Centurion Bryan Habana
The Springboks will seek “clarity” around Bryan Habana’s controversial sin-binning but have refused to blame match officials for their one-point loss to the Wallabies in Perth.
Referee George Clancy’s call to pull a yellow card from his pocket in response to Habana’s high shot on Australian winger Rob Horne in the 65th minute lit up social media with a torrent of criticism for Clancy and the International Rugby Board’s management of its match officials.
And while a clearly agitated Heyneke Meyer walked into the post-match media conference after the match, the South African coach demurred from jumping on board, calling instead for “consistency” across the board.
smh
“You know the answer and I know the answer, so I’m not going to answer that,” he said when asked for his take on the decisions.
“But the ref’s always right and the only thing as a coach you want is consistency.”
Captain Jean de Villiers echoed his coach, saying the second top-ranked side in the world would “take this one on the chin”.
De Villiers was heard addressing Clancy on the pitch as the Irish referee was watching the video replay on the big screen, telling him Habana’s tackle was “exactly the same” tackle that Horne had made on him earlier in the match.
“That was my message to him on the field. We just want that consistency throughout a game,” he said after the match.
“He obviously deemed that one to be different and we’ll have a look again at our review of the game.
“To sit here and complain about the referee’s decisions, I don’t think that’s our way, and we’ll just take this one on the chin.
“We know that we could have won it, we played some good rugby at times and probably due to our own mistakes at the end we didn’t win it.
“We’d like to get some clarity on some issues but we’re definitely not going to blame the referee for his decisions.”
Meyer also kept his own counsel when asked whether the Springboks were being “targeted” by the referees.
“I’d love to answer that question but I’m not going to put my foot in it,” he said.
“At the end of the day we respect the referee, he has to make choices, and we’re never going to use that as an excuse.
“Again with Duane [Vermeulen’s penalty for a high shot on James Slipper], I thought it was an excellent tackle but if that’s the way the referee sees it then we’re never going to use it as an excuse.
“I want to keep my integrity intact, we take it on the chin, he’s the sole judge and we respect what they do.
“On the day I thought we really played well but we didn’t get the result.”
Wallabies coach Ewen McKenzie said he was happy to get the win – the side’s first under his stewardship against a side higher than Australia in the world rankings – and praised the character of the team to come back from a 23-14 deficit with 11 minutes left on the clock.
“It was a frustrating second half. We did alright in the first half playing into the wind but in the second half we found ways to turn over the ball and keep ourselves pretty much pinned down in our half,” McKenzie said.
“The scoreboard was a little daunting with 15 minutes to go but we knew the game would be about character, and it was never going to be a big scoreline so we had to stick at it. We built pressure and had a good result from the bench as well, and came up with a win.
“It doesn’t matter if you score in the first minute or the last, just as long as you score.”
Australia are still in third spot on the Rugby Championship table. The All Blacks have taken the lead from the Springboks after a 28-9 victory against Argentina in Napier on Saturday.
Outside centre Tevita Kuridrani, in a welcome return to Australia’s midfield, was named man of the match and players’ player.
gunther wrote:
I hate losing against the Ozzies and AB as much as every other SA supporter. But I hate dumb rugby even more. Box and chase is bloody high school rugby. Honestly I can’t stand it any longer and if you want to call me names and immature because feel like then mate that is your problem. I will not emotionally attach to the Springboks this Saturday and will support the AB if the game plan is box kick and chase.
The biggest problem with our kicking game is simply that we can’t help ourselves and kick aimlessly and dumb.
The AB’s kick as well, but accurately and with a plan, we just hoof the ball because that is what the coach said.
Clever kicking is a good ploy and can win you ball and field position.
This is not just at the Boks that our players don’t possess the necessary skills, it was evident during SR already.
@ nortierd:
Feite… we also dont have one of the best scrumhalves in the last ten or so years at nine like the all blacks do
@ McLook:
Nope I rather think it’s your problem.
The Boks are better off without your kind.
@ nortierd:
Correct is poor.
Change the halfbacks without delay.
nortierd wrote:
I agree with that and have wrote at some other places about the clever kicking of the AB. We in contrast box kick almost every 4th ball. Our tactical kicking Saturday was also vey poor on and only sort of worked because the Ozzies in person Folua were even worse.
gunther wrote:
Sorry I disagree. Om mekaar se ruggies te krap vat ons nerens. Ruggie krappers soos jy is wat ons nie nodig het nie. Daar kom ‘n tyd reguit te wees.
@ McLook:
It’s fine to be critical of the coach and the game plan.
Lots of people are.
But to throw your toys out and pull on an all black jersey is spineless and pathetic.
Emo in the extreme.
gunther wrote:
No playing box kick rugby is spineless. And to not speak up against it is spineless. And to be accurate I am not supporting the AB but I do support their type of game. Furthermore I would prefer the boks to loose if they keep on playing outdated rugby as that seems to be the only way that we will start seeing a change in mindset. Do you seriously thing the bok game plan will change if they keep on winning with box kick rugby.
Their is an attitude of as long as we beat the Ozzies and stay in the No 2 position it’s good enough. Well it is not for me as I think we can and should beat the AB. We will not beat them with box kick rugby. That is my opinion and I will maintain that independent of what you think.
Slowly chaps… no need for personal insults.
Agree to differ, please!
Speak up about what you want.
To support another country against your own is pathetic.
Utterly pathetic.
Now go and put your all black jersey on.
gunther wrote:
Wow what a mature response. You are clearly an intellectual giant.
@ grootblousmile:
I for think spineless is a personal insult.
It’s a reasonable description of the sort of person we are dealing with here.
What are your views on somebody who supports a team that plays against the country of his birth because he dost like the way the team is coached?
@ McLook:
Not really but you are making me look good.
😆
gunther wrote:
No worries mate. Glad I could make you feel better about yourself.
This is not harping back…take note Gunther and Macro 😆 , but it comes back to what some of us were saying since the Welsh test and the 2 against Argentina.
All that talk of “greatest character win” and “greatest wet weather win” was bull, and only managed to paper over some cracks.
I was critical then, but aren’t going to be as critical after Australia’s loss as it was expected. The cracks were showing, but some chose to plaster over it with comments of “a win is a win”
We are not playing good rugby, and barring the performance against Scotland, have had 4 poor tests out of 5.
The imminent loss against the AB’s won’t be the end of the world, it’s to be expected.
HM doesn’t have a lot of time left before the WC and, to be honest, he is wasting tests every week, not making any positive steps towards where he wants us to be.
I know he is relying on FdP and Alberts and Jacques Fourie and guys like JPP and Schalk to bolster the ranks, but what if they aren’t there?
Then his whole 4 years have been wasted on what ifs.
@ nortierd:
“Character building” se maai nou eers, as die telbord heeltyd suid draai dan help karakterbouery net om van jou n goeie verloorder te maak…
Ons soek nie daai soort karakters in Bokkleure nie.
@ nortierd:
Steady on Norty, we’ve lost all our locks, blindsides and Cruden is touch & go so a win is not a certainty. I have to agree though Meyer would happily play the entire 07′ side if he could at the WC 15′, who is in charge of player development in SA rugby?
When asked if an All Black should be worried about a naked woman entering the playing enclosure, Cruden smiled as he quipped: “Depends on the size of the naked woman.” 😛
NZINCHINA wrote:
The Minister of Sport 😆
You getting worried because Whitelock and Messam isn’t there?
Surely not, Retallick can take our locks by himself, McCaw will move to 8ths man and Cane will step in and steal balls left right and center
@ nortierd:
No it is harping on.
😆
gunther wrote:
I beg to differ, harping on would have gone something along the lines of ” I told you the Argies weren’t good, we were bad”
@ nortierd:
Would be nice to have Caner at 7, he’s very quick throw Ritchie in at blindside and the back row is sorted, lock is the real issue Thrush is the 6th rank lock so the Bokke should look to try and have a go there, has big Vic still got what it takes at the very highest level.
The next time Piet Van Zyl pitch invades he should also do it naked, something for the ladies.
@ NZINCHINA:
Won’t be surprised to see Richie at 8 though
@ nortierd:
Noodles tells us it’s a done deal.
He’s just looking for attention with a bit of false modesty.
😆
NZINCHINA wrote:
The next time the refs take the field they should also be naked, seems like they screw over teams every week now, so might as well be dressed for the occasion.
gunther wrote:
First time for everything
@ NZINCHINA:
Fern wouldn’t have had any problem with her size, he is an renowned ‘streaker hunter’ in Napier and Rotarua and surrounds….
@ nortierd:
Hahaha you never know maybe he’s booked in for some timeshare.
😆
@ gunther:
You picked the Bokke to take the RC out on this very forum only a few weeks ago, nothing is a done deal in AB/Bokke rugby except at the garden of Eden,
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