Chiliboy is Jake’s Bok bolter
26 Apr 2006
Blue Bulls Vodacom Cup hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle will be the shock inclusion in the enlarged Springbok squad announced on 13 May.
Bok coach Jake White told Die Burger’s Herbert Pretorius that he wants to invite the 19-year-old hooker to the Boks’ training camp in Bloemfontein. He is even considering including Ralepelle for the Bok team to play against Scotland.
Ralepelle’s inclusion means that neither Gary Botha nor Schalk Brits will be in the extended squad. John Smit and Hanyani Shimange are White’s top two hookers at the moment.
“I have no say in the compilation of South Africa’s Super 14 teams and that’s why it’s not my fault that he isn’t playing for the Bulls,” said the coach. “Chiliboy has proven himself at U19 and U21 level and I believe he’s good enough to repeat his performance at senior level. Remember that the hooker he played against in last year’s U21 World Cup final is the Australian Tatafu Polota-Nau, who has already played Test rugby for the Wallabies.”
Ralepelle played in both the U19 and the U21 World Championship victories. He was also named SA Rugby’s U19 player of the year.
“I’d like to see how he performs in a team with big locks, for example, Bakkies Botha and Johan Ackermann behind him and big props like Os du Randt and CJ van der Linde alongside him in the scrums. I’m sure he’ll cope,” White said.
White said Brits, who has been the Stormers first-choice hooker this year, would have to work harder on his scrumming technique and line-out throw-ins.
“At Test level you want a hooker who excels in those two facets and not as much someone who can run well with the ball in hand,†he said. “I must experiment with several new players and combinations, because I can’t possibly select my strongest possible team for all 12 Tests.”
270 Comments
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26 Apr 2006, 16:41 pm
saffa_guy,
Guthro Steenkamp is the real deal at prop but he is a write off, didn’t last the distance unfortunately.
As opposed to Sephaka and Andrews, one must admires their self preservation at the meat grinder position of a prop.
The options for Chiliboy aa a Bok will be either on the eternal bench like Shimanga or turning into a heap of bones like Guthro, it’s either or!
26 Apr 2006, 16:52 pm
Os du Randt was also “written off” at one stage. Guthro will be back.
Gimp (247) – I think you answered your own question as to why it can’t happen. Way too many backs and too few forwards.
To be honest, I think Jake is going to struggle to meet his transformation requirements this year, what with Ruan pushing for a place on form ahead of Ricky and FdP. Though actually, on current form Bolla is also ahead of Ricky and FdP. Andrews’ form has dropped off since 2004, and he can’t realistically start a Tri-Nations Test. Solly has got lost in a massive heap of excellent loose forwards. Jantjes still has to get into the queue behind the great Percy. So who does that leave? Habanero, certainly. Julies, maybe. Breyton? And if it’s Breyton, then what happens to Jean (not that I care if he sits out for a while and learns to tackle)?
The cupboard’s a bit bare at the moment.
26 Apr 2006, 17:05 pm
Pierre, Jake won’t start with Ruan, nor Chilli in TN. Chilli probably will be back playing Currie Cup then, having been given a taste against Scots.
So, for TN, JW will start with Januarie & Habana at least, and maybe some other winger. But I feel Ruan should be back-up to Januarie – sure to piss off some Bulls fan with that.
26 Apr 2006, 17:39 pm
New Test season, same issue: the need to accomodate inadequate players in the Bok line up and STILL to win!
Habana who saved the season last year for JW might not be so lucky this year, coupled with the inability of the backs to produce tries consistantly and having the like of Sephaka/Shimanga/Solly/Dulane and possibly Davids on the bench may not help JW position , I also think he might face a losing season ahead
26 Apr 2006, 18:01 pm
Onlooker – who is Davids – and please dont say the fat lump from the WC debacle.
26 Apr 2006, 18:23 pm
Don’t hold your breath munkiboi, if he will be available then JW will select him for the squad
I’d rather play him than Shimanga or Andrews,
26 Apr 2006, 18:45 pm
Makes sense Jake, Chiliboy will be a big test name one day!
26 Apr 2006, 20:31 pm
Coming in when its all been said and done.
I think that this is same sort of situation as the Dlulane one, just blooding the guy.
Everyone knows of his potential and this not just as hooker but as Captain. The bulls have had Dlulane for two or three seasons and is only coming good now. Myself, I am quite impressed with Dlulane’s work rate, don’t miss a tackle but his ball sense is well nonsense, and his also built. Watching him reminds me of Betsen (the tackling part):-)
Leaving Chilliboy in the Cup side is good player management (surprise, surprise). I would like to think of it the same as what the Brumbies did for Rathbone.
Oh, and another thing, I wish that JW would just shut his trap, he talks to much, to bend a bible proverb ‘when words are many garbage is not far behind.’
26 Apr 2006, 20:51 pm
Chilliboy is a great player. I think Heyneke Meyer has erred in keeping him out of the Bulls first team lineup. I think he is wrapping him up in cotton wool a bit, But also Chilliboy’s scrummaging isn’t the greatest and knowing the way the bulls play it is easy to see why they wouldn’t pick him.
There is no doubt that Chilliboy will be a legend one day if he isn’t injured. If I were the Bok coach I would have picked Chilliboy Ralapele, John Smit and Schalk Brits as the three hookers.
Jake White must realise that Britz running is not his only strength. He gets to the breakdown and turns over ball as well, he is fit and energetic and has a high work rate and he is not all flash. RE: his lineout, the Stormers have not had a better lineout in many a year then they do now, and I have seen Smit throw quite a few custard pies this year come lineout time.
My Springbok squad: assuming no injuries
Hookers:
Chilliboy Ralapele
Schalk Brits
John Smit
Tightheads:
BJ Botha
Jannie Du Plessis
Looseheads:
Os du Randt
Gurthro Steenkamp
Utility Prop:
CJ vd Linde
Enforcer locks:
Bakkies Botha
Johan Ackerman
Lineout locks:
Victor Matfield
Ross Skeate
Open siders:
Schalk Burger
Solly Tyibilika
Blind siders:
Juan Smith
Wikus v Heerden
8th men:
AJ Venter
Pedrie Wannenburg
Utility Forward:
Jacques Cronje
Scrummies:
Enrico Januarie
Ruan Peinaar
Fourie du Preez
Flyhalf:
Andre Pretorius
Jaco vd Westhuizen
Centres:
Jean de Villiers
Jacques Fourie
Trevor Halstead
Wayne Julies
Wings:
Bryan Habana
Breyton Paulse
JP Peterson
Fullbacks:
Percy Montgomery
Bevan Fortuin
26 Apr 2006, 21:01 pm
HQ,
good squad, maybe try Dlulane for Tyibillika and one of the Ndugane twins insted of Paulse.
I also think that Snyman might be one of the wings and he was one of the best outside centres, who could forget his try against England, so that may be the cover that Jake needs.
26 Apr 2006, 21:37 pm
Stop moaning you racist pigs; if the bulls had a coach who had national interest at heart and who wasn’t a racist, Ralapele would have been the star of the S14 so far. Come on the Sharks, please do us all a favour.
26 Apr 2006, 21:48 pm
Yea fasttrack every talent ASAP, soon we’ll see 15 year olds playing S14, I think a large dose of perspective is in order here.
Can nobody see that for the 1st time in a long time here is a coach actually thinking ahead,as said a couple of times already on this thread he is pretty much detined to be a Great so be it.
It’s alot easier to see things as they are without emotion…i think
26 Apr 2006, 22:36 pm
Lo, please think before you send post. What coach in their right mind would play Chiliboy ahead of Gary Botha. Gary Botha is the only real contender when it comes to challenging John Smit as a player. I wish everyone would stop being so premature about this guy. Sure he’s got potential and he’s an exciting prospect, but he’s nowhere near international level yet. Players often shine at Junior level, don’t read to much into it. The jump from u21 level to international is big enough let alone from U19 level. Jake whether he admits it or not is under pressure from government and thus one of Jakes main priorities is seeking out young black talent to be groomed. He sees that there aren’t enough good black players around at senior level, so he’s decided to take matters into his own hands and make the young players good by grooming them early. Chiliboy won’t play against any of the top 5 teams this year and is simply being called to the camp cause Jake White sees a huge need to improve the quality of black players in the country. He has to pick them so why not make them good.
27 Apr 2006, 01:27 am
Lo & dumb
27 Apr 2006, 02:12 am
FutureBok. No doubt he is a prospect for the future but he is not ready yet (especially as a forward). Not to mention the other players like Botha or Brits will be shafted due to this decision.
Ps. If he is so great how come he is not playing for the Bulls this year?
27 Apr 2006, 02:13 am
Oh and FutureBok have you seen where Graham Smith is today? I think he is mentally scarred for life.
27 Apr 2006, 02:19 am
Lo you stupid wanker, do the Sharks have the national interest at heart when Tony Brown kicks for posts while Percy and Ruan sit by and watch?
27 Apr 2006, 02:41 am
Lower than Lo and Dumber than Dumb….
there are some who prowl this site for a political fight….they are in no way interested in Rugby and you will only notice their names when politics rears it’s ugly head!
27 Apr 2006, 05:41 am
like jake has said, he will need to rotate his starting line up for this years test. this could mean that the top hookers get a break and young guys like britz and chilli get their chance, even if its off the bench. i dont think jake will shun someone,,i think he is just waiting for the rite moment.
imagine britz getting the call up a week before a test…that oke will be choming to get on the field to prove himself.
jake has to get the young okes involved now…because we will end up relying on them for 2007 world cup…it always happens.
28 Apr 2006, 09:24 am
hey. If Brits packs his bags.. He doesnt deserve to be a BOk!!
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