Boks waiting for watershed moment
16 Aug 2011
Peter de Villiers says the Springboks are not far from clicking and that the recent loss won’t hurt their World Cup chances.
After running through the list of sick and injured players on Monday, De Villiers fielded questions about the coming Test against the All Blacks. The Boks need to win this Test to avoid their first ever Tri-Nations whitewash, and also need to to ensure that they take some momentum and confidence into the World Cup.
De Villiers said the mood in the Bok camp was good despite last Saturday’s loss to the Wallabies. While he admitted that the Test in Port Elizabeth is important, the team and management view the game as preparation for the World Cup rather than a must-win stand alone Test.
‘We have a World Cup plan,’ said de Villiers. ‘If our minds were only on Saturday we would upset our wider plans.
‘A victory would serve its purpose as part of the World Cup plan too because when you are doing your general planning you don’t plan for losses. So losing to Australia was a setback in that you can’t control a game for 80% of the match and then lose on the scoreboard, there are many reasons why but the overwhelming one is that we did not take enough chances in the first half after working so hard to create them.’
De Villiers told reporters in Port Elizabeth that everything is still on track as far as the World Cup mission is concerned. He believes they are very close to clicking despite an inconsistent showing against the Wallabies where the Boks stuttered on defence and attack.
‘A main goal we put on paper [at our planning meeting in May] is “Everybody knows, nobody guesses”, and everybody knows what is going on and that is very good. The mood I can tell you is that we are all satisfied that we are on track and that only the scoreboard stands between us and success. The guys are waiting for the big moment to come, it is overdue now.’
All Blacks coach Graham Henry has decided to leave as many as eight first-choice players in New Zealand for this particular game. De Villiers said he didn’t have a problem with this decision, as he opted to leave 23 first-choice players in South Africa when the Boks toured Australasia. He did, however, say that it was unfair that Henry didn’t receive as much criticism for the selection policy.
‘Well our South African media seem to be happy with their so-called B team, to them it is no big thing but when we went over there it was big news, people wanted to kill us, it was reiterated how stupid we are as a coaching staff, but now New Zealand do the same and it is fine. People [in South Africa] are not worried and that is more worrying than the side they brought.
‘Their side itself is full of seasoned campaigners, plenty of experience, there is never a weak New Zealand team and we are very wary of that.’
143 Comments
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16 Aug 2011, 00:04 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-99: lol Joel, revealing your class as you always do…
16 Aug 2011, 00:04 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-96:
uh oh.
i think you set the toppie off.
its gonna get ugly now.
tjorts.
16 Aug 2011, 00:04 am
@shooter(shooter)-97: peace bro, I think we are ad idem.
16 Aug 2011, 00:05 am
@shooter(shooter)-94:
At least pep (with his fancy suits) does not have an english surname like Victor so we can excuse him
But Vic has his good days too, he is ok
16 Aug 2011, 00:06 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-101: Yeah schmuckass little silver spoon fed baby arse punks like you know a whole lot about class don’t you just you piffle arsed little runaway cowardly creeps… how many looters you bust on Ealings high street toffee nosed Barrister creep?
16 Aug 2011, 00:09 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-105: night night Joel, I got to hit the hay, Thanks for making me laugh ou topppie.
16 Aug 2011, 00:09 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-81: i am actually stating a very sedate argument here.
thing is, these little moments do not maketh the game i know. but they surely don’t help much to achieve anything constructive in playmaking and therefore getting us to play a smoother, better executed game and all else that comes with error prone rugby.
but 3 points is three points. 9-0 is alot better than 6-0. that changes the complexion of the match right there.
there are plenty of co-incendences in life. if it wasn’t smit, it would have been some-one else.
in the moment and in the context and in everything. and same with every wasted opportunity. 5 points denied by yourselve is worse than if it was denied by good opposition play.
and these are pro’s man – they should still be a team.
16 Aug 2011, 00:13 am
shooter makes some excellent points above, very insightful actually if one takes a step back, the boks looked ok in the 1st half and i guess they hadnt played together in a while.
16 Aug 2011, 00:16 am
@shooter(shooter)-107: You underestimate the destructive influence of a self centered ego riddled approach to a supposed team effort.. I’m not stupid I can see self centered arrogance a mile off and John Smit is riddled with the disease. That is precisely why he Loses every time he leads his team.. because it is ALL about SELF before the TEAM its a very simple equation.. and it don’t take a rocket scientist to work it out.. its basically staring everyone directly in the face..
Thats it
am out.. you will see.. I am 100% right !!
night night
16 Aug 2011, 00:18 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-109:
but ou doos, u werent right about JW lifting the big one in ’07.
16 Aug 2011, 00:19 am
yeah they played well first half but Smit CANNOT carry it beyond 30 – 40 min tops
and worst of it he is so desperate to win ONCE again that he simply cannot motivate beyond his limited capabilities..
Smit is NOT the answer as captain.. his LOSS record is FAR too great to get out of that dismally depleted cycle now.. they gotta find a new broom thats gonna sweep those dead beat cobwebs from out of their LOSING psyches.
16 Aug 2011, 00:24 am
@cab(cab)-108: thanks cab! thats why i used to be the 73rd most important blogger here once. ha.
i finally figured out you’re a lion btw. so good going so far, nice one. the lions backline showed some willingnes this weekend -on occasion – that actually made me think, where are our pace in the boks! especially the try by killian/ hollenbach it was
16 Aug 2011, 00:24 am
@cab(cab)-110: I said in around July 2007 that White did not have a clue… which he didn’t.. he was so far out his league he was staring disaster in the face.. and he knew it.. So what he do? He hired Eddy Jones.. His ONE saving face grace who turned his sinking ship around and gave it some much needed direction..
Once I saw what Jones was achieving with the players and team beyond the initial one dimensional approach there was suddenly some spark and life especially in the backs then I gave them hope and a chance and actually rooted them on.. go back check my posts through the build up to WC 2007 if you not believing me now.
16 Aug 2011, 00:24 am
that wallabies pack in the 2nd half used to be the way the boks played, just so well drilled, all over it piling in, one after the next, Deans has made a big influence there he’s brought some kiwi forward play to their game, and those backs are just deadly. but please for the love of all that is good, dont kick it down beale;s throat, asb pretty please.
16 Aug 2011, 00:25 am
time now for real – night – out
16 Aug 2011, 00:28 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-109: you just said the other night he is not so bad?
also out! g’nite
16 Aug 2011, 00:29 am
Man that first 36-0 game against the Poms in RWC 2007 was something else. The chaps had a clear plan and a few nifty moves. Blew England away.
Our team now is directionless. Tail wagging the dog. I can’t see Disco Lights Erasmus playing the same vital role that Eddie Jones played.
We are facing a RWC 2003 more likely…
16 Aug 2011, 00:31 am
@shooter(shooter)-112:
lol, importance, schmortance, just post – your comments in afrikaans above were very good, i see there’s another kenner called tjokker who only posts in the taal, excellent comments tho – seems between you and the black fellas who know all about AB rugby, the souties are clueless.
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-113:
lol if u say so ou doos, i just remember a tirade for about a good 2 years leading up to 07.
better hit the sack, later.
16 Aug 2011, 00:33 am
@cab(cab)-114: yes! the wallabies did well. it turned out our rusty -ness worked came in the 2nd half, not in the 1st as everyone expected – and together with that the wallabies outplayed us 14-3 in that half becuase they were good. butch was already out of breath in the 30th minute. as were a couple of others probably. but we are getting there….
go Bokke!
16 Aug 2011, 00:36 am
@shooter(shooter)-119:
he did look outa breath early on, but he distributed well, quick hands butch, and he put a couple of hits on some of their forwards who werent quite sure whether they’d just run into a walk – tends to go a bit high, but great stuff.
16 Aug 2011, 00:40 am
@cab(cab)-120:…” their forwards who werent quite sure whether they’d just run into a walk”
>
hhaha.. bring it on
16 Aug 2011, 00:54 am
Is he including, the warm ups and after game ice bath in this 80%? He must be!
16 Aug 2011, 02:56 am
Last time we had Eddie Jones, this time we have Pat Lambie. I think we are in better hands!
16 Aug 2011, 03:36 am
Ah PdV…. you can only complain about an AB B team if you can beat them. That AB B team will walk over the Boks after the weekends performance, where as the Boks B team they sent over to NZ and Aussie couldn’t beat an egg.
At least those NZers are actually saying they’re rotating the players rather than some fanciful line about ‘injuries’.
16 Aug 2011, 03:59 am
“…..but now New Zealand do the same and it is fine.”.
looks like Krusty Burger has hired Transie as his PR Agent.
NZ hasnt done “the same thing”, you clown. Aus havent either. They selected their 30-man squads before a ball was kicked – because thats what all the parties agreed – and have selected their teams from that same squad throughout.
Spin your BS to the ‘SA Media’ then – the same ones who exposed your ‘Injuries’ sham as a complete farce. This from the same PR Agent, no doubt, who claimed a win can be earned OFF the scoreboard….
16 Aug 2011, 04:23 am
The difference is that the Bok B team sent to Australasia had absolutely zero chance of winning a test and very, very likely to get a massive thrashing. Which is exactly what happened.
The AB B team sent to SA has a very, very good chance of winning well and absolutely no chance of getting a massive thrashing. All of the second-stringers have had plenty of top-flight test experience and not a string of “test caps” based on five-minute cameos at the end of score-settled tests.
16 Aug 2011, 05:18 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-78:
As if anyone is stupid enough to take those stats seriously which have selectively ‘missed’ wins over France, Wales, England, 3 consecutive against NZ and 2 over Australia with Smit starting at the helm douche-bag!
Mind you this is Keo… the home of emotion over information!
16 Aug 2011, 05:29 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-127:
I like an emotional blog where people just vent. It’s refreshing. Better than sitting opposite an up tight wa@nker on a Tube reading a pencil neck newspaper.
I don’t agree with everyone on this site, but shite it is exciting. Sport is emotional. People care. Let them vent.
The Brooklax of Suburbia
16 Aug 2011, 06:58 am
Is this farking guy for real?
‘The Brooklax of Suburbia’
Now that is seriasly funny!!!!
16 Aug 2011, 07:08 am
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE(KWAGGA ROBERTSE)-129:
Hey pajama donkie, hoe lyk dinge?
16 Aug 2011, 07:13 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-130: Ja balsak!!!!!! Nee stoot voort ou maat. Loer gou bietjie wat hier aangaan voor die dag in alle erns afskop. Jou kant?
16 Aug 2011, 07:17 am
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE(KWAGGA ROBERTSE)-131:
Loop mooi, kannie kla nie. Ander dag TheSaint hier raak geloop, amper van my stoel af gedonner van skrik!
16 Aug 2011, 08:32 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-126:
This time I have to agreed with you 100%!
We here in S.A. are not managing our players properly or anything for that matter.
The powers that be are determined to totally distroy a once proud and powerful rugby nation.
I can see that we will be the next Wales one day.
16 Aug 2011, 09:18 am
haven’t conveniently missed Anything Brycie the Scmycie
The appropriate comparison here is meaningful tests against top 5 opposition in the past two years where Smit has NOT won a test barring ONE against Australia where Matfield was largely responsible at his home 100th test at Loftus.
Every OTHER ‘meaningful’ test Smit captained in that period apart from weakened incoming tests by some NH touring sides with weakened teams Smit has LOST
The appropriate issue here is strength vs strength top 5 IRB rank sides in the LAST TWO YEARS, read again dear mediocrity apologists.
Smit has LOST his last 10 from 11 strength vs strength tests and Matfield WON his last 3 from 4 he led
Chalk and cheese in terms of equal strength vs strength results.
16 Aug 2011, 10:22 am
I can see it already. SA vs Wales post match. PdV “…We dominated the match for 99% and won in all respects except on the scoreboard…”
SA vs Fiji post match: “…We created so many opportunities, but didn’t take them…”
SA vs Namibia : “… I always said it was just a matter of time before we got it right….”
SA vs Samoa: “…despite this loss, we are still on track…”
16 Aug 2011, 10:29 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-125:
thanks for clearing that up. i had not seen the sanzar agreement. although i note with interest a few players sent on tour with the ABs have only just recovered from injury. i would not mind you find and posting that 30 man squad you say henry picked at the start of the tri nations.
but you’re good at PR and spinning.
truth be told i dont give a **** about henry managing his players in a world cup year. i just dont like the fact that Aus media blow a gasket when we do it, but silence when the Abs do it.
hats off to henry though coz he did not criticise SA at the outset and made it clear he’d be managing his players too. if only some of you AB fans were as reasonable.
16 Aug 2011, 10:40 am
@rocco(rocco)-135:
in terms of preparation for knockout rugby we’ve got an awesome pool at the world cup. everyone’s going on about the fact we’re not playing enough warmup games beforehand and sure there is very slim chance one of samoa or wales (not in the slightest worried about Fiji or Namibia) might score a shock result, but would you want your playewrs to play 5 games prior to the world cup and then 5 more before the semi’s after the longest super rugby tournament in history?
NZ have got France in their pool. we’ve got wales and samoa. I’d prefer Wales and Samoa to France personally. not that France have ever beaten us at a world cup.
Wales have beaten us once and drawn with us once in 25 matches. both of those results were in wales.
Samoa has never beaten us.
our team was not great in their first game of the season against a wallaby side that has played 3 on the trot – but anyone who says we’ll go to the world cup undercooked does not take into account we’ve got 5 more games before the QF against Ireland.
16 Aug 2011, 11:56 am
@munkiboi-137
Yup, obviously true what you say. But I’ve had it with PdV and his substance-less statements. I hope for all our sakes the bases are covered in the greater scheme of things, but given the guys record and the apparent state of our rugby (since the euphoria of having 2 teams in last year’s S14 final), I think that would be naive…
16 Aug 2011, 14:49 pm
I agree with Twakkie here.
we need to put points on the board when we are in the accedency. Australia scored from counterattack, having watched again…we controlled longer spells.
I really believe that we need Morne to start hitting his best form, get that scoreboard ticking quickly like you do with the bulls when on form. That puts massive pressure on the opposition looking at the scoreboard. It also allows the outside backs more space.
I’m also a big believer in not waiting around for “that special moment”
go make that special moment. put the ball through 25 phases and score in the corner.
16 Aug 2011, 14:52 pm
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-137:
exactly, every coach will tell you it’s better having a side undercooked that over.
I still have faith that we have players good enough to win it my only concern is the coaches and their seemingly lack of tactical nouse and often crazy selections and substitutions.
17 Aug 2011, 00:04 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-136:
Its pertinent to note that the ABs INCLUDED their injured players within the same squad of 30players from the outset, eg I.Dagg & H.Gear.
No need to live a lie in the Land of Plenty.
17 Aug 2011, 00:10 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-136:
its not hard to be “good at PR & spinning” when youre simply dealing in
FACTS
and not having to rely on
LIES.
Heres your AB squad, as announced BEFORE the Fiji Test. Note the injury cover for H.Gear/I.Dagg/Woodcock (ie specific injuries, B.Smith not used in TriN).
All Black Tri-Nations squad -
Backs: Mils Muliaina, Israel Dagg, Isaia Toeava, Hosea Gear, Zac Guildford, Richard Kahui, Conrad Smith, Sonny Bill Williams, Ma’a Nonu, Dan Carter, Colin Slade, Jimmy Cowan, Andy Ellis, Piri Weepu
Forwards: Kieran Read, Richie McCaw (c), Jerome Kaino, Adam Thomson, Liam Messam, Brad Thorn, Ali Williams, Sam Whitelock, Jarrad Hoeata, Ben Franks, Owen Franks, John Afoa, Tony Woodcock, Keven Mealamu, Corey Flynn, Andrew Hore
Injury replacements: Wyatt Crockett, Cory Jane, Sitiveni Sivivatu, Ben Smith.
17 Aug 2011, 14:32 pm
RWC 2011 will be the end of an era for the Springboks – if that has not ended already . They have not managed to “click” in their last 9 3N games , only winning one . Now we are to expect a transformation into a crack side to win the RWC . Bollocks !! The Boks have become too used to losing . They do not have the instinct to win . The last time they played with real flair was when Eddie Jones was involved . Since then – The Lions tour aside – it has been downhill all the way . Crash ball running and up n’ under tactics will not do it . Ironically the only team of the SA super15 sides to play with flair is the Cheetahs . Good luck Boks . You will need it .
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