Bob Dwyer Rugby Workshops

Bloemfontein. 25th July, 2009

It was always going to be difficult for the All Blacks to travel half way across the world and come up with the points in Bloemfontein. To cope with the travel, the time difference and the altitude was a mammoth task and then there was also the Springbok team to contend with.

This was a different game altogether from last week’s opening Tri-Nations match in Auckland.

First of all, there was a referee who immediately made it clear that he was going to insist on an approximation of the laws of the game. He was not going to allow players to seal off, or play, the tackle ball whilst on the ground. Chasing players must have started from behind the kicker. The ball must be fed into the scrum into the middle of the tunnel and parallel to the try-line. This was most reassuring to those of us that thought that all of these already formed part of the laws, but had begun to wonder.

This clearly added to the difficulties already facing the All Blacks. Most referees understand that this is not the way that New Zealand play their game, you see, and that they, the referees, will have to alter their adjudication accordingly. This one wasn’t however prepared to roll over and the game was so much the better for it.

Throughout the first half, the Springboks had much the better of most of the contests. By half time, they had enjoyed 60% of possession and field position and had spent considerable periods camped in the All Black 22m zone. Had they not missed 11 very kickable points in this half, they would have been out of sight by half-time.

The Springboks had clearly decided that the physical contest was one that they could surely win. No surprises here! The driving maul was prominent from the lineout and from kick receipts and the All Blacks had to test the ref’s patience, with some success, in defending these phases.  An excellent All Black scrum and quality defence kept the try-line generally intact. Only the almost forgotten “pass and back-up” routine from Ruan Pienaar bought a try from almost 40 mins of Springbok dominance. I spoke last week of the absence of “pass and back-up” – an extremely simple and effective phase of play. Mark Ella used to call it “the natural loop” and so it is. Unfortunately it has become unnatural and we hardly ever see it.

Full marks must go to the all Black front-row of Woodcock, Hore and Tialata. I thought that this phase of play, added to the inability of Ruan Pienaar to put the ball between the uprights, managed to keep the Springbok score in sight. The ability of the All Black front row to take “the shoulder” as they wanted - be it in attack or defence, on their ball or the Springboks’ – was a major factor in limiting their half-time deficit to a manageable 11 points.

In fact, it took a smart piece of Springbok improvisation for Ruan Pienaar’s first-half try. The All Black scrum had again denied them a right-hand side blind from a dangerous 5-metre scrum, when No.8, Pierre Spies, took the resultant, but more difficult, left-hand side run. His strength and pace took him part way through a somewhat surprised All Black defence. From the phase ball, the excellent de Villiers threatened to such an extent that he attracted two outside defenders, in addition to his opposite number, and Pienaar scored untouched on the “natural loop”.

The physicality of the Springbok team had been a feature of the somewhat lop-sided first half and Bakkies Botha had been a standout for me. On one occasion he absolutely monstered Jerome Kaino, lifting, turning and manhandling him backwards. Kaino held on for another penalty, which was missed, but these are significant psychological moments – Kaino is not a small man by any measure.

New Zealand had been courageous and committed and were prepared to chance their arm whenever the opportunity arose. On one occasion, their brilliant counter-attack, from a turn-over ball under their own posts, threatened to bring them back into the match. Unfortunately for them, the excellent scramble back by the Bok defence brought this breakout under control.

By the break, South Africa had spent 7 mins in the New Zealand 22m zone, compared with only 2 mins for New Zealand at the opposite end. It was clear that New Zealand could not continue to hold out under this sort of pressure.

The second half began with Morne Steyn on for Ruan Pienaar, but perhaps the All Blacks hadn’t noticed, for, when Conrad Smith was in front of the kick - not for the first time I might add – Steyne converted for 17-3 to the Boks.

We had seen the Springboks go “off the boil” in the Lions series and so it was again. Maybe the All Blacks lifted another level also, but I think not. There was some sloppy play from the Boks, in both attack and defence. There was a significant drop in numbers from them at the tackle contest and a lack of urgency in defence.

From an attacking scrum on the left, New Zealand got a great right shoulder to give Brendon Leonard some space. This posed a serious question for the South African mid-field and they were not up to it. Excellent running from Conrad Smith added to poor defence from Morne and Francois Steyn, and Smith scored beside the posts to give the All Blacks their first sniff of opportunity. De Villiers and JP Pietersen were not free from criticism of their defensive roles either, and the All Black and Wallaby brains trusts would have made notes.

Once again, Brussow and McCaw had been prominent throughout and another excellent McCaw steal put South Africa under pressure. A quality All Black counter-attack resulted in a penalty which was converted by Donald for 17-13. Nerves were fraying on the Springbok bench and on the field.

Habana continued to be effective on the kick chase and he nailed Piri Weepu,  ball and all, from the restart. A tough penalty against New Zealand soon after and there was some relief for South Africa at 20-13.

There was some lack of composure on both sides with three outcomes still well possible, with out and out attack from New Zealand and the excellent Sitiveni Sivivatu prominent at half and midfield. A subsequent penalty bought New Zealand back within reach.

South Africa lost their own throw in the lineout!  A mix-up, between Spies and du Preez, on their own scrum ball, resulted in New Zealand claiming the ball for a breakaway. We sensed another New Zealand “get out of jail card”.

New Zealand tightened the screws and looked to set up field position. A poor kick return from Bryan Habana gave them the opportunity they were after. Frantic attack from the All Blacks was met with determined and urgent defence from the Springboks. It seems clear that there were calls in the All Black camp for composure, but after one interminable “composure” delay,  with the ball at the back of the All Black ruck, while there was adjustment of potential runners,  first to the left then to the right,  replacement scrum-half, Piri Weepu, threw the sloppiest of passes to Jason Eaton. Pierre Spies hacked the loose ball, which was eventually claimed by the ever-present Brussow, then on to Jacques Fourie for a try down the right touch.

God, how I hate this “modern” approach to the distribution of phase ball. What is it all about? What are they waiting for? Why is the scrum-half looking over the top of the ruck to check out defences? Keep a copy of this play forever, to remind yourself of everything that one should NOT do in future games. Rubbish got its reward!

This Springbok try put the game virtually out of reach for the All Blacks. Each team contributed another penalty and New Zealand were denied  the valuable bonus point.

I enjoyed the game. There were some patches of real quality in attack, particularly from New Zealand; some great scrummaging, particularly from New Zealand again; and some great lineout play from South Africa. But it was the physicality, power and pressure from the Springboks that gave them their deserved victory.

I thought that the man of the match had to come from Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield and Bismarck du Plessis.

My vote goes to Bakkies Botha. Why does he resort to all that rubbish on frequent occasions?