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, 15:00 pm
KEO…
you say you read everything on here… can you ryan or jon find out from the camp who took over the captaincy and who made the call to take the lineout…?
would be much appreciated…
12 Sep 2011, 15:01 pm
@Ethel(Ethel)-397: you have to love how SOME politics is seen as acceptable here.
12 Sep 2011, 15:02 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-402: Hi Transie, do you know the name of the stats site ?
12 Sep 2011, 15:03 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-400: bwahahahahaha blame the kiwis
12 Sep 2011, 15:03 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-395: Hi Stormersboy, I am well thanks, just returned from a holiday in South East Asia.
How are you?
I am very worried about those inside channels and the momentum we allow the opposition.
You can have the best defensive system in the world (and I really think our general defense is outstanding compared to last year), but if you struggle in the inside channel on phase one you will have a lot of difficulties in stifling opposition momentum on more mature phases.
And to expect guys like Brussow to make 20+ tackles every game is wishful thinking. The body will break down sooner rather than later.
12 Sep 2011, 15:04 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-403: no sweety, bryce_in_oz is the stats guru
12 Sep 2011, 15:05 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-402:
Ne. Ek sal dit dan vluit. Hmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
12 Sep 2011, 15:06 pm
@willievz(willievz)-405: you must’ve been smiling ear to ear
seeing jamie roberts in full flight battering the poo out of morne.
12 Sep 2011, 15:06 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-406: thankyou
12 Sep 2011, 15:06 pm
lol poor malema! not!
12 Sep 2011, 15:10 pm
@24_years_new_zeeland_looking_for_web_ellis_where_the_f_is_web_ellis(p0ppa69)-410:
Ag vooitog siestog shame.
12 Sep 2011, 15:12 pm
Wat het Malema en Pieter De Villiers in gemeen?
Altwee is belaglik.
12 Sep 2011, 15:12 pm
but Ethal it won’t stop the ANCYL … they sang the song outside the courtroom after the judgement
12 Sep 2011, 15:16 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl(Brigadier Van Zyl)-375: Out of the current crop of boks I’d not entrust to play expansively, and if you do at the WC they won’t make it out if the pool.
12 Sep 2011, 15:17 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-408:
To be fair, Transie, that was Jamie Roberts!
If we picked Barry “SBW killer” Geel, it would have been a different story
12 Sep 2011, 15:20 pm
@ufo(ufo)-401: It was Fourie du Preez
12 Sep 2011, 15:21 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-380: Chap iya ku-265.
12 Sep 2011, 15:21 pm
@TheBoksAreBack(bringbacktheboks)-416:
can you CONFIRM that…?
I see mark lawrence has just retired from reffing…?
damn pity… he was a good ref…!!
12 Sep 2011, 15:23 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-398:
Try http://www.ruggastats.com
12 Sep 2011, 15:26 pm
vluit is FLUIT
vooitog is FOEITOG
Moenie my ma se taal so opvok nie.
12 Sep 2011, 15:27 pm
@willievz(willievz)-405: I’m good thanks. Hope you had a good break!
I agree with you on the inside channel problem. This was a big issue at the PE test too, in spite of us winning. Thankfully our scramble defence was able to close dowm most of the attacks, but as you say, it’s the momentum that it creates that is of grave concern.
For me, the poor form of FDP, alomg with the MIA Spies factor is a major contributor in this area. Morne isn;’ an “offensive” tackler, but he makes his share of tackles, but the worry as I’ve said is the fact that these guys are attacking that area almost at will.
What are your thoughts on Pierre and FDP?
12 Sep 2011, 15:29 pm
@ufo(ufo)-418:
It was Schalk.
12 Sep 2011, 15:33 pm
@nama1(nama1)-420:
12 Sep 2011, 15:36 pm
@UFO
Naka was certain that it was Schalk who took over the captaincy when the question was posed to a panel consisting of him, Hennie le Roux and Lawrence Sephaka on a rugby show on SABC last night.
12 Sep 2011, 15:39 pm
@nama1(nama1)-422:
can you confirm that bud…?
seriously… not trying to argue just would like to know for fact… can anyone quote PdV, or Schalk or FdP or whoever IN THE TEAM and say “they said so-and-so took over the captaincy…”
thanks
12 Sep 2011, 15:40 pm
@nama1(nama1)-424:
cool… thanks Nama…
sorry didn’t see your post when I posted mine previous one…
12 Sep 2011, 15:40 pm
@nama1(nama1)-420: spelling nazi
12 Sep 2011, 15:40 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-265: why would they play an open game against those pacific nations? that is stupid, we’re not Wales.
as for Plan B, Plan A is to keep ball-in-hand – like we did in the first few minutes of yesterday’s game, who do you think skip passed past the centres to find the fransie who barged over shane & hook? – and go wide when you’ve earned it,
Plan B is the skop ‘n jag gameplan, happy?
12 Sep 2011, 15:41 pm
@ufo(ufo)-425: i heard the commentator, MPierce? say that Schalk is taking over the captaincy, maybe he heard the ref say something?
12 Sep 2011, 15:43 pm
@willievz(willievz)-415: ja ek weet,
juan de jongh handled roberts with aplomb in cardiff last year though, i reckon ATTITUDE and technique are also lacking with morne.
12 Sep 2011, 15:43 pm
and so…
schalk’s brave decision to go for the line out… which lead to the game winning try and conversion…
is not an exhibition of
leadership…
accessing the game situation…
self-belief and
trusting the players around you to deliver…??
but let’s drop the guy because he’s not a good captain…???
12 Sep 2011, 15:44 pm
@BuckT(BuckTrendy)-429:
thanks Trendy…
12 Sep 2011, 15:44 pm
@UFO
Naka was certain that it was Schalk who took over the captaincy when the question was posed to a panel consisting of him, Hennie le Roux and Lawrence Sephaka on a rugby show on SABC last night.
I thought maybe he had some inside info from the Cheetah player over there.
12 Sep 2011, 15:44 pm
@nama1(nama1)-420:
opvok is OPFOK
Moenie my pa se taal so opfok nie.
12 Sep 2011, 15:45 pm
@nama1(nama1)-419: thanks, was the first place i looked and got nothing, or else i am not using it properly which is a possibility.
12 Sep 2011, 15:45 pm
@nama1(nama1)-424: so what you say now lama nama?
is there place and space for the zeffer now? yes!
12 Sep 2011, 15:46 pm
as the only captain of a s15 side still on the field i would’ve thought he’d be given the reins…
12 Sep 2011, 15:47 pm
i think after that performance it’s time to panic. If Wales beat Samoa and we lose to Samoa without a bonus point, we could still finish 3rd in the pool, obviously depending on how the other matches go. Losing from now on in is not an option and sanity must prevail!
12 Sep 2011, 15:48 pm
So tell me if I’m going bonkers when I read this and interpret it as thought the Boks lost heavily:
‘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.”
If that was so then we should have been given a hiding to nothing. What Wales did was not extraordinary or outstanding they just did what was needed to try and outbattle the Bokke, target their weakest channel with their strongest runner, keep hold of possession (by however means possible) and play the game in the Bokke half. What did it get them, 1 try. No don’t come and tell me that had it not been for the kicks Wales would have won because in my opinion Barnes kept them on the front foot with some of his interpretations of the breakdown.
If there is anything we need to learn as a nation its that the old Calvinist thought process which suggests that the way I interpret things is right even if the ref thinks another way does not work on a rugby field. We have to learn that the ref is the “law” on the field of play and no matter how much you think you are justified in your interpretation of the rules you have to live by his rules on the field of play. We were giving Wales 1,5 to 2 metres at every ruck by being right behind the last mans feet when Wales were in line with the legs or bodies. Why did we not cotton onto it?
12 Sep 2011, 15:50 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-439: And you have to try and influence how he interprets the rules as well.
12 Sep 2011, 15:51 pm
@ufo(ufo)-399:
Bear with them,
Maybe they can’t count, let alone scribble the stats on the go as watching
Or
Might be it’s just a campaign to get Chili to play?
12 Sep 2011, 15:51 pm
FDP not nearly as bad as everyone makes out. semi decent in fact.
he took alot of ddogy balls from the forwards. other players/ 9′s would’ve been caught in posession. or knocked it. was there at base of scrum when needed. generally he had no kakker game than any of the other boks.
12 Sep 2011, 15:51 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-439:
It was frustrating – I found myself shouting many a time “where’s the bloody support!” as one of our players managed to cross the advantage line in contact, only to be faced with three or four Welsh ruck attendants and being driven back as they tried to place the ball.
12 Sep 2011, 15:54 pm
this welsh team also beat england two three weeks earlier
12 Sep 2011, 15:55 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-421:
In many ways, a scrumhalf is only as good as the quality of ruck ball in front of him.
And we did struggle to obtain and protect quick ruck ball on the offense due to the spoiling strategies of the Welsh.
I actually thought FDP was ok on Sunday, but we will always judge him against what he has done before, and therefore a 70% performance will not cut the mustart for a Bok supporter.
He is still a better bet than either Pienaar or Hougaard, IMO – not only as an individual in the position, but also as a player who installs confidence around him.
I have always been concerned about Spies, but to be brutally honest I think he is our best bet at current. His man-on-man defense is suspect, but he has always been good at assisting the tackle, but we should certainly expect more from him on the cover defense. Alberts will not have the same impact in the starting 15 than he does from the bench (and the same goes for Hougaard). Alberts, from the bench, can win us this WC.
12 Sep 2011, 15:56 pm
at least it’s not this bad!
Springbok squad for World Cup
2003-08-30 18:27
line
Pretoraia – The 30-man Springbok rugby squad announced by coach Rudolf Straeuli for the 2003 Rugby World Cup in Australia starting in October:
Springbok squad:
Backs: De Wet Barry (Western Province), Gcobani Bobo (Lions), Thinus Delport (Falcons), Neil de Kock (Western Province), Jaque Fourie (Lions), Werner Greeff (Western Province), Derick Hougaard (Bulls), Louis Koen (Lions), Ricardo Loubscher (Sharks), Jorrie Muller (Lions), Breyton Paulse (Western Province), Stefan Terblanche (Sharks), Joost van der Westhuizen (Bulls), Ashwin Willemse (Lions).
Forwards: Richard Bands (Bulls), Christo Bezuidenhout (Pumas), Selborne Boome (Western Province), Bakkies Botha (Bulls), Schalk Burger (Western Province), Danie Coetzee (Bulls), Corne Krige (Western Province, captain), Victor Matfield (Bulls), Faan Rautenbach (Western Province), Danie Rossouw (Bulls), Dale Santon (SWD Eagles), Hendro Scholtz (Free State Cheetahs), Juan Smith (Free State Cheetahs), John Smit (Sharks), Lawrence Sephaka (Lions) and Joe van Niekerk (Lions).
Springbok World Cup Management
Head Coach: Rudolf Straeuli
Manager: Gideon Sam
Assistant coaches: Rudi Joubert, Ray Mordt and Gert Smal.
Conditioning coach: Kevin Stevenson Support staff
Logistics Manager: Mac Hendricks
Communications Manager: Mark Keohane
Baggage Master: Philip Malakoane
Medical staff team doctor: Dr Uli Schmidt
Physiotherapists: Matime Diali and Clint Readhead.
12 Sep 2011, 15:59 pm
@shooter(shooter)-442: FdP was rubbish in PE and now yesterday…can’t keep shielding him mate
12 Sep 2011, 16:00 pm
@trupisero(trupisero)-427:
;:lol:
Well, if Tackler/ET can do it for English, I can do it for Afrikaans.
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-434:
Hahahaha.
Jy spreek die V-klank uit as ‘n F-klank in sommige woorde in Afrikaans. Ander voorbeeld sal wees Vrou instede van Frou.
So VOK is ook aanvaarbaar.
12 Sep 2011, 16:00 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-434:
Slim Jan is toe nie so slim nie.
12 Sep 2011, 16:03 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-428: You cannot veer away from your tried and test game plan A for a non-existent plan B purely because you got a lucky try through ball in hand that would truly be the height of insanity. Only the boks know what has made them favourite’s for the cup, when they whisper they’ll tell you the truth, we don’t have any business whatsoever passing the ball down the backline, if you’ve observed us over 4 years have you ever seen us display a structure move or a twitch of flair, no we don’t do that. Speak to the Aura he’ll tell you, he was as surprised as you were, transie, were when the boks scored two tries, it was frightening for the boks!
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