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, 20:19 pm
well this a game neither team wanted to win…
the Boks didn’t want the ball and kept kicking it back to Scots who hardly looked like scoring…
so in the second half the Boks tried a different strategy to help the Scots win and kept giving the Scots penalties… but the Scots refused to take the points from the Boks and kept going for the line-out..
had the Scots taken all their penalties… (and no reason to believe they wouldn’t have kept getting them because they kept us pinned in our 22 for most of the half) they would have won the game…
but they didn’t want to…
neither did the Boks…
seems like the Boks lost the game of hot-potatoe and were got the win by default… I could swear I saw Heyneke saying to Robinson afterwards… “Jaaaaa Andy… your team was handy today and you imposed the win upon us… congratulations!”
is this what Bok rugby has become..? does Heyneke have absolutely no obligation at all to TRY and entertain the people who ultimately pay his salary by supporting the Boks ?
Heyneke is as bereft of rugby creativity and Mitt Romney is of international diplomacy…
17 Nov 2012, 20:22 pm
@ufo-101: Good post.Now don’t start me off with all those Romney.I keep binders full of them just for HG.
17 Nov 2012, 20:23 pm
@wnbb-102: Romney jokes
17 Nov 2012, 20:25 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-99: Meyer is hondkak – face it.
17 Nov 2012, 20:25 pm
so a win is a win and we’ll take it… is supposed to satisfy us…? absolutebullshit…
Heyneke has forgotten everything about what rugby is supposed to be… he should go and coach soccer…
to remind Heyneke of the legend of William Webb Ellis and the creation/invention of rugby in 1823…
the Rugby schoolboy, Webb Ellis who so was bored with the slow pace of a football game that he picked up the ball and RAN with it…!!!
but Heyneke wants to be remembered as an innovator and pioneer… he wants to invent a better mousetrap… reinvent the wheel… and improve on the great game of rugby… so instead of doing what every rugby player has done since Webb Ellis… Heyneke channels Dr Emmett Brown and believes the direction rugby should be going is Back to the Future… “the pace of rugby is too fast for me… my heart can’t take it… and I can’t hide my angst in the Situation Room… I’ve had an epiphany… I’ve decided that we must slow it down… instead of running with the ball as the silly boy William Webb Ellis did… let me invent a new game by just simply kicking the ball…? we can call it kickball… or skopdiekan… we have the skills for such a game… and if that is still too fast we can then just hold the ball and run into other players… we can call it holdball… or skopinnieballes…
the springboks will be the world champions of skopdiekan (or skopinnieballes)… because we’ll have internal tours and the springboks can play south africa ‘A’ and south africa POC and south africa soccer…
so be patient everyone… we are still developing our game… and can’t expect to beat south ‘A’, POC or soccer just yet…
but we will… by the time the world cup of skopdiekan comes we will have experienced players… and then you can judge my new game…!!
17 Nov 2012, 20:26 pm
A few observations after this game:
1. Morne Steyn executes Meyer’s gameplan better than Lambie can.
2. CJ van Der Linde is the king of ‘slipping the bind’ at scrum time, and has been for his entire career. Why can the coaches not see this?
3. The one break De Jongh took was when he had a two man overlap on the outside. What should have been a try on the outside, turned into him wasting the opportunity by breaking inside and running back into traffic.
4. Kirchner is a solid defensive fullback and I doubt Taute would have done better in these circumstances.
5. I’m damn glad it wasn’t Elton Jantjies coming on when we were under pressure in the last 20 minutes.
Imagine this team with Bismark, Beast, Bekker, Burger, Spies, Du Preez, Frans Steyn and Habana back in the mix.
17 Nov 2012, 20:26 pm
I dont know if its because rugby has become an unattractive game or the standard (except for NZ) around the world has dropped or if its just because the Boks are so piss poor, but there seem to be lots of people standing around the braai these days instead of watching the rugby. It might be age or the fact that I put on the best braai south of the Vaal river but it is certainly worrying.
17 Nov 2012, 20:27 pm
@wnbb-102:
in your own personal opinion of course…!!
17 Nov 2012, 20:33 pm
Why don’t we use our backs to attack. Looked like Pat was under instructions to kick it, boring
17 Nov 2012, 20:33 pm
@Tacitus-106:
Whose play will burger take?
And Spies ?? Forget it
17 Nov 2012, 20:34 pm
flyhalf pecking order as it stands:
goosen
morne
elton (interchangeable with pat)
pat (interchageable with elton)
fouche
pollard (only because he’s 18 and needs protecting)
17 Nov 2012, 20:35 pm
@nikoli-109:
He is yes
If he ignors HM’s instructions and runs the ball and they lose
Lambie will never play under HM again
So he has to play to his instructions
17 Nov 2012, 20:35 pm
I really really really farken tried to give HM the benefit of the doubt, But I just dont see any growth or improvement……if he wants to stay on he has to being in some assistants/ consultants….the game plan is killing us……
17 Nov 2012, 20:35 pm
@poppa69-90: Holding up paL?
17 Nov 2012, 20:36 pm
@Tacitus-106: @CoachPete-91: How about trying to be at least slightly objective.
1. Is Meyer’s game plan the right game plane, should he not be working to the strengths of the best teams in SA with the best players we have?
2. De Jong did nothing wrong, held his on on defence and from the only ball he got was able to step a couple of people and make some ground. You of course choose to see this incident in a manner that says Meyer was right all along to leave him out. You do not point out where any bok managed to even step a Scottish player or even make an offload.
3. Talking of off loads I only saw Louw try off load and our friend the scrum half playing wing couldn’t hold onto the ball. I don’t see you listing that.
17 Nov 2012, 20:37 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-111:
We miss the aggression of Bakkies and Bismark big time
Imagine Bakkies and Estabeth?
We need a few exciting centers too
Hougaard is no wing
Taute should be give a shot at 15
17 Nov 2012, 20:37 pm
Lambie has under delivered….
17 Nov 2012, 20:38 pm
@digger-115: Appologies CoachPete, that was purely for Tac
17 Nov 2012, 20:38 pm
@digger-115:
I think we need to fire van Graan and Loubscher and get a proper attack coach in the mix.
But under Meyer at least our team is dominating the collisions, our defense has tightened up and our mauls are looking great.
The platform is layed. The attacking evolution can be the goal of Year 2.
17 Nov 2012, 20:39 pm
@sporto-107:
Agree, however one must concede that the emphasis on defense and structures surrounding the defenses does make it harder for sides to score many creative tries.
That’s why we should at least try to utilize quick turnover ball better, but our mindset has been so indoctrinated that kicking is the first, second and third option
17 Nov 2012, 20:39 pm
@digger-115:
One huge problem is he is selfish Very Selfish
He needs to make unselfish decisions and read the game when there is a player in a better position than he is to advance the ball.
17 Nov 2012, 20:40 pm
@digger-118:
Thats ok
17 Nov 2012, 20:40 pm
@Tacitus-106:
agreed on kirchener although i do wish he was able to break the defensive line a little more often on attack before going to ground and also some link play, to put another backline player away, when running the ball up.
taute should get the last 20 min of the england game at fb, if only for the purpose of testing him.
i would start morne and give pat the last 20 or 30 minutes against england. he really has underwhelmed so far and is nothing, nothing like goosen.
17 Nov 2012, 20:40 pm
@CoachPete-100: Coetzee immense when he came on.Last week too.Priveleged to have him as substitute for Alberts
17 Nov 2012, 20:41 pm
I do not think we are in us much trouble as all of us think. We have always had a very strong Starting 15 and our second stringers have always been dodgy!
Some players not available at the moment due to injury or club commitments
Coenie Oosthuizen
Bismarck du Plessis
Tendai Mtawarira
Bakkies Botha/ Danie Rossouw
Andries Bekker
Schalk Burger /Heinrich Brüssow/ Deon Stegmann
Juan Smith/ Jacques Potgieter
Pierre Spies/ Ryan Kankowski
Fourie du Preez
Johan Goosen
Wynand Olivier
Jaque Fourie
Bryan Habana
Francois Steyn
Lambie, Juandre, De Jong, and a few others does not belong in Test Rugby!!!
17 Nov 2012, 20:42 pm
@ryecatcher-124:
Yes agree But in the slower conditions would we not benefit with Alberts as a ball carrying lock and add Coetzee at 7 ?
Just a thought
17 Nov 2012, 20:43 pm
@Tacitus-119: I guess we need to keep some faith. We have been through the Strueli experience though, where we kept thinking things would improve with not much payback for our faith.
A friend of mine’s email signature reads, “Hope is not a strategy”.
17 Nov 2012, 20:43 pm
@phil72-125:
You a bulls fan ?
WO ??
Spies?
17 Nov 2012, 20:44 pm
@phil72-125:
JF for sure we miss him big time
17 Nov 2012, 20:45 pm
@phil72-125:
etzebeth doesn’t belong it test rugby…???
jaaaaaaaa…
okay…
17 Nov 2012, 20:45 pm
@digger-127:
I hope I will become a Millionaire
17 Nov 2012, 20:45 pm
@CoachPete-121: I think none of our players actually know what an off load is, apart from a few from the Sharks. So JDJ is just like any other player in SA but at least with him there is a chance he will create some magic.
17 Nov 2012, 20:46 pm
@ryecatcher-114: yes thanks boet…
17 Nov 2012, 20:46 pm
@CoachPete-126: Good.Our other lock
is medocre
17 Nov 2012, 20:46 pm
@ufo-130:
Etsebeth does belong, but he is available… cant include him in the list
17 Nov 2012, 20:47 pm
@ufo-130:
hey UFO howzit
Actually to Phil’s defense he never mentioned Etzebeth
17 Nov 2012, 20:48 pm
@CoachPete-131: I hope one day we score a try where we pass the ball more than 4 times
17 Nov 2012, 20:48 pm
We had one blow out game against the All Blacks in Joburg. In every other game, we never lost by more than 7 points.
This Bok team is tough to beat. We don’t win by big margins and we don’t lose by big margins.
And this in the first year in charge. Once the guys grow together as a team we will be very, very good.
17 Nov 2012, 20:49 pm
@CoachPete-116:
yes, would love to see bakkies back in the mix considering he is fully fit. bismarck, of course, is injured so there’s not much to do other than wait on him, though he certainly is better than strauss.
but having said that, strauss had a great game today and scored not only a driving maul try but a farking interception try too haha.
must say i was very pleased with gurthro’s first performance back for the boks.
eztebeth has to learn to clean out at rucks more like a number 4 or should shift to 5. would give taute 20-30 min at fb. yes, we need a few centers..?. other than frans or the sharks kid i dunno..?..
17 Nov 2012, 20:49 pm
@digger-132:
yes very true especially our forwards unlike the ABs where they all know how to off load
But a center playing international rugby needs to be able to draw and off load even half gap off loads etc
Like C Smith (ABS)
17 Nov 2012, 20:49 pm
doesn’t matter what players we have…
if heyneke simply wants to kick the ball for 20 minutes and defend for 60 we’re never gonna be a force in rugby…
i mean heyneke telling raymond rhule that he must improve his kicking…??? the kid has had a great season with his speed and stepping… but heyneke believes it is more important for him to kick the ball better…??
17 Nov 2012, 20:50 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-139:
Hes young Bakkies would teach him
17 Nov 2012, 20:50 pm
@grant10-117:
thank you… some honest objectiveness from you.
17 Nov 2012, 20:52 pm
@phil72-135:
misread your post… my bad… apologies…
@CoachPete-136:
hey coach… always good bud… you…?
but not very inspired by springbok rugby at the moment…
17 Nov 2012, 20:52 pm
@phil72-125: Lambie and JDJ played for the two teams that made the Super 15 semi finals, not to mention the Currie cup final. Not sure what logic you used to arrive at the conclusion that two players that played for two of the best teams in SA should not be playing test rugby. Should we go look at the Vodacom cup winners for playes?
17 Nov 2012, 20:53 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-139: Read interview with Bis.To me (eternal pessimist) did not sound too encouraging
17 Nov 2012, 20:53 pm
@ufo-141:
Really?
Under Heyneke’s style of play we should have beaten the All Blacks in NZ in his first year in charge, and have only lost to the All Blacks and are even on wins against the Aussies.
We are already a force in rugby, being the 2nd ranked team in the world. And this before Heyneke’s plan is even started to show dividends.
You’re being a bit melodramatic there, wouldn’t you say?
17 Nov 2012, 20:53 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-143: what would you know about “honest objectiveness”?
17 Nov 2012, 20:54 pm
@Tacitus-138: Lets hope so! Lots of work to be done on the scrummaging next week. We really need a solid second choice to Junnie and Beast. I think Guthro was just off his mark today and possibly still an itchy injured rib. He’s a tall monster needs to get lower in scrums and hang on to tackles finished players off.
17 Nov 2012, 20:55 pm
@ufo-141: Hi ufo.Do,nt mind saying it..
Disappointed
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