If you believe results in warm-up games don’t mean anything, I am afraid you are slightly deluded.
No silly, not the scoreboard result, that is meaningless, in fact, if I was a coach I would want the scoreboard to be switched off during these games!
But there is a reason, and a pretty damn good one teams play these pre-season games, and the results from these games, are vitally important to the team and the coach.
So what is the importance and why do they play these games?
Teams at this stage have all come off their pre-season conditioning work, which would mainly include gym work and fitness (strength and conditioning) and some skills training. Heading into the competition proper however, coaches will look at implementing structures, test combinations, and of course, depth.
It will be easy to test this by playing your A-team against your B-team, but you will not learn that much as calls or plays would be known by all, and since you are doing this in a team environment, commitment and intensity would be undermined when testing these areas.
Plumtree, Mitchell, Coetzee, Ludeke and Drotske all have very specific ‘results’ in mind when they enter into these games. All of them different, and all of them having little to do what the scoreboard says after 80 minutes.
Every single coaching manual worth its value will tell you the most important aspect of training (which this is), would be to replicate real-match situations. To test structures, skills and plays under intensity and pressure. The result of this, is what is vital.
So what fans, and in particular the Bulls and Sharks fans (and obviously their coaches) need to consider here, is whether they ‘lost’, judging on these aspects of their team and the match.
Considering the Sharks and Lions game, where the Sharks lost 24 balls in contact, conceded 15 penalties, got bossed in the set-pieces (conceded 3 tries from mauls and drives) and missed way too many tackles, the ‘results’ which matters, is far worse than 10-41.
Good teams, or prepared teams, have systems that work, and they trust. I have little doubt the Sharks have decent systems in place, but unlike the Lions coach, Plumtree will have to ask serious questions with regard to the application, and commitment of his charges who are tasked to execute them.
Yes Morné Pissmier, I agree…. the scoreboard only starts counting when the 1st real Super Rugby match starts.
I would not be too hasty in concluding that this is worse than it looks for the Tjarks though, it now gives these frontline Sharks the right kick up the bumper and message that they cannot be complacent.
The areas which need improvement and more work than others are also highlighted, and you can be sure that the Sharks will now put in a lot of hard work in the aspects they were poor at, the lost balls in contact, turnovers conceded and defending better close to their line… amongst others.
The Bulls last season had a bad run in the warm-ups they played, 2 out of 3 lost if I remember correctly… yet when it mattered from the 1st Super 14 game of the season they came out guns blazing… and we know who won the Competition and how well they won it.
I would rather question the Sharks motivational levels (at this stage) compared to how amped the Lions must be to do better this season.
I still think that when the Competition kicks off for real, the Sharks will be up there, there are just too many classy players in the squad, with heaps of experience…
The Lions worry me though, this has been an injection of even more motivation and confidence, add a good coach (compared to last year)… and the Bulls must tread carefully 1st up when they take on the Lions as the Comp kicks off.
The thing here is that the Stormers played with almost a 1st team and beat the Lions, the Sharks played with a 1st team and were man shamed by the Lions.
The Bulls play with a combination 2nd and 3rd team and were beaten by a 1st team Kings.
The Sharks should be worried, not the WP/ Bulls/ Lions.
@ grootblousmile:
GBS, as a complete aside, when I access this site through mobile device, I cannot access the comments sections on any article.
3@ Morné:
I know, will have to employ a new Mobile Plug-In… which one do you use at Ruggaworld.
There’s a couple of other things I want to update anyway… but time eludes me… damn.
PS! I like your new look on RW.
@ grootblousmile:
Sheez dude I dont even know if we have one!!
Thanks BTW
5@ Morné:
Check under Plugins, Active, on RW in the Admin Panels…. will you?
I only have Author rights at RW, can’t get into the rest there….
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