Pick ‘Ackers’ for the Boks
25 Apr 2006
Sharks hard man AJ Venter has urged the national selectors to pick veteran lock Johan Ackermann and not hold his age against him.
Venter, speaking to Keo.co.za, said Ackermann had been a revelation in the Sharks pack and had added grunt and granite to the unit.
“We call him the jaws of life when it comes to protecting or winning the ball in a maul. If he wraps his arms around an opponent that bugger is going nowhere and when he’s got the ball in contact, no one is going to wrestle it from him,” said Venter. “His presence also means guys like Britzie and I feel like youngsters. We are no longer veterans.”
Venter said Ackermann was playing as well as he has ever seen the big guy perform and added that the match-up with Bakkies Botha in Saturday’s Vodacom Super 14 showdown would be worth the admission fee alone.
“Ackers has added a dimension to our pack. He really gives us solidity and he has stabilized our tight five. His calmness and presence is also a great boost for the team. He is in great shape and his performances this season again show how important experience is and why we should never discard the so-called older brigade too soon.”
Ackermann, after a fine season with Griquas in 2005, was drafted into Dick Muir’s Sharks for the Super 14.
Venter, adding to captain John Smit’s sentiments of Monday, said the Sharks had changed their approach for all the South African matches.
“In the past we have been guilty of turning every South African match into a derby and losing focus. We have worried too much about the other SA team and forgot to focus on our own strengths. Our approach on Saturday is that we prepare for the Bulls as we would any other team in the competition. If they want to motivate themselves on the derby element that’s their issue. We don’t see it as a Bok trial. We don’t see it as individuals having to prove a point against another Bulls individual. We know we have to win to stay alive in the competition and that is our motivation, to be successful and still be in a position to challenge for the play-offs.”
Venter said it was obvious that the Sharks would physically have to be on top of their game to beat the Bulls, but stressed there was so much more to the Sharks game plan than a physical presence.
“I’d like to think we have more to offer and I think people who have watched the Sharks this season would agree. We have played some very good rugby and there has been a balance in our approach. We have concentrated on patience when we have the ball and not rushing things. We know it will be physical, but that is the least of my concerns. I know physically what our pack and the team, collectively, is capable of. More importantly, this season we have seen how our players can attack space and play from depth. If we play like we train, we should be alright.”
The Sharks have injury concerns around halfbacks Ruan Pienaar and Tony Brown, but Venter said any Sharks starting XV would be capable of leaving Loftus with a win.
“If we do the basics well and play as we have this season we will win. Obviously Ruan and Tony have been very instrumental to our success, but credit must be given to those guys who have also played at 9 and 10. They have been very good and the depth the coaches have built in the squad this season is a strength.”
147 Comments
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25 Apr 2006, 11:41 am
My god tackler, it galls me but i sort of agree with you. dont think it will be a thrashing though. Bulls by 3. Jaco to score in the 2′nd half as the game opens up. If Brown and Pienaar dont play, bulls by 20.
25 Apr 2006, 11:43 am
Overrated? His defense needs more commitment. But on attack his skill and vision (those dirty words in SA rugby) are second to none. He almost always does exactly the right thing with the ball when he gets it.
25 Apr 2006, 11:44 am
Is there some indoctrination school in Tswane that the rest of us don’t know about?? Sounds like there are some serious “loonies” on this thread. Some of the Bulls supporters are beginning to sound like cult members …
25 Apr 2006, 11:51 am
If Eddie Andrews and Lawrrie Sepaka make the Bok squad before BJ Bother and Deon Carstens, then we know that racism dicides the selection of the Boks squad. When Guthro Steenkamp is fit, he is probably our best loosehead after Os.
Also Liebenberg (Cheetas hooker) is the best hooker after John Smit. Skalk Brits is good in the loose, but JW will want a good 1st phase hooker, and this is where Brits is a bit weak. (Shimmi, not even 4th best hooker)
25 Apr 2006, 11:53 am
tuo, think ackers would be a decent seelction, since he’s already a bok, so new new caps, veteran, but he is an old boy.
25 Apr 2006, 11:55 am
Wow Tacitus,
You should become a motivational speaker. You almost brainwashed me into thinking that the trying-to-run-over-the-opponent mentality is better than making a-quick-offload-in-the-tackle mentality!
25 Apr 2006, 11:57 am
Ackers for boks – why not pick Frik du Preez? he should be able to play for 10min. My only concern for the Sharks is their defence. If they can keep it going as against the Blues, then the Bulls will feel blue come Sunday.
25 Apr 2006, 12:03 pm
Potskuurder,
Dis Pretoria…..
25 Apr 2006, 12:04 pm
Richard – I agree on Botha, but not so sure about Carstens (yet). But good to see Carstens come back after his Bok shockers experience in 2002.
I believe the squad will be similar to last year’s squad. The Poms, France, NZ and Oz have shown you get better results with a settled squad. However, V/d Linde’s injury must have opened the door for Botha.
25 Apr 2006, 12:04 pm
Stormer
I am a Stormer supporter ,but JDV had 2 good moments on the weekend. he had more than 2 really bad ones and a lot of time just running around.
Barry was better than him !!!!!!!!
Yes,that one try he started was great but DWB had as much to do with it is he did.
In the 1s few mins before he slipped the tackle that was the try giver ,he also attempted a head high tackle and went right over some guy. He always goes too high,never crash tackles and often goes for the jersey. In attack he is knowhere near a Tipoke, a Stanisforth and real world classes.Me thinks he just surprised the other players when he finally made a quick brak from a klick off after playing an appalling 1st half. If he is all we have in the country ,we are in deep ****.
He is Ok ,but we desperately need centres. DWB occaionally,JDV,Fourie and Habs all make good centres but world beaters,well if only Jake would now work on Brian as a center. we have and always seem to haveb m,any wings but we struggle for depth at center.
JdV is just one of toise players in SA that only has to do one good thin in a match to vindicate himself ,cos there’s not much else. Barry has to do everything right ,cos he’s screwed up enough. He is not bad when he’s focused.
JdV actually made his Springbok fame at wing and has been OK for the boks at centre ,a bit dissapointing in fact.
i hope Jake can clear the cobwebs from his tunnel vision and get him to find the gaps again.A few times a game ,like Tipoke ,Stanisforth,Mortlock etc etc ,not ust once.
25 Apr 2006, 12:07 pm
Carstens look even better than BJ,ive just been seeing all the BJ hype ,but personally have really enjoyed this Carstens dude more.Does more than just scrum.
25 Apr 2006, 12:08 pm
The article was about Ackerman. Maybe he has something to add to the Boks, he certainly added to the Sharks. To the intelligent Bull supporters, I look forward to a great game in which we showcase the best of SA rugby, especially in light of the TriNations and WC. To the idiots talking about hurting SA players and patently unsuccessful moer-hom rugby, since when do they provide internet in caves? Nobody, no matter which “mighty” province he is from, deserves automtaic selection. Instead of wishing that your player moers the other oke out of the game, why not wish (or predict) that he will outplay him? What a bunch of utter cretins.
25 Apr 2006, 12:19 pm
Lets not forget where Ackerman comes from.
They dont breed them like that in natal or the Cape.
25 Apr 2006, 12:20 pm
How’s your modelling going for your website AJ?
Cant wait to see you do your own personnal calender.
Be the funniest **** Ive ever seen.
I mean you have got to be flippin kidding me you tajke yourself seriously, your worse than Ronald Mcdonlad.
25 Apr 2006, 12:21 pm
No but moering hims more fun for da mense to watch ek se
25 Apr 2006, 12:21 pm
Isn’t Ackermann cut from the same cloth as Piet van Zyl?
25 Apr 2006, 12:21 pm
Moer hom smash and bash it rugby is dying rugby. It may get you wins against the minnows but it wont win you the Super 14. The Crusaders, Brumbies, Hurricanes, Waratahs packs and backs are all smaller than ours, but where are they on the log??? On top. They play intelligent rugby.
Its the same with the Boks vs All Blacks. We have bigger, faster, more powerful players….but they have the skills and vision. Thats why since isolation we have sat mostly at no 2 and 3 in the world (and lower) and New Zealand mostly on top.
Brawn only wins now and then. Brains most of the time. Until the Bulls start playing with brains. they wont win the Super 14. If they can play intelligent visionary rugby, coupled with their physical superiority, they would be unstoppable.
25 Apr 2006, 12:26 pm
S14 rugby is not test rugby. It was proven over and over that many players who shine in S12, did not play well at test level. Ackers will not cope at test level again.
25 Apr 2006, 12:26 pm
On this article – on form, Ackerman wouldnt be un-deserving of a call-up for the boks. But he is not the best we have. He would make a Bok “B” team, or world cup midweek team.
To throw another thought into the conversation – Selbourne Boome is back in SA and I’m sure by the time the World Cup squad is selected will also be in contention.
25 Apr 2006, 12:27 pm
Ben M
As Heyneke says. Rugby is a collission sport and it all comes down to dominating the collisions. So, if Ackerman and Venter do dominate, then they will indeed have outplayed us and I will be the first to admit it. Aint gonna happen though.
Zaber
I really wasnt having a go at you, I partly agree with what you’re saying. My point is simply that we have seen examples of team’s trying to offload the ball to avoid the dreaded contact situation. You call it Stormers rugby.
You cannot focus solely on overpowering your opponents. But you cannot effectively use your backs to run riot unless you have first established physical dominance. One is comes before the other. Remember Harry Viljoen and his successors?
“We’ll run every ball” and
“The team of the future has “15 Bob Skinstads in it”
Utter Bull. Dominate first, then spread it wide. No sexual amiguity intended.
25 Apr 2006, 12:27 pm
Agreed Gimp – just proven in the u/19 – where everyone, including Wales & Argentina just ran around our forwards – and tackled our big lumps backwards.
25 Apr 2006, 12:28 pm
Ben M
whats your point?
25 Apr 2006, 12:28 pm
but we’re really good at moering and boering but not at outplaying anyone else – but ourselves.
I think the ou’s dont quite get that wake up call just received when they bliksem into some ou and stop dead,fall and loose the ball. I think they skiem,geez ,i better do that barder next time ,the ou never moved. Fluitjie blaas ,einde game,ag nee one point loss.
(however i totally agree with you Gimp and the frustrated Ben M)
25 Apr 2006, 12:29 pm
Stan, you don’t rule anymore, get used to it, it’s Tshwane!
25 Apr 2006, 12:33 pm
Along with “All Men Being Equal”, I reckon they also leave out the tale of “David Vs Goliath => Brain Over Brawn” in the Tswane printed Bibles. Those Tswanes boys will just never get either …
25 Apr 2006, 12:34 pm
Taciturn
But it would be awesome for rugby to have the sexy team of the future with 15 Bob Skinstads as we’d have all the seats full at Loftus,Durbs,Newlands,Ellis with all those stay at home bokkies (babes)turning up.
The sound of ‘liefling ‘ would be much sweeter too.
25 Apr 2006, 12:41 pm
ddrek
i hope your talking ****(post 76)? otherwise that sounds *** dude
25 Apr 2006, 12:44 pm
We gave a good formula, says Straeuli
http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?art_id=vn20060425065844807C948537
25 Apr 2006, 12:52 pm
mascot,
he who has the brains and the money will always rule.
not the numbers.
25 Apr 2006, 12:53 pm
that’s right Stan, that’s why we rule, so p-ss off!
25 Apr 2006, 12:54 pm
Jondood what was the score?
25 Apr 2006, 12:55 pm
yoda,
ddrek is n wp ondersteuner…
25 Apr 2006, 12:55 pm
mascot,
vir hoe lank?
25 Apr 2006, 12:57 pm
One of my *** friends in Pretoria sources all his lovers from the extended Blue Bulls set-up. they come knocking on his door in Brooklyn at all hours.
25 Apr 2006, 12:57 pm
Defintion of a fair fight:
Ackers against 15 bullies
25 Apr 2006, 12:58 pm
***** Stan, you’re stupid.
25 Apr 2006, 13:00 pm
mascot
This *** friend of yours, could it be your father?
25 Apr 2006, 13:02 pm
could be.
25 Apr 2006, 13:03 pm
makatees, motiveer jou stelling.
Gee vir ons jou vriend se adres. Ons sal hom gaan leer waarvoor sy bonganer gemaak is.
25 Apr 2006, 13:05 pm
mascot,
hoe gaan dit met jou anti-retrovirale behandeling?
25 Apr 2006, 13:07 pm
Yes Hitler, while you’re at it you can f-ck up a few Jews too, and beat up some car guards. Idiot.
25 Apr 2006, 13:08 pm
very well stan, want to contribute to the cost seeing i can’t get it Manto?
25 Apr 2006, 13:09 pm
stan and mascot – go fight somewhere else ! Capish !
25 Apr 2006, 13:09 pm
Ig, you encourage this type of thing, don’t be a hypocrite please.
25 Apr 2006, 13:10 pm
Ig,
wat beteken Capish in afrikaans?
25 Apr 2006, 13:11 pm
Ja Ig, jou ou huigelaar!
25 Apr 2006, 13:12 pm
Lekker kak Mascot jou nou uit, nê?
25 Apr 2006, 13:13 pm
actually i would prefer a sane conversation where ADULTS could have a difference of opinions with out lapsing into some kind of idiotic retort for retort illustrating their own personal prejudices…..
25 Apr 2006, 13:17 pm
Really, Ig, have you chosen this thread at this time to take some controll the comments on your site. If your archives should be fall into the wrong hands you would have some answering to do. I’m out of you. You can close my account. You make me sick.
25 Apr 2006, 13:17 pm
Ig, jy vat die woorde uit my mond….
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