Bok calm before the storm
15 Oct 2007
It was a circumspect and humbled Bok team that left the Stade de France in the early hours of Monday morning.
All week the Boks had been respectful of the Pumas and the occasion of the World Cup semi-final. The media had drummed up Fourie du Preez calling his opposite Gus Pichot ‘irritating’, but it was a compliment, qualified by Pichot’s strengths, as viewed by Du Preez.
As the Boks left the Stade de France, victors by 37-13, the second biggest Rugby World Cup semi-final winning margin, they were as subdued as they had been all week in the build-up to the semi-final.
They were confident, as they were 24 hours ago, but they were not arrogant, cocky or thinking beyond next Saturday night.
They praised the Pumas and the coach and captain cautioned the South African media that nothing had been won. They’d merely earned the right to play in a final.
Ernie Els, having won a record seventh World Match Play, was the first at the team hotel to welcome the Boks. He had hopped on his jet and made it in time for their arrival. Johan Rupert was also at the hotel, as were many others. But the players were calm and the calmest of the lot was coach Jake White.
He enjoyed a few beers, brought a few supporters a few beers, and then headed off for bed by 1.30. Given that the Boks only arrived back at the hotel a shade before 1am, it took some self-discipline.
Captain John Smit spoke of the responsibility to a nation. He spoke of the meaning of making it to the final, but significance of actually winning it.
This has been the most remarkable Bok World Cup campaign, mainly because of the honesty between coach and players when it comes to selection and the freedom with which each player has been allowed to operate. This has been a sporting campaign and not a political coup.
It has been a joy to follow these guys around France because they’ve come to play in a sport’s event, knowing they were good enough to win it.
There hasn’t been scandal because there has been honesty. There have been difficult moments, but that’s to be expected and there has been unhappiness because only 15 can start.
But there has been a bond that was as evident when they arrived back at their team hotel as their was when they were pounding the Pumas into submission.
This is a team with everything to win on Saturday, but until they do it they aren’t even talking about having succeeded. It makes for a change from previous campaigns.
This is also the first squad that has not asked to be judged at the World Cup. The players here have won Currie Cups, a Super 14 and a Tri Nations. All that remains is a World Cup and they’re not getting ahead of themselves.
They whipped the English 36-zip the last time, but they’ve disregarded that result, saying a final is a 50-50 game. They’ve praised the mental strength of the English in winning in Marseilles and Paris, but they’ve also given themselves a pat on the back for winning by 24 points against Argentina and scoring three tries in 40 minutes against a team that in five previous World Cup matches had conceded 3 tries.
This is a team in touch with their own ability and very much in touch with what it will take to win the World Cup.
This is a team that deserves to be backed.
360 Comments
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15 Oct 2007, 14:12 pm
Hi Bod.
Yes, the over and under bind depending on who has the longer arms makes sense.
Interesting point!!
15 Oct 2007, 14:29 pm
# 342
Capebull,
Ek dink ook nie Bobby is die beste nie, maar ek dink in die finaal gaan ons dalk so impakspeler nodig hê. As Jake vir 5/2 gaan, dan sal ek beide Wicus en Bob op die bank plaas. Wicus vervang vir Burger, en Bobby vir Danie, die laaste 15 minute. As White vir 4/3 gaan, sal ek vir Guthro en Bob uitlos en vir Muller inbring en WO op senterreserwe.
# 343
Shark Lover, het geen probleem met die meeste van jou menings nie, maar het ook nie ‘n probleem met die meeste menings van Tacticus nie. Gun mekaar maar ‘n plekkie in die son.
Ons ALMAL skree nou vir die Bokke !
Ek het geen probleem dat ons kan verskil oor spankeuses en wie is die beste nie, maar ek het wel ‘n probleem as iemand ‘n anders span se spelers beledig, bloot omdat hy nie vir ‘my span’ speel nie.
Goeie voorbeelde daarvan is baie (nie almal nie!) bulonderteuners wat anti-butch en anti-jpp is, of baie (nie almal nie) haaieondersteuners wat anti-danie en anti-WO is.
Kom ons wees eerlik, daar was spelers wat tydens die toernooi (en nie voor dit nie) waarlik goeie spelers, ysters geword het. Onder hulle tel myns insiens Butch en JPP. Butch is definitief die beste wat ons nou het, en ek is baie bly dat hy so koel en kalm speel. Hy het vir my ‘n baie volwasse speler geword. Hy moet dit nou net so hou met die finaal, waar dinge baie rof gaan raak.
Percy het my so 2 of 3 seisoene gelede begin oortuig met sy spel hy is ons beste, maar jy moet self eerlik wees dat tot en met so 2 jaar gelede was hy werklik nie so goed nie. Maar NOU is hy skitterend.
Dieselfde met Smit. Nadat hy beseer was tydens die 3-nasies, het selfs die gehardste Bul besef hy is ons beste. Hy is ‘n skitterende kaptein, en saam met Francois Pienaar, is hy die beste wat ek nog gesien het.
Percy is ook ons beste nou, maar ek dink nogsteeds dat (die enigste) Rolls Royce en Johan Heunis ons beste heelagters was (ten minste wat ek gesien het), alhoewel laasgenoemde nie baie blootstelling gekry het nie.
Daar is werklik niemand wat slegs is in die hele Bokspan nie, en soos jy sê, daar is spelers in sekere posisies wat nie die beste is nie, maar wel verdien om daar te wees.
Na my mening is ons beste spelers tot dusver in WB:
- beste spelers: Juan Smith, FDP, Habana
- meeste gevorder: JPP, Butch
- stabiliteit ‘consistent’: Os, Percy, Vic
Ek is ‘n groot Bakkies fan, maar hy is vir my so bietjie stil. Ek hoop hy hou dit vir Saterdag !
Moet sê, jammer die Franse is uit, sou graag Chabal vs Bakkies wou gesien het.
15 Oct 2007, 15:01 pm
Alf
stem saam maar dink tog Vic is bo saam met Habs en Juan & kie
Teleurstelling is ons skrum , spesifiek nommer 3
15 Oct 2007, 15:14 pm
Ja, ons skrum sukkel.
Ek weet die ander ouens gaan my nou seker weer kruisig, maar ek meen ‘n topfikse beseringsvrye Richard Bands sou die oplossing gewees het, wat dink jy ?
15 Oct 2007, 15:16 pm
Of natuurlik Cobus Visagie, jammer hy is beseer !
15 Oct 2007, 15:24 pm
Hi,
since everyone is writing about the tight head situation, I guess JW and the boys are hard at work figuring England out.
If BJ was our best tight head and our scrum struggled against Sheridan and co then, we need a big plan for Saturday.
CJ did not look comfortable at all against the argies. Jannie …
I guess we will just about hold England – as long as there is not a 5 meter scrum…
15 Oct 2007, 16:12 pm
Am I crazy ???
RESERVES. A 6:1 split.
16. steenkamp
17. du plessis
18. du plessis
19. muller
20. skinstad
21. van heerdon
22. Pienaar
Reasoning.
Poms are strong in the front row (Only, except for Jonnie W.)
Ruaan P can play any position in the backline if needs be, and Percy M and Frans S are also positionally ‘mobile’.
Bulawayo Bob Skinny can cover a centre position, if unfortunate injuries occur amongst our backs.
Danie R provides third cover for the ‘beanpoles’.
We have the firepower in the loosies, and the lineout jumpers, so if we can tame the ‘brick wall’ – using fresh legs – then the Cup kom huistoe: definitif !
WHO DARES: WINS !
KK
Bokke by 12 + !!!
15 Oct 2007, 16:20 pm
Alf
Ek stem saam oor Bands, dis juis hieroor dat ek dink Lions gaan wen hulle skrum is beter as Cheetas.
Wat my egter gepla het is dat ons nie ordentlik gebind was in skrums teen Argies nie, en dis die haker se werk om dit te organise
15 Oct 2007, 17:32 pm
‘Baja’ – Argentinian 8 man scrum.
Keep the Poms honest.
Occasionally, no ‘loosie’ heads out of the pack, no hooker action, but just total commitment to bashing the Poms backwards.
If they don’t know when it is coming (even on ‘our’ ball), then – if our inside backs move close – and our 11, 14 & 15 are deeper, to cover the rear, all sorts of possibilities arise !
We must not rely solely on a ‘wide’ game against the Brits.
The South Sea Islanders are so hard to counter, simply because no-one knows what they WILL do !
Take a leaf from their book !
Bokke by 12 points +.
KK
15 Oct 2007, 21:16 pm
Just look out for IRB interference now. What’s happening on the citings front? Juan Smith?
Who is the ref for the final? Be careful if it is an Irish ref.
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