Boks buzzing but big calls await
20 Aug 2012
RYAN VREDE writes there is cause for optimism around the Springboks but there are also areas of concern that could be terminal to their Rugby Championship cause if not decisively addressed.
I wrote in my match analysis that, outside of the Springboks’ failure to bag the bonus point, there wasn’t much unexpected about the result at Newlands. Two days hasn’t changed my perspective. On home soil the Springboks’ should always start at least 15-point favourites against Argentina.
The Pumas will improve this weekend. They will be buoyed by their home support and will have had a closer examination of the Springboks’ game plan (the elements of it that are tailored for them). That said, those advances won’t account for dramatically narrowed margin of defeat or indeed facilitate a shock victory. The Springboks, remember, will improve as well.
Their defence was brutal, accurate and organised – the best feature of their game. They seem to be grasping the details of the structure Heyneke Meyer and his defence coach John McFarland want them to. It is the bedrock upon which their title challenge must be based.
There was also enough in the individual performances of Morne Steyn and Andries Bekker as well as in their attacking play to stir optimism, although the measure of Meyer’s men in this regard will come against Australia and New Zealand. Meyer wasn’t pleased with the patchiness of their attacking showing and will demand a more sustained effort in Mendoza. He does, however, accept that this group is still in it’s formative phase and hopes that the flaws they showed – a lack of composure and poor ball protection at the breakdown in the red zone chief among those – will rectify themselves in the coming weeks. He will give them every chance to do so through continuity in selection.
That said, his reservations around scrumhalf Francois Hougaard and No 8 Keegan Daniel will linger.
Hougaard’s tactical kicking is a point of grave concern for Meyer. He was better in this facet of play in Cape Town than he was at any stage against England. The perspective here is that Argentina were never able to exert the pressure England did. Meyer faces a tough choice between retaining Hougaard ahead of Ruan Pienaar, whose tactical kicking he rates highly, or running the risk that the Wallabies and All Blacks wrench open the scab from the wound England inflicted on him. Alternatively he could make the change now and allow Pienaar to settle into the role. The latter course of action comes with a challenge. There are concerns about Pienaar’s temperament in high pressure situations, although, on the evidence of his performances for Ulster in these scenarios, he has appeared to have exorcised those demons.
I wrote a couple of months ago that Hougaard is probably a better Test wing than he is a scrumhalf. That view wasn’t shaped by incidents like on Saturday when he shifted to the position in the final quarter and excelled. The game was open and allowed him the time and space to make the breaks he did. Likewise Pienaar was able to conduct the flow and tempo of the contest in a manner Hougaard was never in the face of energetic and organised defence. Rather, my opinion has been formed by watching Hougaard start and finish as a winger in Super Rugby and the six Tests he has played in the position. I am increasingly convinced that Meyer will reach the point where he sees Hougaard as a wing who can play scrumhalf and not the converse.
Then there’s the issue of Keegan Daniel’s suitability for Test rugby. It would be grossly unfair to make an absolute judgement on his aptitude as a starting No 8 after one match in the position. But he did little to ease doubts that his diminutive stature isn’t going to be a problem going forward. Meyer deployed Marcell Coetzee at the back of the scrum on their feed, the youngster clearly seen as a superior carrier in that situation. It was the right call, but also spoke volumes about Meyer’s faith in Daniel. The Sharks man is a fine player but I suspect he will forge an international career as an impact man, where his dynamism and ball skills can shape the closing stages of Tests.
How Meyer and his coach team resolve these issues will be decisive to the success of their campaign. The performance against Argentina suggested they are on the right track in most areas, but they have some big personnel-related decisions to make in the coming weeks.
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138 Comments
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20 Aug 2012, 11:17 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-90: Kirchner is not TERRIBLE dude. He is solid, dependable and above all ‘average’ – and that’s where things get tricky. Why the donkey do we always try and talk up ‘average’ players? Tell you why, it’s because it makes Bok fans feel ‘safe’.
Rather an average Kirchener, Morne Steyn etc than a player like Quade, Kurtley or Israel? Isn’t that right chief? Safety in MEDIOCRITY….., not only with Bok players, but Bok coaches as well.
Hence the delight with Heyneke’s appointment – safety first
Until this absolute ‘fear of change’ is knifed in the back for good (amongst administrators, coaches, players and fans) we will continue to have safe coaches, playing a safe brand of rugby, and achieving safe (yet fuckingmediocre) results.
We will never dominate World rugby.
20 Aug 2012, 11:20 am
@stew-99: Indeed. I hear Ritchie also managed to get hold of Harry Potter’s clock of invisibility, that’s why the referees can’t see him when everyone else can.
20 Aug 2012, 11:21 am
@goyougoodthing2-102: Long live the King !
20 Aug 2012, 11:23 am
@Heavens Game-98: Uhhhhh genius? That was a nic stealer old chum – you know someone pretending to be me? At that stage ET, Dusky and Wooden Spoon were doing it, in fact it was the day the nic stealing started Einstein
Now if you couldn’t see that……or even work it out for yourself, I’m not sure calling me “dim” makes you look extremely bright?
Whatafuckingeejityouare. Nexttimeuwanttoshine-findsomethingthatworks – ok?
20 Aug 2012, 11:25 am
101…..the ozzies with beale,etc…..have lost 14 from 16 against the kiwis. And they lost to ireland and scotland in the past12 months….at home.
Sure,they have had the rub against the boks lately for all number of reason not related to them simply “outplaying” us.
But only you fall over and bow down before them…..i believe we also have excellent players albeit we play different.
20 Aug 2012, 11:28 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-104: Yes… ahem… “Ms” Multinic… Now farkoff to You online or something hormonally more appropriate… There be rugby talk here
20 Aug 2012, 11:28 am
99…..kak bouts, we had the smallest forward on the field in keegan daniels.
20 Aug 2012, 11:30 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-105: Come now even someone who is as blue eyed as you must conceed that there is a difference between the talent of Daag and Kirchner – just go to supersport and look at the highlights of last weekends games and you will see that even under the high ball Kirchner was found lacking – seeing is believing.
20 Aug 2012, 11:31 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-17:
“…I have never seen such silence after a test match from passionate fans. Leaving the stadium, one would swear the Boks had been smashed by 50.”
Reality starting to dawn on some people that Meyer ain’t the Messias he was made out to be??
20 Aug 2012, 11:38 am
@nama1-109: What do you expect… It was Newlands… Fans in thoses parts are on a downer after this year’s Storming disappointment… Sheesh, did you see the “packed” stadium for the CC match against the Sharks?
20 Aug 2012, 11:38 am
@Heavens Game-106: Ask your bruvvas which one of them it was. But I certainly thought you of all people would be able to distinguish between REAL profiles, and FAKE ones. Obviously not! Which is why there is little hope in educating you with regards to who is who.
Pity really.
@nama1-109: Capetonians see the oncoming train
20 Aug 2012, 11:43 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-105: Sorry Generaal. I understand you are quite happy with ‘safe, boring, average/mediocre and a 65% win record which includes beating the AB’s every now and again’. I am not.
Unfortunately for me and those who feel the way I do, SARU and the broader SA rugby public seem to agree with you……
20 Aug 2012, 11:46 am
@Heavens Game-110: hiyas HG, and none more so then the dog cnutzilla leech that sits in here to twist what people say arong and seek attention, then trying to act like shes the smat one bwahahahaaaaaaaaa, what a sorry excuse for s human she is
20 Aug 2012, 11:47 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-111: Look daahling… I don’t know who you are, or who you think you are… However, one thing is certain – I certainly do not need you to educate me… about anything, actually… If you cant understand this, then the pity is all mine… Now go read an online horoscope or something more appropriate, okay?
20 Aug 2012, 11:47 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-112: I have to agree with you.
HM has been more disappointing that PDV IMHO. With his merit he has failed to ignite so far and his insistence with Steyn is poor.
20 Aug 2012, 11:48 am
@sharks_lover-113: Huzzit mukkah… Just sh.itting on the “sheilas” porch…
20 Aug 2012, 11:50 am
@Heavens Game-110: I mean i tell Generaal, that Deysel can help out in the fetching dept as he does that with the Sharks, and as you know he plays 7 not 6, so he is not there as our fetcher, Bissy does that, but she will try say i am saying Deysel should be chosen for the Boks as a fetcher, See thats typical of the multinic douche
20 Aug 2012, 11:51 am
@Heavens Game-116:
20 Aug 2012, 11:51 am
@sharks_lover-113: arong = around
20 Aug 2012, 11:54 am
@Heavens Game-116: All i can say is the CHAMPS that ended 1st
then lost 3 matches against the lowly Sharks, 2 times at the FORTRESS NEWLANDS ” NOW KNOWN AS THE RESERVE tank” 
These stormers are the Alpha and Omega, don’t ANYONE else praise their own team or players and say anything about the GODS gift to rugby players WP players,
20 Aug 2012, 11:55 am
@Heavens Game-116: Check this out
Driver’s licence (File)
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Cape Town – A Western Province player is to appear in court on Tuesday on a charge of fraud relating to a vehicle licence.
According to Monday’s Cape Times, team spokesperson Gavin Lewis confirmed that a player had been arrested, hours after Western Province’s 25-20 Absa Currie Cup win over Griquas in Kimberley on Saturday.
“We are aware that a Western Province player was arrested. He can’t be named as he hasn’t appeared in court. Charges are not clear but are in relation to a vehicle licensing issue.”
Provincial police spokesperson November Filander confirmed a 22-year-old had been arrested early on Sunday morning.
“This office can confirm that a 22-year-old man was arrested at a roadblock at about 00:30, near Camps Bay police station.”
It was alleged that the number plates of the car the player was driving did not correspond with the licence disk.
“He was released on R500 bail and will appear in Cape Town Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.”
20 Aug 2012, 12:00 pm
@sharks_lover-121: Fark me… Now you going to get the whole getalong gang buzzing like hornets… Dirty Harriet, Doggy, Stawm… The whole farken fan club and their kitchen sink… maybe a few knitting needles too
20 Aug 2012, 12:04 pm
@sharks_lover-121: Who is 22..
Gerhard van den Heever
Gary van Aswegen
Louis Schreuder
Frans Malherbe
Anyone else?
20 Aug 2012, 12:15 pm
@sharks_lover-117: Why are you trying to justify your idiotic statement about Deysel being a potential Bok fetcher to your leader HG? Are you worried he will also think you made a rightcockofyourself? Deysel at 6 for the Boks in a fetching role. The mind fuckingboggles.
Would you like me to copy and paste your original post? If you don’t want people to ‘twist’ your alleged thoughts around – say what you fuckingmean from the start, Communication 101 Gimpy.
@Heavens Game-114: Wonderful. You agree with SL that Deysel is an ideal 6 for the Boks, but tell me to go and read an online horoscope? Another one who fails to see the oncoming train. Manyfuckingtears on the way.
20 Aug 2012, 12:17 pm
@sharks_lover-121: I think it might be Jean Deysel. (If he can magically transform himself to be a Bok FETCHER, he can turn back the clock and be 22 again, as well as play for WP – anything is possible hey genius?)
20 Aug 2012, 12:22 pm
@gunther-72:
Everyones a cheat when Daddy cant buy his little Silver Spooner a way out of another suspension from prep school. Only the deaf and blind would fail to observe the social dichotomy of the Silver Spooners being envious of the Golden Spooner as the Real World continues on passed the school gate.
20 Aug 2012, 12:23 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-124: “You agree with SL that Deysel is an ideal 6 for the Boks”… Quote me, sugar?
But since you mention it, Deysel is not a bad backup for Alberts as blindside… Sharks think so, so Heyneke probably will think along the same lines too…
Not that you will understand this, in between reading what You magazine’s resident Gypsy says about Gemini or Scorpio for the week
20 Aug 2012, 12:25 pm
@The Donkeys Egg-126:
how is the hedge fund going blackie?
~bellywobble~
20 Aug 2012, 12:39 pm
@Heavens Game-127: No No, SL feels Deysel could be the Brussow like fetcher for the Boks……Indeed. What does your horror-scope say?
20 Aug 2012, 12:42 pm
@The Donkeys Egg-126:
and its past not passed.
you are getting your verbs and participles mixed up.
sounds like another year at prep school might have been a good idea for you.
20 Aug 2012, 12:44 pm
nouns and participles
I’ll join you for another year.
20 Aug 2012, 13:11 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-129: SL HG. Confusion clear now?
20 Aug 2012, 13:13 pm
@Heavens Game-132: Should be SL not equal to HG… somehow the Keo posting mechanism does not read logical operators.
20 Aug 2012, 17:25 pm
Basically been saying this for years now. Houghaard not a great scrummie. He´s a far more dangerous player at wing or 13 (which he played for a while for the Bulls).
I would utilise him at 13 whenever I could because a combo of him and Frans Steyn in midfield would be deadly.
Daniel has had a few chances now I say hand Kolisi his bloody jersey already!
Would like to see a loose trio of Marcell, Kolisi and Alberts. Tough luck regarding Bizzie but its about time the other hookers got their chances too and we stop relying so heavily on Bismarck – should be good for both him and the Boks in the long run as he gets a break from rugby and Boks develop some additional depth. Strauss can really do with the game time and as he showed he was a good sub.
20 Aug 2012, 18:09 pm
After much consideration, I agree with the belief of many other posters on here that Ryan Vrede really isn’t a “Rugby-Man”… He doesn’t seem to grasp the basic subtleties of rugby and as a result, his analysis is almost always parrot-like regurgetation of what happened in the match on FACE VALUE. Like many journalists, he seems to get a buzz from eloquent wording rather than from real rugby insight.
When it comes to scrum-halves, the single most important aspect is quick distribution… This allows your team to attack when the opposition defense is unset. On Saturday, Francois Hougaard was very good in this regard. The Zane Kirchner try for example was a direct result of Hougaard’s quick distribution which left the Argentinian stretched.
Quick distribution is so important that many backline coaches describe it as the most crucial attacking feature of any team period. The forwards do their best to provide the scrumhalf with clean ball and the scrumhalf is then responsible for getting quick ball to the team and making the right decisions on attack.
Alas, this universally known truth seems lost on Ryan Vrede.
I shall from now on be calling Ryan Vrede out on every article he writes which I deem to be “pen first, rugby second’.
21 Aug 2012, 00:46 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-101: Ja because Pdivvy was really safe and we know how hat turned out. We wasted a golden generation on a coach that wasn’t even safe at a press conference.
21 Aug 2012, 02:03 am
well R V
should the mayor not adopt a horses for courses approach, perhaps from after the 4Ns?
Pinaar seems to make some stupid passes at times which he did a couple times, passing the ball ” into the ground” and not to a player.. a very costly afair against the right team. Something he needs to work on. He does look like the man.
21 Aug 2012, 05:46 am
Daniel did an excellent impression of Spies on saturday. he was nowhere to be seen. If he does improve markedly this weekend, he should be dropped. Coetzee, Alberts, Johnson and Vermuelen all offer more at no 8.
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