Springboks vs All Blacks goes down to the wire
As the Haka started the whole stadium chanted as one: “Holé Holé Holé Holé” followed by “Bokke Bokke Bokke” at a freezing cold jam packed Emirates Airline Park in Johannesburg on Saturday.
The first points of the game went to the All Blacks when Lima Sopoaga converts a long range penalty 3 minutes into the game. The Boks were penalised for going over the top at a ruck.
A deep restart from Pollard led to the Bokke launching an attack. Habana almost broke through to score a try. The first ten minutes definitely belonged to the Boks.
Willie le Roux scored the first try of the game 10 minutes in after Bismarck du Plessis’ big take on Kieran Read created the turn over. Pollard added the extras.
The Boks played with real pace and made huge tackles all over the field.
The Springboks’ scrumming was excellent in the first half but scrums made incontestable after both tighthead props, Jannie du Plessis and Vincent Koch, were replaced due to injury.
The Boks enjoyed 61 % possession in the first half.
The All Blacks made basic errors in the first forty but regained momentum with a converted try on the stroke of half-time.
Both sides were locked at 10 all at the break.
The Boks were first to score in the 2nd forty when Jesse Kriel crashed over for his first test try which was converted by Handre Pollard. The All Blacks returned the favour 4 minutes later.
The Boks then lost momentum and couldn’t regain it even when Sam Whitelock was yellow carded in the 60th minute.
The Boks looked exhausted and were unable to halt the All Black attack as Richie McCaw scored with 7 minutes to go.
The Springboks may have dominated possession but weren’t good enough at the breakdowns. Another concern was the performance of the bench.
The Boks did however show tremendous spirit, but the All Blacks delivered when they needed too.
Why were the scrums uncontested?
If two tightheads go off then uncontested scrum is called by the ref. HM was fine with this and responded that the law is there to protect players, HM answered.
What are your concerns with the injuries?
HM: A big setback with injuries and very frustrating.
Jannie du Plessis may have damaged his MCL.
Francois Louw popped his shoulder.
Lood de Jager who should be fine.
Warren Whitely and Vincent Koch probably have broken ribs.
The Lood de Jager try that wasn’t awarded… HM do you feel that was the right decision?
HM: It doesn’t matter what I feel. I really thought we had done enough to score there.
Your thoughts on the tactical kicking HM?
Its the third week as team together and we didn’t kick a lot. We really wanted to attack with ball in hand rather and it worked. The All Blacks were dangerous on the counter attack. One or two bad kicks, but much better than last year.
Schalk, the last two games the Boks led until the 73rd minute which is sort of uncanny, was this game harder to take than last week?
SB: Both of them were hard you know. We are doing something right as we putting teams under pressure. We also created a lot of opportunities, but we just couldn’t put them away. We have to learn from this and take it forward into the World Cup. Unfortunately losing both these games is extremely hard to swallow.
Do you think you made progress in the lineouts? The Boks seemed to struggle more than last week HM?
I do, but it doesn’t help half the locks in the country are injured. You have to look at the guys that came on. New captain and the Lood went off. Flip hasn’t been with us for some time and didn’t play last year. It’s just really tough because we can’t get momentum there (lineouts). I look at the positives. Guys like Peter Steph will be back. Victor will be back. Lood has been superb and looking in great form.
We have come a long way, the confidence is there and I know we can beat any team. A lot of guys are coming back and I believe we are on track. We will really work hard. I think we will be ready for the World Cup. I just hope the guys that got injured tonight are not too serious because we can’t afford more injuries.
All credit to the All Blacks tonight, but this team (BOKS) are on the go and there’s a lot of hard work going into the world cup.
Schalk vertel ons bietjie van jou ervaring as kaptein vandag en wat dink jy wat is die verskil tussen wen en verloor hierso?
Eerste deel van die vraag is maklik dis nice om kaptein te wees, dit was lekker. Ekstra uitdaging vir my so ek is bly dat dit bietjie later in my loopbaan gekom het, want ‘n ou is kalmer. Jy verstaan jou eie wedstryd beter en die druk van die situasie beter. Tweede deel van die vraag kan ons seker oor ‘n paar biere vir ‘n paar ure gesels hoekom ons gewen of hoekom ons verloor het. Ons het geleenthede geskep en dit was so naby om hulle weg te sit en ongelukkig het ons nie. Daarom het hulle ‘n tweede lewe gekry. Hulle het een geleentheid gehad naby aan ons doellyn en hulle het dit 7 punte gemaak. Dis teleurstellend maar teen die einde van die dag dit is rugby.
Written by Ansia Joles
Photo: Marcell van Aswegen
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