Anyway from a game play perspective. Firstly our forwards didn't manage to get parity with the Irish - we definitely lost the scurms on aggregate and particularly in the latter half of the game they were more physical and we didn't front up.
Our forward runners off nine were predictable and ineffective.
Ross Cronje and Elton Jantjies are both good players playing a game that is utterly unsuited to them, they thrive off quick passing and recycling and when forced to play this more tactical game plan they look very ordinary
Kriel and DDA unfortunately both lack basic skills from an attacking standpoint, no ability to read the game and just draw and pass effectively to create space on the outside, this is partly due to our deep line and our half backs playing a game that they are unsuited to but our centres have become a black hole where backline play goes to die. Both good atheletes with no brains. Same goes in defense, DDA and Kriel can make hits but they consistently got outfoxed by the Irish attack and were drawn into the centre of the field letting the Irish get around us on multiple occasions. I still like DDA but am willing to concede he's not up to scratch from a distribution and decision making perspective, maybe he's just ordinary or maybe he's just not match fit, either way I concede he's definitely not the man for the job at this time.
Our wings didn't get any opportunity for reasons stated above but additionally are not good enough in the air to execute the game plan that AC wants to execute. Basically 12/13 - dummies 9/10/11/14 - all completely unsuited to this slowly executed attack that we seem to be playing.
In short I have no positives to take out of this game, perhaps its unfair to just blame the coach but he lacks the smarts to get the best out of the players he has selected. He doesn't seem to know his players or where they are best suited. He's never really coached a side that has been effective at scoring points.
Ultimately Johan Ackermans Lions/ Robert du Preez Sharks/ and even Flecks Stormers have a more coherent plan and ability to execute their game plan to score points, all three of those sides lose to the Irish but they put forward a much better performance than we saw yesterday. What are we actually trying to accomplish in attack, it's hard to imagine how we actually get points on the board with this side. Either our forwards really just dominate up front and we make ground that way or we look completely flat. AC must go but he won't because of politics, I've become increasingly convinced that we have no chance in 2019 with him at the helm.
I'm not convinced the 30 cap rule or selecting overseas based players is suddenly going to make our team better. Selection is less of a problem for me than gameplan, just a coherent strategy executed by the right players.
As for the Irish I feel bad, they are a good side who deserves better opposition to test themselves against. Now the fans have to wonder if they are really played fantastically or they just put away a woeful side who couldn't compete with them on any level.
I'm sorry to sound so pessimistic and part of that is just me hurting from the defeat. Suddenly all I really have to look forward to from a rugby perspective is SR and maybe the small prospect of AC getting fired. Ac's list of achievements as head coach thus far:
- First ever Bok loss to Italy
- First ever loss to Ireland on home soil
- First ever loss to Argentina away from home
- Largest ever loss to Wales
- Largest ever home loss to the All Blacks
- Largest ever away loss the the All Blacks
- Largest ever loss to Ireland
- Lowest ever win rate for a Bok coach at 40.9%
