Flo steals Murrayfield show
17 Nov 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes that Francois Louw was the standout player in what was an inconsistent Springbok forward performance in Edinburgh.
Louw was influential in Dublin, making some important turnovers and contributing strongly with ball in hand. In Edinburgh, he was more dominant than competitive in that battle on the floor, effecting some crucial steals and winning several momentum-shifting penalties that allowed South Africa to remain in charge for much of the contest.
Louw was one of eight forwards operating at high level in the first half. The Bok lineout proved a great source of front-foot ball, and men like Eben Etzebeth, Duane Vermeulen and Willem Alberts ensured that the Boks breached the gain line in the subsequent phases.
Unfortunately, the Boks did not show enough patience with ball in hand. So many times they would set a terrific platform via a lineout, maul, or ground-gaining carry, only to surrender possession in the third or fourth phase. For all their dominance at the collisions, they should consider two tries a very poor return.
Where players like Louw and Adriaan Strauss really put the visitors in charge was at the breakdown. The Boks did concede a fair few penalties in this area, and again they will need to work on their attacking breakdowns in the build up to the game against England.
But in terms of defence, that is slowing the recycle of opposition ball and in some instances stealing it, the Boks produced one of their finest displays of the season at Murrayfield.
Strauss made some telling contributions, and in sense it could be said that the Boks had two fetchers on the park throughout the contest. But while Strauss did well in just several instances, Louw was omnipresent, competing strongly to slow the Scots down, a tactic that proved very successful.
Louw effected four turnovers on Saturday. The first won the Boks a penalty within Pat Lambie’s range, and the flyhalf recorded what were the Boks’ first points.
But the most influential contribution was the steal five metres from his tryline in the 34th minute. The Scots had threatened to hit back right before half-time, but Louw’s turnover allowed the Boks to negate that threat and move out of the danger zone.
It was but one in a string of contributions that won Louw the official Man of the Match award, and it was one that highlighted his value to the Boks.
Since rejoining the side in August, he has lent the Bok forwards another dimension at the breakdown. That back-row combination of Louw, Alberts and Vermeulen has hit some form, and should cause England problems at Twickenham next week.
But to do so, the loose forwards will need their tight five to deliver a more consistent showing.
The lineout was impressive to start with, but the scrum was terribly inconsistent throughout. Whether they were completely out-scrummed (which in some instances seemed to be the case), or struggled to adapt to the new engagement call, the Boks are clearly battling for synergy at this set piece. Worryingly, it is an area of the game where the English are particularly strong.
In Louw, the Boks have a player in the mould of Richie McCaw, a player who can manipulate the flow of the game through his contributions at the breakdown. However, men like Louw cannot be expected to exert this kind of influence unless their fellow forwards are performing consistently at the set pieces, collisions and breakdowns.
The Boks may have won by 11 points in Edinburgh, but there’s plenty to polish before they travel to Twickenham next Saturday.
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42 Comments
17 Nov 2012, 18:33 pm
Flo and Brussow
2 most important players in Boks set up.
Kenners take note……you dont go out there without the oitbulls
ever
17 Nov 2012, 18:34 pm
pitbulls
17 Nov 2012, 18:58 pm
well done francois
17 Nov 2012, 19:16 pm
Flow could play 7 with Brussouw at 6 but I think the best options for the boks would be either:
8 Vermeulen
7 Louw
6 Brussouw
Or
8 Alberts
7 Burger
6 Louw
The two out and out 8′s who South Africa have for being in the loose and tight are
Ryan Kankowski & Luke Watson
Alberts is good but plays the blindside carrier so much better.
8 pecking order: Vermeulen, Spies, Kankowski, Botha, Watson, Daniel
7 pecking order: Alberts, Coetzee, Kolisi, D Potgieter, J Potgieter, J Smith
6 Louw, Brussouw, Burger, Kolisi, Steggman, Daniel
17 Nov 2012, 19:36 pm
“In Louw, the Boks have a player in the mould of Richie McCaw”
, are you saying we have found a cheat to equal the great Richie McCaw
17 Nov 2012, 20:19 pm
Vermuelen?
Worst player to have ever donned the #8 jersey for SA.
Stands around and waits for players to run at him.
Mobility of a slug.
Got to the breakdown (more than 1 meter away) again 0 times – sigh.
Carried the ball? Nil.
Support? – Nil.
In terms of mobility he scores 0 against Alberts (who isn’t exactly mobile himself).
Geez, what a joke Vermuelen has been and some were complaining about Spies?
Spies is 10 tuimes better – and still poor.
Best thing though with HM’s mindset is for Spies to get back in at #8.
but then again that’s HM.
Time for his ‘mate’ to get his butt kicked back to WP.
17 Nov 2012, 20:23 pm
Eb & Flo, the tide busters!!!
17 Nov 2012, 20:31 pm
Well I must confess, I did not see the value in F Louw 2 years ago, but quedos to you Franscois, you have humbled me, and been brutal since joining the Boks.
Well done to you!
I have always believed in Brussouw, and thought you were too big to be as influencial as Brussouw, but you are having a fantastic EOYT, long may your performances continue.
Bokke slowly getting there. Still a few chinks to work out, but the optimism is growing.
17 Nov 2012, 20:33 pm
OCO – I have also never been a fan of Vermulen, but I have to disagree totally with you.
I feel that he was good today. Solid defense, and in the wet conditions, I feel that he was the best of the RSA 8th man options for todays clash. Spies, Kankoand many other number 8′s would not have performed as well as him.
You’re being too harsh. In the wet up North, we need a little more go stopping power, and ability to go forward from static situations. Duane showed that.
He might not be the most dynamic, especially in hard SH fields, but tonight, he was solid.
17 Nov 2012, 20:48 pm
Even though he hasn’t played no.8 for years (high school days) it would be nice to think of Marcell as a no.8 option- I’d like to see him come off the bench for Duane and see how he goes.
17 Nov 2012, 20:50 pm
@BULLET-8: He has been good all along – had some iffy games when starting but he took his form from Super nd Currie Cup right through. He started average and has grown into a magnificent player over the years.
17 Nov 2012, 20:58 pm
This a very unpopular, unfashionable view, I know, but Luke Watson the best No 8 in SA by a country mile …
& I believe he’ll prove it (in Super Rugby) next year playing in a (relatively speaking) Cinderella pack …
17 Nov 2012, 22:10 pm
@ 12 good luck with that!
17 Nov 2012, 22:13 pm
@grant10-1: what’s an oitbull dragon?
17 Nov 2012, 22:58 pm
6. Brussouw
7. Louw
8. Burger
Alberts should play 4 and move Etsebeth to 5.
18 Nov 2012, 01:28 am
@Angostura-12: I hope you handle dissappointment well.
18 Nov 2012, 01:29 am
@garth-15: Agree.
18 Nov 2012, 02:00 am
@garth-15: Not sure about Burger as he is now vs a few years back, but Louw and Bussouw would be a real breakdown menace to the opposition.
18 Nov 2012, 03:24 am
@aliboy-18: We’ll have to see what Schalk is up to when he starts playing again, but I’d really like to see Brussouw in the team and you can’t drop Flo. It would be crazy to leave Schalk out (unless he starts playing at 10 again) of the team for Vermeulen or even worse…. Spoes. Alberts needs to be there as he adds the grunt to the pack, but he is not mobile enough to play flank.
18 Nov 2012, 06:22 am
Vermeulen has spared the Boks many blushes. Magnificent on defence and effective in slowing down and stealing ball. OCO you’re still pissed about the Currie Cup final. Without Vermelulen the Boks will k@k!
18 Nov 2012, 07:00 am
duane for all his effort gets shaded when one watches how the likes of picamoles, lobbe are influential for their teams with ball-in-hand. he is miles behind these chaps.
18 Nov 2012, 07:05 am
as for flo, i love it every time he plays & shuts his doubters up one by one…i recall when he was selected this year how some said he was useless because he was shown up by the all blacks in 2010 as if the Bok pack as a unit didn”t get thrashed by new zealand that year.
18 Nov 2012, 07:15 am
@W.P-20: I am not saying that Vermeulen is a poor player, but he is not in the same league as Burger.
18 Nov 2012, 07:23 am
This outdated pathetic game plan is going to send me to drugs and alcohol…
How piss poor were we especially in the second half. When JdV is the best backline player then someting is really not right. Lambie the weakest of the lot but I’m not blaming him, I’m blaming the coaching staff for the way he is playing. Zane gets the ball and just kicks or runs straight. Sorry we need an overhaul of our game plan. I just don’t understand how the 9 or 10th ranked team in the world made us their bunnies in the second half. The loose trio were really good, especially Louw and Straus had one of his best games.
18 Nov 2012, 07:24 am
@W.P-20:
Vermeulen has made the position his own. Although some think he is slow the amount of work he puts in makes him such a valuable player in the team. With Flouw and when Bisse is back the fetching team will be great…
18 Nov 2012, 07:28 am
@BULLET-9:
Some people really have no idea…
18 Nov 2012, 08:45 am
@26 Gumboots,
LOL – when we take personal bias out of things, I think that we can appreciate the merits of what a lot of the players are doing.
Im a sharks supporter, and have cheered loder for Louw & Vermulen more than any other players recently. They have really silenced me (I was a doubter), and I suppose I was a doubter cause I dont watch them the same way as I watch the Sharks looses for example.
Nevertheless, I feel we would have really battled more with a different type of player than Duane the last 2 weeks. Sure he is not as dynamic as other number 8′s, but in the wet, we need a strong, hard stopper and crashball player. Much like what the opposition has.
I fear that in world rugby, there are no real 8′s that dominate against the worlds best teams. We look at the Argies & Italian 8′s, and they look good cause they are flash, but I dont see the collective pack playing with the authority that allows for a number 8 to play loose.
Yesterday and against Ireland, our forwards needed 8 players, not 7 players and another Skinstad.
18 Nov 2012, 08:55 am
The two fetcher groepies need wake up. In a back trio you need three things, fetcher, ball carrier and link to the backs…..
6 fetcher, 7 ball carier and 8 link. At the moment we have a fetcher, ball carrier and a fetcher ball carrier. Moving Alberts to 4 would rob us of another person who be clearing the rucks, which is the primary role of the 4 lock. Alberts is a 100% ball carrier, moving him to 4 would be foolish, rather use him as a super sub.
18 Nov 2012, 10:20 am
@goodstuff-28: So Etsebeth will stop clearing rucks once he moves from 4 to 5? Having just one fetcher in a team is inadequate. Look at how well Biz and Brussouw complimented each other. The more fetchers there are in the team the better, i.e. Biz, Brussouw and Louw. Louw has played a significant part of his career at 7, making way for Schalk to play 6 (which was silly). I am sure at 120kg, Alberts is capable of clearing rucks.
18 Nov 2012, 19:01 pm
MY take on the status quo.
Our best combination in front – Beast, Biz, Coenie.
Best Locks – Eben, Andries
Best Loosie combination – Flo, Alberts, Burger
Best scrummie – bring back fourie du preez
Goosen to come back to 10, backline far more dangerous with him there.
Habs back to 11, Rhule to get some game time at 14.
Play Hougie at 15
Frans to 12, Jean to retire
JP to 13
HM to hire Mallet as a consultant assistant coach.
HM to get a new backline coach
Fans to remember, Jake built a team based on defense – we had this same issue with Jake at first, because we weren’t scoring tries. Let HM build an inpenetrable defensive system, then lets see if we can develop our attack.
Like most, its hard to remain patient – Will hold judgement for after RC2013.
18 Nov 2012, 19:03 pm
One more option available to HM right now,
Play Alberts at 4, with Etzebeth at 5.
Then play Marcel at 6, Flo at 7, Vermeulen at 8.
18 Nov 2012, 19:09 pm
@Jake_White-30: dont talk nonsense. we did NOT have this issue with Jake at 1st as we scored TRIES at 1st, winning tri nations 1st time round etc.
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, 19:34 pm
@Jake_White-30: 3 players in your starting line up out of position? Not clever.
Nothing wrong with Jannie. He has really stepped up.
Guthro surprised me in a bad way yesterday. Heinke was also not convincing. What I really would like to see is if JC Janse van Rensburg can make the step up to this level. For sure he can’t be worse than CJ
What’s the fixation with finding a position for Hougaard? Where next? Fetcher? Go with Lambie and you have a back up kicker.
JP is not a centre, and I would venture a guess he prefers 14.
I would agree with Frans Steyn at inside, but maybe give JdJ a chance
18 Nov 2012, 21:47 pm
Alberts has played lock before, he could be an effective enforcer. JP would make a great 13, same mould of player as Jacque fourie. Hougie, ya youre right I am triyng hard to find something for him – perhaps he needs to remain an impact player off the bench. Frans to 12 for sure, maybe we play juan at 13 – if he can get the ball that would be good.
Would like to see Mvovo and Rhule get a show too.
19 Nov 2012, 02:39 am
@Jake_White-34:
Alberts is not and never will be an “enforcer”, you need mongrel to be one and he does not have any of that. Have you ever seen him getting his nose in the push and shove like Bakkies or Eben or Elstadt or Vermulen? Nah, he is a hard tackling, barnstorming flanker, nothing more. If anything I think he is a bit of a *****………
19 Nov 2012, 02:40 am
er that word is p u ss y
19 Nov 2012, 05:12 am
@whatever-35:
The famous enforcer word……lol
From the South African rugby dictionary.
En-for-cer :
A man who can impose discipline, a religious person who would do no wrong or a person that will sort the rights from wrongs.
The world rugby dictionary
En-for-cer:
Thug,cheap shot artist. A man that will say he is religious then tear someones eyes out.
19 Nov 2012, 07:37 am
Hey hurricane go f uk yourself you dipshit
19 Nov 2012, 07:41 am
@Hurricane-37:
That’s actually quite funny!
19 Nov 2012, 07:42 am
I don’t recall any religious saffa eye gouging , I do recall Richard loe starting the graze and a religeous Thorne being labeled as the keeewee enforcer. He runs in to protect his poor targeted little captain and loves a spear tackle. Religeous indeed and non violent indeed……pot kettle my little poodle?
19 Nov 2012, 08:58 am
@Jake_White-30:
jake white built his team on defence? really now
in fact jake white brought an attacking gameplan when he first started
we won the tri-nations with bonus points in jakes first year
playing very enterprising rugby
he became more defensive as his tenure came to a close
19 Nov 2012, 23:51 pm
@whatever-38:
ouch,you hurt my feewings.
@whatever-40:
Yawn
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