Brutal Boks blunt Scots
17 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE, in Edinburgh, watched the Springboks deliver an almighty defensive performance in the second half to beat Scotland 21-10 at Murrayfield.
This was not a wholly clinical performance from the Springboks on a number of fronts, but one that will nonetheless please Heyneke Meyer and galvanise his side ahead of the sternest Test of the tour in London next week.
It was undoubtedly a victory built, once again, on brutal, accurate and disciplined defence. This has been the hallmark of all the Springboks’ victories this season, and they will have to sustain this if they are to become the dominant team they envisage being.
At the heart this success has been Francois Louw. Irrepressible and seemingly omnipresent since his installment in the side, Louw is now surely among the world’s pre-eminent opensiders and undoubtedly the most valuable player in the Springboks’ ranks at this stage.
Louw was not alone in his excellence. His back row brothers Willem Alberts and Duane Vermeulen shone on attack and defence. The trio are gradually growing into a triumvirate, formidable in their combination, all possessing power and fearlessness in equal measure. Their form and indeed that of Eben Etzebeth, who surely was created for the sole purpose of playing Test rugby, and others like the industrious Adriaan Strauss and unrelenting Jannie du Plessis, is promising, not only for the showdown with England but beyond that. Meyer has the makings of a truly great Springbok pack, and the addition of Bismarck du Plessis, Andries Bekker and Schalk Burger next year will further amplify their potency.
There was little to excite from an expansive attacking perspective, but this is how it will be until the back division settles and finds cohesion and synergy. Meyer has been criticised for myriad reasons, but today he deserves praise for what was a clear directive to pound Scotland into submission through his heavies. The hosts never looked capable of repelling their surges in the first half, losing the gainline battle which consequently robbed them of contesting the breakdown in a meaningful way. When the momentum swung they looked equally inept at bossing the tackle fight, which undermined their cause.
For the first 40 the Springboks were able to control possession and, more pertinently, territory, from where they relied on the best rolling maul in the game to ravage the Scots. Pat Lambie banked two penalties before converting Strauss’s try after a maul.
So dominant were the Springboks that their hosts’ first entry into their 22m came in the 35th minute and their ambition was duly blunted by the brilliant Louw, who earned a breakdown penalty on his 5m line. It was 14-3 at the break, with the Springboks looking supremely comfortable.
That changed in the second half, with Scotland summoning a spirit that was reminiscent of the one that drove the Springboks to a second-half turnaround at Lansdowne Road last week. Strauss got his brace, anticipating and intercepting a pass, and Lambie added the extras, but that was the sum total of the time the Springboks spent in Scotland’s territory.
The home crowd’s belief was stirred with a well worked try off the lineout, scrumhalf Henry Pyrgos slicing through a hole engineered by intelligent splitting of the Springboks’ lineout formation. Greig Laidlaw converted and Scotland’s siege continued unabated. The composure and unfailingly accuracy the Springboks exhibited under extreme pressure was inspiring. They will take heat for what will be perceived as a struggle. But this Scotland team scored three tries against the world champion All Blacks last week. That is the perspective that should inform any assessment of this match.
The tourists held on, even when Flip van der Merwe was sin binned for cynical play. Are there major improvements needed in the week ahead? Absolutely. England are a far superior side and more capable of exploiting the Springboks’ deficiencies. An attacking edge continues to elude them. They again failed to convert their first-half time in the goal zone into more points, which would have made their passage more comfortable.
But this inexperienced Springbok side has passed another important test, one a superior team failed in 2010. Their education continues. The journey is long.
743 Comments
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18 Nov 2012, 19:03 pm
well a win is a win..or so we’re supposed to believe
18 Nov 2012, 19:05 pm
@John Galt-596: we know STAIN will be starting. thats why most of us will NOT be watching
18 Nov 2012, 19:10 pm
my 2 cents…
i’m sick and tired of excuses for HM.
Francois Pienaar said it best on Boots and All, its called “Sportainment”
under HM the Boks are losing fans fast as the standard of play is soo poor.
we cant even compare to France, Argentian or even Samoa in terms of style of play. it irks me that we must believe we cant play WITH the ball, yet ALL these other nations at least attempt to do this.
How can Argentina and Samoa be soo effective at getting interplay between forwards and backs, running into space, offloading etc. yet none of our players are”skilled” enough to do this?
REALLY?
we cannot even compare to France
18 Nov 2012, 19:12 pm
@Robzim-600: People in the breakaway group, obviously not having to cope with the chase down, came in about 2:50.
I usually go up Suiks at 23km/hr (average overall on the uphill). I was doing 14/15 with the energy snap.
I was fffuuuummmmiiiiinnnnnnnngggggggggggggggggg.
So good luck. Lead any free-wheelers over some glass or a pothole
18 Nov 2012, 19:13 pm
@papaown-603: Because many of our coaches don’t want to do it.
18 Nov 2012, 19:15 pm
Shocking ga,me if we can’t attack we don’t desreve to be playing Were in same situation earlier against AB’s, forwards dominated backline couldn’t spark and we lost. Same as against Aus in WC semi’s. Game was pathetic. We shouldn’t have needed to defend against Scotland
18 Nov 2012, 19:16 pm
@mikeybrass-604:
Lol, Thanks I will try.
Have to admit I am quite a “free- wheeler” myself these days
18 Nov 2012, 19:18 pm
@Robzim-607: What’s your group?
18 Nov 2012, 19:19 pm
I see that old keo reprobate, Phillippe Philloppe, is posting today under several stolen nics and another couple of mulitnics too.
As Billy the Boxer said long ago:
“Honesty is such a lonely word…
everyone is so untrue!”
I am NOT the Messiah!
We say you are Lord, and we should know. We’ve followed a few.
Pontius Pilate: So, yaw fatha was a Woman? Who was he?
Brian: He was a Centurion, in the Jerusalem Garrisons.
Pontius Pilate: Weally? What was his name?
Brian: ‘Naughtius Maximus’.
[the Centurion laughs]
Pontius Pilate: Centuwion, do we have anyone of that name in the gawwison?
Centurion: Well, no, sir.
Pontius Pilate: Well, you sound vewy sure. Have you checked?
Centurion: Well, no, sir. Umm, I think it’s a joke, sir… like, uh, ‘Sillius Soddus’ or… ‘Biggus Dickus’, sir.
Pontius Pilate: [guard chuckles] What’s so funny about “Biggus Dickus? ”
Centurion: Well, it’s a joke name, sir.
Pontius Pilate: I have a vewy gweat fwiend in Wome called ‘Biggus Dickus’.
[guard chuckles]
Pontius Pilate: Silence! What is all this insolence? You will find yourself in gladiator school vewy quickly with wotten behaviour like that.
Brian: Can I go now, sir?
[slap]
Brian: Aaah! Eh.
Pontius Pilate: Wait till Biggus Dickus hears of this!
[guard chuckles]
Pontius Pilate: Wight! Take him away!
Centurion: Oh, sir, he – he only…
Pontius Pilate: No, no. I want him fighting wabid, wild animals within a week.
Centurion: Yes, sir. Come on, you.
[takes the guard away as continues laughing histerically]
Pontius Pilate: I will not have my fwiends widiculed by the common soldiewy. – - Anybody else feel like a little… giggle… when I mention my fwiend… Biggus…
[another guard chuckles]
Pontius Pilate: … Dickus?
[more chuckling]
Pontius Pilate: What about you? Do you find it… wisible… when I say the name… ‘Biggus’…
[chuckle]
Pontius Pilate: … Dickus?
[both guards chuckle]
Pontius Pilate: He has a wife, you know. You know what she’s called? She’s called… ‘Incontinentia’… Incontinentia Buttocks
Pontius Pilate: [Guards are laughing] Stop! What is all this?
Pontius Pilate: [laughing continues] I’ve had enough of this wowdy webel sniggewing behaviour. Silence! Call yourselves Pwaetowian guards? You’re not – Seize him! Seize him! Blow your noses and seize him!
18 Nov 2012, 19:19 pm
Sorry Aus in quarter finals. So bitter after yesterday’s game even the beer failed to cheer me up. I am a Heyneke fan, just not sure for how much longer,
18 Nov 2012, 19:19 pm
@Robzim-607:
I need you to get a good time so you can join me in the ‘Foreign’ group!!
Shall we stop for lunch this time?
18 Nov 2012, 19:21 pm
If Morne is to play against the Pom,then the Meyer has come a complete circle without learning farkall about who is the real deal lynchpin at ten.A whole season wasted with regards to identifying the right man for the most important position on the field. It really goes back to when the Meyer uttered the statement…”he is an extension of myself on the field”….obviously Meyer was a hopeless pivot in his day.
18 Nov 2012, 19:23 pm
@mikeybrass-608:
I was supposed to start in “H” last year but downgraded to the “foreign group” to assist a friend of mine. My best time ever was very much the same as yours.
18 Nov 2012, 19:24 pm
@carol-611:
Unless you start doing some proper training we will probably stop for dinner
18 Nov 2012, 19:25 pm
@Robzim-613:
‘Downgraded’ !! Do behave……
18 Nov 2012, 19:25 pm
Well done Boks. I have seldom seen a team so young dominate Northern Hemisphere teams in the aspects they are normally good in. Most of these players the Boks came up against thus far will tell everyone this Bok team is the most physical opponent they have played against.
Go Meyer and the brutal Boks.
18 Nov 2012, 19:28 pm
Blood and Thunder Prophet: [screaming] … and the bezan shall be huge and black, and the eyes thereof red with the blood of living creatures, and the ***** of Babylon shall ride forth on a three-headed serpent, and throughout the lands, there will be a great rubbing of parts. Yeeah…
False Prophet: [yelling] … for the demon shall bear a nine-bladed sword. NINE-bladed! Not two or five or seven, but NINE, which he will wield on all wretched sinners, sinners just like you, sir, there, and the horns shall be on the head, with which he will…
Boring Prophet: …there shall, in that time, be *rumors* of things going astray, errrm, and there shall be a great confusion as to where things really are, and nobody will really know where lieth those little things wi – with the sort of raffia work base that has an attachment. At this time, a friend shall lose his friend’s hammer and the young shall not know where lieth the things possessed by their fathers that their fathers put there only just the night before, about eight o’clock. Yea, it is written in the book of Cyril that…
18 Nov 2012, 19:33 pm
No, no. Please, please please listen. I’ve got one or two things to say.
Tell us! Tell us both of them!
Look, you’ve got it all wrong. You don’t need to follow me. You don’t need to follow anybody! You’ve got to think for yourselves! You’re all individuals!
Yes! We’re all individuals!
You’re all different!
Yes! We’re all different!
[Man in crowd:] I’m not…
Shhh!
You’ve all got to work it out for yourselves.
Yes! We’ve got to work it out for ourselves!
Exactly!
Tell us more!
No! That’s the point! Don’t let anyone tell you what to do! Otherwise – Ow! Ow!
18 Nov 2012, 19:34 pm
Excuse me. Are you the Judean People’s Front?
Fuckoff! We’re the People’s Front of Judea.
18 Nov 2012, 19:35 pm
@carol-615:
Behave?… I paid my dues by pushing poms up suikerbossie and chappies… so I deserve to brag a bit dont U think?
18 Nov 2012, 19:36 pm
I find it interesting that so many “experts” here complain about the tactics of individual players. How many times have we heard complaints about forwards like Schalk standing as first receiver, Bekker at centre, or props cluttering the backline? Doesn’t it occur to anyone that these players aren’t just making their own decision to appear there, given the regularity they do it?
As for Pienaars looking around in the red zone, Gregan used to do it as well, the difference being that he had a number of players running different lines to choose from, whereas Pienaar only has static players.
The Boks performance in the first half of the 2nd Test against against England was only HMs second in charge, and I reckon that the players (backs) hadn’t yet succumbed to his overall game plan. The longer he’s been in charge, the worse our backline attacking play has become.
18 Nov 2012, 19:43 pm
@David-621: Gregan could size up his options and usually had quick ruck ball. Pienaar slows down the ruck ball and then decides what forward to pass it too. So sad.
18 Nov 2012, 19:48 pm
@Robzim-620: Deserve a medal for that
Me, I’d have been yelling “LLLEEEFFFFTTTTT” 
18 Nov 2012, 19:54 pm
@Robzim-620:
Claptrap !
18 Nov 2012, 19:56 pm
@Te Rangatira-612:
hi TR, its obviously goosen and morne, goosen will be groomed further and morne will just play his game and help bring goosen through. lambie and jantjes will serve as capable but not outstanding backup replacements to these two in instances of injury, fatigue and lower tier games.
18 Nov 2012, 19:56 pm
@mikeybrass-623:
He is talking ‘guff’!! I did not need pushing up any flipping hills !!
So no medal ceremonies!
18 Nov 2012, 19:58 pm
@Horings-616:
yip, a job well done so far, just england to take care of.
18 Nov 2012, 20:01 pm
For ET, and sadly Soda Joe. Leeds continue their slide into Championship oblivion.
18 Nov 2012, 20:06 pm
@carol-626: That’s what they all say, till they can’t keep up the pace
18 Nov 2012, 20:07 pm
@mikeybrass-623:
@carol-624:
And all I got for my troubles was a sore bum…. my slowest “race” ever.. and my mates dont want to believe my explanation for the slowest time in history
18 Nov 2012, 20:12 pm
Perspective on this win.
I hear some complaints from kenners around here without much perspective.
From last year we have a number of players unavailable due to retirements/overseas.
Smit
Matfield
Botha
Roussow
FDP
Fourie
We are also missing some players through injury.
Beast
Bismarc
Coenie
Bekker
Heinrich
Schalk
Juan
Spies
Goosen
Steyn
Habana
We are playing a number of young/inexperienced players
Young
Etzebeth
Coetzee
Lambie
Inexperienced
Strauss
Juandre
Vermeulen
Not to mention Steyns dramatic loss of form which I have no doubt impacted a few earlier results.
We won ugly against the irish, whose b team have just given Fiji a 53-0 hiding. We also bullied a very physical and pretty experienced Scottish side who have beaten Aus and Arg (twice) away this year. Both teams would have been desperate for world cup ranking points.
Some criticism is fair, we need to add balance by attacking with our backline more, our set piece could be more solid and it would be nice to play with more tempo and variety.
However, the fundamentals for building a great team are there. The pack is performing very nicely. The defense is looking good and we are winning the territory battle more often than not. With what’s available, Heyneke has done more right than wrong.
I have selection gripes like any other fan, Ludik should be on tour for example, but if you asked yourself what a successful building process would look like, this wouldn’t be far off.
I hear a lot of comparisons with the AB’s about the standards we should look to emulate. But they built as well, and didn’t destroy teams in every game during the process. If memory serves, Carters first game at 10 was against wales in 2003. They won by a point 26-25 with S Jones missing a late penalty.
They came last in 2004 Tri nations. Did they drop DC and start hating all their players and coach? No.
What the AB’s have done very well is maintain consistency in experience or ‘builtness’ by rotating and managing players. THIS is what we need to do when the core of the team is there.
Even with that in mind, just this year they needed a last minute drop goal from DC to win by two against the irish at home.
The kiwis focus just as much as us on the fundamentals of the game, the forward battle, the set piece and territory. They kick a lot, often more than us.
But now they have built a team, they also put it all together on the day sometimes, like giving Ireland 60-0.
Sometimes you have to win ugly and show character and that’s not a bad thing. I will say this now, If this team keeps doing the right things up front and our backs click, we are going to give someone a hiding.
Lambies performance in the Scotland game was very good. Exactly what you would expect at this stage of his career at flyhalf.
We should all back him and the team, I’m going to.
18 Nov 2012, 20:13 pm
@Robzim-630: Thehehehehehe
Tell you what. Take them on a training route via Red Hill next time at 12pm
18 Nov 2012, 20:14 pm
@Robzim-630:
You talk 8o//ock$….. !!
Consider yourself in the dog house!
18 Nov 2012, 20:14 pm
@Brendope-631: Meyer etc know how to drill a pack. None of them know how to construct backline play.
18 Nov 2012, 20:15 pm
@mikeybrass-632:
He is talking utter nonsense!
The sun today must have got to him!
18 Nov 2012, 20:16 pm
@carol-633: Oh man you Brits are too easy to wind up
Add in 30 degrees and Poms need a permanent water hose injected into the veins during the Tour 
18 Nov 2012, 20:16 pm
@mikeybrass-622:
The point I’m making is that the coaching staff are not giving Pienaar attacking options as there doesn’t seem to be any overall plan of having different runners to choose from. Pienaar has to decide which player offers the best option, as they’re all static.
18 Nov 2012, 20:17 pm
@carol-635: Or the 3 degrees here has frozen your memory
18 Nov 2012, 20:17 pm
@Horings-616: Good to hear someone being more positive.
Im glad that the boks are struggling to get their wins. This young team can only benefit from this and will grow and become better and better with each game. This is not a settled squad and no one seems to realise this… You could pass judgement if this was the same squad that went to the world cup, but its not. Patience is needed.
They lost their first tests against the ABs and Aussies due to bad goal kicking, so considering that they havent really been comprehensively beaten thus far is a good sign that they have a brighter future than the critics may think….
The young forwards are becoming a very settled and resilient pack. Players like Schalk, Bakkies, Smith, Smit and Spies are not especially missed. Any victory is built on dominant forward play. So with the forwards on the rise the most important ingredient for success have been added to the mix for success. Jannie needs decent backup though…
The big problem that needs to be looked at lies with the backs. But in time they will settle into an effective unit too. HM realises that they need to be more effective on attack when they keep ball in hand… And I believe he will somehow rectify this problem in time. Be it by bringing in some help (like White did with Eddie Jones) or changing the tactical approach when on the front foot. His frustration with the teams inability to score tries when they are in the goal area is a good sign that he acknowledges this problem that will need to be fixed as soon as possible..
18 Nov 2012, 20:18 pm
@David-637: Yeah it is “pass to Eben” or “pass to Alberts”. Oh lookie, let’s pass to Duane for a change.
How flipping tragic!
18 Nov 2012, 20:20 pm
@Jeez-639: What Meyer needs is an experienced backline coach or at the very least an experienced backline consultant. Someone who will challenge him. Ricardo isn’t a backline coach’s arse and the rest of them are effectively only good at forward coaching, which shows.
18 Nov 2012, 20:25 pm
@mikeybrass-636:
@carol-635:
Lol, and she was the worst of the poms. Going up suikerbossie with her took so long and was so slow I could feel my beard growing. At least she did not get off the bike and push.. maybe there is some truth in the “british bulldog tenacity”- i have to give her that
Got to go..cheers.
18 Nov 2012, 20:25 pm
@Brendope-631:
Your inexperienced players aren’t actually novices. In fact they’ve got more experience than a number of veterans. Just not at test level.
Look at our backline and apart from 10 (if MS doesn’t play) and 13 (with Taute), and it’s a very experienced unit.
18 Nov 2012, 20:27 pm
@David-643:
The players I mentioned are inexperienced at Test level. That is what it is.
18 Nov 2012, 20:27 pm
@Robzim-642: At least you made it to the top, unlike that dude in the Greek mythology
18 Nov 2012, 20:33 pm
@mikeybrass-641:
HM credits himself as a ‘fixer’ lets wait and see how he fixes this backline problem… I agree a consultant or new BL coach will be the best way forward. He’s on record saying that it might be a coaching problem, so its good to have a coach who acknowledges the problems. The backs need to settle first too… And selections will just get trickier going forward.
18 Nov 2012, 20:39 pm
@mikeybrass-640:
That was the major difference that I noticed Eddie Jones brought to our forwards.
18 Nov 2012, 21:03 pm
@Robzim-642:
thats not like you, winding up the pommerainians, what happened to the gentleman formerly known as Robzim?
18 Nov 2012, 21:04 pm
@cab-648: He has a wicked sense of humour
18 Nov 2012, 21:12 pm
@mikeybrass-649:
where u based, cambridge of hoe?
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