Reds borrowed Bulls’ blueprint
11 Apr 2011
JON CARDINELLI says the Reds’ tactical triumph on Saturday was similar to the Bulls’ savvy beating of the Stormers in the 2010 Super 14 final.
The Stormers’ problems at the set-piece were once again exposed at the weekend. Discipline was an issue, as I feared it would be, and the Stormers were tactically outkicked by Wallabies halfbacks Will Genia and Quade Cooper.
The game produced one try but it was a captivating contest from start to finish. No team has kicked more than the Reds in 2011, and while they have a reputation for thrilling exploits with ball in hand, they can be devastating when they put ball to boot. This was once again evident on Saturday, as Genia and Cooper took charge.
The Reds knew that it would be difficult to penetrate the Stormers formidable defence – and despite the defeat, the Stormers defence was once again excellent – and so they opted for what has become a popular tactic against the Stormers. If you can’t go through that blue and white wall, you go over it with a kick.
Last year, the Bulls beat the Stormers in the Super 14 final thanks to the kicking accuracy of Fourie du Preez and Morne Steyn. The Bulls forwards were magnificent, but it was the tactical probes and booming garryowens that ultimately unsettled the Stormers’ defenders, and subsequently allowed the Bulls to play their attacking rugby in opposition territory.
The Reds adopted a similar style last Saturday. They tested the Stormers defence early on with a ball-in-hand approach, and when they failed to make ground, they employed the boot. Genia launched several box kicks as well as a few rolling kicks aimed at the corners. Cooper was often positioned at fullback, and his kicks from the back usually found space or dribbled into touch.
Losing the territorial battle was always going to be a problem for a team with a shaky set-piece. The Stormers scrum has blown hot and cold all season, and their lineout accuracy has been poor. They have one of the world’s best lineout exponents in Andries Bekker, as well as quality options in Duane Vermeulen and Schalk Burger, but Deon Fourie continues to struggle with his feed to this set-piece.
In the second half of Saturday’s clash, Fourie failed to find a Stormers jumper when the hosts were camped on their own line. The Stormers were fortunate that the Reds didn’t capitalise on this mistake.
Fourie’s wayward throws are also preventing the Stormers from building continuity on attack. When the Stormers are in promising field positions, they’re not guaranteed a win on their own ball. It’s for this reason that the Stormers management is hoping Tiaan Liebenberg recovers from injury sooner rather than later.
Discipline and accuracy at the breakdown were sorely lacking. The Reds got under the skin of Vermeulen as early as the ninth minute. Frustration got the better of Deon Fourie when he tripped a Reds player in the 67th. Both received yellow cards, and you just don’t win big Super Rugby games when you play 20 minutes with 14 men.
It wasn’t a surprise to see the Stormers finish the match tryless. They battled to take the ball through sufficient phases to trouble the Reds defence, and were often turned over in the tackle.
The Reds decision-makers, usually Genia or Cooper, would then kick the ball into space and send the Stormers back into their own territory. The Reds knew that with Peter Grant’s pop-gun boot, the Stormers would struggle to kick their way out of their own half. They also knew that with the Stormers’ misfiring set-piece and errant breakdown approach, they would also struggle to build a ball-in-hand attack.
The Stormers still boast a great record of six wins in seven matches, but the recent defeat highlighted some ongoing concerns that must be addressed. Their current approach is good enough to get them into a playoff position, but as seen by their tactical failure in the 2010 final, it won’t be good enough to win a title.
120 Comments
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 » Show All
11 Apr 2011, 09:57 am
This is weird I’m sure I read on keo recently that the Stormers set piece and forwards play were excellent and that they getting the line out right. Now I read their set pieces are shaky and line out are ka@k????
11 Apr 2011, 09:57 am
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-50:
Not too shabby nige !!!
11 Apr 2011, 09:58 am
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-50:
Ben Hogan and Gene Sarazen also won all the majors
11 Apr 2011, 10:02 am
I’m no kicking guru, but on Saterday I was at the game and every time Grant kicked the ball, it sounded as though the ball wasn’t hard enough (that pap ball sound). This to me is a timing problem, which comes from trying to kick the ***** out of the ball. Grant, get your swing right, don’t try moer the ball, and follow through with the boot, get Charl Schwartzell to give you a few leasons dude.
11 Apr 2011, 10:02 am
south africans now won 21 majors between them
only usa, scotland , and england have won more,
scotland more in the very old days
11 Apr 2011, 10:05 am
@justrugby(justrugby)-52: Totally, Bob
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-53: Yes i know that, but are they still alive?
11 Apr 2011, 10:05 am
@Kea-Cat(KEA)-54:
Ask G10 for help, now there’s an oke who could kick a ball miles ……………..fact !!
11 Apr 2011, 10:06 am
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-56:
11 Apr 2011, 10:08 am
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-50:
go easy on the “small country” bit mate.
it’s like a floundering mullet to the barracouta poopa69.
he will be here in a flash giving us the “only4millionbutaren’twegreatandpleasetakenoticeofus” routine.
11 Apr 2011, 10:21 am
@charo(charo)-59:
I can handle Pops. No problem,.
11 Apr 2011, 10:22 am
@charo(charo)-59: hiyas charoping ^5 how you doing boet??
11 Apr 2011, 10:24 am
Saterday meant to be Saturday.
11 Apr 2011, 10:28 am
Forgive my spelling today Tackler, what is leasons, and ………..forget it.
11 Apr 2011, 10:38 am
@charo(charo)-59:
You must have noticed the spanking the Bulls got on Saturday?
11 Apr 2011, 10:39 am
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-61:
waiting patiently for my flight home
11 Apr 2011, 10:59 am
“Reds borrowed Bulls’ blueprint”
It would seem Jon is finding positives after this weekend!!
11 Apr 2011, 11:02 am
@grant10(grant10)-7: Partly true G10. A few things to come out of the game.
Superb defensive team effort from the Reds. All the reds did was ask the stormers to attack with ball in hand and they failed miserably at this.
From what I can see, the stormers attacking strategy is 1 dimensional with no variation in both direction and depth of attack. Is this an indictment on the attack/backline coach or just a general team gameplan. Not one player seemed to take initiative for sparking something inventive. They kept playing to the game plan.
So this week could be interesting for the Stormers. I suspect it will be another very close game for the Stormers and they’ll probably just sneak it. Going on tour is where things might go pear-shaped. I don’t think the defensive robustness will be enough. At the end of the day, you need to score more points than your opponents, and no amount of defensive ability will change that.
SO perhaps the stormers should focus on their varying attacking strategies. Time for AC, the head coach, to stand up and show his metal.
11 Apr 2011, 11:25 am
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-56: Lay off the small country stuff. There is over 50 million people. Thats a large country.
In fact if you prorata the population/golf winns, SA falls down the list exponentially.
On rugby: Since when did being phisical in defense and kicking well get copyrighted by the Bulls. Prety sure these are fundamentals of the game, not someones blueprint to beat one specific team. Maybe if Genia threw down 50 box kicks in the game that could be said we used the bulls blueprint, but I only remember 1 or 2.
11 Apr 2011, 11:54 am
@We are red(Redbull)-68: not wanting to get into a semantics debate.
Just happy that we are performing well, as i said, probably after USA the only country to have 5 seperate major winners in 15 years.
And compared to many countries, we are small. This isn’t a South Africa vs Aus/NZ comparison. When I think golf, outside of Greg Norman, I certainly don’t think NZ/Aus.
Yes i know, Campbell this and someone else that, but this isn;t about you guys, this is about us.
11 Apr 2011, 11:58 am
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-69:
11 Apr 2011, 12:02 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-70: Never thought I’d get into a debate on size on this site
11 Apr 2011, 12:06 pm
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-71:
It sounds like we have another tackler on our hands
11 Apr 2011, 12:21 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-72: i learnt to ignore him on the first day he posted here already
11 Apr 2011, 12:22 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-72: I hope not.
11 Apr 2011, 12:23 pm
My country is smaller than yours…
11 Apr 2011, 12:27 pm
CONGRATS TO CHARL SCWHARTZEL…. one word. BRILLIANT.
South Afrcans have now won the Masters 3 times. Feel so proud today.
The Aussies were all there but Charl stayed cool. Great win that. No Aussie has ever won the Masters yet there we have 3 saffas that have. Feels awesome.
11 Apr 2011, 12:30 pm
On the golf:
Eight players had at least a share of the lead at some point during the back nine on Sunday.
Now that’s a sporting contest down to the wire.
Poor old Rory.
Move over Jean Van der Velde.
Move over Greg Norman,
There’s a new choker in town.
Actually I really feel for him. Watching him unravel like that was really awkward. I’m glad Charl won, but sad to see a good 3 & 1/2 rounds go to nought.
11 Apr 2011, 12:30 pm
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-75:
you mean your country is smaller than it looks?
11 Apr 2011, 12:35 pm
@Puma(Puma)-76: gm brudda , so we got our wish lol
i was laying in bed watching and i said to the wife , this was on the 12th when he made that par save , if only he can get2 birdies he should win, little did i know that when he got that birdie on the 15th the shackles would break and he went crazy from there with all that pressure to birdie the rest of the holes
11 Apr 2011, 12:36 pm
The most arrogant thing I heard from the commentator during the golf last night was “Charl will remember his 7seconds leading the Masters”………..hahahahahahahaha. Hope that idiot feels just that a idiot today. Cause Charl went on to win the tourney…lol.
11 Apr 2011, 12:38 pm
@Puma(Puma)-80: Think Charl was on the 15th then. Can’t remember. But what a thing to say. Felt even extra special that Charl won it after hearing that.
11 Apr 2011, 12:40 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-79: Was just brilliant.
Man remember Stormerboy say “Fists to the moon” the otherday. (love that saying…hehe) I was doing just that……hahahahaha. Especially after hearing that commentator say “Charl will always remember his 7 seconds of leading the Masters” He went onto win it….hehehehe. I had fists to the moon for sure……..hahahahahaha.
11 Apr 2011, 12:46 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-79: Now that is BMT. A top class sportman needs it no matter which sport he plays.
His last putt impressed me the most. That was sweet!!!
11 Apr 2011, 12:50 pm
@Puma(Puma)-83: actually his 2nd nine impressed me to no end
the pressure of a major is huge and we saw what it did to poor rory , he broke
Tiger even struggled as did the korean and argy
11 Apr 2011, 12:50 pm
@Puma(Puma)-83: lol that little thing called BMT and so many in here dont understand
11 Apr 2011, 12:53 pm
@Puma(Puma)-83: Yeah mate that was sweet. I have a good mate who always puts some money on the long shot south Africans at the majors, Won a quick 6 grand last night,
Then he did pretty well out of Trevor and Loius too,…
Shaking our fists at the moon mate! Long may it continue!
11 Apr 2011, 12:54 pm
@Puma(Puma)-82: what also pissed me off , was everytime tiger missed a put the yank commentator made some stupid comment about maybe somthing bugged tiger or the player player with him took too long on his shot
**** man , he is responsible for his own shots be they good of bad, and i have no doubt he would be the first to admit that
11 Apr 2011, 12:55 pm
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-86: lol M of the ARK
11 Apr 2011, 12:57 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-84: have you read a book called The Majors, by John feinstein? he takes you through the 1997 season with the 4 majors, gives you some insights into the players and history, and it comes out very strongly the “gravitas” that the Masters particularly has the psyche of the golfer. If you’re an American it’s the most important of the bunch with all it’s history,
Highly reccomended reading, Lots of personal insights into guys like Tiger and Mickelson. Lots of good stories too.
11 Apr 2011, 12:57 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-84: Agree he played well on the 2nd nine, need bmt for that. Nerves of steel. Rory fell totally apart. Never thought that would happen. Felt a bit for him. But of course was really rooting for Charl. Anyhow hope Rory gets over it. Needs to put that out his mind otherwise he will never win major.
Felt awesome to see Charl put on that Green Jacket. Felt so proud. South Africans have done well at the Masters. Pity Ernie had not won it. Can’t ever see him win it now.
11 Apr 2011, 13:03 pm
So last year, Louis Oosthuizen won the British Open and this year we have Charl winning the Masters. Just awesome. What a great feeling. Those two majors for me are the two most prestigious to win out of all the majors.
Open the biggest the Masters the 2nd biggest imo. South Africa won them in a row….lol. Brilliant.
11 Apr 2011, 13:04 pm
@Puma(Puma)-91: Meant – South Africans. Forgot the ‘s’ there..hehe
11 Apr 2011, 13:05 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-87: Another case of Tiger not being able to win if he’s not leading into the final day.
11 Apr 2011, 13:07 pm
Zzzzzzz… wake me up when you stop talking about golf. Can we get back to the reds demolition of the pretenders on the weekend.
11 Apr 2011, 13:08 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-87: Yes that got to me too. Always a excuse for Tiger. But that comment about ‘Charl will always remember his 7 seconds leading the Masters’ ANGERED me no end. Felt so angry after he said that. Then for him to win it. I was jumping up and down. Like M says. Fists to the moon…….hahahaha. To that commentator that is. Felt great.
11 Apr 2011, 13:09 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-94: Who cares about the rugby right now. Our Charl won one of Golfs biggest prizes. Something to be really proud of mate.
11 Apr 2011, 13:09 pm
@Puma(Puma)-80: LOL. Classic!
11 Apr 2011, 13:10 pm
@We are red(Redbull)-94: I take it you a Aussie? Well done to your Reds then.
11 Apr 2011, 13:12 pm
@Puma(Puma)-96: After The (British) Open it has to be the next biggest surely?
11 Apr 2011, 13:12 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-97: hehehehe. Howzit HG. I stole that saying from Stormerboy..hehe. Was awesome to see Charl win it last night.
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.