Bakkies and Habana crocked
21 May 2006
Bakkies Botha and Bryan Habana will miss the two-test series against Scotland because of injury.
Both were injured in the Bulls Vodacom Super 14 semi-final defeat against the Crusaders in Christchurch, with Habana’s ankle injury looking bad.
Habana and Botha are integral to White’s first-choice Springbok line-up and neither looked comfortable when leaving the field.
Habana, who only touched the ball once on attack — and scored from it — tried to continue playing but the pain was too bad, while Botha left the field before half-time after failing to make much of an impression in his 50th match in Super rugby.
White has already lost the services of BJ Botha and Andre Pretorius, while Os du Randt is out for the next two weeks.
Habana strained ankle ligaments, while Botha hurt his achilles. Both are expected to be out for anything between four and six weeks.
121 Comments
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20 May 2006, 11:59 am
Bakkies failed to make an impression?? Yet he was so prominent against the Sharks….strange hmm. Perhaps Bakkies thoughts were on the flight back to South Africa already…big soft lump of jelly.
Jake White take note and fill in the gaps with Sharks players please, because as we all know the Sharks have the right mental attitude and can travel. Leave the mammas boys at home..which is the majority of the Bulls team.
20 May 2006, 12:01 pm
Keo – What are you upto on this cold & wet day in Cape Town?
20 May 2006, 12:02 pm
Dragons se ma se…
20 May 2006, 12:08 pm
PreDawn,
Did you even watch the game, or are you being a ****** in only following what KEO write? Moron!
Botha and Pedri where the 2 best bulls players today
20 May 2006, 12:09 pm
What happened to “Bulls have brawn and brains”
As I predicted they were embarrassed at the breakdown. Please Jake White, tell me, how many line-outs did Richie Mccaw win for his team?
20 May 2006, 12:10 pm
when can we expect the news on Habana and Botha on the website?
20 May 2006, 12:13 pm
how is it possible that the bulls was beaten with exactly the same gameplan as the one at loftus? this after we were assured “we’ve learned from that experience and have a few things up our sleeve”?. the crusaders ended up with tricks up their sleeve by demolishing the much talked about bulls scrum and disrupting/ stealing their line-out balls. oh, and that “chicken” mccaw, did anyone see him on the field? (LOL)
20 May 2006, 12:19 pm
The horrowing thought is that the Crusaders weren’t even at their normal best.
20 May 2006, 12:23 pm
If Bakkies and Bryan cant play , bring in Pierre Spies and Ronnie Cooke !!!
20 May 2006, 12:24 pm
Edwill, i had the same impression. i think the canes are the team next weekend who’s gonna pay for that.
20 May 2006, 12:30 pm
HSG. Your comment 9) : A loose forward and a centre to play lock and wing? I don’t think so.
20 May 2006, 12:32 pm
Seriously though, I don’t think Jake picked enough wingers for proper cover. Chavhanga and Russell to play against the World XV?
20 May 2006, 12:35 pm
I still don’t understand Jake’s comment that Luke Watson brings nothing to the team because he’s not a lineout option. Can anybody think of leaving a player like Richie Mccaw out because he doesn’t win line-out ball?
20 May 2006, 12:37 pm
remember “old man snyman” is also there to cover wing:)
20 May 2006, 12:40 pm
Edwill sadly for you the statistics in this case point to the opposite,McCaw has won 20-odd lineouts this year and just this morning was used as a lineout option by the Crusaders.This is coaching and not an inability to win lineouts.
20 May 2006, 12:43 pm
Derek Noble -
Pierre doesn`t have to play lock , there are players in the Bok team who can play 2 positions or more.Pierre – No8 , flanker , wing and centre and Ronnie Cooke – Centre , Fullback and wing !!!!!
Bok backline for world xv test : (if Habana cant play)
9.R.PIENAAR
10.B.JAMES
11.A.SNYMAN
12.J.DE VILLIERS
13.J.FOURIE
14.B.PAULSE
15.P.MONTGOMERY
20 May 2006, 12:45 pm
HGS, jack of all trades, master of none!!
20 May 2006, 13:01 pm
The Bulls do talk a good game though. The Saders never needed to get out of 2nd gear. Soft tries coming from not kicking the ball out and falling asleep at the line-out. We’re like the Welsh or the Scots at the Heineken Cup; just making up the numbers.
20 May 2006, 13:03 pm
Yes, but would you leave Richie Mccaw out if he didn’t take any lineout balls? Why must you have 8 lineout jumpers while you get murdered in the loose. There are more rucks than lineouts in a game.
If I had my way, my team would’ve been.
15.) Percy Montgomery
14.) Andre Snyman
13.) Jacque Fourie
12.) Jean de Villiers
11.) Bryan Habana
10.) Jaco van der Westhuysen
9.) Ruan Pienaar
8.) AJ Venter
7.) Juan Smith
6.) Schalk Burger
5.) Victor Matfield
4.) Bakkies Botha
3.) CJ van der Linde
2.) John Smith
1.) Guthro Steenkamp
16.) BJ Botha
17.) Schalk Brits
18.) Danie Rossouw
19.) Luke Watson
20.) Fourie du Preez
21.) Butch James
22.) Wynand Olivie
20 May 2006, 13:05 pm
Strikers mate – Did I hear you say Botha was brilliant in the game? Your kidding right? He vanished! as did the rest of the Bulls pack! They were outplayed, outsmarted, slow compared to the speed of the crusaders, slow in support, Rossouw was also a non event..It was a different league and we have to give credit as rugby lovers to the Crusaders for their game plan was flawless and their execution astounding..Bakkies was just not there and worn out after giving everything against the SA sides…Now ask did they deserve to be there?
20 May 2006, 13:08 pm
A simple no Jackal. Sharks I reckon would have been more inventive.
20 May 2006, 13:20 pm
I agree but thats somehting we will never know. Now, the questions I have are related to players – Pedrie and Rossouw arent good enough right now – What about Watson and the sharks flanker …Botes. In fact Dlulane was better and should geta nod before Tryblika I think it was. Its not all about bulk its about strength and speed! Surely Jake was watching???
20 May 2006, 13:34 pm
Having made some comparisons earlier in the week and hauled over the coals by the Bulls supporters for underrating some of the Bulls players I would like to say:
1.Danie Thiart may have shaded Wyatt Crockett at scrum time,but Crockett sure showed up prominently around the park and winning the odd turnover to boot.One could be forgiven for not noticing Danie Thiart was playing other than an injury stoppage in the second half.
2.Gary Botha was supposed to dominate Corey Flynn all over the park and at scrum and lineout time.This was reversed quite easily today and again as I said earlier in the week Flynn to edge out Botha.
3.Greg Sommerville simply dished up a lesson to Wessel Roux on what it may take to be a true international quality prop.The Man has 49 Test caps for a reason.
4 and 5 the only competitive aspect of the game was the lineouts,but again the Crusaders pair just did it all better than the Bulle.Where was the massive Bakkies or Danie Roussow,trailing in the shadows I’m afraid.
6.Jacques Cronje had a few moments,but leaked turnovers like a rusty bucket.Johnny Leo’o was not the most prominent player,but look at the hard work done and this bugger really outclassed JC.
7.No Contest,one might be tempted to ask the question Tim Who??Richie “I’m scared of the Bulls” McCaw never looked to afraid to me and was simply superb.
8.Pedrie who has had such a fantastic season went amiss this morning.Tui’lui was far the better player and didn’t shine but just did what was needed and did it right.
9.Andrew Ellis was a class above Fourie who seems to tag out when the going gets tough.
10.Dan vs Morne a bit like the skinny kid from the video store vs Chuck Norriss and Dan didn’t have a fantastic night at that.
11.Frikkie is a non-entity period.Hamilton was by far the least impressive player in red tonight.Still got through more work than Frik.
12.Mauger showed young Wynand he has a lot to learn,but I felt Wynand was the pick of the Bulls tonight.
13.JP Nel was humbled by Lualala who was again immense for the Crusaders.
14.Habana got stuck in on defence pity about the injury.Rico Gear is a world-class finisher and quality player.Tonight it was Gear that did the business.
15.Mcdonald was in a class of his own and Jaco was truly outclassed tonight.
20 May 2006, 13:35 pm
Please JW- your choices at wing in the squad were pretty uninspiring and if Habana’s gone then you really need to bring in at least one form player. Odwa Ndungane’s had a brilliant season – he’s had exposure to super rugby for 3 seasons now (even though the first two weren’t amazing), he was in JW’s U21 squad and the dude’s no youngster, he’s 25 and been playing for years now so he can’t be counted as too ‘inexperienced’. At least put him in the training squad….
20 May 2006, 13:49 pm
Habana left the field because the pain of losing was too overwhelming.
These bulls were shredded for biltong in all departments.
The bulls have a sof underbelly.
20 May 2006, 14:13 pm
I think strikers was watching another game…it’s the only explanation I can think of for his loss of his grip on reality.
20 May 2006, 14:23 pm
Just face it… it looked like men against boys…
20 May 2006, 14:27 pm
I don’t know what you guys think, but I think the Super 14 is now that toughest competition in the world. Lets put it in perspective. Sure, Jake White has pressure but he gets the best resources and more importantly gets to choose the most talented players in the country. The Super 14, is about tactics, guile and sheer skills. You can win a one off test but the test lies in consistancy. I know much has been made of Jake White but has his team been consistant?
20 May 2006, 17:17 pm
Hope they both come through soon. habana is a match winner at least. Wish Bakkies well even though he’s scarcely played a full game all season!
20 May 2006, 18:43 pm
Its crazy how the bulls never really use Habana, and yet he scores at will when he gets the ball in hand. Had he played for the saders, Habana will have 15 tries for the season.
20 May 2006, 19:37 pm
any news on Habana? Anyone?
20 May 2006, 20:49 pm
geez the Bulls played dumb rugby. high ball after high ball. du preez was rubbish.
21 May 2006, 00:15 am
Habana and Bakkies. Both equally useless, I have been criticized on this site for being too negative, and yet today I stand vindicated. I am right and those who have badmouthed me are wrong.
The Bulls are pathetic.
21 May 2006, 00:32 am
Edwill (post #19.)
Greate team! I would pick exactly that team too.
But because ot the racism in SA it won’t ever happen. (Only Habana & Guthro?) It is sad, but a reality. The boks may never pick a team with only performance as its goal.
21 May 2006, 01:34 am
habana didn’t see enough ball to make the useless category.
21 May 2006, 03:20 am
Bakkies plays rugby like a hornbill flies. Ever watched one in flight? Three or four brisk wing-flaps of real effort and then it’s into a loafing glide mode until he is so low a meerkat culd reach up and grab him.
Bakkies has one or two good games a season, and not always at the time that matters. Then he gets his little MOTM cellphone and goes gliding for the next two months.
(And what sort of “enforcer” is he, really? Dan Carter is perfectly unscathed while Bakkies is a sick-note yet again! Now Jerry Collins is a real enforcer. And he’s played 80 minutes of every S14 game this`season! That’s what a REAL hard man looks like.)
21 May 2006, 06:06 am
An almost identical game and scorline to the one at Loftus.I thought the Bulls were prepared.Not so.
Should be an interesting final next week.
21 May 2006, 08:02 am
Habana will be missed by the boks, but I’m not too sure that Bakkie will be. He is too inconsistent, & often gives away stupid penalties.I would love to see AJ at lock, and then a back row of Schalk,Juan & either Joe or Pedrie.
Assuming that both Habana & Bakkies are both injured for the Bok’s first test, the best Bok team would be:
15. Percy
14. Snyman
13. Fourie
12. JDV
11. Russell
10. James
9. Pienaar
8. Joe/Pedrie
7. Smith
6. Burger
5. Matfield
4. AJ Venter
3. Carstens
2. Smit
1. OS
With AJ playing lock you are effectivley playing 4 looser forwards, but at the same time not loosingf anything in the lineouts because both Smith & Pedrie are good lineout options. This is the same system that the Crusaders use by playing Thorne (normally a back-rower) at lock, and you saw how effective it was against the bulls,espcially at the breakdown where the Crusaders had numbers & dominated
In the backs, I would pick James over Jaco purely because he has a better all round kicking game, and also because he has a storng defensive presence which should help JDV who has being quite vulnerable at times on defense during the S14. Russell would get my nod over both Paulse & Chavhange because if you are going to pick someone small, pick Russell as he offers far more threat & creativity than the other two.
Of course my major downfall of the above mentioned team is tha lack of players with colour,barring Steady Eddie of course. So I can easily see Paulse starting over Russell, & Januarie gettin the nod of Pienaar.
21 May 2006, 08:56 am
BIG F-ING SURPRISE
Bakkies Botha pulled up in training this week and if reported correctly in the press,actually missed some of the training sessions.The problem that troubled him this week was his Achilles tendon and lo and behold hardly a half played and the big guy limps off due to an Achilles tendon injury.Well done chaps on another great example of man management!!!!!
21 May 2006, 09:54 am
rasta I agree with you our coaches are often complete dooses when it comes to pålaying injured players.
What is even worse though are the players themselves who are so greedy to pick up their match bonuses that they allow themselves to play while injured. The absolute height of stupidity and a perfect example of the short term thinking which is reflected in the way they play the game
21 May 2006, 10:28 am
tackler check your stats before your rant idiot.
collins missed a game early in the season, not sure if it was only 1 or 2
21 May 2006, 10:42 am
Pete77 you a Sharks supporter hey?
21 May 2006, 10:50 am
Edwill, are you comparing Luke to Mccaw?
That would be like comparing U2 to Steve Hofmeyer…not in the same class!!!
21 May 2006, 10:52 am
Mccaw being U2…U2 don’t have to jump in any line-out!!
21 May 2006, 10:56 am
lol Tackler @ 36
Very good analogy and spot on, heh heh. Bakkies the hornbill, or is that hornbull?
21 May 2006, 11:07 am
Tackles must agree re Bakkies Botha,I’m a fan of the big guy,but he ranks rather mediocrely against the best of the Super 14.For my money a player like Daniel Vickerman sets the standard and even though Vic Matfield upped his game towards the end of the season,neither Bulls lock could claim they were consistent or dominant this year.This was much the problem of the Bulls where the big players failed to produce at critical times.
21 May 2006, 11:11 am
Ok, so the team could look like this
15.) Percy Montgomery
14.) Breyton Paulse
13.) Jacque Fourie
12.) Jean de Villiers
11.) Andre Snyman/Brent Russel
10.) Jaco van der Westhuysen
9.) Fourie du Preez
8.) AJ Venter
7.) Juan Smith
6.) Schalk Burger
5.) Victor Matfield
4.) Danie Rossouw
3.) Eddie Andrews
2.) John Smith
1.) Os du Randt
21 May 2006, 11:24 am
Edwill
Good choices but I thought Os was injured. That said I reckon Jake will go with the team below assuming CJ, Os, BJ, Pretors, Bakkies & Habana are injured
15) Monty
14) Paulse
13) Fourie
12) de Villers
11) Chavanga (Snyman / Russell)
10) van der Westhysen
9) Januarie (Pienaar / FDP)
8) AJ Venter
7) Smith
6) Burger (Solly)
5) Matfield
4) Rossouw
3) Eddie
2) Smit
1) Carstens (Sephake)
Players in brackets are alternatives that Jake might choose depending on which transformation quotas he is trying to meet and where he is playing.
21 May 2006, 11:37 am
not much flair in those backlines. dare say it the scots might have the edge in the backs.
21 May 2006, 11:39 am
With all the injuries the team in my POV for the Scotland test should be (these players are only players from the 45-man squad:
1)O du Randt
2)J Smit
3)D Carstens
4)D Roussow
5)V Matfield
6)S Burger
7)J Smith
8)A Venter
9)R Pienaar
10)B James
11)A Snyman
12)J de Villierd
13)J Fourie
14)B Paulse
15)P Montgomery
16)G Botha
17)E Andrews
18)J Muller
19)P Wannenburg
20)E January
21)W Olivier
22)B Russell
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