Heartbroken Matfield can’t explain loss
9 Oct 2011
Victor Matfield believes the Springboks did their country proud and isn’t quite sure how they ended up on the wrong side of the scoreline.
The Boks dominated territory and possession for much of Sunday’s quarter-final at the Cake Tin. Their lineout succeeded in disrupting the Wallabies’ set-piece, and their scrum also applied significant pressure.
Even when Wallabies No 14 James O’Connor slotted a penalty in the 72nd minute, the Boks still had the momentum as the clock wound down. Matfield admitted afterwards that he was at a loss to explain exactly where it all went wrong for South Africa, and why they are going home on Monday instead of preparing for a World Cup semi-final.
‘Considering the way we played, it was tough to lose like that,’ the Bok vice-captain said. ‘We always felt it was a matter of keeping the ball and getting into the right position. We felt that the [Wallabies' defensive] wall would eventually break. Unfortunately that moment never came.’
The Boks were guilty of a number of handling errors, and left several tries out on the park. But Matfield still believes the Boks had done enough to win a narrow contest.
‘Fourie du Preez came within half a metre of scoring and then there was the forward pass [to Pat Lambie]. So we did have our chances. We did everything to win the game but win the game. It’s heart-breaking.’
Bok forwards coach Gary Gold described the result as ‘devastating’ and said you could equate the feeling experienced by the players and management as that of the pain of death.
Referee Bryce Lawrence allowed both sets of players a lot of leeway at the breakdown, and while Gold said he would have to study the tape before making an accurate assessment of Lawrence’s performance, his initial feelings are that the referee let the Wallabies get away with far too much at the tackle.
‘We knew the role David Pocock would play and that he needed to be managed. Losing Heinrich Brussow [to injury in the first half] was massive for us. But Flo [Francois Louw] did well when he came on. We will have to look at it again, but my feeling watching it live, there was a big issue with the daylight at the breakdown.’
There had been a lot of criticism of the Boks’ pattern of play before this fixture, and while they did implement their kick-chase strategy successfully, they still ended the game without the desired result and without having scored any tries. Gold, however, believes they went into the match with the right game plan.
‘I don’t think we could have been better prepared. We struck a good balance, we were great defensively, we scrummed well, our lineout was good and so was our maul. We also had a good balance on the bench. We felt we did a lot well, so to lose is heart-wrenching.’
Like the other members of Team South Africa that fronted the media after the dramatic result, Gold was clearly very despondent. In spite of the loss, however, he suggested there were positives to be taken from this World Cup campaign.
‘The bit of solace we can take from this is that we have some unbelievable rugby players coming through. To single one out, Pat Lambie was sensational.’
On those older players that have represented the Boks for the last time, Gold said he hopes that South Africa gives them their due. John Smit and Victor Matfield have now retired from international rugby, while Danie Rossouw and Fourie du Preez will further their careers in Japan.
‘It will be a great injustice if they don’t receive recognition. They’ve done so much for the South African brand. When the emotion has died down a bit hopefully some of the senior players will be acknowledged for their contribution to the game,’ said Gold.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Wellington
61 Comments
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10 Oct 2011, 00:48 am
I can explain it to Vic why we lost. We gave the Aussies only one chance and they took it!!! Why the hell Fourie Du Preez and Sckalkie decided to run it in our 22 God only knows. The ball should have been passed to Morne and skopped 50m up the park. The Aussies came no where in sight of our line or 22 for that matter again. 9-6 should have been the final score but for one crucial moment
10 Oct 2011, 00:50 am
Thanks Bokke bowed out with heads held high
10 Oct 2011, 00:50 am
Go Wales
10 Oct 2011, 01:03 am
@James in NZ(James in NZ)-48:
James, good post but dont fall into the trap of the ref cheated or the ref only blew for one side.
I think the ref had a bad one but he blew cr@p for both sides, he was consistently bad the whole match . He missed alot of little knock ons,ruck infringing etc from both sides.
10 Oct 2011, 01:43 am
An Australian viewpoint – next day and still absolutely astonished that we “won” (seems like the wrong word) that one.
Didn’t see the ref as being biased, just a bit loose and in need of a labrador maybe (the forward pass before the “try” by Lambie certainly looked good to Melbourne viewers, so much so there were admiring comments at the time – likewise Aust got pinged for a forward-pass-that-wasn’t a few mins earlier)
Let’s just hope we can make the best of our good fortune next week against the ABs, though as long as Wales get through, it’s looking like a much more entertaining (read: free-flowing) final than the last one.
As for Matfield, what a great sport – there’s a great photo in the smh.com.au showing him congratulating the Wallabies after the match. Given how demoralising and frustrating the loss must’ve been, that’s pretty impressive.
10 Oct 2011, 03:36 am
With so much possession, territory and ability to break the Aus back line, your boys CHOKED, welcome to the recurring nightmare.
Second time you been knocked out in the quarters – bloody hurts eh, I still think you should have , could have, won that.
Aus know they escaped a bullet, they shouldnt get any more luck this RWC
Bad luck boks, and a great saulte to Victor and Smit – great test players for your country.
10 Oct 2011, 05:56 am
@James in NZ(James in NZ)-48:
Good post and I think you are right with your choices of the SA team to ‘go forward’.
Boks can only get better from here onwards.
10 Oct 2011, 07:09 am
@KiaKahaNZ(KiaKahaNZ)-56: Haha, you can only choke if you are favourites and have a huge lead during the game and blow it. Boks never had the privilege.
10 Oct 2011, 07:11 am
We lost because we stopped playing when we had the lead.
Vic you are a real legend but were a yard off the pace this year, congrats on an excellent career!
10 Oct 2011, 08:00 am
The worst thing is this, France (they ******* suck) go through but we are knocked out. I hope we see a Wales/ All Black final. I don’t care if it’s irrational but I would bloody cry if those wallaby sheep shaggers won the WC.
Either AB’s (it’s their time, Canterbury earthquake etc.) or Wales (their rise to form has been inspiring).
10 Oct 2011, 22:49 pm
@Lions_Soutie(Lions_Soutie)-58: So we didnt choke in 07 then, coz we never had a huge lead. We were accused however of not setting ourselves up for the drop goal.
Similar to saying you have a huge lead, SA had HUGE territory and HUGE possession stats, meaning, you really should have done more with the ball, implying that SA did choke on all of that, didnt they?
Its horrible being called chokers tho isnt it? As a supporter of your team, you see things totally different to others
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