rugby: October 2012

Saturday, October 20, 2012

What ruined that game....

2 things ruined that game.  The All Blacks' handling errors,...and Craig Joubert.  One of the most inconsistent rulings of the breakdown seen in recent times.  Yet another game ruined by incompetent officiating.  From the world's #1 ranked referee, too.  What was good for the goose, wasn't ok for the gander.  The ABs were deservedly penalised for infringing at the ruck.....Australia should have been penalised out of the game in the 2nd half for the same transgressions.

Plaudits to McCaw for his last call.  Shows just what disregard New Zealand hold for the world's 2nd ranked team.  Never had a lot of faith in Carter as a dropgoal maker....especially from that distance.  Personally I was surprised they went to that option so early.

Same Old Story

...here we go again.  Aussies never incapable of talking themselves up.  I will admit that an even-in-the-doldrums Wallabies has always been capable of turning the tables on the All Blacks....but not this time.  You do get the feeling it's all for their own benefit...because if they can't believe they can win, they certainly can't expect anyone else to.  But this time......even those that know how many times an out of form Australia have stunned an in form New Zealand.....this time it aint happening. 

Friday, October 5, 2012

The straw that broke the camel's back


Do or die time for the Boks.  Presently, they don't seriously believe they can beat the All Blacks on Saturday.  After this weekend they will know they can't beat them. And what a serious psych that will be to get over.  Heyneke Meyer stating they want to start winning consistently (how bout just winning one? ....baby steps) over the World Champions leading up to the World Cup is covering up a machete wound with a band aid.  The fact is, if this homegame is lost even many of the fervant Bok supporters will start to doubt.  No mean feat.  If they lose badly it's going to be soul destroying. 

See ya, wouldnt wanna be ya

Let's start with Meyer.  His success....the Bulls' success....Morne Steyn's success....was the result of one thing.  The previous (moreso than now) shambolic ruck laws that South African rugby managed to find a loophole in (or abuse...whichever suits you), that 100% favoured a team playing their style. Critics reported that South Africa was fastest to adapt. South Africa have never been fastest to adapt.  They never even adapt.  Those rules just fell into their lap. South Africa kick, kick, kick.  At some stage the opposition will run it back.  Ruck forms somewhere but most probably well in defending team's half.  Ref blows a ruck penalty that was always 50/50.  Penalty for defending team? Kick for touch.  Penalty for South Africa? Kick for goal, Morne Steyn, 3 points thank you very much.  Now those rules are gone.  The Bulls are gone.  Morne Steyn has gone. The signs for Meyer aren't good.  Despite all the criticism PDV suddenly isn't sitting so bad.  The Bok team he had was stronger than the weak team Jake White commanded (yes, including the very weak but fortunate 2007 world champs) and stronger than Meyer's. 


Scary stuff


A lot are pointing to the newfound "form" in the match vs the Wallabies.  Seriously?  This Wallabies??  Everyone knows the Aussie backs can keep their team in the game....but their tight five folds like wet paper. When 2 tries clearly shouldn't have been given(a clear 5metres forward pass and an obviously illegal maul drive) it makes the 31-8 scoreline much slimmer. Yes, South Africa looked very dominant all over the paddock but it's a damn site easy for backs when their pack is rolling the opposition into the turf.  South Africa can't do that vs a capable pack.  Without that continuous frontfoot ball the Bok three-quarters will resort to what they know best when opening up versus the All Blacks.....dropping the ball.  It's such misguided optimism and it happens everytime.  Remember the 2007 cup when after steamrolling Samoa Matfield told the press "See!...we can play running rugby!".  Yet in the following 2 games being extremely fortunate to get past Tonga and Fiji after being sucked into running rugby? So talk about the Spring Boks playing a wide game are not worrying or surprising anyone.  The reality is when the heat is on South Africa have one gameplan....ONE! They are able to open up and throw the ball around once they have 30 or 40 points on a minnow, but not vs the ABs.


Keeps going...and going...100 test victories...


New Zealand has been winning every game, before Argentina last Saturday, while not playing well.  Some will point to South Africa's missed kicks and bombed tries putting them yards ahead of the ABs but you get a clear feeling this All Black team is totally in control.  They are trying to execute a certain gameplan but have been struggling with accuracy, but when are under the hammer they lift that determination and, different from years gone by, truly believe they can and will come through.  For large parts of the 2nd half versus the Wallabies it was a 5 point ballgame...but did anyone seriously believe Australia had the proverbial snowball's?  And that's just when the ABs aren't playing well.  They clicked versus the Argies in Argentina....completely shut out a team that had even true AB believers (like me) more than a little bit worried.  The Pumas started hard and scored a fantastic try.  The All Blacks hit back...fast.  No doubt in my mind that had South Africa kicked a couple, or made that last pass stick (god, they were terrible weren't they? You don't see passes like that til you get down to 4th division club teams)...New Zealand would have clicked into gear.  The Boks will need a dominating pack on Saturday.  It isn't going to happen. New Zealanders rate Franks the world's best (outside Hayman) tighthead, Woodcock the world's best loosehead, an inspirational Sam Whitelock the world's classiest lock, and the everywhereman more than just a workhorse Read has daylight between him and the next cab off the rank at #8.  Add to that six of the starting lineup are the most capped All Blacks ever in their respective postions. Six. And McCaw....verging on the unbelievable.

So nothing points to a South African victory.  This was all about who would win if New Zealand played bad.  If the All Blacks are ready to rock....no one in world rugby can roll with them.  Get the vuvuzelas out!....Don't.