Woeful Wallabies sink to all-time low
25 Aug 2012
MARK KEOHANE writes Australia were woeful in Auckland and the All Blacks will at least get a contest when they play the Springboks.
Many Australians were trying to take comfort with a view that the All Blacks were that good; not that their side were awful, but All Blacks coach Steve Hansen knows the Springboks will provide something resembling a Test because they haven’t been as scarred as those Australians who year in and year out have taken a beating against the black machine.
This was Australia’s poorest effort, in terms of what lined up and what they offered in every facet of the game. On another day, when passes stick and the All Black forwards know that they have to provide a platform first, this would have been 60. There were five or six times the All Blacks were over the line or a metre away and they blew five pointers.
Every All Black was an offload king and this allowed Australia to escape a scoreboard humiliation but there was no disguising the most emphatic beating between the two great rivals. New Zealand’s defence was ruthless and it was like a heavyweight asked to club a welterweight. Australia had intent and desire but they had no conviction because they were not strong enough, not good enough and not skilled enough to ask any questions of a New Zealand defence that did everything but assault them. Everything was legal about the All Blacks defence and the hits were huge and often delivered in twos and threes.
To keep any team scoreless at this level is an achievement and the All Blacks have done it to Ireland (60-0) and now the Wallabies (22-0). But the attack was poor and lacked patience and precision. The lineout was again a weakness for the All Blacks, but the Australian effort was no better.
The scrum, from an Australian perspective, was a shambles. Why can’t a nation of strong men scrum? No backline would have been effective getting the ball that came Australia’s way and there can be no criticism of Australia’s attack or Quade Cooper’s lack of attacking threat. The ball was never delivered to No 10 anywhere near the gainline. Cooper when he got it had to scramble a kick or try and beat a defender with a pass and hope the recipient of the pass produced a miracle moment. The pressure of the All Blacks defence was sustained and relentless. The chase of the kick lasted 80 minutes, the kick-offs were always contested and scrumhalf Will Genia will feel he played against eight All Blacks forwards and not a nippy halfback.
When Genia looks disheartened and disinterested then you know how bad it must have been wearing the Wallabies No 9 jumper in Auckland. The most alarming aspect has been the regression of the Wallabies in the last year. Deans, who has lost 14 of the 17 Tests against the All Blacks, keeps on talking of a learning curve but after five years talk of learning is an insult to any Australian supporter.
Coaches always judge a team’s spirit and collective on the way they scramble in defence and chase kick-offs or up and unders. A good chase can turn the most ordinary of kicks into something special. Australia chased nothing, yet their decision-makers continued to kick. It was embarrassing.
It was too easy for the All Blacks and this could explain the lack of patience and authority in decision-making. Sonny Bill Williams and Ma’a Nonu did as they pleased in the midfield, with Williams enjoying a fantastic send-off. He’ll be back in two years and in 2015 he will again be the biggest attraction.
Many may not enjoy the mercenary in him and many will never forgive a player of such pedigree who opts for a Japanese club jersey over that of the mystical black pullover but whatever your view of his career decisions there is no denying the qualities of Williams as a player. He can play and in tandem with Dan Carter the moments will always have been too few.
Richie McCaw also can’t be praised enough. He has now beaten the Wallabies 23 times in 29 starts and lost 12 Tests in 107. Yet he plays with the enthusiasm of a bloke in his first Test or chasing his first Test win. New Zealand knows his value, but they also know how much he will be missed because there won’t be any player who will match his contribution in an All Blacks jersey.
McCaw has had some titanic battles against the Wallabies, but he won’t have easily enjoyed such a one-sided contest. The conspiracy theorists could well think Robbie Deans was a New Zealand plant in the Australian camp.
The Boks will be weary but hardly fearful. Physically they can match the All Blacks and the lineout is always an area in which the New Zealanders struggle against the South Africans. But the Boks cannot possibly offer as little as the Wallabies did.
Argentina will prove more difficult for the All Blacks and Argentina should believe victory against Australia in Argentina is a probable and not a possible.
Deans has lost to every nation in the top 10 but Italy, and even then the Wallabies sneaked victory in Italy. It has also put the Welsh effort into perspective.
Wales fancy themselves as being the equal of the All Blacks. Not quite.
There is only one team that can trouble the current All Blacks and that is the traditional rival South Africa, especially in South Africa.
The All Blacks deserve every accolade for the efforts in the year post their World Cup win. Few teams have shown such desire to be successful, but it has been made that much easier because of the charity of the Aussies.
Saturday has to be one of the lowest in Wallabies history – and under Deans that is some statement given they’ve lost to Scotland (in Australia), Samoa (in Australia), England (in Australia) and taken many a beating in Europe and a 50 pointer in South Africa.
No South African or All Blacks coach would ever have seen a second season with that return and Australia will be a factor again the moment one of their own is asked to plot the downfall of New Zealand. Deans, for all the Super Rugby coaching pedigree and titles with the Crusaders, has been a disaster the equal of what was offered as a Test effort in Auckland on Saturday.
Bring on the Boks – and let’s have a Test match this season.
47 Comments
25 Aug 2012, 12:45 pm
say it keo dragon….Aus rugby is?
25 Aug 2012, 12:54 pm
can’t see the Boks doing much better this year, well maybe we’ll get a penalty or two actually
25 Aug 2012, 12:59 pm
Yes Keo, the Aussies wasn’t great, but I still think the Boks with their current gameplan and personnel will struggle to beat them
25 Aug 2012, 13:04 pm
25 Aug 2012, 13:01 pm
well…the good news out of this game for you bok fans is if they beat the Pumas tomorrow then the Boks go to number 2 in the I.R.B world rankings…
25 Aug 2012, 13:19 pm
Australia conceded a bonus point at home (and 6 tries) in 2010. I think this article rather over-eggs the pudding, the Wobs were not good but they were defiant.
25 Aug 2012, 13:25 pm
Yeah BH is right – that AB team in Auckland – don’t talk too soon. If HM plays kickchase outthere with Tarzan and Teddy – could make 49-0 looks positively close.
25 Aug 2012, 13:26 pm
Agree bighit, but this was only just a ill more than a bad day at the office, there’s no shame in losing to a better team
25 Aug 2012, 13:54 pm
HM’s prehistoric game plan won’t win us the Rugby Championship though, now will it?
25 Aug 2012, 14:19 pm
SA maybe a lil too optimistic abt our chances in australasia. The Aussies will be all in against the boks in Perth, a win for them so much more I think and of late, boks mental strength questionable. The Ausies will want it more and that might jus be enough, and I still don’t think they’re a ***** side. Meyer was right, boks must improve mentally
25 Aug 2012, 14:38 pm
“Deans has lost to every nation in the top 10 but Italy, and even then the Wallabies sneaked victory in Italy. It has also put the Welsh effort into perspective.”
Really? France? Argentina?
25 Aug 2012, 14:39 pm
Boks better get selections 100% against Kiwis….or its goodnight nurse , all over rover….6 love …6 love…
Better pray Brussow, Coenie, J Goosen are all fully match fit and ready to go….
Going to be a tough examination…..
The Perth Test against Aussies must be won……but Aussies seem to have our number…..
Selections and playing style so important, tough road ahead…
25 Aug 2012, 14:40 pm
forget mental toughness…the gameplan is archaic & taxing on the players, it is also too reliant on bossing the collisions which in international rugby is not a given…
aussies at their worst can still beat the boks
25 Aug 2012, 14:46 pm
@gonzo-10: I note the author only mentions the 50 point drubbing they gave to Aussie, not the fact that it is something like 6 out of the last 7 games that the Wobs have beaten SA and also overcome their highveldt bogey at the same time.. I do think Pococks absence is a big plus for SA, but Deans seems to have his team prepared better for SA then the ABs… should be a good game tbh..
25 Aug 2012, 14:51 pm
Robbie has made things harder for himself by losing to Samoa and Scotland but he took over a team ranked 5th in the world and brought them up to 2nd (PdV took a team ranked 1st and when he left they were 4th). They do look poor compared to NZ but also manage to make NZ look a little rusty. Not many teams can do that.
I doubt Ewen would even want the job now. I’d keep Robbie until the Lions/RC13 and then consider dumping him if they still under perform. But if they continue beating RSA at the current rate he’s hardly done a bad job.
25 Aug 2012, 14:58 pm
@poppa69-13: @gonzo-14: \
As soon as Colin O’Neil tires of anaal ssexx, Robbie is a goner.
25 Aug 2012, 15:03 pm
Transie,ur rite, not correct game plan, even if the players that pulled it off (bakkies, juan, schalk etc..) were available. The boks need to move forward, learn to adapt to the condition
25 Aug 2012, 15:07 pm
Sorri typing on my droid, adapt to conditions and not make skop n jag the answer for everything. I’ll go as far as to say, fans dont even enjoy winning like that
25 Aug 2012, 15:20 pm
@cane-15: The RC is probably a write off but they have a chance in November to save face. Guys like Beale, Cooper, O’Connor, Mitchell (who did his ankle again, not sure how badly) will get some form back after injury, Horwill and Pocock might be back, I’m not sure but I think they are both a possibility.
It seemed to me last year, the Reds/Wallabies were very lucky with the lack of injuries (especially to Cooper/Genia) but now it’s catching up with them
25 Aug 2012, 15:48 pm
A SPRINGBOK MUST LEARN TO STAND AND WALK BEFORE HE CAN RUN
HI TO MY FELLOW RUGBY GURU’S, LOVERS AND REALISTS, I KNOW THERE ARE MANY OF YOU.
I COULDN’T HELP NOTICING THAT MANY WERE SUPRISED ABOUT AUSTRALIA GETTING HAMMERED IN THIS GAME, ESPECIALLY THE AUSTRALIAN RUGBY EXPERTS. HERE IS A REALITY CHECK, IT’S NOT JUST THE FACT THAT THE ALL BLACKS ARE SO INCREDIBLY GOOD, BUT ALSO A RESULT OF THE AUSSIES BEING SO INCREDIBLY BAD AT THE MOMENT. AUSTRALIAN TEAMS AND MOST PLAYERS WERE TERRIBLE IN THE SUPER15 AND THIS WAS MERELY A CONTINUATION OF THAT FORM, NO ROCKET SCIENCE, JUST PLAINLY OBVIOUS. AFTER WATCHING THE SUPER15, COULD YOU REALLY EXPECT ANYTHING LESS THAN A DRUBBING TODAY? MAYBE IF YOU A DIE HARD AUSSIE SUPPORTER BLINDED BY YOUR SUPPORT FOR YOUR COUNTRY THEN YES. BUT TO ME, IF ANYTHING I WAS SURPRISED THE ALL BLACKS DIDN’T WIN BY MORE. SO, ARE THE ALL BLACKS BEATABLE? OF COURSE THEY ARE. THAT IS IF YOU KNOW WHAT I KNOW. PLEASE NOTE I USE THE WORD KNOW NOT BELIEVE OR BELIEF AS I AM STATING A FACT BASED ON KNOWLEDGE OF OUR PLAYERS AND CURRENT FORM AND THIS IS NOT A MATTER OF OPINION AS IS THE CASE WITH BELIEF.
SO WHAT DOES THE SUPER15 AND THE FORM OF PLAYERS WHO PLAYED IN THE SUPER15 TELL US ABOUT THE REST OF THE RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP? FIRST OF ALL IT TELLS US THAT THERE ARE ONLY 2 TEAMS REALLY COMPETING HERE. THE ALL BLACKS AND THE BOKS. IT TELLS US THAT THE AUSSIES BASED ON CURRENT FORM WILL HAVE TO BE CAREFUL OF NOT ENDING 4TH BEHIND THE PUMAS. IT ALSO TELLS US THAT EVEN THOUGH ROBBIE DEANS IS NOT THE RIGHT COACH FOR THE AUSSIES (ONLY BECAUSE HE IS NOT AUSTRALIAN), THAT IT IS NOT BY ANY MEANS HIS FAULT THAT THE AUSSIES WERE SO POOR IN THEIR OPENING GAMES OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP AS ALL THE AUSSIE TEAMS BAR ONE OR TWO PLAYERS WERE SIMILARLY POOR DURING IN THE SUPER15.
FURTHERMORE, IT TELLS US HOW IMPORTANT HOME GAMES ARE AND EVEN MORE IMPORTANT WINNING AWAY FROM HOME. IF THE BOKS WIN THE GAME AGAINST THE ALL BLACKS ON THE 15TH OF SEPTEMBER IN DUNEDIN, THEY WILL WIN THE FIRST RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP. THAT’S A CALCULATED PREDICTION BASED ON CURRENT FORM, AND A VERY REAL CHANCE OF IT HAPPENING IF CERTAIN THINGS HAPPEN THE WAY THEY SHOULD BE HAPPENING. BELIEVE ME WHEN I SAY THAT THE BOKS CAN EASILY WIN AGAINST THE ALL BLACKS IN DUNEDIN IF ONLY THEY KNOW WHAT I KNOW. THEY HAVE THE PLAYERS TO DO SO. THE QUESTION OF COURSE IS NOT IF I KNOW IT OR NOT BUT RATHER IF THE BOK PLAYERS DO. AND FOR THOSE WHO WILL ALLOW THEMSELVES TO GO DEEPER INTO THE RABIT HOLE HEAR ME WHEN I SAY THAT IF THE BOKS PLAY FOR 80 MINUTES LIKE THEY PLAYED THAT BRILLIANT FIRST 40 MINUTES IN THAT ONE GAME AGAINST ENGLAND THEN THE BOKS WILL NOT ONLY WIN IN DUNEDIN BUT ACTUALLY HAMMER THE ALL BLACKS BY MORE POINTS THAN THE ALL BLACKS PUT OVER AUSTRALIA TODAY EVEN IF THE ALL BLACKS ARE AT THEIR BEST. TRUST ME. AND, NEVER TRUST SOMEONE THAT SAYS TRUST ME… UNLESS IT’S ME OF COURSE LOL. MORE OF WHAT WE SAW DURING THE SUPPER15 ALSO TELLS US THAT THE BOKS WILL HAVE A MUCH EASIER OPPORTUNITY TO BEAT THE ALL BLACKS NOW AS SONNY BILL WILLIAMS PLAYED HIS LAST GAME FOR THE ALL BLACKS FOR QUITE A WHILE TODAY. THE ONES READING THIS HAVING NO ISSUES WITH PUTTING THE EGO ASIDE WILL AGREE THAT SONNY BILL WILLIAMS IS NOTHING SHORT OF A SUPER STAR. HE IS A ONE IN A LIFETIME PLAYER THAT NO OTHER TEAM CAN MATCH AT THE MOMENT. BUT, AND THIS IS A BIG BUT, HE IS ONLY ONE PLAYER AND A COLLECTIVE TEAM IS OBVIOUSLY ALWAYS BETTER. HAVING SAID THAT THE ALL BLACKS ARE A MUCH WEAKER TEAM WITHOUT HIM PLAYING. MOST OF THE CURRENT ALL BLACK BRILLIANT STATEGY WITH REGARDS SCORING TRIES IS BASED ON SONNY BILL WILLIAMS BRILLIANCE WITH (AND WITHOUT) THE BALL FROM OFF LOADING CREATING EASY TRIES OR ACTING AS A DECOY TO DRAW 2 OR 3 DEFENDERS CREATING TRIES ON THE OUTSIDE AS WAS THE CASE IN THE FIRST ENCOUNTER WITH THE AUSSIES WHICH THE AUSSIES SADLY FELL FOR ON BOTH OCCASIONS IN THE FIRST GAME.
THE PROBLEM FOR THE BOKS NOT WINNING ENOUGH IN NEW ZEALAND, AND EVEN WHEN REACHING FULL POTENTIAL… HAMMERING THE ALL BLACKS IN NEW ZEALAND OVER MANY YEARS HAS NOT BEEN A CASE OF SKILL, FORM, OR QUALITY. THEY HAVE HAD MORE THAN ENOUGH OF THAT. THEY HAVE HAD THIS SAME PROBLEM FOR MANY YEARS, AND NOBODY IN THE CURRENT OR PREVIOUS COACHING STAFF HAVE REALISED WHAT EXACTLY THAT PROBLEM WAS AND MORE IMPORTANTLY… HOW TO FIX IT. THE PROBLEM FIRST OF ALL IS A HUGE ONE THAT LIES BETWEEN THE EARS. THE PROBLEM IS IN THEIR HEADS, NOWHERE ELSE BUT BETWEEN THE EARS.
SO, HOW DO THEY FIX IT, HERE’S HOW. INSTEAD OF SPENDING 90% OF THE BOKS TIME COACHING TEAM SKILLS, GAME PLAN OR STRATEGY RATHER TURN THAT AROUND INITIALLY AND SPEND THAT TIME FIXING THE INCORRECT FIRST FEARFUL THOUGHT WHICH IS THAT IT’S HARD WINNING IN NEW ZEALAND. REPLACE THAT INCORRECT THOUGHT WITH THE CORRECT ONE WHICH IS KNOWING THAT WITH THE CURRENT PLAYERS WE HAVE IN SOUTH AFRICA IT’S ACTUALLY HARD TO LOSE IN NEW ZEALAND. AND ONCE EVERY PLAYER KNOWS THIS ADD ANOTHER WHICH IS WITH THE CURRENT PLAYERS WE HAVE IT’S ACTUALLY HARD NOT TO HAMMER THE ALL BLACKS IN NEW ZEALAND AND EVEN HARDER NOT TO DO SO AT HOME. ISN’T THIS WHAT EVERY SPRINGBOK PLAYER SHOULD KNOW? AM I THE ONLY ONE THAT REALISES THE PROBLEM HERE… BEING IN THEIR HEADS? WHY HAVE NOBODY FIXED THIS PROBLEM? WELL IT’S TIME WE DO. FOR THE SAKE OF SPRINGBOK RUGBY GET THE RIGHT HEAD DOCTOR IN, USE MOST THE TIME TO WORK WITH THEIR HEADS NOT THEIR SKILLS, GAME PLAN OR OTHER. OTHERWISE THE SAME WILL HAPPEN OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THE SPRINGBOK RESULTS WILL FOLLOW THE SAME PATTERN AS YEARS GONE BY AND LEGEND AFTER LEGEND WILL COME AND GO WITH THE BOKS CONTINUED FAILING TO DELIVER WHAT I KNOW THEY REALLY CAPABLE OF. WE SAW IT IN THE FIRST 40 MINUTES IN THE ONE GAME AGAINST ENGLAND AND WE CAN SEE IT AGAIN. THE QUESTION IS WILL WE?
SO HOW DO I GET THE BOKS TO BELIEVE WHAT I ALREADY KNOW? QUITE OBVIOUSLY THERE IS NO WAY I CAN MAKE THEM REALISE WHAT I ALREADY KNOW, BUT I CAN ALWAYS HOPE SOMEONE IN THE CURRENT COACHING STAFF REALISES IT, AS I DO AND ACTUALLY FOCUS THEIR ATTENTION AND TIME TO FIRST FIXING THIS PROBLEM WHICH IS A INCORRECT THOUGHT IN THEIR HEADS BEFORE FOCUSSING ON THE CURRENT THINGS BEING STRATEGY, SKILLS ETC.
I CAN ONLY HOPE SOMEONE CLOSELY INVOLVED WITH THE BOKS WILL OPEN THEIR EYES AND SEE THE LIGHT.
FOREVER HOPING…
YOURS TRULY
MADABOUTANDHOPINGSPINGBOKPLAYERSREACHTHEIRFULLPOTENTIAL
25 Aug 2012, 15:53 pm
@MADaboutrugby-19: oh fark sorry caps?
25 Aug 2012, 16:13 pm
Dingo may well be struggling. But – his defence lawyer may well point out ;
- Aus are the current 3N title holders
- Aus are right now ranked 2nd in the world
- Aus blanked Wales 3-0 in June
- Aus have won 5 of the last 6 against SA (incl the last RWC 1/4 Final).
So, WTF are you Japie (RWC 1/4 Final Losers) going on about???
Aus had to play the AB’s, undisputed champions, for their 1st 2 games of the RC. Let’s just wait until SA plays Aus & NZ before you get too carried away shall we??
25 Aug 2012, 16:15 pm
Question worth asking — and I believe someone has asked it before, but I’ll throw it out there again — can Aussie sack Deans immediately after the Rugby Championship? Or, better yet: can McKenzie get this squad ready to play the Lions based on just one end of year tour?
25 Aug 2012, 16:15 pm
@MADaboutrugby-19:
Is this a form of CAPITAL PUNISHMENT??
25 Aug 2012, 16:18 pm
Never been the biggest Read fan, but he’s been good this year. With Messam in the trio they have a very potent back row. And Vito on the bench adds to the class.
Aussie pack was rubbish. And their 9, 10, 12 couldn’t marshall a bingo game.
We should be far more competitive.
25 Aug 2012, 16:20 pm
Lot of respect for Genia — no whinging or finger pointing, just an admission that they turned up and got taught a lesson.
Where is the leadership w/Aussie? So much talent in that side, especially in the backline, but no McCaw type leader setting the standard for them.
With all their young backs, plus those promising loose forwards, I think McKenzie could have them back up to speed soon.
25 Aug 2012, 19:12 pm
@DAS-25:
Yes Aussies seem a bit rudderless
NO one will beat this AB side Even when missing try scoring opportunities they win well
25 Aug 2012, 19:36 pm
Keo is funny, now the boks and the ABs are inches apart in collective quality?! The ABs are the complete team and they are still rusty, they should have killed the wallabies today.
Boks need to show us that they have a quality attack, and variation. As things stand, the boks can’t live with the ABs, no one can!
25 Aug 2012, 20:00 pm
@Transformation-12: Transie do you ever, eva have a life outside Keo? Just checking?
25 Aug 2012, 20:05 pm
@BillTong-21: good points Mr Tong. They simply looked **** today. One supposes one is only as good as one’s last game. Well, that’s the theory anyway.
25 Aug 2012, 20:34 pm
The significant stat is … 84%.
That is the % time NZ spent in the Oz half, for the whole game. It was 97% in the second half. And NZ did this with over 50% of possession too.
The HM game plan can be pilloried as “skop-en-jag” or whatever, but it is a pressure game based around playing in the opposition half. If SA can force NZ to play more of the game in their own half then the game will be a lot more even than the Oz game.
I think HM knows how to do that.
25 Aug 2012, 22:48 pm
Not exactly inspiring from the boks
25 Aug 2012, 22:56 pm
U lucky lucky baastards
25 Aug 2012, 23:00 pm
“MARK KEOHANE writes Australia were woeful in Auckland and the All Blacks will at least get a contest when they play the Springboks.”
Or maybe not.
26 Aug 2012, 00:44 am
@BillTong-21: As you say, by pretty much any measure the Wallabies are the 2nd best team in the world at the moment. For all the talk about the Boks thrashing them, and hand rubbing by NH journos looking forward to the EOY tour, unless something changes this year from the previous few they are all going to get a lesson (again) from the Wallabies. Judging Deans by his results against the current AB’s is like a pro golfer sacking his coach because he can’t beat Tiger Woods. Only difference is that the AB’s have a much higher win ratio.
Deans is still a very good coach, and the Wallabies are still a very good team. The question now is whether the AB’s have inflicted enough psychological damage to help SA and Arg over the coming weeks.
26 Aug 2012, 01:18 am
The top two teams played each other and the 3rd placedteam played ? What ranked side?
Keo…dont get ahead of yourself?
26 Aug 2012, 01:21 am
@lockforward.com-30:
Exactly what i said in another thread.
Teams can have a counter or the way they play naturally to put pressure on any team.
I think the way the Boks play, is the correct counter against the ABs.
We kept most the teams this year in their own half, they really couldnt get out and attack for long peroids. The boks as we know have a better kicking game when on, if the Boks kicking game fires, the ABs will struggle and need to play better than they have been.
But if the ABs play like they did against Ireland in the 3rd test, Boks have no show.
26 Aug 2012, 02:57 am
Deans pretty much admitted he can’t / won’t beat the all Blacks in the post match last night. He doesn’t have either the skills or the motivation to beat them. This Wallaby side is a worse side than when he took over and don’t list that 5th to 2nd place garbage – that was just a hang over from Mortlock missing a kick at the ’07 WC. The team has been steadily playing worse since Deans got there. Anyone remember the first game they played under Deans? With a team left to him? They gave the ABs a beating. Since then it has been all downhill. Very sad from a country with so much sporting talent.I can’t believe they let him stay
26 Aug 2012, 03:20 am
@jeest-37:
So what happened last year?
Tri nation winners and RWC semi finalists.
26 Aug 2012, 03:58 am
@MADaboutrugby-19: Yes, you are mad.
To quote your words – easily win..? Yep, you lost all credibility there.
So typical of the myopic mad saffa supporter, you talk a big game, thats all you do, talk, yabba, blurb, yell, and abuse.
Most good saffa supporters have been far more humble and honest about whats going on.
You – you’re mad.
26 Aug 2012, 04:59 am
@Nils-33: Well said, pilgrim!
26 Aug 2012, 05:27 am
@KiaKahaNZ-39:
Yeah i dont understand how he says if the Boks play like they did in one half against the English, they will thrash the ABs, even if the ABs pull out there best game.
What we did to Ireland who have beaten the Boks lately i believe, then we beaten Ozzie twice, who have beaten the Boks 80% of the time in the last 2 years. He thinks if the Boks play good it will be a walk in the park against the ABs, in fact a thrashing.
So the Boks played good against an English team…in one half. Wejust took care of Ozzie, who beat the 6 nation champs in 3 tests. Where do some of these bloggers come up with utter garbage.
We all know the boks can win. But i dont think they will ever thrash us, like Madaboutrugby is going on about.
26 Aug 2012, 08:10 am
Boyo
Remember this headline when the Aussies
smack you in Perth
26 Aug 2012, 11:35 am
@Hurricane-41: Well said, “We all know the boks can win” – but they won’t.
These days we rely PURELY on statistics. I’ve had the privilege of speaking to a number of coaches involved with WP/Stormers. SA coaches see only statistics and build game plans around that. NZ do the same, but they also play what’s in front of them.
It’s shocking that other countries score around 60% of tries from turnover ball while SA score about 10%. We score almost everything from set pieces. So we put all our effort into set pieces. The obvious stat we’re missing is that we’re also scoring A LOT fewer tries. Reason: Carter/Cruden/Cooper etc get quick turnover ball and look for space to attack. Steyn immediately puts up the up-and-under… allowing defence to quickly reset while the ball floats harmlessly in the sky, thus resulting in… ANOTHER TURNOVER!
26 Aug 2012, 12:11 pm
Fairly sure the Abs won’t be losing too much sleep over facing the Boks this year. The Boks get diluted from the policy of picking plaers from foreign comps. Imagine if F. Steyn had stayed put instead of prostituting and weakening himself in the Northern Hemisphere.
26 Aug 2012, 15:23 pm
@Muttonbird-44: that doesn’t really make sense, Frans Steyn was SA’s best back at the World Cup and June series – both fresh off his time under Berbezier at Racing.
26 Aug 2012, 21:35 pm
@MADaboutrugby-19: You know something but I dont think it is anything about RUGBY…my man…The way the BOKS played against Los Pumas there were only marginally better than the Aussies (our cousins)…and for Keo to say…”at least they (the All Blacks) will get a contest against SA”….I doubt it…I watched the game SA vs Arg and it is the same old game plan…when plan A doesnt work go to plan B – kick and chase….the AB’s at least explore every option and opportunity….so NZ vs Arg and SA here in NZ…guess what…after those 2 games we cant lost the CHAMPIONSHIP….yeeeeha
28 Aug 2012, 09:44 am
Love it – Just love it.
2 games against a woeful Wallaby side and the AB’s are unbeatable. There will not be 1 All Black believing that. Too experienced, level headed & too afraid of Steve Hansen to believe that sh*t.
And as for the Boks. In 2003 the AB’s went into the RWC in Australia the hottest favourites on the planet. Cruised through the Pool matches & thrashed someone in the Quarters. Then they ran into Australia in the semi. The ABs game plan failed but surprise, surprise no Game B. We lost.
Take note Boks. No Plan B means no chance at all !!
HM has the players but not the right mind set. Positive attitude breeds positive players which breeds a winning culture. For further reference see ALL BLACKS.
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