Rugby: Finger pointed at Smit and Matfield

Victor Matfield (L) and John Smit(R)during happier times. Photo / Getty Images

John Smit is not up to standard, he's too slow. And the Springbok captain no longer seems to have any real enthusiasm for the game.

As for lock Victor Matfield, he too may be past it.

This is former Australian World Cup winning coach Bob Dwyer's assessment of Peter de Villiers' ailing Springboks.

Dwyer says: "In the case of both Smit and Matfield, it is feasible that as team leaders they are struggling with their own games versus the team's game. But I think Smit is past it and Matfield may well be past it.

"I think the two best locks in South Africa right now are Danie Rossouw and Andries Bekker. They complement each other and are terrific competitors. But I am not sure you can play Bekker and Pierre Spies in one team because they're both wide runners and you might be short of guys in close to do the hard yards."

Saturday's match in Brisbane represented a much improved Wallabies performance, said Dwyer. It condemned the travelling Springboks to a third straight loss and virtually no chance of successfully defending their Tri-Nations title.

"But I don't want to give cause for too much optimism - yet. Over the past two weeks, I have described the Springbok performances as poor, so a performance with any sort of quality should have produced a win against them, with their current squad and form. They have, after all, conceded about 100 points in the last three weeks."

What then for the Springboks for the remainder of this year?

"Their capitulation on last season's end-of-year northern tour was nothing short of astonishing and that same form has continued into this year's internationals. Certainly, they are missing Fourie du Preez, Heinrich Brussouw and Jannie du Plessis but their established players are just not producing.

"Dare I say it; Victor Matfield and John Smit look past it and even the great Bryan Habana is having no impact on the game.

"Why is that, in Habana's case? There were a number of parts to Habana's game: he had a fantastic kick-chase game but the kicking is now not as accurate because all the kicking is now in the domain of Steyn, whereas before it was shared by Steyn and du Preez. So the defence against the kicking can be much more focused and the kicking is subsequently not as accurate.

"Bryan Habana's attacking game had two strings to it. One was at the end of a backline attack which, without Du Preez and Jean de Villiers at centre, has lost most of its sting and there are now virtually no opportunities for Bryan.

"His other attacking opportunities came either as first receiver or as pick and go when he injected himself in close. But the South Africans' ball re cycling has become so stilted that no opportunities exist."

So is Habana finished as one of the world's great players? Dwyer snorts with derision at that suggestion. "I cannot believe Bryan Habana is still not a great player."

Dwyer, like so many others, queries many of the Springboks' selections this year. "Their selections, at times, remain a mystery to me. Jean de Villiers not at inside-centre, no open-side flanker? Come to think of it, it's been a while since South Africa produced a performance worthy of the world champions tag."

Was that because of the type of rugby the Boks have played this year? Dwyer didn't think so. "I've never been terribly concerned about which game people play just about how they play it.

"I just felt in recent times the South Africans' adherence to quality technique had really taken some forward steps. But in the last year their game seems to have fallen apart. They don't seem to be doing anything, that seems the biggest problem."

You can read more of Bob Dwyer's views at: www.bobdwyerrugby.com