Smith stands tallest
15 Nov 2008
Juan Smith returned to his best form against Scotland. Keo.co.za rates the Springboks after the Murrayfield Test.
15 Conrad Jantjes (4) – His anticipation and positional play was good, but other than that he was ordinary. He failed to make any telling impact on attack and his tactical kicking was sub standard.
14 JP Pietersen (6) – Was fed with a plethora of opportunities to counter-attack thanks to some poor tactical kicking from Scotland, but failed to capitalise on any of of those. Despite this he turned in a very good performance – his positional play, tactical kicking, defence and work-rate impressive.
13 Adi Jacobs (6) – One cannot fault him in any facet of play, but he was hardly outstanding. Contributed in the build up to some of the Springboks’ better moves, but a lack of service from structured play meant Jacobs’ threat was largely nullified.
12 Jean de Villiers (6) – His best moment on attack came when he broke the line and shot down the touchline. He should have dished it off to Juan Smith on his inside, and the opportunity was lost. And while he looked dangerous when South Africa turned over possession, he had very few opportunities to play from structured attack.
11 Bryan Habana (4) – The IRB Player of the Year is a shadow of the man he was in 2007. Service was limited, in fairness, but when he did get his hands on the pill he looked indecisive and lethargic. Was substituted for the second Test in a row and that tells the whole story.
10 Ruan Pienaar (5) – South Africa’s direct approach and Scotland’s breakdown contest meant he saw significantly less ball than he did at the Millennium Stadium last week, but when he did, he often chose to attack the defensive line with limited effect. His tactical kicking was nowhere near the standard he set for himself in Cardiff and he’ll need to rectify this facet of play before Twickenham.
9 Ricky Januarie (5) – Did what was expected but nothing more. The Springboks needed a No 9 with a boot to assist in controlling the match and in Januarie they didn’t have that. This heaped more pressure on Pienaar and the South African rugby fraternity will be hoping Fourie du Preez recovers for the England Test.
8 Pierre Spies (5) – His performance was a hybrid of the good and disappointing. Spies’ thrived when the game opened up in the final quarter but it’s his anonymity when the game is tight that is worrying.
7 Juan Smith (8) – Looked exhausted against Wales last week but showed his value, particularly in the ball carrying stakes, this week. He was the outstanding forward of the Test, crossing the advantage line more times than not and driving Scots back in the tackle. He’ll be a key figure against England next weekend.
6 Schalk Burger (6) – Carried powerfully and tackled like a man possessed. But he looks tired and in need of rest and hopefully the coaching staff will manage him well in the week ahead.
5 Victor Matfield (6) – His mere presence troubled Scotland at the lineouts, even though he actually only stole a solitary ball. However, Matfield’s athleticism and skill in the loose was sadly missing, due mostly to the failure of the referee to allow the Springboks to build through the phases. Defensively he scrambled desperately at times to thwart the Scots.
4 Bakkies Botha (5) – Typically physical and a few Scots will know they’ve been in a Test with Botha on Sunday. However, he clearly lacks sharpness and match fitness and therefore failed to make the impact required of him for a sustained period.
3 John Smit (6) – Bismarck du Plessis’ injury forced him to shift to hooker and that wouldn’t have been ideal. But the skipper adapted, scrumming powerfully and carrying the ball well. His leadership ability and patience was tested by a pedantic referee, but he handled that situation well and instilled a sense of calm when the Springboks were under the cosh in the closing stages of the Test.
2 Bismarck du Plessis – Replaced in the fifth minute with what looked to be a hamstring injury.
1 Beast Mtawarira (7) – Held is own in at scrum time and was prominent as always in the loose. His work rate on defence and attack is outstanding.
Subs:
16 Brian Mujati (5) – Struggled at scrum time initially but settled as the Test progressed. Prominent on defence, particularly around the ruck fringe, but the Springboks need more from him in terms of ball carries.
17 Gurthro Steenkamp – Not on long enough to make a fair assessment.
18 Andries Bekker (5) – Got around the field well in defence but had limited opportunities on attack in the 20 minutes he was on. Played tighter, allowing Matfield to play looser, and was surprisingly effective in the role.
19 Ryan Kankowski – Not on long enough to make a fair assessment.
20 Danie Rossouw – Not on long enough to make a fair assessment.
21 Frans Steyn (6) – His biggest contribution came on defence, where he made a number of tackles in his 15 minutes on the field, the most important of those tackles were made on Scott Gray, who was clear through on goal. He also made a vital turnover on his 5m line with the Springboks 14-10 ahead with three minutes to play.
22 Jaque Fourie (6) – Scored the game’s decisive try with his first touch of the ball – a acrobatic lunge over the tryline. Continued to tackle relentlessly when the pressure was on and provided the Springboks with some valuable experience in that time.
By Ryan Vrede
33 Comments
15 Nov 2008, 18:39 pm
I’m sorry but that 1st half was the biggest load of kuk I’ve seen in many years!!!
De Villiers should go!!!
15 Nov 2008, 18:41 pm
Jantes doen’t deserve points after that “performance”
15 Nov 2008, 18:42 pm
Ryan were you watching the same game we were? The game never opened up. Spies was good specifically because he played it tight today. Good tackle count, numerous ball carries, always the first to arrive at the tackled player to form the ruck. Solid performance.
Maybe your expectations of him are just unrealistic. He’s not going to run the opposition ragged in every game. Especially not in a tight one like this.
15 Nov 2008, 18:46 pm
OMG! There will be meaningless complaints about the refereeing and a myriad of other excuses but once again there is only one significant conclusion: this coach is simply inadequate – and that has nothing to do with colour.
PdV is simply out of his depth in every respect and there is NO point in whining about the ref since the Boks will be playing the British Lions under these same rules!
The performance against Scotland was a pathetic and inept performance and it is now clear that PdV’s honeymoon period simply has to be over! Surely it has to be a matter of deliver now or resign…..?!
15 Nov 2008, 18:51 pm
#3 Tacitus: I agree… thought Spies was solid today.
15 Nov 2008, 18:53 pm
Spies get a 6 by your rating Ryan maybe even 7 considering his vast improvement plus his actual impact. Mujati had a great S14 but just was nowhere today…
15 Nov 2008, 18:54 pm
Habana is ‘n regte Blou Bul, hond k@k
15 Nov 2008, 18:54 pm
#4 cyberscamp: I think we have to judge him on England now. Can’t fire him for a **** game which we won…
15 Nov 2008, 18:55 pm
Jean 6 @ AD 6??? wtf!!! keo = nerxt EP coach! moerse confused
15 Nov 2008, 18:57 pm
daar was in 2de helfde paar strafskoppe op middellyn wat Frans Steyn maklik kon oorsit, hoekom hom nie vroeer opgebring nie??
15 Nov 2008, 18:58 pm
daar was in 2de helfde paar strafskoppe op middellyn wat Frans Steyn kon oorsit, hoekom hom nie vroeer opgesit nie?
15 Nov 2008, 18:58 pm
If I see another post about how kak the ref was I might vomit on my fake FI Ferrari t-shirt! PDV is out of his depth…sorry…that is it. The players played kak…BUT…what the heck is our gameplan? Anyone? Again…what is our gameplan?
15 Nov 2008, 19:06 pm
It is high time that SA realises that Spies is an IMPACT player but is NOT a first choice No 8. His so´called “physicality” is a pure myth and his contibution is primarily in terms of speed to the point of breakdown. However he does NOT win ball in the tight or on the ground NOR does he cotribute to tight-loose sitautions e.g. drives. In other words he IS an impact player that need to be called upon towards the end of games OR as a playmaker when the Boks need an expansive game. He is NOT the right selection for a constuctive game plan – which is precisely what the Boks so desperately require!
15 Nov 2008, 19:07 pm
Jaque Fourie should never be wasted on the Bok bench, he is a legend and should start every time when he is not injured.
I hate to say this, but I really cannot see what you cape guys see in Jantjes, he does not seem to offer the team anything.
Get better quickly Fourie, January is not an international class scrummy. Sure he is cocky and aggressive and gets in the face of the opposition, but he lacks the qualities any international No9 should have, ie a quick snappy and accurate pass from the base of the scrum.
ok my 2c.
15 Nov 2008, 19:20 pm
jonnow ….. Rassie made : Jantjies, January, Bekker ..even Puke, Wylie played a decent game under Rassie ….. Rassie made Jean DV, Mujati & Schalk Britz play better rugby … moerse great coach, but based on Curry Cup form none of the above players performed under Allaister Coetzee.
15 Nov 2008, 19:22 pm
under PdV & **** they really suck!
15 Nov 2008, 19:22 pm
Sharks Curry Cup = **** Muir not coaching them!
15 Nov 2008, 20:05 pm
Rossouw should be the first choice number 8 with Spies on the bench i agree he is a better impact player, what happened to Wickus Van Heerden? he was a more than able replacement for Schalk in the world cup, who himself is not firing. I would also take Habana off and give either De Villiers of Steyn a shot on the wing. Habana and the Springbok team are a shadow of the team that won the world cup, Blair was having a laugh claiming these bunch of inconsistent clowns are better than the team that lifted the cup.
15 Nov 2008, 21:23 pm
same players, same kak they dished up in the world cup-why the surprise. the gameplan is the same-jakes kak structure preaching.By time PDV started getting his boot in and playing his way.
15 Nov 2008, 21:53 pm
Hi Grant
15 Nov 2008, 22:47 pm
#5 Limerick-Bok: pity he can’t hold a ball. Quite important at No 8
15 Nov 2008, 23:49 pm
As old Zanberg Jansen used to say ” Hulle was pateties vandag”
16 Nov 2008, 08:27 am
Jantjes and Habana played like Donkeys. Habs is now being selected on reputation alone and it’s going to cost us. Spies was ordinary in the first 20 minutes but good after that. Smith was exceptional, as was Jaque Fourie when he came on. The first half of that match was the biggest load of S$%T I’ve seen in years. The Scots dominated us in all facets of play. The Sprinkboks looked like a bunch of headless turkeys running around in the rain. The passing was sub-standard and the kicking was abysmal at times. We play like that against the Poms and we’re history!!!
16 Nov 2008, 08:28 am
#11 on_PdV_i_thrust: That is the most Porno nick I’ve seen on this site!!! Just plain creepy!!! lol
16 Nov 2008, 08:30 am
#14 jonnow: Agreed on all points!!! As much as I rate Adi, he’s just not in the same league as Fourie!! Jantjes is a complete waste of space and Januarie isn’t world class. I reckon Kockott should be there. With a bit of international experience under his belt he could be great!!!
16 Nov 2008, 09:17 am
#18 dquinn25: What about Kanko who is miles ahead of spies..
16 Nov 2008, 11:55 am
Spies was worth more than 5. Thanks to the constant moaning on this site I paid particular attention to his play and he was solid in all facets.
Jaque Fourie was excellent. The try was one of the best finishes of the season, but his defence was even better. He marshalled the others well and no Scot ever slipped past on his side of the field.
16 Nov 2008, 12:01 pm
It says a lot about Spies’s performance this past year that when he has an average game (at best) his fanboys start singing his praises like he was the match-winner yesterday or something….
Lets face it, Spies made a few tackles yesterday and was more visible than he’s been in a while….but that’s not saying much. So sit down fanboys and take a reality check. His performance was “okay” yesterday….but let’s not forget we were playing the 8th ranked team in the world….a team that last year we trounced by 40 points….
Spies seems to offer nothing on attack or linking play. In spite of his obvious physical prowess, he doesn’t seem to have the ability to run through or over “lesser” players and he seems surprisingly easy to stop (compared to old Anton Leonard who didn’t look anything spectacular but who back in his day always made it over the advantage line).
Now I know how devastating Spies was against England in SA about 2 years ago, but that must come down to the South African pack smashing England that day on a very hard fast field where Spies could run the English ragged….since then though I’ve never seen a repeat of that form him and he seems to be living on that reputation alone.
Spies doesn’t seem to have the subtle skills of an 8th man like Teichman or Brooke, or the workman-like graft of a Jerry Collins or Lawrence Delaglio.
I’m not saying he’ll never get there, but at the moment he isn’t even our 3rd best 8th man on form….
16 Nov 2008, 12:26 pm
What are these people talking about?!?!?! Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira got what mite posibly be his worst beating in his short bok cereer! Euan Murrey rilly worked him over. If any of you have any real knowladge about scrumming you will know that Murrey beat Beast in evry aspect of the scrum. The Hit, the drive. Even the bind. When he went in Murrey was binding under Beast shoulder instead of over. This made matters worse for Mtawarira becouse he was in such an uncumfortable position he could hardley move. I think Bismarcs injury was bitter sweet. We misd him on the field and who knows how John Smit would have done in the scrum. But Mujati was a welcome presence. Im almost sure that he did better than Smit wouldve done. And he was very prominent in defending around the fringes.
16 Nov 2008, 15:58 pm
team that should play england
1 CJ Van der Linde
2 J Smit
3 Beast
4 Bakkies
5 Victor
6 Brusouw
7 Juan
8 D.Rousouw
9. F du Preez
10 R Pienaar
11 J Fourie
12 J de Villiers
13 AD
14 JP
15 F Steyn
16 BJ Botha
17 Jaco Engels
18 A Straus
19 A Bekker
20 Kankowski
21 P Grant
22 W Olivier
16 Nov 2008, 20:36 pm
goyougoodthing2, yes Kanko is probably better than Spies, but a guy like rossouw puts in the hard yards and powers across the gainline. he isnt flash but he gets the job done. The strategy is simple the big guys put in the ground work and wear the opposition down then come the 55th/60th minute the flash guys with the flair can come on and finish the tired opposition off.
Rossouw was dropped after the world cup and a lot of people just thought he was in the team because Jake White had a hard on for big beefy men, but it is a case of you dont know how good someone is until they are gone and this is similar rossouw brought a different dimension to the springbok pack.
17 Nov 2008, 09:00 am
#25 Stryder: IMO… Jaque Fourie replaced Bryan Habana early in the half and his try put the Springboks in the lead. They used quick ball and brilliant passing by Adi Jacobs, JP Pietersen and De Villiers to give Fourie a sniff of the line and he dived for the corner as Southwell tackled him. The TMO’s advice was that he had scored. 11-10 to South Africa.
Blair tapped and Godman darted close. They had a five-metre scrum and went right with an organised move but Jacobs caught and turned Cairns who held on. The Springboks cleared but back came the eager Scots. Jantjes saved with a diving mark and kicked out with 13 seconds to play.
13 Adi Jacobs:
He can run, he can pass and he can tackle. He had a vital pass in Fourie’s try and a vital tackle on Cairns near the end.
8/10
Say no more
GO BOKKE !!!
ADI YOU BEAUTY !!!
17 Nov 2008, 09:21 am
Somebody needs to start a riot.
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