PdV’s misplaced loyalty could cost Boks
7 Oct 2011
JON CARDINELLI writes that Peter de Villiers has failed the Springboks by favouring John Smit over Bismarck du Plessis.
‘Don’t be surprised if Bismarck starts the big games,’ a source close to the team told me last week. By that point, Smit had started the Boks’ first three World Cup matches, but there was still a strong belief that Du Plessis would wear the No 2 jersey in the play-offs.
Before Thursday, Du Plessis had pledged his support to his mentor and captain, although privately he may have expected to start the big games. When the team to play against Namibia was named, Du Plessis told an Irish journalist that he’d accepted his role as Smit’s understudy, but following the announcement of the Boks’ quarter-final line-up, he cut a dejected figure at the team hotel.
When he was interviewed, there was none of the good humour that had characterised his media offerings earlier in the tournament. There was also a rumour that he’d reacted badly to the news that he would be riding the bench, and that the head coach was unimpressed with this reaction.
De Villiers calls it a bad attitude, I call it a bad decision. Not for the first time in the last four years, the Bok coach has favoured Smit over Du Plessis even though it’s become increasingly evident that Smit can no longer meet the standards of an international hooker, let alone match the trend-setting Du Plessis.
Smit is also no longer the indispensable leader he was during De Villiers’s early years. On the 2010 tour to the Home Nations, Victor Matfield proved himself to be a capable leader in Smit’s absence. When he was handed the responsibility at this World Cup, Matfield admitted that the captaincy wasn’t as demanding when you had leaders like Bryan Habana (73 caps), Jean de Villiers (71), Jaque Fourie (68), Schalk Burger (67), Danie Rossouw (62) and Fourie du Preez (61) in the side.
There can be a case made for Habana’s exclusion, but the rest of these players deserve their places regardless of their age. The same cannot be said of Smit, and you have to wonder if the reasons around his selection are truly rugby related.
There will never be another John Smit. He’s already the most decorated Bok captain of all time, and his achievements are all the more remarkable given what he’s had to endure from an off-the-field perspective.
It was during the turbulent times of 2008 and 2009, when De Villiers was at his controversy-inciting worst, that Smit needed all of his experience and diplomacy, and behind the scenes, Smit worked to ensure the right calls were made in terms of selection and tactics. While he had already achieved so much prior to 2008, his value and contributions during the first two seasons of De Villiers’ tenure should never be underestimated.
When I interviewed Smit in April 2010, he told me that he would continue to put the team first. He said that the time may come where he would need to step aside, either to warm the bench or support the team as a non-playing squad member. He said this with conviction, and his past deeds both on and off the field gave me no reason to doubt that he would make good on his promise.
I couldn’t help but think about that conversation when Smit was announced as the starting hooker for this Sunday’s quarter-final against the Wallabies. The senior players have a big say in selection and strategy, and so I felt Smit’s selection didn’t align with his commitment to put the team first. By marching on as the starting No 2, he is doing the Boks no favours. By standing in the way of Du Plessis, he is, ironically, doing his country a disservice.
De Villiers will also need to accept responsibility for this situation. He may feel that he owes Smit something but the reality is that a Bok coach should always place the needs of the team above the needs of individuals.
Du Plessis is right to feel aggrieved. The best player won’t start in the No 2 jersey this Sunday, and this decision could cost the Boks’ in the decisive battle up front. It could cost the team everything they’ve worked for over the past four years and lead to an embarrassing quarter-final exit on par with that of Rudolph Straeuli’s side of 2003.
Through the weak management of De Villiers and Smit’s refusal to face the fact that he’s a spent force, the rugby world has been denied the privilege of seeing Du Plessis in his prime on the greatest stage of all. From a South African perspective, the decision to favour Smit has robbed the Boks of the stronger, more dynamic starting option, and it’s likely to be a decision the entire nation will come to lament.
717 Comments
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7 Oct 2011, 15:39 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-248: RWC website doesn’t have those stats, but I can tell you that Warburton will battle against a SH ref this weekend as his breakdown technique is not on the same level and will be penalised a lot.
7 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
Go Bokke go!!!
7 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-229: @Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-245: this ewen mckenzie bluster is a load of hogwash, yes it makes sense in theory, but tell me which one of these players that were subs in the S15 final are better than the Reds starters but are kept on the bench they make an impact & because a team HAS 22 players?
James Hanson; Guy Shepherdson; Adam Wallace-Harrison, Jake Schatz, Liam Gill, Ian Prior, Will Chambers
7 Oct 2011, 15:44 pm
just one more game and john smit will be no more.
7 Oct 2011, 15:49 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-242: “They call it the uncontested scrum mark.”
Wasn’t it Stormers favourite weapon?
7 Oct 2011, 15:51 pm
@mvk(mvk)-254: no man! bokke will win on sunday and you’re going to eat your words.
7 Oct 2011, 15:52 pm
serious bunch of morons thinking Boks are better off starting Smit to starting Bismark this is an outright recipe for disaster, hope you nincompoop moronic idiots gonna be satisfied when the direct result of this absolute fckup of a decision erupts and Blows Up in Boks faces.
This is now the bottom line fckup of all fckup decisions starting this pathetic useless has been of a liability ahead of BdP, and it is THE single fckup of a decision that is absolutely the crux that will be sending Boks home on Sunday, hope you dumb imbecile arsehole Smittyfied bumkins gonna be satisfied when your useless f’ng hero gonna be giving his well worded losing speech after the game on what MIGHT HAVE BEEN had the pathetic useless dumbfck dunce stepped OUT the f’ng way.!!
7 Oct 2011, 15:59 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-257: but you still support the Bokke neh Skop?
let’s not lose focus here, we don’t agree with the selection but our blood is indefinitely green!
7 Oct 2011, 15:59 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-238:
That is the fear I have for Sunday’s match.
IF it is their plan to play JS at LH when Bissie comes on, when may just lose the match right there if we have not already done so.
They have not learn in more than 18 months now that skop en jaag don’t work. Don’t you think you give them too much credit afs learning from their mistakes go.
@Transformation(Transformation)-247:
Hahaha.
Would like to meet him one day.
7 Oct 2011, 15:59 pm
Op nommers een en drie vir die Bokke
Sit stutte wat lyk soos twee trokke
En nie een van ons hakers
Is naastenby kakker
As daai Aussie ding met die lokke
7 Oct 2011, 16:00 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-258: more like “undoubtedly green”
7 Oct 2011, 16:01 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-241:
good for you my man, tell me since when you become so peaceful and all, and what was the last 3 years worth of bitching about pdivvie and the Boks for? hypocrite. and actually, there are going to be i told you so’s from me to you on sunday if the Boks lose, just for you i’m going to make a little exception.
7 Oct 2011, 16:03 pm
All the games in this world cup between tier one nations, with the exception of a poor France against New Zealand, have been in the balance going into the final 20 minutes. Even tier 2 nations have been competitive against stronger nations deep into the second half. Motivation levels are high and this has a significant impact on attitude in the contact areas and on defence. This should be the case in the QF SA vs Australia. The boks tactic of introducing a very strong bench from minute 50 is in my view very sound. I think Nick Mallet during his run of 17 victories also lucked upon a strong bench led by Bob Skinstad. Bismark is not the complete player and has weaknesses. Smit has been playing some decent rugby. Do not see the logic in messing with the status quo at this stage even if Bismark is the better player. I back John to have a good game and our bench to close the game out for us.
7 Oct 2011, 16:07 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-253:
The Crusaders in their early campaigns under Smith used to use Norm Berryman,MarkHammett,Marika Vunibaka off bench to add impetus in 2nd quarter, who were arguably better than starters Mark mayerholfer,matt Sexton and Afato Soailo’o respectively.
Add that to the fact that the current Reds S15 side doesnt share the same dynamics that exist in the SA team at the moment which are:
-Ageing team
-SA gameplan less based on retaining ball,high tackle rates thus leads to increased fatigue level(always tackle twice even 3 times other team)
-SA/Boks tendency to fall away in last quarter.has long been an SA characteristic.Due to our highly attrictional way of play
PS-Transie he did use hill reserves to change games throughout season.Specifically Radike Samo,Ben Lucas,Liam Gill(turnovers)
So no sbali,S14 final was one game but throughout season McKenzie used strategy to a certain level.Just like the AB’s last year using Israel Dagg,Piri Weepu,Sam Whitelock to change games.The latter were arguably BETTER than Mils/Cowan/Donnely.
Not bs at all
7 Oct 2011, 16:07 pm
@nama1(nama1)-259: is nie ‘n man nie
onderwyseres?
7 Oct 2011, 16:09 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-243: But its not as clear cut as all that. Thats why Victor isnt a captain of repute at international level.
And JS record since 3N 2009 is what exactly ?? ……….Bloody awful my man !
7 Oct 2011, 16:10 pm
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated)-244:
thats debatable, and irrelevant too, a ****** can be taught the roles, look at half the refs.
7 Oct 2011, 16:14 pm
I tell you what if we win on Sunday there won’t be a lot of “I told you so’s” because unlike the Smit detractors we are unable to attribute the success of the Bokke down to him and him alone. There is no way one can say if it hadn’t been for this tackle or that pass or that kick etc that the game would have been lost or won because a game is played over 80 minutes and can go in many directions. You may have deliberate over options in hindsight and wonder but its never “Fact”.
As a coach you make choices and hope like hell those choices pan out but there is no way that you can say afterwards with any guarantee that another choice would have panned out differently. You can however say that a performance, be that individual or team was ***** or great and may have contributed to a result but none of us have crystal balls.
So lets assume that PDV has got it right and get behind this team and if they lose so be it, but I am sure it will not be for lack of trying.
7 Oct 2011, 16:15 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-264: how many games did radike samo start on the bench while leroy houston played? like i said the reds bench mainly featured guy sheperdson, liam gill, ian prior, will chambers, adam wallace-harrison, james hanson..
at what point did mckenzie this season sacrifice – at least you can recall – his best players just because he wanted to “maximise” the impact of the bench!
7 Oct 2011, 16:17 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-264: Agreed Mshin but i don’t think they were as intentional in their strategy as PDV is being now. I honestly think they were blooding the youngsters rather than using them for impact i.e the AB’s. The Reds on the other hand seemed to be a deliberate resting pattern in my opinion.
7 Oct 2011, 16:18 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-268: i don’t think the smit detractors themselves can, with authority, point to smit as the sole reason for any loss in the past couple of years.
7 Oct 2011, 16:22 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-270: By the way are there players who could never be “impact” players? players that spring to mind that you may perhaps prefer to see starting rather than coming on for that reason are perhaps JS,VM,JDP,Gurthro? because they don’t offer more than the “would be” starting players in all round play – just a thought.
7 Oct 2011, 16:22 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-271:
You are right, he is not the sole reason for the losses but certainly made quite a “contribution” towards it
7 Oct 2011, 16:26 pm
Oh stop it you bunch of nattering big girls’ blouses.
Hamster wheel threads.
Round and round and round and round ……
7 Oct 2011, 16:28 pm
its not about smit detractors, its about bismarck not starting and how this handicaps the team in a game decided on inches, yes by one player, and i’ve pointed to a string of results that back this assertion up.
7 Oct 2011, 16:33 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-272: guthro is certainly an “impact” player, i reckon his work-rate can match beast’s so if he is introduced in the latter parts of a game he can be devastating
FdP is not an impact player, we at least the current kak version of him.
7 Oct 2011, 16:36 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-265:
Ooo! Ek sien.
———————————————-…—————————————-
At last I got my picks in on bru. Have been struggling this whole week to access the bru site.
Wales by 4
Eng by 8
SA by 9
NZ by 17
7 Oct 2011, 16:38 pm
Barney’s our Hero…
A song to him by Foo Fighters:
too alarming now to talk about
take your pictures down
and shake it out
truth or consequence, say it aloud
use that evidence race it around
there goes my hero
watch him as he goes
there goes my hero
he’s ordinary
don’t the best of them bleed it out
while the rest of them peter out
truth or consequence, say it aloud
use that evidence race it around
there goes my hero
watch him as he goes
there goes my hero
he’s ordinary
kudos my hero
leaving all the best
you know my hero
the one that’s on
there goes my hero
watch him as he goes
there goes my hero
he’s ordinary
7 Oct 2011, 16:38 pm
kudos my hero
leaving all the best
you know my hero
the one that’s on
GO BARNEY!!!
7 Oct 2011, 16:39 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-276: yeah thought about Gurthro but wondered about the extra dimension an impact player brings. If you look at Hougie for example in all the games where he has played from the start I’ve thought that he doesn’t necessarily have the same impact he has as when he comes on with 20 to go for example. Yet I think he is one of the truly World Class players we have.
7 Oct 2011, 16:40 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-276:
Guthro can do both.But he is a better starter as he is more influencial in setpieces and cleaning at start of game than Beast.
But Beast with his superior athleticism,speed,mobility while he can start is better off bench of late.He is better with ball in hand.
Both are fantastic athletes though.SA very lucky to have them.
7 Oct 2011, 16:44 pm
@cab(cab)-275: Cab how do you know that. Do you know about probablistics and the measurement of outcomes and putting them down to a single event or cirucmstance or risk etc.
How in heavens name can you trace all of those results down to one variable when there are so many variables including amongst others JS form,injuries (coming back), side composition, playing field, refs interpretation,travel schedule, *** life etc. We hear all the excuses on you when the Bulls don’t win
7 Oct 2011, 16:46 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-272:
Gurthro made a big “impact” coming on as a sub against Wales and Samoa during this RWC.
Having said that, I will also prefer him as the starting LH with Beast coming on later in the game.
@Transformation(Transformation)-276:
“FdP is not an impact player, we at least the current kak version of him.”
FdP is not even good enough for a start, well at least the current kak version of him.
7 Oct 2011, 16:46 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-282: “you ” should be “here”
7 Oct 2011, 16:48 pm
any way guys outtahere for now. Go BOKKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
7 Oct 2011, 16:48 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-269:
First half of S15 Samo played a bit part role,Houston and young Schwartz played.In second half od season after week 4-6 Samo exploded into scene again and rest is history.But after try vs NZ he has largely been quiet.
And you didnt comment on the point about the AB’s,just stuck on Reds I see….
In 1999 TriNations,John Hart deliberately kept Lomu on bench even though he was the premier wing in NZ that year and used him off the bench for impact in last quarter.
Same thing was done with Lukaz van biljon throughout his Bok and provincial career.
Another thing is that as McKenzie said in piece,rugby has evolved thus the prinviples of yesteryear such as 80 min players etc is being questioned especially for the older teams and strategies employed to bigger team to move them side to side to tire them thus tiring theem.Amongst others
7 Oct 2011, 16:54 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-282:
the bulls? u got the wrong oke, my excuses are reserved for the lions, and even then i wont be the one bitching after sunday – watch and see what happens – all the big blaffers here will simply not be around.
Anything is theoretically possible, there are no hard and fast rules, but in rugby normally the better team wins, that is probability. The Boks have lost 5 of their last 6 outings vs oz including a virtual identical team that lost at home 6 weeks ago – the probability of them losing against oz in australasia seems high, of hoe?
In 2009 Bismarck started in the 3N and SA won 5 out of 6.
In 2010 Bismarck did not start in the 3N and SA lost 5 out of 6 (a complete reversal).
In 2009, Bismarck started the first two test v the BIL which we won, in the third BIL test Bismarck did not start and we got absolutely hammered.
In 2009, Bismarck started his first test vs Ireland, which is the first time SA have beaten ireland away in many years, we did it again in 2010.
Sometimes u need to be able to put 2 + 2 together and not come up with 22.
7 Oct 2011, 17:06 pm
@cab(cab)-287: actually in 2009 Bissy did NOT start against irealnd and we LOST the match 15 – 10
64 mins: Peter de Villiers has decided to run the changes. He brings on four fresh players within two minutes, which sees Ruan Pienaar at pivot and Bismarck du Plessis at hooker and John Smit moved to tighthead.
#just saying
7 Oct 2011, 17:08 pm
@cab(cab)-287: Cab,
You still going on about John and Bissie.
In 2009 we had Brussow for all the tests in 2010 we never he was injured. Don’t underestimate how much value he brought to the team.
That last test against the BIL we played a 2nd Bok side. We gave a game to all the players that never got a game against the BIL. They played their full strength side. We had most of our first side out resting. Bakkies was out with suspension too.
Now here is a fact. 2010 Oz had Pocock. We NEVER had Brussow. There is the difference. Also no FdP. FdP before he was injured was great. Morne just never played the same that year without him. You can’t blame John that we have lost these games. Rather look who else was missing. Our biggest trump card in the 2009 series was Brussow.
Come on buddy. Just relax we gonna win it. If we don’t whether Bissie starts or not we were then never going to win it.
Our biggest loss is Frans Steyn at inside centre. I don’t think JdV is the same class but he will have seen how well Fransie got our backline going. They will have worked on it. So backing JdV to have a good game on Sunday.
Now relax buddy. I am off for sundowners. Will have one for you so you can relax now..
Cheers Cab.
7 Oct 2011, 17:11 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-288:
lol, sorry u are correct smit started against Ireland 09 and Boks lost, bismarck starts in 2010 and Boks won.
7 Oct 2011, 17:13 pm
Go Bokke Go.
Cheers all.
7 Oct 2011, 17:13 pm
@cab(cab)-290:
7 Oct 2011, 17:15 pm
@cab(cab)-287:
Gevaarlike terrein nou Cab.
Some people may point to the fact that JS played TH in 2009 when Bissie started at 2. We don’t want them to use that as a reason to punt for JS’s inclusion at TH, do we now?
7 Oct 2011, 17:16 pm
@Puma(Puma)-289:
Pumes, i dont care if its smit, brussow, bakkies or obi wan kanobi in or out – my point is a very simple one, which is that the Boks win an awful lot of games when Bismarck starts.
Guess who started in the only 3N test we won this year?
7 Oct 2011, 17:16 pm
Spies is a much bigger problem. We’re effectively playing with 7 forwards as long as he’s on the field.
7 Oct 2011, 17:18 pm
@nama1(nama1)-293:
ou nama, am afraid u right, the minds are made up allround, might as well be pissing into a hurricane.
7 Oct 2011, 17:19 pm
@cab(cab)-287: In 2009, Bismarck started the first two test v the BIL which we won, in the third BIL test Bismarck did not start and we got absolutely hammered
If I remember correctly the third test against the BIL featured wholesale changes and John did not play hooker in the third test, or in any of the tests as he was playing prop. The third test featured something like eight changes to the bok side. Sometimes adding 2 + 2 is not as easy as you think.
7 Oct 2011, 17:23 pm
@A fine Line(A fine Line)-297:
you are almost certainly correct, there might have also been a wind imbalance and a high pressure region over the stadium on that day, there might have been a million other facts, but my point is actually simpler than 2 + 2, its that Bismarck was simply not starting, 1 factor. You dont even have to be able to count.
7 Oct 2011, 17:27 pm
@cab(cab)-298:
7 Oct 2011, 17:27 pm
ok, i’m going to gym now…cab is killing me!
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