A forgettable away tour, sure, blaming everyone but themselves, not so sure.
In a 240 minutes of rugby we conceded 93 points, 10 tries, received 4 yellow cards and had three players suspended. Not a successful tour so to speak but perhaps it will provide the wake up call the Boks dearly need. There has been some mumbling about the men with the whistle and at times you could say the decisions seemed a little in favour of the homesides, but if one looks at the penalty count it favours the Boks in all the tests except the final game against the convicts.
Perhaps all the hype around a successful Super 14 and a good pre-season albeit against weak opposition, the French did us no favours by refusing to participate in Cape Town, gave us a slightly elevated view of where the team is.
The stats are pretty woeful for the tour. Against the All Blacks over two tests we made 42 handling errors and missed 54 tackles. Against the Convicts it was 26 handling errors and 31 missed tackles. Not much to crank up the choir about. Smit has stood in front of the microphone and spun out the media friendly we are playing like a bunch of headless chickens and we will be up for it next week and Div has accused everyone short of the UN about a giant conspiracy to promote the game of rugby in New Zealand via the IRB, Paddy O’ Brien and three poor Irish souls who will inevitably be responsible for the All Blacks going out of next years World Cup and the Boks winning by default for the second time running.
The fact is anyone who believes the Boks woes, and log position, are not of their own doing are still down the rabbit hole. The Boks look tired, uninspired and seemingly without Fourie Du Preez at scrumhalf, as clueless as well … Div is at handling media interviews. The team that ran out for all three games was nowhere near our best 15, throw in some questionable selections and boom you find yourself at the bottom of the log with a points difference of 51, a cool losing margin averaging 17 points a game.
The reality is the Boks were nowhere.
The coaching from Div, Gold and Dick or Jon and Vic as some would have you believe (Morals & Ethics from Bakkies), was clearly lacking. For two weeks the All Blacks made a mockery of our defence, even more disconcerting was in week two nothing changed, the problem wasn’t sorted. Jean De Villiers is a fine international 12, so it wouldn’t be remiss to ask what the hell is he doing at fourteen? Wynand Olivier on the other hand was given a three game run and proved with out a doubt that he is in fact a fine Super 14 player. After Flo was found wanting in test one and two, of all the people to pull out of the hat Kanko gets thrust into a jersey he is most unsuited for. With the depth we have at 6,7,8 it boggles the mind that we play people out of position.
So instead of trying to rectify the situation all i have heard about is the refs, the opposition players and very little finger pointing at themselves – the real culprits. The Boks would do well to shut up and fix the issues – starting with the team selection, maybe even the coaching structure or at least decide who is in charge and fix a game plan that has roundly been shown to be outdated especially when its executed as poorly as the Boks did.
.gif)
Great article…do your talking on the field from now on please and stop blaming the whole world for your losses.
Our tackling was shocking, our hitting the rucks even worse. I can’t believe du Preez would make such a big difference, I mean I know he was a MASSIVE loss, but geez, we’ll be up poo street if he struggles with fitness for the WC next year. We need a back up plan, and Ruan doesn’t seem the answer either, and we all know Januarie certainly isn’t it either. We need to give some youngsters a chance in the home leg, cause we are not winning this thing.
Good article.
Think the irony of it all, was the oke played out of position (which I disagree with) had the best game out of the loosies!
Big Vic and John if P Divvy is so determined to take them to RWC 2011 need to hang up their boots for a while. They are both out of condition due to being overplayed over the last 3-4 seasons. Especially John, he is still running around playing like a prop. Shed those kilos and hit the gym.
That said, I am starting to think Bismarck is going to hard to keep out of the team, come RWC 2011. Especially with our breakdown woes at the moment. Add in Brussouw and Bissie and that all changes.
What would be your starting team?
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 3) : Indeed, my comment on Kanko was not related to his performance – just why he didn’t replace an out of sorts Spies boggles the mind.
@Oubaas2009 (Comment 3) : I think you’ve hit the nail there, you think John is not shedding the weight cause they can’t wait for Bissie to be back? And then John’ll shift again?
The blame lies at the door of the coaches & player/coaches – lack of game plan and poor selection and the players – lack of discipline, handling errors etc.
It is always easy to blame the ref after a defeat. Sure sometimes a bad call can change a game but why are the Boks moaning, they were never in any of the games to give themselves a chance of winning.
I made these comments on a thread yesterday but I’ll repeat them here because this thread is more appropriate.
You have to admit that the Boks played some really DUMB rugby in the last 3 weeks. Any idiot (even me) knew when the team was announced that the Boks will get murdered at the breakdown by Pocock and Brown. Not winning the breakdowns and the opposition not kicking the ball out or back to the Boks would surely make any person realise that you shouldn’t kick the ball back to the other team when it just took you 20 min to get hands on the ball. It was truly horrible to watch.
I’m a John Smit fan but I think he should play his 100th game at Soccer city and then retire while he still has some pride left. We missed Brussow, Bissie, Juan and especially FdP hugely. Habana needs to be dropped to improve his game.
What worries me the most is the lack of commitment. I recon the senior players that are ‘assured’ of their places needs to be dropped until they get the hunger back and realise that they are not indispensible
In June/July/August 2006 White’s Boks lost 5 on the trot. 1 vs France, 2 vs Oz (incl 0-49) and 2 vs NZ.
Is is not fair PDV gets two more losses before we really moan ?
@Pokkel (Comment 8) : We probably also need some fresh ideas under the coaching staff. PdV WILL stay until the WC but I think Muir and Gold should be replaced by Allister, Slaptjips and Proudfoot.
@Charlie (Comment 9) : For sure, that’s if PDV actually coaches the team
@lostfish (Comment 7) :
The coaches should be blamed for the ridiculous selections and the way the team failed to change their plan when it was clear the current game plan wasnt working.
It is not the coaching staff’s fault that so many tackles we missed as well as the forwards going missing.
The only tight forward that stood out was arme ou Gurthro Steenkamp. Other than him no other player performed as we know they can.
The players need to take responsibility as well!!
The worst thing the Sharks can do is allow Smit back into their fold for 2011. I mean with Kyle Cooper and Craig Burden pulling at Bismark’s coattails, Smit is going to mess up our future planning.
I like Smittie but at the moment he offers no value, looks out of shape, slow and woefully inaccurate at the lineout. The Sharks seemed to perform better with him off the field in the Super 14. Dare i say it, he’s become a liability?
Wonderful article Sauce.
The most honest piece of Bok writing i have read in weeks.
Well done !
@Charlie (Comment 9) : Why wait??…..the sooner something is done about it the better…it’s not like nobody moaned about Jake White when he went through a tough time…he was moaned at just as much and look how that worked out for him.
@CapeShark (Comment 11) : So you’ve also fallen into the media’s trap
shame 
@Pokkel (Comment 15) : So, it’s just prove again that we don’t learn anything out of our speedy judgements
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 14) : Thanks Bro.
@Charlie (Comment 9) :
I am not suggesting that anyone be fired, dropped or beaten with a wet noodle just perhaps that the players and staff should take responsibility instead of blaming everyone else.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 18) :
Good article.
I think the selections were PdV’s biggest mistakes. The players havent stood up – and you cant blame him for that. But playing Olivier at 12 and JdV at 14 is just stupid. In addition, the loose trio was carrying Spies all tour long.
On the whole though, I am happy that we lost. Last year has lulled us into a false sense of superiority, and this has surely been dispelled now. Now is the time to start tweaking for the WC.
As for Smit, he has trained for prop for a few seasons now – he was always going to struggle at 2 again.
15.pat lambie 14.gio aplon 13.j.fourie 12.j.deviliers 11.l.mvovo 10.m.steyn 9.j.vermaak 8.r.kankowski 7.j.deysel 6.brussow 5.v.matvield 4.d.rassow 3.b.j.botha 2.b.dupplesie 1.c.j.van derlinde 16.t.libenberg 17.beast 18.a.bekker 19.j.smith 20.f.du préez 21.j.de jong 22.b.habana this would be my team to face the wallabies in the two test matches coming up. Anybody agree?
@molly (Comment 6) : Molly, yip maybe Smitty is hedging his bets. If he keeps his bulk, he at least has a crack at 3 (which I think will be a disaster in a RWC) when Bissie returns. Can’t understand why he can’t/won’t shed the weight.
@Big Fish (Comment 20) :
Good point on Smit…i hadn’t considered that.
….for me he has been one of the worst around the field….however made up for it at scrum time !
Good piece of work this, Sauce. Well done
@Poisy (Comment 21) :
With all three Bok Tests at altitude ….expect plenty of Bulls to feature.
Boks will bounce back up there….. but it may just paper over the cracks. They can’t hide up there forever !
Provided every1 on tht 22 was fit
@robdylan (Comment 24) : Now Stegmann has a thigh injury that might keep him out for 6 weeks. Just my luck
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 23) :
Too old, too big and too slow for hooker.
The modern hookers really are 4th loose-forwards – it seems every team has a hooker who can run like a back and tackle like a demon. A few years ago the job spec was scrum, throw in at the lineout, and punch someone in a ruck (preferably a player from the other team).
@wpw (Comment 12) : I did mention that…
@Big Fish (Comment 28) : Hookers ? Do they work nightshift
@robdylan (Comment 24) : Thanks.
@Big Fish (Comment 28) : Perhaps he needs a rest, a conditioning programme and a break from Rugby.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 18) :
@Big Fish (Comment 28) :
Classic
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 31) :
Get him on the coaching staff… oh !
@Big Fish (Comment 28) : Corne Krige obviously missed that memo
@Charlie (Comment 16) : I think you need to give us more credit than that… I have also been noticing for weeks that John was looking lost on the field, and it certainly had nothing to do with any media bias. It’s very clear to see that he is too slow at the moment and not putting in the right effort in the mauls.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 35) : My thoughts exactly
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 34) :
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 31) : I agree… John Smit and a few others, including Matfield and Habana
I think what we’re finding is that our Superstars of the last 7 years are all tiring, and are either shockingly out of form or are lacking in motivation! John, Matfield are buggered… Habana has been out of form since February… DuPreez is injured…Jean has been playing in the NH and is unfit… and Bakkies has lost his marbles.
@CS (Comment 40) :
@CS (Comment 40) : Not sure Bakkies had amrbles, just bits of rubble.
@Charlie (Comment 30) :
Only the ones in the Northern suburbs boetie.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 31) :
He does. I believe that the only thing left to motivate the likes of him, Vic, Bakkies, Schalk etc is the thought of beating the old foe at home for the WC.
We shouldn’t underestimate the power of the big occasion – Clive Woodward understood that and took an ageing team all the way in 2003. And indeed, the same aged core almost managed one last hurrah in 2007.
@Hertford Highlander (Comment 33) :
We try.
All the old hookers I remember were dirty bastards. Or maybe thats just an SA thing…
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 35) :
Thats why he was regarded as too dumb to play hooker.
But for the record, wouldn’t you have punched Sicknote Pretorius too?
Nice article, Sauce.
I want to add that the coaching staff with Divvy the main incompetent really had to be thick to have developed an elevated view after our win over France. The same French side went over to Argie and got another 40-odd points put past them by the Pumas.
That little fact, plus our underwhelming “performances” against the woefull Italians, should have shown the idiots in charge that we had problems.
The reason we did well in the S14 is because of combinations that worked. FdP & Steyn. de Jong & Fourie. The back three of the Bulls: van den Heever, Hougaard & Kirchner. Both the Stormers and the Bulls loose trios included a specialist fetcher.
These are all things the current Bok side doesn’t have. Add to that a number of passengers and it’s no surprise that it’s a royal fuck-up in Bokland.
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 42) : Poor ole’ Bakkies
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 42) :
See what happens when you type with your mouth full?
@rhineshark (Comment 44) : At least it’s nothing new
@Big Fish (Comment 46) :
@rhineshark (Comment 44) : Indeed. WO and JF looked like water and oil.
@Big Fish (Comment 43) : Yea and i wouldn’t have stopped at one cheap shot
Jarson, I call that poetic justice
@robdylan (Comment 49) : Well I’m not happy about it
Build a bridge and get over it dude
I’m trying to think what my starting 15 would look like, I’m drawing a bit of a blank.
Nice read Sauce.
I’m afraid we can ready ourselves for more complaining.
Alain Rolland has been appointed to the Wallaby test at Loftus.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 53) : Yea i saw that. Sure to get everyone in a frothy again.
Maybe…
15. Fransie (maybe)
14. JP
13. De Jong
12. Jean de Villiers
11. Aplon
10. Butch
9. Ruan
8. Kanko
7. Juan Smith
6. Burger
5. Matfield
4. Rossouw
3. John Smit
2. Tiaan Liebenberg/Gary Botha
1. Guthro Steenkamp
16. Beast
17. Gary/Tiaan
18. Flip vd Merwe
19. D. Potgieter
20. Houghaard
21. M. Steyn
22. Wynand
…I don’t know, it doesn’t look right.
@Letgo (Comment 55) : No true fetcher…need Brussow or Stegman….and no Bismarck
@Pokkel (Comment 56) : Yes but Bismark and Brussouw is injured…and I don’t like Stegman…but maybe he will be a better option than Burger, since Burger hasn’t delivered his best couple of games in a Bok jersey over the past few weeks. So loosies…
8. Kanko
7. Juan Smith
6. Deon Stegman
???
@Pokkel (Comment 56) : And how bout bringing Frans Steyn back? So he’s definitely not the wonder kid that was originally believed, but he brings some definite bulk and go forward to our backline, that I feel we’re lacking. Kirchner has been save, but he’s one dimensional and aren’t really a great attacking option. That’s why I would have JP back right away also, he get’s over the advantage line.
Are you refering to the next test or a possible WC 22??
If the next test I’d probably go with.
15. Riaan Viljoen
14. Bjorn Basson ( JPP hasn’t played enough yet since injured)
13. Juan de Jongh
12. Jean de Villiers
11. Aplon
10. Steyn (I don’t think Butch is the answer)
9. Ruan (only just maybe Sarel Pretorius)
8. Kanko (or Vermeulen or Alberts)
7. Juan Smith (Potgieter)
6. Flo( Stegmann is also now injured)
5. Matfield (Bekker out injured)
4. Danie???(Flip and Anton van Zyl)
3. BJ
2. Smit(and ONLY because it will be his 100th test at Soccer City)
1. Guthro( probably the best Bok on tour.
@Letgo (Comment 58) : I wouldn’t mind Frans at all but can’t see it happening
First of all everyones making to much of this ,the guy who now wants his job back lost 49-0 to australia before the world cup ,we South Africn rugby supporters are the biggest assholes in the world sometimes .I don,t know why people are panicing jake whites teams had worse losses than this .I,m not execusing PDV,s hard headedness and who knows if he,ll win the world cup but he should be judged after the Fu#ke$ world cup .we all have the concentration span of a five year old ,we forget what happened five minutes ago when everyone was calling the boks game plan greeat as long as the springboks won ,now everyones suprised and angry they havn,t adapted there game plan .give me a fu#ke$ break
Great read Sauce.. Honesty is what this team needs.. And they have been honestly kak!!
Good read, thank you!
@Pokkel (Comment 59) : So we mostly agree, I think Viljoen and Sarel P should be part of the squad for sure. I have never rated Morne Steyn and if not Ruan or Butch, I would much rather have seen Grant or even JLP there. Morne only looks good when he plays with the Bulls, and even then it’s all pretty one dimensional…I hate to say to though, if someone else doesn’t take over the kicking duties with success, then Morne will and should remain the first choice. Ruan cost us any fighting chance we had with those to relatively easy conversions he missed. The score could have been 17-23 and with 8min to go there might have been some pressure on the Aussies to defend their total. Instead they had a nice 10 point lead and therefore put all the pressure back on the Boks…
Still I don’t like Morne, I feel like he’s a choke on our backline.
@Letgo (Comment 63) :
Finally!! An objective Sharks supporter.
Ruan has been punted until kingdom come and yet whenever he needs to perform at Bok level he usually stuffs it up.
Remember he nearly cost us the B&I Lions test last year. If it wasnt for Morne Steyn we would have lost the series for sure!!
@wpw (Comment 64) : You buying face nuh