Boks aim to squeeze Blacks
2 Oct 2012
Heyneke Meyer says the Springboks’ best chance of beating the world champions is through a superior forward showing as well as a pin-point tactical kicking display.
The Boks thrashed the Wallabies last Saturday, running in five tries. It was a superb all-round effort where the Boks executed their game plan perfectly and a change at flyhalf made all the difference to their attack.
The Boks have not, as some fans and critics suggest, changed their game plan. Meyer has made it clear that not much will change when the Boks tackle the All Blacks at Soccer City, although he did concede that it would be a far tighter match, a real arm-wrestle.
‘We will never beat them by playing them at their own game,’ Meyer said. ‘We won’t out-manoeuvre or out-run them. No, if we’re going to beat them we must force them to play our game. We will have to put the necessary pressure on them, on defence, at the breakdown and through our kicking game.’
The Bok pack has been in outstanding form recently, turning in a powerful display in Dunedin that unfortunately wasn’t translated into scoreboard dominance.
The forwards produced another platform-setting performance in Pretoria, and Meyer lauded the collective after Saturday’s game. On Monday, he was still reaching for the superlatives, and stating that another hard-nosed display was needed to upset the All Blacks.
‘I’ve been very happy with them, and I think [assistant coach] Johan van Graan must take a lot of the credit too. We’ve suffered some big losses this year. We lost three quality locks [Victor Matfield retired, while Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw are now playing abroad]. We’ve also lost a number of loose forwards to injury [Schalk Burger, Juan Smith and Pierre Spies to name a few], but the forwards that have come in have done an outstanding job.
‘They were superb in that loss in Dunedin, and again in Pretoria. I think Andries Bekker played his best Test last Saturday, he had a very high work rate. He is really starting to hit form. Francois Louw and Duane Vermeulen have also stepped up, and I’m happy with the way that loose-forward combination is working, also with Marcell Coetzee coming off the bench.
‘Suddenly we’re competing against the best in the world,’ Meyer continued. ‘It will be another huge test for us again this Saturday.’
The Bok coach did concede that dominance up front is meaningless if you can’t convert that pressure into points. Last Saturday was the first time that the Boks played with confidence and converted their attacking chances. Meyer hopes this will be carried through to the next Test, and that the Boks will also improve on their erratic goal-kicking.
He intimated that the side that fronts the All Blacks won’t differ from the one that started against the Wallabies, unless of course injuries force his hand.
‘I like to plan for the long-term, I don’t like to chop and change. They are playing with more confidence, and they are starting to execute the game plan. That confidence can be contagious.
‘Somebody told me today that we are now ranked No 2 in the world. I don’t like to talk about myself, but when I started we were ranked No 4. So we are doing something right. It’s a process, and if we win this weekend, we would have not lost a home game in 2012. It will show that we’ve come a long way.’
By Jon Cardinelli, in Johannesburg
133 Comments
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1 Oct 2012, 17:31 pm
I will be in Soweto
At FNB
And already I feel like I should scrap the trip
Continuous insistence on kicking everything to the most dangerous back 3 in the world will only get Boks smashed
Add the fact that Boks will not get the AB fwds as they were in NZ.Bite me once….
Wise a nice victory on weekend for Boka but with so many injuries and 14 men etc in already the weakest wallaby side in a while…..pump the brakes on the euphoria
The demolition of Argies only further illustrated that if u dont play positively,you wil catch it.
Boks alway front at home especially on D,but if we kick kick kick execution over innovation…expect to see the back of Dagg’s boots under the poles a few times
1 Oct 2012, 17:40 pm
@mshiniwami-1: Sound the alarm! Mshiniwami is breaking out!
Get back in the laager dammit!
Yeah accurate kicking is essential as long as it’s for territory and not to try and hit the birds above the stadium…
1 Oct 2012, 18:01 pm
‘We will never beat them by playing them at their own game,’ Meyer said. ‘We won’t out-manoeuvre or out-run them. No, if we’re going to beat them we must force them to play our game. We will have to put the necessary pressure on them, on defence, at the breakdown and through our kicking game.’
Ohforfuckssakeman. This here is the reason I wasn’t too ecstatic about the Bok’s win.
I don’t trust this sneakyfuckerasfaraswhatIcanseehiswalkietalkie.
Prepare for Morne Steyn to be in the Match 22…with a possible start.
I will hang my head and wail…and wail…and wail.
1 Oct 2012, 18:17 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-3: Look I’m not a massive Meyer fan but he said he’s not changing anything barring injury and considering he dropped Morne for the Loftus game you should give him the benefit of the doubt.
You’re being extremely bias and making us honourable, awesome and most logical WP fans look bad!
Pull up your socks sir or Tac will eat you for breakfast!
1 Oct 2012, 18:19 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-3: Wail? We have enough of that in the Hilux Fish Hoeker.
1 Oct 2012, 19:27 pm
Sorry – this might not be the best thread for this question but I have to ask the gurus because my friends look at me with blank faces when I suggest this.
I am convinced Goosen should have been awarded a penalty try in that TV ref incident during the Aussie game. I said so at the time and after replays I am more sure and I dont understand how it is not part of the discussion with the TV ref.
Pat McCabe tackled him, never released, never recovered his feet, never rolled away, and in fact intentionally got himself over Goosen so he could smother the ball. Had he released goosen would have had a pretty simple opportunity to reach forward and place the ball.
Why is it just because the mans a foot from the try line all the tackle and ruck laws go out the window.
1 Oct 2012, 21:13 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-3: meyer possibly pulling sheep wool over your and kiwi eyes. We all saw how the game plan was different yet he insisted it wasn’t. Now the kiwi bird doesn’t know how the bokkie will catch him
1 Oct 2012, 21:21 pm
If Flow gets injured early we’re done for. Brussouw should be openside cover.
1 Oct 2012, 21:31 pm
In sports, you always beat the opponent off the field first. So I really hope this talk about tactical kicking, the all blacks are a massive challenge,etc is just talk and mind games.
1 Oct 2012, 21:49 pm
@GreenFan-6: In effect, yes – those rules do go out the window close to the try line. The officials know they can’t expect defenders to release and roll away, giving the attacker the chance to place the ball neatly on or over the try line. In any case, I think it should have been a try as Goosen made no second movement. Yes, he didn’t release – but it was only a matter of a second or two at most, which is well within the leeway given to the tackled player anywhere else on the field.
15.4 THE TACKLER
(a) When a player tackles an opponent and they both go to ground, the tackler must immediately release the tackled player.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(b) The tackler must immediately get up or move away from the tackled player and from the ball at once.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(c) The tackler must get up before playing the ball and then may play the ball from any direction.
Sanction: Penalty kick
15.5 THE TACKLED PLAYER
(a) A tackled player must not lie on, over, or near the ball to prevent opponents from gaining possession of it, and must try to make the ball available immediately so that play can continue.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(b) A tackled player must immediately pass the ball or release it. That player must also get up or move away from it at once.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(c) A tackled player may release the ball by putting it on the ground in any direction, provided this is done immediately.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(d) A tackled player may release the ball by pushing it along the ground in any direction except forward, provided this is done immediately.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(e) If opposition players who are on their feet attempt to play the ball, the tackled player must release the ball.
Sanction: Penalty kick
(f) If a tackled player’s momentum carries the player into the in-goal, the player can score a try or make a touch down.
(g) If a player is tackled near the goal line, that player may immediately reach out and ground the ball on or over the goal line to score a try or make a touch down
1 Oct 2012, 21:53 pm
@GreenFan-6: If the referee wanted to stick to the letter of the law of 15.5, then he should also have rigorously applied 15.4 – in which case, your penalty try would be the logical outcome.
1 Oct 2012, 22:01 pm
I hope that we get Flouw back in the domestic system again. Other than Brussouw there is no other real opensider in the country. For the Stormers of course…..
1 Oct 2012, 22:11 pm
@GreenFan-6: I should preface this by saying i’m talking out my ar*e and don’t know the laws but it looked to me that the tackler and tackled player were in the in goal so the ruck rules no longer apply and he was trying to hold Goosen up. Also, Habana flopped all over McCabe before he could roll away.
What I don’t understand is at least a couple of times during the super 15 teams scored when the player was shunted over the try line. Not through his own momentum but of his team mates. They tended to award the try (although i think Bryce Lawrence may have been the TMO on one of those occasions) although the commentators disagreed. Perhaps the TMOs were given instructions it is illegal
1 Oct 2012, 22:17 pm
@GreenFan-6: Also, not to stir, but we kiwis get a lot of kak for our tries from forward passes, which is why i tried not to whine after the French won via one in RWC 2007. But did you notice how many “flat” passes the boks made on the weekend? It turns out when the backs start scoring tries there are a few forward passes that the refs don’t pick up on.
But if it happens this weekend i reserve my right to whinge
1 Oct 2012, 22:20 pm
“Somebody told me today that we are now ranked No 2 in the world. I don’t like to talk about myself, but when I started we were ranked No 4. So we are doing something right.”
Heyneke just forgot to mention that SA swapped places with then 3rd placed France the very next week after his appointment exclusively thanks to Froggies drawing at home with the Paddies and then suffering 2 consecitive losses to the Poms and Dragons (thus tumbling down in the rankings) while Boks did not play at all.
So effectively Heyneke started with comfortably 3rd placed Boks, so he’d better refrain telling half-truths.
1 Oct 2012, 23:32 pm
@GreenFan-6: Good point. Behind the gaolline everything goes. But this happened …where?? Interesting!!!
2 Oct 2012, 01:17 am
Meyer you 1st PR note bud:
You talk too much! Say as little as possible and never talk about game plan and how you are going to play an oposition, especially the Blacks. It would come back to and bite you.
A politition never answers a question, have you ever realised that. They always talk around it…
There’s a reason why…
So keep it short and sweet explaining nothing.
2 Oct 2012, 01:23 am
Our depth is slowly looking better and better, so far. Nothing came be taken from the Oz game as they were a B team. Even Habanana’s “Magic” is over estimated. To very simple things he nearly stuffed up. ONe the quick start where he tapped it on his foot, here he nearly bolloxed it completely just managing to hold ON to the ball and plunded into Ozzies.
Two his try under the posts , was so happy casual that an Ozzie player nearly prevented the try which he had iternity to place the ball down.
Did you see the Goose’s reaction here to the Ozzie player. What a diick!
2 Oct 2012, 02:14 am
@optiplay-16:
If all this happened behind the goalline then surely it was a try, not?
2 Oct 2012, 02:28 am
PS. I was listening to the Oz commentators and they all agreed it was a try.
2 Oct 2012, 03:00 am
Jaco Taute, who debuted alongside captain Jean de Villiers, said he couldn’t wait to face the All Blacks. “I’m excited. I enjoyed my debut, it flew past, but it’s every boy’s dream to face the haka and I’ll be very motivated for that if I get a chance. You always want to measure yourself against the best.”
The couch critics on KEO hate the Haka yet its every players dream to face it, I wonder who is right.
2 Oct 2012, 03:23 am
The thing that made the Boks effective last weekend was not a runing game, but a balanced game that keeps defences guessing. Never say never to anything. use teh conditions. And never do the same thing three times- it becomes predictable.
Reverting to tactical kicks only makes the Boks easy to defend against. If its no, have a go.
2 Oct 2012, 03:56 am
@NZINCHINA-21:
He’s just blowing smoke up your ar se to make you feel good. You blokes need positive affamation all the time don’t you?
2 Oct 2012, 05:06 am
@whatever-23:
Seems you know a bit about things up yabum and feeling good.
Clown
2 Oct 2012, 05:08 am
@SjamBok-22:
and lets also not forget at least 10 frontline Aus players out injured, your backline still crabs sideways, Goosen needs to watch Carter and see how he darws the man before passing
@whatever-23:
We don’t need to feel good, we have every trophy there is to win and have won our last 15 tests, how about your boys?
2 Oct 2012, 05:17 am
@NZINCHINA-25:
Dont ask that dipstick a question, his answer will be doos this and doos that.
2 Oct 2012, 05:36 am
@Hurricane-26:
Hurri he won’t answer that question.
2 Oct 2012, 05:53 am
@Hurricane-26:
Not really, you boys deserve your trophys, what alot find irritating is the schoolboy gloating and the my d ick is bigger than yours BS. Very childish, and yes makes you look like doos’s
2 Oct 2012, 05:55 am
and Hurricane you should know all to well that the pendulum swings dude………….all to well, it was tears in ’95 and ’07 and ’09 ……………….
2 Oct 2012, 06:41 am
@whatever-23: he he .. we have our resident kewees on keo to keep us in line … I dont think Meyer is seriously proposing a return to k&c .. however I do agree the forwards are going to have a much tougher battle than in Dunedin.
))
Lets hope Goose doesnt get too open mouthed in amazement at Carter
2 Oct 2012, 07:20 am
@whatever-28:
i’ve come to view it as a very, very long term educational / enlightenment / coming of age project / process.
2 Oct 2012, 07:39 am
Ab’s paying $2.90 for 13 and over, might be worth a flutter. There is only going to be two outcomes, very tight or Ab’s by more than a few.
2 Oct 2012, 07:44 am
@whatever-28:
I agree, some of the comments from us Kiwi’s have been a bit pointed, but in a large part were riposte’s to some outrageous prediction, comment or verdict pushed into our noses with zero substance to support them.
Apparently this is called banter, which I am not very good at, so I avoid it.
If I tell someone I think they are a ****, I mean it.
2 Oct 2012, 07:58 am
I think it victory will come down to these match ups
1. Goosen v Carter – ill give it to Carter purely on experience
2. Louw v MCCaw – Louw wins this because he’s slight more aggressive
3. Habana v Jane – Habana to edge it based on current form
4. Ruan v Smith – Smith is far quicker and can run from the base of the ruck (but he is due a shocker what better time than this weekend)
* Locks v Locks – Boks have the edge with more mobility and line out capability
* props v props – its dead even
* centres – Abs have a better pair
At this stage it looks dead even but having said that it wont even be close , travel factor gives the boks all the advantage
Boks 40 – ABs 18
2 Oct 2012, 08:03 am
@NZINCHINA-32:
I agree the AB’s should win, but the margin is anyone’s guess.
Once a team like the AB’s get a decent lead, the opposition seem to stop playing their normal game. Hence the two matches this year where Ireland and Australia lost the plot and were dorked to Zip.
Same with Argentina last weekend. After 25 minutes it was clear they were only going to win via a miracle, and that was how they played, rather than shutting us down, limiting the damage and stick to nudging their own score up with goal kicks and pray for some horror error by the AB’s.
2 Oct 2012, 08:06 am
@boktillzero-34:
There in lies the exact example I needed for my post #33
2 Oct 2012, 08:06 am
Boksnok ill eat .my hat if the Bok score wont happen sonny you can put the house on that.
Youll give Carter over the crying little boy on experience, the young man has 100 tests, thousands of points, Irb player of the year awards etc before hes even mentioned in the same breath as the “great” Dan Carter.
2 Oct 2012, 08:08 am
Score 40 points
2 Oct 2012, 08:11 am
“I don’t like to talk about myself, but when I”
1st and last letters are the same.
DH
2 Oct 2012, 08:15 am
@boktillzero-34:
very well put and reasoned assesment.
coulnd’t agree more.
2 Oct 2012, 09:02 am
@whatever-28:
lol
@whatever-29:
So in 17 years, we have cried 3 of those years…… not bad.
Meand the other 14 we have been happy and you guys have cried…… backing the wrong team whatever
2 Oct 2012, 09:05 am
I HOPE Meyer is saying one thing and planning another…. because if he thinks last Sat’s better showing was all due to ” the game plan” and tactical kicking than god help us. Time for the players to be told to believe in themselves and then take over – like they used to with PdV. Goosen was good but it was the whole idea of flatter ball, ball in hand and NOT aimlessly kicking it away to those players that HM says are better runners than us !! I HOPE the man talks with forked tongue – because he doesn’t make any sense otherwise.
2 Oct 2012, 09:10 am
@whatever-28: says the man whose form in 09 was nothing short of outstanding.. paybacks a ****** isnt it?
learn the lesson, then maybe we wont have to return serve..
but nah, I envision if the boks win this weekend we’ll get all the normal rabid fans out in full force..
I understand though, it is rare that you beat us these days, so every moment must seem extra special..
2 Oct 2012, 09:15 am
@whatever-29: “and Hurricane you should know all to well that the pendulum swings dude………….all to well, it was tears in ’95 and ’07 and ’09 ……………….”
Yeah, mate, I recall very well all those talks about “swinging pendulum” after 3N 2009 here. I guess you were farken right, it did swing bloody fast and furious.
2 Oct 2012, 09:20 am
@poppa69-43:
Hey Pops
At least we dont say things like we wont go to SA until they get better. Why even get off the plane, we have won…… boy those posts were great in 2010 before the 3 nations.
hahaha wish i kept some of those posts.
2 Oct 2012, 09:22 am
Shame poor kiwis
So hard done by here
2 Oct 2012, 09:29 am
@Hurricane-45:
I love the recurring idea that SA would improve if they moved North and left SANZA.
That sort of thinking has no doubt been well thought out over a huge dump, which has left the poor sod’s light headed.
2 Oct 2012, 09:29 am
No point getting too far ahead of ourselves. We had a good win on saturday, and it was good to see the guys running the ball effectively. It is important to bear in mind that we were playing a severely weakened Aussie side, on our best homeground, and they had 14 men on the field for a significant amount of time. Our scoreline should have been better than it was.
Anyway, we looked much better with Goosen instead of Steyn. Lots of positives to take out of the game, and a lot to look forward to ths week. The ultimate test of our progress is to play the AB’s. I think it will be close and I do hope we get a win, for then we can really feel we are on track.
Congratulations to you Kiwis for having taken the Championships his year, some great rugby from your team. Always good to watch!
2 Oct 2012, 09:30 am
@Dawn-46:
Are we?
2 Oct 2012, 09:30 am
@Hurricane-45: me too..
you must understand though mate..
most SA fans were happy the Argies joined the comp because coming last 10 times out of 16 was getting unbearable… they seen it as a asure fire way to avoid their collection of wooden spoons spilling forth from the bare cupboard.
now an AB win and an Argie win on the weekend just could see them finish last yet again.. a different spoon, but a spoon none the less
no wonder some of them are a bit uppity
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