I’m home says Jaco
21 Apr 2006
Mercurial playmaker Jaco van der Westhuyzen feels he has finally come home.
The return of van der Westhuyzen to the Bulls starting line-up for Saturday’s must win Vodacom Super 14 clash with the Cats is his destiny, says the Springbok.
The former Leicester and NEC (Japan) flyhalf has been included at fullback for the match and is relishing the chance to breathe in the Highveld air. “I’m really looking forward to it,” van der Westhuyzen told keo.co.za. “I’m really enjoying being back at the Bulls. I know the players and coaches and I’m fitting in well.”
Van der Westhuyzen says his favourite position is flyhalf, but one gets the feeling he is so eager to play top class rugby on SA soil, he would have packed down at loosehead prop if asked. “It was difficult being away, but I really feel this is where I belong. I’m really happy everything has been sorted out.”
“Fullback and flyhalf are two different positions and I prefer being more involved, but at fullback you usually have more space so I’m excited, especially with Frikkie (Welsh) and Bryan (Habana) there.
The trio form a new-look back three combination that could make some serious yards against a Cats side lacking a leader, confidence and playing at fortress Loftus.
“No game in the Super 14 is easy,” warns van der Westhuyzen, “and we know we can’t just pitch up and expect the crowd to lift us. The guys were disappointed on the tour and we are keen to put the record straight.”
With a semi-final spot still a slim possibility, the Cats may be in for a tough afternoon. The Bulls backlash after the poor results in Australsia could see the Cats getting hammered in Pretoria. And van der Westhuyzen’s pace and skill could be just the catalyst.
By Andrew Hollely
69 Comments
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21 Apr 2006, 09:13 am
Well, Drunkmonkey,
We’ll see who will have last loughter next weekend us or Edwill. I don’t want to make same arrogant remarks about the bulls trashing Sharks at Loftus as edwill does about Sharks as I can give credit to another team and I’d say Sharks where playing good rugby since brown, Aj and JS came into the team. I would say that any game in S14 is hard especially lokal darbies. I can even say that Cats will give a good fight tomorrow.
21 Apr 2006, 10:23 am
what happened to Henny Danniler – that young fullback who played S12 2 years ago and all the bulls fans said he was the next bok fullback?
21 Apr 2006, 10:25 am
Edwill,
i hope that you are only trying to stir, cause if you really see the north south clash in SA as a small vicory / defeat, you probably only started watching rugby yesterday.
yes it’s not wp ntvl, but i think it is close enough.
21 Apr 2006, 10:26 am
ciccinio – you’re the frst bulls supporter to actually do so. normally they just blame the ref, or accuse the other team of cheating.
maybe you could teach some of your new found humilty to some of your mates, who think the rugby sun rises and sets in pretoria, and that there is no merit unless it is blue and has horns.
21 Apr 2006, 10:32 am
JUSM – if only we could look beyond the derby matches, and focus as much attention against the overseas teams, we woulddn’t be such a laughing stock.
the derbies in the S14 should be meaningless, and Jake has begged the players to approach it this way.
but alas the narrowmindedness and lack of ambition shown by most south africans means that so long as you dont finnish below the other SA teams, the S14 will be seen as a success.
i find this notion particularly prevalent amongst the bulls and their fans. its like you guys are willing to accept the boring **** they dish up, purely because it gets you limited success.
21 Apr 2006, 10:47 am
munki, i don’t think that the teams focus any less attention on beating the aussies and kiwi’s. do you think so?
the derbies are not meaningless. you get the same 4 log points for a win.
there is no lack of ambition from the bulls. we want to win the bloody thing – and we believe that we can and will… well, maybe next year
i am convinced that the bulls management would take a loss against the stormers in exchange for a semi spot. same with the supporters. and same in fact with all SA franchises.
as for the comment on being first amongst SA teams in the S14, hell bud, the bulls supporters are the only ones that did not get involved in that little scrap from the start, and focused on a home semi. it is only now that we are being slagged off relentlessly (yet again) after not making the semis, that we point out the position relative to the other SA teams.
etc. etc. etc.
21 Apr 2006, 11:22 am
CSI, think your backline at 45, would probably have been JW’s first choice when he first took over, with the inclusion of Rathbone.
21 Apr 2006, 11:31 am
Cab
I don’t like to see the All Blacks lose, but if they do lose, I would prefer that they lose to the oppositions best. IMO, there is only two teams I dont mind seeing the AB’s losing a close game to, and thats the Boks and the French, the rest just hurts so bad.
21 Apr 2006, 11:51 am
CSI, feel the same way, imagine whats its like having lost the poms for the last few years.
yip, reading between the lines, i would have thought JW’s first choice backline when he initially took over would have been:
9. FdP 10. Butch
12. Barry 13. JdV
11. Rathbone 14. Willemse 15. Fourie
21 Apr 2006, 11:56 am
CSI
dont lie bro, it hurts when your team loses to anybody and im sure youre gonna mind when the boks beat you guys 2-3 times during the 3N…
21 Apr 2006, 11:59 am
cab
i reckon when he first took over he wnted the centres to be MJ and the Law, maybe fourie. Percy would definately be 15. The wings, 9 + 10 your spot on
21 Apr 2006, 12:06 pm
yoda, yeah maybe centres, but he was a big fan of willemse, fourie and rathbone. think percy was only called in cos fourie injured, played so well, cemented his place.
21 Apr 2006, 12:23 pm
Yoda
Yep I hate seeing the all blacks lose to anyone, but in NZ we kinda accept the 1 test loss in a year, even though a perfect season is what the fans demand. But what I am saying, is that a loss to the french and boks is easier to handle due to respect, then it is to lose to the poms and the wallabies, which we dont like at all (in a sportsman like manner that is).
21 Apr 2006, 12:34 pm
rathbone excellent rugby player
21 Apr 2006, 12:35 pm
He is,but what a prick
21 Apr 2006, 12:37 pm
In my opinion,Jaco is wasted at the Bulls,he is a playmaker and the Bulls style of play is far too conservative for his style of play. I think he would be much better suited to a team like The Sharks.
21 Apr 2006, 13:13 pm
regtig winston? jys sekere n Shark? onthou net jaco het bok geword by die bulle, so dit kannie sy game te veel pla nie. o, ja en hys gelukkig daar, en dit sal hom beter rugby vir die bulle laat speel
21 Apr 2006, 14:41 pm
mecurial is not one word i would describe him as
21 Apr 2006, 15:50 pm
S.a teams dont tour well thats all there is we south africans love r country. Thats why we hate to tour…
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