The Springboks are going to smash the convicts. Yeah I said it and I stick with it.
I am more or less done trying to raise points with regards to our loss to New Zealand to people because as my dad used to say; “Hardegat-geit ken geen perke nie”.
The Boks lost on Saturday, and yes they did deserve to lose. Not because they played bad rugby, or that the tactics were so off that we deserved it, or even that New Zealand played the better rugby to beat us.
The Boks made schoolboy errors when all the hard work was already done and that cost us.
If you want me to explain that in a simpler term; “Unforced errors”.
When last did any Bok team construct more line-breaks than our great traditional foe’s in a test match – hell even a Super 14 match?
But if you stuff up time and time again on the line where our execution did not cut it, or you make schoolboy, unforced errors in kicking like we did, not even to mention the quick line-out brainfarts then it is not that difficult to see why they lost.
And no, I am not suggesting that we lost the game rather than the All Blacks winning it – that is about as pathetic as blaming the referee. Plain and simple fact is you cannot expect to win when you do as many stupid things on a field as what they did, and managed to do for 80 minutes.
The mere fact that we were only 5 points adrift being the more dangerous side on attack for a good 65 minutes of the game was indication enough for me that the changes or approach should only change about 5 to 10 %, and not 50 to 80% as some suggests.
So over to the convicts and what can we expect this Saturday?
Where Dan Carter kept South Africa in their own half forcing them to play from there (resulting in a freebie try) Gitt’s and Barnes for Australia simply does not have that tactical noose.
It is not that they are bad kickers but they employ a more attacking style of kicking rather than a tactical one. Where Carter gave New Zealand a tactical, and territorial advantage against the Boks, the Aussies look to attack space behind the first line of defence which they attack (through kicks) and on the corners for their wings who are superior to just about any team in the air.
Where McCaw and his chronies swarm the rucks and makes a damn nuisance of themselves, the Aussies rely too much on one or two individuals in this department although it is an area they have improved on. But let’s be honest, Smith or Waugh is no McCaw and where McCaw is not only a great scrounger, but also has a massive work rate like Schalk, the Aussies are only good when on the front foot.
But even then, some might highlight our inexperienced back three especially Nokwe and yes, I am also concerned about him but look at it this way.
The Aussies have come to South Africa for a long time and only managed to scrape one win in well over a decade, and that with much more talented players like the bunch coming over now and against Bok teams much worse and inexperienced than we have now.
They turn to jelly in South Africa and although they have the best coach in the world in their ranks now, who also knows what it takes to win in South Africa, the test against New Zealand (where they got smashed after winning the week before) shows me these Aussies still can’t travel.
The coach might know what mindset they need to win in South Africa, but he is not going to teach his players who have lost here, time and time again those secrets in 4 months.
So from a person who does not usually like to make test match predictions, here is mine;
The Boks by no less than 8.
Tweet
BOKKE
“Hardegat-geit ken geen perke nie”
Well, if you want to go argue with the folk on hardegatworld.com, that’s what you’ll get 😉
Would be wonderful if this came to pass. 😎
I also feel that the AB’s game could have ended a lot different if a couple of chances were taken. Morne,I really hope you are right. 🙄
@McLovin (Comment 3) : you gotta believe. Hopefully the faith shown in the senior core, together with the ultimatum ringing in their ears, will spur the Boks on to produce a complete performance
And I sooooooo looooovvvveeee beating the Aussies. 👿
GO BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEE !!!!!!!!!!!!
@Pokkel (Comment 6) :
Not as much as the Poms though 😀 😆
@Ollie (Comment 8) : nope – I enjoy beating the Ozmob more
@robdylan (Comment 9) :
Let’s put it his way, I am happier beating the convicts but take more sadistic pleasure in beating the pom’s. 😈
@Ollie (Comment 10) : I just enjoy winning full stop 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 11) : Nobody can argue that!!! 😆 Exept mommy’s!! 🙁
I heard that the Aussies olympic officials are spitting their dummies and throwing their toys with the Poms because the Poms are winning more medals than them at the olympics. Sweet.
Before thinking to smash the opposition we need to understand if we are able to play decent rugby with the many bad players we have
@Die Jood (Comment 14) : Name the bad ones…
The Aussies are poms. 😈
@McLovin (Comment 16) : Someone’s confused. Now own up…
@Die Jood (Comment 14) : Along with your reasons!
@Silver Fox (Comment 18) : And the name of the player to take the ‘bad’ players place.
@McLovin (Comment 19) : Yeah, like they say, put up or shut up?
Aussies have been in the country almost a week, and no booze related scandal yet. 🙄
What slightly bothers me is the amount of quiet confidence they all of a sudden display, instead of their usual overbearing loudness or plain ‘windgatgeit’.
@Silver Fox (Comment 15) :
Sir I am not so intelligent and polite as Mr Peter de Villiers who takes the freedom to attack his own players as posted in another thread on sharksworld.
@Die Jood (Comment 23) : Uhhmmm, at least he did it openly, not making veiled and unfound accusations?
I am inclined to agree with you on the intelligent statement, but polite?
of course my “polite” meant “unpolite”
@Die Jood (Comment 25) : Soooo then your “intelligent” meant ” unintelligent”?
Now you have confused me. Why do you not talk plainly, so that even I can understand?
@Die Jood (Comment 23) : those players deserved it.
@Silver Fox (Comment 26) : I think a coach should keep the troubles within the changing room and try to solve matters solely with the players. In my humble view PdV behaved badly: very unintelligent and unpolite. I regret if I confused you. I beg you pardon, Sir.
@Die Jood (Comment 28) : There are some that would object to your opinion being humble, but that are not the point. Okay, so do you care to enlighten me further as to your opinion on who the many bad players are and how to deal with them?
@Die Jood (Comment 28) : moenie jouself daroor onnodig bekommer, ou mater. Ons is almal groot vriende hier by Haaiwêreld
@robdylan (Comment 30) : How did you know that was part of my composition regarding the song of the Sharks?
@Silver Fox (Comment 31) : cos I read your email 😉 😈
@robdylan (Comment 32) : So it was you…….. 😆
@Silver Fox (Comment 33) : You’ll never prove it 🙂
I happen to agree with die Jood, I reckon what happens off and on the field, stays within the confides of those borders.
However, I think it was clear to see that so far in the 3N the players that unperperformed were indeed the senior WC stars. So in essence, DiV stated the obvious.
In addition, I reckon we are playing the wrong players at the moment to nail the game plan Peter has in his head.
But not drastic, one or two changes (at most 4) will do the trick imo
@MorneN (Comment 35) : Which ones? 🙂
@MorneN (Comment 35) : Care to elaborate on 4 changes?
@robdylan (Comment 36) : I object. Just because you’re younger…..
Just quickly;
Vic
Butch
Juan (only for a limited time)
Watson
Add;
Nokwe (not ready)
Mujati (not ready)
And you pretty much got that sorted!
Give daddy Juan a 2 month break and take him on the EOYT and play
6. Schalk
7. Spies/Kanko
8. Joe
@MorneN (Comment 39) : Then we are two short!!
Oh and Danie in with Bekker at lock, with Muller on the bench, and then bring Willem Alberts (covers lock and loosie) and Vermeulen into the setup to ‘show them the ropes’ so to speak!
Oh but remember – all this only AFTER the 3N – too late now.
@MorneN (Comment 43) : That would be out of line with your first statement and you have gone way past 4. But hey, by tomorrow I am likely to have digested all that. For the moment at least I stick with PDV’s no panic stance.
@Silver Fox (Comment 44) :
Ah no mate dont make me work now!
Big changes, Vic out, Butch out, Watson OUT, Juan extended leave.
Captaincy, Jean Div.
Locks Danie/Muller with Bekker.
Pienaar at 10.
Jannie Dup instead of Mujati
Akone instead of Nokwe
I reckon we play our loosies out of possie under the ELV’s. The guys we see as 8’s should play 7 and the 7’s 8 – much more effective under the ELV’s but that is a whole new thread which I might do next week.
hop hop die token is op
@MorneN (Comment 45) : Sorry, sometimes it is good to work. 😀
Some merit there, though not all makes sense, like Jannie Dup. But later. Thanks anyway. 🙂
@MorneN (Comment 35) :
In essence I think PDV should have stuck with the JW game plan or made SMALL adjustments if he felt the need.
Then once he had sewn up the 3N he could start with HIS new plan on the EOYT.
He would have pissed all over his critics’ ammunition and been smiling all the way without any pressure.
@PJLD(RIP Bernie Mac) (Comment 46) :
huh? ❓
@MorneN (Comment 45) : Wolla and Alberts for Bok 8 🙂
Our REAL Bok Captain on Boots and All.
John Smit!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Campo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Speaks the truth.
‘Even if McCaw cheats, he is GOOD at it. Why can’t everyone else try it as well? ”
Campo you wise man!!!
Naas on being asked why Butch is having a form problem. Is it the service or what?
Uses Gregan and Larkham as an example they touch the ball as a unit 127 in 80minutes. in SA the ball goes from 9 to 1,5,7 (asks Darren if he also wants the ball 🙂 ) And HE asks how is butch suppoosed to settle in that environment.
Campo with YET another VALID point.
Why did they not get the eight top Captains from the RWC and sit them down and ask THEm how to improve the game? Why did they get coaches to do it who are no longer playing the game?
Marius Jonker being put on the spot as he is asked if he believes the Aus / NZ refs are biased agianst SA? 😆
Campo on who he supported last week and who he will support this week.
Sat on the fence last week, and this week he won’t be able to do that so he says “It will be a hard close match and he thinks that either team could win and it will come down to the ref” 😆
@KSA Shark © (Comment 55) : And what did he say to that?
@Silver Fox (Comment 57) :
basically he said that he has never met a ref who cheats (Neither have I) but that he does agree that some refs have off days at the office.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 58) : Sounds logical. Thanks, that would be me off to Ankh-Morpork and to bed, old….men…. 😀
@Silver Fox (Comment 59) :
Night
sleep tight, you are gonna need the rest. tomorrow night your pick on Sb is gonna be wrong 😉
@KSA Shark © (Comment 60) : Me dear man, after this weekend you’ll publicly announce my great wisdom 😉
@Die Jood (Comment 28) : Actually Sir, I now have to side with your view on this matter, whatwith senior players reacting in the media to the coaches comments. There cannot be any winners in something as messy as this are turning out to be.
I don’t know if it qualifies as SMASHING…but Boks by 7 is my call…
@blackshark (Comment 63) : blackshark, let us hope it does qualify as such. 🙂
At this point a win by a solitary point would be welcome.
@Sauce (Comment 65) : agree. The 3N is gone. Let’s not worry about silly bonus points
Yea rob, losing to the ‘victs at home is a serious let down, Kiwi’s i can grudgingly accept, but not those canary yellow bastards
@Sauce (Comment 67) : agree. Victory is non-negotiable. Let’s hope pragmatism wins the day
Rugby365 has the Ozzies by more than 10. 😯
@Sauce (Comment 67) :
Hey maybe it is the year of upsets.
Boks win first time ever in Dunedin
Aus win for the first time in 8 years in SA.
etc.
But GO Bokke!!!!!!!!!
By 12 IMO.
We are playing in Durban therefore we will win.
I don’t know why we bother playing tests in Cape Town. It either RAINS or we lose.
Who’s idiotic idea was it to schedule the AB’s test in CT? They get more support there than anywhere else in the country AND it’s their favourite ground!
@Villie (Comment 71) : There’s a LOT of logic in THAT one!!!! 🙂
@MorneN (Comment 45) :
Pienaar at 10. You are very brave today.
But luckily your team does not have to play on saturday.
Saturday morning and we have RAIN in Durban. Off to bed now…be back in 5 hours…give or take…
@blackshark (Comment 74) : Late night ? 🙂
Sumfink like that Rob…but now for a bit of Bob Marley- THE SUN IS SHINING!
@blackshark (Comment 76) :
The weather is sweet!!
oops. maybe next time.
So so blind!
This article warrants a retraction. I wonder why the media is so biased
especially in the last two decades! The Boks can win 200-0 this Saturday. Who cares?
I just cannot wait for the BIG match of good
entertaining rugby on Sat 13 Sept when the All Blacks meet the Wallabies in the final decider.