Fiji fever hits Cape Town
19 Apr 2006
Western Province Director of Rugby Nick Mallett is in Fiji on a shopping expedition, confident of luring talented Fijian players to Cape Town.
Mallett confirmed to the Fiji Times that the province was looking at six players, between the age of 17 and 20, to relocate to the Western Province Academy and hopefully to play for Western Province, the Stormers and Springboks.
The Fijian factor is something Mallett has focused on for the past year and he also believes that if Auckland and the like can lure Fijian, Tongan and Samoan players then why can’t Cape Town?
It is an action that will no doubt be seen negatively by some, but it is one that should be applauded. It is long overdue and finally someone has done more than talk about it.
Australia and New Zealand have for years tapped into the Island resources, why not South Africa?
Mallett returns to South Africa at the weekend and he expressed confidence that there was enough talent to identify six promising players, who in three to five years could be playing for the Boks.
520 Comments
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19 Apr 2006, 11:31 am
Coaching improvement needs to happen from the bottom all the way up. Primary School, High School, Clubs, Provincial, Regional. Then we’ll see highly skilled and correctly conditioned players feeding through the entire system.
How many times have we heard the Bok coach saying that he still has to teach players basic skills?? De Wet Barry is an international no. 12 who cannot pass?? Those skills should be developed right from the beginning.
19 Apr 2006, 11:33 am
Predawn
Yah, that is true…But then lets give them an intro to rugby!
19 Apr 2006, 11:34 am
Bigg and rudebud
You guys having fun?
19 Apr 2006, 11:34 am
O, sorry last message from Yoda, the gun
19 Apr 2006, 11:35 am
Stan
I think we need a quality spinner. Nicky is a good tough player, but he’s not a world class spin bowler. We need Murili Karic or Harbajan. Don’t you think? I like Smit and Micky as coach and captain. Smit is learning fast.
19 Apr 2006, 11:38 am
Vinnie
If Wp really want to play the open game, they should maybe first start by developing the skills of their own players, cause if their captain and springbok 12 cant pass how the **** are they gonna teach that to the island kids they want to buy
19 Apr 2006, 11:38 am
Here is an something to consider, and a point touched on by yoda – albeit unwittingly.
PI players are thin, very thin on the ground in Cricket.
Expansive and wanton is their style. Good grief, yet another culture shock element that spells this idea of Nick’s to be a goner before day break.
19 Apr 2006, 11:40 am
Post-137
Madie,
One good reason to exploit Figi, and not Nigeria , Senegal, etc is that you would have to teach those West Africans the rules of the game.
Also they have no love of the game
Figi on the other hand is Rugby fu@king mad. They know the rules and love the game with a passion.
Us NZ’s and SA on the other hand need a Referee to tell us what we can and cannot do at a ruck.
Anyway hands OFF Nick we saw them first.Find your own gold mine somewhere else.
19 Apr 2006, 11:40 am
remarkable that the fijians are yet to come to the table in the XV man game despite exceliing the 7′s version.
19 Apr 2006, 11:40 am
Yoda – yes we are thanks, no matter how much we talk about how kuk our rugby is, it aint gonna change.
I recon Fester should walk into Hangover Park for a night then we will get rid of him.
Rudebud – Mr Hitman
19 Apr 2006, 11:43 am
bigg what year did you matriculate? im also a wynberg old boy
19 Apr 2006, 11:44 am
“EG Wynberg Boys High my old school. The only professional coach they EVER employed was Basil Bey….”
Basil Bey of Bey’s Baabaas fame was the bloody Bishops coach, dude! And Polden and Kriel were (and still are ) bloody damned fine coaches, as is Kallie P. Right up there with legends like Eric Tasker and Maritzburg College’s Skonk Nicholson and so on and so forth!
Time for you to wipe the snot from your nostrils. young man!
19 Apr 2006, 11:44 am
saffa-guy
I agree 100%
Does Nick think that bringing in a raw PI will generate some form of osmosis within the team whereby the rest of the players will suck out the natural talent from the new guy?
19 Apr 2006, 11:44 am
rudebud,
Hitman Stan?
Shaka,
I really dont care who they pick. Drop Smith and Gibbs, get anew captain and reappoint Ray jennings.
Our biggest problem is Smith.
19 Apr 2006, 11:45 am
Hey guys nice to log into this one. Yeah i think PissAnt got it right up there a while ago with develop the talent in Africa.
But as others have said Africans are not brought up in the same coconut rugby games on the beach as our islanders are. But hey its a resouce worth developing its so close!!
Also try and build a bok style. You already know in – the hardest defence to crack ever. And how about those bolloking fowards with their relentless pick and goes and great drives.
Then the superboot at 1st Five along with a backline outside that stretches the defence.
On your tour here in 1994 you had great wingers(i assume its fijian wingers were talking bout)
And those wingers like (excuse spelling):
-Peter Hendriks
-Kabous V D Esthasen (long hair)
-James Small
-Chester Williams
- and that guy who got all your points in the drawn test.
Hey where has that wonderful talent gone – is it being coached out of players in SA Rugby?????
Ive no doubt youv got the talent up there. Just can you get someone in there who knows what they are doing please!!
19 Apr 2006, 11:45 am
bigg
imagine how kak gysie is. fester is kak and he got the stormers job for the work he did at griquas. gysie got fired by griquas. hopefully for you fester ***** off soon… the guy is out of his depth
19 Apr 2006, 11:45 am
Cane, That is true..but I think that they are a more acceptable long term option than Fijians..South Africans need to do more to promote the game in Africa. Soccer is a major sport in Africa and Africa os now begining to produce some all time greats. The same can be done for rugby in 10-20 years time.
19 Apr 2006, 11:46 am
from superrugby
Unfit for play? by Dan Retief
Posted on 19 April 2006
It is common cause that one of the reasons South African teams are struggling so in the Super 14 is because of a lack of skills but could there be another indicator – are our players fit enough?
I can already hear the howls of protest and derision going up from fitness trainers and coaching staff at such an assertion.
“Unfit what nonsense. The players are as fit as they can be. They’ve been hard at it since January, some even since last year. They’ve done nothing but train every day for 10 rounds of the Super 14. Not fit enough? Mrmph! What utter nonsense!â€
I can guarantee that that would be pretty much the response if it were suggested to any of the coaches that their players are unfit.
But at the risk of being termed a heretic in these days of the highly qualified fitness trainer and concerns over player fatigue I believe the record supports my assertion that our teams are not physically up to it.
Watching as many games as I do (granted on TV) I’ve tried to come up with an answer to the question on everyone’s lips, “what’s wrong with our rugby?â€
I can go along with the contention about a lack of skill – it’s there for all to see – but it has also become increasingly apparent that our players just can’t play at the pace or maintain the intensity of the top overseas sides.
To me this inability to stand the pace accounts for the regular defeats suffered by our teams or their inability to win ones that are theirs for the taking.
There is little doubt that our basic skills, from simple passing and catching to the specialist duties of specific positions have slipped alarmingly, but one of the key reasons for our Super Malaise is that most of our teams are struggling to keep up.
It was while trying to fathom what it is that makes the Crusaders, plus the Waratahs, the Brumbies, the Hurricanes and to a lesser extent some of the others, such compelling teams that it dawned on me that the key lay in their ability to surround the ball with more players more often.
Of course the Crusaders have wonderful skills, superb tactical appreciation and a great belief in their methods (and a wonderful flyhalf!) but all this would come to nought were it not for the fact that they run so hard to support the ball carrier.
It is never more evident than when they are defending, massing around the ball, closing the spaces, competing for the ball like hell, and when they do turn it over their skills do enable them to move it effectively; thanks to the way their players run into position to either seal the ball when the carrier goes down, or to provide running options and angles.
All the top teams have the stamina to take the ball thorough multiple phases, to ensure that they have the numbers to protect it when a move does break down and then to start to build again – even the Hurricanes who make up for the bulk they lack in the tight five by playing at great pace and concentrating, through their superb loose forwards, on dominating the collisions.
Against this you see South African sides lose the ball in contact, get driven off it, allow themselves to be exposed to greater numbers of opponents or simply kick it away.
It is my contention that the latter malady – kicking the ball away – is not some virus that has hit local rugby; it mostly occurs because the man with the ball has so few options available to him, so little support around him, that he has no choice but to hoof it away.
And then, how often do we see our sides not chasing up to close the open side to block attacking possibilities? I believe a lot of this occurs not because players have forgotten, or are not coached, to do these things but because they lack the stamina to keep running until the end. How often do you see forwards standing around the fringes or hanging out in the backs? Why?
In the modern game speed and numbers to the breakdown are even more vital than they ever were and I believe this is where sides like the Crusaders and the Brumbies realised there was a vital edge to be had.
Granted, their collective skills are superb but their brand of rugby is in fact quite uncomplicated. Their secret is that they view the game as a series of confrontations and they concentrate on winning those confrontations by having more men in each of the little battles that make up the whole.
And, against South African sides, they have more success and run up bigger scores because they often, especially late in the game, have greater numbers competing in the skirmishes.
Why is that? My contention is that our teams lack the necessary stamina to constantly keep up in the numbers game and that has nothing to do with a lack of skill
19 Apr 2006, 11:47 am
Mallet for the loony bin.
19 Apr 2006, 11:47 am
Well, I bet I’ve put the fear of God into several young whiners with my last post!
19 Apr 2006, 11:48 am
NZ maori
No lack of talent here dude, lack of coaching know-how
19 Apr 2006, 11:50 am
NZmaori
, Unless you are discussing an exotic salad, the word coconut is frowned upon and deemed racist on this site.
Please refrain from using the word, even if it is commonly used in your culture.
19 Apr 2006, 11:52 am
HitmanStan
Ek stem 1000 % saam met jou. Waar het jy al gesien dat die kaptein, ‘n snotkop daarby, die coach gefire kry, bloot omdat hy nie van hom en sy afrigtingsmetodes hou nie ?
Smith (hoofnar) en Arthur (ondersteunende nar) is ‘n sirkus. Hoe vinniger hulle loop hoe beter. Ons sal nooit ‘n krag in krieket wees met hierdie twee hoenders nie.
19 Apr 2006, 11:53 am
Tiger shark i agree with the point but im not watching that closely enough so i dont know how guilty the yarpie players are of being ufit.
No fitness can substitute brains – rugby is played in the top 6 inches but yes know doubt mate – the crusaders win with their incredible numbers around the ball – its the way to win – but they are all smart enough to conserve their fitness an believe in the team plan…God I hate them.
Yeah insightful article tho
19 Apr 2006, 11:53 am
Madie,
Good luck with the Nigerians—–They sure can run, but rugby isn’t just a game, it’s a culture and that takes more the a generation to instill.
19 Apr 2006, 11:53 am
Die eilanders is hoofsaaklik ook net goeie agterspelers soos die ander kleuriges hier. Dit wil sê dat die bulls en ander unies nog meer belowende jong agterspelers uit die kolonie gaan koop.
19 Apr 2006, 11:54 am
NZMaori,
yeah, nice post, i agree SA does have their own style, which is all too quickly put down. South Africans tend to quickly forget that we have had great players in every position.
As for centre play, you’d be hard pressed to find better centres than Michael Du Plessis and Danie Gerber. Mannetjies was a bit dirty. And dont for the rolls royce of fullbacks.
19 Apr 2006, 11:54 am
Stan
they play rugby with coconuts hahaha – ive even played with one myself – its rugby balls falling from the trees mate!! Thats why they love it – putting it next to the word tackle is another matter mate im well aware of that!
19 Apr 2006, 11:55 am
Stan
Did you even consider the literal and unadulterated meaning of the words NZMaori used?
19 Apr 2006, 11:56 am
TigerShark,
True. We’re far behind in terms of scientific conditioning. We’re still stuck with the amateur mentality of running up bloody hills and carrying sacks of wheat. Look at Rudi Strauli – the world was using scientific conditioning techinques and we were running around in the bush … and certain senior players still supported it … reflective of the outdated mentality.
Look at player like David Nyanga (French Flank). Small guy that was bumping off our monsters in the French test last year – due to superior physical conditioning and technique. Then look at Jacque Cronje … big as a T-Rex but worthless. And we’ve seen so many times …
19 Apr 2006, 11:56 am
Madie
The Nigerians will scam the ball from the opposition.
19 Apr 2006, 11:56 am
Brads—post 45,
Good point about the Family thing.
When a Samoan comes to NZ at least Half his extended family arrived 10- 20 yrs ago so he quickly feels there support…—–
SA is a looooooong way from home.
Could be the worst shopping spree in the history of sport.
19 Apr 2006, 11:56 am
Africa has produced player like : Abdel benazzi, Adedeo Adebeo, Victor Obogo, Serch Betsen, David Nyanga etc. All good player and there might be more around. Kenya isn’t doing badly in sevens.
19 Apr 2006, 11:57 am
Why is it that Nick the Mallet can do what ever he likes and Keo will think its great
19 Apr 2006, 11:59 am
Tackler – go f&*%yourself you d&*%! Wynberg DID hire Basil Bey for 2 seasons and they did well. You should check your stats before you comment. Proves you actaully dont know that much. Kallie was a kuk coach.
Tackler I **** on your wife’s chest.
19 Apr 2006, 12:00 pm
NZMaori,
Only joking!
19 Apr 2006, 12:01 pm
Cab
man i tell all my friends how harsh you guys are on your teams. okay they deserve it the way they play in Super 14 this year but combine the 5 and you have a bloody good side
Arh Andre Joubert – a lovely eye for the gap
So had Brendan Venter
Yes you must encompass the talents you have and adopt them to the new game. Rugby is alot simpler than coaches make it.
I dont think you guys have lost it yet – keep that faith in SA rugby and pressure those bloody coaches – they are stuffing you up whoever they are. I mean come on who taught the cats to play like that!! A bloody female – excuss the offence
19 Apr 2006, 12:01 pm
capebull
cause the table mountain midget and the mullet are probably dating
19 Apr 2006, 12:02 pm
Bigg
I take exception to your posting. How can you say things like that ? Make sure of your facts: Tackler doesn’t have a wife. He has a boyfriend.
19 Apr 2006, 12:03 pm
Stan,
Coconut is just a word like any other.
It’s not the word the could inflect insult—-but how you use it.
19 Apr 2006, 12:03 pm
Tackler – All us Wynberg Boys know very well Kallie was a really kuk coach. You must be one of the arse lickers who licked a coaches arse to stay in the first side.
Basil Bey left Bishops for two years or so and went to Wynberg you ****. He is now back at Bishops as director of rugby.
19 Apr 2006, 12:03 pm
NZMaori,
The best fullback we produced in modern times was Johan Heunis. He was the closest to the perfect fullback that we had.
19 Apr 2006, 12:05 pm
ICE 01 – 94 at Abbott’s, left Wynberg in 92. and you?
19 Apr 2006, 12:05 pm
NZMaori,
very decent of you, but yes the S14 is a joke, the Cats (my lot) are absolutely hopeless. Was never a great Brendan Venter fan, but agree with Andre Joubert.
Yes, i think our coaches could learn alot from your appraoch to the game, it seems like there is alot of skills and know-how transfer between NZ and Oz, but not so much to SA. Pity the Cats and Stormers could’nt attract a coach like John Mitchell.
19 Apr 2006, 12:06 pm
NZMaori,
Thanks for the votes on confidence.
I feel we have a squad of about 30 players that are able to challenge for global international honours. So reckon the test match 22 should be able to challenge any test team.
However don’t think we have great international quality depth outside of that 30 tho (hence poor Super 14 results). Thankfully only 22 can play a test on any given day.
19 Apr 2006, 12:06 pm
NZ Maori, thanks for a constructive insight from abroad. If only you could do all the muppits a favour; find tackler and throw him into the maximum security guy prison where he belongs, and let him get assraped for the rest of his life
19 Apr 2006, 12:09 pm
the stormers dont need new players, they need a new team, new coach and new supporters… i support the bulls now. stan, am i accepted in Blou Bul land?
19 Apr 2006, 12:09 pm
Arh yes. Sori mate never herd of the guy but take your word for it. Ours is Chistian Cullen but John Hart Fucked him. Played the worlds best fullback at centre and the worlds best winger (Wilson) at fullback.
Any way thats another yern alltogether.
Tackler Your a bloody fuckwit… If nobody minds me saying…piss off back to where ever your from the republic I presume….and tell someone sho gives a **** mate. You are a nigel no mates!
19 Apr 2006, 12:11 pm
Yoda
That’s one of Tacklers fantasies you’ve just suggested.
19 Apr 2006, 12:12 pm
Everybody – Tackler went to Wynberg Boys High School. I am going to make a short list of the Nerds & wankers at Wynberg then we can have a guess what his name is.
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