From the penthouse to the shithouse
17 Nov 2008
The drop in form for the world champion Boks – and in particular 2007 IRB player of the year Bryan Habana – has been dramatic.
In Edinburgh this morning the talk is rightfully of heroism, bravehearts and lost opportunity. The Scots, ranked ninth in the world, were a try away from upstaging the world champion Springboks. In South African cities the rugby talk rightfully is of disgust at the performance of the Springboks.
One country’s support base had no reason to believe a victory was possible, while the one in which we live had no reason to believe defeat to the sad Scots was a possibility.
Scotland are an ordinary side, so any attempt to justify or applaud this Springbok performance must be rubbished. This was no come from behind win; it was an insult to what was achieved by many of the same players a year ago.
Something has to be seriously wrong when Bryan Habana, the player of the year in 2007, is substituted 30 minutes before the end on successive weekends, and the only surprise is that he wasn’t yanked 30 minutes into the respective matches.
It is becoming tiresome, not to mention repetitive, to hear the players, in their post-match summary, talk of how they went back to a structured game plan at halftime and how they focused on doing the basics and playing to a style that complimented their strengths.
The players may mean well, but in attempting to articulate the performance they condemn the coaching staff because the words are those of players at odds with the coaching philosophy.
This is not a healthy Springbok side. They don’t have the aura of a year ago and it is because they don’t have the fitness, confidence, discipline and self-belief of the side that effortlessly arm-wrestled all opposition at the World Cup. They also don’t have the intellectual capital in what is a very inexperienced coaching trio.
There has been no rebuilding of the side, so that can’t be an excuse, and there has been no growth.
The Boks, for all their failings, may squeeze past England on Saturday, but again it will be more reflective of the limitations of the opposition than any South African revival.
The continued doublespeak in game plan; the contradictions in romance and realism; have left loose-forwards on the wing, locks in the midfield and props at first receiver, with the occasional clean out at the ruck coming from a wing, centre and flyhalf.
South Africa’s strength is physicality at the breakdown and dominance in contact. Against Scotland players attacked as individuals, got isolated and were often turned over, and when the Boks did get numbers to the breakdown there was no discipline. Put bluntly, there was no plan as a team or for individuals, especially Habana, who internationally has gone from the penthouse to the shithouse.
Habana’s decline is alarming and if he is not injured then it must rank as among the more dramatic reversals of form. Currently he can’t catch a ball, run a support line or even make an intercept count, and to see a novice Scottish winger beat him on the outside, much as Welsh wizard Shane Williams did earlier this season, is more mystifying than it is embarrassing for Habana.
Habana should not be playing against England because his form does not warrant inclusion ahead of Jonge Nokwe. A few others should also not be playing against England, but the insular selection policy that picks Brian Mujati ahead of the northern hemisphere-based CJ van der Linde and BJ Botha and Earl Rose ahead of Bath’s Butch James means some of South Africa’s best players will watch Saturday’s Test from the stands at Twickenham.
Fourie du Preez’s injury means there is a scrumhalf crisis, but a bit more innovative thinking could have turned a mishap into an opportunity with the selection of Saracens and former Stormers scrumhalf Neil de Kock, who has consistently been the best scrumhalf in England for the last three seasons.
That, however, would require having a plan – and like with Habana, if there is such a thing I know I am not alone in failing to see it.
These are disturbing times for the Boks because damage is being done now that will only come to the fore when the British and Irish Lions tour South Africa next June.
692 Comments
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17 Nov 2008, 14:05 pm
I jest *** to say hello to all. Must go werk now
17 Nov 2008, 14:06 pm
#395 RugbyRulz: this is true but dont think we have the knowhow in SA to be able to help him sort this out………and he is really a true star……and of course he must sort out this problem of him haveing a white girlfriend, he Dawn
17 Nov 2008, 14:08 pm
#398 Ethel: dis wat julle dink…..hehehehe, ek probeer om my te gedra maar dan moet julle my **** as ek op die N1 in die blerrie verkeer sit…..
17 Nov 2008, 14:09 pm
Haban = no opportunity. Why everyone on the poor guy’s back. Shame on you Keo. So short sighted and sensationalist.
17 Nov 2008, 14:09 pm
397 rugbyrulz: never knew that are an aussie.talking about centre’s,don’t you think mortlock looks a bit lost at 12,he’s such a gr8 player but seems to have excelled lately at 13 only
17 Nov 2008, 14:10 pm
#403 Desertfaffa: the thing is, if the ball never came to him he would go looking for it all over the field, this is not happening anymore,
17 Nov 2008, 14:10 pm
#403 Desertfaffa: what is a faffa?
17 Nov 2008, 14:11 pm
jeez
but
this site is busy today, huh?
..
just wondering where everyone was when the experiment with jsmit (at tighthead) and ruan (at flyhalf) worked?
..
but ag well, maybe i’m just imagining things!
17 Nov 2008, 14:12 pm
#391 RugbyRulz: You mean we win a game like the one against Australia… Unfortunately I don’t believe test rugby is about that or pretty rugby as a norm….. I may be wrong. (Maybe spent too much time in the forwards) I agreed it would be lovely to see beautiful rugby and your team doing it week in week out. In short that is not going to happen.
On the second point. I like most South Africans am sick of rolling with it. Best pool of talent in the world yet battle to bring back many medals from the olympics, football side battles to feature in African never mind World Football and a mediocre rugby side blighted with mis-management and a farce for a coach. The list is endless – it will not stop my support, but it won’t stop me from saying that it is wrong.
17 Nov 2008, 14:12 pm
#403 Desertfaffa:
no oppertunity …
to knock on?
disagree, he had a few and
he did just that!!
17 Nov 2008, 14:13 pm
#406 EEE:
Seker ‘n ander naam vir Francois
17 Nov 2008, 14:14 pm
# EEE: Maybe its me that needs sorting. Would it be better if his girlfriend was green with purple stripes?
Geez seems strange that the USofA has voted a guy of mixed bloods as their new President so why on earth is Habs girl and issue?
17 Nov 2008, 14:14 pm
#406 EEE: Dis Faffa Knoetse.
17 Nov 2008, 14:16 pm
Who thinks that Kankowski should get a start against England?
change it up a bit..
17 Nov 2008, 14:16 pm
WP legend
17 Nov 2008, 14:16 pm
#399 Sheriff: That they could never say. Lets hope he gets it right for all. I am pessimistic, though I will be cheering if he does.
17 Nov 2008, 14:17 pm
#411 RugbyRulz: not me RR, but Dawn…..I was teasing Dawn……….I have no problem with that
#412 Rum And Maple: Of course silly me hehehehehe
17 Nov 2008, 14:17 pm
#404 ruggalover: Yes Mortlock is a **** inside centre. Choices were limited when Barnes was injured so Mort stepped into the breach. Im sure the decision wasn’t a hard one as the opposition was England….. they’re not flash in that department so it wasn’t an issue. Don’t feel we will get off so lightly there against the French, they step a little more lively
Could be a problem… we shall see.
17 Nov 2008, 14:18 pm
Keep the faith with Habana. Class/permanent/cream/top all the cliches. Predict on Saturday SA will be habana good time. Apologise in advance for that
17 Nov 2008, 14:18 pm
#408 pedspin: And you will be heard I am certain… It only take one voice >>>>>>>> ROAR.
17 Nov 2008, 14:19 pm
#408 pedspin:
or
maybe
you just “took the ball up” one time too many?
17 Nov 2008, 14:20 pm
EEE, you can’t look for the ball when everyone is just kicking it.
how on earth do we do this whole response to someones comment business? Newbie
17 Nov 2008, 14:21 pm
#414 Desertfaffa:
Divan, Michael, Carel, Faffa, Willie, Schalk Burger, Schalla Scholtz….
one of the best WP backlines ever.
17 Nov 2008, 14:21 pm
#340 karamba:
I dont make the laws here, and I definately do not enforce them either.
17 Nov 2008, 14:21 pm
I have never been a PDV fan, but I think in this situation that we should give him the benefit of the doubt there are a few factors to take into consideration.
First of all we haven’t lost yet & I know it hasn’t been pretty, but if there’s one thing that the Rudolph Strauli era taught me about the springboks its the value of an ugly win. Its sure as hell better then a loss.
Secondly, even if PDV were to lose to England next weekend this tour could be considered more successful then most of the Northern Hemisphere tours under Jake White. Not since the Nick Mallet era have we actually been dominant in the North.
Thridly, I think I will reserve judgement until the english test.
I’d like to think about the positives of what we’ve learned on this tour. The scrum needs to be rejigged. Ruan Pienaar has not looked out of his depth at flyhalf
17 Nov 2008, 14:21 pm
#422 Pietman:
Te veel Schallas daar, Calla Scholtz bedoel ek!
17 Nov 2008, 14:21 pm
#418 Desertfaffa: Agree, he is a class player. Form at the moment shocking though, and Habs seems just as pissed off about it as us all, just look at his expressions when he knocked the ball. I believe the more chances gets created for him, the quicker he will be back to his best.
17 Nov 2008, 14:22 pm
417 rugbyrulz: agree but the french haven’t played that “champagne” rugby in a while. and people say giteau is not at his best,but even his average is pretty good!
17 Nov 2008, 14:23 pm
#421 Desertfaffa:
Click arrow next to name, the one pointing left.
17 Nov 2008, 14:23 pm
#421 Desertfaffa:
1 look at the post # you are responding to
2 besit the posters name there are arrows
click on the < back arrow and the script will be auto posted
17 Nov 2008, 14:23 pm
besit = beside
dyslexic fingers and some
17 Nov 2008, 14:24 pm
#421 Desertfaffa: just click on the left arrow next to the persons nic
17 Nov 2008, 14:24 pm
Yeah R&M i’ll agrre with that. Maybe to add to his class he should work on being able to rough out these patches without gettiong that miserable-why- can’t-i-open-my-presents-before-we-go-to-church-look.
17 Nov 2008, 14:25 pm
424 Harlequin Even if we win next weekend, you cant say this tour would be more successful than Jake who beat Scotland 45-10 in 2004, Wales 33-16 in 2005 etc. We didnt scrape past a weak scottish side
17 Nov 2008, 14:25 pm
#422 Pietman:
middag oom noag
..
hoe hang hulle?
17 Nov 2008, 14:25 pm
Its suprising how Keo has never embraced PdV.I know the boks ddnt play well.I was also disappointed,but to always put the blame on the coach,its suprising.I also think the senior guys who dnt want play the game that the coach wants them to play should just retire.We all saw what can happen(Australia game) if we played what the coach wanted.I still remember what keo and his crew said after that,STRUCTURE AND A TIRED Australia won us a game.nothing was said about PDV.He also keeps mentioning BJ botha and others like he doesnt know that they decided to sign overseas contracts behind our coaches back.Mujati is not a bad player at all,maybe not the best but among our players in SA right now,he certainly the best.You have not seen Early Rose playing,but you peeps keep saying stuff about him,like you did with Adi who later made you eat humble pie.I never hear you saying anything about steyn who I think doesnt have a position right now in the team,but becasue of his talent,nobody says anything about him,even he is selfish as usual,you fail to comment.
Maybe you need to identify what our players are doing than criticise the coach evertime you get a chance.For me is some players hold on to the ball for way too long.Running the ball in your half works for the All Blacks,why do all journalists believe SA cant do it??Habana’s form has dropped only because the ball never gets to the wings.If only we could swing the ball more than hold on to it,will see the wingers getting more involved in the game.There is no need to drop him now.Im a fan of Nokwe but when a team is playing like this,you only want your expirienced guys on the field.
Lets stop being biased when we comment.SA won the ultimate,world cup.The only way from there is down,the only question is will we drop badly or have a justifiable drop…
17 Nov 2008, 14:25 pm
#430 RugbyRulz:
common problem for most here on KEO
17 Nov 2008, 14:26 pm
#431 EEE: It wasn’t rocket science, eh? I’ll do 2 laps for that one
17 Nov 2008, 14:26 pm
#415 pedspin:
Peter has an opportunity to become one of SA’s most successful coaches, he certainly has the personnel and players to do it.
What I’m advocating is that he needs to be afforded a fair chance to do that. If he fails well then he should leave. But is he succeeds then he should be acknowledged as such.
What I’m against is the constant burning desire for him to fail and when there is success to look for reasons other than PdV. In other words, it’s hypocritical to call the players his players when they lose but Jake’s when there’s success.
If we regard ourselves as people with values then we cannot allow that to go unchallenged.
17 Nov 2008, 14:26 pm
#258 grootblousmile: Jou opsomming van die Bok probleme is spot-on
17 Nov 2008, 14:26 pm
And we need to get hold of a coach that can bring organisation, unity and structure to our pack and our approach at the breakdown. No offence to Gary Gold, he is one of the masters when it comes to plays from the set phases, but when it comes to coaching the looser aspects of the game he has come up short and I think his stint at the stormers has proved that.
17 Nov 2008, 14:27 pm
Taken from elsewhere:
After the games on the weekend, the ladder looks like this:
1 New Zealand 92.41
2 South Africa 88.44
3 Australia 86.7
4 Argentina 82.82
5 England 82.11
6 France 80.13
7 Wales 79.58
8 Ireland 77.18
9 Scotland 76.76
10 Fiji 75.24
11 Italy 74.64
So, from what I understand from the IRB website (and I can’t be sure I’ve got it 100% correct), the pools, if they were decided today, would be:
Pool A
New Zealand
England
Scotland
Oceania 1 (Tonga?)
Africa 1 (Namibia?)
Pool B
South Africa
France
Fiji
Europe 1 (Georgia?)
Asia 1 (Japan?)
Pool C
Australia
Wales
Italy
Europe 2 (Romania?)
Americas 2 (USA?)
Pool D
Argentina
Ireland
Samoa
Americas 1 (Canada?)
Play-off place (??)
Of course, there are still a number of games to go before the seedings are decided. Namely:
This week:
England v South Africa
Scotland v Canada (Scotland can’t move up now because Canada is too far behind them)
Ireland v Argentina (Argentina can secure 4th spot should they win)
Italy v Pacific Islanders (Italy can’t get any ranking points from this because the PIs don’t have any ranking points)
Wales v New Zealand
France v Australia
Next week:
England v New Zealand
Wales v Australia
Basically, the top 8 teams are sorted out now, it only depends which order they go in because Scotland, italy, Fiji and Samoa can’t move up between now and December 1
17 Nov 2008, 14:27 pm
He is a poor coach who is out of his depth, Birus, thats why Keo hasnt supported him. He should have neve been coach
17 Nov 2008, 14:27 pm
#427 ruggalover: Gits hasn’t been at his best, last Saturday was his best performance in quite a while and hopefully the corner has been turned. Possibly has a lot on his mind >> talk of him returning to his former team ( Brumbies ). Haven’t heard anything lately so I am assuming it is sorted or is on the back-burner until after the tour.
17 Nov 2008, 14:27 pm
#432 Desertfaffa: Next to a person’s nic there’s two arrows. Click the one pointin left.
17 Nov 2008, 14:28 pm
#433 WP_: I wouldn’t call that a weak Scottish side, haven’t seen the Scots play like that for quite some time, that being said, did think we would have slaughtered them….
17 Nov 2008, 14:29 pm
#438 Sheriff:
17 Nov 2008, 14:30 pm
Hi Guys
I normally go to Walter’s Transvaal webpage for movie clip downloads but he hasn’t added any recently.
Do you know where I can find any movie clips on the CC semi’s and final, as well as the bok tests?
17 Nov 2008, 14:30 pm
#433 WP_: You fail to see that we lost to ireland most of the time, we lost to england most of the time, except the year before the WC, we lost to france all the time. The only saving grace of his NH tours was the fact that he gave the scots a hiding routinely. But with PDV it 2 out of 2 so far.
17 Nov 2008, 14:30 pm
#442 WP_:
you keo’s lover?
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