It was definitely a tale of two halves. In the first half the Springboks looked comfortable, in control and dangerous. Schalk Burger's try looked to be an indication that it would be a typical Springbok game with the Boks looking to wear out the opposition and secure a comfortable victory.
A "never-say-die" Irish team came out in the second half with a solid defence and secured vital points with the boot. My question is, why did no one tell Morne Steyn that he was very far away from the Highveld!? It was obvious to everyone that the thick air which blanketed Croke Park was keeping Steyn from reaching his usual range.
The Bok lineout was a mess and quite simply the Irish knew what to expect. This was probably a result of lots of video analysis and Gert Smal. The former Bok forwards coach knows Matfield better than most and this proved to be vital.
Why would you take off BJ Botha when the Bok scrum (without Bakkies Botha) was far too powerful for the Irish pack!? When BJ left the field, the difference was clearly evident - bad management Mr Peter de Villiers.
Forget fatigue and forget blaming the ref, the Boks gave a very lacklustre performance and lacked any urgency. This was not due to fatigue, it was due to lack of motivation and bad management. I feel there is a certain complacency creeping into the Bok team and if management do not stamp it out then it will be a real problem!
The Boks are the the World Champions but didn't play like it. No excuses, it just wasn't good enough.
A disappointing ending to a superb season. Well done Ireland.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Monday, November 2, 2009
2009 End of Year Sringbok Squad
The Springbok squad has been announced and with any squad announcement there are bound to be critics. The main talking points will be BandiseMaku, Heini Adams and Earl Rose's inclusion. Maku plays second fiddle to Derrick Kuun in the Bulls team, Sarel Pretorius surely feel hard done by and Earl has yet to prove he is a consistent performer.
Adrian Strauss has stepped up to the plate to Captain the Cheetahs in Juan Smith's absence and has captained and played exceptionally well, as was showed in the Currie Cup final. Surely his performances has warranted inclusion ahead of Maku?
At scrum half we have plenty of cover in Ruan Pienaar but as an international scrumhalf I cannot see Adams making an impact. Adams is good at Currie Cup and perhaps at Super 14 level, but hopefully he can prove me wrong on the international stage if given a chance.
Earl Rose, rightfully, has plenty of critics and I would rather have seen Lionel Mapoe given a chance with stellar displays on the wing throughout the Cheetahs season.
Bulls do the double!
The Bulls are the 2009 Currie Cup and Super 14 Champions! Their display saw of a resilient Cheetahs effort and the runners-up can be applauded for not giving up.
The Bulls game play showed a lot of similarity to that of the Springbok game. This is obviously due to the number of Springbok stalwarts in the Bulls team. They executed a brilliant defensive effort with a good kicking game and took the opportunities that presented themselves, much like the Boks.
Fourie du Preez, who is surely undoubtedly the best scrumhalf in world rugby, was brilliant. Habana also ended his Bulls career on a high and had a good game in which he showed that he is the best finisher in South Africa and one of the best in the world.
The Cheetahs had some stand out players too, Frans Viljoen was one of the players to make a big impact for the Cheetahs. The big loose forward had a good game against tough opposition and was rewarded with a try.
It was a typical Currie Cup final full of emotion and pride. At the end of the day it was a brilliant game and surpassed the expectation that was placed on it prior to kick off. Well done Bulls!
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