Defence bedrock of future success
22 Aug 2012
RYAN VREDE writes the Springboks’ defensive excellence against Argentina is a greater cause for optimism than their failure to score a bonus point is cause for concern.
Personally I don’t understand the near-hysteria around the Springboks’ inability to secure five points at Newlands on Saturday. I would have deeper concerns if the Springboks had looked completely impotent and not got themselves in scoring positions.
But they did, and how they got themselves there – largely through a kick-chase method – doesn’t vex me either. It is a method that has worked for South Africa’s most successful Super Rugby franchises of recent years, the Bulls and (more recently) the Stormers. My position has always been that when in those positions there needs to be composure, invention and precision about the attacking play.
Just because the Springboks’ attacking play lacked those qualities in the final quarter shouldn’t be seen as a precursor to chronic attacking struggles, which was terminal to the Stormers’ semi-final effort against the Sharks. Meyer’s limited time with his squad was reflected in their lack of attacking synergy. This will improve with time and the addition of personnel who have been injured. Indeed a defining characteristic of Meyer’s championship-winning Bulls sides was their try-scoring ability. This should stir confidence.
I was always more keen to see how they defended, especially against an Argentinean pack that was renowned for their ability to set a good attacking platform for their backs. To blunt them in the manner they did was inspiring. Attitude, power, work rate and accuracy are the cornerstones of defensive success and the Springboks ticked all those boxes, repelling the Pumas with an immense effort from the collective. Flyhalf Juan Martin Hernandez commanded much attention from the media prior to the Test, but he was largely rendered a non-factor.
Springbok defence coach John McFarland lauded that defensive effort, attributing the impotency of Hernandez and co to their work in this facet of play. ‘I think their backs were dangerous. They moved the ball well and got the odd bit of momentum. But we scrambled well, got into position and got our line set and moving forward at them again,’ he said.
‘I think they put us under pressure but we were well prepared for them and managed to dominate them in the collisions. Certainly they did cause us a few problems with their high ball game but I thought our back three dealt exceptionally well with that.’
Their ability to stifle the Pumas’ challenge extended to their defence of the rolling maul, their success here built on excellent competing from Andries Bekker. ‘It is a strength in their game. We don’t want to give them opportunities to build momentum. If your lineout competing is functioning well they shouldn’t be able to get that go-forward,’ McFarland said when asked about this in Mendoza on Wednesday.
McFarland said the Pumas would pose a greater attacking threat on Saturday and also praised advances they have made in other areas of their attacking play. ‘Every game is a different challenge. Here they will be passionate and try and execute what they’ve been doing over the past two or three weeks. I think Argentina are playing very different rugby to what they have in the past. Certainly they are prepared to use their backs more, attack a little wider and get to the edge of the field. But to me their biggest improvement has been in their counter-attack. In the past they would just launch high balls in return, now they’re prepared to give the ball a bit of air. It’s up to us to nullify their strengths and impose ours on them.’
The best sides in the game have achieved a balance between punishing defence and dynamic attack (the former often facilitating the latter). The Springboks don’t have that balance yet and they cannot cling to mitigating factors for this for too long. But the attacking problems they have are relatively easily addressed. We should be hoping they build on their defensive solidarity and the discipline that accompanied that. It will be the foundation for any future success.
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202 Comments
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22 Aug 2012, 16:06 pm
@londonshark-98:
Not at the moment. Because they are a much better team than we are right now.
I think we will win 4 out of 6 in the Tri Nations this year, but lose to NZ twice.
22 Aug 2012, 16:08 pm
@Tacitus-96:
Tact, how can you say a Grand Slam means nothing? Our last one was when? How many times have we failed in the past 20 years?
If you win the Grand Slam, that all important win ratio goes up. So again, how can you say it doesn’t matter?
22 Aug 2012, 16:09 pm
@londonshark-102:
I’m saying that winning all 4 end of year games is what’s important. Whether that happens to be a grandslam or not is meaningless to me.
22 Aug 2012, 16:09 pm
@Tacitus-101:
I hear you, but I don’t believe they are that much better than us.
We should still beat them at home (always). Far worse Bok sides have done it.
22 Aug 2012, 16:11 pm
@Tacitus-103:
Oh okay, fair point.
22 Aug 2012, 16:12 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-99:
All the major powers played in 2011, therefore I am willing to give that one to them.
22 Aug 2012, 16:12 pm
@londonshark-85:
knowing the sa rugby public, the saru muppets and the dogs in politics even if meyer did win 75 to 80% of his tests in this time he would still be roasted and flayed for not winning any ‘trophies’.
22 Aug 2012, 16:16 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-107:
HM knew the playing field before he took the job.
His having an easy ride thus far compared to PDV.
22 Aug 2012, 16:17 pm
I see we’re only playing 12 tests this year, not 13.
Which means the target is 10 out of 12 for a magnificent first season in charge, and 9 out of 12 for a very, very good season (75%).
22 Aug 2012, 16:20 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-95: no problem, we are on a 10 year plan!!!
22 Aug 2012, 16:21 pm
@Tacitus-109: We have already drawn (in fact, almost lost) one test against England.
So to get 10 out of 12, we can only lose one more test.
22 Aug 2012, 16:22 pm
@willievz-111:
Exactly.
22 Aug 2012, 16:24 pm
@willievz-111:
Thats right Willie I posted sometime back that the draw is 0.5 but it’s considered a loss.
22 Aug 2012, 16:25 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-107: why should meyer’s experience of the poisoned chalice that is the bok coaching job be any different?
he won’t be mollycoddled!
you can moan all you want
22 Aug 2012, 16:28 pm
@Tacitus-109: Jeez, dont say such things. The fact that these win ratios are actually realistic for HM is verging on the hurtful to some “knowledgeable” supporters here on Keo
22 Aug 2012, 16:31 pm
@Jeraldjay-108:
i wouldn’t exactly say its an ‘easy’ compared to pdv
but ja sure, not making any excuses for him
just observations on the likely turn of events in store for him if he fails us
there’s nothing new in this, every bok coach has gone through the ‘baptism of fire’ by the sa public.
as spartan mother would tell their hoplite sons going off to battle: ‘either with your shield, or on it’
no inbetweens.
22 Aug 2012, 16:34 pm
@Tacitus-96:
Is the Grand Slam a trophy?
22 Aug 2012, 16:35 pm
@David-117:
Who knows? It’s some kind of unofficial achievement, at the very least.
22 Aug 2012, 16:35 pm
@Heavens Game-115: we will toast heyneke if he at least achieves these “realistic” win-ratios, that’s what most of us honest and humble BOK supporters wanted all along!
22 Aug 2012, 16:37 pm
@Transformation-110:
well you’ll beat the lons by six at that rate
@Transformation-114:
no, on the contrary i make no excuses at all
heyneke must fall on his sword if needs be.
my only regret is that they did not give him the job in 2007 despite my numerous letters of concern to oregan, the sports ministry and the coalition of christian churches at the time
22 Aug 2012, 16:37 pm
@Heavens Game-115: That’s a guesstimate. Tac reckons we’ll only lose 1 out of 4 between the boks and the anzacs?
22 Aug 2012, 16:38 pm
@Jeraldjay-108: Does he really? PDV definitely had political cover initially on the job as “First Black Bok Coach”. That is until he managed to pi.ssoff his political patrons too.
Meyer does not have this political cover at all. Only respect for Meyer’s obvious competence as a coach is enabling him to get buy in and support from Super Rugby coaches and others that PDV could only dream of.
This respect has been earned by Meyer’s merit… i.e. On “his won merit”.
22 Aug 2012, 16:40 pm
@Transformation-119: How will the likes of you “Toast” Meyer with your hands’ full pulling your wire about the latest darling Wayne Smith edict or gospel, huh?
Farken schweinhund
22 Aug 2012, 16:41 pm
@pompies2-121:
Nope. I already said I think we’ll win 4 out of 6 in the Tri Nations. Meaning a 75% win ratio for Heyneke’s first year in charge.
80% is the average he needs to get us to eventually.
22 Aug 2012, 16:42 pm
@Transformation-119:
ok, so you dont care how he does it then. if the wins are ugly penatly fests and short on tries, just as long as he wins… right.
good to know.
22 Aug 2012, 16:42 pm
@Heavens Game-123:
Good one! He does drink up anything a Kiwi coach happens to mumble as the holy gospel, doesn’t he.
22 Aug 2012, 16:43 pm
@Tacitus-118:
It’s an achievement we haven’t attained since 1955, and the ABs have done regularly.
I find your 4 point plan interesting as it’s based on the initial presumption that we’ll win around 75% of our games using a defensive approach, before developing further. It’s a bit like business plans on Excel spreadsheets that always show a profit.
22 Aug 2012, 16:45 pm
@pompies2-121: I reckon that we have as good a chance as ever of beating the Aussies home and away this year – especially with bete noir Pocock out of the picture. And the AB’s – obviously a win away is not realistic, but at home 50/50 chance at least depending on further injuries.
So 1 loss out of 4 is quite realistic if slightly optimistic.
22 Aug 2012, 16:45 pm
@David-127:
It’s infinitely more realistic than thinking we’ll win 75% of our games with a new, radically different expansive approach.
22 Aug 2012, 16:49 pm
@Heavens Game-123: hahahahahahaha
wena no Tacitus nidontsa ucingo ngoMeyer 
“i want the Boks to be tough” – cue Hg & Tac be dontsa ucingp
“execution over innovation” more wire pulling from Tac & Hg
22 Aug 2012, 16:51 pm
@David-127: Classic!!!!
22 Aug 2012, 16:51 pm
@Tacitus-124: Didn’t the Stormers have an 85% or 90% average in the Super 15 this year?
You guys weren’t quite so complimentary about a stat like that when it was them…
22 Aug 2012, 16:51 pm
@Tacitus-126: I find some of Wayne Smith’s articles interesting – but the farker definitely has a patronising tone and is not as objective as his fanboys want everyone to believe. That is, because M’Lud Wayne pronounces such and such to be true – does not mean it to be so… It is a pity these enraptured Smith disciples do not apply the same exacting content analysis to all his quoted nuances and consistencies, or lack of, as they have done to Meyer.
Especially since Meyer, hasn’t picked as many players as they thought he shouls have from a certain apparent “successful” Super Rugby team.
22 Aug 2012, 16:51 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-125: yes, it doesn’t mean i must shut up like the type of blind faith disciple Tac and yourself are!
i want the Boks to be greater than a 1 point squeaky win in Christchurch!
22 Aug 2012, 16:52 pm
transie would give wayne smith ‘microphone suck love’ if he asked him to.
he’s already had one ‘dreamy’ heart to heart conversation with him in pe apparently.
22 Aug 2012, 16:52 pm
@Heavens Game-128: I’d temper that optimism. I fear, the Boks, like the stormers will struggle to win the games coming from behind. That implies they need a solid, if not spectacular start.
Another big consideration should also be the side Heyneke chooses.
I’d be more inclined to say 2 from 4. Perhaps a losing bonus point and a 4-try bonus thrown in for good measure.
22 Aug 2012, 16:52 pm
@Heavens Game-122:
Your right, Meyer’s got a great track record thats why his respected. PDV only won the U/21 RWC.
It’s early in his tenure. By the end of September the journo’s and politians will start turning against him.
I was convinced Meyer was the perfect choice when he was chosen as Bok coach and I hope he succeeds but unfortunately his demise is inevitable based on what I’ve seen thus far.
22 Aug 2012, 16:53 pm
Nc nc nc nc
22 Aug 2012, 16:54 pm
@pompies2-136:
That’s exactly it.
The Boks will not be able to chase a lead with a defensive gameplan.
22 Aug 2012, 16:56 pm
@Tacitus-126: Wayne has, in the space of consecutive years won both the RWC and the super rugby title. I’d say he knows what he’s saying. Meanwhile we sit with Ricardo Loubscher.
22 Aug 2012, 16:57 pm
@Tacitus-126: just because you can’t see the wood for the trees doesn’t mean the rest of us are “homogeneous” in our thinking too!
@Heavens Game-133: funny thing is a KIWI is coaching the sharks to play POSITIVELY, straight from IRANZ
bwahla!
22 Aug 2012, 16:57 pm
@pompies2-136: Why do you fear that the Boks will be impotent like the Stormers in coming from behind? Never fear when Sharkies are near – and there is enough of the Black and White in the team to pull off some cavalier Laissez-faire if the circumstances warrant
22 Aug 2012, 16:57 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-135:
a never to be forgotten occasion which he enjoys dropping in conversation just about every opportunity he gets…pfffftt….
22 Aug 2012, 16:58 pm
@Jeraldjay-137: Why do you say that?
22 Aug 2012, 16:58 pm
@Tacitus-126: check his resume Tac. heyneke can only DREAM of a CV like that
22 Aug 2012, 16:59 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-143: i saw heyneke on saturday too bakkies, are you jealous?
22 Aug 2012, 17:00 pm
@Transformation-134:
we all want this, transie
we all want this
there is a mountain to climb though, and i do hope he is the man to get us to the top. because the top is where we belong.
22 Aug 2012, 17:00 pm
@Heavens Game-142: Not so sure. The Shark laden bok team might be able to build a lead then defend it, but i’m not sure they can chase a game.
22 Aug 2012, 17:02 pm
@Transformation-141: LOL for IRANZ. Didn’t see that one coming. Is PDV also not a IRANZ “graduate”?
22 Aug 2012, 17:02 pm
@Jeraldjay-137: Look, the demise of every Bok coach is inevitable… From WC winning coaches to world record sharing coaches – they all receive Dont Come Mondays, and not always for lack of performance… Some get it for criticisms of ticket prices
Meyer might get it for being too Christian or too organised… Who knows. But get it he will. Until then, I support the most competent, ethical and sane coach the Boks have had in years.
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