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, 13:58 pm
Bakkies is god
3 May 2006, 14:00 pm
i say go for him an maby pieters as well!! an ruan pienaar has to be selected this year he is too good to leave out.
3 May 2006, 14:01 pm
what the hell is bakkies doing at centre?
3 May 2006, 14:01 pm
thats matfield’s position.
3 May 2006, 14:02 pm
You could do a lot worse than the old war-horse, but what are the chances of him still playing the way he is come RWC-time
3 May 2006, 14:02 pm
bakkies is good! and ackerman well i think he deserves a call up! he is 34 thats a bit old BUT if AJ can still make it (his turning 33 this year) why cant ackers make it?
what about young locks for the future?
i know i thinking ahead but what will the game between bulls locks and stormers locks be?
boks against future boks??
3 May 2006, 14:04 pm
This guys form for the Sharks has been immense to say the least!
Would really like to see Pietersen selected though!
3 May 2006, 14:07 pm
LMAO – cab – classic annd very true
3 May 2006, 14:08 pm
they could both play. i’ve said before I like the thought of Bakkies doing the Danville twostep on the english locks’ heads and necks for sixty minutes and when his studs have been worn down, bring Akkies on to really hurt them for twenty. At the same time Matfield can finesse the lineout balls all he likes.
3 May 2006, 14:10 pm
Acker would perform the same role as Martin Johnston in the World Cup England side,a hardened professional who knows all the shortcuts and can influance the younger players.
3 May 2006, 14:10 pm
dont think ackerman will make it to RWC2007
3 May 2006, 14:13 pm
Skeate deserves a call up. Much better player than Albert VDBerg. He has done well in the lineouts, i agree with boeja, Ackerman will not make it to the RWC and i dont think AJ will either…
3 May 2006, 14:16 pm
wpw,
if you make a call up.are you gonna pick a lock with a high work rate (rucks,tackles,line outs) or will you pick a lock (line out and carry ball)
3 May 2006, 14:16 pm
i think any lock is better than albert…
3 May 2006, 14:19 pm
I get so fed up with old timers (and cab and ig) complaining about tight forwards in the backline. If they stand around in the backline all the time then fair enough, but if they just got up from the bottom of the ruck or made a tackle or was involved in some way and play is suddenly coming their way, then they are expected to make a contribution! Not like the days of old when tight forwards could only scrum and … well scrum!
Furthermore and in any event, tight forwards, like any other player on the pitch should only join the ruck or maul if they can make a positive contribution. If the wing is first to the point of breakdown – he should compete on the floor etc.
3 May 2006, 14:23 pm
Bakkies is baas
Acker is wakker.
He would be the perfect backup for bakkies.
3 May 2006, 14:23 pm
also true Tsiko, but i see you’re also a fan of this “positive contribution” measure. Has Chris Hewitt been bribing you.
3 May 2006, 14:24 pm
tsiko,
i agree!! if the kickers dont kick the ball out there is no way in hell the forwards can be around the park at every ruck! so when the ball gets turned over they must have enough skill to also handle the ball in the backline! which brings me to my next point,
our backs must also get involved in rucking and not be to scared to get in there we lose lots of ball because of backs holding on….because there is no one rucking they must hold on for dear life!
skeate’s workrate is pour.good lineout jumper and running of the shoulder but he doesnt do any dirty work.
3 May 2006, 14:24 pm
I’m not surprised that Bakkies wants Ackers in the team with him. That Matfield oke is way too dirty, punching props and strapping iron bars to his forearm. Bakkies, ever the gentleman, just can’t condone that kind of unnecessary rough play.
3 May 2006, 14:25 pm
its no doubt the bakkies v ackermann hype before the game helped push bakkies to put in his best performance of the season.
when this guy turns it on he is awesome. he just needs to do it more often on the road (and I dont mean for the bulls). i want to see bakkies win a man of the match award, playing for the boks, away from home.
we know we’ve got the best lock pair in the world with him and vic. i just wish they showed it more often.
3 May 2006, 14:26 pm
katman,
bwa ha ha ha
3 May 2006, 14:27 pm
Damn you cab! I so wanted to keep it a secret, at least it was a fair price! Any other bribes out there…?
3 May 2006, 14:28 pm
munkiboi
Yes if they can start competing away from home perhaps they will instill that feeling in the Bulls.
3 May 2006, 14:29 pm
Hey tsiko
And Ig and Cab will not like your ignorant know it all bravado. The old timers , even with a dab of altzheimers, have some value.
My opinion though is that if they scored the try then they had the right to be there. If not,,, well then they did not deserve to be there.
3 May 2006, 14:30 pm
also like to see Bakkies running with ball in hand, he can move for such a big oke, remeber him tearing down the touchline against the french in paris, and its great to see Matfield tackling in broken play, but their first duty is in the tight.
Why do you think the sharks have done so well this year? its cos they have a hard grafter like Ackerman at 4 otherwise the pack is no different to the one that got poonanied last year.
3 May 2006, 14:32 pm
how many locks will be in the bock squad of 45?
6??
3 May 2006, 14:33 pm
amazon ad 24.
But of course the old timers have some value many a coach and administrators are old timers! But, with all due respect, many old timers appear to be the ones with the know-it-all-bravado ala “in my days second rowers used to ….”
3 May 2006, 14:33 pm
cab
the stormers pack also doing well with their young locks
3 May 2006, 14:33 pm
Cab, The cats are gonna poach Bakkies to play centre with Jacque Fourie next year.
3 May 2006, 14:33 pm
jondood,
what do you think it is with the bulls?
i cant explain it. there is no logical reason why they should be so shite on tour..
3 May 2006, 14:34 pm
boeja,
ya, the stormers tight 5 definitely improved over last season, not so light anymore, should be good games against the bulls and sharks.
3 May 2006, 14:34 pm
lol Redcard, **** they might as well give us the trophy.
3 May 2006, 14:36 pm
Cats to win S14 in 2007, Bakkies to score a hattrick in the #13 jersey.
Now if only we can get the Cats into the S14…
3 May 2006, 14:37 pm
not just the bulls all the sa teams!
our touring is just longer and the aussies dont treat as so nice facilities….
3 May 2006, 14:39 pm
stormers T5 will be tested in last 2 games now we will be able to see who has the best/players who must be the bok T5 (contention_)
3 May 2006, 14:39 pm
tsiko
You are right.
The amazing thing is that you and I will uncontrollably tell those we feel close enough too, that things were different in our time.
How we used to walk kms and kms on thorny roads to get to school. How we had to endure power cuts and had to shiver and study in the gangster filled darkness.
It is always tougher in the past. We must agree.
3 May 2006, 14:42 pm
ag bo woo
3 May 2006, 14:43 pm
Bluebarb,
Nic Mallet has stated that when he toured as bok coach for some reason the Afrikaner boys were a lot more homesick than the Souties, who knows why?
3 May 2006, 14:44 pm
amazon, in which case, heaven helps my poor grand children one day! With my imagination I may just have been able to pass and kick a ball!
3 May 2006, 14:45 pm
Booja
Die trane loop vrylik ?
3 May 2006, 14:46 pm
ha ha ha no im just laughing at you oldies!
3 May 2006, 14:48 pm
boeja, mature, not old!
3 May 2006, 14:48 pm
Classic Tsiko
I had this PT teacher at high school.
The oke was maybe 40 odd. He was full opf stories but the one that really pushed it over the limit was him telling us one day that he had laid the basis for Naas Botha’s greatness.
Not exactly those words but close.
Maybe we will take credit for serving schalk brits a red bull before a game and giving him our opinion. We vcan exagerate immensly if necesarry. Not many other golden oldies to discredit us.
3 May 2006, 14:50 pm
bok ’06 locks:
matfield
botha
albert
ackers
bekker
skeate
thats 6 locks?
3 May 2006, 14:52 pm
tsiko – come now, i’m hardly decrepid and fancy myself to be somewhat newage.
no bravado, just saying that rugby remains a game of physical domination in the tight 5. Would also go as far as to say that nothing has changed insofar as whoever dominates in the tight 5 exhnages is more often than not going to run out as winners. Perhaps the most important aspect.
Personally, I’m with you and like the skillfull stuff, but you must give the tough buggers their due. Essential part of the game.
3 May 2006, 14:53 pm
Boeja
Let the good times roll.
Every wrinkle tell a story they say.
So guys like Mick Jagger and other rocker of yore must have a lot of advice up their cardigans
3 May 2006, 14:54 pm
Boeja
Does Dallas Rossouw make your squad as a flank or not at all?
3 May 2006, 14:56 pm
i just thought of the same thing! do you rate him? his good but ads no value to the boks,he never plays and if you keep himm in the squad he takes up a place in which a young fella could of learned about the bok culture?
3 May 2006, 14:58 pm
He is not that old, but I understand your point. I would rather put him in than the older Penings v/d Berg though.
3 May 2006, 14:59 pm
Cab and Tsiko
But we want physical chaps outwide now too.
Not because we believe its the best for rugby in general. BUT because Sailor, Rathbone, Tuiquiri, Nonu,Tiranuoi, Roccococo and co dictate that we do.
if our wings are five foot four then they must at least be able to carry the groceries into the house comfortably. At least
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