Naas: It’s a whole new ball game

Naas: It’s a whole new ball game

23 Jun 2006

The Absa Currie Cup is a totally different proposition to the Vodacom Cup, admits Valke director of coaching Naas Botha.

The Brakpan-based union won the first trophy in their history this year when they beat the Wildebeest in the Vodacom Cup final, but that success hasn’t gone to Botha’s head.

“We did really well in the Vodacom Cup, but we have to take our game to another level now,” Botha told keo.co.za. “We’ll be up against players with Super 14 experience, so the standard will be far higher.”

The Valke have made just one change to the starting XV that won the Vodacom Cup final for their game against the Bulls on Friday, with Dries van Schalkwyk replacing former SA Schools captain Sean Plaatjies at No 8.

The other new-comers to the squad, loose forward Michael Vermaak and lock Ryan Strudwick, are on the bench.

Valke team to play Blue Bulls:

15 Jan Cloete, 14 Brendan April, 13 Sam Willard, 12 Hanno Coetzee, 11 Riaan Viljoen, 10 Louis Strydom, 9 Sarel Pretorius, 7 Dries van Schalkwyk, 6 Jacques Nieuwenhuis, 5 Piet Krause (c), 4 Nico Luus, 3 Dewald Senekal, 2 Attie Pienaar, 1 Deon Strydom, Zane Killian.
Subs: 16 Piet Grobler, 17 Gavin Whittingham, 18 Ryan Strudwick, 19 Michael Vermaak, 20 Sean Plaatjies, 21 Morné Adams, 22 Pieter Spaumer.


13 Comments

  • 1.Andre_WP: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 11:20 am

    Alot of new names , Naas still involved with them ?

    Wow , wonder how much money Naas makes a year

  • 2.ibok: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 11:21 am

    Can we please swop Naas for Nick Mallet. We will even throw in Fester for free. They took a bunch of no names and beat a very good Wildebeest side.

  • 3.walter: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 11:23 am

    Simon, you guys have the Cavaliers and the Leopards in your CC log, they’re not in it!

  • 4.Fuzzybear: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 11:29 am

    Naas, nice show at Villagers last night buga!

  • 5.Grrrr....I'm a Lion!: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 11:30 am

    LIONS!!!!!!

  • 6.walter: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 11:30 am

    You’re missing the Falcons and the Pumas….

  • 7.walter: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 11:43 am

    That’s better!

  • 8.richardmarais: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 11:55 am

    Go Strudders!

  • 9.wpw: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 12:07 pm

    i see stans brother is on the bench… pieter spermer.

  • 10.SharksFan: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 12:15 pm

    Sam Willard… another eastern cape player playing else where. Good player…

  • 11.green blood: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 13:13 pm

    only one CC team this year – BULLS! same as 2004 CC final bulls vs cheetahs. sorry Grrrr etc.

  • 12.walter: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 13:30 pm

    the bulls are going to lose to the Falcons tonight…that will be the end of their season at the first hurdle…LOL!

  • 13.sarky: Reply to this comment
    23 Jun 2006, 13:37 pm

    What’s the question?

    They can’t be overplayed because nobody other than Tony Brown ever passed the ball.

    They can’t be bad, because they’re never asked to attack the opposition.

    They can’t be too slow, they’re normally at a standstill when the nearest forward passes the ball.

    Until we bring in a draft system and obtain control over fractious S14 coaches, players will never be treated as adult enough to simply take their skills onto the park and play their hearts out!

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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