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http://www.keo.co.za/2007/06/23/blac...undering-boks/
Saturday 23 June 2007
New Zealand produced a gutsy performance to fight back for a 26-21 win over the Springboks in a fiercely contested match in Durban.
Ultimately it was a plethora of errors from the hosts in the last quarter and the superior All Blacks bench that accounted for the result.
The Boks weren’t able to maintain the intensity and intelligent use of possession they had displayed for the vast majority of the match. They made all the early play, camping in the All Blacks half from the kick-off. Testament to the Boks early dominance was seen in the fact the All Blacks only breached the Bok 22m area in the 23rd minute.
The Boks will however lament the fact that the failed to make that territorial dominance count, handling errors, poor decision making and solid defence thwarting their attempts to translate possession into points.
The Boks seemed to be caught between a forward dominated and expansive approach and that was evident by the indecisiveness with ball in hand. When it went wide the backs were flat, posing little threat to the All Black line, while the forwards too often found themselves isolated, opening themselves to the threat of Richie McCaw and co. on the deck.
All the talk in the build up to this Test was about whether the All Black lineout would withstand the expected Bok onslaught. They struggled in this facet of play early on, losing or having their ball disrupted for four of the first five throws. As expected, Matfield was the destroyer in chief in this regard, invading Anton Oliver and his jumpers’ psyche.
That robbed them of a primary attacking platform and pressured them to be clinical in their other avenues of attack. That change after the break, with the All Blacks catching the Boks cold by taking a number of quick lineouts, effectively eliminating their major weakness.
The Boks done superbly to pressure their opponents across the park and were mostly accurate in the spot hits until they completely fell apart in the final stages of the match slipping off tackles with alarming regularity.
There were positives for the Boks though.
Ruan Pienaar produced a mature display from the base, mixing accurate service with solid pressure relieving kicks and spirited defence.
The omipresent nature of Schalk Burger meant the All Blacks were constantly under pressure at the breakdown points, although it has to be said that his openside nemesis Richie McCaw was equally as effective at ground level.
Burger blended his potency at ruck time with tireless defence and the powerful surges in the loose his built his reputation on.
It was therefore fitting that he would be the man to cross for the game’s opening five pointer on the stroke of half-time, emerging from a mound of bodies after a lineout drive had decimated the All Blacks.
But the score can very much against the run of play. The All Blacks had settled into their structures and the continuity they were generating through the tackle offload was troubling the Boks.
An Aaron Mauger drop goal two minutes into the second-half drew his side within three at 11-9 but it would be an error from the midfielder that allowed the Boks some breathing room.
Jaque Fourie’s pressure defence grassed Mauger, who threw a hopeful pass which was gratefully snatched by Butch James who raced through to score.
But the All Blacks maintained the pressure and kept themselves in the match with a Dan Carter penalty. The usually mercurial flyhalf had an afternoon to forget with both his goal and tactical kicking nothing more than ordinary.
Pedrie Wannenburg, CJ van der Linde and Frans Steyn came on for Bob Skinstad, Os du Randt and James respectively and immediately there was a significant drop in the Bok’s play.
Steyn in particular fell spectaculary from grace after his match winning effort of last week to a woeful 15 minutes of Test rugby.
Their cause was made more difficult when Wannenburg was sin binned 30 seconds after taking the field.
The roles were now completely reversed from last week’s Test at Newlands, with the Boks doing the lion’s share of defending. They got a brief respite when a Montgomery penalty took the Boks to a nine point lead, but five minutes of madness cost the Boks the match.
For the vast majority of the Test they had stuck to their structures well and given the All Blacks very little broken field ball to work with. But they lost the plot, and two poor kicks were punished by after long range counterattacks were rounded off by McCaw and Joe Rokocoko.
The Boks never looked like replying and lacked the composure under pressure they showed in bags last week.
Springboks – Tries: Schalk Burger, Butch James. Conversions: Percy Montgomery. Penalties: Montgomery (2), Ruan Pienaar.
All Blacks – Tries: Richie McCaw, Joe Rokocoko. Conversions: Dan Carter (2). Penaties: Carter (3). Drop goal: Aaron Mauger.
By Ryan Vrede
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
Should make for interesting odds next week...
Dear Lord, if you give us back Johnny Cash, we'll give you Justin Bieber.
20-1 for either team to win....both coming off losses!
CHEERLEADERS ROCK!!!
Why am I not surprised at the lack of mention that the Springboks entire game plan is based around negativity, with very little attempt to make the ball work for them, and instead doing everything possible to spoil play to place the opposition under pressure. It is everything that is wrong with the contemporary game -- offside, not rolling away (stand up Schalk Burger), killing the ball, slowing down the ball, interfering in the rucks, taking out players without the ball -- and refs just turn a blind eye.Originally Posted by Coach
Full marks for their passion, commitment and physicality, but when are they going to play rugby?
The All Blacks were lucky to win. Very ordinary game from them, knock ons, turnovers, poor passes, lineout a disaster. Too little almost too late.
Let's hope for better rugby and more positive rugby in the games ahead.
It was an exciting game to watch but very frustrating to. I agree with Rick with his observations but think that the AB's had it pretty tough as the ref seemed to be completely oblivious to the boks being offside for most of the game, which put the AB's under a huge amount of pressure. Well done to the AB's for keeping it pretty cool while the Boks were playing their negative brand of rugby. A team that plays that style of rugby does not deserve to win in my book.
Just happy to be here
I enjoyed the game up till 20 mins to go - the Boks just gave up
61 years between Grand SlamsWas the wait worth it - Ya betta baby
Very dissapointed. Had them right until the end. The yellow card really hurt us and some weak tackling. Still believe Solialo should have been carded for that tackle on Ruan. They will win next week.
Every forwards dream is to become a back...
They are not playing next week mate.
the punters friend..... stick with me and you will be wearing
next game same thing.
Every forwards dream is to become a back...
Congratulations to the All Blacks for winning a closely contested match! The All Blacks were a bit lucky to win that game but I'm not going to be a bad sport and suggest they change the rules (i.e. ban drop goals to assist crap sides that allow the opposition to camp in their own 22 all day).
don't write off the boks yet they only just lost against the heavy world cup favourites. The all blacks will kill australia. I think Mauger is holding them back luke mcallister is more creative.
hahaha .. I liked you during the S14 don't change my opinion nowOriginally Posted by Goldmember
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