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 10:51 pm
@TheTackler: I take you back to the phrase: ” especially when two of those hidings come from mere club B teams” – it was not the Boks, boet. It was the guys we’re training up to kick your sorry arses in 2 years time….see for the next few years YOU have something to worry about not us. Now go outside and play with your Barbie doll because (seeing that your actually a poofter running from reality) you don’t really deserve better treatment.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:51 pm
Why didn`t Ireland tour the SH this year? Still 9 wins from 10 and a draw. Team of the year for sure. I don`t think we deserve that award to be honest. 8 out of 12 is not great.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:52 pm
@TheTackler: it doesn’t work that way, sorry.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
@TheTackler:
Tackler, WHAT IS YOUR POINT!! Is it that the Springboks are the crappest team on the planet?
Please tell us your point …..
The way I read it the Boks had a holiday with a bit of rugby in between. Wives and girlfriends on tour and everything. It has been mission accomplished long ago and it was time for some R&R and to blood a few youngsters.
The rest of the world voted the Boks IRB TEAM of the year ……
SO your point is Tackler??? Oh yes, to highlight what complete idiot you are.
Point taken!
November 28th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
I`ve got an uneasy feeling the tackler will be smiling from here on until after the next RWC.
November 28th, 2009 at 10:55 pm
@Kryger: What’s your address broer? I think we need to organise a braai at your house tomorrow to beat the living **** out of you. Wake the hell up. If you can do a better job – getting these results and having a team named nr 1 in the world, APPLY FOR THE BLOODY JOB!
November 28th, 2009 at 10:56 pm
They were Springboks, wearing Bok jumpers, on a Bok EOYT, dude.
(And they couldn’t even kick the tail off a dead rabbit. Looks at the scoreboard — as Boy Louw would say. Losing 4 out of 5 — jeez! Italy or Japan, with a lucky bounce, could probably do better. )
November 28th, 2009 at 10:57 pm
@The Analyst: You bring the tjop, boet. I bring the Dop. Your house, Kryger?
November 28th, 2009 at 10:58 pm
@TheTackler: And that is why you are hiding in the mountains of New Zealnd. A piece of advice, bro, stay there. You are not worthy.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:13 pm
@BiltongBoer: Easy advice to take because, you see, the next world cup simply comes right here to us! Not only the trophy, but the whole tournament!
You, on the other hand, have to watch it all leave.
I’m in the catbird seat. You’re on the road with your thumb in the air.
I’d rather be me.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:19 pm
@BiltongBoer:
I’m a strong believer of that when you have Gold, you turn it into Platinum! Which is why I’d like to see Morne Steyn improve his distribution, as the Bok backline would have more life with a flyhalf who has as good a boot as Morne Steyn! Otherwise, I’m very proud of the Boks’ achievements this year!!!
November 28th, 2009 at 11:20 pm
@TheTackler: You know something my friend, my girl’s a Province supporter and this year looked pretty bleak for my Bulls team. So someone told me how awesome would it be if we beat the Province guys at Newlands.
Therefore, we know the game…..we’ll be there. we know what to do to beat “you” in your own garden, so yes, we’ll be there. ;o)
Also, we won the cup in Paris…..what did you walk away with again?? Was 2nd, 3rd, 4th?? Sheehs bru, sorry I can’t remember, fill me in quick?
November 28th, 2009 at 11:22 pm
Its been a good season. Today’s loss won’t get me down ,3 wins against the All Blacks. Australia in Australia , British Lions.
If i had to choose a few games to lose it would have been these.
So ja my 10c , we won the games that mattered most this season so there ain’t no reason to get negative.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
@TheTackler: Dude you are such a Fanny, lets face it! You just can’t face the fact that after a long 2009 in which we dominated not only the Super 14, Lions but also NZ and AUS we are just a bit tired. Plus we toured with a C team as backup…Oh and whey hey in 2005 you beat the Lions too but could not muster enough to win the Tri-nations.
All your comments just smack of Sour Sour Grapes.
November 28th, 2009 at 11:23 pm
@Mbhubesi: I couldn’t say it any better, mate. Where was Dan Carter this year?? Supposedly the best fly half in the world??
We’re the best. Full Stop. We have things to work on, like man management, but for now…..1!
)
November 28th, 2009 at 11:24 pm
@wp_boytjie: Big cheer for you mate!!
)
November 28th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
Right guys, need to be up and working tomorrow at 05:freakin hours, so I’m greeting you. We are the best!!! Give the Irish the praise they deserve, but then think about the fact that again….we’re the best team in the world.
Good night, and KEEP IT REAL!
)
November 28th, 2009 at 11:29 pm
Tackler is like the abused child who would rather his head smashed by daddy and can then at least say he had a reaction from daddy, this is better than no reaction. The more you guys respond to him the more he will use his shite arguments to work you up.
No other country faces the challenges off the field that SA does. And we KICKED New Zealands *** THREE times this year!!!!!!!!!!
Tackler we KICKED your *** bro
November 28th, 2009 at 11:31 pm
@savethespringbok: Preach it!!!!!!!!!!
November 28th, 2009 at 11:32 pm
Time to think of the memories that counted: we won the BIL and then the 3N, without a real coach. Sorry, he may be a good manager, but the lack of game plan other than kick and chase is so apparent. And to make sure you remember, we KICKED NZ *** Three times in a row!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 28th, 2009 at 11:35 pm
Fantastic effort by the Abs the boks would have never beaten the Abs in this sort of form, the bok gameplan has now come unstuck it relied on kicking and the other team making mistakes the problem is when the other team doesnt make mistakes…..,
but hey dont worry i am from england where we cant pass, kick or catch or actually play!!!
November 28th, 2009 at 11:38 pm
@west:
Nah, I think the Boks would have still fronted them. I think its just that France and Ireland specifically save their best performances for the Boks!
November 29th, 2009 at 12:12 am
Well as the saying goes, you are only as good as your
last game.What is surprising to me that the Aussies and
ABS have improved on their earlier performances in the
Tri-Nations and finished stronger while the Boks were fading
away.
although the Boks have beaten the Bil and are Tri-nations
champions much of their success came through phenomenal
kicking performances by Morne Steyn.
Once he went of the boil during the French and Irish tests
the Boks were in trouble as an alternative appeared to be sorely missing.
To see the ABs run in five tries against the French was a real
eye opener in how to take tough defences apart.The Boks must supplement their kicking game with a solid attacking game if they wish to defend their title successfully.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:14 am
@DJuggernaut1:
Mate, why don’t you check your facts before posting. NZ did win the Tri-Nations in 2005, one of the NINE times they have won it. Last time I checked, that leaves Sth Africa a mere SIX titles to go to catch up.
Also, the Tri-Nations country that has played the Lions in ‘01, ‘05 & ‘09 also had the winning Super 14 team as well as won the Tri-Nations. So it would not seem that Sth Africa are anything special in that regard.
Looking at the posts on this page, all I can see are the knuckle-dragging Saffers getting all worked up because people don’t bow down at the feet of the Boks. You only have to look at some of the menacing posts of BILTONGBOER to see that he’s probably a fat Pieter Van Zyl wannabe (in case you can’t remember, he was the fat **** who attacked the referee in 2002)
The fact is, for most of the 13 years since professionalism, Sth Africa have been pretty poor – 49-0 vs Aust, 53-3 vs England, as well as conceding 50 pts to the All Blacks both home and away as examples of the low points. Not really much to crow about.
The Boks did well this year and deserved to be the IRB Team of 2009, but try to remember that what goes around comes around, and that it won’t be long before another team will take their place and be the best team.
It was only 4 years ago that people took for granted that the All Blacks were going to waltz to the World Cup, and that didn’t happen. Once the Sth Africans lose a couple of dominant players like Matfield or Bakkies “The Thug” Botha, things’ll change pretty quickly.
BTW: I’m not a kiwi or Aussie, so feel free to try and rebuff this without the usual bullshit.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:26 am
“It was a big call to favour greenhorn Jonny Sexton over veteran Ronan O’Gara, and it’s a call he may live to regret”
well, sometimes fortune favors the BRAVE
November 29th, 2009 at 12:27 am
@Baruugh: no need to make nasty personal comments mate.are you an oil painting?
November 29th, 2009 at 12:32 am
@Baruugh: historically SA is the 2nd most successful side in the world, soooo…
November 29th, 2009 at 12:34 am
@fantasticbarnsmell: Good on you fantasticbarnsmell, put that ‘hero’ Baruugh back in his place…
November 29th, 2009 at 12:39 am
@fantasticbarnsmell: Second-most?
Doesn’t count.
Has to be first-most for any historian to even bother.
Hitler and Hirohito came second in WW2. Didn’t do them a fat load of good, did it?
November 29th, 2009 at 12:45 am
@TheTackler: any historian would also note that you are a South African, no matter how many times you post anti Springbok / pro Kiwi trash on this forum.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:45 am
@Valkyrie:
Mate, my apologies if I offended the sensibilities of anyone on this site. I assume that you made the same post in respect of BILTONGBOER for post #56, of are you just being selective in dishing out smacks on the wrists for naughty posters like me
@FANTASTICBARNSMELL – re your post #77 – sorry, not sure I understand the significance of that fact. Yes, Sth Africa are historically the 2nd best, but unsure how that equates to my point that the Saffer supporters (I trust no-one is offended by the use of that term) seem to be overly aggressive, precious and arrogant based on one good year of results.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:49 am
@Baruugh: if you head upwards in this very thread you will see plenty of Saffas slating the Springboks…some even coming close to calling the season a failure. at the same time, i do agree that there are plenty of Saffas who become arrogant and somewhat forgetful of the harder years, but then again I think all countries have people like this, not just SA.
November 29th, 2009 at 12:55 am
Guys. I’ve been reading your blogs for a long time now. You are the best team in the world, don’t worry okes but you came up against a team that wanted it more and you couldn’t match it. The end. No problems, you’re still the best team in the world, but please give us Irish some respect. And we are not fecking Poms! Like you, we’re a Republic. Give us that respect. Not British, Irish. We klaped a lot of red shirt okes a while back. Hands up, you guys rock. World cup 2011 here we go
November 29th, 2009 at 1:11 am
@fantasticbarnsmell: Fair point
November 29th, 2009 at 1:25 am
@droptheclaw: not according to the IRB rankings,which are based on a long period of consistancy,not just a one season wonder and i believe the ABs are no1.
November 29th, 2009 at 1:39 am
Dermie, the ABs will always be number one. The real number is dictated by performances in the NH. Both NZ and SA are the best exponents of that, and in their way, the best rugby playing teams in the world. But, as an Irishman, with only a small rugby playing base behind me, I think we have a chance to catch up and emulate you guys. you are stil the benchmark. It is a good thing for us to get close to you. Despite your odd colonial attachments. Live the dream. Go socialist all the way
November 29th, 2009 at 2:05 am
@droptheclaw: Socialist? You’re kidding. NZ is as “socialist” as what the world is overpopulated with long jumping turtles, dude.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:07 am
GO BOKKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE GONNA nail the poms paddy and dragons when they come to our noble shores next summer.
world champions
tri nations champions
lions conquerors
IRB TEam of the year
we are the best team regardless of the this tour
November 29th, 2009 at 2:12 am
TT: It wasn’t my opinion that NZ is or were socialist – apologies around the original spelling – but, a socialism of rugby is not a bad thing. The milk of human kindness and all that. God knows it’d be a nice thing to see the southern and northern hemisphere agree on something. But for a true socialist model, go liberal in Scandinavia and go liberal conserative in South America. But that’s another story.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:39 am
Where was Dan Carter this year? He was injured the 1st half of the trinations, then came back to make Nz more competitive against SA, and to win the Bledisloe, and then go direct the All Mighty All Blacks. to a 100% End of Year Your Record with 0 tries scored by opposition. Question is, where is that story on Keo.co.za?
November 29th, 2009 at 2:48 am
@babubunu: that story will probably be on an NZ rugby site where they write about NZ rugby news and NZ rugby players.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:49 am
@droptheclaw: Bud, your team were great today. Outstanding.
Sexton the find of the year (after Brussow) – just great.
Kearney – super game.
Oh yes – well done Blacks – killed ‘em. Carter beyond brilliant, and Richie as good or better than he’s ever been.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:51 am
@babubunu: I have not seen him play better. His tactical strategic approach has never been questioned, but he has ripped defences apart, and the smile on his face says it all.
November 29th, 2009 at 2:56 am
@droptheclaw: NZ was pretty intensively socialist for a while, there. But the country then went bankrupt and the happy-clappy woollywoofter politicians had to rethink everything and restore the nation to fit in with nature’s laws.
Survival of the fittest. Dog eats dog. Only the strongest survive.
MY kind of no-mercy world!
Tackle or be tackled. The former is preferable.
“I’d rather be a hammer than a nail… yes, I would…”
November 29th, 2009 at 3:25 am
@kwas: #3
Not the “senior players’ game plan any more? Why am I not surprise?
@TheTackler: # 12
Soos altyd OUPA, is jy reg. Jy bly REG. Moenie ophou om REG te wees nie.
@Springbokvel: #13
* out of 12 test matches is a 66% winning ratio for the year. Better than most international teams, I would suggest. Ask Martin or Deans what they think of that winning percentage.
@WP_: #14
You doubt Peter. Period. You will always doubt him. Even if he wins 12 out of 12 in a year.
@Limerickbluebull: #15
When the same gameplan won us the 3nations, you BB fans could not stop talking about how YOU provided the blueprint for the Boks winning performances. Now that the execution of the same game plan was effed up by FdP and MS (BB boys) it is PdV fault. You really must be joking.
@BiltongBoer: #27
So ‘n bek moet jem kry.
@Kryger: #49
“The wise men could have left their best 15 at home…”
And obviously the second best 15 would have won all the test matches.
You must be kidding me!
@BiltongBoer: #56
Gee vir my ook ‘n kans.
@Baruugh: #74
Is djy vannie Kaap?
@fantasticbarnsmell: #77
Who’s the most?
So, the Boks lost against Ireland today and against the French two weeks ago. What is the big deal? We haven’t won against the Irish in our last two efforts before yesterday. We have not beaten France in their own backyard since Percy made his debut as a fullback and James Small broke Danie Gerbers’ try scoring record in the same match in 1997, I think. (correct me if I’m wrong). Is there really a reason to despair?
The Irish deserved to win yesterday. Any FOOL who wants to blame the REF, PDV, the TACKLER or RAS DUMISANI must be fusilated (if there is such a word)
November 29th, 2009 at 3:33 am
@nama1: really? it’s pretty obvious isn’t it?
November 29th, 2009 at 3:39 am
@babubunu: #90
Why must Keo talk about DC on his website? This is a SA websout. Don’t NZ have any?
@TheTackler:
Oupa. I.ve seen on so many occasions where the natives of that country told you to SHUT UP about their history. Why don’t you listen to them?
November 29th, 2009 at 3:47 am
@fantasticbarnsmell: #96
Obviously. If you don’t take World Cups into account.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:02 am
@nama1: Because I’m a grown-up and I can do — and say — what I like.
November 29th, 2009 at 4:10 am
@nama1: this is a rugby site,DC is the best rugby player in the world so why wouldn’t keo talk about him.