Bob Dwyer Rugby Workshops

This weekend featured major matches played in both hemispheres and many major players from the world rugby stage. Some of these players have not been in their very best form so far this season, but – and I guess we should have expected it – they were the major forces for their respective teams, “when the going got tough.”

The semi-finals of the Super14 were both played in South Africa; the Bulls hosted the Crusaders in Soweto and the Waratahs travelled to Cape Town to play the Stormers. Both of these games were played at a superior level; full of commitment and enterprise. Pace, power and skill were in abundance.

The Bulls, defending champions and competition front-runners, had, by my reckoning, not been at their imperial best and I rated the Crusaders a strong chance. I had not, however, counted on the return to their outstanding best form by Fourie du Preez, Morne Steyn and Victor Matfield and they were way too good for the Crusaders. Daniel Carter was good for the Crusaders; Richie McCaw was great, but they weren’t enough. The Bulls were well rested from a weekend off and won virtually all of the contests.

The Stormers were always favourites, with the Waratahs without their Wallabies prop, Ben Robinson, and powerhouse No.8, Wycliff Palu. The talented Joe Pietersen was back at fullback for the hosts and the stars – Schalk Burger, Andries Becker and Jacque Fourie – all performed to their excellent best. Bryan Habana, in his first Stormers season after moving down from the Bulls, was again the most influential player on the field. Wingers like Habana are rare; they influence the result of virtually every game they play. I am reminded of Jonah Lomu and David Campese; Habana is that good. The Waratahs won the scrum contest and that was all.

After Saturday’s games in South Africa, I looked forward to the Heineken Cup final in Paris. After all, there were two French clubs, Toulouse and Biarritz, contesting this most formidable title and France had been easily the outstanding rugby nation in Europe throughout the season.

Toulouse were firm favourites and have been arguably the outstanding European club in modern times. I anticipated a challenge to the view, which I put forward last week, that the ‘North’ would be no challenge to the ‘South’, in the upcoming international matches. I was sadly disappointed.

Outside of the scrummaging – in which the Toulouse pack simply decimated Biarritz – there was no area of the game which convinced me to ‘change my bet’. Toulouse, whom I have often admired at their outstanding best, seemed most reluctant to trust their ability. It was a heavyweight contest in which neither contestant was game enough to confront his opponent. Towards the end, Biarritz scored a surprise try – after Toulouse had ‘packed up’ and sent on their bench in reward for a season’s hard work - to draw within two points. The dominant team went within an ace of losing. This just should not happen.

In this match also, the ‘world stars’ came into their own. Imanol Harinordoquy carried his team for long periods. Yasvili’s composure kept his team in touch and Ngwenya’s blistering pace nearly stole the match. For the winners, Poux, Servat and Lecouls, plus Human, Johnstone and Basualdo from the bench, controlled the scrum contest and the scoreboard. The game promised much but delivered little and, for me, the player-of-the-match was Byron Keleher, who played like it was his last chance for another ‘medal’ to add to his illustrious collection. It was his last chance - and more’s the pity that a few others did not have the same attitude.

What is it about teams who are too frightened to strive to WIN a match, lest they should LOSE it!