Monthly Archives: September 2012

Like a Rhino in a China shop

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This test will be remembered as the Dean Greyling test as he was like a Rhino in a china shop; a demolisher on a rampage that cost us the match in my opinion (an opinion that Heynecke Meyer seems to share). It must be the single worst effort by a South African rugby player in a test match ever.

In the end it was another test that got away due to ill-discipline, poor kicking (tactical and place kicking) and poor passing. We threw away 17 points with kicks (5 penalties and a conversion) as well as a very plausible try scoring opportunity in the first 5 minutes of the game. That is another 7 points bringing the amount of points that we pissed away to 21. Jean de Villiers said it after the match; “You can’t expect to win against the All Blacks if you mess up so many point scoring opportunities”.    Continue reading →

Kotsenswaardig

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My predominant feeling after the SA/Australia match was that I want to puke. It was one of those matches that the Aussies didn’t won we lost it.

They didn’t create the win we created the loss through bad mistakes, stupid decision making and by going into a defensive mindset.

There were a number of things in this match that left me wanting to puke afterwards but let me outline the 5 main ones:

  1. No line speed on defence
  2. Stopped playing and going on a defensive mindset after taking the lead in the first half
  3. Losing the ball in contact mainly because we try and barge through defenders instead of attacking space
  4. Horrible decision making at crucial times in the match
  5. Bringing the playmakers on too late in the match. Continue reading →

Telling rugby weekend – ahead

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This weekend’s rugby promises to be a telling one in many ways.

Both the SA/Australia and the Puma/All Black match-ups will, I believe, provide us with some sort of gauge on what to make of Heynecke Meyer as an international coach.

The Argentina/All Black match is of particular interest due to Graeme Henry’s involvement with the Pumas.  I am keen to watch this match with attention for two reasons in particular. First and foremost it will tell me just what to make off last weekend’s Springbok performance; were the Springboks bad or were they made to look bad by a much improved Argentinian side.  Just how much did Argentina step-up and/or how much did Graeme Henry accomplished with this side over the last 5 weeks? Continue reading →

Henry’s involvement with Pumas sparking some NZ comments

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The full extent of Graham Henry’s involvement with Argentina and its potential impact on the weekends match-up between NZ and Argentina has sparked some interest in a game that nobody expects the Argies to win.

The exact nature of Henry’s role and whether there is a possibility of him sitting in the visitors’ coaches’ box at Westpac Stadium on Saturday night is just one of the questions being asked by rugby scribes and media men.

Henry told The Dominion Post last night there should be no confusion. He plans to don an Argentinian tracksuit at training today at the Hutt Recreation Ground and said he was doing “all he can” to help the touring side prepare for their test against the team he guided just 10 months ago. Continue reading →

Cyclic patterns in Sport

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Cyclic patterns are prevalent in the weather, in economy, in markets, in life in general and in Sport. Old Joseph in the bible secured himself a position of status and wealth by explaining this concept to the Faro. South Africans rugby has just completed one of those cyclic patterns with players like Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Danie Rossouw, Fourie du Preez, John Smith, Percy Montgomery and so forth. These players carried South Africa for longer than a decade.

The saddest thing for me was when these players were at the top of their game SARU in their wisdom negated all that experience and talent by selecting a puppet as a coach.  Continue reading →