A Fairytale Ending

Review: 

This is why I preferred England to the rest of the six nations sides. We match-up better. This wasn't the Welsh test, where we were actually exposed often on defence in an arm-wrestle. The Boks imposed their superior physicality from beginning to end, dominating the collisions and winning the battle over the ball. The set pieces were fantastic. This was identical to the All Black test at Ellis Park, minus the capitulation late in the second half. That 25 phase siege on our line was a real turning point, one could sense the English losing the psychological battle as they failed to cut us up as they did both New Zealand and Australia. We came out early with the usual 9 to POD for a quick hit-up, then went to several attacking series with POD quick screens, playing it out the back and extending our attack with some much needed width. The English were unlucky in a couple of instances, such as the shutdown of Pollard at 3:53, who rushed a short ball to Bongi. Bongi doing a fine job breaching the line and getting us well beyond the gainline. These were fine margins. England lacked the necessary composure to steady the ship and get themselves into the game, some hurried and risky passes (a let off by Damian) when all they needed was to clear their lines and stay in the right areas of the field. Without field position their attack was meek, without gainline dominance they couldn't assert themselves. They had their moments, yet never truly looked like crossing the line. Again, a lack of composure ruining several try scoring opportunities. Youngs was guilty of looking for the home run far too early and inevitably lacked the accuracy under considerable pressure. By contrast, Faf, the disruptor, set about stamping his authority on the game with numerous courageous defensive pressures.  The first try was a moment of magic by Mapimpi, the very underestimated premier wing of South Africa. In the end, our dominance was simply too much, the English heads fell early under the unrelenting asphyxia of the Bok game . For the English, this was a terribly missed opportunity. Perhaps Eddie's penchant for Wallaby-esque running rugby was too tempting to resist. It was inevitable that the first twenty minutes would be revolved around establishing a presence in the opposition half. The simplicity of the Bok game was more suited to such a high pressure game. One would have thought Eddie would have leaned on his experience with Jake White in 2007, when the Boks imposed their natural physicality in a tactically sound and disciplined style of play. Perhaps the Boks were simply underestimated. As it was, the Boks imposed the Ellis Park blueprint, a slight variation on their base patterns, and came out on top. 

Where To From Here? 

The preceding months are going to be an emotional time for Bok rugby, for Bok fans in general. Moving forward, we need some new ideas and innovations to take us more inline with the trends of the game. We had one monster performance in us, saving the best of ourselves for the most important game of all, but there wasn't anything new here. I hadn't advocated it before, but given the strength we have in the pack, I back Ackermann to take the Boks forward. His technical understanding of the game and general coaching philosophy will round out our game the way Coetzee attempted, but failed, to do. 

Man Of The Match

This game was all about the pack. As a collective, they were excellent. Yet, one man stands out. It was in 2009 that Beast put himself on the rugby map by demolishing the powerful Lions scrum, anchored by the legendary Phil Vickery. It was another sterling effort that layed the platform for the Boks to dominate the match. It was the most dominant display by a Bok prop since that day in Durban. If this is to be the last time he dons the green and gold, then there couldn't possibly be a better way to go out then as world champion and arguably the player of the game. On his own terms. One of the greatest servants of Bok rugby. Faf and Thor are a notable mentions. The general directing the heavy artillery and the immovable man-mountain. 

Bok of the Tournament

Faf de Klerk. There really isn't another alternative. A lot of criticism was directed at him due to an ignorance of the Bok blueprint. He was the most consistent element of our game. Thor is a notable mention, he who comprehensively eclipsed his back row teammates in the knockout stages.



I'm finishing up my notes from the second half and will report my findings, probably tomorrow.  

Great points on the Beast.....incredibly for such a great player he has always been under appreciated. I have never seen him in trouble on his own bat in the scrums in all the years. 

He's played nearly 120 tests, yet how many mistakes or game changing errors can we recall? That says a lot. I consider him one of the legends of Bok rugby. 

And what about Thor and Mostert? Tremendous. 

Thanks -- but where is your apology for always attacking viciously the coach and some key players. in the team?     

I owe you nothing. Well, I do in fact. I must file your nose down for next season. 

As per "viciously" attacking J-Raz? Where, when? Viciously? What key players did I attack? I rated Thor, Louw, Faf, Willie, Beast, Marx, Pollard, RG, Mostert quite well. 

Some things never change, hey Lügies? 

No I am sure that you always was a moron and always will be one, Not a word about the really outstanding players and the coach that you constantly maligned.  

The tactically limited coach? He is an average coach. Nothing more. Our game has regressed markedly under Rassie, with numerous individuals suffering as a consequence, most notably, Willie. 

The other players, whom you seem to fancy, are exactly as stated. We can comb through film if you like. Shall we do that again? 

Idiot Speaking is your specialty  - not mine.

I rate the coaches since 1995 as follows:-

*   Du Plessis  -        7/10

*   Mallett       -        6/10

*   Viljoen      -         4/10 

*   Straueli      -        4.5/10

*    White        -        6,5/10

*   De Villiers  -       4/10

*   Meyer         -       3,5/10

*   Coetzee      -       3/10

*   Erasmus     -       8/10

There are very good reasons for the above ratings:-

Du Plessis brought a new concept into the SA Rugby that try-scoring is important in the game and he assembled a squad of players that under him had the biggest win ever against the British and Irish Lions.   

Mallett flourished using the Du Plessis squad for 18 months and then fell totally apart when  he had to start making changes to the squad,   His icy relationship with Teichman played a major role in the decline of the team in 1999/2000.   He admitted afterwards he was wrong about many things that led to decline in the team. 

Viljoen tried to reignite the Du Plessis model and failed - lacked the rugby brain to do so.

Straueli was just plain incompetent and had no ides beyond Operation Staaldraad as to building up of a team and develop a game plan  to ensure competitiveness.

White the best coach since Du Plessis with serious deficiencies relating to lack of backline coaching ability and his lack of the key human relationship requirements of the job both within the team environment and with other key decisionmakers.  To his credit he did realize the backline coaching deficiency and brought in Eddie Jones in to cover that problem in 2007.   His career since 2008 confirms he still lacks backline coaching ability and that plus his dubious HR relationship cost him two jobs at the Sharks and Montpellier subsequently,  A bit too much of a dictator rather than a coach.

De Villiers did not coach the team - the team coached him

Meyer was a poor coach starting off with poor team selection - a problem he had throughout his Springbok coaching career.   He based selections on reputation rather than performance.   The result was that his last year was a total disaster.   His backline coaching was non-existent and if he had a game plan it must have gone missing totally.   He has gone from bad to worse,  He went to Stade Francais as club coach and was given a huge budget to get players to strengthen the team.   He found some forwards - but that is where his decision-making basically collapsed. He could not identify backline players properly and at this stage the Stade Francais team is bottom of the Top 14 log in France.   Sure to lose his job there soon.   Proof is he cannot properly coach a club team - test rugby was way beyond what he was capable of. 

Coetzee was a total flop as coach of the Stormers and a total flop as Springbok coach.  The two years as coach was a total disaster and the Springboks self-destructed/

Erasmus inherited a squad of potentially good players from his two grossly incompetent  predecessors.   However,  those players were nearly destroyed by the incompetence of both Meyer and Coetzee causing loss of self-believe and competence of the players themselves, ,  The team spirit was gone and there was no game plan to speak of.   Erasmus had to rebuild a competitive team from scratch and instill self-believe and proper player development in the team environment.   Aside from that he had to get a real game plan in place.  For that he used players like Faf, Pollard and De Allende as the key to ensure backline development and identify properly the contribution key players make.  He also knew more about rugby "science"  than any of the predecessors listed above and has been recognized as the coach that took the Springboks from the disorganized meltdown wilderness  they struggled in during the period  2014  to 2017 to a level  where they  again are competitive on the world stage.  What White had nearly four years to achieve to ok Erasmus only 15 months.

Obviously the total rugby ignorant AO has no idea as  to what is required from a good coach and the more he writes BS on site the more evident it becomes          

You regard Jake as deficient in backplay, yet he has arguably the best attacking record since the 1999 World Cup. What are Rassie's attack figures? Worse than al of Coetzee's second season, worse than all of Meyer's seasons. I already posted these numbers Lügnerin! It's hilarious that you call me stupid when you have, in font of the entire forum, failed to learn from information I have posted no less than twenty-two times! 

Rassie built a team from scratch? Really? Who were his new editions in 2018? I already posted them. His entire core was experienced and inherited. Wat innovations did he make? A conservative gameplan comprised of the same basic shapes you lambasted Meyer for utilising. Left and right, we see quite clearly that you don't even pretend to form a coherent or logical retort. All antiquated emotional bluster. 

Listen to this nonsense. Literally take a step outside of yourself and listen to what you are saying: 

"brought a new concept into the SA Rugby that try-scoring is important"

You literally regard Carel as the best Bok coach of all time because he "introduced the concept" of scoring tries. It's absolute lunacy! 

You literally haven't the vaguest idea of what you are saying. What was ou Carel's record? 3 wins in 8 for a 37.5% record. He lost the Lion's series, being outcoached in the process. His penchant for the "running concept" leading to that loss. The Lions' coaching team remarking that they were certain that their fullback would be targeted with kicks, but it never happened once. Obvious weak points ignored in favour of playing a failed concept. He was fired for good reason. 

Mallett failed when defensive systems changed overnight. He was lost and failed to implement the quick ruck recycling game of the Brumbies. That was his downfall as a coach. Not the balony you conjured up. 

Meyer. This one is hilarious. You are so short of ammunition that 58.1% of your argument pertains to Stade Francais. Shall I now include all those years of Rassie killing the heart and soul of WP rugby? You are very, very shortsighted Lügnerin. To date, his model for Bok rugby is the most modern, sophisticated and detailed. His application of that gameplan to the opposition and personnel was unlike anything we have seen before or since. He was the one who had to oversee a rebuild, building depth. Who did he leave behind? Willie, Eben, Louw, Lood, Kriel, Strauss, Pollard, Reinach, Damian, Steph, Goosen, Thor, Malherbe, Nyakane, Kolisi, Koch, Serfontein, JJ et al. 

Who were our prominent players at this World Cup? Whether I regard them or not, they were Pollard, Beast, Faf, Kolisi, Steph, Lood, Willie, Damian, Eben, Thor, Louw and players like Koch had a monster in the final. You complain about the lack of depth Meyer left behind, yet the depth he provided was all over that World Cup campaign. Yes, very shortsighted indeed. 

The fallacies and lies about Meyer have been debunked with consummate ease the past two years, but educating a foolish person is clearly beyond my capacity. Perhaps dishonest more than foolish, or both. 

The cherry on the cake. Rassie persistently disregarded your "rules of the game". The aimless and constant kicking violate all five of your "rules of the game" concerning kicking. He selected players you predicted would be discarded and even violated your youth protocol. The entire Rassie reign was and is everything you proclaimed to loath. Everything you projected onto Meyer became manifest through Rassie. It couldn't be more hilarious, it's impossible! 

Ich wünsche Ihnen einen schönen Verzerrungstag