Boks need better kicking game

Ex Supersport

It may come as a surprise to Springbok fans, but coach Heyneke Meyer has lamented the fact that his team has fallen behind the All Blacks in terms of their kicking game, with the Boks being far too wayward in their kicking this season.

While the Boks have made massive strides at the breakdown under consultant Richie Gray and currently lead the Castle Lager Rugby Championship standings for turnovers won in the competition (Please note ou maaaikie!), they have fallen behind in terms of their kicking game – something that has always been a strength.

Despite their success on the field, and the romantic notion that kicking isn’t necessary in rugby, the All Blacks have become masters of the punt in recent times and have turned a previous weakness into a strength, recognising the value of placing the opposition under pressure with high kicks.

Like anything in modern rugby, the kicking game is only as good as its accuracy, and Meyer has been trying to improve the skillset of the players (Please note ou maaaikie - not just Morne!!!!)  in the team to be a more all-round attacking option.

But with that has come a price, and the Boks have fallen behind in the kicking stakes, rarely regathering high balls this season.

With Du Preez at scrummie the kicking improves considerably.

Beeno

The article as quoted confirms what I always said - aimless kicking is a major part of the problems faced by the Springboks in performance. 

Has Morne's kicking game improved?   No -  over the past two years it has gone backwards in leaps and bounds.   A few of Du Preez's kicks have also been really poor as well.   Do Preez has made it up with general good performance in other components of the game - but Morne has not.   Morne is one-dimensional and no playmaker and his performances cannot make up for the damage he caused by aimless kicking.

Will Meyer be able to correct the problem?   With Morne he has about as much chance as a snowball has in hell.      

Ihi

Morne missed the sideline with two penalty kicks as well and in the case of virtually all other kicks there was a player in his 22 directly where the ball came down and under zero pressure.   Those are bad aimless kicks as they tend to allow for counter-attacks or being driven back in possession and the potential to lose territory.

Those type of kicks in my book is aimless and detrimental.

Mozart

Why not comment on the article and forget about me.   The kicking flops are not mine - but in the main those of  Morne - so where are your spirited defence of Morne?