Boks note Samoa’s evolution
26 Sep 2011
Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold says Samoa have made significant strides in key areas of their game and predicts it could be their biggest test thus far.
The Springboks enter Friday’s contest tipped to win but are acutely aware of the islanders’ capacity to upset them should they be allowed to establish momentum. Samoa’s must-win cause will be assisted by strong support at the North Habour Stadium in Auckland.
The Samoans eased passed Namibia before being narrowly defeated by Wales. On Sunday they stumbled past Fiji, but throughout the tournament they have produced passages of play that defied the widely held perception that they are little more than rudderless runners. Gold noted this and also identified other trends not usually associated with the islanders.
‘There is certainly a lot more structure about their game. Their primary threat is still the skill and explosiveness, particularly in their backline players, but in previous tournaments they probably didn’t always set a platform to effectively play the way they want to. That has changed now’ Gold said.
‘The core of their side is also very experienced. Many of them play in Europe’s top leagues, but more than that they’re key players in those teams. The added benefit of playing in Europe is that they are very well conditioned, which has been a general criticism of them in the past. The fact that the majority of them finished their club seasons well before the World Cup started allowed the Samoan management to improve them even further in this regard. This could be as tough a challenge as Wales posed, perhaps even bigger.’
Gold added that they were under no illusions that Fiji and Namibia, whom they beat comfortably in the last fortnight, don’t have Samoa’s defensive prowess. The Springboks’ coaching staff have been vocal in their displeasure with periods of loose play in those matches, and will demand that their charges erode Samoa’s defensive line with more direct and patient phase play before seeking to attack in he wide channels.
‘If we fail to treasure possession and earn the right to play wide, we will be in trouble,’ he said. ‘When we’ve done that we’ve controlled the game as opposed to reacting to what the opposition are doing. Our tries against Wales are an example of this. That is the objective, to impose our will on them.’
He continued, explaining that defence has been the most pleasing aspect of their game thus far. The Springboks have conceded just one try in three Tests, an impressive return, even though perspective needs to maintained in light of Fiji and Namibia’s mediocrity. Gold identified their gainline and breakdown contest as being central to that success and called for an advancement here.
‘The Samoans have some great strike runners who’ve got them momentum in the tackle. Teams have found it so difficult to stop them recycling quickly. Wales did it best, and therein lies lessons for us,’ he said. ‘The boys are feeling really comfortable in the system and everybody understands their roles. We have to build on what we’ve achieved defensively or risk being cut open.’
By Ryan Vrede, in Auckland.
Follow Ryan’s World Cup coverage on Twitter
32 Comments
26 Sep 2011, 01:14 am
Based on yesterday’s game I don’t see the Samoans pulling off anything. They have been really good but he boks defense is damn near perfect.
Boks 56 – Samoa 6
Dragons
26 Sep 2011, 01:28 am
Gary Glitter praat kuk!
Just like Fiji these blokes won’t be able to stand up against the Boks. Few headhigh and armless tackle, lots of huff and puff but at the end the Boks will win comfortable.
26 Sep 2011, 01:35 am
All of this unseemly elevation of Samoa is all too much to do about nothing.
Samoa knew that they would give themselves a better chance of the OKs if they gained a bonus pt. win (5 pt.) against Fiji but all they could muster was a 12 – 0 pt. h/t score of kicks at goal including drops instead of using the penalties to put them in the corners.
Even after 20 mins. of the 2nd. half there was zero urgency to get the 4 tries and now we are told of their ” evolution “. Comes across more as regression of thought of the need for 5 pts.
Even if they fluke a 5pts against S.A. but deny S.A. a bonus pt and Wales win both their easy games with 5 pointers and huge scores Samoa will merely finish 3rd because of a vastly inferior points difference.
So what have they evolved to if they are confronted with a mission impossible?
Mere stupidity?
26 Sep 2011, 01:43 am
For S.A. not to win this pool, Wales would have to win both of their remaining easy games with 5 pointers and score a combined difference of at least 140 pts. (to give them a chance) if S.A. merely get a bonus pt. loss.
S.A.’s quarter final’s opponent is more dependant on pool C results than pool D results it would seem.
Right now it seems to be the Wallabies.
26 Sep 2011, 01:51 am
@boktillzero(boktillzero)-1:
“the boks defense is damn near perfect’
43 missed tackles (the highest, by a lonnnnng shot, of the Top 5 teams) against Tier-2 Wales and minnows Fiji, might very well suggest otherwise.
26 Sep 2011, 01:59 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-5:
Compared to the Ab’s stunningly staunch and impenetrable defense which has conceded mere 5 tries – 2 against Tonga 2 against France B and 1 against Japan .
Somewhere in that sentence there is a hint of sarcasm just incase you don’t pick it up
26 Sep 2011, 02:19 am
Don’t forget that Samoa beat Australia recently. They can step it up and be a danger if they are allowed to.
Certainly their left wing Tuilagi is a big threat and their flyhalf’s goal kicking is very good, so we’ll have to keep a good watch on the 11 and also not concede kickable penalties.
But maybe the Boks will throw this match to avoid playing against Aus & NZ…wouldn’t be too surprising to me, makes good sense in fact. The goal is to win the tornament, not the pool stage.
26 Sep 2011, 02:39 am
@daydreamer(daydreamer)-7:
‘Friendly’ games (non-competition) against a ‘B’ team surely do not add up to the real thing?
26 Sep 2011, 02:41 am
@daydreamer(daydreamer)-7:
Because the f/h kicks well he tends to restrict their running game as he is often looking for the dgoal scenario or to kick for field position or ‘uppies’ to chase.
26 Sep 2011, 02:54 am
@boktillzero(boktillzero)-6:
pardon me, and which team in the *ahem* ‘Pool of Death’, exactly is as strong as France ?
‘missed tackles’ is integral to any stat relevant to Defence, unless Im mistaken. Thank your lucky stars that the missed tackles didnt amount to tries. Because they almost certainly will once the Boks are out of the, *chortle* ‘Pool of Death’ and in to the Playoffs against a real team.
The Boks missed 43 tackles in their opening 2 matches. The ABs have missed 29 tackles in their 3 matches, incl a team that has reached 2 x RWC Finals.
26 Sep 2011, 02:59 am
@ET.(ET.)-8: That Aussie team was 2/3 an A team and the rest came on as substitutes later on.
No such thing as a friendly in rugby…It ain’t soccer or cricket. It is a full contact sport.
26 Sep 2011, 03:00 am
hhhhhhhhaaaaa, The AB’s must be so good then………..wow we are in awe!
Now you have got your hardon, p sssoff troll
26 Sep 2011, 03:16 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-10:
Samoa would give France b team a good run for their money
Thank our lucky stars nah I’ll just thank mr Neinabers defensive structures. missed tackles are as important as the scrambling defense.
wow you’re really dumb ! you’re saying the boks missed 43 tackles and conceded only one try and the Ab’s missed 29 and conceded 5 tries therefore have a better defense than the boks? Using simple maths the boks leak a try with every 50 tackles they miss the all ablacks leak 8.5 for every 50 missed.
OMG that Abs have this in the bag just hand them the trophy right away …NOT!
26 Sep 2011, 03:18 am
@daydreamer(daydreamer)-11:
With all due respect, you cannot cheat your mind about the real lack of importance of a game especially if you are normally in the big 3 globally, as the Aussies normally are, and playing against a minnow.
Also 5 out of 15 is a huge number especially since they were from the S15 winning REDS, not so?
Samoa too had just participated in the Pacific Cup whereas Aussies were just recovering from the S15 final.
And is soccer really non-contact? How did I manage to damage so many ankles then?
26 Sep 2011, 03:21 am
@boktillzero(boktillzero)-13:
The same Samoa who knew they needed a 4 try win against Fiji to give them a fighting chance for the KOs but could only manage two late tries?
26 Sep 2011, 03:34 am
@boktillzero(boktillzero)-13:
” Samoa would give France b team a good run for their money ”
Yep, but remember the Samoa has done something that the Boks have not been able to do home and away , and thats beat the Ozzies this year.
All this bleating about France A and B and the ABs yet Samoa may cause a bigger headache than you all think.
26 Sep 2011, 03:52 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-16:
even if they dont beat em – unlikely if they can, but not impossible – then the odds on them giving the Boks “a headache” are much shorter.
dont forget your mouthguards, Ladies.
26 Sep 2011, 04:29 am
@ET.(ET.)-15:
Yep the same Samoa who dealt to Aussie earlier this year
26 Sep 2011, 04:34 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-16:
Ok given only two options which would you bet your life on : Samoa upsetting the boks or the boks beating Aussie in the quarters ? I guess the point is what is more likely to happen in your opinion
26 Sep 2011, 04:39 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-16:
Nah Hurri, stop talking up your islander cuzzies. No way they will beat any full strenght top tier nation.
26 Sep 2011, 04:40 am
Fiji vs Samoa… I thought I was watching Chiefs vs Blues. Haaaaa…
26 Sep 2011, 04:45 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-10:
On current form Wales is better than France. Stupid fok.
26 Sep 2011, 04:46 am
@boktillzero(boktillzero)-18:
You offer no counter fact to my stated fact of not able to score 4 much needed tries against lowly Fiji.
You simply restate your nonsense and you ‘think’ that is debating?
How immature.
26 Sep 2011, 04:51 am
Sorry I thought you’d be smart enough to pick up I was saying that the same Samoa who beat Australia can give France b team a good run . In future I’ll be sure to dumb down my replys for you to understand
26 Sep 2011, 04:58 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-20:
Ok
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-21:
First thing i noticed and how i can tell the difference is that both teams wear different jerseys…….. oh hang on, are you talking about skin colour?
26 Sep 2011, 05:04 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-22:
And what form is that and how did you come up with that?
France and Wales are in different pools.
Last time they played France won by 28-9
France came second in the 6 nations.
So where does the current form you talk about come from?
26 Sep 2011, 05:40 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-25:
The Klansman sits on the fence with racist calls apparently, thats how he gets away with it he tells us, what an idiot.
26 Sep 2011, 05:53 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-22:
on what do you base ‘current form’, KKK ?
certainly not the last competitive outing between France vs Wales.
28-9
France have the wood on SA, winning 6 of their previous 10 Tests and drawing 1 other. Meanwhile the Boks have won their previous 13 Tests vs Wales.
‘Pool of Death’………~guffaw~
26 Sep 2011, 08:20 am
Samoa look tired to me. They were pretty pitiful against Fiji and their big men are doing it tough around the park. I think they’ll give the Boks a good 50-60 mins worth but then the flood gates will open
26 Sep 2011, 08:26 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-10:
Not sure why you or your opponent are getting competitive about a non issue. Agai st a team that has made to finals.
As an aside though history means little. The wales side that almost beat SA was probably better than the diluted French side that played the ABs. A full strength French team? Another story.
What does matter is that if we happen to meet in the semis there is little question that the ABs wil be overwhelming favorites. But ask the grizzled ex ABs, which side has the most chance of beating them in a one off game in NZ?
26 Sep 2011, 08:30 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-28:
The pool of death comes from having 3 sides in the top 10 in the group.
The England, Scotland, Argies also qualifies.
The pool of death is determined by the strength of the 3rd best side in the group.
Even if the number 1 and 2 sides were in the same group it would not be the pool of death unless there is a reasonably strong 3rd side. Samoa’s performance against the Aussies in the warm up added weight to is tag.
You keep going on about the quality of the 2nd side. How is that relevant when both go through anyway?
26 Sep 2011, 11:26 am
@boktillzero(boktillzero)-1: Yeah likewise – I predict a non event of note. I can see us putting 20 past the Samoans at least. They struggled to beat Fiji ffs.
Theyre going to get a manhandling of note. this WC only really gets going in the qf´s So far there have been precious few decent pool games – NZ france was a non event, England vs Argentina was a scrap but ultimately a catfight between weak opposition, Aus – ireland was a good one and SA wales was the other good game – the rest have been fairly decent mismatches with the exception of a few minnow nations battling it out for 3rd or 4th place. There has been vast improvement but really its all very predictable still.
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