Defensive flaws flog Boks…again
4 Sep 2010
RYAN VREDE writes that the Springboks’ defensive incompetence in the first half cost them victory.
Certainly to rebound from 31-6 down is a notable feat and speaks of character. The comeback was facilitated by an exponentially improved defensive effort and more clinical execution on attack. But ultimately it means nothing, and the Springboks have only themselves to blame for the defeat, their fifth in six matches.
Defensive failings have marked their campaign to date. But none of their performances in this regard have been so utterly shambolic, so diabolical, as what was on show in the first 40 minutes.
If they were defensively impotent last week, seven days later they were completely useless for 40 minutes. John Smit said after the Loftus win that a defensive performance like that wouldn’t win them the World Cup. Tonight’s effort would have seen them struggle against Grey Bloem.
They had the intensity of ballerinas at the tackle point and the accuracy of men cuffed and blindfolded, routinely falling off straight up hits. That’s when they put themselves in a position to make the hit, because on more than one occasion a flapping arm at a passing Aussie took the place of a conventional tackle. There was no evidence of the outside-in defence that was employed so successfully in 2009. There was none of the composure, controlled brutality, trust or communication that marked that period. The world champions defended like the chumps of the rugby world.
They missed an astonishing 15 tackles in the first half alone, and on five occasions missed two or more in the same move. Thrice those errors led to tries, the worst of which culminated in the Wallabies’ bonus-point score, where Bryan Habana and Jannie du Plessis failed, horribly, to scrag Drew Mitchell.
That saw them fall 31-6 down just 25 minutes into the game and at that point it seemed as if a caning was on the cards. Skipper Smit couldn’t rouse his troops because he was saving his energy for getting as much of the thin highveld air into his lungs as possible. He wasn’t alone in his patent fatigue, with numerous other heavies breathing so deeply I doubt there was any oxygen left in Bloem at half-time.
It would be acceptable if the onset of fatigue crept up without notice. But it didn’t. De Villiers was acutely aware that some of his key players were running on hope and adrenalin heading into the match. But the Bloem public’s viewing pleasure was deemed more important than a competent performance. That ludicrous decision was exposed.
Another perplexing call brutally exposed for its folly is the continued absence of a specialist openside flank. Such a player would have aided the Springboks’ ability to stifle the Wallabies’ attacking flow. Yet it was the visitors who dictated the pace with which the first half was played at. And it was a pace that caught the Springboks cold.
The the tide turned with Jaque Fourie’s late first half try. For 79 minutes it looked to be the significant score in the context of the result. The same diabolical Springboks lifted their performance markedly after the lock’s solo special, and in doing so exposed the Wallabies’ penchant for capitulating under pressure. Oh they are glorious and entertaining when faced with a feeble effort they were in the first half. But seldom has a Test team been as gutless, so defensively generous and so rudderless on attack, when under the pump.
But just as it seemed as if the Springboks had flogged the last bit of life out of their wounded foe, a defensive lapse gifted Mitchell a try, and with that hope was revived.
Kurtley Beale’s 50m dream killer after the siren had sounded plunged the Springboks into despair. But they will be mistaken to credit his accuracy, skill and composure for the defeat. They must reflect on a shocking first half for the root cause.
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172 Comments
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5 Sep 2010, 12:32 pm
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-95: Don’t even go there. You can’t reason with these Bok supporters any more than you can reason with Bakkies on a rugby field.
They unfortunately (not all of us but a lot on here) believe that the Boks are the best ever.
Perhaps if the Boks hadn’t been isolated in the 1980s things would be different but if, whens and buts mean nothing. Since readmission we have been lucky to win 2 RWCs. One in SA very luky considering a no-try try not awarded to the French in Durban and an easy run in 2007.
Yeah we won, the Abs also seem to self-implode come RWC year and so we have 2 trophies. Good on us.
Between them, we haven’t looked good and of late, even more tragic. Why… well now more than ever we can clearly see why and yet these guys refuse to see it.
I never thought I’d see the day where a loss against Australia saw fans saying ‘the boys did their best’.
WTF is that if not loser speak. I am waiting for the press conference Monday to see what that loser Div and crew have to say for themseleves.
5 Sep 2010, 12:33 pm
@ RedLion: 98
Yep, good wins in this year’s tri nations don’t mean anything come the world cup, particularly where the Ab’s are concerned. Ab supporters will be nervous as hell going into every WC game from the quarter final on, that’s for real.
5 Sep 2010, 12:33 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-99: LOL
too cold for me down there. Wellington is my town, windy but not auckland
5 Sep 2010, 12:35 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-98:
You can take youre armchair RWC wins. Who’s that you beat again, Tonga and England?
I would rather continue too lose RWCs but continue to belt you in the intervening years, much more satisfying to continually roast bok meat 2 out of every 3 seasons.
5 Sep 2010, 12:38 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-103:
Do you live in Wellington Goodie?
5 Sep 2010, 12:38 pm
What the convicts simply do not understand is that there is no way in hell that they have enough quality players to field 3 professional teams never mind 5 from next year.
Now with their 30 or so high quality international players can anyone tell me the last time they won a 3N trophy, hell can anybody tell me what exactly have the convicts won in the past 10 years?
Nothing absolutely NOTHING worth writing about.
5 Sep 2010, 12:39 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-105: Nope mate, my dad used to as a kid and my sister lives there now.
I live in Durban but if I had to move to NZ, that would be the spot.
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-104: Be fair, we may have dodgy RWCs but we didn’t make you lose to England in 2007
5 Sep 2010, 12:41 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-106: Next year we have the Kings, don’t even go there.
5 Sep 2010, 12:42 pm
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-104:
Come on now Blackie………………………………….that last WC loss to France was frigging devastating.
Well it was to me anyway.
5 Sep 2010, 12:44 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-101:
Well said mate.
I’m just getting a bit fired up by the blonks here who think their p00 don’t stink and that somehow they have been robbed or something. WTF!?
I just don’t get it.
Last year we got creamed, had some horrible personnel problems as well, but we looked inwards, accepted we were beaten by the better team and went back to the drawing board.
I just don’t see how some of the plonkers here don’t get that, it is their team and coaches that have the problem, and you must look inwards to fix that.
How can you say that the coaches and personnel for the Boks are all OK when you’re getting constantly wiped?
Sticking my chin out here, but I bet I could guess the particular heritage of the blinded fools who continue to spout such garbage.
5 Sep 2010, 12:44 pm
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-104: Get this.
After NZ won the 3N Jake went up to Henry and congratulated him on a fine championship victory and then looked him dead in the eye and said ‘I will see you in the RWC final – just make sure that you win ALL of your matches because we sure as hell are going to make it to the final’
Well Jake lived up to his end of the deal, he won ALL of his matches to make it to the final. He beat the Argies twice who in turn beat the Frogs twice who beat you All Blacks once – and for good measure we beat the POMS twice who beat the living daylights out of the team who choked the life out of the men in black.
Do you get it?
5 Sep 2010, 12:45 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-109:
Yeah, it was.
What I’m saying is, if we cant have it all, I’d rather the current pattern than winning RWCs and being no where in between.
5 Sep 2010, 12:47 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-107: I mean France of course, with the dodgy English ref
5 Sep 2010, 12:47 pm
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-104: TBH I really think that Henry was afraid to win all of his matches because he knew that the Boks would be waiting for him in the final – GH figured lets bail out in the quarters, blame the ref just to avoid those chocking Boks in the final.
5 Sep 2010, 12:48 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-111:
I get it.
You won fair and square, and we lost, choked again.
But , personally, as I just said, if we cant win a RWC, I would prefer the status quo then accepting mediocrity in the intervening years.
5 Sep 2010, 12:48 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-106:
Australia currently hold the Mandela Hub Cap.
5 Sep 2010, 12:50 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-106:
Hmmmmmmm, I think they beat the Boks last time they met from memory?
5 Sep 2010, 12:51 pm
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-110: The heritage you refer to is actually a bit more complicated, like anything is in SA.
I think there are many angles, these are the GENERAL ones:
1. If you are not white it is the players, not the coach.
2. If you are white it is the coach and not the players.
Both above think there is nothing wrong with SA rugby.
3. If you have a brain and are any colour its more like some of the players, too much rugby, all the coaches and SARU as well.
5 Sep 2010, 12:52 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-116: Nice one. No flies on you.
5 Sep 2010, 12:53 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-114:
Your right there of course, just like 2003.
5 Sep 2010, 12:53 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-116: nice one trophy in 10 years and they are going for a record 11 straight klaps against the AB’s.
5 Sep 2010, 12:55 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-121: They beat us, at home. Just stop making a fool of yourself.
5 Sep 2010, 12:56 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-114:
“Graham Henry afraid to meet the Boks……”
Tri-Nations log
Team P W D L BP Pts
All Blacks 5 5 0 0 3 23
Wallabies 5 2 0 3 1 10
Springboks 6 1 0 5 3 7
Yeah right, Ted lies awake at night, terrified of what nightmares, sleep might bring.
5 Sep 2010, 12:56 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-118:
Fair enuff. My thinking was more along the lines of which white heritage, but I get your drift.
5 Sep 2010, 12:59 pm
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-124: That too, but I’m leaving that one alone, it’s even more complicated.
5 Sep 2010, 12:59 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-123: I was talking about 2007 afraid.
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-122: they beat a team that is coached by PDivvy and fat Smitty ffs. With the player we have we should have killed them!
p.s. Keohane when is that press conference.
5 Sep 2010, 13:03 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-126: I know who they beat but they represent the Springboks, those results go in the record books I am afraid. There is nothing in the parenthesis about (bad coach, fat captain), just we lost.
you can’t throw stones at Australia for not being a Ferrari when we haven’t invented the wheel.
5 Sep 2010, 13:05 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-121:
Red,
This is a very young Aussie Team.
I doubt very much NZ could do as well, with a Team so inexperienced. Maybe SA could, I don’t know.
Their (Oz) Administration is showing great patience, and this patience will show results sooner or later.
My best guess would be WC 2015. Get your money down to the Bookies now.
5 Sep 2010, 13:05 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-126:
You still think all your players are better!? WTF?!
Of course you do, you were robbed by a conspiracy of lies and cheats.
Just remember Einstein, you basically chose your national team from 2 excellent Super 14 teams, we choose our national team from 5 good teams.
Get it?
I doubt it.
5 Sep 2010, 13:06 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-126:
And then you got smoked by Aus who are lucky to scrape up 15 players, yet u were robbed again.
Wow, some people just don’t get it.
5 Sep 2010, 13:08 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-127:
LOL
The voice of reason and intelligence, luv it.
5 Sep 2010, 13:18 pm
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-129: @Black Magic(Black Magic)-131:
our players are better that the convicts and we have better players not even in the squad – remember these are the same players that contested the Super final.
5 Sep 2010, 13:20 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-132:
Yet you still lost and you still don’t get it.
5 Sep 2010, 13:23 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-106:
Hey Red,
A bit of googling reveals the following;
Oz have won 39.2% of their 3N matches since 2000.
SA have won 38.5% of their 3N games since 2000.
Your denigration of the Wallabies appears to be a crock of shiit.
5 Sep 2010, 13:23 pm
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-133: I get it man – it is recorded on the scoreboard forever!
but I would rather choke one year before the RWC than during the world cup if you know what I mean.
5 Sep 2010, 13:25 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-134:
croc of kak?
and we have won 2 3N titiles since 2000 how many have they won?
5 Sep 2010, 13:29 pm
Thank you PANZER CHIEF – reading some of these blogs (Grant, etc.) you would have thought Victor Matfield was deadwood – only one word for his performance (after winning all his lineouts – except the inevitable bad throw-in from Smit which has now cost us FOUR TEST MATCHES – contested the tight and lose magnificently, one of the best Bok tacklers) and then that moment of kick-and-chip … your word sums it UP: BRILLIANT – thank you I thought I was going crazy reading some of this stuff …
Re: Smit – his second-half was lethal … pity he came off – incidentally our two bench players gave away the two penalties that led to the 10 points that lost ANOTHER test …
5 Sep 2010, 13:36 pm
@J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-137: The turning point (kick up the ar$e) was Fingers brainfart. The birthday card Barnes gifted Mr Deans with was a shot from the blue. Incidentally do you know who Fingers lifted???
Flip VdM
Ironic huh
5 Sep 2010, 13:37 pm
By the way, I genuinely think Flip is a talent.
5 Sep 2010, 13:42 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-135:
You didn’t choke.
You were out coached, out thought and out played.
You still don’t get it.
5 Sep 2010, 13:50 pm
@Black Magic(Black Magic)-140: to me choke = out coached, out thought and out played.
5 Sep 2010, 13:52 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-141: or is choke only what the AB’s do?
5 Sep 2010, 13:54 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-136:
How many have they (OZ) won?
Points 1st 2nd 3rd
2010 NZL 23 AUS 10 SAF 7
2009 SAF 21 NZL 13 AUS 7
2008 NZL 19 AUS 14 SAF 10
2007 NZL 13 AUS 9 SAF 5
2006 NZL 23 AUS 11 SAF 9
2005 NZL 15 SAF 13 AUS 3
2004 SAF 11 AUS 10 NZL 9
2003 NZL 18 AUS 6 SAF 4
2002 NZL 15 AUS 11 SAF 7
2001 AUS 11 NZL 9 SAF 6
2000 AUS 14 NZL 12 SAF 6
it appears 2 red.
Same as SA.
We await your apology to the good Wallabie supporters for your inaccurate, ill-informed and unfortunate outburst.
5 Sep 2010, 13:59 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-143: I see so basically they have not won anything since 2002 – that is 8 years of drought. Convicts please accept my humble apologies.
5 Sep 2010, 14:00 pm
To the Kiwis and Ozzies:
You don’t get it. Apparently because New Zealand hasn’t won a world cup since 1987 there is nothing wrong with South African rugby.
Add to that the fact that South Africa managed to almost beat a team of Australians not old enough to buy beer in America means South Africa is great.
There is no logic in this country, there is only weird loyalty/hatred of everything that isn’t in line with particular world views of the individual.
5 Sep 2010, 14:05 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-145:hmmmm I will look up on the age thing
p.s. condolences for yesterday … first the Boks getting klapped then the Sharks getting klapped straight afterwards.
5 Sep 2010, 14:07 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-144:
Ahhh… I would be only too proud to be of convict heritage.
You need to be Australian to comprehend the prestige.
5 Sep 2010, 14:08 pm
@J.B. Cowper(J.B. Cowper)-137:
J.B.
Victor would still be the first choice lock, in most (if not all) Internationally Selected Teams.
I used to think he was an arssrehole. But have changed my opinion in the last few years.
And, for what it’s worth, among the best locks ever.
Just behind (and I mean Just):
Marty Johnson.
John Eales.
Skylab Cutler.
But ahead of Legends like:
Prik De Preus (Spelling).
Colin Meads.
Willie John McBride.
Mark Andrews.
5 Sep 2010, 14:08 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-146: It’s okay, Boks needed to lose and the Sharks will bounce back. At least we won the CCup in 2008.
When did the Lions last win anything LOL ha ha ha ha ha.
5 Sep 2010, 14:08 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-146: 21 & over to imbibe in the USofA… fact.
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