Brave Wallabies shut out Boks
9 Oct 2011
JON CARDINELLI watched the Wallabies hang on for what could be the unlikeliest yet most significant victory at this 2011 World Cup.
Did the better team win? It’s a question the Springboks will be asking themselves from now and until the next global tournament in 2015.
South Africa controlled the game for large periods but were repeatedly undone by the Wallabies’ heroic defence. David Pocock was talked about as a danger man in the build up, and after a breakdown performance highlighted by some momentum stalling and often try-saving turnovers, he was undoubtedly the game’s MVP.
Much will be said about referee Bryce Lawrence’s performance with the whistle. Lawrence adopted an ‘anything goes’ policy at the rucks, but it was the Wallabies that adapted to the official’s style early on. The Wallabies dominated the collisions in the first half, and with Heinrich Brussow crying off with a rib injury, the Boks battled to combat Pocock’s inhibiting presence at the breakdown.
The Boks enjoyed as much as 84% territory and 55% possession in the first half, and yet only garnered a three point return. Their poor ball security at ruck time led to turnovers, as did their tendency to spill the ball in contact.
They upped their game in both respects in the second stanza, and it was all the Aussie could do to hang on. The subdue and conquer style so prominent and effective in 2009 once again held sway, and the Wallabies forwards struggled to resist the Boks when they cleaned out would-be ball poachers. They also battled to deal with the high ball, which was well chased by South Africa’s belligerent backs.
Quade Cooper had a shocker. After a dropping a high ball first up, he was often caught in possession and failed to provide the expected impact with the boot. A number of Wallabies grew increasingly susceptible as the game wore on, but the Boks just lacked that killer blow.
There’s no denying that the Boks had their chances. Jean de Villiers made a scything break in the second stanza and put Pat Lambie away for a try, only to be called back for a forward pass. Fourie du Preez thought he was in for a five-pointer when some good Bok defence dislodged the ball centimetres from the Aussie line. Unfortunately, the ball was again knocked free as Du Preez reached for the line.
Every Bok surge into Wallabies territory was succeeded by a desperate display of defence. The turnover followed, and the Aussies’ inability to clear their lines with any great distance ensured the game remained in the Wallabies’ half. The Boks’ lineout dominance also contributed to their territorial ascendancy, but in the end they will lament their inconsistent showing at the breakdown, as well as their poor finishing when it was on out wide.
After a frustrating period on attack, Morne Steyn finally put the Boks ahead 9-8 with a well-taken drop-goal. With 20 minutes to play, the momentum was with the Boks and if they continued to play in Wallabies territory and control possession, they would advance to the semi-finals.
But the introduction of Berrick Barnes had the desired effect for the Wallabies, and after a series of tactical kicking misfires by his team-mates, he delivered a rolling kick deep into the Boks’ 22. The Wallabies remained in the Boks’ half and eventually won a penalty, which James O’Connor held his nerve to convert.
It was a massive moment for the youngster, who had missed a relatively easy attempt in the first half. If he had missed, the chances were the Boks would regain possession, resume control and win the game. If he slotted it, it would set up a dramatic eight minutes where the Wallabies would need to continue to repel the rampant Bok forwards.
Through the Herculean efforts of Bismarck du Plessis and Schalk Burger, the Boks threw everything at the Aussies in those final minutes. They even managed to turn the Wallabies over, but unfortunately knocked it on just when they were moving back into the area of the field where Steyn would be able to kick for goal.
From there, the Wallabies closed out the game smartly. It will remain one of the great escapes for the Wallabies, but the Boks can hardly argue that they deserved to win this game. They didn’t take their opportunities, and on the day, the scoreboard will show that they were punished for that failure to convert dominance into points.
1,133 Comments
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9 Oct 2011, 09:11 am
Bryce Lawrence had a shocker, that penalty was a joke Radike Samo was not pulled down in contact Matfield left him alone, oh well life carries on, the springboks lost this game, wallabies did not deserve to win it.
France NZ final at Auckland, could be interesting.
9 Oct 2011, 09:11 am
@ET.(ET.)-679: stop talking about yourself.
9 Oct 2011, 09:11 am
@NZMaori(NZMaori)-665: easy on the alcohol there Maori … tell your women to leave the house … don’t want them to get a beating cause your are feeling so happy now.
9 Oct 2011, 09:11 am
Ruck and Roll Suicide
9 Oct 2011, 09:11 am
paddy obrien needs to be replaced then we might get neutral refs
9 Oct 2011, 09:12 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-631: you have to admit though – you cant exactly say Smit and Fourie du Preez lost us the game today. I think our biggest issue was too many forwards in the backline on attack.
9 Oct 2011, 09:12 am
The match was there for the taking. No excuses.
9 Oct 2011, 09:12 am
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-682:
Look I have every right to voice my opinion about some very poor calls (which made the difference)
I dont need any Kiwi resorting to name calling because i have a problem with some very important calls
9 Oct 2011, 09:12 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-676:
Go for it,all is fair in love and war:-)
I can dish it and take it.
9 Oct 2011, 09:12 am
Pity Piet van Zyl was not at the game but fukkit the boks threw all the opportunities away.
9 Oct 2011, 09:12 am
@XV(XV)-553:
Better team lost and the ‘penalty’ to win the game was NOT a penalty. Samo fell over. But hey lawrence was determined that SA should not win.
the TJ gave the word to Lawrence that the Bok #4 grabbed Samo’s legs and basically spear tackled him. This was what happened.
9 Oct 2011, 09:13 am
@maximus1(maximus1)-701: Danie conceded the 3 points … he pulled the player down.
9 Oct 2011, 09:13 am
As a general comment from a Wallaby fan – commiserations to all Bok fans. You guys were awesome. A true rugby nation and the way your boys carried themselves after what would have been the most gut-wrenching loss of their careers does all you guys credit.
There are a few comments blaming this and that – I responded but shouldn’t have. I know how it feels (2003 final extra time loss) and things are said.
Stand tall and go well.
9 Oct 2011, 09:13 am
A more unworthy side of the title ‘World Champion’ than Australia you couldn’t name, don’t even have a lineout or proper forwards that can stand up and match it … and a more destructive coach than Peter de Villiers you couldn’t name either.
Villain of the piece for me is John Smit for the utter selfishness of carrying on playing ahead of Bismarck. As his parting signature to a general 2/10 perfortmance for the last two years he missed the tackle that gave them the winning try. Smit lost us the World Cup and so did the coach who selected him. He needs to be fired with immediate effect. Pocock won it for them – the injury to Brussouw (along with Bakkies and Frans Steyn) cost us also when we we needed them most – luck was very cruel to us?
9 Oct 2011, 09:13 am
@Nils(Nils)-698: cheers mate, good luck vs Arg.
9 Oct 2011, 09:13 am
The very big mouths have ALL taken to the hills on their way to Boot Hill
Read the very first posts for guidance as to what would have played out for you losers.
9 Oct 2011, 09:13 am
@maximus1(maximus1)-701:
See my comment 711
9 Oct 2011, 09:13 am
@KK 699,
Your tact is amazing.
9 Oct 2011, 09:13 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-699:
you need help, now take your medicine boy
9 Oct 2011, 09:14 am
Time to bring in the young brigade and rebuild. We had the opportunity but our coach was just too dumb to realise it. Well you are judged not only on the world cup Peter but also on your inability to lead players who are too strong for you. You are the weakest link – goodbye.
9 Oct 2011, 09:14 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-535: Score board seems to say they don’t!
9 Oct 2011, 09:14 am
could’ve should’ve didn’t
9 Oct 2011, 09:14 am
John Smith has just thrown away his legacy, no question about it. A perfect husband who cheats on his wife after a decade of marriage is still a selfish twat.
9 Oct 2011, 09:14 am
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19(Fern)-709:
no point mate, nothing in it for me hard luck we no the pain
9 Oct 2011, 09:14 am
@BULLET(BULLET)-659:
Mate, people on here posing as true Kiwis rubbing it into you guys are a bunch of fakes.
This **** hurts big time without the idiot fake Kiwis rubbing it in.
Believe me its not the way i or the regulars play the game. Cos i know we have 3 games to play and in any of those we can be beaten.
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
@BillMcConnell(BillMcConnell)-713:
gentleman.
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-694:
And besides i have not said a bad thing about the Aussies or the ABs ever
I have played the game and coached long enough where i see bad calls by a ref and in the 1st half there were bad calls
These would have lead to points for the boks and the win
Sorry i cant help pointing that out
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
maximus1 – it was the touch judge’s call! i think it was the correct one .. we had our chances – with 80% possession its sad that we didn’t try more drop goals – because it was clear that lawrence was not going to award many penalties – playing it safe!
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
Good night everyone. Well done Australia.
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
@Couchcoach(GI POT)-655: Go back and watch the breakdown battle. They slowed it like crazy, and got more turnovers than us (about the only stat that favored them). They also did a lot of lying offside and slow-rolling.
You can say that HB would not have changed the breakdown battle but you can’t pretend that the breakdown turnover stats (and therefore Flo’s effectiveness at the turnover) were satisfactory.
Flo did a lot of good things, and he’s clearly an excellent player. But if we had been more in control at the breakdown we could have got the turnovers and quick ball to put guys into holes.
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
@BillMcConnell(BillMcConnell)-713: Cheers Bill, congrates to your team. They were too clever for us.
Smart always beats Big.
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
@BillMcConnell(BillMcConnell)-713:
That is the voice of a true gentleman. Well said and well done to your team. You wanted it more…
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
@RL(RL)-674: Agreed. No passion from JPP. Dont think he’ll lose much sleep.
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
@maximus1(maximus1)-701: Russouw pulled him down.
9 Oct 2011, 09:15 am
@725 Hurricane,
Thank you.
All the best for the remaining matches.
9 Oct 2011, 09:16 am
That was so sweet
Well done to the Wallabies. Guts and courage brought the Boks down to earth with a mighty crash.
The SAFFAS gambled everything on winning the WC – and failed miserably!
9 Oct 2011, 09:16 am
Bafana Bafokke
9 Oct 2011, 09:16 am
We only lost on the scoreboard… Bwahaaaaaaaaaa.
That has now become a classic…
9 Oct 2011, 09:16 am
@Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-699:
Oh god go away
9 Oct 2011, 09:16 am
@713 BillMc,
Thank you for your comments. I appreciate the sentiment.
9 Oct 2011, 09:17 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-727: Pete, bud. It’s over. There were terrible calls in the first half. We still coughed the pill too much, we still had no penetration.
But we will start again and hopefully be rid of the coaches, and we know a lot of the dead wood will go.
Sleep well amigo.
9 Oct 2011, 09:17 am
So much possession, so much terrirtory, not enough points! Well dome Bryce, I hope you take a look at YOUR performance! BOKKE how did we blow that! All blacks tournament to lose! GO WALES!
9 Oct 2011, 09:17 am
And so the difference was Bryce Lawrence (read Paddy O’Brien)
If we got what we deserved it would have been different; I mean there are many refs that could have handled this game but the puppet master did his share in the NZ national campaign to win the Wc by hook or by crook
ABs did not want to face Boks, that was clear to me at least
9 Oct 2011, 09:17 am
I’m allowed to say twat? PdV’s a twat. Smith’s a twat. Lawrence’s a twat. twat twat twat twat. Ah, feels good.
9 Oct 2011, 09:17 am
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-734:
Yeah that was a penalty for sure. No squealing there. It was the right call from the touch judge.
9 Oct 2011, 09:17 am
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-637: Thanks mate – all the best for you guys – you should take Argies easily and I cant see you losing to Oz next week. We just showed you how to netralise them completely – just your backline has far mroe potency than ours. Should be in the bag. Probably face Wales in the final but how sweet would a France vs New Zealand final be for revenge?? Oh yeah! You guys must be failry happy youre not facing us next weekend. The Boks in all fairness dominated that game but our achilles heel – our failure to attack well was our undoing. Ref didnt help at all and I honestly think he missed a lot at the breakdown as well as a lot of high tackles on us. But I´m not going to pin the blame on him. We should have taken our opportunities. End of. Massive well wishes for today and th rest of the cup and now that we are out I certainly hope that the deserving team wins it – which is the All Blacks. I know your countrymen need it as much as we did in 2007. Like I said for the rest of the tournament i´m with my 2nd team and thats the All Blacks.
9 Oct 2011, 09:17 am
So for all our experience we were incapable of playing to the ref, making our dominance count on the scoreboard and closing out the game. Left to the team of youngsters to teach us.
9 Oct 2011, 09:17 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-702:
My name is in the Hall of Fame of non-racism.
Yours is synonymous with APARTHEID terminology, such as ” BBANTU “.
9 Oct 2011, 09:18 am
@NZINCHINA(NZINCHINA)-724:
On Monday some 17-21year old kids will be kicking a rugbyball around planning for the Springbok attempt at the next RWC.
We are like that.
I hope for a good game now and no injuries.
9 Oct 2011, 09:18 am
@ET.(ET.)-748:
should read ” BANTU “
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