South Africa defence coach Richie Gray – whose namesake plays in the Scotland second row – said the Springboks’ win on Sunday saw them destroy a “myth” about their breakdown play.
BBC Scotland – Clive Lindsay
Gray, who is Scottish, had “mixed emotions” as the Springboks powered to a 28-0 win at Murrayfield. The Galashiels man was brought in as a “breakdown consultant” to help the Boks improve their rucking technique.
“Suddenly, you saw body positions that were outstanding,” he said
“I think the big thing is there’s never been a huge emphasis on the breakdown in South Africa.
“It’s always been very much a maul, arm-wrestle type game, big scrummage, quality line-out and then squeeze the life out of you.
“The quote from northern hemisphere to southern hemisphere, especially aimed at the Springboks, has always been take them on at knee height, don’t whatever you do take them on at waist height because you’ll always struggle there, but they can’t bend, they’re not accurate enough.
“The main aim of the whole eight-nine months that I’ve been with them is trying to destroy a myth really – that’s what we say to them, let’s destroy a myth and let’s have nine months to do it.”
Gray was appointed in August to assist head coach Heyneke Meyer as a “breakdown consultant” for the Rugby Championship and their end-of-year tour to Britain and France.
The 43-year-old has had an instant impact, with the Springboks winning more ball on the ground than any of the other sides – including New Zealand – in the recent four-team southern hemisphere tournament.
Gray revealed Scotland had exposed South Africa’s weakness on their home soil in June, when the visitors’ superiority at the breakdown took them into a 17-6 lead before the Springboks bounced back to rescue a 30-17 win in Nelspruit.
“Remember Nelspruit was the benchmark – that had to be washed away,” he said.
“It has been an interesting week and, when you come back to take on your own country, there’s a real lot of mixed emotions, but you take all the emotion away from it and just look at the rugby.
“You were brought in to do a job with this team and it has been an absolute honour to work with them throughout the Championship, against Argentina, Australia, New Zealand, and then obviously on this northern tour.
“The pressure that you’re under in that country is incredible – 50 million South Africans who are absolutely rugby daft – and sometimes winning is not good enough. You’ve got to win well.
“I was delighted in patches. I wasn’t too happy with other things in the game, but on the whole it was a good performance.”
Having defeated Wales then Scotland, the South Africans head for Paris with a spring in their step after having lost only twice – to the world champion All Blacks – in their 11 matches during 2013.
Head coach Meyer had some consoling words for the battered Scots.
“They’re very physical, they kept on going,” said the head coach. “We had to work hard to stop their drives. They’re very physical, very good at the breakdown.
“But I really thought we made a big step up, especially in these conditions – the rain in the second half was a wee bit more difficult.
“If we win in Paris, it will give us an 80%-plus record for the year and there have not been many occasions when the Boks have managed that in the post-isolation era, so I will be very happy with that.”
Surprised to read the author of this article mentions “mixed emotions” as I asked Richie Gray this very thing on Friday night and without hesitation he said not at all, that he was hoping for a thumping victory for the Springboks.
Its a pity he is coming to the end of his contract with the Springboks as he seems to have done some good stuff in the short time he has been involved, think I have read GBS say as much on here as well about noticing an improvement to our breakdown play.
2 @ Bullscot:
Yip, Springbok breakdown and ground-ball work has improved radically since June!
Well done Gray!
Hope they offer him an extended contract.
3 @ grootblousmile:
Good morning GBS, good to hear that, do you think it would be worth bringing him back next international season or has he imparted enough knowledge for the Boks to take it forward without any more input? What about SA Rugby using Richie Gray in a consulting capacity going around all the Super rugby franchises next season, or at least during preseason?
Had one of my interesting (as usual) chats with David Brown at the Rugby Plus shop yesterday about meeting and speaking to Richie and he was saying that he had played against Richie’s dad Jonny Gray who was a good tough loose forward. A ‘weird’ thing I thought was that we now have a Richie and Jonny Gray playing for Scotland, albeit that they are brothers rather than father and son, although David said that the two families were unrelated.
4 @ Lion4ever:
Hello Lion4ever glad you think so. Seems to have done a really good job and on top of it is a really good bloke, so friendly.
5 @ Bullscot:
I think it is definately worthwhile bringing Richie Gray back next international season…. to continue the good work.
Personally I think that a big part of the better season for the Springboks in 2013 could be attributed to their breakdown and ground-ball play!
It might just be a fabulous idea for SARU to appoint Richie Gray as a consultant to go round to all the SA Super Rugby Franchises and to deliver valuable input in all SA Rugby regarding the breakdowns.
Due to the fact that I also played looseforward (openside), I have always watched the looseforwards with specific attention and I have always maintained 3 vital things, namely:
1. There has to be balance in a looseforward combination. In other words there has to be clearly defined roles between an openside fetcher, a hard-tackling and strike-running blindsider and a strike-running tackler with hands of gold at No 8. They have to compliment each other as a unit… and play as a unit.
2. Because there are 140 – 170 breakdown / ground-ball situations per match in modern rugby (compared to 14 – 18 scrums and 16 – 20 lineouts), the breakdown / ground-ball battle is of vital importance, maybe even radically more so compared to set pieces… it has to be valued and mastered and controlled.
3. With the New Law Applications and Interpretations and the benefits the attacking team gets under these rules, possession rugby PLUS good fast clean ball is of utmost importance. Good, fast, clean ball gives both time and space on the ball and makes the taking of correct options by the scrumhalf, flyhalf and all other players so much easier… and catches the opposition defences so much more off-guard. Defensive lines have improved all round, so a method must be created in every game to break those defensive structures down, the brealdowns and ground-ball situations being absolutely key to this.
Interesting about all the Gray’s in Irish Rugby…
7 @ grootblousmile:
Good points you raise man, especially regarding the shear volume of breakdown situations in a game, with so many there are bound to be some where securing quick ball on the attack will lead to tries and also on defence you can help yourself a lot if you are competing well there. Your point 3 certainly is true about the need for QUICK ball as too often on Sunday I saw Scotland losing out on good possession and field position on attack by the ball just coming out too slowly from the ruck which aided the Bok defence.
Interesting though in spite of their being far fewer line outs they can also be a good attacking platform as we saw this weekend with two almost identical Bok tries from securing lineout close to Scotland line and then having a strong maul over the line. The scrums seem to have become a lottery of players trying their best to ‘get an advantage’ whichever the means, ref interpretation and as we have seen up here the last few weekends the state of the field, so until it gets sorted I’m not so sure the scrum is as big an attacking weapon as it used to be in which case as you say the battle at the breakdown is even more important.
7 @ grootblousmile:
Oh by the way the Grays I was referring to are from their involvement in Scottish, not Irish rugby
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