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, 22:50 pm
for all my obvious bravado, i was actually pleasantly surprised, i didnt think the boks had a hope in hell in nz, and even at home, so i was probably just right unfortunately.
6 Oct 2012, 22:51 pm
@Peter Mkata-144:
They will take that unbeaten streak to 20 games ,at least.
6 Oct 2012, 22:52 pm
Cab… I always thought Hougie was the answer but even against England he was not very good… And he played against Argies and was not up to it… I am very dissapointed… We have very good wings at home replaced by a 9 not performing…
6 Oct 2012, 22:54 pm
@fitz1ella-147: I forgot about Willie. I’d definitely squeeze him in somewhere, not sure about 10 though. He has played 10, 11, and 15, so he even be able to play 12 (defensive concerns).
9. Hougaard
10. Goosen
11. Rhule
12. Willie
13. Ebersohn
14. Jpp
15. Steyn
As we saw today, even if you get 80% of the ball, it does not count for sh it if you can run around (not over) the opposition.
6 Oct 2012, 22:55 pm
@cab-113:
Cab, if you think the ABs were offside the whole game, you have an eye problem.
Its like me saying all your passes were forward. We know a couple were and i know a couple of times we were offside. Fact is normally the Boks are offside in the backs. Habana is the worst. He thinks he is so far away from the ball no one will see him. Once offside and you never retreat, you are offside no matter what.
6 Oct 2012, 22:55 pm
@cab-151:
Nou lieg jy mos vokken lekker jou lae skurk.
Wat bo uitkom van jou is vomitus en van onder is dit net vinnig lopende K A K.
6 Oct 2012, 22:57 pm
Hougaard should be at 9 no two questions about it whatsoever..
and if Goosen is not at 10 next best option is Willie Le Roux either at 10 or at 15
Kirchner got to go, Le Roux or F. Steyn or A. Coetsee to 15
Habana is a 50/50 player 50% on target and 50% off target
JPP to right wing, Rhule to left wing
Centers, Serfontein, De Jongh, Jordaan, Ebersohn, Mapoe
Hougaard to 9 to play ONLY whipping flat out zero kicking game rugby.. NONE of the Pienaar / FdP box kicking garbage.
Then you see this back line come alive.
Taute can go to 15 or wing but not center.
6 Oct 2012, 22:57 pm
Garth… Why Ebersohn?? Been so bad at CC at the moment… Griquas centres been better… This year he has been way off rhe pace… Jordaan outplayed him tonight…
6 Oct 2012, 22:58 pm
@Peter Mkata-150:
there’s alot to be said for the way meyer can drill and motivate a forward pack, he stresses the collisions and momentum, but he’s not picking the players to beat the best, and he’s not selecting variety as you correctly point out.
PdVs boks in 2009 showed how i think the game should be played, which is a harder variety of what the ABs do, its mitchell combined with the bruteforce physicality of meyer, producing a forward platform where the offloading of pdv will rack up monster points.
We have better forwards than the kiwis, and the new zealanders know it, they were shitting themselves today and in dunedin, they didnt even expect that sort of performance from the boks, and thats with a sub-optimal pack. But it should be a surpise, WP beaten virtually every kiwi team, the only surprise is virtually none of wp players who pulled this off for 2 seasons now are selected, imagine they were?
6 Oct 2012, 23:01 pm
Boks missed Bissie and JPP so bad tonight….
6 Oct 2012, 23:03 pm
@THE MAULER-153:
no mate, argie, we had completely the wrong forwards selected, put hougie behind current forwards with bismarck at 2 and elstadt or flip at 4 and tata, we bliksem them imo
@Neilanate-156:
u think im actually worried about being right or wrong thats the amusing thing, i rather be 100 times wrong and we win today, but Boks were never really gonna do it so might as well get some gamesmanship going and try sow the seeds of some doubt, but think what u will, its even funnier that way.
6 Oct 2012, 23:06 pm
Cab the forwards weren’t that good for me tonight… First half brilliant… Second half way outplayed… All we could do was hope flo could steal us a ball or 2… Read man of the match… Made Vermeulen look like a Vodacom cup player…
6 Oct 2012, 23:07 pm
@fitz1ella-111:
“Pienaar can play 10 off bench behind Willie Le Roux now that Goosen is crocked yet again”
What about Elton? What did he do wrong today apart from not getting the front foot ball that Goosen did in the 1st 20 minutes of the game?
@Boksarenumber1-122:
“Someone should tell Heyneke that he is a Doos.
He is as stupid as PDV”
PdV never in his career as coach had a win record of less than 50%. Unlike the Messiah.
Tel jou woorde.
@Hondo-124:
“Bringing on Jantjies the Relegator?”
You mean, the Currie Cup winning Fly half, don’t you?
His kicking percentage in tests is better than that of Goosen “THE MESSIAH” at this stage, of hoe?
@Hondo-129:
“The Boks were going reasonably well with Goosen on the field (with noticeable help from the referee)
The whole thing collapsed thereafter, the Boks were completely dysfunctional.
Should make some of us thinking”
Your point with this is that Jantjies came on when a (again) crocked Goosen went off, neh?
You really want to blame the lost on Jantjies?
Really? Honest question.
I know that you watch rugby as objectively as you can (except when there are POC’s in the team) but this comment does not make sense, even coming from you.
6 Oct 2012, 23:07 pm
@Hurricane-155:
no, i think (and you will disagree) that its a pre-conceived and calculated tactic by hansen, who learnt it from white, but nevertheless they were all offside today and ive noticed it in a number of games v the Boks, its like the ozzie obstructing runners, i believe you guys take this aspect of the game too the edge. That said, i think rolland was pretty good for the Boks and he had no real impact on the outcoe, Boks got deservedly hammered by a better team on the day.
6 Oct 2012, 23:08 pm
@THE MAULER-162:
read is so overrated. he does offload well, but carthorse.
6 Oct 2012, 23:10 pm
Cab… Overrated was Man of the match… Shows you how bad the boks were…
6 Oct 2012, 23:11 pm
Kirchner must cruise, Louis Ludick should be in there. He’s good under the high ball, great on defence and runs a solid, straight line. He can turn a ball over too at the break down which is good at last line of defence!
6 Oct 2012, 23:12 pm
Nama1… Ask what Janties did right… He kicked well to poles… But distribution was way off… Defense?? Seriously… He came on when Boks were In control and the lost the plot…
6 Oct 2012, 23:13 pm
@Neilanate-152:
“They will take that unbeaten streak to 20 games ,at least.”
The last game vs Aus in the Bledisloe to equal the record.
Tree games in Europe to take it to 20.
Three test in NZ next year to take it to 23.
Then to be stopped somewhere along the line by the Boks or Aus in the RC next year.
Around 25-30 unbeaten matches is my prediction.
6 Oct 2012, 23:14 pm
RAI8 agree on Ludik… Been playing well all year…
6 Oct 2012, 23:22 pm
okay i have my rant
good luck to the Bok supporters
i cant do this **** anymore
6 Oct 2012, 23:25 pm
Never heard of a kiwi with yellow hair
6 Oct 2012, 23:26 pm
@THE MAULER-162:
“Cab the forwards weren’t that good for me tonight… First half brilliant… Second half way outplayed…”
@THE MAULER-168:
“Nama1…He came on when Boks were In control and the lost the plot…”
@THE MAULER-168:
What???
Did you even watch the match?
Jantjies came on in about the 30th minute of the 1st half when the Bok forwards were still in control of the match, as you rightly say.
When they could not control the kick off to start the 2nd half (after which Nonu scored), the forwards disappeared. Then Coenie replaced Jannie and it went from bad to worse.
Why is it that you agree that the forwards were nowhere in the 2nd half but you expect Jantjies to perform?
Did you see how many times Elton had to join a ruck to secure ball for the Boks because there were no forwards around to do it? He even had to play at scrum half at one stage because Pienaar was nowhere.
I’m actually not surprised by your comment.
6 Oct 2012, 23:26 pm
@Dawn-46
I’ll see your Retallick and raise you Habana. Wait, wait, I’ll throw in every chip I have: Habana, Liebenberg, Flip VDM, Greyling, Coenie Oosthuizen, Spongebob, Cilliers, Jantjies, de Jongh, Bekker, Goosen, Alberts, Vermeulen and (a double-value chip here) Strauss. : ) Mind you, let’s face it, if looks were all it took to be a champion rugby player Spies wouldn’t be rubbish.
6 Oct 2012, 23:29 pm
ok i have had my rant
i cant do this **** anymore
the future of Bok rugby belongs to Goosen and JJ
Good luck to the Bok supporters
6 Oct 2012, 23:30 pm
Nama why are you not surprised?? Cause I think Jantjies was out of his depth? He did nothing… Had 60 minuted with a strong bok team and was nowhere… Nonu targeted him and Taute…
6 Oct 2012, 23:30 pm
@ Dawn-172
You’ve never heard of a kiwi with yellow hair? How soon we forget. Does the name Jerry Collins ring a bell? (He used to ring a few when he was playing the Boks.)
6 Oct 2012, 23:32 pm
Watsup Monty
Spies is average Eben is the business
6 Oct 2012, 23:35 pm
@ nama1-169
Wow, you seem so confident. Maybe you better do my sports betting for me? lol
6 Oct 2012, 23:36 pm
Jerry dyed his hair
This Yellowhairman. Maybe it’s Jerry?
6 Oct 2012, 23:37 pm
The Boks between a rock spider and a hard place to quote Skop. Meyer needs all the help he can get, and between Loubscher, Van Graan, Koen and McFarland he aint getting it.
6 Oct 2012, 23:38 pm
There is not that much wrong with the team apart from a thinking player at 8 (KEEGAN DANIEL) with Coetzee at 7. (Alberts on for 25-30 minutes in the 2nd half)
Hougaard at SH.
Jantjies at FH, Lambie, de Jong in the midfield. (Frans Steyn is useless if he can’t kick long drops or long penalties)
Yes, I know you’ll tell me about the defense in the midfield. That’s your problem. If they score FOUR tries, like they did today with our BIG 100kg centers, we’ll score five tries.
Habana and JPP on the wings.
KIRCHNER at FB.
6 Oct 2012, 23:39 pm
@ cab-165
You think Read is an overrated carthorse? In that case, the Boks could use a few overrated carthorses.
6 Oct 2012, 23:41 pm
Jinne suddenly the place is crawling with kiwis we’ve never heard of.
Did someone send out a bulletin?
6 Oct 2012, 23:41 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-181: Nienaber for defense coach, Monty for kicking coach, Campese for backs coach, Mallet/Mitchell assistant coach. All candidates who can be realistically roped in.
6 Oct 2012, 23:48 pm
@THE MAULER-176:
How the **** did he have 60 minutes if he came on in the 34th minute?
“34 mins: Goosen limps off early, and Elton Jantjies comes on for an early run-on off the bench.” (On the Bok/AB thread)
You said yourself that the Boks forwards were outplayed in the 2nd half. How did you expect him to perform behind a pack that was getting moered?
@Monty15-179:
What is my commission?
60%?
6 Oct 2012, 23:50 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-185: Mitchell is poison, he’s a dictator and has no man-management ability. I wouldn’t have him anywhere near the Boks. The season’s not over yet, let’s see where the Boks stand come December. It’s a new coaching team and they deserve a little time, surely?
6 Oct 2012, 23:51 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-185:
Who will be the coach amongst all the coaches?
6 Oct 2012, 23:51 pm
Sticking with morne and the lack of a fetcher for most of the season aside, this team looked seriously under coached. Defence non existant, non of the Fwds running onto the ball at pace, white line fever etc
We did better when the a
Players were coaching themselves to be honest.
6 Oct 2012, 23:54 pm
@Dawn-184: I’ve been a Keo member for years, just not as vocal as some. I’m a reader not a fighter.
6 Oct 2012, 23:55 pm
Cab as per your own comment ” he came on about the 30th minute” … As in almost 60 minutes… The bok forwards were bad the second half… But so were the backs Jantjies included…
6 Oct 2012, 23:56 pm
@nama1-169:
Dit mag wel so ver gaan tot by “25-30″ soos jy skryf maar dit is ‘n helse druk op die spelers wat in daardie wedstryde moet speel veral in 2013.
Dit is uiteindelik maar net ‘n ‘Vanity Trophy’ en geen geld of trofee bestaan soos jy wel weet. Maar AB rugby op die oomblik plus laaste paar jare is kookwater.
Wat se jy van daai Windies en die vrot kapteinskap van Abe Div en swak kolfwerk van Kallis, Levi, Abe, Amla edm?
7 Oct 2012, 00:02 am
@Monty15-187:
” It’s a new coaching team and they deserve a little time, surely?”
If only somebody can tell me how long this “little time” should be. Not in terms of months/years but how many test matches.
Would 20 tests be enough before one is allowed to judge Heyneke Meyer?
He is on 9 already.
Played: 9
Win: 4
Draw: 2
Lost: 3
Win ratio: Less than 50%.
The average win ratio of the Boks since they started to play internationally is around 64%.
7 Oct 2012, 00:04 am
191 meant for Nama
7 Oct 2012, 00:08 am
Hey Cab please keep thinking Read is overrated – while he keeps running CIRCLES around the Boks. You GO BOY CAB!
7 Oct 2012, 00:09 am
In his first year as coach in 2007, PdV as coach won 2 matches in the 3N and also beat Argentina in a match that was squeezed in during the 3N, giving him a win record of 3 from 7:
42.86%
In the RC, that include Argentina now, Heyneke Meyer as coach, won 2 from 6:
33. 33%
7 Oct 2012, 00:13 am
@THE MAULER-191:
Listen, a match last for 80 MINUTES. So even if I said he came on in “about the 30th minute,” you still cannot come on here and say he was on the field for 60 minutes.
PS: 30 +60 =90
You see the difference?
7 Oct 2012, 00:20 am
Nama… 4 Minutes difference?? Holy f@&$!!! 4 minutes he would have won the game for us!!!
7 Oct 2012, 00:23 am
@nama1-193:
Yes but it’s not like they’ve had an easy run. NZ and the Aussies (at least when not injury hit) are in the top three in the world and Argentina are hugely improved. When SA has so many top-liners out (and we’re talking four or five world class performers, replaced by raw recruits)it’s been pretty tough on Meyer. Take out McCaw, Read, Carter, Nonu and Dagg and how do you think the ABs would perform? We all know HM’s background as a coach, so it was understandable he’d initially stick with the players he knew and the tactics that had worked for him in the past. Now he’s learning from the mistakes and starting to change direction, but such an overhaul of the deeply ingrained mindset in the camp can’t be done overnight.
Incidentally, I couldn’t help thinking the Boks were in such good positions so often today that M Steyn might have matched Jannie de Beer’s world record for drop goals, had he been on the field. Let’s face it, when on song the guy is a kicking freak; just as there’s been only one Lomu there’s been only one M Steyn. For Meyer to not pick him, when he more than anyone knows what a matchwinner he is, must have been a massive psychological step for him to take. Couldn’t have been easy, must have gone hugely against the grain. But in doing so, the coach has shown he CAN adapt, and to me that suggests the fans need to cut him some slack. Just remember, not long before the 2011 WC no one seriously gave the Boks much hope of winning it, yet that all changed once the thing kicked off. A month or six weeks is a very long time in test rugby.
7 Oct 2012, 00:24 am
@Neilanate-192:
Swak kapteinskap deur AB teen Pakistan het ons duur te staan gekom.
Duminy en Botha moes nog geboul het.
Albie is, soos jy weet, oorbodig as bouler en kolwer.
Kallis het maar net ‘n swak boulbeurt gehad. dit was nie wat mens verwag het van hom gegewe sy boulwerk in die vorige wedstryde nie. Miskien is hy maar net nie een vir toernooie nie. Sy rekord in krieket, behalwe toernooie (en op Lords) spreek vanself.
Wie’s jou gunsteling more?
Ek gee nie eintlik om wie wen nie, maar ek beginne baie hou van Darren Sammy as Windies kaptein. aan die ander kant is Sangakara een van my gunsteling spelers al sal hy nooit die erkenning kry wat hy verdien nie.
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