Counter a concern for SA
17 Jul 2008
The Wallabies’ dangerous counterattack needs to be culled this Saturday, says Springbok captain Victor Matfield.
There are several areas that will come under scrutiny at the Subiaco Oval with the breakdown set to take centre stage. Matfield said he expects the Wallabies to back themselves in this department and develop their game strategies accordingly.
Australia won’t stray too far from their usual style, but Robbie Deans’s influence will lend the hosts an edge.
“He [Deans] has always been keen to keep the ball infield,” Matfield said. “From the last three games it is clear that he has just taken the Australian way of playing, and is attempting to make that better. Every week there will be something new.
“You can still see the Australian way of play. We know he loves counter-attacking, and we know he loves putting things in place with turnover ball.
“Five or six years ago, the Wallabies started all this phase play, and keeping the ball in phases. But he has come in and probably given them more direction, and even seen them penetrate a bit more.”
The Boks will have the Aussies’ recent Tests against Ireland and France to analyse in preparing for this game, but it could be that Deans was holding something back in those fixtures.
Bok coach Peter de Villiers said South Africa are well aware of where the Australians are strong and where they are susceptible. The analysis of the respective weaknesses and strengths, says De Villiers, will not be divulged to the media.
“We definitely have [analysed the Aussies]. That’s what we’re being paid for. But it is our bedroom business and we don’t want to discuss our bedroom business in public.”
19 Comments
17 Jul 2008, 17:43 pm
dragons – lets get them boys – go bokke
17 Jul 2008, 17:47 pm
makes a nice change not to tell everyone what we intend to do – perhaps people will give PdV credit for this?
17 Jul 2008, 17:50 pm
“There are several areas that will come under scrutiny at the Subiaco Oval with the breakdown set to take centre stage.”
So why do we select an 8 who is our worse performer at the breakdown ?
17 Jul 2008, 18:02 pm
#3 klingon_x: Agreed. We should have played Joe again with Luke on the bench. I know Luke is not well liked by many but he provides good cover on the bench for the loosies. I like the idea of a whole front row on the bench who come on in the second half and blow the Ausies away. Seems the coach learned something from Rassie.
17 Jul 2008, 18:11 pm
Spies will have to bring his A game all round especially cover defence. I would have prefered Kanko with Spies on the bench. I am a Stormers fan but am glad Luke is not in the 22 he is at best an average super 14 player, pretty much a ‘wing inspector’ looking for glory runs. He does not do the hard graft like Burger or any of the loose forwards in the squad and last weeks performance by Burger (as always) shows how far off Luke is from being a test player.
Joe is not in form and had not made any impact
17 Jul 2008, 18:15 pm
With all the expert advice that Keos journos have been offering lately, I’m surprised that PdeV didn’t ask them what he should do.
I’m a bit surprised, though, that JC should even ask Peter what his battle plan was.
17 Jul 2008, 18:17 pm
#5 colinplop:
bs – Luke Watson is by a very long stretch our best fetcher available in that squad.
17 Jul 2008, 18:22 pm
#5 colinplop: I suppose you right Luke has not been at his best lately. I am hoping that he can recap the form he had a few seasons ago. I think we are going to murder them upfront on Saturday.
17 Jul 2008, 18:25 pm
Not so sure about Luke being our best fetcher. Sure, in the super 14 he was ok but so far in all his tests he has been pretty much nowhere, what has he done in the bok jersey to show that he is our best fetcher?
17 Jul 2008, 18:34 pm
#9 colinplop: When Schalla was injured and Luke played so well in the Super 14 they compared his stats with that of Richie McCaw, they were very closely matched. The Aussie and NZ rate him.
I think all the controversy around his family and his selection has affected him somewhat but I think he will recover from it. PDV seems to want to give him a chance, which is good.
17 Jul 2008, 18:36 pm
Well if PDV does persist with him I hope he comes good. He has not delivered yet at test level.
17 Jul 2008, 18:45 pm
#11 colinplop: I guess we all have our personal favourites but the best 15 should take the field and right now he is not at his best. So he is rightfully dropped.
17 Jul 2008, 18:50 pm
Bedroom business eh? I love some of Peter’s quotes, I hope somebody copies them down and produces a book one day. They have been some beauties on this trip alone!
Go the Boks!
17 Jul 2008, 18:52 pm
#13 umbhoxoswede: Peter is become known for his classic one-liners.
17 Jul 2008, 20:07 pm
#10 Stormerfan: I dont think thats its Luke who played so well in the S14, but rather McCaw who wasnt performing at his best. And Burger is better than both of them anyways.
17 Jul 2008, 20:50 pm
#15 Frank_the_Tank: Burger is a legend but dont sell McCaw short. I gather you are probably a Luke hater. They dont normally compare you to someone who is not performing. McCaw was brilliant at the time of the comparison.
17 Jul 2008, 20:59 pm
Luke Watson plays at his best when it is the Luke Watson show ala 2006 when he WAS the stormers. He has been off form lately but he will make comeback – he is a class player.
McCaw is class but Burger is just a Monster. He tackles anything that moves. I would have put Watson or Kanko instead of Spies. We need a guy with a bit of brains and skill to make the loose trio more balanced.
18 Jul 2008, 06:36 am
TACKLE, TACKLE, TACKLE those Woblies so hard that they do not want to touch the ball trying to run it!
18 Jul 2008, 10:00 am
It’s about 1st time tackles and trusting your mate to do what he needs to do.
That eliminates the doubt.
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