“I’ve Never Seen an Attacking Side Win Any Competition”
(says Stormers’ coach, Allister Coetzee)
By – Famed schoolboy coach, Basil Bey, provides an alternative argument in his column, Read on.
Perhaps the Stormers’ Head Coach was not able to watch France defeat Italy by playing attacking rugby from the start of the game, (Italy who beat Scotland last week and gave England a hell of a go) but, then, none so blind as those who don’t want to see! And guess what! France are going to win a competition this year! Coetzee is extremely fortunate to have picked up Jacque Fourie and that wonderful rugby player, Habana, who have put a bit of much-wanted spark into the Stormers this year (I believe, too, that Robbie Fleck has had something to do with the resurgence of the backs – I say resurgence but that implies that they used to be good but I don’t think they were; perhaps I should have said ‘emergence’ rather than ‘resurgence’). I am glad to see that the ball is now passed to Fourie!
John Dobson, the very successful UCT coach, has just this moment sent me this quote from Roy Campbell’s book, “Broken Record”, in part of which he reminisces on his time at Oxford (fortuitous that John should send it to me now):
“Anyone who has seen that great rugby, the fury and fire of the attack, with the ball flashing from hand to hand, and everywhere caressed by great sculptors of motion; and above all the triumphant gaiety and humanity of men like Payn; anyone who has seen that kind of rugby laughs at the modern edition.
“The Australians have taught us a great lesson: they nearly beat us, and by generous spectacular play. All play should be spectacular; it should take for granted the intelligence of the spectator…the great player is a sort of priest or poet and he should always parade his excellence.”
Uys Krige (a SACS Old Boy), also a South African poet, and Roy Campbell, great friends, both loved rugby; one has only to read the quotation above to understand just how much Campbell did. In those days poets played rugby – and coached it, too, but now?
“All play should be spectacular; it should take for granted the intelligence of the spectator…the great player is a sort of priest or poet and he should always parade his excellence.”
We have lost something in the playing of this game, something infinitely precious, have we not? It has become wooden, obvious, monotonous and is not at all poetic. Dross for the most part.
What the French proved to us, as they do from time to time, is that running, attacking rugby is effective but, of course, you must have skill to be able to play that way and be intelligent enough to make difficult decisions, risky decisions.
How did the French manage to break that deadly, smothering defence system that Mallet’s Italians used so effectively against both England and Scotland?
They lined deeper than most other modern sides, thus making loop support possible.
They supported in depth.
They passed before, and sometimes in, contact, BEFORE GOING TO GROUND!
Their passing was incredibly (by modern standards) accurate.
They employed long passes to stretch the opponents from quick rucks but also used the short-pass with great effect.
Quick hands were employed in the passing.
On approaching contact, their players would use their feet to dominate the situation, enabling them to get a good, creative pass to the supporter before the ball carrier was hit.
When, inevitably, the odd ball-carrier was taken to ground, because he had used his feet to dominate the tackle, he was able to place the ball where he wanted it, so nearly all rucks were quick rucks.
Fifty-fifty passes were made and taken with confidence and so were extremely successful.
The scrum half passed off the ground immediately the ball emerged, giving his outside man quick ball in space (despite the flat-lining of the Italians).
I really could go on and on but I believe my point is made. The French have a coach who is prepared to take risks, who is happy to create, to avoid contact in order to pass and to run rather than to kick. He allowed his players to use their own judgement on the field but they have been skilled in training to do that. Dick Muir tries to do the same thing but to break the old habits of a dour people takes time. Stormers certainly have the capability to play a similar game but I do not believe they have the heart to do so, as the French do have. I therefore dare to predict that they will lose games that they should not. They are too drilled in their thinking and most players lack the individual initiative that would enable them to crack tightly set defences (we are too flat in attack, anyway).
Our South African men in Blue from the North are a different matter, though. They want the bonus points and so, prepared to take risks to score, they give away tries that a negative approach would block -but the point is that with that approach, they score more than they give away.
By Basil Bey
30: nee wat, hier gaan niks aan nie, sal maar op WTR gaan gesels. 😉
bdb,
Ja jong hierdie ou het n blog op News 24. Nou kyk mense dis nie my woorde nie.
Consistent under achievers the Vodacom Stormers have once again impressed at the Stadium of False Hope. While they certainly look the real deal this year one has to wonder what will happen if the self-proclaimed worlds best outside centre gets injured.
What has really irritated the hell out of me over the past few weeks are the Stormers fans going on and on about Habana but not acknowledging their most important player. Jaque Fouries influence on the Stormers has been nothing less then phenomenal. His defensive organisation is unbelievable. I honestly believe that without him this season would be another typical Stormers year, one where hope is built up only for it to be unrewarded.
It was lovely to see Schalk Burger playing well again, in-fact he played two decent games in a row, something that he has not done in over 2 years. Lets hope he stays injury free, as it would be nice to see him in his old Bok number 6 or as Stegmans back up.
Being a supporter who has never been a fan of smaller players it took a lot for the brave Juan de Jongh to impress me. I think he is a candidate for the Bok 13 jersey one day although he is playing inside at the moment.
So now the giant slaying cheetahs come to Newlands. Before Brussow was injured I would have made the unpopular prediction of the Bloem boys pulling a sneaky win out of the bag! They always seem to up their game when playing against their countryman. But not this weekend I am afraid, without the phenomenal intensity of Brussow I think they may be a different team. Stormers by 7.
He has’nt got the Stormers by much though…
Hiers wat die ou oor die Bulle te se het.
So what have the bulls been doing? Other then shutting up all the absolute idiots who still call them predicable…… Scoring lots and lots of tries while playing the most entertaining rugby a South African team has ever played.
When one of the world greatest wings stubbed the union that built him even after the greatest season in SA rugby history, Bulls supporters where fuming (myself included) the reason for all the anguish was the lingering thought that they would not be the same without him. I am happy to say that he is not being missed one bit.
The combination of youth and experience has really shown to be a wonder recipe in Pretoria. One can only have good things to say about a team that losses one of the greatest wings of all time and the 20 year old who replaces him is now one of the tournaments top try scorers (4). On the other end of the line Ndungane breaks his leg and is replaced by (at the time) the Bulls 3rd choice SCRUMHALF. Thats right….. Scrum half who has now also scored 4 tries playing wing. Francios Hougaard is playing some brilliant rugby and has already made his bok debut at scrum half, Du Preez has a worthy understudy at last. Bakkies gets injured and one of the most exciting locks I have ever seen comes into the fray. Flip van der Merwe is the real deal, just you watch. He surely is Bakkies long-term replacement both at the Bulls and Boks. This really tells a story about the structures that are in place at Loftus. Perhaps all SA unions should concentrate a bit harder on the very important topic of NURTURING YOUNG TALLENT and letting them take the step up when the time comes. Alternativly you could buy some over priced, over rated, over the hill internationals.
It must be said though that the Bulls simply have to pull their act together on defence if they wish to have a succesfull tour. There will be no army of blue horned crazys cheering there team on in australasia and the altitude factor will not be a present. But what will shine through is the bulls seperior fitness levals because of all the high altitude training.
‘n Baie waar opsomming as jy my vrae…
Nie veel waaroor mense kan stry nie…
34: alles feite, hopelik sal die verdediging regkom. Canes gaan so 10 driee druk, en die Bulle 20. 😉
Bulle behoort hiedie naweek skerper te wees na hulle bye…
Hoop hulle kan die Vrydagaand “bogey” afskud !!!
bdb @ 36
jou senters se verdediging gaan beslis beproef word deur nonu/csmith …. was nie baie impress deur julle verdediging saterdag nie, maar het dit toegeskryf aan die feit dat julle reeds so vêr voor was, dat spelers se intensity en konsentrasie gedaal het …. hoop regtig my oipsomming was reg!!
Ash
WO is ‘n yster op verdediging en sal nie ‘n probleem wees nie.
Dippenaar glo ek is waar WO in die begin was, toe die kritiek begin opbou het hy sy “step-up” gemaak.
Glo Dippenaar gaan dieselfde doen !
Ek is meer bekommerd oor beserings… 😯
34 – Dag Super, Do you say that in Afrikaans? Not sure I know you say that in Dutch.
Okay, I agree with you there. Bulls are not missing Habs at all. (I thought they may) VdH is playing some great rugby also think he is only 21. He will get faster, watch him by the time he is 24. Also FH is playing great on the wing if you think he is actually a scrummie. Bulls have not a problem in the world with those two on the wing. They both are superb. Also Van der Merwe is brilliant. I myself have not even missed Bakkies (one of my favourite players) VdM has grabbed the chance with both hands playing there. Think we for the Boks wont have too much of a headache now if Bakkies gets injured. VdM would be the natural replacement.
Now about the altitude. Yip, you guys are lucky that you train in that high altitude. It does help for sure. Only remember it will only help for a week and a half for the overseas leg, two weeks max. Then the altitude training will fade. So for your first game against the Force Bulls will have that altitude strength in their lungs and legs still. Should win that one with a bonus. Flight too only around 8 and a half hours. Then maybe have still some of it against the Blues. Pity Bulls were not playing Chiefs or Blues first on the tour. Then the altitude would have still helped them. I still think it could help with the Blues game. Altitude training starts to fade after a week and a half max you can carry it for 2 weeks. So hoping Bulls can have it still with them for the Blues game.
Still think with or with out the altitude training Bulls should beat the Blues even on home soil. With a bonus point not too sure but a win is still great. Chiefs might be the big game over there also Reds. Reds looking really sharp.
Bulls get their defence up could come home with 4 wins but that it looking at it positive. Realistic with 3 or 2 wins.
Hoping with the 4 that would be awesome. Stormers play the same teams over there too. For them they don’t have the altitude to help them but they do get a bye next week. So they will have the rest to help them. So hoping the same for them to come home with the 4 wins but also being realistic. 3 or 2 wins would do very nice for them too.
Go BULLS AND STORMERS for the away tour.
By Craig Ray:
A single try last Saturday has turned Gerhard van den Heever from just another Bulls wing into an overnight sensation.
‘He has pace to burn, which is a primary asset for a wing, and has size’
The touchdown against the Highlanders, from 80m out, has everyone talking.
It wasn’t just a simple run – the 20-year-old had to beat several players on his way to the line. He first ducked inside, then went outside at blistering pace to score.
“He has pace to burn,” said former Bok Breyton Paulse admiringly about one of the best tries in the Super 14 this season.
It had shades of Bryan Habana and Percy Montgomery about it – two Bok speedsters who Van den Heever used to idolise while he was still a schoolboy at Afrikaans Boys’ High in Pretoria.
Now, just two years later, the kid from Affies can consider himself in a similar class. Van den Heever, who improves with every match, has already scored four tries in the Super 14 this year.
A lot of Saturday’s try is owed to another Springbok, the former Stormers try-scoring machine, Pieter “Slap Chips” Rossouw, the master of the intercept.
“The ball worked its way to me but initially I didn’t realise that I could score a try from that far out,” Van den Heever told The Times.
“I noticed that there was a prop in front of me and I knew that I must break outside instead of the other way.
“A few weeks earlier backline coach Pieter Rossouw said that if I make a line break I must go to the outside.
“That try is definitely one I wouldn’t have scored a month ago because it comes with a little experience. Before, when I was making line breaks, I kept coming inside, which was a mistake, because there are always more defenders on the inside.”
Van den Heever is modest but there is a steely determination in his voice that suggests he knows what he wants to achieve, and how to achieve it. “I have a lot to learn still, but I’m happy with my progress so far,” he said.
Obviously natural talent is a prerequisite to being successful at Super 14 level and the youngster has that in abundance.
He ran the 110 metres hurdles in a South African record of 13.8 seconds in high school and ran 20.9 for the 200 metres. He is also big, standing 1.91 metres tall and weighing 96kg, which makes him a formidable sight in full flow. But for all those attributes it’s his ability to learn and adapt quickly that’s most impressive.
“Gerhard is a very talented young player,” former Bok wing Breyton Paulse told The Times. “He has pace, which is a primary asset for a wing, and he has size.
“He certainly still has a lot to learn, but working with Pieter Rossouw he’ll develop quickly, because he’s part of such a professional set-up at the Bulls
Bulls fly over on Tuesday, they want to do the same as last year, time will tell. But remember the bulls lost 3 games last year, so some will be lost. Unless we are really superhuman.
If we dont lose a game this year we would be the only team to join the Crusaders in that feat. That my friends is very very far from my mind. In fact another 9 wins on the trot, that will make us Bull supporters uncontrollable. I would leave this planet then, wont be able to live with mere mortal souls. 😆
Blouste he is exciting, and if he stays injury free we will cheer him for long, maybe in a few years time we can really ask Habana , who?
Hy laat my baie dink aan Dale Steyn, daai looks of determination. A true Blue boytjie both.
42 – Super, That is the way to do it. Fly late. Also flying to Perth from Joburg is only about 8 and a half hours. So that leg of the travel is not bad at all. They will benefit from the altitude training in that game for sure. Maybe with the Blues game too. After that the altitude conditioning is gone.
Bulls are such a good side really they don’t have to worry too much about that to help them. They do however have to tighten their defence against the better sides. Like Canes this week, Blues, Chiefs and Reds. Well never thought I would say Reds, but they are a team on the up and playing some very good rugby.
Though if Bulls keep on getting more tries than the other team and don’t give away too many penalties. Then I suppose the defence wont matter much. Like it has not mattered too much at the moment.
Still think they may have to work on their defence against those teams though.
41 – Blouste, That was the best try in the tourney so far from any player. Superb. I said it on Monday in one of my posts here.
flok
dit klink offie bulle op dié thread orgasmes gaan kry
laat ek liewers flokkof na ñ ander thread toe!!
Okay out of here now. Going to watch some crici.
Cheers Ash, still see you up there.
cheers puma
enjoy!!
46 – Ash….hehehe. That was funny 😆
Cheers Ash, Catch up tomorrow. Now to relax and watch the crici.. 😀
Die bleddie Stormpies moet ook alles opdonner
“People say the Stormers softened them up for us, I believe they made them angry!” Matfield said of the Hurricanes
Lmga Superbul – ai ons het probeer om van Nonu ontslae te raak maar hy het ongelukkig losgekom op die citing en ons het darem van Corey Jane ontslae geraak – hey ons het darem probeer hahaha
51 – Karen 😀
How you doing?
Hallo Puma
Nervous as hell for Saturday as usual 😀
53 – Karen, No you should never be. Stormers should beat the Cheetahs. No Brussow either. I know everyone says with the new rules he is not as affective but I think he still is. So really don’t see a Cheetah win. Stormers to win this one.
Okay I am out of here.
Cheers Super, GBS, Piet and Karen.
Lol Puma it is just that I still get nervous before the Stormers play. Standard procedure for me 🙂 They should win this game but I have no clue to this Whitehead guy.
Cheers Puma – have a great evening
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