Virtually to a man, the Springboks thoroughly justified their salaries in bashing (overwhelmingly by legal means, of course) the All Blacks into submission in Bloemfontein.
Sport24.co.za’s Chief writer and Editor Rob Houwing reports:
From Nos 1-15, and throwing the odd substitute into the equation as well, the Boks produced one of those extraordinarily “amped” performances, basically knocking back anything that moved in a black jersey with zeal.
Sometimes the high degree of body-on-the-line commitment even came from mildly unexpectedly sources.
Did you notice, for instance, reserve flyhalf Morne Steyn’s rare dumping of Rodney So’oialo? I swear I heard the “ooof” as the visiting No 8 crashed unceremoniously to the hard deck on his back, looking as surprised as the angelic-faced Steyn did.
Then there was Heinrich Brussow delighting in the opportunity to comprehensively bowl over his illustrious opposite number in the scavenging department, Richie McCaw.
The diminutive Free Stater is already earning a reverent press in New Zealand. Daniel Gilhooly of the New Zealand Herald wrote this week: “No longer do the (All Black forwards) plan for eight behemoths. Now it’s seven behemoths and one very annoying open-side.”
There was beyond-the-norm physicality, too, from Jean de Villiers, who combined customary skill and awareness – his pass off the ground to try-scorer Ruan Pienaar was a classy moment – with hungry “directness” in attacking the channels of Stephen Donald and even his chunky No 12 rival Ma’a Nonu.
And if some critics reckon JP Pietersen had a pretty quiet outing, maybe they overlook the importance of his potentially try-saving, decisively smothering tackle on Sitiveni Sivivatu on the stroke of half-time.
The collective mongrel of the Bok forwards, of course, was a joy to behold for at least three-quarters of the encounter.
Lung-busting effort
In contemplating the game afterwards, I imagined a lot of bruised All Black limbs, but certainly also some knackered South African ones, considering the admirable, lung-busting effort that had gone into securing the win.
So McCaw’s troops will be aching … but primarily, I suspect, on the grounds of pride. And a psychologically “hurting” All Blacks team almost certainly translates into one fearsome kettle of fish a week on.
Bok coach Peter de Villiers has correctly conceded that New Zealand will “target” the Durban match, considering that they had had insufficient time to properly acclimatise to the Free State conditions last Saturday.
It is a sobering thought, too, that the All Blacks, admittedly helped by Ruan Pienaar’s early wonkiness in the place-kicking department, threatened at times to steal that game, despite their back-foot status for so long.
They are a smart outfit, as much as anything, and will be working extremely hard this week to iron out their most obvious areas of discomfort – notably the line-outs.
There are, of course, “ways and means” to ease your predicament in this department, and I would not be surprised if Victor Matfield and company find the going a tad less rosy at Absa Stadium.
Of some satisfaction to the visitors, too, is their modern record in Durban’s agreeably seaside clime: the All Blacks are in line for a rare hat-trick of wins there after successive Tri-Nations triumphs in 2002 (30-23) and 2007 (26-21).
Indeed, they boast a further victory there in the post-isolation era, 23-19 in 1996, and just one reverse – South Africa’s spectacular, come-from-behind yet also fortuitous 24-23 win in 1998, when they went on to claim the Tri-Nations for the first time under Nick Mallett’s coaching stewardship.
At least the Boks will field relatively few players on Saturday scarred by the defeat two years ago.
This, for the record, was the Bok starting XV then: Percy Montgomery, Ashwin Willemse, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, JP Pietersen, Butch James, Ruan Pienaar, Bob Skinstad, Danie Rossouw, Schalk Burger, Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, BJ Botha, Gary Botha, Os du Randt.
None of the thoughts above ought to be instantly interpreted as my signal that New Zealand will necessarily roar back with a victory this week.
There is still the not insignificant matter of Smit’s mostly very seasoned combatants “knowing how to win” tight Test matches. Perhaps New Zealand’s anticipated counter-fury will still not be enough against so accomplished and unflustered a Bok outfit?
Maybe South Africa have, indeed, got their number for the time being, and will place beyond all dispute their return to the No 1 ranking in the world?
But let’s just say this Saturday is one tough, tough call …
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Go Bokke!!
It will be tough but we can do it!! 😎
I carent wait. 😎
The 2007 test is where Fransie subbed Butch and totallt stuffed the game. 🙄
Looks like it’s gonna be a wet game 🙄
weather forecast looks wet and cold, maybe morne was a good selection after all
I hope they don’t let up. In fact I hope they go up a gear or two.
Voldy predicts Boks by 5.
Rugby365 say Boks by 10+.
Planetrugby – Boks by 13.
Makes me very very nervous. 😐
@McLovin (Comment 5) :
I are also likes to be nervous now!! 🙄
@wpw (Comment 1) : Okay. I’m in.
@Iago (Comment 7) : hello and welcome to Sharksworld! Tell us a little about yourself 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 8) : I’m not a Sharks supporter, but I enjoy rugby and great rugby conversation.
@Iago (Comment 9) : Then you’ve come to the wrong place my bru
@BoetaC (Comment 10) : I only play
@Iago (Comment 9) : response time is kinda long.
@Iago (Comment 9) :
Howzit?? Welcome to MY site.
If anyone gives you hassles just let me know!! 😉
The All Blacks, showing signs of paranoia, have beefed up security at their training sessions in Durban, a couple of days ahead of their Tri-Nations crunch Test against South Africa.
Not only did the All Blacks only reveal their training venue less than an hour before it began, but they also only allowed New Zealand media to attend.
The team had several security personnel patrolling the perimeter of the school grounds where they trained and one of them screened the area with his binoculars.
Speculation is rife in the New Zealand media that the Springboks knew the All Black line-out calls prior to the Boks’ 28-19 win in Bloemfontein last week.
🙄
From rugby365.
@BoetaC (Comment 10) : What are you saying. Shark supporters love their side but have no knowledgeable rugby conversation?
I wonder if the spy’s name is Suzie?
@wpw (Comment 13) : Thank you. Most sweet of you, but I think you know that I can handle myself.
@Iago (Comment 12) : what do you mean by response time?
@Iago (Comment 17) : is Wes trying to spade you already? 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 19) : 😯 😯
@Iago (Comment 15) : Hehe i think he has gone into hiding.Who do you support by the by?
@wpw (Comment 20) : Robdylan. How does one refresh. I keep having to go out of the thread to see who has replied.
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 21) : In the Curry Cup? I’m always a sucker for the under dog, but overall, and I know this is a long shot, I hope the WP can pull off a miracle.
@Iago (Comment 22) : Unless I’m posting.
@Iago (Comment 23) : Good man!
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 25) : You mean good woman. 🙂
@Iago (Comment 24) : Just hit refresh
@Iago (Comment 22) : Nice access to emicon’s guys. User friendly. I like it.
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 27) : Thanks. Now. As for tomorrow’s trinations fixture, do you anticipate that the boks will make it two in a row?
@Iago (Comment 29) : see my latest musings… I hope so, but not overflowing with confidence.
http://www.sharksworld.co.za/2009/07/31/lets-not-get-too-carried-away/
@Iago (Comment 29) : Its raining in Durbs tomorrow, so if the forwards eat their pronutro we should be ok, going to be a ten man game so we will take it, but not by much.