Bok defence in Dublin spotlight
3 Nov 2010
JON CARDINELLI says that fielding a new midfield combination at Lansdowne Road will compromise a South African defensive unit that already has much to prove.
Three days remain before the Springboks’ tour opener, and the coaches are in a panic. Ireland have named a competitive side that boasts the experienced centre-pairing of Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll. Who is Peter de Villiers going to pick to counter Ireland’s devastating duo?
The good news is Jean de Villiers is on the mend, but Jaque Fourie, Wynand Olivier and Juan de Jongh have already been ruled out of the tour with injury. The Bok management has denied that Adi Jacobs is carrying an injury, but that hasn’t stopped the South African rugby rumour mill from churning out Bryan Habana, Zane Kirchner and even Pat Lambie as possible centre options this Saturday.
It will be a hammer blow should Jean de Villiers fail to recover from a groin injury. The Bok No 12 is largely credited for organising the backline on defence, and when he plays in tandem with Jaque Fourie, there isn’t a better attacking or defensive midfield force in the game. Fourie is not available for this big Test, and so to lose De Villiers will certainly lend Ireland another advantage.
If De Villiers plays, the coaching staff will opt for Adi Jacobs at 13 given the two played together at Test level for much of the 2008 season. The pair did realise some success against a poor England team that year, but it’s a big call to bring Jacobs straight into the starting side. He’s had precious little game time in recent months.
De Villiers’s failure to recover would mean moving Jacobs to 12, a shift that will have disastrous consequences. The Boks were badly beaten by the French forwards in Toulouse last November, and Jacobs battled to keep the attacking runners at bay when they ventured down the 12 channel. D’Arcy and the Irish loosies will target this channel should Jacobs start the match at inside centre.
Lambie had an outstanding Currie Cup season, and has played 12 with some success. But if he’s picked to start, it should be at flyhalf where his distribution and decision making can be fully utilised, and there’s less pressure on defence. He defended admirably in the Currie Cup final, but it would be a big ask to ask the diminutive 20-year-old to repel wave after wave of Irish attack on debut in a northern hemisphere Test.
Habana and Kirchner have been mentioned as outside centre options. Habana started his career in the position for the Lions, but has rarely played the position at the highest level. He had an unsuccessful stint at 13 in 2006, a match that was incidentally played against Ireland at Lansdowne Road, where his defensive mistakes cost South Africa dearly.
Kirchner has played most of his senior career at fullback, and so starting him at 13 would be a massive gamble. The top coaches will tell you that 13 is the most important position when it comes to defence, and that it takes years of experience to master the art at Test level.
It’s hard to suggest alternatives at this stage, and for the Boks’ sake they will hope that De Villiers passes fit. This will ensure they are at least competitive, although there still may be problems.
The Boks conceded the most tries in the Tri-Nations, and their forward failings were exacerbated by poor defence in the backs. What the try and linebreak stats don’t tell you is how inconsistent the Boks were during the home leg of that tournament. They were guilty of leaking tries during some diabolical periods, such as the first 10 minutes of the Pretoria match. In that same Test, a great defensive effort in the second half earned them an unlikely win.
They’ve battled for consistency, and that battle will continue with a new-look backline set to be named on Thursday. They’ve already lost one of their best defensive forwards in Schalk Burger, and one of their best defensive backs in Jaque Fourie. Losing Jean de Villiers would be another big blow, but even if he plays, a new midfield pairing will take time to adjust.
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180 Comments
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3 Nov 2010, 15:39 pm
@gunther(gunther) : 146 Just ask Hersch
3 Nov 2010, 15:41 pm
@Atreides(Atreides) :
Dries Bekker is quite familiar with underage hookers
3 Nov 2010, 15:41 pm
For NZ’s Bees Roux, look up Keith Murdoch
3 Nov 2010, 15:42 pm
Something fishy here ……..
Can anyone tell me why Strauss and Terblanche were not considered as replacements for the UK tour ?? They outplayed , out tackled the WP Bok centre pair of De Jongh and De Villiers ….hard to believe but it happened ( thats from a Province boykie as well) .
So Jacobs ( cant make the Sharks starting line up and injured ) , Kirchner ( fullback ) , Mapoe ( good provincial wing with no game time ) are considered better centres … amazing that they are also all coloured !!! Eish ….when are we going to cut out all this kak and play sport on merit !!!!
3 Nov 2010, 15:44 pm
When’s the team announcement?
3 Nov 2010, 15:45 pm
@gecko(gecko) : “The latest episode was in a homicide case involving a young Aborigine. Murdoch attended hearings as a witness but no charges were ever brought”
so your point was??
3 Nov 2010, 15:47 pm
Pops – he has more history
3 Nov 2010, 15:49 pm
@gecko(gecko) : has he murdered someone? when, Id like to know about it please..
3 Nov 2010, 15:49 pm
@gunther(gunther) : Seeeriaaaasss!!! It might be worth a crack on attack, but defensively, they’ll gain too much momentum. Aplon will tackle, but he’ll concede ground and your loosies will always keep 1 eye on trying to cover him.
Besides, he’s more useful on counter-attack.
3 Nov 2010, 15:51 pm
@gunther(gunther) : 150
I know.
But I really respect his opinion as a rugby blogger so it is sad to see him engage in what are sensitive topics for many of us.
3 Nov 2010, 16:06 pm
Strauss is the way forward – that oke was lethal against Province and given that I hate the sharks thats something
but he was potent and WAY BETTER than JDV.
I would also seriously question the veracity of that Fourie/JdV best centre pairing in the world comment…doesnt say much for whats out there at the moment then.
3 Nov 2010, 16:11 pm
Before everyone shouts my head off, just think about it:
IF JdV isn’t fit, we are in trouble. What the Boks would need is a sensible, older player who has proven leadership qualities and plenty of match fitness. Particularly if youngsters Lambie and Jantjes are due to play, they need the experience around them.
Has anyone considered Stefan Terblanche?
3 Nov 2010, 16:15 pm
@BuckRogers(BuckRogers) : Too old. Lambie will have M.Steyn and Adi Jacobs on his inside and outside. They are quite experienced.
3 Nov 2010, 16:15 pm
@BuckRogers(BuckRogers) : I’d prefer Meyer Bosman at 12 then.
3 Nov 2010, 16:17 pm
@BuckRogers(BuckRogers) :
Has anyone considered Stefan Terblanche?
I have it on good authority that he was considered. However the savings gotten from the senior citizen discounts for the flights and accommodation would have been offset by the cost of the adult diapers and fulltime nurse. So they decided its best not to go that route.
3 Nov 2010, 16:18 pm
@DT(Duncan) : Mapoe isnt “coloured) strictly speaking. Well, not in the SA context anyway.
3 Nov 2010, 16:19 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy) : I would also go with Bosman at 12. He had a good Currie Cup.
3 Nov 2010, 16:19 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah) : he he he nice one
3 Nov 2010, 16:21 pm
@iori Yagami(iori Yagami) : I think he can count himself unlucky, no?
I think if PDV wasn’t trying to prove a point by picking both Jantjies and Lambie, then he may have come close…
3 Nov 2010, 16:23 pm
I would have brought in Marius Joubert as a temporary measure however Adi should be fine. At this level F Steyn at 12 is needed to stop the Bod threat
3 Nov 2010, 16:24 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah) : LOL
My point exactly…….dont forget about the wheelchair.
3 Nov 2010, 16:32 pm
So Lionel Mapoe has officially signed for the Lions. Interesting that the cheetahs capitulated so easily after fighting so hard for him.
The Lions and the Cheetahs are going to join hands again with Soweto being the home ground. Whats the bet?
3 Nov 2010, 16:33 pm
@Taahirah(Taahirah) :
3 Nov 2010, 16:35 pm
@John Galt(John Galt) : If you’re right I will change my nick to Taahirah Version 1. If you’re wrong I get to sleep with your wife. Deal?
3 Nov 2010, 22:01 pm
@John Galt(John Galt) : The Lions paid for him through transfer fees, Sharks did not so that is why the Cheetahs fought so hard
4 Nov 2010, 00:05 am
Got to be a Lambie and Adi combo for me. Far from ideal but given what we have to work with…it’ll do just for this game.
Hey who knows, our forwards might just dominate with Bissy back and some fresh legs in the loose trio and the Lambie/Jacobs combo might show some inspiring creativity.
4 Nov 2010, 04:15 am
How about Brad Barrit
Seriously you are stooopid if you pick any player no matter how good if he has had no game time, especially tests. By this you tell your opposition you dont respect them
Adi really good player but no game time. Danger!!!
Mapoe one of my favs but no game time. Danger!!!
I say play Ruan at 12!!!! His passing is awsome, he reads the play well and can back up Lambie at flyhlaf.
4 Nov 2010, 07:04 am
Ah good to see Poep69 getting a pasting; about the only place those pesky Nz’ders get one is from the muppets on this forum. For a citizen of a country that pretty much annihilated its native population he’s a really cheeky little fellow. As for Might Whoreua, go with your Mum and put out a Stompie or light a few tyres. Do the innocent burn better than the guilty?
But going forward as politicians say, and to rugby. Interesting that DM was a devastating centre in his day but hasn’t really been able to carry that through to coaching, particularly for the Boks. What will he do in the coaching role at centre to counter the Oirish, particularly that bastid agent BoD?
To me BoD has lost a little outright pace but he turns very well, can spot a gap, offloads well and sheds tacklers reasonably. JF didn’t look too flash in defence against the BIL; better on attack. Jacobs may have been the better defender! For me we’ll miss JdeJ. He caused trouble for the Sharks, particularly from deep and is a good quick defender. Strauss and Terblanche were good for the Sharks but quick they ain’t. They had to rush in and nail their man before he built up a head of steam. When WP got impatient and spread the ball early to a flat backline this defence worked well. Not so good against a nippy, slippery centre running from deep (Conrad Smith even Nonu and those slimey Ozzies).
I’d want a speedy, quick turning centre pair, ideally who understood each other on attack and defence. I think the Boks should just settle for speedy etc. Maybe Habana & JdV, if fit? Habana and Jacobs? Habana and Gerber/Fleck? But of course one No. 12 or 13 doesn’t make a defensive plan, pattern or strategy; let alone an attacking one.
Hopefully the Bok coaches have the answers; they’ve been looking long enough.
4 Nov 2010, 07:04 am
@iori Yagami(iori Yagami) :
“Terblanche too old and he speaks like he is in a Kung Fu movie.”
I am having a kak time at work at the moment. For what it’s worth this post me laugh out loud and I needed that!. txs
4 Nov 2010, 07:43 am
@Uitlander(Uitlander) : LOL No Problem buddy. Damn you early at work! Or are you on the otherside of the world?
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