No breathing space for Boks
5 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE, writing from Dublin, says there needs to be some tempering of expectation around the quality of the Springboks’ performances, but not of the expectation of a clean sweep.
Coach Heyneke Meyer isn’t going anywhere, even if the Springboks are blanked on this tour. This will come as a disappointment to a growing number of critics. But Meyer enjoys strong support from the bulk of the men who determine his longevity in the role of head coach, most of whom are sold on his playing philosophy, his vision regarding selection and are sympathetic to his plight in light of a host of injuries to key players.
Meyer has never been able to field his first-choice side because of injuries, and is currently in a position where he is missing three highly experienced players – Bismarck du Plessis, Bryan Habana and Frans Steyn – who, when on form, would make any elite Test side. There are a clutch of other high quality players unavailable as well, further undermining Meyer’s cause, while his quest to secure the services of Japan-based players, most notably Fourie du Preez and Jaque Fourie, was met with a refusal by their clubs.
Meyer is particular concerned about the impotency of his backline, feeling Du Preez and Fourie (Jaco Taute would have shifted to fullback) would have added a special dimension that has been lacking throughout his tenure. His tactics have been under constant fire, but their time spent in the opposition’s 22m compares favourably with the All Blacks, the difference being how clinical the world champions have been in those positions. He choice of flyhalf will be critical to any improvements in this regard, but there needs to be observable gains in the decision-making, innovation and execution of their backline play overall.
In three mid-year Tests, the Blacks put 124 points past a better Ireland side that will front the Springboks in Dublin on Saturday, conceding just 29. It would be laughable to compare the current Springbok side to the Blacks – who I’m sure will be remembered as one of the game’s best – but it does offer us some insight into the strength of the Irish, who also lost to Wales at the Aviva Stadium, drew with France and were comprehensively beaten by England in the Six Nations.
Certainly they will be a formidable opponent in front of a capacity crowd (the Springboks have won just one of the last four matches in Dublin). However, Ireland’s quality has been depleted through the recent withdrawals of Brian O’Driscoll, Rob Kearney and Rory Best, while combative openside Sean O’Brien and experienced back rower Stephen Ferris will be sorely missed. Paul O’Connell expected to lose the race to recover from injury (further expanding the leadership void). Consider also that that prop Cian Healy is struggling with his shoulder and Declan Fitzpatrick is still carrying a concussion sustained last weekend, and Ireland are there for the taking.
There will be the usual threatening rhetoric from Scotland, but surely the Springboks won’t replicate the embarrassing defeat in 2010. Scotland lost all their Six Nations matches, and while they beat Australia in torrential rain in Newcastle in June, the result was more a reflection of the Wallabies’ weakness and inconsistency, which persisted into the Rugby Championship, than it was a new dawn for Scottish rugby.
The sternest Test of the Springboks will come at Twickenham against England. They haven’t lost to Stuart Lancaster’s men in 10 Tests, including three wins in their last three outings at Twickenham, but the quality of this side doesn’t match their predecessors and their injury list is likely to be lengthier by then. They will also face a home side desperate to avenge their 2-0 June series defeat.
The Springboks have won by an average of 19 points in the aforementioned matches, but they will settle for a less emphatic margin if it means they win three from three. Despite what Meyer lacks in quality because of injuries, a tour sweep is still a realistic expectation.
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205 Comments
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5 Nov 2012, 10:44 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-49: I actually haven’t been thinking of Potgieter at all, for me he is a guy who is good at local level but not good enough for international duty. It’s not his fault, it’s clear that he’s trying. The error is one of selection in his case, not form.
5 Nov 2012, 10:44 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-45:
look… if a player doe snot perform and does not improve he must be held individually accountable… of course he should get dropped…
but all the players should be consistently managed in exactly the same way…
which is obviously not the case at the moment…
5 Nov 2012, 10:46 am
@stormersboy-48:
my problem with the players is their inconsistency in fronting up when the proverbial fan’s well covered and the game plan’s kak.
he has not changed his game plan… ever… (so ther goes half your ‘inconsistency theory’).
lets look at what has changed, the players.
some have been kak, some have been kool, some have been kookwater…
but all have been INCONSISTENT in their play from game to game.
5 Nov 2012, 10:48 am
what these guys have to learn is they have to go into each and every game with a mindset that no matter what, they will prevail.
5 Nov 2012, 10:48 am
@ufo-47: The entire Mitchell saga, IMHO, was initiated by the dumbfucks in the halls of power at Coca Cola Park.
The eejits allegedly ‘running’ the union instigated the entire ‘revolt’, and honestly thought they would get away with it.
Now I see the GLRFU is refusing to release the findings etc etc etc.
Mitchell’s attorney’s are demanding to see the transcripts, and are considering going to court in order to have these documents released.
The man was hoodwinked and hopefully these utter incompetents will pay for it.
Has there ever been as fuckingdoff a union as the Lions?
5 Nov 2012, 10:50 am
@stormersboy-50:
well if sale wanted him… he had at least one other real option… and i’m sure a guy of his calibre would always have various options available to him… (but just my impression… maybe not…)
but still… to go back to the lions when it’s obvious some people at least were out to get him… takes some doing imo…
5 Nov 2012, 10:51 am
@stormersboy-50:
a little bit of all the above i think.
starting all from over again must have weighed on his mind as well perhaps a bit of consideration that he would once again be leaving a team without any real substantive success and what this means for his reputation.
5 Nov 2012, 10:52 am
“London – Gloucester centre Billy Twelvetrees and flyhalf Freddie Burns were added to England’s squad for their upcoming international programme on Sunday.”
Billy Twelvetrees? Will he be standing outside Richard Wigglesworth? Is there anyone in the Shire who is not playing for England?
5 Nov 2012, 10:53 am
@ufo-52:
fair enough, we agreeing to both the players and the coach being held responsible for ‘consistency’.
i’m happy.
5 Nov 2012, 10:56 am
Boks are pathetic especially since now jounalists etc are writing apologetic articles “not to expect clean sweep but more so on education and development of game etc”
What BS.Heyneke apologists all over.Their messiah from 2004
SHould have got ob ahead of White
Should have replaced Jake in 06
Should have got job ahead of PDiv in 08
blah blah blah
Has the job now, less that 50% win ratio.
Oz have worse injury crisis that SA,with lower stocks talent wise and upheaval in camp with young firebrand Cooper and his utterances
Yet they STILL ahead of Boks in rankings.
And now we being dummed down/conditioned to believe Heyneke is not to be questioned and that we shouldnt expect excellence at ALL times from our national team especially IN EUROPE.
Boks could lose every game on this tour.
5 Nov 2012, 10:56 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-55:
yeah… i have no evidence or knowledge of that being the case…
but it has always been my impression that he was set up… because it just would not make sense that players would revolt against a coach who had just brought them their biggest moment of glory… (after years of being ingloriousbastards ) and what for many of them could be their only moment of rugby glory…
i agree absolutely with your post…
5 Nov 2012, 10:57 am
@stormersboy-51:
potgieter needs more coaching on technique and option taking, simply.
at 26 i would say he is very poorly developed in this regard.
5 Nov 2012, 10:57 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-55:
Not convinced about that.
Its not as if Mitchell has left each and every union he’s ever coached covered in glory.
He’s been at the heart of play and administrator revolts since day dot.
5 Nov 2012, 10:58 am
@katman-58:
He’s obviously Native American
5 Nov 2012, 10:58 am
Anyway, I guess there are many takes on this, depending on where you stand, but the fact remains, we have 3 tests to play and I hope we can pull them all off.
Looking forward to them.
5 Nov 2012, 10:58 am
@katman-58:
a first nation american making the big time in england…??
cool name…
5 Nov 2012, 10:59 am
@John Galt-63:
true true
5 Nov 2012, 10:59 am
What are ABABP players?
5 Nov 2012, 10:59 am
@Dawn-64: He’s no Baggins, that’s for sure.
5 Nov 2012, 11:00 am
@ufo-61: Hello pal.Sorry about incoherent
post on Thursday
5 Nov 2012, 11:01 am
@Dawn-64:
it would be good PR for the game to get a few of them, mind you.
or even a few eskimos perhaps.
5 Nov 2012, 11:01 am
Oh well
I’m Dawn Thunderous Sky
5 Nov 2012, 11:02 am
thunderous thigh..?. say what..?..
5 Nov 2012, 11:03 am
@ufo-61: Mitchell was a loose cannon, that the GLRFU couldn’t control. He said what he wanted to, and he shamed them quite regularly with statements he made.
Simply put: he was not a ‘ja broer’, that they could silence at will (unlike a fellow like Johan Ackerman, who fits into the ‘ja broer’ sub-culture those fools have going on up there).
For all intents and purposes it suited the Lions to have a ‘ja broer’, as a loose cannon like Mitchell was going to expose the clowns in some way, shape or form, at some stage. (Comments about the actual management of the union etc).
How they got the players on board is the most relevant question…..and why have half those players already left the union.
Something stinks here, and I hope those documents are made public.
5 Nov 2012, 11:04 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-59:
not at all…
it all begins and ends with the coach… and he must consistently do the right thing and select the right players for the right reason managing all payers is the same way…
morne’s bad form for so many games was not morne’s fault… sure he must individually work on his form… but he is not responsible for selecting himself… the fault was meyer’s for selecting him for so long when is was obvious to all that morne should have been given some time in currie cup to find his confidence and form…
5 Nov 2012, 11:06 am
@ryecatcher-70:
hey rye… how you doing…?
no prob… sometimes i’m very slow on the uptake…
5 Nov 2012, 11:07 am
mshiniwami – The biggest problem with HM is the playing style he is getting the Boks to play, which is a klompie bash game style and no backline moves at all. I have even seen any set moves from a lineout yet!!
Injuries are a perfect excuse for HM but look at how successful White has been with the Brumbies who are full of no names at all!!!
That is the Biggest worry for me, no game plan whatsoever, it is more of a damage limitation style the Boks are playing!! I just can’t see HM lasting, he has shown nothing this year to warrant him being a national coach!
5 Nov 2012, 11:07 am
Vrede – The expectation is ALWAYS for clean sweep up north.
It always has been and hopefully always will be.
Jeepers the expectation is to be number 1, consistently beat Australia and draw back to favourable Win-Loss ratio SA used to have over NZ for 75 years until it was overtaken in 1996. Yes…. the expectation of being unbeaten at home and often winning in NZ too.
Want to know why All Blacks have improved over the Boks in general over the past 15 years? Also the Aussies have a better win/loss during the time period? Because they have continued the expectation of being the best… mediocrity is not accepted. Regardless of injuries…. setbacks….. etc…. did you see the Aussies in their last test match against NZ….?
Anyway…. Meyer must stop making excuses and create a winning pattern of rugby that incorporates SA’s strengths as well as the law changes and the ever changing rugby environment…. Steve Hanson has done that…
5 Nov 2012, 11:07 am
@Dawn-64:
i see a ‘snap’ is in order…
you owe me a drink…!!
5 Nov 2012, 11:07 am
@John Galt-63: We know he has his faults. But, I’m also certain this little ‘revolt’ had far more to do with his outspokeness, than what it did with players having to run an extra 50 laps…..
5 Nov 2012, 11:09 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-74:
yeah… he does not come across as a man who suffers fools gladly… perhaps could be more politik in his style… as every club or union has it’s politiks…
gotta dash…
later all…
5 Nov 2012, 11:10 am
@Dawn-68:
ABABP (Anyone But A Bulls Player)
somehow, the kenners believe this policy will make them stronger… but the evidence suggests it has made them weaker.
5 Nov 2012, 11:14 am
@race of tan-77:
Exactly.
Yet all the journalists say otherwise
And also the overemphasis on attaining momentum on uber attrictional domkrag facets of gameplan.Basically for boks if alberts,bismark,etzebeth dont get momentum/over advantage line off channel 1 when biggest and best defenders ARE.we are fcked
talk about limited
5 Nov 2012, 11:17 am
Charging Rhino – I just can’t see HM turing around his fortunes as a Bok coach?
Look at his temperament in the coach Box with bashing the walkie talkie, that is/was not a good sign for a national coach. A national coach has got to be calm and collective otherwise he starts to feed that anxiety onto the players and then big problems!!
I agree with UFOs statement above, the coach should have seen that Morne’s form had dipped and needed some CC game time or time off to build confidence, player management, something not existent in SA rugby!!
Ff the HM thinks England will be an easy walk over, we are in for a rude awakening!
5 Nov 2012, 11:18 am
@Delki-7: European teams give the AB’s the win before the game even starts.
5 Nov 2012, 11:22 am
@goodstuff-85:
thats what happens when excellence is your mantra,which is what ab’s have conditioned the rest of the world to believe of them and fear them
their record speaks for itself
european sides just happy to have them on their soil and in stadiums let alone “win”
5 Nov 2012, 11:25 am
only thing their record speaks for is orchestrated team wide cheating and dishonesty.
5 Nov 2012, 11:26 am
i have no respect fo that team and i hold them in no regard.
5 Nov 2012, 11:27 am
@Charging Rhino-78:
HMs problem is that he can’t change his approach based on the players available to him. It seems he’d rather select a “like for like” replacement, regardless of proven ability, rather than a different type of player who is in form.
5 Nov 2012, 11:33 am
@David-89:
to what extent do the ozzies or nz’s change their approach based on the players available to them? or do they rather, make the players fit into a playing style?
5 Nov 2012, 11:43 am
@Transformation-35: Read #22 clearly, brightspark…I didn’t say it is, I said I can’t help but think it is.
And as stated by you, “The charges appear to allege…”
Yes, none of know the true facts but I stand by my assumption and unless you (or anybody else) can prove otherwise I remain suspicious of the whole thing.
As you well know, rugby is a man’s game and I most certainly don’t believe any of those hogwash allegations about players running off to the bosses etc.
5 Nov 2012, 11:46 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-90:
I’m referring more to the “like for like” approach. Look at the difference between the different 9s the ABs and Aussies have fielded. The same with the 12 and 13s. In those cases, different skills not a similarity of styles and size is the determining factor.
5 Nov 2012, 11:54 am
@BrumbiesBoy-91: why would you “think” that besides the fact that you’re obsessed with the Kings, ou Imi?
5 Nov 2012, 12:06 pm
Will only get idea of Meyer’s plan when he announces team for Saturday. He should start with Lambie at FH, Jantjies on bench but believe he may put Morne on bench which will be slap in face for Jantjies. De Jongh to start at outside centre, gives us cover at inside centre as well should JdV get injured. Taute has not impressed me in backline and am sorry that either Ludick or Pieterse is not there. Krich’s shelf life has expired.
My biggest gripe is the continual insistence that Goosen is FH of choice going forward. He has not proven himself at top international level (except to show he is injury prone). Lambie should be choice FH going forward, if he is lacking tactical ability it is because he is lacking game time. After Lambie/Jantjies next best youngster is Pollard who at only 19 can be protected and given time to develop. Goosen needs another season, uninjured, at S15 before he can stake a claim again.
5 Nov 2012, 12:17 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-91:
What th f*ck does rugby being a man’s game have to do with players goin to bosses to report Mitchell about his man management style or lack thereof.This is not the first time such has happened and power games are played within rugby teams just like any organisation. Remember David Nucifora and the player revolt at Brumbies?
Mitch had similiar rumblings when he was at AB’s and as well as Force.So please your utterances are more based on subjective innuendo than any semblance of fact.
Man’s game? Jeez correlation there picked out from the stars there
5 Nov 2012, 12:21 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-55: If that is indeed the case, I will be extremely pe*d off.
5 Nov 2012, 12:23 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-74: Something most definitely stinks here.
5 Nov 2012, 12:25 pm
@Transformation-93: Imi?
5 Nov 2012, 12:26 pm
@mshiniwami-95: Like me, you’re entitled to your opinion.
5 Nov 2012, 12:27 pm
@mshiniwami-95: this guy’s nic is Brumbiesboys and he is naive enough to say “As you well know, rugby is a man’s game and I most certainly don’t believe any of those hogwash allegations about players running off to the bosses etc.”
when ANDY FRIEND was fire LAST YEAR after 2 games – where in one of the Brumbies lost to the Rebels – and the players were reported to have revolted against friend.
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