Boks break down brave Italy
The Springboks won their first match of the European tour with a 32-10 victory over Italy in Udine.
Coming off a convincing defeat to France, the Bok first XV achieved their goal as they gained a confidence-boosting win, but it wasn’t as easy as the scoreboard suggests, as Italian goal-kicking let the hosts down and they were in the contest until the hour-mark.
The Boks went to a 12-0 lead after as many minutes, but for the remainder of the half they weren’t convincing. They opened the scoring through Bryan Habana after Morne Steyn had earlier missed a penalty in front of the posts. Danie Rossouw and Jaque Fourie carried strongly in the build-up, while Ryan Kankowski showed his running ability in the wider channels as the Bok No 8 beat a defender and offloaded to the Bok winger.
The Boks fielded a new loose trio of Heinrich Brussow, Rossouw and Kankowsi, and this try showed they could be a successful one if used correctly. However, Kankowski faded and was subbed for Jean Deysel after 50 minutes. Kankowski looks unlikely to start at Croke Park next weekend while Deysel showed his value at the breakdown and in contact.
Habana was prominent along with Brussow in the build-up to the second try after 12 minutes. Fourie continued his brilliant try-scoring run as the Boks capitalised on a poor kick from the Azzurri, with Zane Kirchner sparking the move.
For the rest of the half however, the Italians had total control.
The Boks had never lost to Italy, but the Italian scrum was seen as their main weapon if they were going to break the drought. Martin Castrogiovanni had dominated Gurthro Steenkamp in Leicester, and he had another chance to do that against debutant Wian du Preez. However, Castrogiovanni had to wait nearly 20 minutes for the first scrum.
The first set-piece on Bok ball was solid, but a minute later they lost concentration and were driven backwards, and were penalised for the first time.
The Bok lineout was competent on their own ball, but with Victor Matfield rested, Andries Bekker had an opportunity to show his worth. The Boks stole one ball early, but failed to exert any pressure for the rest of the half.
The Boks had to endure some hairy moments, and were lucky to retain their lead. They were found wanting around the fringes as the Italians used the pick and drive, while the Boks also fell off tackles just like they did in Toulouse, with Sergio Parisse the dominant Italian runner.
Eventually the sustained pressure told when Gonzalo Garcia produced a scything break through the Bok midfield. The Italian centre benefited from poor communication from the visitors as Adi Jacobs drifted out of his channel. This will be a real area of concern with the Boks facing Brian O’Driscoll and co next Saturday.
The Boks looked panicked, and some shaky passes and poor handling from Habana gifted the Italians an opportunity to narrow the lead. However, Luke McLean missed the Italians’ second easy penalty, and those six points would have seen them hold a one-point lead. Just before the break Steyn also missed another chance after brilliant work from Brussow at the breakdown, and the Boks went into the break with a 12-7 lead.
Steyn extended the lead five minutes into the half, but the Italians continued to use their scrum dominance to create point-scoring chances. McLean missed another penalty, but the marker had been set.
The Boks were mauled up-front, but the Italian tactical kicking provided another opportunity for a Bok counter. Rossouw produced a brilliant pass to Fourie, and Habana offloaded to Fourie du Preez as the Boks went well clear at 22-7. Du Preez then also broke off the back of a lineout to hand Wynand Olivier his first Test try.
The South Africans got back onto the winning trail, but there were many areas of concern, such as the scrum and their ball control in contact. Notably, the Bok scrum dominated in the final quarter and the front three that ended the match of Beast Mtawarira, BJ Botha and John Smit at hooker looked the most solid unit.
By Grant Ball
November 21st, 2009 at 5:53 pm
well done Bokke
November 21st, 2009 at 5:54 pm
Nice to see Boks scoring some tries, scrum looked better with Smit at hooker.
November 21st, 2009 at 5:54 pm
I think we found our starting front row for Ireland:
Beast, Smit and Botha. Much better. Deysel should also start ahead of Kanko.
November 21st, 2009 at 5:58 pm
#3 Wolf:
deysel should play 7 and roussow 8 next week…
November 21st, 2009 at 6:04 pm
The defeat to France was anything but “unconvincing”.
November 21st, 2009 at 6:05 pm
Like the nz victory over italy last week
November 21st, 2009 at 6:09 pm
if we do lose to ireland and i hope we dont do we lose our number one ranking
November 21st, 2009 at 6:10 pm
Scrum looked better in da final quarter.did u c dat brussnw nd deysel combination.dat JP smile-million dollar bt da scrum its stil a big problem.
November 21st, 2009 at 6:12 pm
#7 klippies101: Your #1 ranking is already gone. NZ is back where they belong.
November 21st, 2009 at 6:18 pm
thetackler NZ dnt deserve a bit dis year.
November 21st, 2009 at 6:24 pm
To my way of thinking the scrum was better with BJ at tight head. JS must go back to hooker and leave the no 3 slot to a genuine tight head. The last 20 mins of the match showed PdeV and the brains trust what the front row should look like. If we don’t play BJ at tight head against Ireland we will be buried.
November 21st, 2009 at 6:28 pm
#10 Q: Sorry. You have a stammer and I can’t make any sense of what you’re saying. Try again.
November 21st, 2009 at 6:32 pm
Tackler what Q is saying is that NZ were the Boks bi*ch this year and don’t deserve number 1. That’s okay however as soon as NZ are back at number 1 we know they are out of the next WC.
November 21st, 2009 at 6:43 pm
#9 TheTackler: A4Y’s
November 21st, 2009 at 6:53 pm
Grant 10 rests his case your honour!
November 21st, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Tackler – you have got to be the saddest, most annoying, childish w*anker ever. You spend so much time on this website trying to annoy people i actually wonder if you a friend.
Get a life bud, get out there and have a beer and find some mates you computer geek!
November 21st, 2009 at 6:57 pm
#12 TheTackler: Someone out there loves you.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:00 pm
#15 grant10: Fair enough, didn’t disagree with you on that one. But please give Jean Deysel a chance now…
November 21st, 2009 at 7:01 pm
#18 SimiJan: agree….Deysel is the future….together with Dewalt!
November 21st, 2009 at 7:01 pm
#16 fogdog10: He gets off to it. He’s the trolliest troll in all of trolldom
Humour him, show him some love.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:10 pm
The side for Ireland seems reasonably obvious, for these conditions a new plan has to be made, with some form players coming in:
1. Beast 2. Smit 3. BJ 4. Bakkies 5. Andries 6. Brussow 7. Deysel 8. Rossouw
WO into centre and Morne Steyn to fullback. Question is whether to play pienaar or rose at 10, we need someone who can inject some width onto the ball – that kicking nearly stuffed us again today
November 21st, 2009 at 7:11 pm
#16 fogdog10: i actually wonder if you a friend.
Ehhh? A product of OBE?
November 21st, 2009 at 7:13 pm
#14 Staal: nice to see a proper 3 again!!
November 21st, 2009 at 7:16 pm
#21 cab: No Matfield?
November 21st, 2009 at 7:17 pm
Number 9 ur abs right, there u go Tackler.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:40 pm
#24 Johan Fourie:
think he’s tired, he did well when he came on for the last 30 today, probably a good idea agfainst ireland who normally come out all fire and brimstone in first half – thought beckker was good today and when he works can be very good – he’s alot younger and fitter too, the others are buggered.
November 21st, 2009 at 7:46 pm
the scrums looked solid when BJ came on, i wonder if Pdivvy gona start Smit at hooker now, then i suppose move him to LH after 60 min and bring on bismark, Bj looked the business. Gona be an interesting week. Come on Rassie give Bj a call please
November 21st, 2009 at 8:07 pm
Without good kicking at post not much has been left in Morne Steyn. Ruan was dropped due to his kicking now should the same happened to Morne if there would be any conseqence. ( poor performane second in a row not only kicking). But I doubt Pdv is brave enough to do that.
November 21st, 2009 at 8:09 pm
boks v ireland is going to be lekker zane hasnt been so good at full back
November 21st, 2009 at 8:45 pm
#21 cab: That would work Cab, Morne can play FB and put Ruan at FH but let Morne take the goalkicking.
November 21st, 2009 at 9:02 pm
You’ve got to feel for PDV here. The reality is that he’s working with a bunch of players who just don’t want to play rugby at the moment. Specifically, our forwards mostly look like they’re worn out and just don’t want to be there.
Nevertheless, it is PDV’s fault that he selected these players instead of selecting form players from the Currie Cup. Having said that, I think it’s admirable what he is trying to achieve. He wants to get the team playing attacking rugby, and some of the tries we saw today were spectacular. The reasoning is that, although some of the players don’t really want to be there, we should atleast play some attacking rugby, because that is the best foundation for the future. So even if this victory over Italy wasn’t always great, we should be able to build on some of the attacking play we saw today.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Besides his long range kicking Frans Steyn’s play at FB wasn’t that much better than Kirchner’s.
November 21st, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Bru when is the IRB player of the year announced
November 21st, 2009 at 10:31 pm
#32 Lions_Soutie:
Agree. Kirchner’s positional play is much better.
November 21st, 2009 at 11:06 pm
#32 Lions_Soutie:
That’s like saying Smit is a good prop besides for his scrummaging.
Long range kicking is a pretty important aspect of any good 15’s game. Especially the way SA like to play.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:10 am
The player who made the biggest difference in Udine was “the little ball-snaffler”, Brussow. Awesome player.
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:13 am
#33 SpringbokSarah: late November
November 22nd, 2009 at 12:33 am
Okay this is just my opinion. Bissie needs to be in the no 2 but I feel much better with smith at 2 and bj at tighth. Seeing the boks go foward in the scrum is like having a morning***glory. We need that.
November 22nd, 2009 at 1:30 am
#36 TheTackler:
yes, Brussow is actually phenomenal.
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:06 am
Is Francois and Derrick Hougaard related?
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:30 am
#39 cab: He’s the new Jan Boland Coetzee. Another “little ball-snaffler” of note.
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:39 am
#41 TheTackler:
Do you know Jan Boland? Did you see him play?
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:41 am
#42 nama1: Of course.
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:42 am
Not too shabby a wine-maker either.
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:49 am
#43 TheTackler:
Unfortunately he was already retired when I started taking an interest in rugby. Where I grew up soccer was king. My first hero was Peter Whipp before the Naasty man put an end to his career. After that it was Rob Louw.
November 22nd, 2009 at 2:54 am
Is there a specific reason that you are so anti SA or are you just taking pleasure in pissing off some people?
November 22nd, 2009 at 3:49 am
Is that a trick question, son?
November 22nd, 2009 at 4:04 am
#47 TheTackler:
Why do you call me “son”? You not that much older than me.
That still does not answer the question.
November 22nd, 2009 at 4:06 am
#47 TheTackler:
Not a trick question at all. Genuine interest/curiosity.
November 22nd, 2009 at 4:21 am
You don’t remember Jan Boland? You’re too young to sit around this table, son.
I’ll say what I think. If others don’t agree, they’ll let me know.
I can handle whatever I dish out.
November 22nd, 2009 at 4:25 am
Here’s a secret — Peter Whipp was rubbish. Johan Oosthuizen carried him and made him look fairly good.
November 22nd, 2009 at 6:53 am
really hope PDV aborts the nonsensical Smit at 3 switch forever now…..
BJ….CJ….WP NEL TO COMPETE FOR 3 SPOT.
Wiaan,Beast and Heinke for 1 spot.
A Strauss….Smit….Bismarck and T Liebenberg for 2 spot.
Specialists, no more makeshifts and players out of position.
Boks looked 10 times the team once BJ gave them the go forward….one could sense the Bok relief all over the park….
JPP smile said a million words when the Italian scrum was decimated….after murdering the boks the whole afternoon.
Imagine Brussow and Spies operating behind a solid or even better a dominant scrum….we will dominate i tell you….
So glad this tour has taught us the realitys….
And those bloggers that are saying Bissy must go to flank….once again you are falling into the accomodation selection process….it is wrong and doomed to failure….
Bissy either plays at 2 or from the bench….learn the folly of players out of position….it rarely works….and often costs us matches…
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:12 am
Beast, Smit and Botha. 1,2, 3 – much better – y prayers were answered at last. Come now Smit, play in the position you were born to play and listen to Mr Fidget.
well done Boka.
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:13 am
#52 grant10: I hav to admit I felt much better about not havinga bloody great achilles heel when teh front row perfromed. I am SICK AND TIRED of being ashamed of our scrum.
Our coaches seem to think that scrumming is secondary to lineouts and rucks, but the fact is that if used properly, it kills the opposition forwards enough to get them to the next ruck that much slower.
Also the effect of the lowerd morale is enormous. Normally if a player drops the ball, his morale and his team’s morale drop and their heads go down. Now, we all know rugby is a mental game, and that when you are feeling positive, you have more strngth than if you are down. But when the dissapointment of a fumble is replaced with a high because now your team gets a chance to CREAM the Bok pack, that is actually creating a morale boost FFS!! For the whole team!
When Italy got creamed by the Bok pack that first time, their whole attitude changed. They were beaten and they knew it.
I seriously doubt this Smit plan now. We need to get Smittyb back into 2, and sharing game time with Bissie, (with Smitty managed to come on the last 20 minutes and give leadership to close out games, and to manage him until the next RWC), and get decent world class props back into pour game.
Enough of this nonsense.
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:14 am
#52 grant10: So where is that book you are promising to put on the shelves?
November 22nd, 2009 at 10:25 am
#53 Fidget: Yes…amen to that…Smit to 2 next week…please PDV…#55 Fidget: LOL….Soon!!
#54 SjamBok: 100% agree
November 22nd, 2009 at 9:46 pm
PDV is no fool.
It was only so obvious, with JS at 2 and a real tight head, the difference.
The Italian scrum was retreating, just like at Al Alamein!!!
Backs were great, happy with the boys overall.
I think Bekker is really a great player in the making, but Kankowski I’m not sure. 2 games and only 1 good move otherwise ordinary.
Bring on the Irish I think with a solid scrum and if we do not forget the 15 man game will be a comfortable win!!!
November 23rd, 2009 at 6:16 am
51 Tackler
Whipp had the brains which made Oosthuizen a good center
November 23rd, 2009 at 11:31 am
#52 Grant 10
Excellent post. You are spot on the mark. I would back you for coach anyday!