SA searching for balance
18 Aug 2011
Fourie du Preez says the Springboks need to strike a balance between attack and defence if they’re going to be a success at the World Cup.
The Boks were patently undercooked in last week’s Test against the Wallabies. The first half witnessed a solid defensive display and a tactical approach similar to the 2009 template where the South Africans relied on the accurate boot of Du Preez and the ball-stealing exploits of Heinrich Brussow. But as the game progressed, the Boks struggled to maintain that defensive pressure and were made to regret their poor finishing on attack.
This week, the Boks will be looking to end their three-game losing streak and deliver a performance that gives the team and public hope ahead of the all-important World Cup in September.
‘Winning this weekend will be ideal, getting one over the All Blacks will be important for our momentum,’ Du Preez said. ‘It will also give the people hope again and give some confidence back to the team.
‘You have to be ready when you get to the World Cup. The hardest game of our pool is the first one against Wales, so we have to build ourselves up with a good performance against the All Blacks. It’s not a do-or-die Test this week, but it is important.’
Du Preez and Brussow were ruled out of the 2010 Test season because of injury, and many felt that their absence contributed to the Boks’ shocking run of results. Both made their respective returns to international rugby last week, and while they weighed in with some positive contributions, it’s clear the game has moved on since 2009.
‘I wouldn’t say things have changed a lot in the way the Boks play, but we have always looked to improve. Unfortunately, we haven’t got the results or performances that we’ve been looking for [in the last couple of seasons].
’2009 was more defensive, we relied more on the kick-chase, but this year has seen more of a contest at the breakdown so you have to find the right balance [between attack and defence]. Hopefully this weekend and going forward we will find that balance.’
All Blacks assistant coach Wayne Smith said earlier in the week that Du Preez is the best player New Zealand have encountered over the last eight years. His opposite number for this week’s encounter in Port Elizabeth, Jimmy Cowan, also voiced his respect for the Boks’ key player.
‘He’s a quality halfback, it’s great to seem him playing at this level again,’ said Cowan. ‘It’s always good to have a chance to measure yourself against the best.
‘You have to respect what he has achieved with South Africa. I was watching a few clips earlier in the week of Du Preez at the 2007 World Cup. There were some pretty special performances. He’s someone we will be especially wary of this Saturday.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in Port Elizabeth
27 Comments
18 Aug 2011, 15:01 pm
Balanced dragons
18 Aug 2011, 15:10 pm
Best 9 ever to wear the Green and Gold. Most balanced. Joost was brilliant, and could turn the game in an instant, but du Preez is more rounded.
A 9/10 combo of FdP and Naas would’ve been fantastic.
18 Aug 2011, 15:11 pm
watch out for the loop around and scissor moves
18 Aug 2011, 15:27 pm
Too late for experimentation. Better for boks to stick to what they know, and hope for wet weather in the play-offs.
18 Aug 2011, 15:43 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-2: Not sure I agree.
Robert du Preez was in the FdP mould. The two were an awesome combination at provicial level. However, Naas liked being the tactical general in the backline for which he required speedier service at Bok level. Garth Wright was the perfect scrumhalf for Naas with his general play and snappy service – I loved his dive passing.
18 Aug 2011, 15:44 pm
Boks gonna win this weekend.
Just hope Lambie isn’t a weak link at 15. Otherwise, this is pretty much our strongest possible team.
18 Aug 2011, 15:51 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-5: Robert du Preez had very little in common with FdP. They were both 9′s, but that was about it. I agree, Garth complimented Naas very well. Behind a winning pack, FdP and Naas would dominate the game. But I understand your way of thinking, as Naas enjoyed playing with Tommy du Plessis, who was a lot like Robert du Preez.
18 Aug 2011, 16:03 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-7: Robert had a great tacical boot. He was a lot taller. I had a grudging respect for him. He was slow, a poor man’s FdP, but they have a lot of similarities. My feeling is Naas needed a scrummy at international level who was snippy round the edge of the rucks and scrums, could direct a maul, was an excellent defender and who had a crisp service.
Naas and FdP would have been like Stransky & Johan Roux – don’t gell.
Now Naas and someone like Sarel/Charl/Duvenhage on the other hand would have gone together.
I like FdP a lot and yet I prefer my flyhalf to be the main general in the backline.
18 Aug 2011, 16:04 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-6: Replace Lambie with F Steyn and Morne with Butch and I’d agree.
18 Aug 2011, 16:10 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-8: Good point. I never thought Robert had the vision though. He was strong and could pass and kick the ball huge distances, but he couldn’t controll the game. Many times he would just kick the ball for the sake of kicking it, with no plan or purpose. But his pass was solid.
18 Aug 2011, 16:17 pm
I will only be very confident of the Bok’s chances in the WC if this Bok team puts the AB B’s away by 25 to 30 points, any less and my confidence level sinks very very low.
This Bok team has the ability but will they be able to do it?
18 Aug 2011, 16:18 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-10: I thought Robert was a fantastic provincial scrummy and a poor international one.
I have nightmares of the ’93 tour to Australia where Joost had an awesome match against Queensland only for Robert to be picked as the scrummy in the 3 tests. That decision and the picking of Deon Lotter (shudder) were two factors in us losing the series 2-1 imo.
18 Aug 2011, 16:18 pm
@JA-JA(JA-JA)-11: Not with Morne at flyhalf.
18 Aug 2011, 16:28 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-12: Jip, I remember that well.
18 Aug 2011, 16:35 pm
@JA-JA(JA-JA)-11:
No they will not do it. And here’s why.
This team can build up a lead against the All Blacks, but as soon as it looks like we are doing well, Snor will deem it necessary to bring on any number of absurd replacements for some brainless reason only he understands.
As a result, the Boks will lose all rythm in the last 30 minutes, and in the end have to hang on desperately for a narrow in – maybe even after one of the replacements have to fake a blood or front row injury in order to bring back a crucial starting player who should not have been replaced.
The fact is, this coaching team is our biggest weakness, and our wins come despite them, definitely not because of them.
So while the Boks have the potential to put this All Black team to the sword, this will sadly not happen under the current management. Unless they for once stop trying to interfere with the game and just let the senior players take over the strategy for 80 minutes.
The chances of that happening though, are sadly remote.
18 Aug 2011, 16:36 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-15:
in = win.
18 Aug 2011, 16:49 pm
This is a do-or-die Test match for the Boks, no matter what anybody says! If the Bok A team can’t beat the All Black B team in South Africa, what chance do they have against the All Black A team in New Zealand?
Perhaps Fourie du Preez has already abandoned any hope of winning the RWC.
18 Aug 2011, 18:19 pm
@kaksioek(kaksioek)-17:
They will still have a good chance of beating NZ at the WC, simply because they only have to pitch up on the day.
Also, the Kiwis are their own worst enemies, and mentally frail when it comes to the global showpiece.
18 Aug 2011, 18:44 pm
FdP talks too much, kicks away possession too much
Let’s see him delivering a decent test against a diluted ABs team first, last week he gobbled quality Boks’ possession and was painfuly slow last 15 minutes
18 Aug 2011, 18:54 pm
The ABs picked few excellent players who will fight for the place in the ABs trimmed squad, they will play hard and will hit hard.
Slade is no Carter but he kicks better currently.
18 Aug 2011, 21:14 pm
“Fourie du Preez says the Springboks need to strike a balance between attack and defence if they’re going to be a success at the World Cup.”
Well duhhh! wouldnt have guessed that would you, what a fantastic piece of information.
Rugby has always been about attack and defence with balance between the two otherwise you never score or always get scored against…
Boks need to just shut up do the hard graft and then show it on the field on saturday. Someone has to lose the game, the best team should usually win, but if the boks do lose it will be the way they do that will provide the controvesy afterwards, they need to avoid a thumping, avoid losing in the last few minutes e.g. soccer city, and they need to play like the rest of their lives depended on that one game.
Bad news on Smit, personally I would go with Schalk at 7 only because Brussouw will then provide a good option, if Vermeulen was fit I would go with:
8 Vermeulen
7 Schalk
6 Brussow
if Vermeuelen is not, which is highly likely, then I would go with:
8 Alberts
7 Schalk
6 Brussow
19 Deysel
and have spies or flo as squad cover, although Flo wont make the RWC now hes already training in bath. Up yours P Div you pillock.
18 Aug 2011, 21:15 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-21:
Sorry I mean Smith not fatty “ready to blame anyone else but him and his buddies” Smit
18 Aug 2011, 21:41 pm
Maybe he should stop kicking all our attacking ball away.
19 Aug 2011, 00:17 am
Wouldn’t we need some sort of attack in order to get a balance between attack and defence???
Just a thought FdP
19 Aug 2011, 01:10 am
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-21: Vergeet van Vermeulen.
Brussouw
Burger
Spies
with
Alberts on the bench
19 Aug 2011, 09:08 am
@willievz(willievz)-18: They showed the Nz vs France 1999 semi-final last nite on ESPN classic! That indeed was a classic game!
19 Aug 2011, 12:18 pm
The Boks need to fire this weekend, we as the SA rugby public is really getting tired of watching our team getting beaten. Its disappointing, and emotionally its heart breaking for those die hard fans.
I look at those adds on supersport, where the Boks look so good bashing through those fictional dragon like characters, to supersports credit its a great looking and motivational add. But somewhat cliche, considering the way the Boks are performing. You look at this add and you want to feel proud, but taking a reality check , you just feel demotivated.
In all fairness to supersport, they trying to get the nation pumped up for RWC 2011. But its not an add that will motivate Bok supporters to keep supporting the Boks. The players need to step up to the plate on the field and show their supporters that they really can defend their title at the WC. This is not happening, and another loss this weekend, could mean breaking point for many a die hard Bok fan, and lose complete interest.
We can blame the coach, the management, the refs, but the fact of the matter is, every Springbok player is there because they are professionals, and in the side because they deserved, and earned their spot. So they should start playing like that. They need to start taking responsibility, and not blame game plans or whatever the case is. Just go out there and do the basics right. Make your first time tackles, support the ball carrier, and keep the continuity going, string phases together and look after the possession. Do not kick unnecessary ball away!
I know, easier said than done, but that is basically the basics of rugby. It is not rocket science. You do not need a impressive game plan to do these things. The current game plan may be flawed, but remember it takes accurate execution to make it work. Anyway point being, the Boks must win, or they will have a very small following of hopeful believers that they actually can defend their RWC title.
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