Blacks want revenge over Boks
31 Jul 2006
The All Blacks are eyeing a double victory in South Africa after struggling in recent seasons to beat the Springboks at home.
New Zealand coach Graham Henry has vowed to improve his team’s record in South Africa after they retained the Bledisloe Cup against Australia at the weekend.
The 13-9 win in Brisbane provided the All Blacks with their 13th straight Test victory and tightened their grip on the Vodacom Tri-Nations. But the South Africa have not lost to the New Zealanders at home since Jake white took over as coach at the start of 2004.
“Winning in Australia is huge but we’d like to take another step and win in South Africa,” said Henry. “We haven’t done that for a while so that’ll be the next goal, I guess.”
In a golden 12 months for New Zealand rugby, they won the 2005 Tri-Nations, beat England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and downed the Lions 3-0.
But they lost to South Africa in Cape Town last year and also lost in Johannesburg in 2004 to concede the Tri-Nations championship to the Springboks that year.
New Zealand beat South Africa in Wellington two weeks ago but still have to play the Springboks twice in SA in this year’s expanded Tri-Nations, in which the teams play each other three times.
New Zealand were not at their very best against Australia but their defence was formidable in the face of intense second-half pressure.
And Henry singled out the performance of his inspirational captain Richie McCaw. “You can’t play better than that,” Henry said of McCaw. I thought he was the outstanding individual player of the game. He was superb.”
The Australian players were also full of praise for McCaw’s work-rate after he pulled off 19 tackles, including two try-savers on Stephen Larkham and Mark Gerrard.
“He’s anywhere and everywhere, it seemed like we were playing four or five of him,” Gerrard said.
46 Comments
31 Jul 2006, 07:41 am
And unless something drastic happens they stand a good chance…!
31 Jul 2006, 07:49 am
If the AB play there A team here in SA, then he will get his two wins.
31 Jul 2006, 07:58 am
W
31 Jul 2006, 07:59 am
Well jake could have a potential McCAW in Watson, if he just put his pride in his pocket. If J
31 Jul 2006, 08:12 am
Wonder if they will rest him in the republic?
31 Jul 2006, 08:28 am
I’ve now given up on my beloved boks and will stay content watching my beloved Province. So Luke must not get picked for the boks (as if this was ever gonna happen anyway). Imagine if the AB’s had to play Province and Free State as part of their SA ‘tour’!
31 Jul 2006, 08:34 am
On the subject of very good loosies,
There’s a Saffa #8 in the Manawatu team in NZ’s expanded domestic comp called Bertus Mulder.
He had a very good game on the weekend;
almost played a fetching role at times…
Incidentally, the captain/halfback is also a saffa (Joggie Viljeon)
31 Jul 2006, 08:35 am
My team for the South African leg:
15.) JP Pietersen
14.) Akona Ndungane
13.) Jacque Fourie
12.) Jean De Villiers
11.) Bryan Habana
10.) Butch James
9.) Ruan Pienaar
8.) Joe van Niekerk
7.) Juan Smith
6.) Luke Watson
5.) Victor Matfield
4.) Danie Rossouw
3.) CJ van der Linde
2.) John Smith
1.) Os du Randt
16.) Eddie Andrews
17.) Gary Botha
18.) Johan Muller
19.) Jacque Cronje
20.) Fourie du Preez
21.) Meyer Bosman
22.) Percy Montgomery
31 Jul 2006, 08:38 am
henry can want ali he likes doesnt mean hes going to get it
31 Jul 2006, 08:48 am
RS
I would pick the same team.
Will Bakkies not be available yet?
Joe is much faster than Jacques and a better 8
Luke is the best in SA atm for 6.
31 Jul 2006, 08:55 am
Based on pure qualitative judgement of what is good rugby and what is not, I dont believe the Boks will be able to win anything this year. So far their quality of play has been shockingly poor, raised slightly by a bit of guts and wounded pride in the second game. But ultimatley, no proper gam plan, no skills, no dominance in any department at all. I think its time Jake started hiring on form.
On yesterdays “All out Rugby” show, the commentator made a point that the Boks won in 2004 “when they had performance related contracts”.
Is that not the case now? If not – WHY ON EARTH NOT? they obviously dont play for national pride (then again many SA citizens are struggling to summon some pride in their country in the face of dereliction of all the systems here and the negligence surrounding them), or even personal pride and professionalism…
31 Jul 2006, 08:58 am
Post 7 we are aware those are the two, your fellow adopted countryman said were rubbish like he always does will all things to do with us saffas.
31 Jul 2006, 09:07 am
RS (re #8)
Good team, but I have lost a bit of faith in CJ. How did BJ Botha do this weekend? He may be a better option at number 3.
Also, time to give John Smit a break – my preference in his place would be Schalk Britz but I think he’s injured. Otherwise Chilliboy or Gary Botha.
31 Jul 2006, 09:15 am
That was a hellova cross tackle and steal on Gerrard 5m from the line. How he makes it ahead of Mat Rogers is beyond me.
31 Jul 2006, 09:27 am
sorry pompies, I wasn’t aware everyone knew all about them already.
I was very impressed with Mulder anyway, even though manawatu are not a great team again yet (that will take another 2 years), he did very well against the reigning NPC champs and they all played a lot better than the scoreline would lead you to believe.
31 Jul 2006, 09:29 am
Skywalker
A bit of a pointless mismatch don’t you think?
31 Jul 2006, 09:29 am
NZ were too confident in both 2004 and 2005. The real test will be seeing if Henry has learnt anything from those losses.
In 2004 he had Wayne Smiths’ fixation with the flat backline attack strategy. The AB coaches trumpeted this attacking line as the way of the future. White laughed his head off when he countered that with his rush defence.
Mind you, the boot is on the other foot now. The rush defence has lost its impact, but White is its major sponsor.
2005, and Henry got carried away with the win over a poor Lions team. This was in part not his fault. He, like most people thought the Lions would have been more of a challenge and therefore manourvered the NZ test schedule to have a 4 week break between the last Lions test and the AB’s first match of the 3N.
A flat NZ team came up against a fired up Bok team who were coming off consecutive weeks of a draw v france, win v France, a loss to Aus in Aus but 2 good wins v Aus at home.
The result is in the record books.
31 Jul 2006, 09:39 am
rugbystudent thats not gonna happen it just wont we got a loonie coach
31 Jul 2006, 09:41 am
All Black C team could beat these Foks. Nothing will change in SA unless that Joker picks form players.
31 Jul 2006, 10:13 am
Make Rob Linde a Springbok…
31 Jul 2006, 10:18 am
Zama
I seriously hope that was sarcastic, and that you’re taking a stab at the boks selection policies. Rob Linde shouldn’t even play first class rugby.
31 Jul 2006, 10:20 am
Unless Jake starts thinking out the box and picks Luke Watson and co. the AB’s will definately have a jol here in SA.
31 Jul 2006, 10:22 am
brads
(17)
…. but he seems to learn from his mistakes. a certain mr white can learn from his example.
31 Jul 2006, 10:29 am
ABs to break records if they play their A team in SA.
Wobblies to cop it in Auckland.
Am I the only one who thinks Lote is over rated? This guy only seems to perform against average op. The guy is 191cm,103kg and gets chopped down all the time. The aussie backline seem to have the edge in size but clearly they lack heart.
31 Jul 2006, 10:34 am
I won’t survive being humiliated in the home leg of 3N as well. Do something Jake!!!!!!
31 Jul 2006, 10:41 am
McCaw is a great player, what a game, best lineout forward they have as well, mind you just as well cos its not a great aspect of the ABs play at present.
31 Jul 2006, 10:47 am
hobbo,
Did you watch the WP game… my greatness, he was so **** and to top it off his new hair cut was worse than my pugs…
31 Jul 2006, 11:03 am
Brads#17
In the Capetown match the ABs were trying out a tactic to beat the rush defence with Umaga taking the skip pass very deep behind the backline. They didn’t get it right as he was constantly isolated by the defenders. If they’d played their normal game I think they’d have beaten us.
Even so, the writing was on the wall, even then.
31 Jul 2006, 11:07 am
the boks at home are a very different prospect, dont know why, they just are.
Butch is coming right at 10 and if the team plays with gusto, i fancy we can take it close, the difference tho is probably the loss of Burger to compete with McCaw’s workrate.
31 Jul 2006, 11:24 am
The Foreign pundits are laughing their heads off with the “All Blacks peaking too soon again” theory.
Jake is far too cunning to peak to soon.
No worries there.
31 Jul 2006, 11:30 am
cane,
Oh is that what he is doing getting thrashed now so next year I’ll be out of their system…great ploy.
31 Jul 2006, 11:31 am
Richie was uitstekend !!!!!!! seker die beste in die land
31 Jul 2006, 11:36 am
Larkams about 2 years past it. Bad passes, shithouse kicking and running on old legs.
For those Kangarooting convicts to compare him to Daniel Carter…please.
He is a weak link. SA get him in a ruck and autograph those skinny legs. He is past it!!!
31 Jul 2006, 11:48 am
If Jake dont select Watson & a few fresh legs 4 the return leg then the SA public will make sure he gets the boot!
31 Jul 2006, 11:51 am
33
Sad thing is, now aus will probably have great game against SA in sydney, and larkham will be back to his best. He always seems to play great when ppl think he’s past his prime, especially against SA. I agree tho, dont know how ppl can compare him, or for that matter matt giteau to carter, no one is close to carter atm.
31 Jul 2006, 12:05 pm
AB’s are going to have a bokjol in SA.
If we’re really lucky we can hopfully pull off one win at home.
Highly unlikely though!!
31 Jul 2006, 13:03 pm
Yeah Brutis, but Larkham still does the job against weak Bok defence. That’s all that matters…
31 Jul 2006, 13:10 pm
everytime…..
31 Jul 2006, 15:26 pm
Zama
He’s the worst lock in the Currie Cup and looks like his head might be snapped off any second. Glad you agree, and that hair….
31 Jul 2006, 15:28 pm
Watson could and I believe will be up there with the likes of McCaw and Smith if he’s given a chance. Jake stuff your pride and pick Luke. It’s a win win for you. If he plays badly you can say ‘I told you so” and if he plays well you’ll start winning again.
31 Jul 2006, 16:28 pm
My comment still stands: all home wins from here on in and the AB’s take the 3N, OZ finish last and SA are world champions again.
As for Doost and Wrong on all out rugby: we know why you are not even coaching a CC team. McCaw *is* 100% legal, as legal as any opensider can be.
As for Luke well good luck with his development, he didn’t set the world on fire in the s14 with the big boys, but he is a good CC player, yet to prove me wrong, but until then don’t mention his name with in the same sentence as Smith, Waugh, McCaw and the frogs loosies.
A year ago you people thought Burger was better than McCaw – can you now see your own bias? Sorry about his injury but he is not a fetchers ***. The best he is, is a Butch James with arms. He finds the rucks but does ****.
Fire JW, replace him with the most successful S14 coach, pack the team with the most successful S14 team and what do you have NTVL vs NZ what a joke.
31 Jul 2006, 18:38 pm
@41 What the hell is wrong with you, schalk burger is(was) just as good as mcCaw and smith. He was a great fetcher that won lots of ball. And luke watson, he was prolly the best loosy in the S14, even the aus & NZ commentators were talking about him. He sometimes outplayed burger!!!
Really oke, do you even look at how watson plays??? He is one hell of a captain too.
@zama Rob really did suck, and in his 50th game too. I think ross skeate has potentiol, he is also not so skinny & boney as rob linde & Albert vd berg. Who the F@k plays with skinny locks???
31 Jul 2006, 20:39 pm
#17 “In 2004 he had Wayne Smiths’ fixation with the flat backline attack strategy.”
Henry and Smith still have it Brads. Just because we no longer hear about it, doesn’t mean that it has disappeared (though it has been amended in the light of experience). But there is no longer any need to explain what is happening to the NZ public.
31 Jul 2006, 20:50 pm
Mongrel,
100% spot on. McCaw and Co have proved themselves at the highest level. And as we all know, test rugby is a long way from CC and to a lesser extent S14. Also agree on the Burger issue, good but not great. Not nearly as effective as he used to be, opposition have worked him out already. When McCaw hits a maul/ruck, he knows where the ball is…
1 Aug 2006, 04:18 am
Hobbo and Brendan
Look up the stats boys:
Watson and Burger may well have been two of SA’s best loosies in the S14.
Watson was the best of the 2 of them: he got almost half the number of turnovers that Smith got in S14 and there was still daylight between Smith and McCaw.
2 Aug 2006, 02:21 am
I think the abs have more to show.i dont believe they have peaked b4 next years world cup.look at our lineouts.bit shakey there.we need to employ someone soly dedicated on lineouts so he can really pick at it and dedicate his time on it.As for the breakdown the abs are playing some awsome rugby.richie mccaw is the man an plays an its as if there are 2 of him on the field.he is a ferocious tackler and awsome at getting turnover ball.i think its a pity that burger is out 4 sa cause he comes close behind mccaw with smith a little way behind.anyways i want sa to beat the wallabies-teach them for there little faggoty arogant warm up after the haka.wat will they think of next-not even being on the field wen the all blacks perform the haka??anyways GO THE ALL BLACKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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