For my 2 cents worth, I thought this was a good game from South Africa without it being a commanding one.
Only the 4th match into the Heyneke Meyer era, and after a very long and hard Super Rugby season, the number of injuries, the tiredness of the Sharks players in the Springboks and the short preparation time, these are all contributing factors that will always make the early games in The Rugby Championships seem a bit loose.
This was also very evident in the Australian Wallabies vs New Zealand All blacks match where a number of balls were spilled, knock-on’s, errors, etc was the prevailing trend.
This will improve, and I expect to see a much better performance in the next set of matches.
I have penned my feelings, lets open the debate and have your reactions to the match.
As a team, I thought the Springbok players played well.
The front row, after the loss of Bismarck du Plessis with a knee ligament injury (out till the end of the year) stood up well to the much vaunted Puma front row, without being commanding, and although Pat Cilliers did nothing wrong, our depth at prop is a concern for me, as is our depth at hooker.
A very bad bit of luck for Bismarck du Plessis, and I hope that he recovers well and quickly.
Having now called up Craig Burden to the squad, there isn’t a lot of hooker depth left!
At lock both Eben Etzebeth and Andries Bekker had very good games, I thought, and if Andries Bekker is making the radical step up under Heyneke Meyer, it can only be good.
The looseforwards all had a very good game, Marcell Coetzee’s work rate is phenominal and he really put in the hard yards. Willem Alberts was… well, just Alberts and Keegan Daniel was a worthy replacement for Pierre Spies.
At Scrum half, Francois Hougaard had a much, much improved game, his kicking game has improved no end and his reading of the game was much improved. He is for me, though, just taking that extra milli-second to get the ball out, often putting in that extra step just before passing.
Ruan Pienaar highlighted that when he came on, and he too had a very good game.
However you can see that Francois Hougaard is improving, is a quick learner, definitely has the ‘X’ factor, and will become a top scrumhalf in time.
Morné Steyn had his metronomical kicking boots back on yesterday – I said I would eat my words if he did, and I do! 11 Kicks out of hand, 15 passes and 2 runs, are his statistics, as well as 5 out of 5 over the posts, some from very difficult angles. He made 5 tackles, and missed none. One can and should be very happy with statistics like that! Perhaps Morné Steyn just needs a few more runs, just to mix up the play a bit.
Both Frans Steyn and Jean deVilliers were quiet yet solid in the centres, both missing 1 tackle each, but yet they did enough without setting the stage alight. With all the hype around Frans Steyn, I think he was hunted down and watched like a hawk to an extent. Jean deVilliers gave away 2 penalties that I can remember, both for holding onto the ball on the ground – certainly in 1 of those occasions, but possibly both, I felt he could have off-loaded.
Bryan Habana had a very good game on the opposite wing from where he normally plays and he is certainly seeing some better form, and I think it’s no co-incidence that his form slumped when he left the Bulls and he has gone back up to form since teaming up with Heyneke Meyer again. Long may it improve!
Lwazi Mvovu had a quiet game – he managed only 14 running metres as compared to Bryan Habana’s 78 running metres. Lwazi Mvovo also missed a tackle. I would perhaps liked to have seen Francois Hougaard taking over his spot on the left wing and Ruan Pienaar coming on a tad earlier, just to add a bit of flair, but those are minor issues.
At fullback, Zane Kirchner also had a solid game without being particularly exciting. He was very good under the high ball, and certainly looking for work but he wasn’t really tested on defence too much – only having to complete 1 tackle!
I also would have liked Heyneke Meyer to have brought Patrick Lambie on for Zane Kirchner for a while. I think it would have opened up a few different scenarios and chances – perhaps some interchanges with Morné Steyn, taking a slightly flatter ball at flyhalf on attack would have given the Springboks a few options to get the ball distributed quicker.
All in all, a much improved game from the Port Elizabeth (Nelson Mandela Stadium) England Test, but a long way to go still.
The Springboks missed a big chance to take 5 Log points from the game, and that might cost them – The All Blacks will not let an opportunity like this slip, I can almost guarantee you, and that should make it very difficult for the Springboks to take the overall title. The Springboks MUST come away with 5 Log points next week in Mendoza, Argentina! Anything less is not acceptable!
Unfortunately the Argentinian Pumas are not a great team (they will improve radically over the next few years in this competition), and apart from their spoiling tactics the Springboks should easily overpower them, even in Argentina.
In the ruck and maul, the Springboks really need to tighten up, there were several occasions during the game whaere the Pumas were turning ball over far too easily.
As has been mentioned by other people a couple of times – it is part of Heyneke Meyer’s game plan, so the kicking element is going to remain, but I think that sometimes we would have far more options keeping the ball in hand, rather than just gifting it to the opposition.
Tighten up the loose balls, knock-on’s, vary the play a bit and we have the makings of a very good team and game compilation. Couple with that the return of the light duty’s and sick report’s for depth and Bob’s your aunty.
If you are interested, I have attached the team statistics, courtesy of espnscrum.
| Pos | T/A | Pts | K/P/R | MR | CB | DB | OL | TO | Tack | LO | Pen | Y/R | |||
| FB | Kirchner | 1/0 | 5 | 5/0/8 | 37 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1/0 | 0/0 | 1 | 0/0 | ||
| W | Habana | 1/0 | 5 | 0/1/8 | 78 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| C | de Villiers | 0/0 | 0 | 0/3/3 | 19 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5/1 | 0/0 | 2 | 0/0 | ||
| C | FPL Steyn | 0/0 | 0 | 0/2/8 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 8/1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| W | Mvovo | 0/0 | 0 | 1/0/2 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3/1 | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| FH | M Steyn | 0/2 | 12 | 11/15/2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| SH | Hougaard | 0/0 | 0 | 9/43/11 | 59 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 4/2 | 0/1 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| P | Mtawarira | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0/6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/0 | 0/0 | 1 | 0/0 | ||
| H | BW du Plessis | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| P | JN du Plessis | 0/0 | 0 | 0/1/2 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5/1 | 0/0 | 2 | 0/0 | ||
| L | Etzebeth | 0/0 | 0 | 0/1/5 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9/0 | 2/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| L | Bekker | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0/1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/1 | 10/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| F | Coetzee | 1/0 | 5 | 0/2/11 | 25 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8/1 | 0/0 | 1 | 0/0 | ||
| F | Alberts | 0/0 | 0 | 0/1/9 | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 10/0 | 1/0 | 1 | 0/0 | ||
| N8 | Daniel | 0/0 | 0 | 1/2/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4/0 | 2/0 | 1 | 0/0 | ||
| (R) | Strauss | 0/0 | 0 | 0/3/9 | 19 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5/0 | 0/0 | 1 | 0/0 | ||
| (R) | Cilliers | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0/0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1/0 | 1/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| (R) | van der Merwe | 0/0 | 0 | 0/1/4 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5/0 | 1/1 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| (R) | Potgieter | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0/3 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
| (R) | Pienaar | 0/0 | 0 | 2/28/2 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2/0 | 0/1 | 1 | 0/0 | ||
| (R) | Engelbrecht | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0/1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1/0 | 0/0 | 0 | 0/0 | ||
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A few tweets to get the ball rolling.
Sharksworld.co.za @sharksworld
So… Boks under Meyer described on our site as ‘kick and chase monkeys’… Fair comment, or overly harsh? I’m on the fence.
Yoni Bass @Yonibass
Hated yesterday’s game. So much underutilised talent. No skill. No intellience. All Blacks will murder us if we play like that.
SARugbychick @SARugbyChick
Few Boks offer ‘wow’ factor: A thrill element was largely absent as most Springboks gave only ..
For anyone who missed it, The 26-man Springbok squad to Argentina:
Forwards (15): Willem Alberts, Andries Bekker, Craig Burden, Pat Cilliers, Marcell Coetzee, Keegan Daniel, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Dean Greyling, Juandré Kruger, Tiaan Liebenberg, Tendai Mtawarira, Jacques Potgieter, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe.
Backs (11): Jean de Villiers (captain), JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Zane Kirchner, Patrick Lambie, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, Frans Steyn, Morné Steyn, Jano Vermaak.
Heyneke Meyers thoughts as from planet rugby.com – Springbok boss Heyneke Meyer has demanded a better showing from his squad when they run out at Estadio Malvinas Argentinas next week. Meyer watched a 27-6 win against the Rugby Championship new-boys, with Zane Kirchner, Marcell Coetzee and Bryan Habana scoring tries.
However the showing has not thrilled the coach, who wanted to take five points from the game instead of four before looking ahead to Mendoza. “I would like us to have got the four tries that would have given us a bonus point,” said Meyer.
“But this is Test rugby and tries don’t come that easily. I felt we could have finished better than we did, although the team is improving. I was really pleased that the Pumas, who played passionately, weren’t able to score against us. I was concerned about our defence and in this game we improved (on the England series).”
Boks didn’t really impress me and I honestly believe it will be a different story up in the North of Argentina.
I also can’t see the Boks getting any points on the Anzac tour either.
Just too stifled an approach to the game.
Neither the fault of the coach or the players. Just the way the game is played in this part of the world I’m afraid.
Our ability to create when we have the ball was coached out of us under the banner called ‘Traditional South African strengths’.
And every Tom, Frik and Sipho fell for that crap cause hey, it won the World Cup didn’t it?
GBS, thanks for making it look better, I have just changed the Lambie bit, in my poor english, I obviously wasn’t clear, I meant Lambie at FB in place of Kirchner, not for M Steyn!
Meyers thoughts on the match, courtesy of supersport.com –
Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer says Argentina’s defensive efforts withheld his side from landing a decisive knockout blow in their Rugby Championship match in Cape Town on Saturday.
“You are only as good as your opposition but all credit to them,” Meyer said after the Boks’ 27-6 victory over the Pumas.
“We play a gain-line dominance game and they were right on the advantage line.
“They pressed hard in the midfield which we knew they would do and we didn’t get quick ball.”
It was an improved performance from the Boks’ final test against England in June as they played with more intent.
Their defence was rock solid as they did not allow for any ‘soft moments’ as Meyer described it.
“I’m probably a very difficult coach to please,” he said.
“I would have loved to got four tries, but this is test match rugby.
“I was very happy on defence, we’ve worked really hard on it, and they didn’t score any tries.”
He lamented the squandered scoring opportunities but felt the team still made the country proud.
“I thought we should have finished a bit better once or twice and gone for the four tries,” Meyer said.
“But this team is still improving and the guys put their bodies on the line and I can’t ask for more.”
After receiving immense scrutiny of his performance in the June test series against England, flyhalf Morne Steyn rewarded Meyer for his loyalty as he had a blinder of a match.
Steyn was outstanding in all facets of his game, and especially on the place-kicking front.
He succeeded with all five of his kicks at goal while his tactical kicking and ball distribution was spot on.
While Steyn’s critics were baying for his blood, Meyer was convinced his pivot would bounce back from his dip in form.
“Morne trained well the whole week and I felt he would have a great game on Saturday,” he said.
“I’m just happy he delivered. It’s just the kind of guy he is – we needed him today and I thought he was awesome.”
Meyer felt the team needed to improve at the breakdowns ahead of their second match in Mendoza, Argentina next weekend.
“I thought our kicking game was a lot better than against England.
“I think the problem was that when we got into the areas, we kept the ball through two or three phases, and lost the ball at the breakdown.”
He felt the team needed to be more physical at the breakdown as the Argentineans had the better of them in that area of play.
“We didn’t handle that on the day and there is no use saying afterwards that we need to be more clinical,” Meyer said.
“We need to make a huge step up at the breakdown.”
8 @ Just For Kicks:
No problem!
Sorry, thought you had meant Lambie at Flyhalf, not Fullback
I accept full responsibility for the bollocking email you sent out to one and all – I’m the main culprit, but I do think you should fly us all to Sun City for a 3 day ‘Bosberaad’ with entertainment and accommodation included. Don’t forget to bring your easel. That way you could personally educate us all in the art of journalism, and will give the rest of us a chance to form our own union
11 @ Just For Kicks:
No, you’re not alone to blame… couple of other authors guilty too… and I have to continiously catch myself in Articles speaking about ‘US” and “WE”…. and so on in stead of keeping the “neutral jounalistic observer” thing going..
Sun City is not a bad idea… you know of an easy bank to rob… hehehehe…. to afford everyone’s costs?
Oh no, not another Union… just buy the Golden Lions Rugby Union for 3c or something, their debt excluded… hehehe
12 @ grootblouBokJan:
Of course Sun City would have to include a game of Moer & Soek golf too…
@ grootblouBokJan:Someone on twitter this morning said they were woken by 2 blasts – turns out a local atm was blown up. So, I guess, rather than look for an easy bank to rob, rather ask if anyone has any good contacts in the dynamite business – then all banks become easy to rob – apparently!!!
13 @ grootblouBokJan:My golf is slightly different, it goes moer, bring in a strip of roll on lawn to replace the divot, soek, soek, soek, new ball, moer, soek, soek soek, new ball, etc.
14 @ Just For Kicks:
Some of these ATM’s are loaded with a lot of moolah…. those at big Shopping Mall’s with 3 Million or more a day, those inside popular Casino’s with 8 Million (at least) a day, sometimes more than once a day.
15 @ Just For Kicks:
So, you take the scenic route… what the hell!
You’re not worried what the green fees are, you are worried what they charge for a bucket of balls at the Pro Shop… hehehe
17 @ grootblouBokJan:I make sure I get my money’s worth from the green fee’s, thats for sure! I also spend so much time on the other fairways, I usually just help myself to their balls – it saves a fortune!
18 @ Just For Kicks:
Hehehe
Hell, I have’nt played for so long now, I’d have to do the same.
I think we did Ok, there were a few players who, lets just say, underwhelmed me yesterday.
Keegan was one of them, I wasn’t surprised when he got subbed.
Jaques Potgieter too, just didn’t make any real impact, Id prefer someone like Kanko or Vermeulen there.
Frans Steyn had an OK game on Defense, but got very few opportunities on attack, in fact you would be forgiven for thinking he wasn’t even there.
Hougaard was more effective at wing than Mvovo, and indeed more effective at wing than scrumhalf. I must say, hes one hell of an athlete and player though.
Morne was tight and its good to see him get back to his best. he does kick a lot of the possession away though. In fact he kicks pretty much whatever Hougaard doesn’t which is disappointing.
Jean lacked sharpness, he needs to improve.
Players that impressed me were Eben (hes going to be a legend if he stays fit) and Bekker, who really makes an impact when hes fully fit (although that didn’t last that long).
Jannie Dup has improved the past year or so, hes a lot more active on the field and makes a much bigger contribution outside of scrummaging than he used to.
Zane was solid, and his try was well deserved, although Mvovo was open and unmarked on his outside, and would have loved to have been able to score a try on his debut. In fact I now realise whey Zane plays at full back because he seems unable to pass the ball at all. he does the rest well though. That goose step is a bit doff though.
Having said all this I do expect them to get better, and really hope that is the case, because we will not win the cup on yesterdays showing.
I thought they were adequate, but not particularly good, maybe the spoiling Argentinian way of playing ruled out anything spectacular. Also the score line is misleading, the Argies missed 4 very kick-able penalties, so imagine if they had got those and MS had missed two of the very difficult ones, 18 point swing. Kudos to MS for some excellent kicking, but we shouldnt have to rely on MS kicks only to win a game. Having said that, I think its a bit early to judge at all, Argentina is recognized as being the weakest of the teams in the competition, so I will reserve judgement until we meet the AB, that will give a very good indication of where this team stands.
As BobbejanklimdiebergStormersboySpringbokJan says though, this is early days with the teams not quite into it yet, so they may well improve as the competition goes on.
Argentina have one of the best defences in World Rugby. But you can’t defend for 80 minutes.
I am going to say it again and even Rob Louw is agreeing with me. Morne is standing too deep and our backline looks like useless palookas. Having a good game with a boot don’t make you a wonderful 10. Just go look at his position against Goosen’s Carter’s or any of the attacking 10’s. His game would improve so much if he just stand flatter. Hougaardt would look a better passer as well.
7 @ fender:
At last, someone who can see past all the hype.
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