Boks still in search of balance
12 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE, in Edinburgh, writes the Springboks continue to exhibit the foundation for success with excellent defence, but are no further to curing their attacking deficiencies.
The Springboks would have looked on enviously on Sunday when the All Blacks further underlined the gulf that exists between them and other elite nations in the game. Their benchmark team excelled on attack, running in six tries in their 51-22 victory over Scotland.
They are what coach Heyneke Meyer envisions his team becoming, but while they pale in comparison from an attacking perspective (more on this shortly), defensively they compare favourably with the world champions.
Indeed only Richie McCaw’s superlative team have consistently troubled and unhinged the Springboks this season, scoring five tries against them in two Rugby Championship Tests. However, a review of the Springboks’ Dunedin defeat will show individual errors at the heart of the Blacks’ two tries.
Central to the Blacks’ success against their traditional rivals is their ability to match and often dominate them physically at the gainline. Certainly it would be remiss not to note their unmatched capacity to punish from broken-field situations, but their primary threat is rooted in their array of world-class strike runners, whose power is accompanied by intelligence and awareness in the tackle and the constant presence of support runners. They’ve tormented the Springboks in a manner no other team they’ve faced has.
England scored five tries in the three-Test series during the Springboks’ formative phase under Meyer in June, Argentina and Australia were blanked for tries at Newlands and Loftus respectively, while Argentina crossed the chalk once in Mendoza.
On Saturday in Dublin Ireland simply could not breach the Springboks’ tryline, despite completely bossing territory and possession in the first half and having a one-man advantage just before the break. Ireland huffed and puffed, but the Springboks’ house increasingly appears to be built on a solid foundation and engineered with formidable features like belligerence, physicality (at times brutality), work rate, accuracy, communication, trust and, at times, desperation.
Openside flank Francois Louw continued to underline his value to the Springboks with another strong showing at the breakdown, but it must also be noted that the team has benefitted from Duane Vermeulen and Adriaan Strauss’s contributions in this facet of play. The trio became more prominent as the collective improved their tackle fight in the second half at Lansdowne Road, each effective in slowing the recycle, which in turn regularly allowed the defensive line to set, while Louw forced crucial penalties when Ireland threatened on attack.
I’ve written before that this should be a cause for optimism for the South African rugby fraternity. The world’s best sides have built their success on defensive solidity. However, that cannot mitigate the Springboks’ continued sterility on attack. They returned to their strengths – abrasive and patient forward play – to score their only try of Saturday’s match, but were uninspiring for the bulk of the contest, as they have been for most of the season.
A lack of platform or opportunities (statistically they’ve spent more time in the opposition’s 22m than any team in the world this season) are not problems. Meyer is privately concerned about the lack of X factor in his back division but has concerns about the size of men like Juan de Jongh (among others), whom many believe has that quality. How he solves that problem remains to be seen, but it is a matter of urgency. Expect this to improve moderately should more of his first-choice players be available in 2013, but it is essentially a coaching and selection issue.
Here’s hoping this problem doesn’t become chronic. For now, much confidence can be drawn from their strength of their defensive game.
243 Comments
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12 Nov 2012, 09:46 am
@katman-141:
I heard the commentators speaking about it during the game. The Rugby World needs to watch out We (Sanzar) have created a monster! With the Frenchies coming up it will be 2 from 2 for the Argies.
12 Nov 2012, 09:47 am
It’s good to have WikiForever back.
12 Nov 2012, 09:48 am
@149 stop talking kuk about Argies all looking the same.
Racist
12 Nov 2012, 09:50 am
And lay off Tac
He never watches games in their entirety
12 Nov 2012, 09:51 am
@Sasuke-151:
People criticize risk based thinking as overly conservative and insular, but it really is just looking further ahead than everyone else.
People say developing the game in Japan, the USA and Argentina is visionary thinking and that it will good for the sport, I say it is short sighted and in 20 years time it will relegate us to insignificance as all our top players go and play there, and these countries will overtake us.
Far better to be top dog amongst 7 nations, than of middling strength amongst 20 strong nations. Argentina may just prove that to us sooner rather than later.
12 Nov 2012, 09:53 am
Since the introduction of Nienaber both the Stormers and Boks attacking instincts have been diluted.
I think its in the mindset and Province appeared to have turned things around in the CC.
The Sharks under Plum don’t seem to have the same issues but are still able to be a very effective defensive unit.
What the AB’s do effectively is counter punch after a turnover when the defense is not aligned with the OFFLOAD used as the main distrubution tool.
The Boks/HM 1st instinct is to recycle and gain forward dominance which is 19 voetsek rugby.
12 Nov 2012, 09:54 am
Traditionally South African rugby coaching philosophy – from the lowest levels – has been the notion of “bigger is better”, that we win matches through superior physicality.
From a young age players are indoctrinated with the idea that effective rugby play is the ability to run over opposition players. Crash balls and fend-offs are celebrated.
Rugby coaches enforce that stigma, from primary school level and further.
And now Heyneke Meyer, for all intents and purposes prior to his involvement at the Bulls a high school coach (the man holds a BA(PT) with Geography and Psychology, a BA (Hons) in Geography and a Higher Education Diploma, after all) is enforcing that very same age-old philosophy (interestingly enough, Jake White, himself a former teacher, did the same).
The problem for Springbok rugby is that, whereas our physicality was a competitive advantage in times gone by, the rest of the world has caught up in that area.
We have not evolved.
12 Nov 2012, 09:54 am
@The Beast-124:
no, he was pants.
however, its also about learning what all the fh options have to offer so we might as well see what jantjes can do.
12 Nov 2012, 09:55 am
I see that Adam Thomson could be out of the AB tour.
Never saw the stomping on the head incident, but apparently coach Steve rekons that it looks worse on TV than it actually was.
Thats bad luck for them, as citing commissioner will certainly look at it on TV.
12 Nov 2012, 09:56 am
@Jeraldjay-156:
“What the AB’s do effectively is counter punch after a turnover when the defense is not aligned with the OFFLOAD used as the main distrubution tool.”
Absolutely.
Quick turnover ball, two to three phases thereafter against disorganised defensive lines, and they score.
12 Nov 2012, 09:56 am
It doesnt seem like the backline players are coached to do the basics right. No offloads and not once did they swing the ball through the hands to the wing. Set moves hardly work and the ABs hardly do them, they just do the basics brilliantly. Suck in defenders, perfect offload timing, running and looking for space. JDV just tried to bulldoze his way forward every time he got the ball, so did JPP and he’s a wing!
Dr Craven said, after getting the ball for the first time, the backline should put the ball through the hands and try to get it to the wing. The reason for this is to size up the oppositions reaction time and to settle the backline players, so they get a feel for receiving the ball and the pace of the game. That begin done they can strike with the next opportunity when the ball comes each players way, without getting too excited and making mistakes..
The boks dont look confident with ball in hand and imo that confidence will come when they do the basics well and Im talking about the basics of a great backline team like the ABs. How do we get to that level? WORLD CLASS BACKLINE COACHING !!! Which we dont have…. HM should realise this and make the right changes. And JDV surely cant be accommodated anymore… and Taute is not a center!
12 Nov 2012, 09:58 am
Its clear that SAs backline standards have never been close to that of the Aussie or Kiwi teams, so that must surely be an indication that our backline coaching in SA is not up to standards. And it doesnt seem like we have been doing anything to change that. Until that changes HM should recruit a Kiwi or Aussie backline coach… like when he appointed Todd Louden… White’s backline was reborn under Eddie Jones’ guidance… Its clear that if we want to be a great attacking team, we need some help to be the best we can be. SA coaches just dont have the credentials to achieve this…
12 Nov 2012, 10:01 am
As predicted it was ugly but we came through, though forwards finally started cleaning and protecting the ball in the 2nd half.
Otherwise comments on the main issues – Lambie kicking at poles is not solid, however he did not get clean ball in space.
JDV – did good but he is looking old and tired.
Taute, sorry not a 13 and needs to bench or start at 15
Kirch again did ok, no counter or joining the line ..
JPP good to have him back, the yellow was deserved however.
FH – he did a few good bits but a player who needs ball with space, rather him than mvovo for me, maybe Rhule can get some gametime ?
Flo was the Bok player of the day, intelligent and tough .. our Reeche in the making. Maybe make him capt ??????
Vermulet did a lot of hard graft, turned over and covered for a very tired Alberts who should be benched with Coetzee or Arno getting gametime.
Props did ok, CJ is not bok material wtf is he doing there ?
Well played Strauss and pienaar did ok considering this was a “home” game for him now.
Others all did ok, first half was the worst performance I have seen for quite some time.
GET RID OF LOUBSCHER AND ATTCAK COACH !!
12 Nov 2012, 10:02 am
@Jeez-162:
It’s a change in mindset that will take decades to fix.
We need to teach our kids from a young age to think for themselves and not employ a De Wet Barry mindset which is essentially a dichotomy:
1) If I have the ball – CRASH BALL!
2) If the opposition player has the ball – TACKLE!
I have said before that I think there are essential training methods not being employed. Five-down touch rugby, for example, is an excellent training tool.
12 Nov 2012, 10:05 am
@BULLET-159: That’s the thing with AB offenses – they always look worse on TV than they are. But only the AB ones. The rest are actually that bad.
12 Nov 2012, 10:06 am
@katman-165:
Another “Free Kevvie” campaign coming up?
12 Nov 2012, 10:08 am
@WP-Forever-160:
The Whitelock try at Soccercity is the perfect example.
When you attack and you loose possession the players are immediately pissed off and the team goes into a negative mindset but at the same time the opposition is moving the ball around without going to ground and you chasing shadows.
We have the loosies and Bissy when he gets back to turnover possession even more efffectively than the AB’s but lack creative instinct (which has been brainwashed out of us) and believe that by regrouping and creating another phase we can bash our way to the tryline.
12 Nov 2012, 10:11 am
@Jeraldjay-167:
I think that the first babystep is offloading in the tackle. That already increases forward momentum 10 fold.
Let’s not go for end running rugby from day 1. Just add offloading in the tackle to what we’re doing now, and by year 3 we can move to the next step.
12 Nov 2012, 10:14 am
@gunther-152:
Hi Gunther, I noted that you were not as vocal about the cricket today as you were on Friday. What is wrong
12 Nov 2012, 10:15 am
@Robzim-169:
It’s boring.
Are you wearing your Ozzie hat today?
12 Nov 2012, 10:15 am
@Robzim-169:
Oh, just one of the worst selection decisions in recent memory.
12 Nov 2012, 10:16 am
@Jeraldjay-156: “Since the introduction of Nienaber both the Stormers and Boks attacking instincts have been diluted”
when were the Boks an enterprising attacking force, when AC was backline coach?
12 Nov 2012, 10:19 am
@gunther-170:
Lol, not really…. seems like the much vaunted pace attack is pretty toothless on a docile track… despite Mickey Arthur trying his best to motivate them with his pre- match comments.
12 Nov 2012, 10:20 am
@Jeraldjay-156: “What the AB’s do effectively is counter punch after a turnover when the defense is not aligned with the OFFLOAD used as the main distrubution tool”
it’s a mindset coupled with the requisite skill set…think Perth where the Bokke fluffed about 3 tries with the most blatant being where morne ignores a 3 on 2 overlap with both de villiers and habana left with the ioane to beat and he cut back inside to get tackled by 3 Aussies…
12 Nov 2012, 10:20 am
@WP-Forever-166: At the very least, a concerted PR drive to inform us what a good bloke Thompson is. How he’s one of the most liked people in his team, his street and his family, and how the worst thing he’s ever done prior to stomping on someone’s head, was to not mow a meter of the nieghbour’s pavement while he was out there mowing his own – something he regrets deeply and has since made up for by picking up the neighbour’s dogshit from the pavement REGARDLESS on which side it was dumped. That, along with testimonials from Kevvie and Tana, should stand him in good stead with the citing commission.
12 Nov 2012, 10:21 am
@BULLET-159: it wasn’t vicious but it was boot to the head no doubt…
12 Nov 2012, 10:23 am
@Doughnut-163: Vermeulen was no where he did not even carry the ball once, he did not pick up the ball behind scrum. In terms of Read he is way off.@Transformation-172: So thats why the Strompies scored 17 tries in S15.
12 Nov 2012, 10:24 am
@WP-Forever-164: Bring in Jan Serfontein
12 Nov 2012, 10:25 am
@WP-Forever-166:
Poops and Hurricane are having the T-shirts printed as we speak.
12 Nov 2012, 10:27 am
@Transformation 176:
Thanks.
I agree with you, any contact with boots on head, eyes (aka Schalk) and mouth/biting, deserves red’s and some serious banning.
Vicious or not, thats the only way to eradicate this.
12 Nov 2012, 10:29 am
@katman-175:
Steven Hansen: “I don’t think it was a stomping personally but it’s not for me to decide.”
If the Kevvie saga is anything to go by, they’ll start developing a case that Alasdair Strokosch provoked Thompson by insulting his family moments before he was stomped (despite it not being a stomping).
Steve Hansen will come out with another statement, along the lines of: “We were always intending to play him and we hope we can. He’s a very important part of our team. He’s a top man, he’s got very high personal standards – he sees himself as a role model for young people. He’s a bit destroyed about what’s happened. Once the appeal is over, hopefully we’ll get a positive result and move on.”
12 Nov 2012, 10:30 am
@WP-Forever-164:
Somethings gotta give… Just look at the Stormers… They appointed Flecky after he had a season or two at UCT… Is that the best coach the Stormers could have appointed? Does he have the same kind of credentials than the other super rugby backline coaches? Look at their attacking record…its awful with the fewest bonus points of all the teams.
Mediocre backline coaching is accepted and thats why we are never going to be world leaders in this department… Its come ta a point were I believe SA backline coaches should get their education abroad/ down under… SA is part of the southern hemisphere and we should be just as potent with our backline play. The lions just showed how foreign coaches can add to their attacking play.
HM should contact his old friend Todd Louden and offer him a job!
See Todd Louden’s credentials and compare that to Fleck’s for example….
Todd Louden’s profile : Todd taught at Waverley College and Trinity Grammar School in Sydney for over ten years before becoming a professional coach. He was the Director of Rugby for three seasons at Sydney University prior to coaching in Japan for another three seasons.
Todd returned to Australia as the Head Coach at Randwick in 2006 and played Sydney University in the Grand Final. He was offered a position with the South African Super Rugby franchise the Bulls as the attack coach and the team went on to be the first South African team to win the Super Rugby title in 2007.
In 2008 Todd was made the attack coach with the Waratahs and the team played the final against the Crusaders. After this Todd returned to Japan as the Director of Rugby and Head Coach of the RICOH rugby team for three seasons where he took the club from 2nd Division to the Top League and competed in the All Japan tournament twice.
Todd has returned to where it all started, Sydney University, where he has a passion for developing the club and players.
12 Nov 2012, 10:32 am
Losing jp as well as oz getting off the hook with that rain day has been a hammer blow in this test, ….with the current run rate we will do well to get out of this game intact.
12 Nov 2012, 10:43 am
@capebull-178: You said it already ….and were ignored.
12 Nov 2012, 10:45 am
@WP-Forever-52: Massive in cc final.
Invisiblethis test.As was DV Having said that do believe we will never
see them have so quiet again.Maybe I was spoiled by Bakkies enforcer role.
EE did no enforcing.
12 Nov 2012, 10:46 am
@ryecatcher-185: Have so quiet a game
12 Nov 2012, 10:47 am
@Tacitus-168: “Just add offloading in the tackle to what we’re doing now, and by year 3 we can move to the next step.”
currently we are so predictable on attack and it was evident in saturday’s game – both halves – like it has this whole season! one-off runners getting smothered, mugged or slowed down but our coach reasons that “we must FORCE our archaic gameplan” on the opposition.
12 Nov 2012, 10:49 am
@WP-Forever-181: funny stuff!
12 Nov 2012, 10:49 am
@katman-77: What a player
12 Nov 2012, 10:54 am
@wnbb-184: Hopefully HM will not ignore it. I want to understand what you guys see in Vermeulen , I see mediocrity. Like with Morne , we can not accept it.
Flo was great , Alberts look tired , but when I say Vermeulen did nothing , that’s not seen.
Our centres seem to be big problem, they can not even get 1 ball to wings.
AB’s was pleasure to watch, Bokke was painfull
12 Nov 2012, 10:54 am
I must admit, I was immensely impressed with the Irish home crowd in that they were silent when the kickers were lining up.
If only we could have the same in South Africa.
Here, our crowds can’t even keep quiet during a minute of silence being observed in honour of some deceased person.
Speaking of which, it is good to see that Remembrance Day is still commemorated by so many people.
12 Nov 2012, 10:54 am
@Jeez-161: @Jeez-182: YES. Appoint a quality back-line coach Heyneke FFS. Make your job easier and make all of our rugby lives easier. Why must we SUFFER under Loubscher and Van Graan?!?
Btw, I think Heyneke did approach Louden already but he declined the offer.
Still, there are a host of quality guys out there who can immense value to the Bok backline and attacking play. Campese for one seems to be very interested in getting involved with coaching and would jump at the chance to coach the Boks. His earlier involvement with SA teams was his hugely successful stint with the Sharks in 2007.
12 Nov 2012, 10:56 am
@Transformation-187: 0/20 Bokkies have seem to found balance , between force play and running
12 Nov 2012, 10:58 am
I see the usual haters having a go at DV again?Don’t know what game they were watching.DV had an immense game on Saturday;great defending,ball carrying,slowing down the Irish ball,and even a few turnovers at the breakdown.Great player in my opinion.A farking massive improvement on Lillets Spies.
12 Nov 2012, 10:59 am
In any case. to use an anology. i’m banking the titration effect.
A titration curve is a curve in the plane whose x-coordinate is the volume of titrant added since the beginning of the titration, and whose y-coordinate is the concentration of the analyte at the corresponding stage of the titration.
In short…. everything looks a bit murky now… but with a few changes here and there.. a little bit of this and some of that.. the plan and future for bok rugby will become clear once again.
The scrum is obviously the first thing the Boks are nearly getting right. Even if Alberts and Vermeulen were not too flash over the weekend. Don’t know if they were working so hard in the tight that they were did a Spies. Juandre too. Strauss hard worker. honorable player and all that, not a Bismarck.
Backline not one sub. interesting. who knows what HM is thinking. But then again, if he tells us, then he would be telling the world too. Tough job that.
12 Nov 2012, 11:01 am
@capebull-190: Let’s rather focus on what we DON’T see with Vermeulen there…
We don’t see:
120 kg’s of marshmallow being dragged by a itty bitty little 60kg fullback on the way to tryline…
120 kg’s of marshmallow tripping over a blade of grass as he crabs sideways across the field…..
120 kg’s of marshmallow running away from ANY sign of contact, as fast as he possibly can (also sideways)
120 kg’s of marshmallow being flattened by a cocky No 9 who stops, turns rounds and runs over the marshmallow again – just because he can
PS: Spies gifts turnovers: Duane wins them. The end.
12 Nov 2012, 11:01 am
@WP-Forever-191: who cares if the crowd boo. I have no problem with that. Unless it’s on my backswing.
12 Nov 2012, 11:04 am
@shooter-197:
I have a serious problem with it.
12 Nov 2012, 11:04 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-196: hahaha.I was just,as I was reading your post, beginning to wonder who is this marshmallow .
12 Nov 2012, 11:08 am
@wnbb-199: I’ll give you another clue. He is a PINK marshmallow
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