Dumb game plan 'robbed' Boks
It was a great tense experience where all ‘green and gold’ spectators from both countries were standing on their feet and biting nails when time was up and Kiwi Ben Skeen had to decide if Tevita Kuridrani scored the match winner!
The last time I felt tension like that, being at the game, was in 1999 during the World Cup semifinal, when Jannie de Beer lined up a penalty to take the Boks into extra time vs, who else, the Wallabies.
Skeen's call will be the great debate; however, as a Springbok supporter, obviously, I thought there was too much doubt to award the try. Admittedly, following it on the big screen we couldn’t hear what Nigel Owens asked Skeen, but, to Aussieboer, it seemed with too much doubt. Watching it today (Sunday) without the beers and my Bok-jersey on; if I was a Wallaby fan, for sure he grounded it! Try!
Like many Bok-fans I’m sick and tired of the Boks being ‘robbed’ by officials! Yes, across the ditch, where I hear the kiwis and sheep still meh… meh… mehing about the forward pass Wayne Barnes missed against the French; however, three All Blacks still could make the tackle and there was still enough time to win the game, even Mr McCaw admitted that the All Blacks panicked.
The Boks been robbed has been painful; who will forget the most hated man in the Republic in the eighties? No, not JR Ewing, Mr Clive Norling pipped JR even after ‘robbing’ the Boks with two bad decisions that lead to the Alan Hewson winning penalty. Firstly, Divan Serfontein still had the ball tucked under his arm when Robert Cockrell got blown up for ‘foot up’! Then when Dave Loveridge took the quick tap, ran and passed, the Law then was that the Boks could defend even if they were not 10 meters away; however, they were!
OK, should I mention another Kiwi, Bryce Lawrence? Just threw up in my mouth a little….
The Boks, Heyneke Meyer and his gurus must look at the ‘fail’ on their report cards. Meyer, it’s one thing to blame inexperience as the reason for the Boks not closing out the game; however, that stupid game plan of useless box kicking on the world’s best aerial wizard, Israel Folau, is just dumb. Your boring kicking plan with your experience Ruan Pienaar was laughable. Yes, Bryan Habana did manage once to beat Folau, which lead to Eben Etzebeth try, but….
Tactically, if you are going to kick on Folau, make him turn and kick towards the touchline to cut down his options. Kicking straight down the middle of the field is like a ‘buffet’ to Folau.. Bring back the torpedo and practise the torpedo up-and-under ala Conrad Jantjies. It goes higher, giving you chaser more time and it is more difficult to catch.
The Boks with a scrum feed just outside their 22m on the left side, with Quade Cooper already covering the touchline in the deep, Bryan Habana is in no-man’s land staying on the left. He should hover on the inside or outside of Pollard, just to make the defenders think twice. Simple tactical errors by the coaches.
Etzebeth was enormous and gold stars to Francois Louw, Bismarck du Plessis and Marcell Coetzee. Lood de Jager impressed and ditto for Jesse Kriel!
Well done to the Wallabies still trial by 10 points with only eight minutes to go. Stephen Moore, take a bow by not going for posts and try and draw the game, but, going for touch and the win! Just as ballsy decision as TMO Skeen.
