Bok mistakes will fan Fijian flame
14 Sep 2011
Victor Matfield says the Springboks need to deliver a more accurate kicking performance and has also identified the breakdown and defence as game-shaping areas.
A number of players in the incumbent squad were involved in the Boks’ 2007 clash with Fiji, and so the team is well aware of what can and will happen if you take the Pacific islanders for granted.
After a superlative showing in an unforgettable pool clash with Wales, Fiji advanced to the quarter-finals and very nearly caught the complacent Boks napping. It took all of the Boks’ experience and resolve to turn the game around in the second half, and the coaches and players remarked later that they would take a strong lesson from that match.
Bok front-rankers Gurthro Steenkamp and Bismarck du Plessis said on Tuesday that the 2007 quarter-final had been discussed at length in the build up to this weekend’s meeting with Sam Domoni’s side. Fiji are coming off a strong win against Namibia, while the Boks have much to prove after their shaky start against Wales.
The Boks scrambled well on defence, but afforded the Welsh too much momentum in the flyhalf channel through poor first-time tackling. They were also guilty of committing insufficient numbers to the ruck, and this allowed the Welsh to flood the breakdown and inhibit their attack. Wales openside flank Sam Warburton was later named Man of the Match for his part in the stalling of the Boks’ attacking momentum.
Matfield believes that Fiji are a more dangerous attacking unit than the Welsh, and more likely to convert turnovers and wayward tactical punts into points. The Bok vice-captain won’t feature in Saturday’s game but said that the team has decided to keep it tight and place an emphasis on accuracy.
‘The Welsh are a team that can really put you under pressure, they’re really good at keeping the ball,’ Matfield said. ‘But they’re probably not as much of a threat on attack as the Fijians.
‘If you concede a turnover, it only takes one, two passes and then they have the runners to finish. The Welsh have good structures, but they don’t have the individuals of Fiji. From the kicking game and from turnovers, you really have to be on your game from a defensive perspective.’
Vereniki Goneva scored four tries against Namibia, but is not the sole threat in the Fijian backline. The islanders enjoy a loose contest, and if the Boks fail to dominate the forward exchanges and implement their kick-chase strategy accurately, the Fiji backs will be in business. In a scrappy contest, Fiji’s athletic forwards are also capable of beating opposition defenders through an explosive burst of acceleration.
The Boks have committed to the game plan that brought them success in 2007 and 2009. For that game plan to be effective, the tactical kicks will need to be accurate and well chased, and the ball retention will have to be far better than it was against Wales.
The first-time tackling also requires improvement, as Fiji won’t need a second invitation to score. Wales had 61% of possession and had several chances, but just lacked the precision to finish.
‘We need to play a tactical game, but we need to be accurate,’ reiterated Matfield. ‘If we kick badly or give them opportunities in our own half, they’re going to be hard to keep out.’
By Jon Cardinelli in Wellington
94 Comments
Pages: « 1 [2] Show All
14 Sep 2011, 11:33 am
turns out neither the boks on the field nor the coaches in the box knew who was the captain after smit went off.
http://www.iol.co.za/sport/rugby/it-needn-t-be-smit-at-the-helm-1.1136477
does this mean the theory of many leaders was in fact better demonstrated as a consequence of this? and if so, does it strengthen or weaken john smits inclusion?
personalyy i think it means he’s there for his playing ability as much as his leadership.
14 Sep 2011, 11:35 am
@pierre(pierre)-45: No. You only need to maintain a superior win/loss record aainst allcomers anywhere and you’re indubitably the best in the world — #1 ranked by IRB.
14 Sep 2011, 12:06 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-52:
until the day an ‘indubitably’ deemed #1 ranked, best in the world team can dazzle us with a super funky cool, superior win/loss record in the ‘one and only’ big show in town…then i’m afrain they’ll just be ‘worlds best team (as of now) and greatest *******’…to ever play the game…
you said it yourself tackles, its the win/loss record against allcomers…old chap…
and we know how that one’s looking for the ‘worlds best team’ at the world cup.
14 Sep 2011, 12:58 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-42:
Hahaha got it first time!
14 Sep 2011, 13:16 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-52:
Thats not how the IRB rankings work. Historical win/loss record does not guarantee anything.
The historical games count less as time passes until they count nothing
The WC games count double (as if they are 2 games)
So at the end of the 2007 WC SA was ranked no 1 by the IRB despite having a significant losing record to NZ.
14 Sep 2011, 13:32 pm
So Bakkies will start on Saturday!
14 Sep 2011, 13:40 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-52: Ah, okay. So the All Blacks’ 20-year failure to win a world title is not an issue for most New Zealanders, then. They’re not hassled by it at all, because they know that they are the most consistent team in the world when the chips aren’t down. So Webb Ellis be damned, right? Successful coaches aren’t sacked for failing to bring the World Cup home. Referees are not excoriated in the New Zealand press, and paranoid conspiracy theories are not fabricated to excuse the All Blacks failure – because, after all, who cares? Like a couple that’s been living together so long that they don’t see any point in getting married, the All Blacks have been the “Best team in the World” for so long that they don’t see any need to make their status official with something as insignificant as a world title.
Thanks for clearing that up.
14 Sep 2011, 13:44 pm
Whoops, I left out an apostrophe there (“…excuse the All Blacks’ failure…”). I’m pointing this out before Tackles the Grammarian takes me to task.
14 Sep 2011, 13:46 pm
Bakkies Botha is so sterk, hy kan ‘n bladsy uit facebook uit skeur
>
> Bakkies Botha bel nie die verkeerde nommer nie, jy antwoord die verkeerde foon
>
> Bakkies Botha has already been to Mars; that’s why there are no signs of
> life.
>
> Bakkies Botha doesn’t flush the toilet, he scares the sh*t out of it
>
> Bakkies Botha can strangle you with a cordless phone.
>
> Death once had a near-Bakkies Botha experience
>
> Bakkies Botha can slam a revolving door.
>
> Bakkies Botha doesn’t need a GPS. Bakkies Botha decides where he is.
>
> The sheep on Bakkies Botha’ farm are the ones that give us steel wool.
>
> Bakkies Botha will never have a heart attack. His heart isn’t nearly foolish
> enough to attack him.
>
> Bakkies Botha can speak Braille.
>
> When Bakkies Botha throws a boomerang it doesn’t dare come back
>
> Bakkies Botha does not ****, nothing escapes Bakkies Botha
>
> Some kids pee their name in snow. Bakkies Botha pees his name in concrete.
>
> Bakkies Botha can tweet from a pay phone
>
> Toe Alexander Graham Bell die foon ontwerp het, was daar reeds 3 missed calls
> van Bakkies Botha af
>
> The Vredefort dome was not created by a meteorite, Bakkies Botha decided to put
> his foot down
>
> Die enigste tyd wat Bakkies rustig raak is as Riaan die nuus lees om 7
>
> Wanneer Bakkies melk op sy rice crispies gooi, bly hulle tjoep f*kken stil
>
> Die eerste ding wat Bakkies doen wanneer hy by die see aankom, is om twee
> lengtes te swem
14 Sep 2011, 13:47 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-56: Justice for Bakkies!!
14 Sep 2011, 13:48 pm
Bakkies moer die Newlands NZ supporters so hard, hulle vote AWB!
14 Sep 2011, 13:49 pm
testing, testing…
14 Sep 2011, 13:51 pm
Will the All Blacks by alright once Carter and McCaw retires?
14 Sep 2011, 14:22 pm
@conan wishes he was a springbok #4 locks girlfriend…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-53:
” ‘worlds best team (as of now) and greatest *******’…to ever play the game”
=
“‘worlds best team (as of now) and greatest chok ers …to ever play the game”
14 Sep 2011, 14:27 pm
@Boo_Habana(suffer_guy)-59:
nice…
14 Sep 2011, 14:51 pm
Sasuke: good question, I think they’ll be able to find a replacement for Carter quicker than McCaw. There’s slade and cruden who’ll via for the no. 10 spot but it’ll take them sometime before they are anywhere near Carter. McCaw’s replacement is an issue there’s obviously Todd and Luke Braid, one thing to do well at super level but to match McCaw’s every facet of play and workrate at test level with his influence is just another thing. The good thing is that read and kaino will still be there after McCaw.
14 Sep 2011, 14:54 pm
Todd is looking like the most likely prospect to replace Richie.
14 Sep 2011, 15:11 pm
Todd has decent aspects to his game, he’ll need to build his ball carrying and attack linking role, to be an attractive prospect to the ABs.
14 Sep 2011, 16:16 pm
Having seen Samoa and Canada play they’re tactics and skill levels seem far higher than the Boks. These so-called developing nations are getting stronger and we need to watch out.
I don’t mean to be negative or a prophet of doom but unless things change dramatically in the next match I can see us going home on the same plane as Namibia. Fiji could well tear us a new one and Samoa are a very dangerous prospect.
I do not understand why PdV must persist with Morne Steyn. With Frans Steyn we have a reliable goal-kicker so we should be picking Lambie at 10. He offers us far more attacking ability than MS. Also Spies must be benched for Alberts. He is pretty useless. The biggest disappointment I have ever known.
Also I cannot believe PdV did not bring adequate lock cover. Who is going to cover Muller? Heard nothing about Mostert being called up. This is a disaster. Pdv’s decision makes no logical sense whatsoever. They never yield any results. It is almost as if they are deliberate attempts to destroy the Boks. That is the only logical explanation I come up with to explain the stream of shocking decisions that has characterised his entire tenure.
Had we a decent coach we would’ve had a good chance of defending our title but with PdV and Smit at the helm our chances are diminishing every day. Under PdV we have gone from mediocre to plain diabolical and we seem to be getting worse and worse with every match. I just hope I am proven wrong.
14 Sep 2011, 17:13 pm
@Samba Bok – Your not alone buddy.. I feel we could be on hiding to none and will be back to Africa with Namibia. If anything Figi and Samoa could qualify going on what we saw on Sunday, and PDV still not changing his lineup – Hopefully we do get hiding so we can get home quickly and start re building the Bok team. Its unbelievable we have to go through this. Any decent coach and we would have stood a chance in defendinf the trophy as we have bags of talent and the problem is that most of the bags have been left to play in the curry cup… how ridiculous is that. Smit needs to be the bigger man and say enoughs enough and inspire the team from the touch line. His not good enough to play test rugby and Im sure he knows that.
14 Sep 2011, 17:26 pm
My Team to play Fiji
1.Guthro 2.Bismark 3.Jannie 4.Rossouw 5.Muller 6.Brussow 7.Burger 8.Alberts
9.Du Preez 10.Morne 11.Hougaard 12.F.Steyn 13.Fourie 14.Aplon 15.Lambie
16.Chilli 17.Beast 18.CJ 19.Louw 20.Spies 21.Butch 22.Habana
14 Sep 2011, 17:29 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-66:
Nah dont so…Carter more imperative.
If the AB’s settle on a properly balance loose trio they can get away with not having Richie as fulcrum of strategy.But they need a genuine openside-Todd,Braid,Cane…Read has been earmarked as captain for a long time..Natural successor
Carter is MILES ahead of Slade & Cruden.Both the latter cant even control clubs games let alone Test rugby.Both are avg goal kickers as well.
No chance
14 Sep 2011, 17:36 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-71:
I agree with that team, except I’d swap Burger and Alberts around. 8 gives Schalk a more roving role as a defender off the back of the scrum and lineout.
14 Sep 2011, 17:38 pm
@rabooby(rabooby)-70: I think we will beat Fiji pretty easily. Despite not being a fan of M. Steyn I would play him against Fiji because we can dominate them in the forwards and he could kick us to a comfortable win. Samoa is a whole different story though and I think we are in real danger of losing against them. I would not play Morne in that game as kicking penalties will not be enough against a backline as big as most forward packs.
14 Sep 2011, 18:04 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-71:
HAbana is out, Muller more than likely too… CJ needs game time if he’s to be JDP’s back-up so a rotate there would be good… and well Ralepelle should be playing CC rugby… enough said…
14 Sep 2011, 18:17 pm
Taking the news of Bakkies return this would be the probable Bok squad of 22 for Fiji…..
15. Francois Steyn.
14. J.P. Pieterson.
13. Jacque Fourie.
12. Juan De Jongh.
11. Bryan Habana.
10. Morne Steyn.
9. Fourie Du Preez.
8. Pierre Spies.
7. Schalk Burger.
6. Heinrich Brussow.
5. Danie Rossouw.
4. Bakkies Botha.
3. C.J. Van Der Linde.
2. John Smit (c).
1. Gurthro Steenkamp.
16. Tendai Mtawarira.
17. Bismark Du Plessis.
18. Jannie Du Plessis.
19. Willem Alberts.
20. Francois Louw.
21. Butch James.
22. Francois Hougaard.
14 Sep 2011, 18:22 pm
@malcolm(malcolm)-74: Dominate them in the forwards? Who is going to play lock in place of useless Muller? Good lock is key to dominating upfront. Fiji are going to smash up front with fat boy Smit in charge.
I hate that guy now. I used to admire and thought he was one of the best South Africans around but his egotistical delusions of grandeur knows no bounds! I have lost all respect for him. What a fat sh.1t!
14 Sep 2011, 18:23 pm
@ShaunSwindon(Karma-zaf)-76:
According to the news, Bakkie won’t be risked, Frans at 12 and Lambie at 15. Of course, how accurate this “inside” info is, I don’t know.
14 Sep 2011, 19:02 pm
@Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-77: To put things into perspective Fiji put 40+ points up against Namibia we would not be satisfied with posting anything less than 60+ against Namibia. Fiji does not have as strong and physical a forward pack as Samoa or Tonga (who lost to Canada). If we play a structured game and do not let the game get scrappy even with Muller (who was good against Wales) and Smit (who is not nearly as good as Bismarck but not as bad as everyone makes out) we should have little problems with Fiji. Samoa if the boks sit back like they are inclined to do nowadays and defend are going to be a big problem. The boks struggled to handle one 100kg plus backline player in Jamie Roberts against Samoa they will have to deal with 5!
14 Sep 2011, 19:17 pm
@malcolm(malcolm)-79: The fact that the Boks struggled against a 100kg goes to show how soft JdV and Fourie are. The problem is that our players have been far too molly coddled. All the older players know they are guaranteed a place in the squad. There is no hunger there. Our players have become soft.
Look at Canada. Look at the urgency they play with. They’re hungry. Every game is a final for them and that’s why they kak wild every time they score. They’re so happy to be in the RWC and taking part. Our players have become football moffies. They are spoilt. They’re just thinking about the next time they can use their fancy new smart phone or ipod that they got through the RWC sponsorship deals. If our players had any backbone they would’ve revolted against PdV’s before the 3N and gone on strike until the coaching staff is replaced with people who know what they’re doing. We must be the only team in the world that guarantees all of our senior players a spot regardless of their form and recent performances.
Quite frankly its pathetic and disgraceful how lacklustre and uncommitted our players have become.
14 Sep 2011, 19:21 pm
@Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-80: meant to say a 100kg oke. JdV is 103kg. Can’t he tackle someone of his own size? Jacque Fourie is 105kg. Even heavier than Roberts and he still can’t bring down Roberts. But they both go down like a sack of sh.1t. I can’t remember the last time I saw Fourie being a handful.
The Boks have gone soft. Poor conditioning and poor coaching. Its 2003 all over again.
14 Sep 2011, 19:25 pm
@Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-80: Hard to disagree with you there. I also wonder though if too much rugby by the so called bigger rugby nations is not wearing them down. I hope the rugby world cup does not become like the soccer world cup where many of the top stars underperform and just do not look interested. Lynagh said no team has won back to back world cups because they all tend to hold on to the players who won them the previous cup despite their best days being over. He is probably spot on with that observation.
14 Sep 2011, 19:32 pm
@Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-81:
Roberts is a bit bigger than 100kg. He’s 107kg and 6’4″ tall. With his speed, that’s quite a handfull. I agree though, about our complacency. I reckon the guys have the attitude that because of their experience and success they can handle any situation. The edge that real hunger brings has gone.
14 Sep 2011, 19:42 pm
@David(David)-83: Well JdV is 6’3 and 103kg and Fourie is 6’3 and 105kg so Roberts has a 4 kilo weight and 1 inch height advantage. The difference is negligible. They are pretty much the same size. But they get run over like rag dolls.
Everything has gone down the drain with PdV. The fitness, conditioning, the strength of our players, the skill levels, the tactics, the speed, the hunger. I have seen enough from this horrible little oke that his sole mission is to destroy the Boks. He is doing a bloody good job. I rate Namibia as a better team than us. At least they play like they have something dangling between their legs. We seem to have nothing but a pair of peas. I think we are an even worse team than the 2003 RWC team. Absolutely shocking how its taken just 4 years to ruin a champion side.
14 Sep 2011, 20:00 pm
@Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-84:
They ruined themselves and convinced a weak coach that they knew what they were doing. They’re the World Champions, remember.
14 Sep 2011, 20:07 pm
@Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-84: A little harsh but certainly some truth in what you say. JDv poses no threat anymore on attack unless he plays against some 85ky opponent. On defence he is normally ok. The most worrying is Jacque Foure. I thought he was our biggest hope of sparking our backline but on attack he has been very average (not helped by having a centre partner who creates nothing). I have no idea how keo had him in his team of the week. Habana gets a lot of criticism much of it justified but he seldom if ever receives possession with any space to move in.
14 Sep 2011, 20:17 pm
@David(David)-85: Yes we should have learnt from our cricket team what happens when the players take over.
14 Sep 2011, 20:21 pm
@Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-80: JDV played for 24 minutes, how could he have struggled when Jamie made some linebreaks in the second half and on the 10/12 channel
Hellloooooooo?
14 Sep 2011, 20:35 pm
@Samba Bok(JayDaFiveOh)-80: Canada play with passion, and can produce the odd world beating player every now and then.
Think Al Charron, Morgan Williams.
I rated Williams as one of the best 9s in the world when he played.
They can throw a decent punch too, think PE!
14 Sep 2011, 20:53 pm
Fokol happening on these blogs since Sunday… must mean either too much rugby overkill or else the WC showdown just went fizzle fazzle pop, there was far more vitriolic kak praat going down when all the over hype expectations were being built up before the big event…
I reckon perhaps the world is gonna realize soon enough where it all boils down…
like the uneasy calm before the mega storm… once this WC is over then some people gonna realize what actually takes precedence over providence and maybe everything comes back to equilibrium when the raving tribal warfare gets put asunder and humanity starts considering wtf all of it is for.
14 Sep 2011, 20:56 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-90: I’m still here Skop…how are you?
What do you think of the Boks’ chances this WC?
14 Sep 2011, 21:06 pm
From Duncan johnstone:
Is Zac Guildford destined to be the Frano Botica of this All Blacks World Cup squad?
Zac Guildford paying price for Suncorp blues
Last updated 10:26 14/09/2011
DUNCAN JOHNSTONE
149 comments
Is Zac Guildford destined to be the Frano Botica of this All Blacks World Cup squad?
Botica famously never played a match during the triumphant 1987 World Cup campaign, though he wasn’t alone there – halfback Bruce Deans and injured skipper Andy Dalton never got on the field either.
The prospect of Guildford being the odd man out this time took a deeper turn this morning when he was omitted for the second match in a row, missing a chance to play Japan on Friday night in Hamilton.
Apart from the injured Kieran Read who won’t get a chance until the last round-robin game against Canada at the earliest, Guildford is the only fit player to be kept on the sidelines during these opening two weeks of the tournament.
The Magpies flyer has paid a heavy price for his shocker against the Wallabies in Brisbane on the eve of the tournament.
He’s even suffered the indignity of Richard Kahui, a classy centre, stealing his spot now. And Kahui did such a good job on the right wing against Tonga last weekend that the selectors have had no hesitation in giving him a shot on the left wing against Japan with Cory Jane the other starting winger.
In a further blow to Guildford, the selectors have decided they are able to dispense with any specialist wing cover on the bench against the Japanese, giving them the luxury of having Sonny Bill Williams sitting there ready to rampage.
Where can Guildford get a go from here?
It’s not looking too good for him. This might be just about the last shuffle of the selection dice against Japan, hence the chance to allow Mils Muliaina to show his wares against the massive challenge of Israel Dagg and Andy Ellis to get a chance in a halfback position that still lacks an out-and-out starter.
Logic would suggest the All Blacks will field their strongest possible lineup in their following match against France.
That just leaves the final pool match against Canada. An opportunity for Guildford? Or a need to keep pushing on with the preferred lineup?
Don’t forget in the last World Cup shambles these very selectors fielded a weak side in the final pool match against Romania and got caught out the following week in the infamous quarterfinal against France.
It’s hard to see them making the same mistake again. It looks like continuity needs to be the go, pretty much from here.
You sense with this latest selection that Graham Henry hasn’t totally shown his hand but he’s given a strong glimpse of the All Blacks’ future for this tournament.
After ignoring Guildford again, do you sense the selectors might be regretting their decision to jettison Hosea Gear for the World Cup?
Guildford hardly figured in anyone’s pre-tournament squad selections and his capitulation at Brisbane brought back ugly memories of something similar in the Super Rugby final at the same ground a month or two earlier. Big occasions and both bombed?
Ironically Gear seemed to be working his way back towards top gear before he got the “sorry, but …” phone call.
So the backbone of the side survives to play Japan and some old heads return in the form of Muliaina and Smith.
Much has been made of the fact that a lot of this backline shuffling hasn’t been sorted out before now.
It’s a tricky scenario weighing up the relative merits of their classy personnel.
The truth is there’s very little between many of these players.
But right now Guildford is the one hurting most.
- Stuff
14 Sep 2011, 21:39 pm
sorry Willievz I was called away
I think Boks chances as good as anytime, far too much negative pessimism doing the rounds.
All they gotta to is bench Smit, FdP and Spies, start Gurthro, Bismark, Jannie, Mostert, Bakkies, Brussow, Louw, Burger, Hougaard, Butch, Aplon, JdJ, Fourie, JPP, FS
Beast, Chili, CJ, Alberts, Spies, FdP, Ms/Lambie.
And we can take this thing again.
15 Sep 2011, 11:39 am
Just a thought they need to attack Figi, think JDJ would be better than steyn on attack with his side step. And keep Steyn at FB and Lambie at 10. james to replace. And M Steyn on the bench bring him on at the end if we have enough points on the board. He can then just slot in some more points for us.
Pages: « 1 [2] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.