Pragmatism must rule over emotion
16 Jul 2007
Unless there is political interference this week, there should be no Bok World Cup squad shocks.
The soft underbelly of Jake White’s World Cup squad is flyhalf and there are limitations in the midfield and on the wing should first choice players get injured during the tournament. The quality of the squad, to be made official on July 21, is among the forwards.
There will be no surprises and there won’t be any non-internationals selected. Gone are the days of romance when it comes to Bok World Cup selection. Don’t see this as a criticism, but as a compliment to the manner in which the squad has been put together. Pragmatism has ruled over emotion and it is why the Springboks in Paris will be among the tournament favourites.
The bulk of White’s 30 players have been playing for the Boks for the last four years and this continuity in formulating a World Cup squad selection is foreign to previous campaigns.
The certainty of the squad could all change in the early part of next week should there be political interference and a greater emphasis on reinforcing the transformation illusion. Hopefully this will not be the case and rugby selection sanity will be allowed to triumph.
Akona Ndungane is the only black African in the squad and if there were no political considerations he would not be there. His form has not been good enough and he is not good enough.
Transformation is an issue in South African rugby, but the true fight to right the wrongs must be fought in next year’s Super 14 and all South Africa’s domestic competitions. There is no winner in bluffing the situation by adding a colour component to the World Cup squad.
Politicians will condemn the lack of black Africans in the squad, but the emotional outburst must be aimed at the system that has failed the Bok coach instead of a Bok coach who has failed the system. The playing pool of black African players is not there and of those who have previously been selected all of Solly Tyibilika, Lawrence Sephaka, Gcobani Bobo and Hanyani Shimange have not delivered when given opportunities.
The form players are going to the World Cup and unlike 2003 the right players have been selected. The sifting process has been thorough in the last two years and while provincial media will still argue the claims of a Shark versus a Bull or a Lion versus a Stormer, independent observers have been unanimous in who constitutes the best Bok team.
White has succeeded in finding the balance between youth and experience and if the Boks are going to win in Paris it will be because of this blend.
The strongest Bok 22 is as good as any New Zealand, Australia, France, England and Ireland can select. The Boks could play two different packs and the only void would be when Schalk Burger does not play. However, the same depth is not there among the backs and this is the Achilles heel.
Butch James at flyhalf is the best option, but he has a history of knee problems. Lose him to injury and the Boks have problems. So too Andre Pretorius, another with an injury record as long as Percy Montgomery’s goalkicking record. Bryan Habana’s pace also adds a dimension for which there is no cover and Montgomery’s worth has been highlighted when he has not played. He is critical to a successful campaign.
The selectors have consistently spoken of a 17 forwards and 13 backs mix and they have supported the equation with sound argument.
White has also advocated versatility as selection criteria and players who can cover more than one position have been favoured over specialists.
There can’t be much debate over the forward composition, given White’s philosophy and style of play. He has been true to his belief of how he wants to play and who is best qualified to do this. BJ Botha and CJ van der Linde are his tightheads, Os du Randt and Gurthro Steenkamp the looseheads and John Smit leads the hooker trio. The frontline locks select themselves and Johann Muller and Albert van den Berg are the cover.
White’s loose-forwards conform to a specific type of player, which White has stressed is non-negotiable to what he believes will work at the World Cup. They must be tall, a lineout option and be able to play 6, 7 and 8. Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Danie Rossouw and Pierre Spies are the frontline quartet, Bob Skinstad will play a supporting and influential role as player and leader and the remaining loose-forward place is one of Wikus van Heerden or Pedrie Wanneburg, with the former destined for Paris.
The halfbacks of Fourie du Preez, Ricky Januarie and Ruan Pienaar have no challenge, James and Pretorius will be selected at flyhalf, with the latter’s participation subject to fitness, and the first choice midfield and back three are also not an issue.
The juggling comes in the back up midfielder and wingers. Ordinarily it would be one of Ndungane, Breyton Paulse or JP Pietersen. The need to improve the racial component means two of the three may well be picked, but this throws the balance of the midfield and possibly even the balance of the 17-13 split. If there is political interference one forward could lose out to accommodate the additional black backline player.
Pretorius’s fitness could prove decisive because if he doesn’t make it then Peter Grant could cover flyhalf and inside centre, which would mean keeping the 17 forwards and picking Pietersen and Ndungane.
Wynand Olivier, as the back-up centre, is a luxury and it would be hard to counter the lobbying of Waylon Murray’s selection ahead of Olivier.
Boks World Cup squad
Probable
Props: BJ Botha, CJ van der Linde, Os du Randt, Gurthro Steenkamp
Hookers: John Smit, Bismarck du Plessis, Gary Botha
Locks: Victor Matfield, Bakkies Botha, Johann Muller, Albert van den Berg
L/Forwards: Schalk Burger, Juan Smith, Pierre Spies, Danie Rossouw, Bob Skinstad, Wikus van Heerden
Backs
F/B: Percy Montgomery, Francois Steyn
Wing: Bryan Habana, Ashwin Willemse, Akona Ndugane
Centres: Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Wynand Olivier/Waylon Murray
F/H: Butch James, Andre Pretorius
S/H: Fourie du Preez, Ricky Januarie, Ruan Pienaar
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25 Comments
17 Jul 2007, 07:34 am
Dragons – let me rather stay Pragmatic.
17 Jul 2007, 07:36 am
Hello Staal
Dankie vir daai. Ek het Fern en Superbul gepos.
17 Jul 2007, 07:38 am
Hallo Pietman,
Hoe lykie weer daar by jou – dis maar nog lekker koud hier maar ek is darem ontslae van daai verkoue.
17 Jul 2007, 07:54 am
Staal
Reen en bedompig.
Darem vakansiedag hier (Constitution Day) en ek braai varkrib en bak aartappels onder die motorafdak, hele straat onder rook!
So dinge is nie te sleg nie.
Almal wat hier verbyloop se ogies raak nouer en dit traan en dit proes in die rookwalms….maar wat, ek traak nie, my SA vlag wapper vrolik in die briesie.
En ek kyk die Craven replays so tussenin.
Soos jy altyd se, leef groot!
17 Jul 2007, 08:01 am
JP Pietersen should be there in place of Ndungane because he is a better winger and decent fullback cover. Of course that means no ‘ethnic blacks’ in the squad which will irk the politicians. But this whole ethnic black story is absoulute reverse racism – transformation is about giving those that were previously disadvantaged (ie non whites) a go. Stipulating that ethnic blacks must be given preference is ironic as it goes against exactly what the transformation system is trying to achieve
17 Jul 2007, 08:03 am
4 Eish ou Pietman dit klink lekker – daai aartappels!
17 Jul 2007, 08:06 am
Staal
Aartappels onder die rooster, in die druppende varkvet, met n paar groen mielies tussenin.
Ek het daai op Rooigrond geleer, by my pel Tom Winter, Attie se pa.
17 Jul 2007, 08:09 am
7 Pietman,
nee nou raak jy lelik …. dit klink watertand!
17 Jul 2007, 08:13 am
There’s an article on ………………. that suggests Watson will replace van Heerden in the squad.
17 Jul 2007, 08:16 am
Dave
Yes, depending on Luke’s injury of course.
The politicians are holding their thumbs for his quick recovery….
17 Jul 2007, 08:37 am
What’s pragmatic?
17 Jul 2007, 08:40 am
Dawn
Ask Tackler, he is the in-house teacher here!
17 Jul 2007, 08:44 am
Govt has no say in Boks – Saru by Stephen Nell
Posted on 17 July 2007 – 00:30
The list of 30 players selected to represent South Africa at the rugby World Cup tournament later this year does not have to be submitted to the government for approval.
View the latest Bok video highlights
SA Rugby Union (Saru) deputy president Mike Stofile made this clear on Monday, saying, “It has nothing to do with government.
“I hate this notion that comes up time an again that, before the announcement of a team or a squad, it (the names) must go to the minister of sport or the chair of the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport for approval.
“Rugby is controlled by rugby people; not by government,” Stofile said.
SA Rugby will announce the squad of 30 players for this year’s World Cup tournament on Saturday.
It has been widely speculated that only six black players will be included and that political interference could take place.
Players who have been mentioned are prop Gurthro Steenkamp, scrumhalf Ricky Januarie, centre Waylon Murray and wings Ashwin Willemse, Bryan Habana and Akona Ndungane.
Stofile said rugby, as a sports code, should be mature enough to make the correct decisions on its own.
“We should do the right thing and apply transformation. As a sports code we should be mature enough to know how to manage our affairs. We must create equal opportunities for white and black players”
SIX BLACK PLAYERS WOULD NOT BE ENOUGH
Stofile said the squad of 30 had to be approved by Saru president Oregan Hoskins.
Cedrick Frolick, vice-chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on sport, said on Monday six black players would not be enough.
“Six will definitely be unacceptable,” he said. “If you look at the players South Africa has at its disposal, more than six can certainly be chosen.”
Frolick did not want to name an acceptable figure. He did say, however, that it was important that players who were selected should be given opportunities to play.
“We’ll just wait and see what happens. There were opportunities during the Tri-Nations to create chances for players such as Wayne Julies and Hilton Lobberts but it did not happen.”
Butana Komphela, chair of the sports portfolio committee, said he did not want to play a numbers game.
“Indications from rugby sources are that this squad will not be representative,” he said.
“We are fastening our safety belts but must support the announcement.”
There was no chance that the passports of the players would be withheld if the team were not representative, Frolick said.
“The ANC’s position regarding passports is that it is anyone’s constitutional right to have one. If can be withdrawn for criminal reasons but this does not apply here.”
17 Jul 2007, 08:54 am
Thanx Bullsbro
Let them talk, keep them busy.
The rugby continues meanwhile.
17 Jul 2007, 08:57 am
Another “hamster wheel” thread.
17 Jul 2007, 08:59 am
Dawn
Hamster wheel, LOL!
Let’s brake it right here, it’s no use.
17 Jul 2007, 09:20 am
15
Jy’s anie brand!
17 Jul 2007, 10:30 am
maybe a stupid question : floors is considered an “ethnic black”,and, if not, why ?
17 Jul 2007, 12:00 pm
#18 Good question! I would suggest you go ask those that coined the term “coloureds” and identified them as a race separated from blacks. Blacks never oustracised “coloured” because they were given birth to by Black women ( thanks to Baases copulating with the Natives, Oh! bye the way it was outlawed for white women to sleep with black men). Most of them grew up in black families and taken as such. It was only later that the govt decided to build different (better) townships and encouraged them to change their surnames. Most people did because if they were clasified as coloured they got to have better benefits to blacks and were seen as better. Even those that were black but light enough in complexion got to change their classification. That is why you get “coloureds” of different shades etc. The only proof that they had was just to show up and would be examined (to see if they were white enough) and then be changed and be given new identities and new homes. Thats our shameful past which is why its difficult to tackle the issue of coloureds. As I have said before, they are just blacks and there’s no need to coin a new race or classification. That was done then to divide blacks. Very few white like John Dunn that assume their responsibilities and fathered their kids and had them rightfully take their surname. Most of those kids were seen a illegitimate and would therefore be chased away by their Baases because Mrs would discover that Baases has been playin with the Natives. Other (and most)were just raped , plain and simple. That is our history people. i hope it answers some of your questions!
17 Jul 2007, 16:54 pm
his not in the reckoning for bok call up … his to small, to good and a fetcher all things jake things is not important in a flank …
And yes he doesn’t come from a good school …
17 Jul 2007, 17:17 pm
No Chavanga??
17 Jul 2007, 17:26 pm
#13 what would Mandela do?
everyone in government after him has being a joke
instead of focusing on the future, they focus on
“righting the wrongs of the past” ****.
17 Jul 2007, 17:32 pm
#22 Ah! Is that what we call it? With that stinking attitude they must go ahead and sort those wrongs out. Its amazing how cocky some of you are and its like responsibility should not sit on your shoulders. Most of you wanna treat the past as the nature of things , i guess the present is just that. The nature of things, deal with it!
17 Jul 2007, 17:57 pm
#23 what I am trying to say is that those clowns in government are clouding
the obvious current problems(economy,crime, poverty, housing, brain drain etc) blighting the country with focus on first writing the wrongs of the past.
how the hell does political interference in sports lower the crime rate? improve the economy?
stop Doctors moving to safer shores??
heck while I’m at it..how does getting rid of NTvl improve things??
you didn’t see Mandela in ’91 saying ” ok, first thing we do is make up for all the **** we went through for the last 100yrs!”
He PUT THE PAST BEHIND HIM and focused instead on the future of the nation. yeah, be hard following his example so guess we just have to live with present as it seems to be the nature of things
17 Jul 2007, 18:13 pm
#22 & #24
only an idoit likeyonameske can come with stupid ideas like yuors
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