Oldies light up Jake’s life
27 Mar 2006
Jake White is not down about the South African experience in this season’s Vodacom Super 14. He’s delighted because the oldies are showing the desire to make a change.
White told Keo.co.za that he always expects young players to go the extra mile in a competition like the Super 14. When the older brigade can make a difference, then you know you’ve got something going for you.
“I am not taking away anything from a younger player, who does well, but history has proved time and again that it is easier to make an impression in the first year, but a lot harder to sustain it in years two through to 10. So far this season I’ve been encouraged by the older guys. And they’ve showed the value of experience in this competition.”
It has further convinced White that his squad identification, for the most, is spot on and that it would take an extraordinary young talent to break into his squad 18 months out from the 2007 World Cup.
“When I took over as Bok coach I picked a very young squad that should reach its apex at the World Cup 2007. That’s when the cycle of that squad should be at its most potent. The key is to introduce in a subtle way that by 2008 a lot has changed but you don’t even notice it. That is why we have put an emphasis on 30-odd players for the last two seasons. We’re still not where the All Blacks are, in that they can pick two different teams and be equally effective, but we’ve made advances in the last two years,” said White.
“I have been very impressed with the older brigade at the Sharks. Johan Ackermann and Albert van den Berg have made it easier for a talent like Johan Muller to come through. AJ Venter has been very good this season, which has allowed Ruan Pienaar to slot in at No 9 between him and the All Black veteran Tony Brown. JP Pietersen has had the benefit of playing with experience around him. And John Smit’s impact has been immediate with the Sharks.
“The Cats have struggled as a team, but individually there have been good performances. Again it is the older players who are standing tallest, when you think of Wikus van Heerden and Klein-Jan Tromp, in particular. The Bulls have played and succeeded where expected, while the Cheetahs have proved a determined and successful outfit. The biggest disappointment has been the Stormers, but they do have four weeks on the road that they can turn into a challenge. They have the players to do so.
“In short, I am not discouraged. I think this Super 14 has highlighted the value of older players and consistency in selection.”
White, in recent seasons, has been under pressure to pick any youngster who has enjoyed one decent season. He has resisted on each occasion and for the most has been vindicated.
A year ago the country’s media and couch critics were urging him to select Morne Steyn and Willem de Waal. Now neither can make their respective Super 14 run-on XVs.
A year ago Smit’s shares were questioned, but in the interim no hooker has shown himself to be of similar pedigree when you take all aspects of hooker player.
And so it goes on. No flyhalf has impressed more than Jaco van der Westhuyzen and Andre Pretorius did for the Boks last year and few youngsters have made enough of a challenge to oust the senior national squad players.
Realistically, Ruan Pienaar has been the strongest of the challengers, but do you pick him ahead of Fourie du Preez, Ricky Januarie or Bolla Conradie — the three preferred halfbacks of the last two seasons.
The Ndungane twins have had their moments on the wing, but do you select them ahead of a Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana or Breyton Paulse? These are some of the questions that White will answer with his first squad selection. The answer, though, would seem obvious. You won’t take them ahead of what he already has.
So far the competition has affirmed White’s national selections, when perhaps he would have hoped for a few more individual displays that questioned them.
166 Comments
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27 Mar 2006, 16:23 pm
Rude is dit nie Presleys nie?
27 Mar 2006, 16:25 pm
Daar’s hy ! Dis wat ek bedoel het, nie Flamingo’s nie ! Flamingo’s is ‘n club op Langebaan, maar dis ‘n ander storie vir ‘n ander tyd !
27 Mar 2006, 16:26 pm
Stan – I wont write it though. Not because I dont want to but because I will make a *** of myself. I will try to show you.
Hoe gaan dit? Wat het jy gedoen op die naweek? That does not look good
27 Mar 2006, 16:27 pm
rude ek kan n girl by n begrafnis op tel.ek hoef nie na spesifieke jols toe tegaan nie.
27 Mar 2006, 16:33 pm
bigg, ek **** jou.
maar ons sal nie vir jou lag nie..
27 Mar 2006, 16:35 pm
bigg jy moet haar darem 4 keer date voor jy haar sussie kap.
27 Mar 2006, 16:37 pm
Stan – Dankie, ek probeer
27 Mar 2006, 16:51 pm
Sien?
4 woorde sonder n fout. Daar is hoop vir jou. Ons kan dalk nog n beskaafde van jou maak. Dit is nou te sê as n pa jou nie doodslaan as jy aanhou om na Bliksem se raad te luiste nie…
27 Mar 2006, 16:52 pm
Stan ek se n girl se pa weet as jy haar gekap het.hulle kan dit sien in jou oe.
27 Mar 2006, 17:05 pm
en dan jy soms vir so 2 weke nie uit jou eie oë sien nie…
27 Mar 2006, 17:16 pm
TRI – NATIONS STARTING XV
1.OS
2.JOHN
3.CJ
4.BAKKIES
5.VICTOR
6.SCHALK
7.PEDRIE
8.AJ
9.FOURIE
10.DERICK
11.BRYAN
12.JEAN
13.JACQUES
14.JP PIETERSEN / RAYNO BENJAMIN
15.CONRAD
What do you guys think ?
27 Mar 2006, 17:20 pm
wat van Juan Smith?
Jaco op 15?
14 is moeilik. daar is nie iemand wat uitstaan nie.
27 Mar 2006, 17:32 pm
15 Roets
14 Paulse
13 fourie
12 de villiers
11 habana
10 vd westhyuzen
9 fourie
8 aj venter
7 juan
6 burger
5 matfield
4 botha
3 v/d linde
2 smit
1 os
27 Mar 2006, 17:58 pm
15 Montgomery / Fortune
14 Snyman / Ndungane
13 Fourie / Joubert
12 De Villiers / Barry
11 Habana / Russle
10 Van Der Westhyzen / Pretorius
09 Januarie / Pienaar
08 Venter
07 Smith
06 Burger
05 Matfield
04 Botha
03 Vd Linde
02 Smit
01 Os
a player must be really exceptional to replace a
current Bok.
Also, Jake will want to take as much experience to the WC as possible & I support that..
I’d be much more relaxed with experienced monty @ fullback than a “young talent”
I’m sure that playing in a World Cup is alot
diffrent than playing a normal test & brings with it a new level of pressure!
IN JAKE WE TRUST!
28 Mar 2006, 00:56 am
My wings would be Habana and Ndungane (akona that is). Fourie is a centre, and to be honest, I’s rather Paulse was around to share experience with the squad and maybe play from the bench. I would be reluctant to start him anymore.
I really think Ndungane should enter the fray as a starting bok.
Leave everyone else and keep the same bok team for the last couple of years. I reckon we could be devastating in france.
28 Mar 2006, 08:17 am
MY SANZAR XV’s
SA:
15.Mongomery
14.Mentz
13.Fourie
12.de Villiers
11.Habana
10.Pretorius
9.Fourie
8.Smith
7.Venter
6.Burger
5.Matfield
4.Botha
3.vd Linde
2.Smit
1.du Randt
OZ:
15.Rogers
14.Tuqiri
13.Mortlock
12.Giteau
11.Rathbone
10.Larkham
9.Cordingley
8.Roe
7.Smith
6.Lyons
5.Sharpe
4.Vickermann
3.Baxter
2.Paul
1.Young
NZ:
15.Muliaina
14.Gear
13.Nonu
12.Mauger
11.Sivivatu
10.Carter
9.Weepu
8.Lauaki
7.McCaw
6.Collins
5.Jack
4.Eaton
3.Hayman
2.Mealamu
1.Woodcock
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