Surprisingly, Peter de Villiers does not feel the need for a defence coach despite the 22 tries conceded in six matches.
SAPA
The previous highest was 21 tries conceded in 2008 by the Wallabies.
In an about-turn, De Villiers on Saturday said he believed the necessary structures were in place to take the Springboks to a successful World Cup campaign in a year’s time.
The Boks don’t need a defence coach, De Villiers intimated after the Bloemfontein loss.
Ignoring the reasons for the loss, he highlighted the positives in the Boks’ display.
“I think we showed character to come back. Our structures are in place and they can take us to World Cup if executed properly.
“If we execute our plans perfectly, it will be very difficult to score against us. We needed to show more character on defence, like we did in Soweto and last week at Loftus,” said De Villiers.
The reference to last weekend’s game is, however, not quite correct and the Wallabies then ran in three tries in the first 14 minutes. Again De Villiers contradicted a previous statement and the view expressed on Saturday is in stark contrast to his statement two weeks ago.
DOUBLE SPEAK?
Then, before the Test against the All Blacks at the FNB Stadium, De Villiers criticised Western Province coach Jacques Nienaber for not accepting the position as the Boks’ defence coach. “I might be forced to look outside South Africa,” De Villiers said then.
Nothing has changed since. In fact, in the three home tests since, the Springboks have conceded 12 tries and the total in six matches compares poorly with that of the All Blacks who have conceded only seven in five matches.
Springbok captain John Smit conceded the Boks were simply not good enough in Saturday’s Test or throughout the season.
“Our defence was not good, especially early in the game, and they cut us too easily,” said Smit. “Usually our defensive system works well, but it did not work tonight. We only have ourselves to blame.
“I don’t feel good about our season. We’ve been disappointing in the Tri-Nations when one looks at the players and experience we have. We’re below par and far off the pace. It will be no use giving a bunch of excuses -we’re off our best and have work to do.”
September 5th, 2010 at 9:28 pm
We don’t need a defense coach we just need a proper coach.
http://fromthebottomoftheruck.blogspot.com/
September 5th, 2010 at 9:30 pm
Good article.
September 5th, 2010 at 9:34 pm
Reply to Fromthebottomoftheruck @ 9:28 pm:
The Dick het mos ook nie in ‘n
defence coach geglo in die S14
van die Lions nie.
Die resultaat is geskiedenis.
September 5th, 2010 at 9:40 pm
Checked the spelling of
“defence.”
English = defence
American = defense.
September 5th, 2010 at 9:47 pm
thanks boer.
semantics. I suggest morne and ollie use loads of this in the week to defend the regime.
September 5th, 2010 at 10:04 pm
Reply to Brendon Shields @ 9:47 pm:
Ja, remember they beat an
AB team 3 times last year.
Sans Carter and McCaw, so
what?
And they won the Lions series.
Scraping through on their
arses with a penalty on
full time.
Getting snotted in the 3rd test,
but so what?
Got fooked by all and sundry
in the EOYT.
But so bloody what?
September 5th, 2010 at 10:40 pm
This defence problem really bugs me, are rugby players doff that they forget everything they have learnt over the years, i mean i can mount a horse, know how 2 ride correctly, approach the jumps, and jump, because of years of rideing u cannot unlearn what was once drilled into you, and i would expect the same of rugby.
September 5th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
Reply to Treehugger @ 10:40 pm:
It’s not only the individual
skills – it’s putting it all
together in a combined effort,
game plan, pattern, communication
etc.
If one player loses his line of
running/defending it creates
gaps.
September 5th, 2010 at 10:47 pm
The pattern is now quite clear.
The mid field comes in, the wings hang back, defenders all stop about 2m from the attacker. Simple draw and pass and the opponents have an overlap every time. Once on the outside they face an outnumbered, staggered defense with support runners a-plenty because very few actual tackles took place.
September 5th, 2010 at 10:54 pm
Reply to fyndraai @ 10:47 pm:
brosnihan mentioned in all out rugby how in 2000 against brumbies they realised how they made almost no tackles yet the brumbies score tries.
Difference he says is that brumbies ran for space where we ran toward the tackler. thanks jean/fourie and all the fat arses for never even trying to find space.
as i said, its strauli rugby.
September 5th, 2010 at 10:55 pm
and in 2004 White did it differently. Same with Jones in 2007. Same with 1998.
We can play this game, but we dont want to.
September 5th, 2010 at 11:06 pm
Can’t speak for 2000. Yesterday the Aussies did not even run at the gap.
Same thing repeated a number of times in the last 3 weeks.
12 goes straight for 10. Stops.
10 pass to 12 and it’s our 13 against 3.
Draw and pass.
Our 11 against 2.
Poor Habana. From where he defends, blindsided tackles and intercepts becomes impossible.
Our loose forwards and 9 all defends towards their 10 also. Cover defense from their is just not possible.
September 6th, 2010 at 9:26 am
We all realise the defence is crocked, and so is the other side of the equation, the attack. If our forwards can’t score tries that’s game over for us.
http://fromthebottomoftheruck.blogspot.com/
September 6th, 2010 at 1:58 pm
Last week we were treated with a moving piece about the beauty that was the previous week’s game in Soweto.
Those that acknowledged that they were happy that at least the Boks won at last, but were bemoaning the fact there were serious concerns regarding the way the Boks played were rubbished as always being negative or just against Snorre.
This week’s game was an exact same copy of last week’s game apart from a different victor getting the spoils. The exact same serious issues exist that become evident last year and were highlighted during last week.
Was it then as beautiful? Now I didn’t see the beauty in the game at Soweto, nor did I see any beauty in the game at Bloem. I did however see the glaring obvious. An arrogant coach who has a huge chip on his shoulder not providing the team with any structure or direction. I don’t think he himself knows where he is going with this team. I won’t even comment on the fact that he is as loony as they come.
There is none as blind as those that do not want to see. Yes, the fairy tale ending for SA would’ve been to see a coloured coach lead SA to victory. But dreams do not always come true and you can not allow yourself to defend what is so glaringly wrong for the sake of being politically correct.
If that is then the case then I am probably against them…..(in the words of the headcase himself)?
September 6th, 2010 at 2:22 pm
Reply to Husamarine @ 1:58 pm:
There is none as blind as those that do not want to see.
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