Meltdown in Mendoza
26 Aug 2012
MARK KEOHANE writes South Africa’s lack of leadership in the forwards was exposed in Mendoza, as was the naivety of a pack that is unfortunately a shadow of the beasts who have worn the jersey in the past five years.
Individuals will get blamed and given the South African way it will be provincial specific, but this is not a performance of individual blame but of collective calamity in that the newbies to Test rugby were not equipped to deal with an Argentinean side that scrapped, clawed and fought for a historic first draw against the Springboks.
The lack of a specialist opensider was obvious in that there was no counter to the Pumas love for a group gathering around the ball on the floor. Heyneke Meyer said any player can fail once but there isn’t place for a second failure at Test level. His words will be put to the test because certain players are not up to Test standard and when the occasion called for heroes to emerge all we got were imposters in a green jersey.
Perspective is necessary to appreciate the vulnerability of the Bok pack, in terms of experience, impact and influence. Bismarck du Plessis is colossal and Adriaan Strauss will need grander efforts to offer an impersonation. Andries Bekker, forever the next Victor Matfield, has neither the confidence nor the brilliance to match the Bok legend, Jacques Potgieter is no Schalk Burger, Willem Alberts looked out of sorts in that selected loose-trio and for the days of a back five of Bakkies Botha, Matfield, Burger, Smith and Danie Rossouw.
There was no calmness in a frenetic opening 30 in which the Pumas were going to deliver the passion of a nation’s rugby history, given the occasion. The limitations of the Pumas meant they could only lead by 10 points at half-time despite the majority of the ball, the rub of the green and the home ground advantage.
The Boks did not deserve anything from this match, but they got plenty when it comes to a reality check. I will never understand the nonsense about not selecting foreign based players because they are not playing Super Rugby or in a development Currie Cup competition.
This match cried out for the experience of a Botha, a Joe van Niekerk and a few more who on a weekly basis star in Europe.
The pack were intimidated, they were out of their depth and they were bullied. It was embarrassing.
Still the Boks should have sneaked it when Morne Steyn missed a penalty with a few minutes to go. It was England in Port Elizabeth all over again and Steyn obviously will be the target of abuse. His job is to kick goals and when he doesn’t he stands to be judged.
Young players will be wiser and tougher for the experience but I don’t buy an argument that suggests you go to Argentina for a learning experience. Too many kids were grouped with too many provincial players in the guise of a Bok Test pack – and the results were a humiliation.
Meyer picked the side and he takes the pains, as he does the plaudits when it goes right.
The backs can only ever threaten when the Bok forwards rule and the lack of potency made for an ugly 80 minute viewing experience. Too lateral, too isolated and with no momentum. These backs were not going to find any glory in Mendoza.
Frans Steyn, individually, was strong but he was the exception to a performance that is a reminder of the quality of Springboks that went to the World Cup compared to the mediocrity of what was produced in Argentina.
The hosts have beaten Australia previously, beaten France and in recent years been a minute away from beating the All Blacks. The shorter and narrower pitch did not help, but it did expose a team that failed to adapt to the intensity and mongrel of the hosts.
It was a humbling experience for those of us who watched, but it will forever be a humiliating one for those who played. Not so the boys from Argentina.
987 Comments
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26 Aug 2012, 19:30 pm
@sharks_lover-799:
No I’m Bill! A baie bedonnered een…
I have never been so embarrased watching a rugby match and remember I am Stormer…
26 Aug 2012, 19:31 pm
@Robzim-795: For our sins we get to support the Stormers/WP and the Boks – oh happy days
@wnbb-796: @Gumboots-797: Agree with both of you, and not because ‘Heyneke’ is hated in the Cape….but because he doesn’t inspire any trust what so ever. His selections and treatement of players, added to his arrogant statements on public platforms – nah.
A few from Natal still seem to be on honeymoon with Meyer….but that’s purely because he selected to many Sharks – no other reason. But I don’t get their adoration of Meyer, when it is Lambie, Daniel and Coetzee who are being shunted and runted more than others.
Me, I’m not surprised or disappointed to be honest – prepared myself for it when Meyer started with his public deceit.
26 Aug 2012, 19:35 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-802:
Just watch his erratic behaviour when the cameras pan in on him.
He looks like a an HD/AD kid, but what worries me he acts like one too.
What confidence does that give his players…
26 Aug 2012, 19:35 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-802: A very few
26 Aug 2012, 19:36 pm
And you know what the irony is….. my team, the Stormers, adopted this farken gameplan and ended top of the Super Rugby logo.
Talk about the elephant in the room…..
26 Aug 2012, 19:38 pm
@Jeraldjay-805:
26 Aug 2012, 19:38 pm
@Jeraldjay-805: And won sweet farkall
26 Aug 2012, 19:38 pm
@nama1-629:
Mediocre to poor, we all saw it?
It had been discussed before: with Hougaard & M. Styen’s old firm in control, even the best inside centre will not perform, put Lambie and Pienaar or Grant and Duvenage, or Pretorius and Goosen there, then we pass a judgement.
His defence was rock solid, as usual.
Get JJ and Hougaard to the wings and team him up with Jacques Fourie, Butch or Lambie at 10 and they’ll run rings around the opposition, sadly it will never happened
26 Aug 2012, 19:39 pm
I think HM has attempted to discount the need for a “fetcher” or “poacher “, because he feels with size and brute force he will win opposition ball by hard counter rucks.
Well its not working especially with the Bekkers and Potgieters, and now that Bismark is out too
The need for a fetcher with skills to win the ball on the ground and turn-over possession is obvious
Weather its done legally or illegally (RM and Pocock) we need to do it too
Other than that select a true # 8 with a fetcher and a new 10 and 15
I would drop Kirshner, M Steyn , Potgieter Flip even Bekker from the squad
Bring in W le roux, Jantjies , Goosen, Kruger and Brussow if fit
Even consider Elstadt ( at least he has the aggression)
Pity about Kolisi now
26 Aug 2012, 19:40 pm
The treatment of Daniel was the shocker of the week.The oke gets dumped to the bench after his first start in a Bok team.He certainly isn’t my cup of tea for the Bok team but surely he should be given a few starts at eight after they decided to go with him last week.Crappo Spies had how many opportunities??At the end of the day Meyer will destroy the confidence of these players.Just my opinion.
26 Aug 2012, 19:41 pm
@Gumboots-798:
Howzit Bill. The game plan has obviously got to evolve. It was White who came out and said he wanted to play rugby without the ball which I hope HM doesn’t continue with. Mallet went off pop in the studio yesterday and said playing like that displays a negative mindset.
White’s defence of that strategy was that if you keep the ball for longer you’re going to make more mistakes. What that tells me is that then there is something drastically wrong with the players skill sets in keeping control of the ball.
I think the current bunch of up and coming youngsters do have the skill sets to keep the ball in hand for longer periods.
26 Aug 2012, 19:41 pm
There is concern at 9 too
Hougaard not the same as last year and I am not sure pienaar is the answer there either
Hougaard on the wing
26 Aug 2012, 19:41 pm
@CoachPete-809:
Howzit Coach. Long time… It is going to be a long year…
26 Aug 2012, 19:43 pm
@I am a stormer-811: We need revolution, not evolution
26 Aug 2012, 19:43 pm
@wnbb-810:
I agree 100% Look what he did in the short amount of time on the field yesterday
And then HM takes of Coetzee and not The “flop”
Potgieter better than Daniel ????? NEVER EVER
26 Aug 2012, 19:44 pm
@I am a stormer-811:
Howzit mate! Our local coaches have the habit to coach skills out of the players… I’m not blaming the players they don’t choose themselves. Actually it doesn’t matter who he chooses with that game plan he will win few friends.
26 Aug 2012, 19:44 pm
@Gumboots-813:
yeah mate Howzit
I am worried about next four games for sure.
We are all passionate bok supporters and what happening really upsets me
26 Aug 2012, 19:45 pm
@Gumboots-797:
Another thing that pisses me off from HM is that he so often refers to mental strenght and about geting into the minds of players and that he will rather select a player who is (according to him) mentally stronger than one who he sees as mentally weaker. The flippin bloke has a honours degree in Geography and a teachers diploma which hardy qualifies him as a psycologist so imo he should stop this quasi- psycho rubbish and concentrate on finding a better up to date gameplan before trying to get too clever as even the mentally gifted will not win test matches with such a outdated archaic gameplan.
26 Aug 2012, 19:45 pm
And Kolisi is out too, a broken thumb… the options get smaller
26 Aug 2012, 19:46 pm
@Gumboots-816:
Credit to the Argies
The spotted our weakness and took advantage
They knew we had not fetcher and no Bismark and a weak 7
So credit to them
26 Aug 2012, 19:46 pm
Did Saru send Meyer for a psychological test before they appointed him.I would not like a Hannibal Lecter/Rudolph Straeuli character running loose around the Bok team.His antics with radio in hand is worrying.
26 Aug 2012, 19:47 pm
@CoachPete-817:
Don’t expect too much… We are all passionate as you say and only want the best results…
Anyways the tribe has spoken and I have to be off. Cheers all and let’s hope the coach sees the light…
26 Aug 2012, 19:47 pm
@trupisero-814:
You mean like a palace revolution and get rid of the Bulls?
I think it could happen. His next squad announcement for the trip downunder will tells us what we need to know.
26 Aug 2012, 19:47 pm
@sharks_lover-791:
whatever would give you that idea..?…
26 Aug 2012, 19:48 pm
@Robzim-818:
Hi Rob
he just says it to sound smart
Basically he is picking big brute strong players the bigger the better.
And then wanting to bash the opposition into submission
26 Aug 2012, 19:48 pm
@Robzim-818:
Ja talk is cheap. He said there will be no excuses… Now lets wait and see.
26 Aug 2012, 19:49 pm
@Gumboots-822:
Cheers
26 Aug 2012, 19:49 pm
@CoachPete-820:
Yes they should have won the game for sure…
26 Aug 2012, 19:49 pm
@goyougoodthing2-819:
oh vok, now he can select Steggman- or whoever plays flank for the Bulls B team?
26 Aug 2012, 19:50 pm
In other news the Bulls gave the sharks a glorious snotting last night.
Pine Pienaar for Bok.coach.
26 Aug 2012, 19:51 pm
@wnbb-821: That’s not half of it:
1. He won’t get in a lift with anyone else
2. All the powerade bottles must line up a specific way
3. He will only drink 1 particular colour of powerade
and that’s just for starters
26 Aug 2012, 19:53 pm
@Gumboots-806: Dare we dream….Mallet sigh.
@Robzim-818: Exactly what I said earlier. He thinks he is sports version of Freud. I listened to one of his motivational ‘miracle’ talks on a tv show when he was 1st appointed. I honestly laughed out loud. It might work for a player who has been raised within the boundaries of our conservative national psyche (blindly believing anything a person with perceived power says..) OR a kid about to take the stage in a talent competition, but not for any rational thinking adult.
For one that speaks of mental toughness, his now regular mental collapses in the coaches box are starting to make him look fuckingtouched in the noggin.
@wnbb-810: I tried to tell them…..Daniel, Lambie and Coetzee worst treated players of the lot, yet some Sharks are still enamoured with Meyer – unfuckingbelievable.
26 Aug 2012, 19:53 pm
@goyougoodthing2-831:
Oh my god that explains everything
Were f%#@ked
26 Aug 2012, 19:53 pm
@CoachPete-825:
Yeah, you are probably right. He loves robotic players and where in the world of rugby can u find a better or bigger robot than greaser Potgieter.
26 Aug 2012, 19:53 pm
@nama1-790:
yes probably,
but remember… mental strength and conditioning is incidental to the bulls players because of the processes in place at the bulls… can we say the same for the other unions..?..
maybe its not so much that meyer thinks non bb players aren’t ready but that he thinks their unions processes aren;t
so many cats to skin….
26 Aug 2012, 19:54 pm
@CoachPete-833: The man is a loon apparently.
26 Aug 2012, 19:56 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-802:
huh?
half the team are sharkies… of course they would be
and to top it off the captain’s a stormer so worse comes to worse he takes the blame
26 Aug 2012, 19:56 pm
Don’t be like that Robzim.
If the Greaser was born in Durbanville you would love him more than your first born.
26 Aug 2012, 19:59 pm
@goyougoodthing2-836:
let me tell you something
Coaching rugby can make you loony
26 Aug 2012, 20:00 pm
@gunther-830:
pine pienaar is already coaching the ‘real’ boks
@goyougoodthing2-831:
26 Aug 2012, 20:03 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-832:
freud? never heard of him. what level was he coaching at? schoolboy, club or union?
26 Aug 2012, 20:03 pm
@gunther-838:
You can say about Durbanville whatever you like but if you find anybody here with a hairstye like his (including the gel/grease/wax) I will buy you a brand new pink bulls jersey
26 Aug 2012, 20:04 pm
@Robzim-834:
i must admit when i watch potgieter play i cant help wondering what he would look like on a dancefloor.
26 Aug 2012, 20:08 pm
Kolisi’s out for the rest of the season.
Cricket was rained out, Province lost to the Lions, Boks LOST against the Argies and goalless draw against Stoke.
Yoh, this is a kak week-end.
26 Aug 2012, 20:08 pm
@Robzim-842:
speaking of which, how’s vermeulen doing? must’ve been a really bad injury cos i noticed his hair hasn’t recovered.
it was bad
very bad
26 Aug 2012, 20:11 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-843:
26 Aug 2012, 20:13 pm
@sharks_lover-846:
true story
26 Aug 2012, 20:15 pm
Do me a favourite Robbo even the Librarians in Durbanville rock the greaseball mullet.
I look forward to receiving thirty give thousand pink bulls jerseys in the post.
Thank you for sorting my pension.
Up until now it had been a mild concern.
26 Aug 2012, 20:16 pm
kryst and i though percy’s highlights were bad.
what vermeulen’s done there is just criminal.
doesn’t he have a gf who couldv’e done it for him?
26 Aug 2012, 20:18 pm
province just does not seem to be serious about their rugby.
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