‘ABs’ lineout still nothing special’ – Smal
8 Jul 2010
Ireland forwards coach and former Springbok forwards specialist Gert Smal says the Boks will continue to boss the New Zealanders in the lineout.
Smal, who as forwards coach of the Boks won the 2004 Tri Nations and 2007 World Cup, also contributed to Ireland’s Six Nations glory a couple of seasons ago. He is widely regarded as among the best forward coaches in the business and has the track record to back up this opinion.
He told keo.co.za that despite the absence of Juan Smith at the back of the lineout, the Boks should still dominate the home team lineout.
Smal’s influence against the Boks in Dublin last year was obvious when the Boks struggled for lineout authority against a team for the first time in years. The Irish, when they toured New Zealand in June, were unable to assert lineout superiority because they lost a forward 15 minutes into the game. The Irish were also missing their best lineout jumper in Paul O’Connell.
Smal remains unimpressed with what he has seen from the All Blacks lineout this season, despite claims from the All Blacks forward coach Steve Hansen that his boys have lost only one lineout throw in three Tests in 2010.
‘They said they had worked on it a lot before they played us, but it’s still nothing special,’ Smal told keo.co.za. ‘Victor is quick on the ground and in the air and if he does his homework, which he will, the Boks will dominate. The All Blacks will try take quick throws and walk in late, but Victor is experienced enough to read them and close the gaps. They’ll also play the safe option to the front and try drive from there.
‘They’ll also try play towards our loosies, and a lot depends how well organised they are. Because Juan – who is the best loose forward jumper in the world – isn’t there, they’ll try manipulate play towards the back.’
Since last year the hosts have changed their lineout formation. Tom Donnelly has replaced Isaac Ross, while they have the unique situation where No 8 Kieran Read makes the calls, a la Matfield. The All Blacks also swapped coaching roles, with Graham Henry taking over the forwards from Steve Hansen for the November tour, but they’ve reverted back to how it was this time last year.
‘You can’t compare Victor to Read. The one is inexperienced, while the other’s been doing it for years.
‘Their coach’s role swapping also didn’t have much of an impact and it all depends on the man power you have. If it had worked for them, they would have stayed that way,’ said Smal.
One of the Kiwis’ main worries is the strength of the driving maul. Smal spoke of how they would try counter the Boks and the importance of referee Alan Lewis’s management of the area.
‘They and the Aussies realise its a big strength of the Bok and European teams. They’ll speak to the ref about the blocker at the back, and say they’re not allowed one in order to expose the jumpers and sack them. They’ll also try take the lifters out before the jumper’s hit the ground. The ref will have to be vigilant there.
‘Obviously the Boks want to use the lineout for other moves, but they’ll use the maul at least three or four times to expose the Kiwis.’
The 2007 World Cup-winning coach is backing the Boks to continue the dominance over their rivals.
‘That Irish game especially would have lulled them into a false sense of security. Ireland had many guys at home and lost a key player early on,’ Smal said in reference to their 65-28 loss with Jamie Heaslip red-carded after 15 minutes. ‘In the beginning they played for territory, but once we were a man down, they tried to open it up. It’s difficult to play them with 15 men, but with 14 it was near impossible.
‘I’m sure the Boks will climb into them and will have too much power. The All Blacks are dangerous from broken play and they’ll try take quick lineouts, but one of the main reasons for last year’s success was the Boks’ purposeful kicking. They’ll do that again and take them ball and all.’
While Smith’s presence in general play around the field has been filled by Francois Louw, the Free State hardman’s ability at the set-pieces is unrivalled by any loose forward in the world. While he’s on compassionate leave for the away leg of the Tri-Nations, Smith will do duty for the Cheetahs and Smal believes the Australasians will try take advantage of his absence at the tail.
He still believes that the Boks can negate this by making more use of Pierre Spies as a tail option, but left no one in doubt that the Spies, Smith and Schalk Burger lineout option among loose-forwards, aligned with the best locking duo of Matfield and Bakkies Botha, with the luxury of Danie Rossouw and Andries Bekker as back up is unrivalled in the current game.
By Grant Ball
251 Comments
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 4 5 6 » Show All
8 Jul 2010, 15:40 pm
my dream weekend.
Griquas nail the sharks
WP beat Cheetahs
Uruguay beat the Germans
Boks beat kiwis
spain beat the Dutch.
8 Jul 2010, 15:41 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-39:
Yes, the very same team who went 4 consecutive games without a linebreak. The same team that couldn’t breakdown a 14 man Australian defence after 18 phases of play. You know as well as I do that the Boks are impotent on attack. And after 30 minutes in that 4 try game the Boks were a lot less effective, australia were more taken by surprise than anything else.
8 Jul 2010, 15:41 pm
@vlam(vlam)-50:
Lol aplon will sort you out in a minute
He took Bakkies best head butt
8 Jul 2010, 15:42 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-52:
“..the Boks are impotent on attack..”
Stop talking from your A hole
8 Jul 2010, 15:43 pm
@grant10(grant10)-51:
Agreed with all, all but Uruguay. They are the dirtiest team of the WC and should not have progressed as far as they did. And for the hack job the ref did over Bafana against Uruguay, I hope they are beaten worse than the snot klap the Boks gave them in 2005.
8 Jul 2010, 15:44 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-47:
Not always about height.
Facets such as timing,length of limbs(“wingspan”),size of hands,intelligence of reading play etc play big part.
Case in point Victor Matfield(2.00m)/Andries Bekker(2.08m) or former AB giant lock Mark Cooksley(2.09m) who always got schooled by 1.97m Mark Andrews
8 Jul 2010, 15:45 pm
@Boksarenumber1(Boksarenumber1)-54: And where exactly am I talking rubbish?
8 Jul 2010, 15:45 pm
janni at 3 over BJ, mmmmnnn.
rikki will be good on saturday.
we should give these guys a hiding- break them down good and proper pre- RWC
8 Jul 2010, 15:45 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-56:
Well said.
8 Jul 2010, 15:47 pm
@grant10(grant10)-51: My Dream weekend:
Sharks nail the Griquas (2nd side? Liar)
Cheetahs ******* up Province
Germany kills Uruguay and Sewer-rat Suarez
Dutch beat Spain
Mainly the boks beat the Kiwis.
The Bokke makes us one!
8 Jul 2010, 15:49 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-57:
If comment 54 is not self explanatory then you should seek help
8 Jul 2010, 15:51 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-47: And from that incredible bit of analysis I am supposed to deduce what exactly?
That being 4cm taller makes Juan Smith a better lineout forward than Harinordoquy?
If you shaved Smith’s hair off they’d probably be the same height anyway
8 Jul 2010, 15:51 pm
Ag, no man this guy I tell you he is talking rubbish. The All Blacks have big bad Brad Thorn and he is one of the best locks in the game. Oh wait we aren’t playing in the midget division. Brad Thorn, mini lock. Looks like someone doesn’t have much to look forward to when he retires, that’s probably why he is hanging on to his career for as long as he can. Brad, you’re 36 years of age and your already questionable strength has gotten even weaker seeing as the testosterone is wearing off buddy, take a hint and let your replacement – Isaac Ross in for some time on the field. Isaac Ross, the lock of the future… haha, what a replacement to have!
8 Jul 2010, 15:52 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-48: The bloggers here will almost never be completely on the same side, too much provincialism for that. And you have guys like tacitus who keeps saying that he’d prefer to watch Bulls rugby than ‘Boks rugby.
But as the saying goes, you can’t please all of the people all of the time…..
8 Jul 2010, 15:53 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-56: Yes, but in this case I believe Smith is better than Imanol in the lineouts. He’s also much taller which does help.
And just to let you know. Andrews was 2m and Cooksley was 2.05.
8 Jul 2010, 15:55 pm
@Boksarenumber1(Boksarenumber1)-61:
Not when you are provably wrong.
8 Jul 2010, 15:55 pm
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-63: Thorn doesn’t jump much for the ABs. In fact, he more often than not is a lifter in the lineout.
ABs main jumpers will be Donnelly and Read, with a handful thrown to Thorn, McCaw and Kaino.
As for your suggestion that Ross is the future…I can’t agree with you. Whitelock has everything that Ross has, but most importantly the work ethic that Ross lacks totally. If Ross can work out that he should be grunting with his fellow forwards rather than sea gulling in back play, he may yet make it back to play for the Crusaders and then the ABs.
8 Jul 2010, 15:55 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-59:
3N 2009
sa scored 120 pts
nz 79pts
aust 79pts
whats ur point???
8 Jul 2010, 15:57 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-65: Fair enough, in your opinion the South African bloke is better than the foreign bloke.
8 Jul 2010, 15:57 pm
@stodders(stodders)-62: Well, that Smith is taller. He’s also younger, has played 62 tests. And imo is better then Imanol in the lineouts. Gert Smal agrees with me. Now what evidence can you present that this is not the case?
8 Jul 2010, 15:59 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-66:
Dude you are an idiot
8 Jul 2010, 15:59 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-65: And 4cm is not MUCH taller.
I mean Bekker is 8cm taller than Matfield so that would suggest he is much better than Matfield based on your hypothesis. Who came out on top the last time they met btw?
8 Jul 2010, 16:00 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-60: LOL
Spain will murder dutch.
boks wont win this one ….as much as it hurts me to say….
joking about the sharks mate
8 Jul 2010, 16:01 pm
I also prefer bulls rugby to boks rugby. I only watch bok rugby to watch THE MAN Bakko Botha.
Bakkies doesn’t sleep, he waits.
On Aplon…Aplon cost Bakko the chance of playing in the S14 final(douchebag), and Hopscotch Bekker didn’t even get the same punishment.
I hope Cory Jane (because he is small) runs over aplon ala Jonah Lomu this weekend. Aplon is is Earl Rose with a gray scrumpet!
8 Jul 2010, 16:02 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-70: I don’t have a French coach to hand to give me a quote that will back up my opinion
Smal though probably forgot it was Harinordoquy who destroyed his own teams chances in Paris earlier at the lineout. It’s best to forget the bad days at the office
8 Jul 2010, 16:02 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-64:
tacitus hates the BOKS like many others here
Thats why the BOKS need to win the world cup in 2011
on All Black soil
8 Jul 2010, 16:03 pm
@Boksarenumber1(Boksarenumber1)-76: Tacitus doesn’t hate the Boks at all. It’s just that his heart is blue, not green and gold.
8 Jul 2010, 16:04 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-52:
Doesnt matter,Aus made the most linebreaks in TriNations last yr and still ended last if Im not mistaken.
Blues in S14 had the most clean linebreaks in competition but ended a lowly 8/9 position
Rene Ranger had the most linebreaks in competition but not best midfielder in S14
Lote Tuqiri in 2008/9 S14 had the most linebreaks/meters gained in S14.Didnt score single try
Linebreaker are nice,finishing & ticking scoreboard BETTER
Points on the board
8 Jul 2010, 16:04 pm
@grant10(grant10)-73: I think the Dutch have a good chance. Spain will find them hard to crack, and in Sneijder, the Dutch have the player of the tournament so far.
8 Jul 2010, 16:06 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-78: Very true.
First 20 mins on Saturday is critical. If the ABs get into their rhythm and the Boks let them get their tails up, it will be hard for the Boks to overcome NZ.
If the Boks do what they did last year in Hamilton and dominate from the off, knocking the ABs off their rhythm, they will be able to dictate the tempo and win.
8 Jul 2010, 16:06 pm
@stodders(stodders)-72: Bekker is a lot taller than Victor. You can see it. Height makes an obvious difference in the lineouts, but is not the only consideration. Obviously. Having said this, Smith IMO is better and Bekker will be awesome. Okay, he’s NOT much taller, happy now. He is much better though.
8 Jul 2010, 16:06 pm
I’m out of here. Enjoy the rest of the build up guys and the game on Saturday.
8 Jul 2010, 16:07 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-81: In your opinion of course. And that is fine.
8 Jul 2010, 16:09 pm
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-63: LOL
8 Jul 2010, 16:11 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-78:
Points on the board has nothing to do with what I’m talking about. stop drifting from the topic. The original post I was replying to stated that we’d clean out in the lineouts and thus present quality first phase ball to orchestrate a constructed attack. I said don’t count on it, because the Boks couldn’t break through a sheet of toilet paper on attack. But, despite the facts proving my point, some refused to accept this.
8 Jul 2010, 16:12 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-64: Tacitus does not like ancestor worshippers (his term for Ghana)… Ask him
8 Jul 2010, 16:12 pm
@stodders(stodders)-79: no mate….spain 2 nil….if not more….they are absolute masters….should on nailed germans by 3 or 4…..absolute wizards…..i reckon they are so far ahead of the pack it is scary…..
also outta here
8 Jul 2010, 16:13 pm
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-63: Oops. Missed that you were being sarcastic.
Enjoy the generation of players SA currently have at their disposal. The cycle will continue and it will be another nation who will take over from SA in the years to come.
8 Jul 2010, 16:15 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-64: I permit myself to like and rate all Stormesaders, excepting the Bushpig, if they wear the Green and Gold.
Added to this, I am ashamed to admit that I am slightly upset that two Stormersaders aren’t playing…
8 Jul 2010, 16:16 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-85: What about trys. Does that count?
8 Jul 2010, 16:17 pm
@grant10(grant10)-87: look the Spaniards are frikken good but if there was 1 team looking like a bunch of wizzards it was the germs. think u would have said they were far ahead of the pack b4 yesterday?
cant believe how they man handled those germs.
8 Jul 2010, 16:18 pm
@grant10(grant10)-87: Spain cna’t win by more than 1 goal. Have you not been watching? 1-0
1-0
1-0
8 Jul 2010, 16:19 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-90:
Yes it does, but one test does not reflect the entire season. choosing a 30 minute blitz to define the Boks 2009 season is clearly flawed. The Boks failed to convert their dominance into points. Had NZ’s backs had that platform with a better coach, they’d have been planting 50 thrashings on everyone. The point is that the Boks are not great on attack, and what frustrates me is that they can clearly do a lot better, but two imbeciles on the coaching team are not taking the Boks as far as they are capable of going. And this will be their downfall, like in ’99. It’s all too eerily familiar.
8 Jul 2010, 16:21 pm
it only takes 1 nil
Ask the arrogant cheating Germans…..
GO SPAIN…!
8 Jul 2010, 16:22 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-93: Whateva
8 Jul 2010, 16:22 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-65:
I seem to remember Andrews being around 1.97-1.98m,He was listed at that height in his socks.
Remember Adrian Garvey use to say they always use to fool around with weight & height statistics as McIntosh was big on that.Andrews & Garvey used to put weights in their pocket when coming for weigh in etc
But back to Harinodiquoy,he is class.Juan as well.Very close at lineout time.
8 Jul 2010, 16:24 pm
Stodders = Keo royalty.
Nice to see you back lad.
8 Jul 2010, 16:25 pm
@Alucard(Alucard)-93:
Hush, little baby, don’t say a word.
Mama’s gonna buy you a mockingbird… u know the rest
8 Jul 2010, 16:26 pm
@mainland(mainland)-98:
LMAO
8 Jul 2010, 16:28 pm
@vlam(vlam)-74:
“Aplon cost Bakko the chance of playing in the S14 final(douchebag),…”
Joke of the day.
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 4 5 6 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.