WP loose trio growing in stature
24 Jul 2006
Friday night’s forward scrap in Brakpan brought out the best in the young Cape Town back row, who continue to improve with every game.
Luke Watson, Justin Melck and Robbie Diack were once again a huge factor in securing the win for Vodacom Western Province over the Valke this past weekend. Watson’s form as an openside has been well acknowledged, but a lot of the credit needs to go to Melck and Diack as well.
“They complement each other very well,” Kobus van der Merwe told keo.co.za. “It’s a great balance having a big guy like Robbie with his ball-carrying ability and then the two smaller guys like Luke and Justin getting through a hell of a lot of work at the breakdown.”
Diack has been one of the finds of the season for WP, and at the age of 20, has a very bright future ahead of him.
“We obviously lost out when Joe [van Niekerk] got called up to the Boks, but Robbie has taken his opportunity with both hands,” said Van der Merwe.
“There’s a lot of competition in the side right now for a place in the back row. When you’ve got a phenomenal talent like Pieter Louw waiting in the wings, it just shows how well Robbie is playing. There’s nothing much in terms of skill between them, but Robbie’s in the groove now and so continues to get a start. He’s the complete package: he’s mobile around the park, gives us another option in the line-out and provides great momentum off the base of the scrum.”
Watson had similar praise for his flanking partner Melck. “He does a lot of the hard graft on the ground and is the type of guy who never stands back,” he said. “It’s great to have someone like that in the side who you don’t even need to speak to before the game, you just know he’s going to give you 100% every time.”
The rampant Province pack will take on the struggling Lions on Saturday at Newlands. Coming off a loss to Griquas, they should be fair game for WP, who have only lost one game in the competition. But Watson remains grounded and will treat the men from the north with respect.
“We don’t pay much attention to the past week’s results. It’s more about getting our own game right on the day and maintaining concentration. We let it slip a bit against the Valke and so we will be looking to cut mistakes out our game and remain focused.”
By Jon Cardinelli
81 Comments
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24 Jul 2006, 12:05 pm
Cheetasdave , die WP was 40 – 19 voor , en vir seker game in sakkie , toe begin Kobus die reserwes opbring , en begin hulle aanvalle van hul eie doellyn .Die Valke was regtig goed , en moet nie vergeet nie , dieselfde valke het net met 2 punte teen die Bulle op Loftus verloor.
24 Jul 2006, 12:06 pm
nee CHEETAH – neither – TAPPE had a good game always the centre of attention out Tappe is must always be ONLY CHILD SYNDROM
24 Jul 2006, 12:07 pm
Die veld op Bosman is ook harder as n krieket pitch , Ek dink meer die WP was versigtig in die laaste 20 min.
24 Jul 2006, 12:10 pm
Cheetadave,
In die CB final is ‘n wen ‘n wen
24 Jul 2006, 12:24 pm
Stemrots, Louw can be good on attack as well. He has the ability to off load in the tackle situation ala Bob Skinstadt and the abbrasiveness of good old Krige.
Heard that they compare him to Mallett when he was still young man.
He also captianed the SA schools side in 2004. So he is something for the future. Unfortunately for him Diack is playing good rugga this stage.
24 Jul 2006, 12:32 pm
This Diack guy looks like a real find. Watched his game against FS. He was brilliant. Really looks like a guy that might solve our problems at number 8 for the boks. Or at least provide another option to Big Joe and Cronje. Also think Luke Watson would make a brilliant captain for the boks. His political background and his leading from the front approach is exactly what South Africa needs. John Smit is playing the **** and needs to work on some speed training. He’s slower than my grandmother. Luke Watson for bok captain. Makes me a whole lot more positive about the future of Springbok rugby.
24 Jul 2006, 12:37 pm
McPhist , the problem on Friday was the Valke used the rush defense , most of the times off side.So the game wasnt realy open for Louw to have a runaround and playing of the backline players.
24 Jul 2006, 12:41 pm
I think the competition between these talented youngsters is healthy at the moment. Kobus just needs to balance them all out and rest players to give other guys change to prove themself!!!
24 Jul 2006, 13:06 pm
Hiier is n uitreksel van #########
Western Province took a full five points from their trip to Brakpan on Friday night, when they beat a brave Falcons outfit 40-31 at the Bosman Stadium. Province outscored the home team by six tries to four, but some of the more entertaining rugby came from the Falcons.
Some locals will claim that the scoreline flatters WP and that it was only poor goal-kicking that prevented the home team from having recorded a famous win. Falcons fly-half Louis Strydom failed with three conversions and a couple of penalties on a rare off night with the boot.
That meant the Falcons took only one point, when at times five points looked a distinct possibility.
24 Jul 2006, 13:14 pm
Sorry
Rug**bush 709.14***5comma s*w*.
24 Jul 2006, 13:39 pm
Get Cobus Visagie on the next plane WP. Doen it for the unit. Lekker when WP are on the up. A sweetness decends from the mountain and the air feels sOOOOOO lekker. We start to visualise taking the Bulls, Free State and Sharks apart with a sense of exhilaration and joy. We’ve been ordinary for 5 years and now the wheel is turning for the better.
Give Cobus a packet of biscuits and strong coffee…top up his bank account and let him bliksem every loose-head prop in the land that he scrums against.
Eish, I feel for the kittens in Catland. Really, we need some guava juice and beef up there. Some suss and krag. Some lurv.
24 Jul 2006, 13:53 pm
Cheetadave,
I was there….and the only thing that would get a famous win, would have been Tappe!
Their last two tries came in the last four minutes….I think tappe gave them at least eight penalties in those minutes, which were not deserved (Which explains why Strydom missed three, he got like twenty opportunities to go for posts!)
In one situation their wing was tackled just before the tryline, with one of our players trying to rip the ball and kick….he was penalised by tappe for whatever reason, when we should have gotten a penalty for holding on….there was 3 WP players and only the one valke player….this resulted in a try after the tapped and go….Silly stuff by Tappe.
Then in another incedent, we were again having luke and Louw at the breakpoint, with them holding on in our 22…getting penalised immedaitely for hands in ruck…not a minute later to be penalised again for holding on almost as the player hit the ground….when (if consistancy by Tappe were applied) should have been a hands in the ruck in our favour!! Tappe had only eyes for Wp’s mistakes. and none for the Falcons.
All this said, they did play a decent game with our wings defence a bit suspect!!
24 Jul 2006, 13:54 pm
faker, bolla has been the best 9 in SA for the entire yr. FDP is ****. De Kock is even worse. Claasens never shouldve been a Bok. Ruan has talent but cant tackle. Adams is a quota.
As for bolla’s attitude. How many times does he get sent off in a season? Compare his attitude to AJ, Bakkies or Frikkie Welsh. At least he stays on the field and does his job well.
24 Jul 2006, 14:07 pm
wpw
At long last someone who I agree with!! FDP is utter ****. What is this Kicking game he has??? FFS….. Bolla has a great service to his 10 and is really much more threatening than Fourie on attack. He played so well against the Pumas last year, why is he out of favour with Joke White
24 Jul 2006, 14:10 pm
It’s embarressing WPW – if you think his gestures and attitude is OK that’s up to you…he is laughable and a clown – I never critisized his play…he mouths off at ref, players, crowds…just ocus on the game and I will respect him…
24 Jul 2006, 14:14 pm
make melck a springbok…
24 Jul 2006, 14:23 pm
zama (66)
What would skim say to THAT!!!! Better check with him first.
Skim Melck.
Seriously, not yet…he needs to meet some nice Cape Town girls first and do his apprenticeship at WP.
All good things come to those who wait. Check what’s going to happen to Lukezade.
24 Jul 2006, 14:27 pm
Faker,
You live in a dream world…lots of players does that, you just like to point out bolla for doing it. I do believe he takes it a bit far, but rather a litlle too much attitude, than those braindead, useless on motivated Bok team of ours!!
24 Jul 2006, 14:28 pm
on = non motivated
24 Jul 2006, 14:30 pm
losin’ to the sharks =
Winning the bulls =
Winning the staat = :mrgreen
Tappe against the Valke
24 Jul 2006, 14:43 pm
Na Luke se vyfde agtereenvolgende wedstryd waarin hy sy waarde as kaptein gewys het, is dit lekker om na ‘n paar ou kommentare terug te kyk.
Soos hierdie een:
“Liefffffffliiiiiing,
Ons kan nie sonder jou verder lewe…….
Die Bulle is Baas…….veral van die WP!!
Die Bulle het ‘n Kaptein, die WP ‘n “Boss Boyâ€!!
Comment by grootblousmile : July 7, 2006 @ 3:47 pm”
Life is good …
24 Jul 2006, 14:46 pm
faker, so do you feel the same about bakkies botha when he tries to gouge someones eye out? You should be despising him as you clearly dont like bolla’s attitude. If that’s the case you should be mouthing off about the frikkie welshes or bakkies of this world.
24 Jul 2006, 15:34 pm
Thanks Srem… been outta the office…
GUYS… did anyone hear the build up to the Cheetahs game…? Some guy opining about how great the cheetahs are and how great Rassie is etc… Not arguing with that but the guy then says…
“the Cheetahs should have beaten Province…!!”
FFS… SuperSport… when do you guys decide on who should or shouldn’t be winning… Imtiaz, Naas, Dan, whoever wrote that drivel should be embarrassed…
If you want to tie the SuperSport colours to the mast of a Provinical team, at least have the decency to couch in terms of “some Cheetahs fans felt the Cheetahs should have won…” or something similar…
to state AS FACT that the Cheetahs should have won shows up the amateur writer for what he is…
can anyone explain…?
24 Jul 2006, 16:01 pm
UFO
As jy gaan kyk na die statistieke van die dag, dan moes die Cheetahs die game gewen het.Hulle het gebieds voordeel gehad en balbesit.
Die WP het baie goed verdedig en hulle kanse gebruik.
Cheetahs het ook meer kanse gehad maar kon dit nie in punte omskep nie, hulle was net te oor gretig.Het die bal probeer uitgee toe hulle aan die bal moes vasgehou het.
EN hoekom raak jy so opgewerk oor die uitlating?
Raak dit dalk n gevoelige senuweekie of 2?
24 Jul 2006, 16:11 pm
dave…
my afrikaans is nie te goed nie… jy het my verloor…
But the only statistic that matters is on the scoreboard…
But I’m not questioning whether the Cheetahs should or shouldn’t have won… I’m questioning SuperSport endorsing any team by stating as fact something that can only be an opinion…
24 Jul 2006, 16:26 pm
UFO
My only quesion to you is.If your so convinced that your team’s the best.Why is it that you get worked up over an opinion someone on television have about a game you won?????
24 Jul 2006, 16:41 pm
dave…
thanks for the response, but you’ve got ahead of yourself here. Where did I say here or in any other post that Province is the best team? I keep saying I’m really pleased that Province seems to be a competitive team this season… and good luck to them… Not once said they are the best…
for the record… IMOP… the Cheetahs and the Sharks are the pace-setters… no doubt about it…
My point is this though. As the broadcaster they should not be stating opinion as fact… simple as that… I’m not worried when an opinion is offered as an opinion… but when the broadcaster states as fact something that was surely an amateur writer’s opinion then they are not doing their job correctly…
Before the game saying the Cheetahs should beat Province is not an issue… but when they state after the game and “the cheetahs should have beaten Province” when Cheetahs have lost… is just a very low standard of journalism/broadcasting…
Everyone… (generalising I know) complains about the falling standard of journalism in South Africa, not only in sports journalism but reporting in general. The broadcaster should be trying to professional, unbiased and of international standard… in this instance they were none of those…
Do we accept mediocrity… or point it out in the hope that someone will try to improve things…?
25 Jul 2006, 08:34 am
Why are the Bulls hogging on “When the Springboks get back!” Typical Bully boy mentality. Right now the Bulls have got more Springboks and players that played for South Africa in some age group! hahaha, you guys are grabbing at straws.
Give Luke and his boys the due. If the Bulls Boks come back then the Province Boks also come back.
Lets see:
Province: All either injured or playing for the Boks
Tonderai Chavanga
Marius Joubert
De Wet Barry
Neil de Kock
Jean de Villiers
Schalk Burger
Joe van Niekerk
Eddie Andrews
Selborne Boome
Ross Skeate
Andries Bekker
JD Moller
Breyton Paulse
Schalk Brits
25 Jul 2006, 08:36 am
Stan
You hate players from WP so much. So, why is almost half your squad buys from the region! hahaha
25 Jul 2006, 08:41 am
This would be my Province team, everybody included for the future
15.) Shandre Frolick
14.) Tonderai Chavanga
13.) Marius Joubert
12.) Jean de Villiers
11.) Gio Aplon
10.) Naas Olivier
9.) Bolla Conradie
8.) Joe van Niekerk
7.) Schalk Burger
6.) Luke Watson
5.) Ross Skeate
4.) Selborne Boome
3.) Faan Reutenbach
2.) Schalk Brits
1.) JD Moller
25 Jul 2006, 09:03 am
student
You talking so much ****! Look at the names! And besides, the bulls boks that can come back are quality players and will strengthen the team! These ladies youve mentioned, most of them will weaken your team! I mean MJ? DB? NDK? Chavanga? Pls! Thats the reason Province is doing well! They got rid of the show ponies! Now Matfield, Bakkies, FDP, WO, Spies, Akona etc. will stregthen the Bulls! Exepts for Schalk and Jean the rest are useless.
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