ABs v Boks reaction

With New Zealand struggling to overcome a supposedly weak South Africa side 33-6 in Christchurch on Saturday, reaction has been swift in coming towards the All Blacks’ performance. This is what you had to say…

“So the All Blacks won! So what? I have never seen a bigger bunch of reconditioned morons wearing black as this shower. And I am an avid supporter of the All Black aura!

“To hear the Sky commentators rabbiting on about closing the door on criticism of the All Black reconditioning programme has to be the biggest crock ever. To win anything, they not only have to be physically but also mentally conditioned. The latter, they are not.”
– David (Auckland)

“Only thing different with the ABs compared to the last few years is that the passes aren’t sticking. Had even half their chances come off you’d be lauding a 50-point win and saying last one was an aberration and they were a shoe-in for the cup again. Carter’s kicking is back on form except for all the chip kicks. I suspect that was a tactic to take the intercept out of the equation though.

“Superb defence by the boys, the Boks didn’t look like scoring even from 5m out as they were a couple of times. McAllister was back in his usual position and showed why he’s the form inside centre in NZ (have we seen the last of Mauger? Here’s hoping). Toeava was very lateral and I thought Smith straightened things up when he came on, albeit for 5 minutes.

“It wasn’t a classic AB performance, but it was a classic NZ v SA Test. Torrid defence and chances only coming toward the end when tiredness leads to errors. I don’t think this Bok team is getting the credit they deserve for being an almost makeshift side and yet almost turning the Aussies over and containing the ABs for 65 minutes. England will write them off at their peril.

“The Aussies are as good as they’ll get, which may be good enough to make the semis or even the final, but not good enough to win it. I don’t think the ABs will hit their straps next week and may even fall over again, at best it’ll be a ten-pointer. There is a distinct lack of urgency in their play at the moment which I think is more a sign of them not being too focused on the Tri-Nations. I have hardly ever seen two players cry off before kick-off and yet it’s happened twice this season. Maybe just a ploy by Graham Henry to see how the boys react under pressure to unexpected circumstances? Wouldn’t put it past him.

“One more game and then the building to France begins. What’s the bigger Test? Playing spoiling Aussies and Saffas or 30 All Blacks playing each other in “training” matches? If most journos are to be believed about New Zealand’s 2nd’s being able to win the RWC, then I’d suggest their biggest Tests and improvements will come in the next six weeks. What will Australia be doing?”
– Andy

“How many times will it take before SA finally ‘do a Laporte’ and take Stuart Dickinson to task? Are they still carrying the baggage of isolation around their necks so much that they are too scared to do a John O’Neil and throw their toys out of the cot? They really do have to start playing the same games that NZ, Australia and England play and insist that they get a equal playing and disciplinary rights and stop meekly accepting the Chinese death of a thousand yellow card paper cuts.

“I am happy to concede that the All Blacks deserved the victory and were the better side on the night. SA, unfortunately, are still bereft of any attacking ideas and are a limited side.

“What really bothers me, though is the amount of 50/50 decisions that go against SA and the disproportionate amount of yellow and red cards given against SA. I am happy to acknowledge that SA players are not the most street smart and NZ and Australia are masters at ‘the dark art’ but surely that is what the referee is there for – to see through all the smoke and mirrors and create a fair contest? It seems as if every SA away game is at the equivalent of Manchester United’s ‘Theatre of Dreams’ where no visiting team ever gets a penalty. (I think there was none awarded for about ten years?)

“Johann Muller seems to be one of the few who is not afraid to be made a pariah for speaking his mind (perhaps it is because this will be his one Test as captain)!

“If you look at the passage leading up to the yellow card, Rodney So’oialo breaks from a maul. As he breaks, he runs into his own player who prevents a tackler from tackling So’oialo. In my book this is accidental offside. Dickinson, despite seeming to have a clear view of this decides this will be one of the few occasions on the night where he does not want to be the centre of attention and does not blow a legitimate infringement. This leads to the ruck where Wannenburg is yellow carded. At the ruck Wannenburg does a McCaw and keeps hands on the ball despite his knee dropping to the ground before he re-gathers his feet and continues to contest the ball. Yellow card? I’ve seen a lot worse but SA never seem to be the side that gets the benefit of the doubt.

“At almost every ruck, McCaw come in (mostly through the gate) gets his hands on the ball. The first thing that he does is to pivot around the ball swinging his posterior 180% so that his body is now on the oppositions side of the ball. If he gets driven off the ball he uses the force of the defending side to rip the ball from the ball carrier and places the ball onto his own side. The other option is that the moment he feels a drive from his own side, he falls to the ground (now that he has pivoted his body around the ball) effectively sealing the ball off from the opposition and winning it for his side. Clever – yes. Legal – No. If you look at the way SA attach the maul/ruck, they attack in straight lines facing towards the opposition goal line which against McCaw’s tactics (if the referee does not penalise him as they should) is pretty ineffective.

“Test matches turn on crucial decisions and while the yellow card did not lead to points against SA, they had to defend non stop for ten minutes at a time in the game where fatigue is really starting to bite. I have no doubt that this is what led to holes at the end of the game which NZ being NZ exploited fully. Too many times has this happened to SA and too many times has Stuart Dickinson been the delivered. I would never condone what Chelsea did to Anders Frisk but I am getting close!

“If you look back to last week for the SA v Australia game, it astounds me how George Smith did not get a yellow card for his swinging straight arm to the face of Johann Muller. In the slow motion, there seems to be clear intent to me. Perhaps it was because of frustration, perhaps it was because as an opensider he had been the focus of the defensive effort (as all good opensiders are now days) but even if it was accidental it does not condone this kind of tackle. Rugby league outlawed it years ago and is very punitive when it happens. Unfortunately had it been a green on gold tackle I have no doubt that it would have merited a yellow card. Sadly SA are too used to accepting kangaroo courts (pun intended) in Australia where duplicity, hypocrisy and parochialism are the norm. This has got to stop. The sooner there is an international citing commission dealing with these cases the better.

“I would love to see the stats for yellow cards and red cards in internationals since they were introduced. It would not doubt make interesting reading to have them broken down by referee as well. I would hope that such an authoritative site such as yourself would have this to hand and would be independent enough to publish it?”
– Justin

“The All Blacks continue to be playing men off the ball. We need a campaign to draw refs attention to this deliberate ploy.There was one absolute classic during the game leading to a storming run from Rodney Soialu.

“For the All Blacks the key men are McCaw and Carter (obviously) Carl Hayman and McAllister. Without Hayman they are much diminished.”
– Trish Taylor

“Let’s face it the All Blacks of last year were some thing spectacular to watch, this year they are struggling. How can a full strength AB team struggle like they did against an under-strength Bok team?

“How is it that refs throughout the world allow McCaw to go off his feet and never pin him for lying all over the ball and the man, yet Burger and Smith are pinned every time.

“Please IRB bring back rucking, for the beauty of the game that play in heaven. Let the boys be able to ruck the person lying over the ball. Then we will see who the best team is.

“It must be hard for the best team in the world, statistically, to only have won 1 world cup back in 1987. My money is on the fact that the ABs are going to choke AGAIN, come September.”
– Koos Du Toit

“This was a riveting game. No other team in the world can defend like that – bar none. And no other team in the world have to revert to acrobatics and aerobatics to beat that defence – again bar none – not the French at their best, nor the Australians. NZ had to do this all game and eventually something was going to stick. A great Test match. NZ dominated the game, played positive football but the Boks defensive patterns were magnificent. White will have to make some hard choices because some of his players (against Australia too), have really stepped up to the mark.

“Carter is back to something like his old self while the wing 3/4s and the full-back were outstanding for NZ. McAlister is best at 2nd five and you have to wonder if Mauger will be starting in the crunch matches. NZ’s substitutions were inspired. Weepu almost looks third-rate and Leonard may have an opportunity to jump Kelleher. Great passing from the base. Nick Evans is a truly world-class player who can’t make the starting line-up. What a player.

“While the late try inflated the margin, it was almost a fair result given the Black’s dominance. But hats off the Boks – they are truly a threat for taking the World Cup.”
– Tony Elson

“How convincing do you want it?

“Within 5 minutes, it was obvious the Saffers were going to run it a lot, so NZ shut down the game, ran inside lines, tuckered the ‘Boks’ loosies out. They were tired boys with 20 minutes to go AGAIN.

“When did NZ score their points? At the end, when SA had no legs to respond.

“Chess, not Checkers.”
– Chris (South Korea)

“I think the ABs are starting to panic and are going into damage control over their perceived (in fact realistic) fade in form every four years.

“No question they deserved to win this Test against the Boks but some of the post match comments are telling. The Bok skipper has made some very good points whilst the ABs coaches seem to be smoking something and then trying to blow smoke up everyone’s arse!

“I predict that golden boy Carter will lose the World Cup for the ABs in the crunch and McCaw will be negated by stricter Northern Hemisphere refs who are NOT blinded by S14/TriNations considerations. The first time he gets a yellow card will send panic through the All Black ranks. He is a talismanic leader of their team and they will suffer without him, especially the realisation that he/they are not a protected species!”
– Yank (Sedgefield)

“It took the All Blacks 69 minutes to score. Their pattern of play and cohesion amongst their backline players is very very average. The Kiwis have the ability to put teams away, but their pattern of play and ball handling skills let them down. They have the best scrum in the world, but their ball handling skills are probably the worse. Next weekends game between the Wallabies and NZ will tell us who will be the Cup favourites, but I think this is the most open world cup with at least five teams capable of winning it. The Kiwis were the favourites in 87, 99 and equal favs with the Poms in 2003. In 1995, the Aussies were, but I think the dark horse of this World Cup is the Irish. But I hope the Boks can get up.

“Go Bokke!”
– Ben Ibrahim

“Geez, I hope its recondition if not I am returning my RWC tickets because we don’t look anything like we have over the last two seasons. Henry now has to pick his best side and play them through to get combinations working. McAlister and Toeava I think is the best midfield combination but I bet it changes!

“Fingers crossed. Still Hoping.”
– Wishful Kiwi

“After watching the Jade Stadium Test between the ABs and the Springboks I think I saw a glimpse of the 2006 All Blacks. The last 11 minutes of that game produced 21 points for the ABs and I could have sworn that I was watching last years Tri-Nations machine.

“Keeping the ball in hand and off-loading to a supporting player, with the defence at 6’s and 7’s, who were desperately trying to slow the pace to prevent a score. This is the All Blacks of old. This is the best team in the world. This is the team that will win the World Cup. This team dominates everyone…

“Not this year’s team. That team is full of fit men with unfit minds. Minds clouded by handling errors. Clouded by selection uncertainty. Clouded by the rugby world as the world cup approaches with its perpetuating pressure.

“Those 11 minutes were a relief to many as it was hopefully a return to the All Black way of attractive, winning and dominating rugby. It is timely as the second biggest game of the year (for Kiwi’s) looms at Eden Park. With the Wannabies enjoying a quiet confidence and the “I told you we’d be ok by the time the world cup rolls around” attitude, they will provide many New Zealander’s with a restless Saturday afternoon. The fear that they will lose two trophy’s to the Aussies (no less!) is enough to make any Kiwi in Sydney rethink wearing their AB jersey out to the pub.

“Will they carry on the last 11 minutes into the Bledisloe Test? Will they carry it to the World Cup? Will they shame the critics and silence them for another four years? I can tell you that this Wellingtonian dearly hopes so…”
– Paul Fergusson (Australia)

“I haven’t any idea who wrote your column ‘All Blacks struggle past SA second string’, but must assume he is a one-eyed New Zealand supporter.

“To him the Boks foolishly gave away points. Yes, Albert van den Berg foolishly gave away three points, but pray, why wasn’t there rather a scrum for his conduct? The All Blacks had already been penalized, so how did the penalty against Van den Bergh cancel out the penalty against the All Blacks? Absolute rubbish! Where is the logic? – or was Stuart Dickinson once again only too ready to punish the Boks?

“Your writer also makes no mention of Paulse being wrongly penalised and the All Blacks gifted three points. No mention of Pedrie Wannenburg being on his feet when supposedly slowing down the ball and unfairly yellow-carded. No mention of Richie McCaw’s and other All Blacks forwards deliberate, calculated, off-sides and obstruction for which they should have been yellow-carded, but were not. No mention of yet another ‘not so hot’ performance by this referee.

“It was galling enough losing this game, without a journalist highlighting supposed Springbok indiscretions while failing to mention those of the All Blacks that went unpunished by a referee who once again gave an unconvincing performance.”
– Rob Porter

Response to Henry’s pleads for ‘Refs to open their eyes’ article:

“This has to be a joke , this man has some cheek after what two of his so-called stars did to Brian O’ Driscoll during the last Lions tour in New Zealand. Can he really consider himself to be in any position to comment on this aspect of the game after presiding over that attack?

“Perhaps if the men in charge like him stood up and had the ‘strength of character’ to speak up when there is such a clear attack as in the O’Driscoll incident , we would begin to see less off the ball incidents.”
-John Fitzpatrick (Ireland)

“So Graham Henry is pleading with refs to “open their eyes.” Well, so do I, not least to watch Australian and New Zealand players deliberately running ‘interference’ – to use an American (NFL) football term for running ahead of the ball-carrier. Certainly the All Blacks and Wallabies don’t do this by running directly ahead, as is done in the NFL, but they run at angles slightly ahead of the ball-carrier in order to distract or obstruct intended tacklers. Wallaby forward, Guy Sheppard, did it in the Cape Town Tri-Nations clash and the ref was too dosey to disallow the try and instead award a penalty. The same Australian tactic occurred in the Melbourne Test and again resulted in a try that should not have been allowed.

“I would also suggest that refs stop playing to the crowd. Paul Honiss once again was so biased in the last Test in Australia that I barely escaped a bilious attack.

“Frankly, one of these days when glaringly evidence that a ref is anti-Bok in his officiating and completely erroneously yellow cards a Bok player while ignoring transgressions by their opponents, or conducts himself as poorly as did Paul Honiss in Ireland a few years ago, I would like to see the Bok captain march his team off the field and refuse to return until the ref is replaced. Ridiculous? Not so.

“Many years ago in an ice-hockey match between Canada and the Soviet Union, held in a communist Eastern European country, the officiating by the chief umpire was so biased that at the end of one period the Canadians refused to re-appear until the umpire was removed. After a long delay, eventually the officials relented and the chief umpire was replaced. The Canadians came from behind and won.”
– Rob Porter