Theron credits Baby Bok forwards, Pollard
23 Jun 2012
Dawie Theron believes the Baby Bok pack and flyhalf Handre Pollard laid the platform for the 22-16 victory over New Zealand in the Junior World Championship final.
While it was a team effort that saw the SA U20s snatch their first Junior World Championship title, their ascendancy was set up by a strong performance from their heavies up front, while the composure and influence from schoolboy flyhalf Handre Pollard was telling.
It was a great step-up from the Baby Bok forwards, who have been inconsisent throughout the tournament. They have carried the ball and defended well for most parts, but their set-piece efficiency was poor overall, especially at the lineouts. However, this wasn’t the case in the final.
They had the upper hand over the Baby Blacks pack in general play and the scrums and lineouts. New Zealand coach Rob Penney admitted that his team struggled against the hosts’ strong driving mauls, while that 5m scrum turnaround in the second half was also a crucial moment.
‘That scrum was a great attacking position for us and we could’ve extended a lead from that platform,’ Penney told keo.co.za. ‘But they drove us back, and went on to score from the resulting penalty. That was a huge moment in the match.’
SA U20 coach Theron echoed Penney’s sentiments, and was relieved that his players thrived with the team structures set.
‘It took a while, but the team finally delivered in the way we planned,’ Theron also told this site. ‘We headed back to the change rooms at half-time, and despite being behind, we knew we had what it took to win this game. The players were up for it and the forwards were massive. They won the momentum up front.’
Pollard, the Paarl Gym schoolboy, also played a key role. He kicked four of his six goal attempts, adding 12 points. His 35m drop goal also came at a crucial stage of the match.
‘I look back to Joel Stranksy’s drop goal in the 1995 World Cup final, and both kicks probably had the same influence,’ said Theron. ‘I was really impressed with the way Handre stepped up since coming into the squad. He was a late injury replacement [for Johan Goosen], but never struggled to settle in. He showed great composure for a teenager.
‘To be fair, he didn’t have an outstanding first half. But the way he controlled in the game in the second half played a big part in the win.’
By Gareth Duncan, in Cape Town
30 Comments
23 Jun 2012, 09:35 am
Worls Champ Dragons
23 Jun 2012, 09:36 am
@Airwell(Airwell)-1: World Champ
23 Jun 2012, 09:44 am
To think Pollard and Serfontein will be 10 and 12 for the Baby Boks next year. That is if Heyneke does not pick Serfontein for the Boks.
Heyneke will want to have at least 5 players that can claim to be the best in their position in the world in 4 years time. I think Bismark, Hougaard, F Steyn, Serfontein, Goosen, Etzebeth and any of our young loosies (Coetzee, Kolisi, Botha) will be in a position to claim it.
23 Jun 2012, 10:04 am
@Horings(Horings)-3:
Let’s not get too ahead of ourselves here… Goosen and Serfontein haven’t even proven themselves at international level yet and already we’re talking about them being the best in their positions. I think they have the potential to be great, but lets not rush them. I remember some posters here saying the same thing regarding Sadie and to a lesser extent Koster. Certain players find it difficult making the step up, think Olivier, and some mature later in their careers.
23 Jun 2012, 10:24 am
@pakslae(pakslae)-4: Obviously if I refer to “in 4 years time” we are talking about potential. Not all of them will make it. Goosen may be too injury proned. And I am also not picking random players. Serfontein for instance is surely the first U19 player to pick up the junior player of the year.
23 Jun 2012, 10:38 am
@Horings(Horings)-5:
I just feel worried about the weight of expectation now on these young kids. In 4 years time they will still only be 22-24 years old.
23 Jun 2012, 11:14 am
@pakslae(pakslae)-6: That is true, but I think Goosen for instance puts enough pressure on himself.
I remember Streauli picking Juan Smith, Jean de Villiers, Willemse, Jorrie Muller after their win in 2002. Two of them were the best in their positions, one of them was one of the standout players in the 2003 World Cup and the other was a failure. Just shows you the array of outcomes.
Moving forward a couple of years, Lobberts and Ralepele was the U19 stars for the Baby Boks and Habana was picked from the U21 champs and Vodacom Cup into a Springbok training camp. Lobberts- Failure, Ralepele – Injuries, Habana-World best.
Now I think Goosen, Serfontein, Kolisi and Arno Botha is future superstars. One of them will probably not make it at all, but at least one will play a lot of tests.
23 Jun 2012, 11:21 am
@Horings(Horings)-5:
Serfontein is the first to pick it up as an U19 yes,
but George Ford did it last year as an U18.
23 Jun 2012, 11:30 am
@Horings(Horings)-7:
Lot of good players in that final team…
But I’d be looking at them as S15 stars first, rather then future Springbok stars…
Steven Kitshoff, Jan Serfontein & Pieter Steph du Toit the stand-outs for me. I do think all 3 will end up playing test rugby…
But PSdT will have tough time establishing himself in any position. Not really the ideal blindside, not a great line-out lock, and not an enforcer. Just a good rugby player who will need to suit a role.
Jan Serfontein will need to move away from 12, because Frans Steyn is a freak. He’ll also have a tough time fighting his way into the Bok squad, considering he’s unlikely to see plenty of game time for the Bulls soon.
And Steven Kitshoff is a good player, but not nearly as influential as Coenie Oosthuizen. He’ll also have a tough time getting past either Coenie or the Beast anytime soon.
23 Jun 2012, 12:06 pm
Steven is a mere pup. Just an incredibly good one.
Let the others develop.
23 Jun 2012, 12:24 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-9: Yes, their roads will be tough, but Pine Pienaar picked Venter and Serfontein as the centre combo when both were fit in the Vod Cup and I think we may see them play together in the Currie Cup. I think the Bulls are well covered at 12 and Serfontein may slot in at 13 for next year’s Super 15 as well.
23 Jun 2012, 12:25 pm
@Horings(Horings)-11:
should say fit and available as the Bulls were on tour when the Vodacom Cup reached its playoffs and Venter was on tour.
23 Jun 2012, 12:25 pm
I believe Fabian Booysen is the one with a great future!
23 Jun 2012, 12:28 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-13:
@Horings(Horings)-12:
Don’t give up on Sadie just yet… Plus Engelbrecht still needs to get a place in the RC squad. Otherwise he’ll be the centre for the CC you’d imagine.
23 Jun 2012, 12:32 pm
Would’ve liked to see Adendorff take to the field,I guess losing a lock didn’t help.
23 Jun 2012, 12:39 pm
That was a poor, sub standard Baby ABs team, let’s not lose perspective!
The are ABs now hardly good enough to win a RWC if Bryce Lawrence derails the Boks and Craig Joubert swindles the French, the production of test quality NZ born players is dwindling and the same applied to the Wallabies, while in SA we have seen a glut of quality players coming through straight from High Schools and unions’ academies.
In 3 years time a South Vs North Test accredited matches in SA will be more exciting to watch than the rest unless the quota system will still be in place?
23 Jun 2012, 12:41 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-14: I think this year’s Currie Cup wil be make or break for Sadie. I he does not make it then he will probable be released to go back to Province, but he is very talented and may be a different centre alongside Fouche who takes it up flat and Venter or Serfontein. There will also be injuries in the Currie Cup so all of them will get their chance. I think it will be best if JJ goes back to wing at some stage. The Bulls have Small-Smith, Sadie, Swanepoel, Ulrich Beyers and possibly Serfontein that can play outside centre, but none of them were ready for Super 15 rugby this season. Next year and the year after may be a different story.
23 Jun 2012, 12:46 pm
@Horings(Horings)-11: Don’t forget that Dries Swanepoel, last years’ SA Schools’ captain and Jan’s outside centre (at Grey, Free State and SA Schools) is out injured. He is contracted at the Bulls as well and should be available next season. He is an excellent 13
23 Jun 2012, 12:46 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-16: I still believe the talent available last year was the best ever. Kitshoff, Etzebeth, Kolisi, Arno Botha, Goosen, Venter, Jordaan, Taute were all available last year to play U20 and all of them already made a name for themselves at Super 15 level.
Your summary of Junior All Black rugby however is not correct as they have the most talent by far, but this year’s team was not the strongest.
23 Jun 2012, 12:48 pm
@Superbru(Superbru)-15:
The Baby ABs needed a substantial handicap from Theron to make it a Final, also, the missed 3 penalties by Pollard made it look much closer a contest than it actually was ,
Might be a supposition but IMO with Jordaan and Adebdorff in the lineup the score would have been at least two tries higher?
23 Jun 2012, 12:50 pm
@CharlesM(CharlesM)-18: I think it is quite a good scouting strategy to just buy the centre pair of Grey each year. Venter, Small Smith, Serfontein and Swanepoel.
We will probably see Pollard, Serfontein and Swanepoel in the Baby Bok team next year.
23 Jun 2012, 13:01 pm
@Horings(Horings)-19:
Talent aside, the baby ABs simply didn’t have the physicality to match the Boks yesterday
Test quality and talent or skill not necessarily go together, mind you?
Last skilled Bok forward I saw was JvN, before it were Reuben Kruger and Rassie, while the only truly skilled forward now namely Brussow is not even in contention with the new regime?
23 Jun 2012, 13:04 pm
@Horings(Horings)-21:
Talking about scouting strategies, Pollard is destined to become the most expensive player in SA rugby- our own Cristiano Ronaldo. All he needs to do is to change his hairstyle (better quality hair gel ) and to work on his facial expressions when looking at the camera.
23 Jun 2012, 13:12 pm
@Hondo(Hondo)-22: The reason why the Boks is the only team to match the All Blacks is because we play a gameplan that is very different to the All Blacks gameplan. Harry Viljoen and some others tried to play a similar game to them or the Aussies, but our chances of success is very slim if we try to do that. Luckily for us our coach for the next 4 years know this. The only other team capable of matching them is England.
23 Jun 2012, 13:14 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-23: I think Goosen was more talented at the same age, but Pollard looks physically up for it, which is impressive. I think that is why Heyneke already showed interest a while back.
23 Jun 2012, 13:17 pm
Congratulations to the Baby Boks.
A well deserved and most conclusive victory.
In the 2nd half, The Big Bokkie Pack was just too much for NZ.
23 Jun 2012, 13:22 pm
The score flattered the baby blacks.
Real quality players like Small Smith, Howard, Jordaan and i’ll include Goosen all injured but the Baby Boks still won. So some serious talent around and i believe that future success will be purely based on the man management of these young guys cause its obvious to see that they have the talent
23 Jun 2012, 13:25 pm
Nice to see some quality centres coming through the ranks!
23 Jun 2012, 13:26 pm
@Horings(Horings)-25:
Goosen seems to the better more exciting runner of the two- Pollard however has that calmness and uncanny positional awareness that reminds me of a Naas Botha.
It is intersting that Pollard played second fiddle to Tim Swiel here in WP last year- Swiel also made SA schools last year- he is one year older than pollard and started training with the Stormers this year but got injured – I am looking forward to see how he performs in the age group interprovincial competition later this year.
24 Jun 2012, 03:27 am
@Hondo(Hondo)-13: Maybe yes, maybe not, but i will tell you one thing amigo Hondo, he did a very good job in the final entiendes chavalin?????? a very good job!!!!!!!!!!
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