Scattergun Boks blast pathetic Poms
22 Nov 2008
The Springboks produced another inconsistent showing at Twickenham and were ultimately boosted to a 42-6 victory thanks to a pitiful England display.
There were times when the Boks looked a champion team and there were others when they looked utterly rudderless. England battled well in the forward exchanges, but as a collective lacked the necessary synergy to make their opportunities count.
England managed to disrupt South Africa at the set-pieces with the absence of Andrew Sheridan detracting very little from the home effort at scrumtime. They stole a few off the Bok throw at the lineout, and managed several turnovers on the deck. The difference between England and South Africa is the hosts could produce little when presented with a scoring chance.
The Bok defence in the outside channels still looked painfully exposed, and the general awareness of the South Africans was at times unapparent. England very nearly scored after taking a quick tap penalty because the Boks were fast asleep. Only a desperate scramble by Bakkies Botha and JP Pietersen denied the hosts a try, a movement that perfectly illustrated the Boks’ erratic concentration and England’s poor finishing.
Danny Cipriani kicked the hosts to an early lead when South Africa impeded off the game’s first movement. Ruan Pienaar equalised after six minutes, but the Boks still battled to get their hands on the ball. When they finally won a lineout deep in English territory, they benefited from some lousy defence to score the game’s first try. Danie Rossouw bashed his way past several would-be tacklers to give his team the lead, an advantage Pienaar extended with his accurate boot.
Pienaar snatched the Boks’ second try after 18 minutes when he charged down Cipiani’s attempted clearance, collected and scored. It was another poor showing by Cipriani, who kicked poorly and failed to generate any penetration on the part of the hosts. The England backs drifted from one side of the park to the other, and the Bok defence had no problem cutting them down.
The pressure applied by England at the tackle point made life difficult for Ricky Januarie, but his tactical kicking placed significant heat on the home back three. While Paul Sackey was shaky under the high-ball, he was the biggest threat to the Boks with ball in hand. Fortunately for the hosts, several of his scything breaks came to nought. The defence of South Africa was inconsistent, but their scrambling defence saved them time and again.
England were allowed a sniff at a comeback when prop Beast Mtawarira was yellow-carded for impeding at the ruck after 29 minutes. They failed to capitalise. After half-time the English had several more try-scoring opportunities but just couldn’t finish. The frustration of a capacity Twickenham crowd was near-deafening, while the scatterings of Bok supporters cheered the desperate South African defenders.
The magic moment that broke the back of England arrived in the 51st minute with Adi Jacobs jetting in for a spectacular try. A solid lineout laid the platform for Pienaar to run, and a great backline move saw the space opening up for Pietersen in midfield. Jacobs ran a great supporting line and stepped the last man for a climatic finish. It was the kind of move South African supporters have been waiting for all year, as it was born from structure and finished by flair.
The game progressed and England’s inability to cross the tryline continued. Referee Nigel Owens brandished his second yellow of the afternoon when Conrad Jantjes was adjudged to have shoulder charged Delon Armitage after the England fullback chipped his opposite number. The call was unfair as Jantjes merely stood his ground. Overall, it was not a refereeing performance Owens will be proud of.
The Boks added two late tries through Jaque Fourie and Bryan Habana, the latter another good example of a patient build up.
This result means a clean sweep of Wales, Scotland and England on this tour, and a second successive victory at Twickenham. But in terms of progress, there was little in this performance that would have recaptured the aura of 2007. The Boks fed off their opponents’ mistakes and were shaky at the set-pieces. There was a moment where the world saw their potential in the build up to the Jacobs and Habana tries, but as far as delivering a consistent showing worthy of the world champions is concerned, this Bok team has some way to go.
England – Penalties: Danny Cipriani (2).
Springboks – Tries: Danie Rossouw, Ruan Pienaar, Adi Jacobs, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana. Conversions: Ruan Pienaar (3), Frans Steyn. Penalties: Pienaar (3).
341 Comments
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22 Nov 2008, 21:21 pm
#220 dquinn25: Scotland game only on in SA about 5ish tomorrow morning. Got the pvr set so will watch it tomorrow sometime. Just glad we got some points on the board and a healthy win. How often would we have struggled in this situation after a couple of promising performances?
22 Nov 2008, 21:31 pm
#283 BULLETHEAD Jnr:
lol lost there aura,the famous aura.If there was an aura i suppose NZ would have it.But this so called aura that NZ suppose to have and after winning Tri Nations and 100% wins in NH so far and we are losing this so called aura??
When are we able to get this so called aura back or have we lost it forever now?
What colour is this aura,i have a colour TV,i would have thought i would have seen it by now.
22 Nov 2008, 21:43 pm
Fantastic result! Couple of not so good signs. The Boks conceded plenty turnovers on the ground – was it the ref? Some looked a bit dodgy by the Poms. For those sneering at JW I reckon the tackle count will show that the Boks had to make more tackles than the pasty Poms so the Bok defence was needed and stood firm. Set pieces were Ok but not that solid.
The Pom was woeful in defence and attack, hopefully this run of theirs extends to the Lions tour.
22 Nov 2008, 21:58 pm
Right – JC you’re a right-royal idiot – whats this inconsistency bs!
Jake white said we’ll lose – try again Jake , and PDV has now got a clean sweep against these 3 nations – Did Jake get it right over there???NO
22 Nov 2008, 22:14 pm
this is a poor piece of journalism….5 tries to zip…biggest loss ever by the poms at twickenham and this ungrateful plonker has a go!!! Get a life kid!
22 Nov 2008, 22:19 pm
These writers are worse than the agenda filled back biters, their abysmal gall at not acknowledging a tremendous effort both by the coaches and by the players shows only one thing, same indoctrinated prejudiced bias showing straight through their sycophant minds
22 Nov 2008, 22:20 pm
#305 grant10: If you had offered a 42-6,5 tries to nil score to JC before the game regardless of how it was achieved I am sure he would have taken it……..this article is just the usual way of stirring up a 500 comment blog!
22 Nov 2008, 22:25 pm
So how did this Cipriani fella go.
I was told that this game and the next game will show the world he is the best around,so how did he go?
22 Nov 2008, 22:33 pm
#306 makakulu: Hi Skop…what a magnificent effort by all concerned…i was a huge doubter going into the game….wow..fantastic…and so glad rans came into that 10 channel with aplomb!! Awesome display…boks and management …take a bow!!
22 Nov 2008, 22:33 pm
rans is frans
22 Nov 2008, 22:34 pm
#307 bok4eva: i would have taken a 1 point victory!!
22 Nov 2008, 22:41 pm
Stop talking k*k, JC
22 Nov 2008, 23:57 pm
I’m changing my pseudonym to “Clanerk – JC needs a PK”. I’m going to be on every article JC writes just to remind him of how kak he is. They’ll have to ban me to get rid of me. (And I’ll still be back)
23 Nov 2008, 00:00 am
#180 Mick: what i said is what i do… waiting for the request to go thru
23 Nov 2008, 00:08 am
#314 goyougoodthing2: You’re a sport. But it isn’t necessary. You have your own opinion and that’s healthy, you gave credit where credit was due, the bet was more in jest than anything else, consider it settled.
23 Nov 2008, 00:31 am
I just watched the game again
It is even better the 2nd time round
Absolutely brilliant defense,
attacking option taken,
cool heads when were down to 14 men, twice,
Schalk did not get ANY penalties against him
Scrum continues to be a worry
Ruan has come of age
Bakkies is superman
Pakslae showed he is a class substitute/back-up
Spies is gaining momentum
Adi is my SA player of the year
JP P showed the commitment of the whole team in his tackling
etc etc etc
Brilliant Bokke!
23 Nov 2008, 00:44 am
I feel this article is unnecessarily negative. The positives were plain for all to see and far outweighed the negatives.
This silly attack on the Bok management through this website must now stop – the writers on here (Ryan and JC) are becoming predictably boring and monotonous in their attempts to spin everything in a negative fashion.
23 Nov 2008, 01:40 am
#311 grant10: A one point victory would have been just fine. We were slaughtered by all accounts!!
How was the party?? Hot tub, beers, braai?…………….
23 Nov 2008, 02:24 am
I’m not going to lower myself to JC’s level, but you know what makes this article even worse? It’s reeling with Plagiarism.
Go onto Planet Rugby and read their summary and you’ll feel like you’ve just read the same article. Only difference is that theirs actually commends the Boks on their performance.
The last little tither of respect I had for this writer is now gone.
23 Nov 2008, 03:11 am
JC JOU GATKRUIPER,BUT WAIT,BY WHO???
Time to throw your laptop away JC and perhaps seek a career with Martin Johnson cause you’s are both k a k at what you do.Lets leave it there.
GO THE SPRINGTEAS!
23 Nov 2008, 03:44 am
#239 Puma: Pienaar has only started at 10 three times for the Boks at international level and look at the difference between him and Capriati? I think Butch’s days maybe numbered…
23 Nov 2008, 03:46 am
#317 wooden spoon: I have to agree its getting boring now…no objectivity whatsoever! Ag man its a fcking great day to be South African and to be a Bok supporter!
23 Nov 2008, 05:20 am
Was this clown actually at the game?!
Time for a bit of perspective please.
This year, the boks have beaten the Alll Blacks n Dunedin, given the Wallabies 50 points, beaten the six nations champs 3 times straight, and given England a record thrashing. It seems that when scrambling defense wins us the game under Jake White, it’s great coaching, and under PdV its scattergun. Jake White won 1 out of 3 at Twickers, never beat NZ away, never beat France away, never beat Ireland away, beay Australia away 1 in 5. PERSPECTIVE! The boks, in their history, have a 65% winning percentage (Jake White had a 61% winning perecentage in 4 years)…what’s 9 wins from 13? PERSPECTIVE!
23 Nov 2008, 07:21 am
#318 carol: hi carol…fantastic afternoon and slaughter i am afraid is the operative word! A lot of work lays ahead till next sat vs all blacks…weather was nt great so we didnt do the pool thing….celebrations and screaming the house down was the order of the day…blonde still sleeping…i am hoarse and want to get to the beach…sun is up and beach calling me! How was the Wales experience…tough 2nd half…pity…no self belief!! Another hectic week ahead for me…luv it…blog soon…xx
23 Nov 2008, 07:36 am
JC, criticising Bok performances does not make you a better journalist. I shudder to think that your kak will be in the Sunday Times today.
23 Nov 2008, 09:06 am
The injury of Bismark du Plessis was actually a blessing in disguise
because as soon as some ‘law and order’ was re-established in
the front row,things looked a lot better and could the pack as
whole play off a better foundation enabling the backs to play
to some of their full potential.
So let us all be happy that some sanity has returned and remember
that the boys in the front row are a special kind of breed and
if they fail the game plan of whatever you fancy it should be
falls like Humpty Dumpty from the wall.
Let us hope that the John Smit experiment is also now a
thing of the past just as the expansive game plan has been
put to rest.
The Poms are indeed lucky that players like Gerber and old Mannetjies
and Carel Du Plessis no longer play because it would have been
murder.If you want see another great wingers try, see if you can’t
get Du Plessis’s try playing for the barbarians.
23 Nov 2008, 09:37 am
#315 Clanerk: Hey mate… salute!
Pity about this shocking write up, hell, they can’t give credit where it’s due. Very unfair.
23 Nov 2008, 09:44 am
Problem with a blog like this is that more post’s, equal more advertising revenue, equal bigger new car for Keo…
So the journo’s have to be as controversial as possible to get posts up..
Perhaps JC can let us in on his Rugby Pedigree, till then I will take what he writes with a pinch of salt.
23 Nov 2008, 09:52 am
#328 gretep: Hell even I can’t be that biased LOL
23 Nov 2008, 10:02 am
What a bitter and pathetic article Mr Cardinelli. Keo, JC, Ryan and Grant should come out publicly and apologise for their constant anti-pdv diatribe. I never thought I’d say this but I think right now Simon is the best of the lot (well until the next racist/religiious/sexual scandal anyway). What makes it even worse is that I used to hold JC in very very esteem amongst the scribes here. In the past he was a very balanced journo with good insight of the game, but he’s sadly fallen by the wayside during PDV’s tenure. In fact, this site has been a digrace all season. I’m so glad that Matt Pearce made those comments during the game yesterday about negative travelling scribes because he was obviously aiming at JC.
PS: Has Tacitus shown his face yet? He was one of the first posters to comment after the not-so-good performance versus Scotland, with his thinly-veiled racist diatribe. It’s such a sad state of affairs when it becomes obvious to all and sundry that a fair number of our “supporters” want us to lose. How bitter can people get? Well done boks, PDV and all the fans who were man enough to give praise and credit to the coaching staff.
23 Nov 2008, 10:07 am
#330 King Shaka: Matt Pearce is a good, intelligent rugby man.
23 Nov 2008, 10:17 am
JC you DOOS !!! you are a negative pr!ck. KAK article.
Well done my BOKKE !!!!! Let’s celebrate this great victory. The guys played with heart, hunger and pride.
enjoy your well deserved holiday !
23 Nov 2008, 10:27 am
I cannot understand why this blog is critical about the article.It is a fair
reflection of what happened on the field.Coaches before PDV also
had good wins but yet failed to win the competitions that really count,viz
the World Cup and Tri-nations.
The hallmark of a good team is consistency and not once of
spectacular performances.Let us be honest in the first two games
is was more the opponents lack of ability that made the Boks victorious
than performances by the Boks themselves.
Tthe difference between teams that perform sporadically and
a good team is consistency. The All Blacks do that and deserve to be number
one .
They weathered the storm against Wales and Scotland and put
them away then it counted,something the Boks were unable to do.
So let us not stare ourselves blind againts ocassionally good
performances but wait for the day that they become the rule
and not the exception.
23 Nov 2008, 10:32 am
From the UK Independent:
Reading the ratings (fairly high for about each player) of the UK Independent and comparing it with one this reports of JC one is really amazed at a couple of things:
# exactly who send JC to the UK to cover the EOYT?
# who is so stupid to pay such an arrogant fool any salary?
# who pays his accommodation and travel expenses?
In this tight economic times someone must have a lot of money to waste on a so-called journalist whose schizophrenic contributions regarding yesterday’s test can kindly be described as hogwash. Inconsistent and contradictory is the feature of his “reporting”. He is wellknown to be exteremely biased against any black manager or player and it seems that he was heavily intoxicated while sending his report to Keo yesterday. Downright idiotic is the line through all of his reports on the test.
Shame on you, Keo, to allow this poppycock bully beef to appear in any way on (even) your site.
Al teast the UK Independent watched the same game everyone of us wathched and gave the players due recognition.
Mettie.
23 Nov 2008, 11:21 am
334 mettie
you accuse JC as being biased and rely on Pom newspapers to heap praise
on the Boks.What JC wrote is a fair reflection on what happened on
the field and if you see it otherwise,well that is you prerogative.
Now here is a challenge for you.Give us your minute by minute
account of what happened on the field and motivate why you
come to a different conclusion as JC.
23 Nov 2008, 12:48 pm
#31 Zulusharkess: I heard that and it was an indictment of how bitter and unpatriotic these journos have become. These okes hate PDV
23 Nov 2008, 14:18 pm
#244 Puma: You still blame Conrad for that one ?
23 Nov 2008, 21:43 pm
#23 brentie: ?? Actually brentie teh Bok scrum still looked under powered and exposed by the English. Jannie or no Jannie. That does not wash. Tendai is showing himself to be the next black Os. Hell what a player.
23 Nov 2008, 21:50 pm
I think the only bit of PdV’s reign that has been a bitter pill to swallow was the small bit of time that the Bokswere tryng to run it from all over the park no matter what – like against the Aussies and NZ at home at Newlands and Durbs.
Sure we could have beaten the Scottish by more, but they really were throwng the kitchen sink at us!
It sticks in my craw that we did not win the 3N this year. But to his credit, PdV does seem to have learnt from teh lessons handed out, and the Boks are now playing smarter rugby. Maybe next year. I think not having Smit around hurt us in the 3N.
24 Nov 2008, 08:55 am
Were we watching the same game?
26 Nov 2008, 10:01 am
Sjambok 338
Against Wales and Scotland I had the feeling that if they had been
(that is Scotland and Wales) less emotionally and more cool headed
they could have put the Boks away.Shocking goal kicking by Scotland
cost them the game,while Wales were far too enthusiastic and squandered
many opportunities.
If same opportunities were offered to the All Black and to a lesser
extent the Wallabies these matches would have been lost by a fair
margin.
Against England the Boks were always in control and could weather
the storm irrespective of what England threw at them.I think John
Smit pep talk had a hell of a lot to with it and the coaching
staff less because defence is a matter of attitude and to a far lesser extent coaching.
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