Brendan Venter
Having suffered defeat to the Wallabies this past Saturday, even the most die-hard Springbok supporters must be wondering if their team can win in New Zealand for the first time in five years.
Since taking the reins in 2012, Steve Hansen has forged a well-organised unit that plays with pride and purpose.
However, what makes the All Blacks most difficult to beat is their ball-in-hand threat.
To offer an example, in the final play of the first stanza against Argentina in Napier, the home side won a tighthead. Subsequently Beauden Barrett took the ball to the line, used his quick feet and evasiveness to pierce the defence and fed the lightening-quick Liam Messam, who scored the try.
SuperSport
In last week’s column, I outlined the intrinsic value of ball-carriers who boast a full house in terms of weight, speed and evasive ability.
The All Black class of 2014 possess a number of players in their arsenal who tick all three boxes.
In the backline, Julian Savea is reminiscent of Jonah Lomu in his heyday. He’s big, fast and elusive. Meanwhile, in the forward pack, Kieran Read is equally effective as a ball-carrier. While the eighthman’s decision-making ability is well-documented, his pace and stepping ability is uncanny.
While I generally enjoy listening to Ashwin Willemse’s insights as an analyst, I was left frustrated by his post-match comments after the Springboks’ one-point defeat to Australia on Saturday.
Willemse was outspoken about Heyneke Meyer’s non-expansive style but I believe the former Springbok winger should practice what he preaches.
As such, I would advise Willemse to take off his suit and tie, purchase a tracksuit and pair of takkies and go coach his local rugby side. As soon as he does this, I believe he will realise that coaching isn’t as straightforward as it may seem, which is why Nick Mallett is more tempered in his criticism.
What Willemse, and Springbok fans at large, must understand is that it’s not just the intent of running the ball that will make the difference. Particularly against the All Blacks, if the Springboks employ a run-from-everywhere approach they will get pumped, as the home side thrives upon turn-over ball.
Therefore, instead of fighting fire with fire, I would advise the Springboks to box clever.
First and foremost, the Springboks should look to target the All Blacks at set phase. I believe the number one-ranked team in world rugby remains jittery at line-out time and can be duly dismantled.
Secondly, while the Springboks’ defensive strength has always proved their physicality and line speed, on this occasion, I would advise that line speed be sacrificed for defensive alignment.
To put it simply, the visitors must maintain their shape even if it means moving up slower in defence.
Another ace up the Springboks’ sleeve is character. The team boasts an abundance of that quality.
Meyer has his fair share of detractors but, for me, he remains a brilliant coach as he boasts the man-motivating ability to galvanise a team and make them believe in the seemingly impossible.
In closing, my rugby rant of the week pertains to Saru’s Transformation Strategic Plan.
While I do not wish to debate the merits of the argument for or against the quota system, I want to stress that in rugby, the most valuable commodity that builds camaraderie and team unity is respect.
To offer an anecdote from my time working with the Sharks, Lwazi Mvovo fractured his hand during the 2013 Currie Cup final, and at half-time I begged him to stay on the field because we needed him.
My request had nothing to do with his skin tone but rather his merits as a rugby player. By playing on with a broken hand, he further entrenched the admiration and respect held for him as a player.
I believe the moment the decision-makers put a number to it – 50 per cent of the Springbok team comprising of players of colour by 2019 – even the best black talent will wonder if they’re worthy.
It’s so absurd that we’ve reached a stage where players are judged primarily by their skin colour.
Ashwin Willemse I see is the Executive Producer of Lions 4 Life, as well as a Deputy President of the GLRU.
I actually find him quite refreshing as a critic, especially when dissing the Sarks, but he makes no bones about having Red Blood.
As for his coaching ability… Who knows.
Brandon advises Ashwin to try his hand at coaching before he dares to criticize the bok coach’s gameplan.
Perhaps he should then follow his own advice and become a rugby administrator that operates in the SA political environment before he dares to criticize SARU’s transformation plan.
@ robzim:
He’s not having a go at the guy for having an opinion.
He’s talking about the nature of his criticism.
Thus he compared his comments to those of Mallet’s who himself is outspoken.
Maybe you list it on translation?
Stop being so sensitive.
😆
@ gunther:
Did I say Brandon had a go at Ashwin for having an opinion?
Why should the “nature of Ashwin’s criticism” be restricted to his specific field of expertise while Brandon can criticize SARU about aspects ( to run a national sporting body in the SA political environment) that he (Brandon) has no practical experience or expertise in?
If we all follow Brandon’s advice the comments section on RT will be extremely empty don’t you think?
Have you ever reffed a rugby game?
4 @ robzim:
Because, if Ashwin had written on RT what he, Naas and Nick had said in the studio, they would be labelled Glass half empty members straight away.
Who the fark is Brandon…
@ nortierd:
You mean that they would have been among the “told you so” that the Boks would lose.
I did not see that coming through from Brendan’s comments above. You’re reading too much into things.
@ IAAS:
Comment was referred to Robzim
@ robzim:
The nuance of his argument is beyond you.
Not altogether surprising.
😆
@ IAAS:
Out of a matter of interest, how often are the Boks losing lately?
Not too many “told you they would lose” comments are there?
Unless they play the AB’s, then it’s almost a given. 13 wins in the last 51 tests sort of tells the story, nobody has to spell that out.
On current form they are likely to lose to Aus and Eng away, and that’s about it, because even when playing below par, they are still better than the other countries.
@ nortierd:
1) “Not too many “told you they would lose” comments are there?”
and more to follow
2)”On current form they are likely to lose to Aus and Eng away”
Look at your statement no. 1. You just answered your own question.
😆
@ IAAS:
You saying that if they lose once to Aus and twice to the All Blacks people will say I told you so?
I would rather expect people to be surprised and say I told you so should they win after Saturday, because the majority of rugby viewers, including Bok supporters, expect them to lose.
You can hope, pray and wish that they would win, but it would rank as a huge upset
@ nortierd:
Yes, we lost on Saturday. Actually more than lost, we threw away a winning advantage on which we could not capitalise with an experiences Bok making a massive mistake with 2 min left.
The odds are against the Boks winning in NZ. Not just in HM’s tenure but through time. Yes, it will be an upset. There’s a difference between being a pessimist and being a realist.
No Bok team should ever run onto the field in South Africa as underdogs. Even against the AB’s. 1 point better than them is more than enough.
13 @ IAAS:
I don’t disagree with what you are saying, but by the same token, we should have lost to Wales and Argentina after trailing by so much with not too much time left.
Australia are better than those two sides, so they managed, just like us, to overturn a deficit into a win.
@ gunther:
Typical Gunther cop out.
The “nuances” only exist in your own mind.
But don’t worry, I won’t pull a Dr Venter on you when you criticize a Ref in future.
I am a far too nice guy to do that
@ IAAS:
“There’s a difference between being a pessimist and being a realist.”
I think you wanted to say, “There’s a difference between being a optimist and being a realist.”
The “optimists” being the people who hope against all hopes that the Boks would win on Saturday while the realists have resigned themselves to the fact that another beating against the AB are on the way.
I like Brendan Venter more and more….
The dude does not shy away from telling it like it is, no matter how many feathers are ruffled in the process!
13 @ IAAS:
“There’s a difference between being a pessimist and being a realist.”
So, weighing up factors like current form, team selections, game plan, history, home ground advantage and weather, and then thinking your team will lose, makes one a realist.
Or
Weighing up factors like current form, team selections, game plan, history, home ground advantage and weather, and then thinking your team will lose, makes one a pessimist?
I don’t think there is a difference, I just believe that if certain people say it, it gets a different meaning
Why can’t one just be pessimistically realistic… or even better realisticly optimistic.
Fine line between the 2 opposites, I suppose… but I bet you the optimist group is the happier bunch of the two lots.
Die lewe is ‘n liter, sing hom uit volle bors!
Heeeeeeeee haaaaaaaaaaa
Gooooooooooooo Bokke, moer die All Blacks sommer stukkend!
@ grootblousmile:
You just said, after seeing the teams, that it’s going to be a long Saturday Morning 😆
That’s realism, not pessimism, unless Nama or myself say the same, then it’s pessimism
19 @ grootblousmile:
Yes, you could always twist to subject to make yourself believe you are the “realist”, it is an irrefutable argument.
A glass half full and a glass half empty is EXACTLY the same thing… right!
The difference lies in attitude, not in the volume inside the glass…
Think about it very carefully… attitude… the right attitude…. versus “o fok”…. or giving up.
nortierd wrote:
A long afternoon that ends up with us winning 😀
20 @ nortierd:
No I did not say that!!
I said it was going to be a long Saturday MORNING…..
… Sorry, I had a pessimistic moment… but it’s over…. I almost fell into the darkness of the Glass Half Farking Empty Club!
Someone… HAAS, UFO, JJ, Moooosa… moer me if I do it again… please!
@ grootblousmile:
He he, I corrected my afternoon/morning slip
😆
24 @ grootblousmile:
Geez you nearly had to apply makeup and paint your nails black and white 😀
@ MacroBok:
If that’s the case, RT will explode on Saturday.
Even the “Glass Half Empty” brigade will be smiling.
@ grootblousmile:
That’s why I said you must be positive when making your picks…how much are you picking the Bokke by?
IAAS wrote:
Since 2004 SA played 25 times against NZ in South Africa of which they won 10 ( 40%) and lost 15 ( 60%).
Out of the last 10 games the AB’s also won 6…. also 3 out of the last 5..
Based on this time series of results I do not think one can blame people if they consider the Boks as slightly underdogs even at home.
27 @ Nama:
Thats the spirit
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