Buenos Aires: What we learned, what we didn’t
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Buenos Aires: What we learned, what we didn’t
1 The Springboks decision to change jerseys
from green to white was not clever, serving only to make the distinction
between the teams’ jerseys difficult for the referee, assistant referees,
players, spectators, and TV viewers. It was a strange error for a management team
priding themselves on meticulous attention to detail.
2 The late withdrawal of Marcos Ayerza, probably the most respected scrummaging loosehead in world rugby, was a game-changer – and an unexpected bonus for Marcel van der Merwe. The Argentinian scrum with and without Ayerza is two entirely different propositions.
3 Agustin Creevy is a crucial player in the Pumas team, both as hooker and captain, and his absence during the second half was a setback to any possible home team comeback.
4 Both Pumas scrumhalves, Martin Landajo and Tomas Cubelli, are threats to opposition defences, and are likely to make an impact at the World Cup.
5 The Boks were not as clinical as they’d have hoped to be, but it was a much improved performance, with better decision-making, more assured set-piece, no complacency, clearer focus and more intense concentration, and tighter defence.
6 Patrick Lambie exuded such class, and such skill in decision-making and execution, that the refusal to give him any opportunity to start at 10 during the Rugby Championship must be regretted. Goaling five out of five plus a drop-goal added to the message he is sending.
7 Eben Etzebeth was a colossus again, while Schalk Burger remains one of the most influential players in Test rugby.
8 Amongst what we have not learned in the last month is how effective Cobus Reinach could be as a Test scrumhalf – because he gets so little game-time while Ruan Pienaar gets so much – and whether Scarra Ntubeni can crack it at Test level. We learned nothing new about Adriaan Strauss or Schalk Brits in Buenos Aires, while Ntubeni’s weeks on end in the Springbok squad has not resulted in any game-time. Others offered little or no chance to advance their chances of World Cup selection include Siya Kolisi and Steven Kitshoff.
9 Jan Serfontein and Pieter-Steph du Toit are two of the most prodigiously talented young players in South Africa and having them back from injury is a boon for the Springboks.
10 Referee Glen Jackson’s approach to the Springboks is more benign than Romain Poite’s. Unfortunately for the Springboks though, only two of the 10 World Cup referees eligible to referee the Boks are from the southern hemisphere.
2 The late withdrawal of Marcos Ayerza, probably the most respected scrummaging loosehead in world rugby, was a game-changer – and an unexpected bonus for Marcel van der Merwe. The Argentinian scrum with and without Ayerza is two entirely different propositions.
3 Agustin Creevy is a crucial player in the Pumas team, both as hooker and captain, and his absence during the second half was a setback to any possible home team comeback.
4 Both Pumas scrumhalves, Martin Landajo and Tomas Cubelli, are threats to opposition defences, and are likely to make an impact at the World Cup.
5 The Boks were not as clinical as they’d have hoped to be, but it was a much improved performance, with better decision-making, more assured set-piece, no complacency, clearer focus and more intense concentration, and tighter defence.
6 Patrick Lambie exuded such class, and such skill in decision-making and execution, that the refusal to give him any opportunity to start at 10 during the Rugby Championship must be regretted. Goaling five out of five plus a drop-goal added to the message he is sending.
7 Eben Etzebeth was a colossus again, while Schalk Burger remains one of the most influential players in Test rugby.
8 Amongst what we have not learned in the last month is how effective Cobus Reinach could be as a Test scrumhalf – because he gets so little game-time while Ruan Pienaar gets so much – and whether Scarra Ntubeni can crack it at Test level. We learned nothing new about Adriaan Strauss or Schalk Brits in Buenos Aires, while Ntubeni’s weeks on end in the Springbok squad has not resulted in any game-time. Others offered little or no chance to advance their chances of World Cup selection include Siya Kolisi and Steven Kitshoff.
9 Jan Serfontein and Pieter-Steph du Toit are two of the most prodigiously talented young players in South Africa and having them back from injury is a boon for the Springboks.
10 Referee Glen Jackson’s approach to the Springboks is more benign than Romain Poite’s. Unfortunately for the Springboks though, only two of the 10 World Cup referees eligible to referee the Boks are from the southern hemisphere.
