Sonny’s surpassed the hype
31 Jul 2012
JON CARDINELLI says Sonny Bill Williams has become a more rounded player and will trouble the Sharks’ depleted midfield in Saturday’s final.
2011 was the year of the Sonny Bill offload. Backyard games would have seen kids imitating that signature move, a back-of-the-hand pass that ensured the attacking team’s momentum didn’t die with the ball carrier. It was a move that brought Williams and the Crusaders tremendous success in their march towards the Super Rugby final. It was also a move that demanded an astronomical number of column inches in the press.
One year on, and Williams’ offload is no less effective. The difference this year is that his offload is sparingly used and rarely highlighted as the definitive strength of his game.
The Sonny Bill Williams of 2012 is a far more rounded player than the centre who debuted for the Crusaders in 2011. And it is the less glamorous and less imitable side of his game that could floor the Sharks in the upcoming final in Hamilton.
Credit must go to Chiefs coach Dave Rennie and the ethos he has installed since arriving at the franchise. Credit should go to the forwards for embracing that ethos and producing some dominant performances that have allowed the Chiefs backline a platform to excel.
And to say Tawera Kerr-Barlow, Aaron Cruden and Williams have excelled as a 9-10-12 combination is an understatement. Cruden has matured as decision maker, and has also played with a physical determination that has belied his size. Kerr-Barlow has been a threat on attack and defence, as has the robust Williams, who doesn’t get enough credit for the way he reads the game or the impact he makes in contact.
Williams was one of the standouts in last Friday’s semi-final battle against the Crusaders. There is always the possibility that he will unleash that trademark offload, but not enough is made of his strength in the tackle and how this compromises the opposition’s defence. He broke the line on just one occasion last Friday, and on the one occasion he unleashed an offload, the Chiefs went on to score.
The hype around the Sonny Bill offload may have died down in 2012, but the rugby fraternity’s obsession with the idea of offloading certainly hasn’t. Indeed, some have pointed to the Sharks’ offloading game as the reason they have surpassed every other South African team in this tournament.
What those people neglect to appreciate, however, is the fact that the Sharks have also dominated the collisions in the matches where their offload count has been high.
It reminds me of a conversation I had with Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer during the three-Test series against England. I asked him about Willem Alberts, who had just come off two strong performances in the first two Tests. It was clear that Alberts was offloading a lot more and thus perpetuating South Africa’s attacking momentum, and so I asked Meyer if it was something Alberts had worked on.
Meyer explained that Alberts was able to offload in those Tests because he had dominated the collisions. He added that players should not become obsessed with the idea of offloading, and that winning the collision should always be the first objective.
In Meyer’s mind, you can’t risk offloading if you aren’t in a strong position, ie well beyond the gainline, to do so.
There were times in 2011 where Williams was guilty of offloading unnecessarily. There were moments when he threw the ball back after he had lost the collision and had been driven backwards in the tackle. Many said the opposition had worked him out, while others accused him of overplaying the tactic.
2012 has witnessed a more powerful and circumspect display. Williams’ performance at the gainline has been a highlight of the Chiefs’ campaign, and his decision making has improved immensely. The Chiefs don’t waste attacking opportunities, and neither does Williams.
Some will call him a glamour boy who is chasing the big payday, or denounce him as an over-hyped player. But on the basis of his performances in the 2012 Super Rugby competition, Williams is already one of the best players in world, and there is as much substance to his game as there is a marketable style.
The odds are against a Sharks victory this weekend. The Chiefs have shown themselves to be an 80-minute team. The forwards will also be fresher than their Sharks counterparts, who recently made their third overseas journey in the space of as many weeks.
The Sharks’ defence will struggle to repel Kerr-Barlow, Cruden and Williams. They’re also down to their third-choice No 12, with Frans Steyn ineligible for selection and Tim Whitehead ruled out with a broken hand.
At the end of the league stage, Steyn showed why he is rated the best inside centre in South Africa. Whitehead has managed to provide a spark that’s been lacking in previous seasons. Those men will certainly be missed.
Meyer Bosman seems likely to fill the void, and while he has the talent and ability to play a Steyn-like game in midfield, he doesn’t have the form or confidence. It is surely something the Chiefs, and particularly that dangerous axis of Cruden and Williams, will look to exploit.
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329 Comments
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31 Jul 2012, 12:09 pm
@>^..^< katman-150:
what does he actually have to do on the park to impress you, you don’t rate him so where is he going wrong, i’d be interested to know?
31 Jul 2012, 12:10 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-149:
I am on about the now.
Do you really think us kiwis are that bad?
Do you believe your own management is straight up, do you always believe whats SARU says?
Is the problem is that you do not like Kiwis, we all can see this. Its ok, just be straight up, is it really that hard to tell the truth?
31 Jul 2012, 12:13 pm
@NZINCHINA-148:
What’s the matter with you?
When you aren’t kissing someone’s fundament you’re trying to Hopoate them.
Are you bipolar?
31 Jul 2012, 12:13 pm
@Hurricane-152:
I think he might be related to old Gerty.
31 Jul 2012, 12:16 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-153:
lets wait for funny guy II’s detailed analysis of where SBW is going wrong on the park , this should be good
31 Jul 2012, 12:16 pm
@NZINCHINA-151: Hang on, we’re not talking about Pooper, are we?
If you mean SBW, i don’t have a problem with him. I don’t even dislike him – why would I? I just don’t think he’s as good as all the column inches in the (mostly) Kiwi press make him out to be. I think he’s a great marketing opportunity, and he and his agent have exploited this to the full.
By the way, I’m fully aware of how the PR wheels turn. Very little of the SBW hype is accidental.
31 Jul 2012, 12:17 pm
@Hurricane-152:
hurricane, i like you and i like cane.
poppa on the other hand, while i do not dislike or despise him i do think he is most often way off base in his posts and is mostly responding in a knee jerk emotional fashion to criticisms people make of kiwi rugby.
i say kiwi rugby because, quite honestly, if you checked back to the time are first started blogging here you will see my gripe is only about rugby related issues and kiwis involved in these issues.
the one or two times i posted articles about nz other than rugby was in response to things poppa was saying about sa’s crime rate and stuff like that.
i just replied with a host of articles showing similar stuff happening in nz.
for the rest it is and has been about rugby.
nz has a dirty history in rugby over the last ten years
is this my fault?
when i justifiably bring up this dirty history.
31 Jul 2012, 12:19 pm
i know, it is actually more than ten years but i am trying to be reasonable.
31 Jul 2012, 12:20 pm
sorry
afk
30 min
31 Jul 2012, 12:21 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-157:
What is this dirty history?
Do you think SA are the bench mark of how teams should play like and be like?
31 Jul 2012, 12:22 pm
@NZINCHINA-148:
Why are you such a sour pr.ick?
If somebody doesn’t rate or like your heroes (SBW or McCheat or Pooper) what’s it to you?
Seriously you sound like someone who is unhappy with the life choices they have made.
31 Jul 2012, 12:22 pm
@>^..^< katman-156:
thats great you’re in the PR game, was just hoping you could have told me what part of his game wasn’t up to par
31 Jul 2012, 12:25 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-159:
lol AFK
Sounds like you play World of Warcraft
31 Jul 2012, 12:27 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-161:
when you bag somebodies game you have to be able to tell us why, when I exposed old Gerty on here the other night there were facts galore
31 Jul 2012, 12:29 pm
@NZINCHINA-162: I’m not in PR, but I deal with them often enough to know their tricks.
About SBW.. He doesn’t have a good pass, apart from the backhand offload. Have you ever seen him fling a long, skip pass out? Not to mention passing to the right. If you want to play at 12, you must be a playmaker. And this involves more than taking on the defense and hoping to offload. There are many other weapons he simply does not possess. Like stepping. Or real pace. He’s good at crashing the ball up, and keeping the move alive through the tackle, but that’s about it.
31 Jul 2012, 12:30 pm
@NZINCHINA-164:
Seriously.
I’m interested to know what made you like this.
31 Jul 2012, 12:31 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-166: The oppressive People’s Republic of China.
31 Jul 2012, 12:32 pm
@>^..^< katman-165:
ok fair enough
31 Jul 2012, 12:33 pm
@>^..^< katman-165:
You’ve left out the shoulder charge.
31 Jul 2012, 12:33 pm
I’m popping out for a hot pot, catch you boys later.
31 Jul 2012, 12:39 pm
@>^..^< katman-165:
Understand what you are saying but og those players that can skip pass and sidestep, how many can take 2-3 player outs of the backline like he can?
He is a different player to what we all have grown up with and know what a #12 should be like.
He can step, his pace is lacking but so is Conrad smith and i think he is probably the best #13 now, showed BOD a thing or 2 last time they met. Pace isnt everything.
31 Jul 2012, 12:39 pm
@NZINCHINA-170: Ah, the hot pot pop. Chow, mein.
31 Jul 2012, 12:40 pm
SBW is the truth. Period. Keep hating haters.
31 Jul 2012, 12:42 pm
@Hurricane-171: Maybe it’s just a perception thing, but I think Smith is considerably quicker than SBW.
I just would like a 12 to have more tricks up his sleeve. SBW is good, make no mistake. But he’s not on par with either BOD or Jean at the top of their games. I’d even prefer Nonu over Williams, particularly if Smith is playing outside him for the AB’s
31 Jul 2012, 12:43 pm
@rossoneri-173:
Lilly
Anybody who describes a person as being “the truth” has already swallowed the Koolaid.
31 Jul 2012, 12:45 pm
@rossoneri-173: Stop being such a fangirl, rossi. It’s not very becoming. Way too Bieber-esque.
31 Jul 2012, 12:46 pm
Where are these sorts of player for 2012?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=Hf9Elzj7ZPU&feature=endscreen
31 Jul 2012, 12:47 pm
Witness the Boom! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZCHFsHlKpoo&feature=share
31 Jul 2012, 12:54 pm
@>^..^< katman-178:
lol
Bismark looked a bit lost.
31 Jul 2012, 12:56 pm
I see china has the hot pot excuses he has added to the greentea one to leave when someone touches a nerve.
31 Jul 2012, 12:58 pm
@grant10-47: A bit rude mate we have property in Hamilton and i can assure you it is not a squatter camp and is twice as expensive as the average SA home
31 Jul 2012, 13:01 pm
@Hurricane-144: “Dont want to hear but he started it.” – how convinient, when poppa himself says he is “just returning serve”…poppa had a pop at south africans WAAAAAAAY before KKK & Whatever went defecated on him.
31 Jul 2012, 13:02 pm
@Hurricane-179: I thought he was fcked for the game, but he actually did alright after that. I’d still be in the ICU if it were me.
But that Etsebeth boy certainly ate all his porridge as a youngster.
31 Jul 2012, 13:05 pm
@Transformation-182:
Good to see you agree, The serve is the start and the return is after.
KKK is pathetic poster. Yet most of you let him carry on with his dribble yet Poppa says the same thing, you guys come down on him like a tonne of bricks, dont you think thats a bit odd?
31 Jul 2012, 13:09 pm
@>^..^< katman-183:
Bismark wouldnt last long in this game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_B0iLQAabc&feature=related
31 Jul 2012, 13:12 pm
@Hurricane-160:
the way nz has been playing rugby has been really low. ab’s employ very similar strategies to what the crsaders use. the extent to which your teams behave this way has become off putting and distasteful to watch or like.
this is against the spirit of the game and is in fact rightfully described as cheating.
that is why there are rules against this sort of actions and behaviour. i can only guess that the choking label had affected your national psyche perhaps and lead to your players, coaches and admin adopting a greater degree of ‘dirtiness’ in your play and behaviour? i dont know? its my attempt at an answer?
the extent to which you guys flout the rules and the degree to which you engineer cover ups for your rugby behaviour at the highest level is indicatve of something?
you are making rugby ulikeable and not fun to watch.
i have stopped watching the ab’s against any team a long time ago.
at worst i watch them when the boks are playing… because the boks are playing.
rugby should not be this way..?..
@Hurricane-163:
no, i heard it somewhere.
31 Jul 2012, 13:21 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-169:
to be fair he does try hard not to instinctively pull off a few in every game.
but sometimes his nature takes over.
the real conundrum is how he never gets pinged for it, NEVER, yet its plainly clear to any fool watching what he’s just done.
now see a saffa pull a hint of a charge and it all over rover
good night nurse
31 Jul 2012, 13:23 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-186:
So headbutts and eye gouging allowed? How about pitch invasions.
You honestly think we cheat every game?
Dont SA have the best refs?
You blame the Kiwis yet seem that the Bulls get away wiht alot of mauls that have broken and turned into truck and trailor but thats ok?
Ozzie are better than the boks so far, going on the last few years and IRB table, do they cheat?
How about your beloved teams, do the Boks cheat?
Alot of questions i know but your post is one sided and it seems you are trying to paint an ugly picture of the ABs. Maybe it makes you feel better when you lose but in real life, you name one team that does not bend the rules
31 Jul 2012, 13:24 pm
@Hurricane-160:
honestly hurricane, i can tell you i enjoy watching oz play. that’s positive rugby, and fun to watch.
31 Jul 2012, 13:31 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-189:
“”…..you (NZ) are making rugby ulikeable (sic) and not fun to watch.”
Then DON’T watch it Bakkies.
One less whining Saffa here would be a bonus.
Do us all a favour.
P.S. Our Hockey Babes are giving your Hockey Babes a pasting. (are they cheats too).
31 Jul 2012, 13:32 pm
@Hurricane-185: Ja, I can see where SBW learnt to “tackle”. Those are all carbon copies of his style of hit.
31 Jul 2012, 13:32 pm
@Hurricane-188:
show me where headbutts or eye gouging is allowed?
on the contrary, i can show you where any and every bok player ever involved in such incidents has been roundly punished and i can even show you incidents in which bok players have been punished yet were completely innocent of the charges.
i challenge you to name a single instance in which a saffa got off lightly in the last ten years for such behaviour?
pitch invasions? show me a single instance in which a pitch invader in sa has not been seriously punished for such behaviour?
criminal charges
life time bans
is what saffas get here for such stuff
thats the point.
we actually follow through with doing what is right… because its right….
no hurri, this is not about ‘bending the rules’.. nz has gone way beyond that a long time ago…
31 Jul 2012, 13:33 pm
@cane-190: Is Bryce reffing this one?
31 Jul 2012, 13:36 pm
@cane-190:
i do not watch the ab’s anymore, cane.
and i have decided to stop watching super rugby from next year.
i will follow cc and all international not involving nz.
our hockey babes had a very, very high opinion of themselves it seems. and to think they made such a fuss about being good enough to go to the olympics.
i dont know if your babes are cheats but they are good looking girls.
31 Jul 2012, 13:38 pm
same for our hockey men
31 Jul 2012, 13:40 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-187:
if he does get pinged he just tells the ref to fukkoff.
that’s why kids everywhere love him.
31 Jul 2012, 13:41 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-192:
“criminal charges
life time bans”.
The murderer Tromp.
31 Jul 2012, 13:42 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-189:
Strange, last year you called the Ozzies cheats.
Did you enjoy how Pocock cheated you out of a RWC semi?
You may blame the ref but it was Pocock doing it.
Now i know there is double standards here with you.
Here is the example.
Pocock cheated big time in RWC 2011, Brucie cheated.
McCaw does the same thing,hes a cheat and the worst ever….ref is not mentioned. In fact the whole AB team cheats. Do you even see some of the South African bloggers on here think you are a bit over the top with everyone cheating but the team you follow?
NOw can you see why i think you have issue with losing?
31 Jul 2012, 13:43 pm
@cane-190: I think they should all have a good long shower together afterwards.
31 Jul 2012, 13:45 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-192:
Didnt PDV say its rugby, they dont wear tutus etc.
I thought Burger got away with a blantant eye gouge or attempted gouge?
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