CHIEFS VS CRUSADERS: H20-C17

Well, what a difference a week makes! The Chiefs, playing at home, were awarded TWO penalty tries and still lost. Why? 1. Cruden missed three kickable penalties – end of story. If one needs to go on.....2. Scrumhalf Pulu failed on two occasions to pass to a player who would very likely have scored. 3. The Highlanders’ defence was amazing. 4. Treeby’s great break for the Highlanders,  led to a try. 5. Poor psychological attitude from Chiefs – over-confidence? If I were the Chiefs coach, I’d be spitting. The Highlanders deserved to win, but it was a gift-wrapped victory.

The match was characterised by excellent passing – I saw no poor offloads or passes. Scrumming was fine, if you like scrums. Lineouts OK. Thinking of Pulu and his failure to pass, I am reminded of a number of players who ‘seldom’ pass: Muliaina, Nonu (better these days), Mealamu....and now, perhaps, the brilliant Fekitoa. The problem for the latter is opponents know he wants to run and break at will, so they’re ready. He’ll have to do some serious re-thinking.

24 February 2015

What an exhilarating game rugby is! Played the way it is today, with talented players superbly coached and prepared, levels of fitness at a high level, and just about all the fundamental skills required, executed to perform and outplay the opposition. But at no time is it robotic. It remains a game of judgement and decision, of timing. At the pivot, the flyhalf, in a split second, has to make one of three decisions – pass, kick or keep. One can translate that situation across the other fourteen positions in one way or another. These first few matches of our winter Super 15 produced play of the highest standards. The laws of rugby today have made it a better, faster game. The points for try, penalty, drop are just about right. It was not always so.

(When I began watching this wonderful game at age 10 in East London, Eastern Cape, things were different: a drop got you FOUR points, a try THREE! To convert a try, a player had to hold the ball off the ground and then lower it so the kicker could execute the kick; lineouts could stretch across the field, high tackles on  long-sleeved jersey collars were rife, flanks could follow the ball round the scrum and scrag the opposite scrumhalf as he took it, wings threw the ball in at lineouts, you could kick the ball out on the full from any position on the field, a knock-on was whistled up if you fumbled the ball even if you regained it without it touching the ground, you could tackle an opposing player in the air as he jumped to catch the ball. Allow me a reminiscence: I was captain of Rhodes University in 1958 in a match against an Eastern Cape country town team, Somerset East. The field was bone hard. We had, as usual, travelled up from Grahamstown in one of Beaumont and Rice’s lorries with a canopy on the back. It was cold, and peeing over the board into the road as the bus rattled along required concentration and accurate aim. There were no such things as tracksuits. We wore raincoats to keep the cold out. Anyway, during the game, the opposition kicked an up-and-under. I hastily looked around for someone else to take it, but realised I had to. As I caught the ball in the air, the Somerset East 8^th man hit me in the kidneys with his shoulder and hurled me to the ground. The ligaments in my lower back were torn. I was in agony. I was taken to the local hospital where a kindly, unattractive nurse called Alena, eventually gave me a shot of pethedine. I became addicted that day! The pain ebbed away as a clear mountain stream and I lay there silently praising the wonders of ‘modern’ medicine. I looked at Alena and she had changed. Now she was the spitting image of Elizabeth Taylor, stunningly beautiful! I was filled with the milk of human kindness. After I borrowed a pencil from a man in the next bed, I thought I should write to him to thank him. Perhaps all the world leaders should be on pethedine. It took me weeks to recover. Six years later while doing History Honours at Rhodes I was picked to play for Eastern Province. In the team was the same bastard at No. 8, the one who had put me in hospital. He recalled the incident with humour that I didn’t share.  So the game has changed for the better.....more of that some other time.)

I didn’t see all the matches but there was some wonderful play. I found myself rethinking my rather negative attitude to the scrum. Hell! In some matches, the technique of scrumming very low, produced many penalties and kickable ones at that. The scrum was not just another way of starting play. Of course the interminable delays occur, the collapses, the dubious decisions which no layman can adjudicate and which I fear some refs blow arbitrarily. The rolling maul was used to good effect but some teams have worked hard at defending it and twice the Lions failed to score against the Sharks when a try would usually be on. Coetzee’s two tries in that match were the result of clever shielding of the ball and expert timing and drive. 

Tactical kicking remains problematical. Even Lambie, who is an astute thinker, kicked two down the throats of the opposition. On the other hand, his two diagonal kicks for his wings – one to the left, the other to the right – were out of the top drawer and Ndungane scored from one. I suppose one must accept that keeping the ball on the field guarantees some form of continuity, but lots is aimless ‘skop and hope’, waiting to finally gain some ground and give possession away to the other side. As far as drop goals are concerned I think they’re underused.  Defensive tactics are so good in the red zone that I think it may well be a better option to kick the drop from fairly close in and take the points and keep doing it. Of course if your rolling maul is virtually unstoppable, then that’s the way to go. Who can ever forget Jannie de Beers FIVE drop goals to put England out of the World Cup in 1999. Great skill and the result of careful pre-match analysis. There have been many fine Springbok flyhalves, but I’ve never seen a better one than Jannie de Beer, who, at the time played second fiddle to the equally great Henry Honiball. (The best I played against was Keith Oxlee of Natal).

There were some amazing upsets with wins by the Force against the Waratahs! I missed that one. And then, how on earth did the Rebels beat the mighty Crusaders?? A clever game plan, drive, a policy of ‘going forward’. front foot play, sound kicking and what temperament and determination.

And what’s to say of the Bulls? I ask with sincerity and some irritation: ‘What is Victor Matfield doing still playing rugby at this level in his thirty-eighth year? Does he need the money? Can he afford not to play? Is he a better bet than young du Toit or Etzebeth or Hattingh or the Free State pair? Decide for  your self, but, despite his fantastic lineout skills, he is slow about the field. I don’t like saying so but I think the time has come. Pollard has been a curate’s egg at flyhalf – parts good, parts not so good. But he is a real talent. I don’t rate van Zyl at scrumhalf and would start with Rudi Paige. It was interesting to see Spies back on the field. His long absence remains a mystery for me; it can’t all be explained by injury, surely. He remains strong, fast, dedicated, determined and predictable. Vermeulen is all those things and more: he strikes me as a fine thinker and decision-maker. There is an inspirational side to him too. 

So how were matches won? By taking advantage of over-confidence ( Rebels over Crusaders and Cheetahs over the Sharks), kicking goals at crucial times (Canes vs Bulls). And what are we to make of the red card given to one Hayden Triggs (Charles Dickens would have loved that name)? The law so I heard says if there is a punch to the face, it’s red. I have to support it but it does place one team on the back foot, But then that was always the way in the past – no replacements, no yellows, only ‘reds’ in those day when men were men. I did hear one of the Stormers’ coaching squad say he thought it was a planned tactic of the Blues to put Vermeulen off his stride. Well it back fired , big time. There were many great tries but I’ll go for the one by Dillyn  (another father who can’t spell at the Birth Registry Office!) Leyds against the Blues. As you would have seen, he caught the ball under great pressure, spun round and sprinted sixty or so metres to score. Breathtaking! Oh, before I go, my usual thing : passing. Of the games I saw, there were only two poor passes to the left. There were TEN that went wrong; too short, too hard, too low, behind the receiver etc. to the RIGHT. These coaches simply don’t get it. Practise passing to the RIGHT twice as much as to the left. Enough already.

Neil Jardine.

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

HURRICANES VS REDS: 26/4/14

 

The Hurricanes were simply magnificent. That drive, power, basic skills and attacking determination carried them to a deserved victory..They wanted to score tries! It's not that the Reds lacked purpose and talent; they played very well against an unstoppable team on the day. Corey Jane's hattrick of tries were a joy to watch. They came from concerted forward driving play and excellent distribution and judgment of the pass. They managed on many occasions to work a 5 on 3 situation; congratulations to the backline coach. Their's was a performance of relentless forward momentum; they also know that part of the secret of scoring tries is to identify your 'impact players', those who can see the tryline and reach it regularly. Therefore, they plan to bring into play these players at the right moment. Brilliant! I noticed too how their backs are masters of the 'flat' pass; this of course means players running on to the ball can take it at full pace. of course they made 'too many' errors, but when you're attacking for 90% of the game, it's bound to happen. When you have players of the calibre of Coles (multi-skilled hooker), Vito, Andre Taylor, Barrett ( what judgment and speed!), Leiua and the mercurial Perenara, winning becomes more probable. There are many others who should be mentioned - those in the engine room for example, like Thrush - what a player! For the Reds, Cooper played really well, Harris was very good, Slipper was indefatigable and Hanson and Robinson shone. The first try, by the Reds, was a masterpiece of tactical planning and execution, Robinson's entry into the line judged to perfection and the final pass to Lucas faultless. And I haven't even mentioned the Saveas! Great game!

H 32-R21

 

BULLS VS FORCE: 26/4/14

 

No comment except to say it's the most boring and worst match I've seen since the tournament began as Super 12. This wasn't rugby; it was 'gaining grounds'. So it rained! Well, north of the equator, they play in rain very often and they have the confidence to 'run the ball'. I suppose Michael Foley, the Force's coach will say, 'A win's a win'. ( Just like Trevor Mills, the famous EP flyhalf of the fifties used to say after a Rhodes University vs Albany match in Grahamstown. Not known for his eloquence or articulate grasp of the English language, he would invariably say something like. 'Thanks for the game. We played for 2 points and we won. We got the 2 points'. Riveting stuff. Vince Lombardi of the Green Bay Packers, has gained some fame among the less intellectually gifted followers of American football for his ''Winning isn't everything, it's the only thing'. Well in the above match, winning meant, for anyone who truly understands and loves rugby, absolutely nothing.

F15-B9

 

CHEETAHS VS STORMERS: 26/4/14

 

Well, this was one of the greatest games, if not the greatest, of the Super 15 tournament so far. What entertainment! What excitement! What skill! I hardly know what to leave out. There was so much ball-retention and brilliant support play. The passing was excellent, kicking purposeful, battles at the set-pieces and breakdowns first-class. ( Welcome back Heinrich Brussouw - what a star!) The match was characterised by speed, driving attack, initiative, courage and exceptional individualism. What to say about the will o' the wisp Willie le Roux? He's everywhere! His diagonal kick for Daniller's try was a gem - and just think, that didn't happen by chance; it came from excellent driving forward support play, through a number of phases and then , le Roux, standing at flyhalf, knew Daniller was waiting for the kick at the corner flag. Young Devon Williams had no chance. Benjamin was outstanding at centre for the home side - whose clever idea was it to play him at centre? Take a bow.

Turning points: Duane Vermeulen's ridiculous, stupid and self-defeating and illegal blocking of a defender so that de Jong's try was disallowed. I would drop him for at least the next match, from the team and from the bench - utterly inexcusable! That try would have brought the Stormers to within a couple of points of the Cheetahs - and then? There were umpteen phases in this match, by both sides. Ball retention was masterly. Another turning point -call it lucky if you will - was when Brussouw, tapped the ball back from what looked like an offside position, but it couldn't be offside because it happened in broken play. The Stormers were about to score and from Brussouw's tap-down, Pretorius, one of my absolute favourite rugby players, chose, correctly, to pass the ball to Cornall Hendricks, when most would have kicked it out. Then we witnessed the awesome speed of Hendricks who outstripped the very quick Devon Williams to the tryline. ( I was under the impression, having always been told, that the player with the ball could not run faster than the chaser. Well, wrong this time!) I must mention Nyakane, used effectively as a battering ram in midfield - wonderful planning. And raymond Rhule? A wonderful player!

So this was rugby at its very best. I was overwhelmed with excitement and admiration. I felt proud for South African rugby. It took away the bad taste of the Sharks' performance of the previous day and the disgraceful display of the Bulls and Force.

C35-S22

 

Neil Jardine

26/4/2014

P.S. I don't like the Man of the Match award. It has to do with money and little else. Rugby is a team game.

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 ...