Steyn backs a marked man
12 Nov 2009
Morné Steyn has scoffed at the widely held perception that Adi Jacobs is a defensive liability.
Jacobs has an opportunity to establish himself in the starting line-up in light of Jean de Villiers’s decision to join Munster, effectively ruling himself out of contention for selection.
However, while the 29-year-old’s prowess on attack is well known, it’s his defensive capabilities that continue to be questioned. Those concerns are now amplified with him starting in the defensively demanding position of inside centre.
The French coaching staff and players have made not-so-veiled suggestions that they plan to target Jacobs, who they seem to perceive as defensively vulnerable.
The British & Irish Lions’ midfield pair of Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll consciously attacked the diminutive (by international standards) Jacobs during the Test series in mid year, and while it would be unfair to say they profited greatly from that avenue of attack, Jacobs was hardly imposing at the tackle point, which allowed them to offload in contact and in so doing ensure continuity on attack.
France’s primary strike-runners, including the 105kg outside centre Yann David, will surely have implicit instructions to test Jacobs, but Springbok flyhalf Steyn has no concerns about his ability to front the challenge.
‘I don’t think Adi is vulnerable at all,’ Steyn told keo.co.za. ‘He knows what to expect, we all do, and that’s a physical onslaught from some big boys in their side. Adi is ready.’
Steyn did, however, temper those assertions by stressing that it would take a collective effort to blunt the attacking ambitions of Les Tricolores.
‘It’s important that we work as a unit in defence and help Adi out because we’re aware that they will look to target him,’ Steyn explained.
‘Our defensive pattern helps create opportunities for the double hit and if we can execute a couple of those on their big ball-carriers we’ll have the opportunity to turn over possession and counter-attack.
‘Adi has a senior player in Jaque Fourie on his outside and I’ll be doing my best to help him as well. It’s a team effort, we won’t allow them to isolate one of our players.’
Steyn said that after playing a full season with De Villiers on his outside, playing with Jacobs would require some adjusting. He also predicted that it would take ‘a couple of games’ for Jacobs to become accustomed to the demands of playing 12 at Test level.
‘He’s played most of his rugby at outside centre in recent years, so naturally he’ll have to adjust because the roles are very different. That doesn’t happen overnight, and like any player must be given the opportunity to settle in a new position, so must Adi.’
France’s attack is expected to centre primarily on forward play – manifested through the pursuit of set piece and breakdown domination – as well as tactical kicking. Steyn, however, noted that their penchant for the expansive in the back division should made them tricky to prepare for.
‘I don’t really know what to expect from them,’ he said. ‘They are equally capable of playing a direct, percentage-based style, which I think they will do, as they are throwing it wide. It’s a case of wait and see, but we’re prepared either way.
‘I suspect it’ll be a battle of the kickers, where they’ll look to pin us in our half and play from there,’ he continued. ‘They’ve got very good players to execute their kicking pattern, and if they do play a tactical game we’ll have to give support to our back three.’
By Ryan Vrede
103 Comments
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12 Nov 2009, 13:05 pm
Its quite obvious.
Jacobs should be at centre and Fourie inside at 12.
Presumably thats the way theyll up on D. So noone needs to fret.
Unless he doesnt.
Fourie could be devastating at 12, and Jacobs is very dangerous at 13. Why not ?
12 Nov 2009, 13:06 pm
#50 Richie_7:
mos def
12 Nov 2009, 13:09 pm
at the end of the day it will be left to the legend schalk burger to prevent steyn and adi seriously injuring themselves and then you get moegoes here on keo calling for burger to be banished from bok rugby!
12 Nov 2009, 13:11 pm
Anybody who says Steyn can’t tackle has not watched his carreer and is merely judging him on one missed tackle which resulted in a try against NZ. He was on as a sub an very new to the set-up.
#42 Richie_7: Cheetahs had most of the possession. Hard to turnover your own ball.
12 Nov 2009, 13:11 pm
#47 WakaNathan: He was a awesome player Waka. Boks just worked it out to hunt in packs to bring him down and low, tackled him around the ankle area. If you tackled him higher or one on one he would just haver run over the player.
Always rememer world cup 1995 when he just ran over Cat like he was not even there. Cat’s heart must have frozen…hahaha.
Lomu was well respected here and around the world.
Never seen this centre that is going to play for France. Think we will have worked something out to cover for Adi.
12 Nov 2009, 13:12 pm
#53 Valkyrie: After his tackle on du Preez in the CC semi final, I wished he were English so he could be knighted
12 Nov 2009, 13:12 pm
#51 WakaNathan: Fourie slips plenty of tackles himself, but he makes a concerted effort to get his guy when he does.
Why not just pick players in their positions and then not have to worry about different offensive and defensive alignments?
12 Nov 2009, 13:13 pm
#54 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): 4 tries to the Bulls. Clearly missed 4 oppurtunities there
12 Nov 2009, 13:15 pm
#58 Richie_7: Those were mostly from their own turn-over ball and created from deep inside their half. Did you watch the game?
12 Nov 2009, 13:15 pm
#48 stormer in a teacup:
LOL bud, just pissed myself. I was also wondering what kinda tackle that is.
12 Nov 2009, 13:16 pm
#46 gunther: yes, but only after the chaps were 3metres past him!
12 Nov 2009, 13:17 pm
#59 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): Yes I did. Shall I Google and get you the exact number of Bulls rucks? Or have you already thought of an excuse for each of them too?
12 Nov 2009, 13:22 pm
#62 Richie_7: That would be a nice stat. Great game wasn’t it. The 2 differing styles were great to watch. FS unlucky in the end. In my opinion it was easier to T/o FS ball, because of their attacking running style. Whilst the Bulls preferred a defensive forward and kicking style which made T/o much harder. Maybe you disagree?
12 Nov 2009, 13:31 pm
#63 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): Actually, I thought the Bulls were completely outplayed and very lucky with their tries:
Try 1 knock on by Bulls before ref awarded penalty to Bulls
Try 2 forward pass from du Preez to Habana
Try 3 Habana in front of kicker
Cheetahs try disallowed near the end when linesman confirmed ball did not travel 5 meters. Replays show prop’s feet behind 5m line.
I was very dissapointed for the Cheetahs players. I definitely think they played all the rugby
12 Nov 2009, 13:34 pm
#64 Richie_7: Yup, taken from Dan Retief’s column:
“The Cheetahs can rightly be said to have played all the rugby, they were in control of the ball for an inordinate amount of time, they played in Bulls’ territory for the greater percentage of the match yet they ended up too far in arrears to really make a match of it as the Bulls picked off three tries in the space of 13 minutes from the 4th to the 17th.”
I’m out of here, I just think the game must be looked at in context of the bigger picture.
12 Nov 2009, 13:39 pm
Slightly off topic,
Does anyone know when and where the boks will be training whilst in Dublin?
12 Nov 2009, 13:44 pm
#64 Richie_7: I agree with you. I’m a WP supporter and historically cant stand the boertjies from the north. So every time i bring up what you just said, everyone says I’m a sore looser or I’m just dissing the bulls.
Its freeking true. The bulls were lucky to get a early start like they did. The cheetahs were very unlucky and could have been diffrent, especially that last try that was not allowed. The forward pass to Habana for him to score was also pathetic and the darn lazy lineman should have been in line with the ball to pick it up. It was no doubt a forward pass. ****, i also lost 500 bucks on them boys. I really thought they were in for a good chance.
12 Nov 2009, 13:45 pm
#66 DubBok: On grass, somewhere in Dublin.
Just kidding. Are you going to be there you lucky devil?
12 Nov 2009, 13:54 pm
4 words. Peter Grant, Wyand Olivier
12 Nov 2009, 13:59 pm
#69 Travelling Shark: and your point is bud?
12 Nov 2009, 14:04 pm
#67 Fidget:
you are certainly displaying all the symptoms of a sore looser
if only
what if
but then
they were lucky
it was the ref….
i suggest antibiotics or perhaps an innoculation to prevent further outbreaks of this condition…
12 Nov 2009, 14:05 pm
#69 Travelling Shark: Get with it chap, that was the call all through 2008. No way i want Grant at 10 when we can have Steyn in 2009.
WO has had chances and not really done much at Intl level, lets give Adi a chance first. If he fails beg FS back failing that JdV.
12 Nov 2009, 14:08 pm
#23 MUTANT
I know JdV got injured in our first WC game against Samoa. That was in France.
The issue raised was mere speculation along superstitious lines seeing that some people still believe in Fridat the 13th.
Twas nothing really
12 Nov 2009, 14:12 pm
#39 Hondo: I used this on another thread recently but it applies here as well.
here are some stats from scrum dot com
According to scrums website Adi missed no tackles (made 7)during the first test and jaque missed one even though he was on the field for a shorter time period.
go to scrum dot com . look for the lions tour and look for the match details.
The second test Adi missed 1 out of 4 and Jaque made the 1 tackle he attempted.
The third test Fourie missed none but Olivier missed 2 of 8 he attempted.
So does this prove that you have your facts wrong about Adi’s tackling abilities? Or do you just believe whatever charachter assasination keo and his ilk dish up without basing it on facts.
The stats thus proves that Wynand was a poorer tackler than Adi but you dont blast Wynand for the same thing.
Adi’s weakness is not that he cant tackle. He doesnt impose himself at tackle point. he wont tackle someone backwards, but they dont run through him like some would like us to believe. if there is a critiscm of his defence it would be that when he tackles, he should not allow the player to make one or 2 strides while being brought down.
12 Nov 2009, 14:17 pm
MUTANT – Take it easy
Head-to-head record between France and South Africa ahead of their international in Toulouse on Friday:
Played: 36
France wins: 10
South Africa wins: 20
Drawn: 06
Highest scores: France 36-26, 2006; South Africa 52-10, 1997
Biggest wins: France 30-10, 2002; South Africa 52-10, 1997
Last five results:
2006: Cape Town: FRA 36-26
2005: Paris: FRA 26-20
2005: Port Elizabeth: RSA 27-13
2005: Durban: Drn 30-30
2002: Marseille: FRA 30-10
What does the recent record suggest for Saturday?
12 Nov 2009, 14:17 pm
#71 gunther: I know, i am a sore loser especially when it hurts my pocket. The illness is certainly not pleasant and displays signs of a weak character but then again, as Who Cares Says, who cares….
cheers folks, until tomorrow.
12 Nov 2009, 14:21 pm
Die Blou Bul eetie vannie vloer affie….. net die midweek team!
12 Nov 2009, 14:21 pm
Scheme the boks are in for it. It will be a different challenge. One they have not heard in quite a bit.
I’d like to single out at least 5 players that should give boks a headache on Friday night and these are;
Clerc and Heymans, Harinodorquay and Dussatoir.
It will be mobility that will do us more than the expected tight 5 battle.
12 Nov 2009, 14:22 pm
Wynand O has really not done much at international level and adi has the capabilities of having a blinder, tons of talent and passion. I agree, give the fellow a chance – lets see.
12 Nov 2009, 14:30 pm
#77 Staal: and dont forget caveman after 60 minutes.
The frogs are barking up the wrong tree though, calling us The Butcher Boys. I believe this was a mistake. Smity has a history of dishing out Rugby leasons if you rub the team up the wrong way. England WC 36.0
Boys, this is a special team and on the right day, they will run the Frogs sick, no matter where the game is played.
The weather is going to play a big part though and i hope it is a least a little dry.
12 Nov 2009, 14:31 pm
#78 Nguni Stud: I agree it will be a battle but:
Brussouw better than Dusatoir (personal opinion i know)
Burger better than Haranodiqui (fact)
Habana better than Clerc (absolute fact)
Petersen just as good as Heymans….
We’ll be ok. Saffers by nature are pessimistic. I reckon Boks to win it.
12 Nov 2009, 14:31 pm
Sorrym, i meant to reply to Nguni Stud.
12 Nov 2009, 14:35 pm
#78 Nguni Stud: 4 is not at least 5
12 Nov 2009, 14:37 pm
#81 Cheetha Champs: Thats my point, at Loftus, it’s not so far fetched to say that the boks could put 50 past this frog side on a good day.
Just because we playing on their turf, some of us panic. Yes, its not our conditions and the frogs recon they are cabable of beating us. As Naas say, “we must remember that it still grass, played at loftus or in Russia”
12 Nov 2009, 14:49 pm
#84 Fidget: it’s all about cool heads, avoiding panic and keeping to the game plan…something this team has managed to do against far better sides than France
boks by 15
12 Nov 2009, 14:51 pm
#74 moedeloos:
go to sa rugby
jacobs missed 4 tackles in the first two matches…
lies and damned statistics…
12 Nov 2009, 14:57 pm
The people that have a misconception about AD tackling is KEO.co.za and many that eat off the palm of KEO.co.za.
The French I would like to think have targeted the smallest back in the backline which does not necessarily mean he cant tackle.
Sure, people have gripes about AD starting over Wynand, I am one of those people, but what i will not do is to create an imagined weakness to please my own weakness of assessing character.
AD could not be where he is if he didnt know how to tackle. At center whether inside or outside, there is no hiding place, if you cant tackle ala Jorrie Muller then you will be exposed then banished from Rugby.
12 Nov 2009, 15:05 pm
#86 gunther: please send me the link. i went there and could not find it.
12 Nov 2009, 15:13 pm
are any of Matfield’s ex team members playing for the French side?
12 Nov 2009, 15:19 pm
#88 moedeloos:
go to the home page click on the lions tab ad then players stats… its quite interesting there is not much to choose between the different centres…I think one problem adi has that the stats do not show is that even when he does tackle a player, they mange to pass/offload… that said I am fine with him at 12 i think he brings a lot on attack also with schalk there I think the french will find that channelas busy as the Champs Elysee during rush hour…
12 Nov 2009, 15:23 pm
Stormer in a teacup
Surely your response was a stormer in a teacup.
The message is clear enough
Take it easy though
Boks to lose by 5
12 Nov 2009, 15:29 pm
#86 gunther: I just went to sa rugby and found the Verusco stats for the entire series
Jacobs – made 18 missed 4 tackles (misses 18% of tackles attempted)
Fourie – made 16 missed 3 tackles (misses 18% of tackles attempted)
Olivier -made 13 missed 3 tackles (misses 23% of tackles attempted)
So the stats does not show that AD is as weak as you and Keo would like.
12 Nov 2009, 15:31 pm
#90 gunther: missed this post before i posted my last comment. I just wish that people would stop targetting players they dont like with baseless opinionated ****. Stick to the facts.
12 Nov 2009, 16:08 pm
#92 moedeloos: These Stats are still misleading – were crucial tackles made ? that is the question.
12 Nov 2009, 16:11 pm
Adi at 12 to me is an absurd selection and underlines PDV’s selection and coaching immaturity.
12 Nov 2009, 16:14 pm
#44 Hondo: Ja Hondo you have to bear in mind that that pearl of wisdom from richie_7 is from a Kiwi. That “strategy” doesnt take into consideration the big, strong Bok boys who love tackling, and how well the Boks have done by not having the ball in hand over the last few years.
#92 moedeloos: Nice stats – thanks Moedie. Stats can however prove anything you want them to – Adi has heart and passion and has proven his brilliance on attack (granted it was from #13) – stuff that cant be put into stats
So they can run at him all night, he WILL stop them, and when he runs around them, they will know
BOKKE!
12 Nov 2009, 16:16 pm
SGLAZER
Coaching Maturity – Lions Victory, Trinations Title, Beating All Black 3 games in a row Home/Away, No.1 Team in the World.
Thats immaturity from you boet.
12 Nov 2009, 18:38 pm
#95 sglazer: agreed
#97 von Giba: immaturity is more like giving the bok coach credit for the TEAM’s achievements. Its like praising Frans Ludeke for something he did not build. Bandise Maku , Earl Rose , Davon Raubenheimer. You can back those IMMATURE selections i will not ever
12 Nov 2009, 19:37 pm
#49 Richie_7:
Being tackled also takes its toll, ask Lomu
12 Nov 2009, 20:23 pm
#97,
Tool.
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