All Blacks just not skilled enough
3 Aug 2009
Men in green battered boys in black in Durban on Saturday in SA’s most emphatic win against the All Blacks in the professional era, writes Keo in his weekly Business Day newspaper column.
Physicality is always a given from the Springboks but when you add common sense, accuracy, intelligence and skill, you get a New Zealand team reduced to rubble. The Springboks were clinical and effective; the All Blacks were clueless. The Springboks were calm; the All Blacks always in a state of chaos.
The New Zealanders still possess the odd world-class player, but to beat the Springboks in SA you need more than one Richie McCaw, and even the great opensider is 50% off his game after spending half the season in the medical tent. There was nothing revolutionary about the dismantling of the All Blacks. SA played as all the very good Bok teams of years gone by have done. They relied on a masterful line-out, solidity at the scrum and two halfbacks whose tactical kicking game is unrivalled.
And New Zealand’s experienced back three, with 150 Test caps between them, could not deal with the accuracy of the kick or the intensity of the chase from Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen and Jaque Fourie. Even All Blacks centre Conrad Smith, usually unfazed, was flustered.
It was an awful day for the Kiwis, but it was a day made ugly for them by the Springboks. The New Zealanders were more helpless than self-destructive because they did not have the players to implement the territory and risk-free game needed to pressure the Springboks. Instead they relied on individuals and instinct, but the Boks’ collective cohesion was never troubled by this chaotic New Zealand approach.
Individually, the Boks had the better players, and they played with the knowledge that if they kicked the ball out they would win it back through Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Juan Smith or Pierre Spies. The Boks were always going to score at line-out time while the All Blacks did not have the currency in player personnel to negotiate a cuddle of the ball, let alone ownership for the day.
The All Blacks are effective when they can launch attacks from line-out and strike from quick recycled ball. Against the brutal Boks the former was not an option and the latter was never a weapon. McCaw, for the second successive week, was upstaged by a younger version in Heinrich Brussouw.
The All Blacks, with no guarantee from a structured approach, played with risk in the danger zone, but this was a shambles because there was never any conviction that the risk would reap rewards. There was nothing flamboyant about the Springboks and the romantics may even take issue with the ball never being shifted past Fourie at outside centre, but then romance rarely wins a team big Test matches, and Bok coach Peter de Villiers has finally seen that. SA’s strength has always been in the collisions, but what makes this team so good is the decision- making of Fourie du Preez once that collision has been won. The approach of kick and chase may seem dour or robotic but the combination is a skill as underrated as the ability to maul.
Not having flamboyance, though, does not mean there was anything dull about the Boks’ performance. To watch Matfield and his mates systematically destroy the All Blacks’ desire to even want to have a line-out was riveting. To see Habana clean out McCaw at the ruck was inspiring, and to see fear and confusion in the All Blacks’ eyes was as rare as Tiger Woods missing the cut at a Major.
It doesn’t happen often, yet for two successive weekends in SA the All Blacks were not strong enough, skilled enough or bright enough to negotiate the world champion Springboks, who have given this generation of Kiwi a reminder that the trip across the Tasman for the annual Bledisloe Cup is a charity event when compared with the road to and from the Republic.
Australia will play with more structure and intelligence on Saturday in Cape Town, and they will be a greater challenge, but the Boks, so inspirationally led by John Smit, should not be losing to anyone at home with the line-up that played the All Blacks in Bloemfontein and Durban.
To demand victory from this Springbok team every time they play at home is not arrogance but an acknowledgement of just how good they are when they invest in their strengths, and play accordingly.
293 Comments
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3 Aug 2009, 16:43 pm
#249 Sheriff: They’re both talented and young and its great to have the choice and someone great on the bench. I mean what’s the likelihood of both of them having an off day ?
3 Aug 2009, 16:44 pm
The Wobblies strength, in the past, has been their patience, and their ability to constantly change the angle of attack to set up further phases and slowly stretch the defence out of position.
3 Aug 2009, 16:47 pm
#252 David: Our defence was stretched a bit on the weekend and we should be thankful the AB’s were that bad.
We’ll need to be more organised this weekend or we’ll be chasing the scoreboard. Either that or we just hang onto the ball for 80 mins and limit their scoring opportunities that way.
3 Aug 2009, 16:48 pm
#251 levit8:
Correct. But it has to be said that Morné’s composure in pressure situation has been awesome!
If you want consistency and accuracy go with Morne and I would be delighted to him in the run on XV for Saturday.
The great thing about his goal kicking accuracy is that it keep the scoreboard ticking and towards the end of the game it becomes crucial.
ABs really panicked in 2nd half when behind by about 9 points; it’s really a nightmare to see 3 points scored against you every time you infringe.
3 Aug 2009, 16:49 pm
One point I would like to post and ask for comment is how professional rugby players can play decent rrugby these days when the officails are so poor, this is beyond me. The All Blacks were poor but some of the refs calls were an utter mystery to me. Some serious attention needs to be paid in world rugby to the standard and often diverse interpretation of the rule book.
It seems to me that week in week out you are playing to a refs intepretation and personality rather than playing the game in front of you.
I note no complaints since we won the last 2 games but one has to say that across the world these days I am often dumb founded by the decisions and standard of referreeing. I have a lot of sympathy for these guys as it is never an easy game to ref and lets face it the constant change and emphasis and re-amphasis of rules doesn’t help.
3 Aug 2009, 16:52 pm
#252 David:
The new thing that I’ve seen from the Boks is that they play far more aggressively to the ball in the collisions.
A few Boks have ripped balls from opponents and they’ve done it smartly!
Moreover, the unknown factor for the Wallabies is that Brussow man. I think he will relish the opportunity to test himself against George Smith.
3 Aug 2009, 16:55 pm
#255 pedspin:
Have to agree, but it’s how you handle it.
You can get pedantic like Richie or you can work with the ref.
This is where Smitty is so effective.
It seems Richie gets really anxious whereas as Smitty asserts himself but never pushes too far. He even apologised on Saturday to the ref.
3 Aug 2009, 16:57 pm
#256 Sheriff:
yes this tactic of ripping the ball off defenders is fantastic.
3 Aug 2009, 16:57 pm
#257 Sheriff: True words not often you see a Bok skipper out think and charm his kiwi rival. Having said that Richie was lucky to stay on the field at one stage.
3 Aug 2009, 17:02 pm
#258 cab:
Ironically, attacking the ball, rather than the man in the tackle was started by the ABs.
One thing that has bothered me, though is our tendency to fade in the last 20 minutes, which I reckon is a result of the amazing intensity and physicallity of our game.
3 Aug 2009, 17:03 pm
What was the point of sending Jimmy Cowan back on for 2nd half only for 3 minutes.
Piri Weepu really did not add value when he came on.
Cowan was supremely p*ssed off!
3 Aug 2009, 17:06 pm
#261 Sheriff: I believe Bobby hit the nail on the head. His view was that the substitution had nothing to do with logic but more to do with panic and Cowan was one of the unlucky.
Piri is most probably also rather p-off. I reckon he will venture to league soon.
3 Aug 2009, 17:31 pm
#260 David:
yes, i think that last quarter is a real problem with our intensity, the older big buggers like bakkies, smit and juan look buggered when they come off.
3 Aug 2009, 18:03 pm
#219 rangerman:
3 from 5 = 60%
After the win in NZ it would be 4 from 6 = 66%
3 Aug 2009, 18:26 pm
#264 nama: true.
sheesh i am kak at maths. still better than any recent coach though.
3 Aug 2009, 18:53 pm
#231 cab:
Agree, if Spies continues to improve at this rate, he will soon be almost as good as Tacitus thinks he has always been
3 Aug 2009, 19:05 pm
#263 cab: Anyone who plays like that would. That’s why we have a subs bench, but we need a bench of real subs not just bench warmers like pork chop.
3 Aug 2009, 19:07 pm
The Wallas may think the Bokke are tired going into this game.
They’re wrong.
The way we played in the two tests against NZ was very smart…didn’t have nearly as much contact as in past games.
We’ll still be fresh with a break coming up after this game.
Aussies in trouble I think.
3 Aug 2009, 19:18 pm
#268 The_Green_Machine_is_a_Mean_Machine: For once we had more possission than our opposition. A high tackle count for us is when it is well over 120. I don’t think we even reached 100 so our lads wil be given it their all. We rest for two weeks after this so there is plenty of time to recover. I just hop ethat if burger is considered he starts off the bench in the last 10 minutes provided it is not a 3 point game otherwise with all his yellows and penalties he wil once again cost us the match.
3 Aug 2009, 19:25 pm
#265 rangerman:
Agree Rangerman. The other thing of course is that since pdv became coach, Henry only has a 40% win record against SA.
Wonder who’s the better coach of the two?
3 Aug 2009, 19:31 pm
#270 nama: Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.
3 Aug 2009, 19:33 pm
#269 Objective 101:
I think it’s time Skulk compete with Juan for the 7 shirt.
It’s ridicilous that he and Brussouw compete for the same spot, one is tailor-made for it, the other one is clearly not.
We’ll lose lenghth tho if he replaces Juan.
Really, it’s gonna be tough for him to get back in the team and stay there now.
PdV seems to prefer keeping a player in a position till he is forced to change, like with Adi/JF.
Even if he gets picked above brussouw now, his limitations (as a 6) will be magnified after what HB showed us.
3 Aug 2009, 19:36 pm
#266 Thucydides:
#267 Objective 101:
pork chop?
3 Aug 2009, 19:37 pm
Wow but this article is badly written. Cliche upon cliche. How many times.
“The Springboks were clinical and effective; the All Blacks were clueless. The Springboks were calm; the All Blacks always in a state of chaos.”
“the Boks’ collective cohesion was never troubled by this chaotic New Zealand approach.” etc etc
Ag no man, your paid to write Keo, surely you can do better than that.
PS: Keo, you reckon Jake White would have selected out groundhog Brussow?
3 Aug 2009, 19:39 pm
#273 cab: Rico Januarie.
3 Aug 2009, 19:52 pm
#272 The_Green_Machine_is_a_Mean_Machine: You seems to forget that Schalk Burger was THE No 6 at the World Cup? How short can one’s memory be!
3 Aug 2009, 20:31 pm
#271 SodaJoe:
Facts SJ. There for all to see. Agree however,Bok supporters must cool it a bit.
3 Aug 2009, 20:32 pm
#277 nama:
Forget to mention, Henry’s record speaks for itself.
3 Aug 2009, 20:47 pm
I think pdv should seriously consider giving schalkie some game time. he needs to shake off the rust. in my mind schalkie should always be in the starting 15
3 Aug 2009, 21:00 pm
scalla is still under susp
3 Aug 2009, 21:31 pm
Nie Jake of Pieter sou vir Brussow gekies het nie. Albei verkies Burger bo Brussow. Maar, daar is dinge soos beserings en skorsings wat afrigters dwing om te doen wat die beste is vir ‘n span.
3 Aug 2009, 21:46 pm
bdb en gelukkig is dit brussow
3 Aug 2009, 21:56 pm
#282 smallies72: Jy is reg, my groot bekommernis, is: ons speel saterdag die wallabies, en in die 7 minuut kry Brussow seer, wat dan ?
Snorre moet so gou as moontlik vir Stegmann ook op die bank kry, of vir Burger, sodra hy nie meer spelers se oë uitkrap nie.
3 Aug 2009, 22:04 pm
bdb dit is n probleem brussie breek gelukkig nie sommer nie ek dink die stegman roete is n goeie een om te volg daai twee is hel goed
4 Aug 2009, 01:05 am
whislt it is not unreasonable to think that the Wobblies might pose a bigger threat – I can’t really see how. In Auckland they played well but lacked the physical edge to get them over the line. The Boks were too physical in the tavkle and and at the breakdown for the AB’s. If the physical intensity is anythign to go by and whislt the Boks may be steched in the early phases I can’t see the Wobblies winning this one – especially if it rains and the Boks keep it close.
4 Aug 2009, 03:55 am
#45 cane: I agree – I wantto see us win away from home first… we won the first two games last year as well.
#33 Gaz: The most we have EVER beaten the AB’s by is 17. Keep it in perspective.
#231 cab:I have also been helluva impressed by Beast’s running – he would be an awesome 8th man as well. He is damned fast for 120 kg…
4 Aug 2009, 04:24 am
#66 Dust: And they deserve their #1 spot….good on them they should enjoy it while it last.
4 Aug 2009, 04:36 am
#211 Smashit: If the Aussies said it it must be true!!!!
4 Aug 2009, 05:14 am
Keo u really don’t give the BOKS enough credit
4 Aug 2009, 06:24 am
It’s my firm belief that we’ve won the previous 2 games in our tight 5. Bakkies and Bissie was just awesome with the other 3 not far behind. Matfield has no equal in the lineouts. Question is, if the AB’s succeeded in getting parity with the wobblies in AUK but found life extremely difficult in SA, how is AUS to cope with the Boks strength upfront. They will most probably stick with the same ploy of playing 2 fetchers but if we keep hitting the rucks and dominate the tackle like we did vs the AB’s, how can the Aus even get a look in. Two things of utmost importance this Saturday. Bring the same intensity and watch Giteau like a hawk. Think victory will be pretty much assured if they do that.
4 Aug 2009, 07:37 am
Agree with the cliches bit keo becoming another muppet. But he writes some truth, I think. The AB’s played a bit like the Boks in Oz and NZ last year, trying to run everything from 1st phase everywhere. It can work and be devastating but often, particu;a;ry in snotty weather, it just leads to errors and turnovers (ask the French).
Bad gameplan, not changed on the day. Poor coaching not poor players. If they’d worked the phases, concentrated on keeping the ball tight and quick for a few pahses to break up the defence it could have been a different game. Remeber how effective the AB ruck was when Spies or Smit got isolated a few times – they overran us got the ball but immediately threw it wide in a frantic haste. Drizzle = error = points against them.
4 Aug 2009, 08:33 am
I have 2 comments:
1) Ignoring all his other qualities; I can only recall 1 penalty that Heinrich Brussouw has given away so far in his short career (2nd Lions game I think). Compare that to Schalks average per game… How many points has that saved us?
2) Lets be honest here: We were good over the past 2 weeks, but the AB’s were equally bad. This is not a typical AB team and is possibly the worst I have ever seen take to the field, so lets not get too cocky until we can prove ourselves away against both oppositions.
4 Aug 2009, 08:48 am
#216 jamied:
100% agreed dude….we all need to take a deep breath and exhale slowly………we hav’nt won the Universal Cup!! We beat a poor AB’s side. If we can shunt them away from home in the same manner then maybe a small gloat. But it is way, way too early for some of the over the top gaaning aan that is going on here methinks…………
and we also need to beat the Aussies, which some folk seem to forget??
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