Are South Africans chokers?

Picture: media24

How were those Proteas!!! Truly the most amazing one-day cricket match in history.

But what a paradox. Compare this to their failure to drive it home in the third and fourth matches - where they lost their 2-0 advantage to go into the fifth and final match 2-2. Given the final, I'm sure at least one person muttered something about the box-office convenience...

And compare it to the diabolical Stormers, who have squandered commanding positions in three matches to lose. I was still bruised from Saturday night's disaster (final minute Stormers loss to the Hurricanes) when I endured the Australian batting innings in Sunday's match. Well, actually I got some chores done 'cause I couldn't bare to watch. Luckily I thought, I'll just watch the beginning of the SA innings...

When I was at school, we had a British cricket pro who assisted all the coaches with specialist instruction. I remember his departure speech, as he left to return to the UK, "South Africa seems to have unbelievable talent - just a lack of killer instinct."

It was amazing leaving school and playing club rugby. Guys who had been in opposing teams that had whipped us were suddenly team-mates. Combined with the fact that we were the strongest club in the Western Cape, this had an amazing effect on my self belief. First you realise that these guys who seemed invincible were just human. Secondly, you run onto the field with the expectation of winning - losing would be unacceptable, never mind unexpected.

The Sharks have imported Tony Brown. What would the effect of someone like Chris Latham (rated the world's best fullback, but in one of the bottom-placed teams on the Super 14 log) be on a South African team with ability but apparently lacking self-belief - like the Stormers? (Never mind the cringing thought of those Latham post-try celebrations for the moment).

Today newspapers are comparing the Cats under Laurie Mains - Super 12 semi-finalists - to the Cats under anyone else - nowhere men.

Oh what a difference De Villiers makes!

My word. The first 30 minutes of today's Stormers vs. Hurricanes match were some of the best SA SuperRugby I have seen. The second phase ball was quick, the handling was silky, the home team respected possession - wonderful!

Within that first 30 minutes, the Stormers had spread the ball wide 8 times to the 2 of the Hurricanes. Players combined for the first time this season as wings cut round to join the line, forwards supported the backs, all in all wonderful.

As the Hurricanes came back, the Stormers defended as though they finally had a pattern and you could see the impact of players understanding their role. It enabled De Wet Barry to come into his own as he made some bone shattering hits. The confidence told as Schalk Brits and Ross Skeate combined to copy Friday's Waratahs' move - Brits getting a return from the top of the line out to charge down the touchline and score in the corner - it was wonderful.

The second half was predictably tighter. The Stormers cut down on the flair and the Hurricanes swung the very little ball they had down the line - always looking dangerous. The Stormers defensive scrambles resulted in a huge number of lineouts to the Hurricanes - who fluffed more than they won. If it were not for this, the amount of possession going to the Hurricanes would have been enormous.

As it was, the Hurricanes retained ball well when they had it, but more importantly, made good ground in each phase.

The Stormers defense began to look all the more frail. It took a magnificent effort from De Villiers to chase down Nonu from behind, but eventually the Stormers could not hold out the Hurricanes in the corner.

Leading by a point with five minutes to go, you would have bet on the Stormers to take it after dominating most of the match. But when the Stormers have played defensive rugby this season they have looked poor. They did again, missing four tackles to allow the Hurricanes in again. 23 - 19. Not wonderful.

Where did it go wrong? Some unconverted opportunities in the first half where the Stormers should have scored at least one and possibly two tries. They were blown a number of times for slowing the ball on the ground. They conceded huge amounts of ground to rolling malls. And they showed their usual inability to close out the tight match. And kicking away possession - Werner's chips were anticipated. And Grant's line kicking needs to punish the opposition. Bolla's kicks over the top for touch were inadequate.

Massive amounts to be positive about, but the Stormers need some harde-gat attitude to take them to the next level. Some increased match fitness for De Villiers and Joubert will also help. But time is ticking before they begin the mission impossible - the Australasian road trip.

Can South African sides turn it around?

Picture: Supersport

Oh man. It is demoralising being a South African during SuperRugby season.

This is my first post in a while. Frankly, there has not been a lot to write about.

I was at two of the Stormers' early matches of the season. I watched the first at Ellis Park and flew to Cape Town to watch the third.

I feel I have every right to be angry as a Stormers' supporter.

But I wonder if that is part of the problem with SA supporters and coaches. It is interesting to contrast someone like Rassie Erasmus with Nick Mallet. See the effect on Gaffie du Toit. It is a well known fact that Nick Mallet thinks that Gaffie is the most limited rugby player on the SA scene. Getting away from Nick has done Gaffie the world of good, and he is looking rejuvenated again.

But that doesn't explain all of it, because Gaffie got more than a fair share of support from Carel du Plessis and he was pretty kak then.

On the subject of Carel, I wish he was somehow involved with WP/Stormers rugby. Kobus van der Merwe and Gary Gold appear to be doing wonders with the forwards, but the backs are looking the worst they have in many years. I felt that Carel often got a raw deal when involved with the Boks (especially) and WP (although I think Gert Smal deserves a fair share of the blame there).

The Stormers backs look worse than an average school side. It must be said that injuries to Marius Joubert and Jean de Villiers have been the major contributor - although, given Marius' form last year, maybe that is just the De Villiers' injury.

However, the point is that the Stormers line has looked absolutely woeful, and the locus of the problem rests squarely around Gus Theron. It is absolutely shocking that a player can have a record like his and still be backup in a Super 14 side. His defensive running has put the whole Stormers line out of alignment. His fumbles have caught on and now seem part of the Stormers game. How can the Stormers excuse this. Not only does his selection mean that there is no better player in the Western Cape, but given the draft system, no better player elsewhere in the country. I just don't believe that. I remember Grant Esterhuizen being used through the draft two years ago and being the stand out player in the Stormers line. If that doesn't present a solution, then why has Werner Greef not been moved to outside centre and a replacement fullback found?

On the subject of Werner, these return chip kicks are now so well known (they were well known three years ago) that it is now a opposition tactic to kick downfield, chase hard, and collect Werner's return chip. Not only that but the disease has caught - De Wet's chip resulted in the beginning of the end for the Stormers last week - it resulted in a 70m opposition try.

While the improvement in the Stormers forwards has been pleasing, I don't think that the experiment of Schalk Burger at blind-side flank is working. Certainly Luke Watson is enjoying his run at open-side. I still believe Schalk's best position might be eighth man. He has many qualities that remind me of Tiaan Strauss. And frankly, Adri Badenhorst has looked below his best there this season. Even when Big Joe returns, I'd like to see him at blind-side and Schalk behind the scrum.

Apparently Nick Mallet conducted a video session (in Kobus van der Merwe's absence - where the hell was he?) with the Stormers on Monday after the Highlanders' match. He pinpointed a first tackle miss rate of close to 50%. He also pointed out that the Stormers were overcommitting to the rucks.

I can't argue with the missed tackles - the Stormers have been woeful on defense this season. I'm not sure whether to be upset or delighted with the forwards in the rucks though. I believe that South Africa's biggest issue on attack is slow second phase ball.

The Sharks' loss against the Brumbies today showed exactly this. Our attack looks prosaic. By the time the ball is cleared to the backs, opposition teams are lined up and pick off our attacking runners. It was delightful to watch Tony Brown and Ruan Pienaar combining on the loop around to put Ndungane away - and the stunning pickup by Adi Jacobs to score. It was without doubt the best bit of attack from a South African side this season. Sadly, the Sharks slow ball killed other chances of attacking success.

I must say, that despite the Sharks strong defensive showing, I think Adi Jacobs and Henno Mentz are frail in defense and opened things up for the Brumbies.

But the best thing about today was the difference in attitude from the Sharks coaching staff to the pathetic comment from Kobus van der Merwe. Dick Muir called a win against the Brumbies this week. And the way the Sharks started, you could see the players believed it. Van der Merwe phoned the Boots and All studio to call their criticism of the Stromers' performances unfair - after all, "the Stormers are building a young side." Naas Botha correctly challenged this and said the place to do that was in the Currie Cup, not the Super 14.

Rassie Erasmus is another coach who could turn things around - he's not looking for any excuses for the Cheetahs in their first season of Super 14.

Sadly in the post match commentary, AJ Venter was happy, praising his young inexperienced side's performance. Contrast this to the comment from Brendan Cannon - part of the Western Force in their first season of SuperRugby - "Ah, mate - every week there's something positive - but that's not good enough, we need to be winning."

By all means, let's keep it constructive and build the confidence of our young layers, but let's see some acocuntability for poor performances too. If these were businessmen, they'd be out of jobs. In South Africa, we've seen the big unions close ranks against the new relegation format. Personally, I'd have loved to see relegation. Sure it would be sad to see Ellis Park not hosting Super 14, but is it good to see their non-committed abject performances there instead? Let's see some consequence for poor performance rather than gifting players like Jorrie Muller a salary for weekly shockers.