Springboks going forward

[PaarlBok]

Something tells me you don't understand the meme I posted. It is nonetheless equally applicable to your follow-up post.

Ugly brutes mama you got here.

 

[Dewald Nel]

Ugly brutes mama you got here.

At least she has all her teeth...

 

[KAOPointman]

Pollard is an amazing player. I watched him closely at the junior WC and he was amoung the top 3clear standout players in the comp. the other two where wingers so they don't really count. Lol

I wasn't even slightly surprised to see him start for the boks. The biggest problem I see is he single handedly changes the boks kicking/field position game, into a flat attacking game! But they have done it superbly. Makes you wonder why they'd ever go back to any other game plan!

I think pollard needs to be in super rugby....NOT CC. He could be one of the GREATS but he needs to prove he can keep that form once everyone works his game out a bit more!

What's this "quota" thing about now? Haven't heard much about it yet???

 

[Dewald Nel]

Pollard is an amazing player. I watched him closely at the junior WC and he was amoung the top 3clear standout players in the comp. the other two where wingers so they don't really count. Lol

I wasn't even slightly surprised to see him start for the boks. The biggest problem I see is he single handedly changes the boks kicking/field position game, into a flat attacking game! But they have done it superbly. Makes you wonder why they'd ever go back to any other game plan!

I think pollard needs to be in super rugby..NOT CC. He could be one of the GREATS but he needs to prove he can keep that form once everyone works his game out a bit more!

What's this "quota" thing about now? Haven't heard much about it yet???

Good points. Although Currie Cup is still hugely competitive. I don't see it doing him any harm, and he hasn't played too much this year, benching at the Bulls for most of Super Rugby.

The quota thing, well I for one don't wanna use it as an excuse, so don't perceive it as that. I just don't like teams being picked on any other principle than merit, in the selectors' eyes.

Basically he wants 50% black representation by 2019 in all our pro rugby teams, including the Springboks, and some more representation immediately, starting with basically the first game that Mohoje started. So it was a month or 2 ago already.

Strangely, I haven't seen any announcements by him to make rugby mandatory in any township/black schools, which means that most of our quota pool would remain players that only started playing rugby when they turned 19.

But somehow that's the Springbok coach's problem.

 

[PaarlBok]

Pollard is an amazing player. I watched him closely at the junior WC and he was amoung the top 3clear standout players in the comp. the other two where wingers so they don't really count. Lol

I wasn't even slightly surprised to see him start for the boks. The biggest problem I see is he single handedly changes the boks kicking/field position game, into a flat attacking game! But they have done it superbly. Makes you wonder why they'd ever go back to any other game plan!

I think pollard needs to be in super rugby..NOT CC. He could be one of the GREATS but he needs to prove he can keep that form once everyone works his game out a bit more!

What's this "quota" thing about now? Haven't heard much about it yet???

I watched handre play since his u13 days at KleinGim. He always looks more then a lock because of his frame. He will be waisted like in last week semi at the Brutes with Ludeke. He love the high kick and charge gameplan. Last week it took Ludeke 61 minutes before he realise that JLP is kicking his winning chance away and to replace him and shift Pollard back to 10. Maybe a good thing he did not play much under him this year.

 

[Dewald Nel]

I watched handre play since his u13 days at KleinGim. He always looks more then a lock because of his frame. He will be waisted like in last week semi at the Brutes with Ludeke. He love the high kick and charge gameplan. Last week it took Ludeke 61 minutes before he realise that JLP is kicking his winning chance away and to replace him and shift Pollard back to 10. Maybe a good thing he did not play much under him this year.

Not gonna argue there. Ludekak's logic of using SA's best 10 at 12, baffles me still today. Potgieter is overrated. Maybe Ludekak slept with his wife?

 

[PaarlBok]

The value of the Varsity Cup
Sport24

Varsity Cup births 29 finalists

2014-10-23 14:45
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Armand van der Merwe (Gallo Images)

Cape Town - The Varsity Cup rugby competition has long been heralded as one of the most important breeding grounds for the massive amount of rugby talent that South Africa produces.

This year’s Currie Cup final to be contested between Western Province and the Golden Lions is a case in point - with an expected 29 of the 44 players doing battle for the prestigious Currie Cup being groomed in the Varsity Cup.
The importance of the Varsity Cup cannot be overstated. Because of the enormity of rugby talent in South Africa, several supremely talented players fall through the cracks in the system after school. The Varsity Cup acts as a catch net, and gives these players a platform from which to launch their professional rugby careers.
The Varsity Cup also provides these players with an audience - as it attracts massive crowds and the games are televised. The Varsity Cup in a manner of speaking revived the grand heritage of South African university rugby which had become stagnant for a brief period.
The Varsity Cup was founded in 2008 featuring teams from eight universities. The teams currently contesting the Cup are Stellenbosch University (Maties), University of Pretoria (UP-Tuks), NWU-Potchefstroom (Pukke), University of the Free State (Shimlas), University of Cape Town (Ikeys), University of the Witwatersrand (Wits), University of Johannesburg (UJ) and Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (Madibaz).
The various South African provincial rugby unions have also become aware of the virtues of the Varsity Cup - competitive, uncompromising, attacking and running rugby - and they use this as a tool for developing their junior players. This means that the Varsity Cup acts as rugby factory for South Africa. The efficacy of the factory can be seen in the fact that several Springboks and a large number of the players expected to contest the Currie Cup final cut their teeth in the Varsity Cup for various university sides.
The greatest advertisement for the Varsity Cup during the Currie Cup campaign is the young Lions hooker Armand (Akker) van der Merwe. Van der Merwe has been an absolute standout for the Lions in the Currie Cup, and he has grabbed the plaudits and the headlines for his hustle and bustle brand of rugby. It is no surprise then that Van der Merwe still played for the NWU-Potchefstroom Pukke in the Varsity Cup at the beginning of the year. Young Akker struck form for the men from Potchefstroom during their Varsity Cup season, and he has carried that form straight on to the Currie Cup stage. The Varsity Cup was thus a perfect springboard for the youngster to launch his professional career.
Van der Merwe, however, is not alone in launching his career from the platform of the Varsity Cup. As already mentioned an expected 29 players in Saturday’s Currie Cup final groomed their games on the famous playing fields of the Varsity Cup.
For Western Province, hooker Neil Rautenbach was a standout for UCT during their victorious campaign this year. The fact that Rautenbach is able to perform so well for Western Province is a testament to the quality of the Varsity Cup. Fellow UCT alumni in the WP squad include: Dynamic No 8 Nizaam Carr (2011), ace flyhalf Demetri Catrakilis (2011), scrumhalf Nic Groom (2010-2011) and Prop Oliver Kebble (2013). Lions lock forward Martin Muller also donned the UCT jersey from 2008-2011.
As can be expected the all-conquering Maties maroon machine provided a fair spread of players for the two squads.
For Western Province, flyhalf Kurt Coleman (2011), skipper and centre Juan de Jongh (2008-2009), scrumhalf Louis Schreuder (2010), centre Michael van der Spuy (2011) and prop Alistair Vermaak (2011-2013), all donned the famed maroon jersey. Other Varsity Old-boys include speedy wing Seabelo Senatla, who ran out for the Central University of Technology in the Varsity Shield and centre Jaco Taute, who donned the orange of UJ.
The Lions can call upon ex-Maties fullback Ruan Combrinck (2011) to strengthen their side.

Some of the Lions' other Varsity Cup alumni’s include: flank Derick Minnie (UJ - 2008), centre Howard Mnisi (NMMU - 2012-2013), lock Francois Mostert (Tuks - 2010-2012), flyhalf Marnitz Boshoff (Tuks - 2009-2011), loose forward Willie Britz (Shimlas - 2008-2012), hooker Robbie Coetzee (Tuks - 2010-2011), prop Ruan Dreyer (UJ - 2011-2012), flank Jaco Kriel (UJ - 2012), wing Courtnall Skosan (Tuks - 2012-2013), flank Warwick Tecklenburg (Tuks - 2008-2011), prop Schalk van der Merwe (Shimlas - 2012-2013), utility back Jaco van der Walt (UJ - 2014) and centre Harold Vorster (UJ - 2014).
The amount of Varsity Cup graduates expected to be in action in the Currie Cup final is no surprise, when the contribution of the Varsity Cup is considered. The tournament has become a stepping stone of such magnitude that one could hardly believe a player could enter the professional ranks without first displaying their wares for their various universities.
The Varsity Cup players expected to play on Saturday is, of course, not exclusive to these two sides. In any given Currie Cup team a vast amount of players would have been groomed by the essential competition.

 

[Lee Grant]

I think the Bok touring squad is chosen on Monday but the guys not in the CC Final plus some fringe and developing players are already in camp.

What is the injury status of Malherbe, Reinach and Pienaar?

And who apart from Fourie du Preez, Marcel van der Merwe, Schalk Brits, Grant Hattingh and Callie Visagie is not available to tour?
.

 

[KAOPointman]

I'm an Aussie, but is think SA rugby/springboks, is one of the most amazing sporting stories throughout history(and what it's done for the country) in the world!

Surely sanity will prevail. Quick fixes never work.
Surely grass roots rugby in 'black' zones(not sure how that's worded over there) would be the best way to go now. And advertise the crap outa that.

 

[PaarlBok]

I think the Bok touring squad is chosen on Monday but the guys not in the CC Final plus some fringe and developing players are already in camp.

What is the injury status of Malherbe, Reinach and Pienaar?

And who apart from Fourie du Preez, Marcel van der Merwe, Schalk Brits, Grant Hattingh and Callie Visagie is not available to tour?
.

Boks is in camp on my stoep @ Stellenbosch oom Lee. Laaitie told he saw Coetzee, Beast & Etsebeth in town, Paul Rosers like Hougaard & le Roux visited their alma mater, great buss around them.

SA Rugby

Eight more invited to Boks' Stellenbosch camp


October 19, 2014
Following the elimination of the Cell C Sharks and the Vodacom Blue Bulls from the Absa Currie Cup and the conclusion of the First Division, eight more players have been invited to the Springboks’ training camp in Stellenbosch.
The Springbok selectors have invited Lwazi Mvovo, Cobus Reinach, Lourens Adriaanse (all Cell C Sharks), Handré Pollard, Rudy Paige, Marcel van der Merwe, Bongi Mbonambi (all Vodacom Blue Bulls) and Boela Abrahams, who starred for the Down Touch Griffons in their Absa Currie Cup First Division final victory on Friday, to join 20 nationally contracted players and four others as the team start their preparations for what will be an arduous Castle Lager Outgoing Tour.
The 32 players at the training camp will want to use this opportunity to show the Springbok selectors what they can do before the squad of 36 for the tour is finalised.
Players from the two teams who will contest the Absa Currie Cup Final this weekend, DHL Western Province and the Xerox Golden Lions, who do not have national contracts were not considered for the camp.
“We’re still contemplating certain positions and this is an ideal opportunity to see what these guys can do,” said Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer.
“Our situation at scrumhalf is not ideal – Fourie du Preez is out of the season and we’re awaiting more information on Ruan Pienaar’s injury, while Cobus Reinach missed the Currie Cup semi-final because of injury. We’ve decided to cast the net wide and invite Rudy and Boela, also to introduce them to the to the Springbok culture and ethos as two promising youngsters.
“Most of the players have been part of our set-up before, but for others this will be their first involvement with the Springboks. While I’m sure they will want to use this opportunity to impress, we’d also like to get to know them better and see what they are capable of before finalising the squad.”
The final squad for the Castle Lager Outgoing Tour will be announced on Monday, 27 October before the players gather for a pre-departure camp in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 29 October.
Players invited to Stellenbosch training camp: Boela Abrahams (scrumhalf), Lourens Adriaanse (prop), Willem Alberts (loose forward), Marcell Coetzee (loose forward), Damian de Allende (centre/wing), Lood de Jager (lock), Jean de Villiers (centre), Bismarck du Plessis (hooker), Jannie du Plessis (prop), JJ Engelbrecht (centre/wing), Eben Etzebeth (lock), Lizo Gqoboka (prop), Cornal Hendricks (wing), Francois Hougaard (scrumhalf), Siya Kolisi (loose forward), Patrick Lambie (flyhalf/fullback), Willie le Roux (fullback/wing), Victor Matfield (lock), Bongi Mbonambi (hooker), Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje (loose forward), Tendai Mtawarira (prop), Lwazi Mvovo (wing), Trevor Nyakane (prop), Coenie Oosthuizen (prop), Rudy Paige (scrumhalf), Handré Pollard (flyhalf), Cobus Reinach (scrumhalf), Jan Serfontein (centre), Adriaan Strauss (hooker), Flip van der Merwe (lock), Marcel van der Merwe (prop) and Duane Vermeulen (No 8).

 

[Lee Grant]

Yeah - I saw the list already PB.

I just wondered about who was not listed because of injury (as opposed to being involved in the CC final) - and whether any unavailability really matters to the Boks - or not.
.

 

[PaarlBok]

I think the Bok touring squad is chosen on Monday but the guys not in the CC Final plus some fringe and developing players are already in camp.

What is the injury status of Malherbe, Reinach and Pienaar?

And who apart from Fourie du Preez, Marcel van der Merwe, Schalk Brits, Grant Hattingh and Callie Visagie is not available to tour?
.

Malherbe is out for the season, Reinach will tour, Pienaar doubtfull.

 

[Ulrich]

The latest news on the training camp after its conclusion. I have included an excerpt only which I believe shows good initiative and foresight.

Several coaches and officials from other teams were invited to be part of the training camp in Stellenbosch, which included team meetings, field training and video sessions.

They included Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell and his management team, the Junior Springboks’ Dawie Theron and Warren Adams, Renfred Dazel of the Springbok Women Sevens team, Peter Engledow (Griquas), Willem Oliphant (president of Despatch), Brent Janse van Rensburg (Grey High School in Port Elizabeth), and Jaco Koch and Jan-Hendrik Hattingh (Affies in Pretoria).

Furthermore, coaches and team management from Boland and Stellenbosch University also attended some sessions and spent time with the Springbok coaching team.

“It’s wonderful to have these guys around,” said Meyer.

“All of them are eager to learn and improve, but in rugby the sharing of thoughts and ideas is very important so we also picked up interesting insights from them as well.”

 

[Ulrich]

I elaborated a little on Johann van Graan on another thread and it was this article that lead me to it.

Johan van Graan © Gallo Images​

Insider: Johann van Graan

by Brenden Nel 02 October 2014, 18:05

​

​

Heyneke Meyer lauds him as the one of the unsung heroes in the Springboks’ transition to an attacking game plan, with many of the stellar try-scoring feats being attributed to his role, but ask the average rugby fan what they know about Johann van Graan and many will struggle to come up with a single fact.

From his early days as a ball-boy at Loftus Versfeld, kicking the leather pigskin back to the likes of Naas Botha and Johan Heunis, Van Graan has always had an obsession with the game.

But now it is his hard-work, the hours that go unseen as he meticulously analyses the opposition, helps craft the Springbok attacking structures and spends almost every moment in trying to make the Bok side a massive success that make him such a vital cog in the current Springbok machine.

The son of Blue Bulls Chief Executive Barend van Graan, Johann – or “Aap” as his friends like to call him because of his playful and prankster nature – is slowly crafting out a career for himself and gaining respect as one of the leading tactical figures in the modern game.

Talk to anyone in the Bok inner-circle, and they will immediately acknowledge his technical prowess, the detail in his analysis and the dramatic role he plays in every single Bok player’s life, from coach to life coach, as he immerses himself in trying to ensure the team has success in every aspect of their lives.

It is a long way from the former Affies and Tuks student who impressed a young Heyneke Meyer when he was coaching at the Bulls.

Far from the technological breeding ground the game is now, Meyer was searching for a like-minded brain to help him do stats – those days analysing was literally stopping the video, rewinding, making notes, playing, pausing and rewinding again.

And while Meyer got a lot of flack, the similarities with the coach’s own start in rugby meant it was a match that worked. Meyer still calls him his “best appointment yet” and watched as Van Graan evolved from technical advisor to assistant coach to his current role in charge of the Bok attack.

But it wasn’t always so simple. Van Graan used to come in early to analyse video, only to run into Tannie Saartjie Olivier – the doyen of the Bulls administration whose rugby knowledge is encyclopedic and who mistook him as the CEO’s son looking to be mischievous.

From the beginning his challenges weren’t just to gain skills, but he also needed to do some fast talking to be able to do his job as well.
“When I appointed him, nobody knew who he was, “Meyer told supersport.com

“He never had a name and there were questions about him, and it was a risk I took. But to be honest it was probably the best appointment I’ve ever made. For one, because he came with no baggage, no background and secondly the way he grew in the position.

“Everywhere that he goes now, he has immense respect from coaches all over the world. That shows me it was the right appointment to make. He has been asked by all our Super Rugby franchises to pitch in and help.”

Van Graan learnt his way to the top. Studying alongside Meyer he accompanied the coach as he visited both Rugby League teams in Australia, British rugby clubs and NFL teams in America, picking up expert knowledge at the same time.

But it was his work alongside Victor Matfield in the lineouts that has never been acknowledged, and often he and Matfield would be seen at Trademarx sharing a coffee discussing the lineout tactics of an opposition team.

Meyer says Van Graan’s success is mainly because he is almost obsessive in his search for success. This, coupled with an unbelievable way with people, makes Van Graan an obvious choice for the Bok management.

A PASSION FOR HIS WORK

Off the field his wife Melissa describes him as a “giver”, someone who is always willing to help and who wants to do the right thing. He is the tour shopper as well, often going out of his way to bring back special presents for people back home.

Yet sometimes it backfires on him, especially as the things often get lost in translation. When Melissa was pregnant with their son Wyatt, Van Graan thought he had the perfect gift – a red jacket he found at a shop called Peter Alexander that would be wonderful for the new infant. With its daschund logo the jacket was cuter than words, with the added bonus that on the back it spelt out “I love PA”, serving not only as an abbreviation of the shop, but also of the Afrikaans translation of father.

But when Van Graan proudly showed the jacket to fellow dad Morne Steyn, he was alerted that he had not bought baby clothes, but rather a dog jacket for a small canine, making him the butt of the jokes for a few weeks to come.

“There was even a place for a tail, which he didn’t see. He was embarrassed that the first thing he bought for Wyatt was this jacket, which has now ended up as a clothing piece on one of Wyatt’s fluffy toys,” Melissa laughs.

“He went back on the next trip and made sure he found the right clothes for the baby. Everyone has given him some grief about it, but it is a very sweet story.”

In fact, it is a running joke in the team management that if there’s a wedding, Van Graan will be a groomsman. His ability to connect with the players he works with has seen him have the honour of being a groomsman not only at Bok flyhalf Morne Steyn’s wedding, but also at Boks Fourie du Preez and Deon Stegmann, Western Force lock Wilhelm Steenkamp and Bulls midfielder JP Nel’s wedding.

One thing that always shines through is Van Graan’s passion for his work, something his wife Melissa says she saw from the start.

“I always joke that we’re going to have to have a 30 year party for him at Loftus, because he has been there literally since he was three years old,” she says.

“Channel 201 is on in our house almost all of the time. But I don’t think he’s obsessive about his work, he just loves it so much. He puts hours and hours in to do what he loves and that makes him better. He feels that if he watches every minute of every game it means that there is nothing that anybody can surprise him with.

"Luckily I love sport as well, and I remember when I met him, he spent nights forwarding and rewinding videos, making notes of what players were doing. Evenings went by while he did this. Luckily now technology makes it easier, but he loves his work.

“He’s a giver, who doesn’t expect much back. It is very important for him to make a difference in people’s lives. The guys in the team – a number of them – see him as a mentor, especially for the young guys. He has a love of life, and is someone who can always can be positive even when you’re down, he’ll do something to pick you up.”

One friend who believes he knows Van Graan’s deepest darkest wish is former Bulls and Emerging Springboks lock Wilhelm Steenkamp, who now is playing for the Western Force in Perth.

“He’s definitely the only forwards coach that I know that drinks Red Square. Oh, and his one big dream is to one day have a six pack,” Steenkamp laughed.

Fun stuff aside, Van Graan has certainly made an impression since his days as a stats-wielding student, and has progressed alongside Meyer over the years.

At some point he is likely to carve out a niche of his own, taking on a head coaching role that could see him continue his success and put all he has learnt into practice.

That, according to Meyer, would be something that can only benefit South African rugby.

“He has an unbelievable work ethic. He reminds me of me when I started out, working day and night to stay ahead of the game. What makes him a bit better than the normal coach is the fact that he has a degree. Most of our forwards actually have degrees, although most people wouldn’t believe that.

“Players don’t respond anymore to a coach that shouts at them, and that’s where he is so good. He’s a people-person, and they respond to him very well. He is the type of guy who will always remember your birthday, who will listen to your problems and the players like that.

“One thing he gets very little credit for is the fact that he is responsible for the attacking play of the team. The Boks have scored some excellent tries in the last few years and a lot of credit has to go him. He will make a very good head coach in future.”

It may be so that he will continue to work in the background, plotting new ways for the Springboks to move forward, but as a massive part of the Bok machine, Van Graan deserves the credit thas has come his way thus far.

He may be unknown to many at the moment, but given some time and opportunities, he certainly will play a bigger role in South African rugby in future.

 

[PaarlBok]

Malherbe is out for the season, Reinach will tour, Pienaar doubtfull.

Sadly Pienaar is back. Sqaud will be announce this morning. Think Rapport will be close with their squad

Agterspelers: Willie le Roux, Bryan Habana, Cornal Hendriks, Lwazi Mvovo, Seabelo Senatla, Kobus van Wyk, Jean de Villiers, Jan Serfontein, Damian de Allende, JP Pietersen, S’bura Sithole, Handré Pollard, Patrick Lambie, Marnitz Boshoff, Francois Hougaard, Ruan Pienaar, Cobus Reinach.
Voorspelers: Tendai Mtawarira, Trevor Nyakane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Jannie du Plessis, Lourens Adriaanse, Julian Redelinghuys, Bismarck du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Bongi Mbonambi, Eben Etzebeth, Victor Matfield, Lood de Jager, Bakkies Botha, Duane Vermeulen, Marcell Coetzee, Oupa Mohoje, Schalk Burger, Warren Whiteley, Nizaam Carr

 

[Dewald Nel]

Only 4 current Blue Bulls. This reflects our current weakness, sadly.

At least the team looks strong overall, and we have a strong loose forward group.

Hopefully Hougaard gets an extended run starting at scrumhalf. He's the type of player we need at 9. Ruan Pienaar is just too static, and only kicks well, but little more.

Hopefully Whitely will get a start somewhere, but he's not colored, so it would be at the expense of Marcell Coetzee.

Bongi Mbonambi - well, the less said about that inclusion - if it happens -, the better.

 

[PaarlBok]

Sport24

Apart from Van der Merwe, the following Springboks and players who have been involved with the national team will not be considered for selection due to injury: Fourie du Preez, Schalk Brits, Callie Visagie, Frans Malherbe, Flip van der Merwe, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Francois Louw, Siya Kolisi, Arno Botha, Pierre Spies and Willem Alberts, who could come into consideration at a later stage during the tour.
Several coaches and officials from other teams were invited to be part of the training camp in Stellenbosch, which included team meetings, field training and video sessions.
They included Springbok Sevens coach Neil Powell and his management team, the Junior Springboks’ Dawie Theron and Warren Adams, Renfred Dazel of the Springbok Women Sevens team, Peter Engledow (Griquas), Willem Oliphant (president of Despatch), Brent Janse van Rensburg (Grey High School in Port Elizabeth), and Jaco Koch and Jan-Hendrik Hattingh (Affies in Pretoria).
Furthermore, coaches and team management from Boland and Stellenbosch University also attended some sessions and spent time with the Springbok coaching team.
“It’s wonderful to have these guys around,” said Meyer.
“All of them are eager to learn and improve, but in rugby the sharing of thoughts and ideas is very important so we also picked up interesting insights from them as well.”

Four national rugby captains at the Stellenbosch Academy of Sport are (from left) Handré Pollard (Junior Springboks), Kyle Brown (Springbok Sevens), Zenay Jordaan (Springbok Women Sevens) and Jean de Villiers (Springboks) - Picture: SARU

 

[Ulrich]

The 2014 edition of the Absa Currie Cup has been marked by an increase in disciplinary action but also a significant spike in the number of tries. The more free-flowing rugby and stricter officiating this season is the result of joint efforts by South African Rugby Union (SARU) and Currie Cup coaches to improve the game.

In May this year, during a preseason meeting of the Currie Cup teams and SARU officials, the coaches requested referees to deal with negative play. The referees obliged, and this season 37 yellows and three reds have been issued in the first 32 games. Those numbers have already eclipsed last year's when 27 yellow and three red cards were dealt out in 33 games.

"As expected the most penalty kicks are awarded at the breakdown," Andre Watson, SARU's general manager of referees said.

"No new laws have been added, but there has been a change to the scrum engagement sequence call, which has seen a reduction in scrum resets."

The positive spin off from the increased refereeing involvement has been that, after eight rounds, the number of tries scored has increased from 173 in 2013 to 187 in 2014.

Another encouraging aspect Watson points out is the improvement in the officiating this season with "the big calls (mistakes) that influence games being significantly down."

Watson and his team have also trialled a two-referee system during this year's Varsity Cup and they've been analysing the data.

At professional level the current system will remain in place until at least 2016 because of an IRB memoratorium on law changes until after Rugby World Cup 2015.

"It's too early to judge (if two referees has been a success) after just one competition, but the accuracy by the officials has been much higher," Watson said. " We need at least another season in order to judge the system properly.

"It has been a challenge on some levels. The positional play is different while 'synching' on management issues such as advantage, is an area that needs work."

 

[PaarlBok]

Now I am longing back to Snors days. Meyer wont rescue this ship. To many old players. Look the 6 Nation teams has past us, no catching up, no way.

 

[Dewald Nel]

Now I am longing back to Snors days. Meyer wont rescue this ship. To many old players. Look the 6 Nation teams has past us, no catching up, no way.

Ironically, that doos started the problem by not blooding any new talent.

But hey, relax, this was one game. I didn't see you panic like this when Jake White lost to a crappy France at Newlands in 2006, or Ireland away, with a very decently aged team.

It's easy to over-react. By the way, the biggest problem was Marcell Coetzee needing to do most of the hard grafting himself, with Mohoje pretending to be a passenger quota and nothing else. I saw him make 2 carries, and probably make 5 metres in total all match. When Schalk came on, big difference once again.

And you cannot blame the coach for quotas.

Mohoje gets lost when the match becomes increasingly physical. Best solution would be to drop Serfontein, play JP at 13 and replace Mohoje with Schalk. We all know Schalk can go flatout for 80 minutes.