The Telling Point

The Springboks play their last match before the Rugby World cup in Port Elizabeth on Saturday. The general mood amongst the South African rugby public is one of concern for the National team because of results in 2010 and the recent Tri Nations matches. There are many critics eager to point fingers and blame coaches, selectors and players, but the personnel (barring player injury) won’t change before the World Cup kicks off.

While results have been far from pleasing this year, the message from the Springbok camp was that focus remained primarily on performances and preparation for the World Cup. The Springboks’ disastrous away leg of the Tri Nations was just that - disastrous - but it was nowhere near the full strength team that will be representing South Africa at the World Cup. So we can forget about reading into those matches. This leaves us only one match to analyse and take anything from.

Despite the loss, last weekend’s performance by the Springboks was encouraging in my humble opinion. To put it into context, Australia fielded a team full of players on form and with plenty of match time under their belts. In contrast, South Africa had a team packed with players who where well short of game time and combinations who hadn’t played together in years. The Boks started extremely well but despite the vast experience faded in the last half hour as match fitness took its toll.

What was really pleasing was the ability of the Springboks to make line breaks and create try-scoring opportunities against a very well organised Australian defence. The difference between winning and losing that match was that the Boks weren’t able to capitalise and convert pressure into points – an aspect I suspect will be corrected as players start to gain momentum and game time.

The defensive system employed last year was diabolical, but against a backline as exciting and dangerous as the Wallabies possess, the Springboks held fairly firm in last weekend’s encounter. Improvements have been made and should continue to occur with each match.

This all brings us to this weekend’s encounter against a “weakened” All Blacks team. Make no mistake, if you look at the players that the All Black selectors have selected there is nothing weak about them. It will be a tough Test match in Port Elizabeth, but I have confidence that the Boks will do the job – they have to.

Boks by 5.

Check Point 11 March 2011

With Super Rugby in Round 4 it makes interesting reading with a World Cup on the horizon. The leading South African side is the Sharks with their dynamic style of play, while the defending champion Bulls are struggling to gather any momentum.

The Stormers seemingly look to still be working things out but once they do I think we could be in for some good performances by the men from the Cape.

The Lions and Cheetahs are in a similar position where they have some fantastic talents in their ranks and good ideas from a good coaching staff. When it comes to execution, however, they lack the finishing touch. As the competition progresses I wouldn’t be too surprised if these bottom dwellers manage to overturn some of the big boys in their quest for Super Rugby kudos.

There are a few South African players who have made an impact already which gives the South African rugby public something to be talking about. Jaco Taute is one of the players who has impressed for the Lions at fullback. Watching the young No.15 play reminds me of the great Andre Joubert. Taute is definitely one to watch for the future and I wouldn’t be surprised if he is snatched up by the one of the bigger unions.

With Morne Steyn off the boil, it is promising to see Peter Grant and Patrick Lambie looking good for the Stormers and Sharks respectively. Some might say that Grant has been unlucky not to be given an extended run for the Boks, but this might just be his year to make it count. Lambie was last season’s South African sensation but the Super Rugby competition will test him out even further – so far so good.

The last two players worth a mention are massive assets in the Boks setup and it is great to see them playing again and playing well. When these two players are on form there is no one in the world that would rival them. Oh how we missed Fourie du Preez while he was out injured. The general at the back of the scrum is in a class of his own and it is great for South African rugby that he is back playing again after an injury layoff.

The standout South African player so far in this year’s Super Rugby competition has to be Bismark du Plessis in my mind. He holds the scrum together well, his lineout throwing is solid but his biggest contribution to date is how he goes about his open play. He is fearless in attack and defence. He takes the ball up carrying two or three defenders with him and is like a fourth loose forward in defence.

With these two stalwarts returning to form and some promising fringe players playing well, Springbok rugby looks to be on the right track for the Rugby World Cup.