Jake stands firm
24 Jun 2006
Springbok coach Jake White has dismissed the argument that the lack of a recognised fetcher cost the Boks victory.
The Boks though certainly did not compete as well at the breakdown as in Tests that have involved Schalk Burger. Joe van Niekerk had a productive match, but White could only point out one crucial instance when Van Niekerk secured the ball.
Instead, a visibly upset White told the post match press conference that the Boks loss can be attributed to Percy Montgomery’s missed conversion of Brent Russell’s try.
“If Monty’s conversion kick had gone over it would put us in a superb position and we would have gone on to win and would not have needed a fetcher,” White said.
“There are other ways of looking at the game. Obviously crucial things happened in the game – the penalty that Jaco gave away to Betsen, the kick that hit the pole and the penalty just before half-time. Had we got those calls we probably would have won the Test match.â€
“But,” he conceded, “in reality France were very good today and deserved their win. Rugby is about the set phases and credit to the French for that.”
Regardless, blowing a 23-11 lead with 30 minutes remaining is almost criminal, but White argued that the loss of several top Boks had been a contributing factor.
“I’m more and more convinced we need consistency in selection.” That said White will only announce his Tri-Nations squad on Monday after it was initially expected to be made public on Saturday.
White spoke of his desperate need for “survival” and with that in mind he will probably stick to the tried and tested. Unfortunately those players are beginning to feel the weight of no break from top level rugby and injuries are becoming common occurence in the squad.
Added to that, several problem areas were cruelly exposed. Most notably the front-row was given a bit of a lesson, while the flyhalf conundrum continues. The lack of depth in crucial positions was also cause for concern.
By Andrew Hollely
137 Comments
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25 Jun 2006, 14:38 pm
Jake is still eating all the humble pie on his face.
Jake: Live by.. Die by your decisions. All the cracks and shortcomings that even an armchair critic can tell you about are ignored. Well it’s from your coaching team and out of form players that you now need to get some answers.
1.Pick the right players!!!
2.Players not up to standard should not be in the squad. It’s an insult to the other players who are. Not to mention us the stupid public!
3.Suck in your hugely developing ego and make the neccesary changes. Prove the critics wrong!!
4.Please leave negotiating a new contract for after you leave the Springboks. It is hugely insulting to me as a SA’n that you are even comtemplating it.
5.Good luck for the Tri N,s guys. It’s going to be embarassing!!!!
25 Jun 2006, 16:04 pm
Did you see the match report on Supersport? John Smit reckons that the Boks lost it, they should have kicked into the French half & played for penalties!
To me that typifies the Bok approach & what is so wrong with SA rugby.
If you look at the great sides (Brazil in Soccer & NZ in rugby) they play with the spirit of the game. I think JW knows we do not have the talent to beat the Kiwis consistently, so he looks to tactics to win & slowly, but surely he sacrifices the running game until we find ourselves here. We do not have the commitment from the top, to introduce a running game, so until JW publicly states that he wants a side that can score tries & gets a backline coach that can deliver, we should all become Bluebull fans, ’cause that is the safety 1st rugby we will see.
I won’t support it, though.
25 Jun 2006, 16:18 pm
The Bill, Jake White has more to admit and state publicly than you think. He’ll have to admit that he needs a fetcher, that he needs a No 10, etc. As a matter of fact he needs to admit that he’s a poepol.
25 Jun 2006, 16:44 pm
Come on Jake. How much damage would it have done to listen to the public and pick Luke Watson for just one test. If he failed then you could say I told you so, but at least give the chap a chance. But to just slam the door into his face whilst you pick has-beens or never-beens like De Wet Barry, Breyton Paulse, Eddie Andrews and Gaffie du Toit just does not make sense.
25 Jun 2006, 16:47 pm
Windhoek-Lager,
The Boks can consider themselve lucky if the make third place in the trinations with their current level of play!
25 Jun 2006, 18:32 pm
Is Jake on drugs? He is blaming Monty now? What about the usless team that can’t even buy a try.
25 Jun 2006, 18:59 pm
Jake was so busy lobbying an extended contract that he forgot to prepare the team. Time is ripe for **** Muir to take over. At least he played the game at a high level.
25 Jun 2006, 20:30 pm
If Jaco had seen Habana on the left before half time and kicked a grubber to him, we wouldn’t have bloomin lost. The loss is mainly Jaco’s fault his decision making is woeful. Does he need far lookers to see Habana on the left, the entire french team was on the right, duh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
25 Jun 2006, 20:31 pm
If white goes the Boks r finished. Watch them do well in this tri-nations. White has gotta give Gaffie a ago at flyhalf.
25 Jun 2006, 21:23 pm
Visionary John Smit! Played like a king. Scrummed like a bull dozer. Motivated his troops from mainly the tremlines. Without John Smit, where will we be?
25 Jun 2006, 21:27 pm
Oops! Someone thinks John Smit is doing a good job. See what JJ harmse writes in the Rapport: “Benut Jake White sy belangrikste bate in die Bok-span reg of is hy besig om John Smit in die grond in te speel?
Dié vraag kan tereg gevra word nadat White se ander groot bate, Schalk Burger, so erg beseer is dat hy vir die res van die jaar nie kan speel nie.
Daar is geen twyfel dat Smit vir White die belangrikste speler in die span is nie. Hy het al telkemale sy bewondering en vertroue in die Bok-kaptein uitgespreek, maar vrae kan gevra word of hy Smit werklik reg bestuur.
Sedert White oorgeneem het as Bok-breier het Smit in al 27 toetse (voor gister) voorgedraf. Hy is slegs vier keer in daardie toetse vervang en het in slegs 38 minute van die 2 160 toetsminute nié gespeel nie.
Selfs verlede week, toe Smit die hele week nie kon oefen weens ‘n dyspier- en kuitbesering nie, het White sy kaptein die hele wedstryd teen Skotland laat speel.
White het die afgelope ruk heelwat gekla dat Super-14-afrigters die Bokke te veel laat speel, maar dit is duidelik dat dieselfde met Smit gedoen word.
Boonop het White die gewoonte om Smit na loskop te skuif indien hy wel ‘n haker op die bank speelkans wil gee.
Dit vererger die risiko van beserings. Smit se adjudant, Hanyani Shimange, het sy kaptein nog net twee keer in 27 toetse vervang en dit vir ‘n volle ses minute.
Gewoonlik as óf Shimange óf Gary Botha speelkans gekry het, is Os du Randt, Eddie Andrews of C.J. van der Linde vervang en nie Smit nie.
Die enigste keer dat Smit vir ‘n redelike tyd vervang is, was aan die einde van die 2004-toer in Argentinië, toe Danie Coetzee ‘n volle 32 minute op haker gespeel het en Smit gaan rus het.
White het laat blyk dat hy Smit teen die Skotte sou laat rus, maar het toe van plan verander.
Dat White al sy eiers in een mandjie sit met Smit is ewe opvallend as gekyk word na ‘n ander moontlike kaptein. Die verrassende aanwysing van Jean de Villiers om die Bokke teen die Wêreldspan aan te voer, moet ‘n mens laat wonder of daar ‘n plan B by White bestaan oor wie kan oorneem as Smit seerkry.
Geen duidelike kandidaat staan uit nie, hoewel ander rugbylande soos Nieu-Seeland, Australië en Engeland wel ‘n tweede kaptein het.
Dis geen geheim dat White wil hê Smit moet die land se mees suksesvolle kaptein word nie. Die rekord van 39 agtereenvolgende toetse, wat deur Gary Teichmann gehou word, asook Teichmann se rekord van 34 agtereenvolgende toetse as kaptein, word namens Smit deur White gejaag. Teen watter prys dit bereik gaan word, of nie, is ‘n ander vraag.
Dit laat ook noodwendig vrae ontstaan oor presies wat Shimange se rol in die span is. White kan hom beslis nie as impak-speler in die span sien nie, daarvoor word hy heeltemal te min aangewend.
Trouens, die vraag kan gevra word wat Shimange werklik in die span soek.
Hy was in die afgelope 27 wedstryde met White in beheer 21 keer in die span as plaasvervanger-haker, maar het 12 keer glad nie enige rol gespeel nie. Hy het nege keer speelkans gekry, maar slegs ‘n skamele 52 minute se rugby op haker gespeel. Byna die helfte daarvan was teen Uruguay.
Shimange het in sy debuut vir Suid-Afrika noodgedwonge op flank gesak en ‘n volle 21 minute daar gespeel toe hy ‘n beseerde Victor Matfield teen Wallis vervang het.
Daarna het hy ‘n minuut teen Nieu-Seeland, 13 minute teen Australië (drie toetse), twee minute teen Argentinië, ses minute teen Wallis en vier minute teen Skotland gespeel.
Gary Botha daarenteen, het in twee toetse op die bank gesit en 18 minute se rugby teen Australië en Frankryk agter die blad. Die span se vierde haker, Danie Coetzee, het twee keer op die bank bly sit en twee keer speelkans gekry, waarvan 32 minute teen Argentinië was, toe hy Smit vervang het.
Coetzee het dus in vier toetse 39 minute se toetsrugby gespeel, teen sowat tien minute per toets. Botha se gemiddelde is nege minute per toets. Shimange het buiten sy 21 minute op flank slegs 2.8 minute per toets gespeel.
Daarenteen het Smit in 2 160 minute van toetsrugby onder White net 38 minute nié gespeel nie.”
25 Jun 2006, 23:38 pm
Guys, I’m not too concerned about the individual players. They are all good enough to fill a role within the team if the gameplan is right and the proper techniques are drilled into them.
The players tried hard this weekend, but they ran into a stout French side and had no Plan B.
This all falls back on the coaching staff in my opinion!
Firstly, Proper technique:
Where was the rolling maul? We had a big weight advantage on the French and some strong physical forwards. Why could we not consistently gain ground with the rolling maul?
Scrumming. Outscrummed by a smaller pack – all technique. Talk to us Gert Smal, tell us why.
Secondly gameplan:
We seem to rely on individual brilliance to score tries, i.e. Habana or Russell or De Villers. We kick the ball high, hope for a regather or turnover to catch the opposition out. Where are the sraight-running backs with fast loosies in tow to recycle quickly again? Tell us about the plan for the backline Alistair Coetzee?
Players need to be told what to do. If they don’t obey the coach’s plans, drop them and find somebody who will. Passion and blind loyalty are not enough.
I watched Australia clinically take apart a very fine Irish side this weekend. Jake, tell us why SA are not going to finsh last in this year’s try nations.
25 Jun 2006, 23:59 pm
The French think outside the square.
Instead of using their 6ft 8in locks as jumpers, lifted up by 5ft 8in props with short little arms, the French use their tall strong locks to lift up their light but 6 ft 6 in tall flankers as lineout jumpers. These stringbean loosies go WAY higher.
In days gone by the wingers threw in the ball at lineouts. It’s not improbable that the French could even go back to that.
26 Jun 2006, 02:41 am
i feel ill when people mention gaffie for flyhalf, and even sicker knowing that jake could be around till 2009.
26 Jun 2006, 07:48 am
4 players to go! JvdW and GdT. WTF was that tackle, sure DB missed with W julies but gaffie is scared shitless on defense. i would like to see pure balls and brutal willingness to die than these 4 players, than will create the unknown excitement factor. tell you the Ndugane twins would not have missed that tackle. so content to just be there for 80 min. FFS, JW instruct there agents to deport them to Europe.
you need the forward pack against NH teams to play – all 8 towards the ball, not the open side and 4 = 5, but all 8. They play like that and if you don’t do the same you are going to lack momentum from the ruck and maul.
every one praises OdR, but he made two tackles for he was to tired to be on the way to the line out. praise him for he showed PdV, who’s who in the zoo!
JW you have a problem for the flyhalf attacking line not straight enough, thus no space for 12 and 13. not only do they have no flair, they can only break the advantage line with a grubber – kicking possession away. kill no 10 if he does not run straighter, what about some switches, skip passes, 13 cutting in on angle, 15 joining in gap between wing and touch line. Nothing like that, we need more than rush defense to be a success. campo was right and AC is a afirmative moron!! cant coach jack **** – sorry IG
26 Jun 2006, 07:52 am
redkev they are the same as the ref’s – protected species! GS and AC will never answer any of these qestions, you so correctly pointed out! steady eddie should go, he will not play in sa after the WC in any way so let him go now!! technique, only in full use when the power is there back it up!
26 Jun 2006, 08:28 am
This is a direct challenge to oregan Hoskins and SARU. if Jake White want to leave let him and the senior Springboks that threaten to leave, please sign contracts on their behalf with the English so that they can go F&*^ up English rugby. They have done it long enough with ours.
Nduganes to slow but we got Gaffie?????
Eperience Barry but we did not have enough experience?????
Percy missed the conversion???
JW You are a twat. I said from day one this guy is going to screw up SA rugby because he thinks he is never wrong. Pick those players you don’t like because they are GOOD ENOUGH. Twat
26 Jun 2006, 08:51 am
Monty is not the only player on the field during a Test game. There’s another 14 players and if that 14 players don’t play good rugby how can we win a game. Jaco is not the answer at 10 , why can’t Jake see that. Russel was outstanding on the attack. Habanna didn’t see the ball because Barry love’s the kick the ball away. Still hard work to be done before the WC.
26 Jun 2006, 08:55 am
Kooo koo!
26 Jun 2006, 09:13 am
It seems to me we are going back to the “good” old days 2000/2001, when there were to many bulls in the springbok team and we lost most of our games….
26 Jun 2006, 09:18 am
I can’t even start to think how Petri K*kenberg, can be better than Luke Watson, how Gary Botha, who’s first lineout throw in international rugby was skew and and he’s first throw in he’s second game was for the other team…is better than Schalk Brits…
Ai ai Jake White, your issues with players is gonna cost us the Tri-Nations, and maybe more
26 Jun 2006, 09:32 am
Nothing unexpected in Saturdays result.The French proved again that they are simply a superior outfit to the Bokke and that last years win in Paris had precious little to do with end of season blues etc.The Boks were outplayed and outsmarted by a very good French team.
Jake White must surely be realising that some fresh thinking and new blood would do this stagnant team the world of good.There is a boring predictability to the Boks play and one has to ask if we were playing for the win or not to lose.The lack of communication in the back division and poor support running are of major concern.
The forwards are not a balanced unit and this is especially true of the loose-forward combination.
Some serious thought needs to be given to the player selections in certain positions and what role they are supposed to fulfill.There are too many passengers and Jake must realise that his favourites are not the form players in SA at present.
26 Jun 2006, 09:34 am
We could have scored twice 2nd half with some speed on the left. Put Gaffie out of his misery……..Still got a gun Jake?????for the contract until 2009???????
26 Jun 2006, 09:38 am
It’s all those coons’ fault who were dancing around before the game.
26 Jun 2006, 09:44 am
Jake you are talking absolute rubbish, how can obe conversion = 2 points have won us the game.The same man you blame for losing the game is the self same man who kept the BOKS in the game.
Lokk ratehr to your stupid selection of players who are not upto International standard, Eddie, is NOT a tighthead prop,this is were we lost the game.
Barry, is well past his sell by date — JACO does not cut it at flyhalf, in fact the BOKS do not have a quality decision maker, ther is your problem.
You refuse to pick WATSON or even BOTES, WHO CAN FETCH & harrass the opposition into mistakes & you insist on picking dinasours who can just & I say just, make it against lower sides.
There is NO skill in our play & the 3/4′s have absolutely NO CLUE = coetzee does not have a clue what he is doing & this rubs off on the players.
And lastly, how did this new scrum machine that SASOL paid a lot of money for, help our tight 5 — they outweighed the FRENCH by 80 kg and went backwards, which has allwyas been the case. WE SIMPLY CANT SCRUM BECAUSE WE DONT PLAY AN INTERNATIONAL, QUALITY TIGHTHEAD — SIMPLE JAKE.
26 Jun 2006, 09:50 am
Jake…go on pension…get your own beer…and let your son get on with his life
To the new coach…Try Luke…and get rid of the Aussie scrum machine – works like **** if you want my opinion
26 Jun 2006, 09:52 am
Mmm think I posted my comments on the wrong thread.
Os – 7/10
?
26 Jun 2006, 09:58 am
The Boks lost this game before it even kicked off. Jake can say what he likes but the lack of a true fetcher is going to haunt him more than once this season.
The French now know exactly how to beat the Boks. Match them at the first phase (Jake can’t win a test if he can’t dominate first phase possesion) and then beat them at the break down.
I would rate the loose forward trio for this test as the worst Jake has ever fielded. Joe is not up to the rigours of test rugby, Pedrie is fat and slow – Juan is the only quality loosie in the trio.
Jake can say what he likes but a loose trio that included Luke Watson would have won this test convincingly.
The other factor in this test is the obsession with “continuity of selection”. De Wet Barry was poor, Gaffie Du Toit was useless, Wayne Julies was marginally better than De Wet, Pedrie was his usual slow lumbering self, and Joe Van Niekerk finally found out why upper body conditioning is so vital for an internation flank – Joe I bet you R 500 that you can’t do 100 push ups.
26 Jun 2006, 10:08 am
So does this count for a Wayne Juloes loss when on the field????
26 Jun 2006, 10:16 am
Nope, I have to take the criticism, the boks were outplayed in every department.
There was no penetration in midfield (I have to admit it is time for The Law to hang up his boots).
We were absolutely destroyed in the scrum. Os was outstanding in the tighloose and therefore again we need to look at Eddie Jones, whose was absolutely annilhilated. Not sure CJ was much better.
As for the fetcher, Jake was unfortuntaely clearly wrong about this. Remi Martin did a Schalk Burger to us, he was everywhere, sometimes questionably so, but nevertheless he was brilliant and was definitely the man of the match.
Tacitus 1-0 to you.
26 Jun 2006, 10:17 am
Bring on the butch for flyhalf or even inside centre.
26 Jun 2006, 10:27 am
Hate to say it but FdP is a good kicker. JvdW is a good kicker. Monty is a wonderful kicker. Barry is a kicker. Habana kicks away possession. we’re left with Olivier and Russell who might run. Gafster is a huge kicker.
Jake, bring in some runners, please.
Jake bring in some under sized fetchers please.
Jake bring in a tight head that gives away 2 or 3 penalties but dominates, please.
Muppits retirement collection fund:
Barry
Gafster
Eddie ‘not too steady’
Pedrie
Pakslaap
LastChance Saloon
Gary Botha
FdP
Jaco
Big Joe
26 Jun 2006, 10:28 am
No matter how good Danie Pakslae plays the Bok pack aint the same without Bakkies
26 Jun 2006, 10:31 am
you definately didn’t watch the same game as I did, Joe is the only loose forward we have in the bok team at the moment, the last few tests he stole so many balls and always breaks the first tackle…
But one thing I will not complain about is the fact that Luke belongs in the Green and Gold!!!
26 Jun 2006, 11:04 am
I see there’s a lot of blame on Jaco. I disagree I think Fourie du Preez’s passing was cr*p. Jaco was often standing still when he cought the ball and the French backs were on us before he could distribute. There was a huge difference when Janurie came on, his passing was poor but at least Jaco was running onto the ball.
21 Dec 2006, 10:13 am
21 Dec 2006, 10:14 am
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