Auckland upset a blow for underdone Boks
19 Sep 2011
JON CARDINELLI doubts that the Springboks will be at their peak of their powers for the largely unexpected quarter-final showdown with the Wallabies.
The luck of the Irish is ironically South Africa’s misfortune. After losing four World Cup warm-up games and struggling to beat the USA in their opening Pool C match, Ireland produced an inspired performance to down the Wallabies at Eden Park.
It was an unexpected result that breathed fresh life into what was shaping to be an all-too predictable tournament, and it was a result that should have South Africans feeling more than a little nervous.
Ronan O’Gara said afterwards that the Ireland management had prepared the team to peak for that specific clash, and that it was always the plan to ride the resultant momentum into the play-off stages. Ireland should go on to top Pool C and play Wales in the play-offs, while Australia will finish second and meet the Boks sooner than anybody but an Irishman would have anticipated.
The Boks have played it cool when asked about the Ireland vs Australia result, and just how it will impact on their planning. But make no mistake, that result will have profound repercussions.
Ruan Pienaar admitted it was an unexpected result before attempting to steer the conversation back to the Boks’ upcoming game against lowly Namibia, while assistant coach Dick Muir went as far to suggest that because the Boks play the Wallabies every year in the Tri-Nations, they will not need as much time to analyse and prepare for that probable play-off in Wellington.
But an earlier admission by Muir was more telling. The Boks beat Fiji 49-3 on Saturday, scoring six tries in the process. Muir said that the side had shown steady progress both on attack and defence, and that it boded well for the rest of the tournament. He did, however admit that the Boks had come into this global competition underdone.
It was always the plan of Peter de Villiers and his coaching staff to prepare the Boks to peak in the play-offs, but they would have identified a semi-final showdown against the All Blacks as their defining moment. Going by how the Boks fared in the Tri-Nations and in the Pool D opener against Wales, not to mention their rotten run with injuries, it was always going to be a tough ask.
Had Ireland lost to the Wallabies and faced the Boks in the quarter-final, they would have provided stiff opposition, particularly at the set-piece. The pool matches were initially targeted by De Villiers as an opportunity for his best side to gel as a collective, and the Ireland clash would have been viewed as more a dress rehearsal for the showdown with the All Blacks than anything else.
I don’t think the Boks would have taken the Irish lightly, but they would have backed themselves to beat Declan Kidney’s men and take some confidence into the all-important clash with New Zealand. They would have continued to build in that match and sharpen a few areas before the crunch semi-final at Eden Park.
But Ireland’s victory will force them into an early meeting with Australia. There shouldn’t be a lot of confidence in the Boks at this stage considering their struggles for collective form. Injuries have also contributed to the battle for synergy and the fielding of their best side, as while they hammered Fiji last week four senior players missed the game and only two of the preferred combinations, the halfbacks and back row, started.
De Villiers will make a number of changes again for the match against Namibia, and will recall his first-choice players for the final pool clash against Samoa. This will be the Bok first-string’s last opportunity to improve as a collective before the play-offs.
Muir said that the Boks’ came into the tournament underdone, and that the game against Fiji was a step in the right direction. But can the Boks make sufficient strides before meeting a team of real substance?
Their last defeat to Australia (in Durban) was blamed on a lack of game time, and it wouldn’t surprise to hear that self same excuse rolled out following another defeat to the Wallabies. The significant difference is that one defeat would have resulted in nothing but wounded pride, while the next would have resulted in the Boks’ exit from the tournament.
The Wallabies have beaten the Boks seven times in 11 matches since De Villiers’s tenure began back in 2008. Despite their recent defeat to Ireland, they will fancy themselves to down the Boks again, and their cause should be aided by the return of players like Digby Ioane, Stephen Moore and the Boks’ nemesis, David Pocock.
It is by no means a forgone conclusion, but the odds are heavily stacked against this Bok team. As their own coaches and players suggest, the best players have not enjoyed sufficient game time and they are yet to click as a unit. Their time to prepare and build continuity has been cut by as much as a week, and judging by their recent showings and injury-effect circumstances, they may struggle to produce a collective performance capable of upsetting a Wallabies side with established combinations, confidence and momentum.
281 Comments
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19 Sep 2011, 06:36 am
Hey if Ireland can do it we can too!
19 Sep 2011, 06:47 am
So Keo’s worldcup favourites got snot klapped and here JC is shaking in his boots at the prospect of facing convicts in a quarter final, pffft.
Man up I say and moer them … if want to become world champions you win all your matches, simple.
An injury or teo
19 Sep 2011, 06:50 am
So Keo’s worldcup favourites got snot klapped and here JC is shaking in his boots at the prospect of facing convicts in a quarter final, pffft.
Man up I say and moer them … if want to become world champions you win all your matches, simple.
If Samoa can moer convicts missing 6 first choice players and if the Paddies can beat them missing only 3 then the Boks must beat them at full strength.
19 Sep 2011, 06:50 am
Double
19 Sep 2011, 06:56 am
I’ve been saying it for the last 4 years – at the last World Cup SA won without facing 3 of the top 5 teams in the world (NZ, Aus, France).
There’s some ironic justice here! At lease this time, if SA win, you will have well and truly earned it.
(Perhaps the Bokke could throw the game against Namibia – get themselves back onto the other side of the draw
.)
19 Sep 2011, 07:07 am
@BillTong(BillTong)-5: Who’s fault is that? Aus and NZ didn’t face the top 3 either and yet they didn’t make it. Kinda says a lot about those 2. All this “we don’t deserve the 2007 Cup” is just BS. You just can’t please some people.
19 Sep 2011, 07:19 am
@HHS(Hop Hop Spinnekop)-6:
Nobody’s fault HHS – just the facts of what happened. What’s the old saying – “what goes around, comes around”. When you guy’s win it this time, everything will be balanced out. Very Buddhist!
My main beef is the format of the RWC – which allows situations like that to occur, and then suggests that the winner is “World Champion” – when all they’ve done really is win that particular tournament. I’m not having a ‘go’ at the Boks.
19 Sep 2011, 07:20 am
@BillTong(BillTong)-5: So by your reckoning, if the AB’s mix it with the Argies in the qtrs, Wales in the semi’s and France in the final (not too far-fetched, given the results so far), they would not be deserved winners? Btw that is #’s 9, 6 and 5 respectively in the current IRB rankings. What about home advantage? Boks won away from home. How much then would the AB’s have earned it? Like HHS says, just plain BS
19 Sep 2011, 07:22 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-8:
Refer my response to HHS – last para particularly.
19 Sep 2011, 07:27 am
Always said Australia was overrated, and that you don’t win a World Cup with a Carlos Spencer type sevens style flyhalf.
19 Sep 2011, 07:27 am
@BillTong(BillTong)-7: Of course you’re having a go at the Boks. This is the IRB WC tournament, the flagship of tournaments played under that banner. The last team standing earns the honour of being crowned “WORLD CHAMPIONS”. That’s the rules. Upfront. And how exactly do you blame the format for Aus losing to ENG and NZ yet again to FRA? All teams go into this tournament on equal footing with the exact same requirement…win 7 games and be called a ‘world champion’. Sounds about right to me…
19 Sep 2011, 07:30 am
They day a Keo columnist gives the Springboks a reasonable chance against ANYONE, well that day is never going to come.
They all think the strongest rugby team is the one that looks the flashiest running the ball. Obviously that’s not the case.
Springboks will beat Australia in that quarter-final, when the pressure is on. We’ve got an experienced side that can handle that pressure, and can obviously play judging by the Fiji game.
19 Sep 2011, 07:31 am
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-10: They sure fcked it up! And pushed us into the line of fire with them, the ********. AUS, NZ, FRA/ENG in that order might be a bridge too far.
19 Sep 2011, 07:33 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-11:
You’re right – them’s the rules.
So change ‘em. Just like you might change a government that’s not doing the right thing. (For the next tournament of course!)
PS: You don’t have to win 7 games – you could do it with 6, or perhaps 5 and a draw, or 5 with a stack of BP’s (depending on how the other Pool results go). For proof, just think if England had beaten you guys in the final kickathon last time out.
19 Sep 2011, 07:33 am
@BillTong(BillTong)-7: I think that’s what makes the WC so great. You see the ranked 8 team beat the 3N Champions. Also if you go by rank and if you that good then you should win all your games and then best teams will face each other come the knockout stages. Nobody’s fault the others don’t make it. I used this example over the weekend…. do Usian Bolt world record carry any weight at the Olympics? He is the fav but if he is not on song and comes second, does the winner not deserve to be called the Olympic champ or will everybody focus on Bolt not being his best? That’s the beauty of these once off tourneys. Same goes for the US Open, TDF etc etc etc.
19 Sep 2011, 07:34 am
It’s almost as if KEO didn’t watch the game. Isn’t it all about momentum and depth of players. I think we have both. Play Habana, FdP, the Steyns and deVilliers and the rest of the old-boys flat-out against Namibia this week to give them more game-time, and the rest will decide itself on natural selection/ attrition. THe Aussies are all p1ss and w1nd anyhow. What’s one stupid week!
19 Sep 2011, 07:35 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-12: I don’t know bud. It seems like Everest right now. I was fairly confident in getting one over the AB’s in the semi but to win a 3N’s and a WC within the same week is a tall order, whichever way you wanna look at it
19 Sep 2011, 07:36 am
Oh site we have already lost that game.
Keo and his mob of self-loathing PdV hating traitors don’t rate Ireland either LOL. I guess had the Boks lost to Ireland over the weekend after that clueless twat Keo confidently pronounced that “no NH side has the quality” to win the RWC we would never hear the end of it either.
Keo, what a pathetic bunch of losers you all are.
19 Sep 2011, 07:37 am
@BillTong(BillTong)-14: No team has dropped a pool game and went on to win. All champions has gone through unbeaten. World rugby is not that strong yet.
19 Sep 2011, 07:39 am
Bring on the Convicts. Nice warm-up for the ABs a week later I say.
19 Sep 2011, 07:39 am
im not sure about this – Aus seem to be a one trick pony – if genia and cooper are shut down they don’t seem to have a plan b
if the boks play Aus like they did Fiji or at least keep it close until Bismark , Beast, Alberts and Houggard come on i don’t see the Aussies holding them off .
having said that i wont be shocked if Ireland lose to Italy and its back to square one
19 Sep 2011, 07:39 am
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-12:
Bunch of clueless WP supporters all of them. No wonder they support the Aus/ABs. Keo should rather fcukoff to live in Perth.
19 Sep 2011, 07:46 am
Ronan O’Gara said afterwards that the Ireland management had prepared the team to peak for that specific clash…
Once you peak there is only one way to go…!
Besides am I the only one who thought Ireland got 90% of calls in their favour on the day, feck, we even had Brycie making it up as he goes…how about the one where he called the Wobblies back for taking a quick throw-in from the mark saying you can’t run to the mark and do a quick throw-in?! Since when?
19 Sep 2011, 07:46 am
In 2007 Eng and SA faced each other in the final after being in the same pool.
The prospect of an IRE vs AUS final now don’t seem so far fetched!
Ireland would have to get past Fra and Arg en route to final… not a very tall order
19 Sep 2011, 07:47 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-23:
Ireland have a recent track record of performing well against SH teams. Personally, I think they peaked in 2006/7, but if they continue playing a conservative percentage game and maintain their defensive lines like Sat, they will be difficult to beat.
19 Sep 2011, 07:48 am
@klingon_x(klingon_x)-22: In a perverted kinda way, the clowns are probably doing their national duty. We all know what happens when you talk up a Bok team and effort. Just keeping them grounded maybe?
19 Sep 2011, 07:48 am
Have faith. I would really like to believe that there is some sort of plan, alal PdV deflecting the pressure, by talking kak about the ineffective boring Haka. Or is this wishful thinking.
19 Sep 2011, 07:52 am
It is impossible to guage just how much of a psycological impact Sat’s loss will have on the Aus team.
The doubts will now start to enter their minds.
Should we have picked a non-Aus coach?
Should we have changed captains so close to tourney?
Should we have dropped (whats his name?) a month before the cup?
Is Quade really an asset to the team?
19 Sep 2011, 07:54 am
It;s a pity that Samoa won’t end 2nd in the group.
They would have backed themselves for a 2nd consecutive victory against the wobblies… Wales will just not have enough in the tank to keep the Aussies out of the semis
19 Sep 2011, 07:56 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-26:
That is fine. But we are talking about a general inferiority complex here. Aus comprehensively lost to England EOYT 2010. They lost to Samoa just a couple of weeks ago. They just lost to Ireland who clearly dominated them over the weekend. Ireland didn’t win on luck, they dominated Aus just as we dominated Aus in the second tri-nations game but didn’t on the day take our opportunities. There is absolutely no reason why we should expect to lose and the mighty Boks cannot smash that pretty mediocre Aus side in the QF.
19 Sep 2011, 07:57 am
@Helen(Helen)-28: “Should we have dropped (whats his name?) a month before the cup”
Thinking about that game afterwards I was wondering about Giteau. If he would’ve/could’ve made a difference. I’m sure Deans is rues the fact he didn’t leave himself the option of finding out. Who is their back-up 10 anyway?
19 Sep 2011, 07:57 am
15 – Lambie
14 – JPP
11 – Habana (Ndumgane)
13 – J Fourie
12 – F Steyn (Butch)
10 – M Steyn
9 – F du Preez (Hougaard 60mins)
8 – P Spies
7 – Burger (Alberts)
6 – Brussouw
5 – Vic
4 – Bakkies (Russouw 50mins)
3 – Jannie
2 – Smit (Bismarck 50mins)
1 – Guthro (Beast 50mins)
19 Sep 2011, 07:58 am
No easybeat stroll through to the cup this time with both Oz and NZ removed from the field of combat! Gotta love karma!
19 Sep 2011, 07:58 am
say it whichever way you like WC success is about PEAKING at RIGHT moment
In 2007 we targeted the England pool game and having won that everything thereafter was plain sailing. This time we got out of Jail against Wales with Bismark, Alberts and Hougaard saving the dead beat fat boys club an ignominious exit.
Now we got to BEAT Aussie with likely Moore Pocock and Ione back, Ireland got them luckily at half mast, then a rampant NZ a week later and one of Ireland / England / France / Wales in the final. That is Three Finals in succession.
In 1999 France put one over NZ in the semi only to implode against Aussie in the final. They simply could NOT muster the same level of psychological and physical depth in 2 games in succession.., now some these big deals expect us to do it for 3 games in succession.
Tell you what.., IF we win this here WC then we will have DESERVED to keep Bill for forevermore because we would have thoroughly PROVED we are top WC playing nation in the universe.., unlike last time which was a cake walk in fairy godmother paradise in comparison.
19 Sep 2011, 08:00 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-31:
That’s the one! …..
Giteau would’ve been devastating at this world cup. Especially outside Quade. They might have missed an opportunity there, but it migt be a bit of a personality clash to put Gits and Quade next to each other
19 Sep 2011, 08:00 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-34:
Say no to shampoo.
Insist on REAL poo.
19 Sep 2011, 08:01 am
Now, all we need is an upset in the Fra NZ game and this world cup is set alight!
19 Sep 2011, 08:02 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-34:
You are a loser and a plank. Just like your clueless twat keo.
19 Sep 2011, 08:02 am
@klingon_x(klingon_x)-30: Looking at the qtr final in isolation, sure. I’d be pretty confident about giving Aus a go but it’s the sequence of games that worries me. This could ‘psyche’ our boys out even before we run onto the field. If ever that mantra of ‘taking it one game at a time’ will come in handy, now is the time. Sekunjalo!!!!!!
19 Sep 2011, 08:05 am
I also said watch this Cooper show pony disintegrate in a hard fought tough as nails showdown where fancy footwork means fckall, and didn’t he Just?!
Cooper is a nobody in the real world where character and guts mean way more than shallow flash in the pan showmanship.
19 Sep 2011, 08:05 am
@UptheGuts(UptheGuts)-39:
“Giving Aus a go” LOL You really do sound like a loser. What is wrong with the spineless supporters on this site?
19 Sep 2011, 08:05 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-33: You didn’t love Karma too much when you threatened to kill Wayne Barnes the last time! oi yoi yoi!
19 Sep 2011, 08:06 am
@BillTong(BillTong)-5:
the team best placed to throw a game would be nz.
if they opted for 2nd in their pool they could avoid any of their bogey teams until at least the final. they’d have england in a qf and then probably ireland in the semi. oz, sa and france would left to eliminate two of the other and whoever’s left standing after two bruising q/finals would face the ab’s. it would be really devious on teddy-g’s part but would undoubtedly give them an easier ride thus leaving them fresher and less injury likely for the final.
19 Sep 2011, 08:06 am
I would love to see the keo cronies columns if the quota coach and his team of old farts win the world cup, rumbling over Aus, All Blacks and France. The headline would probably read:
“We told you so!” Or not
19 Sep 2011, 08:06 am
This shampoo philistine seems a tad shady. Does anyone know what his infirmity is? I suspect a complex personality affliction.
19 Sep 2011, 08:07 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-40:
perhaps they missed ioane more than they needed cooper?
19 Sep 2011, 08:08 am
@klingon_x(klingon_x)-41: Fck off! Who is a loser?
We gave Fiji a real go just the other day. Put 6 past them. What’s your problem?
19 Sep 2011, 08:09 am
Has anybody else noticed the crappy management of the rucks where there are non-SH refs blowing? Tackler not releasing, ruck formed, players off their feet. Guess you have to adapt to the ref.
19 Sep 2011, 08:11 am
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-48: You wanna tell that to Aus. I’m sure they’re impressed with Bryce
19 Sep 2011, 08:11 am
PLease let it be a kiwi SA semi. Tickets already paid for!
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