Brave Boks edge Twickenham epic
24 Nov 2012
RYAN VREDE watched the Springboks hold on for a 16-15 victory over England at Twickenham that secured an unbeaten tour.
The tour is over and the examination is passed. It was hardly a convincing pass. Certainly there are areas of their Test syllabus in which these Springboks and their coaches are desperately lacking. But they’ve gone unbeaten in Europe and achieved this with the least experienced side they’ve ever fielded and men ravaged by the excesses of the longest season in their careers.
They had no right to have the work-rate they did, the physicality they displayed, the sharpness of mind that marked their play at critical junctures. They refused to lose, and England, the better side for large periods, simply could not overcome that wall of will.
The value of this tour and the victories that accompanied it is immeasurable. Pat Lambie grew in confidence with every game, tonight looking a Test flyhalf of considerable promise. In Francois Louw, Willem Alberts and Duane Vermeulen they have a back row of brilliant balance. In Eben Etzebeth, the next step in second row evolution.
Then there’s that defence, the cornerstone of their success in the last three weeks. England at times looked like they were attacking on a tennis court, so condensed was their space and so limited their options. That England opted to go for a penalty with two minutes to play will be perceived by some as a act of immense belief and by others one of breathtaking cowardice. Wherever you stand, save a little praise for the impact of the fearsome Springboks defence on the England psyche.
There was something special, something desperate, something determined about this rendition of the England national anthem pre-match. It was as much a declaration of war as it was an ode to their beloved Queen. And England were fittingly belligerent throughout – bullish in contact on attack and defence and absolutely rampant at scrum time.
With torrential rain belting this famous ground and a breeze that sent the temperature plummeting to the low single figures, this inexperienced Springbok side were always going to have to win a battle of attrition and a tussle for territory. They mastered neither.
Furthermore the attack once again lacked imagination, precision and tactical intelligence. In a season where they were battered for their pragmatic play, it was ironic that in conditions and against a folding defensive line (pushing in hard from the outside), that they would look to ‘play’ more than they have at any stage on tour. England’s defensive pattern screamed for the Springboks’ primary kickers to look for the space that was left vacant behind the hard-pressing outside backs. Instead their strike runners were frustratingly often tackled before they could build momentum and they subsequently never asked any telling questions on attack.
They were fortunate that England were equally impotent, the hosts enjoying appreciable possession and territory, but they never seriously threatened to score outside of a couple of broken-field opportunities. So organised and so brutal was the Springbok defence – led by the loose trio and amplified by the rest of the team – that England were reduced to hopeful high kicks, painfully few of which found their mark.
It therefore became increasingly apparent that the result of the Test would hinge on the goal-kicking of Pat Lambie and Toby Flood. Lambie banked three penalties to Flood’s two before half-time. The England pivot, however, missed two, both stemming from scrum infringements. It was the only area of the game that England enjoyed clear dominance, but Flood’s failure to capitalise on those opportunities saw his side trail 9-6 at half-time.
The Springboks’ inability to engineer anything close to impressive on attack – not even their powerful rolling maul – was concerning, but then they profited from a bit of luck that gave them the ascendancy when Willem Alberts collected a ball that had squirted off an England player after a hacked attempted clearance. The big blindside flopped over the tryline and Lambie kicked his fourth penalty goal of the Test to give the Springboks a 10-point lead.
Meyer will lament the Springboks’ inability to pin the English in the half more than they did after establishing that buffer, ill-discipline and poor decision-making ensuring that there was never a let up in pressure.
With 12 minutes to play and Swing Low, Sweet Chariot sweeping through the stands, England found their stride. Alex Goode made it a four-point game with seven to play. This was a defining seven minutes in the Springboks’ tour, some would argue their season. A scrum on their 22m held firm when it most needed to. Ruan Pienaar cleared but England came again.
Then, inexplicably, England choose to kick a penalty with the final whistle imminent. Did they really think they would have the attacking prowess to score from at least 80m out? There’ll be a mass inquisition in the English press on Sunday. But the Springboks won’t care. Most will be nursing sore heads from a celebration they’ve earned.
189 Comments
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25 Nov 2012, 10:15 am
@poltergeist-77: out of line pal
25 Nov 2012, 10:16 am
At this stage and with the players he selected our strength is defense.
Yet when we play to our strength we get blasted.
We would all like to see free flowing and running rugby, but first priority is to win a test match.
The end justified the means.
25 Nov 2012, 10:19 am
@Hurricane-128: I’m a saffa and you won’t see an argument from me. Our current game plan is rather pathetic and far bellow what’s possible on a rugby field. It’s pretty depressing stuff; you would think a national asset would have more smarts behind it. Hopefully things improve. …Sigh.
25 Nov 2012, 10:19 am
@snivelling little kiwi pricks-93: Nama probably knows a hell of a lot more about the rules than you do.
25 Nov 2012, 10:30 am
Meyer in Rapport:
Voorts word daar aan sisteme gewerk om die Bokke te ondersteun: “Jy moet sorg dat die onder-20-span min of meer dieselfde speelstyl as die nasionale span het, sodat jong ouens wat inkom dadelik hul voete kan vind.”
O vadertjie tog…arme laaities moet nou ook geleer word om liewer rugby te speel om NIE te verloor nie eerder as om te speel met die doel om te wen.
25 Nov 2012, 10:34 am
@nama1-155: watch victor @ the bulls fark up serfontein, small-smith’s creativity as the “attack” coach…
25 Nov 2012, 10:42 am
@greatest13gerber-143: He fits HM’s game plan perfectly.Brilliant performance yesterday.
25 Nov 2012, 10:47 am
@greatest13gerber-143: Um no. Kirtchner is the embodiment of the Boks current boring, one dimensional, limited gameplan. No talent, just a drilled robot.
25 Nov 2012, 10:49 am
@Transformation-156:
Is this some new trend? The forward coach also being the attack coach.
What will Slaptjips job entails as back line coach, I wonder?
25 Nov 2012, 10:53 am
@Spiesisworthless1-158:
“…the Boks current boring, one dimensional, limited gameplan.”
That is a very apt description of our game plan.
When my AB supporting friends started to feel embarrassed on my behalf because of the way we played, you know we were kak.
Jislaaik, it was cringe worthy.
25 Nov 2012, 10:54 am
This tour could either become the definition of papering over the cracks where we’re subjected to the misery of a Meyer/Van Graan/Loubscher game-plan over the next three years, or Meyer will build from this raw desperate caveman template and start adding dimensions to the Boks. He WONT be able to the latter with Van Graan and Loubscher, he’ll need some quality assistance.
25 Nov 2012, 10:59 am
@nama1-160: No joy at all supporting this bunch. One half of proper rugby all season vs the English at Ellis Park to go with the Wallaby implosion at Loftus. To call the rest forgettable is an understatement.
25 Nov 2012, 11:03 am
@Spiesisworthless1-161:
Since he is looking for the same game plan across the different teams representing SA, what about Brendan Venter as back line coach for the Boks as well?
25 Nov 2012, 11:04 am
Hi Nama @159: that were my comments exactly when the news broke. Slaptjips must be quite pis*ed about it!!
It seems that HM started a new “trend” with Van Graan and now Ludeke is doing the same with Victor.
I have no problem with VM being the forwards’ coach – although it is quite soon after quitting the game – but attacking coach ?? Does not make sense
25 Nov 2012, 11:49 am
That’s the best which could done under the circumstances
I actually took a wager on the Poms by 4
HM was forced to play Steenkamp and JdJ who combined for a one tackle and a one ruck between them, while the Poms had no free loader in their line up!
HM did manage to upset few though by the clean sweep WHICH IS PRICELESS
25 Nov 2012, 11:55 am
@CharlesM-164:
Well Matfield firmly believes that HM is doing things right. So maybe that answers your question…
25 Nov 2012, 11:58 am
I just voted for the Sharks to win the SA Conference of the Super 15 next year!
I do this in tribute of Sharks_Lover, Sharksgirl, and Puma.
The gilled trinity.
25 Nov 2012, 12:05 pm
@cane-167:
I see 16 people voted for the Kings.
Must be the Watsons’ family
25 Nov 2012, 12:15 pm
@nortierd-168:
I didn’t go down the list as far as the Kings.
If I had, I would have voted for them for sure.
I just love Luke.
And Cheeky and Chong.
Hope they go well in 2013.
(I do not however agree with the way things were done, in getting the Kings into the S15).
25 Nov 2012, 12:20 pm
@Hondo-165:
You didn’t see the three tackles that Gurthro made in under two minutes at one stage?
He looked out of puff after that.
What do you make of the fact that we “only” scored 22 tries in the 12 matches that we played this year while 16 tries were scored against us.
Keep in mind that there were quite a few that were not well constructed tries by the Boks. From the top of my head, yesterday’s try by Alberts, last week’s interception by Strauss, the charge down by Fransie against Arg.
There may be more.
25 Nov 2012, 12:25 pm
It is obvious that in HM’s world rugby is not about scoring tries…it is only about winning.
25 Nov 2012, 12:37 pm
@nama1-171: Hang on Nama.
Isn’t that the same plan of your Toetie?
I didn’t see you on here lambasting Toetie during the S15?
Instead you kept saying all that is important is that the Stormers were winning and ugly wins were better than pretty losses (until they got absolutely crunched by the Sharks when it counted).
double standards?
25 Nov 2012, 12:39 pm
Extract from BBC website,referring to England. Is this ‘big is best’ philosophy some kinf of international rugby coaches’ delusion?
66. ron
7 MINUTES AGO
Its high time we got out of selecting only the biggest, most muscled individuals. Perhaps selecting those with skill and intelligence as we used to before “professionalism” might lead at least to a more exciting and fluid formation? The overemphasis on robotic defence simply reinforces the fear of losing as opposed to an attacking philosophy which would foster the belief in winning.
25 Nov 2012, 12:40 pm
The Stormers scored 28 tries and let in 21.
The Chiefs scored 47 and let in 30.
The Sharks scored 47 and let in 31.
Hell even the Bulls scored 50 yet let in 38.
Nama what’s good for the sauce is good for the goose, no? Never heard you complaining in the S15…..
25 Nov 2012, 12:42 pm
So Nama did not criticize Toetie but criticizes Meyer for EXACTLY the same thing…..
I wonder what the difference is in Nama’s mind?
Actually, I reckon I have a pretty good idea knowing the way our little Nama thinks….
25 Nov 2012, 12:48 pm
I don’t know what HM’s got but to keep those 15 battered Boks on the field, defending like demons is special. Sure it was a slugfest between two tentative teams but good one for the Boks. I even enjoyed Mallett’s crowing about the spineless ref. We need him in SARU. He’d sort the crokked Kwee’s out! I’m pleased for the players for sure; Kirchner confounded a few critics. Naas bleating about consulting Andre Watson about the try – yeah right; the oracle for SA refs. Not! Go look at the scoreboard.
For those who sneer at the players – go out and try it yourself on freezing patch of mud in icy rain with 30 000 rabid Pommies baying in the background.
But plenty work to do. Scrums were a mess. Boks had a dominant lineout yet Pienaar and Lambie don’t kick the ball out. Eish!
One moment of particular irritation was when Hougaard and Pienaar broke out with turnover ball and Pienaar kicks a GO from the frst breakdown. Nee man!
25 Nov 2012, 12:51 pm
@Liewe Luiperd-172:
Partly true.
I am on record since last year questioning the “playing without the ball” game plan that AC adopted for WP. I was very critical of it.
The success of the Stormers this year did dampen ones criticism of the game plan somewhat, yes.
25 Nov 2012, 12:56 pm
Thoughts on how JPP was used as a first centre on many occasions instead of JdV ?
25 Nov 2012, 13:00 pm
@Transformation-156: You are so right..
It pains me t see the Bulls pick up the best talent this country has to offer. The Bulls are boring.. Why go there as a back line player.
25 Nov 2012, 13:02 pm
@Spiesisworthless1-161: why do SA outsource their attacking backline coaches and get a foreign Antipodean coach. Or Even a French attack coach. These guys will help our game.
25 Nov 2012, 13:08 pm
@Tbozknows-179: TBoz
Look I am no Bulls fan but how can you say that when the Bulls scored 50 tries in this year’s S15 and the Stormers only 28?
Only the Hurricanes scored more tries.
25 Nov 2012, 13:08 pm
Bulls 50 tries
Sharks 47
Cheetahs 35
Lions 30
Stormers 28
25 Nov 2012, 13:12 pm
4 try bonus points
Hurricanes 8
Sharks 7
Bulls 6
Chiefs, Crusaders, Brumbies 5
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
Stormers 0
25 Nov 2012, 14:16 pm
Rubbish performance mediocrity is the new bok norm, we should be thumping Scotland, number 12 ranked team in the world, nothing on attack, next year will be the same old rubbish, watching the all blacks play the width of the field, why can’t the boks play like that, they have bacls to do so, was Juan de Jongh even on the field yesterday? Meyer’s selection of Kirchner at fullback spells out the lack of ambition, please make Francois Louw the springbok captain, de Villiers is not the answer.Please get a skills coach to improve the back play, Eddie Jones, Todd Louden, get rid of Ricardo. Loubscher, useless backs coach, coached Tukkies, now Springbok backs coach, what a joke.The All Blacks are so far ahead, if the boks cannot even beat them at altitude in front of 89000 people, who will, this springbok.set up is not striving for improvement. Beating England by 1 point is nothing to brag about, if Heyneke Meyer wants to be the best, then the mindset has too change, injuries are not an excuse anymore, building for the world cup is also a joke, the Boks are not going to win with they way they play now.
25 Nov 2012, 14:22 pm
Why was Morne Steyn even on the bench, useless player, why was Elton Jantjies not on the bench earlier? Our wings never see the ball, crash bash it up with the forwards, loss of possession, very predictable from the boks
25 Nov 2012, 15:45 pm
@Liewe Luiperd-181: You have a valid point and the stats don’t lie. However, their ability to score tries is purely down to the strength of their pack. Basson probably score the bulk of those tries on a overlap, but the rest would be down to forward drives etc.
That does not say anything about the” Morne Steynesk” backline personnel that either kick or crash. We need more flare coming from our players running into space.
25 Nov 2012, 19:35 pm
@Tbozknows-186:
And that strength would be:
Greyling
Chilly
Werner
Flip
Juandre
Dewald
Deon
Spies
According to the kenners of SA rugby and this blog…. The weakest pack in the compo?
25 Nov 2012, 20:12 pm
The bulls pack is good but the real strength at present in sa rugby is the stormers with the likes of fourie, etsebeth, vermeulen, kolisi and elstadt – pity they lost louw otherwise they’d prob win it next year.
25 Nov 2012, 21:28 pm
WP are Currie Cup CHAMPIONS !!!! Champions, Champions, Champions !!!!
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