‘Easy week’ a boost to Boks
Victor Matfield says the Springboks are feeling mentally refreshed after a less intense training week.
The Boks are on the verge of their most important tour fixture, but have taken it relatively easy since arriving in Dublin. Eight injury concerns on Sunday saw coach Peter de Villiers canceling Monday’s training, and the Boks haven’t exactly gone hammer and tongs in the remaining sessions.
It’s been a taxing year for the victors of a British & Irish Lions series and Tri-Nations tournament, but vice-captain Matfield explained that the break was very necessary. It’s the same strategy the Boks employed before their clash with England last November, which they went on to win 42-6.
‘I think it’s great that we’ve had an easy week,’ Matfield told keo.co.za. ‘ We’ve had a long year and we know what we’re capable of. There’s only one game remaining and nothing is going to change now. We had a similar week in the build up to that England match and it ensured we were mentally refreshed by game day.
‘Everyone is looking forward to this game. It’s by no stretch a World Championship clash like some of the press have suggested. It’s just another Test, but it’s one we really want to win.’
Matfield said this doesn’t mean the Boks are underestimating their opponents, and confirmed the tourists are still hurting after that loss to France. South Africa were completely dominated by the Tricolores, and the players later admitted the hosts’ brutal physicality took them completely by surprise.
‘We’re a side that likes to dominate our opponents physically,’ said Matfield. ‘France weren’t just physical, their work rate was very good and they were very quick to the breakdowns. We need to ensure we bring that physicality into the Ireland game and commit enough men to the breakdowns.
‘We need to get it together for this match, as we’ll need to be at our best to beat a quality Irish side.’
The lineout mastermind had the wood over Irish counterpart Paul O’Connell in the Lions series as South Africa ruled at this set-piece. To ensure history repeats itself, the Boks can’t afford to be complacent.
‘Paul is a great player and a great leader, and I’m sure it’s going to be another great match-up,’ said Matfield. ‘He had a lot of ball carries in that Lions series, and I was watching the footage of the lineouts the other day – he made some very good calls.’
Gert Smal, who worked with Matfield from 2004 to 2007 as the Boks forwards coach, has made a significant impact since joining the Ireland squad. Matfield believes his influence will be evident in Saturday’s game.
‘Gert’s an awesome coach, probably one of the best I’ve ever worked with. He knows all the [Bok lineout] calls from the past 10 years, so the pressure is on me to make the right call at the right time.
‘He also knows how I like to contest, so they will try and counter that. I’ll have to adapt on the day, and there are one or two different things we have worked on ourselves.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in Dublin
November 27th, 2009 at 11:28 am
rested Dragons?
November 27th, 2009 at 11:50 am
Loafing is lekker. Especially when you get paid for it.
November 27th, 2009 at 11:53 am
@TheTackler:
Ja
You should know.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
@TheTackler: “loafing is lekker” – I love the South African saying there Tackler. Must be missing us here in SA hey?
November 27th, 2009 at 12:06 pm
@TheTackler: Do you have a job? Apart from Senior Vice President of Douche Ltd?
November 27th, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Gert Small never did anything with the Bok pack. Neither has Gary Gold. Both useless pilocks.
Boks should get a scrum coach ala Mike Crohn (sp?) of the AB’s. Am sure someone like Jason Leonard would love a few months of african holiday to come teach our meat heads how to scrum?
November 27th, 2009 at 12:12 pm
@Dawn: Hahahaha vlymskerp daar Dawntjie
@Cheetha Champs: I tend to agree with you on Smal – the WP and Stormers scrum also never was amazing under his coaching…
NEVER a Kiwi though – Leonard might be a good call, or get some of those Argie coaches over? Otherwise we need Os to pass all his coaching qualifications and join up
November 27th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
Rest will be far more beneficial to the team than training this week. No need for training when injured or exhausted. They will get more out resting. Rather go into that game a bit fresh.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:16 pm
@bokfan1: Just bring in Os. He has done very well with the Cheetahs scrum. No need to look overseas.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:17 pm
@Puma: Absolutely agree with you. The guys know what they are capable of. Some rest will only make them more lus for the game and resting can sometimes make you gel more.
Like if you take a week’s rest from the gym, when you go back you are more keen and you can push more than before the break. The rest is not a hindrance
Morne must still keep practising his place kicking though!
He needs to have a 100% game
November 27th, 2009 at 12:18 pm
@Cheetha Champs: The amount that Smal and Gold contribute to our games and strategy is incredible. Neither are particularly good scrum coaches, I’ll admit, but the strength of the Bok lineout and the skill of Victor Matfield has a lot to do with Smal. Gold, likewise, is one of the most tactically astute men on the planet.
The most important thing a good coach/manager can do is surround himself with the best people – get Balie Swart or Os to help with the scrums, Eddie Jones with the backline and Jake White as Director of Rugby…
November 27th, 2009 at 12:21 pm
Look, i love OS. Dont get me wrong. But he was never a great scrummager himself. Also, the Cheetahs scrum does well against local opposition – which is not saying much.
I think someone like Frederico Mendez, Crohn, Jason Leonard, Peter de Villiers (he of the Frog kind) could contribute a lot. Leonard has played more than a hundred tests and should surely have something important to add???
November 27th, 2009 at 12:22 pm
@SimiJan: agree with some of your points. disagree on your suggestions for scrum coach
November 27th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
@SimiJan: He’s the All Black toilet cleaner.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:29 pm
@Cheetha Champs: The French Peter de Villiers would be a good appointment. But Balie did wonders with the Sharks’ scrum a few years back – BJ credits him as a big influence.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:30 pm
@CharlieBrown: Haha, he uses his tongue.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:40 pm
@SimiJan: One thing we must remember, is that “good local” is not good enough. In order for this team to live up to their real potential, we need the best scrum in the world. Every single nation on earth must be scared of scrumming against us !!!
We have the people (in physical size) – we just need to get the right technique !!
I doubt Balie, Os, or Dougie Heymans will ever be able to make our scrum the most dominant force in world rugby.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:43 pm
@Puma: Ja personally I would agree, but we musnt always be too insular, as the mistakes can be “cultural” so they are repeated by generations of SA players/coaches.
My only caution is to have Kiwis involved in any way at national level – a Kiwi would never have SA’s interests at heart internationally.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:48 pm
@Cheetha Champs: Agreed, I don’t have a problem with getting foreign help. I just think you’re not rating some of the locals as highly as they deserve. The more input the merrier.
That’s what’s so great about the Sharks under Muir/Plumtree – David Campese (although he was unceremoniously dumped for clashing with certain personalities), Chris Boyd, Andrew Barnes, John Mitchell and even Plum himself. They didn’t fear bringing in new ideas and methods. Couldn’t hurt for the Boks either.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:52 pm
I’ve got a feeling John Mitchell will probably take over from Plum at the Sharks when his contract runs out. Apart from the paycheck, I’m sure he’d like to be as far away from the Force as possible.
November 27th, 2009 at 12:55 pm
@Cheetha Champs: No need to look that far – Matthew Proudfoot is one hell of a scrumming coach (AND proved that by working wonders with the powder-puffs-onner-die-berg). He has all the technical knowledge AND experience and will be a good investment seeing that he could do that job for many years to come for Bok-rugby…
November 27th, 2009 at 1:10 pm
@panniepeet: #21
Leave Proudfoot onner-die-berg thanks…!!
November 27th, 2009 at 1:20 pm
it must be good to loaf when you’re preparing for the baabas game!
November 27th, 2009 at 2:08 pm
@SimiJan: Oh yeah and its there for us to see !!
November 27th, 2009 at 2:25 pm
Being a good player does not mean you will be a good coach. Alex Ferguson was an ordinary player, Maradona a great player, Mallet was average- there are exceptions though. So, Os could be a great scrum coach…only time will tell.
November 27th, 2009 at 2:32 pm
@Cheetha Champs: Think Os did just fine, if he can turn the Cheetah scrum around in such a short period, then he obviously knows how to coach a scrum.
Just like good players don’t always make good coaches, an “average” scrummer (in your opinion) doesn’t neccessarily mean he can’t coach!!
The Cheetah scrum dismantled our Bok frontrow, as emphatically as what Italy did in the 1st 40
The sharks front Row was Bewast, Bismarck, and John!!
November 27th, 2009 at 2:46 pm
@Cheetah 4 Eva: Fair point about Os. I think the point is he still needs to prove himself on S14, International stage as a coach.
We must compare apples with apples though remember. The Cheetahs pack did well against a **** Sharks pack (no matter how many Boks they have). The Bok pack is a **** scrummaging pack !!! Honest truth.
Wian and Adriaan looked really bad against the Italians and against a second rate Saracens side.
Like i said in my previous posts – South Africa needs to get to the point where we are the best scrummaging nation in the world. We have the size, we have the strength, what we need is the technique.
November 27th, 2009 at 4:54 pm
‘mentally refreshed’ ??!!!
Did Victor go missing during that team meeting when everyone agreed that they were all “fatigued” ?
oh thats right, I forgot !!!!
After losing to France = Boks are ‘fatigued’
After beating Italy – Boks are ‘mentally refreshed’.
Silly me.
November 28th, 2009 at 12:49 pm
@WakaNathan:
You are mental
November 28th, 2009 at 1:32 pm
Sounding a bit soft Vic..?..expect some ‘brutal physicality’ from the Irish..!!
November 28th, 2009 at 1:36 pm
@SimiJan: I don’t recall Smal ever accomplishing anything with the WP scrum…in fact it was at it’s worst with him at the helm..??
November 29th, 2009 at 1:40 am
Victor’s “mentally refreshed” after goofing off for a week on full pay.
And then he turns in a tragic 3/10 “performance” as his team gets creamed for the fourth time on tour?
Less of that “mental refreshment” and goofing off, I say.