Bok standards unacceptably low
19 Nov 2012
JON CARDINELLI says that while this Springbok side shouldn’t be expected to attack like the All Blacks they shouldn’t be excused for performances devoid of innovation, precision and potency either.
A colleague of mine asked a question in the build-up to the Murrayfield Test, a question that summed up a prevailing expectation: ‘How much will this Bok side need to win by in Edinburgh to get a pass mark?’
The All Blacks had set the bar high with a 51-22 thrashing of Scotland, an astounding attacking display that served to highlight the New Zealanders’ global superiority in breakdown play, vision and execution. It seemed my colleague, and I suspect many South African supporters, would not be content unless the Boks savaged Scotland in a similar manner.
Personally, I had tempered my expectations. I argued that the All Blacks were a world champion side, that they had the players in the forwards to dominate the point of contact as well as ensure a quick ruck recycle, and that their backs had the vision, skill and precision to complement that high-tempo approach.
I believed that this Bok side could not compare, as the absence of nine first-choice players (read Beast Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Andries Bekker, Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Fourie du Preez, Johan Goosen, Frans Steyn and Bryan Habana) would limit their collective potency.
And yet, I still expected this present Bok side to convert the majority of their attacking opportunities in a clinical if not spectacular manner. Indeed, if you total the number of times they crossed the gainline on Saturday, and the number of times they worked their way into the opposition 22, the end result should have been far more than just 21 points and two tries, one of which was an intercept.
The Boks scored their first try through a powerful and clinical forward drive. It was a fine way to start the game, and seemed to signify that the Boks were in the mood to execute. Unfortunately, it was the only example of potency.
There are numerous examples of individual players bashing their way beyond the gainline, or in a few cases, using their feet to beat one or two defenders. Unforgivably, the Boks failed to maintain this attacking pressure beyond a few phases.
The forwards did well in several facets last Saturday, most notably on defence, but their ball retention at the rucks left a lot to be desired.
The Bok backline hasn’t enjoyed much of an opportunity to settle this season, but they should still be operating at a higher standard. That lack of synergy was patent last Saturday, with players performing as individuals rather than as combinations. Worryingly, these players also showed a lack of patience and decisiveness on attack.
The Boks would earn the opportunity to attack from deep within the opponents’ half, but it seemed that once they had played themselves into these positions, they didn’t have a clue of what to do next.
I still don’t believe that you can compare this Bok side to the All Blacks team that is currently touring Europe. Having said that, the Boks’ recent attacking performances shouldn’t be accepted as standard, not by the Bok coach, players or fans.
The Boks are not the All Blacks, but as another colleague keeps reminding me, they are not Romania either.
The level of execution is unacceptably poor at present. While I maintain that the next Test against England will determine the success of this tour, I cannot discount the underwhelming attacking performances against Ireland and Scotland, and what they may portend for the finale at Twickenham.
England are a far tougher defensive unit than their Celtic counterparts, and won’t offer South Africa as many attacking opportunities. What this means is that the Boks will need to be far more clinical than they have been in the past fortnight.
They won’t get seven or eight chances to score tries, and won’t be afforded as many shots at goal either. They need to make the most of each venture into opposition territory.
That needs to be the message from the coach, the support staff, and the senior players. The focus and attitude needs to change this week. I’m not advocating a radical change in strategy, I’m simply suggesting that Heyneke Meyer and company demand a higher level of execution. And in demanding a better attitude, Meyer should also look to himself for an improvement.
Adriaan Strauss has enjoyed a strong tour, but Meyer’s failure to deploy reserve hooker Schalk Brits has been unfathomable.
Brits has no defensive deficiencies, and has proved himself to be a strong set-piece exponent over the past three European seasons. Significantly, he has the potential to lift the tempo in the second stanza, to add some spark to the attack.
The Bok starting line-up needs to deliver a more clinical showing at Twickenham, and Meyer needs to back his bench to build on that performance in the second half.
It is also time for Meyer to back Elton Jantjies as a matchday squad member. Morné Steyn is not an impact player, and if he is not good enough to be in the staring line-up he is not good enough to be in the squad.
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194 Comments
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19 Nov 2012, 11:10 am
@Horings-99:
No he didn’t… but then again nor did Steyn, but the coach new what Steyn could do and we as SA supporters new what Brussouw could do!!! You see you even agree to the different rule for different player… Brussouw has never let a Bok team down, yet Steyn and Spies have done so regularly… They are not dropped but players like Keegen are carted without a second chance… No boet I love SA and the Boks, but this coach is dividing everyone, not because he is just dumb but biased…
19 Nov 2012, 11:12 am
@nortierd-100:
Well at least Matfield is singing from the same hymn book… of course he will… HM licked his a r s e to play for the Boks…
19 Nov 2012, 11:14 am
@Gumboots-102:
Ha ha, to true.
Like Forest Gumption and Jenny, two peas in a pod
19 Nov 2012, 11:15 am
@nortierd-103:
Gump
damn spellcheck doesn’t appreciate movies
19 Nov 2012, 11:15 am
@Gumboots-102: Howdy
Matfield reckons van Graan is a superior attack coach. That was about when I started kicking the coffee table and scratching my arms…..
19 Nov 2012, 11:19 am
@nortierd-103:
It is our beloved Boks we are talking about… It is our country and to think some people are happy with mediocre is quite alarming. Coming second shouldn’t be even in our thought process, yet we are happy with playing second, third, fourth fiddle all the time. When we criticize the coach it is because the flaws are there for all to see. Improve and accept that we are playing really poorly and are lucky to be beating the ninth and tenth team in world rugby… Now that is alarming…
19 Nov 2012, 11:21 am
I see Cooper has turned down an ARU contract. No doubt HG will be pushing the Sharks to sign him as he’s the type of 10 that would be at home in Durban.
19 Nov 2012, 11:21 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-105:
For sure… I tell you my vocab has become vile lately… I cannot understand how people are so blind and naiive to see that we are playing ***** rugby…
19 Nov 2012, 11:22 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-105:
How rude… Bonjour…
19 Nov 2012, 11:23 am
@Gumboots-101: So you are saying Meyer is both dumb and biased. I assume biased towards Bulls and no fetchers. Well Louw is the exact opposite.
If Meyer did not believe Louw will make a positive difference. Why did he pick him? Was there enormous pressure on Meyer to pick Louw, based in Bath? Some guys mentioned Louw, but nobody even thought Meyer will think into that direction. If Meyer was so Bulls biased, why did he not rather select D Potgieter or Stegmann for the fetcher role or the young upcoming Bok U20 captain. Why Louw?
19 Nov 2012, 11:25 am
@Gumboots-106:
Yep, we should be thumping sides rated 7 or below, beating sides with more ease rated 3 to 6 and running the AB’s close away and beating them at home….. Come to think of it, we were doing just that some years ago
19 Nov 2012, 11:26 am
@Horings-89: yes
19 Nov 2012, 11:28 am
@David-107: Me thinks he’ll feel more at home in Port Elizabeth…
19 Nov 2012, 11:28 am
@Horings-110:
HM picked Louw because he’s a 7 physically who is also a great fetcher. Not because he’s a specialist 6.
19 Nov 2012, 11:30 am
@Horings-110: Can it be that Louw is not only a fetcher, but also a good ball carrier. Can it be true that this is the only thing Meyer is looking for in his fetcher? Can it be true that he is not thinking whether the player is based in Pretoria, or that he is white, or that he is English.
Can it be true that Meyer is looking for certain players in certain positions to have certain attributes and this is the basis on which he selects players? Now we can go to the next question. Does the coach have the authority to have certain selection criteria that is not based on provincialism or race or any discriminatory factor?
Well if your answer is NO to my last question then we may as well have a poll on each Sunday selecting the Bok team for the next test.
19 Nov 2012, 11:31 am
@Jake_White-112: Why would you select two looseheads on the bench? CJ is not the answer, and we need backup for JdP, but who?
19 Nov 2012, 11:32 am
@Horings-110:
Cos he’s good?
19 Nov 2012, 11:32 am
@Horings-110:
When talking about bias you didn’t answer my question why a very poor and out of form Steyn is chosen to play for the boks and a tried and tested Brussouw wasn’t chosen. Potgieter had two terrible games on the trot and was given more time to prove himself. Keegen was dumped without a second thought. Louw is big and fits ‘HM’s’ obsession with size, thus the opportunity given. It was a short term option from HM but Louw has proved why a fetcher should be the first name on the team sheet. Yes the pressure was on HM to choose a fetcher as his choices were not working. Brussouw was then injured and he had no other option but to select Louw… You know that as much as we know that. Hougaard is playing really poorly at the moment, Steyn is terrible, Niknaks is just steady… Explain the reasoning for continiously selecting such poor performers? Why Steyn? Why Hougaard? Why Kirshner?
19 Nov 2012, 11:33 am
@David-114: You mean he is a specialist fetcher that can also be physical (a Wikus van Heerden type player).
My point exactly. Louw did not prove Meyer wrong. Louw is the player Meyer was looking for from the start!
19 Nov 2012, 11:33 am
@Horings-115:
You gonna flog this horse whole day
OK
Meyer is not racist, not biased
Happy?
19 Nov 2012, 11:35 am
@Dawn-38: Hello good lady.Enjoy your day
19 Nov 2012, 11:35 am
@Dawn-120:
19 Nov 2012, 11:36 am
@Gumboots-118: Because Steyn meets Meyer’s criteria better than Brussow does. Selections are made according to his selection criteria.
Meyer wants a fetcher that can take the ball up physically and he wants a flyhalf that can dictate play with his boot. Not because on is a Bulls player and the other not.
19 Nov 2012, 11:37 am
@Dawn-120: Nie wanneer jy dit se nie tannie.
19 Nov 2012, 11:37 am
@Dawn-41: Government by the medocre
19 Nov 2012, 11:37 am
@Horings-110:
Sorry I didn’t answer the dumb part… HM just needs to open his mouth for that…
19 Nov 2012, 11:38 am
MEDIOCRE
19 Nov 2012, 11:39 am
true…Meyer is dividing SA. His thinking is from 1974. They year we got smashed by the British & Irish Lions.
I cannot see it happening as he has a laager like mentality……but get John Mitchell & Todd Loudren on board asap. And he should ditch his puppies.
19 Nov 2012, 11:40 am
@Horings-123:
But Steyn doesn’t dictate the game and we all know that Jantjies, Lambie and even Catrikillis (tongue in cheek) is better than Steyn now…
Meyer knows what he has in Steyn, Britney and Hougie… Followers and that is what he is looking for…
19 Nov 2012, 11:40 am
@David-114: Correct. And the 1st thing Meyer raves about when talking about Flo, is his size. Kid you not.
19 Nov 2012, 11:41 am
@Horings-123:
What about size??? Does that only apply to certain players? I suppose the other small boy fits his criteria… What is that criteria?
19 Nov 2012, 11:42 am
@nortierd-100:
Do why didn’t he apply?
19 Nov 2012, 11:43 am
@Gumboots-126: Losing the argument I see. Well that is good.
Starting to debate his intellectual capacity without knowing him is dumb. For instance, he incorporated conditioning strategies from gridiron to make the Bulls the most conditioned provincial team in South Africa by far. Other teams took years to be on the same level. Is that dumb. He built structures at the Bulls Rassie Erasmus said he copied at the Stormers. Is a leader in the field dumb? Jy is die domste drol boetie!
19 Nov 2012, 11:43 am
@Gumboots-126: Meeowwwwwwwwwwwwwww
And the claws are out.
Someone said to me in gym this morning, that this country will soon be divided not by political lines, but by “Meyer fault lines”
Those who adore him, and those who abhor him.
19 Nov 2012, 11:45 am
@Horings-119:
No, he’s a 7 who can fetch. That’s the role he played at the Stormers/WP. Unlike a classic fetcher, he’s not the first to the breakdown, but the second. It’s his timing that makes him so effective.
19 Nov 2012, 11:46 am
@Horings-133:
So why are the bokkies playing dumb rugby
19 Nov 2012, 11:47 am
@XV-128: Will John Mitchell and Todd Louden work together. Skop said yesterday he will fix the Boks by selecting this coach and that coach and selecting this player and that player. One question? Who in his right mind will want to work with Skop?
There are some issues we as supporters never think about, because it is easy to coach the Boks. Select a team. Play with it on playstation. Change it a bit and BAM we have a world class team.
19 Nov 2012, 11:47 am
@Horings-133:
We are talking SA rugby now… Not Bulls rugby… We are not interested in what he did at the Bulls. We are interested in what he is doing as SA coach. I may be dumb too, but please show me why he is not dumb at the moment. Why play a plan that is outdated – dumb; why select a player who is so out of form – dumb; why choose a player out of position – dumb; when there are better players available. Maybe the argument is not lost after all…
19 Nov 2012, 11:49 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-134:
Very few who adore that is for sure… When you need to explain why a coach is good when all can see he is poor is clutching at straws… Survival techniqes 101
19 Nov 2012, 11:50 am
@Horings-137:
Dont they like you anymore over at RT
19 Nov 2012, 11:50 am
@Gumboots-138:
Maybe you should sign up for the job.
You seem to have all the answers and a lot of time on your hands.
19 Nov 2012, 11:53 am
@Horings-137: we could select anyone from a group of 60 players in SA and be world beaters. That is the talent we have. It is the coaching that is lacking. Look what Mitchell did with a no name brand team. A coach brings out the best in a players ability. At this time Meyer is having the opposite affect on the players. International rugby is a step too far for him in my opinion.
19 Nov 2012, 11:54 am
@Gumboots-138: Are we winning where other Bok teams have lost. Maybe you are just not seeing his brilliance and think it is dumb.
We are debating his intellect and I am showing you he made many inpirational decisions in the past that a dumb person will not make. Surely we can make the assumption he is the same person with the same intellect.
19 Nov 2012, 11:55 am
@gunther-141:
Why? You think I will be good?
I don’t have the answers, but I’m trying to find them by asking my learned colleague for the HM thought process. I’m debating with Hornings and enjoying it… I’m sure he is too…
You jealous?
19 Nov 2012, 11:55 am
@Dawn-140: I have never blogged there.
19 Nov 2012, 11:56 am
@Horings-143:
“Brilliance.”
“Intellect.”
“Inspirational decisions.”
Did you watch the game on Saturday.
19 Nov 2012, 11:57 am
@Horings-145:
Really.
19 Nov 2012, 11:58 am
@Gumboots-144:
Debating?
Look your english is about as good as Meyer’s.
So maybe you will a good fit.
19 Nov 2012, 11:59 am
@XV-142: You are not showing enough respect to other international players and teams. We have the talent, for sure, but do we have the administration on top. For example if Meyer was selected earlier he could have selected his coaching staff better and he could have ensured a smoot transition by keeping Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bakkies Botha and Guthro Steenkamp in South Africa.
19 Nov 2012, 11:59 am
@Horings-143:
So he is winning against Scotland and Ireland so that is inspirational brilliance…Okey…
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