Lote doesn’t scare Ndungane
13 Jul 2006
Springbok new cap Akona Ndungane fronted the Australian media for the first time and made it clear Lote Tuqiri’s just another opponent.
Ndungane was asked about the ‘Dark Shark’ (Tuqiri’s nickname) and if he had seen footage of how Tuqiri man-handled England winger Tom Varndell. Ndungane said ‘unfortunately’ he had not and the media told him it was not unfortunate, it was ‘fortunate’.
The Bok player is non-plussed. He was adamant that the Tuqiri he has faced and dealt with at regional level is the same bloke who will wear the gold jumper on Saturday in Brisbane. The Australian media seem to think otherwise.
“Basically I know how he [Tuqiri] plays,” Ndungane said. “It’s the same player I’ve been against in the Super 12 and Super 14, but he’s only in a different jersey. Yes, he is hard to play against because he is big and strong, but I’ve never had a major problem. At this level I have to be mentally focused and make certain that I concentrate on everything that I do.”
Ndungane wasn’t interested in further discussing the merits of Tuqiri, focusing on his own performance and adding that Saturday was about what he took to the field, as opposed to a fear of what Tuqiri comes armed with.
It all adds a bit more spice to another chapter in the season of the ‘Dark Shark’, who has been the form international winger of the year.
50 Comments
13 Jul 2006, 00:16 am
Hoesit Akona,gidday lote
…we’re looking fwd to it !
13 Jul 2006, 00:18 am
Akona will get Lote stick if he fails on Saturday.
13 Jul 2006, 00:22 am
Aikona will be swallowed whole by the Ozzie Daak Shaak (or, as the South Africans would say it, the Dork Shork — the white pronunciation — or the Duck Shuck — the black version).
13 Jul 2006, 00:25 am
I could have written this myself Keo (only better
….I wrote about this recently in a blog ,but im glad Akona is aware. Lote totally terrorised Varndell…..he tried to come up with something but Lote was so fired up it oly got worse till Varndell virtually gave up. HOWEVER the next week Tiquri took 2nd to AB no 14 and was actually brushed aside at one stage surprisngly. He is beatable but I fear he will be trying to be the bully boy on the new boy bulls boy ,capitalising on his inexperience at test level.
The ‘;different jersey’ makes a big difference Akona… I was one who was calling for you and your brother to be given a chance ,I just would not have chosen one of the worlds toughest wings/players as your first taste….what a baptism of fire.
Expect cross kicks to your wing ,but fortunately you have been pretty good with them at Bulls level.
I just hope it goes well ,acos if it doesnt ,you’ll get the guys saying ,he’s not up to interbnational level. I believe he is and im glad Jake has swallowed his pride and chosen him.
I would hve prefered Breyton to start though ,as he was always able to come up with something to deal with Lomu.
Even if Akona has a mare ,I will back him fopr a few games…..its a tough ask to be given the starting jersey vs Oz and AB’s away in Tri-nations.
Go Akona,we’re right behind you….atleast I am.
13 Jul 2006, 00:30 am
Tackles – i fear the same from the Dik Shik ,but akona has to start somewhere. just hope the SA press and coach don’t do a Gaffie on him !
13 Jul 2006, 00:34 am
Ddrek – Having him up against the best will be a great yard stick. Vindell was over rated and you are spot on suggesting Lote will try and be the bully. Like AN answer to the media,he keeps his cool and as long as he play his own game then Lote should not be such a big factor. The Aus media is doing to AN the same as what they did with the cricket team to make A Prince Shane W next bunny. Can see Akona becoming Lote *****.
13 Jul 2006, 00:38 am
the dark shark vs the brown clown, where is odwa
13 Jul 2006, 00:38 am
Tackles – I can not believe it, no quota player remarks?
13 Jul 2006, 01:06 am
The Dark Shark surely is no quota player, but that’s only because the ARFU pick sides on merit, not race quotas.
Can’t say the same about SARU, unfortunately.
13 Jul 2006, 01:17 am
Varndell is a Pom
Akona is a Saffa
Say no more
13 Jul 2006, 01:56 am
Except to tactlessly point out that the last time the Saffas managed to beat the Poms at rugby, it was still the 20th century and the Spice Girls were still releasing new albums…
13 Jul 2006, 03:14 am
The aussies hype Tuqiri up so much it is ridicolous! Look without good ball going forward he is no better than anybod else. How many times did he touch the ball against the AB’s last week? 1-2 times? Ditto when the Bulls played the Waratahs Tuqiri was nowhere to be seen… if the bok forwards do their job Tuqiri will be manageable.
13 Jul 2006, 03:55 am
without good ball going forward, backwards,sideways or up, Tuquiri is twice the player that Habana is.
13 Jul 2006, 04:26 am
I wouldn’t have picked you for a Spice Girls fan Tackler…I guess there’s no accounting for taste!
13 Jul 2006, 05:15 am
It concerns me that Ndugane has not even bothered to study his opponent and has not seen the footage of the recent tests against England.
What was he doing? Out playing soccer or shopping?
13 Jul 2006, 05:17 am
Ha ha ha I don’t think they realize he has ten ton’s of pure prime bok beef to back him up. Ask Mr.Sailor, where ever he might be.
13 Jul 2006, 05:21 am
A case of Tom Thumb trying to stop Goliath. No contest. But the question is – can Lote stop him? We wuill see. Hamba Kahle
13 Jul 2006, 07:36 am
u go Ndugane and show them what you are worth..good lick for the weekend
13 Jul 2006, 07:56 am
´nuff said,,,
http://www.smh.com.au/news/technology/aussie-jailed-in-net-lure-sting/2006/07/13/1152637791477.html
13 Jul 2006, 07:57 am
how did you come to the conclusion he is the form international winger of the year?
13 Jul 2006, 08:00 am
tackler #3. WTF. your predictions and comments…. another word to better descrive boring…..
13 Jul 2006, 08:09 am
Apparently it might rain on Sat. Should be interesting up front.
13 Jul 2006, 08:12 am
Post 21 don’t worry I don’t even read half his junk.
13 Jul 2006, 08:20 am
I like this bloke, now lets see akona bugger him up!
13 Jul 2006, 08:48 am
Akona reads the game well. I woonder who would win in straight speed race? Akona is deceptively fast. When he looks like he is just loping down the field at jogging pace, actually he is passing other backs like they are looking for parking…
13 Jul 2006, 08:54 am
Ndungane hope you get a good game on Saturday.
13 Jul 2006, 08:57 am
vandall is sevens chicken ****, although lote is great player they are blowing smoke up his arse akona will handle him, the “dark shark” sounds like a good name for his twin brother…post 10, correct.
13 Jul 2006, 09:09 am
akona hasnt been found wanting on defence once, not against lote or anyone else. please akona, round lote, and lets put an end to the ausies nonsense
13 Jul 2006, 09:37 am
Thought Tuqiri was poor last week against NZ … missed tackles, dropped the ball, outshone by Gear. Will need to redeem himself this week.
13 Jul 2006, 09:50 am
tuqiri is great with ball in hand and space but aren’t they all, come on akona, bliksem die dark shark…
13 Jul 2006, 10:19 am
Lotto terrorised Varndell….. – sure he wasn’t great but everyone seems to have conviently ignored the fact that Varndell also left Lotto for dead – with three steps !
Good luck on Saturday and congrats for realising your dreams !
13 Jul 2006, 10:39 am
Lotto is a good name for him ig
It is pot luck which Lote is gonna turn up
eg. he was humbled in the first game against the canes then man of the match the following week as well as the English eg already given
Unfortunately He was non-existant last week…does that mean the ‘powerball will be struck’ on Sat??
13 Jul 2006, 11:02 am
Akona is going to have his hands full, not sure he’s going to contain tuqiri.
13 Jul 2006, 11:07 am
less doubt cab – enjoyed your Muppit 15 – you had you number 14 right on the money.
13 Jul 2006, 11:17 am
hope so Ig…yip no better right-winger in the country.
13 Jul 2006, 11:28 am
Lol Cab.
13 Jul 2006, 11:49 am
Was that on the thread that mysteriously disappeared ig?
13 Jul 2006, 11:53 am
History probably favours the wobblies, but this Bok team has re-written a bit of history itself. I am suprised Russel is not in, every time he has played Oz, he has single handedly undone the ozzie team.
13 Jul 2006, 11:54 am
Yip – it was ricane – nothin mysterious – just trying to keep the site running quicker – it takes a hell of alot server resource to process that thread when 10 000 people access the homepage at the same time – so i keep it off the homepage for a day or two until it falls lower on the page – then i let it back onto the site.
13 Jul 2006, 12:06 pm
Akona, AIKONA kuluma so!
13 Jul 2006, 12:15 pm
Akona is quite right! If paulse could do it against Rockoco Akona most definitely can do it gainst Lote! Lote Tuquri is a has been anyway! His first season was great! But he is in a downward spiral!
13 Jul 2006, 12:40 pm
Fair enough ig
d’ya think the hits will slow down once the Boks have given Oz the bash?
13 Jul 2006, 12:42 pm
Its quite funny our traffic spikes tend to follow defeats, we all seem to have the neeed to be nasty ! – bar last year when we beat the AB’s at Newlands – we had our biggest day then…..
13 Jul 2006, 13:05 pm
I don’t remember that day at all
13 Jul 2006, 14:10 pm
Dident Vandell or whoever that pomey is run around Lote in the first test? i think thats what Lote was so upset about lol, he couldent cope with that, and then upped his game, he is a great player. Lets hope Twin one will do the job.
13 Jul 2006, 14:35 pm
Can’t get over Cab’s comment!!!
“No better right-winger in the country”
13 Jul 2006, 15:56 pm
Tuqiri the form wing hey? Hmmmm. He’s been ok, but he only performed against a very poor England team and a tired Irish one. He was kept pretty quiet last week against the ABs too.
I think most wings this year have been quite poor mainly because the SH teams have been more focused on the forward part of their game. The AB wingers may not have scored last week, but defensively they were pretty solid and offensively they looked for work and did ok. But like I said, the standard of wing play has not been helped by the game plans of the teams playing.
I thought Heymans had a pretty good game at Newlands for France. Maybe he should be form winger?
13 Jul 2006, 22:13 pm
48
13 Jul 2006, 22:13 pm
49
13 Jul 2006, 22:14 pm
50-50
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