The Boks are undefeated in the Tri-Nations, a noteworthy feat at any time. On successive weekends they have beaten the 2nd and 3rd ranked teams, both of which are miles ahead of the rest of the world. But are they, as some have argued in this forum, a great team?
No they are not.
Today, with a home crowd, a refereeing team seemingly incapable of noticing Bok indiscretions (Note: I did not say the Wallabies were inappropriately penalized), they could only score one somewhat decent try – and that on a Wallaby hash-up.
More significantly, with the Wallabies down one forward and one back, they could only score a measly three points.
Great?
More like a credit to the Wallabies and an embarrassment to the Boks.
The Boks have:
• The hardest working, stealthiest, and to date least scrutinized loose forward in the world – Heinrich Brusseau (in short order he will be the best).
• The best lineout jumper in the world – Victor Matfield.
• The most effective captain in the world – John Smit.
• A pool of about 20-25 very solid interchangeable support players who in various combination’s provide an unimaginative but effective support platform for…
• The best kicker in the world (right now) – Morne Steyn.
Overall the Boks easily have the best group of players in the world.
However, behind the attitude, athleticism and sheer brawn, there is something missing. It may not be as egregious as the bluff perpetrated by the Wizard, but there is something missing – particularly for a team showing signs of believing their hyperbolic press.
The Boks won today but their defense, and even more so their attack, were badly exposed. My prediction – they have won their last Tri-Nations game for this year.
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August 9th 2009 @ 6:06am
Ezee-T said | August 9th 2009 @ 6:06am | Report comment
Losing hurts doesn’t it?
August 9th 2009 @ 7:04am
Knives Out said | August 9th 2009 @ 7:04am | Report comment
‘On successive weekends they have beaten the 2nd and 3rd ranked teams, both of which are miles ahead of the rest of the world.’
Based on what exactly?
August 11th 2009 @ 5:44am
Darryl SA said | August 11th 2009 @ 5:44am | Report comment
RB World Rankings (Top 10)
1. South Africa 91.19
2. New Zealand 89.42
3. Australia 85.85
4. Ireland 83.27
5. France 81.48
6. Argentina 81.29
7. England 81.23
8. Wales 80.74
9. Fiji 76.52
10. Scotland 75.23
That!
August 11th 2009 @ 9:59pm
Knives Out said | August 11th 2009 @ 9:59pm | Report comment
That’s an intelligent response. Surprising.
August 9th 2009 @ 8:06am
Ace said | August 9th 2009 @ 8:06am | Report comment
Heheheh. Whatever helps you to sleep at night.
August 9th 2009 @ 8:27am
bruski said | August 9th 2009 @ 8:27am | Report comment
They beat us fair and square last night, of course the ref had me pulling my hair out at times but they still won. I have been one to say the Springbok team great! When I say great I do not mean great to watch, at the very least it is very frustrating to watch against your own team.
Against the AB’s I was having a bit of a laugh, against us I was not smiling.
Still, you cannot say that with the laws of the game as they are – That the springboks are playing the perfect game at the moment.
I did see last night cracks appearing and our scrum in the 2nd half was awesome. Even Brown at the lineout was performing very well.
I was also very impressed last night at the aggression at the contest we looked very good.
I could also go as far as saying that he Springboks will not find it as easy to win away from home.
It is up to those playing against the Springboks to devise a way of beating them and then the worm will turn.
Some changes I would make if I was a selector:
Swap starting halfbacks!
Swap starting hookers!
Swap Baxter for Alexander!
Look to use Barnes more at first reciever when we need to kick deep for teritory!
Drop the Palu and bring Brown in at #8!
I am not sure who I would put in the #6 jumper though..
Anyway, my 5 cents worth!
August 9th 2009 @ 9:53am
ozxile said | August 9th 2009 @ 9:53am | Report comment
Knives, who specifically do you think is the forth best team? The B&I Lions?
August 10th 2009 @ 1:51am
Knives Out said | August 10th 2009 @ 1:51am | Report comment
We shall know after the Autumn tests. But I would wonder why you would think Australia would be so far ahead of the rest of the world when they were so unimpressive and one-dimensional on their Autumn tour. The only SH team to really excel was New Zealand.
August 9th 2009 @ 10:10am
pothale said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:10am | Report comment
The fourth best team might be the Australians or New Zealand – haven’t made my mind up which of them should be fifth. The Lions don’t count as a national team.
August 9th 2009 @ 10:21am
ozxile said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:21am | Report comment
And your selections are?
August 9th 2009 @ 10:38am
pothale said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:38am | Report comment
Work it out for yourself.
August 9th 2009 @ 10:45am
ozxile said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:45am | Report comment
…talk is very cheap.
August 9th 2009 @ 10:59am
pothale said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:59am | Report comment
You’re right – it is. Which is what you’re doing. “Miles ahead of the rest of the world” is just asking to be challenged given the inept performances we’ve seen over the last three weeks.
And one might argue to include the performances since beginning of June.
August 9th 2009 @ 10:19am
Gary said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:19am | Report comment
Congratulations to the Boks but when the euphoria settles I think the analysts will credit the match to one brilliant kicker facing undisciplined opponents, not to the team as a whole.
The scrum rules are total BS. In particular the number of penalties able to be awarded for scrum infringements.
Why don’t we save money in 2011. Leave the teams at home and just send the kickers. Bring back the short arm and lets see some rugby!
August 9th 2009 @ 11:02am
pothale said | August 9th 2009 @ 11:02am | Report comment
If you brought back the short-arm, most of the penalties awarded would have happened anyway. All the penalties are showing is how indisciplined teams like Australia and New Zealand have become. They got away with short-arms for the last while, and got lazy as a result.
They need to clean up their games, and reduce errors.
August 9th 2009 @ 11:45am
Justin said | August 9th 2009 @ 11:45am | Report comment
Incorrect. Holding on was a SA as were scrum unfringements. Only offside, not thru the gate and foul play were kicking opportunities, but I am sure you knew that
August 9th 2009 @ 12:05pm
pothale said | August 9th 2009 @ 12:05pm | Report comment
I didn’t actually. thank you.
However, given that the ref warned both teams for repeated infringements, then I presume some of them would have gone to full penalties anyway. Right?
August 11th 2009 @ 10:36pm
Ben J said | August 11th 2009 @ 10:36pm | Report comment
The Wallabies played cynical rugby typical of a team under the pump. Giteau deserves a 2 week suspension at least, his was but one of many professional fouls committed. 3 yellow cards and 19 penalties is a disgrace and they should be fined for unsportsmanlike behaviour
Deans even cancelled the Sunday morning press conference as he was so upset with his team. If SA scored 3 points or 30 with the yellow cards is irrelevant. The fact is that Australia, apart from the first try, spoiled the contest because they were inadequate in about every facet.
August 11th 2009 @ 10:53pm
Fuzz said | August 11th 2009 @ 10:53pm | Report comment
So Ben in saying that australia were inadequate in every facet of the game you really aren’t doing much justice for your own team. Seriously now if they were so inadequate why was the score margin relatively close it certainly wasn’t a thrashing now was it? Do remember that Australia were so inadequate they managed to score 5 pointers twice oppossed to South Africas one.
I believe the struggles of the Wallabies and the All Blacks of recent weeks have made the Boks look better than they really are. Your post here just reaffirms that
August 12th 2009 @ 8:29am
Mike said | August 12th 2009 @ 8:29am | Report comment
No, Fuzz! Ben J is right. Australia “were inadequate in about every facet.”, with the minor exceptions of try scoring and scrummaging. And the score line reflected that – it was a 12 point whitewash remember?!
He he, before Ben J jumps up and down too much, I should concede that the things Australia were bad at, they were REALLY bad at (uncharacteristically so)!
I never got the impression that the Boks themselves were coasting (which is what Ben J’s post would imply). Rather, they seemed to believe that the game could turn back quickly if they let Australia back into the match, and so they kept their guard up and the pressure on throughout – more power to them.
August 9th 2009 @ 10:21am
Viscount Crouchback said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:21am | Report comment
The South Africans are merely a souped up version of Argentina circa 2007. Kick’n'chase specialists of the Wimbledon school of sporting philosophy. It’s quite depressing that a team of such talent should content itself with such a one-dimensional approach to rugger.
August 9th 2009 @ 4:19pm
Ezee-T said | August 9th 2009 @ 4:19pm | Report comment
Losing really hurts doesn’t it?
August 9th 2009 @ 11:29pm
Colin N said | August 9th 2009 @ 11:29pm | Report comment
Viscount Isn’t from Australia or New Zealand.
August 11th 2009 @ 10:39pm
Ben J said | August 11th 2009 @ 10:39pm | Report comment
I think the Springboks did what they had to do in order to win 3 potentialy gruelling encounters back to back. The next step is to see what they can do if they do not “have to” win anymore. They were pragmatic, suffered no apparent injuries, kept the other teams from earning bonuspoints and are unbeaten. You can’t find fault with that.
August 9th 2009 @ 10:29am
John allyne said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:29am | Report comment
What awaste of good sleeping time to get up and watch such rubbish, a 2nd grade sydney standard referee, Turner and Mitchell lucky to make a Sydney first grade side ,both looked terrified, a prop who is past his best , a Captain who should not be in the team and a Fox sports team who are way past their best , and really have no idea of the rules ,and all so have favorites, please get rid of them, replace them, and whats more the wllabies should stop talking the talk and the over priced over inflated egos should start doing the work
August 9th 2009 @ 10:32am
Colin N said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:32am | Report comment
“a prop who is past his best”
Has Al Baxter ever been that good?
At least Matt Dunning can score drop goals
August 11th 2009 @ 3:21am
Michael Lee said | August 11th 2009 @ 3:21am | Report comment
100% well said the points on the board say it all
August 9th 2009 @ 10:48am
Damo said | August 9th 2009 @ 10:48am | Report comment
What is all this heat about Baxter? He was better than John Smit as a prop, with the exception that Smit was able to charm a scrum-ignorant referee into at least one penalty. That said The Boks were great at kicking, rucking and winning. They deserved the win. And the referee did not wreck the game. Which is news this week.