More grey matter at gainline
24 Sep 2012
Eddie Jones says Springbok players have the intellectual and technical skills to generate a quick turnaround of their sterile attacking play but stressed their tactics, particularly at the gainline, have to improve.
There has been widespread dismay at the Springboks’ perceived attacking conservatism. The bulk of the criticism has been aimed at predictable forward punches at the gainline and a heavy focus on tactical kicking.
There certainly hasn’t been a lack of time spent in the opposition’s 22m, but their play in that zone has largely been uninspiring and lacking a clear plan or consistently good option taking.
There is virtually no chance of the Springboks winning the Rugby Championship title, but there have to be significant improvements across the board, with their attack a focal point.
Jones speaks with authority on this subject given his success in his role as an attack consultant with the World Cup winning Springboks of 2007.
The team were the top try scorers at the tournament in France, winning many admirers with the fluent and potent style. There wasn’t a dramatic departure from their traditional strengths, but Jones refined and added subtle dimensions to their attacking play. The two combined to be a potent cocktail which the former Australia head coach believes this generation of Springboks can rediscover if they make some changes.
‘The basic problem at the moment is a lack of [a discernible] attacking philosophy in terms of how they want to play,’ Jones, now Japan head coach, told keo.co.za. ‘Their play at the moment is early 2000 Bulls forward attack – one-off runners that rely on brute strength to win the gainline.’
Meyer’s early Bulls teams (to whom Jones refers) were predictable and struggled as a result, losing heavily in their formative years. They gradually improved their attacking repertoire and became one of Super Rugby’s most prolific try-scorers, particularly in their three championship-winning campaigns.
Time, however, is not a commodity Meyer has in abundance. His team have lost two and drawn two of their seven Tests, testing the faith of even Meyer’s most ardent supporters. Jones, however, is optimistic. The improvements he was the catalyst for happened off the back of only a couple of weeks with the team. He said there has to be a purposeful shift towards adding greater variation though.
‘South African players are skilful and good learners, so a quick turnaround is there. [But] they need to get a cohesive attacking philosophy based on approaching and hitting the gainline with options. [If they do] the team’s attack will improve considerably.’
By Ryan Vrede
164 Comments
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24 Sep 2012, 15:25 pm
@blik-99:
No blik…………………………………………………I have only ever pointed the finger once.
1995.
What ……………………… did you Okes get different TV coverage from the rest of the world?
Was that part of the conspiracy.
24 Sep 2012, 15:30 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-100:
SA have beaten NZ 14 Times since 89.
For a winning percentage of 29%.
You are digging yourself into a deep dark hole here Bakkies.
24 Sep 2012, 15:32 pm
@cane-102:
17 times cane.
24 Sep 2012, 15:34 pm
since the advent of legalised cheating and fixed outcomes
naturally you have the wood over us.
24 Sep 2012, 15:40 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-103:
NZ vs SA…………………….1989 to 2012
Played 47
Wins 32
Losses 14
Draws 1
New Zealand’s Trophy Cabinet (at end of 2013)
24 Sep 2012, 15:42 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-104:
Since the advent of Neutral Referees,
naturally the playing field has been leveled.
24 Sep 2012, 15:47 pm
@cane-105:
yes, you’re right.
i was counting since 86 when you lost 3 from 4 against us.
so to correct 17 from 86 and not 89.
24 Sep 2012, 15:47 pm
@cane-106:
you wouldn’t know the first thing about neutral refs or level fields.
24 Sep 2012, 15:49 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-107: now whose cheating?
86 wasnt a sanctioned test series, apart from IN SA..
thats so laughable… like saying you would have won 87 because of those 86 results..
dumb delusional; knuckle dragging neanderthals like yourself should really just fck off from our game..
you ruin it for everyone..
24 Sep 2012, 15:50 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-108:
“ja listen boys you can go home after the series but I have to live here” Houston you’re looking foolish again.
24 Sep 2012, 16:00 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-108:
Level is my middle name.
24 Sep 2012, 16:09 pm
@cane-105: 14 tests in 23 years? considering how often we play each other that is embarrassing from a SA perspective..
24 Sep 2012, 16:09 pm
@cane-101: Quit your self importance. I am talking about Laurie Mains
24 Sep 2012, 16:18 pm
@poppa69-109:
your game..?.. haha that is larfable
say what you like they were here with your peoples consent, from top to bottom
you know it
@NZINCHINA-110:
honestly china, is there nothing to do in hainan province?
china’s such a wonderful sounding place, you should get out.
i for one would love to travel its countryside.
24 Sep 2012, 16:19 pm
@cane-111:
and whats your first and last..?..
‘fark’ and ‘fields’..?..
24 Sep 2012, 16:22 pm
@poppa69-109:
we would have beaten you shittless in 87.
god forbid we did’nt make it.
imagine that, the world would never be the same.
1 wc in 7 attempts…
24 Sep 2012, 16:23 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-114:
until you display some honesty and admit that the majority of tests played in SA were stacked with cheating refs like Gerty it will continue – goodnight
24 Sep 2012, 16:25 pm
cripes pops, is this you? you lot getup to strange things:
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=10835890
24 Sep 2012, 16:32 pm
@NZINCHINA-117:
goodnight china,
and get out for a bit.
24 Sep 2012, 16:51 pm
Bakkied.
obviously showing you have no intelligence. I live in Susney idiot.
I think I’ll look for a rape bews story and insinuate that it was you and your homies
you’re really pathetic. the fact you go scouring NZ news sites continuously shows just how damaged your psyche ideally is
nothing like a sore loser, knuckle dragging dumb **** with a serious chip on his shoulde
are you the SA that got caught having *** with the bodies in the morgue? or do you go around giving people burning tyre necklaces?
24 Sep 2012, 16:54 pm
farking predictive text
24 Sep 2012, 16:56 pm
Jimmy Cowan got “Bakkied”
24 Sep 2012, 17:02 pm
@poppa69-120:
alweer dronk..?..
tiepies…
24 Sep 2012, 17:05 pm
predictive drinking more like it
24 Sep 2012, 17:06 pm
@poppa69-120:
did i touch you on your studio?
24 Sep 2012, 17:08 pm
I’m not a deluded ignorant fool like you Bakkies. you’re one useless fcked up mamparra.
have you raped anyone today?
24 Sep 2012, 17:09 pm
Eddie…………………………………..remember Eddie.
This is a thread about Eddie.
Lets not forget that.
Eddie was a loser.
Eddie is a loser.
Eddie now coaches Japan.
Eddie will remain a loser.
Saffas love Eddie.
Eddie loves Saffas.
See the pattern.
24 Sep 2012, 17:14 pm
Jonesy, have you forgotten you are an Aussie, mate?
Grey matter? Grey? On this Day of Heritage, do you not realise it is a colour that is fifty shades of grey too dark for the rugby ‘boertjie’? Poor fools only believe in the white stuff which they in their deluded fashion think is the “Right Stuff”.
Little are they aware that their preference, white matter, is really just fatty matter which is there to absorb all the shock their ‘stampkar’ rugby demands of them..
24 Sep 2012, 17:19 pm
@poppa69-126:
no, have you beaten the shitt out of your maori b i t c h ..?..
24 Sep 2012, 17:20 pm
you sound grumpy
is she not making the man some farking eggs..?..
24 Sep 2012, 17:22 pm
@poppa69-109: I believe we would have won 87 because of those 86 results.
24 Sep 2012, 17:25 pm
@cane-127:
god knows cane, if i could put all these kiwi lovers on a boat and pay their way over there tomorrow i would do it in a heartbeat. so many bitterbekkies and gatkruipertjies on thise site.
ja, eddie hey… i could say the same for john.
only without the losers.
24 Sep 2012, 17:26 pm
@cane-105: ’89? Seriously? ’89 was pre post-isolation bud.
24 Sep 2012, 17:29 pm
@poppa69-112: Less than 23 years considering we never played you in ’89 or 1990. While the results are embarrassing, remember recently under PdV it was virtually 50/50 and Meyer will correct his mistakes eventually. What is embarrassing too is you guys getting your dates hopelessly wrong
24 Sep 2012, 17:30 pm
@poppa69-126:
“have you raped anyone today?”
Good god. This is a new low, even for a scumbag like you.
24 Sep 2012, 17:31 pm
@mikeybrass-134:
considering the extent of their cheating on and off the pitch its a miracle we’ve won anything at all.
24 Sep 2012, 17:33 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-136: We’re our own worst enemies. By trying to bash over them all the time in a predictive fashion, we give them countless opportunities to cheat. We need to be smarter in our play.
24 Sep 2012, 17:36 pm
@mikeybrass-137:
the refereeing also needs to be fixed.
thank god those two dooses are out.
its small compensation i suppose now that they’re done ‘fixing’.
24 Sep 2012, 17:39 pm
@mikeybrass-137:
meyer’s approach is clearly to first establish a set level of playing execution and once perfected to build on this with little smart touches.
24 Sep 2012, 17:39 pm
We have to win at Soccercity otherwise they’ll break the winning streak record.
They’ll take it to 16 and probably win everything on their EOYT.
So that win is vital.
24 Sep 2012, 17:44 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-139:
Yes, you first have to get through the “wax on, wax off” phase before you get to the fancy part.
Problem is can he win during this teething phase.
24 Sep 2012, 17:46 pm
@Jeraldjay-141:
i will certainly be putting my money on my mouth at the bookies in this regard.
considering how hard and close the away squad pushed them i would say the home squad will win both tests, pretty or ugly but win it they will.
24 Sep 2012, 17:56 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-142:
I hope so. Bok teams shouldn’t lose on the highveld.
Next year I reckon we should do well in the Championship. Hopefully most of the senior players will be back: Schalk, Juan Smith, JPP, and FDP…..
An 80% win ratio in is non-negotiable.
24 Sep 2012, 18:01 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-139: The plan does array without winning and causes confusion when the same players demonstrate better degrees of skills back at their franchises. Meyer has made a mistake, particularly with his selections. Hope he corrects them.
24 Sep 2012, 18:04 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-138: Fixing the refereeing is a lost cause from the inside. We need to force our wins on other sides.
@Jeraldjay-141: They must beat the ABs, if only to stop Poppa from being even more insufferable than what he is now.
I doubt Juan Smith will be back at international level and even if he does, whether it will be for long. Schalk will return as will JPP. As for FdP, doubt it.
24 Sep 2012, 18:16 pm
@Jeraldjay-143:
agreed.
somehow i’ve got a feeling that meyer’s gonna build up momentum with the boks and go on a winning run similar to mallets.
@mikeybrass-144:
lets agree its a bit of both then, a few poor selections but also players not executing under pressure.
@mikeybrass-145:
agreed, but if we’re not going to fix refereeing from the inside like the kiwis did and instead are going to do it from the outside, then there’s only two ways to do that.
there’s the high road which requires moering the dirty inclinations out of opposition ala the bulls and there’s the low road which involves playing a filthy cynical game like the kiiwis.
i will only support the former and will never support the latter.
24 Sep 2012, 18:17 pm
@mikeybrass-144:
HM is only interested in ensuring that his forwards and halfbacks perfect his tactics with the centres providing 2nd phase ball if it manages to get to them.
24 Sep 2012, 18:32 pm
@Jeraldjay-143: I’d only agree with you if our teams had not done so well in S15 this year
Meyer has shown himself to be really thick in the way the team has reversed this year and I don’t buy into the school of thought that we’d play better if those players were not injured.
We dominated the aussies in S15 this year and shoulda shut them out 2 love this year, but for stupid selections!
24 Sep 2012, 18:58 pm
@David-147: HM needs to balance his need to be a coach and the fact that he’s now a manager!
PdV drifted too much into managing and inspiring his players to perform, HM is trying too hard to “coach” the warrior Morne Steyn back to from
Fark tht man
24 Sep 2012, 18:59 pm
@poppa69-126: Word of advice sunshine, and you’ve heard it before.
Carry on with this type of filth and you’ll find it starts becoming a little bit more personal, and you know exactly what i mean.
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