Wallabies compound Bok woes
8 Sep 2012
JON CARDINELLI watched the Wallabies record their fifth consecutive win against the Springboks with a 26-19 victory on Saturday.
It was bound to happen, it was only a matter of when.
The Boks have suffered their first defeat of the 2012 season, their first under coach Heyneke Meyer. To make matters worse, this inevitable result has been inflicted by one of the worst Wallabies teams in recent history.
There were times during this Test where the Boks were as many as 10 points ahead. The Wallabies were desperately poor in the first half, a series of mindless grubbers and chip kicks contributing to an unforgivable loss of both territory and possession. It was during the first half where the tactical kicking excellence of Ruan Pienaar and Zane Kirchner came to the fore.
There was even an instance were the Boks rounded off a good build up with a try. Granted, they had done their best to butcher this opportunity with flyhalf Morné Steyn neglecting to use an overlap out to the right. They were extremely fortunate that they were able to recycle the ball and score from a subsequent phase.
Indeed, it was a first half where all the luck seemed to go the Boks way. The Wallabies played their part with a shocking performance, but there were many examples of Bok incompetence and indiscipline that went unpunished.
Lock Eben Etzebeth was fortunate to escape censure. At a break in play, experienced No 5 Nathan Sharpe goaded the South African youngster, and Etzebeth responded by headbutting Sharpe. It was an incident that was missed by the officials, and for that the Boks can thank their lucky stars.
But they didn’t learn from that incident, as moments later Beast Mtawarira ran into Kurtley Beale off the ball. The Bok prop was shown a yellow card and the visitors spent the final seven minutes of the first half with 14 men.
The Boks survived the period of sanction without conceding a point, but the Wallabies were far more structured and accurate in the second stanza. They attacked the Boks at the breakdown, with Michael Hooper winning several important turnovers, and also began to enjoy more continuity with ball in hand.
Just as the Wallabies began to lift their game, the Bok effort started to flag.
The Boks conceded a soft try in the 56th minute, their defence battling to repress the Wallabies at source and their first-time tackling letting them down in the wider channels.
It was another instant of poor defence that cost the Boks in the 68th minute where Ben Alexander cruised down the left hand touchline. The cover tackle attempt by lock Juandre Kruger was nothing short of pathetic.
Steyn had another forgettable night with boot, missing two drop-goal attempts as well as a penalty. For the umpteenth time, Steyn battled to get the backline going and blew a couple of try-scoring opportunities through poor option taking.
Johan Goosen provided the backline with more direction and posed more of a threat when he was introduced in the final minutes. With Steyn struggling to perform in his primary capacity as a goal kicker, Meyer may finally be forced to consider another option at flyhalf next week.
Saturday marked Meyer’s first loss as Bok coach, and defeat will force a rethink to the current formula. With Goosen or even Pat Lambie at 10, the Boks should be able to ask more questions of the opposition defence.
The Boks were excellent in terms of their tactical kicking in the first half, but overall they failed to dominate the collisions and their lack of variation on attack was a major problem.
That they battled to kick all of their goals, not for the first time this year, is another reason why Meyer should revise his selections ahead of the clash against the All Blacks. That their forwards weren’t able to overcome a feeble Wallabies eight is also great cause for concern.
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490 Comments
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9 Sep 2012, 09:37 am
@Peter Mkata-244: This is not the case for all Provinces…
Funny how there is ample room for Daniel, Freddie, Jordaan, Whitehead to showcase their talents at the Sharks… and Ebersohn, Brussouw, Floors to showcase theirs at Free State…
And that Bulls reject midget Blonde openside to showcase his talents at Griquas…
WP is a strange case – they let the likes of JdJ and Aplon shine and then replace them both with darlings like JdV and Joe Pietersen.
9 Sep 2012, 09:42 am
And I said it before…
Meyer’s big farkup the last 2 weeks was selecting two players who are probably 3 games away from full match fitness… and then playing one from the start yesterday….
I have never rated Vermeulen as high as some of the dunces on this site, but by goodness, if he was 100% fit and 100% on form he would have been adequate and at least as good as Spies the last few years…
Yesterday he wasn’t. And I actually felt sorry for him when he huffed and puffed and couldn’t blow the Wobbly walls down….
9 Sep 2012, 09:44 am
@Heavens Game-252: These two selections, probably more than anything else have shown that Meyer’s plan is no real plan at all, at present…
This “MasterPlan” is wobbling at best.
9 Sep 2012, 09:47 am
@Heavens Game-253:
Meyers plan worked well in JWin 2009.Other than that, the kicking plan thre Meyer is pursueing with is a has been plan. Relys on errors from other teams in there quarter.
It seem HM is really pig headed and he may not wantto change his plan for no one.
9 Sep 2012, 09:50 am
@Hurricane-254:
“Meyers plan worked well in JWin 2009″
Should say:
Meyers plan worked well in 2009 when JW used it.
9 Sep 2012, 09:51 am
Maybe the best thing for the Boks would be to send all the Sharkies and Cheetahs home and let the “great, traditional North and South” powerhouses stew in their donder en bliksem Stormetroepie philosophies… Maybe then this whole puzzle could come together.
At present the Sharkies in the Bok side look confused and are playing well below their abilities… Their way of playing does not fit with the National setup. Maybe their viewpoint of the game diverges too much…
9 Sep 2012, 09:54 am
@Heavens Game-256:
Good point about the Shark players.
Coming from a super 15 game plan that totally different to the Boks game plan.
They may need time to adjust.
9 Sep 2012, 09:56 am
Those of you who read HMs comments about his game plan being no different than most international coaches, may have missed his reasons for it not working as well for us as it does for the ABs and Aussies. Essentially, he reckons we don’t have the same individual skills level and decision making ability to take advantage of the opportunities that present themselves in open play.
To me that translates into a lack of trust in the players. Something that is reinforced by his determination to bring back Victor and FdP and retention of Morne, Kirchner, Hougie, Spies etc together with his selection of untried players like Potgieter and JJ who he had personally recruited for the Bulls. All players that he knows personally and were part of his plans for rebuilding the Bulls.
In other words, HM is treating his job as national coach as if it was a provincial one where he doesn’t have the luxury of the country’s best players to choose from but has to mold a game plan and approach based on the lowest common denominator instead of adjusting it to accomodate and exploit the different and individual talents available to him.
9 Sep 2012, 09:57 am
I was calling for the Boks to win twice against this Australian team. And there was no ways on god’s green earth that we should have lost yesterday. Not when you’re 13 – 6 up at HT. In fact, when the final whistle went I just felt uncomfortably numb.
There’s no doubt that Heyneke’s job has become a whole lot harder. Next week is going to be a must win game for the Boks. But I can’t see it happening.
9 Sep 2012, 09:58 am
@Hurricane-254: It worked well to an extent – but it was so very close to not working that year – as all Sharks supporters will tell you.
Nevertheless, Meyer seemed to have authority… organisational and man management skills…
It seems the Emperor is showing no clothes… a missing wardrobe… Maybe we all did not take heed of the warning signs – like his Leicester debacle….
We all should know by now – the Bulls struggle away from home… Maybe away from his comfortable Loftus Cathedral, Meyer too is struggling away from “home” in the Bok setup….
9 Sep 2012, 09:59 am
@Heavens Game-251:
For sure true, I was generalising. Feel sad for Daniels a classy player who is messed up by dinnausaur coach. Did you see he seemed demotivated yesterday? Or am I seeing things that are not there?
9 Sep 2012, 10:03 am
@Hurricane-257: Hurri, what worries me just as much is that if you ‘orrible little Keo ‘obbits can see this as clear as day… Imagine how much clearer your coaches and national setup can see this… Also, the Sharks have shown elements of both the Kiwi (offloads) and Aussie (multi phases) along with a strong Bok set piece… and now only to regress to “structure” in the Bok setup…
Farkenell!
9 Sep 2012, 10:05 am
Put fourie, elstadt, gurthro, brussow and bakkies in.
9 Sep 2012, 10:05 am
Tacitus said this 2 weeks ago already, heyneke’s gameplan is perfect but “the current group of Boks are kak”
9 Sep 2012, 10:05 am
Yesterday, the Bulls lost, the Sharks lost, the Cheetahs lost, the Poms lost the cricket.
And then the Boks stuff up what could’ve been a great sporting weekend.
9 Sep 2012, 10:07 am
@David-258: That is echoes of Straeuli through and through.. and it farks me off no end….
He’s telling us that:
Daniel
Aplon
Lambie
Jantjies
Bok rejects all, have NO SKILL? And the rest of the members of Super Rugby teams, 3 of which made playoffs, and one made a final just this year, have NO SKILL… Sheezus, the only person he is kidding is himself and the rest of his coaching staff… and the players currently there.
9 Sep 2012, 10:08 am
@I am a stormer-265:
9 Sep 2012, 10:09 am
@Transformation-264:
I heard a good comment the other day. “Every Bok dreams of becoming a Bull.”
9 Sep 2012, 10:10 am
@Transformation-248:
Transie, imagine the Boks defeat the All Blacks tomorrow, just imagine that. We will never be rid of this stupid skop and jag, dinossaur game.
Remember from my back of the woods, the All Blacks is the holy grale(spelling). Many a people were not even allowed to mention the word Springbok during dinner table conversation. Must add though it is changing.
You have every right to support the Rhinos ag sorry the Boks even though they look more like clueless RHINOS. LOL
9 Sep 2012, 10:13 am
@Peter Mkata-261: I saw that too… But Kimberly is a Sharkie graveyard… Out of all the places on the planet to play rugby, Griquas hometurf is the one place all Black and White hate playing the most… I would be surprised if the Sharks win ratio in history there exceeds even 40%…
Naah, Sharks dont do Kimberly, but I can guarantee that the Kwas come to KP and they will catch a 20pt smack.
Yeah, but Daniel is not happy… However he needs to pull himself together and like Jantjies, put together performances that contradict the POV of the National setup.
9 Sep 2012, 10:16 am
@Peter Mkata-269:
hmmm good idea. ABs should throw the game and let our long master plan start to develop
muahahahahahahahaaaaaaa ( evil laugh )
9 Sep 2012, 10:16 am
@I am a stormer-265: Farken depressing… but I could have told you about the bananaskin for the bananaboys waiting in Kimberly a week ago already…
Sharks at Griquas? All bets are off… I was not even surprised. Send the Sharks to Dunedin, Christchurch, Canberra, and there is a better chance of a win than that farken hole in the middle of farkall….
9 Sep 2012, 10:20 am
Sorry HG. While Frans Steyn hasn’t been the worse of the lot he hasn’t been what you okes make it out to be. You can’t blame JDV for what with the man inside him. That’s just silly.
9 Sep 2012, 10:23 am
@Heavens Game-272:
Kimberley not the easiest place to pick up a win. As a WP supporter, even I get nervous.
But getting back to the Boks game, it is not that we don’t have the talent. And HM goes on about making the hard calls. He’s released a few players from his squad already. Sharks and WP manne. Time for him to release Morne and throw Goosen in at the deep end particularly now that Carter isn’t playing next weekend. And give Lambie a run at 15 because that is where HM rates him.
9 Sep 2012, 10:24 am
Fark after reading Davids stuff, I worry about the return of Boks to their Provincial setups… Going to be a huge task for coaches who diverge in philosophy to the Bok setup (everywhere but Bulls and WP) to get these probably by now brainwashed players – filled with gameplans and structure etc and told they lack skill – back up to speed…
Yup, this Structured Stormtroepie cult of Bulls and Stormers in the Gren and Gold is not for players from Provinces, Franchises who think differently… or actually think at all.
9 Sep 2012, 10:24 am
@Heavens Game-266:
Not only that, but Pottie over Strauss, when HM was bemoaning the lack of experienced players. Why ignore an experienced Franchise/CC captain for an unproven junior when your stated aim is to win games now, not just build for the future. HM must let players perform at franchise level before introducing them as Bok starters.
It’s this paternalistic approach to players that’s been the Boks downfall for years.
9 Sep 2012, 10:30 am
@W.P-273: I tell you what… lets talk evidence…
I point to the 2 games after the England tests that the Sharks played, where they needed 4 try BP wins to stay in the hunt for a playoff place…
Having Frans Steyn there for just two games was a huge contributing factor for the Sharks to achieve this…
But, you might be so farken blinded by Structured Stormetroepie philosophies fed to you by AC over the last 2 seasons and now Meyer, and all your bullshit about North and South traditional powerhouses, along with the bulldust that when “WP rugby is strong, Bok rugby is strong” that you cant see the wood for the trees even if you tried.
9 Sep 2012, 10:35 am
@I am a stormer-274: You know what… Here’s a thought experiment….
Imagine Meyer had the pick of all the players in the world…. he plays the ABs the next game (lets give him a month with this world team)… and yes he could pick ABs and they can also play for AB’s at the same time…
Hell, he can even pick the exact same AB team to face the AB’s under Hansen…
I dont believe that Meyer and his brains trust could win that game.
9 Sep 2012, 10:36 am
The Saffa rugby loving public is our own worst enemy.
When PDV wanted to get rid of the “skop en jag” mindset which was moving away from our “traditional strengths” that won us a world cup. Then it was deemed as why fix things when they not broken.
He decided to go against the grain and try a new approach called “ball in hand” or total rugby” which we all knew would take a while for the players to
adapt to and sacrifice losing a few games along the way.
This was in 2008. A kak year for SA Rugby.
PDV felt the pressure from the media “especially the scribes on this site” and gave the reigns back to the senior players ’cause (1). He could hold onto his job (2). Skop ‘n Jag is embedded in our DNA and why fix a winning formula and (3). The nucleus of players are rugby legends and have been around the park, so they know what would work.
In 2009 we won everything and PDV’s change of heart was justified with the results.
Then things changed in 2010 when the AB’s and Wallabies started selecting fullbacks on the wings to counter Skop ‘n Jag.
And this is when the wheels started coming off……..
The media started turning against PDV again saying that he allowed the players to dictate matters to him and this is the reason for the mess we found ourselves in.
Everybody thought Meyers selection was a breath of fresh air after PDV “end of an error” but if you just listened to that guy with a sqeeky voice from the begining we would see the all the hard earned sacrifices in 2012.
We all crave for instant gratification but sometimes if you remain patient and see the bigger picture you will reap the rewards.
9 Sep 2012, 10:38 am
@Heavens Game-275:
The Stormers problem is not a lack of skills, but a head coach who relies on Nienaber to create defensive structures and patterns that inhibit a creative attacking approach.
9 Sep 2012, 10:39 am
@Jeraldjay-279: I think Meyer will get there in the end. However, we would be there already under PdV if he had been allowed to continue what he started as you say. I also think PdV should have remained on after the WC.
9 Sep 2012, 10:40 am
@Heavens Game-278:
Ja and he’d probably pick Meisiekind over SBW. And play Carter off the bench with Morne starting.
9 Sep 2012, 10:42 am
@David-276: With you there… Not only that, but bring back a player from Mud Island into the Bok setup halfway across the world to farken Australia, and let us not forget, the English league only just starting… whereas a certain Kanko is a hop, skip and jump away in a similar timezone to Aus in Japan, with a good few games under his belt….
Planning? Pffffft…
This just spells out that he just does not like or rate Kanko… like Daniel… like Brussouw… like Aplon… like Jantjies…and others and no matter how well these players play, they stand farkall chance of being Bok regulars… The best they can hope for is the Bok squad yo-yo like JdJ….
9 Sep 2012, 10:44 am
@Heavens Game-283: But to be fair… These players would be absolutely useless for Meyer… They do not fit… Whether by their thought processes, their style of gameplay or their sizes…
Nope… totally useless…
9 Sep 2012, 10:47 am
@David-280: I did not say Stormer players lack skills – but after all the stuff fed to them over the past few years about defensive structure and gameplans under Nienaber and AC, they should be a more natural fit for the coaching setup and structural obsessions than say a Brussouw, Daniel, Lambie, Jantjies….
9 Sep 2012, 10:50 am
@Transformation-264:
mental strength was in short supply yesterday.
but these boys will grow, they need time.
9 Sep 2012, 10:51 am
Sorry HG – JDV has farkall to do with what FS does inside him. Take off your blinkers and then you’ll see how average FS has been so far for the Boks. No mumbo jumbo, jive talking by you will change my perception. I have been of the opinion that he is above average and that it will remain.
That said HM is a d00s of note. All he needs is two to three changes and an overhaul of the gameplan. Oh and Jannie Du Plessis and Beast can’t scrum.
9 Sep 2012, 10:53 am
@Jeraldjay-279: Dippy was mad… He was in over his head… He was so in over his head that fools took to blaming his players for his farkups…
If it wasn’t for the players he had, then there would have been a Bok coaching farkup of monumental proportions….
What do you think Deans would have done with players that Dippy, Tricky Dicky and Gold had at their disposal over the same time period?
I tell you what, Bill would be on SA turf at this moment, not languishing in some farken musty cupboard in Auckland…
9 Sep 2012, 10:56 am
@Jeraldjay-279:
That is South
9 Sep 2012, 10:56 am
AC explicitly and clearly and farken loudly told HM that Vermeulen was at least 3 CC games away from ful fitness…..then plays the clearly out of shape oke a full 80 min….?
M Steyn has been absolutely abysmal since 2010….but he is untouchable….
JDV is a clearly not a 13…..now we sit with a replica Plod situation in that the cappie should not be starting….
M Coetsee is going to suffer with this ‘ HM Conversion Process ‘ …..the kid is a 7 or 8…..a 6 he is never going to be….
Beast seems so tired……
A Strauss a shadow of what he produces at Cheetahs….
Clearly the coach does not rate his players skills and his comments are clear…..he feels we can only win without the bal…
a truly sad state of affairs …depressing actually….
rather go walk on the beach…
9 Sep 2012, 10:56 am
Outtahere for now…
9 Sep 2012, 10:58 am
@Heavens Game-288:
Bit of a “Catch 22″ HG.
PDV didn’t have the coaching or technical acumen but he had the right idea.
HM has the coaching acumen but has the wrong idea.
Farked up I tell you.
9 Sep 2012, 11:11 am
Perth – Suid-Afrika se kaptein Jean de Villiers hou vol dat die Springbokke op die regte pad is ten spyte van hul nederlaag teen Australië in Perth.
Die Springbokke het Saterdag op ‘n stadium met 13-3 voorgeloop in die Rugbykampioenskap-wedstryd teen die Wallabies, maar die tuisspan, wat deesdae self onder kritiek deurloop, het teruggeveg om eindelik met 26-19 te seëvier.
Dit was Australië se vyfde agtereenvolgende oorwinning oor Suid-Afrika in ‘n toetswedstryd.
De Villiers het gesê die uitslag was teleurstellend veral nadat sy span die fondasie gelê het vir ‘n wen, maar dat die span sal voortgaan om te verbeter soos wat hulle meer ervaring kry.
“Ek dink nie ons kan verwag om skielik die beste span in die wêreld te wees en net fantastiese rugby te speel nie. Ons het nodig om uit ons ondervindings te leer en daarvoor het mens tyd nodig,” het die kaptein gesê.
“Ons wil elke wedstryd wen, maar die druk van die media, van die ondersteuners, ons voel dit by tye.”
De Villiers het bygevoeg dat die Wallaby-veteraan Nathan Sharpe meer toetse op sy kerfstok het as “byna ons hele span saam”.
“Maar ons glo ons is op die regte pad. Ons glo dat ons vandag beter rugby gespeel het en hopelik kan ons volgende week verbeter,” het hy gesê.
Intussen heers daar kommer oor Bryan Habana (enkelbesering) en Jannie du Plessis (dyspier) se beskikbaarheid vir Saterdag se toets teen die All Blacks in Dunedin.
9 Sep 2012, 11:16 am
@grant10-290:
who, the coach? i dont think meyer going for a walk on the beach is the solution. it’s not. that’s poofta talk grant. he must knuckle down because its ‘shitt meet fan time’.
its time to circle the wagons and pull everyone in. we are at a crossroads and up against it. the toughest steel is cast in the hottest cauldron.
9 Sep 2012, 11:19 am
How’s this for a revelation?
There’s an article in the sunday times about the sexy hot bok physio rene naylor. Here’s the interesting part : ” On match day she also relays messages from the coaches’ box to the field. ‘That is not supposed to be my role but it is an additional one. The most difficult messages to relay is when the coach instructs you to tell a player that if he does this or that one more time he’ll be substituted. You don’t want to share that kind of news with a player.’ “
9 Sep 2012, 11:21 am
Somebody mentioned yesterday that Meyer said something about the previous Bok coach not having a succession plan and that that was the reason for the inexperience Bok team at his disposal. Now, if you read Jean’s comments together with what HM said, it becomes clear that they will not deviate from their game plan one bit.
People who therefor believe that including Goosen and Lambie in the team will make a difference, are fools because they will also have to follow the Meyer blueprint. Selecting those two will therefor not mean a change in game plan, it will just be a change of personnel with most probably the same results to follow.
9 Sep 2012, 11:25 am
@viewer-295:
That’s hectic, boet.
Jeepers!!!
9 Sep 2012, 11:30 am
@nama1-296: Yip agree. If Goosen and Lambie have to play to the game plan of Meyer then it is a waste of talent really. Just leave Morne on then. What is the use of bringing on two creative players that enjoy to play what is in front of them? Instead they have to think about playing this dumb dumb game plan we have. Crazy, as both Goosen and Lambie when they came on yesterday made a difference. Only damn shame that they both were brought on way, way too late. Both should have come on with at least 30min left to play. When brought on both will always have to be allowed to play their natural game. Otherwise no use having them on.
9 Sep 2012, 11:31 am
@nama1-296: Good post. I’m done calling teams anymore, the gameplan is hopeless no matter whose on the park. I’d rather see Morne Steyn and Zane Kirtchner kicking bombs all day than Goosen and Lambie.
9 Sep 2012, 11:31 am
@viewer-295:
ag look, she did put on a nice show with the g-string but i question whether she is actuaaly any good? more precisely, is any and all of our backroom staff any good?
how much effort do they put into the job and are they being pushed to excel?
typical woman though, with a response like that. why is she involving herself emotionally in the radio instructions the player is receiving (not her) she merely has to relay the message.
this is part of the reason why the boks are stuggling in rugby today.
the edge has gone out of us.too litlle pressure.
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