...so much for the need to drop him. Jean, Heinke, Louw....all received high marks. Hougaard was the lowest rated Bok.....I repeat Pienaar the highest, Hougaard the lowest.
There was also this on Taute:
His midfield introduction to Test rugby is doing him – and Juan de Jongh – a disserve. He’s just not entirely comfortable at outside centre and the combination of him and De Villiers isn’t gelling.
6/10
When will the Swami and his acolyte Mike get it?
moz can you publish you sources. This is one rating, and many can vary. I have not seen any ratings yet, and actually missed the match due to work.
From Rugby 365:
15 Zane Kirchner
Perhaps the biggest positive of his performance was his kicking with both feet. He rarely backs himself with the left boot and it worked on the night.
6.5/10
14 JP Pietersen
A great physical presence and started like a house on fire. Steamrolled Jonathan Sexton before harshly being yellow-carded for his early tackle on Chris Henry that took much of the sting out of his performance.
6.5/10
13 Jaco Taute
His midfield introduction to Test rugby is doing him – and Juan de Jongh – a disserve. He’s just not entirely comfortable at outside centre and the combination of him and De Villiers isn’t gelling.
6/10
12 Jean de Villiers
Predictable yet effective on attack with a number of strong, direct runs that gave the Boks go-forward ball. Outstanding on defence and smart captaincy, instructing Pienaar to kick at goal from over 60 metres out to eat up Pietersen’s time in the bin and calling for the line-out which resulted in Jamie Heaslip’s sin-binning and Pienaar’s try.
7/10
11 Francois Hougaard
Once again found wanting on defence and conceded three penalties. He will surely be dropped from the run-on side.
4/10
10 Pat Lambie
His attacking potency was diluted by the way in which the Irish forwards fronted up physicality. A much better second half when he had front foot ball to work with but ultimately had a frustrating night.
6.5/10
9 Ruan Pienaar
His decision-making was spot on and as aforementioned he took the onus upon himself to spark the comeback. His kicking out of hand, particularly in the second half, was exemplary and he scored the decisive try.
8/10
8 Duane Vermeulen
Made 13 big hits and contributed in the line-out and at the breakdown. As a combination, the Bok back row gets better with every game.
7/10
7 Willem Alberts
Such a vital physical force in the tight loose, he smashed the Irish forwards back with 12 bone-crunching hits.
7/10
6 Francois Louw
Another European-based Bok who turned in an impressive performance. He made an unrivalled 16 tackles, slipped none, won a number of turnovers and looked for the offload on attack.
8/10
5 Juandre Kruger
Very industrious in general play but hardly featured in the line-outs.
6.5/10
4 Eben Etzebeth
The go-to man in the line-out with six takes, he also poached a couple against the throw and made 13 tackles.
7/10
3 Jannie du Plessis
Rock solid in the scrums and made a crucial cover tackle. Quite remarkable given his workrate this season.
7/10
2 Adriaan Strauss
Won the ‘family feud’ against cousin Richardt thanks to his strong ball-carrying and accurate line-out throwing.
6.5/10
1 CJ van der Linde
Conceded a string of penalties on his less favourable side of the scrum.
5/10
Replacements:
16 Schalk Brits
Not used.
17 Heinke van der Merwe (on for Van der Linde, 63rd minute)
Not enough time to be rated but made a major impact in the scrums.
18 Pat Cilliers (on for Du Plessis, 55th minute)
Very mobile, high workrate and decent scrummaging.
6/10
19 Flip van der Merwe (on for Etzebeth, 70th minute)
Not enough time to be rated.
20 Marcell Coetzee (on for Alberts, 64th minute)
Not enough time to be rated.
21 Morne Steyn
Not used.
22 Juan de Jongh
Not used.
23 Lwazi Mvovo
Not used.
Thanks. Does not sound like it was much of a match. Although sometimes Northern Hemishpere referees are the star players and allways want to be man of the match. I will ensure to make the time to watch the next match, but the main game is against England
So Hougaard had another poor match on the wing. His form has really deserted him since last year, he was one of the form backs at the World cup on wing.
CJ as predicted is long since past his best giving away penalties.
Dejong never got a run.
Mozart
Please publish your ratings. All I can say about the game tonight was that the Springboks had the luck of a pox docter today. If we had to play France today - we would have been dead and buried. In the forst half the Springbok forwards were totally disrupted, but what else could have been expected.
The expected disaster with CJ van der Linde as a prop materialized. How did Meyer manage to select this good-for-nothing is beyond me. You say Hougaard was the worst player - I say the worst player by the proverbial mile was definitely Van der Linde. Let me explain - Van der Linde failed miserably as a scrummager - gave away two penalties - and was nowhere else to be seen, but when he had cramp. The Springboks in the first half played with seven forwards and a handicap.
If m memory does not fail me - you were a great supporter of the selection of Van der Linde. Do you now understand why he should never have been anywhere near the squad?
Let me explain something to you. I never supported the selection of Taute at center - I always said that he should play at full back. However, I did support hiis inclusion ahead of De Jongh. If De Jongh played at center today - we would have lost badly. There is one major difference between playing Taute at center and playing De Jongh there. Taute was often tackled - but made sure the Springboks retained the ball. De Jongh on the other hand would have added to the already disgraceful number of penalties given away by the Springboks and also through turnovers once he would have been tacled. I must applaud the decision of Meyer to keep him on the bench and not allow him onto the field of play. Add De Jongh to the list of players that should not have been in the squad.
If I had to identify the really bad players today - I think that Van der Linde tops the list followed by Kirchner, and Kruger. I would say the better players included Pienaar, Lambie. Etzebeth, Louw, Strauss, Vermeulen, Pietersen and Coetzee (after the latter came from the bench). My ratings would cater for the following
2/10 - Van der Linde
4/10 - Kirchner and Kruger
5/10 - De Villiers, Hougaard, Alberts, Jannie Du Plessis, Cilliers and Taute - none of the three backline
players really impressed as attacking players
6/10 - Louw, Strauss, Coetzee, Heinke vand Der Merwe, Pietersen and Vermeulen
7/10 - Lambie and Etzebeth
8/10 - Pienaar
My low ratings of especially the forwards stemmed from the atrocious forward display in the first half of the game
Mozart
I always treat Rugby 365 ratings as somehat of a joke. They are always inflated in respet of certain players. One thing we can be thankful for is that De Jongh was never on the field of play today. I think my own ratings reflect the contribution made by the players - not the rubbish dished up by Rugby 365.
So Mike, given Steenkamp has some kind of issue, and the Beast was counted out....who would you have played at loosehead if you were Meyer?
Mozart
I would never have selected Van der Linde in the first instance as a squad member, However, gven that Meyer buggered up in the first instnance - 10 times better would have been Van der Merwe
Well most pundits, like the Swami, didn't want Heinke there at all. Now you're dumping on Whineke for not selecting him to start? Who the hell would want to be a Bok coach?
The fact is we are up against the wall for test quality players and Meyer did one thing yesterday only a real coach can....he turned around a losing effort at the half. I say we need to give him a little slack....things are not as dire as some would have it.
The direness as you stated was bought onto himself by Meyer in the first instance. If he selected players objectively - based on performances and not on some weird other ideas - the rot would not have set in in the first place.
Not as dire as some would have it? Well we an differ on that one.
Which idiot came up with that rating, Pienaar was good, but not the best Bok, that goes to Louw.
As for Taute, he had a good test - FACT
I would love to know what that idiot expected Taute to do differently in that test - actually Moz, given the nature of the test kindly explain what Taute should have done differently - take your time
Well he could have made all of his 6 attempted tackles and he could have gained more than 3 metres a carry. Instead he blunders forward and gets knocked over in the first tackle......no spark there!
Name the tackle he missed, those stats are wrong. Knocked over my arse, he carried the ball in traffic, not once did he receive the ball in space - FACT
You really are clueless. Taute had another solid test and did everything asked of him.
Kindly point out what he should have done differently with the ball he received? Lets see how smart you are?
Oh the stats are wrong, I'm wrong, Meyer is wrong....everybody but you fattus.
Yes old man the stats are wrong, Taute never missed a tackle. Damn right Meyer is wrong, he selected CJ, unless the bright spark in you has it that CJ was good?
