Brits wowed by tight five talent
14 Feb 2006
The Stormers pack will be the best in the country within two years, according to new hooker Schalk Brits.
An injury to Hanyani Shimange early on in the Cape side’s encounter with the Cats on Saturday meant Brits could make an extended debut for his new franchise from the bench, and what he saw excited him.
“The pack we fielded on Saturday had an average age of 24,” Brits told keo.co.za. “We were up against a Cats pack who average around the 28 pack, and having played with them, believe me they are no easy beats. And yet in conditions condusive to tight forward play, we outplayed them. I promise you we have so much building to do, so give us two years, and we will be the best pack in the country if not the competition.”
“Look at our lock pairing of Ross Skeate and Andries Bekker. They are just outstanding. They’ve got so much to give to the game and going forward they are both future Springboks. Without a doubt.”
Brits’ optimism is not emphasised by hysterics. The measured tone of his voice indicates the sincerity of statements some would consider naive.
“I’ve just joined the side, but already I’ve felt the sting of criticism against us [the tight five], and we really want to prove a point. Everyone underestimates us, and I think we answered well on Saturday. We will show that you don’t have to be 30 to excel as a tight forward in this competition, that 24 year olds have matured and can make the same impact.”
Brits admitted to feeling “weird” turning out for the opposition at Ellis Park, but ultimately was satisfied with his contribution.
“Man I felt very weird. There was a completely different vibe when I got there, and a couple of people gave me a hard time. Sitting on the bench was quite amusing, with the crowd having a go. ‘Come back we need you’ was probably the nicest thing I heard! It was a good experience though.
“I really wanted to play against the Cats, and even though the game was plagued by a lot of mistakes, I enjoyed the experience. I had a typical hooker’s game, and hit a lot of rucks whilst concentrating on my scrumming and line-outs. When the game gets loose I’ll play loose, but that wasn’t needed on Saturday.”
Brits is set to start against the Waratahs, as Shimange struggles with a knock to the leg he picked up at Ellis Park. He relishes the challenge.
“It would be fantastic if I could start. The Aussies always do the basics well and play a nice running game, so hopefully it will suit me. Whether I start or come off the bench, I’m very confident for Saturday.”
98 Comments
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14 Feb 2006, 13:10 pm
Rugbyfan, I disagree… I think snoop’s suggestion hold some merit.
14 Feb 2006, 13:14 pm
Stan – from what I hear half those players are no longer Bulls players
So was that the 4th string stormers pack because it did not include:
Cobus Visagie, Toks vd Linde, Boome, Hottie Louw, Krige, Skinstad. I could go on….
Of your current contracted players. Who was missing that would fill the top 2 packs?
Or you could just admit gross exageration and a little bit of arrogance?
14 Feb 2006, 13:17 pm
Rugbyfan
Do you remember the last Currie where Bulls won 30 something?
Did they push us back in the scrums?
No, already there we were showing massive improvement, in fact in that game we scrummed the Bulls a few times.
Deny this fact?
My response is merely in light of the hot(enkeling) air that you spew forth.
Let me make it simple for you.
The Bulls pack have not scrummed our new pack yet…. so dont assume.
14 Feb 2006, 13:21 pm
Munki, vergeet dit.
Okay, maybe a verrry lit bit of exageration. But very little…
14 Feb 2006, 13:21 pm
munkiboi, hopefully the forwards coaches (all 5 franchises as well as boks) took note as to how the Italians pushed the poms back – noticably – in the first couple of scrums – when they were just under 6kg a man lighter. How sweet was that – the english scrum defeated. Now if we can do that… I will be a very happy chappy
14 Feb 2006, 13:23 pm
Snoop,
Een swaeltjie maak nie ‘n somer nie, dude.
Laat die Stormpies eers ‘n paar games so scrum, dan kan jy met optimisme begin praat.
Intussen doen die Bulls dit al vir ‘n paar seisoene, so I think we’ve earned bragging rights!
14 Feb 2006, 13:25 pm
Snoop- go watch that game again!(39-3)You neva scrummed us back once! If you still have doubt-watch the super 12 game which we won 75-14 and see how your scrum did in that match! Cant wait for 13th May-all will be revealed…
14 Feb 2006, 13:26 pm
Stink
Im not bragging and if you read above posts you will see I totally agree with you.
Take my point, thats all.
Im not bragging.
14 Feb 2006, 13:31 pm
Rugbyfan
I can GUARANTEE you that we scrummed you a few times.
Check the first 20 mins again.
Do it before argueing.
14 Feb 2006, 13:34 pm
Do it and DON’T argue. That sounds like a much better option…
14 Feb 2006, 13:36 pm
In fact – rather just keep quiet all together…
14 Feb 2006, 13:38 pm
snoop – You held your own for the first 20 minute and after that the Bulls went forward…
So what youre saying is that the Bulls beat you 39 -3 with a pack going backwards!!
14 Feb 2006, 13:39 pm
tight 5 scmight 5.
you can have the best bloody players in the world from 1 to 8, if they cannot operate as a cohesive unit they are worthless!
give me a bunch of guys that plays for each other and as a team anyday – i thought the cheetahs taught all of us that last year in the final…
14 Feb 2006, 13:41 pm
andy sherridan: “i can bench press 200+ kg’s”
good for you plonker, you are going to need all the strength you can get to remove your *** from your head once you scrum man alone against 8 guys who bench presses 100kg’s each.
14 Feb 2006, 13:47 pm
guys a question here…….what do you think of putting schalk brits in 12 or 13 position…..he has explosive speed and had great handling skills.
Also is habana being groomed for a 12 or 13 position?
14 Feb 2006, 13:47 pm
munkiboi,
Not convinced about the stormers scrum, its got to a level where it can hold its own but was a liability in the S12 last year (especially the 75-14 game, terrible).
But yes totally agree with you that SA teams are generally poor in the tight-loose phases, which is really where the bulls are able to stand out and at least retain some possession (just before Hougie or FdP inevitably kicks it down Mils throat). One of the reasons why our teams lose out to the kiwis and the central reason why we get mauled by the poms each year.
14 Feb 2006, 13:48 pm
Rugbyfan
You are tiring.
I made the point of we did scrum you back.
Please go read all the posts again.
Enough said, my last post to you on this.
14 Feb 2006, 13:56 pm
Mavric
I attended a dinner with Jake White end of last year where he said that we will see Habana at center!
Jake def wants to try it out.
14 Feb 2006, 14:01 pm
The bulls have a front row playing for there loose forwards
14 Feb 2006, 14:06 pm
I hate it when the Ellis Park crowd throws away our name! Who was the arsehole that shouted come back we need you?
We dont need Brits dude, we need a f$cking miracle!
14 Feb 2006, 14:06 pm
Dont fool yourselves – I have rarely seen the Bulls pack scrum the opposotion to pieces. Munki is correct, its in the rucks and mauls where they are monsterous, but they are fairly ordinary come scrum time.
That said, they do win the occasional scrummaging contest at Loftus…against the scrummaging machine.
14 Feb 2006, 14:12 pm
bomsbok, totally agree with you and munki that is in in the rucks/mauls which is the difference, that being said when the bulls pack is on song with lensing in front of a loftus crowd, i saw them drive straight through the cats pack in the semi of the CC. long time since a CC team’s been destroyed like that.
In any case, if the problem is the tight-loose then what does that say of the stormers loosies in Schalk, Joe and Luke?
14 Feb 2006, 14:16 pm
look more towards ball carriers i reckon cab.
in cronje, bakkies, pakslae and pedrie, the bulls have efficient ball carriers to set up front foot ball.
the loosies really only come into play slowing ball down.
WP does not have that ball carrying ability – they run into players and got to ground as soon as someone touches them
14 Feb 2006, 14:26 pm
PA, did you see the average game Burger had on Sat? What the hell is he doing getting the ball at centre during our attacking moves. He also wants to run thru the opposition. He really didnt play as well as he does when he plays at 6.
14 Feb 2006, 14:27 pm
cab,
It also says you dont need a strong scrum to have an effective pack! I do however think the Bulls might have a problem in future if the rules of the rolling maul change. That is one of their biggest weapons!
14 Feb 2006, 14:29 pm
wpw,
I agree – I’ve never thought Schalk is a good ball carrier. He doesnt cross the advantage line when he runs it up – always sideways or straight down. Let him be the ground mongrel that he really is!
14 Feb 2006, 14:34 pm
Snoop- thanx for your last post-now we dont have to listen to all your **** anymore.
Bulls tight five is better than the stormers – for the past 4 years.
Subject closed.
14 Feb 2006, 14:37 pm
must be why they have the superior record in the Super 12 then as well for the past 5 years rugbyfan???
14 Feb 2006, 14:38 pm
wpw,
schalla will be an awesome number 8 once he starts thinking a bit on his feet. its fine trying to run through players, but the run through them, dont go to ground as soon as someone touches your shoulder!!
i reckon he should manipulate space more with ball in hand. either put another player into space or set up decent ‘go-forward’ ball
14 Feb 2006, 14:39 pm
As krummels en saad vir jou begin lekker lyk en jy n onuithoudbare drang kry om op karre te kak, dan het jy Voelgriep!
14 Feb 2006, 14:39 pm
Excuse me rugbyfan. Better than the Stormers for the last 4 yrs? WP yes, but Stormers. Please dont talk ****. The Bulls’ 1st good season in the S12 and now theyve been better than the Strmrs for the last 4 yrs. Go talk your **** somewhere else!!!
14 Feb 2006, 14:40 pm
PA,
yep, agree with you. Difficult because Burger, Watson and Van Niekerk are such obviously good loosies.
But sometimes not best to include all in the same side if they dont complement one another. All are very mobile, with a huge workrate, but as you say, none are really big ball-carriers and this forces Schalk into an unnatural role.
Its why Joe has been experimented with at 6 in a fetching role, great speed, but not the mongrel and upper-body strength to wrestle ball away. Tough one, he is undoubtedly a great player, but against juggernaut loosies like the Bulls, England and AB’s, we can invariably kiss our *** goodbye. It sounds great to see Watson, Burger and Van Niekerk on the team sheet, all flair players, but puts huge pressure on the stormers tight 5 to not only outperform the other tight 5′s in the set pieces and loose, but also to counter the other teams loosies.
England have Moody, Worsely, Corrie and Daglalio; all are strong ball carriers first and foremost. The bulls have Rossouw, Wannenburg, Cronje and Leonard; all are ball-cariers first and foremost. There is a pattern which is self-evident whether you choose to like their style of play or not.
14 Feb 2006, 14:44 pm
cab,
like boy louw and naas botha said – i dont care if you like the way i play – i only care about the scoreboard at the end of the day…
14 Feb 2006, 14:50 pm
PA,
too true, pity we can’t combine the respective strengths of SA play, i.e. Bulls forward power with Stormers backline creativity; the perfect national side.
The only other country with this sort of flexibility in playing styles is NZ. Difference is they seem to be able to combine it better.
Of course, we don’t have a complete flyhalf.
14 Feb 2006, 15:31 pm
wpw – we are not talking about performances, we are talking about tight five! But, youre right Im meant WP.
14 Feb 2006, 15:31 pm
Answer to St P question
Did Engels druk CJ? No , Engels head was shifted way closer to his *** in a few years i predict engels will look alot like the backup stormers loosehead attie winter whose is the poster boy for what will happen when u through a oke into the scrum who cant scrum. the okes neck has nearly disappeared. LOL
14 Feb 2006, 15:32 pm
As long as we agree rugbyfan. I know WP’s tight 5 has been non existent.
14 Feb 2006, 15:38 pm
At least it looks like they on their way back!
14 Feb 2006, 15:43 pm
munkiboi
Excellent post at February 14, 2006 @ 1:09 pm ur one of the few guys on this site who actually realise that forward play doesnt start and end at the scrums and lineouts. Agree with u the stormers problems arent at scrum and lineouts and that rucking is just as prob more important and i wasnt convinced with that aspect of the stormers game on the weekend. I recon its really tough playing scrumhalf for them they dont seem to clear or present the ball very well but they are improving i think.
14 Feb 2006, 15:56 pm
cab , i dont think scalk and joe are that bad at carrying the ball they do tend to drift across the field though but i think its in the pack were theres no contest between the bulls and the stormers the bulls had excellent ball carrying options in GBotha , Lensing,matfield, bakkies,Rosouw,Engels etc whereas the stormers only really have shimange,britz and bekker shows great potential guys like skeate,andrews and particularly their no 8(forget his name) are good forwards but i wonder wether they are good enough with the ball in hand.
14 Feb 2006, 16:23 pm
redox,
agree to an extent, but perhaps need to distinguish between “ball runners” and “ball carriers”. Joe van Niekerk and Schalk Brits are fantastic ball runners, in that there cant be many faster forwards in the game, with great skills to complement. They are capable of making great breaks and actually scoring phenomenal tries when they break.
However, the purpose of “ball carriers” is slightly different, when they set off its not to score tries or make big distances or link with backs; instead its to retain posession, keep the momentum of the pack going forwards and draw in oppo defenders. These are players like Collins, Daglagio, Worsely, Rossouw, Cronje, Lyons who get over the advantage line, the best ones knock players back in the tackle every time. This gives the pack a momentum and grinding effect, which is very effective as the game wears on.
Just my opinion.
14 Feb 2006, 18:20 pm
cab
Agreed i think burger would make a fantastic ball carrier but he tends to run across the field instead of straight trying to break the line as u say like a ball runner.
14 Feb 2006, 19:02 pm
Burger or Brits?
i reckon Burger runs straight as an arrow, but perhaps doesn’t have the same power as some of major ball carriers (still young tho). no question about committment tho, Burger would be my first name down on any bok team sheet.
14 Feb 2006, 19:13 pm
Cab, outside of AJ Venter and John Smit – we’re very light (if you’ll pardon the pun) on effective ball carriers. We’ve tried to use Jaque Cronje in that department, but he hasn’t had much impact at international level yet.
Os used to be awesome, and CJ could develop. Gurthro will be good, and Bakkies should be better. Him and Matfield somehow fall into your runners category, along with Schalk when perhaps all 3 should be bashing up more and leaving the running to Joe and Juan.
14 Feb 2006, 19:45 pm
munki,
yep, i’d the pick the same ones as you.
Still, for ball-carriers i was thinking more of the ideal loosie for a balanced backrow, i.e. fetcher, ball carrier, ball runner, tackler.
Reckon, ideally the best loosie “ball-carriers” are those with size and a hard edge. That is, the kind of player who really piles into rucks and combines with the tight 5 to help clear out and give good clean go-forward ball to the backs. Its this type of momentum, which gives the bulls, kiwis and poms such a stable platform for their backs to work with.
Cronje, Rossouw and AJ do sometimes appear to go missing in action, but sometimes they are performing the essential close-in stuff instead of the flashy fast breaks.
one thing i really like about Juan is his tremendous hand-off, but am hoping all our loosies can also make a bigger impact in clearing our rucks/mauls and not just do the fancy stuff.
14 Feb 2006, 20:05 pm
Is a loosie combo of schalla, juan and joe sufficient to take on the poms at twickers? The RWC is in France.
i couldn’t bear to watch another twickenham “men v boys” type devastation.
14 Feb 2006, 22:17 pm
“The Bulls pack of 2005 completely whipped a Crusader champion team.”
But the Crusaders won the whole Super 12 trophy (for the fifth time) and the Bulls didn’t.
Work that one out for yourself. One raincloud doesn’t break a drought.
16 Feb 2006, 09:42 am
And the Bulls did better in the competition than the Highlanders – work that one out
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