I think most South Africans (except maybe Stormers supporters) are somewhat disappointed with the way our Super Rugby teams are going this year. New Zealanders (Crusaders fans excluded) are also not particularly over the moon with how their teams are performing. The Chiefs is almost bottom of the log. The Blues is somewhat better than previous seasons but far from consistent. The Canes is sort of all over the place. The Highlanders is the surprise package for the Kiwi’s but just a few injuries short off coming apart. They lack depth in the squad and everyone in Kiwiland is holding their thumbs but not expecting them to go all the way.
The Stormers has an impressive win/lose record so far but is not really all that impressive in terms of ability to score tries and string phases together and the general perception is one of well they look OK but I’m not really convinced. The backline play is sort of average and they don’t really show lots of flow.
The Aussie sides are also far from consistent with the Reds by far the best performing team in that group.
So what to make of it all? Are all the teams just poor this year or are the differences between the teams so small that none (except for the Crusaders) are really running away with the competition?
Personally I have difficulty sometimes (mostly because games are played late at night in New Zealand) to stay awake. I also have no difficulty walking away from the matches without even a second thought on what actually happened. I also note at blogland, all over, an intriguing lack of comments about the rugby as compared to previous years.
Maybe everyone (players and spectators) are just saving themselves for the high excitement that is due with the Rugby World Cup and regard Super Rugby this year as of almost zero importance. I personally don’t care who wins the Series this year. In fact I would be more than happy if the SA teams don’t do too well because that might contribute to the Springboks being a little more focussed and aware that SA rugby is behind the ball game.
What I take out of Super Rugby this year – and from this weekend’s game between the Bulls and Reds as a classic example – is that the game has changed since last year’s Tri-Nations. The game is faster and with the new breakdown rule interpretation, a set piece centred game plan is just not enough to win matches against good teams. You can’t slow the game down unless you hang on to the ball and it is hard to hang on to the ball if you keep on trying to smash it up against the big guys.
Off-loads and pop-up passes from the ground is the new thing, as a result of the defender having to roll away. Attacking in depth is also the newly accepted style becuase it allows the supporting runners to receive the pop-up passes. With the ball carriers attacking space, it is almost impossible to win matches by defending for 50-60 minutes of the time. Angled running in the backline also took on a new dimension. The ball carrier and supporting runners work in unison; both first drawing the defenders away from each other by angling their respective runs in the opposite direction and then stepping towards each other into the opening thus created. The ball carrier gets himself between the defender and the ball and flip the pass to the receiver coming in at speed. Sonny Bill Williams’ try against the Bulls is a classic example of this new type of backline play. See on this link how the Crusaders flyhalf, Berquist, hinted at going in before going out (there was also a dummy runner for him and for Sonny Bill to confuse the defence) and passing. See how Sonny Bill goes outwards at first and then inwards, coming through past the inside of Wynand Olivier.
There is also a move away from flat aligning backlines.
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The flyhalf is still aligning flat, with a dummy runner backing him up, which forces the opponents to keep an eye on him (the flat aligning flyhalf also allows his halfback / scrumhalf to snipe around the fringes because the loossies have to watch the flyhalf so closely).
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Number 12 aligns behind a dummy runner slightly deeper but can come in flat to keep the opponents guessing.
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The rest of the backline is aligned much deeper and attack with speed from deep.
This creates space and speed on attack. It also allows the attacking team to take the ball – with long passes – away from rush-up defenders. Only rarely do you see teams like the Reds and the Crusaders bash the ball up against the big defenders in the middle of the park. They take the ball away from contact and run onto it at speed.
The game has changed and the two teams doing best in Super Rugby this year (Reds and Crusaders) are the two teams who have adjusted best to these new styles and who has players who can play this modern type of game.
Following them we have a group of teams who sit in the middle because they have adjusted how they play (Sharks, Stormers, Blues, Highlanders) but lack real talent or depth in the squad for the new type of game – in certain positions – or have not totally embraced the new style. It is interesting that complaints about obstruction at the breakdown – as was the case aginst the All Blacks last year – have been raised about Reds after this weekend’s game against the Bulls. The new game require explosive blow-over technique at the tackle area and the Reds and Crusaders are particularly good at this.
Lastly, we have teams struggling (like the Bulls, Waratahs, Brumbies, Hurricanes) because they still play last year’s game, have coaching problems or just don’t have enough talented players in key positions to play the new game. The Brumbies is interesting because the’ve always played a string-phase game but relied on the talents of George Smith to protect and recycle the ball. They’ve lost Smith and with the tackler now needing to release the ball carrier they seem to struggle to adjust as they have never been a numbers to the breakdown team. The Waratahs has sort of similar issues as their “fetcher” was Phil Waugh and he is not only getting a bit heavy but seems to be not in the game anymore. It is the props and centers who do the clearing out at the tackle area in the modern game and the Crusaders with their big centers and low-center-of-gravity but extremely mobile props certainly have the best players in Super Rugby for this type of style in the required positions to clean-out and blow over.
Lastly, I think Fourie du Preez will be a lot more influential in the modern game if he has a flat lying flyhalf which require the attention of the opponent’s loose trio.
Well that’s sort of my observations at this stage.
“I also note at blogland an intriguing lack of post about the rugby as compared to previous years”
Maybe it is just too much now, look i wont love a Saturday without Sport, but wont mind having a definite break between Rugby and Cricket. Rugby stop at the end of Oct and start on 15 th March. Why not?
“It is interesting that complaints about obstruction at the breakdown -as was the case aginst the AB last year- have been raised about Reds after this weekend’s game against the Bulls. The new game require explosive blow-over technique at the tackle area and the reds and Crusaders are particularly good at this”
Who is right? It seems that certain teams are the only ones getting away with that. So why? Are the ones not trying it stupid or are the ones doing it cheating. Answer that one, take your time and explain this to me. Maybe i will make peace with the new style, if you can prove to me that all is legal.
@ superBul@1:Regarding your last paragraph. No, I don’t have the answer my friend. I do however get the impressions that it is about the speed of clean-out and clear out.
The Franks brothers for instance blow over with such ferocity that the ball is cleared-out behind them and taken deep so fast that their obstruction is still part of their blow-over process and not seen as something separate.
Too much poor quality, boring rugby.
This weekend I only watched the Reds / Bulls and most of the Stormers / Lions.
The Reds are entertaining, but without Cooper they would be mediocre. The Bulls are cluless and lackluster.
The Stormers / Lions game was of very poor quality.
I fear that the World Cup will also be boring.
McLook,
This is the “Thinking Man’s” rugby Article…. it is absolutely fabulous… and extremely spot-on!
Man, I dare other writers to counter this or to even come close to such fine alalysis!
@ grootblousmile@4:Thanks GBS it is funny how sometimes readers seem to resonate with what you wrote when you just communicate what you see and feel. Thanks also for the editorial adjustments. It “flow” a bit better now. I think most of us is bit rugbyied out. Just like the teams we are trying to figure what is happening to the game and it’s sometimes disturbing to see how the modern game allows one freak talent like Quade Cooper to control a match.
This article sort of stemmed from my inability to figure how the bulls lost the match against the Reds and how Cooper can be so “flamboyant” with getting murdered by the big boys. In my days no flyhalf would have lasted more than 20 minutes if he tried to play like that.
5@ McLook:
What position(s) did you play in your playing days?
As a former opensider myself, a flyhalf like Surfer Dude Cooper would have been hunted down mercilessly!
I would also like your insight into how to structure defence for the way Cooper and his backline plays, compared to how to play the Saders backline on defence.
My thoughts are aligned to defending much more in their faces, to cut space and time….
You have talked about the “Pods” on attack a lot in the past, and this year especially these “Pods” have been largely ineffective on attack…. I guess the blow-over couterrucking defence has a lot to do with it, as well as not valueing follow-on possession by teams like the Bulls.
I tend to agree with Loosehead. There is just too much mediocre Rugby at the moment.
Lions / Stormers was the only game I watched this weekend because of work and it was poor to say the least.
Some interesting observations and thoughts I made at the press conference(s) though that I’ll try to get onto paper today or tomorrow.
To me the besta game of all the South African teams was played by the cheetahs!!! not one of the other games was anything to write home about !!!
@ Tripples:
I nearly cried when Sarel spoiled his great night with that wild fling.
Vodacom Cup
Saturday, April 30 2011
00:00 – MTN Golden Lions vs Vodacom Blue Bulls
Coca-Cola Park, Johannesburg
00:00 – Griquas vs Ford Pumas
GWK Park, Kimberley
00:00 – Pampas XV vs Toyota Free State
Fanie du Toit Sport Grounds, Potchefstroom
00:00 – Western Province vs Sharks XV
DHL Newlands Stadium, Cape Town
Can the Blue Bulls stand up out of the grave?
10@ superBul:
I must say that after being disappointing last year the Pampas XV have impressed me this year.
Maybe a good example of the possibilities if good and meaningful development programs are in place to assist upcoming nations and unions.
For anyone interested (or looking for some possible Flyhalf depth (Lions???)) a little bird told me that Dimitri Catrakilis of UCT may well be about to sign for the Kings.
@ Scrumdown:
They are doing well, i was surprised too. The Bulls though are a bigger surprise. What about the stupid EP move to use unregistered players in their first 2 games, they miss out badly. They won 2 more games than the Cheetahs but by forfeiting 10 points they fall out.
13@ superBul:
Daar’s nie pille vir domgheid nie!
You reap what you sew.
@ grootblousmile@6:Inside center (No12) was my best position but I also played a lot on flyhalf and some games on 15 and 13. I liked the space at 12 and was a player much like Gittua (though far from his class); fast of the mark and could step of both feet.
Surfer dude Cooper use deception. In karate we use it against counter punchers. You draw the opponent out to counter punch and then you attack/counter on his counter. Cooper loves the rush defense. He draws you with footwork to rush at him and then he steps past you or put a supportive runner into space with a off-load.
He also tend to skip of his dominant leg either stepping to the inside or hopping to the outside.
I reckon the defenders should hang back (even drift on him) and wait for him to make his first step and then hit him when he is either in the air or after he made his second step. Also stay on the inside of his dominant leg whatever he does he’ll step off that leg.
It is interesting, for me, that he always step of his left foot; even if he does an outside break he’ll hop and step of his left foot. He also seem to favour the inside break; he’ll feint a inside break with a hop and then make a second hop of his left foot if he goes outside. He tend to be more prone to try tactical kicks (running less) if the backline line-up to the right namely if his left foot is on the inside and he can’t step off it.
I believe that Cooper’s successfulness as an evassive player has much to do with his left-footedness. It is like a left handed boxer or batsman or bouler; everything is suddenly opposite for the opposition and with 99% percent of players being rightside dominant a skilled player which is leftside dominant is extremely hard to workout. Also the lefty’s have that split second advantage moving onto the weaker or non-favoured side of the rightside dominant opposition. It is no co-incidence that Carter and Gitua are also leftside dominant and successful playmakers.
If I play him as a coach I’ll make sure to keep him on the left side (his left side) of the field so that he can’t step to the inside of his left. I’ll also make sure the defenders stay on his inside forcing him to try and take the outside break with which he is clearly weaker than with the inside break.
Best defense I reckon is to not allow him quick front foot ball. In karate what you do with a deception fighter is you dominate the floor. Keep him on the backfoot by fighting close and direct, be patient and attack the moment his attack stops.
It is a harder in rugby because he draws you in and then flip the ball to someone else. So you need to approach him staying on your toes, don’t rush and stay balanced with quick steps and look at his navel and wait for him to commit. You would want his direct opponent to keep an eye on him with the loosies and NO9 running cross-cover lines if he slips the tackler or off-load.
Not sure that will work. Other than that I study on video tapes what he does in every quarter of the field and try and work out if his stock (signature or best move) has a give-away or telegaph. All of us have habits and best moves and players tend to have one or two moves that they always use at certain places on the field.
Most of these moves have tell tale give aways and I’ll try and identify his give-away. It might be where he position himself behind the scrum or how he runs onto the ball or something he does with his left foot or one hand or his head just before he does his move.
Spot on summing up by Mclook.
I believe that the game has changed significantly this season and it is a worry as a SA supporter.
To me the biggest difference is we are now seeing games being dominated by the individual ball skills of players, both forwards and backs who are able to firstly ensure possession and contuinity at great pace, and secondly by game breakers or play makers in the backs who are showing new skill and decision making tactically that enables them to unlock tight defences.
The structure of how the good teams are playing revolves around the above and it is all about attack with ball in hand using power, pace and width, and understanding when to kick for territory after that.
My worry is that the SA teams do not have the ball retention skills of the other teams to start with.
Secondly we are short on thinking game breakers such as the likes of Cooper and Carter.
I simply do not buy the theory that all will be okay when we go back to our traditional game for the WC.
We are too far behind with skills and inventive thinking.
We can either embrace this modern game, pick the players to play it at the WC, or we go back to the 2007 model and bank on that winning the WC.
I think PDV is in a difficult position and will not have the balls to change much, so we know what to expect tactically for the WC.
I do not think it will be good enough.
Die harde werklikheid vir die Bulle:
2010 – na 8 wedstryde: 7 gewen, 1 verloor. Punteverskil: 73. Bonuspunte: 5 vir wen met 4 of meer drieë. Punte op die log: 33
2011- na 8 wedstryde: 4 gewen, 4 verloor. Punteverskil: -28. Bonuspunte: 1 vir verloor met minder as sewe. Punte op log: 21
Nie net die feit dat die Bulle verloor nie, maar ‘hoe’ hul verloor, sonder enige vorm van bonuspunte, maak hierdie statistiek nog erger.
‘n Kampioenspan moes of behoort ten minste teen Leeus (2 keer), Cheetahs, Landers en Reds bonuspunte gekry het vir 4 drieë, maar het nie, elke keer net 3 driee gedruk. So daar is 5 punte weggegooi.
En as die Bulle met 7 of minder teen Landers, Stormers en Reds verloor het, nog 3 punte, maar weereens het dit nie gebeur nie.
Dus ‘n totaal van 8 punte wat die Bulle weggegooi het, 2 ekstra ”wenne” daarmee heen, en in hierdie reeks is dit fataal as jy bonuspunte so mis.
So die statistieke is ‘n presiese weergawe waar die Bulle se spelpeil huidiglik lyk, en as dit 10 jaar gelede se statistiek was, was dit nie te sleg nie, maar na die afgelope 4 jaar is dit eintlik onverskoonbaar.
Bulle moes wen teen Reds om nog te probeer gaan vir eerste plek in SA Konferensie, dit het nie gebeur nie. Bulle moet wen teen Force om by die top ses te bly, die Bulle ondersteuners hoop dit gaan gebeur.
Op huidige vorm gaan die Bulle dit nie maak nie, hopelik gebeur daar iets om die seisoen te draai, maar dit gaan ‘n bomenslike poging verg van die manne om dit reg te kry, en, ongelukkig is dit WB jaar, en lyk dit vir my of die senior manne hul daarvoor spaar, in plaas van om alles te gee vir die bloutrui.
Ek hoop hulle bewys my en ons almal verkeerd, Saterdag al, dat hul nog nie heeltemal afgeskryf moet word nie.
#16 – Tighthead
I disagree regarding the ball retention skills SAFFA teams supposedly lack, SAFFA teams traditionally built their game around the ruck and the maul, without ball retention skills, this would be impossible, I think it is more a case of them not getting it right at the moment.
The problem with SAFFA teams, is that they are currently panicking, and losing faith in the game-plan, you don’t play Cooper’s game if you don’t have him in your side, you play to your strengths…the tries and the victories will come.
A point in case is the Stormers, they are making the line-breaks, offloading in the tackle, albeit in a much more structured manner than the ‘saders and the Reds, and I think it might be more effective than the latter when executed just 5% better, the whole season, it has been the last pass, the final step, that hasn’t been there, all the hard work got done, but they failed to finish. I think Grant’s prodigeous boot also makes a difference, in the past, the Stormers relied on 60-70% accurate kicking, this made them take more chances, quickening the game, and simply try outrunning their opponents, now they know they can bank on 3 points from just about anywhere, and a smart team always takes the points.
The Stormers are playing at just over 75% of their capability, I don’t know when things are finally going to take off, but when it does, it’s going to be spectacular, you just can’t have the quality players we have, and not do the impossible.
When the Crusaders line up in 2 weeks time, the most flamboyant attack will face the sternest defence in the competition, it’s been almost two years since the Stormers last conceded more than 3 tries in a game, if we can keep the Crusaders from breaching our defences, and it comes down to the 10’s kicking…I’d rather have Grant in my team, any day.
18: Grant bo Carter ? Nou het ek alles gehoor.
Ja, Grant skop baie goed en speel baie beter as vorige seisoene, maar hy kan nie drieë druk en maak wat Carter toe oë maak en druk nie.
Verder, hoekom druk die Stormers so min drieë, is dit dalk die losskakel wat sukkel om sy lyn weg te kry ?
Hoekom druk die Saders agterlyn so baie drieë, Carter ?
@ The Saint:
It is obvious to me watching our teams lose posession by knocking on or turn overs at crucial times that we are way behind with ball retention.
Failing to finish, as you put it says it all.
We no longer have dominance in the tight phases as well.
We are being outsmarted and out skilled at the breakdown and tackle area, and the days of slowing the game down are gone, as the opposition moves quick ball from these areas and stretches us.
I will give you that the Stormers have a tremendous defence.
Having said that I fully expect the Crusaders to break them open and scores tries against them in a convincing win for the Crusaders.
bdb
Voor jy opgewonde raak, lees die hele sin…ek se AS dit neerkom op ‘n skop stryd…nog nooit gese Grant is beter as Carter nie, maar hy skop beter. Die Crusaders sal ook nie sommer daardoe toe-oe driee kan druk teen die Stormers nie, of reken jy ek is verkeerd.
15@ McLook:
Interesting observations, specially those regarding left-footed dominance.
I will be watching foot movements of Cooper and Carter and pattern play before a move with great interest from now on… also noting the different quadrants of the field and what they do in each.
21: Geen twyfel nie, Stormers het die beste verdediging, en Grant skop goed, maar of dit genoeg gaan wees teen die Saders sal ons sien oor 3 weke. En onthou, die Saders se pak is nog beter as die Reds s’n, en Carter skop goed.
Gaan ‘n goeie stryd wees, soos ek voorheen genoem het, as Stormers die Sharks en Saders in 2 naweke klop, sal ek oortuig wees dat hul die S15 kan wen.
@ tight head:
I hope to heavens that doesn’t happen, all I have in my favour is that the Crusaders should have pretty torrid memories from their last visit to Newlands.
The Reds, although they beat us solidly, had to change their whole approach when they faced us, no trickery, no slight of hand, just brutal rugby…I doubt whether the Crusaders will fly over here and just go helter skelter, running everything, because that won’t work, even though most SAFFAS have already written us off against the Crusaders, I think they have a bit more respect for the stats to simply underestimate us…
Ewen Mckenzie said the game against the Stormers was the best game the Reds have played since he became coach, that’s saying something, the joint number 1 team in the comp, had to bring their A+ game, to beat the poor team that can’t score…in the past it might have been the case, but you don’t come to Newlands these days, and just expect to win.
21@ The Saint:
Jy’s verkeerd, soos gewoonlik… daarsie ‘n manier dat Peter Grant eers naby aan Carter is nie, en jy flous jouself as jy dink Grant skop beter as Carter, beide takties en pale toe.
Wat die Saders se driedruk-vermoë aanbetref sal ons maar moet sien wie sluit wie se defences oop wanneer die Stormers en Saders mekaar speel, my geld is op Sonny Bill Williams en Freuan met Carter op Losskakel… en daai wafferse agterste driehoek van hulle. Stormers sal wel meer weerstand bied as die Sharks en Bulls… altans ek hoop en spekuleer so.
Saders se pak voorspelers is blerrie goed, veral by die skrums… en meesters op die grondballe!
@ The Saint:
It will be a great game, although I still stand by my prediction.
The one thing nobody talks about when mentioning the Crusaders is just how skilled and efficient their forwards are.
Their loosies are brilliant, but it is the likes of the Franks brothers who are everything that modern props should be.
Todd Blackadder is old school and understands that the game has to be won physically up front for Carter and SBW to wreck havoc.
As always, it will be upfront where I see the Stormers struggling to contain the Crusaders.
26@ tight head:
Possibly the best games of the season we could look forward to will be the Crusaders vs Reds match as well as the return match between the Crusaders and Blues, who beat the Saders in round 1 by 2 points if I remember correctly.
The Crusaders vs Stormers match should be good as well.
hey guys
while we are on the topic of the stormers vs crusaders
..
i’m looking for at least 8 tickets for this match, but fear that i wont stand a chance when the tickets go online
sooooooooo
i’m looking for someone around here who could pull some strings?
anyone?
pretty please?
28@ Ashley:
Miskien sal ekke kan help….
Three Stormers players – Jaque Fourie, Schalk Burger and Andries Bekker – have earned positional nods by massive margins in the South African Super Rugby Dream Team for Week 10 of the competition.
Sport24 readers were particularly adamant, as this was written, about Fourie’s right to wear the No 13 jersey (91 percent of votes), Burger the No 6 shirt (89 percent) and Bekker the No 5 lock jersey (88 percent).
Incredibly, Bakkies Botha earns approval for the No 4 jersey (42 percent of votes) despite his wretched form: were there really no worthier South African second-rowers at the weekend, readers?
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