Boks were well beaten
7 Sep 2009
Worse than the Springbok performance in Brisbane was the post match analysis on SuperSport, writes Keo in his weekly Business Day column.
Naas Botha blamed the referee Wayne Barnes for South Africa’s emphatic 21-6 defeat against Australia and to illustrate his point he laboured through a couple of debatable decisions at the breakdown. Then Botha spoke about the two Australian tries and the four times Australia’s players crossed South Africa’s line, only to be denied by stunning cover tackles. Not once did Botha show us a South African try or a South African try-scoring opportunity because there wasn’t a heck of a lot to show from a South African perspective.
Australia could have had six tries. South Africa, at best, were close to scoring once. That is how convincing this Australian win was. The Boks, three years ago, took a 49-0 drubbing at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and had everything gone Australia’s way on Saturday the result could have been of a similar nature.
The SunCorp Stadium has never been kind to the Springboks in matches against Australia, with the Boks having last scored a try at the venue against the Aussies in 1997. They scored plenty there against Samoa during the 2003 World Cup, but when it comes to playing the Wallabies in Brisbane the Boks have managed six, nine, zero and six points in the last decade, while the hosts have totaled 32, 29, 49 and 21.
History always favoured the Wallabies in Brisbane, where the only team to have won there in the last 10 years is New Zealand. Form was also decisive, as was Australia’s team selection, which was an improvement on who started in Perth seven days earlier.
A week ago I cautioned against writing off Australia and wrote that they were not half as bad as their media made out after the 32-25 defeat in Perth. I watched that match three times and the more I watched it the more worried I got about the prospect of Brisbane. It did not need hindsight to know that Brisbane would be very different to Perth.
In Perth Australia never recovered from a 12-point deficit, but they controlled the last 30 minutes of the Test and in particular they were impressive in the scrum. What they lacked was a lineout and physicality in the contact areas. In Brisbane the lineout still wobbled, but the physicality was greater than anything the Springboks have experienced in the Tri Nations this year and the Australian scrum was as good as it was in Cape Town and Perth.
Decisively, the Australians maintained this physical onslaught for the duration of the match and when a Bok team does not physically dictate they tend to struggle.
Anyone blaming Barnes’s officiating is insulting Australia’s performance.
As far a game plans go, South Africa got it wrong and Australia got it boringly right. The hosts played the percentages, kicked for territory and rarely attacked from within their half. Matt Giteau kicked a drop goal and James O’Connor scored from a kick and chase.
When South Africa did it in Cape Town, the criticism Down Under was they were boring. When Australia did it, they were just being clever. What is disappointing about Brisbane is that the Boks were suckered into playing a more expansive and risky game, which favoured the Australians, who in turn played risk-free rugby and got the rewards.
The Springboks, outstanding in the first four Tri Nations victories, will win the Tri Nations, regardless of the result in Hamilton because New Zealand does not have the capacity to score four tries against the Boks and four tries against the Wallabies a week later.
But the taste of championship victory will be soured if there is another defeat in Hamilton, and another set piece disaster will force the selectors to revisit their view on John Smit’s future as an international tighthead prop.
Smit, South Africa’s greatest captain and one of the finest hookers in the game, has taken a beating in the scrum against Australia this year. He should not be playing tighthead. If you play him, start him at hooker, which is his best position.
It won’t happen this weekend and Smit will again be a target, when not long ago he was a strength in the front row. With France waiting in Toulouse in November I can’t see the selectors playing two hookers in the front row, and if they do they should be the ones getting the chop.
266 Comments
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7 Sep 2009, 17:21 pm
#180 WP Till I Die: Not entirely true. All Blacks never got targeted by officials whilst they ruled the roost.
Fact is, our beloved Bok team will not change/improve as long as the coach blames the ref. It will be same old against the ABs in Hamilton – demolition of our scrum (must be the ref again), outplayed at the breakdown (ref allowing opposition to enter from the side/play over the ball), etc.
7 Sep 2009, 17:22 pm
#195 justrugby: hi and bye boet!
7 Sep 2009, 17:23 pm
#195 justrugby:
ha ha, well perhaps you should ask grant that?
Look i’ve always thought pienaar should be competing for 9 and 10, with Frans playing 15, but JP and possibly Habana are down, so we have a choice Odwa and perhaps one other. Adi does not have the pace for wing, we saw that on sat. So perhaps the Greatest will need to make a plan.
7 Sep 2009, 17:26 pm
#202 cab: LOL….. I think for continuity sake we must make as few changes as possible, I would leave backline as is except if Habs is ruled out I would play Steyn.
7 Sep 2009, 17:29 pm
The iphone the pinnacle of bathroom entertainment, No sir ! not for me The **** is, just doesn’t have all The rad aps, cept The one.
7 Sep 2009, 17:30 pm
#175 XhosaKid:
Horrible thought but true for the rest unfortunately. When you see overated wings like those twins then you can’t help of thinking of Bhabha Nolokhwe at his best for Kwaru at Dan Qeqe.
7 Sep 2009, 17:34 pm
#183 cab: i’m actually convinced the ndungane twins boned his chick or his ex, when those boys were playing for EP they lived in the same block of flats as me in humewood. They always had groupies from collegiate, pearson, victoria park etc camping by their place and maybe, just maybe xhosa’s chick or ex, fell victim to the twin’s charm…they always rolled with their sidekick ondela mkiva, maybe they let him hit it! Ha ha ha
7 Sep 2009, 17:35 pm
#206 Transformation:
lets stop there, u okes seem to have intimate knowledge of the twins, they look like pretty cool dudes, but we need em a bit more rough and tumble i reckon.
7 Sep 2009, 17:39 pm
like snoop dogg said back in ’94 “it ain’t no fun, if the homies can’t have none”!
7 Sep 2009, 17:40 pm
#198 rangerman: I saw that last night, idiot, he tried doing the same with Grant10
7 Sep 2009, 17:41 pm
#181 XhosaKid:Think Bruce Lee was better than him! mh!!!!
#182rant10:
Politics and injuries had a negative effect on a HUGE potential talent. Was really good. Think Mallet wanted a star to the world cup – unfortunately had not fully recovered from injury. Then rugby politics took over thus overseas so-journey. Charismatic fellow. Would have been great for our game.
But Zinzan was just ……………
7 Sep 2009, 17:41 pm
“A week ago I cautioned against writing off Australia and wrote that they were not half as bad as their media made out after the 32-25 defeat in Perth. I watched that match three times and the more I watched it the more worried I got about the prospect of Brisbane.”
Mark Keohane – this is the opposite of every article written by your scribes in the lead up to the game.
Their embarrassing hubris was illustrated like Asterix vs The Romans.
The Thompson Twins (“investigative” journalists) JC & Ryan should hang their heads.
Come to think of it – this is the first time you write objectively, without typical chest beating.
Big game coming Saturday. I await the latest & greatest on Keo.
7 Sep 2009, 17:45 pm
#209 XhosaKid: seems a little odd to me.
but like i say, no one was biting.
now back to odwa and akona.
my mates at Old Boys reckon Odwa was no great shakes at club level for our first team.
gcobani was a legend, and a gent.
7 Sep 2009, 17:45 pm
#210 Peter Mkata:
agree on zinzan, what about haas as a water-walking flyhalf? or is that out of the question?
#211 SodaJoe:
quite liked the thompson twins actually.
what is your prediction mr joe?
doom or glory?
7 Sep 2009, 17:48 pm
#211 SodaJoe: ja, and “delusional boks” is just such an insulting headline when it was these fukwits who were crowing from the rafters.
the boks and PDivvy were nothing but grounded.
as i have lways said, i blog here for the comments from friends and foe (i am watching you wakacracker, calling me repulsive ranger is just not very nice
).
7 Sep 2009, 17:55 pm
#206 Transformation
Transman
Uyamazi kanti uOndela? Hayi umncinci lo mhlaba!!
7 Sep 2009, 17:56 pm
AG PLEEEEASE PdV play a full strength team on Sat! Forget the politics and who is going overseas next season etc.
Lets take the TN with pride!
Put Steyn on as a starter, and put Ruan on an airplane.
7 Sep 2009, 17:59 pm
#213 cab:
Naas was good during his era. But I preferred Hugo Porta and Mark ella. Played more attractive rugby. In South Africa I preferred Michael du Plessis and Bra Peter Mkata.
7 Sep 2009, 18:06 pm
#215 Peter Mkata:ha ha yeah, well the eastern cape is small…i’ve always figured that you might be someone i’ve met before…but it’s whatever…
#214 rangerman: hey ranger!!! “crowing from the rafters” i like that part….
7 Sep 2009, 18:13 pm
#218 Transformation:
Well don’t think so.Would have told you long time ago if I knew/met you!! ha ha!!
Got to know Ondela recently just before the Lions tour through work.
7 Sep 2009, 18:20 pm
#216 TheBoksAreBack: Pienaar had a shocker at 15 and so did Adi at 14. What is the point in playing Adi at 14 to chase high kicks(the shortest player on the field!!) rather move Steyn at 14. Anyway Pienaar needs time off from the game to recompose himself and regain confidence which as things stand must be at an all time low. His postional play was shocking, his organisational skils at no 15 even worse. This has to be one of the worst failed experiments so far. We also need our nos 6 and 7 to cover which no 7 did not do giving the Aussies a field day in broken play.
Aussies were clever and it is to be expected from a coach like Deans. Fortunately Henry is not as smart, but as a side we must not become too predictable. Amazingly we are going backwards in an area where no one ever ever was even a contest against our front row. Gary Godl time to pack and let a proper fowards coach take over again. You were ***** at the Stormers and have not improved much.
7 Sep 2009, 18:45 pm
Boks were well beaten – and beaten well
nice job Aussie
7 Sep 2009, 18:56 pm
#221 vindicated: i agree.
well done aus.
how you doing vindicated?
long time man. still flying the big jets?
7 Sep 2009, 18:59 pm
Good luck bokke
7 Sep 2009, 19:08 pm
‘What is disappointing about Brisbane is that the Boks were suckered into playing a more expansive and risky game, which favoured the Australians.’
spot on keo
7 Sep 2009, 19:26 pm
#140 Peter Mkata: how is he a passenger when he was one of the best players in the loose?
It is the Beast who has been penalised more in the scrum in the past two tests but Smit for some reason seems to be taking the heat.
7 Sep 2009, 20:20 pm
#218 Transformation: Eastern Cape is small … interesting.
Ruan needs to get an extended run at flyhalf or be the backup scrummie or go back to the Sharks. You have to ask yourself about finishing off Jean De Villiers / Jaques Fourie’s attack … where was the flyhalf? If anybody they had come back in field and he should have been right on the spot to finish off. Perhaps he had dropped back for the drop goal already.
7 Sep 2009, 20:47 pm
Hows this…
was just reading on superrugby when it got pulled.
the article was flak flies in tri nations or the like. did a refresh and it was gone
now check it out, the headline reads “Inactive-do-not-reuse-might be sensitive” I kid you not… what is happening
http://www.supersport.com/rugby/article.aspx?headline=Flak%20flying%20in%20Tri-Nations&id=314988
7 Sep 2009, 20:49 pm
Okes, that is censorship plain and simple…
Not happy
KEO, guys time to pull finger and see what is really going on
7 Sep 2009, 20:50 pm
This isn’t the first time the Aussie’s have suckered a team into playing ‘exciting’ rugby – they did it to the English in the 1991 RWC final too.
7 Sep 2009, 20:51 pm
Narse Botha knows nothing, and he’s even forgotten that. He’s a Narse.
7 Sep 2009, 20:51 pm
Inactive-do-not-reuse-might be sensitive
07 September 2009 (19:04)
Peter de Villiers © Gallo Images
The entire SA Rugby hierarchy went to ground on Monday after Springbok coach Peter de Villiers reportedly slated IRB referee boss Paddy O’Brien and his officials, saying he was wasting his time consulting with them before matches.
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Neither SA Rugby president Oregan Hoskins, Communications manager Andy Colquhoun or Springbok media manager Anthony Mackaiser could be reached for comment after De Villiers reportedly told the News24 website that it was a complete waste of time complaining to the IRB about referees.
The Springboks were unhappy about being blown up in the scrums by New Zealand referee Bryce Lawrence in Perth, where they beat Australia 32-25 two weeks ago. They were again unhappy with the officiating of Englishman Wayne Barnes after going down 21-6 to the Wallabies in Brisbane on Saturday.
After South Africa wrote to IRB referee’s boss Paddy O’Brien, asking for clarity on decisions and were told that Lawrence’s decisions were the most accurate of the Tri-Nations, De Villiers told News24: “I believe it’s a complete waste of time.
“It doesn’t matter if we ask for an explanation of the scrum rules. The problem is pointed out but it is not officiated properly by the referee and the other officials on the field.
De Villiers, however, won’t be sending another email to O’Brien protesting this week and explained why.
“I believe life within your own country is sometimes a burden because you have to face it every day but when you go outside your borders, you see that it is actually worse.
“People don’t want to see other teams being successful. That is my biggest problem at the moment. We can’t go public about certain things because we don’t have all the evidence, but the body language of certain officials when things went against us in that game made us worry.
“The officials were so happy when decisions went against us on the day. I am talking about the number one rugby team in the world. Shouldn’t they really get the other guys to that level?
“Or do they want to break things down so that the game can become mediocre and everyone has a chance to win it. We don’t want to dwell on that point, but if that is the case, then I feel I am wasting my time by talking to them. I will then have to reconsider talking to them.”
South Africa had to face an IRB tribunal recently and the Boks were fined £10 000, captain John Smit £1 000 and the players £200 each for wearing armbands in the third test against the British Lions demanding justice for all following the suspension of Bakkies Botha for foul play.
The IRB were reportedly appealing the verdict for being too lenient and before the Tri-Nations, SA Rugby bosses met with De Villiers asking him to tone down his fiery and often controversial rhetoric.
Nobody at SA Rugby could be reached to verify the accuracy of De Villiers’s statements.
7 Sep 2009, 20:53 pm
#230 TheTackler: That makes two of you, then.
7 Sep 2009, 20:54 pm
#225 Big Hit: The beast has had one good game this season, which was the first one again the B&I Lions – apart from that it’s much ado about nothing.
7 Sep 2009, 21:07 pm
#233 CharlieBrown: The Beast had one tackle and one ball carring ruck (which he turned over) in the 2nd half on Saturday, if the Boks truely believe they can afford him that’s good for the Beast.
7 Sep 2009, 21:15 pm
#231 brendon:
A common sense dictates that any reservations, disagreements and protests to Mr. O’Brien should be made in a discrete manner and by a reputable SA Representative, Andre’ Watson comes to mind
Unleashing Mr PdV against the IRB refereeing system is not so prudent, but I doubt he opened up without a permision from Hoskins?!
The Boks had their 5 out of 6 home Tests handing to them on a palte by the Test referees, no reason for us to complain in the final analysis.
7 Sep 2009, 21:17 pm
#235 Hondo: Dude! But how blatant was that…
Inactive-do-not-reuse-might be sensitive
No man. Free press my gat!
7 Sep 2009, 21:42 pm
#234 Hondo: Pretty much how i saw it too, Hondo.
7 Sep 2009, 22:07 pm
Naas is a major muppit!
Barnes did a good job!
The Boks were creamed by a better (fitter?) side.
As much as it pains me to say this: Well done, Wallies! The Boks were lucky not to have an even more embarrasing day at the office… Sigh!
7 Sep 2009, 22:30 pm
both
our props
are not
of
international
standard
8 Sep 2009, 00:07 am
#236 brendon: Brendon
say as I see it,,
Remember, PdV is persumably under a gag order from the SARU.
The guy with all his limitations knows well what ‘buys the Whisky’ so he wouldn’t go against his employers without their permission
I wouldn’t!
8 Sep 2009, 00:15 am
#239 Porra the Fat Speedster:
Old news mate, but it will take more than a D9 CAT to scrape them out of there.
In fairness, JS does a huge amount of useful work in the loose, break down, rucks and defence, what exactly is the Beast’s contribution must be debatebale
8 Sep 2009, 00:21 am
Actually towards the end of the game, SA was also playing a territory game. But whenever they actually made it into teh Walla’s territiry, their possession was taken away by dodgy Aussie actions at the breakdown (which the ref allowed tehm to do, but not us) or by the ref penalising our scrum or some other aspect.
The ref really did kill all momentum for us in their 22. They were infringing with impunity at the breakdown, coming in from all sides (even the back)slowing the ball down, and got off completely scott free. But if we did it in our half, we got nailed!
PdV must realise that teh only way that they are going to win the 3N is if we take the game away from them completely in the same way that the Bulls took the game from the Chiefs. So that there can be no arguments about who won, or even let them have a chance in the last ten minute. We need to expect complete reffing bias, and win despite it. That seems to be the only way SA can actually win.
If we expect fair reffing, we get upset and our heads drop. If we expect to play the ref as well, we take him into account in our plans, and he becomes just another obstacle to overcome.
The IRB seems to hand down directives to the ref’s * (WWF style) that they must ref for the most exciting ends to the tournaments. To my mind that means that the IRB would have decreed that the AB’s must beat the Boks, so that the result is still in doubt for the last game, setting up a massive clash between the old guard AB’s and the newly confident young gun Wally’s. So expect the ref to come out firing against the Boks. Boks can still win, but dont expect a level laying field.
* did anyone else think it was a coincidence that England (rated 115th in the world?) made it to the RWC final – strangely that fact encourged thousands of the closest country’s fans to cross the channel, and spend lots of money, and increase viewership massively.
So did Wayne Barnes “miss” the French forward pass or was he instructed to miss it? How could he not have seen the 17 other penalties? Also, how can an international ref that is THAT BLIND still be appointed by the IRB? I’ll tell you why – he is their results man.
Just like casinos use special croupiers when a punter is winning too much, the IRB use their special ref’s.
A boring old game between SA and AB’s/Walla’s would not have done anything for The Game (or the IRB finances). Ironically the IRB think that they are building the game with their control, but they are actually killing it.
8 Sep 2009, 00:40 am
#241 Hondo:
before
all that
we need to
dominate
the scrums
8 Sep 2009, 02:08 am
But we all know the Boks were crushed on Saturday. Time to move on to the next game which is the all important one.
8 Sep 2009, 03:07 am
So ABs need a 4 try bonus point and 24 point win to get the for/against advantage and a much better chance
8 Sep 2009, 03:34 am
#245 chch: very unlikely Chch, would just rather they win this weekend, if they go out looking for that result we will see repeats of Bloem and Durbs…
8 Sep 2009, 03:51 am
Narse Botha? Bwaaahaha!
Et de end orf de dey, Derren…
8 Sep 2009, 04:08 am
242. SjamBok :
September 8th, 2009 at 12:21 am
Actually towards the end of the game, SA was also playing a territory game. But whenever they actually made it into teh Walla’s territiry, their possession was taken away by dodgy Aussie actions at the breakdown (which the ref allowed tehm to do, but not us) or by the ref penalising our scrum or some other aspect.
I saw it too. Johan Smurf decided to not harp on about it though and I suppose he has his reasons.
I suspect there will be a few surprises on the weekend.
8 Sep 2009, 04:33 am
#246 poppa69:
They must aim for 4 tries or else we will have to win by 4 tries and some absurd number in the final game.
Rather lose to the Wallabies trying for 4 tries than a repeat of the France ‘win and give up’ situation.
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