Backs fail feisty forwards
17 Sep 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes the fact that the Springboks’ produced such a rousing forward performance in Dunedin makes Saturday’s defeat doubly disappointing.
There were no expectations. Wins in New Zealand are rare, victories in Dunedin rarer. The All Blacks hadn’t been beaten since attaining world champion status. The Bok pack was operating with second-choice, and in some positions third-choice, personnel. If there was an expectation, it was that the All Blacks would wipe the turf with the Bok heavies.
The odds were against the Boks, and yet their response was inspiring. Not since the England series has Willem Alberts played with such accuracy and ferocity. Duane Vermeulen was prominent, as was specialist openside Francois Louw, but then the fantastic performance of the back row was made possible by a much improved tight-five effort.
The Boks outplayed the All Blacks at the collisions, and this allowed men like Louw to challenge Richie McCaw for breakdown supremacy. The old master was forced to employ all his best tricks, and despite his own pack’s inferiority at the point of contact, McCaw produced one of his best individual performances in an All Blacks shirt.
It’s not often that a side produces such a strong forward showing and still loses the game. It has been the source of many a Bok victory against the All Blacks. Despite the inexperience of the South African eight last Saturday, they had done enough to set the platform for another famous win.
Unfortunately, those heroes wearing Nos 1 to 8 were let down by the men wearing 9 to 15. For starters, the Boks managed to use that forward dominance to play themselves into good field positions. Then the goal-kickers missed out on 21 points between them. That forward dominance and prime field position also led to several try-scoring opportunities, but then the backline failed to convert.
The All Blacks won by 10 points on Saturday when they should have lost by 10. Not many people would have expected the Bok forwards to front like they did, but that doesn’t change the fact that a great chance was missed.
Today we should be celebrating an unlikely yet deserved win, against the world champions, in New Zealand of all places. Instead we are left lamenting not just another loss, but another lost opportunity.
Coach Heyneke Meyer has to learn from this experience. In the short term, he should be pleased that his forwards are firing and confident that they can provide that perfect platform in the two Rugby Championship Tests that remain.
But should he feel confident that the goal-kickers and backline can translate forward dominance into points?
It’s not a new problem. The Boks lost to the Wallabies in the 2011 World Cup quarter-final despite enjoying the majority of territory. They failed to take every kickable opportunity, and also blew a couple of try-scoring opportunities.
As has been evident in the 2012 Tests, poor finishing is still costing the Boks matches. It’s clear that the Boks are investing too much in the kick-chase tactic. I believe it has value and that it’s important to win the forward battles and territory, but what good are those minor victories if you can’t attack and finish once in the red zone, if you can’t obtain the necessary points?
In a sense, Meyer should be pleased with what he saw in Dunedin. There were moments where the Boks looked just as dominant and clinical as they had during the England series (think the second half of the first Test in Durban and the first half of the second Test in Johannesburg). But there is just not enough consistency when it comes to the attack. Too many try-scoring chances are being butchered, and because the Boks’ once reliable goal-kicker is out of form, they are losing matches they should really be winning.
Johan Goosen will be under pressure to improve the goal-kicking conversion rate in the coming Tests. There can be no guarantees of an improvement in that respect, but what we can expect Goosen to do is get the most out of that backline, to manufacture linebreaks and ask more questions of the opposition defence.
People may see his selection as a sign that the Boks are departing from a kick-chase strategy that has failed. They’d be wrong. The kick-chase ploy still has value and what South Africa desperately needs is somebody who can complement that territory-gaining strategy with an attacking game that creates and makes the most of opportunities in the opponents’ half.
Goosen boasts a fine line-kicking game, and as was shown in the second half of the Dunedin fixture, he attacks the gainline and brings dangerous runners like Frans Steyn into the game.
The backs failed the forwards last Saturday, but Meyer also failed the team by persisting with a flyhalf and goal-kicker who has neither the skill-set nor the confidence to play a more rounded game. That opportunity to win in Dunedin has come and gone, and for that Meyer must also accept some blame.
But what he can take from the performance is that the Bok forwards are capable of out-muscling the best in the world, and that in Goosen, South Africa does have a flyhalf who can play a balanced game.
Goosen’s ready to start and should be entrusted with the responsibility for the home leg of the Rugby Championship. Starting Goosen will help the backs match the forwards for momentum gained, and it should also ensure that the Boks make more of their attacking opportunities.
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55 Comments
17 Sep 2012, 05:02 am
Dead straight Dragon…………
17 Sep 2012, 05:06 am
Forwards were good except Greyling and maybe Kruger
So thats pleasing
17 Sep 2012, 05:30 am
The moment that epitomised Morne’s lack of thinking was when he got the ball, side stepped a defender which created space to only smash another bomb.
Morne is the worst Bok since Braam Van Straaten!!!!!
17 Sep 2012, 05:32 am
The Bok forwards created a fine platform from which to launch from, their tackling was awesome, the mauling impressive and their ability to stay on their feet at the breakdown was a huge improvement from previous games, in fact they put in a match winning effort. Oh and their scrummaging was good except getting pinged for the early engagements, this game was the best effort I’ve seen from Jannie DuPlessis, he stood up for the eighty.
17 Sep 2012, 05:56 am
“The old master was forced to employ all his best tricks, and despite his own pack’s inferiority at the point of contact, McCaw produced one of his best individual performances in an All Blacks shirt.”
Why dress it up so fancy when you can simply say that he (McCheat) did what he always does, cheat.
17 Sep 2012, 06:17 am
@RL-5:
hehe…..JC’c prose to the great Ab captain sums it up to a tee don’t you think. Richie is a refined manipulator of the art of deception whereas your term “cheat “is somewhat crude when trying to describe his amazing skills.
17 Sep 2012, 06:17 am
we had the same problem in perth the week before & meyer went on about inexperience yet from ruan to kirchner we have most test caps!
the decision making is just putrid…the ABs have conrad smith, the Aussies have adam ashley cooper who are just super intelligent decision-makers…
our backline is crying for a sober & clever leader cos currently they’re failing us…
17 Sep 2012, 06:17 am
That Goosen “boasts a fine line-kicking game” is a creation of Cardinelli’s imagination. It’s possibly the weakest part of his game. He’s got a massive boot, yes, but it isn’t controlled.
And why are we now asked to temper expectations?? If he’s good enough to start for the Boks, then he must be judged by the same standard we set for all Boks — excellence.
It’s incredible that despite having arguably the best backline in the country, the Lions do not have a single backline player in the Bok squad. Elton, Mapoe, Taute, Coetsee are just class – and can make a claim to be better than some of the journeymen there.
Elton has been the most consistent FH in SA for more than a year now; Mapoe is the best 13 in the country – fullstop; Taute and Coetsee should both be above Lambie and Kirchener in the FB hierarchy.
17 Sep 2012, 06:22 am
Bok forwards were producing their best effort as a unit and Meyers response was to disrupt that flow by subbing beast and introducing a penalty machine who did his best to stuff things up….it almosty bordered on match fixing status
17 Sep 2012, 06:23 am
@Te Rangatira-6:
the great man was awesome and at his best, taunting Vermeulen and baiting the thick Greyling, while sitting on his butt … Legendary.
17 Sep 2012, 06:25 am
Transie, our version of a thinking organizing centre ala smith and AAC is jacques fourie who in my opinion ended his international career way to prematurely
17 Sep 2012, 06:27 am
@flanka-9:
17 Sep 2012, 06:28 am
@RL-10:
When he goes RL we (Ab supporters) will be kakking ourselves…..it will be neigh on “The End of Days”
17 Sep 2012, 06:33 am
@Melchizedek-8: well said bravo, Mapoe ahead of the donkey Divvy. Coetzee and Taute ahead of sideshow Bob and the Lambster anyday of the week = creative backline play.
Add Elton to the squad and a scrumhalf (van Zyl) with speed and quick pass then bang!
17 Sep 2012, 06:42 am
@flanka-9: I was thinking about the inclusion of Greyling into the squad, some will say that he was selected because Coenie was injured, then because of the injury to Cilliers he made in into the match 22 – why did he he have to replace a perfectly healthy Beast when everyone and their dog knows that he is a penalty risk, averaging 3 or 4 a match.
Heineken stuffed up big time with his pick, Kitshoff and JC v Remsburg are thick Greyling any bloody day.
17 Sep 2012, 06:47 am
@Melchizedek-8: Very well said. That is what the Springbok team needs at the moment – a backline that can create a bit of magic. Habana has his moments of brilliance as well as Mvovo/Hougaard. But we can not rely only on individual magic. We need our whole backline to work together to create creativity! Leave Pienaar at number 9 but instead of ‘dead’ brain up and under box kicks, pass the ball and get a few set peices going. Goosen must start at number 10 next week. He must continue to take the ball on the run, unlike Morne Steyn who must start running from a standstill in the ‘morne pocket’ kilometres away from the play. Francois Steyn can then get good running ball from Goosen and really be an impact back player that he is made to be (must also learn to offload more often). Jean De Villiers must also pick up his game. He has never really been the greatest outside centre, but has to ensure that his wings are getting good ball, which he is not doing at the moment. Of late his passing has been atrocious and soft in his impact.
17 Sep 2012, 07:04 am
@Melchizedek-8: What have got against Lambie???he has had brilliant games in the gree and gold. Nobody can do something in 5 minutes.
17 Sep 2012, 07:16 am
I think that Morne is being used as a scape goat. He played poorly sure, but he wasn’t alone. The entire back-line looked lethargic and didn’t threaten.That was the biggest problem. The boks would work their way into good positions but had nobody capable of breaking the line.
Several of the kicks at post were very difficult. Two were plain out of the kickers range as the ball dropped below the crossbar. The Boks certainly should of scored more with the boot, but nothing close to the 21 points being touted.
If the Boks want to start winning more consistently they need to do more than just boss the gain line, they need a back line who can play a bit of rugby.
17 Sep 2012, 07:18 am
@RL-5:
this place is a joke.
gatkruipertjies, capesaders and kiwis galore.
mutual masturbation of note.
and for a disgusting team of filth at that.
the gatkruipertjies disgust me the most.
that is all i have to say for today.
17 Sep 2012, 07:26 am
Is the backline coaching up to standard? Shouldnt the boks have a backline coach with beter credentials? Doesnt a Springbok team deserve the best there is?
Is JDV the best attacking 13 in the country? Bring back Fourie or give JDJ a chance or be brave and give an exciting prospect like Jordaan a chance.
JDV is a spent force. Id ask him to take a long holiday and come back fresh in 2013. He can then challenge Frans for the 12 jersey. He’s no 13…
Is Kirchner the best balanced 15. He’s got a pretty solid kicking game, but thats it.
And obviously drop MS all together.
He is ranked the 4th best flyhalf… Goosen, Jantjies, Lambie maybe even Fouche is better. He needs a long break too and can start rebuilding his form in 2013…
17 Sep 2012, 07:31 am
@optiplay-17: look just because Lambie is rated an average fullback does not mean that people are against him – now admit it he is poor compared to Taute, Coetzee and Le Roux.
For the evidence go back to his disgusting display at the back in the super final – go back further to his poor display at the back in last years CC final – go back further to the guppies elinmination in the playoffs last year when the average Lambster playing at fullback gifted Read 7 points.
17 Sep 2012, 07:36 am
the bok backline butchered tryscoring opportunities
it was like watching the 2011 world cup quarterfinal all over again.
17 Sep 2012, 07:38 am
@Pencil-18:
well if the back lines only job is to chase up and unders , then they will only be as good as the guy kicking .
Steyn and Jdv rarely ran at the defence from second receiver because once the ball got to Morne it was going straight up into the air. we can’t really blame the backs if the guy responsible for getting them involved is kicking the ball away
Habana’s try is a classic example of how you get the back line involved in the game. Running hard at flat passes right on the gain line not fielding miracle high balls against Corey Jane and Dagg the two best high ball defusers in the game to date
17 Sep 2012, 07:41 am
Bakkies
that’s all you ever say
even your countrymen are laughing at your paranoia.
sore loser is all.
17 Sep 2012, 07:44 am
@RL-21:
One should always be careful to compare Currie Cup form to Super Rugby form… Super rugby is a much tougher contest and thats where you see the quality a player is made of, because the opposition in Super Rugby is far better than at Currie Cup level…
Lambie has test experience at 15 and have always been solid with an eye for a gap or counter. Let Le Roux prove in Super Rugby he’s better. Besides how can you compare them all if Lambie isnt even playing Currie cup…? And Coetzee and Taute arent even playing Super Rugby next year. Would you pick a player who isnt going to play his rugby in the hardest competition in the world?
17 Sep 2012, 08:01 am
@Jeez-25: CC final and superrugby playoffs at the same level – Lambie has failed at that level at fullback.
Taute and Coetzee can move elsewhere and still play in their preferred positions and still better the Lambster. Le Roux is the real deal proven at super level.
17 Sep 2012, 08:03 am
@Pencil-18: they have a backline who can play at least a ‘bit of rugby’, but their coach wants their half-backs and full-back to kick the ball. Forget moneyball, this is meyerball
17 Sep 2012, 08:09 am
@RL-26:
I agree that Lambie is not the answer at 15. Imo he’s a flyhalf. But Id rather give a guy like Ludik more credit as he has been far better than Taute, Coetzee and Le Roux (who mostly plays wing) at Super Rugby level. Even Peterson or Aplon have been of the standout 15s in the past few Super Rugby seasons.
Be the best in Super Rugby then Test rugby. Simple.
17 Sep 2012, 08:25 am
The only team who can beat the blacks is the boks… The forwards showed what we were made of… We played dominantly upfront we lacked composure at the back…
If heineke makes the hard choices then he need to do it now… Morne and Jean is the weakest links in backline and for that matter Ruan and Zane…
Replace them with energetic Johan Goosen Juan de Jong Francois Hougaard and Patrick Lambie…
Flippie had an good game but Etzebeth is a must. I think Ralepelle must feature and Coenie Oosthuizen is a straight swap with Jannie Du plessis still leaving Cilliers on the bench to cover both loose and tight….
Give captaincy to strauss and chilly making them co-captains… But the boks to win it @ home I know
17 Sep 2012, 08:30 am
McCaw is the Diego Maradonna of rugby.
We can say he cheats as much as we want, if its not blown by the ref, its fine.
Personally, I am just angry each time I see McCaw in a black jersey. I would love to see him in green & gold!
17 Sep 2012, 08:45 am
I’m glad Kieran Reid got blown up for sealing the ball and coming from the side. He was trying all the tricks of his trade and even got away with it a handful of times. He seemed to have one of his worst attacking games in ages.
Um, are referees not blowing the ‘daylight rule’ anymore? Attacking teams must be given the chance to at least place the ball. Refs always seem to forget this rule in the second half when they get tired.
17 Sep 2012, 08:51 am
Can somebody please explain why Frans Steyn doesn’t take all the kicking? If he has such incredible accuracy from 58metres how much more from 30metres?
And … his big match temperament is impeccable – the guy is ice cold and is a killer? What am I not seeing here?
By the way – bad maths – it was 23 points missed when you add the conversion – but these writers shouldn’t expect long range to go over – it was the persistence with the dreadful Morne Steyn that cost the game (and taking off Beast – playing a blinder – for that idiot Greyling: that didn’t help either).
17 Sep 2012, 09:03 am
The only place Kruger struggled was in the lineouts, and lineouts are a team effort – throwing, jumping, lifting and at the same time out smartin the opposition. We need time to build a formidable partnership with out locks and they in turn need to get use to our hookers throwing and lifting can also improve. Due to the young partnership at lock it is obviously a part of our game that the AB targeted – because they now it’s a new lock pairing and that we setup plays from nice clean lineout balls.
Flip played much better than before and no penalties which is a plus, but I do feel that Etzebeth was missed I think he would of thrived on Saturday. I like Bekker as super sub but I do feel inspite of Krugers struggles in the lineouts that he was subbed maybe just 10min to early. He made 1 crucial turnover and played a large role in creating another 2 with a beautiful pressure tackle from an kick-off and hitting a ruck on halfway. He also did a great job once at fighting his way through the middle of an AB maul and snatching the ball carrier at the back to produce a turnover. He also did a great job at guiding our own mauls.
The subbing of Kruger, Beast and Alberts came just a little too early our scrum subsequently struggle after the subs and our forward dominance was less.
Like I told you all last week we were in for a great surprise this weekend, Meyer has a good head, knows what he is doing. His only real mistake is sticking to Steyn, but as you can see he has openly admitted to his mistake and i think from here on forward Goosen will most likely be selected. Meyer is building a formidable bok unit that will soon slaughter all in their path including the AB. So all you nagging critical Saffer might want to think about getting behind your team and coach, especially our WP boys that are so quick to point to racism, and provincialism without ever mentioning that their beloved Cappie JDV is also currently one of the Boks weakest links.
17 Sep 2012, 09:15 am
@RL-10: Not so sure he was taunting with good reason, all the AB forwards knew they were owned and were let off by a shite bok backline .. rather Reeche should taunt Morne ..
Vermulen is 2nd game back, he will get better and if (pray to the g*ds) we also get Brussow in then we will be moving in the right direction ….Read had a good hit on Vermulen and got a pen.
17 Sep 2012, 09:16 am
@lieflingblou-33: heyneke’s substitutions are proving to be no improvement on pdv’s.
him keeping morne steyn on the field and chucking that plonker greyling on were the two fatal mistakes and they were both the coach’s fault!
17 Sep 2012, 09:24 am
HM game is not going to be popular but it plays to the Boks strengths. RSA will pull it off once they get their backs in sync. The Bok forwards dominated the ABs just the backs to let them down. the boks are a win away from finding their fluency and potentially could be destructive.
when they do it the walkie talkies will breathe a sigh of relief!!!
17 Sep 2012, 09:26 am
I thought Ruan Pienaar, one or two imperfect kicks aside, was very good.
Decision making was excellent, he played a strong tactical kicking game and dictated the rhythym and tempo of our play.
He controls and organises the forwards and is a great communicator, I am not surprised they looked so cohesive and focused today. The more Ruan plays, the better our pack will play.
I am a fan of Hougaard as well, but RP has superior game control and decision making as well as a better pass and kicking game.
And if he had been taking kicks at goal, I would bet my last piece of biltong we would have won that game.
17 Sep 2012, 09:26 am
Bt still only my beloved buls get blamed an for that matter rightly so. Jean will play the last 2 tests as he is cappie. I’d love it if we could get a bulky outside center with size speed skill and strength but after jf nothing much…
Loubscher ahead of hawies fourie or john mitchell even is way beyond my understarting( was it a quota choice any body?)
I think heineke in a small way is a bit racist but that’s that. Hope he will make meaningful changes for the benefit of springbok rugby
17 Sep 2012, 09:26 am
@poppa69-24:
What’s “meh”?
17 Sep 2012, 09:27 am
@Transformation-35: true .. bulls players deserving a spot in 22 – fh, kruger, flip …. the rest s15 level.
FFS i better not see Spies name again .. Duan is doing nicely. I suppose if Shalk ever makes it back Britney will get her comeback ..
17 Sep 2012, 09:31 am
The first thing that should be done is drop Ricardo Laubcher and Louis Koen, obviously their coaching is dropping the standards of the team.
Also JDV is not the answer at 13, sorry but someone else will have to be captain now.
Get a decent backline coach in there and why is Percy not our kicking coach?
The problem is coaching, plain and simple.
17 Sep 2012, 09:38 am
@xtremebull-29: A very insightful post for a bulls supporter.
JDj or Jordaan are our future options at 13.
Goosen/ Lambie should be our fly half options, then when Pollard grows up we have two quality options.
FB should be Tuate or JP taking up that spot.
SH, Pienaar is fine but needs to give space to his strong runners like Hougard who had the gap but for Pienaars poor spacing.
Also again, won’t matter if our coaches weaken our players, get rid of Laubcher and Koen.
17 Sep 2012, 09:43 am
In the changing room after the game, M Steyn appologised to the team and said he was aweful and feels so bad and he would kick his own ***… Lambie shouted out no let me at least I will hit the target… HM is ruining M Stey send him back to the C cup, he needs to get his confidence back… And when they say in Goosen we have a 10 that is the finished article.. I agree – But think we have had that within Lambie/Janjies and Pienaar but never really given the opportunity… But Goosen is special….
17 Sep 2012, 10:28 am
#3 Christianels22 You and a few others like you have short memories it is not so long ago you were probably singing Morne`s praises whenhe kicked that long range penalty to win the second test and the series against the British Lions.He went on to win a lot more games for the bulls and the boks with his kicking,but now it is you and a few more who are doing the kicking by kicking him when he is going through probably the worst form of his career.Sure HM should not pick a man so out of form and confidence but he did and that is not morne`s fault that is HM `s fault and he knows it.The best thing for bulls and bok rugby is for HM to drop him back to the bulls cc team and let him regain his form and his confidence we all know he has in him.The hatred shown to morne on this website is totally out of order,and to say he is the worst bok since van stratten is total ****.
17 Sep 2012, 10:29 am
42. You cant just get rid of laubscher as the coaching unit needs to be a pc blend
17 Sep 2012, 10:50 am
@Transformation-35: I agree with you on that one Dean’s fowl play was disgusting and really hotheaded. But I’m sure HM has had enough of it given Etzebeths incident of last week as well. Goal kicking responsibilities should of been handed over to someone else even in the first half when morne was still on.
But in a larger picture I feel extremely excited about our current team – well lets say the most of them everybody except a few did their utmost best and showed a courageous fight for a victory we could all taste. I’m sure with Heynecke at the helm and a group of such talent but also hardworking and youngster with a true fighting spirit we will be top very soon.
17 Sep 2012, 11:06 am
@Melchizedek-8: @RL-14: @albertdj-16: I can only assume you did not watch this year’s Super Rugby tournament.
17 Sep 2012, 11:14 am
@goodstuff-42: I agree I think Jordaan has a very bright future ahead of him in bok colours he was one of the standout performers in the junior world cup and his defense was amazing he made so many crucial cover defense tackles which was most definitely one of the factors that pulled them through against the english in the first half of the semis.
17 Sep 2012, 11:37 am
flanka – Wow when we had that last throw in 5 m form the AB line, Greyling caught the ball and all he had to do was fall and score a try, but he fluffed it. Despite him, amazing effort by the Bok forwards!!
17 Sep 2012, 13:07 pm
To reward form and class the team to front the next match should be:
15 Francois Steyn
14 Gio Aplon
13 Juan De Jongh
12 Jean De Villiers
11 Bryan Habana
10 Johan Goosen
9 Francois Hougaard
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Marcell Coetzee
6 Francois Louw
5 Andries Bekker
4 Flip Van Der Merwe
3 Pat Cilliers
2 Tiaan Liebenberg
1 Tendai Mtawarira
16 Craig Burden
17 Coenie Oosthuzyen
18 Juandre Kruger
19 Willem Alberts
20 Ruan Pienaar
21 Patrick Lambie
22 Lwazi Mvovo
Rest of squad:
23 Adriaan Strauss
24 Francois Malherbe
25 Dewald Potgieter
26 Jano Vermaak
27 Elton Jantjes
28 Louis Ludik
17 Sep 2012, 13:33 pm
My Bok team fully fit and my personnal views
15 Jaco Taute
14 JP Pietersen
13 Jaque Fourie
12 Francois Steyn
11 Bryan Habana
10 Patrick Lambie
9 Francois Hougaard
8 Duane Vermeulen
7 Schalk Burger
6 Francois Louw
5 Andries Bekker
4 Eben Etsebeth
3 Jannie Du Plessis
2 Bismark Du Plessis
1 Tendai Mtawarira
16 Schalk Brits
17 Brian Mujati
18 Willem Alberts
19 Marcell Coetzee
20 Ruan Pienaar
21 Johan Goosen
22 Jean De Viiliers
23 Chilliboy Ralepelle
24 Gurthro Steenkamp
25 Juandre Kruger
26 Siya Kolisi
27 Jano Vermaak
28 Peter Grant
29 Juan De Jongh
30 Jaco Taute
17 Sep 2012, 13:34 pm
Woops should be Aplon at 15
17 Sep 2012, 15:35 pm
Willie le Roux @ 15; JPP 14; Jaque Fourie 13; Frans 12; Hougie/Bryan 11; Goosen 10; Sarel P 9
Ruan hasn’t set the world alight since promotion to starter. This has to be the last Test season for Morne & Jean.
18 Sep 2012, 03:52 am
Sarel “two step then float a pass” P at 9????? WTF, did you even watch a Tahs game this year where he played, he is a Currie Cup player at best
18 Sep 2012, 15:49 pm
PETITION AGAINST MORNE
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