Release the Russell rocket
24 Sep 2006
Brent Russell is our most potent attacking weapon and he’s desperate to be used.
In a revealing interview with SA Rugby magazine, on sale this week, Russell expresses his frustration at the way he’s been treated by our coaches.
“Could I have achieved as much as Matt Gitaeu if I’d been given a chance? That’s a question I’ve had many years to think about,” he told the magazine. “Have I been properly utilised by South African rugby? I believe I could have been played more, I could have been better utilised.
“To be honest, I can’t really relate to Giteau at the moment, because I’m in such a different space. I can’t tell you how good a player I could be, because I don’t know myself.”
Also in the new issue:
– The next generation: Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen and Brad Barritt
– All-out attack: changing our mindset
– Why SuperSport’s commentators suck
– Andre Pretorius: “I haven’t reached my best”
– Exposing SA’s goal-kicking myths
– Coaches circle: Nick Mallett, Brendan Venter, Gysie Pienaar and Chester Williams on the way forward
– Jeremy Guscott writes about England’s new man in charge, Rob Andrew
– Lote Tuqiri rates Bryan Habana
– Why the Boks need a full-time defence coach
– SA players in France (and why they left)
– Why the NFL is in a different league to rugby union
– Lions fullback Louis Ludik on his first season of Currie Cup rugby
– Plus columns from Naas, Nick and Keo
131 Comments
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24 Sep 2006, 19:23 pm
Eerste!
24 Sep 2006, 19:24 pm
En die stupidste!!! LOL
24 Sep 2006, 19:29 pm
Give Russell to Rassie and he’ll be a regular Bok-starter.
24 Sep 2006, 19:51 pm
Russel is a sad case. Why does he not leave the Sharks, here he is feeling sorry for himself instead of doing what any goal driven player would do. Hey I am sure that Loffie will welcome another 7’s player into his team, he will not be teased for his perceived lack of size instead, he will be the one doing the teasing when he runs circles around the Donkey Bulls or the Lame Sharks.
Now Brent , I know that you read keo so take some notes.
24 Sep 2006, 19:57 pm
Red, why would he leave the Sharks to go to a team that’s not going to play S14 or that’s not going to be in a CC semi….?
24 Sep 2006, 20:05 pm
thehef … any game time is better than no game time even if it is in the Vodacom cup. If you don’t play you may as well quit.
24 Sep 2006, 20:06 pm
Another young Shark slips the net
Zayn Nabbi
September 24 2006 at 02:54PM
Is KwaZulu-Natal becoming the breeding ground for world rugby? That is the question being asked after a host of local lads have managed to secure their professional careers abroad.
Trace the roots of Clyde Rathbone (Kingsway High) in Australia, Greg Rawlinson (DHS) in New Zealand and Matt Stevens (Kearsney) in England and you’ll discover that all roads lead back to the rugby fields of KZN.
Now Calvin Masson could be the next young KwaZulu-Natalian to be snapped up by the Wallabies after his recent stint playing club rugby for the Gold Coast Breakers in Queensland.
“Calvin has a lot of potential and I think he could play provincial rugby,” said former Natal flank Louis Conradie.
“I coached him at Thomas More College and know what a good player he is. He is a very strong runner and is a really hard grafter on the field. I would say he’s built to be a ball carrying sort of flank, who can break the advantage line,” added Conradie.
Unfortunately, Masson is another who slipped through the net and found himself not making any of the provincial representative squads last year when he was in matric.
This is not uncommon for a kid playing for one of the “smaller” schools.
These boys are often overlooked by selectors choosing teams by the colour of their socks rather than pure talent.
Masson though says that the way things have worked out he has still managed to grow as a player and harbours no grudge against the province.
“It’s all worked out for the best and I’ve learnt so much by going overseas,” says the 19-year-old.
“I had applied to a number of clubs overseas when I was in matric because I was going to take a gap year and wanted to give my rugby a good go.”
“Playing for Breakers I was able to work under former All Black wing Mark Batty. He helped improve my individual skills and that’s something that’s a high priority in Australia.”
Though Masson perfectly fits the bill for a loose forward, his coaches at the Breakers experimented with him on the wing for most of the season. This flirtation in the backline has developed Masson’s game tenfold and equipped him with new skills.
The move was so successful that Masson ended as the club’s top try scorer with 11 touchdowns and he was named the club’s most improved player.
He was such a revelation Down Under that the Queensland Reds under-19 talent scouts caught a glimpse of him during a game at Ballymore Stadium and selected him for a tour to New Zealand.
Masson, though, had to decline the invitation as his visa had expired and he had to return home.
“The Breakers have asked me to come out again next year and they want me to play flank for their Premier team,” Masson said. “I don’t really know what to do because I want to stay and play my rugby in South Africa but nobody has contacted me.
“Every rugby player who grows up in this country wants to play for the Springboks and that’s no different for me.”
“But, if there are no offers to stay here I will have to pursue my professional career overseas and hopefully catch the Springbok selectors’ eyes playing for the Reds.
“But, to be honest I don’t want to go.”
Let’s hope the Sharks won’t let you.
24 Sep 2006, 20:09 pm
Either russel realises himself that he will not feature in any other team, or perhaps nobody else wants him. It helps sweet f-all to be able to attack when your team is on the front foot. You also need the ability to defend. By all means, if we are going to play the likes of Arg, wales and the USA Russel would be a great asset. Unfortunately against the likes of Aus, England the French and NZ, bar the odd good game he will be shown up as the wannabe he is by the Gitau’s in their teams.
BTW, methinks after the knocks of last w/e and this Barrit is also going to be one of a long list of promising youngsters not cutting it.
24 Sep 2006, 20:29 pm
hell
judging on thepiece of the article published
Russel uses the same spindoc as luke Twatson
24 Sep 2006, 21:37 pm
OO
I somehow don’t think Brent is a spin artist. Either way, Muir certainly is doing as little as Jake White to polish this particular player and he’d be better off going overseas.
I rate Russell as potentially as good as Carter or Giteau but, unless he gets picked and played in a specialist role, we’re just wasting his talents.
24 Sep 2006, 21:40 pm
Brent come to WP. We need a No 10. Naas is not the dude.
24 Sep 2006, 22:05 pm
Jinx,even I would support that.I wold love to see the guy at 10.
24 Sep 2006, 22:08 pm
On another website today:
Progress Rugby Club from Port Elizabeth registered possibly the biggest-ever upset in the 32 years of the event when they beat defending
champions Stellenbosch University 24-21 on the opening day of the 2006 Fidentia National Club Championships at the Danie Craven Stadium on Sunday.
What makes the win even more significant is that Progress is one of two clubs who were invited by SARU to participate alongside the 14 Provincial
club champions at the event. After trailing at the break and falling further behind as the clock wound down, Progress staged a remarkable last
ditch comeback to draw level and then ram the final nail home with a penalty on fulltime.
There were also wins for Pretoria Police, Welkom Rovers, College Rovers, Pukke, Cambridge, Shimlas and the University of Johannesburg. Further
matches will take place on Tuesday and Thursday and the tournament culminates with Cup and Plate finals on Saturday.
24 Sep 2006, 22:10 pm
Jinx, Who will kick to the posts? brent or aplon? That’s the problem with wp, you don’t look into the future!
24 Sep 2006, 22:56 pm
look i know there are many arguments about russel being a springbok, but why the f&^k does he not make the sharks cc team every week?
this is crazy man, **** has done a lot of good but u cant ignore this oke.
eventhough i am a shark i would not be pissed with russel if he left and played for another team.
24 Sep 2006, 23:19 pm
Brent, as mentioned by others on their postings, make your way down to Cape Town. Province needs a Springbok flyhalf, Naas and Grant will be good back-ups.
25 Sep 2006, 00:00 am
Brent Russell is a coward in the tackle. He attended the Naas Botha Academy of Defending.
25 Sep 2006, 00:09 am
Tackler you are nothing more than a turncoat.
25 Sep 2006, 00:24 am
wouldnt russell relish the opportunity to regain form and get that much needed playing time on te 7′s circuit. ok the money isnt as good, but i dont think there is a better short term solution for this guy.
while playing 7′s his defence will improve too, then most teams will want him on their payroll.
25 Sep 2006, 02:34 am
Jinx
He hails from the ‘Mother City’, doesn’t he? Ikey?
The boy desperately needs game time. Hell, I would have gone crazy by now if I were him, he must be itching to play a full game.
So, yeah, get him back to his roots.
25 Sep 2006, 03:08 am
KingPaul
jy ken jou rugby broer!
Die “Beeld”- berig oor die WP wedstryd is feitlik n herhaling van jou analise wat jy na die game aan my ge-post het. Probleme op nrs. 10, 13 en die Fijiaan se algemene spelpeil.
Die agterlyn sal moet beter verdedig, veral op buitesenter, soos jy uitgewys het.
Ek sien op die foto van Wickus in die Blou trui dat Heinecke Meyer as ‘afrigter’ aangetoon word.
Wie is die afrigter van die Bloues, Pote of Heinecke, of beide?
25 Sep 2006, 03:16 am
pieter, MH is die S14 afrigter en Pote die CC.
On Russell, we talked about it a while ago, certain players will have 100% more influence as an impact player compared to an 80 minute player. He falls into that category and so does Floors for the Cheetahs, as a player you either except that or move on.
25 Sep 2006, 03:38 am
Thanx Koos!
You are up to date as usual.
Hope you are well over there. Take care bru.
25 Sep 2006, 03:51 am
Thanks Pieter, you too.
25 Sep 2006, 05:15 am
Russell is a natural at Sevens. That’s his metiere.
He’s great on attack in fifteens.
He’s a flop on defence. He’s chicken-heartedly afraid. (Well, he is only a tiny little guy…)
25 Sep 2006, 05:20 am
No Tackles, he is not chicken-hearted at all and he will probably make more tackles in 80 minutes than what Naas did in his whole career. The problem still is his size, for a small man to stop big blokes for 80 minutes is just not on, at some stage he will crack, and that is why he is an impact player of note. When he can run at/around tired defence, not tackling them till they tired.
25 Sep 2006, 06:31 am
Koos waarop grond jy jou stelling dat Naas so swak verdedig. Raai jy of spring jy net op die bandwagon?
Kyk Naas was die generaal daar in die Bul span, nou n generaal wat sy storie ken weet hoe om te organiseer. Naas se spanne het baie min driee afgestaan in vergelyking met vandag se spanne. Die groot ding wat meeste miskyk is, waar was Naas van meeste belang , onder n los skrum of regop agter sy troepe waar hy die shots kan roep.
Naas het dalk min kere die ouens geloop soos Os hulle loop maar laat ek jou se hy het met sy spoed vele ouens ingehardloop en soos n jagluiperd gejag. Wees bietjie oopkop en gee die man die eer wat hom toekom en hou op om suurgat oor hom te praat.
Sy rekord is daar , kyk mooi na sy statistiek en sien waarom spanne waarin hy gespeel het 75%+ gewen het. Waarom het die Springbokke in daai jare al 4+ driee per wedstryd gedruk het
25 Sep 2006, 06:41 am
Super, gaan drink jou koffie klaar dan praat jy weer as jy minder moerig is. Ek het self gesien hoe hy weghardloop van voorspelers af eerder as om hulle te tackle.
Van die res van sy spel het ek niks gese nie so moet nie woorde in my mond le en aanneem wat ek dink of gaan se nie.
25 Sep 2006, 06:46 am
Jannie de Beer het ‘n beter gemiddelde in die Boktrui as enige ander speler in die geskiedenis en hy KON verdedig…
25 Sep 2006, 06:59 am
Folanke
Ek stem. Ou Naas was die beste, maar tekkel…. nee ou Supa. Hy was die skoonste speler in die span, broekie spierwit na die game. Maar hy was uitgeslaap en bleddie goed, vra vir Rob Louw!
Rob kon hom net nooit in die hande kry nie.
25 Sep 2006, 07:04 am
Jannie Els kon!
25 Sep 2006, 08:29 am
Brent Russell is more valuable than his recent coaches seem to realize. This guy should move to a place where he can prove his worth.
25 Sep 2006, 08:35 am
Goed gese Koos ek is somer moerig as almal Naas versinnebeeld as die slegste verdediger ooit. Maar ek sien jou punt in ek het jou onnodig aangevat , sorry
Maar die ouens kan niks anders fout vind om Naas te kap nie, gelukig besef die meeste Naas was te slim om getekkel te word, net die odd onkant ou en blatante vuilspel het hom bygekom
25 Sep 2006, 08:40 am
“England to defend World Cup in long johns?
25 September 2006
Thanks to a newly designed rugby strip by Nike, England may be wearing long johns at next year’s Rugby World Cup in France.
England’s Daily Mail reports that the Royal Marines side tested the new strip over the weekend under a veil of security.
The strip, which is meant to be impossible for opponents to grab hold of, looked like an all white long body suit with the pants similar to those worn in American football.
The paper says that the Marines dressing room was declared a no-go area and players were under strict orders to say nothing about the strip.
The opposition reportedly laughed when they first saw the Royal Marines dressed in long johns and the suits didn’t seem to give them a distinct edge as they went down 45-8 to Plymouth Albions.”
Is this Englands new secret weapon.
St Michael, if you are there, do you think this will adequately compensate for not having any decent players? It didn’t work very well for the Marines it seems!
25 Sep 2006, 08:57 am
Super, no problems. Ek was een van die manne wat hom gehaat het en as jy nie ‘n Bul ondersteuner was nie sou jy ook
Maar met tyd het mens sy waarde en rugbykennis wel hoog ge-ag. Terloops, hey hom ontmoet, was vriende met sy vrou en was ook by sy troue.
25 Sep 2006, 09:04 am
hey = het! Fok!
25 Sep 2006, 09:25 am
Koos
Eerste vrou of tweede een? Die eerste een was n lugwaardin van Pietersburg, Lario Muller.
Hy is eintlik n moerse nice ou, ek het n paar keer met sy oorlede pa saam Charlton gekyk op Woensade, gawe oom wat sy rugby geken het.
25 Sep 2006, 09:28 am
Ricane, thanx for the post, that sounds ridiculously funny! Not meaning to abuse you, but it sounds like the All Blacks revolutionary new kit before 1999, and it did not help them much! Imagine a big fat prop wearing a pair of skin tight, lycra trousers! Scary stuff.
25 Sep 2006, 09:30 am
Morning guys
Also feel sorry for Brent. Can’t understand why they bring him on for only 10 or 15 minutes. For me his an outstanding player , but if they don’t use him how can he prove himself. If there’s any other province who’s intrested in his services they must take him. Hopefully he will get decent playtime in another province.
To come back to this weekends games.
Wow some good rugby. The Lions realy impressed me on Saturday. Must say they playing much beter than last year. I would even go so far and say that they are playing beter rugby than all the other teams at the moment. Improving week after week. Don’t no what’s going to happen but the lions don’t deserve to may way for the Spears.
Bulls came back nicely in the second half. The way things look at the moment i am sure the top 4 will fight it out. Can’t see the Lions sneak in the backdoor. Next week the Bulls and Cheetha’s game will be the big one. Cheetha’s also on a mission. They play as a unit and they are attacking from anywhere on the field.
Cheetha’s and Bulls Final again ? i think so.
25 Sep 2006, 09:37 am
He could play in my team any day!!!
25 Sep 2006, 09:44 am
All Black in bar punch-up
25/09/2006 09:16 – (SA)
Wellington – All Black loose forward Sione Lauaki has been disciplined by his provincial team Waikato after he punched an opponent outside an Auckland bar, officials said on Monday.
The Waikato Rugby Union refused to reveal what action it had taken against Lauaki after he punched Auckland reserve centre Roimata Hansell-Pune outside a bar after Waikato played Auckland on September 16.
Lauaki was also in trouble in January after he assaulted a security guard in the northern city of Hamilton.
Waikato union chief executive Gary Dawson said he was “extremely disappointed and concerned that Sione has been involved in an incident of this nature”.
Dawson added the matter had been resolved with Lauaki apologising to Hansell-Pune. Lauaki was selected to play for the Hamilton-based Waikato in their victory against Wellington on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Lauaki missed this year’s All Black Tests due to a shoulder injury but the loose forward has been in good form for Waikato in the Air New Zealand Cup provincial competition
25 Sep 2006, 09:45 am
Brent is over rated sure he can change a game in a couple of seconds but he dont do it often enough
25 Sep 2006, 09:46 am
41- from news 24, amazing when eventually u hear about boks in a fight( after the aussies and kiwis are involved in about 100) the world will shout about how barbaric the south africans are
25 Sep 2006, 09:46 am
Any handbag involved?
25 Sep 2006, 09:48 am
42- he doesn’t get a chance often enough, how much of a impact would twatson or aplon make if they played for 5min once every 2 months?
25 Sep 2006, 09:49 am
44- don’t think so baasbloubul but there was some lipstick smeared in the scuffle
25 Sep 2006, 10:02 am
Russel needs to head over seas. Preferably France. Russels confidence has probably taken a bit of a knock lately, but his try against he the French this year was pure class. He needs to make a move now before it’s too late.
25 Sep 2006, 10:06 am
The bulls should go for Russel. They need some flair. If only they can change their mindset.
25 Sep 2006, 10:09 am
I fully agree Catfish. If they want to challenge for Super14 honours they’ll need a lot more creativity at the back.
25 Sep 2006, 10:21 am
i must admit i was very excited when russell came to natal but now i feel its in his interests to leave
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