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, 14:40 pm
#246 Big Hit:
You answer a question with a question…first sign of resignation!!!
27 Nov 2008, 14:40 pm
#245 stodders: tell that to Kaplan, he gave interviews on it prior to the summer tests. He says the IRB want a fast game and will ref strictly with regards to the breakdown to supplement the new laws. Thats why England got pinged out of it in NZ and the Boks against Wales and Scotland.
27 Nov 2008, 14:40 pm
#240 saffa_guy:
eish, almost as good as the sight of bakkies reeling in an olympic sprinter with JPP (again, man this guy is incredible) delivering the sledgehammer.
27 Nov 2008, 14:40 pm
#251 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: you’re Australian, first sign of deportation
27 Nov 2008, 14:40 pm
#242 Big Hit:
DID YOU WIN ANYTHING????
27 Nov 2008, 14:41 pm
#242 Big Hit: Yep, you still lost though. Still a loser like the rest of us, so i wouldn’t go beating that chest of yours too much.
27 Nov 2008, 14:41 pm
#254 Big Hit:
We were the bright ones…we left england!!
27 Nov 2008, 14:42 pm
#248 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: nonsense, Skrela coughed up 15 points and your pack got monstered again once a decent ref took control
27 Nov 2008, 14:42 pm
#252 Big Hit: Big Hit,
The key word here is “supplement”. I suggest you look up its meaning. Once again I will say that the IRB directive to police the breakdown is not an ELV. It is an existing law that the IRB have asked refs to police properly.
Comprende?
27 Nov 2008, 14:43 pm
What started off as a gentlemanly debate … IS NOW A BRAWL!
Yippee!
27 Nov 2008, 14:43 pm
#257 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: lol an aussie claiming to be bright, whatever next
27 Nov 2008, 14:43 pm
Keo…you structure your post to cause contoversy.
Most Kiwi’s are less verbose about how good their team is than the average Saffa.
I agree the Boks have played stop start since the world cup, I believe this is because we have too much rugby now, the guys DO NOT play to their best at every game, very often its “just another day at the office”…but that is professionalism.
Wales to beat the Aussies on the weekend.
England to get another hammering (for some time yet I’m afraid)
27 Nov 2008, 14:44 pm
#167 BlackPanther:
lol, think there are alot of truth to that, the parallels in captaincy at least, between Smit and Fitzpatrick are very strong. the latter was a master tho, my god i have never seen such an innocent face.
27 Nov 2008, 14:44 pm
#250 Puma: hopefully we have moved past that now. time will tell.
#248 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: how did lote play? i missed the game unfortunately.
27 Nov 2008, 14:44 pm
#250 Puma: Puma,
Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeezzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz! If I were to form an opinion of South African’s based purely on the comments by people on this blog, it wouldn’t be a particularly good one. I suggest you don’t base your opinions on a country or its people by the few who blog on here.
27 Nov 2008, 14:44 pm
#243 ziyaad: Ziyaad, I finally read your “Heavy” dissertation early in the thread.
You clearly put a massive lot of thought into your analysis and it is a very good piece of writing.
Some of the things you say are absolutely spot-on, some of the things you say I differ with. Frankly, I’m not going to do a Thesis on those, like you
Firstly let me say that I had always been a critic of Jake but was eventually quite thankful that he delivered the World Cup. If our current colourful coach, Snorman, can deliver a similar feat I’ll be equally thankful….. yet I also reserve the right to be critical of him and his methods.
The problems I have with some of the assumptions you make is as follows:
1) You blame some of the established or senior players for some results this year, YET Peter de Villiers was and continues to be the one picking them in HIS line-up, time after time.
2) Show me the alternatives for these players that need to be replaced…. Bekker for Matfield, being a good example…. man, Beller is not even in the same school let alone the same class as Matfield.
3) A couple of strange selections was made by Snorman…. which cost us dearly at stages this year.
4) The Bokke have been suffering under both Jake and Snor with the following and it still is not addressed:
4.1 Ground Ball possession – wrong combination and balance in the loosies – no fetcher
4.2 We’ve been back peddling in the scrums as a result of a sub-standard front row, especially Tight Head…. and a weak Forwards coach (Gert Smal under Jake and now Gary Gold under Snorman).
4.3 Our backline has been getting slow ball from the scrummie…. and loopy passes to boot with Januarie there.
4.4 Incessant kicking… up-and-unders galore and no real appreciation for proper counter attack.
4.5 We have too little actual possession of the ball per match, we always have less than 45% possession.
4.6 We suck the hindmost *** in the territory stakes in every game as well.
5) A Settled Fly Half is needed, hopefully Ruan will fulfil this role now – Snorman himself did not know what the hell he wanted for this crucial position.
6) Game plan or battle plan…. there seems to be none.. or none distinguisable….. and we fail to have a plan B and C….. well that was one of Jake’s problems as well.
7) Politics in SA and SA Rugby…….. it needs to stop……… the Watsons….. the quota issues…………. the Khompela’s…… the Emblem issues…. and the supporters who are devided into different camps.
So, in summation…. yes we could be rulers of World Rugby, yes we should rightfully be…. but we need to sort out the following:
1) Get our scrums right…. starting with a better tight head and better forwards coaching.
2) Pick a more balanced loosie combo – Brussouw at 6 as uot and out ground ball specialist, Schalla at 7 for his strong carrying of the ball and tireless tackling, a solid no 8 with hands of gold a la Juan Smith.
3) Select a scrummie that can clear quickly with a decent pass, both directions, not run 3 steps sideways and then pass a loopy pass.
4) Let Ruan settle in the No 10 spot…. let’s get some continuity going there.
5) Please let there be less aimless kicking and less use of the up-and-under with better focus on counter attack by the back 3.
6) Work on the mental preparedness and man management aspects of the team….. the Brain is the strongest muscle in our bodies !
7) Let us, as supporters get united in stead of being devided over silly issues…… away with POLITICS !!
Go Bokke, go Coachie………… do it for us !
27 Nov 2008, 14:44 pm
#259 stodders: yeah but its part of the same drive to introduce a new style of game, the style of game pushed for by Wallabie and his mates. It doesn’t suit us in the nh and it doesn’t suit the Boks either. It ruins a player like Schalk Burger. But as long as they get their way I guess you’re happy.
27 Nov 2008, 14:45 pm
#247 BlackPanther: You have lost credibility here by calling John Smit a pig yesterday on the kiwi thread to Big Hit. Go take a hike. Big Hit never speaks like that he has respect. You sound like you have a problem mate. Remember after the world cup. One of your team got drunk and smashed up cars in a London hotel and what about the wife beating that went after the world cup in your country? Don’t ever call John Smit the best captain in the world that has huge respect for everyone a pig. John has manners and respect all the time he deserves that back. That Thorn guy spear tackled him and he had to have a op after was out of the rest of the 3N and Thorn only gets one week? Thats the kiwis for you as they had to give him the ban. It was their own so he only gets a week John has to get a op. Not fair. Go to your own blog if you want to come here and name call our captain.
27 Nov 2008, 14:45 pm
#258 Big Hit:
Thats his own fault!!
One cant get browny points for missed opportunities!!
27 Nov 2008, 14:45 pm
#261 Big Hit: He’s certainly got an edge on IQ over you it would seem. At least he knows his existing laws from his ELVs!
27 Nov 2008, 14:47 pm
#262 4man: howdy 4man, i answered you on the other thread mate.
trip was great but like a typical durban softy, i picked up the flu.
durbs is cooking today, huge thunderstorm on the way!
27 Nov 2008, 14:47 pm
#268 Puma: Puma,
Big Hit, respect? Oh come on now. He shows South Africa respect, yes, but he knows he is in the minority. If you want to take the moral high ground, you would ask him to be respectful to ALL teams and nationalities, not just the ones he chooses!
27 Nov 2008, 14:47 pm
#255 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!:
the anthems?
27 Nov 2008, 14:47 pm
#264 rangerman:
That France/Aus game was the scrappiest, most disjointed, most unstructured, horrible game I’ve ever had the misfortune to watch.
Was a disgrace to rugby.
Craig Joubert was floundering.
27 Nov 2008, 14:48 pm
#267 Big Hit:
You right it does not suit plodders and un skilled players.
If you really want to know rugby has always been evolving and will continue to do so.
If rugby really wants to improve they should go back to the laws in place in the 80′s. they were a lot simpler.
27 Nov 2008, 14:49 pm
#268 Puma: I remember Smit crushing French captain’s Thion larinx with an elbow not so long ago. Now he says it was not as bad as landing on own backside. Go figure.
27 Nov 2008, 14:50 pm
#271 rangerman: Whats the flu…a hussy from Edinburgh?
Is there an offshore blowing in Gods country?
Glad to see you’re home safe, missed you in London.
27 Nov 2008, 14:50 pm
#274 Dawn:
Craig Joubert got man of the match. he killed anything that game could have been.
Players were to scared to do anything with the ball in case joubert blew his whistle.
27 Nov 2008, 14:50 pm
#267 Big Hit: You are being silly.
The IRB directive is an EXISTING law, that refs are being told to apply to the letter to make the breakdown better. It was decided on before the ELVs were brought in.
The ELVs are not the same as this directive. The ELVs are NEW!!!
I wonder if you are acting dumb on purpose to get a rise? Surely you can’t be that ignorant?
27 Nov 2008, 14:51 pm
#275 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!:
i wasnt born yet
..
will have to take your word for it
27 Nov 2008, 14:51 pm
#279 stodders: he is not silly, he is “objective neutral” observer, as he claims to be.
27 Nov 2008, 14:52 pm
#261 Big Hit:
We won two RWC and pomped the english in everything else.
How many english won gold medals this olympics?
You might be competitive against Aus in thiss one!!
27 Nov 2008, 14:52 pm
#249 stodders:
The guy is a FRAUD. Twit, Twat, ***. He’s been called many things. He’s a Keo plant created to produce more ‘Hits’ on the site. To be so vehemently anti-AB and then claim objectivity is to prove he is a FRAUD.
There are other like Rangerman who get all sensitive about certain criticisms (eg ‘Smit squealed like a pig’) but settle down when they realise that there is also respect. We all like being told we have the prettiest girlfriend, no ? Cmon, we ALL love our own team, thats obvious. But its truly pathetic when someone takes on this vitriol with such passion, a 1-way street. Me – I like to see England lose every match (it might be my Scots heritage tho….). But it doesnt stop me loving Johnno, Jonny, Lozza, Guscott etc. Having said that, it wont stop me saying that Johnno and Lozza were filth either, because they were. I love Fitzy but the guy was an absolute mongrel. But why acknowledge solely the negatives ?
Twit is a complete FRAUD.
27 Nov 2008, 14:52 pm
#270 stodders: he’d know all about ELVs, his union thought them up
#269 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: you still got out of jail, France were better than that. but credit for win anyway
#272 stodders: I’m respectful to all teams as long as they show respect to others.
#275 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: forwards are not automatically plodders, you don’t understand rugby if you think that.
27 Nov 2008, 14:53 pm
#265 stodders: How can that BlackPanther call John a pig now tell me that stodders what do you think? Actually I never call people names here I thought that was a disgrace for this kiwi to say that. I speak to a lot of kiwis here and they are not like that at all. John was spear tackled that day had to have a op and this guy says because Thorn throws John down to the ground he makes a noise like a pig? Give me a break stodders really people like that can just go blog on their own blog then. Don’t call our Captain a pig. He is the most respected captain ever. John has impeccable manners and total respect for everyone. He deserves better than that. You know that too and if you side with this BlackPanther that John is a pig then maybe you should go blog on your Scottish thread too.
27 Nov 2008, 14:54 pm
#267 Big Hit: For the record, the reason teams are being penalised off the park in the GP is because they have been playing illegally for some time, by continually flopping at the breakdown. Wasps are masters at it.
Now that the laws are being applied correctly by the refs to allow for competition of the ball at the breakdown, the players and coaches, who have become used to the incorrect application of the law, are suffering.
It’s as simple as that. As soon as players stay on their feet at the breakdown, the refs whistle will be heard less. If anything, I would have thought that this would suit England’s style, as was shown in the QF last year against Oz.
But once again, you see fit to use what you want to suit your agenda and argument, which is flawed in the extreme.
27 Nov 2008, 14:55 pm
#283 BlackPanther: I have never reported anyone but I think its time to call Roy to ban you mate. Off you go to your Kiwis thread don’t call John a pig. Have some manners.
27 Nov 2008, 14:56 pm
#279 stodders: the breakdown used to be down to ref’s interpretation now its overly strict and its ruining rugby.
#282 Wallabie. – The English always have an excuse after a pomp!!: if England were an Olympic team (and not Britain) we’d have come 4th or 5th in the world. I admire the Aussie olympic team though.
#283 BlackPanther: I don’t think Fitz was a mongrel. You can’t be turning on your own team now?
27 Nov 2008, 14:56 pm
#276 Nils: completely different type of incident..
27 Nov 2008, 14:56 pm
#285 Puma: Puma,
I don’t think Black Panther should have called John Smit a pig. I have seen far worse names called out on this blog about other players, and about foreign nationals.
If you want to take issue with John Smit being called a pig, I hope you will take the moral high ground when you see similar names bandied around about anyone.
27 Nov 2008, 14:57 pm
#250 Puma:
So the Boks are angels now huh ?
Cmon.
Besides, it wasnt a spear tackle. He dropped him after lifting. Spear tackles are when the tackler drives down on the head/neck. Smit landed on his arse. It was dumb play, no doubt. Thorn apologised IMMEDIATELY. But it was no spear tackle.
Ive yet to see Bakkies Botha apologise once for his repeated head-butts, aka ‘entering the ruck’. The guy is an absolutely tremendous player but also absolute filth. Just like Robin Brooke was. Just like Fitzy. Just like Andy Earl. But dont think your guys are angels and its everyone else are the villains.
27 Nov 2008, 14:58 pm
Bih Hit invariably makes some very good points. I would say he is pretty objective and his bias towards the Boks offsets Stodders bias towards the ABs.
i have one eye on you meneer stodders…
27 Nov 2008, 14:58 pm
#284 Big Hit:
English forwards are automatic plodders…the old rules allowed them to rest after a thirty metre back pass into the 22 and a kick up forward of 40 metres…they would walk that in 5 minutes.
27 Nov 2008, 14:58 pm
#272 stodders: Who do you respect stodders? You seem to be siding with this BlackPanther that has no manners what so ever.
27 Nov 2008, 14:58 pm
#286 stodders: The Currie Cup was reffed differently much more lenient and a much better spectacle for it. Why should we suffer because of the IRB’s commercial interests and the wants of Aus/Nz?
they’re going to shoot themselves in the foot anyway, making the game better for 2 countries at the expense of the rest will backfire
27 Nov 2008, 14:59 pm
#288 Big Hit: Now you’ve gone full circle.
You’ve complained in the past that refs don’t apply the letter of the law at the breakdown. You have cited this on numerous occassions as being the reason NZ get off scott free.
Now that the refs are applying the letter of the law, and the contest for possession is fair, you cry foul. Who do you want to blame now? How about the players and coaches. For it is they that are not playing to the laws, not the ref.
You really are a work of art sometimes.
27 Nov 2008, 14:59 pm
#292 cab: He’s on the run now though cab. Watch him run!
27 Nov 2008, 14:59 pm
#289 gunther: Really so different? I mean Smit took out opposite player by hitting him in the throat while he tried to tackle him – Thion could not eat for almost a week and speak for 2 weeks after that.
27 Nov 2008, 15:00 pm
#288 Big Hit:
I think you might have guessed that one…I have heard it that aus beat england by one gold medal.
27 Nov 2008, 15:00 pm
#290 stodders:
oh delicate souls.
The emphasis was on the SQUEALING.
As Tana Umaga once said of rugby – ‘its not a game of tiddlywinks’.
Harden up ! Rugby has cleaned up its act SO much, but do we really want it to be 100% sanitised ?
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