The Springboks may be the biggest chokers in World Rugby
(apart from NZ at world cups). They have the annoying habit of playing great rugby till about 20mins to go then letting it go.
This week end was no different! The loss in Soweto seemed like typical SA rugby. Juan Smith played out of his boots, Francios Hougaard also put in a huge performance at number 9, JP made a good comeback to the Springbok scene and Juan de Jongh played like a real trooper....but it wasn't enough....
Ok- I'll get to the point. Below is my starting bok dream team for the world cup next year....Post yours below and feel free to diss whomever you want!!
1 - John Smit (c) 9- Fourie Du Preez
2- Bismaark Du Plesis 10- Morne Steyn
3-Tendai Mtawarira 11- Bryan Habana
4- Andries Bekker 12- Butch James
5- Victor Matfield 13- Jacque Fourie
6- Henrich Brussow* Ryan Kankowski 14- Gio Aplon
7- Juan Smith 15- Francios Steyn/Patrick Lambie
8-Piere Spies
It is somewhat obvious & I haven't made too many wild calls....The * attached to Henrich means 'if he is fit again'. I am just tired of Schalk, Jean De Villiers & Bakkies. . They don't stand up to the plate enough. Post your team below or just comment on the changes you would make!
Changes I would make to your side:
ReplyDelete6. Heinrich Brussouw - Missed the turnover king this tri-nations. McCaw gets away with too much and we need someone to nullify him. Would also like to see Franscois Louw get more opportunities. He's a fantastic fetcher and we could use him. Schalk was sublime this last weekend. If he continue's like that, you can't NOT have him in the side.
8. Ryan Kanko - Been superb with the Sharks, Spies misses too many tackles and for a man of his size he should be more physical, but unfortunately has not lived up to the hype. Willem Alberts & Duanne Vermeulan could be considered as well. Hard men in great form.
10. Patrick lambie - Got everything you need in a flyhalf. His vision and distribution skills are top quality and his defensive statistics are outstanding for a guy as small as he is. Morne Steyn is not the same as he was in the British & Irish Lions series. Mainly because we missing the best rugby player in the world at 9. Steyn doesn't break the line and I believe if we have Fourie Du Preez at 9 and Lambie at 10, it'll bring out the best in any backline.
11. Lwazi Mvovo - Bryan Habana has lost the plot. The fact that he continues to shoot up from the defensive line means he is a liability in our backline. This has lead to many a try in this tri-nations and i think we need a change (until he can find the spark that was bryan Habana of old). Mvovo is a man who isn't afraid to run the ball from his 22 and is undoubtedly the form winger in this country at present. Strong runner and could on defence. He needs a shot at the green and gold. Will be shocked if he isn't in the squad for the End-Of-Year-Tour.
12. Juan de Jongh - So quick off the mark and tackled like a man possessed at Soccer City this last weekend. With quick service coming from Lambie and with some space to move, this man will be very dangerous as shown in the currie cup & super 14.
My team would therefore look like this.
1. John Smit
2. Bismark Du Plessis
3. Beast Mtawarira
4. Andries Bekker
5. Victor Matfield
6. Heinrich Brussouw
7. Juan Smith
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Fourie Du Preez
10. Pat Lambie
11. Lwazi Mvovo
12. Juan De Jongh
13. Jacque Fourie
14. Gio Aplon
15. Frans Steyn
Would like to have these guys in the squad: Gerard Van Den Heever, Duanne Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Francios Louw, Peter Grant
So now that we've clearly heard from the sharks supporters, here's my take:
ReplyDelete1. Gurthro Steenkamp (Cheers John)
2. Bismark Du Plessis
3. BJ Botha
4. Andries Bekker
5. Flip(pen legend) Vd Merwe
6. Schalk Burger
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie Du Preez (C)
10. Morne Steyn
11. Francois Hougaard
12. Juan De Jongh
13. Jacque Fourie/Wynand Olivier
14. Gio Aplon
15. Brian Habana
I'm not so sure that we are 'Chokers' - Rather, I think PDV brings on Januarie and takes of key players like Franscois Hougaard and Juan Smit in the last 5-10 mins.
1.John Smit
ReplyDelete2. Bismark Du Plessis
3. Beast Mtawarira
4. Andries Bekker
5. Victor Matfield
6. Schalk Burger (Heinrich Brussouw if he was fit)
7. Juan Smith
8. Ryan Kankowski
9. Fourie Du Preez
10. Morne Steyn (Pat Lambie give him a year or two. He should start training with the boks though)
11. Bryan Habana
12. Juan De Jongh (It is so hard to leave out Jean DV though)
13. Jacque Fourie
14. Gio Aplon
15. Frans Steyn
16. Gurthro Steenkamp
17. BJ Botha
18. Pierre Spies (Only because he is Spies – Otherwise Francios Louw)
19. Danie Rossouw (Only because he covers lock too. Otherwise I would throw in the bruising Willem Alberts)
20. Francios Hougaard
21. Butch James
22. Jean De Villers
To GARY: I like your team, but Wynand Olivier!??!? Are you serious! The guy is good at a provincial level, but useless on the national stage.
Those are all strong sides lads......tell others to come have a comment or two! I'm glad Earl Rose hasn't been mentioned yet.....good work! :)
ReplyDeleteP.S- Andrew 'The Butcher of Twickenham' at 12 is SICK!!!
I tend to disagree on the idea of the Boks being actual chokers but must agree that the second half form of the team in internationals thus far this year has been disappointing. There is a very definite lack of that elusive "something" that turns a good side into a championship winning side and with the world cup coming up in 12 months we have reason to feel slightly concerned. The lineup of Springbok players is the most easily analyzed aspect of our current situation and I am glad there is thought being put in from fans like us. However, sorting out exactly what we need is slightly more complex than only who plays.
ReplyDeleteStyle and Strategy
Our boys have gone through every development of style and strategy that has been par for the course in world rugby and I hesitantly point out that history will show we have led the pioneering effort of creativity in these spheres. The 95 Boks were not genius in their approach but did change the manner in which games were won. At that point, the plan was always swinging down the line and putting Campese/Lomu/Underwood in position to take the points in the corner. This was coupled with aerial ping-pong. Mehrtens vs. Rob Andrew vs. the always-positive Stransky. Check how many tries James Small scored on the left. Chester did score a good few tries but the opposition in those instances was generally not of great quality. The Nike generation Boks followed with Gazza Teichmann leading (before selling eggs in KZN). Those chaps were the side that challenged the record for unbeaten runs until England in 98. That was the generation that created the sidestep and running rugby that no one had ever seen before. Centers were then allowed to be more creative which opened space for the players to play the type of rugby we all loved. Remember Deon Keyser and Breyton Paulsewhen he still had the afro?
Then the All Blacks learned to play the same, primarily I think because Christian Cullen put a rugby jersey on.
Then for a few years, we were completely lost (Markgraaf, Viljoen, and Streuli). We were a sad and disappointing side during that time- WC 99 and 03 proves it.
Then HE came, the man who brought us glory. Jake White! We know the path that man and his squad traveled and I am certain that readers of this blog followed with only the odd question. His style was keeping the ball on the foot, which may have looked boring, but the defensive plays he employed were better than any before or since. You will remember having your breath taken away by watching the boys tackling opposition backwards on the 15th phase. We learned to appreciate something new and won a world cup in the process.
Now here is when Div took over. I do not dislike the man but I do think that his plans for style and strategy have failed to work. He realized this at the end of last year and the start of 2010 and I think he is properly stressed because he does not have the expertise to create a rugby platform that we can use to monopolize RWC '10 the way we did in '07. At the end of the Soweto test he looked like a VERY tired and exasperated man. I fear he thought that all he needed to do was retain that vastly experienced yet young squad and simply insert his game plan. Unfortunately, he forgot that the NZ and Oz coaches are not stupid.
I feel that now is the time for Mr. Gold to stand up and actually use the magnificence he has picked up from years of top-flight rugby. Not a change of coach but simply more input from someone who shared consciousness with Jake White. The option of kicking style games is no longer a reality because the game itself now forces more running. This translates into team selection but it works both ways. A side can be chosen and THEN a style can be chosen and/or modified. It is what Jake did.
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ReplyDeleteThe squad listed above is not entirely imaginative nor innovative. But this is for good reason. The time for experimentation, trial and error is now over. Most southern hemisphere rugby fans know that the Tri-Nations that precedes a world cup year is more useful as a building phase rather than an indicator of world cup form. As Bok fans we can take solace in this to a certain extent. Where we should start worrying is the lack of positive outcomes that came from the outbound tour last year. Annually it is a tour that relies not on good results but rather as a one that produces a handful of youngsters that possess the skill to make it at international level. It is for this reason the balance between youth and experience is a delicate one. I am aware that there are a number of fringe players who, on form, could outplay many of these starters. My rationale for not selecting them is that post 2010 RWC there is going to be a major shift in players and coaching staff. It is at that point where the floodgates for new talent will be opened. The alternative to drastic change after RWC is to do it right now and we know that is a very dangerous option.
ReplyDeleteI agree gov....a lot of people are calling for the axe to be dropped on John Smit now, but that will have DIRE consequences for the team at the big stage next year!
ReplyDeleteTesting to see if i can post!!
ReplyDeleteOk... Now that I can eventually post something on here... Here's my team:
ReplyDelete1. Gurthro Steenkamp
2. Bismarck du Plessis
3. Beast Mtawarira
4. Bakkies Botha (Watch his comeback later this year)
5. Vic Matfield (C)
6. Heinrich Brusouw
7. Juan Smith
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie du Preez
10. Morne Steyn
11. Gerhard vd Heever
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jacques Fourie
14. Gio Aplon
15. Patrick Lambie
16. Gary Botha
17. CJ vd Linde
18. Danie Rossouw
19. Ryan Kankowski
20. Francois Hougaard
21. Butch James
22. Frans Steyn
Biggest change needed... Get rid of Pieter Div
John Smit axed from the matchday 22?!?!?! Werner.....you're cold! get the latest copy of Sports Illustrated and read what it says in there....some very interesting points made from some ex-players!!
ReplyDeleteYou okes must be cheesed out of your minds...
ReplyDelete1. Guthro
2. Smit (to play 40 mins)
3. BJ
4. Vic
5. Bekker
6. Brussouw
7. Juan Smith aka greatest human being ever
8. Schalk (spies and kank don't do enough, and you need to accommodate these three loosies, they all have to play)
9. Fourie
10. Steyner
11. Habana
12. De Jongh
13. Turkey
14. JP
15. Fransy Steyn
16. Bismark
17. Beast
18. Danie
19. Spies - PERFECT IMPACT PLAYER
20. Fransy Hougaard
21. Gio
22. Jdv (but would be open to someone else)
GOMEZ.....I will fight you!! Butcher in for JDV anyday!! Schalk at 8 is crazy...Henrich will fetch, then you need someone to use it! Schalk will bugger up!! I think Kank-bank at 8 for 60 minutes will mean we're running the ball more, then Spies Spies can come on and make his impact!!!
ReplyDeleteFrancois Steyn is blue cheese, mez..
ReplyDeletei love andrew as much as you, but i think there are far better options at 12. he can play 10 if morne gets injured. kank can piss off, he does nothing.
ReplyDeleteGary - you sir, are blue cheese.