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.
28 @ nortierd:
Hey, there’s realism, optimism, pessimism… and then there is stupidity…
… and I ain’t stupid… that’s for sure!
Bafana Bafana has held the Super Eagles to 0-0 at halftime in CT.
Am I half empty or half full if I reckon the score will stay like that till full time?
grootblousmile wrote:
Careful, fine line between slipping over to the dark side
29 @ robzim:
there is going to be a tipping point!
Maybe not this weekend, but it will come in the next 2 years.
robzim wrote:
Full, if it were just normal eagles and not super eagles, it would have been empty
@ robzim:
Good! Hope Bafana can pull it of.
We don’t want Fikile and TE and those start getting transformation ideas about soccer as well, do we?
Enough on our hands with rugby, swimming, snooker, darts, kennetjie, kleilatgooi…. etc.
@ MacroBok:
@34
Lets hope so….
Pollard is key imo.
@ nortierd:
@ 35
They are ranked 33rd in the world and we are 69….
That is the official rankings…. I have not asked Gunther about his 🙂
@ robzim:
All 15 players will be key, even more so the guys on the bench.
I think everyone should go for NZ on super bru though 😉
@ nortierd: @ 14
“by the same token, we should have lost to Wales and Argentina after trailing by so much with not too much time left.”
You’re falling into a deep hole again with those negative statements.
I said the Boks threw away a winning 9 point advantage. Although they lost, I’ve moved on.
You however cannot accept that the Boks won. Do you see the difference?
robzim wrote:
May he have a Ricky Januarie moment as well!
I tell you, I believe anything is possible after our first win ever at “The House of Pain” that glorious night in Dunedin, one of the great Springbok victories of all time in my book.
@ Pietman:
@ 36
Bafana Bafana is 90.9% black today. Not sure if it is perhaps too much ?
@ IAAS:
lol get used to it, Nortie is going to hold on to that for years, like the Taute drop goal we have to hear about every second week.
@ IAAS:
Let’s get out of the hole and join the other side than….yee hah, whoop whoop, we are playing the AB’s and doggone dibbety dab a dee doo, we will play like nobodies business, still lose, but golly shee, we will be playing great rugby
Black hoooooooole
robzim wrote:
44 @ nortierd:
haha you can apply that same logic to your victory over the sharks this year
40 @ IAAS:
“You however cannot accept that the Boks won. Do you see the difference?”
There you make the mistake, never said I didn’t want them to win, hell, we all knew they would, it’s against lesser teams for goodness sake.
I was critical of how we won. Was I the only rugby supporter who thought we sucked?
No, am I the only one who may not think or say it, looks like it
@ nortierd:
We sucked but that was months ago. bygones.
MacroBok wrote:
So we’ve turned the corner and stopped sucking?
Playing better rugby now?
@ nortierd:
Hopefully!, but i wont waste sleep ranting about it 😀
I Still believe we CAN win even if we are not favorites. Otherwise what is the point of even watching on Saturday?
@ Pietman:
@ 46
Interesting that the only white player in the starting team is Jewish
Dean Furman… originally from Camps Bay..
He is having quite a good game so far btw..
@ MacroBok:
We all live in hope, we all wish they would win, we will all cheer the roof off.
That’s what some don’t get
53 @ nortierd:
Exactly, deep down you and even Nama think we can win… farked if anyone cares what Negative Nancy hondo thinks.
@ robzim:
A Capetonian!
Interesting….and from Skoppie’s backyard as well, nice!
@ nortierd: @ $44
You remind me of that old Irish joke.
What’s the difference between an Irish loss and an Irish victory?
When you win, you just drink a little bit more. 😆
@ nortierd:
@ MacroBok:
Julle twee sal nog so aangaan oor half-vol glase, sucking, turning corners en wattawatta dat julle later die game mis!
@ Pietman:
hehe vliegtuig is al 9h oor mosselbaai saterdag oggend
56 @ IAAS:
Like the difference between an Irish wedding and an Irish wake?
One less drunk
@ robzim:
He rally is having a good game.
Heard the crowd trying to get the DEEEEN chant going in the beginning ala FEEESH/BEASSST, but it failed quite miserably.
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