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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17 Nov 2012, 19:18 pm
@lesiba-45: I agree, look at the Bok team of 1997-1998 would they have accepted 4 point and 11 point wins against teams of this calibre i seriously doubt it, in fact even if they won repeatedly with margines like that the coachs position would have been brought into question. The 1998 Bok team beat Ireland 37-13 and 33-0 both those scores were considered low! the standards of Bok rugby have really dropped. It always amazes me that they can occasionally thrash Australia and beat NZ yet when they go on these tours struggle to beat Scotland and cross the tryline
17 Nov 2012, 19:18 pm
@lesiba-45: Minnows?That’s a bit disrespectful,mate.Other than that ,I agree with your post.
17 Nov 2012, 19:20 pm
@Golden Boy-49:
Ja I think HM has brought to the team the importance of not giving up tries so the style has become that very boring conservative rugby where they will defend and try stay out of their half and hope for a few try scoring chances (from anyone)
17 Nov 2012, 19:20 pm
I watched the Eng Aus game
For the first time in my life I deliberately missed a Bok game
17 Nov 2012, 19:21 pm
Worst bok team of the modern era :
1 Eddie Andrews
2 Bandiso Maku
3 Dean Greyling
4 Quinton Davids
5 Juandre Kruger
6 Davon Raubenheimer
7 Luke Watson
8 Hilton Lobberts
9 Dan Van Zyl
10 Pat Lambie
11 Gus Theron
12 Joggie Muller
13 Juan de Jong
14 Henno Mentz
15 Ricardo Loubcher
17 Nov 2012, 19:21 pm
@Dawn-54:
Ag nie man Dawn
17 Nov 2012, 19:22 pm
@phil72-55:
10 and 13 OUCH !
17 Nov 2012, 19:22 pm
Oh yes.
On purpose.
Aspris.
17 Nov 2012, 19:23 pm
@phil72-55: I don’t recall that team ever playing.
17 Nov 2012, 19:25 pm
a wins a win
planet rugby article
“Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer believes Saturday’s clash with Scotland will be ideal preparations for the 2015 World Cup in England.
Meyer, who has experience of coaching in the Premiership with Leicester Tigers, said although avoiding another loss to Scotland was important, he wants his players to get used to the kind of damp, heavy conditions they can expect to encounter at the global showpiece. ”
defense wins world cups, so Im going to judge meyer on the WC
17 Nov 2012, 19:26 pm
Right now we just there in a group of about six teams
All of us well behind the ABs who are setting the bar , and very high I may say.
17 Nov 2012, 19:27 pm
@Golden Boy-49: Fully agreed. I actually kept switching to the Eng-Aus game as I couldn’t stand the SA one. I know I keep referring back to Malett but he made another brilliant point regarding this. Meyer seems to be so set on winning at all costs, that he doesn’t care about what he is destroying in the process. The damage this dude is doing to our attacking play is freaking unforgivable.
17 Nov 2012, 19:27 pm
@Guns-11: He was all they had available considering SARU waited until the last minute to appoint a coach.
Does he have a long term contract? They won’t get rid of Meyer but I wouldn’t be surprised if the assistants get fired and replaced next year now that SARU has had more time to find better options. Maybe time to swallow their pride and hire a foreigner (and by that I mean kiwi
)
17 Nov 2012, 19:27 pm
@poppa69-60:
Hey HM, Like its not damp and heavy conditions at Newlands ever ?
17 Nov 2012, 19:29 pm
@CoachPete-61: I dont think the ABs are the team they are made out to be, yes they are clearly the best at the moment but its more down to the overall poor quality of teams at the moment. This current AB team is not the strongest by any stretch of the imagination
17 Nov 2012, 19:31 pm
@wnbb-59:
all 15 capped on different occasions…….
17 Nov 2012, 19:31 pm
@dquinn25-65:
I think the result would say different
So I disagree I think both boks and Aussies have digressed
Aussies mainly due to injuries but us mainly due to selections and our game plan
17 Nov 2012, 19:32 pm
58: last week I fell asleep watching the game. This week I was switching between the football and the ‘rugby’. I thought American Football was boring, but this shiiittte takes the cake.
53: I’m all for a great defense, don’t get me wrong. It’s not all running rugby and fancy moves. But these guys are so robotic and predictable at the moment. Players are not allowed to show any initiative at all regardless of the situation. Kicking an up an under with 3 minutes left on the half way line when all we have to do is hold on to the game and close it out. Kicking an up and under with a fractured defense and a 2 man overlap on the halfway line. Just so bloody irritating to watch.
17 Nov 2012, 19:32 pm
@gonzo-63:
How about Mallett He was available?
17 Nov 2012, 19:33 pm
@dquinn25-65: I get sick of this line of “reasoning”
the ABs can only play whats in front of them, and they have beaten teams when not playing well…good teams find ways to win, like the ABs almost did in the 3rd test versus the Aussies..
this world rugby isnt strong at the moment is just a cop out..
17 Nov 2012, 19:35 pm
@Golden Boy-68:
I agree with you let the players play They are all dam good so HM needs to stop his game after game same script and give them some freedom to play
17 Nov 2012, 19:35 pm
In fact England should moer us
Next week
17 Nov 2012, 19:36 pm
@poppa69-70: I agree with you they can only beat who they play, but the standard of teams internationally is not the strongest it has been in the past, there is no doubt about it.
17 Nov 2012, 19:37 pm
@CoachPete-67: I agree here as well even at full strength these tactics would just not work.
17 Nov 2012, 19:37 pm
@poppa69-70:
Yes you are correct
I think it because the international teams are so focused on not wanting to lose or give up too may tries they dont play the attacking play, which the ABs will do at any opportunity
17 Nov 2012, 19:37 pm
Meyer is a dinosaur, CJ can’t scrum and Flip is a walking yellow card.
17 Nov 2012, 19:38 pm
@Dawn-72:
No Dawn they fall in same group as us BORING
17 Nov 2012, 19:39 pm
@kaksioek-76:
At last someone agrees with me about Flip LOL
Hey start Alberts at 4
leave Kruger on bench drop Flip
17 Nov 2012, 19:40 pm
Vrede seems to be on Meyer’s payroll.
17 Nov 2012, 19:40 pm
@dquinn25-73: so do you credit it then to the world cup cycle? is this the reason world rugby “isnt strong right now”? one year after, teams blooding new players etc?
is this what we should expect every year after a WC from now on?
17 Nov 2012, 19:41 pm
@CoachPete-78: Never was someone more appropriately named: Flip.
17 Nov 2012, 19:42 pm
@poppa69-80:
Yeah maybe except for France who could beat you
17 Nov 2012, 19:42 pm
poppa: 70: hey dixhead, sorry to hear about your humorous. Hope you have a speedy recovery.
17 Nov 2012, 19:42 pm
@kaksioek-81:
that yellow is often Flipped
17 Nov 2012, 19:44 pm
@kaksioek-76:
Actually CJ is also a walking yellow
Both on the field at the same time equals a sure 14 man team for 10 min
17 Nov 2012, 19:45 pm
@CoachPete-82: interesting series next year for sure… keen to see how France go against Los Pumas this morning…
@Golden Boy-83: cheers GB…
17 Nov 2012, 19:50 pm
@poppa69-86:
Yes it will be most of the pumas know the french players and style
I think French will win
Who do your ABs play next week
17 Nov 2012, 19:53 pm
@dquinn25-65: I say 19 games unbeaten by the All Blacks says they are a bloody good team. Sentiment is one thing, facts though don’t lie.
17 Nov 2012, 19:55 pm
@digger-88:
Exactly
17 Nov 2012, 19:56 pm
@CoachPete-87: I think its Wales and then finish with England… you guys play Eng next week I think? soften them up for us thanks
17 Nov 2012, 19:56 pm
@digger-88:
1 ABs (by far)
2 France
the rest of the pack Boks , Oz, Pumas, England Scots Wales, Samoa, England.
Italy improving
17 Nov 2012, 19:57 pm
ok Ireland too LOL
17 Nov 2012, 19:58 pm
@poppa69-90:
yes we do
I think after the WC final they should have penciled in You guys to Play France
Dont you think?
17 Nov 2012, 20:00 pm
@CoachPete-93:
Would have been a sold out game right away
and would have been the best game to watch of all the november tests by far
17 Nov 2012, 20:03 pm
@CoachPete-69: Would he agree to assisting? I was under the impression he said he wants to be head coach or nothing at all.
17 Nov 2012, 20:04 pm
@CoachPete-93: yeah agree, would have been one hell of a rematch…
but arent these tours decided a few years in advance?
17 Nov 2012, 20:09 pm
@poppa69-96:
Yes most likely the case,
maybe next year
@gonzo-95: As head coach he would not be an assistant to HM They would kill each other
17 Nov 2012, 20:10 pm
phil, ur a poenanie of a ppooeess almost as big a one as Heyneke meyer…
lambie is 20 times the player that morne steyn can ever be…
to have him and juan de jong in the worst bok team ever is testimony to your stupidity…
lets focus on the real problem… the idiotic coach and his loyalty to not let go of the last few bull in the team…
Kirchener is a discrace for and has the creativity of a blind ****** in an all *** bar… only two people believes he should still be in the Bok team, Heyneke the clown and Zane’s mum… thats it, even his dad had to admit he is useless
Francois Hougaard has had shocking after shocking game, and he aint a wing, something everyone in SA except heyneke the clown knows…
Flip vd merwe’s brainfart was not quite as bad as Dean the fuknut greyling, but oozes stupidity, almost as much as Phil’s postings itself…
would love tghis team with the player we have over there… obviously some other player would have been nice to have there…
15 taute
14 pieterson
13 de jong
12 jean
11 mvovo
10 lambie
9 pienaar
8 alberts
7 marcell
6 Flo the man
5 juandre
4 etzebeth
3 jannie
2 brits
1 heinke
16 adriaan
17 mujati
18 guthro
19 duane
20 vd merwe franco
21 hougaard
22 elton
23 rhule
17 Nov 2012, 20:16 pm
i am so sick and tired of all the negativity on this site
i really am
you people need to sort yourselves out
17 Nov 2012, 20:17 pm
@big g-98:
Good team
I would start Alberts at 4 drop kruger to bench and start coetzee at 7
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