This last weekend saw the Springboks give away a guilt edged advantage through what can only be described as a lack of respect for their opposition bordering on arrogance. The week before we saw the All Blacks humbled being outplayed in every department of the game.
This weekend should have been exactly the same result, but oh no the management really messed this one up. During the week building up to the game one of the players was injured so they replaced him with another player which is fine and nothing unusual. What I find crazy is they started that player in their match 15 which had serious repercussions.
Joseph Dweba had a shocking game and was like a secret weapon for the All Blacks.
When you play the All Blacks you have to be physically and mentally ready with the best team possible. I knew the Springboks were in trouble within the first 10 minutes as the new player making his debut was not up to standard. Being a hooker this is a key role as this position is important for set pieces being the scrum and the lineout.
The first scrum was a complete disaster as we are talking about a professional sportsmen who should know the rules regarding his position as that is his career. When the teams set for a scrum the referee calls crouch, bind and the set at which point the hooker raise his leg off the ground and his weight is now carried by the scrum. He left his foot on the ground and gave away the advantage immediately being penalised.
The other role which is important is to throw the ball into the lineout in order to find your jumpers as per the coded call. The first 3 throws were poor with the last one not even straight when they had an attacking position. The lineout calls were kept to the front as it was too high risk with him throwing. I am disappointed they firstly allowed this player to start and secondly hadn't taken him off the field earlier than waiting for 30 minutes to make the change when the team was down by 15 points already.
Set pieces being scrums and lineout sis your bread and butter where you receive the ball on the front foot in order to attack and this player had nullified all of this. You cannot blame the player but you have to look at the management and start to ask questions why? Last week the player of the match was the first choice hooker and this week he was on the bench. The 2nd hooker had been injured during training so why gamble with a new player first up? Rugby is all about momentum and changes should be minimal if any.
I know we have something that other countries don't have and that is a quota meaning we have to have x amount of black players on the pitch. I really hope it wasn't because of this as we have surely moved past that nonsense these days. I seriously hate political medaling as it is seriously wrong and degrading. This is what made me stop watching sport locally and forced me into supporting other teams around the world which I still do.
If it wasn't political medaling then it is arrogance to not select the best team possible to face the All Blacks and that is just stupid on all levels. Fifteen nil down and only then do you start playing catch up by replacing all the mistakes. 15 nil became 15-13 and eventually 35-23 as a 15 nil lead is a steep hill to climb at this level. The rule of thumb is to stay ahead by two scores which would be 14 points as the odds are stacked heavily in your favor to win the game.