Disciples of the delusional
6 Jul 2009
The Lions are heroes again after beating a Bok B-side that was a disgrace to the jersey, writes Keo in his Business Day newspaper column.
If the celebration of the supposed heroes who lost a meaningful series-deciding Test in Pretoria two Saturdays ago defied belief, it does not compare with the response to the British and Irish Lions defeat of a Springbok side in which 10 regulars were rested.
Some, among the British and Irish, called Saturday’s dead rubber a great occasion. Others called it one of the greatest victories in Lions history and pondered what may have been if the Lions had not arrived in Johannesburg with the series already lost.
It is why the British, and to a lesser degree Irish, win nothing of relevance. They are the kings of the afterthought, the masters of the dead rubber and they will forever remain disciples of the delusional.
In all of the emotional outpouring of an after the fact Test win, there was no criticism of Lions coach Ian McGeechan’s poor selections for the first two lost Tests. McGeechan picked the wrong lock combination in the first Test, selected the wrong front row combination and never got it right all tour with his back three combinations.
Not that it mattered because the Lions get on the plane heroes for winning one out of three Tests. It is the British and Irish way to applaud finishing second in a two-team race.
South Africa, in Johannesburg on Saturday, were a disgrace to the jersey a disgrace that started with a white armband protest against Bakkies Botha’s two-week suspension and ended after 80 minutes of clueless and ill-disciplined rugby.
The build-up to the Test was a shambles with Bok coach Peter de Villiers spending all week mixing his metaphors, defending eye-gouging and telling the media that he changed his mind four or five times before settling on a Springbok B team because he wanted to give every player in his squad the feeling they had made a contribution to the Lions series.
Test rugby, to De Villiers, is obviously a charity in which you hand out jerseys instead of asking players to earn the right to wear them. After all De Villiers was gifted the job in the name of transformation.
De Villiers has been riding on the coattail of the 2007 World Cup winning squad and Saturday’s team selection and approach to the game was the first example of a Peter de Villiers selected and coached team. The result was a 19-point defeat in Johannesburg; and the Boks were lucky it wasn’t close to 30.
The De Villiers philosophy of not coaching off a clipboard and just playing the situation as the players see it does not even work on the club fields of his hometown in Paarl, let alone in a Test match environment. De Villiers, on Saturday, showed us that it is not only at press conferences where he plays the part of the court jester.
De Villiers’s insecurity has meant that he has always wanted to dismantle White’s World Cup winners and on Saturday he used his chance to introduce his breed of player and ineffective style of play.
It was a disaster because of the naivety of the approach and the arrogance of believing, that at this level, a team can play laterally without getting go forward and expect to be successful. It serves no purpose to take the ball to the wingers when they get it 20m behind the gain line while back-pedaling.
The scrum and lineout are the primary phases and in the scrums De Villiers got it wrong by pairing loosehead prop Beast Mtwarira with hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle, with the latter not having the grunt or grind of Bismarck du Plessis. It was no coincidence that when Du Plessis entered the arena English tighthead prop Phil Vickery left two scrums later and Mtwarira again looked more the Beast of Durban than the Bunny of the first half in Johannesburg.
Rugby selection is about getting the combinations right, settling on a structure that works for those players and then allowing them freedom of expression within that framework. Once that has been agreed the player’s mindset must kick in.
On Saturday there was no structure, few match-winning combinations and a player mindset that confused the wearing of a white armband with the waving of a white flag to signal the end of Jake White’s World Cup winning team.
Black armbands for South African rugby lovers would have been more appropriate of an occasion that should be mourned and not celebrated.
759 Comments
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6 Jul 2009, 18:00 pm
EK SE JULLE PRAAT KAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAK
6 Jul 2009, 18:00 pm
Good day everyone…
6 Jul 2009, 18:01 pm
#397 cab: Husband agrees Naas is usually sound but found the “Back” perplexing. Split second timing, out of the blocks in paramount when chasing a good kick.
6 Jul 2009, 18:02 pm
i read the Boks , or a lot of them, are to be released for the c c this weekend….
WP vs Sharks…..i will be there…..again more in hope than conviction !!
6 Jul 2009, 18:02 pm
#399 poppa69: Thats the spirit
#400 cab: Agree Cab, I always look forward to the winters there. Perfect weather. Lovely and warm in the day with no rain and mild at night.
6 Jul 2009, 18:02 pm
Goodnight folks,
from husband and me.
6 Jul 2009, 18:03 pm
#403 RugbyRulz:
yeah i’ll actually go and see if i can dig up that naas comment, its a good point, am not sure what he could be getting at, maybe some others know.
catch you later.
6 Jul 2009, 18:03 pm
The NZ press reckons the BiL’s would have whitewashed the AB’s with this team, maybe they know more than some here are letting on.
we still living on cloud cuckoo land in delusions of delirious daydreams about some figment of imaginative world wide dominance through a fickle little walk in the park joy ride in 2007, thinking we are omnipotent rugby team for some rhyme or reason. Position for position the Bil’s where as good or better, certainly through the front 5 on Saturday, and through the midfield the entire 3 tests, half backs they were as good if not better.
So this deluded delirious misinformation we still believe we represent some absolute dominant rugby team by some sheer act of JW magic is the biggest myth going under the sun.
JW or any coach would have struggled as much if not worse with this bunch of players, I’m just sorry he wasn’t big enough for the hot seat, cause then his illustrious *** would be on the line again just as it was in 2006-07 before Eddy and rugby fortune baled it out of delusion and into some fairy tale nursery rhyme infatuated dreamworld.
6 Jul 2009, 18:04 pm
#401 sharks_lover: hehehe. Howzit Shark_lover.
#404 grant10: Thats very good news. Then Sharks are in with a chance then.
6 Jul 2009, 18:04 pm
#406 RugbyRulz: Goodnight to you too RR.
6 Jul 2009, 18:07 pm
#408 skopskiet: wouldnt read too much into that report Skop, 3Ns is starting, time for the media to begin the mind games… SA struggle as favs, same as ABs it seems, in certain arenas anyway…
6 Jul 2009, 18:08 pm
#394 Objective 101: i have heard this line now since saturday”the wings did not helpl”and it’s really beginning to sound like english whinging for me.maybe and maybe kirchner was not ready for the step-up to international rugby mate.
6 Jul 2009, 18:09 pm
#398 Bludeks: If PdV actually accepted that he needs help in the form of former SA players who can coach he and we would be that much better off. His stand on Burger has earned him a lot of respect from his players and from many fans but whichever way we look at it he needs a lot of help. Scrum: Balie Swart, Mark Andrews, Gert Small to name a few. Backline: Naas (tactical kicking only), Ray Mordt and Campo we need to teach our guys to run around the opposition nto always into them. Kicking: Percy (he has already), HO de Villiers (he got Percy sorted out), Naas. Tackling: Lem (no one can be better than him) Tiaan Strauss.
A winning coaching team can only be mad eup of a mnay members four, six, eight eye are better then two.
Chiiliboi needs to build up leg strength before he can be reintroduced at test level; on the positiv side he always finds his jumpers.
I am amazed by the fact that our scrum always used to be the heaviest ones, now we hardly ever are (we gave the BILs app 6kg per player!)
6 Jul 2009, 18:10 pm
#396 poppa69: 1st of Septemeber is also the first day of Spring here too. In Durban we don’t get temps over 35 thats the highest I think it goes too. Mostly sits around 32 but the humidity is dreadful in Jan to April. Feb is the worst.
#396 poppa69: Sydney though gets hotter than Durbs. Don’t like it hotter than 26 thats our winter weather in Durbs but it only lasts about 2 months then its all gone. Really enjoy this time of year.
6 Jul 2009, 18:11 pm
#359 poppa69:
Sneds took 5fer vs the Windies.
and took the greatest catch/non-catch ever.
respec !
6 Jul 2009, 18:11 pm
#413 Objective 101: but too many eyes and differing opinions hardly leads to consensus
6 Jul 2009, 18:12 pm
#411 poppa69: Now cant wait for the Tri-Nations.
Really pleased we have the Ab’s here for two games this year.
6 Jul 2009, 18:13 pm
#415 BlackPanther: know the catch well… sorry, just seen him get carted too many times for my liking…
6 Jul 2009, 18:15 pm
#412 pdvwysmiddelvingervirkeo: Maybe but a full back positions his wings to cover and if the wings don’t cover he is usually way out of postion. Kircher was disappointing to say the least but he was also set up for failure. With Habanero and JP it would have been different.
Nokwe was terrible and needs some major coaching in this respect. He is fast but that is about it. He sure is better that Chavanga but he is not even close as a replacement for Habanero.
6 Jul 2009, 18:15 pm
#413 Objective 101: I thought that Chili had a good game. Just not strong enough in the scrums at the moment.
Like many has said here I think John should move back to Hooker and we need to get a proper TH. Wonder if Heinke can shift from Loosehead to TH? Need to ask TH again when he is on. Have asked before. That Heinke is very powerful in the scrum if he can change over to TH think that would be all we need. Or just bring back CJ or BJ.
6 Jul 2009, 18:15 pm
#409 Puma: hey bro … hope ur well
eish boet deysel was A1 for the sharks again last friday
i went to the game in witbank
6 Jul 2009, 18:17 pm
Okay out of here now.
Cheers poppa enjoy your day off mate. Cheers cab and the rest.
6 Jul 2009, 18:18 pm
#411 poppa69:
I’m just sick and tired of the delusional infatuated Mr. South African supporter not recognizing hard facts, no way in hell do we have a superior team or players to this BiL’s team ever, and we lucky they made selection blunders just like we did, because if they had played their strongest tight 5 from word go we might have suffered a serious loss here. As it was we just scraped home, and everyone and his poodle puppy on here reckon the coach has such superior raw natural JW developed talent available he should have creamed this BiL’s team.
Meanwhile Jake with all his World Star studded Barbarians, R.McCaw, S.Burger, J.Smit, F.Steyn, P.Monty, Collins, Jack, Williams, Botha, you name it could not take care of Deans Wallabies last year, neither could they take care of Aussie or AB’s in 2006 or 07, losing by record margins with the same core group and more of them to boot.
Fact is this Bok team are no way the world beating team these idiot scribes reckon they are and the pitiful bunch of goon delirious supporters on here don’t know squat from reality. Smit, Bismark and Beast, Matfield and Muller were annihilated by Sheridan, Rees, Vickery, Shoaw, O’Connell on Saturday, what makes any of these fools over here reckon Jake, who would not have picked Brussow but would have stuck with Burger, would have done any better or any different to this team. Jake would have also played WO and Fourie at center.
6 Jul 2009, 18:18 pm
#422 Puma: catchya Puma, enjoy mate..
6 Jul 2009, 18:21 pm
#421 sharks_lover: Good that you went to see the team. Damn I rate Deysel. Such a strong ball carrier.
How was Fransie when he came on Saturday? Superb I think. We now have finally found our FB. PdV MUST keep playing him there even if he goes off overseas.
Took about 3 or 4 qo bring him down. Should have started. Then again we now know that Zane needs plenty more time to get to Test level. I was one that wanted Zane in from the start. Now see maybe he needs more S14 time or bring him in from the bench during a test.
See Grant 10 said that the Shark players are released for the CC agains WP. Just don’t think it will be Smitty, Bissie, JPP or Frans Steyn think they are having a 10 day break. Then will start training for Tri-Nations.
Okay cheers mate out of here now.
6 Jul 2009, 18:23 pm
Purple People Eaters RULE!!!!
6 Jul 2009, 18:23 pm
#423 skopskiet: No argument there but stil we want to win the 3N. How do we do that adn which players do we select?
Obviously if the Bulls could win the S14 albeit with some major injuries to key players in the Chiefs ans Saders it means that we can beat the ABs, we just need to pick the right players and the right game plan.
Any suggestions?
6 Jul 2009, 18:26 pm
#404 grant10: Have faith buddy, we’re due a win against them!
6 Jul 2009, 18:26 pm
#423 skopskiet: understand, but the Lions did have the benfit of lead in games… SA was seriously underdone, being their real first test, Namibia was not the ideal lead in…
as for the Baabaas, hard to bring a composite team together for one or two matches in short time…
I think the Lions series may just get some SA supporters thinking like yourself, that it is time to rebuild… teams have to keep evolving otherwise they will deteriorate…
6 Jul 2009, 18:28 pm
#418 poppa69:
when it comes to Kiwi cricket, surely its easier to remember the good times…
Yep, poor old Sneds very rarely hit that seam.
#423 skopskiet:
‘goon delirious supporters’ ? My, thats almost worth framing !
Hello Rich1, BokFan1, Whatever, Heavens Game…. Look what Skoppie called you.
Altho, Im not sure comparing makeshift BaaBaa team results really pushed the credibility factor there.
6 Jul 2009, 18:28 pm
#425 Puma: trust me Deysel is massively strong
he had a few breaks and some where he had 3 or 4 pumas clinging to his back
F Steyn is the real deal , and the fools that think him useless at the sharks are going to regret letting him go , and also treating him so poorly
Glad to hear we could have a near full strength sharks team to battle the WP
6 Jul 2009, 18:30 pm
#423 skopskiet:
Why so angry? I agree the Boks aren’t as great as Keo and others would have us believe but they’re a lot better than you give them credit for.
And it really doesn’t matter what Jake White would have done, or who he would have selected. What matters now is PDV does the right thing.
6 Jul 2009, 18:32 pm
#423 skopskiet: Completely agree with you Skopskiet. Why should we be favourites for the tri-nations? Based on last year’s t-nations coming last?
We seem to be favourites every year but rarely live up to the hype.
6 Jul 2009, 18:35 pm
#427 Objective 101:
Our midfield and fullback yesterday were the Bulls team apart from the wings, does that constitute the Bulls would have creamed the Lions as so many were calling before.
FdP, Steyn, WO, Kirchner all Bulls, only Nokwe and Odwa (who’s twin brother is a Bulls wing) were not representative of Bulls.
Sharks front row and 8th man, and Bulls and Sharks No.1 candidates at 2nd row, yet they were made to look like children against men.
I said already yesterday, forget about this figment of the imagination ‘best team in the world’ bull dust, its one fat myth illusion spread as fictitious lies by winning ways protagonists and agenda based cloak and dagger bearing journalists.
This coaching team better realize very soon that the illustrious so called superior 2007 walk in the park WC dream team are no more, time to turn over some new leaves and bring in fresh hungry talent immediately, starting with the front row and throughout the entire make up amd combination we are looking at.
It is our young talent that saved our asses, Brussow and M.Steyn, not the status quo hero’s, some of whom let us down heavily if the 1st minute of the 2nd test bears any witness to it. So if these coaches want to progress at all from here, get the deluded cobwebs of this illustrious imaginative best team in the world syndrome right out of your consciousness and start again, right now, before it gets any later than it already is.
6 Jul 2009, 18:36 pm
#425 Puma: Carstens, Kanko, Muller and Odwa perhaps. Can’t see Smit, Bismarck, JPP or Beast playing though!
Same for Province. We won’t see JdV run out at the weekend, Ricky maybe! Aaaaarrrrgh no!
6 Jul 2009, 18:43 pm
#429 poppa69:
quite right evolution is the key word here, anybody still living in deluded daydream 2007 frilly lace fantasies should catch one major wide awake wake up call, the WC 2007 illusion of grandeur is no more, stick it in the zibby can and move the hell on, those not up to the rigors of international full tilt rugby at the highest level, just not good enough, whatever your claim to fame in 2007 might have been, it is NOW that counts and those ready to step up to the plate, they the ones that should take on the reckoning, not the dismal delusions of yesteryear.
6 Jul 2009, 18:45 pm
out for now… later
6 Jul 2009, 18:47 pm
me too out, dropped my tuppence in the hat, for what its worth.
6 Jul 2009, 18:53 pm
#434 skopskiet: Select a team then. Our U19s for the second time in a row were not good enough to make the finals and for the second time in a row were beaten by England who in turn was pulverised by NZ.
Is that a sign of where our rugby is going?
6 Jul 2009, 19:04 pm
#439 Objective 101:
Maybe we are not as physically and mentally superior as we been leading ourselves to believe for so long
here’s my team for now with back up behind
F.Steyn/Kirchner
JPP/ ??? (Fourie)
Jacobs/Fourie
JdV/WO/ Ebehrson
Pienaar/ M.Steyn
FdP/ Adams / Hougard
Vermeulen / Spies/ Potgieter
Smith (c) / Potgieter / Burger / Deysel
Brussow / Stegmann / Mpho Mbiyoso
Matfield / Bekker
Botha / Sykes
CJ Vd Linde / W.Kruger
Smit / Bismark / Liebenberg / Chili
H.VdMerwe / Beast / Gurthro
6 Jul 2009, 19:05 pm
#440 skopskiet: good side
6 Jul 2009, 19:10 pm
left out left wing
Habana / Basson
6 Jul 2009, 19:21 pm
Hey Rich1 et al, looks like you should tuck your head in:-
“The IRBInternational Rugby Board have charged the South African Rugby Union after the Springboks wore armbands during the Third Test defeat to the British and Irish Lions on Saturday as a symbol of solidarity for Bakkies Botha.
The protest occurred aftr the upholding of Botha’s two-week suspension by an independent Appeal Committee for dangerously charging into a ruck without binding on a player.
The IRB have pressed charges for alleged Misconduct in breach of the IRB Regulations Relating to the Game including breaches of the IRB Code of Conduct.
The IRB takes the view that such an act demonstrates a clear disregard of the disciplinary process and does so in a manner which brings, or has the potential to bring, the Game into disrepute.
The IRB has notified the South Africa Rugby Union that it intends to begin the disciplinary proceedings. The matter will now be referred to the independent Judicial Panel Chairman who will appoint a Judicial Officer or Committee.
Botha was banned for two weeks for the second-half charge in the Springboks nailbiting second Test victory over the Lions – which gave them the series – on Adam Jones that left the Welsh prop needing corrective surgery to right a dislocated shoulder.
The Springbok and Lions coaching staff, as well as Jones, have insisted that they saw nothing untoward in the second-rower’s charge, arguing he had merely been clearing a ruck.
“As a sign of solidarity the Springbok players decided to wear white arm bands during the Test match,” said Piet Heymans, head of the South African Rugby Players Association (SARPA).
“At the same time the players want to send a clear message that they require the IRB to have an urgent and serious relook at Law 10.4 (j).”
Hope someone gets a good kick in the butt. This was BS and arrogance in the supreme. Cant see old hands like Danie and Moaner and Frik ever wearing stupid armbands over their national jerseys.
6 Jul 2009, 19:44 pm
#440 skopskiet: Good team Skopskiet.
Just wants to raise a point that has bugged me for a long time.
Whenever there are match reports you will never find any criticism against Matfield. Often when scoring the players it will say: “had a busy day, very good in lineouts , rating 8/10.”
Muller is taking a lot of flak for the forwards that were dominated by the BIL. I watched the game carefully (twice). Muller put in plenty (aggressive) tackles. He is no show pony, doing the hard graft. Matfield was standing at every ruck directing other forwards. Did anyone see him put in a significant tackle?
I have followed him the last 2 seasons. Even been called that I have a personal problem with him. My problem is that he is completely overrated. Not doing any work apart from jumping in the lineouts. Avoiding the contact. Now we have to hear that the balance is not good when Bakkies is away. Yes, all true because he is the lock that does the work, Matfield completely lost when he needs to do hard work.
I dare anyone to watch the last test (and the other 2 for that matter) and tell me if Matfield is such a superstar. He is always noticed because he never enters a ruck. I think it is a luxury to have Matfield a specialist lineout jumper and not much more. Muller took all his balls also by the way. And no, I don’t think Muller is great but pls take off your blindfolds and stop assuming that Matfield is having a good game. Mostly he does nothing!
Most people are calling for Juan Smith’s head, did you notice how many tackles he made, never left an attacker for someone else.
Don’t think Bok forwards are dominant enough (at all!) to warrant the luxury of a lineout jumper that does not add value in the ruck.
Yes, I will get the bullsh^t that Matfield is not an enforcer and it is all about combinations.
I dare you all the watch the game again, follow Matfield and let me know if I am right or wrong.
6 Jul 2009, 19:46 pm
#443 BlackPanther: A hefty fine? What more can they do? The whole world knows that was a bullsh1t citing and the appeal should’ve turned the decision over. Danie, Moaner and Frik played in an era when stuff like Bakkies did, hardly raised an eyebrow.
6 Jul 2009, 19:48 pm
#444 UK Bok: Do you realise its a sin to say anything about a bulls player??
6 Jul 2009, 19:51 pm
#446 sharks_lover: A terminal sin !
UK Bok, come here for a PK !
Hehehe
6 Jul 2009, 19:52 pm
#447 grootblousmile:
bro
6 Jul 2009, 19:53 pm
#446 sharks_lover: No you have it wrong. Only a sin when the comment is negative
6 Jul 2009, 19:55 pm
#444 UK Bok: In saying that i agree with you
they all blame Muller but we can sit down with them , and let them show us where Muller was useless
And i can show you twice where matfield threw the ball back so poorly to Dupreez
I can also show you a few knock ons by Matfield , but yeah thats Mullers fault i aguess
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