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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24 Nov 2012, 23:24 pm
@Kaizan-46: That exactly was my point. Swap Burger with any AB and Pocock with any Bokke and okes here will wet themselves with rage.
“made an unprecedented 47 errors in the WC semi final (all of which went against the Springboks, how peculiar)”
Seriously, this exceeds every crybabies stuff I have seen here and that takes an effort.
24 Nov 2012, 23:24 pm
Good afternoon everyone. It is with pleasure that I address you all today. My name is Mr Gambino. I am many things, but for the purposes of this website, I am a rugby expert.
I don’t get involved in discussions about race, religion, music or anything else. I talk rugby.
I don’t do replies or follow ups. I express my views verbally and my associate types and posts these views for your benefit. You are free to agree or disagree with what I have to say although it would be in your best interst to agree more often than not. An ex-associate of mine made the mistake of disagreeing with said views too often until he tragically fell off a building. New Jersey is a dangerous place and unfortunately people very sadly fall off buildings with more regularity than one would hope.
Introductions out of the way, I would like to share with you my views on something that many of you are finally getting to grips with. I would like to entitle this article “The Scrumhalf Dilemma”… So without further ado:
The Scrumhalf Dilemma – by Mr Gambino – 24 November 2012
Scrumhalf is a crucial position as I’m sure you can appreciate. The player who fills the number 9 jersey has huge responsibility and is often more of a key player than anyone on the field (barring of course flyhalf, but thats another conversation altogether and one I don’t have time for at this present moment in time).
Whilst celebrating a recent successful business venture, I got to thinking about what makes a good scrumhalf. Why is he there? Why are they normally smaller guys? The questions go on…
After pondering this particular issue, It became clear to me that the scrumhalf is the link between the forwards and the backs. He’s the guy that connects the Brawn with the Brains, (or if you prefer), he’s the link between the Muscle and the Negotiators.
We have a saying back in the old country. “All brains and no muscle makes for a very difficult business meeting”.
So after the forwards do the hard work up front and get the defence on the back foot, what you really need is a guy who can recycle the ball really quickly to the backs so that they can run at an unset defensive line. Otherwise (as I’m sure you can appreciate), what is the point of the forwards putting in that much effort to break the advantage line and render the defense disorganised?
At this point in my thinking, I lit up a cigar. It’s a Gambino family tradition to light up a cigar after a successful business negotiation. I would have given cigars to everyone in my team but my associates were pre-occupied with cleaning up the mess that some of these negotiations unfortunately leave behind. As I said before, New Jersey can be a dangerous place and accidents occassionally happen.
But I digress…
As a Springbok supporter with vested business interests in the success of South African rugby, I began asking myself abuot a scrumhalf’s kicking game… How much should a scrumhalf be tasked with kicking?
Kicking is a funny thing. It decides where the game is played and at what pace. Your primary kicker is your game controller. Your decision-maker so to speak.
I guess you could say that I am the Gambino family’s “primary kicker” if you get my drift.
I therefore had to conclude that the flyhalf should be the primary kicker as he has a better view of the field than the scrumhalf does. He is not focused on the ruck, but instead can enjoy a view of the players around him while he waits for the ball to be recycled to him. After this, he can decide whether to kick, run or pass etc.
A glass of Prosecco always goes well with a cigar. I duly took a sip at this point.
So if the scrumhalf is tasked with getting quick ball to the “primary kicker”, then the scrumhalf’s rolse as a kicker should be more secondary than primary. I mean I’m not an expert on maths, but it seems to me that is one is not primary then one is either secondary or nothing at all.
Another sip of prosecco.
I then began thinking about our current scrumhalf and asking myself why some of his decision and indeed kicks today were not up to standard. Could it be that he is kicking too much? Could it be that he is undermining the responsibility that the flyhalf should enjoy as the game-controller?
It was great Prosecco. Vintage stuff from the old country. Imported. Fabulous stuff, they don’t make it like this anymore.
After the inevitable conclusion, I decided to ask myself a new question… What would happen if we changed our mindset on how a backline should function. What if we were to give the flyhalf more responsibility as the primary kicker and game controller and instead use the scrumhalf as a secondary kicker who only kicks occassionally to relieve some of the pressure from the flyhalf instead of undermining his position in the first place?
I would say that if we were to take such an approach, then the scrumhalf would have less repsponsibility as a kicker and more energy to focus on recycling the ball quicker and more freedom to snipe when the situation calls for it. I would even allow the occassional box kick if used in moderation.
At this point, II put out my cigar in the (now empty) glass of Prosecco.
With the above conclusion in mind, it became apparent to me that there is only one way of handling such a situation. For when players get injured, they can’t play. This often opens to the door for other players to stake their claim and prove why they are the better option.
Unfortunately we won’t have this case of affairs unless Ruan Pienaar were to become injured… Say from an accident of some sort.
The problem with this is that Pienaar seems to be one to avoid any action on the rugby field and as such he is unlikely to get injured on the rugby field.
At this point in my thinking, I noticed that my business associates had finally finished cleaning up the mess from our recent business negotiation. I thought about our Scrumhalf dilemma again and I knew we had to take matters into our own hands if we want to solve the probelm we have, so I addressed my team…
“Everybody listen up. We have business to do. Book us some flights. We’re going to South Africa”.
24 Nov 2012, 23:26 pm
@Nils-51: No throwing your toys out your pram because the IRB dared to review Adam Thomson’s case… That exceeds any crybaby stuff I have ever seen here.
24 Nov 2012, 23:29 pm
@Kaizan-53: @Kaizan-53: no, the crying about etsebeth was worse..
justice 4 ring any bells?
haha saffas, always crying yet soooooo hypocritical..
24 Nov 2012, 23:32 pm
still crying Kaizan about the WC? hahaha gees, you guys have been crying about 87 not being a “real world cup” because you werent there, so our “cries” about 07 pale in comparison..
but what to expect from a nation that coaches their players to be thugs..
at one stage having 3 gougers in the same team..
Bakkies, Burger and Bismarck
disgusting stuff, but then it is routinely and systematically taught to Saffa players, should we be surprised?
24 Nov 2012, 23:35 pm
Children please stop the inane NZ/SA jealously. Watch rugby and enjoy it!
24 Nov 2012, 23:38 pm
I must admit though, after 4 years of the constant chokers tag, my delight at having so many years of Saffa mediocrity to throw in your faces really is rather sweet
but I do so off the back of my own teams victories, not like those Saffas who lived vicariously of Frances win in 07… that really was hilarious..
still, why dont you guys fck off up north, you seem to be at the same standard, as evidenced by this years AI tour… but I understand, the home unions dont really like you guys either, and who can blame them..
24 Nov 2012, 23:41 pm
@poppa69-57: shouldnt you be at home having intercourse with your daughter?
24 Nov 2012, 23:43 pm
@poltergeist-58: I was done with her ages ago…
24 Nov 2012, 23:43 pm
Congrats Hm and your team on an undefeated EOYT. That’s all I can say to you.
This team play utter kak rugby. I am so freakin ashamed to associate myself with them at this stage with the way they play.
The English beat us fair and square, except on the scoreboard and that is only due to a try that never was. An absolute diabolical decision to award that try. At least FOUR Boks were off side after the ball bounced off JPP’s leg. At the very least it should have been a scrum for accidental off side but since Alberts and co moved forward, without being put ON SIDE, it should actually have been a penalty against us. The knock on by the English player notwithstanding. Very poor application of the rules by the ref and his assistant.
Kirchner was, as usual OK.
Hougaard was… no comment.
Pienaar was kak
Lambie was average. Can’t blame him too much with Pienaar being kak.
Juandre Kruger…hope it was his freakin last test.
Etzebeth… is creating a bad reputation for himself. HM influence can’t be underestimated here. He did not do this kind of stuff under AC.
Vermeulen was massive…as was Flo.
Alberts as usual was MIA after the 1st few minutes. No international starter, this lump of meat.
Gurthro made three tackles in one minute and ran out of puff after that.
Poor JdJ. Trying to run dummy lines all day long. Good on defence.
JdV. Call it a day now, please. Your time has come and gone. You will never be remembered as one of the all time greats.
Feel most sorry for Jantjies and Mvovo. They were just taken along to pacify some critics.
As were Ruhle, Mapoe and Chiliboy.
Heyneke Meyer. I hope you use the next few months to reconsider you game plan and come up with one to make Bok supporters proud again.
24 Nov 2012, 23:45 pm
@poltergeist-58: hahaha is that the extent your limited meathead brain could respond with?
best you pick up your knuckles and run, theres a good neanderthal..
24 Nov 2012, 23:49 pm
@poppa69-61: new zealand has the highest reported rate of incest and inbreeding in the world. I just thought you might be living up to national culture.
24 Nov 2012, 23:49 pm
@poltergeist-58:
Your a sick ****…..
24 Nov 2012, 23:51 pm
@Te Rangatira-63: @poppa69-61:
http://tvnz.co.nz/national-news/incest-cases-becoming-more-prevalent-in-nz-5052520
24 Nov 2012, 23:52 pm
As recent as August this year:
http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/crime/7569398/Incest-parents-told-This-must-stop
24 Nov 2012, 23:53 pm
@poltergeist-62:again? hahaha you really have no idea do you, the key word is reported..
we all know that SA leads the world in sexual crimes against children, its just that your police are sooooo corrupt that the crimes dont get reported…
24 Nov 2012, 23:56 pm
South Africa has some of the highest incidences of child and baby rape in the world with more than 67,000 cases of rape and sexual assaults against children reported in 2000. Welfare groups believe that the number of unreported incidents could be up to 10 times that number. The largest increase in attacks was against children under seven. A number of high-profile baby rapes since 2001 (including the fact that they required extensive reconstructive surgery to rebuild urinary, genital, abdominal, or tracheal systems) increased the need to address the problem socially and legally. In 2001, a 9-month-old baby was raped by six men, aged between 24 and 66, after the infant had been left unattended by her teenage mother. A 4-year-old girl died after being raped by her father. A 14-month-old girl was raped by her two uncles. In February 2002, an 8-month-old infant was reportedly gang raped by four men. One has been charged. The infant has required extensive reconstructive surgery. The 8-month-old infant’s injuries were so extensive, increased attention on prosecution has occurred.[94] A common myth holds that sexual intercourse with a virgin will cure a man of HIV or AIDS. Child abusers are often relatives of their victims – even their fathers and providers.
all from rape.co.za
keep talking though, your diversion to this type of thing really shows your ignorance..
24 Nov 2012, 23:59 pm
@poltergeist-58: @poltergeist-62:
That’s just so out of order. You are one sicko.
Maybe you would do much better looking around in your neighborhood. Probably more incestuous fuckers there than you can ever imagine.
@poppa69-66:
You don’t have to go down to his gutter level Pops.
25 Nov 2012, 00:02 am
So, no rugby is going to be discussed tonight.
Poltergeist and Pops are going to entertain us with who’s country is the kakkest ito crime, incest and such kak.
Can you guys start your own blog where you can talk about this, please?
25 Nov 2012, 00:04 am
@Kaizan-53: Are you sick or what? I did say he deserves decent ban, just like Hore (even worse) and one week was complete joke.
Sheesh, how hard boiled Bokke supporters can have such crybabies I’ll never understand.
25 Nov 2012, 00:05 am
Nothing “brave” about this Boks.
They were kak.
25 Nov 2012, 00:06 am
@poppa69-67: Hey, chill. No need to wander into ***** again.
25 Nov 2012, 00:08 am
@poltergeist-58: One day your obsession with incest will land you into trouble.
25 Nov 2012, 00:10 am
@nama1-69: its hard to discuss rugby when your team is labelled cheats constantly, when you supposedly pay of officials etc etc etc .. and unfortunately, this is getting louder and louder from many Saffa supporters..
it is as mundane and boring as the chokers call was..
their jealousy must be eating them up inside…
25 Nov 2012, 00:18 am
@poppa69-74: Why do you post here? I’m not trying to be confrontational or anything, I am genuinely interested in why you post on this site.
25 Nov 2012, 00:19 am
@poppa69-74:
Hey Pops….hows the recuperation going with the busted arm?
See some on here more interested in trying to have a go at Nz & Abs re: the peripheral bullshitt like favourtism with the refs without getting to the crux of what is really ailing them…like….how do we beat these guys?
25 Nov 2012, 00:23 am
@poppa69-67: those are crime stats in zulu and xhosa communities, whilst the incest Im talking about is in all communities in new zealand.
Plus I just piss on your morhers grave.
25 Nov 2012, 00:24 am
@poppa69-74: Does the saying the truth hurts mean anything to you arrrsewipe.
25 Nov 2012, 00:25 am
Poppa.fark off mate.Nz is a great country.great rugby team.but like a (dumb)minority ,you want to hatch on that greatness and make it your own.you talk a false eye to sleep.do something usefull,punk.
25 Nov 2012, 00:25 am
@poppa69-74:
Take it from whence it comes.
They will not change their tune and you know it.
You remember your discussion re Burger Geldenhuys’ cheap shot when he hit Dalton from behind in ’86 with some of these okes some time ago and how they defended Geldenhuys?
Now, you can sit back and watch what they say about Hore’s cheap shot without even engaging them.
See what I’m saying?
25 Nov 2012, 00:29 am
Boks won which is I suppose the point of the match. Tension was there but excitement not so much. I know f all but we seem a bit stifled & maybe need to cut loose. Vat die wen & gat voorentoe
25 Nov 2012, 00:30 am
@Nama….I haven’t seen the Bok/ England game yet…did Lambie stand flatter and take the line on as instructed by Meyer?
25 Nov 2012, 00:31 am
Poppa how did your mother die? Was it from shame?
25 Nov 2012, 00:32 am
@nama1-80: Who are they halfwit.
25 Nov 2012, 00:35 am
@fantasticbarnsmell-75: I came here originally to get a Saffa viewpoint and perspective on rugby, also to gain an insight into your players…
I got sick of 4 years of hate disguised as invective directed at NZ and her people… anything from the chokers call to examples like Poltergeists above..
I tried the nice approach, all it got me was insult after insult directed at me personally and at the country I come from..
I still see it everyday on this blog, so excuse me if Im passionate enough to throw the rubbish back..
you reap what you sow, and the many Saffas here who think its fun/cool/ easy to insult other nationalities have ensured that that is my main objective now..
25 Nov 2012, 00:37 am
@poltergeist-83: What the hell is wrong with you?
25 Nov 2012, 00:37 am
Long season,inexperienced team,hostile(cheating like football players)teams, inconsistent(out of depth)refs.we won…not ideal rugby.but boy.if we get it together,not even the AB’s will have an answer.theres mongrel and class.just a little time…
25 Nov 2012, 00:38 am
@poppa69-74:
You see how nobody talks about the off side try by Alberts that effectively gave us the victory?
These okes are just deflecting, boet. The Boks don’t make them proud so they have to look elsewhere for something to make them feel good about themselves. What better than to gang up against the country or team or supporter/s of the team that play the kind of rugby they so wish their team could play.
They only have their brandy and their rugby to give some meaning in their lives. With the rugby being as kak as it is, they have nothing else when the brandy is finished.
Except to attack you to make them feel good about themselves.
Don’t feed them.
What is your take on the Bok’s performance today? I thought they were utter ****.
25 Nov 2012, 00:39 am
@poppa69-85: Fair enough. I do appreciate your and the other Kiwi’s rugby perspectives, but I’m sure you can understand how things get a bit tedious around here when the mudslinging begins.
25 Nov 2012, 00:43 am
@poppa69-85: Once again a dumb keeeeweeee trying to take the high road.Take nama with you and piss off if you dont like being not liked.I wont shed a tear.
25 Nov 2012, 00:43 am
@nama1-88: nama1 the try from Alberts was legit. It came off JP’s foot and was deflected by an English hand which put everyone onside.
Flukey yes, but offside, no.
Poppa Im not interested in your respone thanks. Youre a racist fool.
25 Nov 2012, 00:43 am
Zanderba
25 Nov 2012, 00:45 am
@nama1-88: Maybe you need to learn your rules fool.
25 Nov 2012, 00:46 am
@nama1-88: I didnt see the game unfortunately Nama, it was on at 4 am here…replay is on in an hour from now..
so will watch and proffer my opinion after..
@fantasticbarnsmell-89: yep, I too believe it or not get sick of it..
25 Nov 2012, 00:46 am
Nama.we’ l take take that try anyway.you show a lot of interest in a team you detest.on a site of that very making..il never diss the majestity of the silver fern.only the prentenders(not you specifically)basking in its splendour.go the boks!
25 Nov 2012, 00:48 am
@snivelling little kiwi pricks-84:
they = poepols
See one of them in the post above yours. Are you also one of them?
25 Nov 2012, 00:49 am
@snivelling little kiwi pricks-90: haha, a dumb kiwi whose team hasnt lost this year..
in fact, whose team has won something like 7 of the last 8 games against your side..
lmfao..we shouldnt have to play tier 2 nations like SA so often
25 Nov 2012, 00:51 am
I think all Herr Meyers prayers to the most high Lord of Christendom is working a treat.. he’s fluked 3 from 3 tests on the road in the NH he got nothing to complain about.. every time he utters a hail Mary it comes off.. and he don’t half mince any words about thanking the Good Lord for all his favors afterward neither.. I’m sure he’s making sure he got the Good Lords ear close to his prayers because it certainly looks like the Good Lord is truly listening good..
I mean that Alberts try was straight from out of heaven.. and then to top it off the Good Lord told England’s Robshaw to kick for posts with only 90 seconds remaining on the clock.. that had to be straight from out the Good Lord’s book of proverbial influences right there to close up the deal and send the Good Lord’s favorite boys who deserve favor home unbeaten from the tour to hell and back again.
25 Nov 2012, 00:54 am
Wank wank wank my history is better than yours and my country is better than yours and my opinion on rugby is better than yours blah blah blah
25 Nov 2012, 00:55 am
@nikoli-99: you must be getting a stiff arm by now already
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