Midfield magic needed
4 Sep 2012
RYAN VREDE writes the Springboks’ midfield pair of Frans Steyn and Jean de Villiers are far more creative than what they’ve shown and need to be encouraged to explore that dimension of their play.
I’ve lamented the Springboks’ pack’s impotency extensively, and, in a game of cause and effect, their struggles are at the root of the broader impotency of the backline.
Over the course of the last five Tests there have been encouraging periods where the heavies have dominated and the backline has buzzed, their early blitz against England at Ellis Park the prime example of this. However, they have lacked consistency and it has reflected in a string of unconvincing performances. Notable in that period has been the muted impact of their midfield pair.
The duo seldom see the ball when the Springboks are in their own territory, the directive being to punt and chase for fear of committing errors in their half and gifting the opposition points. This is understandable given the small margins in Test rugby among the elite sides. However, when further upfield, it is deeply frustrating to see Steyn being reduced largely to a battering ram, whose primary function is to generate go-forward at the gainline. He has had limited success in doing so and will struggle to impose himself in the manner the coaching staff hope against the organised and physical All Blacks and (to a lesser extent) Wallabies.
Steyn’s creative ability is well known and was first exhibited as a young buck in the Springboks’ midfield at the 2007 World Cup. His running lines were excellent and his distribution – short and long – was incisive and created opportunities for his outside backs. I’d like to see Steyn encouraged to rediscover this dimension of his play (in the right field positions) because he has the skills set to be more than he is being utilised as at present.
De Villiers has found adapting to the attacking demands of a Test outside centre difficult. His running lines and timing of those runs are fractionally off and in Test rugby those fractions are the difference between breaking the line and being stopped. He certainly possesses the attacking flair to be effective in the position, but I am concerned that age has depleted the turn of pace he used to have to get him through holes in the defensive line.
De Villiers, however, remains a fine player who I believe will settle into the position and be a competent option. Comparisons with Jaque Fourie are unfair and those who peddle those comparisons fail to appreciate that Fourie was among the best in the position in the game. De Villiers is unlikely to retain the captaincy or No 13 shirt if, as expected, Fourie returns to the Test fold in 2013. Until then, he must explore different dimensions – tackle offloads for example – of his attacking game within the framework of the game plan.
The Springboks’ pack are central to their success and against the weakest Wallabies pack in recent years, they must create the platform for Steyn and De Villiers to be the game breakers they have the capacity to be.
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343 Comments
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4 Sep 2012, 12:31 pm
@corporal punishment-43:
Yes I would agree with that.
South Africa’s years of isolation because of you-know-what meant that we were not exposed to the best and stretched to develop. A few of our coaches have worked hard to try and catch up but if I had a rugby team and must choose between a Kiwi and Saffa I’d opt for the Kiwi – but an honest one
The simple truth in rugby is this: the opportunity is in the space; if you play there chances are good that you will disrupt the defence structure and create the overlap.
4 Sep 2012, 12:34 pm
@Transformation-49: how is that comparable?
frans can step, pass both ways and kick with both feet?
wake up.
4 Sep 2012, 12:34 pm
@ cab 45: yep these kids are also physical, fast and v fit. Makes up for any gap in ball skills. That’s NZ soccer in a nutshell – minus the speed once we are playing internationals!!
4 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm
@Sheriff-51:
Space……………………………………..the final Frontier.
To boldly go where no man has gone before.
You are kidding right.
4 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm
@greegs-46:
“The Boks need quality centre’s who can step off both feet, get the passes away in the tackle and create the gaps. ”
That’s what we need. You right about that.
Unfortunately that is not the traditional SA way, so I doubt that we’ll be getting it in the near future.
Why do you think HM selects Fransie at inside centre? To bash it up, try and get over the advantage line and go to the ground. That’s why……..ot to run into gaps or to look for the offload when he gets tackled , that’s for sure.
4 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm
Frans Steyn can’t pass. Jean de Villiers won’t pass. They’ve degenerated into a third-generation photocopy replica of Marius Joubert and De Wet Barry — the crash-bash originals.
4 Sep 2012, 12:38 pm
@rangerman-52: has he done any of that in the past 4 games for the Boks?
4 Sep 2012, 12:38 pm
@cane-54:
Yeah the Boks would beat the ABs on Mars every time
4 Sep 2012, 12:39 pm
@rangerman-52: currently he is playing like McCabe and worse of i thing mccabe is faster than frans
4 Sep 2012, 12:40 pm
@ Nama1 – Bash ball is so outdated and thats why we getting hammered. Centre’s go to ground and allow the fetchers from the other teams to dominate. We need Danie Gerber and Jacques Fourie back in the team. HM believes bigger is better than fast…he’ll wake up soon. By selecting Louw he’s already gone against what he initially said.
4 Sep 2012, 12:40 pm
Fourie v highly rated in NZ prior to his retirement (which is what going to Japan generally is). Very smart player, a more physical version of Conrad smith.
4 Sep 2012, 12:42 pm
@ Rangerman – I’d be happy to send you a rugby 101 book, looks like you might need it!
4 Sep 2012, 12:43 pm
@TheTackler-56:
Release tackler !!!!
4 Sep 2012, 12:46 pm
@Blitzbok-50:
Jean and Adi worked great.
Go have a look at the games, in which they were the centres, again.
@Transformation-57:
I bet you he’ll mention that one skip pass by Fransie as prove that he did.
4 Sep 2012, 12:48 pm
@Transformation-57: so you are saying he cant?
you must be aving a larf pel.
or are you saying the game plan is for him to crash it up?
because then you may be onto something but your mccabe comparison still doesnt stand, sorry.
you must wake up transie, you arent talking ku k with a bunch of ten year olds here ok?
p.s. maccabe is faster eh?
on what grounds do you make this second erroneous statement?
looks like widdle transie is looking for another argument
4 Sep 2012, 12:50 pm
One thing I have noticed about SA rugby is that you tend to shift players between positions a lot. Eg Frans plays 15, 10 and 12, lambie 10 and 15, hougard etc. you do it in your forwards too. The other team that does this is England.
Seems to me that more often than not, this chopping and changing dulls a player’s attacking skills as they end up playing within the safe percentages. Ie to cover for unfamiliarity, they play it safe.
The Abs generally don’t switch players around much, and when we do it is often a disaster (Cullen and MacDonald at centre, and Jeff Wilson at fullback).
There are exceptions of course – mark Andrews was brilliant as a no8 in the 95 wc, when kiwis expected zinzan to have him for toast.
But generally speaking, I think it contributes quite a bit to your lack of backlit e fluency.
4 Sep 2012, 12:52 pm
@greegs-60: “Bash ball is so outdated”
no it is not, SBW does it a lot to but with him it is done intelligently, he picks mismatches and with his physique and skill to offload he is dangerous…go look at the dagg try at Eden Park, williams had to touches on that ball, one from a ruck situation that he picked up and ran, stepped and passed and another where he ran crashed and went down and presented the ball…
in both instances the aus defence were stretched…
fransie gives us none of this currently but he is world class too
4 Sep 2012, 12:53 pm
The only way that direct rugby can work is if the opponent has 1 less player, or differently stated, 14 players.
That way you can run directly onto the opponent as you already have the extra player. Unfortunately in rugby union (and most sports for that matter) it’s 15 against 15.
So you need to manipulate the defence with innovative ways to create confusion or mismatch to be successful. There is a reason why the try is rewarded with 5 points; it’s a subtle way of saying that that is what the game is about / what the crowd wants to see…
My guess is that New Zealand is a much happier nation since the appointment of our current coach. You will notice that no one will say anything negative about him. But they feared PdV because they could see for themselves what his plans were. He wanted to beat the ABs at their own game. So no Craig Doubt would say something like what he did during PdV’s tenure.
It will be dead quiet; just quietly waiting for the next test and the next…
4 Sep 2012, 12:53 pm
Bok backline is stillborn, sterile and impotent….
Blame shifted onto Hougaard.
Now Mvovo will be axed to accomodate Hougaard.
when the real problem has been starring us in the face since 2010….
M Steyn.
Drop him and start Lambie Sat, I bet Bok backs will be a different kettle of fish…..
M Steyn is the handbrake….without a shadow of a doubt…start there Meyer…
4 Sep 2012, 12:56 pm
@greegs-62: thanks man but roll it up and shove it where the sun dont shine you armchair expert you.
its all just opinion isnt it so tell me yours rather you chop
4 Sep 2012, 12:57 pm
@greegs-60:
That’s the problem with HM’s game plan.
Asking Frans to get over the advantage line and then not have a loosie who plays to the ball to secure it for the next phase. That’s why we lose so many balls due to turn overs or the ball carrier gets penalized for holding onto the ball while lying on the ground.
All the while Coetzee, Potgieter and Alberts, plus a couple of tight forwards, are waiting at the back for the ball to bash it up again.
Would’ve been funny if it was not so stupid.
4 Sep 2012, 12:57 pm
@rangerman-65: hook, line and sinker
4 Sep 2012, 12:59 pm
@grant10-69: did you see my post to you on the shipperley thread?
4 Sep 2012, 13:00 pm
@ Transformation 67 – I do agree with what you say, altho my understanding of bash ball is crashing over the advantage line and taking the ball to ground. What SBW does so well is offload the ball before he hits the ground which creates that gap….not really bash ball! Prbably call that tackleball…
4 Sep 2012, 13:02 pm
@grant10-69: when you are right you are right gwantie.
dont let that comment go to your head ok?
4 Sep 2012, 13:03 pm
@Transformation-72: haha, thats an admission you were talking out your blowhole
4 Sep 2012, 13:04 pm
South Africa
Louw backs Boks to bounce back
Tue, 04 Sep 2012 09:06
PrevNextI wouldn’t say that we are panicking and everything is getting thrown out the window
Recalled Springbok loose forward Francois Louw has called on his teammates to “stay composed” and focussed on the job at hand.
Speaking at a media briefing in Perth, ahead of South Africa’s third-round Rugby Championship encounter with Australia on Saturday, Louw dismissed the notion that the Boks’ 16-all draw against Argentina a fortnight ago was a disaster.
The hard-hitting flank, who joined English Premiership club Bath last year and has captained them, joined up with the Boks in Perth late on Monday – after being recalled in the place of Keegan Daniel.
The former Stormers loose forward, unlike the widely held belief that Heyneke Meyer is on the wrong track with his coaching style, said there is no need for panic.
“They [the Boks] did well in the first game, getting a decent [27-6] victory [over the Pumas at Newlands],” he said of the Round One result.
“Getting a [16-all] draw in Mendoza [is] not an ideal outcome,” Louw told the media, adding: “That just shows what this tournament is like and what Argentina can bring to the table.
“They are not a side you can take lightly … it was a hard game up front.”
He described the Mendoza draw as a “wake-up call”.
“That is something we can feed off as a [Bok] team, going into the last four games [of the Rugby Championship],” Louw said, adding that there is definitely no sense of panic in the Bok camp at all.
“It wasn’t a good game, but I wouldn’t say that we are panicking and everything is getting thrown out the window.
“As with any side the most important thing is to stay focussed on the task, have composure … obviously work on your mistakes and fix those errors.
“You must [also] advance [and improve] on the things you did well.”
Describing himself as a “more rounded” player, the 27-year-old loose forward has made the most of his 19 appearances for Bath to add a difference dimension to his game.
Although seen as an openside flank, he feels that he has learnt from the more direct approach most Northern Hemisphere teams take to the game.
“There is a whole different culture there in the United Kingdom alone … the rugby is different,” he said of his stint in England.
“The styles between the Southern and Northern Hemispheres are different … not to say one is better than the other – the guys like to keep it a little more direct over there and a little more expansive in the south.”
He felt it was an “easy adjustment” to make.
“I have definitely been introduced to a new dimension of rugby,” Louw said, adding: “As a player you constantly look to evolve … you can never sit back and say this is my limit.
“To be introduced to new styles, new players and new schools of thought surrounding the game has massively broaden my perspective on the game.
“There is definitely elements you can take from it to improve your game.
“You play alongside players you can feed off, international players, Six Nations players. I definitely learnt a thing or two over there and [has] become a more allround player.”
Louw has also come in for high praise from Bok coach Heyneke Meyer, who felt the experience he brings from playing up north will be of good value to South Africa.
“If you look at our loose trio at the moment, there is not a lot of experience there,” Meyer said, adding: “He also brings an extra leadership role, which we also need at this stage.
“I haven’t worked with him before, so I want to have a close look at him.”
However, the Bok coach felt that – after having watched videos of the last two games between Australia and New Zealand – there is a lot of competing on the ground and that is where Louw can add value.
“It [competing on the ground] is one area we are going to look at – he’ll fit into that role.”
Louw hasn’t been guaranteed a starting place and may only play off the bench, since he only joined up with the Boks late on Monday and won’t have much time to adjust to the new Bok culture under Meyer.
“We’ll assess him [this week], but I am very happy to have a player of his stature here … especially with all the injuries to senior players.
“I think he will have a big role to play.”
Meyer said he always wanted the option of a specialist openside flank, maybe coming off the bench.
Meyer feels that with the Northern Hemisphere referees usually a little bit more lenient at the breakdown – Welshman Nigel Owens is in charge this week – he wants the Boks to have cover in that department.
“[Wallaby Michael] Hooper is a very good openside [flank] and he is playing very well,” the Bok coach said, adding: “At least he [Louw] gives us that option there if we need to put a specialist openside flank on, we do have the personnel there.
“What I have noticed, while analysing the videos, is that most of the steals are by the hookers.
“I said before, the whole team needs to be able to compete on the ground [at the breakdown] and our problem was not just taking the opposition ball, the problem against Argentina was the breakdown on our own ball.
“That is not just the openside’s role, it is the whole team.
“We need to be more affective at the breakdown. Our body positions should be lower and we should clean more effectively at the breakdown … it is a team thing, not just a job for the openside [flank].
“It is always nice to have an openside flank around and I have always believed in a specialist openside.”
Highly regarded for his defensive skills, Louw will provide the Boks with another strong back row option.
He does not only create havoc at the breakdown for opposing teams, but is also skilful and quick in attack.
The 188cm, 112kg loose forward has made 10 appearances for South Africa since his debut against Wales in 2010, and he has scored two tries – most recently he was selected to be part of the Springbok squad for the 2011 World Cup in New Zealand
4 Sep 2012, 13:06 pm
@Transformation-73: will check it now mate
4 Sep 2012, 13:08 pm
@ 13 David
My most sincere apologies.
4 Sep 2012, 13:08 pm
@greegs-74: ag sbw isnt the only offloader in the game,
keegans offload vs the cheetahs was simply sublime.
hands above the tackle and then below the defenders arms for the pop pass.
and keegs is cooling his jets in the cc whilst meyer selects bashers which is precisely why we dont see frans offloading or distributing. because of the gameplan.
allied to this is the fact that morne is playing 20m behind the advantage line and you have the perfect recipe for a stagnant backline.
put that in your rugby101 book
4 Sep 2012, 13:11 pm
@nama1-44: Genius!!!, the plan is full-proof, we will not lose. We have bigger, quicker, stronger players than anyone else, who needs ball skills and intelligence?. Intelligence and ball skills is for those midgets we will be playing against , if you dominate collision you have won the game, bring in JJ Engelbrecht ahead of those WP midgets.
How come JJ Engelbrecht couldn’t buy a game behind those black midgets in Cape Town, but managed to walk into the Bok team ahead of those black midgets?, Hondo, please feel free to explain…..
4 Sep 2012, 13:12 pm
@grant10-77: haha, what was he supposed to say?
meyer is wrong but shot for the gametime.
its so funny that ruan is being touted at 10 to “take pressure off morne”
morne was shoved into the bok side at ruans expense to satisfy the baying mob and now the worm has turned. tough job i guess.
4 Sep 2012, 13:12 pm
@rangerman-76: for the past 4 games fransie has been playing like mcaabe, you can’t deny it, go watch the newlands test…domkop stampkar all the way!
he looked stupid, even to your “fan boy” eyes
4 Sep 2012, 13:13 pm
@XhosaKid-81: which black midgets are we talking about here?
you are pretty fired up about this buddy, its not because you are black is it?
4 Sep 2012, 13:14 pm
@rangerman-80:
Keegan should be playing for the Boks this week, Keegan at 8 FLO at 6 and Alberts at 7, with Marcel providing cover. It is a travesty that he is going to be playing against GWAS and not Aus.
4 Sep 2012, 13:15 pm
80 not the only but certainly the best
4 Sep 2012, 13:16 pm
@Transformation-83:
wriggling like a wem.
wriggle away transie, you know you were talking k u k
4 Sep 2012, 13:16 pm
@rangerman-52: with all due respect, if you think Frans can step, then I fully understand why drunk white guys think they are best dancers in town. Frans couldn’t step to save his life, the boys is big , can defend and kick and that’s about it.
4 Sep 2012, 13:16 pm
@grant10-77:
“Meyer said he always wanted the option of a specialist openside flank, maybe coming off the bench….
….“It is always nice to have an openside flank around and I have always believed in a specialist openside.”
Really HM???
Why then did you not select HEINRICH BRUSSOW against England. He was not injured back then. Even having him coming off the bench would’ve been much better than having Potgieter coming off the bench.
4 Sep 2012, 13:18 pm
@grant10-69: Jeez bud – if that statement didn’t hit the nail on the head I don’t know what…
At least Meyer is eyeing Goosen for the future so I don’t think Morne will be in the picture for long. I also currently would choose Lambie as a starting Flyhalf until Goosen proves himself. Lambie lacks the out-and-out pace for fullback and playing him at fullback would do more damage than having him sit on the bench as no. 10 cover.
And we need Coenie to teach all of our backline players how to side-step.
4 Sep 2012, 13:18 pm
@touch.pause.engage-85: but keegan doesn’t hit rucks! people moan everyday that spies is a ruck inspector but want another ruck inspector instead?
oh ja keegan offloads
4 Sep 2012, 13:18 pm
Bloody Mvovo gets the axe without doing a thing wrong?
Thats b s hit man….
Hougaard can go sit on the bench….
M Steyn can go to France or Japan with Spies….
Lets start playing rugby again man….we regressing back into the dark ages with these damn ball carrier stampkar brutes and a 10 deep in the pocket…
4 Sep 2012, 13:18 pm
@rangerman-87: no kak, you just can’t handle the truth because you’re a fransie fanboy
4 Sep 2012, 13:19 pm
one dimensional dinosaurs
where is all this farken talent we hear about?
where is the depth?
SA deserved 8th at the WC
good to see the circus is still in season
Aussie by 15, because SA rugby is K@K
4 Sep 2012, 13:19 pm
@touch.pause.engage-85: I agree.
4 Sep 2012, 13:21 pm
@Transformation-91:
Keegan does more in 5 min in a game than Spies does in a season….fact !
4 Sep 2012, 13:21 pm
@nama1-89: meyer is bloody hypocrite man, he thinks we don’t have tapes or quotes of his earlier interviews…
he said brussow needs to PROVE that he can play the new laws as in meyer’s mind he (Brussow) is giving away loads of penalties, nothing about “horses for courses”.
4 Sep 2012, 13:23 pm
@rangerman-84: Ask Hondo about the black midgets, he uses it to describe cullerd and black players.
4 Sep 2012, 13:23 pm
Honestly guys.
Do any of you think HM has it in him to change this Backline?
Really two coaches before him had backline problems, is it the coaches or the players that are being picked here?
4 Sep 2012, 13:25 pm
@grant10-92: Mvovo did a lot wrong, just ask Hondo.
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