Ken Borland

Springbok fans will be dying of embarrassment as one of the weakest Australian teams in recent memory won a record fifth successive Test against South Africa, 26-19 in Perth on Saturday.

This is an Australian team that has only one or two players that would be considered for a World XV, had lost their opening two Rugby Championship games, blanked by the All Blacks last time out, and were under immense pressure leading into the game.

That pressure only intensified in the first half as the Springboks strangled them, pinning them in their own territory for lengthy periods. Possession may have been 50/50, but South Africa spent 66% of the first half in Australian territory.

The Wallabies, on the verge of disarray, should have been put away in that first half, but these Springboks totally lack a ruthless touch, especially on attack.

Australia went into the shed relieved to be just 6-13 down and were a much-improved outfit in the second half.

But the Springboks still enjoyed 50% possession and 61% territory in the second half, yet they could score just six points. Frustratingly, good ball was kicked away when they were inside the Wallabies half, Morne Steyn missed a crucial penalty in the 50th minute and a lineout throw was lost inside the 22 in the dying moments.

South Africa’s much-maligned kicking game worked a treat in the first half, creating the platform for victory as Australia’s weak kickers simply could not get them out of their territory, resorting to disastrous grubbers.

But the Springboks were once again limp on attack. Apart from Bryan Habana, who popped up everywhere before he left the field with a leg injury in the 53rd minute, there was no spark. The backline looked pedestrian and simply did not gel, failing to seize on a number of opportunities when they created holes in the Wallabies defence.

While flyhalf Morne Steyn is the obvious target as scapegoat, there is another issue which coach Heyneke Meyer may have to wrestle with, and that is his captain, Jean de Villiers, at 13.

A fine captain and person, a great Springbok and a highly-respected inside centre De Villiers may be, but the 31-year-old didn’t threaten once on attack and, the one time he did find himself in space on the outside, he and replacement wing Lwazi Mvovo managed to get in each other’s way and the turnover ball and overlap yielded nothing.

That was in the 58th minute and, just two minutes earlier, De Villiers also missed the midfield tackle on Dom Shipperley that led to Scott Higginbotham’s try. South Africa have some right to feel hard done by, however, as the move started from a scrum penalty against them that even the Australian commentators agreed was unjust.

But the Springboks clearly also still have problems with their pillar defence around the fringes as Higginbotham burst between Willem Alberts and Steyn at a ruck in the shadow of the poles, while Australia’s second try, by prop Ben Alexander, also came after gaps were left close to the breakdown.

South Africa have a ready-made replacement captain when Schalk Burger is fit, although Meyer might prefer to move De Villiers to his favoured position at inside centre. The coach will then, however, have to sacrifice the physical presence and direct running of Francois Steyn that he loves so much at 12.

Meyer belatedly introduced Pat Lambie into Rugby Championship action in the last 10 minutes, but it was the debut of the 20-year-old Johan Goosen in place of Morne Steyn at flyhalf that perhaps shows the coach the way to go in future.

Goosen, in his brief cameo, showed a willingness to take the ball to the defence, beat tackles and generally just looked a better attacking option. Plus we all know there is nothing wrong with his boot, and he can tackle.

There are arguments, of course, that Meyer should wait before thrusting Goosen into a starting role against the All Blacks. But the longer he waits, the more the Springboks will frustrate on attack. What everyone agrees on, however, is that Goosen is bound to have a long international career.

Whether Meyer enjoys the same remains to be seen. He will plead that it is very difficult to turn naturally conservative players into attacking dynamos overnight. But to dominate a poor Wallaby team for so long and still not manage to put them away means he has to add something more adventurous, more incisive to the current mix.

http://dailymaverick.co.za/article/2012-09-08-boks-with-no-spring

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Doctors are “cautiously optimistic” that Mark Boucher, the most prolific wicketkeeper in Test history, will regain sight in his left eye, his general practitioner said in a statement released on Thursday.

Boucher, who was hit in the eye by a bail in the first match of South Africa’s tour of England, underwent his second operation this week, but his doctors said it was still too early to predict how complete his recovery will be because he will need further surgery in the months ahead.

“While it is impossible to predict the long-term outcome of Mark’s eye injury, his medical team are nevertheless cautiously optimistic that he will have a reasonable recovery of the vision in his left eye. Over the next three to six months, Mark will undergo further surgery procedures in an attempt to improve his vision,” Dr Peter Sandell said in the statement.

Boucher was forced to announce his international retirement and the 35-year-old underwent a three-hour operation last week when the blood that had accumulated, due to the trauma suffered by his eye after the injury and the subsequent initial surgery, was removed.

Boucher played in 147 Tests for South Africa and completed 555 dismissals, a world record.

Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday admitted that they have misread the mood in the country and will definitely return Test cricket to its traditional place in the period between Christmas and New Year.

CSA announced their summer fixture list this week and there will be no test between Christmas and New Year, traditionally known as the “Boxing Day Test” starting on December 26. Since readmission in 1992, South Africa have always played a Boxing Day test, except on the five occasions that they were touring Australia.

The 2012 Boxing Day Test has been replaced by a T20 international against New Zealand in Port Elizabeth, leading to an outcry amongst cricket fans in South Africa.

“We’ve clearly noted the concerns and it was heartwarming to see such a passion for Test cricket being expressed. It shows that there is still a great following for Test cricket and that’s something we must not just take for granted. We made a mistake in not explaining the reasons for the move better,” CSA acting chief executive Jacques Faul told Reuters in Johannesburg on Thursday.

Faul said the absence of a Boxing Day Test in 2012 was a one-off.

“We’re going to have to take Test cricket more seriously and I can see the Boxing Day Test definitely being played again soon,” he said.

“The reasons for the move were several. Obviously crowds have been disappointing, but it’s not just about numbers. Our playing record then is poor, plus the players have not been at home for Christmas for a long time and it’s important to keep them fresh and motivated.”

South Africa have lost their last four home Boxing Day Tests – against Sri Lanka, India, England and Australia.

Faul admitted that the host broadcasters, SuperSport, had also expressed concerns over having just one day of live cricket during the prime period between Christmas and New Year.

“It’s a period of year when content is very important for the broadcasters and they did raise concerns,” Faul said.

The acting CEO was, however, delighted to announce a massive new sponsorship deal for CSA, with financial services group Momentum signing a six-year deal that covers all 50-over cricket – both one-day internationals and domestically.

The deal is believed to have netted CSA in the region of R200 million [$124.2 million] and is a huge vote of confidence in an organisation that has spent the last two years fighting a scandal over irregular bonuses paid to chief executive Gerald Majola and other allegations of bad corporate governance.

Majola has been suspended and is currently involved in a disciplinary hearing and could face criminal charges as well.

“It is a sign of confidence that we’ve made progress. Six years is a very long time and there’s no denying there were concerns over the bonus saga and Momentum obviously had their good name to consider,” Faull said.

Nicolaas Kruger, the CEO of MMI Holdings, Momentum’s parent company, said they were confident the bonus scandal was a thing of the past.

“In terms of CSA’s corporate governance, we are very comfortable with the significant progress that has been made with the recommendations of the Nicholson Inquiry being implemented and sports minister Fikile Mbalula getting involved to get the right governance structures in place,” Kruger said.

“But the deal represents a great business opportunity for us to expand our exposure. Cricket has a growing and diverse fan base of over 10 million South Africans and the benefits far outweigh the potential risks.”

The deal includes contractual assurances that CSA will complete the restructuring recommended by Judge Chris Nicholson, who was appointed by Mbalula late last year.