Daniel in the Lions’ den
6 Feb 2006
Daniel Muller may be a name unfamiliar to many, but Frans Ludeke believes his story could be one of the most memorable of the year.
Muller, a former Lions’ U21 and Vodacom Cup player, has spent the last three years in New Zealand where he played for NPC side Auckland.
Speaking to keo.co.za, Ludeke asserts that Muller’s return to the Jo’burg franchise is a fair return on the investment made by the Lions.
“I coached Daniel when he was a youngster, and we sent him with Balie Swart to New Zealand because we could see the potential in him and thought his development could be fast-trackde overseas,” Ludeke said. “He managed to get a contract, and now that he’s back he’s a completely different player to the one who left. His growth has been incredible.”
Ludeke highlighted the elements of Muller’s game that are especially impressive.
“His worth ethic and professionalism reflect a stint overseas. He is a specialist tighthead, and has a sound knowledge of the position from playing against the top guys in New Zealand.”
Ludeke has veteran Marius Hurter and Springbok Lawrence Sephaka as his other candidates for jersey 3, meaning that the position regarded by many as critical to any pack’s performance is extremely well-stocked.
Sephaka’s role as utility cover, however, may be a more accurate description than specialist tighthead. Preseason games have seen Sephaka play as loosehead predominantly.
“Jake has Lawrence pencilled in as a tighthead in the back of his mind, so we respect that and will continue to give him game time there. It’s amazing to see how much he’s developed in that position, but obviously we’ll need him to play loosehead as well. Lawrence will start some of the games as loosehead, Pietman [van Niekerk] will start some of the games.
“With our props, it’s safe to say we’ll adopt a horses for courses policy.”
25 Comments
6 Feb 2006, 10:30 am
Well with Guthro injured surely Sephake should be allowed to play as a loose head – this is his favoured position is it not?
6 Feb 2006, 10:41 am
Why don’t more club do this for there players, think if you want to be the best you have to play against the best. And by the way what did happen to Balie that side?
6 Feb 2006, 10:43 am
Probably because that would be thinking outside the box by the South Africans … a bit like realising that we can’t rely on brute force and ignorance to win all matches anymore, you sometimes need a little bit of brains and guile
6 Feb 2006, 10:45 am
Good thing that someone had the vision to send him to a country that still teaches a prop to scrum. Too many of our props just hold their ground in scrums. We need someone to take control of them. Dominate them.
Cheers
6 Feb 2006, 10:49 am
hobo, if I am not mistaken he is still coaching a NPC side!
6 Feb 2006, 10:59 am
Hobo and kietie
He was coaching Nelson Bays and is quite well thought of in NZ. I beleive he is now assisting Swys de Bruin with the Wildebeeste.
6 Feb 2006, 10:59 am
Sepakha, is not a tighthead & will never be, I dont know why JW keeps playing around like this. When will JW realise that if the front row is dominant then you are half there to winning. But, know keep playing guys out of position -eish. This Mueller guy sounds interesting as the BOKS are very thin on “genuine” tightheads.
6 Feb 2006, 11:00 am
Balie came back and got involved with the Shrks last year didn’t he?
He was doing well in NZ, until they got all zenophobic and decided he was a springbok spy or something and he realised his progress would suffer from their backwards mentality.
6 Feb 2006, 11:00 am
Wasn’t Balie Kevin Putt’s forward coach in last years Super 12?
And if he was that well thought of in New Zealand do you think they would have let him leave?
6 Feb 2006, 11:12 am
Yeah Cubiczirconia, except Guthro plays for the Cheetahs
6 Feb 2006, 11:48 am
Frazer… try the Bulls!!
6 Feb 2006, 12:27 pm
Whatever, if it aint the Cats, I don’t want to know! Go CATS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
6 Feb 2006, 13:01 pm
what really caught my eye was the fact they had to send this guy to new zealand so he could learn what being a professional rugby player is all about.
To quote Ludeke -
“His work ethic and professionalism reflects a stint overseas”
Why do our players not have that work ethic and professionalism instilled into them here in SA? You go anywhere in the world and South Africans are renowned for their skills and work ethic in the corporate world, yet our rugby players dont share this?
6 Feb 2006, 13:20 pm
***** bells didn’t know this blokes background, sounds very promising, maybe the cats have a bit more depth than they have been given credit for. great depth at TH in Hurter and now Muller, crucial. Think JW is wrong about this and Ludeke is right that Larry S is not a TH.
Now all we need is a big mofo no 8, how about looking to the pacific islander like the sharks have done?
With the injury of steenkamp, EA and LS should provide cover for loosehead, but a really powerful young specialist TH scrummager needs to come into the squad particularly for England later this year. BJ Botha or Andries Human.
6 Feb 2006, 13:21 pm
Munki
Nope they are more interested in dopping and the Chicks than rugby. Everybody wants to be a Bobby Skinstad. Part of comes from our school culture where most guys in the 1′st Xv are revered and can’t do anything wrong.
Our players must realise that it is only a job. Playing provincial\international rugby doesn’t make you good person. Our players let there fame go to their head and beleive thier own press.
The sooner we start to realise what it means to be profesional the better for us. We are currently No2 in the IRB rankings with players who are unfit, understrength, overweight and lazy. Just imagine where we could be if we pulled finger and actually worked at our game for once.
Cheers
6 Feb 2006, 13:22 pm
So, according to some of you, our frontrowers are dumb and unprofessional, only relying on their strength?
I cannot recall our frontrow being dominated by anybody over the last 3 years. Os, Smit and vd Linde. The only time when we got shafted was by the Welsh when Jake moved Smit to loosehead and brought on Shimange with Sephaka and tighthead. It doesnt help much ether if you have a splitpin like vd Bergh behind you as a lock.
6 Feb 2006, 13:25 pm
Stan
We also haven’t dominated and destroyed a front row. We just hold our own. We had a chance to completely destroy Australia up front in the scrums last year. But we just stood there. We must be able to intimidate them at the scrum.
Cheers
6 Feb 2006, 13:34 pm
Methos,
Very true.
Thats why we need a decent forwards coach.
6 Feb 2006, 13:45 pm
ya, if mendez can do what he did to the stormers front row, imagine what he could do with Os-Smit-CJ.
6 Feb 2006, 14:17 pm
cabbie,
Guthro’s injury is a blessing in disguise. He can now only get fitter and stronger before the year end games and be ready for the WC.
Gutrho, Smit and CJ.
6 Feb 2006, 15:09 pm
perhaps you are correct Stan, still it would have been good to see him have one full season of top-flight S12 rugby to prepare the way for tests. hope he gets into the gym and gets stuck in in the time off.
6 Feb 2006, 15:23 pm
It would have been good for Guthro’s development, especially the experience of playing at Eden Park, Christchurch, etc under pressure. Just the sort of experience that would help in France in 2007
6 Feb 2006, 15:49 pm
You know what would really impress me, Frans… a headine that reads, “Cats sign Wilkinson as backup for injured Pretorius”
6 Feb 2006, 19:13 pm
“horses for courses” …. WTF … Why always horses? …. Rats, I say !! Big mutherfking rats !!… Just because it rimes doesn’t make it a good idea ….
7 Feb 2006, 08:16 am
Glad to see Dainel has made it. Played with him in Durban at Durban Collegians a couple of years back. Showed promise, but always injured. Seems a stint in NZ has toughened the boy up. Holding thumbs for the beast
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