To Kick or Not to Kick

I hate to say it, but most of you guys really don't have a clue about what is really happening on the field. Mozart correctly mentioned this as people blindly follow whatever they read by journos that really are pathetic idiots at times and ridiculously deceitful the rest of it. So the argument is that we don't kick and we need to "run it" more. Shezza the not so bright big mouth said that the attacking team has the advantage so kicking becomes an archaic liability. I say bulldust! Any attacking stats will show that after four phases the defence gets stronger and starts to maintain it's shape and the attackers lose momentum. Even the lower ranked teams are much better at organizing their defensive patterns than ever before. Kicking is CRUCIAL to playing modern rugby. So much so that New Zealand annually kick more than us.

I think South Africans are stuck in a time lock in the 80s and can't get out. Everything I read from almost everyone talks 80s style rugby where any individual can grab the ball and run it. And thats exactly the problem, the game style the fans are calling for is completely individualistic. I even hear our coaches talking like that. they expect individuals are going to magic the problem away. Well it hasn't happened and isn't going to happen. Now kicking is the problem. What, are we going t resurrect Viljoen's policy of anyone who kicks gets dropped? Some lessons are apparently never learned at all and that's really sad.

Here's something to think about. In 2009 we had New Zealand on the ropes and belted them. But they responded. They were weak under the high ball and lost the territory battle running constantly from deep only to be turned over and penalized. They overtook from 2010 and beat us at our own game. New Zealand are winning the aerial battle time and again and the Ellis Park test was a total disaster because we went back to the model of 2009 that New Zealand abandoned! Remember Dagg, the guy who couldn't catch and was only a runner. He has probably been New Zealand's best back over the past few years, but not because of his attacking ability but because of his total domination of the air and his massive racking boot that sends opponents from one 22 to the other. Add to that that they have bettered us at the lineouts the past two years and you start to see why we are not beating them.

Now I understand that you have to attack but you must not attack only and from everywhere. Last year at Ellis Park we ran everything and despite what Shezza would have you all believe we continually lost the ball a few phases after every attack either by turn over or by running out of steam and errors that follow down that blind ally. Yes we need to be smarter on attack or maybe I should say more functional. It's one more tool in your tool box, not the only tool. Right now we have almost the entire game put together. We have the best scrum any Bok side has had in almost 16 years and a strong presence at the breakdowns for once. With the veterans returning we have lineout dominance, a maul that is truly feared and speed to burn. We just need those small tweaks to balance it out. But it's not going to come from a messiah 10, but by better play as a team. Defensive systems defend as a team, you need to beat them on attack as a team. That's modern rugby. I thought you all learned this when the Highlanders showed up the Sharks.

Oh and lastly, kicking is not ten man rugby. It takes 15 men to pull off a tactical kicking game. If you are playing anything like 10 man rugby when kicking then you are doing it all wrong. Another myth blown for today. Peace out

I think it's fair to say the Saders won in part because the Sharks never recovered a tactical kick, and the Saders had a chance at every tactical kick they made. So even if by chance we recovered a tactical kick, the receiver was immediately swamped. Where as they were often able to launch effective attacks from our tactical kicking. That difference gifted the Saders vast amounts of territory and possession.

And several Sharks  kicks, starting with the Jordaan duff into midfield, led almost directly to Saders points.

The Saders at times looked like the Bools at their best in the kicking game. Imagine that, NZ learning from us....whereas our would be coaches are trying to dump that skill. Could we be any more stupid?

Good one Moffie, you are so far off the mark its laughable - do you actually think you know what you are talking about?

Saders learning from the Bulls......fuck me, can it get more stupid than this.....pack it in old man, have a lie down  

Well since 2007 the Bools have won 3 times, the Crusaders once. I know winning isn't your thing....but I guarantee you the Saders learned their lessons from the Bools in 2009 Semi .

I was providing an example to illustrate the point that kicking can be effective. An example that's fresh in everybody's memory. That's how it pertained to the general point. I would not have to explain that to a kid with a primary school education, but apparently I have to explain it to you.

Look we get the fact you dont like Victor, Alberts, Morne and Frans. It's your right. Just stop polluting every string with it......there's a good old coot.