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, 14:05 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-147:
You eeefffing kidding me Van Graan is our attack coach ????? i thought he was just FWD’s….WTF
He is the son of the blue bull big cheese
5 Nov 2012, 14:06 pm
@Rockn Rolla-151: van Graan is sofuckingawesome he has TWO jobs. Forwards coach….AND attack coach.
He can also see dead people.
5 Nov 2012, 14:07 pm
@katman-150:
So in good time he could displace the likes of JP or Habs ????
5 Nov 2012, 14:09 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-152: @Rockn Rolla-153:
No realy are you taking the mickey ????
Cause thats funny……i would go for Eddie Jones, Brendan Venter (tho he is good with defence)Campo!!!
5 Nov 2012, 14:10 pm
@David-145:
no, it seems he’s got the players googling positions and the lineup
@Rockn Rolla-144:
ok, so no iol.co.za and limited browsing ability on internet explorer….
flip, these boys are being set up for failure.
5 Nov 2012, 14:13 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-152:
no, only dead bulls people.
the other dead people are too transparent… very hard to read…
5 Nov 2012, 14:13 pm
@katman-150:
So in the mould of Digby Ioane !!!!
5 Nov 2012, 14:15 pm
@Rockn Rolla-154: I am not kidding you. Ask Transformation. He will be able to pull up the evidence.
5 Nov 2012, 14:17 pm
@Rockn Rolla-153: Perhaps one day, but he’s not there yet.
5 Nov 2012, 14:19 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-158:
S h y t e ……that be the case the boys are better off attacking playing barbarian style rugby where they just get together and say “lets just throw the ball around and see what happens lads”
5 Nov 2012, 14:21 pm
@Rockn Rolla-160: I think The Meyer punishes players who show Barbarian type, creative tendencies…….
5 Nov 2012, 14:29 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-161:
So what is Van Graans attacking script
Maul – if maul stops revert to box kick
Ruck – Pass to closest openside forward or inside centre to repeat the process, if no meters are gained pass to Morne
Scrum or Lineout – pass to Morne or Maul
Morne – Kick up and under or kick for touch
I don’t see any more going on that text book
5 Nov 2012, 14:36 pm
@Rockn Rolla-162:
Jip. You get it in one. Players 11 to 15 are nothing more than an inconvenience to Mr Meyer. They have to be there to make up the numbers. The Bok backline could charge the coaches with criminal neglect.
And what we have to look forward to: Meyer using the conditions up north as the perfect excuse to continue with his ‘fuckingmarvellous gameplan and rugby philosophy’.
Unless he starts Elton or Lambie….then we might see some movement.
5 Nov 2012, 14:40 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-163:
Dont know so much about that philosophy……seen some pretty enterprising running rugby being played up north these days…….even look at Whales they swing the ball in those parts
5 Nov 2012, 14:46 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-163:
Oh !!!!
And this is in Morne Steyns text book,
When all else fails and you have been out played by you opposite number – Have a b! tch fit and stiff arm any opposing backline player within the dying seconds
5 Nov 2012, 14:55 pm
@Rockn Rolla-164: All the NH teams throw the ball around a bit. But Meyer will tell you that the NH conditions are tailor made for his ’10 man’ blueprint.
And the journalists will believe him, and applaud him when he starts with Morne Steyn…..
Can’t wait to see the Bok run on team….
5 Nov 2012, 15:07 pm
you guys are chops
5 Nov 2012, 15:08 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-167: Chops with our eyes wide open
5 Nov 2012, 15:09 pm
Well if the people supposed to be holding the coach to account, i.e. journalists have such a low expectation (you can include Brendan Nel in that too) why should the coach change?
I said it before, this tour should be about innovation not results, also SARU should be contracting Campo while they are up North.
5 Nov 2012, 15:17 pm
@The Bill-169: EVERY TEST is important, the Boks should got WIN EVERY test!
5 Nov 2012, 15:25 pm
The boks should look to improve in every test. I would love it if they could win while playing a good brand of rugby, but right now I would take a loss if they tried to be better than what they have dished up most of the year.
5 Nov 2012, 15:28 pm
A Springbok B-team should have a clean sweep of Europe.
Year in and year out.
We are the Springboks, for goodness sake.
5 Nov 2012, 15:29 pm
@Rockn Rolla-151: @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-152: “van Graan is sofuckingawesome he has TWO jobs. Forwards coach….AND attack coach.”
bloody haters you lot, when you see Johan “Kitch Christie” van Graan, SHOW HIM SOME RESPECT!
Hi-tech forward thinker for Boks
06 May, 2012 11:10
NEW Springbok forwards coach Johann van Graan describes himself as a “very well-mannered, approachable person” in his CV. For the moment, though, we’ll have to take his word for it as his new paymasters, SA Rugby Union, have declared him and other members of Heyneke Meyer’s coaching staff off limits to the media.
What we do know with a large degree of certainty is that the 32-year-old Van Graan is untested at the game’s highest level. But he comes highly recommended to the Bok fold.
His route to the ranks of the coaching elite is the one less travelled. A Meyer protege, Van Graan represents a new breed of coach who, in the absence of a
decorated playing career, has earned recognition and respect through his vision and dedication.
Those close to him point out he has made a career of his passion. “He is a real student of the game. He’s young, so uses technology in a way older coaches don’t,” observed his former mentor at Afrikaans Hoerskool, Dr Carel Kriek, who is now the principal at Midstream College. “He did just about everything at the Bulls but somehow also managed to stay in the background. He does so much at such a high level that he will be sorely missed.”
Van Graan’s devotion to his craft has seen him tap into the intellectual property at Barcelona FC, the San Francisco 49ers, the New England Patriots, Boston Red Socks, Saracens, the Waratahs and the Sydney Bulldogs, among others.
The Bachelor of Commerce graduate also made his services available to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.
The former Loftus ball boy has set about his dream single-mindedly, getting involved as technical adviser at the Pumas in 2003 when he was only 23.
Kriek has no doubt about the credentials of the son of Bulls chief executive Barend van Graan.
“He will become an exceptional head coach. Guys tend to specialise so much that it is
very difficult for a head coach to get everybody pulling in the right direction. You need to be able to work with people. Kitch Christie was like that,” said Kriek.
Laaities have to know their stuff if they want to introduce old dogs to new ways.
“In my 12 years as a player I can say with certainty that Johann was one of the very best coaches I have worked with,” Victor Matfield cooed in a testimonial.
“Johann is one of the few coaches who understands the game in depth. He started as our
forwards coach and it was amazing to have a coach who could challenge me in lineouts.”
Another former Bull concurs. “Johann has been the most important coach at the Bulls
since 2008,” wrote Fourie du Preez. “He has the respect of all the players and he has been influential in most of our lives, especially mine.”
5 Nov 2012, 15:31 pm
@The Bill-171:
Its like do you keep playing with the niggling injury but not play at 100% as to not miss a game, or do you sit out a few games have surgery done then get back to peak peformance
Bok and been niggling for quite some time now!!!!
5 Nov 2012, 15:33 pm
@Transformation-173: I am surprised you did not embolden the son of Bulls chief executive Barend van Graan
5 Nov 2012, 15:35 pm
there you have it from the fuckingPureGenius himself!
“Johann has been the most important coach at the Bulls since 2008,”
who needs Wayne Smith when we have our OWN “techno”!
5 Nov 2012, 15:37 pm
@willievz-175:
5 Nov 2012, 15:39 pm
@willievz-175: we knew that from the GET!
what predigree didn’t know was ALL the fabulosity that Johan possesses!
5 Nov 2012, 15:40 pm
@David-122: No DAVID.
Awful consequences.
See that you have been under siege from usual suspects.Hang tough
5 Nov 2012, 15:42 pm
@capebull-177: Did that post silence you too?
5 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
Transie
Any news on Ricardo Loubscher and what he actually does at the Boks?
5 Nov 2012, 15:47 pm
@Transformation-176:
So what would be your perfect coaching Panel
Mine would be
Head – Nick Mallet
Backs – Eddie Jones
Fwds – John Plumtree
Defence – Brenden Venter (belive it or not the guy is a top defence coach) Nienaber’s style may blunt the attack some what.
Scrum – Karl Hayman
Kicking – Braam Van Straaten
5 Nov 2012, 15:49 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-166: Sh it no.
5 Nov 2012, 15:50 pm
@Rockn Rolla-182:
Tho it would never work, cause there would be serious ego clashes in that outfit
5 Nov 2012, 15:50 pm
@Rockn Rolla-182: Some serious egos there…
5 Nov 2012, 15:51 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-168:
eyes wide shut more like it
@willievz-175:
alweer jy..?..!..
5 Nov 2012, 15:51 pm
@Rockn Rolla-184: @willievz-185: SNAP!
5 Nov 2012, 15:52 pm
@willievz-181:
Testing depth gaugess……….
5 Nov 2012, 15:54 pm
Realistic best coaching team. Keep it relatively small and compact only consulting Monty and Visagie.
Head – Mallet
Defense- Nienaber
Attack- Campese
Kicking- Monty
Scrum- Visagie
5 Nov 2012, 15:56 pm
@willievz-187:
But imagine that unit if eveyone left their ego’s at the door it would be like the Anvengers for the Bok symbol…..send HM back to coaching school boy rugby in PTA Town
5 Nov 2012, 15:57 pm
@Rockn Rolla-182: Nick, eddie, Plum Venter?
the hell, who can afford all those people?
5 Nov 2012, 15:59 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-189:
That is true because you dont coach at international level, you mearly statergise and manage players
5 Nov 2012, 16:00 pm
@Transformation-191:
If they can afford Johann “Kitch Christie” Van Graan – double trouble as forwards and attack coach – they can afford anybody
5 Nov 2012, 16:01 pm
@Transformation-191:
Same people that can aford to pay for Hougaards Audi and van Graan “die Techno Boer”
Put it on die Blou Bill !!!!
5 Nov 2012, 16:04 pm
@ryecatcher-179:
I’m just ignoring his rubbish.
5 Nov 2012, 16:05 pm
But all said John Mc Farland must be the worst defence coach in history….whathefk has he ever done !!!!
5 Nov 2012, 16:07 pm
@Rockn Rolla-196:
The Bulls have had defensive issues ever since they’ve won their first S15 title.
Scored a lot of tries, but leaked a lot too.
5 Nov 2012, 16:32 pm
Head – Ewen McKenzie
Back – Carel Du Plessis
Foward – Mat Proudfoot
Kicking – Braam Van Straaten
5 Nov 2012, 16:52 pm
@willievz-197:
such a load of ****.
tries for and against 2010:
Bulls = 47 – 32
Stmers = 36 – 17
Tahs = 45 – 31
Crsdrs = 43 – 24
Reds = 43 – 38
Brmbs = 40 – 25
Blues = 47 – 32
Canes = 40 – 37
The Sharks23- 27
Chtahs = 34 – 50
Chiefs = 40 – 48
Hghlndrs = 34 – 53
Force = 24 – 42
Lions = 32 – 72
5 Nov 2012, 16:54 pm
i wouldnt say its any more or less than the rest.
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