Well, I don't think I've been as frustrated by a referees performance as I was for this game. That's not to say South Africa didn't deserve the win as they played to the referee considerably better and were all in all more physical. But the referee certainly showed he was well and truly out of his depth. The number of times there were no South Africans on their feet at a break down with no call was amazing. Some of his calls were just plain terrible. Two red cards in a U20 match final is pathetic, especially for the incident. We really needed Ofa Tuungafasi on the field as well, as for all his scrum problems he was the only one competing in the rolling malls, which is where South Africa really killed us (the ref didn't help either).
Despite the referee, New Zealand played poor and this won't be remembered as a vintage crop of players. They just didn't compete well enough physically. They would almost always go wide, however they rarely let the forwards run off the pick and drive or hit ups. The result was that South Africa could have 13 men in the defense and not worry about losing metres near the ruck. The truth of it is however, is even if the forwards did manage to hit it up, they were being dominated physically anyway. So many of the New Zealand forwards were standing and watching the ball get stolen and on defense they all tried to pilfer the ball (and by pilfer I mean get into a pilfering position even when the ball is a metre and a half away), but they didn't at all try and drive over the forwards to get the ball, something South Africa did very well, even if they were never on their feet.
I thought Martin McKenzie looked outstanding for New Zealand and Jason Emery looked good again, especially in the first half but didn't get enough ball. I was also quite impressed with Bryn Hall, looked quite composed most of the time. Ihaia West also had a pretty good game.Jordan Taufua also was fairly good, however he was pretty much the only running option with the forwards, so he got taken out of the game somewhat.
That's the extent of it. Everyone else was poor. The option taking was often terrible, with lots of aimless kicking easpecially in the first half where we tried some poor kicks in behind and failed. I thought Opetera Peleseuma killed our midfield. Always tried the tricky little passes that never came off and had poor body position in the contact on the rare occasions his passes didn't god wrong. His defense was pretty good, but other than that had a shocker. None of our wingers were at all effective and the breif moment that Marnus Hanley was on the field, in the dieing staged of the match, he kicks it out, in his own 22, when the oppositions biggest asset is the rolling maul, and Hanley is a rubbish kicker, and he had time to run it or at least pass. The option taking was terrible.
The problem with this team, is that they just don't take the right options. They're a bit thick. Ugh. Certainly no one in this team I'd put in the ITM Cup for a few seasons other than Jason Emery for Manuwatu (who could look very sharp with Aaron Smith and Aaron Cruden). We could have really done with TJ Peranara and Sam Cane. We were lacking leadership and couldn't get the basics right.
ANYWAY - Now that I've got that over and done with. Congratulations to South Africa. Quite a few of those forwards look well ready for Super Rugby. I thought Pieter Steph Du Toit was pretty outstanding, certainly very physical. Was also very impressed with Jan Serfontein, looked like a young Jaque Fourie. I thought Nicolaas Van Dyk totally killed Ofa Tuungafasi. Seemed like a total prick, but scrummaged well.
Wasn't overly impressed with the booing of the crowd especially during goal kicking and the haka, it's a U20 match...but I'm under no false illusions that New Zealander's wouldn't have done the same, and probably will during the Irish test in 12 hours. It just always really bothers me. Other than that really good atmosphere. If I didn't have to watch it to Karl Te Nana's commentary, at 4:30am in the morning, with a crap referee, and a poor New Zealand team, whom lost the match, I'd have really enjoyed the game.
