Collective will won it for WP
29 Oct 2012
MARK KEOHANE, in his Business Day newspaper column, says Western Province lifted the Currie Cup in Durban because they played as a team.
World Cup-winning coach Jake White was often quoted as saying the 15 best players don’t necessarily make for the best XV. Rugby, White argued, was a team game and he viewed the team as a collective.
Western Province, in beating the Sharks in the Currie Cup final in Durban, won it with a team effort. Individuals were inspirational, but it was the collective will of the team that saw them overturn a 12-3 deficit to win the title for the first time in 11 years.
Springbok and Bulls legend Victor Matfield, in summary of Province’s last minute semi-final win against the Lions a week earlier, suggested the 20m rolling maul was massive in the context of the team dynamic and that it could finally see Province turn individual potential into team reward.
There has always been a feeling among players up north that the delights of playing for Western Province (and the Stormers in Super Rugby) give players a celebrity like status in Cape Town and that the individual often stands taller than any team collective.
Brilliant individuals played for Province and the Stormers in the last decade but as a team they always fell short of success in the Currie Cup and Super Rugby. Something always seemed to be missing and Matfield felt the way this Province team worked for the win against the Lions and the way eight forwards worked in unison and refused to be beaten in the last minute of the game was something he had not seen from a Province team.
Just maybe, said Matfield, this is the start of something special.
Just maybe it is because the semi-final was not won on individual brilliance and neither was the final. Sure there inspiring individual performances, especially from lock Eben Etzebeth, but the most inspiring aspect was how the players believed in each other and played with the cohesion of players who believed that to win it they had to believe in the qualities of their team-mates.
Province were underdogs and not expected to win so they also had an advantage in that there wasn’t expectation. It does make a final easier when so few anticipate victory, even if so many hope for the victory.
The Sharks were expected to win. Their match 22 had superior pedigree. They demolished the Bulls in the semi-final and they were playing at home.
Their players also expected to win and if anything mentally they didn’t give the final the necessary respect. They will dispute this but they played like a team who believed the opposition wasn’t good enough to win. I’d argue their focus was wrongly on who they were playing instead of the fact that they were playing in a final.
The intensity and edge needed to compete and win a final wasn’t there from the Sharks. All the edge came from the visitors.
Supporters will ask how is it possible not to pitch for a final? It’s certainly not through a lack of desire. Experienced coaches always warn of the danger of players being too hyped in their preparation and mentally playing the game in the week and being drained come match day. This wasn’t one of those occasions because there wouldn’t have been doubt within the Sharks camp that they could be successful.
The Sharks coaches would have feared complacency, but no matter the caution a player has to believe he could lose if he is to ensure he doesn’t. I just don’t think it ever occurred to the Sharks players they could lose and sport continues to produces finals in which the overwhelming favourites get done in a one-off because the desire to win is not matched by the fear of potentially losing.
The better team on the day won and it’s hard to argue with a result that goes to the team that gets it right. Province got it right in the final. They deserve every ovation for the performance.
I also think Bok coach Heyneke Meyer and his selectors deserve applause for being bold enough to select London-based Saracens hooker Schalk Brits in the Bok squad.
It sends a positive message that if you play well enough you will get selected, regardless of where you are based or how old you are.
Brits has played well enough, especially in the last two seasons. Equally so the Toulouse-based former Bulls prop Gurthro Steenkamp, who is another deserving national call-up.
659 Comments
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29 Oct 2012, 22:54 pm
@Transformation-599:
I don’t know his whakapapa (family tree) so couldn’t say. From what I know my Great Great Grandfather was the only one that married into Maori.
29 Oct 2012, 22:58 pm
@assagai-600:
yeah there are few if any full blooded Maori around today.On my fathers side he comes through a Ngapuhi/Ngati whatua line with Portugese.
29 Oct 2012, 23:17 pm
@Transformation-599: I think a lot of the old testament biblical names in New Zealand are more from Scottish (Hamish) type ancestry than Jewish
Israel Dagg, Josh Kronfeld must have German or Jewish roots, Zach Guildford sounds English, Jonah Lomu Tongan with a biblical name
29 Oct 2012, 23:24 pm
@assagai-598:
When I get back, we have to write a play.
29 Oct 2012, 23:25 pm
@Te Rangatira-602: in Cape Town large parts of the mixed population have some Jewish root yet many converted to Muslim religion to fit in with the dominant Malay culture… Isaacs, Jacobs, Solomons, Davids.. thousands of Jewish surnames practicing Muslim religion.. shows the absurdity of heritage and religion. People divided by religious or political lineage when they don’t know who their great grandfathers or great grandmothers were.
29 Oct 2012, 23:28 pm
@Jinx2-604: what play you wanna write Jinxie2.. I thought that was your boets forte.. you a playwright too?
29 Oct 2012, 23:30 pm
@assagai-605:
> large parts of the mixed population have some Jewish root
Have,had or beacuse of some root?
29 Oct 2012, 23:38 pm
@Te Rangatira-602:
> yeah there are few if any full blooded Maori around today.
That’s where SA went wrong, we should have been a melting pot for 300 years, that way we’d all be family by now
29 Oct 2012, 23:38 pm
@victoriabok-607: sommer mos altwee.. ek dog jy klaar geweet het.. die wortel is eintlik wat die verskillende mensdom laat broei
29 Oct 2012, 23:40 pm
@victoriabok-608: so what stopped you – us?
29 Oct 2012, 23:40 pm
@assagai-609:
Die wortel van alle kwaad (root of all evil…)?
29 Oct 2012, 23:40 pm
@assagai-606:
Howzeet, Skop. Mike was a poet/songwriter/actor. I’m the theatre nerd. I am currently a drama teacher. I want to write a play about rugby supporters.
29 Oct 2012, 23:42 pm
@victoriabok-611: watse kwaailike wortel is die? ken jy vir sulke goed?
29 Oct 2012, 23:44 pm
@assagai-605:
Thats interesting, my own family on my fathers side are Anglicans as are my Asher family, and have played a big part in the Church as ministers, deacons and we have an uncle who was a Bishop. Yeah religion is a double edged sword when it comes to unity or division of peoples.
29 Oct 2012, 23:44 pm
@Jinx2-612: where you teaching US? east coast – west coast.. classic or comedy?
I’m more of a clown on the internet.. little more serious in real life.
29 Oct 2012, 23:46 pm
@Jinx2-612:
Have you seen Paul Slabolebszy and Bil Flynn’s “Heel against the head”?
I used to work at FOH at the State Theatre, 2nd job, and met them when it ran there
Real good rum or brandy and coke okes
They did a fine play about Cricket too, “A tickle too fine leg”,James Borthwick did a fine one man performance
29 Oct 2012, 23:47 pm
@assagai-615:
Los Angeles. Inner City. Mostly Latinos. Love the work. Will contact you in CT next June. Won’t give it all away, but I have been sitting on this one. Would like to put Skopskiet on stage
29 Oct 2012, 23:49 pm
@assagai-613:
Ja, it’s man’s best friend
29 Oct 2012, 23:50 pm
@Te Rangatira-614: so the Jewish Ashers became missionary Anglicans .. back to their English roots, it shows how confused religion can make us all to believe we are somebody we thought we maybe are or maybe are not.
I married a Catholic.. my children are neither this nor that. Confusion in society can reign thick and fast.
29 Oct 2012, 23:50 pm
@Jinx2-617:
So you’re on the West Coast as well?
29 Oct 2012, 23:51 pm
@victoriabok-620:
Ja. Where are you?
29 Oct 2012, 23:52 pm
@Jinx2-617: you gonna have to find another lead actor.. this skopskiet ain’t going on no stage
29 Oct 2012, 23:53 pm
@assagai-619:
I’ve got Afrikaans friends called “Heymans” they say they are Boere-Jode
They were Jewish but became Afrikaners eventually, probably by marrying Boer girls
29 Oct 2012, 23:54 pm
@Jinx2-621:
I’m in Victoria BC
29 Oct 2012, 23:55 pm
@assagai-622:
I understand. But you need to get credit for the inspirational title: Skop en Donder!
29 Oct 2012, 23:55 pm
@assagai-619:
Only the Maori side of the Asher family are Anglicans, all the other descendants of Asher Asher are still practising Jews.
29 Oct 2012, 23:59 pm
@victoriabok-624:
Must be beautiful up there. I have visited Seattle. Loved it. Chill spot. Can’t beat the fresh fish and microbrews.
30 Oct 2012, 00:02 am
@Jinx2-627:
Yes, love the Salmon and Halibut and we’ve got a lot of small breweries up here, I love the Pale Ales they make
You should try Poutine with a good beer on a cold an grey day
Seattle is a nice city, have you visited Pike’s Market?
30 Oct 2012, 00:05 am
Yes. Pike’s was incredible. Bought salmon and flew it back to San Diego. Tried poutine in Ireland. It ripped me a new a$$hole. I had ringsting
30 Oct 2012, 00:08 am
@Te Rangatira-626: they still religious practicing Jews living in Auckland and related to you? As I said before you have a rich and interesting history and heritage Te Rangatira, it should bode you well toward your personal conviction for seeking to know more of your inner self.
I personally don’t cling very strongly to my Jewish heritage.. some of my siblings do a little and even I was born in a convent on the sea of Galilee, my Jewishness has become slightly less traditional than most.
30 Oct 2012, 00:11 am
Seattle is Jimi Hendrix country .. the home of the brave.. the land of the free.
30 Oct 2012, 00:13 am
@assagai-631:
Also the most Native American place I have ever been. Would have been nice to see 3 million more from day to day…….
30 Oct 2012, 00:15 am
@assagai-631:
And Nirvana
and Pearl Jam
and
.
.
.
.
.
.
Kenny G
30 Oct 2012, 00:15 am
@victoriabok-633:
Must be the mist over the Sound
30 Oct 2012, 00:17 am
@assagai-630:
Thanks Skop, I do feel lucky to have an interesting heritage and lifes journey seems to be more exciting because of that rich cultural history.
30 Oct 2012, 00:18 am
@Jinx2-632:
You should come here, nice First Nation art and lot’s of Totem Poles
You could buy yourself a Cowichan Sweater as well
30 Oct 2012, 00:19 am
I gotta be out you guys still got around 5 or 6 hours on me.. and I still supposed to do some work before morning
scuse me while I kiss the sky
so long
30 Oct 2012, 00:21 am
@Te Rangatira-635: yeah you right you are lucky and you should follow your heart..
see you round .. ciao
30 Oct 2012, 00:21 am
@victoriabok-636:
I’ll will come one day.
G’nite guys. Off to rehearsal.
30 Oct 2012, 00:22 am
@Jinx2-634:
We had lots of mist on Saturday, but yesterday was beautiful
I went hunting so I was in the woods and hour an half before sunrise,
It’s magnificent to hear and see the forest as it slowly awakes and the sun starts to light it up in its fall colours
30 Oct 2012, 00:33 am
@victoriabok-640:
Sounds amazing. Will add years on your life. Tot siens.
30 Oct 2012, 00:35 am
@Jinx2-641:
Mooi loop
30 Oct 2012, 00:49 am
@Fern-375:
What a sensible comment.
30 Oct 2012, 00:54 am
@katman-428:
The way you express yourself is so crude that it nullifies anything sensible you might say. I appreciate your team has had a raw deal, but sniping at others won’t make any difference.
I think both teams in the CC final played their hearts out and deserve to be congratulated for an absorbing spectacle.
Now back to real life.
30 Oct 2012, 03:35 am
@capi-433:
As a province supporter, I have to disagree. The JDP slap/push, whatever you want to call it, was nothing. Ref and video ref got that 100% correct. If we are going to start penalising and carding those sorts of “nothings” then we may as well give up the game!
30 Oct 2012, 04:15 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-581:
Blah Blah Blah.
Cheating??
You blame every team for cheating that you lose to…Ozzie cheat…even Argentina you blamed then for cheating, that’s why they drew with SA.
I tell you whats cheating you……. it’s your brain
I have never come across a person like you that blames everything else on your own teams short comings, one arrogant person.
You think we are an average team, when did you beat Ireland last by 60-0 ?
How about Ozzie, whats your stats in the last 8 games against them?
SA are average, stop thinking everyone else around you that beat you so often as average.
You have blamed all the refs in the world and have explained why SA don’t win and it is because you dont get SA refs. According to you SA refs are the best. But a week later you are blaming SA refs for being incompetent.
South Africa this year and last year were average, man up and stop being a fukn sore loser
30 Oct 2012, 04:38 am
@Hurricane-646:
ho hum…………….gets to your core does’nt it Hurri?
30 Oct 2012, 06:07 am
@whatever-647:
lol
When someone like the little person bakkies puts his boot in even when the thread is about the CC, he still managers to throw in the average AB side and cheats, surely anyone on here must get sick of his dumba$$ posts.
30 Oct 2012, 07:44 am
@whatever-645: Give this man a bells!
30 Oct 2012, 07:45 am
Heritage hunting and playwright stories ruined by the usual bickering
Ugh
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