Boks under achieve in 2008
27 Nov 2008
The Springboks are a better team than the current All Blacks – and Saturday’s Test against the Poms at Twickenham will prove it.
One thing New Zealanders love to do is talk up their All Blacks. It is something those in the northern hemisphere also take great delight in – that is talking up the men in black.
It could be that it makes defeat against them seem honourable and bearable. It could also be that New Zealand, as a nation, has never done anything to offend anyone, whereas white South Africans will always live with the baggage of apartheid.
The rugby world, post 1994, has come to accept and tolerate us, but – with the possible exception of the French – they don’t like us.
It is why the Springboks will simply have to settle for winning World Cups while the All Blacks continue to win over fans and the northern hemisphere rugby media every November.
New Zealand once again have the mantle of best team in the world in a non-World Cup year. This New Zealand team will be even better in 2009 and in 2010 they will be unbeatable. In 2011 they will implode and the cycle will continue and we’ll be told by New Zealanders that the World Cup has killed international rugby and that the yellow cup really means nothing because a team has to be judged over a four-year period and not a three week play-off period.
Which brings me back to the weekend’s Test matches. I must confess to cheating this weekend, as I never watched the Springboks or All Blacks matches live. I viewed both games knowing the result and without the additional pressure of having to file on the final whistle – hence the lateness of the column.
What it confirmed to me, and it is something I have been saying for a couple of years, is that the Springboks possess the better individual talent, with the exception of Richie McCaw and Dan Carter, who are two of the finest to play the game. This current generation of South African player is among the most special ever produced in this country, and that is why the expectation must be high and performances like the one against Scotland two Saturdays ago can’t be justified or tolerated.
It is the dismantling of England at Twickenham that sets a standard, much like the Boks did in Paris when they humiliated England 36-0 in a World Cup play-off match.
You can tell me England are poor and in a shambles, but only two weeks ago we were being told this is a new generation of English player, good enough to beat Australia, South Africa and New Zealand on successive weekends. The wise scribes in the United Kingdom also told us that the Boks were the weakest of the Tri nations teams. It was based on the statistical evidence of the Boks finishing third in the Tri Nations – a result that was as unacceptable as the performance against Scotland.
In assessing the year, nine Bok wins in 13 starts statistically is a very good return, but it is the two Tri Nations wins in six matches that will define the season because this was the year in which the World Cup holders should have been superior to New Zealand and Australia in belief and results.
New Zealand, this year, lost 13 of their World Cup All Blacks to Europe. Many of them will return to New Zealand in 2011 and be good enough to challenge for a World Cup squad, while Australia also entered a rebuilding phase. With the Springboks, there was no rebuilding because there was no need for a makeover of a World Cup winning squad with an average age of 25. It is why 2008 will always be the season of missed opportunity. The brilliant win against England only emphasized how much was missed in the Tri Nations.
A settled Bok team, with so much natural talent, should have whipped the All Blacks and Wallabies, home and away, and then there would have been a supporting argument to my theory that South Africa’s players are better than New Zealand’s. Instead I’ll continue to get the 19-0 defeat at Newlands thrown at me and the names of Carter and McCaw. On the latter I concede, but overall the only thing the All Blacks should be beating the Boks at is the ridiculously overhyped pre-match haka.
Take it from me, New Zealand, if they play to their potential, won’t beat England by 36 points this weekend because they are not as good a side as a Bok side in full throttle, and that is why 2008 was the year in which the Boks stumbled when they should have soared.
731 Comments
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27 Nov 2008, 16:37 pm
#15 ziyaad:
Ziaad,
I must compliment you on the well researched and well written posts. It is amongst the best I ever read on Keo and hopefully his journo’s also learn from it.
The article by Keo is nothing new to what he has been trying to sell to the public for the last year. Only the most gullible will believe it.
27 Nov 2008, 16:38 pm
#497 stodders:
i’m not the sharpest stodders, we all have limitations.
27 Nov 2008, 16:39 pm
#483 Dawn:
#486 stodders:
Probably right about Ben. But still good size and enthusiastic player.
Big D’Arcy fan. THAT Ireland duo is good.
27 Nov 2008, 16:40 pm
#499 stodders: hehehe i’m still looking to get hold of Big Hit after saturday… After believing Cipriani was better than Carter before the game, it must have come as a huge shock for him to see that even a 3 Test Bok flyhalf is better than him
27 Nov 2008, 16:40 pm
#502 SexyTime:
He’s so cute all he need is a monk’s habit.
27 Nov 2008, 16:41 pm
#504 Dawn: Dawn, please post the insult on here.
27 Nov 2008, 16:42 pm
# cab: You do yourself a disservice. I’d say are one of the sharpest in the Keo box.
27 Nov 2008, 16:43 pm
#502 SexyTime: Since when did good size and enthusiastic qualify you to be a Lion?
27 Nov 2008, 16:43 pm
#505 stodders:
OK.
#427
“Let it go my buddy … leave these two ***-chasing wood bears to creep up each other’s asses … they enjoy it … not our chuch’s people, these two.”
The other one was harmless, he was saying he was gonna go to the shop to buy Camels and something to eat.
27 Nov 2008, 16:44 pm
That is the gist.
27 Nov 2008, 16:44 pm
#504 Dawn: lol, never thought about it that way. But cute it is. Cya. Gotta work.
27 Nov 2008, 16:45 pm
#508 Dawn: LOL. Hahahahaha. Is that the best he could do? Oh well, I thought it was going to be worthy of a retort. I’m disappointed now.
27 Nov 2008, 16:45 pm
#493 ziyaad: Yeah, our defense was good.
But the point is that I find it silly to defend for large patches of the game because you are contiuously giving the ball to the opposition.
The boks should focus on retaining possession. Improvement in this single area will ensure we win more games against the top teams.
I find it embarressing that we play the game as if we are to scared to attack, so we give the ball the opposition and defend like cavemen.
27 Nov 2008, 16:45 pm
I am here for the long haul. Stuck in town for dinner at 19h00.
!!!!!!
27 Nov 2008, 16:45 pm
#508 Dawn: “our church”…love that bit. I thought Christians were inclusive, not exclusive? I guess the Dutch Reformist one is a bit different then.
27 Nov 2008, 16:46 pm
#507 stodders: Thought the boy had potensial. But probably got scared after Bakkies rucked his ***.
27 Nov 2008, 16:46 pm
#511 stodders:
You a better person than me.
27 Nov 2008, 16:47 pm
#514 stodders:
You have no idea.
27 Nov 2008, 16:47 pm
#516 Dawn: No, it just isn’t worthy of a response. I think he feels superior. Let him.
27 Nov 2008, 16:47 pm
#506 stodders:
am afraid that veiled insult still falls short of being accurate.
PS: have u seen those two Bokke fans who tour around all the stadiums in pink and green sequined bikini’s…this is what our supporter base is reduced to these days…hell man, even when we win its an embaressment.
27 Nov 2008, 16:47 pm
#513 Dawn: I should get you to translate what Sheriff said about me yesterday!! Then again !!
(Grant10 is being very slow unless he was trying to spare me)!
27 Nov 2008, 16:48 pm
#513 Dawn: You must be a woman, right? (And that is asked in a 100% non-sexist “I’m just curious” kind of way)
27 Nov 2008, 16:48 pm
#512 Dumb Supporter:
but
wasnt that the one thing every “expert” wanted?
..
wanting us to kick the ball so we can “play in the opposition’s half”?
27 Nov 2008, 16:49 pm
#515 SexyTime: Kay is some way behind in the lock race. Off the top of my head, in front of him are the Irish duo, Alun Wyn Jones, Nathan Hines, Nick Kennedy. At least.
27 Nov 2008, 16:50 pm
#519 cab: Care to enlighten me with a more accurate translation?
LOL. Is one of them GBS?
27 Nov 2008, 16:50 pm
#517 Dawn:
indeed dawn, indeed!
27 Nov 2008, 16:52 pm
If one matches the Springboks versus the All Blacks player for player, position for position then we are remarkably even. If you look at the Springbok bench it is slightly better then the all blacks, who have lost an overwhelming amount of talent to Europe.
But if we look at the actual play on the field New Zealand shades us for one predominant reason: they are completely ruthless in terms of possession, they play a possession game. But they aren’t the All Blacks of old, the All-Blacks that Graham Henry inherited from Mitchell.
They have lost that game-breaking ability to produce something from nothing. They rely on slowly wearing out the opposition by building up the phases. I hate to say it but New Zealand rugby has become almost as boring as South African rugby used to be. We on the other hand, produce game turning moments, Jean de Villiers intercept vs Wales, Jacques Fourie vs Scotland, Ricky Januarie in Dunedin.
But having said that, if we can’t learn to play the possession game in addition to our current defend-at-all-costs-and-wait-for-the-opposition-to-make-a-mistake mentality then we wont win the next world cup. The only way to do that is to concentrate on player fitness, body position in the tackle and methodology of stripping the ball in the tackle, we have to build a more cohesive unit.
I have a theory that the reason for the all-blacks dominance besides superior endurance and good habits in forward play is due to superior positional play in the distribution of their players accross the field. To understand something like this ProZone would be incredibly effective and if I were PDV I would take a lot of time analyzing the tri-nations tracking player positioning accross the park.
But another factor is the new ELV’s. They reduced our effectiveness in the Tri-Nations because the rules run counter to our traditional strengths, whilst at the same time favouring the australasian teams and their play. I would really like to see us play against post world cup NZ without the ELV’s.
27 Nov 2008, 16:52 pm
#523 stodders: Yep. Point taken. Me thinks we going to eat these guys for dinner, like Dawn is going to eat her dinner at 7.
27 Nov 2008, 16:52 pm
#519 cab: You’re one of the good guys. Happy to dish it out, but happy to take it too. I got worried for you last year when you were having a love-in with Mr White
27 Nov 2008, 16:52 pm
#520 carol:
Just a warning. Be careful of GBS. Those Afrikaans stuff he posts is sometimes plain rude.
#521 SexyTime:
Last time I looked!
27 Nov 2008, 16:53 pm
#488 stodders:
In my view those tight forwards would match us on their good day.
But that is where it ends.
27 Nov 2008, 16:54 pm
#524 stodders:
LOL, i dunno wtf they are, but i keep seeing these two old queens touring, am definitely out of touch with the new SA.
27 Nov 2008, 16:55 pm
#526 Harlequin: Mauls, I miss mauls. They worked. But good post. If we play possession game we’ll NEVER lose.
27 Nov 2008, 16:55 pm
#528 stodders:
Yes, he was potentially a great coach and still would have been one, but no-one is bigger than SA rugby, no more respect.
27 Nov 2008, 16:56 pm
#529 Dawn: I have been caught out quite a few times by GBS. He is very funny though. I can’t be offended I have no idea what is said, when told I, fall about laughing.
27 Nov 2008, 16:56 pm
#529 Dawn: Hahaha. Okay. Respect to you. 4 hanging with some of these RUGBY MANNE.
27 Nov 2008, 16:57 pm
#526 Harlequin: Good post. Plenty in there to agree with. I think the Boks would have been more likely of victory playing the ABs pre-ELVs, but then again, it’s not a given considering the Bok record against the ABs over the years.
I would disagree with you that the ABs have lost their game breaking ability. Carter vs Boks in Cape Town, Nonu vs Ireland with the kick through. Muliana has also been very effective in breaking the line and getting the team on the front foot in the EOYT tests.
I think, like you, that the ABs and Boks are not too dissimilar in terms of talent right now. The ABs gameplan is more geared to controlling the tempo of the game though, and this is the main difference I believe.
27 Nov 2008, 16:57 pm
#534 carol:
He’s the kind that will twist the translation to make it fit.
27 Nov 2008, 16:58 pm
#535 SexyTime:
I don’t hang with them … they hang with me!
27 Nov 2008, 16:58 pm
#522 asha1: Maybe, but surely at some point in the game you must realise that by just kicking it away, you are putting yourself under pressure.
I remember a try scored by the ABs during the WC07 against France. They did the pick-and-drive thing for about 5 minutes, starting in their own half, until they evetually scored.
To me this is low risk rugby without giving possession away. Obviously, your rucking skills must be top standard, which we all know ours is not.
27 Nov 2008, 16:58 pm
#530 tight head: Who in the NH do you rate then? If they were to line up for the Lions, who would you worry about? Please pick on recent form, not on reputation.
27 Nov 2008, 16:59 pm
#532 SexyTime:
I agree with the mauls analysis. Just think if we could defend like we do now in our half of the field and hold onto the pill like the all-blacks do in the oppositions half what a team we’d be.
27 Nov 2008, 17:02 pm
#532 SexyTime: Well, you wouldn’t lose as often. Never say never.
27 Nov 2008, 17:03 pm
#539 Dumb Supporter:
Pick ”n drive at length (5 mins or more) would drive me batty!
27 Nov 2008, 17:05 pm
#536 stodders: I agree with what you say to some degree, but just think about the all-blacks Ireland were pretty even with the All-Blacks at half time, so were Wales, so were Scotland, Australia were leading at half time in Dubai. What that tells you is that although teams are able to match New Zealand, they lack the ability to maintain that intensity for a whole game. Which is what I mean when I say that they wear sides down.
27 Nov 2008, 17:08 pm
#541 Harlequin: lol point taken, Bokke tend to think if there is 60-70m behind their backs they don’t have to give everything in the tackle. Easy things like these, that the coach need to focus attention upon, in the change room just before the game. Small things win BIG games.
27 Nov 2008, 17:09 pm
#542 stodders:
Very objective. I like.
“Keo, give this guy a job”
27 Nov 2008, 17:09 pm
#540 stodders:
Stodders I am not as up to speed as you are with the players.
However I believe between Ireland and a one or two from Scotland and Wales you can pick a tight five that can get you parity.
There are no loose forwards that stand out for me.
I like the Scottish scrummie, and think he would do well on hard fields.
The fly half must be O Gara, but I do not see any youngsters putting up their hand there.
Has O Driscoll still got it?
I think the half a yard of pace will sink him here.
Can they get the big English wingers right?
Ireland have a steady full back but nothing great.
The cupboard is bare in the backs.
27 Nov 2008, 17:11 pm
#544 Harlequin: But don’t all the best teams do that?
I think it has been a tactic of the ABs, to play tight in the first half and wear their opponents down, only to raise the tempo in the second half. The fact that they haven’t conceded a try or even a point in each of their 3 tests and 1 midweek game suggests that their control is good and that they don’t have to rely on individual brilliance to win games. As a collective, they are working v well as team, wouldn’t you agree?
27 Nov 2008, 17:12 pm
If you think about it New Zealand and South Africa’s game are two contrasts. In the case of New Zealand they wear sides out with relentless attack, whereas we wear sides out with relentless defence. But we are the only side in the world capable of playing without the ball and winning consistently. Only we are able to do this, no one else. And this is because we have players capable of producing something extraordinary in a game. We have proven this time and again. Which is precisely why without that extraordinary event in a game we can quite easily lose to the All-Blacks, as we did at Newlands this year.
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