Nick Mallet during his tenure as Springbok coach made himself very unpopular by saying that he is not too concerned about criticism from South African rugby fans because in his opinion they don’t know much about the game anyway.
Coincidently, he now seems to be as critical as the SA rugby fans about the rugby dished-up by his prodigy’s Springbok team.
Where Mallet was hostile and pompous towards the media Heynecke Meyer seems to be more open and willing to show the public that their opinions count. Annoyingly, the more Heynek Meyer explains and asks for patience, the more fickle, unhappy and unrealistic SA rugby supporters seem to become.
Is this despondency due to unrealistic expectations that the Springboks should run rampant over everyone else, I’ve been wondering lately?
There has been moments during the matches against Ireland and Scotland when I thought the team was playing well. I could see signs of the Wallabies of 1993, in the Springboks play in the first 15 minutes against Scotland. The Springboks just needed a bit more patience and speed onto the ball but the basic game plan was sound and will work if better executed.
Leading up to the first penalty which Patrick Lambie cross-kicked to JP Pietersen, who caught the ball but was stopped by his direct opponent – the problem here was the timing of the move. It would have worked better if the opponents were first pulled in by some midfield runs. Also, the support was late for JP Pietersen and with quicker support Pietersen could have deflected the ball to an incoming runner. In fact if the kick went to a lock standing wide (after some phase play) he could have deflected the ball towards Pietersen coming in with speed.
From this followed a line-out. The play from that line-out reminded me of the try scored by Jason Little during the second test of the 1993 Springbok tour. In similar fashion as the 1993 Wallabies, Willem Alberts created depth ball by running with speed onto the ball thrown to the back of the line-out. The Springboks then took the recycled ball down the backline with Juan de Jongh attempting to cut to the inside of Jean de Villiers, who drifted slightly laterally to pull the defenders wide. The move didn’t produce the same spectacular results as was the case in 1993 with Jason Little (see here – 3rd video clip).
Multiple reasons can be given why the Springboks could not pull it off with the same efficiency as the 1993 Wallabies:
- Firstly, being not patient enough
- Secondly, the backline being too flat
- Thirdly, not enough speed onto the ball
They took the ball too soon to the backline (after only one charge in the person of Willem Alberts) during the particular move. You need to create a bit more depth and the Springboks required at least two more runners coming from depth to disorganise the defence sufficiently.
More patience was also needed – get the first things right, namely fast recycled ground ball before you take it wide. Because they took the ball too soon to the backline the defenders were still in the backline’s faces and the swivel done between the Wallabies No 10 and No 12 was not possible. That double-around by No 10 is crucial to open the gap in the outside channel as it pulls the opposition No 12 inwards and makes the opposition No 13 hesitate. The end result was that both Jean de Villiers and Juan de Jongh did not hit the ball at full tilt. De Jongh actually had to stop to change direction.
I can see what Heyneke Meyer is trying to do and I believe he is on the right track. The players need a bit more time together. It might help if Heyneke Meyer gets some video clips of the 1993 Wallabies and show them what he wants. In addition, a better backline coach might also help. The lineout is the Springboks strength and they need to create play off the back of the line-out. If the Springboks get that right they’ll be hard to stop.
Tell you what, there was also nothing wrong with the two mauling moves from the line-out – both leading to tries (only one awarded due to sneaky tactics by Scotland during the first of the two).
Disappointingly, things deteriorated in the second half. Replacement of key players was a big part of it but also the tendency of the team to go into defensive mode. It is, I believe the fear of making a mistake which makes the players stop playing once they are far enough ahead.
A barrage of scrum penalties against CJ van der Linde and losing a man for 10 minutes -serial yellow card offender Flip van der Merwe- derailed the Springboks because it prevented them from building any momentum. This kept the Scots in the game and had them gaining confidence when the Springboks should have buried them.
The France vs Argentina match was interesting to watch. The way the French, in particular, used the tactical kick to dissolve the trench defensive lines were very thought-provoking.
The moment the defence get too organised into a trench defensive line they (the French) utilized the tactical kick to open the game up. They used stab-through kicks, box kicks, and long kicks into space as well as dummy runner backline moves to break the defensive line up before suddenly switching to runners charging into the midfield channels.
With the defence then spread they were able to create fast ground ball. There are some lessons for the Springboks in that match, as a consequence. The Springboks are too obsessed with All Black rugby, in stead they should develop and cultivate their own unique strengths and style.
The All Blacks vs Italy match was remarkable in the way Italy countered the All Blacks pattern of using two or three runners around the fringes to create front foot ball. The All Blacks used quick passes between scrumhalf and two or three forwards flat on the defensive line to keep the defence guessing. You never know who is going to receive, who is just going to be a pivot and who is going to charge into the channel and also to whom the charger will off-load. Italy like the Argentinians -in their first encounter against the All Blacks this year- just targeted that channel with a number of defenders creating a bit of havoc. Mostly, however the Italians kept the ball in hand and in doing so prevented the All Blacks from running at them.
As a final thought the Springboks were not spectacular but at least they won which is something that the very experienced 2010 Springbok team did not accomplish.
The Springboks definately need a better backline coach and with a bit more patience with ball in hand and with better replacement selections on the bench, the Springboks might just be able to string two good halves together.
Wouldn’t that be something?
Lekker McLook,
Very deep analysis… and something one could not possibly find anywhere else on the Net or in the papers.
I like the positivity as well, basically saying with a few tweaks and a different backline guru… things could become great.
Good article McLook. However, you far more positive than the rest of us. I personally am not positive with Meyer and the only people that are seem to be a few Bull Supporters, even most of their supporters if you read the rugby sites around, are not that positive either. Meyer’s game plan is limited.
Thanks McLook, some excellent points and analysis.
Watched the recording of the All Blacks vs Italy match and of course watched the France vs Pumas match live.
What stands out when the All Blacks get it right, is how fast ball is recycled and how fast clean ball comes out at those recycles. With the slightest misalignment in defence by the opposition (and that only happens with fast ball) the options open up… and the All Blacks run riot.
EXACTLY the same thing with both France and the Pumas… fast clear crisp ball to run riot with…. and that makes the difference.
The All Blacks, France and the Pumas all kicked more, more up-an-unders and more tactical kicks than the Springboks did… clearly so, the difference being FIRSTLY the quality ball received by the kicker from the scrumhalf and SECONDLY the quality of the kicks in question whether by the scrumhalf or flyhalf.
Both Ruan Pienaar and Patrick Lambie’s kicking was woeful compared to their rivals in the All Blacks, France and Pumas.
So, in essense, the Springboks will have to continue their search for the ideal scrumhalf (Ruan just not doing it) and for the ideal flyhalf (neither Patrick Lambie nor Morné Steyn nor Elton Jantjies or Johan Goosen are without serious flaws).
The centre combination is also sterlile, whether only because of the badly distributed ball to them or whether Jean de Villiers should not get selected in the long run… remains to be the question.
Francois Hougaard needs to be taken out of the starting Springbok side… and he needs to re-build his confidence and skill at Super Rugby 2013 before getting close to the Springboks again.
Worst Springbok, without a shadow of a doubt on the day was CJ van der Linde and personally I hope he is not selected for the Springboks again… ever.
Front row was good, till CJ came on
Locks are fine, both Etzebeth and Juandré Kruger doing their thing
The starting Loosies were fine and in fact massive in a dominant first half… defended well in the second half
Halfback pairing was not up to scratch… full stop!
Individually it might appear that Jean was strong at centre… but he lacks cohesion and the vital link to the other backs
JP Pietersen was bloody good, Hougie decidedly average
At fullback Zane Kirchner was a dependable rock on defence, but as we are used, not magnificent on attack
McLook som die saak mooi op, veral daai laaste opmerking oor die hulpafrigters.
Loubscher, Van Graan en….wag vir dit, Louis Koen!
Waar kom Heyneke aan hierdie nincompoops as internasionale afrigters?
Hy sal moet vinnig hulp kry.
A pretty comprehensive summary GBS, and I agree with pretty much everything you said.
Jean plays well individually but he doesn’t distribute well. A great athlete and a good leader and probably the right man for the position at the moment as you need some experience, but when you have slow recycle ball he has no option but to try and straighten the line and bash it up. He does do that very well though and gets through a lot of work, against Ireland he hit the 2nd most rucks after Francois Louw, with Eben and a few others in third. Also was in the top 3 for tackles made.
These are the stats for the past game, I hope the formatting is OK:
Ag no the formatting stuffed up.
I wonder if I can copy it into a table….. will try
7 @ Stormersboy:
The problem is the html formatting of comments, so unless you know how to build a html table, leave it as is
5 @ Pietman:
Piet,
That was funny boet…hahaha. ‘nincompoops’ they are, if Meyer truly wants to be successful he will have to find himeself a better backline coach to start with and also get rid of Van Graan as he also acts as the ‘attack’ coach for pete sakes!
Our backline is playing braindead rugby boet. I wonder if Plum is freaking out watching his flyhalf play this style with all those daft up and unders? Lambie never plays like that NEVER, he is thrown under a bus here and set up to fail. Rather let him come back to the Sharks so Plum can get started knocking the living day lights of that stupid game he is playing out of him. He was also sitting in the damn pocket at times like Morne??????? What man, they trying to make all the flyhalve a carbon copy of Morne. Goosen too kicked up and unders and he never does that for Cheetahs and Elton done it at Soccer City as well, just look how bad he played when he came back from the Boks in the CC. Another thing Marcell with Keegan had more off-loads between them than any other saffa player this Super Rugby season. Now Marcel is just used as a crash ball player as well. He never done ONE off-load when he came back to CC. Plum will have to knock this brain dead style of rugby out of them and will have to start from scratch again with these players to get our off-loading game working again. Lambie is not suited to this style of rugby, he takes it flat not this sitting in the pocket crap and up and unders. It will kill his natural instinct he has. Let Morne look the Moron out there playing this style, he knows it well and that is the only type he can play. Meyer must play him. Don’t mess our 3 talented youngsters with this crap style. No man it was rubbish to see. Like it don’t matter who plays fh, Goosen, Elton, Lambie or Morne the script will be the same, just the actors different. Our rugby game plan is limited.
meant – himself
@ grootblousmile:
I just mailed you the table in execl?
Looking at it like it is makes my eyeballs bleed.
Sitting on the stoep, fire is going, going to do some aged fillets and toasted sarmies for supper, a great end to what has been a fantastic day in the Cape.
11 @ Stormersboy:
Fark, my Notebook is in the house, my mail on that one… will go get it, then copy the table, convert it to html… and fix your comment.
The amount of tackles we made in the 2nd half must have had the players almost out on their feet at the end. We can’t do that amount of tackling and think we can win next time round. WE lucky we were only playing Scotland. Players must be so moeg after that game. Hope they have some reserve for England.
11 @ Stormersboy:
Aged fillets makes the mouth water. Enjoy it.
@ Puma:
Thanks I will! The toasted sandwiches are quite a hit at our place too!
@ Puma:
Good post Puma.
Looking at Michelak last night, you will have noticed that he either takes the ball flat and up the first channel, starting the interplay with his loosies, or he takes it a little deeper in the pocket and passes behind the dummy runners to the backline….all done at speed of lightning.
If we persist with this ‘crashball and bashing nonsense gameplan’, we might just as well forget about picking speedsters like Juan de Jong and rather put Dean Greyling and Pierre Spies at centre.
@ Stormersboy:
Wife says nice day in the Ville, grilled pork chops by the pool at the moment….a lot of pork is going to be devoured the next few weeks by the Pietman tribe down in the Cape….. catching up in that bbq department after our sojourn in Saudi!
@ Pietman:
Haha yes was a great day. I can imagine that pork is a fairly scarce commodity in the Middle East. Stock up while you can!
Lovely evening for a braai, still really light here, making the most of it.
16 @ Pietman:
Crikey Piet, that was bloody funny. Dean Greyling at centre! bwaaaahaaaaa
Have to agre though………hahahahaha. If we play this bloody daft crash ball stuf then we may as well have that type of player at centre….hahaha.
2nd half we just looked daft.
Plum will be damn freaking out seeing his flyhalf play that super kak up and under rubbish Meyer has him playing… You never see Lambie sitting in the pocket at Sharks. He was standing so deep yesterday like carbon copy of Morne….
15 @ Stormersboy:
Sounds great. The Cape is great this time of year. Those long nights you have we don’t get them here. Something that I always enjoy when I am in Scotland. Long evenings in the summer months.
17 @ Pietman:
I missed having Pork while working there as well, also no bacon over there. Do they still sell the Turkey Bacon? Not the same but a nice substitute if you can’t get pork.
@ Puma:
@ 22 Yes, they still have turkey bacon here (aaaargh!!!!), but I buy some nice smoked beef bacon strips from Tammimi’s in Riyadh, they are very similar to the real thing.
@ Puma:
I kid you not Puma!
What’s the diff, pick Ollie by all means.
Having an 80 kg center bashing the ball up and getting mowed down by those giant Samoans is nothing short of suicidal bru….
OK so the formatting is fixed in the table in post 6.
Check out the running meters for Strauss: 70 meters. Next best is JDV at 51. Great performance from Strauss.
Hello all was really good to be at Murrayfield yesterday, and once Boks were 21-3 up I even starting egging on Scotland to up their game so it was good when they responded and it helped lift the crowd because even though the stadium was quite full it felt that it was fairly quiet until Scotland started dominating in the 2nd half, don’t know if that was just because of where I was sitting but you could definetely sense a greater atmosphere then, wonder what it sounded like on TV before Scotland started playing better and after.
6 @ Stormersboy:
The stat of 10 tackles for Marcel Coetzee in 26 minutes just shows how much the Boks were under the cosh in the last part of the game and what a committed energised player he is. When Coetzee came on I said to my better half to watch him as he is a highly rated youngster, surely he must be a staring Bok – maybe at 8thman?
Hi Puma I know a bit off topic but saw you post earlier about wanting to see John Mitchell and Carlos Spencer being involved in coaching the Boks as you thought they were both still around in SA. Just yesterday morning I read that Sale are saying that Mitchell should be on his way to them, and quite soon as well. “”John’s negotiating his way out in South Africa and he’s set to join us in the next 48 to 72 hours,” said Diamond.” – Steve Diamond is Sale Sharks’ chief executive, remember this was out in early hours of Saturday morning so it should be soon that we hear for definite that Mitchell is at the Sharks in a more permanent capacity than the advisory/consultant role he has meant to have been busy with for Sale.
grootblousmile wrote:
Agree, a lot more kicking but they kick with intent. The kick is part of an attacking strategy and not a kick and hope like we do. The stab throug kicks are pin point and short enough to allow them to get to the opposition player and wrap him up, isolating him and create a turnover situation. The long kicks are into space allowing them to corner the fullback or turnaround winger and force a line kick giving them the line out ball.
@ Stormersboy:
Note only three off-loads. One by Alberts and 2 by Francios Louw.
@ McLook:
Yes disgraceful actually. But not that surprising.
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