SATURDAY 25TH APRIL.

WARATAHS VS BLUES: AUCKLAND

 

The Blues played at bewildering speed. Basic skills were mostly flawless. In the 18th minute, they scored from a towering kick into the oppostition half, which led to a poor pass - to the right! - a Nonu break, slick offload to Donnelly, up in support from lock, and a great try. Then it was a marvellously judged and executed grubber from Nonu - who else? - which led to another try. The Blues maintained constant pressure on the Waratahs, who tried hard, but could not cope with a sustained display of direct rugby - everyone in possession drove forward, there was little kicking away of possession, right decisions made at the right time. For the W's, Ashley-Cooper was outstanding in both attack and defence, and the forwards, at times, won good ball. Kicking out of hand was patchy. There was also bad luck - a part of every sport. This example was particularly cruel. Foley, a really talented flyhalf with all the skills and judgment, kicked a near perfect diagonal for his right wing. But, the rugby ball, being oval in shape, bounced behind the intended receiver and? In a brilliant exposition of opportunist play, quick, accurate inter-passing down the left flank, Sarhili touched down near the corner.

Rugby matches these days, be it the Super 15 or the Aviva Premiership in the Northern Hemisphere, are, so often,  won from inintended errors or lack of concentration. To give an example: Phipps, the lively and talented - well all the players I watch in this tournament are talented - scrumhalf for the Waratahs, made some basic mistakes, which, one could argue, cost his side any chance of victory: overall he was slow to the breakdowns, which is inexcusable. ( The 'champion' at this ,in my book, was Jano Vermaak, especially when he played for the Lions.) Slow to clear, any momentum is lost. Phipps had a bad day too distributing - but that's relative. A lot of grubbers were kicked with the 'wrong' i.e. inside boot and clattered into the opposing defence, but Sarhili kicked one which got through - try. The grubber is one of the most potent weapons of an attacking side up against solid defence. the chip kick seldom works - except the brilliant display by McLeod of the Sharks in last year's Currie Cup final, when he was as accurate as a darts player.There's plenty of evidence to support the grubber and Nonu has developed into one of the best exponents.

Score: B 21- W13.

 

BRUMBIES VS CHIEFS: CANBERRA

 

My overall impression was, without Cruden and with Messum playing erratically - brilliant and sloppy by turns - the Chiefs lacked concentrated purpose and focus. Too many opportunities went begging because of amateurish passing and handling. Anscombe stood out as a really dependable pivot and made telling breaks throughout.

The Brumbies were terrific with superb tries by Kurudrani (2) and Toomua ( 2), Tomane (1). Even with Mogg not at his best, the visitors came back at the end to put in some fine tries, the best by Webber, the reserve Chiefs scrumhalf.

I found myself wondering how a captain keeps his team 'going' when it is so far ahead on points and there is little chance the opposition will score enough in the time available even to gain a bonus point. Not easy! So the Brumbies, confident of victory, fell away in the last fifteen minutes and allowed the Chiefs to show their true ability.

The Chiefs are going to have to have a deep rethink about playing for the full 80 minutes with ball in hand.

B41-C23.

 

SHARKS VS HIGHLANDERS: KING'S PARK

 

The Highlanders were magnificent -they handled and passed with the required skill i.e. direction, speed and timing, their defence was solid, they finished off effectively and took every opportunity. And they scored four tries to none! Against the overall log leaders!

The home side, after denial of an Mvovo try, on what looked like a trivial technicality - but I'm not the official so my opinion means nothing - reverted to a display they will want to forget quickly after they have analysed what went wrong. And a hell of a lot went dreadfully wrong!

The Sharks fundamental skills, passing, handling and kicking - not to forget weak and uncommitted tackling; were they scared re injury before the long haul to the Antipodes? - were, well, abysmal. That's as low as you can go. I have never seen so many poor passes from a top team - all recorded as 'handling errors' by the commentators and other bone-headed statisticians. Steyn gave three of these appalling efforts, one of which would, had it gone to hand, led to a try. His last pass - may I repeat 'to the right' - went to Pietersen's shins! I began thinking after 17 minutes, has the awful presence of arrogant overconfidence infiltrated the psyche of the whole team? Success is a fickle mistress - she lures you, like Circe, and then, when it suits her mood, turns you into a herd of pigs and you play like Gadarene swine, running fast and aimlessly over the edge.

And during this display of ineptitude, what were the Highlanders up to? They were playing rugby! Apart from the odd error and lack of discipline - Aaron Smith throwing the ball away to lose ten metres for a subsequent three points - they ran, passed, supported and kicked with rare brilliance and effectiveness. Battling away in the scrums against superior opponents, they held their own, while the Sharks squandered possession time and again. So, at the break, the Highlanders were up three tries to none - the Sharks were in shock.

(At half-time, Nick Mallett, on Super Sport, had the grace to say, " I've just been wiping the egg off my face." Before the match, he and Naas Botha had rubbished the visitors pack as unworthy and no match for the home players. They dwelt at some length on the overall weakness of the Highlanders as a disorganised, courageous unit, who 'tried hard', but were bottom of the NZ 'Conference' and showed it.)

A few other things: the Sharks have three dominant left-footed kickers in their side Mvovo, Erasmus and McLeod. Now, any flyhalf with half a brain will know how to pressure them into the 'wrong area' so that their return kicks are short or give away possession. So we saw Erasmus use the left foot near the left touchline and so kick into touch a 'full' ten metres and give away possession, Mvovo hack the ball down field to give opportunities to - have they heard of him? - the superb Ben Smith, who gave a faultless display of counter-attacking, and McLeod's boot was poor on the day. Ironically, late in the game, when Erasmus did - he HAD to - use is untutored right foot, it resulted in possession for the H's, and a spectacular try by Fekitoa, who ran 60 metres to score the try of the match. ( Former Sevens players know how to run into space.)

Enough! It was ANZAC DAY and the visitors did their coaches and their country proud.

H34-S18.

 

P.S.

Mallett had berated and did again after this match,  the lack of fundamental skills in all South African sides. He won't win friends, but he's dead right. Perhaps Naas Botha, another canny analyst, got it right when he wondered whether SA teams keep their focus first on the game plan and then on the skills to implement it. It's a point. My tickey's worth is: what are the backline coaches doing? During training do they practise 'passing to the right' - where 8 out of 10 errors occur - and practise all the skills of backline play including catching and kicking, under pressure? That's vital! As for the Sharks' kicking on Friday evening: aimless in direction, length and tactical nous. The home side gave away two tries directly from kicks which missed touch; one an inept effort by Alberts ( where was he all afternoon??) and the one by Erasmus.The need is , obviously, for more situation-rehearsal and simulation practice, again and again and again. ( It's no good saying Mtawarira's overhead pass behind Pietersen's head was understandable because 'he's only a forward'. Those days are gone! Forwards need all the skills in today's game.

As I close this critical account, I think, well the coaches are not trying to get it wrong and the players do let them down ( think David Moyes in another sport), but, ultimately, if your coaches aren't absolutely ruthless in their demand for 'perfect' basics, they shouldn't be there.

More to come.

 

Neil Jardine

26 April 2014

SHARKS VS BULLS: LOFTUS VERSVELD: BULLS 23- SHARKS 19

 

The loss of both Lambie and Reinach was a serious blow to the visitors. Steyn kicked two long penalties which Lambie would not likely have goaled, but the former missed two relatively easy ones, which Lambie would surely have popped over. The Bulls won through tried and tested application of 'slow poison' ( Ludeke's comment). Great tries by Alberts for the Sharks ( give that one to Reinach for the break) and du Plessis's breakaway effort for the Bulls. JL Potgieter continues to impress: calm under pressure, most decisions sensible – and that long drop?! Again! Playing great rugby.

 

LIONS VS REDS: LIONS 23- REDS 20

 

The Reds gave it away. When you're ahead by 15 or so points at the half, it's a disgrace to lose. The Reds became complacent, casual and careless after the break. Cooper, after a brilliant display in the first half, looked, thereafter, as though he was checking the local talent: focus not on the game in hand. The Lions who played without cohesion, support or good skills in the first 40 minutes, came back, with courage, against a side that had lost its resolve and discipline. They were exposed as a team with an inability to cope with the consistent sniping and forward driving play by a resolute and lively home side. The Reds are now blaming the ref for the uneven penalty count. Well they can go on moaning. The professional fouls they committed in their 22 and red zone were pathetically obvious and crude. Horwill's leadership, under pressure, was weak and misplaced. Instead of complaining to the ref, he should have showed real commonsense, warned his players against transgressions, treated the ref with more respect and nous and, then, rallied the troops.

 

At end of the first half, I wrote: ' Lions have been outplayed in all departments'. In the 50^th minute, I noted ; 'Will the weaker side win? Surely not.' ( But I, and I guess, many others watching the Reds self-destruct, detected a loss of self-belief and a tendency to protect a lead – always a grievous error.) The visitors were suddenly and inexplicably responding instead of taking the game to the Lions. They lost all initiative. It was riveting drama. Overall, guts, sustained attack, self-belief and improved basics in the second half, saw an unlikely result for the Lions. Take a bow, Warren Whiteley and the coaching staff, who must have been as surprised at the end as I'm sure many of us were.

 

HIGHLANDERS VS HURRICANES: 35-31

 

The teams cancelled each other out. The early passages of play saw too much kicking   away of possession. It was boring rugby. Some great tries: Ben Smith's after a devastating break by Sopoago of the H'landers; Barrett's try after clever play from Perenara – great passing and a decisive run-in. The only poor passes during the whole match were passes to the right!! I rest my case; the 'passing coaches' are asleep. Another intercept try from a long, loopy pass - you guessed it - to the right. How the Hurricanes can leave a brilliant back like Andre Taylor on the bench for so long is a mystery? The moment he came on things began to happen.. He changed the tempo of the game.

 

 

REBELS VS WARATAHS: 32-8

 

Folau and Beale were on top form. ( How about that W's try from their red zone with Folau finishing? Who else? Nothing else to say; Rebels outplayed heavily.                                                                        

 

CHEETAHS VS BLUES: 40-30

 

I was so angry with the incompetent Argentine ref, Pastrano, ( under-cooked Pastrami!) that I found it difficult to watch. Pastrano's decision to award a try to the Blues, contradicting the TMO's finding, when a) there was double-movement b) the ball was knocked on c) the ball never reached the try line is the worst decision I've seen by any ref since this tournament began. The Cheetahs have every right to appeal. The Cheetahs dominated territory and possession, so what went wrong? Well, for one thing, the Blues scored 14 points while Boom Prinsloo was off with a yellow card for ten minutes.

 

It's hard to blame one player for a defeat – nobody tries to play badly – but Willie le Roux's performance was so inept ( apart from the break that led to Hendricks' wonderful try) and erratic that he was personally responsible for giving away at least ten points. The amateur fumble of the ball near his 22, - subsequent try - was disgraceful. Then the hospital pass to Cornall Hendricks who gave away a penalty because he had no support, was equally inexcusable. It's all very well to have flair, but the foundation of all success in this game, and others I guess, is control of the fundamental skills. Put those two factors together – Prinsloo's yellow card, le Roux's ineptitude and throw the hapless Pastrano into the mix and you have your answer.

 

BRUMBIES VS STORMERS: 25-15

 

First pick your captain, then pick your kicker, so the saying goes. Peter Grant is a tidy flyhalf without sufficient skills to manage a game. Under pressure he was found wanting and missed two easy penalties which may well have brought his team victory or something close to it. He choked. (To be fair, White, for the Brumbies, missed three goalable attempts too). But Grant's tactical kicking was also off target and gave away possession. He needs a coach who can rebuild his confidence and judgment. I thought the Stormers' forwards played with consistent fire but the backs, despite heroic efforts, could neither penetrate nor dominate. ( What's de Villiers' role in all this?). For the home team, Mogg, often a decisive factor, was inconsistent; his meaningless grubber early on – too far, too much in field – seemed symptomatic of his mood. I thought Vermeulen had a great match – full of 'sound and fury signifying' a lot. Great try from a well-worked maul. The Stormers' support play is just not there – to give one example, de Villiers break early on when he was forced to pass to a well-marked Fourie on the inside because his outside backs were not up with him. In fact, they played the whole game too far behind the gain line. So now? Where to for the Stormers? I see the WP President is considering major reappointments as I write. My advice? Don't throw the baby out with the bath water. But the coaches need a real rev. They should rethink their whole approach.

 

 

FORCE VS CHIEFS: 18-15

 

The match of the weekend! If one ever needed proof that consistent positive driving rugby pays dividends this was it. Impenetrable defence from the Force alongside well-executed basic skills brought an unexpected victory. In his sportsmanlike interview after the game, Cruden – what a player he is! - was quick to praise the Force. He admitted, more or less, the Chiefs had been over-confident. So, who was responsible for that attitude? Captain and coaching staff, that's who. The lesson is : don't underestimate anyone!

 

Success is a fickle mistress: take her for granted and she will dump you when you least expect it. Wayne Smith and his fellow coaches' faces said it all. They were stunned as the game neared its end. The tackling of the Force was of World War One intensity, bodies thrown across to better effect than anything in those terrible battles which we commemorate a 100 years hence this year. (For those with an interest in that war, I think it was best summed up by the title of a soldier's book written afterwards: 'Lions Led By Donkeys'.) Hodgson was terrific! Everyone uses mauls but the Force and the ball carrier were outstanding in their drive, direction and judgment.

 

PS I've more or less given up on a) balls put in skew at the scrums b) leading elbows smashing into faces and then going unpunished c) professional fouls in the 22 and red zone. I'm going back to my opinion, from my son Mark, of a few weeks ago - award at least four points for penalties in the opposing 22.

 

But I'll be back next week, I'm sure, moaning once more about a) b) and c) above. Till then.....

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

Neil Jardine

Captained Rhodesia 1962 – 1969 Rector of Michaelhouse. (1978-1986)

"Rugby is a thinking game – its’ not a running or a kicking game. This mania for running with the ball and playing open rugby at all costs is stupid – you must adapt yourself to the circumstances and play to your strength"

Now 50 years later Niel Jardine writes for Frosty Rugby Fans ...

The Chiefs simply outgunned the Stormers. Relentless attack is the phrase which comes to mind. Their mantra of 'Forward! Forward!' worked, and works every weekend, like clockwork.

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Jordaan. A gift of seven points! The game went back and forth with not too much 'gaining grounds', but the Sharks were better at retaining possession. Their passing was, on the whole, immaculate and a joy to watch. The Lions must be given credit for their guts and never-say-die attitude. The two
tries in the second half, by de Klerk and van Rensberg were expertly planned and carried out.

The second of these tries came from powerful forward play and good ball retention which led to a perfectly executed grubber from the talented Marnitz Boshoff at flyhalf after. Jantjies went off injured. The latter had had a poor game; he's so talented but too erratic – the charged down chip was a disastrous mistake. I would start him on the bench even if he is a 'Springbok'. For the Sharks, Francois Steyn marshalled the game very well from flyhalf and his place-kicking was unerring.

In other matches, The Force came back this week with a resurrection of biblical proportions. Four tries in the first twenty minutes!. The Rebels were shell-shocked. They were played out of their comfort-zone and were unable to function with any degree of continuity. After thrashing the Cheetahs last week, they simply couldn't operate at any level of cohesion. What a difference a week makes.

The Cheetahs came short against the Reds. Although they played with their customary drive and energy, too many errors were made. The conclusive try by the Reds hooker, Hanson, in a thirty-metre run up the touchline was sensational as he knocked off defenders, including Philip van der Walt nogal. Goosen had an off-day, chip-kicks poorly executed and he could not put his stamp on the match. Sarel Pretorius, when he came on, injected fresh energy, but, hell is he slow to the breakdowns!

One last thought: shouldn't all backline coaches be teaching as an essential routine exercise, practised over and over until perfected, the 'Sonny Bill Williams' one-handed offload. Against tight defence, it's becoming more and more essential.

Neil Jardine

Captained Rhodesia 1962 – 1969 Rector of Michaelhouse. (1978-1986)

"Rugby is a thinking game – its’ not a running or a kicking game. This mania for running with the ball and playing open rugby at all costs is stupid – you must adapt yourself to the circumstances and play to your strength"

Now 50 years later Niel Jardine writes for Frosty Rugby Fans ...

The standard of play in all spheres remains high. Most of the matches were gladiatorial in spectacle: hard, concentrated, no quarter asked or given. That is, apart from the mismatch between the Brumbies and the Western Force. The visitors to Perth were far too talented, organised and focused.

John Mitchell, who once coached the Force, states that Western Australia is a stop-over rugby area. Good players bide their time until better offers come from elsewhere; it is therefore hard to build a solid core of talent that stays.

The best match was between the Chiefs and the Highlanders. Sustained pressure was exerted from both sides, with the indefatigable Chiefs relentless in their pursuit of victory. They know how to play for the full 80 minutes. Cruden improves with every match. His judgment on Saturday was faultless.

The less said about the Cheetahs mauling at the hands of the Rebels the better. Naka Drotske's claim that this is his strongest outfit yet remains to be proved. So far performance on the field suggests otherwise. Hard-won possession is being squandered through scrappy play and poor fundamentals such as tackling.

The Lions VS Bulls affair was badly affected by weather, and overall the Bulls deserved a victory, they ground out with orthodox driving mauls and the ability to counter attack. For me, the try of the weekend was that scored by Jan Serfontein, following a dazzling display of opportunism realised in perfect distribution and a wonderful final pass from Bjorn Basson.

The Stormers, behind until the last moments of a disappointing game, won by a single point after a very well executed maul following a five metre lineout. Deon Fourie, with the assistance of a well coached pack, is deadly in these circumstances. The Hurricanes had every opportunity to win; it was their game to lose and they did just that with an erratic performance.

(In 1970, the Craven Week rugby tournament was held in Salisbury, Rhodesia. The rugby was, on the whole, scintillating. At the opening, Danie Craven said, “Run with the ball; put attack above defence; give the ball air when it should be given air constructively and play the game correctly instead of playing to win, for rugby correctly played looks after itself and the men playing it”.All very well, but playing to win does not mean that correct rugby cannot be played. Since those days of course, professionalism has established itself, and winning means more than victory. It means financial gain for all the victors.)

A thought: why do few movements in a match last at most 90 seconds before someone makes an elementary error – poor pass, collapsed scrum, crooked throw, faulty handling, 'coming in from the side', failure to 'roll away' and so on? It's becoming very much a stop-start game. But, and it's a significant 'but', how strange it is that when the final hooter blows and a team needs to retain possession for a long period to give themselves a chance at a bonus point or victory, suddenly play moves through up to 17 phases (my highest count), concentration is perfect and skills are at the highest level. If teams can do it then, why not keep it up throughout the match? A puzzlement. It must have to do with psychological preparation.

Last point: penalties for professional fouls in the opposing 22 or at least in the red zone should be rewarded with 4 points for the attacking side. Cynical tactics are obvious to all as bodies are thrown on the line, practically and figuratively in illegal efforts to prevent a try. More penalty tries awarded? These blatant fouls are a blot on modern rugby that the IRB has worked hard to improve, with much success.

 

Neil Jardine

Captained Rhodesia 1962 – 1969 Rector of Michaelhouse. (1978-1986)

"Rugby is a thinking game – its’ not a running or a kicking game. This mania for running with the ball and playing open rugby at all costs is stupid – you must adapt yourself to the circumstances and play to your strength"

Now 50 years later Niel Jardine writes for Frosty Rugby Fans ...