Bok assistant coach Gary Gold believes the Boks deserve more credit.
Gavin Rich - Sport24
The Springbok camp is feeling a sense of resentment that they have not received sufficient credit for their series win over the British and Irish Lions, according to assistant coach Gary Gold.
Asked if there was some resentment to the way the media have focussed on the Schalk Burger and Bakkies Botha citings and the circus atmosphere that has attended coach Peter de Villiers’ press conferences, Gold responded that it was “Fair comment�.
“We worked really hard to beat what we thought was a world class Lions team, and we don’t really feel that we have received enough credit for that,� said Gold.
“Winning this series was an extremely tough challenge for us, and some of the players felt it was as tough as anything they have ever experienced on the rugby field. To come back with 20 minutes to go like we did in the Test in Pretoria was an amazing achievement and one we should be proud of.�
Gold said it was not himself or the coaching staff who deserved the credit, but John Smit and his team who had won despite occasions during the series where they had faced great adversity.
“As John said after the Pretoria game, that was the worst start we have had in a Test match for several years, maybe since the 49-0 in 2006. To come back from that was a massive credit to John as a leader. We could so easily have lost our composure completely, because we were really rattled in the first half, particularly after Schalk (Burger) was carded.
“But John kept the players calm, he ensured that they stayed with the programme and did not waver from the plan we had formulated beforehand. To score three tries to one against the Lions was not a mean feat at all as everyone knows that they worked hard on their defence and had a system that was supposedly difficult to break down.�
Gold has a point there, and it is a quite noteworthy fact that of the five tries scored in the series so far, four of them have come from set plays.
“Together with John, Victor Matfield and Fourie du Preez we worked hard on devising ways of breaking down the Lions defensive system, and we feel we succeeded. You will have noticed that we never took the ball wide in the first two tests, yet we scored five tries, which is a sign that we broke down their defence.�
Gold agreed though that the Boks had played well below their potential up to now, and in that sense, when it came to the rugby that they have played so far, the criticism of the team was justified.
“I think there was a lot of expectation ahead of the series, and when we dominated the first hour of the Durban Test I suppose we should have pushed on to win by 30 to 40 points. And I agree that for much of Pretoria test we were outplayed and made a lot of mistakes. There is a lot of incentive for us to win this series 3-0, however, and that is what we are aiming to do.�
July 1st, 2009 at 11:54 am
any chance of a full transcript of this one?
I see one or 2 things I don’t trust in it.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:01 pm
Reply to Ollie @ 11:54 am:
July 1st, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Reply to Morné @ 12:01 pm:
hehehehehe
July 1st, 2009 at 12:12 pm
Reply to Ollie @ 11:54 am:
Yea
Gavin Rich – same guy that says this Saturdays last test against B&I Lions should include Jacques Olivier at centre
July 1st, 2009 at 12:28 pm
Reply to The Brand @ 12:12 pm:
PDV is getting to them, the journo’s are losing the plot.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:47 pm
On giving credit….
http://www.ruggaworld.com/2009/06/27/springboks-vs-bi-lions/#comments
nowoRRiesWiLLem :-)) commented on 28 June 2009 at 7:47 am: Reply to this comment
nowoRRiesWiLLem :-)) commented on 28 June 2009 at 7:50 am:
July 1st, 2009 at 12:52 pm
Gold agreed though that the Boks had played well below their potential up to now, and in that sense, when it came to the rugby that they have played so far, the criticism of the team was justified.
“I think there was a lot of expectation ahead of the series, and when we dominated the first hour of the Durban Test I suppose we should have pushed on to win by 30 to 40 points. And I agree that for much of Pretoria test we were outplayed and made a lot of mistakes. There is a lot of incentive for us to win this series 3-0, however, and that is what we are aiming to do.�
Exactly my views too. Boks made hard
work of a very average team playing
away and together for the first time.
3N results will tell.
July 1st, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Reply to WiLLem @ 12:47 pm:
Ja, pokkit
lees hulle nie waar dit TEL nie
July 1st, 2009 at 12:53 pm
Reply to Morné @ 12:28 pm:
July 1st, 2009 at 12:56 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 12:52 pm:
:thumbup:
Reply to The Brand @ 12:53 pm:
July 1st, 2009 at 1:04 pm
http://jv.news24.com/Beeld/Home/0,,,00.html
Mooi prentjie vir al die :snor:
aanbidders.
July 1st, 2009 at 4:34 pm
“….You will have noticed that we never took the ball wide in the first two tests….â€?
Is Jacque Fourie’s try, not talking the ball wide? Maybe it’s media spin.
July 1st, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 4:34 pm:
Ball got to the wings twice
in backline moves.
July 1st, 2009 at 8:47 pm
Ja I think that Gold hit it on the head.
People are not giving the Boks credit because we know they can do better.
It’s like a father wtachinmg his son and knowing the oke is brilliant at maths but seeing him not study and bring home a B report knowing it should have been an A+
It’s what I used to do to my parents.
Nottry and pass with a B and KNOW I could have achieved an A+ if I tried.
Anyway…
Only the A+ game will win the 3N
July 1st, 2009 at 8:49 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 8:47 pm:
Isn’t you idiot…
A win is a win and we won against the Lions…
That means we’re really the best team in the world. And Snor is the Lord’s gift to coaching and naysayers should be burned at the stake for blaspheming and proclaiming racism for questioning him…
July 1st, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Reply to DavidS @ 8:49 pm:
I have matches, you bring the petrol