Safety first for WP
19 Jun 2006
Western Province want to play a more structured game in the Currie Cup this year, according to winger Zhahier Ryland.
Although WP will maintain their penchant for the running game, a lot of preparation has been done on the kicking side, and we may see a less risky approach from the Cape Town side this season.
“We will do the best we can this year, but we have identified next season as when we will really challenge for the cup,” Ryland told keo.co.za.
“We have gone with the safer approach, and have looked at getting more structure to our game. Our running on attack is still our strength, but it is important to have a good fallback plan.”
The gap in the midfield due to Bok call-ups has also given a few youngsters a great opportunity to show what they can do ahead of next year’s Super 14, the stepping stone to international selection.
Ryland missed out on Super 14 selection earlier this year. At a modest 1.80m and 80kg, many critics say that it is because he is too small.
“I’ve actually picked up 10kg since last year, and at times I feel that I’m too heavy. As for the height, I’m even taller than Bryan Habana, so I don’t see how that can be a problem.”
Ryland has also been compared to Breyton Paulse, who began at Newlands a decade ago with an even smaller bulk.
“I suppose our stories are very similar,” says Ryland, who enjoys the comparison. “But the criticism doesn’t faze me. I prefer to be the underdog.”
Ryland scored seven tries in the 2005 Currie Cup, a feat only bettered by Rayno Benjamin who scored eight. The highlight of his first full season with WP came against the Lions where he scored a hat-trick.
“That was most definitely the highlight of my career so far. A close second would be the two tries I scored against the World XV recently, as we were playing against such quality opposition. To play against guys like Carlos Spencer and Matt Burke and chat to them after the game was an invaluable experience.”
By Jon Cardinelli
19 Comments
19 Jun 2006, 10:35 am
Gio Aplon for Bok fullback oneday…!!!!!!!!!!!
19 Jun 2006, 10:45 am
Would love to see how many new guys are going to run out for province this year. Maybe this is there year of making a come back. Anyways i hope so.
19 Jun 2006, 10:46 am
How did the game go on Friday afternoon??
19 Jun 2006, 10:46 am
Well i hope Kobus gets his shite together. Otherwsie we are going to have another year of rebuilding when we get a new coach !
19 Jun 2006, 10:55 am
Taking a leaf out of Rassie’s book?
Sacrificing attacking flair for a ‘safer’ option.
Don’t agree with that, WP rugby was never known to have 100+kg players in teh backline apart from the Neil Burgers of this world.
We also do not have the flyhalf in Grant to dictate with his boot – or he has not shown it so far.
The WP players looked very good handling the ball against the World XV, and if they sort out their forwards and tight 5 which are now going into their 2nd full season together (so they whould really) – they should maintain their natural and instinctive attacking mindset.
But for that to happen, they need quality ball, because trying to attack when you are on teh backfoot is suicide – as we have seen for the past couple of years.
Bekker and Skeate, with Moller and Brits, Luke and Melck with the old man covering the loosies must, and should be able to do enough to give the backs quality ball.
Hopefully Delport gets a bit of a run, and Grant needs to either shape up or ship out. You only get so many chances in the big leagues.
Somehow I dont think DeWet and Marius will be that involved with the boks so there might be some experience come the CC season if Jake release them. I want to see more of Potgieters too.
IN Aplon, Rhylands, Greeff, Nokwe (has he signed with them now?) we have some exciting runners at the back with Greeff adding experience and solid in defense if not spectacular.
Build for next season, my *** – nothing less than a final will be good enough.
It is both team and coach’s second season.
19 Jun 2006, 11:01 am
10 man Rugby from WP ??? mooi man
19 Jun 2006, 11:18 am
just heard that schalk is injured and out for the rest of the season.
19 Jun 2006, 11:18 am
Here goes nothing is what he’s really saying..
19 Jun 2006, 11:23 am
Sorry , off the topic I know but news just in schalk burger injured , looks like a while too , at least the tri-nations. Blessing in disguise for the young fellow I think , good luck
19 Jun 2006, 11:37 am
Ok , only saw knersboy comment (number 7) now…….
19 Jun 2006, 11:57 am
Pumas by 3.
19 Jun 2006, 12:29 pm
post this on a *** site… who here cares?
19 Jun 2006, 14:02 pm
Safety is good.
That means you will give away less tries against Bulls?
19 Jun 2006, 14:38 pm
I believe WP has enough talent and experience to go for the cup. The forwards with Selborn Boom and Gerrie Britz(showing some form)should be good enough to even replace or at worst be back-up to Bekker and Skeate. JD Moller has proved that he can compete with the best in the business and then they’re getting that Puma prop. Look at this for a WP CC champs 2006 team.
1. JD Moller
2. Schalk Brits
3. Frederico Petrala
4. Andries Bekker
5. Ross Skeate
6. Gerrie Brits
7. Selborn Boom
8. Luke Watson
9. Paul Delport
10. Naas Olivier
11. Zahier Ryland
12. Peter Grand
13. Sereli Naqelevuki
14. Shandre Frolick
15. Gio Aplon
Pretty decent side if you ask me. I’d say a side good enough to compete for the CC 2006? Forwards should be strong enough in the scrums and taller then most in the line outs. Kicking shouldn’t be a problem with Grand and Frolick as back up while speed at the back is not even an issue. Frolick and Ryland out wide both have great pace and so does Aplon at the back. Just have to see how Sereli fits in, but a great choice from what I’ve seen of him in the sevens.
19 Jun 2006, 14:40 pm
Unfortunately you need to way a minimum of 85kg to hold your own. Zhahier is a great talent and congrats to him for puttting on 10kgs without losing any pace. I def would have played him in the super14 before some of those other chokers. With his new bulk he will do well in the currie cup, but still needs about 5-7kgs more to really do well.
19 Jun 2006, 15:52 pm
A good player is a good player, he doesn need the weight, it’ll be to his advantage yes, but he doesn need it, he’ll do well either way.
19 Jun 2006, 15:58 pm
Futurebok
I support you there. Look at Breyton in the thirt place play offs at RWC 1999? Small, light and skillfull. MOTM display. Size not an issue at all.
19 Jun 2006, 21:58 pm
Zinto or Ginto, wat de fok rook jy??? Seconds is stukke better as enige van jou 2 wings, en ons soek flanke, nie stokou, stadige slotte wat try om flank te speel nie!! Hendricks en Melck is goed genoeg met Badenhorst as backup.
20 Jun 2006, 07:12 am
Het nog nooit aan Grant gedink op 12 nie…wat dink die res van julle daarvan?
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