Hougie needs forwards to fire
13 Jun 2012
The Springbok coaches and players are adamant that with the right platform Francois Hougaard can play a Fourie du Preez-type role at No 9.
Heyneke Meyer was always going to favour a territory-based game plan for this England series, although it was initially thought that Du Preez would start at No 9 and continue to make game-shaping contributions in the tactical kicking department.
However, when Du Preez made himself unavailable Meyer still pushed through with his plans. Meyer asked Hougaard, a different sort of talent, to play Du Preez’s role.
At Kings Park, Hougaard produced some robust runs from the base of the ruck, his abrasiveness and acceleration serving to ignite what was predominantly a static Bok attack. Where he appeared to fail, however, was in his primary role as a distributor. He was slow to clear the ball from the ruck, and when it came to his tactical kicking, his accuracy was a problem.
Some may feel that this performance served to show why Hougaard may be better deployed elsewhere in the backline. He has enjoyed success for the Bulls at wing, and made an impact in this position for the Boks at the 2011 World Cup.
Meyer and his coaching staff, however, feel that Hougaard has all the skills to be a world-class scrumhalf and can play conservatively if the situation demands it.
On Tuesday, assistant coach Johan van Graan said that the Boks’ first-half failures were rooted in a flawed breakdown approach. It was asked whether Hougaard’s sluggishness at the ruck had exacerbated the problem, and if perhaps Ruan Pienaar wasn’t a better option in that No 9 position if the Boks were going to persist with a territory-based playing pattern.
Van Graan said the coaches believe Hougaard is up to the task. The same question was put to Morné Steyn, Hougaard’s halfback partner at the Boks and Bulls. Again, Steyn said that Hougaard is capable, and called for a team improvement at the breakdown to ensure Hougaard enjoys more time and space to execute efficiently.
‘Hougie struggled a bit with the pressure, and a few of his box kicks weren’t great,’ said Steyn. ‘We need to make sure we have some better cleans at the breakdown, we weren’t getting enough clean ball [in the first half] last Saturday.
‘Then in the second half we were getting clean ball and Ruan came on and suddenly things seemed better. I don’t think Hougie needs to change anything. He just needs to play the same way he plays for the Bulls.’
Another inconsistent showing at the breakdown will not only affect Hougaard, but Steyn himself. The halfback pair needs the necessary time and space to implement the Bok game plan. If the Bok pack manages to provide that platform, the onus is then on Hougaard and Steyn to be more accurate.
‘Our tactical game was at 60 or 70% last week, and obviously that’s not where we want to be,’ said Steyn. ‘The stats showed that not all of our kicks found the target, for example there were some aerial kicks that we didn’t manage to get back or get the right outcome from.
‘This week, we will be playing at altitude where the ball travels a bit further. I know I’m more comfortable when I’m playing closer to Loftus,’ Steyn joked before making a more serious statement. ‘We will stick to the game plan, but we have to be more accurate.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in Johannesburg
197 Comments
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13 Jun 2012, 12:10 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-145:
Snap.
13 Jun 2012, 12:12 pm
@mako(mako)-147: Personally I think those 61m’s were made in one run – through the tunnel and out onto the field before kick off? That’s about 61 m I reckon.
13 Jun 2012, 12:15 pm
What we have is a Blue Bulls Mafia, although I anticipate that HM might shortly “sacrifice” one of blonde Wynand or Pierre for appearances sake
13 Jun 2012, 12:17 pm
Easy with the stats guys.
You can make them dance to any tune you wanna spin.
Spies, for the record, made 16 carries. You can do the math regarding the meters gained.
However, proper analysis would also involve looking beyond the stats. For example, for each of his runs, was making contact or deciding to carry the ball the right decision? Was it not better to distribute or offload to another player?
Very important questions those.
Sometimes it is better to pass the ball to another player rather than making 15 meters with ball in hand, even though the latter looks good on paper.
13 Jun 2012, 12:20 pm
@willievz(willievz)-153:
E.G. JP Pietersen fielding a kick in our own half, and then running away from his support into contact and giving away the predictable penalty for holding on to the ball on the ground.
Wrong decision, resulting in 3 points for the Poms if I recall.
13 Jun 2012, 12:21 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-145:
Thanks Transformation, that is a great site. Those stats make for very interesting reading.
@Tac 148, I must be honest I don’t feel comfortable slaying any Bok player, and would normally not do so. I am concerned though, that the side is carrying a number 8, who is not bringing anything to the party. 8th man is an important position and a good one can make a massive contribution and difference to the game. After having watched last week’s game a few times I can see that our loosies were taking strain, and two of them got through monumental amounts of work, while one was nowhere to be seen. Definitely something to be worried about.
13 Jun 2012, 12:21 pm
@132 mako
Spies’ father is dead
(Awkward silence)
13 Jun 2012, 12:22 pm
@mako(mako)-155:
So you’re saying Heyneke is an idiot.
13 Jun 2012, 12:23 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-154: Yes, prime example.
13 Jun 2012, 12:24 pm
@viewer(viewer)-156:
If you scroll down from my post you will see that I remembered that and mentioned that no offence was intended. But thanks for pointing it out.
13 Jun 2012, 12:24 pm
Spies meters gained are from running sideways or backwards the stats could never be for going fwd.
13 Jun 2012, 12:26 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-157:
No definitely not! I have great faith in Heyneke, and am very pleased that he has finally got a chance to show us what he can do. I hope that he is working on Spies and trying to get the best out of him, but if Spies does not come to the party (like last saturday) then I have no doubt that HM will drop him.
13 Jun 2012, 12:27 pm
@rabooby(rabooby)-160: Meters gained stats are for meters going forward.
It assumes that you can only dominate a collision by going forward, which in itself is not necessarily prudent.
13 Jun 2012, 12:33 pm
@152
That’s his work for the day
13 Jun 2012, 12:36 pm
@willievz(willievz)-153: Ofcourse the metres gained per carry stat itself is worthless if not viewed in context. There are some implied deductions. Meters gained could come a cost of isolating yourself and conceding a turnover. In general, it does give an indication of gainline success, which relative to the Boks plan was pivotal to either getting penalties or allowing the next forward runner to run onto the ball. It sounds obvious, but for every meter gained, the defending team needs to retreat a meter.
13 Jun 2012, 12:37 pm
Mako I saw that. Why be prickly about it
13 Jun 2012, 12:38 pm
@mako(mako)-155:
Best of a bad bunch Mako.
I dont think Spies would be starting if Vermuelen was fit.
Prob why there is no captaincy role for Spies.
He must just learn to run off Alberts, thats all. Stay on Alberts’ shoulder all game and pick up the offload if it comes.
Spies was great at lineout time on Sat.
13 Jun 2012, 12:38 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-157: LOL!
13 Jun 2012, 12:40 pm
@viewer(viewer)-165: Not prickly old chap, I felt awkward for making the faux pas. No offence meant or taken.
13 Jun 2012, 12:40 pm
@pompies2(pompies2)-167: Lol, PDV (like Heyneke) also picked Spies at 8, but Tacitus is only critical of PDV
13 Jun 2012, 12:43 pm
@WP Till I Die(WP-Forever)-150:
i make about 54 in one night on my own…
13 Jun 2012, 12:45 pm
The Bulls players in future starting line ups is looking very ominous:
5. Kruger – should be replaced by a fit Bekker.
8. Spies – should be replaced by Vermuelen
9. Hougaard – should be replaced by Pienaar
10. Steyn – will be replaced by Goosen/Lambie
13 Jun 2012, 12:46 pm
@John Galt(John Galt)-166: I have to admit that he gave us a lineout option which did work. I agree that HM must be looking at him as a temporary stopgap, he wouldn’t have made Bissie VC if he thought Spies was going to be permanent. Perhaps HM is hoping that Spies will dig deep and find some mongrel and fighting spirit, but he is just not that kind of guy. He is obviously a good oke as a person, I saw him asking Tuilagi if he was alright after tackling him on Saturday. Nice guys are great but not in our Bok forward pack, we need warriors
13 Jun 2012, 12:49 pm
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-122:
Another reply that makes no sense. God you trolls are useless. It is that the best you can come up with?
13 Jun 2012, 12:52 pm
@willievz(willievz)-169: FdP & Victor picked Spies!
13 Jun 2012, 12:53 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-174:
And John Smit!
13 Jun 2012, 12:54 pm
@groen(groen)-136:
I also noticed that. Think it was Jannie. Lambie (or was it Hougaard?) picked up the ball and then got flattened by his own player. Really weird and a little bit dumb.
13 Jun 2012, 12:55 pm
@STBUR(STBUR)-173: Makes you wonder, hey. If you suck at trolling a rugby blog, there can’t be an awful lot you’re any good at.
13 Jun 2012, 13:05 pm
@STBUR(STBUR)-176: it was hougaard that got flattened :lo:
13 Jun 2012, 13:06 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-145: Major discrepancy between Verusco and Rugbystats on Spies / Coetzee’s stats. I do believe the Aussies mixed up Coetzee and Spies a couple of times as they both wore the same type of headband and look alike if you don’t look closely
13 Jun 2012, 13:10 pm
What he lacks in box kicking he makes up in defense by a million miles, not to mention his attacking skills…
13 Jun 2012, 14:16 pm
So it was Jannie, that planted him! Hahahahahahaha.
13 Jun 2012, 17:58 pm
I don’t comment here all that often but IMO as a former front rower, its not always as simple as “a halfback needs clean ball”. The half-backs also have to direct the attack and therefore set the forwards targets with which to clean and get front foot ball. Any back that executes an ill-directed kick, or tries to run his way your way out of trouble affects everything from your running lines to how many rucks you can effectively hit. Steyn and particularly Hougaad need to take greater responsibilty for this in the first half, and conversely I thought Pienaar deserved greater credit for this part in not just the Bok resurgence in the second half but also the pack’s resurgence due to the factors listed above.
13 Jun 2012, 22:28 pm
@STBUR(STBUR)-174:
thats because you only have half a brain. Ever considered that a ‘reply’ is linked to a previous post, duh.
13 Jun 2012, 22:32 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-178:
on that rationale, how come you turn up on a rugby blog for an 8th placed Test side given that they clearly suck at playing rugby ?
duh
13 Jun 2012, 22:42 pm
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-185:
Just like you dumd f-ucks keep turning up for NHL games yet your mediocry country’s teams never wins it?
13 Jun 2012, 22:43 pm
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-185: again with the silliness?
wake up.
13 Jun 2012, 23:04 pm
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-186:
a bit like the whinging Yappies sending a team to the Olympics ? Face it, your best hope for a medal is a bloke posing as a chick.
It must be a Yappie thing, sending a rugby team of men that play like girls.
13 Jun 2012, 23:10 pm
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-188:
> a bit like the whinging Yappies sending a team to the Olympics ?
Yes, but unlike Crapnada we do win gold every now and then
> Face it, your best hope for a medal is a bloke posing as a chick.
Do you have the hots for her?
Come-on, we know she remind you of the butch Canadian girls?
Is the beard a turn on for you?
> It must be a Yappie thing, sending a rugby team of men that play like girls.
Better that Canada’s butch womens rugby team, they look like men but play in a girls competition
Like Canada never win
13 Jun 2012, 23:14 pm
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-188:
> Face it, your best hope for a medal is a bloke posing as a chick.
We’ll send you a Caster poster to Oz, that way you could get your rocks off to something new
That Genia poster must look bad by now all sticky and cu-mmy, must qualify for a bioghazard
13 Jun 2012, 23:34 pm
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-190:
He only get his rocks off with his mother…………he is a hating deluded f ukhead!
13 Jun 2012, 23:44 pm
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-189:
last Summer Olympics, 2008, Canada took home 18 medals incl 3 Golds.
last Winter Olympics, 2010, Canada took home 26 medals and were 1st on the medal table with 14 Gold.
so 44 medals from both recent Olympics compared to the whinging Yappies taking home
um
1
in total.
And not Gold.
“Yes, but unlike Crapnada we do win gold every now and then”.
L O L
13 Jun 2012, 23:50 pm
No wonder the Yappies are so verbose in backing their under-achieving sports teams when the gene pool is so severely restricted it draws from the large @nal-reproduction population
@whatever(whatever)-191:
are you Casters ‘sister’ ?
13 Jun 2012, 23:54 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-178:
talking about ‘sucking at blogging’….have a word with your girls
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-189:
14 Jun 2012, 00:25 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-192:
And for rugby, have you ever won anything but the “Thank-you-for-competing” trophy in the crappy competitions you do compete in?
14 Jun 2012, 00:30 am
@PrickBoks going South(PrickBoks going South)-193:
> restricted it draws from the large @nal-reproduction population
And a racist too, I guess we could have expected it, you’re so used to abusing the First Nations
Did your relatives run the “Residential Schools”?
Judging from the way you comment you must be the out-of-wedlock kid of a bigot paedophile Residential School teacher
14 Jun 2012, 01:22 am
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-196:
LOL – how is that ‘racist’ ?!
oh wait, youre the same one who mocked Crapnadas non-existent Olympic Gold tally whilst sitting on a solitary Silver.
That comment wasnt even directed at you, your tiny lobotomized lobe is struggling to differentiate in all the confusion of phcuking up your Olympic jibe.
Yappieland has 50m peoples, that would be 15m more than Canada. Rugby is not even in Canadas top 10 sports by participation. The whinging Yappies under-achieve, we Canucks over-achieve merely by having a team at RWC level.
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