Have a look at these two video clips. It is the highlights of the Australian backline players. If you look at them you will find that there are mostly backs in the back line.
- What I wish for is a few of these clever inside passes and angles, to be played by the Springboks. Come on Springboks give me my first wish, be more innovative.
- My second wish is, please Bok’s don’t ever appear in so many Australian highlight packages again. Give me good defence. We leaked far too many tries this year. With a team playing more the defensive game, like the Springboks do, catching up takes too much hard work whenf you concede 3 or more tries per game.
I shudder at the thought of putting up the highlights of the All Black back line. If the Australians had to split their highlight package in two imagine how many times the All Black highlights will be divided into?
For both these wishes we really need new coaches or a dynamic input from somewhere. I will keep my fingers crossed, maybe my wishes will come through…… dreaming?
Add more highlight links in your comments, we are starving, we need some Rugby. The Super competition is 57 days away.
Looking at the highlights i observed how many times the forwards in the back line was skipped. They only act as dummy runners, well mostly. The ball is always , well almost , given to the speed merchants. It not only result in spectacular tries but also mocks our forwards standing in the back line.
I might not be right but i feel that although the world likes to laugh at the Aussie forwards , they are mostly in the right positions. I dont see too many hanging around in the back line. Well at least when tries are scored.
I think the biggest problem in SA is our basic disrespect of backs. They are too small, too full of hair products, they have too much skin products in their bags.
Playing all over the backline from grade 8 till 4th year in Uni (mostly outside), I always had the feeling that forwards never really caught on the basic idea of the game. Forwards push, wrestle, pull and fight for the ball. Backs run with the ball and stop the other team to run with the ball.
SA version/view of a backline. Pretty boys who stand around who will EVENTUALLY get the ball, if the loosises and locks are tired of bashing it up, props are done trying to look like backs and 9&10 stop kicking the ball.
Even WHILE looking for work, there were plentiful games where I (1) never got the ball or (2) handled the ball for less than a minute…
Cool huh?
Greenpoint-Gunner wrote:
The biggest problem is what PdeV said the other day we run over the opponent, no jinking, no side stepping , no clever offloads was mentioned by him.
Now who made that choice??
If it is Peter , then i have absolute NO , F-all respect left for Dick Muir. If he had any backbone he would have walked away from this. He as backline coach MUST implement some tricks, some moves, some innovation. If he believes that pure bull dozing strength and kicking can beat the worlds best defenses he is not just stupid but bloody mad.
If DM is not our bacline architect or should a rather say wrecker, then he is a pawn, gravy train rider.
DM stands for Dead Muppet right 😉
Watching these vids I realised 2 things. 1 is that we in SA definitely have the backline players to do exactly what the Aussies do. The second bit is, pretty much like you say SB. There is NOTHING going on in the Boks backline. No planning on attack, none on defence. You will almost always see either JDiv of JF shooting up out of the line while the rest of the guys try to organise something… only for massive holes to appear.
Its very sad, actually…
@ Greenpoint-Gunner:
Did you see when the Aussies ran rampant the fast backs are there with each other. Inter passing etc. I might be wrong , but i think in a SA move you will see, our forwards standing in the way of the fast men and half of our backs burrowing for the ball.
Will catch up later, of to a job.
Ah, these spectacular Wallaby backs, watching such flair and innovation brings a tear to the eye.
In particular, Digby Ioane in the first clip displays powerful speed rugby. Looking forward to having him back on the field in 2011.
@ Old Griquas 14 in Sydney:7 – OldG, How you mate? How you doing? Hope well.
You watching the Ashes? Very exciting at this stage a equal against the English. Some great crici played in the last test. Really enjoying the Ashes this year.
I owe you mail my friend will try and send something later or tomorrow.
Keep well.
Greenpoint-Gunner wrote:
My observations of this is that the Aussies are the team who are likely to come close or win the World Cup, they’ve been quietly building. The Boks….a few of those guys in the backline (not all) were spectators and not interested in what was going on. I posted elsewhere that work has to be done on our mental game and this emphasises it. As someone said earlier when someone leaves the backline to go for the ball for an intercept, there is no one backing him up to fill the gap….what cr*p is that, the guys are not trying for their team mates….or there is no game plan. Habana got a lot of stick for letting tries in….but I ask “where was his backup”….he is doing the same stuff with 3 guys tackling him each time so is doing more than his share and the team “mates”! are not using the opportunities thus created.
I can feel my blood pressure going up, I think I must got for a run in the snow or something!!!
of course the problem starts at the top and fact be facts the coach has lost his way when he was barely competent in the first place.
SA backline players have the talent and abilities needed, but it must be unleashed by astute coaches and astute assistant coaches.
The descrepancy in defensive capabilities of 3 SA Teams in the Super 14 of 2010 (who were all good at it) compared to the defensive frailties at Bokke level does not rhyme… and the only thing differing here is the coaching staff and applied game plan (ordered by coaches).
So where does the blame lie… it has to be with the head Bokke coach and his backline assistant (who managed to also show defensive frailties with the Super 14 Lions).
I agree, head space is of utmost importance… the head being the strongest muscle in the body!
@ grootblousmile:
I’m not as much worried as angry….because we have sucked hind tit for a while now due to ridiculous sporting policies of the government (am I allowed to talk about this?)
I missed out on the 72 Olympics (as I have said repeatedly) because of politics….now the world is of the mind that engagement and not isolation is the better policy (when it suits them). China is still responsible for the most horrendous human right abuses….but everyone trades with them because its expedient to do so.
Anyway…I think it is too late to change coaches (said that before) but we have to get like the top 2 or 3 guys to help out during the world cup and before in the training camp….should be starting in January really…and ja bring Plumtree too. Englands big problem is that they never want to appoint a coach that isn’t English….they have some of the greatest players on the planet (ok a few born in SA, Oz and NZ), but it is game plan and mental preparedness thats dropping them every time.
11@ grootblousmile:
DM didn’t show “defensive frailties” with the Lions, he showed a total change in the the whole concept of defence, trying to win games by scoring more points than his opponents, whilst allowing them to score at will, BECAUSE THERE WAS NO DEFENCE.
I don’t know how they (the Lions) think it is going to work next season but I just can’t see Tricky Dicky and JM agreeing too much on the defensive tactics.
Still, I’m sure Mr Reyneke will sort it all out and inform the supporters, the media and the general public in concise and accurate terms as to the action plan going forward.
The media liason deprtment at Coca-Cola Park is after all like a well oiled, high powered machine that never misses a beat.
13@ Scrumdown:
Hehehe… do I see a hint of sarcasm there…
I think you can rest assured, Tricky Dickie, won’t be allowed to help John Mitchell much…. he’ll be pushed way out in the shadows as DOR
@ 8 @ Puma:
Hey Puma, Merry Christmas and best wishes from my family to your family.
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