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
9 Oct 2011, 11:12 am
Bounce of the ball was just not with us today. Unlucky guys you gave it your all. Would of loved to see a AB bok semi. Bitterly disappointed with the standard of the refing, I just don’t understand why it is difficult to blow the law’s of the game.
9 Oct 2011, 11:18 am
Victor…you are the frikken Legends Legend.
awesome awesome performance from you and the boys tonight.
9 Oct 2011, 11:19 am
Right on the money. We failed to take our opportunities. Simple as that. But we played well. I’m at a loss of words on why there was so few penalties from Bryce, especially inlight of him probably averaging about 20 penalties a game before this one. Half hour into the game we had 1. Bit perplexing that. But anyway, congratulations Australia. Go well.
9 Oct 2011, 11:22 am
Lawrence is a shi t, period
9 Oct 2011, 11:23 am
Two worfs sum up what happened: DAYLIGHT ROBBERY
9 Oct 2011, 11:24 am
hopefully the boks have a bright future
9 Oct 2011, 11:25 am
@cambok(cambok)-5: C’mon guys. Even with Bryce firmly in Aus’ backpocket, we could and probably should’ve still won the game. FdP dropping the ball right on the line was excrutiating to watch.
9 Oct 2011, 11:28 am
Victor… Bryce Lawrence – that’s how.
9 Oct 2011, 11:33 am
Oops. Msg 5 sent before it was complete. Apologies manne.
Two words sum up what happened: DAYLIGHT ROBBERY. Just look at the stats, from possession to territory, tackles made and time spent in opposition 22. It was totally one-sided. We should have won this game and deserved to. No, I’m not going to blame the ref who was poor for both teams. We had enough chances but our execution failed at crucial times. Also, why did Smit opt to kick to the corner midway through the first half when we had a penlty 30 yards out and were down 8-0? You take the points on offer and kick for goal, even in an Under-13 match, let alone the QF in the World Cup. Also those dirty Samoans left us with a few walking wounded, not to mention depriving us of Frans Steyn. Imagine if he had been in the line-up when we had 50m penalties. To sum up, the Wallabies pulled off a burglary today but we left the doors and windows unlocked. Still, I’m proud to be a Bok supporter. I just hope the ABs moer those fairies in the Wobblies team next week.
9 Oct 2011, 11:49 am
I’m so proud of you SPRINGBOKS!!!
Brilliantly played. We won everywhere but on the scoreboard. I won’t go into refereeing and stuff Australia did–because despite our loss, I am more proud than disappointed.
I wish I were in SA and I’d be at the airport with a big banner saying:
I’m so proud of you SPRINGBOKS!!!
9 Oct 2011, 11:51 am
@toothgnasher(toothgnasher)-4: @cambok(cambok)-5: @Kobus Kitty(Kobus Kitty)-8:
The Refs fault was it.
You sad fuckks.
8)
9 Oct 2011, 11:54 am
@cane(cane)-11: You can bet your house after Cardiff 4 years ago game they were outraged all the same.
Or some fcuks stole all their nicks then.
9 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
@oneslickpenguin(oneslickpenguin)-10: ‘
That’s the spirit penquin.
Boks as individuals did everything they possibly could.
A HUGE effort, and one that would normally win 9.9 out of 10 games.
Also………………………………………….
the way the Boks congratulated the Aussies,
on the field after the game
was generous and commendable,
after what must have been a shattering experience.
And I single out Victor as among the most gracious.
9 Oct 2011, 12:00 pm
@cane(cane)-11: Cane, can you read and understand English? Here are two pertinent sentences from my blog: ” No, I’m not going to blame the ref who was poor for both teams. We had enough chances but our execution failed at crucial times.”
Please tell us all how you can claim I said the ref was at fault.
9 Oct 2011, 12:01 pm
@Nils(Nils)-12:
I trust all of Latvia were able to watch all the QF’s free to air.
8)
9 Oct 2011, 12:05 pm
@cambok(cambok)-5:
5.cambok said:
9 Oct 2011, 11:23 am
Two worfs sum up what happened: DAYLIGHT ROBBERY
So who robbed you cammy?
8)
9 Oct 2011, 12:10 pm
@cambok(cambok)-9:
Sorry cambok.
I see you had a latter post.
” Still, I’m proud to be a Bok supporter”.”
That’s what I like to see. Your team played very well today.
As did the OTHER TEAM.
It was an enthralling contest………………………………………..Best match of the RWC so far.
We know how you feel.
9 Oct 2011, 12:20 pm
@cane(cane)-17: Good on you for correcting the record. Not so sure Australia played well when you look at the stats but they took their chances and we didn’t take ours. That’s what sport is all about. On today’s showing, the ABs should be far too good for the Wallabies and I hope they humiliate them.
9 Oct 2011, 12:26 pm
@cane(cane)-11: admit it your Bryce is a kak ref. very incompetent.
9 Oct 2011, 12:34 pm
@cane(cane)-11: ***Bryce Lawrence was brilliant today. A real stalwart of the game. He was by far Australia’s best player. I am still in shock…cannot believe what happened here…feel like I’m walking away from a Heavyweight boxing fight…you know the feeling…watchin one guy pulverise the other, just doesn’t knock him out and the decision goes the way of the favourite…the money guy…in this case the Wallabies. How can the players be proud of that “win”? I feel dirty…like I’ve been molested….so having said that what a crappy way to see the end of the career of so many great SA Champions!!!! All because of a referee, petrified that by allowing the Bokke to win, he would see the elimination of his country in the ensuing Semi.
Tonight the IRB made Rugby Union ‘The Game played in Las Vegas’. If you can’t see that Cane…jump off a building…because you are the only true sad fark.
9 Oct 2011, 12:41 pm
@RL(RL)-19:
Really,lets just say every ref thats in the game when SA losses is a rubbish ref.
9 Oct 2011, 12:43 pm
@Hurricane(Hurricane)-21: What game where U watching U wally?
9 Oct 2011, 12:43 pm
@Boertjie(Boertjie)-20:
“in this case the Wallabies. How can the players be proud of that “win”? ”
lol, easy. To be proud you need to win.
9 Oct 2011, 12:45 pm
@Boertjie(Boertjie)-22:
The same game you are crying about.
You bleating and now calling me names. lol
Dont worry, i know its painful but carry on. You cant change the outcome.
9 Oct 2011, 13:29 pm
Matfield will be remembered as a giant and the man who should have captained – Smit as the non-contributor who should have done the honourable thing.
9 Oct 2011, 13:44 pm
@cane(cane)-11:
well he is a shi t – noone can argue with that.
9 Oct 2011, 13:49 pm
proudest Bok supporter of all. I cannot believe it but we will live another day.
9 Oct 2011, 13:49 pm
Matfield = bok legend and probably the best line out proponent of all time
9 Oct 2011, 14:46 pm
The telegraph wrote a whole article about Bryce Lawrence’s poor handling of the breakdown http://goo.gl/ZuTYj
The Boks were so close to winning, PdV chose to go with out of form players Smit, Habana, Spies and Petersen instead of Bismarck, Hougaard, Alberts and Aplon and ultimately paid the price.
Oregon Hopkins will be lynched if he picks another affirmative action coach over talent and I will be right there with the mob:)
9 Oct 2011, 14:49 pm
Cheers Victor…
The best lock in rugby history.
Redefined the position and made a science of analysis and research and took lineout play to new heights… in more ways than one!!
All the best in future in whatever you choose to do. I hope that somehow includes Big Vic Academy to teach young south african players how you did what you did.
9 Oct 2011, 15:51 pm
I would imagine Victor will go into coaching. Wouldn’t be surprised if he becomes the first person to win the world cup as a player and as a coach!
He is a rugby genius! Best lock of all time no one comes close!
9 Oct 2011, 15:56 pm
So long, Victor – never was there a truer name. You always brought to mind the image of a Boer general. You will be missed.
9 Oct 2011, 17:53 pm
You are a legend, Victor.
9 Oct 2011, 18:37 pm
@Hooker22(Hooker22)-32: They lost too.
9 Oct 2011, 18:38 pm
goodbye victor.
jy het ons altyd trots gemaak en jou ales gegee.
jou hartseer is ons hartseer,
sterkte voorentoe grootman.
hartseer bokke!
9 Oct 2011, 18:39 pm
oh and tackler…ffuck you…
9 Oct 2011, 18:46 pm
He also had a great game today, allround, very unlucky to lose this.
9 Oct 2011, 19:15 pm
Please Gary Gold don’t worry about doing the analysis – just get the hell out of there.
9 Oct 2011, 19:20 pm
And take D*ck with you.
9 Oct 2011, 19:28 pm
Excrutiating loss
But as weird as this sounds,this was the BEST performance by Boks in entire 4 year renure of Pdiv. SA played total rugby and didn’t let up iin ALL facets of the game. Played the situation & grew stronger as game went on- a first in sa rugby for a long time.
Missed a lot of opportunities,4 try scoring chances:
-2 forward passes with try line beckoning
-Jannie isolated abt 7 metres from tryline
-Due Preez knock on
Morne missed a couple of penalties as well.
Most impressive tho to me was we NEVER let up.time simply ran out.
We lost.Bitterly dissapointed bt not inconsolable as usual when Boks lose huge msgs.
Bright future for SA rugby
1.Beast 2.Bismark 3.Jannie 4.Bakkies 5.Bekker 6.Brussow 7.Smith(c) 8.Burger
9.Hougaard 10.Lambie 11.Mvovo 12.F.Steyn 13.Fourie 14.JP 15.Aplon
16.Chilliboy 17.Coenie 18.Alberts 19.Spies 20.S.Pretorius 21.Jantjies 22.De Jongh
9 Oct 2011, 20:10 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-40:
Yip best game by Boks in 4 years.. I agree .. they did nothing wrong and deserved to go through.. sometimes life throws curve balls.. this was one of them because they did everything in the almanac for winning this game.. and it still eluded them
means for one reason or another it simply weren’t to be…
Victor can hold head up high.. he and Gurthro and Bismark and Burger and Louw and JdV and others had massive games.. just wasn’t to be on the day.. thats the way the cookie crumbles.. when it don’t wanna go it don’t wanna go and that how its gonna stay…
9 Oct 2011, 21:06 pm
Vic there’s no way any words I utter here can come close to doing your career justice.
Thank you.
9 Oct 2011, 21:51 pm
Aussies have the wood on this Bok old-crock pensioner team. Six wins out of the last seven played. You lost, Victor, because they were a better team, with the emphasis on the word “team”. For the sixth time in seven attempts.
9 Oct 2011, 22:15 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-40: @ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-41:
Thoroughly agree with both you guys, who clearly understand rugby – the more so since the Boks did the bulk of the running and passing – the game plan worked in the sense, with all that bashing and battering, the Aussie backline had completely caved by half-time.
And yet we lost …. Smit shouldn’t have been there in front of the top rugby player on the planet (Bissie) according to Sean Fitzpatrick.
I thought this was Victor Matfield’s finest game ever … never before have I seen a much-vaunted set of line-out players as these Wallabies boast, completely reduced to nothing … it was the most composite control of the lineout I have ever seen or can remember: can you imagine if Bakkies was there? Too many key injuries to our side (Juan, Brussouw, Bakkies, Frans STeyn) and the self-inflicted one to Bismarck … the gods didn’t want us to win for some reason, maybe to punish the captain and the coach for their stubborness …
The pain is unbearable – the Wallaby pretenders will not recover from their mauling in time to give the All Blacks a game – who will go through this WC hardly even tested; we should never have had a NZ ref for this game … but then Paddy was pulling the strings in the background …
We can recover if we get a proper (foreign) coach not bound by politics but that day has passed – I dread what happens next …
9 Oct 2011, 22:19 pm
Well done Bokke, it was just inches and centimeters from a different outcome. Yes Lawrence should be ashamed of his performance, but the Wallabies played him right. Still massively proud of the Bokke and their whole supporting team down under. Go well Victor, John, FdP and Pakslae – you have made us proud over the years!!
9 Oct 2011, 22:20 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-43: wada wada wada
9 Oct 2011, 23:23 pm
Well played Vic. Its really sad to watch a team play so well and comprehensively dominate all facets of play (bar one, the rucks) and lose. As much as Brycie will be blamed for the Bokke loss, the truth is, SA had numerous opportunities to close the game but never did. Dannies sensless tackling of an Australian jumper was the worst mistake of the match and ultimately decided the game in Australias favour. Tough break Vic. You are a machine and have set the benchmark for locks all over to try and emulate.
9 Oct 2011, 23:58 pm
That was a gut wrenching result and the Boks are only my second favourite team, so I can only imagine how you guys must feel.
Well being an AB fan maybe I don’t have to imagine too hard, as this result has many parallels to our 07 QF exit in Cardiff. In that game we had 75% possession and were only awarded two penalties in the whole game (none at all in the second half) which is apparently a world record.
That forward pass that disallowed Pat Lambie’s try, looked ‘flat’ at worst, at least by the angle that they showed us on TV. We’ve all seen passes more forward than that , get ignored.
I was expecting to hear of Vickerman being cited today some of his cheap shots such as when he dropped his knee on Brussow’s head while he was stuck at the bottom of a ruck just before he was subbed, or because of the way he was clearing some of those rucks ‘Bakkies style’ head first, and I also thought that Burger’s head got stomped on by Pocock when he was also at the bottom of a ruck when the Boks were only 5m from the Oz try line somewhere around the 65th minute, the commentators on Moari TV were calling for a yellow card on Pocock, but the ref just didn’t seem interested and play continued on.
You have my sincere condolences on that loss, as you lost to an inferior team and that was a disgraceful display by the referee, and now you have to suffer the indignity of watching this tournament continue without your proud team’s presence, while seeing an amazing era of legendary players career’s end, with also possibly having to hear taunts from rival fans for the next four years (believe me it burns).
Out of the 4x semi finalist’s I’d wish for anyone but the Wallabies to win, as they would then they’d hold 3x WC’s, which just doesn’t sit right, I’d rather France or Wales win any day if just for the novelty of it.
The AB’s looked very un cohesive last night and we look like we’re being held together with tape, especially at 1st 5, so really it’s still anybodies WC to win.
Good luck on your new era, players like Lambie, Alberts, Bismark, the 2x Steyn’s, Hougard, the Beast and Bekker all are class players and hopefully your next coach appointee will be less of a political appointee and be there on merit alone.
Good luck and respect to your proud rugby nation, you deserved to win that game.
10 Oct 2011, 00:33 am
in the cold light of day this is even worse.
It was an officiating disaster of monumental proportions. We didn’t take the chances that were presented but it really should not have been allowed to be a free for all at the breakdown. Bryce is unstable – one game he is pinging left right an centre the next he has his whistle in the pocket. The consequences are huge. We should not let this happen again – but it will. NZ in past WC’s have also been on the wrong side of crappy reffing decision. Yesterday was ours.
10 Oct 2011, 00:39 am
@James in NZ(James in NZ)-48: What a refreshing post by an ABs supporter. Factual and objective, unlike the anti SA drivel served up by the mealy mouthed and much-despised Tackler on this site.
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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