Blacklash buries Boks
6 Oct 2012
JON CARDINELLI, reporting from Soccer City, watched the All Blacks punish the Springboks in the latter stages of Saturday’s Test to win 32-16.
Usually you have to wait until the end of a game for the climax, but for the South African fans at Soccer City, the best time to be around was in that period before kickoff, and the 20 minutes thereafter.
The Calabash wasn’t filled to capacity, but then 80 000 people can still make one helluva racket. Picture the majority of that 80 000 screaming the lyrics of Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika and then drowning out the Kapa o Pango, the All Blacks’ special haka reserved for big contests. If you didn’t feel the prickle of gooseflesh in that opening salvo, you must be made out of stone.
And then the Boks played. They clattered into the collisions. They pilfered lineout ball and assaulted the All Blacks’ scrum. They used that set-piece platform to good effect, scoring from a lineout near halfway.
Not many teams score against the All Blacks, and very few do it from first phase. And to go 50m for that five pointer – well it would have to be something special. It certainly was.
From the lineout, the ball flew to Duane Vermeulen who immediately turned his back to the opposition and offloaded to team-mate Francois Louw. Louw then did the same, and the move worked in that the other member of the Bok loose trio, Willem Alberts, was free to hit the gap.
The All Blacks managed to bring Alberts down but not before the big man tossed the ball up for a support player. The All Blacks attempted to intercept this pass, but only succeeded in knocking it further backward and out of reach. Jean de Villiers succeeded in coming through and winning the ball, and then finding the omnipresent Bryan Habana. When the winger rounded the poles, the crowd erupted. It was a thrilling standalone moment.
Johan Goosen had missed two difficult penalty attempts earlier in the half, but he made no mistake with this conversion or his subsequent penalty attempt. The result was a 10-0 advantage for the Boks. Against all expectations, the underdogs had raced to a commanding lead.
But soft moments – a phrase coined by Heyneke Meyer to describe his side’s tendency to lapse – have cost the Boks all season, and it was a series of soft moments that saw the Boks relinquishing this big lead.
The Boks lost concentration in the period before half-time. Bad decisions and unforced errors allowed the All Blacks back into the game, first through a try by Sam Whitelock and then another by Aaron Smith.
Elton Jantjies, on for the injured Goosen, kicked some important goals to keep the Boks in front, but as the two teams headed down the tunnel, you got the sense that the momentum had shifted in the visitors’ favour.
This was confirmed when the All Blacks scored in the first movement of the second half. The kickoff wasn’t claimed and the ball was shifted wide. Kieran Read found space down the right-hand flank and raced 40m before popping the ball to Ma’a Nonu for the try.
The Boks’ defence went from bad to worse. The All Blacks succeeded in stretching them out wide on a number of occasions, and worryingly, the Boks were starting to fall off tackles.
It was an embarrassing moment when the All Blacks cantered in for their fourth try, Conrad Smith scoring from a first-phase move. Having trailed by 10 points at one stage, the All Blacks were now 10 points ahead.
There was no way back for the Boks. Dan Carter, who looked all too mortal at times with some unforced errors of his own, began to find form as the game progressed. He booted a 60m monster of a penalty to extend the lead to 13, and then nailed a drop goal a few moments later to widen the gap to 16.
A 16-point win can’t be called ugly. The All Blacks came to play the Boks on the Highveld, and while they had already secured the Rugby Championship title, they needed to win to keep their dream of breaking the record for most consecutive Test victories alive.
The pressure was on, and when it mattered, they delivered.
The Boks played well in patches, but their effort and precision wasn’t on point in the second stanza.
They will lament the mistakes that led to try-scoring opportunities for the All Blacks, and what amounted to a hiding on the scoreboard will serve as a reminder that while they are rated No 2 in the world, they’re still a long way behind this mighty All Blacks side.
591 Comments
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6 Oct 2012, 18:56 pm
Very disappointed.
Well done All Blacks
6 Oct 2012, 19:00 pm
Now will Saffas acknowledge that Richie McCaw and Kieran Read are great players??
6 Oct 2012, 19:02 pm
@willievz-1:
Hi Willie
Looks like my favourite foreign team have blown it again!!
Wondering if I should go to the Kassam Stadium tomorrow to watch the Sarries!
6 Oct 2012, 19:03 pm
McCaw is a Legend in Rugby
Congrats to the Ab’s. I guess it isnt difficult to play against a team with prehistoric game plan
6 Oct 2012, 19:03 pm
@Delki-2:
Is this important to you then?
6 Oct 2012, 19:06 pm
McCaw is a great rugby player, but he is an even better cheater.
6 Oct 2012, 19:07 pm
well done all blacks!
All their tries we constructed, they attacked us and we got fooled by their systems, no b.itching.
They are at the apex of where we want to be.
6 Oct 2012, 19:10 pm
@Transformation-7:
Guess you won’t be rushing to buy the Pick and Pay Beanie and scarf set then!!
A bargin at 79.99 Rand !!
6 Oct 2012, 19:12 pm
@willievz-1:
Thanks Willie.
If you go and buy a lotto ticket….do not pick the numbers yourself
6 Oct 2012, 19:13 pm
Massive problems with the Springbok coaching administration at the moment:
1) Backline coach – Laubscher has to go!
2) Kicking coach – Louis Koen has to go!
6 Oct 2012, 19:13 pm
I see the Bok Town thing at Orlando Stadium was a flop.
It looked like there were only about 500 people, and i guess half was only there for the freebies. Bad organising…
6 Oct 2012, 19:14 pm
I lost 20k rand on this game, had such good odds and I let my heart lead me, deep depression now, but funny thing is, its not really about the money, its about ‘where to here for SA Rugby?’
I really thought this was our chance to string some wins together
6 Oct 2012, 19:14 pm
@Kaizan-10: And to be honest our defense coach, John McFraland is pretty kak too.
6 Oct 2012, 19:14 pm
Yes Delki
We’re not worthy
6 Oct 2012, 19:15 pm
Every game Crusaders and KRead create the over lap out wide, every game kiwis do the same yet teams just cant fkin open their eyes and defend against it.
6 Oct 2012, 19:16 pm
Lobshur & Mcfarland getting paid for sweet absolute fokall!!
6 Oct 2012, 19:16 pm
Sorry strikers
I thought you were kidding yesterday
6 Oct 2012, 19:17 pm
@kaksioek-6:
Some Bok fans are great fans,but some are just cry babies
6 Oct 2012, 19:18 pm
Lobshur f relic of the past needs to up his f game. As with Mcfaarstarland
6 Oct 2012, 19:20 pm
@Kaizan-13:
Yep, defense coach and attacking coach need to addressed.
All Blacks just found holes. But you have to remember the ABs have done this to all the teams so far this year, so Boks are not the only ones leaking tries to the ABs.
6 Oct 2012, 19:20 pm
Preach it Guns
6 Oct 2012, 19:20 pm
And wtf Meyer sups Etsebeth and keeps pekker on f joker.. After so many half *** tackles.
6 Oct 2012, 19:20 pm
@Delki-2: in the words of the great Bakkies they are “filthy cheats”
6 Oct 2012, 19:22 pm
dont forget about the head coach who has to go as well
6 Oct 2012, 19:25 pm
@RL-23:
And those filthy cheats would be picked and loved if they were South African.
6 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
Truthfully, Habana’s try was from a forward pass.
Also – Israel Dagg should not have got a yellow because there was a forward pass in the lead up to his infringement.
The score line could have been greater.
Our forwards provided us with opportunities in the form of penalties and stolen ball. We squandered those opportunities and psychologically this was draining. Our forwards seemed to lose their fire.
Credit to the All Blacks, they played better than everyone expected. If Sonny Bill is the best no 12 in the world, then Nonu surely has to be 2nd (if not 1st).
6 Oct 2012, 19:26 pm
@Transformation-7: Your buddy Rosoneri must be over the moon happy her team won – impromptu hakas going on in PE tonight.
6 Oct 2012, 19:28 pm
@Hurricane-25: indeed, we would honour them just like we do the great Bakkies.
6 Oct 2012, 19:30 pm
Meyer single handedly destroying the illusion of the greatness known as stampkar rugby and in the process devastating the psyche of afrikaner rugby kenners around the country.
6 Oct 2012, 19:31 pm
Quite poor defence from the backline, especially out wide where NZ created overlaps, which anyone knows they will try, so seems there was not good planning for it.
Maybe a coincidence, but the Boks started playing k.@.k after Goosen went off.
It all looked so good for the first half hour
6 Oct 2012, 19:33 pm
Can’t help but notice ghys like Junnie Dup being plaid into the ground with no real ample replacement atm..
Big Wakup P.K for the new junior bok squad. As for the coacches.. Time will tell, note there wont be much of it left after the EOYT.
6 Oct 2012, 19:34 pm
@daydreamer-30: it must be a coincidence.
because if it wasnt then this loss was all jantjes fault
6 Oct 2012, 19:34 pm
@Kaizan-26:
Cheers Kaizan
Look at it this way, if the Boks had the ABs backs, no team would even touch them. Course if we had your forwards same thing.
Funny how both teams are totally different in strengths by alot. Yet we play each other so many times a year.
@RL-28:
Yep and even though Bakkies was the dirtiest, we too would have picked him for starters in every game.
6 Oct 2012, 19:35 pm
Our defence is our strength – but not today; it was awful with no cover coming across – couldn’t believe my eyes – Taute is nowhere near Test level.
The leadership should take a lot of the blame – study Bok play over our history and see if we ever come out the gate for the second half all psyched up and rearing to go; that’s where they won – that crucial first 10 minutes of the second half they always treat as crucial – we don’t for some reason.
But let’s be fair here – they played really, really well; something missing in our game – including a reliable kicker: let Frans Steyn, the only South African player with self-belief under pressure, to take ALL the kicks when he comes back.
6 Oct 2012, 19:36 pm
@saru1983-32:
Yeah, cant blame one person for the loss.
6 Oct 2012, 19:37 pm
@J.B. Cowper-34:
how many threads do you plan on posting that on?
6 Oct 2012, 19:40 pm
Flip & Kruger had superb combination against kiwis in Dunedan as has Etsebeth shown his consistantly strong performances.. Not sure Bekker is the answer. Missing Bismark and JPP but no excuses. Beat by a superior AllBlacks performance.
6 Oct 2012, 19:40 pm
@J.B. Cowper-34: Ja players shouldn’t be played out of position in the Bok team. Taute is a fullback, Oosthuizen is a loosehead.
Why not give deserving players a chance. For me Robert Ebersohn should be 13 and Willie Le Roux 15.
6 Oct 2012, 19:40 pm
Look, they were are just a better team than us, that much was clear today.
But there were nevertheless a number of individuals who severely disappointed:
1. Jaco Taute – Repeatedly wrongfooted by the All Black backs with ridiculous ease. Boot him now.
2. Adriaan Strauss – Repeatedly lost the ball in contact in critical situations. Very disappointing.
3. Bryan Habana – Conceded a try singlehandedly by going for yet another unnecessary intercept.
6 Oct 2012, 19:41 pm
@Hurricane-33: Agreed. I called an AB win today but like many, I didn’t expect a 16 point gap. The Boks have a long way to go.
6 Oct 2012, 19:42 pm
And it Taute has the potential so say the Oracles they need to bring him into the game more. Definitelly missed Frans Steyn’s big defence and hard carries, would have been great to see him with Goosen or Janjies..
6 Oct 2012, 19:42 pm
Bring Percy back to coach the kickers!!!!
6 Oct 2012, 19:43 pm
@Hurricane-33: tone it down ,cane that’s a bit to much.
6 Oct 2012, 19:43 pm
@Delki-2: Not all of us mate. Kieran is the finest 8 in world rugby, and will become a great AB captain – to the manor born he is. (and contrary to what many of my countrymen seem to think, he is an awesome fellow off the pitch as well)
Richie, well……(and I include Dan Carter here) – regardless of what team one supports, it has been a privilege watching them over the years.
@Hurricane-33: I like our (Bok) forwards…..they just need some work on their skills, but in all other facets, this pack of ours has the goods IMHO of course.
@saru1983-24: The Head coach must take responsibility for his non-existent ‘assistants’. Defence coach, kicking coach, attack coach – the lot of them….pffffft – kak.
6 Oct 2012, 19:46 pm
Well done Blacks, Essentially yo beat us with 14 men.
Great team, who will now go on to the world record of unbeaten games in a stretch. Well deserved.
6 Oct 2012, 19:47 pm
Rettalick is still ugly
6 Oct 2012, 19:49 pm
@J.B. Cowper-34: the entire backline was terrible – none of them stood out. Krchner is a passenger. Habana farked up, opened the door and let the cheats. Hougie is kak and left his channel unprotected often, Taute lacks experience and JDV be a has-been.
They should all be axed dead along with that useless nobody Loubscher.
McFarland to be deported back to Scotland and Koen to be given the boot.
Heineken a public flogging for your less than 50% win ratio is fair reward for you.
Next I will review the forward – yes van Graan you are due one..
6 Oct 2012, 19:50 pm
Has anyone ever told our loosies they are allowed to cover defend????????????????????????????????????????
6 Oct 2012, 19:50 pm
I think we have a good pack of forwards. Very good in fact.
I thought Pienaar played well at 9, very well in first half.
Jantjies can keep the jersey.
Jean is not good, certainly not good or fast enough.
Taute – poor game. But very messy when it gets to 13 in Bok backline. He’s no Conrad Smith that’s for sure. But maybe. Especially if he doesn’t bloody kick.
Habs – great.
Zane – very good, and excellent line kicking.
Frankie Hollywood. Dunno.
Tackling by backline – pisspoor.
Flo – our MoM again. Vermulen excellent too. Alberts very good. I like our loosies a lot.
Canary In The Mine Moment: taking 5 minutes to take Goosen off, Meyer paralyzed. Can’t make a decision. Important moment in understanding whether he has the decision making ability.
Replacing Etzebeth Vs Bekker is dumb.
6 Oct 2012, 19:51 pm
@RL-47:
Our forwards are looking pretty solid.
Great line outs
Great scrums
Good mauling
Good general ruck clearing
Our pack is looking more than equal to the All Black forwards.
But our defence was non existing today. And our tactics were poor.
We let it open up way too much.
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