Bok enforcers get boost
22 May 2006
Sasol has presented the Springboks with the innovative and technological advanced scrum machine called “The Enforcerâ€.
The Springboks accepted their new piece of training equipment just before the start of their first training session on Monday morning in Bloemfontein.
Innovation and reaching new frontiers are key brand objectives for Sasol and their involvement with the Springboks. SA Rugby continuously strives to find ground breaking ways to improve player’s skills and coaching techniques, thereby ensuring the teams are ahead of the pack and approach each match with a competitive advantage.
Key features of The Enforcer:
– The ability to simulate a live scrum more realistically than any other production machine;
– Mechanical Disc Brake and Twin Roller System: A twin independent brake resistance that is controlled and adjusted by the operator from a seat via the two independent brake levers. The in-built seat also offers a vantage point from which the coach can readily identify faults in the forwards’ scrum technique. Most importantly, the machine encourages front rowers to use the correct muscles to direct energy straight ahead, not up and down. If the machine is not used correctly and energy is not directed properly, the fault can be pinpointed.
– Built to last: Robust and built to take punishment, whilst the rollers are manufactured with an offset spike system for extra traction preventing even the most slippery surfaces from being damaged.
– Easy to move, transport and store: A hydraulic raising and lowering transport wheel system that is easily engaged or disengaged, allowing greater flexibility and manoeuvrability on the field. This enables both forwards and backs to train together at different positions on the field. The wheels allow the machine to be retrieved and stored with minimal effort.
Bok forwards coach Gert Smal said the new machine would no doubt contribute towards improving the scrummaging training and techniques of the already powerful Springbok forwards.
“The Enforcer allows our big front row to easily adjust and perform their scrummaging drills without discomfort. This is certainly a big plus for us, because more often than not most of the machines we use are either too light – which meant we had to compensate with all sorts of weights – or the size of our props made it difficult for them to scrum effectively.
“Because of its greater mobility, the Enforcer now makes it much easier for us to transport it around the country to the different fields or cities where we do our preparation before each test match. The fact that we would now be able to use the same scrum machine during our training sessions would contribute further to the quality and effectiveness of our preparation.We are really grateful to Sasol for supporting the Springboks with this initiative.”
47 Comments
22 May 2006, 15:51 pm
Doesn’t metter steady adiie still won’t be able to scrum!
22 May 2006, 15:52 pm
Oops, something wrong with my keyboard : metter kodeword for matter same with adiie = Eddie
22 May 2006, 15:58 pm
Scrumming is less important now-a-days because of the change in the laws regarding feeds into the scrums. They are now short restarts to the game, almost like rugby league. Because of this, SA are spending too much time on scrumming.
I would like to see the law changed back to ensure straight feeds, which would then change the front row from the current three props to the more interesting two props and a hooker.
Having a real hooker adds innovation to the tight-loose, and complexity to the game which is becoming too one-dimensional and too similar to rugby league. Then spending so much time on scrumming would make sense and SA would regain an advantage it lost with the change in this law.
22 May 2006, 15:58 pm
Nice to see we are getting the right KIT. Shows you JW thinks far ahead. This should be a nice addition.
keo WHO ELSE USES THIS MACHINE?
is it new?
or been in use elsehwere?
22 May 2006, 15:59 pm
Die bokke raak nogals fancy ekse
22 May 2006, 16:00 pm
Great !
As Jake nou nog net stutte kan kry wat teen die ding kan skrum….
Op die oomblik is die skrummasjien 7-0 voor.
22 May 2006, 16:01 pm
The boks problem has never been in the scrums, it is our inabillity to score tries of our own ball. We can only score tries with turnover ball.
22 May 2006, 16:04 pm
en eddie is af met ‘n geel kaart…
no one tld the dumbass, no use punchin a machine?!
22 May 2006, 16:05 pm
Ek hoop net nie BIg Vic doen met die skrummasjien wat hy met BJ Botha gedoen het. Die Bok beseringslys is lank genoeg
22 May 2006, 16:08 pm
may the enforcer also be with us…
22 May 2006, 16:15 pm
big g,
I’m not your father.
22 May 2006, 16:16 pm
So how much would a machine like that go for?
22 May 2006, 16:22 pm
Perhaps they should design some machine that teaches the backs how to hold on to possesion, and turn the possesion into points, instead of aimless kicking away of the ball and being punished severely for being stupid in the name of ‘conservative gameplan’.
No matter how good you scrum and jump, it means squat if the ball gets given back on a platter.
22 May 2006, 16:26 pm
Maybe steady Eddie can get some ^&*(%
22 May 2006, 16:31 pm
So gone are the days when players needed to quickly drag a hunk of metal off the field before a gane can start.
Pretty soon they will be scrummin on a playstation…
22 May 2006, 16:32 pm
In the absence of CJ and BJ, Eddie Andrews is the only other tight head prop there. Maybe they can now teach Eddie how to scrum propperly and to be a specialist tight head with the X factor, and improve on his technique, hence justifying his inclusion in the team.
22 May 2006, 16:44 pm
Now if we can only get a brain machine to teach backline skills we will be world champs.
22 May 2006, 16:45 pm
or something to give a player an electric shock when possession is needlessly kicked away
22 May 2006, 16:55 pm
I recall years ago in the early 1980′s, someone designed a state-of-the-art scrumming machine for our club side, which was calibrated so that you could measure the effectiveness of the “hit” and the power of the shove.
The Bok side at the time used it in preparation for a Test against the British Lions in PE (round about 1982 – the tour John Robbie played in) The only problem was that our club side, UPE, had readings well in excess of those obtained by the Boks. We did have a fair-sized pack, though, with amongst others, George Rautenbach and Schalk Burger Snr., before he became a Bok himself.
Ah, even nostalgia aint what it used to be!
22 May 2006, 17:00 pm
Why don’t we just i-robot to coach the Boks – at least a machine won’t suffer from foot in mouth disease like Jake.
This is just a “it works in theory approach” – every Saturday for the last 14 weeks showed who the strongest and best tight 5 in SA are.
22 May 2006, 17:02 pm
foxache uppies!!!
UPE and oom kolie always had good scrumming at heart, and as doc marais said, as jy hulle nie hard moer nie gaan hulle jou hard moer, so wil jy moer of gemoer word… we dont want this machine to have it though, can you imagine how much old eddie would cry upon hearing the results?!
22 May 2006, 17:03 pm
So they buy a scrum machine from the Aussies, who have no idea how to scrum anyway?
Go figure…
22 May 2006, 17:04 pm
scrumming is going to quite important in the NH, especially in France, so i’m quite glad for it. Eddie can only benefit from some decent coaching, the provinces will all benefit.
22 May 2006, 17:06 pm
In the 1970′s Brig Buurman van Zyl had a scrumming machine mounted onto the front of a tractor, and gave the N.Tvl Bulle a taste of what it was like to go backwards in a scrum. I think that was the only time that the pack used to backpedal.
22 May 2006, 17:06 pm
eddie can do with a bullet…
22 May 2006, 17:19 pm
big g,
Doc Hannes also said that every student should get out onto the rugby field, “en nie in die Koshuise sit en snotbolletjies rol!”
Doc was also not a good oke to play touch rugby against in pre-training warm ups. If he managed to get close to you, his idea of a “touch” was to bliksem you – hard.
22 May 2006, 17:53 pm
Cant Sasol innovate something for the bakcs to score tries?
Its not like we’re naturally lacking up front?
22 May 2006, 18:01 pm
FoxAche & big g
UPE also developed a machine that calculated the power to weight ratio that was used to test the strength of the forwards. Rumours running around campus a few years ago was that one of the Grey 1st XV front rankers drukked Domkrag on the machine.
22 May 2006, 18:16 pm
i am gonna hire out my little cluttered dutch house to the bokke.
excellent way to learn to sidestep.
the drill would be that they need to make it to the toilet from the bedroom in the dark at pace without smashing into anything.
u should see how much it improved my girls sidestep.
22 May 2006, 22:35 pm
Hey maybe the Bulls could borrow it to roll out onto the feild, then Bakkies could sit on his butt the whole game! It sounds like it would travel well too!!
22 May 2006, 23:14 pm
Lol Knersboy
23 May 2006, 01:04 am
No need for props with this Australian beauty
23 May 2006, 07:56 am
The Bokke now have a flash title to match their scrumming prowess as they now fall under the tuition of:
BALIE SWART AND THE ENFORCER
23 May 2006, 08:49 am
Apparently Eddie was responsible for BJ Botha’s back injury. He scrummed him so hard in the Stormers Sharks game that he bent his back and will have to be straightened out again.
23 May 2006, 08:50 am
Let’s hope Sasol ‘enforces’ that the Boks don’t forget their other ‘cutting edge’ equipment, namely longer studs,before embarking on their trip up north!
23 May 2006, 08:55 am
Vinnie the way the Bulls forwards were dismantled on Saturday I would say that we are most definitely lacking in the forwards, both in brawn and brains. The Crusaders were both stronger and smarter than the Bulls forwards. I think we need this machine and anything else that can help, more than you think.
23 May 2006, 08:57 am
Die Bokke behoort vir Steve as skrumafrigter te kry.
Hy weet hoe om te stoot.
23 May 2006, 09:02 am
pity they can’t buy them a machine that helps with breaking defensive lines
23 May 2006, 09:08 am
that scrum machine looks like a go-cart gone wrong…
23 May 2006, 09:16 am
all the technical innovations account to nothing if you’re not “innovative” in the teams you pick.
ignoring players on form suggests to your test players that they only need to take the field in the super 14 to be in the springbok squad.
23 May 2006, 09:34 am
Asha, perhaps a computer should be tasked with selecting the Bok squad?
23 May 2006, 09:50 am
Fox Ache – that bloke with the tractor makes a lot of sense – a pack needs to know how to stabilise and stop a scrum when the other team gets in a better hit. This is is frequently the case, since our forwards do a few things wrong:
1) They wait in “crouch and hold” position for the other team to get ready and go down – thereby tiring themselves out. Just watch – ALL the foreign teams delay as long as possible against SA teams.
2) Our forwards dont all push in the same direction, like they are supposed to. Their backs are not aligned parallel to the ground, and (almost) parallel to each other, to push FORWARD (and not sideways like Eddie).
3) Their upper bodies are not close to the ground, so that they dont get pushed upwards by the smaller props of other teams (who have more leverage pushing upwards with their leg muscles while we are relying on weight).
4) The tight five at least must aim in the same direction to get the combinaton of all their forces. If you want a left swing, everybody must push to the left of the eighth man (not too far to the left, or else you lose the forward push), and vice versa. But every body must KNOW what side they want the scrum to swing to – communication!!
5) SA props stand wih their one foot ahead of the other when going in for a hit. This is not as effective as standing with both feet alongside and using your leg muscles as propulsion to get good momentum (i.e. build up as much speed as possible before hitting).
Our pack consistently outweighs most other teams, but we never seem to gain forward ascendancy -even in the scrums- and this is because the forwards dont understand the physics of the scrum.
Another tactic never used by our coaches, despite having monstrous forwards, is that we dont set up a production line of big fast men, who retreat five meters, build up speed, and receive a pop pass past the base of the ruck, to use their momentum to make 2-3 meters (pumping the legs to make as much as possible) every time. The Crusaders made 2-3 meters 17 times in a row and had a try in 4 minutes at the start of the second half.
It is almost impossible to stop a big man travelling at speed (imagine Os at top speed)- but our big men receive the ball flat and at rest, and get pushed back before they can build up speed.
Can you just see a Bok “prop production line” (“the hammer”) hammering down the midfield, sucking in defenders? I would like to…
There can be variations, such as hammering into the gap behind the rucks, or hammering slightly to the side (not too far to the side, else the forward mmentum is lost) to suck in defenders.
Forwards will need to learn to set the move up and how to throw and receive pop passes.
Hell, it can even be our “trademark” set piece move, like the Bajada is for Argentina. It will also demoralise the other team, because they will be helpless to stop it.
KEO, please make sure Jake gets this posting? Our scrummers REALLY need this info…
23 May 2006, 10:28 am
Cant we get something to teach our backs how to play running, attacking and effective rugby????
23 May 2006, 11:48 am
This machine comes from Australia … and just look at how good their scrum is!
23 May 2006, 21:49 pm
the aussies have been using this since 2000, so our scrum is definitely gonna be on the up this season
24 May 2006, 04:17 am
Glad to hear the bokke are importing our scrummaging technology, if you’re interested you could also contact the ARU to book some consulting time with Al Baxter..
Here’s more info on the enforcer: http://www.enforcer.com.au
24 May 2006, 08:24 am
GoTheTahs, wont Bakter be playing for Stellenbosch Uni’s 5th team again this year?
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