in Dunedin is concerned. There simply is no quick fix. Experience is hard earned, and it’s only through experience that the Boks will grow as a unit.
It is imperative, however, that Meyer identifies the players he deems best suited to take South African rugby into the future and afford them a prolonged run in the starting XV in order to build some sort of foundation and continuity heading into 2013 and beyond.
Only the most die-hard of Springbok supporters would put money on a Bok victory this weekend. It would be a monumental upset. A clever tactical approach from the Boks, however, could make for a more competitive contest than many expect.
Although they won’t be aided by the whirlpool Wellington wind, the Boks will do well to follow – and improve – the Pumas’ blueprint, which doesn’t differ too much from the Boks’ current conservative game plan. Attitude, passion and aggressive yet disciplined defence are what served the Pumas well against the All Blacks. The inexperienced Bok pack, in particular, will need to take the fight to their hosts.
Targeting the talented but inexperienced Aaron Cruden ought to be the focal point of the Boks’ strategy this weekend. Cruden struggled to stamp his authority on the match in Wellington and Aaron Smith also suffered from the ripple effect caused by Dan Carter’s injury-enforced absence.
It was clear that Smith struggled without the composed Carter, who takes a lot of pressure off the young number nine. Expect the experienced Piri Weepu to start at scrumhalf and shoulder much of the responsibility from the base on Saturday to ease the pressure off Cruden.
If Ruan Pienaar, who should be given another run as starting scrumhalf, and the Bok back rowers can unsettle the All Black halfback pairing, they could make matters difficult for the world champions. If they are unable to do so and the potent All Black backline gets clean ball, it could be a blow out.
@ The_Young_Turk:I see the ‘Jan’ nicks are falling like flies
wat jdv aan betref,ek sal hom en steyn net omruil.jy sit mos nou onnodige druk op hom deur hom nog uit plek uit te speel ook.dan maak ek my agterlyn op soos volg janno goosen jdv f steyn mvovo hougaard en lambi
I can’t understand this complete amnesia by many commentators. They way that they are pining for the old players one would think that these guys had last year won the world cup or the tri nations! For the last 2 years these guys have been on the way down – THAT IS WHY THEY HAVE RETIRED OR MOVED OVERSEAS! Start living in the present guys, please. We need to rebuild with our young guys. It’s better to lose with young guys than to lose with old guys. With every loss the young guys learn – what do we gain by losing with ole toppies?
@ smallies:
Voor is n flop maar sal dan maar gaan met beast strauss jannie kruger etsebeth flo marcell duanne
en ek sal begin bid juan smith kan nog twee jaar speel om net bietjie mentorskap aan daai jonges te gee,soos os in die jw jare
In any case all this speculation about what should be done is just useless. The Walkie-Talkie Osrich Man has already stated his intentions. Bakkies, the ole toppie messiah, will not be playing – he is just there to provide cover. The locks will be from Flip and Bekker/Kruger. Morne and Crusty WILL start unless injured. Habs has made a miraculous recovery from this injury he has been carrying since the first Pumas test and will start. The only doubts are who starts at scrummie and the loose trio composition.
ETZEBETH OUT FOR 2 WEEKS.
“Eben Etzebeth will miss South Africa’s Rugby Championship clash with New Zealand after the big lock was found guilty of foul play by a Sanzar judicial hearing on Monday and banned for two weeks.
Etzebeth was found guilty of “contravening Law 10.4 (a) Punching or Striking after he was cited during the match at the weekend between Australia and South Africa in The Rugby Championship.
Etzebeth had appeared to aim a headbutt at Australia’s Nathan Sharpe in the 25th minute of the two teams’ Rugby Championship clash in Perth last Saturday.”
Young Turk, would you be interested in learning a lesson from a Turk who was also young once?
Nothing can destroy the likelihood of others buying your point of view like the emotion your tone of voice carries. When its a case of emotion vs reason, emotion will win everytime. Consequently, all others will see is your emotion and miss the point of your argument altogether.
I know that you are passionate about the Boks and that HM is freaking you out, but broer, calling the man an ostrich etc isn’t advancing your position.
Its just a lesson I had to learn the hard way and I thought I’d share it with you. Feel free to ignore it should you so choose.
@ fender:I think we are all allowed to get emotional over this subject – especially when you read Superbuls article, posted earlier. I think venting your emotions in this situation is also good. However, I don’t think apllying ostrich to Meyer is emotional (I have been using it adlib too, so am just as much as fault). We find nicknames for all our hero’s, whether it’s Puff Divvy or Jake the Snake. If someone has his head buried in the sand or so far up his own backside that he can no longer see reality, ostrich sums him up perfectly.
@ fender:
Thanks for your advice mate. I take it in good spirit. Much of what you say is true. I won’t convince anyone and I don’t really have hopes of doing it. Commenting provides one opportunity to let off steam and get things off one’s chest. I think calling someone an ostrich is not an obscene or abusive insult. It comes from having a “head in the sand” attitude as you should know. Then again it was not coined by me, but by Kickers, I am only following.
As far as the name “young Turk” goes. It is an expression meaning “progressive or insurgent member of an institution, movement or political party; young person who rebels against authority or societal expectations”
By the way, I am unfortunately not a “young person anymore as others on here know. It is just tongue in cheek when I go on about “ole toppies” as I qualify as one myself. It is a joke from a while ago. I understand if you don’t know the history of it.
38 @ fender:
Wow Kitaartjie…. can I buy you a beer…. or 3…. or 5….
Hehehe
@ fender:
Glad tho that you can feel my passion because it is sincere. I never get personal or abusive because it’s just not my way. I do like to kid around tho and have a dry sense of humour which could be misunderstood if you don’t know me, I realise that. If you find something I say offensive it’s usually because you are not getting the joke, which may be my fault as I like “inside” jokes as they say.
@ grootblousmile:
Moenie jy nou oppie bandwagon klim nie, ou toppie!
43 @ The_Young_Turk:
Well, someone has to support the side of Logic, sense, positivity, intelligence….. (fender)
@ grootblousmile:
44 @ grootblousmile:
Fender, ever the diplomat!
@ grootblousmile:
I understand that you feel bad and sad about the criticism that HM is getting, Smiles. You like, know and respect the man and have such high hopes for him. You have also been a big promoter of the man and so it’s natural to feel that way. I don’t know the man so have nothing invested in him and it’s easy for me to criticise because I can be more objective. Just bear in mind that it’s not aimed at you personally and while it can feel that way and make one react defensively, I must say that you have put up with it admirably.
However just like you have eventually come round to Morne, I have faith that you will eventually see the light. You are just too much of a decent, level headed, reasonable bloke.
47 @ The_Young_Turk:
Bwahaha. He lives in Brakpan and supports the Bulls. Don’t kid yourself.
By the way, what does Brakpan and La Vegas have in common.
A. You can pay for sex with chips in both towns!
However seeing that my comments are starting to rub people up the wrong way, I think I’ll take a break from blogging here for a while … and maybe return later when the “denial” phase is over and I can say “told you guys so”.
Future of SA rugby:
Aplon, Lambie, Ludick, Taute, Coetzee, Rhule, JJ Engelbrecht, Habana, JP Pietersen, Mvovo, Hougaardt, Sithole, Marcel Brache, Lionel Mapoe, JP du Plessis, Paul Jordaan, Juan de Jongh, Tim Whitehead, Janse van Rensburg, Goosen, Lambie, Jantjies, Pollard, Jean-Luc du Plessis, Ruan Pienaar, Sarel Pretorius, Nick Groom, Pieter van Zyl, Bondesio, Mcleod, Vermeulen, Kankowsky, Van der Walt, Deon Fourie, Brussouw, Kolisi, Louw, Josh Strauss, Elstadt, Coetzee, Arno Botha, Etzebeth, Bekker, Juandre Kruger, Alberts, Elstadt, Bresler, Franco van der Merwe, Willemse, Bismarck du Plessis, Strauss, Burden, Scarra, Liebenberg, Beast, Guthro, Coenie Oosthuizen, Kitshoff, Janse van Rensburg, Jannie du Plessis, Pat Cilliers, Frans Malherbe, WP Nel, Marcel van der Merwe, Schalk van der Merwe.
To name a few (I’ve left out loads, I am sure). Add your own to the list. Bok rugby looks rosy!
50 @ Just For Kicks:
All the talent in the world counts for nouht if it doesn’t get picked!
51 @ Scrumdown:
Maybe even nought.
To all the Meyer critics out there, who do you want to coach the Boks? Rassie – not interested; Alister – the Boks would have played the same way with probably the same players; Mallet – been there done that, not interested in working with SARU again; Jake – he burnt his bridges with SARU; Plum – He is good but he has won a Super 14?; Mitchell – always seems to have issues with player; Naka – we will loose but play pretty rugby.
The sad fact is that that after the previous regime we will be in a building phase.
Here is the squad for the last game in the RWC
15 Pat Lambie (still here)
14 JP Pietersen (injured)
13 Jaque Fourie (left)
12 Jean de Villiers (still here)
11 Bryan Habana (still here)
10 Morné Steyn (still here)
9 Fourie du Preez (left)
8 Pierre Spies (injured)
7 Schalk Burger (injured)
6 Heinrich Brüssow (injured)
5 Victor Matfield (retirement)
4 Danie Rossouw (left)
3 Jannie du Plessis (still here)
2 John Smit (Capt)(left)
1 Gurthrö Steenkamp (left)
Replacements
16 Bismarck du Plessis (injured)
17 CJ van der Linde (who knows were he is)
18 Willem Alberts (still here)
19 Francois Louw (still here)
20 Francois Hougaard (still here)
21 Butch James (time for Bok rugby is over)
22 Gio Aplon (has a heart as big as the Free State but too small for international rugby)
The sad facts are:
1) there is nobody else that will/ can coach the Boks
2) We lost a lot of experience
3) (not so sad) HM has a plan and it will work.
47 @ The_Young_Turk:
No, I don’t feel bad at the critisism Heyneme Meyer as a person is getting…. I feel bad that the Bokke coach gets this type of critisism after only 3 months…..
However, remember I disagree with Heyneke Meyer’s rigidity too and want the Bokke to play ball-in-hand rugby…. and I want balance in loose forward combination selection, I want the breakdown points to radically improve.
So, CONSTRUCTIVE CRITISISM, which I believe to be the best critisism, is what I want… or rather would like to see.
I believe you and Kickers have lost a lot of sense of reason, in favour of emotional irrationality…. maybe it’s a WP thing…
You guys have been looking for a reason to bury Heyneke Meyer from the outset, however hard you try to pretend it’s not so.
Maybe it’s because in my life, and in the lines of work I’ve done and still do, there has always been the need to MAKE solutions with what you have, to MAKE things work, in stead of throwing the baby out with the bathwater…. maybe it’s simply the fact that I’m a positive person… and will continue to be one.
Tell me one thing… does the way you guys bitch and moan add ANYTHING to solve the problem…. or is it just an emotional vent of frustration?
48 @ Scrumdown:
Yip, I suppose Kempies and the Lions is so radically different…. go figure.
@ grootblousmile:
I also get frustrated with the way the Boks played. But the Argies have shown against the ABs they will not just roll over – that does put Mendoza in a bit of perspective. (The Boks were bad though). We have pretty much a new pack and I think that is a big part of our problems. That and the blerrie break downs!
Do you recon we need a fetcher?
55 @ Boerewors:
Boerrie, for sure we need a fetcher! Undoubtably so!
Having been a fetcher in my time, I am very critical of the way the loosies combine… I look at that first and foremost when I analize a game!
Openside… a fetcher is a MUST
Blindside… a tackler who is also a hybrid fetcher and a strong strike runner
No 8… a man with golden hands, good decision maker and hard strike runner, who is not shy to tackle either
In modern rugby, with the advantage going to the team in possession, the breakdowns are even more critical!
The opensider and loosies in general have a duty to steal ball or at least slow opposition ball down.
In modern rugby one expects at least 180 breakdown situations in a game, compare that to about 17 scrums and maybe 20 lineouts per game.
But the breakdown battle can’t be won by loosies alone, one needs the grunt of the tight forwards to counter-ruck and blow over the ball, one needs backline players to contribute at the breakdowns… and one needs an added contribution of the modern day hooker to be an additional fetcher.
Let me put it this way… our breakdowns would have to radically improve, to be able to play a ball-in-hand game of rugby.
54 @ grootblousmile:just vent emotional frustration – every comment by anyone outside the inner circle of managers, coaches and selectors is just that, so a strange comment. One would hope though, with enough of the same frustrations vented, someone in authority may sit up and take notice.
For every emotional comment I have penned, I have tried to offer a reasonable reasoned solution, and, see it as pretending it’s not so, but if the Ostrich was prepared to drag his ass out of the past, and start to implement a plan that the side could work towards in the future with a style of rugby that is both competitive and entertaining, I would be 100% behind him. I was when he was first chosen, and would be again.
If this is not the case, I would rather see him go, and get someone else in who will rebuild the team now. Simple as that.
@ grootblousmile:
who would you pick for our loosies?
I am disappointed with Alberts. I did expect more of him. Coetzee is a find!
58 @ Boerewors:
I would add Brussow to the mix…. he was back at the Cheetahs this week… and looked great, up to the last second in the 85th minute!
I believe Heyneke’s choice of loosies has improved, Flo adds good value, Marcell Coetzee is a revelation. Spies is gone (I believe he does not have hands of gold and is not a classical No 8 in the true sense of the position), Vermeulen needs to regain form and sharpen up still… and like you say, Willem Alberts has been less than adequate.
I also think you are spot on when you say we have an inexperienced forwards combination as a whole compared to last year during the World Cup… one does not change 7 or 8 forwards in a squad and not expect forward play to suffer quite a bit.
The general impatience of the moaning kind of supporter is what gets me a bit… as if ANY COACH in the world could change things in the blink of an eye…
Hell, we had to endure Snorrie for 4 years, but some want Heyneke meyer out after 3 months of working with the actual BOKKE PLAYERS.
Who would I pick as loosies….
No 6 – Heinrich Brussow
No 7 – Francois Louw
No 8 – Duane Vermeulen / Marcell Coetzee
Alberts on the bench with whichever of Coetzee or Vermeulen.
Dear SARU.
It is with a heavy heart and pure frustration that I write this letter, let me firstly say I really do hope you read this and respond with an informative and thoughtful communication.
I have never been a Bulls supporter and therefor knew little of Heyneke Meyer prior to his appointment. I was well aware of the squad he built with the Bulls in the early 2000’s and the success he has had (Frans Ludeke subsequently).
With our very poor record over the last two years preceding Meyer’s appointment, I welcomed the thought of a new coach. By all accounts the Bulls supporters were in 7th heaven at the announcement that Heyneke Meyer will be taking the reign for the next four years.
Understandably due to little preparation time before the English Test series, I like many other Springbok supporters didn’t expect any revolutionary rugby during that series, but in turn would have been satisfied with a 3-0 series win.
For the Rugby championship my expectations based on the performances during the Super XV and specifically the poor form of the Australian Stars, my expectation was to win 4 out of six matches minimum with hopefully a win against the all Blacks at home to make it 5 wins. I also expected at least one bonus point win against the Argentinians at home.
You may say as Springbok supporters our expectations are unrealistically high, but then you need to understand that South African rugby must aim to be number one in the world.
Second place is simply not acceptable, anything worse than that is frankly embarrassing.
We have riches of talent that is only rivaled by New Zealand, however there is a question mark as to why of the more than 200 South Africans plying their trade overseas, more than 70% of them are forwards.
There is a belief that South Africa’s traditional strengths lie with our forwards, which in my view is fast becoming a myth. Prior to the professional era our natural physical prowess provided us an edge over the opposition and there for played a big role in our successes prior to the professional era. The reality is every professional player these days, spend enough time training in the gymnasium to negate our natural physical prowess. What other teams have learnt in the professional era is to play intelligent rugby, something we have as yet not adapted to.
Part and parcel of the belief that we are physically at an advantage, has encumbered our willingness to create intelligent forwards and backs, there is a distinct lack of willingness to create space, running a player into space, offloading into space.
This stems from the fact that we play too deep from 10. Look at any of our back line moves over the past number of years, our inside center receives ball way behind the advantage line, which essentially means that opposition defences simply have to drift as we naturally run towards the sideline, no player comes on the inside shoulder of the ball carrier and as what happened this weekend, the ball carrier and support runner are simply bundled into touch.
Hence we continue to believe it is better to attempt to run through defences rather than creating space.
The first lesson I learnt as a young boy playing rugby was to always pass the ball to a player in a better position than me.
Our Players have forgotten that principle.
Merely passing the ball from 10 to 12 to 13 to 14 (if it ever gets that far) is not achieving much at all.
We never create doubt in defences, they know exactly what we are going to do, so our primary focus is to hope someone misses a tackle, if not, well then we just don’t score.
I was listening to Victor Matfield commentate on the Currie Cup match between the Bulls and Lions the weekend, and by way of his comment it showed me the mindset the Boks have had for the past number of years. He spoke about kicking the up and under to pressurize the fullback, hoping that the pressure can turn into a penalty of maybe five pointer.
So our focus is not to create scoring opportunities, but rather hoping for opposition mistakes, be it a transgression or a turn over.
There are two things wrong with that sentiment, it tells me we don’t have the belief or confidence that we can keep ball in hand and display enough patience and creativity to outfox defences.
It also tells me our mindset is to accumulate points by three’s.
If that is the case, it is no wonder we have not cultivated any creative back play, our coaches don’t believe in it, and our players certainly don’t believe in it.
My question to SARU is simple.
Are we aiming to be the leaders in rugby, or are we simply content with being also rans?
If SARU and Springbok rugby are aiming to be world leaders, you are doing a very poor job of convincing this Springbok supporter and many others like me.
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