Back Bismarck, axe Morne
12 Sep 2011
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly Business Day column, says the Springboks have to change who starts and how they play if they want to defend their World Cup title.
Forget the old cliché that this was a character builder for the Boks. This team of champions has enough character and they’ve been through enough scraps in the last eight years to never want to endure another 80 minutes like Sunday’s in Wellington.
The Springboks don’t need more exposure to character-building situations in this World Cup and the head-coaching trio, out of their depth for the last four years, surely don’t need another match to know that the best XV has to start every game in this tournament and that includes Bismarck du Plessis at hooker and excludes Morne Steyn at flyhalf.
The Welsh goal-kicking implosion in the last few minutes means there can be calm in the Bok camp and not the hysteria that would have followed defeat.
There can be perspective and not national persecution. There can be reflection and not condemnation.
Wales flyhalf Rhys Priestland missed a drop goal from smack bang in front with five minutes to play and fullback James Hook fluffed the chance to win the match with an angled 35m penalty three minutes from the end. Had either of those two kicks gone over the mood in the Bok camp and the emotion among the South African rugby public would have been a lot different than it is this morning.
I keep on writing about the honesty needed within our rugby and within the Bok squad. It has never been more appropriate than this morning. Forget patriotism for a moment and focus on pragmatism. The patriotism at this tournament belongs to New Zealand. The Boks need something more tangible to defend the title won four years ago.
The Boks remain one of three teams who can win this tournament. Australia put down the biggest marker in the first weekend and New Zealand’s home ground advantage remains their biggest asset because they are limited as a team and the great among them merely balance out the many mediocre All Blacks playing for a first World Cup win in 24 years.
But for the Boks to move on from the Houdini escape in Wellington there has to be an acknowledgement of what works and what doesn’t. There has to be criticism from within that is not interpreted as a negative but rather is applauded as a positive. To win here the Boks have to change who starts and how they play. Wales gave every South African the most timely reminder that what worked in 2007 won’t be good enough to beat one of Australia or New Zealand in a play-off.
The Boks next nervous 80 minutes will be a probable quarter-final against Ireland and the examination will be as demanding as those questions asked by the Welsh.
Samoa, in the pool match-up, won’t challenge the Boks because they don’t have the game or the composure to win ugly against a side as experienced or powerful as South Africa.
Wales were outstanding. Let’s start there. Welsh coach Warren Gatland tactically got everything right against the Boks. They kept the ball, kept it close, used the powerful Jamie Roberts to run at Morne Steyn all match and played the field percentages almost to perfection.
Welsh captain and specialist fetcher Sam Warburton was colossal. He played with the precision and irritation of a young Richie McCaw and starved the Boks of ball. He deserved to lead a historic triumph in Wellington.
Wales had 60% of territory and possession, conceded just five penalties – only one of them kickable – and poached three South African lineouts.
Yet they still lost because it is not in their DNA to beat the Springboks, and when the biggest moments of the game came their players did not have the nerve, the conviction and the courage in decision making to win it. Wales were in unfamiliar territory against the Boks and the match they talked of all week they couldn’t quite play out according to script.
Aside from Australia – and possibly New Zealand – this Welsh effort would have beaten every team at this tournament, but that will be small comfort to Gatland and Warburton.
The Boks, beaten on the ground, in the air, in the tackle and in the collision, were never beaten in their minds – and the belief that they could conjure up seven points, almost at will, never deserted them.
The opening try to the impressive Frans Steyn was vintage Boks, but what proved to be the match winner from Francois Hougaard in the 65th minute showed the qualities of a champion who has been there before and delivered.
South Africa always had the one punch to strike from anywhere that was more threatening than the collective build-up of so many impressive Welsh attacks.
Bismarck du Plessis was monumental in the final quarter, Hougaard was inspirational and Willem Alberts was destructive. Not so those they replaced.
598 Comments
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12 Sep 2011, 11:17 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-132:
Burger
FdP
JS
Spies
Habana
All suffer from the same disease its called hero worshiptinitis or jakewhiteblueeyedfckingidiocy
Problem is NONE of them are effective but still everyone’s go to man for every occasion
12 Sep 2011, 11:18 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-149:
Everyone forgot he was in the game…
12 Sep 2011, 11:18 am
@bokgat1(bokgat1)-134: the “AURA” still works from the bench.
12 Sep 2011, 11:19 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-151:
White is right.
12 Sep 2011, 11:19 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-143: Keo is a columnist and supposedly a rugby student along with his other slaves… and look how kak they are predicting/rating/analysing any thing.. unless Foreign makes others better.. in which case take my opinion as being better then. I think that burger as too little brains to be effective
Remember: My opinion counts. I live in the UK
12 Sep 2011, 11:20 am
Spies is a waste of place, to think SA have a talent like Alberts on the bench. If anything Spies should be coming on for Alberts late in games, not the other way around. Burger was pretty good for his first game back, about the only consistent ball-carrier the Boks had until Alberts/Bismarck came on.
12 Sep 2011, 11:20 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-137: I said Alberts battled with his controll of the ball in scrums , the rest he was great.
His impact was more than that of Spies , but he played with Bizzy and Muller and Gurthro and their impact was also much more than Vic,Smit and Beast
12 Sep 2011, 11:21 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-151: Burger and FdP not “effective”?
Come now.
12 Sep 2011, 11:21 am
How good is our reserve hooker………and how kak is our 8th-man ?????
12 Sep 2011, 11:21 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-140: I just watched one of the clips. Damn!!! That guy is a Monster!
12 Sep 2011, 11:22 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-156: I reckon Burger made 2m on gain line the whole match.
Bizzy made at least 30m
12 Sep 2011, 11:22 am
@John Galt(John Galt)-138:
so long as our front 5 have off days I don’t see our 8 having as much impact.
remember that alberts came on with bismark and guthro who both had huge impact at the collisions.
Alberts is basically an extra tight forward so probably a better bet to start so long as our front starting 5 aren’t doing their work properly.
Butch would have got carded trying to recklessly coat hanger Roberts on the crash ball. I don’t believe any single player would have stopped Roberts dead yesterday. In fact, I bet you see teams gang tackling him in the coming games.
12 Sep 2011, 11:23 am
@Sean(seanbokpool)-159: Our reserve hooker puts in more work, and is more mobile than our 8th man.
Goodness Pierre Spies was utter rubbish yesterday.
12 Sep 2011, 11:23 am
Is it just me or do the Boks look like the most unfit side in the history of the game?
20 mins in and the okes are red lining and huffing an puffing like theyve just run a marathon.
Kitch Christie always said of the 95 WC winners that they definitely weren’t the best side there but they made sure they were the fittest.
I’d like to see this Bok side have to go into extra time and try and win from there.
Heart attack city.
12 Sep 2011, 11:23 am
It’s ludicrous to state that Morne Steyn should be fired from 10. Convincing bok rugby starts in the forwards and ends at no. 10. Without an accurate kicking flyhalf on still ball and out hand then the boks are dead in the water. Morne Steyn was crazy to run the ball, he knows that he stands to deep which applies pressure on jdv and jf, and those two are no SBW, Nonu, Conrad smith, or kahui.
Boks must stick to kick and chase, if not they’ve no chance of defending the cup, never!!!!
12 Sep 2011, 11:24 am
Keo put some stats to support all the emotion around players.
Why did Burger not stop the Welsh centre running onto Morne ?
Surley that channel gets defended by a loosie
12 Sep 2011, 11:24 am
@youknowwho(youknowwho)-155:
Everyone is entitled to their opinion. Just don’t repeat it every five seconds or you’re gonna get abuse.
12 Sep 2011, 11:26 am
@John Galt(John Galt)-164: You’re 100% right. The Boks looked knacked yesterday. Their match was the last one of the weekend and they looked so jet lagged and tired.
12 Sep 2011, 11:26 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-152:
it’s true though isn’t it…with beast playing kak, smit being average, jannie not doing a lot, roussow doing his best and matfield carrying an injury….why the frikken hell is everyone lambasting our 8,9 and 10? The ones who’s games are directly effected by the performance of numbers 1-5?
just frikken stupid really?
12 Sep 2011, 11:27 am
Best players this weekend, rated from best to worse:
1 – F Steyn
2 – F Hougaard
3 – S Burger
4 – J Fourie
5 – J Muller
6 – D Russouw
7 – B du Plessis
8 – B Habana
9 – W Alberts
10 – M Steyn
11 – J Smit
12 – J d Plessis
13 – P Spies
14 – J de Villiers
15 – JPP
16 – Beast
17 – Butch
18 – FDP
12 Sep 2011, 11:27 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-162: That is something none of these guys understand.
If Burger defended like atrojan why did he not stop Robberts, where was Butch ? Robberst was his opponent
12 Sep 2011, 11:27 am
@Helen(Helen)-170:
sorry, and Brussouw fits in at a solid 8
12 Sep 2011, 11:28 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-167: Fairplay… watch yourself now
12 Sep 2011, 11:28 am
@Helen(Helen)-170: Steyn messed up right on our goal line
12 Sep 2011, 11:29 am
I agree on Spies not having a good game, but you are all forgetting one crucial facet of play (where Spies is actually very good): LINEOUTS. How do you guys think will we get ball from the back of the lineout if Burger, Alberts and Brussow is the combination. Especially if Matfield is not there. I would definitely have started with Burger/ Alberts, Smith and Brussow if Smith was available, but you have to have either Spies or Smith or Rossouw in you loose trio combination. Another one I would have looked at is Elstadt at 7, but this is for the future.
12 Sep 2011, 11:29 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-169:
FDP didn’t struggle in set phases. It was in broken play that he was terrible! That is hardly something you can blame the tight 5 for
12 Sep 2011, 11:29 am
Bissy 1
Hougie 2
Grthro 3
Alberts 4
Rest was not good
12 Sep 2011, 11:29 am
And there you go again Keo, focusing on Morne. If Morne played for Wales they would have won the game!
In the first few minutes the Bok forwards where clinical and dominant and Morne got his backline going with a strong and easy try by Frans. Thereafter the forwards where thoroughly outplayed and how any one who understand the game can single out Morne for the pathetic struggle is beyond me.
During the last few years the `picture in my mind` of Captain John Smit is a player missing tackles gasping for air and in almost every super 14 / 15 and test game that he captained, he left the field with his team behind on points where the vice-captain and bench players had to `pull the game out of defeat`.
Sunday’s game was again no different than what has become so evident. The Bokke are badly coached and our Springbok Captain has become and embarrassment.
Dawie De Villiers was one of the best Captains SA had winning the home series against New Zealand in 1970. John Smit was one of the best Captains SA had up to about 2009. He will be remembered for that!
12 Sep 2011, 11:29 am
Habanna at 8 and Bizmark at 7? Which game were you watching.
Spies and Morne above Butch?
Worst rating ever.
12 Sep 2011, 11:29 am
John Galt: I agree with you, the guys seem to not be in great physical shape. John Mitchell mentioned the same thing last night.
12 Sep 2011, 11:30 am
testing?
12 Sep 2011, 11:30 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-148:
12 Sep 2011, 11:30 am
Do yourselve a favour…
compare the 2007 form to the 2011 form…
Steyn – gone backwards….
Habs – ya well no fine, he is now just a ordinary wing… very ordinary…..
JdV – he has gone slowpo….
Mossie – he has gone average…
Petersen – does he still want to play?
FdP – he is now on current form a liability
Barney – a shaddo (all be it a big one) of the players he was then.
Vic – imo same form player he was.
Bakkies – father time caught up top him as well.
Schalla – he has gone average…
Danie – ya well i think i said enough about him…
and we still think we can win this tourny?
12 Sep 2011, 11:31 am
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-160: This is the best clip: All the other clips contained in this one.
Got to laugh – its hosted by the Georgian Rugby Union – they’ve included his fights!
Anyway outtahere.
12 Sep 2011, 11:31 am
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-156:
Good post.
Agree. Spies should be on bench and play last 30 mins.
12 Sep 2011, 11:31 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-184: forgot the clip http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBPe-QvwD7g
12 Sep 2011, 11:32 am
shaddow
12 Sep 2011, 11:32 am
WTFF. I’ve posted the same comment thrice now, and it has simply failed to appear. Who is running this show? Sort it out.
12 Sep 2011, 11:35 am
wtf helen …
Habana was rubbish! and Danie missed like 10 tackles! also Muller above Bissie? and John Smith so high? did you nagmaal before the game?
12 Sep 2011, 11:35 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-140: Looks dangerous. Shame he’s not in Pool C against the ponses. Enland may have to do. Thanks for that!
12 Sep 2011, 11:36 am
@Helen(Helen)-176: can not agree with you our worst part was rucks and mauls , we did not defend any of those , if you don’t dominate those , you take out your scrummy and the loosies.
Brussouw had 1 turn over , Burger 0 the whole game
12 Sep 2011, 11:36 am
@Helen(Helen)-170: Frans Steyn at 1?? I would have Brussouw at one but then again FS gets rated on a different scale.. Scoring low on the Fkup scale is not the same as scoring high on the performance scale but it is linked to the improvement scale.
I give Frans Steyn 3/10 on the fkup scale and 6/10 on the improvement scale
On general performance, I would give him a 5/10 with 7/10 being the best bok performance.
12 Sep 2011, 11:37 am
@Staal(Staal)-187: there are a few younsters coming through for the next time
12 Sep 2011, 11:38 am
I wonder if Helen still thinks that Spies is gods gift to rugby and the perfect 8th man …
I am having a good laugh …
12 Sep 2011, 11:39 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-169:
It’s idiotskies like Timotei shampoo that think thay have a clue and claim to know exactly which solitary player is wholly responsible for bringing down ALL fifteen players, that soil this blog with their uninformed rugby ignorance.
Brussouw spent the entire game defending when he should have been competing. Why? Well because our forwards are going backwards and missing tackles. Burger was influencial and even Jannie had an impact in the scrum. His opposite number was not having a grat day at the office.
Matfield should not have played at all as he was clearly carrying an injury. The affirmative coach just does not have the foresight to see that some his replacements are better than most of the first choice players.
12 Sep 2011, 11:39 am
Can’t argue with what you guys are saying.
If I give it some more thought, I’d possible change my ratings a bit.
Steyn deserves top honours for what he did in the first 19 minutes. Unbelievable!
Those first few minutes was the way we can play. Even if we have 3 or 4 such periods in the game and then defend like demons, we’ll be good enough.
12 Sep 2011, 11:40 am
JPP decided on Saturday that he was going to cruise along with the rest of the C unts in the team. It seemingly improves your longevity, bearing in mind that Smit is Captain and role model
12 Sep 2011, 11:40 am
@dr dre(dr dre)-194: Forget spies we all agreed was was’nt good.
Tell me why did we only get 1 turnover the whole game ?
12 Sep 2011, 11:40 am
one point: the article mentioned how if Wales had got their drop goal or penatly over, the mood would be different… is this not THE reason to keep Morne Steyn in the team? i’m not his biggest fan by any stretch, but that just highlighted the need for a reliable kicker in this tournament.
12 Sep 2011, 11:40 am
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-119:
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