Tigers torture no issue for Boks
The Springbok coaches have called for perspective on the defeat to Leicester but are wary of the test that awaits them against France in Toulouse.
An inexperienced and ill-equipped South Africa were beaten 22-17 by a second-string Tigers outfit last Friday, exposing poor selections and under-preparation, particularly with regards to scrummaging, a facet of play were they were decimated.
However, head coach Peter de Villiers remained optimistic in his view of the defeat and diabolical performance, saying, ‘There are more positives than negatives in the loss.
‘Now we know where we’re going. We knew it would be tough with only a week’s preparation. It was an eye-opener, but if we didn’t have the game we wouldn’t have known what we do now.’
De Villiers peddled the same rhetoric after a Springbok B side were schooled by the British & Irish Lions in the third Test, making his explanation for the latest embarrassment perplexing. He continued by offering a lack of leadership for the dirt-trackers (captain Chiliboy Ralepelle limped off with a foot injury 20 minutes into the contest) as a mitigating factor for the defeat.
‘One of the problems we have agreed upon is that of leadership. We now know to address that,’ he said.
The first-choice Springbok combination won’t be short of experienced leaders on Friday evening, and will be favourites for victory, having bagged the notable scalps of the Lions and their southern hemisphere rivals Australia and New Zealand.
They will, however, have to make exponential improvements to the standard of scrummaging they have exhibited thus far to negotiate the challenge of Les Tricolores, as well as hope that the replacements for outstanding loose forwards Juan Smith and Pierre Spies offer them similar value in their areas of specialisation.
Assistant coach Gary said France would be as tough as the All Blacks, who the Springboks have beat thrice in Tri-Nations, in terms of physicality.
‘They have a big strong pack and they will be very physical,’ Gold said. ‘They’re the one team in the world with New Zealand who can match our forwards with size.
‘They’re an emotional team, with a lot of passion. They’ll be playing in a small stadium, and if a French side comes out firing they can rip the heart out of anybody.’
November 9th, 2009 at 3:19 pm
Crucial to win the tests.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Otherwise the knives will be out for PdV.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:20 pm
Damn !! Dantalian !!!
November 9th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Crucial to win against France, imagine two losses in a row. Can only go downhill from there.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
“There are more positives than negatives in the loss.”
Brilliant! The Greatest has discarded the muzzle and is right back into it with some pearlers.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
Don’t be so fickle, PdV jst won Coach of the year, the Lion’s tour and the tri-Nations and beat the All-Black repeatedly this season. The B side lost 1 game, if we lose to France, NO knives are coming out… c’mon let’s be rational here
November 9th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
#6 The_Boss: That’s my point. Rational folks will take in the whole year’s results.
But the anti-PdV brigade hardly needs an excuse to sharpen their knives.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:31 pm
What is important is how PdV learns from this . So far he has shown very little that is inspired or creative, but his greatest strength has been to learn from his mistakes. He didn’t want Morne or Heinrich to start with, but when they came on and proved themselves he adapted. This kind of pragmatism is crucial in rugby, because we will all be proven wrong at some stage, it’s how we respond to it that matters. The belated inclusion of the Cheetahs frontrowers is a promising sign in this regard. Hopefully the folly of picking a team to appease braindead cabinet ministers is over for the moment and PdV will have a free hand to pick the team that belongs out on the field.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:34 pm
I’m very interested to see what the bench will look like.
based on friday’s performance, johnson and rose could be elevated, with pienaar 9/10 cover. Bekker as lock cover
Does Maku become the back-up hooker, or does Strauss leapfrog him on virtue of his test appearances and form?
CJ will most certainly be there though
November 9th, 2009 at 3:43 pm
And again it shows how PdV gets away with what previous coaches have been virtually fired for a similar result when will they be treated equally to prior coaches
November 9th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
“There are more positives than negatives”
Wrong! The negatives far outweigh the positives. Grow a brain snor
November 9th, 2009 at 3:48 pm
#10
Which coach got fired for loing a mid-week game with a B-side after winning the tri-nations, Lions tour etc.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
#12 The_Boss: I was about to ask the same.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:50 pm
Kirchner
Habana
Pietersen
Fourie
Olivier
Steyn
Du Preez
Kankowski
Burger
Brussouw
Matfield
Botha
Smit
Bismark
Beast
CJ van der Linde
Adriaan Strauss
Danie Rossouw (lock)
Dewald Potgieter (Loose forward)
Jean Deysel (loose forward)
Ruan Pienaar (fly half, full back)
Francois Hougaard (scrum half, centre, wing)
That’s my preferred team, given the guys on tour.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:52 pm
# talking **** again. Who was fired when we lost 49-0. Or 7 out of 10 starts to Nz? Who was fired when we lost to France at home or lost to Ireland twice in succession, or lost to France again. . . and again away in 2005 and 2006. Who was fired when we came stone last in the tri nations 2006 and 2007?
Some punks are just that, small minded and short memory fools with agendas the size of their blatant prejudice.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
#15 skopskiet:
Leave Jake White, man. He is not the issue, and has not been for a long time.
Focus on the here and now.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:54 pm
#15 skopskiet: I was about to ask the same
November 9th, 2009 at 3:56 pm
#14 Tacitus:
Although we might want to start with Rossouw at 8, rather than Kankowski. The only problem is, that brings Bekker back into the equation.
November 9th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
Rossouw is a better bet than Kanko for what the Boks what to achieve against France, i.e. complete physical forward domination. Kanko should maybe have a crack in the Italy test.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
#19 Big Hit:
Agreed. Problem is, then we’re going to have Andries “The Gazelle” Bekker as back-up lock.
So much for physical domination.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
#18 Tacitus: There is nothing wrong with Bekker. He is clearly the natural successor to Victor. If however Victor is going to be on the park for the full 80 and Bakkies is subbed, which makes sense, then a replacement for Victor is foolish. We need a No 4 on the bench.Danie is the only realistic candidate at this stage.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:01 pm
Just one question: SO Ryan you write “as well as hope that the replacements for outstanding loose forwards Juan Smith and Pierre Spies offer them similar value in their areas of specialisation.” Therefore you think that Burger is not a good replacement for Smith? and just give Johnson the no. 8 jersey – he was amazing on Friday.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
#18 Tacitus: All Rossouw offers is a heap of misguided aggression, plenty of intense glowering, non-stop spitting, a lot of incoherent muttering and half a dozen spilled balls. Why would you suggest picking him?
November 9th, 2009 at 4:02 pm
#14 Tacitus: Lot of Bulls in that squad Tac!
Agree regarding Olivier, although Adi will most probably be at 12. Only hope that Olivier gets an extended run off bench, and starts in Italy test to show his true worth.
He is by far our best 12 on present form/availabilty, both on defense and attack.
Hougaard is exciting prospect, but would confine his role on this tour to sub against Italy, start against Saracens.
My bench would go like this
CJ
Strauss
Bekker
Johnson (reliable 8, incase kanko goes awol)
Pienaar
Olivier (preferably starting)
Ndugane (suitable fullback cover)
November 9th, 2009 at 4:03 pm
#21 stormer in a teacup:
Andries Bekker is a wannabe Habana, who does bugger all to add to the physicality of the pack.
Victor Matfield is a reincarnation of Kobus Wiese compared to “Chariots of Fire” Bekker.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:05 pm
#23 katman:
I disagree with you.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
Since readmission what are the stats like for these mid-week games, seems so long since we have been playing them.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:07 pm
Bekker was more effective than Rossouw in the tight loose on Friday, and his performance in the CC semi suggests that his tiddlywink tag is a myth.
He’s come of age, and better give him the extended experience now in prep for 2011, since Rossouw has reached his zenith.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:09 pm
#23 katman: who should start at no.8 in your opinon?
November 9th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
#28 ali: Sheridan said he had a tiddlywink, true story
November 9th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
#28 ali:
Also, I think Bekker causes major scrum problems due to the mismatch in lenth between him and whatever lock he packs down with.
How the hell must the eightman add his weight to the scrum, if one guy’s arse sticks out half a foot further than the other’s?
Get rid of the Beanpole, I say.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
#14 Tacitus: agree with you team 100%
pity jdv and f steyn is not there, but no use crying over spilt milk
over course spies would have mad a diffs too , again spilt milk
November 9th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
#31 Tacitus:
November 9th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
#25 Tacitus: Victor adds sod all to the physicality of the pack either. Who was out in the backs, playing centre, to collect Smitties grubber kick and score? The 5 is the lineout winner, the athlete in the tight 5. Victor replaced Albert “I run like a giraffe” van den Berg and will certainly be replaced by Bekker. Victor had to grow into the presence he is on the field. His talent was recognised early and he was developed by Griquas, the Bulls and the Boks into a top player. Bekker, with his pedigree has the potential to surpass him.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
#16 Tacitus: we talking about firing coaches. You mate at #10 is suggesting that the current coach deserves to be fired over one loss on an away Eoyt and is getting preferential treatment based on his skin colour and that other white coaches were fired for less. Now you might have the same agenda running through your brain so I’m asking you again, who was fired when we lost 49-0 to Australia, or twice on the trot to Ireland, or 3 times on the trot to France, once cv home, or 7 times out of 10 to Nz? Some the agendas in here are so riddled and laced with under current prejudice as thick as the **** it stinks like perhaps your nostrils are closed to it, mine aint.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
#31 Tacitus: 10cm taller than the incumbent hardly makes him a beanpole by lock standards.
in anycase, our current no.8’s have hardly shown a willingness to lend their weight in the scrum. Kanko, Spies and now Johnson all have their heads up in preparation for the forthcoming breakdown.
Bekker has developed suitable grunt, and together with his lineout proficiency makes him the perfect player to be on the bench.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
#31 Tacitus:
For half a second I thought you may have a point.
But at the 1 sec mark I remembered that if he was a Blue Bull you would have viewed him differently.
You think just like the ANC.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
#35 skopskiet:
Ja I guess that proves that you should not try to predict what’s going on in my brain.
I’m on record as not being a Jake White fan.
I’m also on record as tolerating Snor – as long as he delivers. The moment he starts sacrificing results for his “other” agenda, he is fair game.
As for his award as the top coach in SA. Let’s not go there.
Let me ask you this, though. How many international teams or foreign clubs would queue to sign him as their head coach?
November 9th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
#26 Tacitus: I’m guessing then that you wore your blue specs for the duration of the Leicester game. Because I saw a lot of Danie mouthing “fokkof” to no one in particular, a lot of him collecting and ejecting little spitballs, one temper tantrum off the ball and some of him sitting on the stands, muttering to himself.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
Anyone in the UK know if this match is beiong televised…or is it gonna have to be viewed on some dodgy website??
November 9th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
#39 katman:
He’s obviously not used to playing in such a k*k team, and got somewhat irritated. I would too, if I was him.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
#39 katman:
“collecting and ejecting little spitballs”
November 9th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
#38 Tacitus:
)
how many are queing to sign jw(note: without eddie)?
oh
and g’afternoon all (you included tac
November 9th, 2009 at 4:24 pm
#39 katman: Danie is our greatest asset. One bad game is for nothing. Danie is a king.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
#43 ashley:
Did you even read my post? I wouldn’t sign JW either, because I think he is full of hot air, and a massive self promoter.
Rather, look at all of our other coaches that have been snapped up overseas.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
#41 Tacitus: tacitus cant agree boet , one must admit he played **** in that game
and when hargreaves heinke and deysel came on the scrums got better
rossouw also lost a few lineouts
i am not saying he is **** , not at all, but in that game he was
November 9th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
#42 Sheriff:
hey lawman
hoe hang hulle broetsie?
November 9th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
#36 ali: Agreed. Bekker was way more physical than Danie against Leicester – it’s an area of his game that he’s improved on massively in recent months. Definitely the best lock cover we have in SA at the moment.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
#29 Big Hit: Ryan Kankowski. It’s always been a toss-up between him and Spies, and nothing has changed. He’s one of the most gifted athletes in our squad and a real game breaker. Regardless of the hemisphere.
November 9th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
#45 Tacitus:
you know i cant read tac!!