The most annoying aspect about this match was that Australia scored almost all their tries off mistakes made by South Africa. I’ll have to watch the match again but I can’t recall Australia actually scoring a try off set piece (lineout, scrum or even consecutive rucks).
Apart from our lineout which was only reasonable because we mauled the ball up twice –by the way that was the only time I saw Stegmann with ball in hand (truck and trailer behind the maul), was he even on the field- and our scrum which was at best average. We were just about ordinary in everything else we did.
Our four main problems: Firstly losing the ball within 3 recycles almost every time we tried to run with the ball, secondly not taking the ball up at speed and therefore unable to breach the defensive line, thirdly poor defence especially around the fringes and in the backline, lastly being too predictable and one dimensional on attack.
Losing the ball as we go into contact.
Damn, how hard is it to rectify this, for how much longer before this disease of South African rugby gets cured? How many more Test matches are we going to lose because of this annoying inability to hang onto the ball?
Most of Australia’s tries came from counter attacks after we spilled the ball going into contact. There is absolutely nothing that irritates me more than this, in fact I got so annoyed by it that I started to cheer the Aussies on to score more tries. That is how annoyed I got with this super, super, super crappy performance.
Not taking the ball up at speed – unable to breach the advantage line
The major difference between the Australians and the Springboks was in the way they constantly hit the advantage line with speed. This is Peter de Villiers’ main coaching problem and the reason why the Springboks performed so poorly in last year’s Tri-Nations competition. Peter please read here and wake-up: THE FLAT STANDING PODS, RECIVING THE BALL STANDING, STILL DOES NOT WORK!!!
The Springboks got smashed back at the advantage line like I predicted, mostly because they almost never took the ball up at speed. This problem started because they were pushed back at the rucks and couldn’t establish front foot ball at the scrums.
Deysel was the only Springbok to take the ball up at speed but he was a lone ranger and there was nobody to help him.
Defence
I wrote in a comment, before the match, that I see our loosies as a problem, one being to small, the second being too slow and the third playing to loose. Our defence around the fringes was non-existent and both Genia and Cooper had field days. The second Australian try came from a break around the fringes because Danie Rossouw was too slow. The Australians constantly created front-foot ball by hitting the ball and defensive line with speed and the Springboks were never able to smash them back in the tackle because Johnson (while he was on the field) was hanging far too loose. Stegmann got forced back in the tackle on the rare occasions that I actually did see him make a tackle and Danie Rossouw, being too slow to get to the collision areas, played his best rugby when he moved back to the lock position. It is no co-incidence that the Springboks scored two tries after Deysel came on the field. Deysel took the ball at speed over the line – not massively effective, I need to add – but at least he tried.
Springbok defence out wide was just poor and the first try was caused by a missed Juan de Jongh tackle. It is my opinion that De Jongh is the most over-rated rugby player in world rugby. His decision making is poor, he can’t pass a ball, he can run only straight into tackles and defensively he is only reasonable at best.
Did anybody see a Springbok forcing a Wallaby back in the tackle? Well I didn’t and I was constantly on the look-out for someone to step-up and start dominitating at the collision areas. The statistics program I consulted indicate that Stegmann made 11 tackles which might be right but I can’t recall him making any impact with his tackles, like for instance forcing the ball carrier back.
The Springboks lost this match because they didn’t dominate at the tackle area/breakdowns. This is rule No 1 of the modern game, it is the key to the All Blacks success and until they get this right they will not win important Test matches. To get this right you need to select players that can do it and work at it. You get rewarded in life for those things you put your attention on. Untill Peter de Villiers and his cronies starts to put attention on the collision area/breakdowns as part of their preparation and team selection, the Springboks will not win important Test matches.
Too predictable and one-dimensional on attack
The first time the ball went through the hands to the wing –that I can remember- was after Lambie got on the field. De Jongh, Olivier and Jacobs –who looked well rounded like a well fed ‘slagskaap’- just can’t pass a ball.
The ball never got past the centers mostly because, firstly they never got front foot ball, secondly they never used decoy runners, thirdly, none of the centers on the field could actually pass a ball (yes the last one is a little sarcastic but so far this season -and previous seasons for that matter- I have yet to see evidence that Olivier and De Jongh can actually distibute a rugbyball).
After Lambie came on the Springboks started to see some decoy runners and the ball started moving through the hands to the wings with the centres sitting deeper but their passing was still agonisingly slow and ineffective and poorly executed.
The constant use of the flat lying pods was epidemic and stopped us from creating front foot ball. The problem here was Stegmann being too small and slow to take the ball-up and hit the advantage line with impact, Rossouw being too slow and Johnson going lateral whenever he received the ball. Deysel made some difference but that was too late in the game.
What we need is less fancy stuff –in this regard Pienaar’s useless little back flips- and get the basics right.
It didn’t feel like a Springbok team for me and they certainly didn’t play like one. The only players I thought which performed to the level a Springbok should was Chillyboy Ralepelle and Jean Deysel. The ‘fearsome’ new props made no inroads at either the scrums or the rucks and our locks were mostly missing in action at the rucks (not considering Danie Rossouw as a lock because he started on No 7 but he did try hard and show up every now and again at the rucks).
Lambie made a massive difference when he came on and would be a factor behind a pack which gives him front foot ball.
The positive is that the Australians won not because they were so good but because the Springboks were so useless. I don’t think they scored any try off set piece while the Springboks actually had stages where they were trying to run with the ball. In fact the first try came somewhat against the run of play after the Bokke spilled the ball, going into contact.
If the Springboks select the right combinations and loosies that can make an impact and start to hit the ball with speed -as we take it up- we might play some better rugby.
Even so, I predict a black, black, black night against the All Blacks.
superBul wrote:
Ek stem dit gaan oor kombinasies en ons het al voorheen daaroor gesêls. Ons losvoorpelers het vir my as kombinasie weggeraak in die wedstryd. Ashley het goeie hande en het die bal ‘n keer of wat mooi versprei maar is geneig om bietjie lateraal te speel. Sy hele ligaamsposisie is lateraal die oomblik as hy die bal ontvang.
Ons kon duidelik nie domineer by die afbreekpunte -nie op aanval of op verdediging nie- en dit is nie net die losvoorspelers wat te blameer is nie. Die Aussies het die lyn met spoed aangeval terwyl ons dit staan staan gedoen het. Op verdediging het ek die gevoel gekry ons wag vir hulle om in ons in te hardloop instede daarvan om vorentoe the gaan en hulle agter die lyn te gaan duik. Deel van die probleem was die spoed waarmee hulle die bal opgebring het.
Kanko hou nie van die harde fisieke stuff nie met die gevolg dat nadat Rossouw slot toe geskuif het was ons nog meer ‘vulnerable’ op vedediging.
Kyk ‘size and speed matters in rugby’ as ‘n groot ou teen ‘n klein outjie vashardllop sal die kleiner een tweede beste afkom. Plofkrag en spoed waarmee in kontak in gegaan bepaal grootliks of jy oor die voordeel lyn gaan al dan nie. Dus meer spiermassa, groter ligaamsgewig en meer spoed is bepalend by die afbreekpunte. Dit vir my was die rede hoekom ons die stryd by die afbreekpunte verloor het. Daar was nie genoeg spiermassa, gewig, spoed en direktheid (as ons die bal opneem of verdedig nie) in kombinasie in elke individu en kollektief in die losvoorpelers as kombinasie nie. Dit het nooit gelyk of ons impak maak by die abreekpunte nie hetsy op verdediging of op aanval. En dit was vir my die rede hoekom ons nooit in die wedstryd was nie en mens kan redeneer tot jy blou in die gesig is feit is ons het pak gekry by die afbreekpunte en daarom het ons die bal verloor in kontak binne 3 tot 5 fases en gesukkel om drieë te druk.
Ek her vroer in die week gee my grootste bekommernis is hoe goes hierdie ouens sal kombineer in verdediging, dot was duidelik die hoof problem.
Dan her one telkemale die bal verloor in die tackle of nie gekyk war one pass nie.
Laastens one aanvals patron is omtrent so oorspronklik soos verf wat droog word.
O ja, one is hesitant end op die after voet wanneer Quad Cooper of Genia die bal in hand her. Dot was pateties om te sien hoeveel tyd die twee gehad her on te Peel
Ek ys om te west day one n’ wereld beker most gaan verdedig onder n’ coach wat nie een nuwe ding NA die tafel gebting her in am per 4jaar nie-.
Ek is soos wat mense se, my beker loop or van, gatvol’
Sorry but I am typing on my brother’s new tablet and didn’t see it is trying to trnslate everything
@ biltongbek:
😆
You are laughing, try typing a serious conversation about rugby, whilst having a slight hangover and still quite angry about the game, and this flippen thing is talking about war, one etc,
It’s like being back in 1918.
And I am only 46
O hel McLook, ek sien JJ Harmse skryf in Rapport dat Stegman gekeer het dat die Wallabies dit 20 na 20 maak met “n puik omdopslag”, en dat hy hard gewerk het in die vastelos. Heerlikheid, hy mislei die mense! Gaan keer tog net daar asseblief.
Ek bedoel, volgens jou mos het Stegman slegs getekkel omdat die Wallabies doelbewus op hom in sy kanaal af gepyl het omdat hulle geweet het dat hy ‘n swak verdediger is, en daarom was die forseer om te tekkel, en verder was hy totaal “onsigbaar”.
Ai tog man, nes ek gedink het dat dit veilig is en ons land nou verenig kon saamstaan aangesien dit die begin van die toets-seisoen is van die Nasionale span, moet ons nou sulke onwaarhede in ons koerante lees. Propaganda! Ek sê jou. Ek’s moeg hiervoor. Ek gaan Nieu-Seeland toe trek soos McLook waar mense nogsteeds eerlik, opreg en objektief in die wêreld is.
Ek sien al ons slotte is nou beseer. Ai. Dit sal nou lyk my Danie en Mostert op slot wees die naweek. Ek neem aan hulle sal vir Deysel in die beginspan inbring. Of wat gaan aan?
my eerlike opinie is soos volg stegman het sy job gedoen by tye maar ander tye het hy ook maar bokkerol gedoen selfde met die meeste in die span.
Gister het n “ou vergete speler” my beindruk, Wikus van Heerden speel sy hart uit vir die Leeus op slot, miskien moet daar bietjie Transvalers nader getrek word, jammer ons het nie nog 2 jaar om te bou nie. Maar Josh Strauss en Jano en Wikus kan maar in my span wees, hulle het die regte attitude. Wel so dink ek maar.
By die Bulle is daar nie een speler wat regtig kan uithelp nou nie. Juandre Kruger lyk nog nie soos n Springbok nie, die slotfabriek moet nog die man fine tune.
From Ruggaworld, who agrees?
As we approached the 2007 World Cup, and largely as a result of the 49-0 game in Oz, we decided to become a bit more conservative. Playing to our strengths now meant we keep the ball in the hands of big ball carriers (who wont lose it as easily) and use our 10 to play for field position. Our outside backs would chase ball and round off whatever ball we turned over. By 2007 we perfected this gameplan.
Peter had all the right ideas in 2008 but the results went against him and I have the feeling the senior clique in the team convinced the coaching staff to go back to the 2007 blueprint. The success off 2009 for me rests purely on the introduction of 3 new players (beast,brussouw and steyn). Its 2007 rugby with 3 better players – simple as that.
Hi Puma where are you
Puma if you read the McLook thread just forget the Stegman debate for a while and read what else he said. I think he hits a few nails right on the head. So sad when a good post degenerates to a fight over one player. Forget the name of the player and debate the role of that position , the combination and the cohesion or lack of it.
McLook,
Excellent article. I feel the same when we lose the ball in contact. It is sooooooooooooooo frustrating. Our defence was woeful. From just about every player.
We don’t have our best players on tour mate, but we should have done better. Selection will cost us dear everytime. Now with the players on this tour we need to see who should start against the ABs. Jeez just thinking of their team we gonna get smashed big time if we don’t sort out our handling errors and defence.
We are difinitely far too predictable and playing this one diementional game will get us no where.
My team with the players we have on tour for the ABs game:
15 – Aplon
14 – Odwa (Slower than Basson but work rate and defence so much better than Basson)
13 – Adi
12 – JdJ
11 – Mvovo
10 – Lambie
9 – McLeod (need to see what he can do)
8 – Kanko (Johnson was disappointing after such a great S15 for the Cheetahs thought he would be play better)
7 – Deysel
6 – Brussow if he is over the injury or Stegmann will have to start again.
5 – Mostert/Hargreaves
4 – Danie
3 – CJ
2 – Chili
1 – John
Felt that front row was so much better.
Doubt we will beat the ABs but might play better with those players starting.
@ Puma:typo – meant – diemensional
@ Puma:
No problem with your team but why try McLeod? PdeV knows who he wants there , it is FdP, FH and Ruan, Ruan had a shocker but he needs game time, he was there done it. If he wanted a different no 9 i feel Sarel is the most deserving player. But who says he will be good at International level. See my point is there is no time to play these outsiders now.
I do feel for these players though. They have not had enough game time together. We can’t expect the same from them than the senior players that were left at home.
They are taking a lot of abuse from everyone and I personally don’t think it is fair on them. Cause they need far more game time together. The senior players know each others game extremely well.
Also some of these players played a different game plan at their franchise, now to adjust to this one diemensional game plan must be frustrating for them as well.
But did expect a bit better from all the players, seeing they all played S15.
Handling errors and defence is such basics so there is no excuse there. They need to step up and get that right.
Puma wrote:
With the blood problem Greyling never settled well, but they deserve another chance, i feel. I saw you said they leaked penalties, i might be wrong again but in my eyes there was very few penalties at scrumtime. Almost certain it was 2-2
@ superBul:45 – Think Super, we just have to see what McLeod can do when given the chance to play. We only have this one last game against the ABs to see what he can do.
Ruan never had a great game, agree he probably needs game time with the team and getting up to speed with the sh game again.
But we need to give McLeod a run on this weekend even coming from the bench.
I know FdP will be our number one choice and probably Ruan but we also have Hougaard. But it don’t hurt to try out another to see what we have in him. We not gonna win this test boeta. So may as well try the whole lot out now.
Puma wrote:
If PdeV gave them a few more of the hard men like Schalk, Bakkies and Beast they would have had a better chance to show their goods. Normaly when a player debutes for his country he is the only rookie amongst a settled team, so much experience next to him. Far more ideal entry to Int. Rugby
@ Puma:
I just hate dishing out Springbok jerseys, if they can go back to the OLD way at the Bulls that you earn your colors only after 3 apearances for the team i wont mind giving him a chance. Players who are called Springboks are too many, it cheapens that jersey. MY VIEW
Puma Did you watch the Bulle game yesterday?
or the Lions one?
@ superBul:51 – I do agree Super, I also don’t like dishing out Bok Jerseys. But this is exceptional. We have FdP and he has always been our best. Now what if he gets injured? And Ruan don’t get any better than he played on Saturday? So we need to try out McLeod for this game. It is a wc year and we need to know who else we have if we get anymore injuries.
You see Bekker is out for the world cup? He has to have a ankle op. Now that is a massive loss. So imagine if we lose Victor? Then we in the poo. So really pleased we have Victor here resting or training and not on tour. He has been overplayed this past year relentlessly. So these games gives us a look who else we have in case of injury. We have to use this last game to do just that. But wish it was against Arg or a lesser team. Feel terrible that we playing a under strength side against our oldest and greates enemy. But that is how it is to be. Cause we have no other warm up games for these youngsters.
Also hope that Juan makes it to the wc. We need him.
@ superBul:52 – No Super, never did. Missed both games went out to the clubhouse for dinner.
Shoudl have set my pvr but forgot. I see the score when I got home.
You will feel pleased your Bulls won.
Heck I was pleased Sharks won. Only just, just sneaked it. Never saw the game cause it was not on tv. Just had to keep up with the game on Sharksworld. Someone there was at the game.
@ Puma:
another typo…hehehe. Meant = should
@ Puma:
Pleased , surprized you name it. But if we find our feet that fast we might be back on track much faster than any loyal Bulls suporter would have imagined. There is quite a lot of young players we put our hopes on and most did play well. Dewalt left the field , hope he is alright. Juandre played a decent game and i enjoyed the game of Justin Jinka, first of all he was not directing traffic, quite a pleasant thing to watch, a scrumhalf with his eye on the ball :LOL:
His one pass to Akona Ndunganes try was precisely on the button.
@ superBul:Well it makes for a exciting cc.
I know many teams are without their Bok players but enjoying watching the younger players this year.
Think Lions must be the team to beat now. They have not lost many of their players to Boks. Gonna be hard to beat them and Cheetahs.
Anyhow always enjoy the CC.
Out of here now Super. Catch up tomorrow or later.
See Flip is out with a injury and Hargreaves has picke up a niggle too.
Jeez the injuries are coming fast. Now extra pleased we have our top Boks at home.
Cheers Super out of here now.
Puma did you see the poll on voldys? you wont believe your eyes mate
Should Pat Lambie start ahead of Morne Steyn in Wellington?
No
938
Yes
259
Total Votes: 1197
is there stil anyone watching any Cricket?
England 474/8d & 110/6 (45.0 ov)
India 286
England lead by 298 runs with 4 wickets remaining
Kevin Pieterson scored a brilliant 202 n/o in this match
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