Bok captain quandary

Bok captain quandary

25 May 2006

Springbok captain John Smit has been confirmed as a non-starter against the World XV next weekend.

Smit has been withdrawn from field training sessions due to an unresolved groin injury. According to the Springbok medical staff, this is a proactive and precautionary measure.

Smit will receive intensive medical treatment and rehabilitation at the training camp, but will not be risked against the World XV. His likely replacement in the No 2 jersey will be Gary Botha – with Hanyani Shimange on the bench – but who will take over the captaincy remains a mystery.

The logical choice seems to be Bulls lock Victor Matfield, but White has indicated earlier this season that he may go for Cats skipper Wikus van Heerden. White was hoping to rest Matfield for the game in any event.

Van Heerden has taken a full part in the Bok training after recovering from a knee injury in the latter stages of the Vodacom Super 14, but if indications at practice are to be believed he is probably not even going to make the starting XV.

Smit’s absence from the international season’s opener has been confirmed, but no official word was forthcoming on who a likely replacement captain would be. With all five of SA’s Super 14 captains in attendance, the name will probably come from them. Matfield (Bulls) and van Heerden (Cats) are the early favourites, while De Wet Barry (Stormers), Schalk Burger (also Stormers), Juan Smith (Cheetahs) and AJ Venter (Sharks) are outsiders.

By Andrew Hollely, in Bloemfontein


62 Comments

Pages: [1] 2 » Show All

  • 1.pompies: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 06:58 am

    Van da man.

  • 2.Stoffel: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 07:01 am

    Give it to AJ

  • 3.pompies: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 07:15 am

    AJ got no discipline.

  • 4.iceman: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 07:29 am

    Juan Smith would be my choice!

  • 5.wls: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 07:42 am

    JS in the future not yet, he seems a bit hot headed still. But definetaly a leader in a few years time.
    Got to go to Wikus, Matfield has proven how little leadership he has in the Bulls.(made some really stupid decisions this season)
    So what position would wikus play then?

  • 6.DurbanShark: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 07:44 am

    I AGREE WITH STOFFEL – GIVE TO AJ. HE HAS HAD NO DISCIPLINARY MEASURES AGAINST HIM IN THE LAST 5 YEARS! I ALSO THINK THIS MIGHT BE HIS LAST YEAR OF RUGBY. TO JAKE : PLEASE GIVE THE NON-TEST CAPTAINCY TO AJ. IT WILL DO WONDERS FOR HIM!!!

  • 7.billy: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 07:51 am

    AJ gets my vote too.

  • 8.bigg: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:01 am

    Don’t be stupid people! Stop being biased! If AJ was at the Lions you sharkjies wouldn’t be forwarding AJ as the Bok captain. Some of you Sharks fans are a bunch of *****..

  • 9.Fawlty: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:02 am

    AJ all the way

  • 10.Fawlty: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:03 am

    Who gets your vote “not so” bigg?

  • 11.tsiko: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:06 am

    AJ would certainly be an inspirational captain, would also be exceptable to most of the team.

  • 12.bigg: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:10 am

    Fawlty – Juan Smith… Infact I think John Smit should be dropped all together… Bring on Gary Botha & Schalk Brits

  • 13.BokDieHard: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:11 am

    Wikus or smith DWB NEVER maybe AJ

  • 14.RugbyStudent: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:13 am

    15.) Percy Montgomery
    14.) Andre Snyman
    13.) Jacque Fourie
    12.) Jean De Villiers
    11.) Gaffie du Toit
    10.) Meyer Bosman
    9.) Ruan Pienaar
    8.) AJ Venter (c)
    7.) Juan Smith
    6.) Schalk Burger
    5.) Victor Matfield
    4.) Danie Rossouw
    3.) Eddie Andrews
    2.) Gary Botha
    1.) Deon Carstens

  • 15.BokDieHard: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:15 am

    Its seem like a decnt team with what JW has to play with but You know *** boy Jaco is fly half again so no Meyer Bosman yet.

  • 16.BokDieHard: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:18 am

    We should make a reality tv show called the springbok selector where for one season the coach has to play with a squad selected by the public would be intersting

  • 17.rastafox: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:27 am

    Shouldn’t we just rename these ou’s the AmaCroCroco,no wait thats taken already!!!

  • 18.Andre_WP: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:39 am

    Juan Smith or AJ Venter

    Venter did a good job this year. He’s not the dirty player he use to be. Good leader at the moment.

  • 19.Jester: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:49 am

    yes I concur, One of the ingredients of the Sharks improvement this year is the way that AJ has matured into a player that brings on his youngsters leads the team whilst still having the underlying “take no nonesense” steel.
    As a Blue Bull supporter I must say that VM leadership has been or seemed to be sketchy at best. We definately missed Anton Leonard.

  • 20.Dooster: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 08:49 am

    SMITH OUT! Hurrah!!! Blessing in disguise!!! YES MAN JA!!!!!

  • 21.BobZimmerman: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 09:00 am

    bigg @8
    What are you talking about ? AJ was at the Lions.
    AJ for me.
    The added responsibility will help him maintain his own discipline.

  • 22.BobZimmerman: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 09:04 am

    Dooster
    What have you got against Juan Smith?, and by the way he is not out so relax its still easrly in the day.

  • 23.ktb: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 09:05 am

    Bigg you have lost your way as usual, just posting to “stir” — no other reason. AJ is by far the best bet & his discipline has improved immensely.

  • 24.ddrek: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 09:09 am

    Dooster
    Smit is our captain and he’s out.
    Smith is an excellent fklanker or no 8 and should start,and has a handoff that would keep Jerry collins away.How many okes has he put on their back last season?

  • 25.The King: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 09:17 am

    AJ WILL LEAD BY EXAMPLE

  • 26.yoda: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 09:28 am

    Matfield will be a good captain given time. His captaincy got better and better with every game this year.

    AJ rather than Juan. Juan is a great olayer but a kak captain. Refs get irritated with the guy during the game. I think P3 is playing better rugga thn AJ though, but AJ isn’t far behind.

    I heard a whisper that G Botha may become captain for the game, but I find it very difficult to believe. That said its a great idea if Smit gets injured and Jake doesnt wanna make someone in the starting 15 captain, as you wouldn’t have to make any changes to the rest of the starting lineup, just to accomodate a captain

  • 27.makhulu: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 09:53 am

    AJ captained the Sharks until Smit returned and was inspirational…I think his discipline was superb, and didn’t get involved in niggles in even the local derby games….

  • 28.makhulu: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 09:56 am

    I think it would be absurd to hand the captaincy to someone who is not a seasoned Bok, even though it is not an official test.

  • 29.tompig: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:00 am

    As far as I am aware this is an unofficial test. Doesnt really matter. I believe AJ is the best option and this even coming from a stormers/WP fan…..

    Matfield, although an awsome player is as brain dead as Barry, v Heerden doesn’t deserve to be there, I dont think JS has the leadership qualities needed yet, nor the respect of the other players. Burger will turn into another Skinstad, once he became captain, his game turned to ****.

    AJ has the respect of the others, and will shoe great leadership, probably better than Smit in the long run.

  • 30.Kudu: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:07 am

    Make De Wet Barry the captain. He is the one of most creative backs in world rugby..

  • 31.tompig: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:13 am

    Kudu, please share the drugs you’re on. As stated earlier, I am a stormers/WP supporter, but I will be the first to admit that Barry is a brain dead crash test dummy. Moron is way too good for the idiot.

  • 32.Drunkmonkey: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:27 am

    anton leonard would have been the best captain after pienaar

  • 33.Vossiefan: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:27 am

    Bring back Kepler….

  • 34.ddrek: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:34 am

    Tompig,Kudu is pulling your socks man.
    But dont be surprised when Barry has a decent game every now and then. Remember Jake is the coach and he will have the green jersey on.Also he will have 2 better players on his inside and outside.I am glad he is in the squad atleast as backup,but i did not say the same about MJ.

  • 35.ebay addict: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:34 am

    aj is a good choice

  • 36.BMM: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:42 am

    It is a no Brainer – AJ.

  • 37.norman: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:51 am

    what difference does it make if it is an unofficial test or official other than for stats again
    and to think that we have a world class ref to officiate is another farce
    henning go man go

  • 38.asha1: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 10:52 am

    jake white for captain, with all the injuries who better to captain than the coach yeeeehaaaa!!!

  • 39.Silent Bob: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 11:18 am

    So Gary Botha starts and Shimange gets some more time to practice his bench-sitting?

    It seems JW thinks furniture is an important part of transformation …

  • 40.asha1: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 12:17 pm

    think jw should select a captain thats good enough to be in his world cup squad. would’ve been better if he was a regular in the starting line-up. this player should also be selected in a few games (even if jsmit is playing) to give him more exposure and to see whether this will work if js is injured at the world cup

  • 41.Rudebud: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 12:30 pm

    Silent Bob

    There is conflict reports from the Springbokcamp. Read on Supersport last night that Shimange has got a foot injury. Hence Gary Botha. However, in this mornings paper there is a photo of Eddie Andrews, Shimange and Sephaka forming the frontrow. Seems like a madhouse up there. Hope Jake knows what’s going on.

  • 42.Bloem Leeu: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 12:38 pm

    I think van Heerden should get it. He propably wont be in the starting lineup every game but it would be a good test run for him and Jake to test combinations in the WorldXV game. Otherwise the only other option is AJ

  • 43.Bloem Leeu: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 12:41 pm

    The picture didnt show much, they rotate the forwards in two groups: Eddy, Shimange, Sephake
    and then with OS, Gary, Carstens

  • 44.Rudebud: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 12:52 pm

    Bloem Leeu

    I thought Os is injured ? The news yesterday clearly said that Shimange is injured as well ? What’s going on there bru ?

  • 45.Bloem Leeu: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 12:56 pm

    Rude

    I go the the practise sessions in the afternoons and everytime there is different players on the field and others walking around.

    There is no talk of P3 being injured but he only practise 1 or twice this week. Bizarre

  • 46.Bloem Leeu: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 12:58 pm

    Rude

    The same with Chavanga earlier in the week he practised full speed, now he also has a groin injurie. What’s it with all the groin injuries??
    I think all this is a smoke screen, but dont ask me why

  • 47.Rudebud: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 13:00 pm

    Bloem Leeu

    Bizarre indeed. Hoe Jake is not setting himself up to play the blame game should they lose the game next weekend.

    Thanks for your daily reports about the camp. Will rather trust you than all the conflicting reports from the papers.

  • 48.Bloem Leeu: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 13:07 pm

    Thx Rude

    I got new respect for Victor and Gary on Monday..or was it Teusday? Anyway they were the only Bulls players to complete the full training from all the Bulls players after they returned from NZ for they 1st practise.

    The funny thing was the forwards kept chirping him calling him Old Toppie and asked if he was OK the whole time

  • 49.Grrrr....I'm a Lion!: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 13:16 pm

    I would like to see Jake put his money where is mouth is and pick Wikus. He is the business!! Plus he is a Lion so that helps… ;)

  • 50.Bloem Leeu: Reply to this comment
    25 May 2006, 13:17 pm

    I tried to wisper it in jakes ear the other day :lol:

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