Bittersweet end for Boks
John Smit and Peter de Villiers believe Test defeats to France and Ireland can’t take the shine off an unforgettable year.
It’s been a record-breaking year for South African rugby. It began with a win for the Bulls in the Super 14 and was followed by success in the British & Irish Lions series. A Tri-Nations crown followed, and it’s little surprise the Springboks have been named the 2009 IRB Team of the Year.
Smit was handed the trophy following his team’s defeat to Ireland. He received the award with a smile, and didn’t look too gutted at the post-match press conference. De Villiers also called for some perspective when probed on a tour scorecard that reads played five, lost four.
‘We didn’t come here not to be successful, but when you look back, you have to admit we’ve had a very good year,’ he told keo.co.za. ‘We won’t allow the results of this tour to affect our mindset. We have to build on what we’ve achieved this year.’
The Bok coach added that the midweek games had provided him with insight into who could feature for the Boks down the line. De Villiers stressed it was important to look even further beyond the 2011 World Cup.
‘The tour was a success even though it’s not the case on the scoreboard. We saw what happened in 2003 and we can’t allow that to happen again. We have to look to what will happen after 2011 as well.’
This was the South Africans’ last fixture in a season that began in early February. Smit, however, said the Boks lost to Ireland because they were inferior on the day, not because they were tired.
‘You can’t blame fatigue. We had to keep the scoreboard ticking. If we had landed our kicks, the Irish would have battled to put pressure on us.
‘In the first half, we created a lot of pressure but we didn’t follow through. We didn’t get our kicks over and the energy we should of gained was transferred to Ireland.
‘We came out in the second half with the same tactics. The message was to up the pace and intensity in the second half. But we just didn’t take our opportunities.’
In Dublin, the Boks bucked the tour trend by outscrumming the opposition but failing in areas like the lineout. Smit’s throw-ins seemed to be on target but Victor Matfield, Andries Bekker and Danie Rossouw were often thwarted by a timely Irish intercept.
Smit admitted former Bok forwards coach Gert Smal may have had something to do with it.
‘We knew Gert would have the lineout well prepared, but our performances at the lineout and in the kicking let us down.
We also gave away too many penalties and Jonny Sexton wasn’t missing too many of them. You can’t win Tests if you give away 10-plus penalties.
‘Looking at the scrums, it is nice to have BJ Botha back. We created a lot of pressure at the scrums. It’s ironic that we did well in that area and then did poorly in the two departments we usually dominate to win Tests.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in Dublin
November 28th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
Unforgettable, sure. 4 out of 5 EOYT hidings.
November 28th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
@TheTackler: sorry about your stupid brain
November 28th, 2009 at 8:55 pm
No denying that we finish the season on a dreadful low. How much responsibility will Div take for his lack of game plan the last 5 matches?
November 28th, 2009 at 8:56 pm
How we missed Frans Steyn today. Those long range penalties that Morne missed are his forte – I hope PdV eyes were opened on this tour to pick the best man for the job, regardless in which corner of the world they play.
November 28th, 2009 at 8:57 pm
BULL… the boks completely RUINED their year. This tour was a “holiday”. Not once did these “super boks” look like they came to europe to play rugby. They have totally wrecked their season. What seemed after the trinations to be the “greatest springbok season ever” was relegated to “just another average season” on this tour. Sorry but this is the harsh truth, the Springboks destroyed any honours they thought they have earned earlier. You’re just as good as your last game and these springchickens were **** this entire tour, not even mentioning just today.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
@Mephistopheles: Way to have some perspective. So what if we aren’t the BEST SPRINGBOKS EVER!! We had an exceptional season, we won the Lions series and won the 3N, something we’ve only done twice before this year. At the start of the 2009 season (after winning nothing in 2008), if I came to you and said, “You can win the Lions series and 3N this year, but lose 2 EOYT friendly games” would you have rejected this?? I think not.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:08 pm
ag, we lost two out of three TEST matches.
anyone trying to cloud the issue with midweek games is probably a kiwi oe thetackler.
ag shampies
November 28th, 2009 at 9:09 pm
I agree with PDV and JS. Disappointing to lose these games, but already forgotten. I for one wont lose 5 minutes of sleep about this tour. Completely irrelevant. Consider: The Team of the Year, Tri-nations – Champs, B&I Lions – Champs, Super 14 – Champs. Damn good year!!!
November 28th, 2009 at 9:14 pm
@Mephistopheles:
Poppycock.
One can take a group of chaps to the well only so many times. How many key matches have the Bulls players had to get up for this season? Probably more than most players face in four years. The Boks would have put 40 points on Ireland if fresh and firing.
The Boks will be back, but they need to sort out their fitness. Being lazy and relying on the high veldt factor just isn’t good enough for a team with ambitions of world domination.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:17 pm
The Boks played ****. Enough excuses. This definately takes the gloss off the year. The Lions series was won unconvincingly and the tri nations wasn’t a fantastic win. They have been shown up and the coaching staff and the players need to shape up. The tour was an embarrassment and shown us just how naive the coaches are.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:20 pm
2009 Was like a nice meal, but horrible pudding at the end.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:24 pm
2009 was the year where not only one but TWO English cub teams hammered the “world champions”.
And then there’s that elephant in the room called Succession. Succession’s been awfully ignored, hasn’t he?
John Smit won’t be at the 2011 RWC. He’s been recycled into a prop and now the entire scrum is a joke.
Victor Matfield’s peaked in 2009. It’s downhill all the way from here and you’ll be at the bottom of the hill by 2011, Big Vic. Schoolboys will be snaffling your lineouts.
Schalk’s a has-been now already. You haven’t find any real test prop since Os retired at age 65.
And 2011 is still two years away. Can’t just paper over the cracks and hope to fool the new buyer.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:25 pm
8 out of 14 wins is nothing special. In fact, if we had a record like that in the amateur days it would have rated as pathetic and unacceptable. How our standards have dropped.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
I doubt PdV’s eyes will ever be opened
November 28th, 2009 at 9:28 pm
Plain and simply we lost this game mainly to a poor game plan and tactics and a few bad ref calls (for both sides) – tiredness and fatigue had 20% (if that) the game plan and tactics were shocking and 80% of the problem. PDV+Co’s game tactics were the same it has been the whole year. Kick and chase,more kick and chase followed up with more kick and chase, oh!…and then we try and run through everyone…and when we saw that Rob Kearney and wingers were actually catching all those high balls and counter attacking and were not like the NZ or Aus back three who did fumble…guess what!! we still thought kick and chase and just hoping that Ireland would fumble or something …The sooner the Boks and SA brains trust get it out of their heads that we cant always win games based just on physicality and the kick and chase. We need to have a better attacking backline. I want to see our centres cutting through the gain line a number of times in a game not just hoping for the intercept. I want to see the wings,fullback involved in a back line move. Im tired of seeing the forwards keeping most of the ball now. I know we didnt have Spies,Bakkies,Smith but lets face it in most of the top 6 rugby nations the forwards are pretty much even,all can scrum,maul,steal ball,tackle,good at the breakdown and all can raise there games when needed and with the training that the top teams have now days its the effectiveness of the backline that makes the difference.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:35 pm
I think Ireland deserves to get the team of the year reward. They haven`t lost the whole year and have played Aus and SA. Surely, giving this reward to SA is actually embarrassing.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
I think Ireland deserves to get the team of the year award. They haven`t lost the whole year and have played Aus and SA. Surely, giving this award to SA is actually embarrassing.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
+/- year.
Brilliant, while playing Australia and especially New Zealand.
Forgettable while playing in Europe. They have had emphatically destroyed English hoodoo in recent years but now have French AND Irish hoodoo. 3 looses in a row to both.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:44 pm
@TheTackler:
world cup champions
super 14 champions
tri-nations champions
lion slayers.
7’s champs.
i think we’ll sleep ok thanks tickler.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:45 pm
@Springbokvel: Let’s wait till the end of the day. If France win they should get this accolade by beating NZ twice and SA once.
I think ABs will beat them though. They like to beat them in France by plenty.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:49 pm
@Mephistopheles:
cool the hyperbole. these guys been playing non stop for 9 months. i’d rather they take it easy on this meaningless money spinning tour and shape up again in the 3 nations next year.
next world cup is in NZ not europe. and we’ve won 2 on the trot in nz for the 1st time since isolation ended.
in fact i’d like the boks top 15 players to get a break till march/april to fully refresh, otherwise they’ll be burned out come the next world cup.
the fact that it meant so much to the plucky irish and never say die french is nice for them to win. they deserve their victories, but lets get some perspective.
i understand and can forgive the test defeats, but the midweek games were the real embarrassment.
November 28th, 2009 at 9:56 pm
we’re just the shiz
November 28th, 2009 at 9:58 pm
To put matters in perspective, we won when we had to, at times with some luck, but the cracks was starting to show. The Boks sadly has come to the end of a wonderful run, but PdV by insisting to play JS in the frontrow, keeping Ruan and AD in the team is showing some distress managerial skills by also changing his mind about using/not using overseas based players.
The game plan was also predictable. The honey moon is over,sure was a good year but losing to the Irish was very dissapointing. I hope I am so wrong but dont think PdV can repeat this year.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:01 pm
I respect PDV immensely as Bok coach, but I think he’s got to admit that the overseas based Boks offer a lot to the team. Look at the difference BJ Botha made to the Bok scrum. And with CJ on the bench, the Boks have a mobile prop to call on when the opposition gets tired. Another point is Morne Steyn. We have seen and we now know of his prolific boot, but now he needs to work on his distribution, so he does not become another Braam van Straaten, Jannie de Beer or Louis Koen. He needs to emply imagination to the Bok team, and be quick in his distribution. I’m not overly bleak about the Bok team’s tour results. They found weaknesses on which to improve, and they have two years in which to improve on them. PDV must be a little less stringent on his policy on selecting overseas based players, the Boks need to learn the art of maintaining possesion for multiple phases, we need more Flyhalves coming through the system (hope Rassie gives Lionel Cronje a run in the S14), we need to capitalise as much as possible on occupying the opposition team’s territory.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:02 pm
@TheTackler:
Tackler, Saracens is now 50% owned by South Africans – research the board, management and players. So the question is – do these “stakeholders” know something we don’t? or have they seen the light? Creating a South African field in England, with, admittedly, a great deal of success thus far… Maybe the future’s so bright (in Benoni) , they got to wear shades…
November 28th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
@TheTackler:
2009 is the year the boks smashed the ABs 3 times in a row. not to mention we’re gathering the momentum having won 2 on the trot in NZ.
2009 – is undoubtedly the worst season the ABs have had since before SA got readmitted to international rugby. if it was not for Denas aussies being so **** you’d have been further embarrased.
get some perspective tackler. i’d rather be a bok fan than a wannabe AB fan like you.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:06 pm
You are all smoking your bloody socks. I’m not even going to go into this ****. The Boks had an excellent season and if you’re too narrow minded to see it, catch a freakin wake up. We did this year what NO OTHER TEAM EVER has done. We have an exceptional team. Even the oke’s you dispise of. The guys did their best and they are reaping the benefits. The fact that they’re so tired they can’t even open their eyes properly, is not their fault. Use your comments wisely, and before you comment, go to your bedroom, take out your Springbok jersey, look at the Bok and realise that you’re being silly in thinking the Boks have had anything BUT a positive year. Seriously guys, these guys played their arses of for their country. It didn’t end as we’d hoped, but for the love of the Bok on your chest, clap your hands and wish that we can celebrate them the same next year. I’m so sick of this negative shiite. If the guys didn’t achieve anything, then yes, screw ‘em. But they didn’t. And they did it for you. Open your freakin eyes and here’s to soldiering the 3N trophy solid in SA next year.
Kapish.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:17 pm
@Hier kom groot k..: 4 – I agree with you. How we missed Fransie against Ireland was huge.
If we got our kicks over we would have won. 12 points went begging in that game. Had we got those kicks over we would have won.
They got all their points on kicks from penalties. We got the try but still lost. If you don’t get your kicks over it will ALWAYS cost us huge. If we had we would have sat with 22 to their 15. Just show how important kicking at goal can be.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
@BiltongBoer:
I agree! The major success of the Boks’s year should be celebrated. Four losses in 11 Tests is still a good return. I’m curious as to how the Bok management will handle the players next year with the World Cup in mind.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:19 pm
The All Blacks won a BI series 3-0, won the world sevens, the 3N and then completed a grand slam EOYT unbeaten in 2006.
Easy peasy lemon squeezy.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:20 pm
Or was it 2007?
November 28th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
@TheTackler: Must be sad not be the best, aye, brov? Idiot.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
Boks were the best rugby side this year. anyone who thinks otherwise is a blathering moron. this is a fact.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:23 pm
@TheTackler:
living in the past i see.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:26 pm
@Mbhubesi: The thing is, when you have gold, what do you do?? Do you use it to get the best results now, or do you preserve it and hope for a better rate further down the line. In my opinion the Bok management have performed this year. We have a few stallions starting to age now, but if you look at the Brussouws, the Mapoe’s, the Potgieters, we really don’t have anything to lose or worry about mate!! Be positive, I say, we’re building a successful history here, and I’m feeling priviledged to be experiencing it.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:27 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell: Windhoek Lager for you??
) Someone sees the light!! Good man!
November 28th, 2009 at 10:28 pm
@TheTackler:
didn’t the Abs also win the world cup in 1987?
November 28th, 2009 at 10:29 pm
@munkiboi: What World Cup, dude?!!?!? It wasn’t a World Cup, it was a series between teams.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:32 pm
@Mbhubesi:
we lost 4 from 12. same as ABs. except we handed them 3 of their 4 defeats. they handed us how many….?
we lost 3rd test to lions. one out of 2 in aussie. and then the disappointing end of year tour. but if we’d kicked better we’d have beaten the irish.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:33 pm
@BiltongBoer: Believe you me, if the Boks were there with Naas and Carel du Plessis and Johan Heunis and the like, the history would have been different. And to anyone who wants to comment on this from an apartheid or political point of view…..GO TO BED.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:35 pm
All world cups are a series between teams. 1987 was no different.
SA wasn’t at the previous year’s Olympics either. Or the one thereafter. Nobody even noticed their absence — or presence. Rather like the most recent Olympics where SA was actually there but invisible as NZ far outgunned SA in the gold medal count.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:36 pm
@munkiboi: And your point is??
November 28th, 2009 at 10:37 pm
…a lucky year and now the truth has hit home like a ton of brix.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
@TheTackler: Oh man!! I’m sorry!!! Please forgive my ignorance!!! The Olympics DEFINITELY are the corner stone of all that is rugby!! I beg your forgiveness, oh blind sighted twat.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:39 pm
@captain fantail: And what is the truth, Ke Mosabe?
November 28th, 2009 at 10:41 pm
@BiltongBoer: You don’t build a “successful history” by losing 4 out of 5 games on your fully-conditioned EOYT — especially when two of those hidings come from mere club B teams. And when you get totally pulverised in the scrums.
That’s an “unsuccessful history”.
Swallow your reality pill asap.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
@fantasticbarnsmell: Ireland went through their season unbeaten. SA didn’t. Game over, I’m afraid.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:45 pm
@TheTackler:
lol
Anyway,you guys must not forget,SA have done something that not many teams have dome before and thats taken us Kiwis 3-0 hom and away. Won a tri nations this year which seems to be a cup that they struggle with. But what seems to be the problem is that SA only have 20 players that are of pure class and that work as a team. The rest struggle and have been by the looks of it neglected. Going by the losses to the two provincial teams.
All in all its been a good year for SA,started well but the wheels have seemed to have come off. But nothing to be to worried about at the moment
November 28th, 2009 at 10:48 pm
Fact, you are as good as your last game! SA should not be loosing to France & Ireland point, loosing against club sides is embarrassing!
The wise men could have left their best 15 at home and could have chosen another 22 players that could have done SA proud. Between Free State, WP & Lions a very competitive side could have been chosen. Only then PDV could have said that now he knows who can make the step up to the international level. He knows zip from what they have done know.
Winning also has to do with how hungry you are, I suspect that the players thought that they where on a holiday, the way JS was smiling suggests this to me.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:50 pm
What will the IRB Ranking be?
1. France
2. Ireland
3. Saracans
4. Leicester
5. Boks
6. NZeeland
7. Scotland
8. Australia
9. Wales
10. England