So amper, maar alle aanduidings is dat die Springbokrugbyspan weer op die regte pad is ná sy naelskraapse nederlaag gister teen die All Blacks.
Dit is die eenparige mening van ’n klompie kenners by wie Rapport gaan kers opsteek het ná die Slag van Wellington.
Krynauw Otto:
“As ons die All Blacks só kan vat in Wellington, kan ons hulle op neutrale velde in die Wêreldbeker-toernooi klop,” meen die voormalige Bok-slot Krynauw Otto. “Dit was weer simpel foute wat ons, nes in Australië, die wedstryd gekos het. Tien foute minder en ons het gewen.”
Rapport
Otto was nietemin in sy noppies met die Springbokke. “Die pak was goed, ons skrumwerk was goed en Victor Matfield was weer skitterend. Ons moet leer om beter gebruik te maak van omgekeerde besit, maar dis ’n baie goeie All Black-span.”
André Markgraaff:
Die gewese Bok-afrigter André Markgraaff was ook taamlik tevrede. “Heyneke Meyer het duidelik ’n paradigma-skuif gemaak. Die spel het die laaste jaar of twee baie verander en die meeste van ons afrigters is steeds te geneig om net te wil druk toepas en skop.
“Vandag (gister) het gewys jy moet in jou spelers glo en in hul vermoëns om aan te val.”
Markgraaff meen dit was dalk die beste vertoning van die Springbokke die afgelope twee jaar in die Rugbykampioenskap. “Ons moet egter onthou die All Blacks was nie vandag baie goed nie. Sonder Sam Whitelock is hulle veel meer kwesbaar in die lynstane en Steven Luatua is ook nie so goed soos die beseerde Liam Messam nie.
“Ek hoop ook ons het nou klaar besluit op losskakel en senters. Ek het gedink dis dalk te vroeg om Handré Pollard in te span, maar hy was verbasend goed.
“Sy voorspelers was weliswaar op die voorvoet, maar hy was kalm,” sê Markgraaff.
“Jan Serfontein hoort ook op binnesenter. Jean de Villiers is ’n goeie buitesenter en het daar meer spasie en vat daar minder stampe.”
Nelie Smith:
Nóg ’n gewese Bok-breier, Nelie Smith, meen dit was ’n skitterende toets.
“Die uitstekende verdediging weerskante het my verbaas. Dis selde dat jy in ’n toets sien spanne speel so dikwels so wyd, maar dit het amper nooit gelyk of daar gapings is nie.
“Victor Matfield was weer ’n toring van krag.
“ ’n Jongeling wat teen die All Blacks speel soos Handré Pollard, is die ware Jakob.
“Jan Serfontein se verdediging was fenomenaal en ons moet nie vergeet van daai yster Duane Vermeulen nie. Ons is op die regte pad, maar moet leer ondersteun soos die All Blacks.”
Rob Louw:
Die oud-Bok-flank Rob Louw meen die Bokke het dié ene weggegooi. “Ons skrums was goed en ons losvoorspelers ongelooflik. Richie McCaw was amper nêrens nie, maar ons het op kritieke tye nie kop gehou nie.
“Ek voel ’n bietjie jammer vir Morné Steyn, maar Pollard het ’n regmerkie verdien.
“Daar is nog probleme op skrumskakel sonder Fourie du Preez, maar as hy terugkom – asook manne soos Schalk Burger, Jaque Fourie, JP Pietersen en Frans Steyn – lyk ons goed vir volgende jaar.”
Die Bok Rapport kaart:
I take more positives out of yesterday’s loss than the haphazard wins against Wales and Argentina.
Whether people want to joke or take digs at half empty half full glasses, that’s beside the point.
Yesterday, even though we lost, they could come off the field with their heads held high
@ nortierd: Smith is a brilliant player. The Kiwis can be very hard on their players too. I’m guessing they were pissed at him for being off-side chasing that kick through and a few other minor indiscretions.
@ MacroBok: but I wouldn’t go so far as to say he’s better than FDP. I rate Fourie up there with Joost. Or at least very close.
30 @ Tassies:
Ha ha, so I’m a youngster? 😆
We used to play the Saturday, then take the train from Parow, switch at Salt River, then on to Newlands.
Rugby in the winter, cricket in the summer.
My daughter has never even been on a train, and I doubt she will.
Different eras I guess, where will you let your kid do those things today?
I recall we slept outside the stadium to get a ticket for the Lions test in 1980, I was 10 years old, today that is unthinkable.
@ nortierd: I’m in your corner Nortie. Very similiar thinking. You must know; I hate losing. Whether its the Springboks, WP or playing squash/tennis/running/cycling. I hate losing. But…….if one is heading in the right direction and have lost fair and square, then I’ll bend a little and look for the so-called ‘positives’. I actually hate that word too. It’s like ‘glass half full’.
35 @ Tassies:
33 @ Tassies:
FDP is probably my favorite player of all time.
Lets just put it this way, without Aaron, NZ have no chance of retaining the WC.
@ nortierd:
25
I believe Morne Dup did ‘put him off’ but that was way long before my time 😆
Talking ‘Class’, I watched the recording (a good practice btw), the short pass to Hendricks was a deliberate forward, something I can’t remember Naas EVER done?
When Cane came on to replace the useless 6, Pollard got significantly poor, a ‘protection awareness’ if you like?
😆
his clearing close to the right touch line is poor, his reluctance to pass it to Willie who is a left footer was noticed too
And the Boks lost again,,,,,,, with no yellow/Red card to blame this time 😥
@ nortierd: Yup. Age is a relative thing. I have a buddy with whom I ride(up mountains). He’s nudging up towards 70(way older than me). A couple of years ago he road the Karoo to Coast. That’s 100km’s worth of off-road racing in a single day. He kite-boards(almost every week) and kayaks three to four times a week in False Bay, including round the Point, in the rain, dodging jonnies. Some 20 year olds would struggle to keep up. Flan is frankly extrodinary. Stay young in the head is where its at.
@ MacroBok: I think I’d go with Joost.
@ Hondo:
Morne tackled him hard, but fair ( if you are a WP supporter) at Loftus once. He needed police protection after the match to get off the field.
Jannie Els clocked Naas, broke his jaw if I remember correctly, when FS played N Tvl. Not a fair punch, was from behind. Naas never got close to where skirmishes were going on, too clever for that. He did join in the one free for all during the ’81 tour of New Zealand, but mostly threw fresh air punches.
To understand his genius, you must go back and think about the rules in those days. Flankers weren’t governed to stay bound, so Rob Louw, one of the fastest loose forwards ever, and Morne would line up opposite Naas during scrum time. Yet, they could never catch him with the ball.
He was blessed with having scrum halves that could bullet pass 30m with ease, first Tommy Du Plessis and then later Robert Du Preez, but he had so much time on the ball it was uncanny
@ Hondo: Morning Hondo. Yes I think Morne did. I was there. At Loftus on the day. If I recall Morne had the last laugh. I was pelted with N Tvl’s finest citrus products and ended up at the Hellenic Hotel fending off some very angry Bull’s supporters. I think I came off second best but they bought me lots of brandies in retribution. I was their guest you see, in an indirect kind of way.
@ nortierd: white pants Naas. In the mud and rain. Says it all.
@ nortierd: and us WP supporters should have enjoyed police protection too. 😉
Tassies wrote:
Ha ha, playing under instructions from Buurman.
He was wrapped in cotton wool, even when on the field
Tassies wrote:
He he, saw your post that you were there.
Today, incidents like that would end up with court cases to and fro, or steroid monkeys jumping on your head after 5 had jumped you.
At least it was mostly one on one with a drink afterwards to clear the air.
I think Heyneke knows what he’s doing. He just requires to fine tune from here. Build the squad, blood some more players for emergencies and get everyone on the same wavelength. The end-of-year tour is going to be the tweaking ground. Not this tournament.
@ nortierd: even remember where I sat. North East stand, half way up, in line with the 25 yard line. The naartjies came raining down like a low hanging cloud and peaked after Morne’s tackle. Thousands of them.
48 @ Tassies:
hehe justice for Naas
@ nortierd: Mr Van Zyl and his cappie Thys. That was a formidable team. But then so was our Morne and his lot. Rob Louw and I sat in matric class together. He was a slightly better rugby player than me. 😯
@ MacroBok: bloody philistines. Waste of good fruit.
@ Tassies:
and alcohol spillage? 😀
@ MacroBok: yebo. That too. Brings back good memories. Those days. Most often good clean fun. But competition was intense I can promise you.
50 @ Tassies:
Those were two great teams
@ Tassies:
It is true what Nortie says, these days you avoid such altercations as far as you can.
okay lads. I’ve got other work to do.
Chat later. Always good.
don’t miss Keo at all. Just some of the folk.
GB has done a good thing here.
I’ll drink a windhoek to you GB.
@ Tassies:
Cheers, catch up again soon
Enjoy what’s left of the weekend
Cape Town – Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer praised his team’s composure on a wet field and especially their great set-piece and defence, but bemoaned a high error count in a Test which the visitors could’ve won.
As it happened: All Blacks v Springboks
VIDEO: Cornal Hendricks’ fabulous try!
“I will never be happy when the Boks lose, even if it’s away from home against a great team such as New Zealand,” said Meyer.
“But I’m very proud of the way in which the guys played, especially our youngsters. The All Blacks used their opportunities better and they probably adapted better to the wet field.
“We wanted to keep the ball in hand, but made a number of mistakes close to their tryline. Credit though to the All Blacks, they are a quality side. We gave our best and in the end it wasn’t good enough.
“We should’ve held on the ball better and I thought we scrummed well, out lineouts were great and our defence was immense against and unbelievable attacking unit. They threw it from pillar to post and were very threatening on attack but the guys did brilliantly on defence and credit must go to (defence coach) John McFarland.
“We were also superb stealing ball on the ground, but in games such as these you need some luck. I’m proud of how they hung in, but we probably just didn’t use our opportunities at the end.”
@ MacroBok: before I go. Yes. Newlands can be bloody dangerous and ugly and not only the men. Especially on the Railway Stand. You simply shut up and watch the rugby. Just seeth inside quietly to yourself. Don’t go as often anymore. Only when I’m invited to a ‘box’ or there’s a big Test on offer.
Okay, outta here.
@ nortierd:
That’s what we like to hear from the coach.
Don’t worry Heyneke, as long as we beat the AB’s next year in England, then all is well
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