Halfback horror hampers Boks
24 Nov 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes the poor execution of the kicking game as well as indecision with ball in hand contributed to another disappointing Springbok attacking performance.
Even if the weather was fair, you wouldn’t have bet on defence-oriented teams like England and South Africa playing an adventurous brand. What would have been expected was a high level of accuracy, and a degree of consistency that may have allowed either team to build some defence-compromising momentum.
It was not to be, as England and South Africa delivered attacking performances of the lowest order.
Only one try was scored in this contest, and even that was down to luck rather than sustained pressure. The Boks enjoyed many a venture into English territory, but their poor hands, lack of accuracy at the breakdown, and shocking decision-making culled many a promising movement.
Ultimately, it was a ricocheting ball that fell favourably for the try-scorer Willem Alberts. It was a big moment in the game, with Pat Lambie converting the try to extend South Africa’s lead to 10 points.
But just as the Boks had struggled to build and finish their opportunities, they made a pig’s ear of closing out the match. Their halfbacks put them under pressure with some territory-costing mistakes, and the visitors were fortunate that this very poor England team was not able to capitalise.
Ruan Pienaar had one of his worst Tests in a Springbok shirt. Some may argue that the conditions made it difficult to control the ball or kick tactically with any great accuracy. But it wasn’t just Pienaar’s execution that was at fault, but his decision-making as well.
Pienaar’s first attempted clearance was charged down by the English. Why he didn’t pass the ball to Lambie, who was safely back in the pocket, only the scrumhalf will know.
Pienaar struggled to recover from that early blunder. He made another mistake when a subsequent clearance failed to find touch, and England were allowed to counter-attack given nobody had chased the kick. The end result was a penalty goal for Toby Flood.
The Bok scrumhalf would miss touch again after an England kickoff, and again this handed the hosts possession and territory. It has been a successful tactic in the past, but on this occasion, Pienaar battled to get sufficient hang-time on his box-kicks, and the chasers were rarely given an opportunity to compete and reclaim possession.
Pienaar was consistently poor, while Lambie was just inconsistent. The conditions weren’t conducive to throwing the ball around, but there were several attacking opportunities deep in English territory where Lambie made the wrong decision to grubber, chip and skip pass.
Things didn’t go the Boks’ way at scrum time, but the lineout was in fantastic form. While the forwards blew hot and cold at the attacking ruck, there was enough momentum created in English territory for the Boks to have scored several more tries.
England were not only poor with ball in hand, but in front of goal as well. Flood missed two kickable opportunities early on, and that ensured that they didn’t get full reward for their territorial dominance. It also ensured that a couple of Pienaar’s errors went unpunished.
The Boks overplayed the kick-chase tactic. There was a clear example where Pienaar unleashed Francois Hougaard down the left hand touchline, and then followed in support. When Pienaar collected a pass from Hougaard, he then decided to launch the garryowen. It was but one of many instances where the Boks surrendered possession cheaply, and another example of their lack of synergy.
Lambie produced some neat touches in the second stanza, with some well weighted probes earning the Boks good field position. Unfortunately, the Boks could not keep the ball for more than a couple of phases before knocking on or conceding a penalty.
Unsurprisingly, England’s best try-scoring opportunity was from the counter-attack. Pienaar collected one of the many wayward England lineout feeds and found Lambie in support. Ruck ball was recycled quickly, but the Boks failed once again to make this chance count.
Instead, a pass landed in the clutches of England centre Manu Tuilagi. The Boks were fortunate that England’s skills let them down later in the movement.
England enjoyed more and more chances as the clock wound down, and again, Pienaar and Lambie were guilty of a brain explosion apiece.
The Boks had a scrum on their own 22, and Pienaar showed a poor appreciation for the laws by kicking the ball dead. Lambie then contributed with an elementary error, sending a kickoff into touch.
There were other players who underperformed and lost their concentration at key moments of this contest, and not all of the blame can be laid at the halfbacks’ door. However, the Boks are fortunate that England did not capitalise on the majority of Pienaar and Lambie’s mistakes.
It was a performance that would have done little to advance either player’s cause for a permanent starting position.
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146 Comments
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24 Nov 2012, 19:11 pm
Great game I lore it
24 Nov 2012, 19:14 pm
However, the Boks are fortunate that England did not capitalise on the majority of Pienaar and Lambie’s mistakes. It was a performance that neither player should be proud of, and a performance that would have done nothing to advance their cause for permanent starting positions.
Exactly how I saw it…Don’t think Lambie or Pienaar were too hot…
24 Nov 2012, 19:14 pm
Yip siener Vd skopdiekan warned you don’t play Pienaar at 9 but most the dose knew better including the dumb doos coach. Lucky for everyone concerned England played as thick as we did otherwise this was England’s game to lose, Boks got lucky and Robshaw and Flood couldn’t capitalize on the useless SA half back performance.
Vermeulen, Etsebeth, Louw and De Villiers were the Boks heroes today, all the WP boys carried the bokkie cause, what would these other morons do without them?
24 Nov 2012, 19:21 pm
Jon, I disagree that lambie had a poor test, I thought he grew in stature markedly and should now be considered the man in possession of the ten shirt.
Great defence, kicked all his goals, managed the game well and showed some promising touches on attack.
Pienaar had a mixed game with some mistakes, but overall, a pass mark.
24 Nov 2012, 19:22 pm
@skopdiekan-3: you should leave and kill yourself, you won’t be missed.
24 Nov 2012, 19:25 pm
@Brendope-5:
Problem is Pienaar does not trust Bambie and now Pienaar has to make the decisions………But Pienaar is also ****… Big problem there!
24 Nov 2012, 19:25 pm
@skopdiekan-3:
24 Nov 2012, 19:37 pm
@Brendope-5:
Not before I kill you first you miserable little piece of snot nosed trashfaced arsehole fuckface moron
24 Nov 2012, 19:46 pm
Lambie had a mixed up game, his place kicking was good his out of hand kicking was poor his passing was non existent his kick offs were weak, his general play was so so. Brendan Venter was correct Jantjies would provide more go forward from pivot.
Between Pienaar and Lambie Boks Backline is pretty much reduced to a line of defend only practitioners.
Brendan Venter should be drafted in as Boks Backline coach,
The WP boys saved the day today Vermeulen, Louw, Etsebeth and JdV, without them Boks would have lost hand over fist. WP players the backbone of this team carrying Meyer on their lone shoulders, and he knows it only too well.
24 Nov 2012, 19:48 pm
@LoanShark-6:
I feel for the man. Pienaar really had a shocker! Lambie had a better game, goal kicking was good, but general flyhalf play not to good…. Pienaar has to clear himself as we all know that Lambie cant clear effectively and the poms was well aware of this.. No wonder Alberts or Etsebeth always the first receiver?
24 Nov 2012, 19:52 pm
Jon,
Verstaan jy regtig waaroor die rugby game gaan met die opmerkings in die berig?
Ek twyfel!
24 Nov 2012, 19:55 pm
@skopdiekan-8: lol, I think you’re getting delusions of adequacy there.
You know nothing about rugby. We all know that. You may as well leave and kill yourself. Go on…
24 Nov 2012, 20:00 pm
Another disappointing performance for those of us who are able to look towards the future. Right now Springbok rugby is surviving from one week to the next.
24 Nov 2012, 20:02 pm
Absolutely agree with you on Pienaar.Take note and learn Hondo,you farking tool.
24 Nov 2012, 20:03 pm
3@Skop…Alberts and Lambie scored all our points (Sharks)..not to shabby.
24 Nov 2012, 20:05 pm
I agree on Pienaar, don’t agree on Lambie. Thought he had a decent game – not great, but also not bad – only real mistake was the kickoff which was very close to not out. Tactic obviously was to pin England close to the sideline. You cannot blame 1 player for the absolute sterile attacking display by the Boks. Boks just don’t back themselves to hold onto the ball (and with good reason)- therefore the only way to attack is with kicks. Thought Lambie put in more good kicks than poor ones.
Does not matter who we have at 10, nothing will change until this Bok team gets a decent backline and attack coach. Most innovative move involved the loop behind move by Lambie and Jean. Apart from that forwards bashing it up one by one.
24 Nov 2012, 20:07 pm
We keep seeing this poor performance by Pienaar
Get rid of him. He has had many opportunities at 9 and 10 as a bok and has not done anything
Play Hougaard or another 9 there and lets have a real wing instead of Hougaard there
24 Nov 2012, 20:09 pm
Pienaar is hampering any attack by the boks He is so slow poor kicking and when he does get the ball out the defense is on top of our backs so they Have to kick
Plus he cant defend
24 Nov 2012, 20:09 pm
SA has a serious problem at 9. Pienaar is not cutting it, and Hougaard also not convinced this year – 1 good game and then very inconsistent.
24 Nov 2012, 20:13 pm
@Bokhoring-19:
Agreed
HM need to address 15 which could be taute
wing lets play a real wing there please
hopefully Goosen stays fit
and lets find a decent 9
24 Nov 2012, 20:18 pm
Without exception ,the whole universe agrees that Pienaar had an absolute shocker.Then how on earth can Lambie be rated poorly?In the circumstances he was quite brilliant.Can you imagine how he would perform with a half decent service.
24 Nov 2012, 20:21 pm
Pienaar thinks he’s fly half.
24 Nov 2012, 20:22 pm
Kirchner actually had a good game based on what you’d expect from him. No counterattacking genius but solid. Then again last running fullback to play for the Boks was probable Andre Joubert. Aplon when playing for the Boks played it safe.
Personally think the jury is out on 10. Did not really see anything special from Goosen when playing for the Boks. I reckon next year hopefully one of the three prospects will stake his claim. Hopefully Goosen will have a full season, Lambie play at 10 for the Sharks and Jantjies use his opportunity at the Stormers. Best flyhalf playing for an SA team this year was a Frenchy – sad to say
24 Nov 2012, 20:23 pm
I think Hougaard could be a really good scrummie, but he needs to play more Joost style than Fourie style, think it would suit him better.
24 Nov 2012, 20:24 pm
France not liking the physical style of Samoa
Close game
24 Nov 2012, 20:25 pm
Personally I think that Lambie had a fair game .Did a few good things in terms of his tactical kicking.Playing next to a poor scrummie…..I am not going to crucify him here.
24 Nov 2012, 20:28 pm
Just watch Aaron Smith for the AB’s.With that sort of service a flyhalf has a chance.The root of the Boks problems is at the base.Everything starts there.
24 Nov 2012, 20:29 pm
@Treehugger-24:
Anyone but him
How many chances has he had at both 9 and 10 and even 15
lets move on he is not the future either
24 Nov 2012, 20:32 pm
Some of us have been saying for a while now that Pienaar is a problem at 9.
Today he was guilty of the following:
- charged down kick
- Missed touch from penalty (unforgiveable sin)
- threw intercept pass to Tuilagi
- Took too long to get the ball out the ruck. Eventually the ref blew the whistle.
- 5 Missed tackles (completely and utterly unacceptable)
- Very, very slow to recycle the ball from the rucks
- Kicked the ball when we had overlaps.
This is a very serious problem. Scrumhalf is a key position.
Last weekend, Ruan had a shocker as well. He was charged down against the Scots, gave away penalties and threw sloppy passes.
He is a flyhalf who thinks he’s a scrumhalf. Simple as that.
We need a better scrumhalf. I like Hougaard personally (although he is not without his flaws either)…. I am also interested by this kid Piet Van Zyl.
24 Nov 2012, 20:32 pm
@SDT-27:
Correct
We were talking about pienaar and how slow he is at rucks
ABs dont slow the ball down at rucks they speed it up
24 Nov 2012, 20:34 pm
@SDT-27: There is an elephant in the room here.
In SA, the 9 is the primary decision maker, and protecting the 10.
In NZ, the 9 is servicing the 10.
24 Nov 2012, 20:34 pm
@Brendope-12:
What you think you know about rugby I forgotten already. You just another stupid little moronic piece of sharkshit trash that don’t know fckall about this game which I played long before your mummy dreamed little snotnose garbage like you up.
Lambie kicked the points his place kicking was good, his passing game was non existent, his little lobbying kicks over the Backline are stupid and could cause big danger if they land in wrong hands. Pienaar is outright atrocious useless like I been saying from day one. Meyer is thick to have persisted with Pienaar at 9. He has effectively ruined Hougaard as a threat playing him out of position. If Meyer had kept Hougaard at 9 since beginning of the year he’d have a settled scrum half with far more attack threat by now… Alberts the only other player alongside Vermeulen Louw and Etsebeth to be effective though his ‘try’ was pure fluke and had blow all to do with him, lucky the Botha’s knock went backward and Englands No.8 knocked it straight into Alberts lucky mittens.
24 Nov 2012, 20:35 pm
@Kaizan-29:
Yes many of us were talking about this in the mid week.
Yes he has been doing what you listed for some time
He is not even a 10 either
24 Nov 2012, 20:36 pm
Samoa letting france off the hook with penalties
24 Nov 2012, 20:37 pm
It’s really weird. Some players get persecuted unfairly whilst others escape criticism game after game after game.
Pienaar is the latter. He has been a liability for the Boks every time he has played.
In 2009, he was our flyhalf and he couldn’t get his kicks for posts.
In 2010 he was our scrumhalf and was plain awful. We lost every game in the trinations when he played at 9. The only game we won was the solo game which Hougaard played 9.
And now in 2012, he has replaced Hougaard and again been terribly slow at recycling the ball. Is it any wonder we are struggling to score tries. Is it any wonder our backline struggle for synergy?? They are forever attacking an organised defensive line because the recycle is so slow the opposiiton has a chance to re-set.
For GOD’s sake, the coach needs to see this and make amends.
Pienaar is the Morné of scrumhalves.
24 Nov 2012, 20:37 pm
@willievz-31: 100% agreed. Well said sir!
24 Nov 2012, 20:38 pm
Wales cant score because the keep knocking the ball on
24 Nov 2012, 20:38 pm
@CoachPete-33: Agreed… How are you Coach? Hope all is well.
24 Nov 2012, 20:42 pm
@Kaizan-38:
Yes thanks how about you
I agree with you
9 is such an important position and is primary there to service his backs fast, and well, and the link with the forwards
Like Smith
Pienaar is an average player and has proven he cant step up to test level
HM needs to move on without him
24 Nov 2012, 20:43 pm
@willievz-31: That’s fine if you have a scrumhalf who can do it.
24 Nov 2012, 20:44 pm
And give Skoppie credit here he has been saying this (like some of us)
for some time now.
24 Nov 2012, 20:45 pm
@SDT-40:
We will find someone I am sure
We just have to tell HM about it
24 Nov 2012, 20:45 pm
can anyone detail what Mallet spoke about after the Bok game?
24 Nov 2012, 20:47 pm
@wnbb-26: If not Pienaar then who.BTW
hello
24 Nov 2012, 20:48 pm
@papaown-43: Excrement
24 Nov 2012, 20:49 pm
I said from the beginning don’t play Pienaar at 9, how many times I warned about it now the reality strikes home. I warned loud and clear Pienaar is the root cause of Bok Backline woes but all the dumb know it all idiots including the dumb national coach know better.
Hougaard should have stayed at 9 from the beginning of the year and his backup on bench should be Pretorius or Groom with a proper wing at No.11
Lambie is middle of the road OK, got the temperament but dunno if he really got the pace or the skill to take Bok fly half position to new heights, though far better than Morne Steyn
Meyer should draft in Brendan Venter for Backline consultant but he won’t because Venter knows far more than he does what’s wrong and Meyer only wants ja broers in his stable
24 Nov 2012, 20:49 pm
@ryecatcher-45: Excrement????
24 Nov 2012, 20:50 pm
It was great to see how the Stormers’ experience in tight games really came to the rescue of the Boks on this European tour.
24 Nov 2012, 20:50 pm
@ryecatcher-44:
AN yone
AN other
SO meone
24 Nov 2012, 20:51 pm
I actually thought the chips over the line was a good tactic. They always fell in open space and once even worked when JPP actually collected the ball. Pity nothing much worked after that.
Pienaar passed most of the ball forwards when he did not kick it away. I saw Lambie taking the ball up, put JPP into some space with a lovely floated pass, doing a loop around with Jean. Not great but much better than last week.
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