Bakkies wants Ackers for Boks
3 May 2006
Springbok hardman Bakkies Botha would welcome the inclusion of veteran lock and fellow no-nonsense taker Johan Ackerman in the Springbok squad this year.
“Johan is still on top of his game. It would definitely be great to have another enforcer in the Bok side, but that’s up to Jake and the selectors. After playing against him last weekend I think he still has plenty to offer,” Botha told keo.co.za.
“To have him around would be great and he brings so much experience to the table. And he has played at that level before. Bringing a guy like him at his age into the Bok setup should be viewed as a positive, not a negative,” said Botha.
Botha and Ackermann had an interesting tussle in last week’s game between the Bulls and Sharks at Loftus Versfeld. “I think it went well for me,” said Botha. “It is a challenge to play someone like Johan, but I’m always keen for a challenge.”
Botha prefers not to talk and rather do his “talking” on the field. His performance for the Bulls especially in the tight was colossal and he scored a brace of tries – one of which was a fine individual effort – and was named man of the match.
But he had praise for his opposite number. “Johan plays it hard and physical. It doesn’t matter what age you are, if you are playing goood rugby you should be recognised.”
That try though was a source of great enjoyment for the towering lock. “It’s great to be able to show that us locks also have some pace and skill. I relly enjoyed that try,” he laughed.
By Andrew Hollely

86 Comments
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3 May 2006, 15:00 pm
Boeja
Why would you not offer Muller at the sharks a look in ?
3 May 2006, 15:02 pm
the french is small and they still beat big names! the boks must not be followers they must be leaders! and i can assure you that we have other positives that other teams dont like!
3 May 2006, 15:03 pm
Now get this – If we did not have Jake White and relied on the SARUGBY STAT CENTRE (http://www.sarugby.com/news/Stats_Centre.html) The Springbok team would be as follows, (based on player ranking during th S14):-
Deon Carstens, Schalk Brits, BJ Botha, Vic Matfield, Barend Pieterse, AJ Venter, Jaques Botha, Wickes Van Heerden, Fourie Du Preez, Andre Pretorious, Jean De Villiers, Wynand Olivier, Wylie Human, Odwa Ndugane, Percy Montgomery.
6 Sharks, 3 Bulls, 3 Cats, 2 WP, 1 Cheatah!! And the training squad of 45 would be:
Props
Deon Carstens, BJ Botha, Pietman Van Niekerk, Eddie Andrews, Jaco Engels, JD Moeller (NO OS Du Rant – he was number 17 of SA Props would you believe!!)
Hookers
Schalk Brits, Tiaan Liebenburg, John Smit, Gary Botha
Locks
Matfield, Pieterse, Skeate, C. Van Zyl, A Bekker, W Stolz (NO Bakkies – he was number 10!!)
Loosies
AJ, J Botes, Wikus VH, Pedrie W, Schalk Burger,Ryno Van Der Merwe, Jaque Cronje Luke Watson.
Scrumhalf
Fourie Du Preez, Ruan Pienaar, Ricky Januarie, Bolla C (actually Scott Mathie was number 3 but has not played enough to consider the ranking)
Flyhalf
Andre Pretorious, Naas Olivier, Hougaard
Centre
Jean De Villiers, Wynaand Olivier, Ronnie Cooke, Adi Jacobs, De Wet Barry, Brad Barrett
Wings
Wylie Human, Odwa Ndugane, Giscard Pieters, Jaque Fourie, Brian Habana
Fullback
Percy, EARL ROSE, JP Pieterson
Some very interesting results there!!!!! EARL ROSE, Giscard Peters, Ryno Van der Merwe, Tian Liebenburg and Barend Peterse to name a few!!
3 May 2006, 15:03 pm
amazon,
yes he would be another option aswell as barend!
3 May 2006, 15:03 pm
Dallas should be forgotten as the series of yore.
Not quite a lock,not quite a flank.Heaps of aggresion – no brain.The man is a class one liability.
3 May 2006, 15:05 pm
BMM,
those stats are def not 100%
3 May 2006, 15:06 pm
Jislaaik Rasta
We can have you hand out flyers with that printed on during the curtain raiser for the next bulls game and then we have you take the kick off in the main game,
Just to add some spark to festivities.
3 May 2006, 15:07 pm
amazon true, which is why JW seems to want a bit of size outwide. look at the stormers amazing speed, but their outside backs are nothing more than a turnstile for the oppo on the way to the tryline.
3 May 2006, 15:07 pm
Boeja, as we know about 53.25% of stats are not accurate.
3 May 2006, 15:07 pm
Recieve the kick off
not kick it Rasta
3 May 2006, 15:08 pm
rastafox,
you talking about danie?
i agree with you if youre talking about him.
to slow for a flanker
and not as a lock!
who would you guys pick?? 6 locks for the boks?
mine:
matfield (starting)
bakkies (starting)
bekker (bench) can replace any of the 2.
muller start 2
ackerman start 2
skeate (bench)
3 May 2006, 15:09 pm
Tsiko
The main problem with forwards joining the backline is that they just seem to get in the way when the flash boys are actually going somewhere.
Besides, Bakkies dummy on saturday was a mistake. He was going to pass then realised, being a lock, that he didn’t quite know how to let go of the ball.
3 May 2006, 15:09 pm
i will drop albert for muller in my prev. 6 locks!
3 May 2006, 15:10 pm
Rastafox
A liability he may be, but playing him for 20 at a time limits the risk. His almost caveman-like approach to taking the ball up is still very effective against any team.
3 May 2006, 15:10 pm
Cab
A turnstile is sometimes a bit too complementry.
The sharks lost to freestate because brent helped Giscaard over the tryline , twice.
Very gentlemanly.
Russel is great but I do want to see backs ALSO dominate contact areas.
3 May 2006, 15:11 pm
matfield need a bit of fire under his bum because his a player who can get a bit relaxed in his position. look what ackerman did to bakkies it was the old bakkies on saterday!
3 May 2006, 15:14 pm
BMM
Thanks for the stats. Must say that some of them are a bit dodgy to me. Wannenberg has been in the top 5 SA players in the Super 14 for the last five weeks straight.
How is he not considered our top flanker based on current form?
3 May 2006, 15:15 pm
Boeja
Youre are a man of conviction. A humble one.
To admit a change of heart (Mistake) on the site here…..Geez…. big up to you my man.
3 May 2006, 15:15 pm
I would actually put Barend Piterse on the bench with Bakkies and Matfield starting.
3 May 2006, 15:17 pm
Not so sure about all those stats, but a few of the “surprising” names don’t surprise me at all. Like the Cheetah’s locks. Pieterse and van Zyl have been consistently better than any other lock combination in the SA teams. Ryno van der Merwe has been good too. As has Jacques Botes for the Sharks.
3 May 2006, 15:17 pm
No knocking Danie for his heart and commitment, but unfortunately the man struggles with basic skills.
Bakkies,Vic,Ackers and one of Bekker/Muller/Skeate/v Schouwenburg/Pieterse
would do just nicely.
3 May 2006, 15:20 pm
Insurance companies should team up with a couple of Tab Gambling houses.
On your aplication you say in which rugby team you wish for your high risk funds to be routed.
Therefore they will back your team every weekend, hedging where they can and risking everything for huge rewards. ALA force vs crusaders.
Could have some pensioners in the queu at soup kitchens but usually a little profit could be copnjured up
3 May 2006, 15:21 pm
No problemo Rasta
Rossouw is kind of in limbo in terms of where he should (can) play. You’re right his skills have let him down at crucial times.
3 May 2006, 15:30 pm
Would like to see the him get an extended run at lock.Difficult to improve your game whilst arguably the best lock pairing in the world are ahead of you.When he has played and especially in tandem with van Schouwenburg he has had some big games.
3 May 2006, 15:35 pm
Forget about Ackers. Forget about Bakkies and Matfield.
Isn’t Quinton Davids back in SA? He can take up the whole second row on his own, and if you select him now he’ll give you as much as half the effort of any other lock in the country.
3 May 2006, 16:27 pm
loafer,
LOL
3 May 2006, 16:30 pm
Ja, Rossouws lack of first team action could start to count against his bok aspirations given the emergence of some of the other locks in this years competition. Its difficult to judge someone who plays the last 20 minutes of each game.
3 May 2006, 16:53 pm
Thank God Bakkie,s does not pick the team. as well as he plays for it.
3 May 2006, 16:57 pm
So Bakkies say some nice things about Ackers and Ackers in turn says we’ll beat the Saders… Sounds fair.
3 May 2006, 18:50 pm
Fellow No-nonsensers …we need more of those in our teams
3 May 2006, 20:17 pm
all u oaks think they wont make the world cup (acers an aj) but its just a year!!! not 4 years to go
3 May 2006, 21:45 pm
Bakkies is a dirty player who deserves to get a klap.
Saying that, he does it well. He needs to get consistent with his play though, what he produced on Saturday needs to be an ongoing thing. If he does the Bulls and the Boks would go up a notch.
re:He needs to be there purely because he will bring his experience with him, as with most of the older guys, if Whitless picks 45 players hopefully some veterans will be in just to keep the youngsters honest.
3 May 2006, 22:44 pm
did some idiot mention andries bekker and ross skeate should b springboks?! geeze, probably the same idiot that wanted chris rossouw for the boks ha ha…
4 May 2006, 02:08 am
Dont swaer big g…..Cthe Rossouw boets became my biggest 4 letter words when they were on the park….
Skeate should be Matters understudy tho…he is doing great.
BMM
What are those stats from ?? Would be interested to see ow they rated the players.
Thanks tho
4 May 2006, 08:01 am
ddrek
Check the SARUGBY website
Now get this – If we did not have Jake White and relied on the SARUGBY STAT CENTRE http://www.sarugby.com/news/Stats_Centre.html
4 May 2006, 08:30 am
blouberb, dont forget MATFIELD, WILL NOT ONLY CALL THE LINEOUTS, but SMACK the prop to take him out the game,this is an intergral part of his play.
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