Losers can’t be heroes
29 Jun 2009
Once again the British and Irish are on a high in celebrating losers, writes Keo in his Business Day newspaper column.
There is no disgrace in losing heroically was the tiresome media reflection of a yet another Lions Test defeat and yet another Lions series defeat in the southern hemisphere.
Perhaps the time has come for the British & Irish Lions to tour Argentina or the Pacific Islands to restore a winning culture.
One of the reasons South Africa, New Zealand and Australia have a winning rugby culture is that defeats such as the one in Pretoria on Saturday are never celebrated. When a team leads 19-8, enjoys field position advantage and a 71% dominance of possession and still loses then there can be no heroes. Not in South Africa, not in New Zealand and not in Australia.
In Britain and Ireland this morning mortals have been cast as giants when instead they should be castigated as emotional dwarfs for their inability to shut out a Springbok team in free fall because of the lack of pedigree among the coaching staff.
Players run the Springbok team, but clearly every player still needs someone to put together a coherent game plan and to coach and manage the team.
The Boks, without this structure and guidance, played like individuals and not surprisingly against the playing limitations of the tourists this was still enough to win.
The indictment of the Lions is that they could lose from such a healthy position and the indictment of the Boks is that it needed a 55m penalty with the last kick of the game to secure the match and series win when the gulf in class is 20 points.
The Lions were gifted a one-man advantage within 30 seconds when Schalk Burger was sin-binned for a moment of stupidity and with it came a 10-point start before 10 minutes had been played.
The tourists, we know, have perfected the art of telling a losing story with such seductive appeal it makes winning seem cold and secondary. Who wants to win when you can lose and be immortalized?
The Springboks deserved the win because in the last 20 minutes the South Africans were the ones attacking and mentally their players wanted victory, whereas the Lions were content to settle for a draw and with it a drawn series at best with just the one Test in three to play.
Contrast the approach of the two captains in the final quarter. John Smit’s Boks trailed 19-15 and got an easy three pointer. Smit did not kick the three points to reduce the deficit, but attacked the goalline for five points and the psychology of a lead in the final 10 minutes.
Lions captain Paul O’Connell, with five minutes to play, had a chance to level the scores at 25-25 from 25m out or go for a try and a possible win. He opted for the kick and a draw and allowed the Springboks an 80m advantage from the resulting kick-off. Instead of defending their line, the Boks had the chance to push for victory from a kick-off that would transfer field position by 80m.
The Springbok last quarter substitutions also need to be put into perspective, as does the criticism of not starting with Morne Steyn ahead of Ruan Pienaar because of the former’s superior goalkicking.
Steyn, in the Super 14, averaged 75%, although he kicked at 80% in the last three matches. Pienaar, in the first Test win against the Lions in Durban, kicked 80%.
It was right to start with Pienaar, but it was wrong not to introduce Steyn earlier because Steyn’s line-kicking game is superior and so is his use of the up and under on his home ground in Pretoria.
Another substitution that has been lauded is that of openside specialst Heinrich Brussow, whose introduction coincided with the Lions getting slower ball from the breakdown, and in the last five minutes next to no ball.
Brussow, though, would not have been on the field had Brian O’Driscoll not knocked out Danie Rossouw with an illegal shoulder charge tackle and clash of the heads. Injury forced a decision to introduce Brussow; not any tactical appreciation of the match situation because it was Rossouw who was preferred to Brussow as Juan Smith’s replacement.
O’Driscoll should have been carded for the no-arms tackle, as should Andy Sheridan for his constant off-the-ball antagonism, especially when he punched Bok replacement lock Andries Bekker in the balls.
Burger was rightly carded and Bakkies Botha should have gone along with Sheridan for his charge on Adam Jones. There are two sides to every story and there were two sides to this Test when it came to what went on in those dark alleys we call rucks and mauls.
Brussow’s impact was as obvious as it had been in the first 50 minutes in Durban’s Test victory, as his style troubles the tourists more than it will Australia and New Zealand, and Morne Steyn provided calmness in the last-minute chaos.
The efforts of individuals masked an international of poor quality that appeared spectacular because of the closeness in score and frenetic finish.
There was physicality and desperation from the Lions in the first 40 minutes and the Boks in the last 20 minutes, and individuals like Jamie Roberts, O’Driscoll, Simon Shaw, Adam Jones, Rob Kearney, Victor Matfield, Fourie du Preez, Smith, Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen, Jaque Fourie, Brussow and Morne Steyn added the power and polish to the occasion.
There have been club matches with as much drama, but equally there have been club games in which the basics of the game have been as poorly executed.
Had the Boks lost heroically 28-25 there would be a national inquisition this morning. It is why we as a rugby nation win more than we lose.
We don’t celebrate mediocrity or losers.
Think about a Test played with uncontested scrums for the last 35 minutes and it pretty much sums up the 2009 British & Irish Lions tour to South Africa.
263 Comments
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30 Jun 2009, 00:09 am
#138 Martin: Oh yes and I forgot to mention how the ‘Beast’ was popped up like a prairie dog, your sacred scrum shunted like a rail cart and your players spat out of rucks and mauls like watermelon seeds. Sheer desperation leads to resorting to dirty tatics to stay alive long enough to be gifted a try (tmo) and then kick ahead because you aint got diddlies of getting over the line with out a lucky break.
Sorry boys and girls but the Boks have lost me for ever after that display of WC’s.
Still we know how great they are really dont we?
30 Jun 2009, 00:50 am
“Brussow’s impact was as obvious as it had been in the first 50 minutes in Durban’s Test victory, as his style troubles the tourists more than it will Australia and New Zealand”
Oh please dont start your **** about Brussouw now KEO. Wacth the Cheetahs/Crusaders game closely again. Have you ever seen Richie McCaw outplayed on the ground before (maybe occasionally by George Smith)? Brussouw MOST DEFINITELY will have an impact against Oz and Kiwi teams.
Ground hogging no 6′s have a very p[rticular set of skills which are damned difficult to master. I the skills also have particular physical requirements.
Smaller guys can get above the tackled player and hold the ball while looking less like they are leaning on their forearms. Also they provide a smaller target for cleaners to hit, and can more easily deflect cleaners off them without losing grip on ball.
They need huge upper body strength to not let go of the ball when they are being impacted on.
They also need great technique to use their shoulders to wrestle the ball away, and not their forarms which are less strong.
They need strong legs to be able to absorb impact through their shoulders when they get cleaned.
They need an excellent sense of timing, to get in just after a tackle, and after a small period in which the tackled player can place the ball and let go of it, but before the cleaners arrive.
They need awesome fitness, to be able to track attackers up and down the line all day, to tackle them and to spring to feet immediately to make the most of the tackler rule.
These skills and techniques are being lost to SA because they are not even being looked for as aresult of Jakes attitude to fetching. The irony is that Schalk WAS effectively a fetcher as he had the skills, but it was despite his size, and made up for because of his energy (which now seems to have waned).
In Brussouw (and Stegman), we have someone with all the skills. It is criminal not to use it!
30 Jun 2009, 03:18 am
Speaking from a neutral perspective in no-so-sunny Sydney, have to say that is a good article by Keo, who is exactly right when he says the Boks focused on victory in the last 20 minutes while the Lions just focused on hanging on – they didn’t ever look like scoring a try at any stage of the 2nd half. You could see the will to attack and score was only being displayed by the Saffers.
Again speaking from a neutral perspective, I’m disappointed it isn’t 1-1 going into the final test but our NH friends are kidding themselves if they are claiming they were robbed. As for the Lions heroic gallant losers tag, well if some of them had shown a biit more courage in defence and smarts in kicking then they could have (should have?) held on for a win. But there limitations were exposed.
See you all in the 3N. True Blue Aussie Rob and his fearsome front rower Al Baxter are awaiting for you soft Saffers and 2nd rate Kiwi’s …
30 Jun 2009, 03:52 am
a few posts talk about the romance of the concept of the Lions how it takes us back to rugby as we used to know it and why it shouldn’t be canned as an idea going forward. The first point here is that the Sunday Times of London has called into question the vialbilityof the Lions. I don’t think the Tri nation countries would ever not receive a Lions tour. My thinking is that it is not so much the fact that they haven’t won a test since the Wallaby game way back when but in the manner in which they lose. If they lost with dignity and pride and a sense they would come out and say that we lost the test congrats well done SA and think how they are going to make it right next time. This has not been the case – sadly. Its the Lions that are tarnishing their own brand by this increased unsporting behaviour which is just not British! They will go back as heroes and I feel sorry for them becuase they should no better themselves. They are free to absorb the adoration of their fans but should make it clear to them that they just weren’t good enough and they promise to make it right next time.
30 Jun 2009, 05:37 am
Brilliant article. I could not agree more. Never have I ever come across a nation that celebrates a loss quite as enthusiastically as the Brits.
30 Jun 2009, 07:46 am
How can you deserve to win when on the wrong side of 3 tries to 1?????????How?
30 Jun 2009, 11:25 am
Good article, the brits love portraying themselves fighting valiantly in defeat. When in fact poor tactical desicions and an inability to finsih matches cost them.
The british coching staff has been poor on this tour namely in their poor selections, not starting sheridan and overplaying murray to the point of injury was a poor move, not including tom croft in the original squad, not including ryan jones, dwayne peel, and the best opensider in britain tom rees at all. (he was comming off a long inury but would have had ample time during the tour to get back to match fitness)
30 Jun 2009, 11:52 am
Apart from the Intent and will to win.
I go onto a ‘fantasy rugby” website to pick up some stats every now and then.
whilst i know stats do not tell the whole story, it is still a guideline.
this site marks players based on various skills and achievements in the game, as well as docking points for penalties given, ball lost, possession lost etc…
It is interesting to see that the boks outscored the lions in the 2nd test. and the top ten players of the game as below illustrates that despite the media (foreign) saying otherwise. the boks overall were actually the better, more clinical team. (note. stephen jones is only there due to penalties converted)
1 Robert Kearney BI
2 Fourie du Preez SA
3 Stephen Jones BI
4 Bryan Habana SA
5 Pierre Spies SA
6 Victor Matfield SA
7 Bismarck du Plessis SA
8 JP Pietersen SA
9 Mike Phillips BI
10 Paul O’Connell BI
30 Jun 2009, 12:11 pm
#256 green_and_gold:
Oh, and Stephen jones’s love child, Simon shaw was immense on saturday, but it was not mentioned that he gave away 4 penalties….almost half as many as the entire SA team….
30 Jun 2009, 12:39 pm
#228 Soda: Div is a **** coach. He only has the record he does because he inherited one of the best teams ever produced in SA. He has hardly had to develop anyone. All he has to do is select strategy, and he can barely do that. Had he inherited any of the mediocre teams of the past he would have been history long ago.
30 Jun 2009, 14:24 pm
#254 bok2007:
Who deserved to win the 1st Test ?
30 Jun 2009, 19:54 pm
Hey BOK2007: “How can you deserve to win when on the wrong side of 3 tries to 2?????????How?” First Test Match.
Also Keo, you say: “The Springboks deserved the win because in the last 20 minutes the South Africans were the ones attacking and mentally their players wanted victory, whereas the Lions were content to settle for a draw and with it a drawn series at best with just the one Test in three to play.” This is the exact reverse of the First Test when in the last 20 minutes it was the Lions who were the only side trying to win, whilst the Boks were desperate for the hooter to go. And in the Second Test, it would have ended at 25-25 if O’Gara had played the percentages and kicked to touch instead of putting up the up and under (that gave away the penalty) and looking for a last minute victory.
I agree with you that there is a strange aspect to lauding a defeated side, but it comes down to the manner of the defeat. The British and Irish Press are the first to savage a team that has played poorly and lost – they revel in it; but when two tests have been as close as the first two of 2009, it would be churlish to go fot the jugular.
Gersh, Saba, NA
3 Jul 2009, 13:02 pm
The Boks, along with the All Blacks, are seriously under performing! The Ozzies are gonna klap us both in the Tri Nations, why? They’ve got a REAL Coach.
#260 gershfromsaba: First test, both teams had a winning mentality. The Second test, the Lions had a “Lets go for a Draw” mentality, where as the Boks had the winning mentality, and the Lions supporters had a whining mentality. Blame your media, they were the ones who created this believe that the Lions is a powerhouse full of talent able to klap a below par Bok side.
#49 rugbygenius: “…the Lions are the second greatest rugby establishment.” That’s a good one, thanks for the workout. With a nick like that, posting a stupid comment like that is actually the real shame here. Love the conflicting NIC vs COMMENT thing you got going there…
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