King of the Wing
11 Jun 2007
Bryan Habana wants to do his talent justice.
In the new SA Rugby magazine, on sale this Wednesday, the world’s best wing explains the secret to his success and his goals for the future.
“‘I wake up every day and realise I’m doing something I love,” he says. “Injury could strike. I’ll have to deal with it. I’m not a guy to get too down on myself. I have this amazing privilege, and that’s what motivates me. I want to push hard. I’ve got age on my side. And as I learnt at school, talent can take you so far. The person you are is more important.”
SA Rugby magazine also speaks to Bulls backs coach Todd Louden, who calls Habana “the ultimate player”, and Bulls defence coach John McFarland, while former Bok wing James Small gives Habana some constructive criticism.
Also in our Tri-Nations special edition:
– Percy Montgomery: “I’m gearing up for one last push”
– Waylon Murray: “I never doubt myself going onto the field”
– Bob Skinstad: “I want to be in Paris”
– Rocky Elsom: “I enjoy contact situations”
– Mils Muliania: “The Springboks will definitely be a threat this year”
PLUS: A seven-page special on the Super 14 final
22 Comments
11 Jun 2007, 08:56 am
Dragons, this man is on form!
11 Jun 2007, 09:00 am
Indeed a very special player with great talent.
Seems to be hitting top form now…
11 Jun 2007, 09:03 am
On his website it says that he is out for 4 weeks. Is this still the case?
11 Jun 2007, 09:04 am
Daai try teen die Sharks – eishhhhh , you beauty!
Bur maybe his all out commitment on the tackle as well – that is what makes him very good.
11 Jun 2007, 09:18 am
The best at the moment with his pace setting him apart from every1 else.Rokocoko also gathering momentum..The battle between the 2 will me HUGE!!
11 Jun 2007, 09:19 am
Blouste – does that mean he will be burnt out and stuffed by the time the RWC rolls around??
11 Jun 2007, 09:42 am
You can only hope Ricane.
It was a dismal year last year….but now finally i think the team have remembered where there firepower is AND Bryan has realised that if he kicks a ball ahead its 50/50 wheras if he keeeps it in hand it’s 80/10….or maybe more in the last few games. Also opposition take their chances with late hits and pushing him out of play rather than allowing him a clean run to regather his kick. Almost every time they get away with it if they time it close so it seems BH has realised this and is playing likehe did more in 2005.
Sivavatu aswell as Rok are also v dangerous but not including history or ststs….BH you have to say is the form wing right now.
11 Jun 2007, 09:44 am
Hey is Ashwin gonna get stick like Bolla got for kissing his teammate !?
11 Jun 2007, 09:44 am
Go Habana, you will set the world alight this year!!
11 Jun 2007, 09:45 am
Habana has scratched the surface of his talent.
He clearly reads a game well, just look at the number of intercepts and pick ups he has scored from.
Whether he will become a true legend or not will depends on where SA rugby goes. If it stays as a forward based bohemouth with solid backs to limit the opposition, then the answer will be no.
11 Jun 2007, 10:31 am
Why are the players physical stats to hush hush?
Whats wrong with releasing players stats?
The world wants to know how fast habana runs 100m, or 40m. We want to know who the fastest players are. But its all kept secret.
I’d love to know who leg presses the most in the boks and world rugby, id love to know who is the fastest, who is the slowest, who can bench the most, who has the hottest wife and who wears the biggest shoes.
etc.
11 Jun 2007, 11:30 am
Jake, I reckon Luke Watson would also like to know who has the hottest wife.
11 Jun 2007, 11:53 am
small giving habana c.criticism,sms.
11 Jun 2007, 16:54 pm
#11 i guess Wahl Bartman did not have the best looking wife
Thats for sure !
11 Jun 2007, 18:04 pm
rocket shoes
11 Jun 2007, 20:23 pm
Greatest wing in the world, pah – only if the whole bokke team is dominating. Duribility and work rate are lacking. The change of rules means he and JDV have to catch the ball on intercept or be binned. I don’t think BH’s chick is that hot.
11 Jun 2007, 20:38 pm
Ja but Johan Roets’s wife is awesome ! But he shouldn’t be a bok so it doesn’t matter.
11 Jun 2007, 20:41 pm
Mongrel…but the truth is that the rest of the world have taken serious note once again like in 2005 and are extremely wary of Habs. Also what you say is true of last year,workrate /intercepts only etc…but you cannot deny his form this year …..quite a number of something out of nothing try’s….and hey intercepts get us 7 points and often a 14 point turn around if the team has an overlap or 2oints….pretty handy I say,I wouldnt complain.
But we tend to do so when thinghs are going well….just like the politicians selecting a positive pre world cup time to throw our game into mental dissaray with statements and pressure that they contrive.
11 Jun 2007, 23:09 pm
Well honestly i rate him as a good average winger but not anything more.
He spends to much time out of position and its only a matter of time he will be caught out.
I havnt seen him create many tries and at all,intercept king but that just justifys my comment above about out of position.Alot of those intercepts are with his opposite winger outside him.He maybe fast but he will not run down Rokocoko/Sitiveni once they get about 5-10 metres on him.
12 Jun 2007, 05:13 am
Hurrican
Last year he created very few (remember wings are finishers too so often its not them doing all the creating but anyway in the S14 (final esp) and the England games he created a few blinders out of nothing or very little…..most ohers would never have scored those tries. He was average and frustrated last year…..he is WELL above average this season ,or else im missing a lot of other action around teh world.
Hey 5 to 10 metres is a long way.He’d battle to catch a loosie at 10 metres.
No Rok and Siv are fast and also well above average wings. If he’s faster its not by much….I would love to see a footrace.
12 Jun 2007, 07:55 am
ddrek
Yep it would be great to see a footrace between the best wingers in the world
18 Jun 2007, 10:51 am
The Best Rugby Mag and don’t ya just love Ashwin doing his impressive version of the Spock “Mind Meld” on a bewildered looking Bryan Habana….” I just gotta know how you scored that try!”
Excellent Cover picture and articles
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