Sanjay's Rugby World

Following 5 defeats in this year’s Tri-Nations by the most experienced side ever, how is it that the Boks are on a learning curve?

After the latest debacle in Bloemfontein where the Boks where beaten 41-39 by the Wallabies, and had to hand back their Mandela plate title, it’s surprising how the most experienced Bok side ever fielded, have not endured more criticism for being unable to close out the match when the Wallabies had to play most of the last 10 minutes with only 14 men.

After the match Springbok loosehead prop Gurthro Steenkamp said, “We can take everything this whole tri-nations as a learning curve, put it behind us and move forward.”

The full interview can be seen below courtesy of Supersport.





I struggle to comprehend what learning curve this Bok side needs to be on.

Every single player in the starting line-up has either won the Rugby World Cup or the Super 14 competition. Add to that most of them have won Tri-Nations, Currie Cups, multiple Super 14′s and a British and Irish Lions series.

It was the most experienced Bok side ever fielded. Why the need for a learning curve? Shouldn’t they know what and how to win?

The Wallabies by comparison are a young and inexperienced side and have had massive injury problems to many key players. They certainly learned a lesson pretty quickly from Loftus.

I am not having a go at Steenkamp, who is probably just repeating what is being said by the entire side. What I am having a go at is a side that keeps giving us excuses, fails to learn, and is alienating their supporters further and further every game.

It’s taken 47 years, but the Wallabies finally broke their run of 12 successive losses on South Africa’s Highveld.

Victorious Australian side

The Australians 41-39 victory was only sealed in the last minute with a Kurtley Beale penalty, but it is the mental victory that will hurt the Boks the most.

The Australians have played 18 previous matches on the Highveld, only winning twice. Firstly in 1933 in Bloemfontein, and 1963 at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

The Aussies are spooked by the Highveld, usually basing themselves at sea level for their preparations, and more importantly, had not won at altitude since South Africa’s readmission or in the professional era.

The Boks had a mental edge, and only ever have to play at 40% at altitude to beat them. Even Harry Viljoen’s and Rudolf Straeuli’s sides didn’t lose to Australia on the ‘veld’.

That has all changed, and there is no covering up how ordinary the Boks have been this year.

Coach Peter de Villiers deserves to be fired for sub-standard results and if he truly believed in what was best for his side he’d resign.

The Springboks also lost their first test in Bloemfontein since losing 27-22 to England in 2000, losing just their 4th match in the city.





After the match Springbok prop Gurthro Steenkamp said, “I don’t think there will be any mental scars. We must give Australia their dues, they scored some great tries in the first half and cut us to pieces. But there’s no mental effect.”

However this victory was more significant than just the Mandela plate or avoiding the Tri-Nations wooden spoon.

It’s broken a long drought, and the self-belief and confidence it gives future Wallabies will be enormous.

de Villiers has the distinction of some unenviable records.  He’s now the first Bok coach to lose at altitude to the Wallabies in the modern era.

Following the Springboks 41-39 loss to the Wallabies, the Springbok Coach and Captain attempted to explain where it went wrong.

Captain John Smit said his side only had themselves to blame for the loss, “Everyone knows here we have players with experience. I told all the players that we have to get up tomorrow and have a good long hard look at ourselves in the mirror and see if we’ve brought everything we have got to the team” said a disappointed Smit.

Smit admitted he thought the side had it won once Saia Faingaa was yellow carded, and the most expereienced Bok side of all time should have been good enough to close this match out.

Smit also admitted it was disappointing to have to  have the same team talk at half time as the match at Loftus, and felt Jaque Fourie’s try just before half-time had kept them in the match.

“I really didn’t want to have the same team talk in the first half. We wanted to have a good start but we didn’t implement our defensive system properly. While we trained well all week, we made mistakes and we paid the price. We wanted to put in a decent performance but we only have ourselves to blame” said Smit.

Whilst Smit was honest in his assessment of the Boks shortcomings, it was worrying to hear Springbok coach Peter de Villiers once again fail to admit his side’s shortcomings as he said “If you look at how we started this one, I think we showed character to come back. Our structures are in place and they can take us to World Cup if executed properly.”

“If we execute our plans perfectly, it will be very difficult to score against us. We needed to show more character on defence” said de Villiers.

Well duh…if any side can execute their plans they’ll win. The problem is for 5 game the Boks haven’t been able to execute adequately whilst the opposition has.

Smit also said, “I told all the players that we have to get up tomorrow and have a good long hard look at ourselves in the mirror and see if we’ve brought everything we have got to the team.” He’d do well to make sure he reminds his coaching staff of that fact!

The Springboks were a mixture of the sublime to the ridiculous as they lost 41-39 to the Wallabies at Free State Stadium in Bloemfontein.

Springboks 39

Tries: Jaque Fourie, Gurthro Steenkamp, Jean de Villiers
Conversions: Morne Steyn (3)
Penalties: Morne Steyn (5)

Wallabies 41

Tries: Kurtley Beale, James O`Connor, Stephen Moore, Rocky Elsom, Drew Mitchell
Conversions: Matt Giteau (4), James O’Connor
Penalties: Matt Giteau, Kurtley Beale


The Springboks were awful on defence initially, conceding a bonus point try after just 24 minutes.

The Boks then put up a strong fightback and second half performance before failing to put the Wallabies away, once the Wallabies were against the ropes.

Collectively and individually, the Boks were a mixed bag. One can’t help but feel that half the side is carrying the other half, and it has tended to be the same guys producing strong performances all season.

Springbok player ratings:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp – 8

Another determined performance from the front ranker. Took his try extremely well. displaying the determination and commitment missing from his teammates.

2. John Smit (c) – 7

His best performance of the season as the captain worked hard and led from the front. Earned a valuable tighthead, and carried the ball willingly, although initally didn’t make enough yardage across the gainline, got stronger as the match opened up. Not sure what happened with the lineout error that led to O’Connor’s try.

3. Jannie du Plessis – 5

Made some strong tackles, and solid at scrum time.

4. Danie Rossouw – 5

Inaccurate at times with ball in hand, failing to protect the ball or get across the gain line. Unable to adequately replace Bakkies Botha.

5. Victor Matfield – 9

A colosus all over the park. Brilliant on Bok ball in the lineouts, but strangely didn’t contest much on Aussie ball.

Was superb in picking up with one hand and executing a chip and chase any back would be proud of to get the Boks back in the match. Superb vision and skills all around the park.

However did he blunder as captain once Smit left the field when opting for the kick at goal in the last few minutes when a kick to the corner may have led to a winning try?

6. Schalk Burger – 5

Was not able to effect 1 steal and allowed Pocock to win the battle of the breakdown. Industrious on attack but rarely breaks the gainline which is just not good enough.

7. Juan Smith – 7

Does the bulk of the work for the loose trio on attack and defence. Missed an easy ball from Fourie’s break that should’ve led to a Bok try in the first half, but half-atoned for it with a great cover tackle on Matt Giteau.

8. Pierre Spies – 5

Much better with ball in hand initially, stepping intelligently to get the Boks going forward.

Became less of a threat as the match wore on, and anonymous on defence.

9. Francois Hougaard – 6

Unable to repeat his man of the match performance from a week earlier. His service was slower, and kicks from the base not quite accurate enough. However his decision making wasn’t as sharp at Loftus which blunted his attacking edge.

10. Morne Steyn – 8

Kicked superbly, keeping the Boks in the game with his 100% record. Took the ball to the line on numerous occasions and defended well for a strong all-round performance.

11. Bryan Habana – 1

Started off poorly giving away an easy penalty and never got into the game. Missed the tackle that allowed James O’Connor to set up Rocky Elsom’s try and should have been subbed much earlier.

12. Jean de Villiers – 8

Showed great strength to crash through 5 Wallaby defenders to score. Solid on defence and always a threat on attack.

13. Jaque Fourie – 6

Had one great run midway through the first half as he ran 50m upfield, but perhaps should have looked to outflank the Wallabies rather than opt to go down the middle. Offered little else on attack, and doesn’t bring his back three into the game.

14. JP Pietersen – 5

Had one chance on attack but unable to repeat his heroics of a week earlier.

15. Francois Steyn – 5

Poor positional play. Offers very little on attack and still hesitates as last line of defence. Needs to look for more work and join the line more often.

16. Chiliboy Ralepelle – 5

Unable to create the impact at the breakdowns of a week earlier.

17. CJ van der Linde – 5

Minimal impact, and unable to carry the ball strongly like he has in the past.

18. Flip van der Merwe – 5

Minimal impact. Gave away the penalty that allowed Kurtley Beale the match winning kick.

19. Ryan Kankowski – 5

Very little chance with ball in hand.

20. Ricky Januarie –

Not used

21. Juan de Jongh –

Not used.

22. Gio Aplon – 6

Minimal chances, but showed he is always a threat with his pace and running skills. Displayed great courage on defence, including stopping a Wallaby attack when they had an overlap on his wing.

Man of the Match – Gurthro Steenkamp

Had a strong work rate over the full 80, and for the second week in a row was rewarded with a great try that typifies the hard work he has put in this year. Has been consistent all year and developed into the player that had raw potential a few years ago. A pity some of his teammates haven’t done the same!

Power Player – Juan Smith

Like Steenkamp, Smith puts in a consistent effort over the full 80. On attack and defence Smith soliders on and on. Makes the odd mistake like droped balls, but simply puts it behind him and carries on again. Has been the rock in the loose trio over the last few weeks, doing the hard yards that Burger and Spies are often absent from.

The Wallabies were deserved victors 41-39 over the Springboks in their Tri-Nations test at Bloemfontein

Springboks 39

Tries: Jaque Fourie, Gurthro Steenkamp, Jean de Villiers
Conversions: Morne Steyn (3)
Penalties: Morne Steyn (5)

Wallabies 41

Tries: Kurtley Beale, James O`Connor, Stephen Moore, Rocky Elsom, Drew Mitchell
Conversions: Matt Giteau (4), James O’Connor
Penalties: Matt Giteau, Kurtley Beale

WALLABIES DOMINATED EARLY

In what was almost a replay of the opening at Loftus just 7 days earlier, the Boks fell behind early as they conceded a bonus point try (again) after just 24 minutes.

The match was fairly even, but the Wallabies capitalised on their chances better, and errors from the Boks continued to gift the Australians points.

The Boks defended well for extended periods before one or two vital missed tackles allowed the Wallabies to finish off attacking forays and build a commanding 31-6 lead.

The Wallabies then had numerous opportunities to score what I believe would have been a match sealing try, but just came up short as the Boks finally displayed some desperation on defence.

BOK COMEBACK

With half-time looming, it took a brilliant pickup, and chip and chase from Victor Matfield to allow Jaque Fourie to narrow the gap and give the Boks a sniff at the half-time break.

The Boks dominated the third quarter of the match, as it was one way traffic with the crowd and momentum firmly behind the Boks.

Closing the gap to 1 point with 26 minutes to play, the Boks had the game for the taking.

It took a further 7 minutes for the Boks to edge ahead, and the green machine seemed to lose it’s intensity as the contest started to become more even again after the Wallabies looked dead and buried.

The sinbinning of Saia Faingaa, should have allowed the Boks to cruise to an easy victory as altitude and playing with 14 players took effect.

IT WASN’T BEALE’S KICK THAT WON IT FOR THE WALLABIES

Many will lament a last minute penalty that won the test and the Mandela Challenge plate for the Wallabies, but that’s not where the game was won and lost.

The Springboks had engineered a most unlikely fightback. 30 Unanswered points gave them all the momentum, and the age old conservatism that dogs Springbok rugby re-surfaced.

Rather than going for the win, for the killer blow when the Wallabies were down on the ropes, the Boks boxed unintelligently.

Penalties in the 61st and 76th minutes gave the Boks a narrow lead. Indeed some would say you always take the points on offer in a test match.

A try in either situation would’ve knocked the stuffing out of the Aussies.

FORTUNE FAVOURS THE BRAVE

Compare this to the Bulls approach earlier this year. In their match against the Hurricanes at Loftus, the Bulls were 1 point ahead and had a kickable penalty with minutes remaining.

Matfield opted for the kick to touch to deny the Hurricanes a chance to get their hands on the ball and maintain field position.

Had the Boks done the same, and scored a try with their 76nd min penalty, they would’ve won the game.

Sometimes to win, you have to risk losing. Fortune favours the brave, on this occasion the Boks weren’t brave enough.

INCONSISTENT TEAM EFFORT

The Springbok player ratings for Bloemfontein reflect the inconsistent individual performances across the team.

Some players are carrying others who are either grossly out of form, or just not able to compete at this level.

As John Smit said a week earlier, this sort of rugby will not allow them to win next year’s Rugby World Cup!

Springbok assistant coach Dick Muir is interviewed by Supersport ahead of the clash against Australia in Bloemfontein.

Muir discusses how the Boks were able to come back and the role that self-belief played by the experienced guys.

He also talks about the Wallaby approach and the threat of their game breakers.

Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold is interviewed by Supersport ahead of the clash against Australia in Bloemfontein.

Gold discusses the omission of a fetcher and how the Boks can cope at the breakdowns.

He also shows how highly he regards Bok captain John Smit, and discusses what position he should be playing.

The Springboks and Wallabies are fighting to avoid the Tri-Nations wooden spoon, and lift the Mandela Challenge plate.

Wins for the Wallabies in their final two matches would see them relegated from final position, and a morale boosting second spot.

To do so they’ll have to win at altitude for the first time in the professional era, and break a 47 year drought on the highveld.

HIGHVELD ADVANTAGE

In the 18 Matches played on the highveld between the 2 sides, the Wallabies have only ever won twice. The last time was 47 years ago at Ellis Park in Johannesburg.

The Wallabies have won 1 of the 3 encounters in Bloemfontein, however that victory was 77 years ago!

The Boks have yet to lose a test to Australia on the highveld since re-admission, and the only places they have lost home test matches to the Wallabies in this period is on the coast, at Durban and Cape Town.

It’s a strange decision by the Wallabies to base themselves at sea level, this week they are in Durban. They will only travel to Bloemfontein on Thursday. I would imagine the Wallabies will once again run out of puff, and provided the Springboks can at least stay close, they should be able to overpower the Aussies in the last quarter of the match.

MILESTONES

The 71st Test match between the two sides, and their 34th Vodacom Tri-Nations match with South Africa leading 42-28, and 18-14 respectively.

Since 1992 that record stands at 21-20 to Australia.

A total of 750 caps among the starting XV makes this the most experienced Springbok side of all time. The previous record was the 700 caps shared by the starting XV for the Test against New Zealand in Wellington earlier in the tournament.

Victor Matfield plays his 42nd Tri-Nations match, makeing him the 2nd highest capped player in the tournament behind George Gegan (48).

The Boks have played the Wallabies 3 times in Bloemfontein, for 2 wins and 1 loss and an average winning score of 16-14.

The Wallabies have only ever won twice on the highveld, 1933 in Bloemfontein, and 1963 at Ellis Park.

The Springboks have played 17 times in Bloemfontein, winning on 13 occasions, drawing once and losing just three times.
Their average score is 27-16.

South Africa hasn’t lost a Test match at Vodacom Park since 2000 when it was edged out 27-22 by England.

John Smit leads the side for the 76th time, and for the 28th time in the Tri-Nations making him the most capped cpatin in the competition.

If John Smit scores a try, he will be equal the Springbok try scoring record for hookers in a test match, held by James Dalton and Bismarck du Plessis (5).

Bryan Habana is currently tied for the most Springbok test tries (38) with Joost van der Westhuizen.

Jaque Fourie and Jean de Villiers will play in their 22nd test as a centre pairing since their first test together in 2005 against Australia at Ellis Park, extending their Springbok record as a centre pairing.

Wayne Barnes of England will officiate as referee in his sixth Test match involving South Africa. Of the previous five tests South Africa have won three and lost two.

TEAM SELECTION

Springbok coack Peter de Villiers predictably kept changes to a minimum after his sides first win in this tournament.

Flip van der Merwe and Danie Rossouw trade places after van der Merwe needed time for a neck strain to recover, whilst what looks like a serious shoulder injury to Butch
James brings Gio Aplon onto the bench in his place.

It’s time for this Bok side to show what it can given the largely settled nature of the side and ability to make excuses gone.

WALLABY CHANGES

Australian coach Robbie Deans has made 3 changes to his forward pack, opting for bigger, more physical men to match the size of the Boks.

“All three of the players coming into the pack will offer us energy. They know what to expect and – perhaps even more importantly – know what is required in order to be successful” Deans says.

The opening stanza at Loftus showed that the Wallabies can take the game to the Boks, and by reacting to the Boks lineup, they are trying to take the Springboks on at their own game.

That is a recipe for their disaster, and I suspect they’ve already lost the game before it is played. Add to that the decision to base themselves down at sea-level, and it’s evident the mind games have the Wallabies spooked.

PREDICTION

The game is probably as good as over. The Wallabies won on South African soil in 2008 to take the Mandela plate, but at altitude, with this squad, I can’t see them getting close.

The Boks will be looking for a massive performance before the core of the side earns a rest.

Scrum half Francois Hougaard gave an indication of how important a big win is for the Boks in their last Tri-Nations test. “I don’t think we’re going for 17-10, we want to crush them this time” said Hougaard.

If the Boks get away to a good start it could get ugly, otherwise it’ll remain close until the last quarter similar to Loftus.

Boks by 11

Go Bokke Go!

Springboks:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. John Smit (c)
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Danie Rossouw
5. Victor Matfield
6. Schalk Burger
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Francois Hougaard
10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. JP Pietersen
15. Francois Steyn

16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Flip van der Merwe
19. Ryan Kankowski
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Juan de Jongh
22. Gio Aplon

The Wallabies:

1. Benn Robinson
2. Saia Faingaa
3. Salesi Ma’afu
4. Dean Mumm
5. Nathan Sharpe
6. Rocky Elsom (c)
7. David Pocock
8. Richard Brown
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Matt Giteau
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. James O’Connor
15. Kurtley Beale

16. Stephen Moore
17. James Slipper
18. Ben McCalman
19. Scott Higginbotham
20. Luke Burgess
21. Berrick Barnes
22. Anthony Faingaa

Referee: Wayne Barnes (England)

The Wallaby side for the Tri-Nations and Nelson Mandela Plate clash to be played at Free State stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday.

The Australians have made 3 changes to their forward pack as they look to match the Springboks physicality. It may limit their mobility slightly, and play into the hands of the Boks however who would prefer a slower, more structured game.

The Wallabies:

1. Benn Robinson
2. Stephen Moore
3. Salesi Ma’afu
4. Mark Chisholm
5. Nathan Sharpe
6. Rocky Elsom (c)
7. David Pocock
8. Ben McCalman
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Matt Giteau
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. James O’Connor
15. Kurtley Beale

16. Saia Faingaa
17. James Slipper
18. Dean Mumm
19. Richard Brown
20. Luke Burgess
21. Berrick Barnes
22. Anthony Faingaa

The Springboks resisted the temptation to make major changes for their last Tri-Nations encounter against the Wallabies in Bloemfontein.

With little riding on this game other than the Mandela challenge plate, Bok coach Peter de Villiers could have used this opportunity to test some players at International level, given that so much of the Bok focus has been placed on the World Cup.

Instead we have largely the same side, even though de Villiers has said many of his more experienced players are tired and need a rest.

In Smit, Matfield and Habana, de Villiers knows he has. Why not test some new players?

The Springbok coach sees it differently, preferring to focus on his responsibility to field the strongest side for the nation.

There are 2 changes which see Flip van der Merwe and Danie Rossouw change their posittions between the bench and starting lineup due to Flip van der Merwe straining his neck in the test match at Loftus Versfeld, and being given extra rest time.

The other change brings Gio Aplon on to the bench for Butch James who has dislocated his shoulder and will be sidelined for several weeks. James is seeing a specialist in Pretoria, and until then the full extent of the damage is unknown.

This is the side that was named on Tuesday at the press conference.

Springboks:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. John Smit (c)
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Danie Rossouw
5. Victor Matfield
6. Schalk Burger
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Francois Hougaard
10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. JP Pietersen
15. Francois Steyn

16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Flip van der Merwe
19. Ryan Kankowski
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Juan de Jongh
22. Gio Aplon

The Springboks started off poorly against the Wallabies, but finished the stronger of the 2 sides in their 44-31 victory at Loftus Versfeld.

Until the last try to JP Pietersen in the 80th minute, the game was either side’s for the taking.

The stats sho that Australia enjoyed the greater territory and possession, but became increasingly less effective as the match wore on and they became affected by the altitude.

Their decision to stay in Cape Town until 2 days prior to kick off may have been a mistake, as they hoped to emulate the All Blacks and finish stronger than the Boks.

The Springboks were ale to force the Wallabies into playing to the Bok strengths, and the lineout steals reflect this.

Most of the other stats were remarkably similar, indicated by the fact the game was in the balance until the last minute, but the 31 missed tackles by the Wallabies may have been the key statistic.

It was also evident how poor the tackling was throughout the match, with 52 missed tackles. This led to first phase play being effective for both sides, and is reflected in both sides rarely taking the ball past 7 phases.

Have the Springboks turned the corner in their 44-31 win over the Wallabies at Loftus Versfeld?

Just as the Boks win over the All Blacks in Rustenburg in 2006 was a turning point, this ugly yet important test victory over the Wallabies, may define the Boks 2011 Rugby World Cup campaign.

RELIEVED BOKS

After the match, Springbok captain John Smit was a relieved man as he was asked how he felt.

“Certainly it’s a good feeling. Last week my heart was broken, this week just feels so good to be able to let Victor enjoy it in front of his home crowd, it’s almost a fairytale” said Smit.

“It’s difficult when you get a start like that because you can look at it in 2 ways. You can see yourself as having a massive handicap and trying to chase it the whole time or you can see it as 60-70 minutes to go to get your game going and be patient.”

“We know we made one or two mistakes that gifted them tries but we also knew we have the whole game ahead of us. There was no inexperience or panic in the team and thankfully a few guys have seen this before and come back from it.”

THE BOKS HAVE LEARNT THEIR LESSON

Smit said the side was able to draw on past experiences, including the comeback test against the Lions last year, and no doubt from the disappointment of just 7 days ago at Soweto.

“Thankfully we’ve been in situations like where we’ve been able to learn from this. A year ago we were in a similar situation on this field against the British and Irish Lions.”

“As long as you draw on all those experiences, and we’ve worked hard in our 4 weeks off. Last week was better and this week was even better. Now we’ve just got to make sure we keep on improving.”

His vice-captain Victor Matfield echoed his skipper’s thoughts as he said, “Luckily we are experienced enough to know that when you start like that, you have to stick to the things you know and you don’t go out of your game plan. We stuck to what we knew and things started to happen for us.”

“I think it also helped the way the Wallabies wanted to play, it gave us the freedom to play and we knew if we played then things would happen for us.”

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers admired the composure his side showed, and will be aware his side was from perfect in grinding out a win.

“You will never play the perfect game. Last week we were a lot more intense, but this week we were more composed. In Soweto the guys were afraid to make mistakes and that showed in our play. Today that wasn’t the case and I think we benefited from that” de Villiers said.

AUSTRALIAN THREAT

With another game against Australia next week in Bloemfontein, de Villiers was well aware of the threat the Aussies posed.

“This defeat doesn’t make Australia a bad team. We did well to put pressure on their key players, but they are dangerous when they get space and we’ll have to be aware of that again next week. They’ve got some good dancers in the team, guys who can dance without hearing music. We’ll have to be a lot tighter defensively if we want to shut them out again.”

BOK FOCUS

When asked if he intended to lead the Boks into the next World Cup, Smit was emphatic in his desire to keep leading the Boks.

“No you’ll see me around. [It’s] certainly gonna be a year that I want to play well and I’ll be there. I’ll be putting my hand up. It’ll be up to the selectors and coaches to see if I’m good enough next year.”

“When you’re losing you’re always gonna cop it so we’ll just make sure we work hard.”

With Peter de Villiers set to lead us to rugby’s holy grail, one can clearly see where the Bok focus lies.

“Victor and I are relieved that it is done and dusted and now it is time to start on the next chapter. But we do that one day at a time and we know how much we need to improve and how much work there is for us to be ready for next year. It’s not all about this Tri-Nations, it is about being ready for next year’s seven week process” said Smit.

Whilst I have no problem with that as I also believe the World Cup is the most important trophy, I am not sure enough experimentation have taken place, or enough opportunities have been given to those who deserve it,

de Villiers appears to know who is strongest line-up consists of, and that will certainly be formidable, but what if one of his key players sustains an injury just before the World Cup?

Rudolf Straueli found out how they can bite one in the bum when his key weapons Bob Skinstad, Andre Pretorius and Jean de Villiers were ruled out of the 2003 World Cup.

It’s an important lesson for de Villiers to remember.

Now should be the perfect time to put in place contingency plans just in case.

The Springboks overcame a 14-0 deficit to finish the stronger of the 2 sides as they beat the Wallabies 44-31 at Loftus Versfeld.

Springboks 44

Tries: Juan Smith, Gurthro Steenkamp, Pierre Spies, Frans Steyn, JP Pietersen
Conversions: Morne Steyn (4), Butch James
Penalties: Morne Steyn, Francois Steyn

Wallabies 31

Tries: Will Genia, James O’Connor (2), Dean Mumm
Conversion: Matt Giteau
Penalty: Matt Giteau


It wasn’t a classic or error-free performance, but the Boks finished the stronger of the 2 sides as the Wallabies once again got spooked at altitude.

There was still a mixture of good and bad from the individual players however, as I am still convinced that we could select a better Springbok line-up.

Springbok player ratings:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp – 6

Carried the ball strongly at times to clean up loose ball. Took his try exceptionally well, showing great strength and determination.

2. John Smit (c) – 5

Better performance in the lineouts, his one wayward throw cleaned up by the athleticism of Matfield.

Always gives 100% , but is a yard or two short of pace around the field, and lacks the dynamic play that most other hookers bring.

3. Jannie du Plessis – 4

A largely anonymous performance in the tight or with ball in hand.

4. Flip van der Merwe – 5

Worked hard around the field, but didn’t carry the ball as strongly as he usually does. Possibly struggled to back up his strong effort from a week earlier.

5. Victor Matfield – 6

Missed two tackles early on that led to Wallaby tries. Came back strongly however, dominating the lineouts as the Boks played to his strengths more as the game wore on.

Will be happy to break the Springbok hoodoo of losing on in your 100th test!

6. Schalk Burger – 4

Not fast enough to play in the fetching role. Was not able to break the gain line with ball in hand and set those up around him.

Was also not visible in support for the linebreaks and offload chances created by the Springbok midfield which has to be his job.

7. Juan Smith – 6

A fantastic work rate in defence and attack. Not always accurate, coughing up at least 3 balls in good attacking positions, but took his try well with a great handoff on Drew Mitchell.

8. Pierre Spies – 3

Explosive with ball in hand without busting through tackles. Fortunate not to get subbed for Kankowski.

Is becoming a liability on defence. Goes in way to high, without fully committing himself. Someone needs to teach Spies to tackle!

9. Francois Hougaard – 9

A match winning performance from the young scrumhalf who reminds me of a young Joost van der Westhuizen. Dangerous sniping around the fringes, good kicking game and excellent covering on defence.

A couple of poorly weighted kicks and needs to improve the speed of his pass. However brilliant running with the ball, and made a match winning tackle on Adam Ashley-Cooper that could’ve won the game for the Boks.

Most players miss the tackle completely when they are one-on-one and the winger steps back inside, such as when JP Pietersen did it to Kurtley Beale late in the game, so for Hougaard to dislodge the ball on Ashley-Cooper was an unbelievable tackle!

10. Morne Steyn – 8

A much improved performance from Soweto with a great all round kicking game.

Took the ball to the line and asked questions of the Wallaby defence that created more space out wide. Was a strange decision to substitute him in the second half.

11. Bryan Habana – 1

Woeful. From IRB player of the year in 2007 to one of the worst. Had said through the week he was ready to step up and produce an improved performance.

Missed an easy kick that gifted O’Connor a try. Was barely seen after that, albeit partly due to Bok tactics.

12. Jean de Villiers – 6

Missed two tackles early on that led to Wallaby tries, but came back strongly running the ball. Had no support to make anything off his linebreaks which is not his fault.

13. Jaque Fourie – 6

Strong at times with ball in hand, but not able to step like de Jongh can, or link up with his outside support.

14. JP Pietersen – 5

Took his try well, but didn’t offer much else. Unlike the Wallaby wingers the Bok wings don’the look for enough work and try to get involved.

15. Francois Steyn – 3

Gio Aplon would’ve been much better for the Boks. Inaccurate with his kicking, it appeared Steyn was scared to run the ball back initially.

Caught on defence numerous times, almost cost the Boks in the first few minutes as Drew Mitchell got close. Gave away the penalty that led to the Wallabies second try.

Missed another tackle on Slipper in the 60th Min that almost cost the Boks. For all Kirchner’s detractors, at least he is solid in defence.

Kicked 1 long range penalty, but if Morne Steyn was on, he would’ve got it anyway.

16. Chiliboy Ralepelle – 6

Gave away a silly penalty early, but tackled well and made a great turnover later in the game. The scrum looked weaker as soon as Chili entered however.

17. CJ van der Linde – 3

Not on long enough to be rated.

18. Danie Rossouw – 5

Made a few tackles but didn’t make impact required.

19. Ryan Kankowski –

Not used

20. Ricky Januarie –

Not used

21. Butch James – 6

Solid with his kicking, but didn’t offer anything else.

22. Juan de Jongh -

Not used.

The Springboks overcame an early Wallaby onslaught to win 44-31 in their Tri-Nations test at Loftus Versfeld.

Springboks 44

Tries: Juan Smith, Gurthro Steenkamp, Pierre Spies, Frans Steyn, JP Pietersen
Conversions: Morne Steyn (4), Butch James
Penalties: Morne Steyn, Francois Steyn

Wallabies 31

Tries: Will Genia, James O’Connor (2), Dean Mumm
Conversion: Matt Giteau
Penalty: Matt Giteau

BOKS OVERCOME BY EMOTION?

The Wallabies weren’t able to capitalise on a dream start, and it was the Boks who had more gas in the tank as they produced a stronger second half performance to close this match, and keep their Loftus record against Australia intact.

Whether the Boks just don’t deal with the emotion of milestones well enough I’m not sure, but the Wallabies struck early through some poor defence.

Initially it was Jean de Villiers and Victor Matfield who missed Will Genia close to the Bok line, and then from a kick, poor Springbok chasing, and missed tackles from de Villiers and Matfield again, let the Wallabies score a superb long range effort.

The Boks struck back with a great inside ball to Juan Smith, something they don’t use often enough.

However from the restart Bryan Habana produced one of the biggest shockers of his career as he missed the ball and gifted James O’Connor a try.

The Boks once again ensured the Aussies weren’t able to build a substantial lead, scoring through a well worked try at the attacking lineout to Gurthro Steenkamp who showed great determination to barge over.

However more poor defence allowed the Aussies to score a bonus point try after just 25 minutes! At this level, conceding 4 tries is not good enough, let alone just after the first quarter of the match is completed!

At half-time the score was 28-24 to the Wallabies, who probably felt they deserved a greater lead as they had the better of the half.

BOKS STRONG IN SECOND HALF

The Springboks came back stronger as the match wore on, and actually outscored the Wallabies 20-3 in the second half.

The Boks were able to stop the Wallaby runners by making the game tighter. More lineouts, where Victor Matfield could dominate, played into the Springboks hands.

The Wallabies had their chances, but passes weren’t sticking like the initial exchanges. I think the altitude got to them, and Robbie Deans made a coaching hash as he failed to utilise his bench and inject fresh legs.

The Boks meanwhile appeared to have learnt from Soweto, and Peter de Villiers used his bench much better and showed confidence to substitute his captain John Smit and goal kicker Morne Steyn (for Chiliboy Ralepelle and Butch James). Although I am not convinced you should sub either your captain or flyhalf/goal-kicker.

NOT A COMPLETE PERFORMANCE

Whilst the Boks were satisfied to have gotten the win, it was not a complete performance at all.

The Springbok player ratings reflect the wide range of inconsistency in individual performances, which stifle the sides ability to be consistent.

Some players are excelling (Francois Hougaard), others displaying the Bok attitude without always executing correctly (Juan Smith, Victor Matfield, Morne Steyn, Jean de Villiers), and others just woefully inadequate and needing to be dropped (John Smit, Bryan Habana, Pierre Spies).

The Boks did hold onto the ball better than previous performances, and were even rewarded with a great try to Pierre Spies as they went through 10 phases. This kind of play needs to be replicated more.

There was still a propensity to kick away too much ball (and Frans Steyn was guilty of that), but I felt Morne Steyn started to vary his kicks well as he mixed up the high kick with long range kicks for touch.

DE VILLIERS IS SAVED!

Just as in 2006 when a victory over the All Blacks saved Jake White’s career, this win probably ensures de Villiers will remain coach until the 2011 Rugby World Cup in New Zealand.

The onus now is for the Boks to keep improving, and produce more consistent performances away from the fortresses of Loftus and the Highveld, in places such as the UK and New Zealand.

The Boks have made some interesting selections ahead of their match against the Wallabies at Loftus on Saturday.

Francois Louw not included in match 22

This was even after de Villiers applauded Pococks performance in Brisbane and acknowledged his threat for this weeks game.

“They will rely on the a player like Quade Cooper to use the inside ball to bring big runners like Rocky Elsom into the game. We also cannot ignore the impact of David Pocock at the breakdown. He will definitely be a factor” said de Villiers.

“He is a very good player and we have made plans to ensure that he does not give us problems at the breakdowns.”

CONFIDENT COACH

The Springbok coach has supreme confidence in their game plan and tactics, even though they have been found wanting this season, and in are stark contrast to how the Bulls and Stormers have played.

“We will continue to focus on what we must do and how we want to play. We let ourselves down last weekend but if we can stay within our structures and limit the mistakes and lapses we will be successful” said de Villiers.

“How do you tell a guy who has played well that he is not part of the team, or is on the bench?” said de Villiers at Monday’s press conference.

“But that is part and parcel on my job as coach that sometimes I must make unpopular decisions. The reality is that there are only 15 places in the starting line-up and I have to do what I believe is best for the team.”

IS STEYN READY?

de Villiers has rushed Francois Steyn back into the starting line-up upon his return to the Springbok squad.

However his coach at Racing Metro in France (former French scrumhalf and coach??? Pierre Berbizier) believes that is a mistake.

Asked if he was ready for Test rugby, Berbizier replied “I don’t think so.”

“I said that to the South African team officials, whether Francois is ready for an international match against teams which are already at their fifth or sixth game.”

Instead of introducing Steyn from the bench, de Villiers wants him to start even though Gio Aplon is unlucky to be dropped.

As much as the rugby public want to see Steyn back, and the Boks rate his strength, goal-kicking and big boot; it’s his defensive ability, positional play, and lack of ability to glide around players like Aplon can that worries me most.

Gio Aplon out of Springbok match 22

“Gio did not do anything wrong but we have an opportunity to see Frans play. He also offers us another kicking option which will take some pressure off Morné Steyn” said de Villiers.

If that is the case and he wants to see what other players can offer Aplon could have been accommodated for an out of form Bryan Habana. After all surely de Villiers knows what he has in the experienced winger.

WHERE IS THE CONSISTENCY?

Similarly de Jongh could have played with either Jean de Villiers or Jaque Fourie. Instead de Jongh got the chop.

“Juan will be a great one day but Jaque Fourie is one already. He has played 60 Tests and, with the exception of his yellow card in Brisbane, has done well for us all season” said de Villiers.

“It was a difficult decision, and I am convinced Juan will become a world class player, but Jaque is an experienced player who did not let us down before” explained de Villiers.

Brisbane was a crucial match and de Villiers is not being hard enough on an experienced player who let the side down badly with his yellow card.

All we ask is for consistency in selection criteria and the same rules for every player. This is something that has not been evident during de Villiers’ reign.

While I think it’d make the Boks stronger, I feel sorry for the talent we are not utilising that must wonder what they have to do to be given a decent opportunity!

Last year John Smit stated that “Excuses were for losers”

Springbok Captain John Smit

“It’s always hard talking after the game when you are the loser. To be honest, we had very little to take out of the first three games” said Smit.

“If we get a little closer to our intensity levels we want every week, we know we can make any team ordinary”

“On Sunday I woke up with my wife and children and realised the biggest positive is that if we play right we will win any game every time.”

“Suspensions haven’t helped us, and as much as we have excuses, we only have ourselves to blame. There is hurt and this weekend will highlight that. We’ve felt this feeling before.”

“You want to reflect back on this in a year’s time when you need it — when you’re 20-all against Fiji. You want to remember this hurt. You want to reference back to this moment when you feel like actual death to get you out of that.”

“Hopefully we can do that and keep our intensity like that for seven weeks in a year’s time.”

With all the experience, World Cup winners, Super 14 and Currie Cup winners in the squad, I’m surprised they need these lessons.

LIABILITY IN MIDFIELD

Fourie reunites with Jean de Villiers to form the Springbok midfield for the first time in a year.

Jaque Fourie assured the Springbok rugby public that the centre combination will not be a liability in this weeks clash against the Wallabies.

Both Fourie (4 weeks) and de Villiers (2 weeks) have served suspensions for recent spear tackles.

“No, it’s not a risk to run out with two centres that recently served suspensions for spear tackles. It won’t happen again.” said Fourie.

“We spoke about it and will also remind one another during the game to complete the tackles. We both made the mistake of wanting to go upwards with the opponent too quickly. It happens in the blink of an eye, but I don’t think we will make the same mistakes again” said Fourie.

Just how much can we trust the word of Fourie? He was suspended for a spear tackle against the All Blacks after the final Tri-Nations test in Hamilton last year.

Did Fourie not his lesson after that incident?

It will be interesting to see this week just what lessons the Boks have learnt. Let’s hope we can smash the Aussies, because I for one won’t be forgiving if we lose, and I certainly won’t be tolerating excuses or apologies!

The late, great Springbok coach Kitch Christie once said:
“Look in the mirror.
You can never fool yourself.”

Current Springbok coach Peter de Villiers and his side would do well to heed his advice, rather than feed us the constant dribble they have this week about how good they were against the Al Blacks and almost won the game.

Almost does not win games, does win World Cups, and does not satisfy the rugby public.

Since the match against the All Blacks in Soweto, this is some of what has come out of the Springbok camp:

“What I saw today (Saturday after the All Black game in Soweto), we can beat any team on any given day. We can dictate territory and possession and for the best part of the day we did it today” stated de Villiers.

The fact of the matter is the Boks did not deliver. Even a 79 minute effort where you lose the game means that you weren’t good enough, end of story.

“In the second half we went a bit out of our structure and became a lot more defensive and didn’t see the ball much.”

“There was just one kick between us and an easy win. The result didn’t go our way but we were within five or seven minutes of pulling off a great result” continued de Villiers.

SHOW ME THE BABY!

There is a quote I often remember when thinking about sport. It is: “The world doesn’t care about the labour pains, they just want to see the baby”

de Villiers would do well to remember it. All we’ve heard since the first loss in this Tri-Nations is excuses and how well the side has done, yet what have we got to show for it?

After the test against the All Blacks in Wellington, de Villiers said he did not know what else the Boks had to do to win, as he felt they had played well.

“I have watched the video of the match over and over again and what I have realised is that I got too caught up in winning and losing last week and didn’t focus enough on the team performance” said De Villiers.

A 12 point loss is all that matters. I don’t care if we play badly, just show me the baby! (winning result!)

De Villiers also went on to say, “If I was to make it personal and to say they played for me then I would have to say the players really stood up for me. That makes me feel really good.”

All I can say is I feel like utter crap after any Springbok loss, let alone 4 on the trot, and one on our home turf in the magical kingdom of Soweto on our Highveld.

In showing his strategy for the match against the Wallabies, de Villiers stated, “There were just one or two critical errors against the All Blacks and that does not convince me that major changes are needed”

THE BENCH

I also said I was concerned with the makeup of the bench last week (and this week) with no specialist player to cover the back three. de Villiers did not use Butch James because he did not want to take off Morne Steyn and lose his ace goal kicker.

“That was one of the reasons we did not give Butch (James) a chance last week, Frans will make a difference by bringing an extra option with his goal kicking. We all know what he can do” said De Villiers.

I question why have Butch on the bench then? After the first test escape against the Lions last year de Villiers admitted he got his substitutions wrong and had learnt a lesson.

This week he said he had made an error in not using all the reserves at his disposal.

“Sometimes those decisions work for you, but there can be other times when they don’t. Injuries forced me to make some moves. As for the others, one can debate whether it was a mistake or not” de Villiers said.


I question if de Villiers has learnt anything in his time in charge of the Boks. Whilst I don’t think he should copy anyone else as he has his own strengths, he would be wise to take note of Kitch Christies advice, and look within.

Like most Bok supporters, I would rather hear less excuses and just be given the results we are all looking for!

The Springboks are looking to regain their pride and retain the Nelson Mandela Plate

After 4 consecutive losses the Boks take on the Wallabies at Loftus with plenty to play for.

There are records to keep in tact, the Nelson Mandela plate, and the Tri-Nations wooden spoon at stake.

Normally I would be confident, especially on the highveld, but the Boks are in a dark place right now, and may only be spared by the fact this Wallaby side is very average.

MILESTONES

The 70th Test match between the two sides, and their 33rd Vodacom Tri-Nations match with South Africa leading 41-28, and 17-14 respectively.

Since 1992 that record stands at 21-19 to Australia.

Victor Matfield becomes the 3rd South African to reach 100 test caps, and the 15th player of all time to do so.
His 41st Tri-Nations match makes him the 2nd highest capped player in the torunament (41 with George Smith) behind George Gegan (48).

The Boks have played the Wallabies 4 times at Loftus, for 4 wins and an average winning score of 29-14.

The Wallabies have only ever won twice on the highveld, 1933 in Bloemfontein, and 1963 at Ellis Park.

The Springboks have lost just 2 of their last 10 tests at the ground, both times to the All Blacks (2003 and 2006).

John Smit leads the side for the 75th time, and for the 27th time in the Tri-Nations making him the most capped cpatin in the competition.

Jaque Fourie becomes the first Springbok to play 50 tests as a centre.

If John Smit scores a try, he will be equal the Springbok try scoring record for hookers in a test match, held by James Dalton and Bismarck du Plessis (5).

Bryan Habana will become the most capped Springbok wing (63). He is currently tied for the most Springbok test tries (38) with Joost van der Westhuizen.

Pierre Spies needs 1 more try to becoming the leading try scorer as a Springbok eighth man that he holds with Gary Teichmann, Bob Skinstad and Joe van Niekerk (6)

Referee Alain Rolland of Ireland will officiate South Africa for the 12th time, the joint highest with Paddy O’Brien (New Zealand).

TEAM SELECTION

Springbok coack Peter de Villiers said that his side was selected with the challenge posed by the Wallabies, and not the defeat to the All Blacks.

I believe his hypocrisy in selecting sides has once again been exposed. The pack remains the same. The two standouts from last week, Flip van der Merwe retaining their positions.

van der Merwe was under pressure from Danie Rossouw, whilst Smith has been under an injury cloud all week with an abdominal strain.

The lack of a fetcher flank is interesting, given de Villiers praise of Wallaby flank David Pocock. Francois Louw has been discarded from the bench with Ryan Kankowski taking his place.

Of Kankowski, de Villiers said “He played well for the Sharks last week and we need his physicality and his pace.”

Whilst I believe the Bok problems start from the tight five who aren’t dominating, it’s the backline changes that I find interesting.

Francois Hougaard deservedly retains his spot, but it’s the dropping of Juan de Jongh and Gio Aplon for Jaque Fourie and Francois Steyn that I find interesting.

de Jongh and Aplon are small guys, and there is a perception, even within the Springbok camp, that they are too small.

Both were defensively brilliant agains the All Blacks, and had limited opportunities on attack.

Fourie has been average at best this year, and was suspended for a spear tackle after the clash against Australia in Brisbane. de Villiers could have sent a strong message to his squad by not selecting Fourie for this match, and in de Jongh he may even have a better player.

Francois Steyn is a popular choice, but I still think his long range goal kicking doesn’t cover up enough of his weaknesses to be warranted.

Not the best Springbok side, but certainly one still capable of doing the business with a conservative game plan if the Aussies can’t match the Boks up front or take their chances successfully.

PREDICTION

The Boks have been predicatable only by the poor performances so far this year.

With such a proud record agains the Wallabies both at Loftus and on the highveld, one would expect the Boks to win in the normal course of events, but they haven’t been playing like their World Champion status deserves.

Their saving grace is that this is one of the worst Australian sides of the professional era. For that reason it is hard to predict a winner.

At Loftus you would expect the Boks to win. However it depends just what the Wallabies bring to the party.

If the Aussies can hold the ball, run the Boks wide and expose the lack of a fetcher flank, they are a chance.

For the Boks to win, they’ll have to hope the kick chase brings early results to allow some confidence to attack with ball in hand, else they won’t score tries.

It will be an intruiging clash of styles, and the thing that may save the Boks is a fierce home crowd, the desperation of not suffering 5 consecutive defeats and the lack of confidence the Wallabies have at altitude.

Boks by 8…but i’m not very confident!

Go Bokke Go!

Springboks:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. John Smit (c)
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Flip van der Merwe
5. Victor Matfield
6. Schalk Burger
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Francois Hougaard
10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Juan de Jongh
14. JP Pietersen
15. Gio Aplon

16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Danie Rossouw
19. Francois Louw
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Butch James
22. Wynand Olivier

The Wallabies:

1. Benn Robinson
2. Saia Faingaa
3. Salesi Ma’afu
4. Dean Mumm
5. Nathan Sharpe
6. Rocky Elsom (c)
7. David Pocock
8. Richard Brown
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Matt Giteau
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. James O’Connor
15. Kurtley Beale

16. Stephen Moore
17. James Slipper
18. Ben McCalman
19. Scott Higginbotham
20. Luke Burgess
21. Berrick Barnes
22. Anthony Faingaa

Referee: Alain Rolland (Ireland)

The Wallabies have named their side for the Tri-Nations and Nelson Mandela Plate clash to be played at Loftus Versfeld on Saturday.

The Wallabies:

1. Benn Robinson
2. Saia Faingaa
3. Salesi Ma’afu
4. Dean Mumm
5. Nathan Sharpe
6. Rocky Elsom (c)
7. David Pocock
8. Richard Brown
9. Will Genia
10. Quade Cooper
11. Drew Mitchell
12. Matt Giteau
13. Adam Ashley-Cooper
14. James O’Connor
15. Kurtley Beale

16. Stephen Moore
17. James Slipper
18. Ben McCalman
19. Scott Higginbotham
20. Luke Burgess
21. Berrick Barnes
22. Anthony Faingaa

The Springboks have made 2 changes to the starting lineup from the side that lost to the All Blacks in Soweto.

This is the side that was named on Tuesday at the press conference.

Springboks:

1. Gurtho Steenkamp
2. John Smit (c)
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Flip van der Merwe
5. Victor Matfield
6. Schalk Burger
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Francois Hougaard
10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. JP Pietersen
15. Francois Steyn

16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Danie Rossouw
19. Ryan Kankowski
20. Ricky Januarie
21. Butch James
22. Juan de Jongh