Steyn blows Dunedin lifeline
15 Sep 2012
RYAN VREDE reports on a deeply disheartening 21-11 Springboks defeat to the All Blacks in which Morne Steyn surely kicked his way into the Test wilderness.
Heyneke Meyer’s painful education as a Test coach continues. Tonight’s lesson was in accountability for selections and it was a harsh one. Meyer didn’t swing Steyn’s rudderless boot, which pushed four crucial goal kicks wide. But he did put him in a position to take those kicks when there were alternatives, one of which, Johan Goosen, embarrassed the incumbent by landing a 50m penalty and nearly sinking a near on 60m effort. Yet it wasn’t only his goal-kicking which vexed. So far was he in the pocket for most of the match that he may as well have been back in Pretoria.
Then there was the mistimed introduction of Dean Greyling, the prop whose inadequacies at Super Rugby level made his initial selection to the squad perplexing. Greyling would further entrench the widely-held perception of Springboks players as thugs with a cowardly forearm smash on Richie McCaw. Then he coughed the ball up with the tryline beckoning in the dying minutes and conceded a string of penalties. He must be heavily punished for his assault on McCaw and never see a Springboks shirt again.
There were others who failed – his beloved Zane Kirchner didn’t inspire once more, hooker Adriaan Strauss looked like a tanked up darts player, Juandre Kruger had no presence at the lineouts.
Where there positives? Perhaps. The forwards were outstanding in the tight exchanges on attack, setting a platform. But it was one that was never exploited thanks to a now chronic lack of attacking imagination. Defenders are seen as targets for rampaging Springboks carriers. Over and not around seems to be the law. The Blacks attack space so well and consistently free their hands to look for an offload opportunity. These things can be coached. The Springboks have the players with the capacity to play this way. That they are reduced to brainless machines that show no ability or desire to veer from a directive doesn’t bode well for the future.
On review they will primarily lament a butchered 7th minute opportunity and Steyn’s poor goal-kicking. The former was particularly frustrating in light of how few clear scoring chances they create. This one could not have been clearer, with Bryan Habana free on the wing. But passer and recipient lacked composure. Habana would, however, later score a try that was a throwback to his best form – break, chip, collect, brilliant.
Outside of the Blacks’ try that was birthed from a poor box kick, the Springboks were undoubtedly the better side for the first half – dominant in the forwards, competitive at the breakdown, sharp to loose balls and desperate on defence. They rumbled and roared through the heavies, driving into good field positions and forcing a string of penalties.
Here was the much-maligned Steyn’s opportunity to repay and justify the faith Meyer had showed in him in the face of severe criticism. Kicking all the points against the Blacks in Port Elizabeth in 2011, Steyn had saved his Test career. It was ironic that his kicking effort tonight, the primary strength of his game, would almost certainly end it, or, at very least, cease it until he rediscovers his form of 2009. There is no strong argument Meyer can mount for his retention. His time is up.
The Springboks trailed 5-3 at the break, but should have lead comfortably. Yet, for all their endevour, nothing about this game was unexpected. The Springboks were always going live with these Blacks for 60 minutes. The final quarter was always going to be the decisive period of the match.
The Blacks grabbed the initiative through a soft Aaron Smith try. Greyling should have been defending the fringe yet was caught in the backline. He further undermined the Springboks’ cause five minutes later when he stupidly, inexplicably, nailed McCaw, who was not involved in play. Idiocy appeared to have found it’s home in Greyling.
To their credit the Springboks redoubled their efforts, but the Blacks grew in confidence and while they never looked fluid on attack, they certainly had the measure of the predictable Springboks on defence.
There were opportunities to cause an upset, but those were squandered. Oh what could have been. This Blacks side is not the force they have been made out to be. They were there for the taking. Meyer’s education continues, but he cannot keep failing examinations through faults of his own.
345 Comments
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15 Sep 2012, 18:50 pm
@Gumboots-196: LOL, pipe down chaaina, i’m also really frustrated with Meyer but it ends there for me, there’s no point being frustrated with players, they don’t select themselves. I believe there is more positives from this game than any other under Heynecke, incl. the wins. For the record, if ever there was a case in point for a coach losing a game, this would be a prime example.
15 Sep 2012, 18:57 pm
With a bit of luck we’ll finish ahead of the Pumas.
15 Sep 2012, 18:59 pm
@Tacitus-19:
“Today was an incredibly hopeful sign for SA rugby.”
Jy moet totaal en al, heeltemal bevok in jou kop wees om so ‘n stelling te kan maak.
‘n Bok span speel die beste rugby wat hulle kan opdis vir die jaar sover en hulle verloor met 10 punte teen ‘n All Black span wat die kakste rugby vir die afgelope HOEVEEL jaar speel en jy is vokken hoogs tevrede?
Heerlikheid Tac. Hoe lank sal dit jou vat om te besef dat hier is kak in rugbyland?
15 Sep 2012, 19:02 pm
I also cannot believe what i read…
HM says they wanted to give MS more of a chance after the first half because they figured his kicking would come right?
Seriously hey? I honestly figured being a Springbok coach required pretty much a complete insight into rugby and a full understanding of how the game works, how to choose players ect.
I have fockol experience hey and i recon i could have told the whole world MS was going to EFF this up, based on his last 5 games?
15 Sep 2012, 19:05 pm
Argenteeeeena!
15 Sep 2012, 19:05 pm
@Trevorr-202:
You are so right.
We’ll need luck to do that.
15 Sep 2012, 19:07 pm
@nama1-203: LMFAO
, i also cant believe i saw some positives in todays match. I think its just hope that Morne’ has finally played himself out of the setup, i think Morne’ being released completely from bok duty is about 40% of our woes fixed 
But our logic has a funny way of eluding our coach, so i guess its a wait and see.
15 Sep 2012, 19:15 pm
Vermeulen a better No 8 than Spies. I think looses ok for now. Flo deserves his place above Brussouw (for now). Frans Steyn at fullback certainly. I would still play JJ Engelbrecht at centre. He played well against England. Ja – Coenie should replace Greyling once he recovered? Pat Cillers can stand in for now.
15 Frans
14 Franna
13 JJ
12 Jean
11 Habana
10 Goosen
9 Sarel Pretorius
8 Duane
7 Willem
6 Flo
5 Andries
4 Eben
3 Jannie
2 Deon Fourie
1 Beast
15 Sep 2012, 19:19 pm
No argument with anything in this article – the strategy works if the goal-kicking is accurate – Heynecke Meyer lost that game with the inclusion of Morne Steyn whose performance was borderline criminal – as for Greyling …
Magnificent forward display – well done boys.
15 Sep 2012, 19:23 pm
@wls1-204:
Morne Steyn has a goal kicking success ratio of less than 50% this year in superrugby and test rugby – only a bonehead (Heineken) will say this “But we could have changed the goal-kicker. We talked about it at half time. I thought Morne would find his rhythm,”
Heineken is alreasdy a failed coach with a win ration of only 43% pathetic man.
15 Sep 2012, 19:32 pm
Twitter: @mark_keohane – they win by 10 & we rubbish them. We lose by 10 & it’s a new dawn. Patronising bullshit. We need 2 bt them consistently.
15 Sep 2012, 19:32 pm
And I thought we would get wipped badly in this game. We did superbly considering.
I think Meyer is like most coaches we have had. He will want to learn and change the hard way, perhaps we should call it, the normal way. Eventually if things are not looking pretty he will be forced to change. Both White and DV had their ideas and exucuted them. Ideas take time to evlove. He wont be going anywhere soon, not in the next two years anyway. So for him been sacked now is pure emotion built from fustration that a support has of him team. It is not logical thinking. Calling for someones head so early is something in the passed and should remain there. Meyer is a smart enough chap, his cridentials speak for themselves.
To have the rugby PDV said he would implement and what many supports are asking now for, probably will never happen with this coach or the next. What will happen is running rugby will be implemented when it is correct to do so. It is more important to win than to entertain spectators. The only way “running rugby” will be implemented is when the culture changes, meaning all stages right from grass level.
M Steyn is well over played, his form shows it. It is pretty logical. However one cant simply put in a kid, and expect him to swim against the Blacks in Black country. Supporters dont realise that pressure exists on players outside the game. Look at PDV family were treated. Were they involved in the Team in any way, no, but supporters gave them abuse- very stupid. You dont do that. Look at parents at school matches, how they give abuse to the refs and others… you dont do that. Its very imature. How may supporters can say when they have had a springbok player or somebody famous sitting next to them in a restaurant or anywhere and give the guy peace, just a nod or a smile but nothing more, no staring, no talking nothing ie just ignore the chap at let him live like a normal humanbeing… how many?
So these kids need a slow introduction into the international stage, too high a pressure at a young age is detremental. Man United, Old Fergie, probably the best coach in any sport in the world, for decades now,( and no i dont like the chap but…) ,when Wayne Rooney, whos from a lower class backround, came into the seen, Fergie introducted him very slowly. I think for the first year the reporters were told to keep away from him and he was shielded away from them, no interviews etc.
Now I dont mean Goosen needs such shielding but, all the kids do to a point. Meyer is smart enough, Goosen, Lambie etc will come more into the fold as the year goes on.
Meyer has to implement what knowledge he knows and this will take all year, time and experience will slowly evolve his style and coaching in the following yrs. The problem is SA rugby frenchise should think about giving coaches 4 yr contracts running from WC to WC. Meyer is the 3rd coach in a row with such a contract. So his main goal, is 4 yrs away when what should really be the focus is maintaining an equal level of talent( finding and discovering the new generation who should be coming through ALL the time not just when we are short)…. The bigger picture….
Our coaches are given politition contracts.
So once the ball is rolling and players and coach are on the same page, which they are not yet, Meyer will then be able to relax and start tinkering. ie do what most of us want done NOW. I just does work that way unfortunately.
15 Sep 2012, 20:10 pm
Home leg (hopefully):
1. Mtawarira 2. Strauss 3. Du Plessis 4. Etzebeth 5. Bekker 6. Louw 7. Alberts 8. Vermeulen 9. Hougaard 10. Goosen 11. Habana 12. Steyn 13. De Villiers 14. Pieterson 15. Lambie
16. Liebenberg 17. Oosthuizen 18. Van Der Merwe 19. Coetzee 20. Vermaak 21. Jantjies 22. Taute
Oosthuizen in for Greyling
Vermaak in for Pienaar
Jantjies in for Steyn
Brussow drafted in for Jacques Potgieter
Taute in for Kirchner
Pieterson in for Mvovo
15 Sep 2012, 20:11 pm
J B you lost nothing magnificent in that, we are 13 ahead now.
15 Sep 2012, 20:13 pm
We better start asking fourie du preez very nicely to make a comeback!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15 Sep 2012, 20:23 pm
@phil72-215:
Gurthro Steenkamp
Bakkies Botha
Danie Rossouw
Francois Louw
Ryan Kankowski
Fourie Du Preez
Jacques Fourie
All playing overseas and all can offer significant contributions to the Springboks!
15 Sep 2012, 20:28 pm
Those seven players
Plus these six returning from injury
Bismark Du Plessis
Chilli Ralepelle
Coenie Oosthuizen
Schalk Burger
Juan Smith
JP Pieterson
15 Sep 2012, 20:29 pm
And a few stalwarts like
Beast
Jannie
Brussow
Habana
Frans Steyn
Plus some young blood like
Etzebeth
Coetzee
Kolisi
Goosen
Lambie
15 Sep 2012, 20:55 pm
An almost certain try butchered – 5 points.
Steyn missed 3 penalties, 2 of which he should’ve gotten – 6 points.
Another try butchered by Greyling.
Yes, it must have come as a surprise that the throw from Mealamu went awry.
But at this level you should be able to take that opportunity with an open tryline in front of you.
Another 5 points.
That’s 16 points at the very least left out on the field.
15 Sep 2012, 21:15 pm
******* Y O U meyer i was the only one with issues in my household now youve gone and turned my son into an ALL BLACK supporter as well.
well played you D O O S
15 Sep 2012, 21:16 pm
F U C K Y O U meyer i was the only one with issues in my household now youve gone and turned my son into an ALL BLACK supporter as well.
well played you D O O S
15 Sep 2012, 21:29 pm
@saru1983-221: Poor you, that such a well brought up, educated man like yourself, although your grammar sucks, was so disapointed today, hope your son is still to young to read and that his mother is 100% involved in his up bringing.
15 Sep 2012, 21:32 pm
@saru1983-221:
Take it easy on the wife please?
15 Sep 2012, 21:33 pm
OPINION: Morne Steyn is usually a hell of a kicker, a brave defender, and a major reason the Springboks are so mediocre.
With a leaden-footed, awkward-passing No. 10 like Steyn, the Boks are a speedboat dragging a sea anchor.
And, as we saw in Dunedin last night, they do have, in Bryan Habana, a wing with the best strike power of anyone in the position in world rugby.
But the tactics South Africa pursue are deathly dull, as dated as mullets, flared jeans and lava lamps. You can’t lay all the blame for that at Steyn’s feet, but he symbolises how this Springbok team approach their work.
What’s close to heart-breaking is that pushing an opposition team to make mistakes, rather than creating moves of your own, can work. If Steyn had been kicking with anything like his usual accuracy, the Boks would have gone to the halftime break last night ahead by nine or more points.
Referee George Clancy found fault with monotonous regularity, which meant that the match, which promised so much, struggled for an age to get out of first gear.
Of course, parochial-enough fans will put up with any rubbish if it results in a win. Think of the 2003 England team who won a world cup on the back of lumbering but powerful forwards, and Jonny Wilkinson, whose style of play was to excitement what Belarus athletics officials are to even vaguely believable excuses.
Sadly for fans of quality rugby, kick-and-chase tactics can be effective, especially in wet and windy conditions.
But at an indoor stadium, where vagaries of weather are eliminated, as they were in Dunedin last night, you’d hope they’d be shown up for the joyless abuse of the game they are.
But the first requirement to counter such tactics is to make sure you’re winning the forward battle. The Boks too often bullied the All Blacks off the ball, and Piri Weepu was often reduced to pointing to where he believed the ball was being held up, rather than clearing it to a backline starved of action.
Israel Dagg’s first-half try was like a glimpse of iced water across a parched sand dune, a reminder of what we’re missing while the All Blacks struggle to get all the gears to mesh. We all know how much talent these All Blacks have in their ranks, but finding a way to exploit it is starting to feel like a tough, long mission.
Whatever Aaron Smith’s time-keeping misdemeanour off the field in Wellington was, it was apparently a 40-minute piece of mischief, rather than an 80-minute offence.
Thank whatever power you want to for that. Smith, so quick, so daring, so decisive, has a firestarter quality about his play that the more mature, and more deliberate Weepu does not.
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Smith’s solo try was one of those breath-taking moments that we’ll all remember long after most of the game has vanished from the memory banks.
He has been the most daring selection by the new panel, and he’s been the most exciting inductee into the All Black ranks since Christian Cullen ran out at fullback against Samoa in 1996.
The All Blacks won’t be in raptures over last night’s win, but for anyone who prefers enterprise to spoiling, running to kicking, the rapier of a backline to the bludgeon of a forward pack, there has to be satisfaction that last night the team at least looking to create some rugby artistry emerged victorious.
15 Sep 2012, 21:35 pm
@Black Power-224:
Bring in Fourie Du Preez and suddenly it would be winning rugby>………Such a fine margin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15 Sep 2012, 21:49 pm
Well done Boks Well 12 of you
I am so disappointed
Here was a great opportunity to win.
HM must be Bi polar??
Goosen and Lambie there we would have won
and keep beast on the field
WTF is he thinking about greyling?? He should nto have been in the 22 either
15 Sep 2012, 21:49 pm
@phil72-225:
Agree Phil 100%
15 Sep 2012, 21:51 pm
@Black Power-224:
ref was wrong with against louw in 2nd half should have been boks penalty
Basicaly we lost that game ABs never won it .
However it says it on the score board
15 Sep 2012, 22:00 pm
@CoachPete-228: Ten points. Double the tries. By miles.
15 Sep 2012, 22:01 pm
My ratings
15 Kirshner minus 10 He gave the woeful pass which was a certain 5 and then was out of position on daggs try Generally Useless
Wings Both 9s they played their hearts out
Centers Steyn had good line breaks and defence was good
Steyn 7 and Jdv 6
10 M Steyn Minus 15 I dont have to say anything we all saw it
9. maybe a 3 Slow and kickes way to long This aint Irish rugby FFS???. plus he does not defend that well
Put Hougaard there with Goosen PLEASE
Front row all about a 8
Locks Wow Flip well played Kruger was ok
Alberts 8
Vermeulen 8
Louw 10 just what we needed to counter RM initially I give him a 8 but add 2 becuase he is a Bishops boy
Greyling Well here is what he did
1. Gave away a penalty in 1st min on field 3 points
2. Then another
3. Hits RM Ten min and 3 points
4. Useless around the field
5. Scrums go back
6 Gives up penalty in final min and we lose a bonus point
Can HM explain to all of us why he subbed the beast ???
What was the beast doing wrong?
HM is not only arrogant but also dumb
get rid of him now
15 Sep 2012, 22:03 pm
@TheTackler-229:
Not really by miles
We all saw the game
we had 3 scoring moves which should have been tries
And add tot hat all the steyns misses and then greylings gifts
15 Sep 2012, 22:11 pm
We will be playing the skop ad jaag game!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Then………. Get Fourie back……. and we will win again……… problem solved!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
15 Sep 2012, 22:33 pm
how many games did you WIN with that THICK f’ng Rockspider FdP running the back line through the last 2 and a half years.. should I count them for you??
vs France Eoyt 2009 – FdP 9, MS 10 – LOST
vs Ireland Eoyt 2009 – FdP 9 – MS 10 – LOST
v New Zealand 3N 2010 – FdP 9 – MS 10 – LOST A
v New Zealand 3N 2010 – FdP 9 – MS – 10 – LOST A
v Australia 3N 2010 – FdP 9 – MS 10 – LOST – Brisbane A
v New Zealand 3N 2010 – FdP 9 – MS – 10 – LOST, Soweto H
v Australia 3N 2010 – FdP 9 – MS 10 – WON, – Pretoria H
v Australia 3N 2010 – FdP 9 – MS 10 LOST – Bloemfontein H
v Australia 2011 3N – LOST – Sydney A
v New Zealand 2011 3N – LOST, – Wellington A
v Australia 2011 3N – LOST – Durban H
v New Zealand 2011 3N – WON – Pt Elizabeth H
2011 WC Pool D v Wales 17-16- WON –
2011 WC Quart v Australia 9-11 – LOST -
Played – 14
LOST – 11
WON – 3
THAT is how FANTASTIC your dumb DOOS of a hero FdP and his kick chase side kick MS have been for the BOKS in the past almost 3 years.
FdP and Pienaar and Morne Steyn must FCK OFF
and Hougaard must play at 9 and Goosen at 10
and the dumbest DOOS of them ALL Heyneke Meyer must FALL on his overrated sword and DO WHAT is RIGHT for SA rugby and FCK OFF BEFORE he does ANY FURTHER DAMAGE than he already has.
15 Sep 2012, 22:50 pm
Game was lost by the Boks, not won by the Blacks. Simple. Meyer I hope you now catch a faarking wake up and get rid of the useless blue plonkers steyn, kirschner and greyliing!!
15 Sep 2012, 22:52 pm
Oh and Meyer, what’s with this giving Richie blowjobs??? Jeez if you love him so much ask him to marry you, you doos!
15 Sep 2012, 22:54 pm
Well done AB’s, took your chances & the spoils. Boks pitched up at least but failed to make the most of their opportunities, dissapointing. Got to kick less & play more
15 Sep 2012, 23:31 pm
So much for the Messiah hey! This has been our game for the last, I don’t know…8 years? Apart from the 2008 when PdV wanted to change our game to a more total, all round game, we’ve been kick chasing and looking clueless when we tried everything else. When Div started his total rugby speak, I said “yes please! It’s about time.” Alot of others called it headless chicken **** at the time. I think, everyone concerned will probably take headless chicken over this monotous, drone-like rugby everyday. Couple of things…
Why is our technique at the breakdown still so inferior to the AB’s? You watch the next time any AB makes a tackle. If there is no clearcut chance of him actualy contesting and winning the ball/penalty, he is up in a flash and pumping his legs furiously in counter-rucking. They’ve been doing this for the last 2 years. Why hasn’t it been picked up on yet? Rassie?
Francois Louw is the poor man’s Brussow and he has showed how rediculous it is to play modern rugby without a fetcher. Any fetcher. Why is Brussow playing CC? Has HM looked at his winning ratio against the AB’s yet? McCaw haven’t been fetching for years and they should realy pay for that fact but have the all round game to still outplay other teams inspite of it. It will come home to roost if their opp starts asking more relevant questions. Which brings me to…
This is surely the last time MS will pull on a Bok jersey. Surely!!. Johan Goosen, having a bad game (as bad as Morne had the last 6-7 games) will still ask a lot more questions of the opposition than Morne ever will. He brings to our game what we have so clearly been lacking the last 8 years. VARIETY!!! And why do we persist with letting the 9 making our decisions? FdP is a one of a kind and unfortunately is playing in Japan now. With Goosen’s coming, I would also like to see him making all our decisions. The ball should be passed to him more often than not. Wouldn’t it be a good variation for him to give the inside pass to Alberts than Alberts recieving it from Pienaar or Hougaard all of the time? And can someone please tell Ruan to stop fckn kicking the ball back into the ruck? I knew when they brought Aaron Smith on at 1/2 time, the AB’s will be that much tougher. That is what a fast scrummie gives you, granted your technique at the breakdown allows him.
Is it just me or is the French PdV paying dividends at scrumtime? Apart from that 1 bad scrum and a penalty that could’ve gone either way, we’re looking solid. AB’s realy had to work to get good ball. In time, we might boss the scrum again. I certainly hope so.
Oh yes, before I forget…the gleam in Andrew Hore and Mealamu’s eyes when they threw the ball in the lineout sorta made me nostalgic in longing for those days Matfield made them ***** their pants. What a player he was. I mean, look at the result when the game situation demanded a good throw from Mealamu near his line? He fcked it up and we damn nearly scored. Matfield to do some vocational training with the boys, pleaseeeee
15 Sep 2012, 23:47 pm
One more thing, did you guys see the result when Habana actualy got the ball other than being the dummy runner all the fckn time? He scored a beauty in the corner. But again it comes down to the same thing…variation. We did something the AB’s didn’t expect and looked a million bucks for it. Why can’t we do this more often? That one word will see us win more than we’ll lose. Every fckn time!!!! I’m sure of it! HM take note
16 Sep 2012, 00:04 am
Changes I’ll make…Brussow in for Louw, Jordaan at 13, Jean back to 12 and Frans to 15. Alberts with a licence to kill for 60 min, bring on Coetzee to continue the carnage and our backline under instruction to run more often than not, from our 10m line. Tighten up our breakdown defense, make it more streamline to get quick ball and Bob’s dating your aunt. Goosen for Steyn is that obvious, I don’t even have to think about it. No doubt, HM is still weighing up his options.
16 Sep 2012, 00:27 am
@CoachPete-230:
” Steyn had good line breaks and defence was good
Steyn 7″
Coach, I always rate you as an objective fan of rugby. But really, Steyn 7/10 because of ONE line break?????
What ELSE did he do for the rest of the match? He missed TWO penalties at goal, remember? So, if he converted that, would you have given him a 9/10?
Come on now man, Coach!!!!
The boy is a joke a 12, PLEASE
@UptheGuts-237:
“This is surely the last time MS will pull on a Bok jersey.”
You THINK?
Don’t bet on that, bru.
16 Sep 2012, 00:34 am
@UptheGuts-239:
“Changes I’ll make…Brussow in for Louw, Jordaan at 13, Jean back to 12 and Frans to 15.”
Ja-nee, There we go.
Fransie has not show anything at inside centre yet, now we must go and look for another position to accommodate the plonker.
Even at FB, he’ll not make it my friend. Not with Goosen in the team who can also kick 60m penalties.
When will you guys GET it, Fransie is MEDIOCRE
16 Sep 2012, 00:37 am
@nama1-240:
Ok maybe a 6 or 5 but he never really made any mistakes
2 good line breaks and if he had support who knows
Yes he missed to very long kicks I dont hold that against him
His defense was solid with Jdv
Who else anyway?
16 Sep 2012, 00:38 am
@nama1-241:
Also i was having a bit of fun there
He was a 7 compared to M steyn Kirshner and Greyling
16 Sep 2012, 00:43 am
@nama1-240: FS looks unfit. Overweight even. Moderately obese the dieticioans call it, I think. I like Frans’ strength in the tackle. It usualy takes 2 to bring him down. An offload or 2 might add to this. As for Morne, one can only hope. The next game is key. If Goosen starts and have the impact I expect him too, that will be it for Morne. As far as his kicking goes, he is as long as Frans and every bit as accurate as the “old” Morne. He shows that at Loftus, Morne won’t have a case. But that’s assuming HM does actualy possess the astute rugbybrain everyone with Div phobia claimed he had.
16 Sep 2012, 00:52 am
@nama1-241: I’m not sure mediocre is the right word, but why does it come as a suprise that Steyn hasn’t shown anything at 12 if the gameplan dictates to look for someone to run into? Only reason why I shifted him to 15 and Jean to 12 is to make way for Jordaan at 13. Tbh, Kirchner has grown on me actualy. Forget the bad pass and being shown up by Higgenbotham and Smith 2 weeks in a row on defense. He’s done allright otherwise. But I’m ok either way. We don’t have a 15 who jumps into the line anymore. or put another way. HM refuses to pick him. Another arrow to our varied gameplan that’s non-existent at present. But Frans mediocre? Fat chance!
16 Sep 2012, 00:55 am
@nama1-241:
You would keep Morne starting ????
and Pienaar?
ok maybe steyn at 15 because Kirshner is not a test 15
Hougaard 9 and Goosen 10 to start
16 Sep 2012, 00:58 am
@UptheGuts-244:
Goosen will takes kicks if Morne is not there
Frans will take the long ones again.
What do you guy s think of W le roux or A coetzee at 15?
16 Sep 2012, 01:13 am
@CoachPete-243:
@UptheGuts-244:
He never made any mistakes but he never made some magic either.
Wasn’t it the reason why Meyer brought him back from Europe?
Remember this conversation, as widely reported by newspapers in SA? Sometime in 2009.
HM: So, Frans, when are you going to play for US again?
Frans: Wanneer oom die Bok afrigter word.
HM: Ek sal dit onthou as ek die afrigter word dan bel ek jou.
Frans: Reg so, oom.
Fast Forward 2011. fransie at the RWC, playing against Namibia and Samoa at inside centre after an injury to JdV:
SA supporters: “Frans must come back. He is the missing link in our back line. Did you see how our back line perform with him at inside centre? JdV is the one holding our back line back. He must retire.”
Now, I’m asking you guys, what has Fransie done in the SIX test matches that he played at inside centre?
In my not so kenner opinion: HE DID VOKKOL and does not deserve to be in the team.
Just like Greyling, Morne.
We don’t need him anymore if Goosen is there who can also kick 60m penalties.
funny thing about the criticism against Kirchner. Any objective observer will tell you that Kirchner was one of the best back line players for the Boks in the RC so far, together with Habana and Hougaard.
They’re the only back line players who played like Bokke in this series. The rest were kak, the captain and Fransie (the Messias???) included.
16 Sep 2012, 01:25 am
@UptheGuts-245:
Why Jordaan at 13? NBecause of 2/3 good games in the latter part of the S15?
Come on man.
Let him learn his craft over an extended period. Do you see if the AB go gaga about Kahui? What would we give to have a centre like that?
Let Jordaan prove himself next year before we talk about him again. He was behind players like JdJ and JJE at WP before he moved to the Sharks. Don’t get carried away by a couple of good performances.
What did you think about the fact that JdJ was collecting splinters on the bench while the rest of the subs got a chance to play. Reminiscent of Jantjies in PE neh???
Even Greyling got a chance to play, albeit for the AB at the end of the day. Nogal substituting Beast who did nothing wrong while he was on the field. I thought it was his best game in the Bok jersey this season.
Ek moet more weer klomp goed verduidelik aan mense wat nie die klas kak verstaan nie. Ek verstaan dit self nie.
16 Sep 2012, 01:26 am
@nama1-248:
Kirshner had a few good moments but i dont think he has been great at all
today his pass cost us a try and his out of position to day partly cost us Daggs try
He is very predictable we and opposition know what he will do and his defense is poor
So I cant agree
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