White not worried
5 Jun 2006
Jake White believes the Springboks’ dismal performance against the World XV means little in the larger scheme of things.
The Bok XV were outscored by two tries to nil at Ellis Park, but their coach is not too concerned ahead of the first Test against Scotland in Durban.
“You cannot compare the game with what will happen against Scotland,” said White. “They are completely different teams because Os du Randt, John Smit, Schalk Burger and Juan Smith will be back.
“To say we need to work on our game is unfair because we will have different people running different lines and different players carrying up the ball.”
White is also expected to include Victor Matfield in the Bok starting XV, a week earlier than he’d originally planned, after Albert van den Berg picked up a shoulder injury.
What Saturday’s match did prove is that the Boks lack the depth of the All Blacks, whose second string side thrashed Ireland and Scotland on their 2005 Grand Slam tour. It’s unlikely a second string Bok team would be able to achieve something similar.
“Our back up guys do need more game time at this level,” admitted White.
Possible Springbok side to play Scotland:
15 Percy Montgomery, 14 Breyton Paulse, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Gaffie du Toit/Andre Snyman, 10 Jaco van der Westhuzyen, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Joe van Niekerk/Jacques Cronje, 7 Juan Smith, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Danie Rossouw, 3 Eddie Andrews, 2 John Smit, 1 Os du Randt
43 Comments
5 Jun 2006, 09:32 am
Why should he be worried, got the job till after the WC…dargon!
5 Jun 2006, 09:32 am
Eh, dragon!
5 Jun 2006, 09:34 am
Well I am worried.
You would think the team that played on Saturday would at least be our 2nd choice team. If that is our depth we should be worried.
What a joke, Jake.
5 Jun 2006, 09:36 am
White you are an ******* …
5 Jun 2006, 09:51 am
Pray Lord that you give Mr White the wisdom to realise that Danie Roussow is not an international quality player.
5 Jun 2006, 09:51 am
surely not jacques cronje??
5 Jun 2006, 09:55 am
I have a question, or rather suggestion for some of you.
When Heyneke took over the BUlls, how piss-poor were they?
Consider what makes a great team, and what, in my view HM did with the Bulls and Jake to some extent with the Boks up till now.
Would you want, a team of 15 brilliant individuals in your team you coach. Or would you prefer a team where 15 guys play together as a team, i.e. your combinations are spot on.
Heyneke does not have, or had, the best 15 guys in his team or group over the years, but his one exceptional quality that he does have as coach is his people skills he applies and getting 15 individuals to gel together as a team.
He is on record (to illustrate this point even further) saying he choose players based on personality first, and then talent.
Now, all this comes down to combinations, and getting guys to play together not only as individual combinations, but as a team combo.
Saturday’s team that ran out;
Our front row – a very important combination – they played together for the first time. In fact, I would say it is the first time Carstens packed down next to Shimmie where he is used to Smith at the Sharks.
Our locks – They may have practiced together before, but it is the first time I have seen them pack down together.
Our loosies – Definately the first time they played together.
Our halfback combo – It is the first time this year Jaco has played flyhalf. In fact, when was the last time he was the first choice flyhalf?
When last did he and January play together in a team?
How many games did January even play in the S14.
Personally, I cannot think of a game they played together as a combination, I know there will be a game but it just shows you how many times the played together.
Our centers – first choice center pair, only combo with experience, though, they have not been together even for a year, so they even are relatively new.
Our back three – First time they play together as a combination.
Success, or the lack thereof, depends heavily on how successful your combinations are.
Jake pushed guys into the field to probably test new combinations, combo’s he could not or will never see at provincial level.
When we talk about blooding youngsters, it is not only about blooding a guy or an individual with regards to age or experience, the same is applicable to combinations.
5 Jun 2006, 09:56 am
Geez, that Tighthead spot still worries me. Eddie was destroyed this weekend, and will get mauled again this coming weekend.
Also, no 10 – Jaco vd W had a SHOCKER this weekend, and is not the answer. Glad to see Fourie being mentioned as possible no 9. Take some load of Jaco.
5 Jun 2006, 09:57 am
No AJ…NO RUAN??????why are they even considering jaco?
5 Jun 2006, 10:00 am
Jaco will be good soon. He made an instant impact for bulls at 15 bar one poor one at the end. I prefer him at 15 anyway.Some ou’s have one bad game and the knives come out. others can keep on ,Bakkies has many bad games,so does JdV ,so does Percy.But they all come right.
Read pissants post above to shed some light on rustyness and combo’s.
5 Jun 2006, 10:00 am
I agree PA. I would also however like him to continue using new combinations, even in test matches. The matches against scotland may be ideal for that. however i doubt that the majority of the rugby watching public (and moer importantly teh sponsors) would understand that even losing and/or playing poorly in the occasional game may serve a greater purpose.
5 Jun 2006, 10:03 am
Pale toe
(‘and moer importantly teh sponsors’ or are you saying’ … and moer the important sponsors ?
5 Jun 2006, 10:04 am
yeah something like that ddrek. was a looooong weekend, so still a bit dyslexic.
5 Jun 2006, 10:05 am
pale,
that is the only crit i have of Jake, he won’t use them again, and that is where he needs to show more patience.
but then ask this, will government and the public show the same patience towards jake?
i think not.
this guy is in a lose-lose situation.
5 Jun 2006, 10:05 am
PA, good post.
It could be the real explanation, or it could be wishful thinking. We will see over the next few weeks whether we can actually score tries with structured, attacking play.
The biggest question for me is why our centres didn`t perform. Granted, they haven`t played together this year, but still …
5 Jun 2006, 10:06 am
No **** ,Jacques Cronje…..sheez man ,even tho AJ dissapointed some ,have him bracketed in or Wannenberg….no JC,back to boredom !
May aswell continue this test with Snyman now that you’ve started it Jake. im not convinced but i would like to know so give it to him and let Gaffie and Breyton fight it out.
5 Jun 2006, 10:07 am
Jaco is a shocker , nice to see paulse back , another big leggend. Will have to make sure i get to a tv on Saturday. Don’t wanne miss this game that’s for sure.
5 Jun 2006, 10:09 am
I dont know why all the hullabaloo.
Ok so they were playing a team of over 30 has-beens and never-weres who’d spent the last week on the piss. And so the boks never looked like scoring a try or creating from open play. But so what?
I thought the Boks played pretty well considering the talent avaiable to Jake White. Hell having sat through this S14 series I am just happy to celebrate a win!
By the way I have always maintained Paulse is the worst player ever to play an international game for a top 8 test team – but what about that Dannie oussouw chap and that prop Deon Carstens – they really are special cases! Well done on finding players that insipid Jake!
5 Jun 2006, 10:10 am
i had a look at some of the ’98 season games before the game. the thing that impressed me the most about that bok side was the offload in the tackle (particularly against the AB’s in Durban). there always seemed to be someone to offload to – much like the crusaders. once you get continuous momentum like that, our backline would have no problems finding spaces. this seems to be somewhat of a lost art in sa rugby at the moment.
5 Jun 2006, 10:12 am
With all the bruhaha about Deon Carstens on Saturday.As PA has said it is the first time this frontrow have played as a unit.However at the Sharks Carstens pairs up with Smit and Botha both well renowned for their scrumming ability. Shimange and Andrews are team-mates but Shimange spends precious little time actually playing rugby.Andrews is steady without being spectacular,but as a unit they were poor.Much of this I think may have had to do with Shimange. When the tighthead scrums in he can attack the hooker and his bind with his loosehead and it is here that a potential flaw exists.When Sephaka initially came on he held well more due to fresh legs as Califano soon enough had Lorries number. When watching replays of the reset scrums it was ofetn Shimmie that came straight up and out.I believe he was the weakest link.
5 Jun 2006, 10:13 am
haha paulse
5 Jun 2006, 10:17 am
I will play P3 in stead of JC, make John Smit a tight head again and play Gary at 2
5 Jun 2006, 10:18 am
pale toe
offloading in the tackle was what made that team so great. I remeber a game (2nd game on tour)against france during that period, where we scored some brilliant tries. One try in particular, we passed the ball 15 or 16 times in one movement to score a try out of our own 22. Needless to say the french gave the boks a huge standing ovation from the french crowd.
5 Jun 2006, 10:19 am
gonna be interesting to see how the ab’s and aussies perform this weekend. particularly the aussies, see how wrong or right (unlikely) keo’s prediction was that they will be the team to beat this season.
5 Jun 2006, 10:20 am
St Mich, with the exception of Paulse, this is the first time I have agreed substantially with any of your posts. SA has the talent but White needs to nature it at international level for backup, as the provincial coaches have failed to adequately prepare the players. Otherwise, well done on raising your posting intelligence to match that of the southern hemisphere. Continue in this vein and you might be worthy of a drink.
5 Jun 2006, 10:34 am
St Michel
Couldnt agree with you less re Paulse.
So he’s had some bad momenst,who hasn’t ,but his abilty far outweighs any bad moments.Not saying he’s great now ,but back in his day…..come on !!! Taking out the AB’s in the WC loosers was satisfying in a dissapointing RWC 99. Paulse’s length of field try.
I also wonder how much they spin that they (World team) are on the piss ,to tempt a dropped gaurd.
World 15 had players who are and would be 1s choices now….Magne,Marshall,Castagnede,probably Chabal now ,and some classy players that have always been ,burke,Spencer etc etc.
Its an exageration to call them a washed up side. One of the better Baabaas type teams ive seen. they actually could play structured rugby which says something.
5 Jun 2006, 10:44 am
JC and Paulse, please there must be better players. What about P3 and Russel??
5 Jun 2006, 10:46 am
Their can only be two reasons why JW isn’t worried.
He still don’t understand the f%^&king game or he is too thick to be stupid.
The alram bells and sirens and all the neon lights, police lights, ambulance lights, fire engine lights and even the disco lights are flickering and arsehole isn’t worried.
i am applyiong for any of the so called coaches positions because anybody can do a better job.
5 Jun 2006, 10:56 am
Eddie Andrews scrummed at his best rugby with Quentin Davids pushing at lock. Similarly, Deon Carstens has had Johan Ackermann at the Sharks this season.
Our scrum problems on Saturday started with Beanpole vd Bergh and Rossouw not giving their front row enough oomph at the hit.
How much game time has Shimange had – playing against real opponents, other than a machine or team mates at practice?
Why do people blame the coach for player stupidity. More often than not, players do not implement the game plan, or they play their version of it. Their incapacity to flinkdink and improvise on the fly was most evident on Saturday. Even as second-stringers they should have shown more enterprise than they did.
When was the last time our wings got the ball from first phase, or even second phase? Blame Jake White’s game plan for that.
5 Jun 2006, 11:08 am
Koos you are a doos and grey you are the arsehole you idiots. Excellent post PissAnt on no. 7. I was also struck by the offloading in the tackle from ’98 Pale Toe. It is so effective. Myler you are also a chop. Go Bokke! You boys will still be the best.
5 Jun 2006, 11:26 am
What pissed me off was that BOTH times Rossouw took teh ball up, he had it in the wrong hand, did not hand off, and ultimately lost the ball. If this is not proof of him being a complete moron, or at the very least a VERY slow learner, then I dont know what is. Jeez, man the simple skills!! They just are too thick to learn!!
5 Jun 2006, 11:43 am
I would rather JW plays the **** players in the not so important games and vice versa.
WWW, Dino Dani will always remain half baked.
Was so imopressed with Pienaar!
5 Jun 2006, 11:46 am
“More game time at this level…”
What level?
Ageing has-beens scraped together in a scratch team playing all-attack,no-defence Barbarians festival rugby?
And nearly beating the Boks?
5 Jun 2006, 11:52 am
PIssant (#7), Heineken took over the mid-table Bulls and in his first season as coach he won only ONE game (which happened to be at home). In his second season he lost ALL the games — both home and away.
Even now, after his FIFTH super-rugby season and two losing semis, his coaching record still has more defeats than victories.
5 Jun 2006, 11:54 am
White is in danger of playing his team into the ground. Saturday was a perfect game to play Russel at 10 and let him run riot. Jaco is not the answer at flyhalf, they need to get Butch in there ASAP. And why is he putting Du Preez ahead of Ruan is mind boggling. Ruan looked impressive when he came on. I have a hunch this game was enuff to kick the Boks up the bum, last year they lost to Ozzie and then got right back up.
5 Jun 2006, 11:58 am
Tackler,
****
Compare his record to the other coaches?
What, do you think I am comparing him to Mitchell?
Read the post, it is not that hard.
Shitsakes you are stupid.
5 Jun 2006, 12:07 pm
TheTackler if you watched the game closely, the world XV backline were all offline on many occasions and they were spoiling the game
5 Jun 2006, 13:14 pm
that is also very true leeanthonyw, they were consistantly offside.
5 Jun 2006, 14:14 pm
I am sorry, but Danie Roussouw was KAK! He is big and strong but makes shocking decisions when carrying the ball.
He is suppossed to be in the tight 5 but a CENTRE rips the balls out his arms, and a wing tackles him into touch. Not to mention the punch that eventually led to 3 points.
He is not good enough. AJ or Pedrie @ 4, PLEASE JAKE!
5 Jun 2006, 14:27 pm
Pissant, good points in your first post.
5 Jun 2006, 15:09 pm
“Jake White believes the Springboks’ dismal performance against the World XV means little in the larger scheme of things.”
Jake means little in the larger scheme of things…
5 Jun 2006, 15:30 pm
Jake White should be given credit. He is one clever bugger. Look at the team that played on Saturday. Hardly the team that will run out in any important test match.
He was given permission by his bosses to rest some players because of the workload some of them have carried. Having rested most of his 1st choice guys this past saturday, he can point out how poor the back up is. How many of them were either not given enough game time by their franchises (Shimange, van der Berg, Rossouw) how many were played out of position (de Villiers, Fourie, Van der westhuyzen, Percy).
He will then come back strongly with his 1st chice team and make a point how wonderful a coach he is.
He knows a Springbok test team ( when playing against another country) will always be passionate and committed. They will always be competitive.
Our Jake is not stupid.
6 Jun 2006, 11:53 am
Now im agreeing with you CFB.
He also has to be mentally tough to handkle all the flak. We supporters chop and change every game.Nobody was agruing Jaco’s inclusion pre game ….now 50% of people want him axed. He hasnt played 10 for a while,with Januarie either and both teams played a defensive game. Thank heavens Jake sticks with players or else it would get us into more kak than we would know. I do think that Jake must give up on jacques Cronje like he finally has on MJ. Just know Jaco has more left to offer.
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