The current IRB rankings show the SANZAR nations in the top three spots: New Zealand on top, then Australia and then South Africa in third – indeed this order has been consistent for some time now. The Super Rugby provincial competition between these nations is therefore hugely significant in assessing the potential of their three national teams for the internationals in a few months and, of course, in the Rugby World Cup in September and October.
This week, of the five teams in each national pool, New Zealand had only three in action, Australia four and South Africa all five. The Blues, Chiefs and Rebels all had a bye. Only one Australian team lost – and that was to another Australian team – while only one South African team won – and that was against another South African team. To me, the South African teams, pretty much across the board, are playing without consistent accuracy in execution in their attack and with consistent errors the result.
I’ll stick my neck out and give my assessment of each team, based on performances to date this season. I concede that I’m a pretty tough marker.
Playing outstandingly well – excellent players, top quality execution – Crusaders. No surprise there.
Playing very well – Reds, Blues and Stormers. All these teams have a fair spread of excellent players, but execution is variable with resultant mistakes limiting their overall performances. The Reds are improving each match.
Playing well sometimes – Waratahs and Sharks. Performances of both these teams has been most inconsistent, varying between great and awful. Attention to the fundamentals of the game is missing from both and they rely, almost solely, on the brilliance of individual players for their successes. This has never been enough at the highest level.
Playing OK – ‘A’ for effort and capable of quality periods – Bulls, Highlanders, Rebels. The Highlanders were outstanding in Pretoria against the Bulls some weeks back, but have been unable to repeat that standard.
Playing poorly – even the quality players in these teams are executing poorly – Hurricanes, Brumbies, Chiefs, Force, Lions, Cheetahs.
As I look back over my assessment, I am pleased to see that it pretty well lines up with their positions on the competition table. I’m thinking that my personal key indicators for performance might not be so bad. I look for accuracy in execution, in line with my understanding of the key factors for quality technique in all areas of the game:
- Competence in the set pieces is vital. It’s not necessary, though obviously useful, to be dominant in all of these, but competitive for sure! The Reds struggled in the line-outs in their impressive win over the Stormers, but managed to overcome this deficiency on the day.
- Alignment and realignment with urgency, in both attack and defence, is absolutely essential.
- Quick recycle with options available at the tackle contest – this means numbers present and in motion around the ball.
- No delay in the re-use of the ball – quick clearance, off-load, rip & feed, etc. Luke Burgess (Waratahs) and the Josh Valentine (Brumbies) must have a personal bet on who can delay the clearance the longer! Interestingly, the Cheetahs exposed the Waratahs a few weeks back on this score – quick recycle and challenge the unsettled defence.
- Alignment, lines of run and support, and accuracy of passing are all necessary factors for quality attack. The Crusaders are great, the Reds are good and getting better, while the Blues and the Stormers could be much better in these essentials. If you’ll excuse the grammar, “it’s important to have good players, but it’s more important to have them playing good!”
Some other essentials. You’ve got to be tough and physical. You’ve got to work hard and be capable of continuing, even when you’re knackered. You must be able to go through the pain barrier. You must play within the laws of the game (Bulls take note). There is no place for walking during the game. None of this is all that difficult, but you must have some ticker.
And so to this weekend’s games.
The Highlanders were unimpressive in their win over the Cheetahs. Adam Thomson continues to play outstanding rugby.
The Crusaders were excellent; the Bulls weren’t. The Crusaders can do that to most teams!
The Brumbies and the Hurricanes competed to be the worse.
The Waratahs were OK; the Force were not. Man-of-the-match Luke Burgess did not get my award. He is missing all of the fundamentals of scrum-half play, but he has all of the extras. He is fast and strong and a great defender, but he is as slow as a wet week at the base of the tackle and his pass is consistently inaccurate. Notice how the game sped up when McKibbin came on?
The Reds were good, especially in defence, and put a lot of pressure on the Stormers’ less-than-perfect technique. (Quade Cooper was penalised for a high tackle on Schalk Burger? What next?) The Stormers were negative from the start – two yellow cards, including one for a deliberate trip, and there could easily have been another for the same offence.
The Sharks were OK, but this was the Lions’ worst performance of the season. Willem Alberts is a serious force to reckoned with – for every minute of every game!
My summary is that none of the non-SANZAR nations will be terrified of the prospect of confronting the southern hemisphere giants – excepting the ones in New Zealand’s pool, that is!
