Brown raves about Ruan
9 Apr 2006
Sharks and former All Blacks flyhalf Tony Brown believes Ruan Pienaar is better than Joost van der Westhuizen.
Brown has partnered Pienaar in several Vodacom Super 14 matches this season, told the Sunday Times that Pienaar was good enough to play for the Springboks in 2006 and was a scrumhalf with more ability than Bok legend Van der Westhuizen.
“He’s better than Van der Westhuizen in terms of ability. His kicking game takes the pressure off the flyhalf, he’s got a fantastic pass and his running game is outstanding,” said Brown. “There is no doubt he will be a Bok halfback this year. He’s got as wonderful a kicking game as I have seen on a halfback.”
Brown also singled out veteran loose-forward AJ Venter for his inspirational leadership of the Sharks in 2006.
“He’s fantastic with the younger players.”
Brown is hoping to play for the Sharks in next season’s competition.
38 Comments
9 Apr 2006, 11:24 am
Like this bloke. Lots of punters have been calling him a has-been, but having him to steer the ship is one of the best decisions the Sharks have made in terms of a guru to the younger players.
Nice one Tony, hope you playu for the Guppies next year too!
9 Apr 2006, 11:25 am
Whooooo hooooooooooo Tony Brown to play for the Sharks again next season – what about in the Currie Cup or at least stay on as a coach for youngsters to guide them …
9 Apr 2006, 11:34 am
now this is developing, take note nick mallet.
getting a seasoned professional in to guide the youngsters and DEVELOP their game.
win/win situation all round.
9 Apr 2006, 11:39 am
Mr Brown Sir.
Some very decent remarks there.
Especially on RP being better than DvdW.
9 Apr 2006, 11:55 am
Not sure how old Brown is or how much playing time he has left but we should keep him at Natal for as much longer as possible even without playing. SA is crying out for some outside injection into our game and this is the way to do it. Along with the Campo, he brings a different perspective and the management, couching staff and players can only benefit from this – Well done natal rugby union!
9 Apr 2006, 11:59 am
Bla bla.
Not exactly a legend yourself Brown.
To compare the two, is like comparing Frik d Preez and John eales.
9 Apr 2006, 12:34 pm
Stan
You lay into some poor oke on the Jaco thread for criticising your team, and then come onto this thread and start flaming the oke who has had a major hand in the Sharks revival this year which can only be a good thing for SA rugby.
Hows your form bru?
9 Apr 2006, 12:51 pm
Good On Ya Brownie,
Next thing you know, Carlos Spencer, Glenn Jackson, Bruce Reihana and company are playing in SA, it will only help SA rugby and teach the younger players how certain plays are executed and how to defend certain situations.
Stan,
Your comparisons of Frik du Preez & John Eales are 2-3 decades apart, Brown has played against JvDW and now with RP…So for Brown to make a statement is fair on his behalf.
I rate RP highly, level headed player, great passing and kisking and the best box kick by a halfback since Sid Going!!!
9 Apr 2006, 13:01 pm
true csi,
so stan wie is beter, divan serfontein of joost?
9 Apr 2006, 13:03 pm
always said joostie was not a good 9, he could only pass to one side,could not kick. ruan is much more complete. joost always looked if something was on for himself before he passed ot to 10. good defender though but as a 9 he was lucky to play in so many tests
9 Apr 2006, 13:30 pm
has he played a test match yet?
9 Apr 2006, 14:05 pm
Brumby
If you mean Ruan Pienaar, no.
9 Apr 2006, 14:30 pm
Barring injuries, RP will easily play over 50 tests for the Boks, and most likely break JvDW’s record.
9 Apr 2006, 14:43 pm
You have to remeber Ruan isn’t black guys. Do you think Jake White is going to drop Messers Conradie and Januarie in favour of another white boy?
Not to mention he probably wouldn’t drop F du Preez because he is already a Bok and JW doesn’t like giving out new Bok colours (even if it seems the player deserves it!)
9 Apr 2006, 15:18 pm
Has anyone noticed that South Africa doesn’t have a single decent fullback. Yes, Percy can kick but he adds nothing on attack. At scrumhalf I do feel we have an abundance of talent though with RP, FdP, EJ vying for two spots. Also, the form of our outside centres seems to be poor. Another problem is a lack of another quality wing to partner Bryan Habana. All this adds up to a situation where the most talented winger might never see the ball this entire year, simply because he doesn’t have any flair players with the ability or confidence to put him into space. The only outside backs in South Africa who would make any NZ franchise would be JdV and BH. Maybe we’re just not good enough.
9 Apr 2006, 16:12 pm
Yeah the last time I checked Ruan definitly overshadowed Joost when they played against one another..
9 Apr 2006, 16:41 pm
I feel a lot of positives for Natal rugby which I admittedly did not feel at the beginning of this season. Bringing in foreign player influences worked for Natal in the early nineties and it will work again. Imagine how potent the Bulls and Western Province could be with a little foreign player influence in their respective teams. The only problem is that age old Afrikaner stubbornness will ruin everything because as we all know they are too special and too superior to the Uitlanders to listen to fresh ideas from intelligent rugby brains like our Kiwi and Aussie friends.
I predict Australian rugby to come back with a vengeance in a year from now…just in time to reach the finals of the 2007 Rugby World Cup.
9 Apr 2006, 18:22 pm
Tony Brown has tranformed the Sharks into a winning unit.
9 Apr 2006, 18:50 pm
Good comments and so true too , joost was lethal at breaking on the sides rucks and good on defense but in all other areas of his game was pretty poor. Ruan is the more complete and imo the better scrummie.
9 Apr 2006, 19:53 pm
Guys lets not count our chickens too soon..
look the Sharks won and are looking ppromising compared to other sides, BUT they arent the finished article yet…
promising but not yet THE fineshed article thats gonna b THE BIG hope..
eg: conceded too many tries last week
Hope stands in a collective effort from atleast 4 of our sides doing well..in this competition
9 Apr 2006, 19:53 pm
Julle almal praat lekker kak . Wie het die meeste toetse gespeel en die meeste driee gedruk in die Bok trui . Die sharks is mid tabel en julle maak of hulle die super 14 gewen het . Brown wens hy het al behaal wat Joost behaal het . Ek dink Ruan is baie goed maar hy het nog n lang pad om te loop voor hy in die selfde asem as Joost genoem kan word .
9 Apr 2006, 22:34 pm
lekker, i like tony brown. hes a class act and a great influence on the younger okies in the sharks setup. hope he stays in durbs for years to come hes the only all black that i respect and like
10 Apr 2006, 00:24 am
Problem is who will Ruan replace in the Bok setup?
De Preez-never, White is loyal to his players.
Januarie-ditto.
Bolla-We need the colour (fact). White will never drop a player of colour for a whitie.
Jake will have to bring him in as back up 10 or something.
10 Apr 2006, 01:09 am
Well if these Racist Quotas keep Ruan Pienaar from playing International Rugby them I’m sure somebody in the ARU/IRB etc would be willing to have a few words with him…
GG to the apes in SARU
10 Apr 2006, 02:32 am
seriously Jake needs to get this guy into the bok picture right now. he doesnt need to start him from the word go, but young ruan will learn heaps from the other test back, especially fourie, bolla and ricky. Imagine the complete article that ruan could be after a bit of development with senior pros around him. he will dominate the international stage in due time, he just needs to be shown that their is huge confidence in his ability from the man that matters, jake.
10 Apr 2006, 04:08 am
Ruan can also play no.10 as well so he could be good utility value off the bench…
But if anyone needs to be dropped out of FDP, Bolla and Ricky it is FDP. He has been kak for the last couple of years, hardly ever takes the line on anymore.
10 Apr 2006, 04:36 am
Ruan at #9 has class with a capital C stamped all over him. FDP and the two quota halfbacks will never be classy. Competent is all they can ever hope to be.
10 Apr 2006, 05:17 am
Post 11 he will indeed, against oz I hope and teach dem a trick or three.
10 Apr 2006, 07:23 am
Ruan will need to return to his roots if he does not want his career to die down…once a Freestate boy…always…there is no flair in Durbs…
10 Apr 2006, 07:54 am
DU PREEZ is overrated, he plays as if he has been smoking pot, has that dazed look. the man has put up his “screen saver” — why?
Thre are 32 top scrumhalves — RUAN & ENRICO, end of story, the rest make up numbers in case of injury.
10 Apr 2006, 09:07 am
ruan peinaar’s class is undoubted. i dont know if he will be a bok this year though. the incumbent has to play themselves out of the team before jake picks someone else.
I must say it annoys me how someone always uses the word quota on these threads when its actually got nothing to do with it.
10 Apr 2006, 09:14 am
PA,
Eaxactly.
Joost and Ruan has never played against each other. I rate Ruan as the most talented youngster in the country, but he still has a long way to go before he can Joost’s record behind his name.
10 Apr 2006, 09:34 am
Joost was a helluva player – but not a scrumhalf.
If we want to fast-track backline skills in SA rugby SARU should buy in the Reihanas, Jacksons etc and allocate them to local sides.
The same with overseas coaches. A short term solution to a long-term problem, yes.
But most of our lot have completely lost the plot when it comes to backline play.
10 Apr 2006, 10:14 am
RJ is playing KAK. He has not been the same player of last year. Please stop saying he is the best in SA, because on current form, even Vermaak(his backup at the cats) is playing better than him.
As for RP, a future springbok for sure, but wait a season before we try him at the boks, his defence is still lacking. On attack he is very good though.
10 Apr 2006, 10:23 am
Good thing
Good thing Rudolf Straeuli is below the radar. He is doing the work behind the scenes for the Sharks. His CV is slowly solidyfing and we will have to consider the man in future i.e. for critical coaching or adiministration post under SARU.
For everything R.S. has done( Kamp Staldraat being the only blotch on his career), what he has shown is that he has a good understanding of the game.
From Bedford, Sharks in 02(played very good rugby). Bok coach that laid the platform for JW in some areas, like showing SA’s attacking prowess especially when Brento was playing against oz in the 3n.
Director of Rugby e Natal is doing well, has a good team. Muir, Campo,Smit,Montgomery,Venter,Brown and the young guns. This directorship arrangement is seemingly better than the one in the Cape under Mr Mallet. One good thing for the Sharks is that the administration and management are developing in a comfortable environment devoid of the Media hype that Kobus, Jerome, Gary and Nick seem to get.
10 Apr 2006, 10:56 am
kamp staaldraad the only blotch? i think straeuli’s springbok coaching career was one huge blotch. i agree that he laid the platform for white in that he demonstrated to white everthing he should NOT do in order to be successful.
I commend him on having the strength to come back and he is doing good things at the sharks. perhaps it was too early in his coaching career to give him the country’s top job especially only after one good domestic season.
10 Apr 2006, 11:15 am
Agreed Chopper,
While RP is clearly a quality player, he is way too young to have those kinds of comparisons (or the associated pressures) heaped on him.
Another CC, another S14, a Bok B tour and then a 2007/8 Bok call-up
10 Apr 2006, 12:27 pm
sounds like Tony Brown is fitting in well, agree Pienaar is class.
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