Brutal & brainy Boks will triumph
5 Oct 2012
MARK KEOHANE says the Boks can beat the All Blacks if they are not suckered into turning Saturday’s Rugby Championship finale into a free-flowing spectacle.
Heyneke Meyer’s Boks showed the capacity to use the ball against the Wallabies, just as they did at times against England earlier in the season. There is no need to try and match the All Blacks to appease neutrals who like to see all out attack.
To beat the All Blacks will take greater discipline and won’t be as easy on the eye for those who believe that the game should only be played one way.
The appeal of rugby union is that every team has a different style. Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones once joked to the Bok players (when he worked with them during the 2007 World Cup) that if Australia had South Africa’s forwards and Fourie du Preez at scrumhalf the flyhalf would be lucky to get the ball.
South Africa’s strength has always been when the forwards, collectively, produce a pressured 80-minute display that suffocates the opposition attack. The opposition always talks up South Africa’s physicality and often it has only undermined the Bok performance on the day as individuals have erred with brutish ill-discipline.
The All Blacks traditionally have always had to fight hardest against the Boks and England for victories – and it is because both England and South Africa more often than not have had the advantage up front in size and muscle.
New Zealand, over a century, have always countered this disadvantage with the most incredible attitude in the collisions and in the tackle. Great All Black teams have always shown dominance in defence and it has been as potent weapon as their natural ability to counter attack or score the most spectacular tries.
The All Blacks, in Port Elizabeth a year ago and again in Dunedin, have tried to up the tempo of the game from the outset and played high risk rugby regardless of field position. It has suited the Boks because South Africa, especially at home and in the first quarter of a Test, are most comfortable when asked to make tackles than to use the ball on attack.
Those who seek a playing style similar to the All Blacks won’t like it but playing the percentages is the most intelligent approach South Africa can adopt.
The All Blacks rely on quick phase ball and on quality ball from lineouts and when the Boks have enjoyed success against New Zealand is when there has been enough disruption to ensure a lack of fluency.
The All Blacks battled with the Pumas’ physicality in the 21-5 win in Wellington. The weather contributed to the struggle, but the Pumas got it wrong in trying to play an expansive style against the All Blacks a week ago. The Boks will get similarly punished if they are lured into a match in which the All Blacks are allowed to settle early.
The Boks can win at home and whatever the Kiwis may say the desperation for victory will be greater for the home team. The All Blacks have already won the Rugby Championship, they are mentally exhausted from the strain of having to win the World Cup at home and their tight five is the most vulnerable unit in what is a very good outfit.
The locks are young, the front row has looked tired and laboured and Jerome Kaino, as an imposing blindside flank, has not been replaced. Liam Messan is a good player but he does not possess the Test qualities of Kaino.
The All Blacks are the best team in the world and consistently have been since the game turned professional. But like any team they can be beaten and they usually lose one match a season. They won’t lose on the end-of-year northern hemisphere tour, so the customary defeat (which gives the rest of the world hope) must come in Soweto.
Richie McCaw, in his 112th Test, will be aiming for an unprecedented 100th Test victory. The statistic is incredible, given he has played the Boks and Wallabies 45 times home and away. McCaw is colossal to the All Blacks and he was the difference between the sides in Dunedin.
But the Bok pack must believe they are stronger and equipped to negate their All Black opponents. They also have to be disciplined.
Meyer has made no secret about his approach as coach. It will be Bulls-like rugby at home against the Crusaders, and it is a recipe that has mostly been successful.
This does not mean it has to be one-dimensional or boring. There is skill in mauling, there is skill in controlling the ball with the forwards and their is skill in a kicking game that is accurate and in which the chasers turn even average kicks into good ones.
The global game needs the Boks to win on Saturday, just to keep it interesting for a bit.
My heart says Boks by six or seven points. And my mind says the same. The only proviso is they maintain their discipline, retain 15 on the field and dominate the All Blacks tight five.
Victory certainly must not add to the illusion that the Boks are better than the All Blacks. They aren’t because they haven’t had the consistency or success on the road of the men in black.
See Saturday for what it is – a match the Boks must win and one the All Blacks would like to win.
Meyer, in victory, will have a foundation to take into the end-of-year tour and next year’s Rugby Championship.
The All Blacks were brilliant in victory at the same venue two yeas ago. They silenced 94 000 with a stunning last five minutes.
The quality of the All Blacks is to be admired and applauded but if there is one team that can make them look ordinary for 80 minutes a year it is an imposing Bok team.
It has happened way too little since 1992. The Boks, on Saturday, need a new story against the All Blacks, but they don’t need a new style of play.
Victory won’t make the Boks the best team in the world but it takes them a bit closer to the goal of being the best team in the world.
271 Comments
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5 Oct 2012, 12:46 pm
@Jeraldjay-50:
I see you also watched Fire in Babylon
Fuckingamazing
5 Oct 2012, 12:48 pm
The Boks should be sitting with four wins..their pathetic kicking making their complete domination of the All Black game a farce, and their draw against the Pumas an embarrassment.
Tomorrow will come down to kicks and the most disciplined team.
5 Oct 2012, 12:51 pm
@Horings-42: Yes the Bulls did play some magnificent rugby at times. They were a brilliant UNIT at the time, playing purely to the various strengths of the players at the time. The simplicity of it, WAS the beauty.
Now roll on 5 years – and tell me, (and try to make it convincing), that the Boks will manage to beat the AB’s consistently, move to No 1 on the rankings, stay there for longer than 2 weeks, beat Ireland and France away for a change, and at some stage win a grand slam up north doing what the Bulls were doing in 2007 – (BUT without the very special players who made the Bulls gameplan in all it’s simplicity SO effective….add to that the new laws and interpretations…..)
Serious question?
5 Oct 2012, 12:53 pm
With the removal of several Sharks and Bulls players in recent weeks the Boks have a more than 50 percent chance to surprise the All Blacks tomorrow.
5 Oct 2012, 12:59 pm
@Jayp-35: rough stats…
SA vs Arg in Newlands – Kicks made 15, francois – 1, morne 6, rest 8
SA vs Arg in Mendoza – Kicks made 25, francois – 7, morne 6, rest 12
SA vs Aus in Perth – Kicks made 37, ruan – 4, morne 15, rest 18
SA vs ABs in Dunedin – Kicks made 24, ruan – 8, morne 7, rest 9
SA vs Aus in Loftus – Kicks made 19, ruan – 8, morne 4, rest 7
5 Oct 2012, 13:01 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-53: I truly believe the players coming through has more potential. The Bulls had some average flyhalves and Goosen, Jantjies and Lambie is talent wise much better than anything coming from Pretoria.
Meyer will ensure that we have a very dominant pack. He has worked a miracle with a pack that had 14 combined tests against the All Blacks before the Dunedin test. Matfield had 24 and Smit 21.
We also have some really talented backline players in JPP, Jordaan, Taute, Serfontein, Goosen and Hougaard and some of them will come through nicely.
So yes I believe that Meyer will keep it fairly simple. He will ensure the Bok pack will dominate more than they have before, only because their basics will be better than ever and to add to this we will have one of the most exciting backlines since Gerber and du Plessis ran circles around the Cavaliers. This will be a better golden era than ever.
5 Oct 2012, 13:01 pm
@Transformation-55: I thought Morne did not play at Loftus?
5 Oct 2012, 13:02 pm
@PissAnt-43: the same area we dominated them in Dunedin?
5 Oct 2012, 13:04 pm
@Transformation
Indeed, We the People hope neither side holds back. There’s a visually pleasant play the ABs have used successfully from about 4th phase whereby the flyhalf receives the ball standing relatively flat but ± 35 metres from the ruck. These are little things done for variety to which the Boks are vulnerable
5 Oct 2012, 13:04 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-53: The mere fact that those special players you refer to was nobody when HM took over at the Bulls. Victor, Bakkies, Fourie were no-names, and HM impressive coaching techniques made them, and the Bulls the formidable force they were.
This is HM’s first year with this team. He will groom them, and under his mentoring, they will become the most destructive force in world rugby. We’re by far the most talented country in terms of player numbers and quality, and now that we have a coach who knows what he’s doing, I am very confident in that we will be ranked no1 going into the 2015 RWC.
5 Oct 2012, 13:06 pm
@Transformation-46: He’s got a good pass, but a better one than, say, our very own Jano Vermaak?
Does he (Smith) have any other strings to his bow?
Why don’t we play a passing 9?
5 Oct 2012, 13:07 pm
@willievz-57: copy n paste gone wrong. the goose skopped!
5 Oct 2012, 13:07 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-53: They did play to the various strengths of the various players, but the Bulls earlier success was due to a unified team playing with some very ordinary players. Tiaan Joubert is enough said.
5 Oct 2012, 13:09 pm
@Horings-48: Wow.
“he picks a player to make decisions within a certain structure.” I’ve heard politicians make statements that are less vague than that. ‘If the flyhalf kicks more then it is because the flyhalf made those decisions, not because Meyer told him to do so.” Really? Well I must apologise then. And here I thought all along that the kick chase strategy which we’ve followed so faithfully for the last few years were dictated by coaches. Thank you for setting me straight, I now realise that it’s players who dictate the game plan.
The boks ran the ball on Saturday in situations where they would generally kick it, and as a result they scored tries and won the game. When you play a pressure game (kick chase/defend) you rely on goal kicking and win margins are always close. When you run the ball in the opponents half you score tries and win even when your goal kickers are not on form.
Ask the All Blacks. They’ve been doing it for years.
5 Oct 2012, 13:09 pm
@Transformation-58:
We did?
5 Oct 2012, 13:10 pm
@willievz-61: imo yes better than anything i’ve seen from jano.
5 Oct 2012, 13:13 pm
@PissAnt-65: hehehe better believe it
5 Oct 2012, 13:14 pm
Twitter is perfect for Capo.
The the rich tapestry of life expressed in nuggets of less than 140 characters.
5 Oct 2012, 13:14 pm
@60…Bluelabel…have you just come out of a twenty year coma?
5 Oct 2012, 13:16 pm
@Jayp-64: I think you are one of those idiot supporters that think the All Blacks run everything and the Boks run nothing. The All Blacks have won most of their games against the Boks in the last 10 years because Carter has tactically won most of them and not by running everything, but by reading the game. A flyhalf that can read the game is what Meyer want, but he should also be able to produce it on the field.
Goosen/ Jantjies ran the ball on Saturday in situations where Steyn would generally kick it, and as a result they scored tries and won the game.
Let me rephrase one of your sentences:
5 Oct 2012, 13:18 pm
Let me rephrase one of your sentences:
Goosen/ Jantjies ran the ball on Saturday in situations where Steyn would generally kick it, and as a result they scored tries and won the game.
5 Oct 2012, 13:20 pm
@willievz-57:
That is not the sort of mistake a pro blogger should be making.
5 Oct 2012, 13:22 pm
@Transformation-55: Firstly, you are sucking these stats out of you thumb (I promise you Morne did not make 4 kicks against aus in Pretoria)
Secondly, you are not differentiating i.e.. which of these kicks were strategic up and unders and from where they were kicked vs other games.
There is more Bs flying around on this site than in parliament
5 Oct 2012, 13:22 pm
@Jayp-64: At test level the coach should not dictate how the flyhalf should play. If he said to Goosen run everything then Goosen will look like an idiot. Goosen should go onto the field and make his own decisions and that is what he did. Meyer said it beforehand, it hapenned like he said it, but some people still do not believe it.
5 Oct 2012, 13:23 pm
@70 Horings…yep,and Abs usually take advantage of their opportunities.
5 Oct 2012, 13:24 pm
Lets analyse this Article by Keo:
Starting with the thread Title. Brutal & brainy Boks will triumph
5 Oct 2012.
Brutal has a capital “B”. As it should, being the beginning of the sentance.
brainy has a small b,
But being part of the Thread Title, deserves a capital. I take this to mean Keo does not fully believe what he has typed.
1.0 points NZ……………………………………………..Keo really believes NZ to be of superior in the cranium department.
5 Oct 2012, 13:25 pm
@Horings-74: Bullsh!t! goosen ran fukall and did fukking less all game. now we hear we got to be patient just like that lambie fukwad and earl rose. pienaar did really well and he actually gave backs some balls and taute was pretty good so that made the difference. also the aussie defence was open like a fukkking canyon. goose is fuking awful on defence too. looks like another overhyped job like all the others.
5 Oct 2012, 13:27 pm
@Te Rangatira-75: Ja, that is one of the things they concentrate on from early on in their careers, but I think our younger generation has caught up. I think with the Boks each era will be better than the previous until we converge to be at the same level as the ABs. Some say we should always win, but parity is what I am looking for.
5 Oct 2012, 13:27 pm
@cane-76: all blacks playing shyyte rugby. this 15 match run has games they won only by cheating (ireland/france) or games they only won by the skin of their *** coz oppo couldnt take opportunities (Boks) fukkking weak azzed run i have ever seen. crappiest blacks side since the 1999 overhyped tozzers (even zinzan said so bout 99 side hahahaha)
5 Oct 2012, 13:29 pm
@Horings-78: we are at the same fukkking level. take aawy the fuking cheating and and new zealand are average cocksukkers. thats the biggest fuking difference. we got skills, athletes just dont got the coaching. only two or three good coaches. and politics has caused chaos in the professional era destroying what mallet, jake and kitch put in place and done us no favours in other areas even ruined our junior sides for a while.
5 Oct 2012, 13:34 pm
@Blitzbok-77: Since Goosen’s first game on television I have made a point to watch games he plays in. I have not done it with anyone else in my life, because I have not seen such a talent from SA yet. His only bad game was against the Sharks in the semi last year, where the Sharks destroyed the Cheetahs pack and no one protected him against Alberts, Deysel, etc.
Many say his game for the Jong Bokkies against England was not that good, but SA should have won that game by at least 10 points if our wingers just did their job.
His goal kicking stats, although exceptional, are not telling the true story as most of the kicks he misses are more than 55 meters away from the post. He rarely misses in the opponents half.
Now, you want to put blame on 1 performance where he carried an injury and public opinion is that he played well. This was not his best performance, but he was at school 2 years ago. Would have played for the Jong Bokkies this year and he is doing pretty well I think.
5 Oct 2012, 13:37 pm
@Blitzbok-79:
Yeah right Blitzum.
And SA’s current streak is what ……………………………………………one (1).
5 Oct 2012, 13:37 pm
@Blitzbok-80:
You have athletes??
lol the 2012 Olympics suggests otherwise.
Thats all i got from your post, must be an Afrikaans or some childish language that adults cant read.
5 Oct 2012, 13:39 pm
@Horings-74: You are making no sense man. Of course the coach dictates how the players play. Kick chase has been the predominant strategy for the boks for many years now and saying that the player’s dictate this strategy and not the coaches makes no sense.
Of course the flyhalf/scrumhalf wont kick the ball EVERY time he gets it. Of course the AB’s also kick the ball. You need balance after all. The point is that last Sat one could see that attacking rugby was the main focus not kick chase (even though a few box kicks were made- you see balance). So either the coach changed the strategy and said- run the ball boys, or Goosen ran the ball on his own accord- but kick chase was certainly not the main strategy on Sat.
5 Oct 2012, 13:42 pm
@Hurricane-83:
He can vloek moer toe
I envy this
5 Oct 2012, 13:44 pm
@Blitzbok-80:
Politics, Provincalism, Coaches, Meatheads………………………………..the excuses go on and on……………………………………………………………and on.
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and on.
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and on, and on, and on.
I’m surprised you are not fatigued, typing them.
5 Oct 2012, 13:47 pm
@Dawn-85: I want lessons. No, I demand lessons.
5 Oct 2012, 13:47 pm
@Dawn-85:
Are you back at work yet?
Or is your Company still saving 10 million rand a day while you are on strike?
5 Oct 2012, 13:48 pm
@Transformation-55:
The last 2 games we started cutting down significantly on our kicking and viola all of a sudden it’s coming together nicely.
And I also think A. Smith is a quality player but in my view not better than Hougie was in his rookie year.
Second season at international level is always on of the harder ones for many promising young talents.
5 Oct 2012, 13:49 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-87:
Gotta hand it to him
He’s damn good
5 Oct 2012, 13:50 pm
@cane-88:
Still saving the company money
5 Oct 2012, 13:51 pm
@Dawn-51:
The music was great.
Sir Viv Richards was given a blank cheque to tour SA with the Rebels but he refused because he knew that if he went the rest would follow.
That Rasta they kept on interviewing is Bunny Wailer.
5 Oct 2012, 13:53 pm
@Jeraldjay-92:
I know.
I watched it
(eye-rolling smiley)
5 Oct 2012, 13:58 pm
@Horings-63: I have said from the start, that I will happily eat humble pie for days, if in the long term Meyer proves me wrong. As you well know I am no fan of the man’s vision, his BRAND, his methods, his ‘we are family, I’ve got all my sisters with me – even if their form sucks’ battle cry and various other things, but I will happily (and even joyfully) concede I am wrong, if he takes the Boks to any great heights. I don’t WANT him to fail, and I certainly don’t want the Boks to fail – EVER. I’m just not as sold on him as others seem to be.
@Transformation-55: Who is this “rest” fellow? The uselessfuck made more kicks than Pienaar, Steyn, Goosen and Hougaard combined. Must be a Bull.
5 Oct 2012, 14:03 pm
I just put 20,000 Rand on the Boks! PLEASE PLEASE Win!
5 Oct 2012, 14:08 pm
@Blitzbok-80: there’s a thing called stupidfuckingretardaphobia, which is the fear of stupid f*cking retards and everytime I read posts on here I think I have it.
5 Oct 2012, 14:08 pm
@strikers-95: \
With whatever you got left Striker……………………………………………………buy booze.
you are going to need it.
5 Oct 2012, 14:14 pm
@cane-97: Damn straight, caner. Moet et Chandon would be my suggestion.
5 Oct 2012, 14:16 pm
Play Bulls rugby in our half and Cheetahs rugby in their half.
5 Oct 2012, 14:20 pm
@Atreides-96:
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