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, 23:07 pm
Boks were equisitely prepared and coached – the bookies had them firmly as 2nd favourites going into the thing well before EJ hooked up, which are the most objective view devoid of personal bias you will find unfortunately – the key was always going to be whether White’s 1st choice players recovered from injury and they did.
A fully fit Bok side would have taken the ABs, but they ABs lost to France who lost twice to Argie, who were beaten soundly by the Boks.
26 Aug 2012, 23:10 pm
The only players White lost to injury in 2006 was Bakkies Botha and Schalk Burger
His team that lost 49-0 to Wallabies was
OS, Smit, CJ, Roussow, Matfield, Van Niekerk, Smith, Spies, Cronje, Januarie, FdP, Waco Jaco, Habana, Olivier, Fourie, Ndungane, Montgomery, Bosman, Paulse.
only Botha and Burger missing and JdV in backs.
No excuse for a 49-0 thrashing.. the real reason he lost was NO fire at the breakdown.. exactly the same malady that HM is finding now without a to the ball fetcher..
and in 2006 Watson was on TOP of his game.. better than Hooper and on par with Pocock today…
26 Aug 2012, 23:14 pm
@Robzim-894:
Just a cricket connection!
26 Aug 2012, 23:15 pm
@fitz1ella-902:
Brisbane result was a once-off, jones had the same thing at loftus when got fkd up horribly bad – Boks were decimated with generally decimate injuries in 2006, either ppl just getting back or plain simply swathes of them out. same as PdVs Boks in 2010, their results were strikingly similar. PdV more loyal than White – both however backed their favourites to the hilt – you can decide if advantageous or open-minded or not.
26 Aug 2012, 23:16 pm
watson never a too-the-ball player like pocock or brussow.
26 Aug 2012, 23:22 pm
rob houwing:
“Meyer is a likeable man, of good character and sound first-class coaching track record, if perhaps revealing just an excessive hint of robotic disciplinary habit and a
penchant for over-earnestness:
just what is it that he barks into
that walkie-talkie during games, all the while looking as though he is about to crumple into some degree of nervous breakdown?”
26 Aug 2012, 23:25 pm
if he’d have played Watson without that stupid stubborn refusal to see any rugby sense … same as HM is now blindly avoiding the reality of picking Brussow over Potgieter.. and stop talking twak about fetching beers from fridges … he would not have lost 49-0.. who knows he might even have won…
26 Aug 2012, 23:27 pm
listen if we going to judge coaches by displays of emotion, PdV would be in groendakkies. i think its quite refreshing for an afr coach. sounds like meyer’s been already crucified, i’m not so sure, i wonder if there wont be a better performance next week – but he;s gotta reign stuff in, esp about players and start selecting better.
26 Aug 2012, 23:28 pm
anyway time out… HM got his career to save from the scrap heap.. he don’t wanna see reason.. let him sweat shitbricks instead.. that what comes with the territory when you wanna act stupid and stubborn just for the ridiculous non conformist sake of it..
26 Aug 2012, 23:43 pm
And the Springbok supporters were so arrogant during the RWC that they blamed the REF for their loss to Aus despite not being able to score 1 try. In Mendoza, against another RWC-QterF loser, the Springboks had to rely on kicks and a lucky chargedown to escape with an undeserved Draw.
Their complaints fall on deaf ears when they play sh*t rugby. Start scoring more tries than the opposition or take up soccer.
27 Aug 2012, 00:35 am
@cab-901:
Seems you forgot about the Barnes episode, and to boot we had injuries as well.
So if thats the case then 2011 reads a little like this.
OZ beat SA and we beat OZ easily…….. Boks were never going to win 2011 RWC.
That Cab is a fact.
27 Aug 2012, 00:43 am
No excuses, The boks aré coached kak en they aré playing kak. If they was really better than aus at rwc quarter final then they would’ve have won despite The refs bad influence…. We had more Than a dozen oppertunities to score trys but, weight wasnt good enough to on The day.
27 Aug 2012, 00:48 am
Cane u r absolutly right. I also think though that france should not have been in final.
27 Aug 2012, 00:52 am
The rwc set up was stupid. Was rigged to be a northern hem vs southern hem
27 Aug 2012, 00:57 am
Have any of you Saffies noticed that Alberts is ponderous and goes missing for most of a game. Shouldn’t be a number 8. Prop/hooker perhaps
27 Aug 2012, 01:20 am
@bokke baiter-915:
Lock
Lock
and ummm lock
27 Aug 2012, 01:22 am
Better to have him at lock instead of Bekker
Better to have Daniels at flank than Potgieter
Does anyone remember how much lineout ball Daniels wins for Sharks?
And steals
Bring in a true # 8 Vermeulen
27 Aug 2012, 02:01 am
@Hurricane-911: ‘Boks were never going to win 2011 RWC’
maybe not, but France were and everyone knows it.
27 Aug 2012, 02:07 am
@Transformation-906:
Looks like Meyer’s mantra of “the player is an extension of myself on the field” is the truth…..
27 Aug 2012, 02:09 am
Alberts at lock would b perfect.. more power in scrum and he makes better presence than bekker. And with him at lock can open up more options for back three, a win win sitsuation
27 Aug 2012, 02:54 am
Something for you Saffies to grit your teeth on.
A great All Blacks team just getting better, Read all about on
http://www.foxsports.com.au/rugby
27 Aug 2012, 03:11 am
@Big Hit-918:
Game of 2 halves. We hammered franc ein the first half but missed what 4 penalties?
Fance came back and did well. But France did lose twice to NZ in the RWC and once to Tonga….You think they are worthy?
27 Aug 2012, 03:17 am
@Big Hit-918:
All i do know is England Fielded 16 players in one RWC and then change balls to suit their kicker in another RWC, everyone knows England the drunks didnt deserve it.
27 Aug 2012, 03:54 am
It is fascinating to see how small things make such big difference to the outcome of rugby games. Particularly if you can turn an area of weakness into an area of strength.
For me, the biggest factors in the AB’s success this year have been:
- players who compete for and win the high ball. Dagg, Jane, Read and Carter were superb taking the up and under both on defence and attack. YET FOR SO MANY YEARS THE AB’S WERE DOWNRIGHT EMBARRASSING IN THIS AREA – REMEMBER THE SHELLACKING THE BOKS GAVE US IN 2009????
- having a fullback with a massive boot, so that more often and not we gain territory in any kicking game. Whilst Mils was solid as a fullback, his lack of distance in his clearance kicks often put us under pressure, and virtually always gave up territory in a kicking game. Ditto many of those that went before Mils, including the great C Cullen.
This AB side is missing some of the dominant/standout players of past years (Hayman, Thorn, Kaino, Sitiveni, Rocokoco, Umaga) and some fo the starts are past their best physically (Carter, McCaw). But by fixing a couple of small things we are suddenly able to play a territory based game that other sides are struggling to live with.
I actually think it is a similar thing with the Boks. The talent is there, they just need to fix a few techincal deficiencies that they currently have a blind spot on (much as Mils’ lack of a clearance kick was a blind spot of past AB coaches).
27 Aug 2012, 03:56 am
* stars… apologies for this and other typo’s. I do have a university education, despite my atrocious spelling :-0
27 Aug 2012, 04:02 am
@Hurricane-922: Although the French could have won this game, we dominated for long periods as well.
We had our chances in the first half to put the game beyond doubt, not just the missed kicks but also a couple of times we had overlaps on attack but elected to kick for field position instead (Nonu, presumably on order from Henry, was particularly guilty of kicking away a gilt edge try scoring opportunity in the first half). Ditto the French, who could have won it with that kick with 12 or so mins to go.
The reality is that the massive pressure of the occassion, plus the accumulated injury toll, got to both teams. Home town advantage, and probably slightly better depth, was enough to get the AB’s over the line.
27 Aug 2012, 04:07 am
@cab-901: It’s a great pity that the AB’s and Bok’s didnt’ get to play in 2007. Man for man, that was a more talented AB side than the current side. However, they were much less experienced than the current team. IMHO, the Bok side of 2007 was not near as talented as the AB side, but they were more experienced and better prepared.
Would have been quite a game.
27 Aug 2012, 06:46 am
@corporal punishment-924:
Agree, also have to mention the input of Sbw who has brought a skill level to the game not seen since…..who knows???
27 Aug 2012, 07:10 am
my goodness, seems I didnt need to have a bet with HG before the Aus/NZ game.. (not that he took the bet in any case)
but the Bokkes woeful schoolboy D grade performance have in fact ensured HGs absence..
how beautiful, karma is indeed a kiwi and she be dishing it..
good to see Bakkies is still stuck and crying, now the Argies drew because GH taught them to cheat? HAHAHAHAHA
nope, Arg were actually “cheated” out of a well deserved victory by an ordinary number 12 who happened to get his neanderthal hands up in time..
SA rugby is K@K!!!!
27 Aug 2012, 07:41 am
Neanderthal hands?
Looks like the cannon is back on the Waka.
27 Aug 2012, 07:44 am
@poppa69-929:
dont make me send you back to your side of the blog, doos.
you are a guest on my side of the line, so a little respect please.
boks were woefully poor and this performanve was cause for concern but the argies were infringing at the breakdowns, which the ref did nothing about (no surprise).
i can say if this is due to them being technically poor wrt understanding the laws or if it was intentionally adviced to them by the filthy old doos.
27 Aug 2012, 07:46 am
i can say if this is = i cant say if this is
27 Aug 2012, 07:47 am
wow,a poor performance by the boks are the highlight of some people’s life…
27 Aug 2012, 07:49 am
@Black Power-921: Like I told poppa, go enjoy you moment in the Sun, preferably in the desert with a mamba up you arse.
All rugby teams (all sport in general) go through periods of strength and periods of weakness. There was a time that the All Blacks lost three on the trot to a PDIV coached springbok team (that had to hurt), there were times when the Woblies were world champs but now they look like chumps (same with springboks), there was a time that England toured Oz and NZ and left with 2 from 2, but since then have failed to reconstruct that achievement.
Keep on gloating, when the wheel turns again it will only be more embarresment for yourself.
27 Aug 2012, 07:50 am
@gunther-930:
problem is, the weight of the cannon is usually what sinks the waka.
27 Aug 2012, 07:59 am
@goodstuff-934: LMFAO
my gloating is a direct result of the gloating that followed the 2007 WC, the gloating that followed the 2009 3Ns…
its funny how you Saffas are quick to spout your motuhs off when you guys are winning, but expecty the targets of your arrogance to be humble and respectful when it is the reverse..
so suck it up nancy boys, accept the fact that your rugby is so poor that you guys may indeed end up with yet another wooden spoon this season…
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-931: respoect? for you? when all you can do is continually go on about cheating kiwis and filthy scum and the like?
fark off you little tiny man, your obsession is bordering on psychosis,l and it is a very funny look to the many kiwis and visitors from outside SA who come to this blog..
your SA arrogance cant admit that others are better than you..
16-all, with a charge down try to save your @rses some serious embarassment…
but I am enjoying it… it is farken funny
27 Aug 2012, 07:59 am
It’s an eco- friendly cannon Bakkies.
Made from palm fibres and recycled Tui bottles.
27 Aug 2012, 08:03 am
yawn, now the funny culture jokes?
hehehe loving the desperation, good to see, it shows me just how much it hurts…
beautiful… SA rugby is K@K!
27 Aug 2012, 08:10 am
@poppa69-936:
have you been drinking all weekend again, doos.
alcohol is never a good look witrh you guys.
27 Aug 2012, 08:10 am
This result is very good for The Championship.
Would have been even better, if Argentina had won.
Good to see they are not anyone’s patsies.
27 Aug 2012, 08:11 am
@gunther-937:
nothing a bit of rifle fire wont fix.
27 Aug 2012, 08:14 am
@cane-940:
Mate Argies did win. Like the French beat us in the RWC final. Boks were beaten, plain and simple
27 Aug 2012, 08:15 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-941:
ooohhh look at the two bestest friends having a laugh, so cute
27 Aug 2012, 08:18 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-939: now its alcohol jokes? hahahaha
too funny mate
good to see the hurt runs so deep,what next, domestic violence jokes? hang on, doesnt SA lead the world in Domestic violence abuse (why yes it does), doesnt SA also have serious alcohol problems in you country (why yes it does)..
keep hurting Baxxies, it sure is hilarious watching you squirm
squirm mofo, squirm..
SA RUGBY IS UBER K@K!
27 Aug 2012, 08:18 am
@cane-940:
graham would beg to differ on the patsy notion.
27 Aug 2012, 08:18 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-941: do you work for SAPS? thats there motto too isnt it?
eish..
27 Aug 2012, 08:19 am
@Hurricane-942:
Getting up close to a 1000 post Thread.
Frustration and anger really gets these Okes typing.
27 Aug 2012, 08:20 am
@cane-947: shame it doesnt get them thinking huh?
27 Aug 2012, 08:21 am
@Hurricane-943:
top o the morning to you too, hurri.
27 Aug 2012, 08:22 am
@poppa69-944:
Nothing wrong with a bit of alcohol fueled Bokke baiting Popps.
I’m quite partial to it myself.
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