Boks rebound but not revived
28 Aug 2010
RYAN VREDE writes that the Springboks salvaged some pride in a 44-31 victory over Australia, but it only serves to plaster over the cracks in this team.
Doubtless there will be those who speak of the team having turned the corner. But such assertions are foolish. Since when have Australia, on the highveld, been an accurate measure of the Springboks? Heavyweights pit themselves against world-class heavyweights to establish their standing. The Wallabies in Pretoria are nothing more than super-middleweights – albeit ones who were allowed to punch above their weight for too long, squandering a 21-7 lead.
The scoreline suggests a classic, but don’t be fooled. This was one of the most inept defensive performances in Tri-Nations history, with both sides exhibiting the resistant qualities of a weathered, old barn door and the intensity of touch rugby players at the tackle point.
The Springboks were certainly the worse of the two for much of the contest, conceding four tries in the first half alone, three of them thanks to defensive incompetence of the very highest order. A year ago these same players were defensive giants, granitic in nature. Now they’re being dwarfed by an ordinary outfit.
Certainly the lack of a specialist openside flanker to stem the Wallabies’ attacking flow was a factor – coach Peter de Villiers’ selections exposed once more. Fatigue is another. You only get a sense of just how poorly conditioned some in this Bok side are when you see live how props Gurthro Steenkamp and Jannie du Plessis crawl from ruck to ruck, or how John Smit sucked in the highveld air like he was trying to drink wet concrete through a straw. His ongoing value as a player was illuminated when he was replaced by Chiliboy Ralepelle, who was very, very impressive.
There were those who stood out, Juan Smith the best of them yet again, but a better side (read New Zealand) would have demolished the Boks.
Barring some touches of class, their attacking play was equally woeful, lacking in creativity it was a hideous hybrid of inaccurate bombs – Frans Steyn the worst offender – and rudderless ball-in-hand play. That they scored five tries was more a reflection of a feeble and often generous effort from the visitors, than it was a polished attacking performance.
The Springboks fell behind 14-0 just seven minutes into the match, Will Genia profiting from a slipped tackle from the centurion Victor Matfield (it’s a curse), before Kurtley Beale danced through the midfield as if he were pitted against club rugby players, his run culminating in a try for James O’Connor.
The ease with which Juan Smith scored a minute later suggested defence wasn’t a priority for either side, but an elementary blunder from Bryan Habana directly from the restart saw O’Connor swoop on the loose ball to grab his brace.
When Gurthro Steenkamp rumbled over from a simple lineout drive and Morne Steyn added to two conversions with a 55m penalty, the Boks were back in business. But they then conceded a turnover on the Wallabies’ 22m and seconds later Robbie Deans’ charges’ were 28-17 up, Dean Mumm cantering over, leaving Giteau with an easy conversion.
Francois Hougaard crafted a try for Pierre Spies seven minutes before the break to keep the Boks in touch at 28-24, and when they managed to string together their best passage of play just thereafter – thanks in most part to displaying a level of control through the phases they hadn’t prior to that – one sensed the tide had turned.
Morne Steyn and Giteau exchanged penalties, before Frans Steyn touched down in the corner in the Boks’ best-structured try of the match. The Boks absorbed significant pressure and summoned some defensive solidity to deny the Wallabies, before Frans Steyn landed a long-range penalty to give them a six-point lead going into the closing stages.
Under pressure the Wallabies became increasingly cavalier, easing the defensive burden on the Boks and allowing them opportunities to have a crack at the breakdown. They effected a turnover with a minute to go and a couple of phases later JP Pietersen clinched the match.
Again a victory over a weak Australian side at altitude gains De Villiers a reprieve. But perspective must be maintained. The cracks are patent. This Wallaby team was just too poor, too inexperienced, to take advantage.
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567 Comments
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29 Aug 2010, 12:26 pm
habana’s performance was the worst performance by any springbok in rugby history… from a “average hero” to a quota is 3 years .. habana can now be mentioned in the same breath as earl rose and jorrie muller …. Also JDV showed that JDJ has still a far way 2 go. And hougaard pissed in the WP rugby supprters beer – you know, those who wanting january to play, and wished hougaard to fail
29 Aug 2010, 12:28 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-399: I disagree. McCaw is a master at not getting penalized in the same place twice hence drawing the yellow.
Its a skill
You do what you do to win.
alls fair in love and rugby
29 Aug 2010, 12:28 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-394: There is no place but by the sea. In fact, off on holiday in a few hours to the Mediterranean
29 Aug 2010, 12:29 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-397: Catt was instrumental in the 2003 semi-final.
29 Aug 2010, 12:30 pm
@Esoteric(Esoteric)-398: leave the http and www out and the post goes through. The idiots don’t like weblinks.
29 Aug 2010, 12:39 pm
We played so well to lose last week, that its only fair to play so badly and win this week. Still a harsh article. A win is a win. We turned the corner last week. Habana was a disgrace. Shame the guy needs to be dropped and reconditioned.
29 Aug 2010, 12:41 pm
“Statistically….he reads the game worse than any other player”
I don’t really think he cared all that much about those stats when he positioned himself on the wing to score the equaliser the other day…
Seriously, people need to look at his performance and play in isolation from whom he plays for, he would be the biggest Bok hero and national icon if he was wearing green.
29 Aug 2010, 12:44 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-401: Who wanted Januarie to play? I doubt any rugby people did, maybe a few with quota/race issues did, but anyone with half a brain wants him far far away.
29 Aug 2010, 12:49 pm
@408 a certain : wpw, rossenerri, xhosakid, transformation, mighty hurua and i think grant10 .. but grant isn’t lekker upstairs so we can ignore him
29 Aug 2010, 12:51 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-409: Well except G10 those are all quota bloggers
Planks so big in their eyes they can’t see the wood for the trees.
SmitFit, Januarie, Habana. Shocking decision by the ‘coach’ to have them in the team.
At least Chilli played his heart out. Actually looked good so big up to him even if there are 34 better hookers out there.
29 Aug 2010, 12:56 pm
I see weeks game is in Bloenfontain.
All 3, Tri-Nations Tests at altitude!
You lot are getting desperate.
29 Aug 2010, 12:57 pm
The Boks had a nightmare start, but the way they came back was very good. The most important aspect of their performance was that they started to play as a team again. The pack looked a lot more settled and the loose trio combined better.
Hougaard was the playmaker and it worked well. A major factor was our centre pairing that asked a lot of questions of the Wallaby defence.
We have our core team now to tackle te world cup. The only two players that has huge question marks over them for next year is Habana and Smit.
Next year we’ll have Bismarck, Bakkies, FdP and Brussow back in the mix and then it’s an entirely new ball game.
29 Aug 2010, 13:04 pm
cane another reason is because if the boks play NZ in Cpt then its no longer a home game for the boks..also we play NZ in PE next year, so no excuses for you or mr cheat
29 Aug 2010, 13:06 pm
@Suidkapenaar(Suidkapenaar)-412: To be up 21 – 7 in a test and lose also indicates the immaturity of lack of discipline of the Wallabies as much as it shows how the Boks displayed a level of maturity.
Not sure that test was an indication of anything other than SA is blessed with loads of natural talent that can, on average, beat an average team.
29 Aug 2010, 13:08 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-411: no not really, next year all 2 matches are at sea level with PE hosting their very first 3N match in their magnificent new stadium.
29 Aug 2010, 13:09 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-413: That test in PE leaves a lot of questions unanswered:
Who is paying the R6 million guarantee to SARU?
29 Aug 2010, 13:09 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-415: Magnificent white elephant politically motivated dumbass stadium.
29 Aug 2010, 13:12 pm
Anything less than a completely dominant performance should still have had people asking serious questions of this coach, of this team and of its tactics and gameplan. Instead they barely scrape home against a pathetic aussie team, at home, at altitude and suddenly it’s like they just won the tri-nations and are on track to clean up in the world cup for some people.
29 Aug 2010, 13:17 pm
Habanero is going through his rugby “dark night of the soul”. He seems mentally out of sorts and is struggling with himself, forcing his will instead of allowing things to come to him. He is not relaxed and centred.
He’s like an overwound clock. Heaps of nervous energy, feeling tight, not measuring up, perhaps feeling unconsciously guilty that he gets paid a whack and is not delivering the goods so he pushes harder and thus creates more and more harsh self-criticism, judgment and frustration.
He must understand that it is not a shame to be dropped…it can be a massive blessing in disguise if you keep your ego in check. Correctly ingested humble pie can make one re-invent oneself, reboot and find the joy in one’s passion again. Habanero does not give the impression that he is enjoying himself…the Bok thing for him has become a job with records to break, devoid of the original fire of desire.
He is too much in his head. He has become too infatuated with his own publicity of being the hottest wing in the world and a rock star. The ego can play massive tricks on you as you start to believe that you are that “great”. Meantime your heart is crying for help.
Time for Mvovo or Basson to get that Bok jersey on. Habs needs a break from Bok rugby.
Go and reboot Brian! You are still young and have the talent. Now doennit!
29 Aug 2010, 13:17 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-416: SARU will and I’d rather have the match in PE than Bloem, this weeks match is not going to be a sell out. There is still something like 20000 unsold tickets for the match.
I will not be surprised if Bloem never host a 3N match again. Soccer city will get one 3N every year and the rest will have to compete with PE, Mombela and Polokwane for future matches.
29 Aug 2010, 13:20 pm
man , I see posters like Kevinrack and co. are still crying about refs and conspiracies..
wahhh waaaah.. here, use this tissue to wipe the tears from your eyes, as Ritchie did to Burger because he could see Schalk starting to cry..
face it, the Boks were off the boil this 3Ns, as evidenced by the stunned mullets look on their faces at Eden Park..
cry me a river boys… man up and accept your team has played p1ss poor rugby all season… the real reason, not some Paddy Obrien favouritism..
you guys whinge as much as the poms, and thats saying something..
29 Aug 2010, 13:23 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-417:
Port Elisabeth will soon host a Super-16 Team Goodie.
That’s what all this, “SA is looking to Europe for Alternative Opportunities” Bulllshiit is about.
Posturing and brinkmanship.
And next time……………SA will get their way.
Maybe a goodthing2.
29 Aug 2010, 13:23 pm
@quotas_sux(quota_conrad_jantjies_is_jorrie_muller)-413: we dont need excuses, we won 3-0 this year… though Ive seen many an excuse from supporters such as yourself..
15+ excuses are common…
29 Aug 2010, 13:25 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-421: Well Henry and the NZRU blamed the ref, infact it is written in their official report – go and look into their archives and you will see it in black and white.
29 Aug 2010, 13:28 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-424: an official INTERNAL report… not a blatant, come out in the media and suggest a team won because the world cup is in their country the following year..
and not a blatant, in the international media “declaration of war” was it?
use both eyes, though I know you usually have both closed because if I was a lions supporter I wouldnt watch much rugby either..
29 Aug 2010, 13:30 pm
@Jinx(Jinx)-419:
Nice post Hi Jinx.
I think a number of the Bokke Veterans need some time out.
Brian’s class is without question.
He just needs to be revitalised and refreshed.
29 Aug 2010, 13:31 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-425: an official report is an official report – what are going to do when Wiki Leaks spills the beans and exposes the real ref bashers?
29 Aug 2010, 13:34 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-425: and PDivvy exonerated for that media statement.
29 Aug 2010, 13:34 pm
@Jinx(Jinx)-419:
Good post.
Could say the same thing about John Smit and Spies as well.
29 Aug 2010, 13:35 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-427: so how do you like the Boks replication of the Lions defensive structures?
that sort of overpowering free run to the tryline isnt going to win a WC…
the real ref bashes? one only needs to visit this blog after the first 4 Bok games in this years 3Ns..
4-0
Aussies threw the game, because it was in your country and they wanted to make sure there were bums on seats for the Bloem game..
29 Aug 2010, 13:36 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-428: exonerated by a Saffa..
lets talk “conspiracy” shall we???????
29 Aug 2010, 13:41 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-428:
The “Declaration of War” was made by Regan Hoskins………………..
Not Krusty the Clown.
29 Aug 2010, 13:49 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-430: what do kiwis know about the kind of rugby needed to win a RWC, I mean rugby has changed so much in 23 years.
If you want to know about how to win a RWC read Jakes book, he will tell you that boring rugby based on solid defence and good kicking is what is needed.
29 Aug 2010, 13:50 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-430:
Yes it is possible the Aussies threw the game.
I also think (the SA runner) Caster Semenya (spelling) threw her race this week as well.
But come the Commonwealth Games final, in Delhi……….she is a certainty.
Unless of course the Boks call her up first.
29 Aug 2010, 13:52 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-432: he too was exonerated, impact miss quoted
29 Aug 2010, 13:55 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-433: the ABs this year have had such a leaky defence, I remember we were down 21-7 to the Aussies after 15 minutes too this year huh? lucky defense wins world cups aye, I wonder if you can tell me what the points for and against is for the Bokke? its their defense this year that has impressed me the most!!
and Jake had such a good record as Bok coach… what was his overall win percentage? 50%? 60%?
wouldnt be higher would it? if thats acceptable for the “best team in the world” then fair enough..
but I guess it is a fair ways up on the 20% win record (being generous) that a lions supporter is used to..
how many S14 games did you guys win again?
29 Aug 2010, 14:00 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-433:
RWC 2011
POOL D:
South Africa
Wales
Fiji
Samoa
Namibia
Lets see now……..SA’s record in NZ, would give Wales a good chance.
Fiji…………..they know they cannot win the WC. But they know they can help their Pacific Brothers…………….NZ.
At least 3 Boks will be stretchered off.
Samoa…………….The Exocets of World Rugby. Good Luck Okes.
Namibia……………..a complete waste of time. A training run would do your Team more good.
RWC 2011……………Welcome to Hell.
29 Aug 2010, 14:02 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-420: Shows how little you know about matters rugby. The Guarantee is paid to SARU by the host Union in exchange for the match. Now if SARU waive the fee or halve the fee for the EC then you are going to have very very angry Unions such as WP, Bulls and Sharks. Also, to host a Test each year at Soccer city isn’t going to happen either as the big 5 need the test matches and SARU needs the Big 5 to pay their R6 million to them for the matches.
You see it’s not all that simple chap, and it’s not all equal in terms of playing fields. The Sharks turnover a bunch of cash from their Season Tickets, meaning that they are able to afford the 6 bar. Same with the other Unions. Where is the EC going to get the cash and, if they are not, then as I said, the other Unions have a right to moan. They still won’t say how much revenue was brought in from the Lions match down there last year, it’s all murky and political and not in the interests of rugby.
29 Aug 2010, 14:05 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-422: We already have a team that scored nought from 13 and we think we can have another one. And if the world was fair Griquas would be asking why they don’t have a Super Franchise ahead of the Lions even… They have their house in order and looking good on and off the field.
The EC is rife with political problems, dodgy deals and missing monies all over the place. Don’t expect much to change at their Super franchise.
29 Aug 2010, 14:07 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-436: next year is the Chinese year of the choke, no need to worry only about the Boks who will be back to full strength just like the AB have all year.
If I were a kiwi I would be worried more about the Frogs and the Poms than the Boks because we all know that what happens between WC’s is just practice – ask Big Hit.
p.s. no need to worry about my Lions Mitch is going a great job – 3 wins on the trot ROAR.
29 Aug 2010, 14:08 pm
On the other hand:
POOL A:
New Zealand
France
Tonga
Canada
Asia 1.
NZ Vs France……….Great workout. Absolutely ideal. Win or lose.
Tonga………….We will embrace our Pacific Brothers before the game. A very poor Haka will be done. We will win. And BOTH Teams will be glad we did.
Canada…………another good workout. Ideal.
Asia 1. …………a chance to put ourselves in the record books. By bettering Our own record already set.
RL……………………………bet on Black……………………………..Keo does.
29 Aug 2010, 14:10 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-440: Dude I wish I saw the world through your rose tinted glasses. This ‘bok’ team couldn’t win a karaoke contest let alone a RWC.
Not the players, they are world class (most of them) but you need a brains’ trust to win a RWC and we don’t have a brain cell between Div, Muir and Gold.
29 Aug 2010, 14:13 pm
My niece just turned 2. She likes going to Clamber Club and watching CeeBeebies. She likes ice cream and she likes to clap her hands.
She also knows more about rugby than Div Muir and Gold.
29 Aug 2010, 14:14 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-440: back to the old choke call… I can see your argument has died…
well done, must really irritate you that a kiwi has turned the lions around.. a kiwi nogal…
ask BH? why, England have never beaten us in a WC… and do you honestly think you are going to get such an easy run to the title? bwahahaha as for France, they are in our pool because we rigged it that way… so they can only knock us out in the final… and seeing as Ireland have had the wood on you guys for a while now, how are you going to get past them in the 1/4 final??
no wonder the lions need outside help, its apparent there arent too many bright people that support or work in that franchise…
29 Aug 2010, 14:16 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-444: I have a feeling the All Blacks would have put 70 against both those teams yesterday, and let in maybe 1 try.
29 Aug 2010, 14:17 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-438: shows how little you know of rugby politics, how did the lose out hosting ‘their’ 3N to Rustenburg?
29 Aug 2010, 14:17 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-446: How do you think…
29 Aug 2010, 14:20 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-445: it was good to see you guys actually running the ball, as we all know you are more then capable (the S14 a prime example), defense has to be a real worry though…
they start like that in a WC game and it will be so much harder to come back..
have to credit them for doing exactly that though…
29 Aug 2010, 14:21 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-448: Shows how poor the Wallabies are though to throw it away. England and the Abs won’t do that.
29 Aug 2010, 14:22 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-448: At present Abs look good but we know they always do a year out… the pressure though is different this time… if the Abs don’t win next year, at home, I don’t know if there will be any kiwis left alive to drive me to the airport
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