Learning from Leicester lesson
9 Nov 2009
Intensity will be the watchword as the Springboks prepare to erase the Welford Road capitulation with a robust showing against France.
Bok skipper John Smit used the word liberally on the 2008 tour of the UK, and the recent debacle against Leicester would serve as a timely reminder that intensity is king on the heavier fields of Europe.
The Tigers went into the fixture as underdogs despite the SA XV’s lack of experience, but always looked the hungrier side at the collisions. After dominating at the tackle point, they had the kicking game needed to pin South Africa deep in their own territory.
It’s no exaggeration when I employ a cliche to contrast the Springboks and their midweek alter-egos. The Cheese got served last Friday, but we should expect a better showing from the Chalk when they play in Toulouse.
The Springboks have the best second-row and halfback pairing on the planet, and, as France coach Marc Lievremont pointed out recently, they are the most physical team in world rugby. They need to take this compliment to heart in preparation for Les Tricolores this Friday. They’ll need ever bit of grit and determination to deny the proud Frenchmen, who will also be anticipating a forward assault.
There has been concern over the fitness of top players like Fourie du Preez and Victor Matfield, who’ve endured a helluva lot of rugby in 2009. Smit, Bakkies Botha and Bismarck du Plessis have also been over-utilised, and Bryan Habana could also have done with a rest ahead of a busy 2010 season.
It’s a pointless debate with these players already picked and primed for a taxing European tour, but every player would do well to know this could be one of the tougher Tests in 2009. Playing at the end of their rugby season, the Boks will need to operate at an optimal level of intensity.
The SA XV lacked that intensity against Leicester and they were duly punished. There were other aspects that cost the tourists, namely the poor scrumming effort, wayward tactical kicking and suspect decision-making, but it was concerning to see a South African team beaten by a club side at the breakdown.
Australia also battled in the initial stages in their match against England on Saturday. The Poms turned the Wallabies over in promising positions because the visitors failed to protect the ball-carrier. When they adjusted in the second period, they prospered, and were thus able to play the game at a more familiar tempo.
Heinrich Brüssow and Schalk Burger are expected to start on the flanks against France, while Ryan Kankowski will fill in for the injured Pierre Spies. Brüssow and Burger worked well in tandem at the back end of the Tri-Nations, but it will be interesting to see how they respond to Friday’s challenge. Plenty will be expected from Kankowski in a ball-carrying capacity.
Nobody outbullies the Bulls when they bring their trademark physicality to the party, but as seen in this year’s Super 14, when the Bulls don’t front at the collisions, they are beatable. The lowly Highlanders outmuscled the Bulls in the league stage, and perhaps it served as a good reminder that physical dominance is something you need to work for in every single encounter.
Smit said it at the beginning of the 2008 tour; intensity is the team watchword when touring the northern hemisphere. The midweek side may be forgiven for not knowing this due to a lack of experience, but their failure should serve as a reminder to Smit’s men that nothing less than the Boks’ uncompromising brand will do in Toulouse.
It’s a tough ask at the end of a long season, and it’s fair to say that should the Boks return from their three-Test tour undefeated, they will have achieved more than just a 3-0 result.
By Jon Cardinelli
248 Comments
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9 Nov 2009, 05:44 am
Bring in a scrum coach.
Gert Smal must be licking his lips ahead of the Ireland match, with PDV and Muir seeming not to give a hoot about the dark arts of the front row.
I just hope CJ is fit.
Like Heinke, he’s had one game in months.
And in that game he only came off the bench.
Or did he sit on the bench without being used?
9 Nov 2009, 05:44 am
Key concept MUST be that you can — and you WILL — be embarrassingly snotted by a mere club side if you fancy yourselves to be invincible when you turn up swaggering about being the “world champions”.
Leicester — an indifferent club side — easily whacked you.
With thirteen of their top-flight players unavailable.
Had they been at full strength, it might even have been a 50 point whacking.
You got lucky.
9 Nov 2009, 05:53 am
And, let’s cut the old crappola — the team that got contemptuously smoked by an awfully-understrength Leicester really wasn’t a “SA XV”.
It was the official national team from South Africa called the “Springboks”.
9 Nov 2009, 06:12 am
#3 TheTackler: Last time I checked – we moered the All Blacks both home and away this year – you don’t have a high horse to get up on, so stop trying.
9 Nov 2009, 06:36 am
#4 jaimie: The Boks still have a very… very… extremely long way to go before they can overtake the All Blacks on their joint overall historical win/loss record.
9 Nov 2009, 06:40 am
#2 TheTackler: just to be clear tackler, Leicester aren’t an indifferent club side, they’re the most successful English club of the pro era. However, it is correct to say they were massively understrength but it’s the size of the fight in the dog.
9 Nov 2009, 06:41 am
Thanks for emphasising the point Tackles. The team that played shouldn’t have been called the Springboks. 90% of the country will agree with you.
9 Nov 2009, 06:47 am
I agree with TheTackler! It was not an “SA XI” and I was surprised to see it described as such by so many writers. It was the South African national team, otherwise known as the Springboks, and it was bloody embarrassing that they lost to Leicester (never mind that Leicester was far from full-strength).
Every time the Springboks play it is important that they win – not only for their own pride, but for that of the nation and all those who have gone before them. Getting walloped in the 2007 Trinations because key players were resting was equally disappointing. Preparing for the future, whether it be “blooding” new players or resting those in need of a break, needs to carefully managed so that any SA side that runs out on the paddock can reasonably be expected to win – be that against that All Blacks or Saracens.
Another sad aspect of the Leicester debacle is the impact it may have on the long-term development and futures of some of the players involved. Talk about how to ruin the careers of young players! Already players are being flown in to bolster the ranks. Even though some of these are injury necessitated, it does not send a good message to the players who got hammered on Friday. I am sure some of the players will rise above the Leicester loss; but for some it could be the end of their short-lived international careers. And all because of poor player development.
Here’s to seeing more intensity–at scrum time, the tackle and breakdown–in Toulouse (plus some prudent tactical kicking)!
9 Nov 2009, 06:48 am
#5 TheTackler: A4Y’s.
9 Nov 2009, 06:50 am
#3 TheTackler: According to Saru, the midweek team’s official name is the Springbok XV.
9 Nov 2009, 07:16 am
peter de villiers spoke to some of the players about taking some much needed R&R and most of them refused to take the break offered because “they wanted so much to be part of that family”. Now to keep harping on about how tired some players must be is a senseless to me, we saw it with butch after RWC ’07, he went straight to Bath and didn’t give himself any time to recuperate and his performances for the Boks reflected that.
But ultimately, who is responsible to manage a player’s career, the national coach or the player himself? I know in my field of work i certainly have final say & responsibility over the advancement of my career.
9 Nov 2009, 07:27 am
A completely different team will play on Friday. (Thank God!)
So we have little to worry about, if the boys play reasonable well we’ll win. Simple as that
9 Nov 2009, 07:54 am
Unfortunately I couldn’t watch the game on Friday as it was played at 02:45 over here. But from what I have read, it seems that the team that played, would’ve been thrashed by Boland…
Anyway, the players that were on that team, when looked at individually, are not bad players(note: Earl Rose is excluded from the above comment), but they did not have enough time to gel as a team and consequently got outplayed by an understrength Leicester team.
I however, am not particularly worried about it. Looking at the number of excellent players that came through in the CC this year, Springboks(if chosen correctly) should be more than fine over the next, o I don’t know, 15 years…
9 Nov 2009, 07:55 am
#3 TheTackler:
Yawn… get over yourself…
It was NOT a Springbok side… They did NOT win Springbok caps and didn’t even have the Springbok emblem on the jersey…
You can rant all you like but that doesn’t change the facts… but then again you never let the facts get in the way of your bigotry do you…???
They may have been without their frontline players… but then be thruthful enough to acknowledge that there were NO frontline Bok players in the SA XV either… try being honest for once…
also Leister had six internatinals in their side… I’m sure Mauger alone has more caps the the SA side… what about Castro and the others…?
Of course you won’t be honest and acknowledge those facts…
you sad little man…
And at least PdV does learn and is man enough to do so… unlike Jake White who STILL believes rugby has no place for a fetcher…
9 Nov 2009, 08:01 am
Pity that a real representation of South Africa’s second best XV will most likely never occur.
It seems like SA seriously lags behind in this area when compared to other tier one nations. The home unions have a pretty decent set up with the Churchill cup. What does SA have? The Nations cup?
I particularly like the way the Saxons management is conducted. Players being promoted/relegated between the two squads, but still remaining in the system. This seems like a good way to deal with the fringe players that seem to plague SA touring squads.
This whole debacle seems completely unforgivable for the World Champions…
9 Nov 2009, 08:01 am
Ja as I mentioned before the CC Final Guthro Steenkamp scrums illegal. It cost us a humiliating defeat to recognize this – pathetic selectors.
9 Nov 2009, 08:01 am
Shocking display by the Springboks on Friday …… Just shows that depth could be a real issue for the Boks , if they get a few injuries in key positions they will be in real trouble
Alot of the players in the Friday side were Boks in the current set up so really there is no excuse – Leciester wanted the win and came to play – alot of work needs to be done on developing the Midweek side into players who can slot into the 1st XV
9 Nov 2009, 08:02 am
What will the Boks be like under PdV when Smit, Matfield, Bakkies and FdP are done with international rugby? I can’t help wondering about this one. When these guys are not in the team the Boks look very vulnerable. We may be in for a steep dive in fortunes after the next WC.
9 Nov 2009, 08:12 am
#3 TheTackler: 100% right.
Look okes, I am as patriotic as the next guy, but the showing on Friday night was disgraceful. We need to make an honest assesment of our shortcomings and work on fixing them instead of basking in the glory of an amazing first choice side:
The one thing it has highlighted is that SA have serious depth problems in certain positions:
1. Wynand Olivier is not an international 12′s arse… Without Jean and Frans we are seriously lacking.
2. We dont have depth at 10 either. Ruaan was disgraceful. Dont even mention Peter Grant or anyone else in SA.
3. Tighthead – Jannie Doep had a shocker. Slow, ineffectual, poor scrummaging. WP Nel is untested. Thank God we are getting CJ Back.
4. Other than Morne Steyn – that tour group does not have an 80% kicker !! Our kickers all need tons and tons of work.
5. Our depth at lock is solid. Thought Rossouw and Bekker were good. Ditto loose trio and scrumhalves.
6. Hooker depth need to be properly exploited. Chilli was terrible. We need to work on Adriaan and Tiaan.
So lets take the criticism on the chin. We were pathetic. Now lets fix it.
9 Nov 2009, 08:16 am
#19 Cheetha Champs: 100% agree….good post
9 Nov 2009, 08:19 am
Friday’s Bok performance had a typical BafanaBafana flavour.
9 Nov 2009, 08:20 am
#5 TheTackler: Haa haa , yup hold onto those small victories tackles !! We will take the 3N , World Cup and S14 !! You can have the mythical cup of more wins than losses against the boks !! The people and I mean the real people of NZ (not you) must be very proud !!
9 Nov 2009, 08:24 am
#18 Katsesnor: Look every side goes through a rebuilding phase when they lose the bulk of their team after a WC – just look at England and NZ – but the question is if FDP or Matfield or Bakkies gets injured before the WC , is there enough quality to replace them at the moment – the answer is a definate no.
9 Nov 2009, 08:25 am
#18 Katsesnor: I agree , I expected it after 07 but then Matfield and some of the senior boks played on.
All teams take a dive , after 95 the boks suffered some bad losses as well in 96 but bounced back in 97,98 under Mallet.
The important part is correct handover after 2011 , the new coach should be brought in earlier to familiarise himself with the job. Likewise the new players , getting that balance right is important.
9 Nov 2009, 08:26 am
#19 Cheetha Champs:
#20 grant10:
I agree 100 percent that we played pathetically…
just not that it was a Springbok team…
however, I don’t really think we have depth issues… only selection issues… select the right guys… and we all know who they are… and we could field an excellent second string team…
9 Nov 2009, 08:27 am
#23 stew: The way I see us keeping the momentum is to keep Smit, Matfield and FdP involved with Bok rugby after they retired. They seem to be in some sort of control in the Bok setup.
9 Nov 2009, 08:27 am
#19 Cheetha Champs: Good points, agree with everything except although I think WO deserves a few more chances before he is judged so harshly.
Nice article too, this a pearl: “The SA XV lacked that intensity against Leicester and they were duly punished. There were other aspects that cost the tourists, namely the poor scrumming effort, wayward tactical kicking and suspect decision-making, but it was concerning to see a South African team beaten by a club side at the breakdown.”
9 Nov 2009, 08:29 am
#26 Katsesnor: Does seem that way
9 Nov 2009, 08:32 am
#15 MittenRugger:
I agree, and it’s something that I’ve been punting for a while. I have a feeling, though, that the problem might be one of cost, as sending 2nd XV squad on tour is an expensive business, which is something the NH nations don’t have to worry about, due to the proximity of each country.
9 Nov 2009, 08:34 am
#28 stew: I’m sure PdV will get another term as coach. He cannot be replaced on his current record. If that’s the case I’m sure the three players mentioned will be in the management mix after 2011.
9 Nov 2009, 08:34 am
#3 TheTackler: Tackle bag 74-14
9 Nov 2009, 08:35 am
Guys, I know I have posted this before, but I wouldn’t stress about our depth.
Side and ages for 2015 WC in Japan:
1. Beast 30
2. Bissie 31
3. WP Nel 29
4. Smith 33
5. Bekker 31
6. Brussow 29
7. Vermuelen 29
8. Spies/Kanko 30
9. Pienaar 31
10. Morne 31
11. Mapoe 27
12. Wynand 31
13. Fourie 32
14. JPP 29
15. Francois 28
I know this squad will be quite old come 2015, but considering some new talent will come through and guys like Deysel and Alberts aren’t considered, I think this side would be awesome in 2015.
9 Nov 2009, 08:35 am
In Afrikaans that means ” Shut up jy raas”
9 Nov 2009, 08:37 am
Only concern is an enforcer. Juan Smith to captain the side from 4?
9 Nov 2009, 08:38 am
#29 David: Wales, Ireland and Scotland have cut a lot of ‘A’ games in recent years due to finances. However, Scotland and Ireland do compete in the Churchill Cup during the summer.
9 Nov 2009, 08:39 am
Not a single time the Tigers stayed on their feet at ruck time, just change thr rule that all can dive on the ball, then we don’t need a fetcher. Belaglik.
Iewers moet Pieter eksperimenteer , waar beter ?
Onthou almal verwys na ‘n slagting 22-17 ??? 74-14 is eerder ‘n slagting. Dis nie so erg nie, skrumwerk gaan oor saamwerk .
9 Nov 2009, 08:43 am
#32 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): You left out Stefan Ter Blanche – 42
9 Nov 2009, 08:43 am
I don’t think our depth is such a huge issue – its the fact that PdV is picking 5th and 6th choice players instead of the bloody second choice ones!
9 Nov 2009, 08:43 am
#35 Big Hit: What they always send their “B-teams” over for the SH tours!
9 Nov 2009, 08:47 am
#38 jaimie: Correct
#38 jaimie: True, I have him on the bench though!
9 Nov 2009, 08:48 am
CapeBull – I fully agree that Pieter must experiment. But not with a team called the “Springbok XV”. Rather send the team, call them the Impalas and tell the public that it is purely for development reasons. Don’t lie to us and tell us that they were picked on merit. Some guys in the team that played on Friday are very very talented, but imo can’t be credited yet with being called a Springbok, midweek team or not
9 Nov 2009, 08:54 am
Dont worry….the cavalry are arriving!!
CJ….Wiaan Du Preez…A Strauss…Lekker….
And now precedent set…why not go the full Monty and call up F Steyn…JDV…and BJ Botha….
Those Frogs wiil kak themselves!!
9 Nov 2009, 08:54 am
The pack was shocking as a unit and the front row was embarrassing.
But it has to be said, Stuart Dickinson deserves to be given his hat and told to go on his way.
The guy is so unbelievably biased, it is so obvious to all who watch him ref.
9 Nov 2009, 08:55 am
#42 grant10:
I am worried about CJ.
He has had as little game time as Heinke.
9 Nov 2009, 09:00 am
#42 grant10: JVN for No.8 would be the first player to call if you’re picking NH Boks. SA would have a complete pack then, world class in almost every position
1. Beast
2. BDP (CJ on 60 mins, Smit to 2)
3. Smit
4. Botha
5. Matfield
6. Burger
7. Brussow
8. Van Niekerk
9 Nov 2009, 09:02 am
#2 TheTackler: Yawn !!
It seems tackles has gotten over the snotting the AB’s got in the Tri Nations!!
9 Nov 2009, 09:04 am
#5 TheTackler: another yawn!!
Maybe the AB’s had some time to build up a nice cushion, whilst the Boks had to contend with quota’s etc, but expct more of the same in 2010, and 2011 taccie, don’t think the AB’s will be that far ahead anymore lol
9 Nov 2009, 09:07 am
#43 puff: Agree 100%. He must not ref an SA game again.
Test side:
Beast
Bissie
Smit
Bakkies
Victor
Ratel
Schalk
Kanko
FdP
Morne
Habanna
Adi
Fourie
JPP
Kirchner
Bench:
CJ
Strauss
Bekker
Danie
Deysel
Ruan
Wynand
9 Nov 2009, 09:07 am
Whatever!!
As long as we win I don’t care what we learn.
9 Nov 2009, 09:11 am
#44 puff: Yes…agree…but he has been in Leinster squad for last 3 weeks and i am not sure ut think he played 1 match? Big Hit will know the detail. Surprised BJ was not called up as well….
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