On the whole, most SA rugby fans will be pleased with the performance of the Springboks on Saturday. There are a few concerns, notably at the kick-offs, where they did not field the ball in the air a few times, and the penalties conceded in the scrum. The lapse in concentration at the beginning of the second half, when they had something like 4% possession at one stage, will need to be addressed during this week’s training
Die mees verblydende aspek was die gehalte van die rugby wat ons opgedis het. Almal, en ek sluit myself in, wat gedink het Heyneke se wedstrydplan is skop skiet en donnner, sal na Saterdag moet erken dit was mooi. Byna al die drieë is weliswaar uit omgekeerde besit gedruk, maar as mens in ag neem dat dit ‘n baie nuwe span is, het hulle puik vertoon.
Is dit net die feit dat Habana in die nommer 14 trui gespeel het wat sy wonderlike vertoning verklaar? Volgens Heyneke doen die Springbok trui dit vir Brian, maar ek vermoed daar is meer agter sy minder goeie vertoning in die Stormers trui as bloot die kleur daarvan.
Baie is gesê oor die nuwelinge, maar een speler wat my baie opgewonde maak, is JJ Engelbrecht. Hy het wel twee foute begaan, maar is die naaste speler aan Conrad Smith van die All Blacks wat ons het.Poor old Scotland must have thought it was World War 2 all over again as they were pounded by Samoa’s Kamikaze tackles and charges. In terms of physicality, this coming Saturday is not going to be any easier.
At least they have the most beautiful anthem, which drive many to tears, including me.
Klein maar getrein
Nes hul ouboete, het die onder-20 Bokkies se koppelaar bietjie gegly na ‘n baie goeie begin. Die Engelse span, wat die Ses-Nasies onder-20 titelhouer is, het nooit moed opgegee nie, en na die einde toe was desperate verdediging nodig om voor te bly. Die vierde bonuspunt wat die Bokkies nie kon kry nie, plaas Donderdag se wedstryd teen die gashere, Frankryk, nou in ‘n ander lig, want hulle moet ten minste een punt kry om die halfeindrondte te haal. Ek hoop net hulle fokus is verkeerd nie, want as jy net speel om met nie minder as 7 punte te verloor nie, is die kanse goed dat jy dit nie gaan regkry nie. As hulle fokus daarop om vier drieë te druk, sal hulle baie verder vorder.
Do or die
Let’s hope that we’ve learnt enough from the opening game against India to pull today’s match through. I must admit that India, in my view, is the favourite team to win the tournament. Their top 7 batters, apart from Raina, are all in top form. I thought the Proteas composed themselves well and got themselves into the game beautifully, just for panic to set in at a very strange time when we seemed to have it all under control.
Today is make or break for the Proteas – Pakistan is not our favourite side to play in knockouts, which today’s game effectively is. If the Proteas lose, they go home.
The facts are: No Morne Morkel (injured) and Dale Steyn is an unlikely starter due to his side strain, not to mention how much we are missing the calm heads of Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis. Nevertheless, this is what the Proteas are confronted with. The pitch they are playing on today is in Birmingham, and is likely to be low and slow as the game progresses. The youngsters will be keen to impress but there will be heavy reliance on Amla and de Villiers. Chris Morris is likely to play in the place of Morkel and Peterson and Duminy are the likely slow bowling options. Don’t be surprised to see Behardien in the side – he adds to the batting and is a more than useful bowler.We can only wait and see. The calm head of Kirsten will be a major factor in the outcome of this match.
