It's Sunday morning and I am still hopping mad.
As someone said, "You don't get many chances at an away win in New Zealand."
And the Boks got plenty in one game.
The word "butcher" was used to describe two missed tries in the match. But the reality is that the Boks butchered their chances in the entire game. And it started with poor selections and tactics. It continued with a brainless stubbornness. It finished with possibly the worst debut in international rugby.
Selections
Morne Steyn - does any more need to be said? Meyer must be asking himself whether his loyalty will cost him his job. Steyn's woeful form and one-dimensional play have been on a downward trajectory since the beginning of Meyer's reign.
Zane Kirchner - seriously? You'd select him ahead of Pat Lambie, Frans Steyn, Gio Aplon? He's tall and brave in the air. It ends there.
Stubbornness
It was clear the Boks believed the NZ back three were fragile under the high ball. The alternative is that the Boks believe that they are better off opposition mistakes than on their own ball. We know the latter belief is true, and has been true going back to Jake White's time. But let's stick with the first one: after the first 10, no 20, no 30 minutes of faultless fielding of the ball by Dagg, Savea and Jane, wouldn't you think a reconsideration of the tactic is required? As the commentators pointed out, it was very clear the All Blacks were prepared for the tactic. And quite frankly, many of the kicks were too deep and lacked any meaningful chase and contest.
Leaving so many points on the park in missed kicks, surely Meyer could see his flyhalf's confidence was shattered? He admits now that he may have made a mistake. Really? No. The mistake has been persisting since the signs in the Lions tests.
No educated rugby pundit expects the Boks to run the ball from their 22 every time. Tests are about percentages, and kicking for space and the corners is required. But there were few raking kicks driving the opposition back over the course of the last four tests.
The tactics seem so ingrained in the Boks, that one of the European players of the season - Ruaan Pienaar - looks like a poor performing robot.
Greyling
Meyer believes that Greyling cost the Boks the game. I am glad he has been "credited" with that level of distinction. What a performance. The foul play hit, the missed tackle that cost a try, etc.
But why was he selected? Why was he sent on? Bizarre.
Reality
The Bok forwards played very well. I'll be upfront and say I am not a Jannie du Plessis fan. His discipline record is poor. I have similar thoughts about Frik van der Merwe. I thought both had really solid games yesterday - in Jannie's case, despite his hamstring injury. I thought Francois Louw was excellent. I thought Willem Alberts was fantastic. And I thought Duane Vermeulen showed a good level of improvement.
The All Blacks were poor yesterday. However, when they ran the ball, they looked infinitely more threatening than the Boks. As has been mentioned countless times, they run at players' shoulders and look for the offload. They are seldom isolated. And they run good lines in support.
The Bok second phase ball is too slow - and not just because of opposition contest. Pienaar has developed an irritating habit of toeing the ball into the ruck while waiting for his line to form or - more likely - preparing for a kick. There are limited pick-and-goes with quick recycles. There is seldom a supporting player on the shoulder of a runner to either take an offload or clean an opposing defender.
When the Bok line spreads the ball, the individual players seldom attack the gain line and fully commit the opposition defender. As a result the ball usually arrives at the wing with the entire opposition on drift defence. The wing is then left to break inside with everything to do. Frankly, the Bok line looks like they are going through shadow practice.
A better Bok squad
It was great to see Heyneke pick Flo. Maybe he'll be braver in the face of our away results. I shared my run on-team last time. I'll include my bench this time as bracketed replacements.
15. Frans Steyn
14. Francois Hougaard (Lwazi Mvovo)
13. Jean de Villiers
12. Juan de Jongh
11. Bryan Habana
10. Pat Lambie (Johan Goosen)
9. Ruaan Pienaar
8. Duane Vermeulen
7. Willem Alberts (Marcell Coetzee)
6. Francois Louw
5. Bakkies Botha (Frik van der Merwe)
4. Eben Etzebeth
3. Brian Mujati (Jannie du Plessis)
2. Andries Strauss (Deon Fourie)
1. Beast Mtawarira (Gurthro Steenkamp)
Heinrich Brussouw has been back for two matches. I'm torn between him and Coetzee, but I'm going with Coetzee. I think he's been immense in his debut season and Flo plays the fetcher role. Alberts covers lock. I've gone with a five-two split due to the versatility of the backline players. If I went for a four-three split, I'd have Elton Jantjies in the squad.
Commentary
Plaudits to the New Zealand commentary team - and especially Justin Marshall. They are unbiased in the extreme - to the extent of defending Bok actions and then being shown up by the video footage. They are knowledgeable and a pleasure to listen to.
