Samoa bring Boks back to earth
30 Sep 2011
RYAN VREDE watched Samoa give the Springboks a reality check despite going down 13-5 at the North Habour Stadium.
The Springboks’ showings in the last fortnight has seen even some usually astute commentators divorce from their senses to join the unadulterated celebration of the team. Tonight was a jolt of note for the defending champions, who would have been beaten by a more refined opponent, so impotent were they on attack (zero linebreaks) and porous on defence (they missed 27 tackles, in line with their average of 26 per match).
They undoubtedly benefited from Samoa’s early tactical naivety. So much for the structured Samoa that could have beaten the Springboks had they not relied on misplaced enterprise – running from deep in their territory – as much as they did. It was a nonsensical tactic to employ, particularly since they looked more than capable of mixing it in the heavies and establishing a better attacking platform on the rare occasion they chose to.
The islanders were denied despite long passages of play in possession in the first half, then undermined their cause in the second half with a string of handling errors, laboured decision-making and poor discipline, the worst example coming from Paul Williams who was red carded at a crucial juncture for shoving Heinrich Brussow in the face.
The numbers were evened out a minute later when John Smit was binned for what was adjudged to be a deliberate knock down with 10 minutes to play. But Samoa never possessed the killer blow. Their effectiveness rode on hope of defensive lapses, when more certainty and purpose would have served them better. Indeed they played like rave music was pounding in their minds, when they should have tuned in to a station that promoted greater composure.
The Springboks will testify to the ferocity and bone-melting qualities of a Samoan tackle and the islanders were rarely asked any telling questions. The Springboks’ opening try was birthed by multiple phases setting up a centre-field ruck before the ball snapped left to Bryan Habana. Morne Steyn converted, before Frans Steyn reminded of the Springboks’ unique trump card by banking a 58m penalty.
Morne Steyn kicked another just before the break, but the 13-0 scoreline going down the tunnel spoke to attacking impotency against competent and combative defensive units which is deeply concerning. The sterile, uninspiring fare they served up on attack tonight won’t see them progress beyond the quarter-final in Wellington next week.
Samoa burst into life in the second half, dominating possession and territory. The Springboks’ much-vaunted structure capitulated and they were reduced to a bumbling mess in the face of incessant attack. George Stowers, immense on the night, crossed for a try which Tusi Pisi crucially failed to convert.
You sensed the Springboks were on the ropes, and they will speak of their character in denying their opponents, but the reality is so much different. They were tested to their limit by a side they have consistently thumped by an average of 50 points.
This Springboks side is a pretender to the one that captured the title four years ago. Their journey continues, but surely not for much longer.
By Ryan Vrede, at the North Habour Stadium.
Follow Ryan’s World Cup coverage on Twitter
1,781 Comments
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30 Sep 2011, 20:05 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-1440:
hehehe…
yeah rob… i’ve said all season i didn’t think this young side would make the play-offs… even when we were in second…
so no prob for me… we’re blooding a lot of young guys… (some who may even not leave for pretoria…!)
30 Sep 2011, 20:05 pm
@reechie maak so lank die pan warm, bakkies bring die wors…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-1404: hey – no sweat I managed in the end with a bit of plumbing – u connector with a bit of extra piping and bobs your uncle. Thanks for the suggestion. I have now officially f%&$*ed myself on your recommendations sir.
30 Sep 2011, 20:05 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-1436: How old are you? When did you start supporting the boks? Black support of the boks is a very new phenomenon. Insulting me does not prove your point, sensible arguments do, what’s yours?
30 Sep 2011, 20:08 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-1434:
I know a lot of people say ‘support who you like, ‘we live in a democracy’ and all of that guff, but to me, it’s quite possibly the most ridiculous thing I have ever seen in my life.
I can understand someone who has family ties or moved there, even as an adult, but for a bunch of random blokes to ‘support’ another country is truly pathetic.
It is so pathetic, I even feel embarrassed for these people when I see them at Newlands.
Nah, sorry mate, the fickle feckers are lower than low to me. It speaks so much of one’s characters that I have no desire to even know someone like that. I already know I won’t like them if their character is anything to go by.
30 Sep 2011, 20:09 pm
I enjoyed the Samoan filth… It was good to see the Boks – the hardest team in Rugby – take their punches and laugh at the silly savages… And laugh at the little Welshman too…
Any game from now on is childs play in comparison… If that was the AB’s playing Samoa today in the exact same circumstances there would have been broken Carter, broken McCaw and whinging Kiwis to kingdom come…
But they didn’t play against Samoa today… nevertheless we still have whinging Kiwis…
30 Sep 2011, 20:10 pm
Ref had a good game I found this Welsh ref pretty spot on most times..
Rough Samoans just what the doctor ordered and even Pdv is pretty chuffed that we were roughed up good.
Thank fck Smit didn’t start or else I reckon we would have lost today..
FdP proceeded to hand Samoa the ball every time he laid his hands on it
Had we kept ball in hand today we would not have been forced to make twice as many tackles as them…
If Smit and FdP starts against Aussie we are gonna be staring down a f’ng barrel thats my biggest concern…
Had Smit started today we would have been chasing the game from half time and this time probably would not have closed it out.. That dunce is biggest liability this team has yet seen.. FdP close behind.
30 Sep 2011, 20:10 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-1454: Nail on head… Little quislings. Toss them all.
30 Sep 2011, 20:10 pm
@ufo(ufo)-1451:
The good news that i heard today (for me at least) is that Peter Grant will probably not play in cape Town next season- so the position will be up for grabs for Gary v A, the greek or Coleman.
Bout time they get rid of the poofta – kicker.
30 Sep 2011, 20:11 pm
Got to go for now… Back later to Toss some Kiwis and falsefck quisling Anti Bok Bigots.
30 Sep 2011, 20:11 pm
@ufo(ufo)-1445: Please extrapolate that opinion as I’m not understanding it.
30 Sep 2011, 20:13 pm
An average of 26 missed tackles per game and yet they pride themselves on their “defence”?
30 Sep 2011, 20:13 pm
Waiting for Panther’s next 1000 post later response to something on page 3 …
30 Sep 2011, 20:14 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-1441:
ffuck, cant wait for the 23 october… just to look back back and sum it all up…would we want to go through it all again…helll yeah…
@Dawn(Dawn)-1443:
yes, but i love bakkies the way leonidas loved the 300 spartans who stood with him at thermopylae…a deep, abiding…brotherly love…to the ends of the earth and back again…there’s some guys we’ll choose to make a stand and die with…and thats the love i have for bakkies…a true spartan if ever there was one…(i mean bakkies, not me)…
30 Sep 2011, 20:15 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-1442:
fu!ck i love this… just a few days back you were going at saffas as bad losers who always blame the ref…
and here you go doing exactly the same…
hehehe… i love the smell of hypocrisy in the evening…!!
but… for the record…
lambie made the tackle and brought lemi to ground…
the tackle completed…
then… as per the rules…
lambie let lemi go and got to his feet to continue playing… very quickly yes… but as per the rules…
then lemi got back to his feet and was justly penalised for his indiscretion…
one time the ref got it spot on…
30 Sep 2011, 20:15 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-1458:
That’s good news. Not for PG the player not to play for us again, but for PG the person to stop f.cking us about and force AC to actually use some of the youngters he is blooding now.
Who knows, maybe AC might even have a plan at who’s going to start at FH next season
30 Sep 2011, 20:15 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-1455: uneshori uba ingamla abacingi uba wena uyi-savage?
30 Sep 2011, 20:15 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-1458:
The Greasy Greek gets my vote. i hear his dad was the owner of Braaiways on Station Rd, Mowbray.
30 Sep 2011, 20:16 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-1461:
Who’s ‘they’?
Don’t YOU mean ‘WE’?
30 Sep 2011, 20:17 pm
owens was fine, apart from the cards which were shockers, barnesy was ****, looks to have been intimidated by the locals, what a shame.
janee, should be bismarck, alberts and hougaard all playing for at least 60 mins – their counterparts smit, spies and fdp are not in the same league.
30 Sep 2011, 20:17 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-1454: Why is it pathetic?
30 Sep 2011, 20:17 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-1442: I say it again to you BP.This Samoan side would have beaten the ABs on their performance today. By 20 points. Be very happy they were not in your pool.
30 Sep 2011, 20:17 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-1458:
that’s good… no… it’s GREAT… news bud… you and i have been on that page for a long time…
30 Sep 2011, 20:18 pm
Wazzup tackler
Shows how kuk the other team was huh
30 Sep 2011, 20:18 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-1435:
I am part of the abc club.
Anything but chardonnay.
Blackie is probably drowning his sorrows with his samoan brother in law (the one who saw 10 000 people at tongas practice).
Moans pack up your flick knives and knuckledusters.
You are going home.
Back to auckland.
I’m sure the chardonnay will be slightly sour.
30 Sep 2011, 20:19 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1460:
hehehe… okay…
you’ll never wake a woman pretending to be asleep…!!
30 Sep 2011, 20:20 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-1465:
I reckon AC might not be with us next season- will probably be with the Boks- no idea who we might get in his place – pity someone like Brendon Venter is not available (or maybe Gert Smal who might be keen to come home)
And good luck for your team tomorrow in the do or die match- I will be supporting England but lets hope the best team win
30 Sep 2011, 20:20 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-1473:
Have you listened to the band “PM Dawn” ? Give it a try. Great NYC 90′s R&B.
30 Sep 2011, 20:21 pm
@cab(cab)-1469: tell the rest of these dumb fcks because they still can’t see sh’t for trees..
Smit Spies and FdP start and we are at a disadvantage of 20% from kick off, and the other 3 gotta pull that 20% back again within less than half a match..
If Smit had started today I doubt we would have been 13-0 up and I doubt we would have pulled it out the fire like Alberts, Hougaard and Bismark had to do vs Wales..
Smit will fck this team up yet.. and that is my resounding biggest fear.. because the palooka schmucks STILL can’t see it as clear as it fundamentally IS.
30 Sep 2011, 20:21 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-1459: Thought so, you’ve no argument just petty prejudice.
30 Sep 2011, 20:22 pm
Better than Michael Jackson’s “Don’t Let Your Son Go Down on Me”.
30 Sep 2011, 20:22 pm
@Jinx2(Jinx2)-1467:
yip… zorba get’s my vote too… though i really do like gary van as… but he does seem a bit prone to injury…
30 Sep 2011, 20:22 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-1456: Good post. Have to agree on Fourie du Preez.Slowly getting better though.But SLOWLY.
30 Sep 2011, 20:22 pm
Whoops!
30 Sep 2011, 20:23 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1460:
As much as I can sympathise, I can’t accept your justification for continuing to support the ABs.
It is no longer a matter of admiring one teams approach to the game or the historic exclusion of black people from the national side. It’s about the side that currently represents your nation. It isn’t the Springboks against the All Blacks, but South Afica against New Zealand. That, for me, is where your argument falls flat.
30 Sep 2011, 20:23 pm
@ufo(ufo)-1475: Why do people resort to a joke when they can’t answer a question?
30 Sep 2011, 20:23 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1470:
I feel this might be a lot easier if you tell me why it’s not pathetic.
I’ll tell you what, you give me your reasons for supporting New Zealand’s national rugby team, i.e. a team for New Zealander’s, over the South African rugby team, i.e. a team for South African’s, and I’ll explain why your reasons are pathetic.
30 Sep 2011, 20:23 pm
@ufo(ufo)-1481:
Zorba has the “Lem” factor. Hard as nails.
30 Sep 2011, 20:24 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-1470: What would it actually take to make you support your own country?
30 Sep 2011, 20:24 pm
Yes have heard PM Dawn.
How far back we going tonight!
30 Sep 2011, 20:24 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-1478:
if the Bok coaches have not seen that by now, i guess they only got themselves to blame if it all goes titties up – but if they want to beat oz and nz – those three must start. FdP was slightly better today but he’s still kicking away every fkn ball, its horrendous, he also refuses to take contact and secure the ball when it pops out of the back, the boks lost two turnovers like that, inexcusable.
If the brains trust do not pick Bismarck, Alberts and FdP – they only got themselves to blame, and i personally reckon their famous bench policy of giving these players 30mins rather than 60 is going to come a cropper if they continue with it vs oz.
30 Sep 2011, 20:25 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-1476:
reckon we should give john kirwan a call… he’s out of a job…
30 Sep 2011, 20:25 pm
Good question. Feeling nostalgic. Missing Bakoven.
30 Sep 2011, 20:26 pm
Missing Jinx
30 Sep 2011, 20:27 pm
Oooooohhhhh.
A saffa website.
But wait isn’t this a saffa website?
Better check those nasty saffas workiing at blackpants london headquaters.
Check the codfather and the best mate too.
Get them reds under the bed.
30 Sep 2011, 20:28 pm
As for the captaincy issue – today reminded me AGAIN why Matfield should NOT be the Bok captain. You could see the panic in the players’ eyes after the Samoan try, too many players were doing the talking on field (Burger and FDP) and the game plan cried out for an adjustment in the 2nd half which never came. To be honest Bismark has FAR more of an impact as a sub than he has over 80 minutes.
So if the choice is Smit as captain (big tick) and Bismark as sub (big tick) or Matfield as captain (big no no) and Bismark over 80 (still a big tick), then its obvious who I’d start with… A subs bench of Bismark, Alberts, Hougaard and Rossouw will be very difficult to stop.
For me the big problem is M Steyn at 10 and Spies at 8. The problem is that we have become too reliant on M Steyn’s kicking to win matches. His kicking for poles is excellent, but everything else is below par. But we have no choice now, we have made our bed with M Steyn.
30 Sep 2011, 20:28 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-1476:
Hehe, but I’m feeling fairly confident for the game tomorrow. I think we’ll do it but we haven’t beaten them by more than 8 points since 1986.
But I do believe Scotland are more than capable. We are strong up front, Murray is back, Danielli is back on the wing, Lamont at inside centre is a good move, and most importantly, Dan Parks is NOT playing.
As for AC, I flipping well hope he is off but I’m not sure I want to wish him in the Boks
30 Sep 2011, 20:29 pm
@ufo(ufo)-1491:
Im not sure whether they will be able to afford him – but I agree, he should be great.
Just pray that they do not give Jerome paarwater another run
30 Sep 2011, 20:30 pm
We need to stop this stupid up ‘n under stuff. Ridiculous tactic, just gives the possession away.
A team like Australia will punish us on the counter attack… oh hold on, they’ve already done it twice this year already.
30 Sep 2011, 20:31 pm
@ufo(ufo)-1491: So is Nick Mallet.
30 Sep 2011, 20:31 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-1498:
It really pissed me off. We have powerful ball carriers. WTF.
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