The massive difference in the centres

I saw some South African rag actually talking up Dud Allende after this game. When will they learn. Yes Dud carried for 36 metres in 9 runs…but he beat no tacklers and made no clean breaks. He was just running up to the first tackler and pointlessly tractoring,

 Likewise Am made no clean breaks and beat no defenders….in his huge gain of 2 metres in 5 runs. He has become a sort of specialized kick chaser cum broken play offloader, who doesn’t do much if the ball doesn’t bounce his way.

Contrast that with Kerevi who racked up 35 metres with 3 defenders beaten a clean break and an offload. Ikitau was even better with3 clean breaks and 2 defenders beaten in 22 metres from 5 runs.

Their centres broke through the defence and were dangerous. Our centres ran up to the defence and made nothing happen. There’s the huge difference which literally swung the game. Oz can’t scrum they can’t win lineouts, but they can break down the defence.

A lot of Dud's metres were running into empty space and passing without fixing anyone. This gameplan was hopeless. Entrusting this backward gameplan with someone so hopeless is even more unforgivable. The Boks were absolutely smashed in the face. We are not an especially physical side right now. Fitness is another issue, but we are being dominated in contact consistently. The Bok midfield is a rather sad sight. Pollard and Am are being dragged down the toilet, and as we have seen, Pollard has bought into José's nonsense. A good snotklap by the All Blacks is the reality check this team needs. Maybe even paving the way for the boot under this sham of a coach. 

The other problem with our centres is they made a total of  7 tackles ….missing 2, while Oz was pouring through our midfield. Somehow they never managed to be in the right place…I kept looking for them in the replays of the Aussie tries and they were out of the picture, literally. Except of course for the try Dud bit on the dummy…instead  of going for the Jean style smother tackle.

If we go over a lot of the film (I can't stomach it enough to splice footage this season), a good number of those successful ESPN tackle stats are defenders being dragged back. In this Aussies series, Damian was consistently dragged several metres at a time (with support!). The Wallabies stopped our big guns in their tracks. Even Thor struggled. The Wallabies were simply on another level. To think, this Wallaby side, who attacked the All Blacks with the same ferocity, were beaten in three successive tests. If that isn't a sobering thought, I don't know what is. There is a lot of work ahead of this Bok team. They kind of folded in the last thirty minutes. The ref and those penalties threatened to bury the Wallabies, but they dug deep and fought their way back into total dominance and we just psychologically collapsed. Very disappointing. I have much respect for this Wallaby side though. 

PS: Unteromlett, please bury yourself back into the river of egg you served for yourself. There's a good boy. 

Sure Dave, it’s all Mostert and Orie’s fault….hahaha!

Mostert made some massive tackles when the Wallabies threatened to run riot early on. 

He did miss Kerevi in the build up to the first try, but it was a desperate side on attempt after Kerevi had breached the line. The difference is Mostert is in position to make crucial tackles. Dud is usually 50 metres away.

This from Planet Rugby:

Toothless Springboks

For all the talk about the ability of the South African centres, they could have stayed out on the field in Brisbane until midnight and they’d probably not have been able to find the attacking spark to unlock the Wallaby defence.

Whilst their physicality is never in question, yet again, the passing and creativity needed to beat the best at Test level simply wasn’t there and at no point were they able to get around the fringes of the Australian defence in the manner their opponents did to them.

Some good reader comments on Rugby 365:

Non of this is a surprise at all.

The Comment was:

I'm going to ask a question. Were the Boks ever as good/invincible as they've been made out to be?  

The Answer is a straight no.

They were talked up by bok supporters.

They have found out in the last two weeks that they are not invincible - You can argue all you want but the facts confirm it.

The Wallabies are on the improve - NZ have enforced this.   

They say that iron sharpens iron.

One should surround yourself with quality people.  

With South Africa no longer competing against the tough Ozzie & Kiwi Super Rugby sides... as well as the north snapping up all the young white talent ...  the total collapse of an already talent depleted, race based, quota orientated domestic structure was always going to be the end result.

You cannot sow shit and expect to harvest gold nuggets. 

Look at the coaching structure in the country. If you are white you need to go through the various levels. From club to provincial to SR and only then can you mo ve onward to test level.

If you are a native you can bypass it all and be slotted in at test level right away.

I am delighted to see things falling apart in all SA team sport. 

Long may it continue.

Mark my words: Lood, Damian and Steph will have a shot at retiring centurions. 

"They say that iron sharpens iron.

One should surround yourself with quality people.  

With South Africa no longer competing against the tough Ozzie & Kiwi Super Rugby sides..."

Good point the South African legg of the freedom cup was a watered down Currie Cup of old...the Currie Cup is even more watered down...look at what Benetton did to Da Bools, by far our best side. We need to play in a strong international club competition and I don't think Pro Rugby is going to be the answer ...., but NZ kicked us out of SR, so it's no use in longing back...hopefully everyone comes to their senses in a few seasons.

When the Lions were cream of the crop, when José took over, we were still poor under this coaching team. Many were raving about the Sharks and Stormers back then too. Where was the difference in the test side? Two separate problems at present.

Hell - not worth an answer because the stats are distorted again.       

The stats are distorted, the video is lying, you are a bs idiot speaker...

Choose a new line or sober up Lügnerin. 

The whole team was poor, it's unfair to single out the midfield. 

You didn't dominate the scrum ... nor the lineout ... and the Ozzies disrupted your rolling mails on several occasions.

They cleaned you up at the breakdown ... and both their centres bullied DE Allende and the useless quota Am.

Faf cost the Goats 12 points early in the game and was penalised for being offside on more than one occassion.

Mapompi and Nkosi need to be taught how to catch a ball.

Willie is simply useless. Has been for the last 5 years now. What he's doing in the mix is beyond me.

Why is your captain playing at wing all the time? Is because he knows he sucks as a forward. Well I have some bad news for him ... He sucks as a wing too.

Mostert is the best ball Pilferer in the lineout and yet they were so busy throwing the ball to their quota that it took Mosterd out of the game. 

You guys need to get rid of at least 80 percent of your squad. 

You have a crap starting 15 and utter garbage on the bench.

It's a mess.

More then that, we are now told that Orie was the reason our maul stalled, even though the jumper doesn't drive the maul forward. You just can't make this stuff up. Clutching at straws.

Hall Of Fame

15184 posts

He fcked up a backline move with butter fingers and gave away atleast 2 penalties on the deck...maybe more. He was poor in contact ...don't be surprized to see him moved to lock and one of the bottervinger twins being promoted to start. I'm not a Mostert basher and I think he's a good player, but he's no starting 7 and yesterday was his poorest match ever...sugarcoating that performance is just dishonest....Ende.

Hall Of Fame

15183 posts

The whole team was poor, it's unfair to single out the midfield. 

Does anyone know the background and coaching qualifications of the "smiling bald headed  backline coach".

Would be interested to find out his rugby career and coaching positions prior to be jettisoned into this position.

Or is he one from the Zuma picks?

But irrespective of his background he has done zero with the talent at his disposal.

Old story of square pegs not fitting into round holes.

"Mostert is the best ball Pilferer in the lineout and yet they were so busy throwing the ball to their quota that it took Mosterd out of the game. "

I'm no Mostert basher, but it was probably the worst game I ever saw him play...flung back like a rag doll a few times... the team played bad...no use in blaming only the Q's.

Nienaber is the architect of the Stormers and Springbok defence. Of the two, only Nienaber has a record of successful coaching. The question is this: What has Josè brought to the table? He is supposed to be an ideas man, an innovator. He has mediocrity attached to everything he touches. So, what qualifies Josè as a coach? 

"Posted by: mozart (34444 posts)

He fcked up a backline move with butter fingers and gave away atleast 2 penalties on the deck...maybe more. He was poor in contact ...don't be surprized to see him moved to lock and one of the bottervinger twins being promoted to start. I'm not a Mostert basher and I think he's a good player, but he's no starting 7 and yesterday was his poorest match ever...sugarcoating that performance is just dishonest....Ende.

The whole team was poor, it's unfair to single out the midfield. 

I agree it wasn’t his best game….but the real difference between the teams was in centre play and wing play. I’m a Pollard fan, but he has been poor in this series….likewise our centres and wings. Isn’t it pretty obvious the biggest difference was in back play.

Correct. The Wallabies generate momentum through their backs to get the forwards going. Once our midfield caved in, it was easy pickings. 

Agree 100%, but it's mostly our defense that let us down, especially in midfield,  but our loosies should take some of the blame here too...

and Faf has been poor too.

Faf is a mixed bag…..he totally created the Bok try with vision and initiative. His box kicks towards the end of the first half were inch perfect. But his card was silly and he made some mistakes. That said he was one of the few Boks actually competing….trying to win as opposed to going through the motions.

Our captain was hopeless…..and this idea of subbing your captain in close tests is a tell.

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