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, 15:11 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-244: It’s actually a disgrace. And from what I can see, the only back room support our athletes are getting over there, is from about 150 members of P who seem to be enjoying the festivities.
On another note, has anyone else noticed how an Irishman, Welshman or Scotsman representing Great Britain, only seems to represent Great Britain if he does well. If he bombs out badly, commentators immediately ‘remind’ listeners that John Oates is a Welshman…..
31 Jul 2012, 15:11 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-240:
are you shirting me?
the men and womens teams got their rectums released by arg and oz
and you say they benfit from sponsorships?
only in sa…
31 Jul 2012, 15:12 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-239:
It’s not on the local market yet- this is Africa (even in D’Urban ville).
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-240:
Good luck to them – The female hockey team probably has a better chance to succeed then the soccer team – i watched a bit of their first game and they were so outclassed that it was not even funny even if they only played against Sweden who also did not look like anything special.
Lets hope Le Clos has a good swim tonight- will probably not get a gold but certainly has a chance for at least a bronze.
I do not have much hope tghat we will get more than 3 medals in total- the target of 12 is totally unrealistic.
31 Jul 2012, 15:12 pm
@Fern is not a stud,he is merely no19-233:
http://www.vipbox.tv/
31 Jul 2012, 15:13 pm
@>^..^< katman-250:
from what i’ve read
the kak rider with the good horse is also a doos- of the highest order
not very likeable
31 Jul 2012, 15:15 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-251:
quite right too.
they need to know their.place.
it’s been quite a drought for ther poms so far.
I’m waiting for Princess Zara to fall of her horse and my Games will be pretty much complete.
On another note, how horrible are our tracksuits?
Which also happend to be our uniforms for the opening ceremony?
I want to know which cabinet minister’s wife made them.
31 Jul 2012, 15:18 pm
@>^..^< katman-250: Couldn’t I wave a wand and bring about world peace?
I think they struggle to wipe their asses without smearing gravy all over the toilet seats, so making the tough (yet actually logical) calls might be asking a little too much. Bless them.
31 Jul 2012, 15:21 pm
I see keo has made a *** of himself on twitter.
Again.
that dude needs a twittersitter.
31 Jul 2012, 15:22 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-256:
a ministers wife made them?
thats a larfable assertion to make
how dare you
that would’ve been the work of maevis, the ministresses PA come seamstress come houshold executive
31 Jul 2012, 15:23 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-256:
Maybe scotsman Andy Murray will do it for them this time unless the man some likes to claim as a South African throws a spanner in the works
Mind you, Djokovich is also playing….
31 Jul 2012, 15:23 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-252: The players still hold down jobs and fight all sorts of other internal battles my good man. The Investec sponsorship is recent, and probably about 2% of what a Super rugby team works with. Only with sustained, and HEAVY sponsorship can things improve.
I really do admire 85% of our Olympic athletes – no support, no cash, no glory, yet they are there, for the love of their sports (and it doesn’t have to be that way) P#sses me off.
@wait for it, wait for it…-255: He should have refused to go IMHO. *anothercockforthesarecordbooks*
@the artist formerly known as gunther-256: Those tracksuits were designed and made in Durban or Pretoria, of that I’m pretty certain
31 Jul 2012, 15:27 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-261:
well, when you put it that way
it makes me feel a bit of a doos
still cannot stomach 6 nil and 7 – 1 though
31 Jul 2012, 15:29 pm
@Robzim-253: And yet in our female soccer team, we also have a world class player, I think her surname is Modise. She is one of the ‘stars’ in international soccer, yet…..
Chad for a bronze possibly, silver, don’t think so. He is already helluva close to his PB, and I’m sure 1, 2 and 3 from the semis are storing an extra .33333333 of a second somewhere.
A bronze would be a great achievement for him – he will rock in 2016.
31 Jul 2012, 15:30 pm
@Robzim-260:
the dude has south african citizenship.
like i said before Benoniism comes through your mothers bloodline.
I expected him to be carrying our flag at the opening ceremony.
i expect the tracksuits put him off.
@wait for it, wait for it…-259:
maevis is too busy making counterfeit chiefs jerseys to sell at the robots in time for saturday.
besides she says the olympics is for pussies.
WWE is where its at.
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-261:
I don’t think we can rule Jehaan’s Exclusive at Access Park out.
31 Jul 2012, 15:34 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-258: What twaddle did the twat tweet now?
31 Jul 2012, 15:38 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-264:
hehehe
not your maevis
the ministers maevis
31 Jul 2012, 15:38 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-261: nope, those were made in china.
31 Jul 2012, 15:39 pm
@>^..^< katman-265:
well firslty it seems he upset the Muslimes by attempting a funny using the M word.
never a good idea during Eid.
They are touchy fellas at the best of times.
And last night he twotted jubilantly that Chad had won silver.
failing to realise it was a semi.
probably not the first time keo’s mistaken a semi for the real thing, in tha respect he is like a stormer.
the some other twotter (probably a blogger here) got in his face and the Jonny Kaplan (the real one) had to step in and issue a white card.
Honestly Keo is like a cross between Ian Paisley and Mark Thatcher.
31 Jul 2012, 15:43 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-268: Ha ha, just saw it on his twitter feed. Keeps on blaming the fact that he was also busy boiling a kettle at the time. Which makes an awful lot of sense.
31 Jul 2012, 15:44 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-263: portia modise is in her mid 30s, she’s way past her prime, she’s only there by name and because the team were depleted and the thought she could help – kind of a plod situation…at her peak she was a good striker and dabbled for arsenal and other european clubs but not in 2012!
31 Jul 2012, 15:46 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-264: the itender for itracksuits was given to a company of ama-china!
31 Jul 2012, 15:46 pm
@Transformation-267:
Then I am surprised they are still in one piece. My brother made a comment that half of the Olympic equipment and apparatus is made in China…which probably works for the Chinese team, as they ensure they ‘go first’. (Leaving the poor pole vaulter from Belarus flat on his jack as the equipment starts to do what most made in China stuff does).
31 Jul 2012, 15:47 pm
Those tracksuits have Margate ’89 written all over them.
31 Jul 2012, 15:47 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-268: you know mark thatcher personally?
31 Jul 2012, 15:48 pm
@Transformation-267:
They’re beauts aren’t they?
Honestly, if prisoners were made to wear those they would go on a hunger strike.
The rest of the world is rocking Adidas, Nike, Ralp Lauren, etc and we are wearing china’s finest no name brand.
Creamofsomeyunguy Originals.
31 Jul 2012, 15:49 pm
@Transformation-270: But she is or was, a ‘star’, was she not? She still plays professionally? Where do our other ladies play and are they locally based? Compared to Modise, what have they achieved? And where is the next Modise?
31 Jul 2012, 15:51 pm
@Transformation-274:
Is this a trap?
31 Jul 2012, 15:56 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-277:
31 Jul 2012, 16:01 pm
do you know mark thatcher personally
how could it not be a trap
31 Jul 2012, 16:06 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-279:
he’s very sneaky that one.
next think he will be asking which Kennedys I know.
31 Jul 2012, 16:12 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-276: as i say, she was a good striker, not up to the pace any more. her strike partner nanko matlou recently won the african female footballer of the year, between then they’ve score 132 goals for SA. Nompumelelo Nyandeni is a star, i don’t know where she plays though…
SAFA has no league for women so most of these girls play socially except for the ones that have been snapped up by US and canadian universities like kylie an louw, tobyn moodaley and our goalie
31 Jul 2012, 16:13 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-280: Or on a more e-news note, which actors from the Wild you hang out with…
31 Jul 2012, 16:15 pm
@>^..^< katman-273:
I suspect they were made by Gotcha and are reversable.
31 Jul 2012, 16:18 pm
@John Galt-283:
Dude.
Even the Sarks have better kit than that and they buy theirs from Monsieur Pricee.
@Skeppie-282:
none.
But Jeannie D has a restraining order against me.
31 Jul 2012, 16:18 pm
@John Galt-283: Ja, I looked for the flag carrying sharkhead surfdude, but maybe he’s easier to spot when you wear it yellow side out.
31 Jul 2012, 16:18 pm
This 10m platform synchronised diving is sick. I would rather walk around in a Team SA tracksuit than even attempt this.
31 Jul 2012, 16:19 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-284: Hmm ok but you must at least know one of the Campbell’s then?
31 Jul 2012, 16:22 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-280:
did you say kennedy’s or kenny kunene’s..?..
31 Jul 2012, 16:22 pm
@Skeppie-287:
You mean apart from Naomi?
31 Jul 2012, 16:23 pm
@Transformation-281: Thanks for that info! I did hear one of the commentators mention that the USA women’s league was also boomed, so all the top female players moved over to the various European leagues.
It is a shame, there is no professional womens league here. Surely to Isis that is something worth looking at from a SAFA perspective. Then again…….
31 Jul 2012, 16:24 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-290:
honestly, i really dont think theres a market for it.
31 Jul 2012, 16:24 pm
stripball on the other hand….
31 Jul 2012, 16:25 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-284:
Ha, the Sarks.
Played a drinking game on Saturday and every time Ashwin said the word Sarks, we had to down half a beer.
Sounds like fun but I assure you that drinking whilst hysterical is more deadly that drinking and driving.
31 Jul 2012, 16:28 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-288:
the kunenes are their xhosa cousins.
they drink milk stout intsead of guiness.
31 Jul 2012, 16:28 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther-289: Yup I was talking about those cool BoereCowboys
31 Jul 2012, 16:31 pm
There’s also the possibility of a Bronze in the lightweight rowing final, although it’s a slim one.
31 Jul 2012, 16:34 pm
@Skeppie-295:
The only Boer Cowboy I know of is Louis Botha?
31 Jul 2012, 16:34 pm
@wait for it, wait for it…-291: There isn’t much of a market for Korfbal either, but they be playing it!
Problem in this country is we focus only on the big 3: soccer, rugby, cricket (which is fair to an extent) but feckit man. When you see a country like Angola doing pretty well with their women’s basketball etc, you have to ask why SA doesn’t at least pretend to care about other codes that could bring us glory at some stage in the future….(women’s soccer, water polo, any other).
Stripbal? Sounds like a Hollywood wax for men.
31 Jul 2012, 16:36 pm
@David-296: Is that the male model with his mates? They came second to Denmark in the semis? That the one?
They kicked on in the last 500. Nearly caught those bastads.
Or is this another final?
31 Jul 2012, 16:46 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged by Mad Eye Productions.-290: yoh, forget it, SAFA president Kirsten Nematandani recently told the gender commission to butt off and why can’t WE as the public start the league on their ourselves!
Banyana woes blamed on media
ANDILE NDLOVU | 29 June, 2012 00:16
SA football Association president Kirsten Nematandani was forced to accept some harsh truths about his organisation’s policies as he was grilled by the Commission for Gender Equality yesterday at a public hearing on gender transformation in the local game.
The commission had sent soccer’s governing body 12 questions about what it was doing to prevent gender inequality, discrimination and the reinforcement of stereotypes against women in the game.
Nematandani was asked why there was no professional women’s league, why more attention was given to the under-performing Bafana Bafana than to resurgent Banyana Banyana, and about Safa’s internal policies.
He accused the media of not covering Safa’s development programmes and complained of poor funding. He said the R1.5-million grant from the government for Banyana’s participation at the London Olympics was not nearly enough.
He hit back, saying: “Maybe one should pause and appeal to members of the public, including the commissioners.
“You all come from a particular area, be it a village, or township or town, and the question is, What role are you playing where you come from?”
During his presentation, he sounded embarrassed to admit that only 8.25% of the organisation’s budget was allocated to women’s football.
The commission received a complaint from the SA Women’s Football Association in 2008 before conducting an investigation.
The commission’s chairman, Mfanozelwe Shozi, said: “We’re satisfied that they answered all the questions that we asked, though we’re not happy with some of the responses.
“They only rely on resolution, and they don’t go back and develop policies that are going to ensure that women’s sport is developed.”
The commission, a Chapter 9 institution, is expected to table a report in parliament within the next three months.
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