THAT was more like it. Quite apart from the seesawing fortunes against Queensland last week, that made it a thrill a minute, here was a side at last looking like something. The threequarters moved in a way they hadn't all season. They were running onto the ball, they tackled fiendishly – though with some notable lapses – and they looked as if they just might be about to click. Yes, there were some wrong options taken; yes Quade Cooper at times was allowed to run rings round us. But this was an altogether better performance than up to now. None of the flatfooted hesitancy, real bursts of penetration. These blokes were going for it. It wasn't yet top of the range stuff but better than we've been getting. Due credit to Andy Goode at flyhalf.
The pack, of course, were magnificent. Every time we started a maul, Queensland were in disarray. We witnessed a classic in adapting play to conditions on the day.
But, alas, we have not yet fully exorcised ourselves of the urge to kick away possession. Punts into midfield and into the waiting arms of one of the most deadly threequarter combinations there is – this is sheer lunacy. Yet time and again it happened. Not up-and-under kicks, garryowens – there is a great deal of point to those – but kicks that were too far (though not far enough to gain territory) and with no chasers. When you've just got off the plane after five hard matches Down Under, that's just crazy. At least two Queensland tries came from such aimless kicking, and I wish our guys could get it out of their system. When we ran with the ball in hand, it got results. It must become a habit.
Yet, when all is said and done, we lifted ourselves off the deck in spite of weariness . That took spirit and guts. At last they have their long-awaited bye in which to rest and recuperate and return reinvigorated to take on the Lions next Saturday (Transvaal to we traditionalists). I say we'll moider da bums!
Will the Bulls (Northern Transvaal) recover from their wobble when they meet Waikato tonight? Or is a general wonkiness setting in? The same goes for Western Province against Auckland tomorrow. Is the pack being shuffled? Dare we even think of making the cut to the semi-finals? It's a big ask but after a spectacularly disastrous (and hugely unlucky) start, perhaps it's our turn for a bit of spectacular success.
We need to click, start firing on all cylinders. It hasn't happened yet but when it does it will be awesome. Whether it's in time to rescue our fortunes in the Super-14 is less important than that it just must happen. Then we can focus on the Currie Cup. We need a flyhalf – let's get Butch James or Peter Grant, leave Patrick Lambie alone. He's doing a great job at fullback, let's leave him to it.
What do we do for entertainment when there's a Super-14 bye? Well, the gals can relax because they won't be called on to supply knicker elastic for the catapults for the Florida Road feu de joie. What we can do is watch the quarterfinals of the European Cup. Leinster (current champs) play Clermont Auvergne tonight; tomorrow it's Biarritz versus Ospreys and Munster versus Northampton. Then Tolouse versus Stade Francais on Sunday. Great rugby all of it. Let the good times roll!
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