Poms pasted in Paris
14 Sep 2007
The prophecy of an England pummeling came to pass when South Africa secured a 36-0 whitewash in St Denis.
With only two pool matches remaining against the USA and Tonga, the Boks are certain to top Pool A. By beating England, they have secured an easier path to the semi-finals.
The way South Africa began it appeared as if a 50-pointer was on the cards. After the initial exchanges, JP Pietersen broke down the blindside off a line-out and found Fourie du Preez in good support. The Bok scrumhalf lost his footing but was still able to set up flanker Juan Smith for a well worked try.
What followed was an all out assault on the England back three. South Africa dominated the line-outs and the ball never went further than first-receiver, where one of Butch James, Frans Steyn or Du Preez would send it into orbit. Their accuracy was telling, with the likes of Jason Robinson often caught out by the Bok chasers. Du Preez also showed some great vision when kicking infield off a penalty, finding space and Jaque Fourie collecting off the run. Unfortunately, the centre lost the ball just before he tried to place the ball over the line.
England were rudderless without Jonny Wilkinson, with Andy Farrell and Mike Catt producing poor efforts in clearing from the flyhalf channel. The number of mistakes the duo made in this position was also unacceptable, be it through a misdirected kick or spilled ball, it just served to heap more pressure on an already battered English defence.
Victor Matfield provided the platform from the line-out, while his second row partner Bakkies Botha got through an exemplary amount of work around the park. The South African scrum were also strong at scrumtime even though they received little opportunity to attack.
Wikus van Heerden was a worthy understudy to Schalk Burger, carrying the ball up strongly and pilfering a few balls off the deck. His cleaning around the rucks was also integral to quick ball, as this enabled the South African kickers to drive the English back into their own half.
Du Preez was in masterful form from the base, be it with ball in hand or with his formidable boot. He created the first try for Smith and then sparked the second just before half-time, stepping past a rushing defender and surging upfield. He drew the last man superbly before freeing up Pietersen, who raced in unopposed and ensured the Boks went to the break with a 20-0 advantage.
England persisted with their tight tactics but the poor attack evident in the World Cup warm ups was once again the inhibitor. Catt never challenged the Bok defence and Farrell was equally impotent. Anybody who expected a surprise in the department would have been bitterly disappointed. But conventional wisdom would suggest this group wasn’t numerous.
England scrapped, but South Africa never allowed the play to become scrappy. They continued to pin the Poms back in their own half, and the killer blow was delivered in the 64th minute through Pietersen’s second try. Du Preez was the orchestrator once again, benefitting from a great forward platform to race round the blindside and direct a simple run in for the South African right winger.
The gap between the two sides was gigantic, but South Afirca never shifted from third gear. They cruised to this win and at the same time ensured England suffered the ultimate humiliation by never securing a point.
For all his magic, Du Preez will be a concern for the Boks after clutching his troublesome shoulder late in the second half. He was duly substituted and the South Africans will hope there is not further damage.
England may not be so lucky, with Robinson pulling up with looked to be a serious hamstring injury. Although Wilkinson and Olly Barkley should be fit for the playoffs, the loss of the veteran should hit England just as hard. Jamie Noon was also stretchered from the field in the dying minutes and could also miss the deciding game against Samoa.
If this game confirmed anything it was that the Webb Ellis Trophy will change hands by the end of this tournament. The big question for England is whether they can surpass Samoa and qualify for the playoffs. On this sort of effort, even the most ardent English fan may be in doubt.
South Africa – Tries: Juan Smith, JP Pietersen (2). Conversions: Percy Montgomery (3). Penalties: Francois Steyn, Montgomery (4).
England – None.
By Jon Cardinelli
601 Comments
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15 Sep 2007, 01:06 am
joeboy whatever u need.
15 Sep 2007, 01:06 am
good win almost got 40pts I wanted
Wickus did well and du Preez, Rossouw, Matfield,Bakkies all did well.
Best positive is no injuries
Jason Robinson was the best back on the field bar
du Preez.
**some negatives**
it was pretty boring game entertainment wise
BJ Botha, Smit and Os got smashed in the scrum.
BJ has being found out for his illegal technique.
15 Sep 2007, 01:07 am
..be warned there is train wreck coming if thats all you got.
15 Sep 2007, 01:07 am
Congrats to the Bokke – well played.
But – how bad were England?? Is there a physicist in the house – I’m trying to explain England’s game – but don’t know what is less than one-dimensional! Jeez – they had no idea – other than rumble another half metre in the forwards!
Land of mope and gory!
On another front – its interesting to see the tactics many teams – including SA today – are using. It seems a bit negative really – hoist the ball in the air, and wait for the other side to make a mistake. The Argies did it against France, and it seemed like the main tactic today.
15 Sep 2007, 01:08 am
“The South African scrum were also strong at scrumtime even though they received little opportunity to attack. BJ Botha caused opposite number Andrew Sheridan all sorts of problems”
WTF?? WE LOST 2 TIGHTHEADS!!
WHAT GAME WERE YOU WATCHING??
BJ GOT HIS *** HANDED TO HIM.
someone callup Richard Bands please
15 Sep 2007, 01:09 am
The Bok’s did not play to full potential the score could have been higher, at least one more try and the bonus point. We need to look at this and say .. this was not good enough. I was convinced by the hype that a 15 point plus for the Bok’s was going to be convincing but the 36 point win was a bit of a let down. Come on guys (I mean you the players) you had sooooo much more in the tank but could not put your foot down.
My man of the match is Jason Robinson a real stand but no backup.
Fourie du Preez and Francois Steyn were the Bok king pins for me, JP Pietersen great but needs some polishing, You could see that Habana was a marked man and had the short end of the stick but still put in a good effort. Burger would have put a little more beef into the effort and maybe the 4th try bonus point.
Guys you need to pull this together a bit more if you are going to take the cup home.
15 Sep 2007, 01:11 am
we have to be careful with avoiding injuries against the harder tackling tongans.
maybe play Pienaar at flyhalf
15 Sep 2007, 01:11 am
Gerber…easy on the Bulls bias!!!
And to reckon Rossouw had a great game is taking it a tad too far. He looked like the carthorse of old – and with Bob reduced to little more than an impact player, I reckon Spies’ loss will be more keenly felt than any other.
Now Gerber, didn’t Meisiekind look the part, too????
15 Sep 2007, 01:18 am
Marking Habana is no problem, and I hope the other teams do it too. It means whoever is marking him restricts their own opportunities.
Well done bokke! Have a good rest then get back to it!
15 Sep 2007, 01:38 am
Great performance by the Boks, although England were ****. Only worry was du Preez coming off – does anyone know if/how badly he was injured?
15 Sep 2007, 01:43 am
Our first phase possession was poor, but I really do feel there will be no other teams who have the forwards to compete with ours. NZ may have a stronger scrum but our line out is quite significantly superior.
The feature of our game I still hope we can improve on is setting the wings loose via a full line movement.
This may seem like an odd comment considering that JPP scored two, but both were very opportunistic and reliant on individual brilliance from FdP. The ball went through two players hands… FdP and JPP.
Yes, you can argue that defense wins World Cups, but at 22 – 18 down against New Zealand with 5 minutes to go we won’t be able to rely on an intercept or turnover ball to score trust me… so in that situation what would we do?
I dunno… I just can’t see SA scoring through the backline. Hopefully things will change or they will prove me wrong.
15 Sep 2007, 01:43 am
Manne,
Ongeag ‘n paar probleme wat nog uitgeskakel kan word, het al die Bokke eintlik goed gespeel, en was dit ‘n skitterende poging.
Natuurlik kan dinge nog beter, maar los dit vir later, ons moet nie nou al heeltemal ‘peak’ nie.
Jammer Jean DV is beseer, sou as hy reg was Steyn op senter gelos het en JDV op vleuel gespeel het, waar ek dink sy beste posisie is.
Manne, kom ons hou op om mekaar se provinsiale spelers af te kraak, en skree saam vir die Bokke !
Natuurlik kan ‘n mens kritiek gee waar nodig, en verskil met spankeuses, maar ons hoef nie mekaar en veral die spelers te beledig nie.
Sterkte aan AL die Bokke … ook die Haai-Bokke!
15 Sep 2007, 01:44 am
we beat England 36-0 and some of u guys are still complaining. Sure our our front 3 are weak
but show sum respect u morons
15 Sep 2007, 01:45 am
if we somehow beat the ABs in the final u nutcases will still complain
15 Sep 2007, 01:51 am
Wow what a prospect for the All Blacks. If France in their own backyard isn’t bad enough, then Australia in their semi-final and then these mighty Springboks in the final. All 3 are World Cup knockout stage-hoodoo teams for the All Blacks, and arranged in the most difficult possible order.
If the All Blacks are still able to win the tournament, they would surely have deserved to… but the betting odds for this tournament might be about to undergo a drastic change.
15 Sep 2007, 02:00 am
365# what country u from Meph?
15 Sep 2007, 02:08 am
Hi Guys, good win against the POMS. Have to say that they were ****, they owned you guys in the scrum but that was the only highlight, no backline to speak off. I wouldn’t suggest that your forwards would be better than the AB’s just yet and the AB’s and with carter at no10 their backline is 10 times more potent than what I say tonight. Good win but
15 Sep 2007, 02:10 am
We are not knocking the Bok’s just pointing out the soft spots that need work. As far as i am concerned if The Bok’s played the AB’s in the same fashion …..well Need I say …. not good enough.
three failed drop goal attempts …thats the game lost add that to other failures there is no hope. So the message is work on it guys. You have what it takes now use it.
15 Sep 2007, 02:14 am
367# *******
15 Sep 2007, 02:18 am
369. now now be nice
15 Sep 2007, 02:22 am
A mature performance from the Boks. Say what you like. We gave the Poms far too much credit. It should have been 50-0. The poms were plain Sh*t. They had no game plan, no confidence. Disarray is the only word that comes to mind. The Poms are definitely the worst “ex” world champions.
The Boks are only warming up. NZ, AUS, France, be afraid. Be very afraid! BOKKE!
15 Sep 2007, 02:23 am
370# Ditto
15 Sep 2007, 02:26 am
Where’s big hit, joeboy, just tried to point out AB’s are No1 for a reason
15 Sep 2007, 02:28 am
Have to say but, I wouldn’t put money against you guys not making the final. Its just depends on who wants to join you
15 Sep 2007, 02:35 am
The Boks played well, but the front row was very very weak. Two tightheads versus England’s scrum? What went wrong?
15 Sep 2007, 02:40 am
Don’t say that Tackler you’ll upset the Saffas. I can’t believe that Styen missed his drop goal, The tosser hit two awesome drop goals to save them in SA against us and misses one straight infront, How ironic.
15 Sep 2007, 02:45 am
373# big hit wouldnt dare *** here tonite
376# Steyn was awesum
what the f*ck is wrong with u???
ur stupid little backward comments
15 Sep 2007, 02:47 am
come on joeboy admit it, England were ****, any top four team should have nailed them
15 Sep 2007, 02:57 am
yes aussie england were lousy but the Boks were great. scrums excluded.
To criticise Steyn for missing a drop goal when he was magnificent reflects on ur ****** personality.
Give credit were it is due and dont be a sarcastic ******* 24/7
15 Sep 2007, 03:00 am
SAus, better not to waste your time…
Tackles, would like to know as well. From the first scrum it ‘looked’ like BJ was under pressure but then the games started with the pommie #9 taking ages, well until such time the ref awarded a penalty/freekick before attempting to put the ball in.
Some shots from the top showed BJ scrumming in but then on at least one occassion I had a clear view the pom loosehead did the same and the ref still thought it good to award them a penalty.
All aside, BJ was put in for a specific reason, being shorter to make it difficult for the taller oppo prop, seems it backfired but JW was reluctant to replace him. I assume he felt comfortable with the way the score was going…
Lets wait on the experts (tighthead and loosehead) to tell us more.
15 Sep 2007, 03:02 am
joeboy, time to put down the dop and head for bed!
15 Sep 2007, 03:08 am
I hear you mate, in first post I said that it was a good win, congratulations. In my world your win is as good as your opposition. I didn’t go around saying we’re going to win this comp after beating Japan. It was what it was. Unless we beat the AB’s in the semi’s which i feel is unlikley but possible we won’t play you. But keep up the pretence of thinking all is rosy and your team has a damm good chance of beating the AB’s cause it doesn’t mean **** when your facing a rampaging AB team, thats reality, so good luck with that and I wish you all the luck
15 Sep 2007, 03:22 am
381# hey Koosie doosie i dont drink
15 Sep 2007, 03:31 am
Dagse Koos,
Lekker opgestaan vir die game,en jy?
Fourie Dup was skitterend,Percy was clinical and the most underrated flyhalf Butch James was good.
I think Butch is the best we’ve had since Honiball and Fourie dup is better than Joost.
My respect to Jason Robinson,the ONLY Eng player who was trying.
15 Sep 2007, 03:36 am
joeboy learn some respect
15 Sep 2007, 03:39 am
Great win for the Boks. Tactically, they outplayed the Poms.
It is a bit worrying, though, that the Poms managed to win two tightheads. The Bok scrum looked rather vulnerable at times.
Unless there’s a major upset, the Boks will be one of the finalists.
Mark my words, it’s either going to be an AB-SA final, or an Aus-SA final!
15 Sep 2007, 03:41 am
#365 meph- that game is only going to shorten the odds against the AB’s. Really cant believe you guys read so much into performance like that. The poms were like a dog chasing their tail. If you honestly think that game highlighted how the Boks are going to beat NZ go and place a big bet.
15 Sep 2007, 03:45 am
Ian it will be more obvious after the Wales game tonite but am thinking NZ -Sa.
How weird was it seeing Eddie Jones sitting with Jake the peg.
If SA doesnt fix their scrum the AB’s are going to crush them and smack em in the lineout as well.
Overall there was some really good play from SA, place kicking and backline work but it wont be enough to take the AB’s come high noon.
15 Sep 2007, 03:46 am
Youre sounding nervous there Fantail,and who said anything about beating NZ,but in saying that we are the only side who is capable of beating you.
15 Sep 2007, 03:49 am
386# well said Ian
at last some common sense
385# for whom? i dont respect saracsm
15 Sep 2007, 03:57 am
Hi Manlybok, I can assure you that there are no nerves. Actually I have never sat more comfortably over the prospect of a major game in my life. If we play you and lose, that will also sit ok with me as you would have deserved to.
This game, if it comes to be will be the most fiercly contested game in history. What I find it difficult to comprehend is how so many confuse this team of AB’s with the past teams and in doing so underestimate what their whole campaign has been about. I actually have alot more respect for the Boks than you would believe, but if they think that the victory over the poms relates to points on the board against the AB’s they are in for a hugh disappointment.
Heres why in case you havent read my theory.
Graham Henry – Master and Magician
The word ‘tweaking’ is quite common place amongst professionals. It means to refine something as it is happening. The end result is defined but as the process has so many variables it is constantly ‘tweaked’. This is exactly what GH has been up to, except the ‘tweaking’ has been going on behind closed doors and away from prying eyes.
These two teams, or combinations there-of that Henry has fielded over the last few years have been more successful than any team in the history of rugby. They have, without doubt set the benchmark of world rugby leading towards the World Cup.
Figuratively speaking, if you had the best two teams in the world to practise strategies in private what would you do?
Here’s what I think has been going on in the All Black camp.
For sometime now there has been something a little ‘askew’ with the AB’s game. It took me sometime to realise what it was and when I did I saw the genius behind it. As a leading team you are under the microscope constantly so only a fool would lead his team into something so important with the displaying the same game for three years.
The fielding of two teams has been part of the smoke screen. We all talk of depth, injury cover etc but really the ‘A’ team was picked three years ago and the ‘B’ team was developed for three reasons. Depth of course. Firstly and most importantly, as training partner for the ‘A’ team, secondly to run interference on any professional analysis.
In a nut shell, the All Blacks have dominated world rugby over the last four years. All areas of their game are either the best there is or so close to it, that it runs a parallel with the best any other team has to offer.
That is of course except for the lineout.
As a pivotal part of the game and set piece, the lineout has never really been ‘fixed’ as it should have been. It has meandered along, just getting by. My call is that the AB lineout is the sucker punch that no one has seen coming.
The answer is really in the question.
Do you think Graham Henry is stupid enough to let something so important go unattended for so long and deliver this to France?
No, unless it is on purpose. Why would he do this? Quite obvious really. To let everyone think it is an area of fair contention.
The scrum cannot be tampered with. It must compete at every opportunity to improve.
If, as with the AB scrum, who wins a lot (if not all) of their ball, it enhances the attacking skills of the backs. So how and, more importantly, why is part of the plan for the backs to develop greater defending skills?
Henry has been deliberately letting the line out give away ball (losing some of the lineout on purpose). He has been able to secure wins without a great lineout. By doing this it has empowered the defensive skills of the backline and exposed all the major plays in the opposition’s lineout.
Henry has the kickers to place the ball where needed and this is where his masterstroke will come into play.
Having two teams to practise this with for three years and winning both home and away with the team as it is, has given him the latitude to form a plan to put all opponents to the sword when the time is right.
The lineout and ‘A’ game will not be seen until the semis or the finals. It will be succinct and dominating. The play will hem the opposition within their twenty-five. Due to the defending prowess of the AB backline and the power of the forwards the opposition will have no way to clear other than by kicking. Having a lineout that has improved by as much as fifty percent will take its toll against the throw particularly due to even a minor miscalculation.
This World Cup will be won here.
15 Sep 2007, 03:59 am
Ian I think you may understand this after your comments # 386.
15 Sep 2007, 04:02 am
391# what a nutcase
15 Sep 2007, 04:08 am
More Manly, ja lekker opgestaan. My blerrie pel van SA het my natuurlik 3.30am gebel. Deur die kuk soos mens is dog ek dis my alarm en druk so ewe ‘snooze’ en sit die tv aan en alles…fo-ol rugby!!! Vat my so twee minute en sy message om deur te kom om uit te werk dit is 3.30 en nie 5.00 nie. Kyk toe maar die CC wat ek getape het…
Die hele span het goed gespeel, sal maar wag vir die eksperts om my te vertel wat daar in die skrum aangegaan het…
15 Sep 2007, 04:10 am
#390 And nobody respect insults, get over yourself!
15 Sep 2007, 04:11 am
#391 Hehe Fantail,you sound like the Hitler youth expounding the AB propoganda manual,do you read it while doing the Haka ?
Be careful about that “lineout”smokescreen theory,I thought the French were running a smokescreen since they beat SA in SA but it turned out there was no smoke,just a little fizzle.
Lastly I would love nothing better than a SA/NZ final its still the ultimate in Union.
15 Sep 2007, 04:12 am
Morning boys
Well done the Boks
I had to listen to English commentary & they kept banging on about Boks having more handling errors than the the Poms – Well heavens, statistically that will happen when you have more posession
Then again they didn’t have a lot to say about England … What could you say ?
15 Sep 2007, 04:22 am
Hi Princess feel for you without the Screen. Boks played well and Poms had no advantages-thats pretty much it in a nutshell.
Anyone conspicuous by there absence on this otherwise but delightful day?
15 Sep 2007, 04:23 am
Top of the morning from sunny Rajasthan and all,
Never managed to get satellite tuned for the game but listened to it from RSG broadcast while logged on here.
Listening to commentary only was weird – reminds me of thirty years ago – listening to rugby, boxing etc on the radio hahahah.
Only think i picked up on radio was that the Bok scrumming wasn’t all that good ho hum.
15 Sep 2007, 04:25 am
Good win for SA, but England wouldn’t beat a S14 side.
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