Scots push panic button
14 Jun 2006
Scotland have made six changes for the second Test against the Springboks in PE on Saturday.
The injured Sean Lamont is replaced by Simon Webster on the wing, while captain Jason White is fit and takes his place in the back row. Gordon Ross replaces Dan Parks at flyhalf.
Scott Lawson, Bruce Douglas, Scott Murray and Donnie Macfadyen drop out for Dougie Hall, Craig Smith, Alastair Kellock and Jon Petrie in the pack.
“Our first priority is to win the Test match this weekend and there are also things we need to look at from the World Cup perspective, such as the blend of the side and what individuals can do,” said Scotland coach Frank Hadden. “Last week’s group had the opportunity to do something special. Now that chance falls to the team for this week.”
Scotland: Hugo Southwell; Chris Paterson, Marcus Di Rollo, Andrew Henderson, Simon Webster; Gordon Ross, Mike Blair; Gavin Kerr, Dougie Hall, Craig Smith, Nathan Hines, Alastair Kellock, Jason White, Allister Hogg, Jon Petrie.
Replacements: Scott Lawson, Bruce Douglas, Scott MacLeod, Kelly Brown, Donnie Macfadyen, Sam Pinder, Ben MacDougall.
75 Comments
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14 Jun 2006, 18:10 pm
stodders,
not sure Parks was the problem, he’s a very sharp intelligent flyhalf who did well all things considered. no decent ball to work with. the scot pack was destroyed, i knew our loosies would be chomping at the bit, but the scot tight 5 was demolished.
14 Jun 2006, 18:13 pm
it’s a symptom of the way we are taught our rugby at school. The big afrikaans, rugby schools have traditionally placed alot of emphasis on size and strength and as a result, the guys have for a long time got away with poor technique in contact situations by simply being biger and stronger than their opponent.
In the big english, rugby schools, they’ve focussed more on the skills approach. When I was at school, we would get thumped year in, year out by Paarl Boys, Paarl Gim, Paul Roos etc, because they were just huge… until u16, matric when all of a sudden we were able to at least compete when it came to size and we played smarter rugby.
That was in 1994 though and to be fair, things are changing pretty rapidly, but most of the guys playing for the boks now, would have come from the bigger is better school of thought.
14 Jun 2006, 18:15 pm
Agree Cab- the best 10′s in the world struggle behind a backwheeling pack. It’s how we beat the All Blacks in Cape Town last year. Put them on the back foot and get in Carters face.
14 Jun 2006, 18:15 pm
Vetkoek,
When France played in the 80s and 90s, they had Mesnel at 12, Sella at 13, Lagisquet on the wing and Blanco at the back. Pierre Berbizier was at scrumhalf. That was some backline. And who was the flyhalf…it didn’t matter. the No.10 was a facilitator. The scrumhalf 12 did alot of the tactical kicking. The 10′s job was to get the ball out to the centres who were the magicians. This is what the Boks should try. It’s not often you get a world class No.10…
14 Jun 2006, 18:18 pm
Stodders, that was a backline, but one thing that you have to say about that side is that when they got it wrong… they got it horribly wrong… and that’s where you need a 10 who dictates the game. Look at the RWC’s as an example. They’ve always been won by the side with the most in-form, best 10. Stransky was playing sublime rugby in 95, Larkham ruled in 99, and of course Mr Wilkinson was untouchable for ’03.
14 Jun 2006, 18:20 pm
Cab/Vetkoek,
Completely agree with you both that the key to winning a game of rugby is to gain forward dominance. My worry with the Boks is when they don’t get it, what is Paln B? We saw it last year at House of Pain when the ABs pipped them. They pipped them because the pressure had been growing for a while before they scored that last try. The Boks were hanging on, but more importantly just kept on handing the ball back for the ABs to start again.
When the Boks play England at Twickenham, the English hope that the Boks will try and use their bully boy tactics every time because it doesn’t work. JW needs another plan for when things go awry. There’s nothing wrong with his Paln A, it’s very effective. But the Boks need a Plan B. And no, getting JDV and Habana to sniff out intercepts does not constitute a Plan B!!!
14 Jun 2006, 18:24 pm
stodders, in fairness to the poms, the reason we keep losing to them is precisely becuase in recent time we’ve been bullied off the ball, its not a lack of a game plan thats the problem, its men vs boys and no ball to work with.
same thing happened with the scots.
14 Jun 2006, 18:24 pm
Twickenhams a mental factor as much as anything else and with the Boks, the mental approach is harder to fix than anywhere else (except maybe with the All Blacks at WC semi-final time).
Plan B is going to have to be to go on the all out attack and hopefully, they will eventually get a balance from the 2. The one thing is that the Boks are at least winning more than they are losing and every won game will give them more confidence to expand on their game a bit hopefully.
14 Jun 2006, 18:25 pm
but we’re still a fair way off believing we can beat the All Blacks, France or Australia in the skills department.
14 Jun 2006, 18:25 pm
Burger, Smith and Van Niekerk are still youngsters, but each year getting older and saltier, should be just right for RWC2007.
14 Jun 2006, 18:27 pm
Vetkoek,
Very true. But you don’t need a magician at 10, just someone who knows when to pass, and when to kick. When to attack and when to play for territory. Jonny Wilkinson was a v good player in 2003, but his attacking game and tactical kicking had come unstuck in a big way against Wales in the QF. Mike Catt came on to get England out of trouble. He redeemed himself with a superb kicking display in the SF against France, but he didn’t need to run that day because of the conditions. He also didn’t control the Final too well until “that drop goal”. He’s remembered as being better than he is because of that moment. His defence was awesome, his place kicking was brilliant, his passing was great to his left but poor to his right, his tactical kicking was sometimes poor and his running skills were manufactured, not natural. he was as good as he was because England had one of the greatest forward packs the game has ever seen (that hurts to say that). If you were to put him in behind the current version, he would be shown up for being the limited player he is IMO. Carter is the new kid on the block, because he can kick, run and pass. The Boks got him last year, but few players could have got out of that straightjacket in Cape Town. The fact that the ABs still managed to creat some opportunities spoke volumes to me as most teams would have capitulated under that intensity. Carter is the real deal and we haven’t even seen the best of him yet.
14 Jun 2006, 18:29 pm
Can’t argue with that.
14 Jun 2006, 18:38 pm
Well that’s gone and ruined that debate then LOL
14 Jun 2006, 18:42 pm
Cab,
Burger/Smith/Van Niekerk
McCaw/Collins/So’oialio
Not much to choose between those two units. For me, if the Boks want to have the better unit, it’s going to be if Van Niekerk can step up to the plate and consistently produce the performances the other two have been. He has flattered to deceive more often than not IMO.
14 Jun 2006, 18:44 pm
I really can’t wait for the Tri Nations games. I think the intensity is going to be up a notch from last year as the players are now in the last chance saloon to get their noses in front for selection in the next 12 months. I think the standard and intensity is going to shock some of the NH scribes. Bring it on!
14 Jun 2006, 18:45 pm
Grootblu, Bokin really wants to talk to you on the Bryan’s Back thread!
14 Jun 2006, 19:15 pm
They’re in for another battering.
14 Jun 2006, 19:37 pm
65 Stodders,
Agree. You can not tell much from SH teams playing teams like Scotland or England. Can’t wait for the real competition.
Looks like SA and Aus will also peak 1 year before the big cup. Welcome aboard people
15 Jun 2006, 06:10 am
chc, isn’t it amazing that we are speaking of England like this…who would’ve believed that this would be the case 3 years ago?
15 Jun 2006, 08:59 am
ricane,
They sure have plummeted from those lofty highs of 2003. It makes a mockery of the fact that Woodward truly did believe that he had 2 XVs capable of wining the world cup at the time.
But, you guys have to remember that the WC is being played in Europe in our autumn. That means the NH teams will have had the benefit of being used to the conditions and “softness” of the pitches. The Boks at home on their dry, hard pitches are the most likely to suffer based upon results in the NH from the last couple of seasons. Forward dominance is key in the NH.
15 Jun 2006, 10:57 am
and so they should if the article on Planet rugby is anything to go by:
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15 Jun 2006, 10:57 am
SA women rock, I married one too. Dunno what wls is on about though, I never once said Scotland would beat the Boks – seems you guys just expect us Celts to turn up and roll over without any ambition of actually winning!
15 Jun 2006, 10:58 am
PS: look at the scoreline re comment 71. Cheers
15 Jun 2006, 11:01 am
ah Keo, funny scorline – well for those of you who didn’t read the article on ##########, they put our winning score last weekend at 236-16 – no wonder Hadden’s changing his team!!!
15 Jun 2006, 12:10 pm
Good luck to them…
Hope they are worthy opponents and give us a good game to watch on the weekend…
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