White’s double bogey
23 Jul 2007
Jake White says deciding on his back-up options at hooker and centre were hardest calls he had to make when deciding on his final 30 for the World Cup.
The Springbok coach and national selectors finally settled on Wynand Olivier and Gary Botha in those roles, with Waylon Murray and Bismarck Du Plessis the unlucky losers in the mix. Both could have felt justifiably disappointed, having delivered impressive displays in the limited game time they received.
White however explained that he wanted to remain true to his philosophy of continuity in selection and added that the versatility of Olivier and other backline players influenced the call in midfield.
“Look, it was helluva tough because both Waylon and Bismarck played well when given an opportunity, but I’m pleased with the final call,” White told Keo.co.za.
“We weren’t sure if we should have gone with two or three hookers and in the end Bismarck was unlucky that we went for two. As far as Waynand’s inclusion goes, he’s played a big role for us last season [he played in all 12 Tests in 2006] and covers inside and outside centre as well as wing.
“We felt we had enough cover in midfield given that Bryan Habana and Ashwin Willemse can cover outside centre and Butch James and Frans Steyn inside centre,” he explained.
Asked whether Chiliboy Ralepelle was ever in selection contention despite not having a played since round three of the Super 14, the coach said he was and still is.
“Always in the mix,” White said of the Bulls youngster, expected to return to competitive action in early September. “I spoke to him last after the Samoa Test to find out how his rehabilitation was going and discussed his chances of being fit for the tournament.
“He’s still part of the mix and if we pick up injuries he could come into the reckoning.”
The other call that hung in the balance was who the national selectors would opt for at flyhalf. Derick Hougaard got his chance to prove his aptitude for Test rugby, but failed to impress White, which meant Andre Pretorius got the nod to serve as back-up to Butch James.
“After watching the player [Hougaard] against the calibre of teams like Australia and New Zealand we decided that Andre would be the best option,” White said.
“His [Pretorius'] experience also played a big role. There is a night and day difference between in terms of caps between Pretorius and the other options at flyhalf and he’s beaten England and New Zealand which is a huge bonus from a psychological point of view when we face those teams at the World Cup.”
By Ryan Vrede
195 Comments
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23 Jul 2007, 16:27 pm
149
Fanny ****…check you in a whiff!
23 Jul 2007, 17:31 pm
#120
“wo is not a bad player” you sound like his mommie ms or is it mrs.
23 Jul 2007, 17:32 pm
It still astonishes me how somebody like Ndguna can get into the Springbok team, yet someone like Brent Russell cannot. As the AB’s have shown during this years Tri Nations, rugby more than ever, is now 22 man game. If a team is to have a realistic chance of winning the WC they need impact players. Russell without a doubt fits into that mould. Yet it looks like he will never play for the Boks again. A true Bok Rugby Tradegy!
23 Jul 2007, 17:32 pm
I say it again Jake White is going to be shown up for exactly what and who he is, I ain’t going to spell it out no more I have done enough of that already, I’ll just wait and bide my time and watch all his hysteria driven lack of foresight implode on itself. If he beats England in the pool game I will be pleasantly surprised but then I have my doubts we will go beyond the semi’s. Enough said.
23 Jul 2007, 17:33 pm
ethiger
What do you say about our team?
23 Jul 2007, 17:44 pm
i agree with odogg and guess what I’m white, there ain’t no smoke without fire, some of you should ask a few who are closer to the melting point about whats actually going down in there, go ask AJ why he isn’t interested to be a bok under White no more, and Watson and how many few others?
23 Jul 2007, 18:00 pm
skopskiet
AJ is also White!
Perhaps he stood back to let a black player in then?
No, it is business and family interests, that’s all. Nothing sinister about it.
Interesting you should agree with odogg, though.
On what? The government being lax on black rugby development?
We are all disappointed about that. You two are not alone, believe me.
Damn politicians hey!
But they are out of it now, ’til next year at least, so cheer up!
Go Bokke!!!
23 Jul 2007, 18:01 pm
pietman
10% chance of winning
30% chance of reaching the final
60% chance of making the semis
we are going to lose in the quarters.
23 Jul 2007, 18:04 pm
ethiger
No man!
Why so negative?
This is the best team we have.
Jake has been building this squad for three years, and everyone had a fair chance, don’t you think?
23 Jul 2007, 18:06 pm
#157 pietman
which black players did aj stand back for,are the any black loosies,lock selected for the wc, maybe i am colour blind,can you point them out.
23 Jul 2007, 18:09 pm
are you sure about that.
23 Jul 2007, 18:11 pm
ethiger
No, I don’t think AJ did stand back for a black player. I was merely questioning skopskiet on his suspicion that AJ didn’t like the Bok set-up under Jake.
There are no black locks or loosies in AJ’s league, except for Tim Dulane maybe (injured).
I know.
23 Jul 2007, 18:13 pm
ethiger
About what, that this is our best team?
Yes, pretty sure.
Only one I am not happy with is WO.
But then again, who else? Maybe Murray or Julies, but that’s all.
23 Jul 2007, 18:15 pm
pietman
don’t you think players such as floors, watson ,lobberts deserved more opportunities.
23 Jul 2007, 18:18 pm
Floors, for sure.
I’d always rate him!
Luke no, not in the present Bok set-up. Perhaps next year.
Luke is just in Schalk’s way.
23 Jul 2007, 18:19 pm
ethiger
And also, who do you leave out in order to accommodate Luke, Floors and Lobberts?
23 Jul 2007, 18:20 pm
Pietman I do like your optimism it speaks volumes for progressive change cos that is what we need, that is what the millions in this country are hoping for, something true and encouraging to identify with. Somehow I just have this gnawing feeling deep in my gut that most of the protectorate around here fail to see or recognized they are steeped in their holier than thou denial and pretty soon their unholy bubble is going to burst, we should hang on to our last vestiges of priveledged rugby because I reckon this is the last time its going to be given so much free reign. So we can debate and gaan on from whichever side of the fence we view the drama, but unfold it will that is something neither or hardly any on here can do too much about. The strange thing is I can see it clearly from both perspectives and I do appreciate the sentiments of Jinx 130 above, I reckon we need a whole lot more “BIG” people around to brave the huge divide that still splits and marginalizes the populations of this immensely potential country of ours.
Pity is some of the so called do gooders are in fact living behind huge self made diniable smoke screens and I have to throw my last tuppence in here in that regard, your Mr. Honorable Jake White is one of those.
23 Jul 2007, 18:21 pm
pietman
you have to be realistic here,last year we lost 7 and won 8, this year with our best team we lost 3 and won 4 so far,we have a dismal away record against good teams and we don’t have a match winning flyhalf.
23 Jul 2007, 18:22 pm
159. Sorry to say I don’t think everyone had fair chances some had much fairer chances than others and others had sweet nothing chances at all.
23 Jul 2007, 18:27 pm
So two sharkies lost out to two bulls players – have to say i agree and i’m a loyal sharks supporter. Also nice to know they are now available for the CC and both will get their turn.
Also the guys above calling Willemse an outside centre and Steyn a 12 – you go boys… WC is a great place to have your first test match in a position!!!!
23 Jul 2007, 18:27 pm
#166 pietman
roussouw, wikus and albert van der berg,all this players are good but can’t see anyone of them wiining a tight match with some indivisual brilliance like floors,lobberts or luke.
23 Jul 2007, 18:31 pm
eth
your rugby knowledge to the fore again … so which of your three will outjump Albert and Rossouw.
Luke is unlucky, but we all know there is more to it than talent.
23 Jul 2007, 18:36 pm
And in fact some of the stars shone out brighter than the others but in the final analysis’s it was still the others who were chosen above the some.
23 Jul 2007, 18:36 pm
kevin
jake selects this guys b/c he bases his attack solely from line outs.
23 Jul 2007, 18:43 pm
eth
Floors and watson are the similar players … Lobberts is raw and stupid to say the least.
List your Lock / loosie combination in a dual system using your players and ommitting albert / rossouw and Wikus
23 Jul 2007, 18:50 pm
I will log in and check it out, but I still say there are heaps of those that pretend its all rosy and hunky dory in the land of SA Rugby and I know it definitely is not, and you can argue it has to start at the grass roots or start at the top, and I say it has to start full stop, in every dimension and at every level, those at the top as much as those at grass roots have to rid this country of defiled racist agendas from which ever slanting skew angle they are supposedly coming from.
23 Jul 2007, 18:54 pm
#176 kw v
we don’t need to many locks in the wc,this what i think jake should have done.
1st team
4.bakkies
5.matfield
6.floors/watson
7.burger
8.skinstad/spies
2nd team
4.smith/bakkies
5.muller
6.watson
7.wannenberg/lobberts
8.spies
23 Jul 2007, 19:14 pm
177# That’s all talk.
Do something.
I have given you the opportunity.
Invite odogg as well and put your money where your mouth is!
23 Jul 2007, 19:33 pm
179 Do something as in eg? I have checked your site there are some remarkable things you guys are doing and yes its just a matter of time till the wheel turns full circle and the true stars of all shades and hues will be strutting their stuff on the green green fields of Ellis Park, Loftus, Newlands, Kings Park (or they intent on calling it ABSA Park) etc. and hopefully representing their country at WC 2011, I hear the objections and they are not unfounded, it HAS been 15 yrs since ’92 and 12 yrs since we won the WC in ’95 and in that time pretty little HAS been done to redress the immense shortfalls for development, and most of the coaches including our redeeming “liberator” Jake White has bought into the inadequate non correction of it all.
23 Jul 2007, 19:46 pm
Naand skop , pietman en al die ander,
Skop ek was bietjie stil die laaste tyd want ek het my naam gat gemaak deur teen die Bulle te pick en toe wen hulle , ek het soos n blerrie veraaier gevoel.
Wel ou Jake het nou sy span gekies , dit voel eintlik aardig dat ons so lank moet wag voor die aksie begin. Ek het baie te se maar ek weet nie of daar enige salf aan ou Jake te smeer is nie. Ek wil positief wees maar dan moet ek nie enige koerant of nuus program kyk waar Jake op is nie, die ou sal enige regdenkende mens se senuwees klaar maak.
Wat dink jy van Eddie Moans se moontlike betrokenheid , en die beseerde spelers wat deur Jake gekies is?
23 Jul 2007, 20:45 pm
Naand super, ja ek voel net die selde, daai gevoel wat ek kry diep in my maag as enege iets van enege van daai ouens te se is, ek is nou siek en sat van al die pratery, ek wil eers bietjie aksie op die veld wil sien voor hulle weer hulle monde oopmaak en begin iets praat.
Ek dink op die ou end is Jake in sy kennis gestel dat hy nou besef dat hy glad nie al die antwoorde het vir die moderne spel en hoe dit moet gespeel word, dis hoekom hy Eddie aanbied om hom uit te help om bietjie wyer te kan loer, vir al die visie en taktiese oplosings wat hy nie self kan raaksien, ek dink dit is eintlik die regte stap om te vat, want dit is heel blykbaar dat hy nie die antwoorde het vir positiewe agterlyn spel het nie en ook miskien van sulke strukture voorlangs krag spel ook. As dit moontlik is dat Eddie die regte man is om daai probleme te help oplos sal ek nie kan weet nie, miskien moet so n stap met die soos Campese of Louden of een van ons eier agterlyn guru’s soos **** Muir of Carel of Michael of wie ook anders baie vroer gebeur het, maar miskien is dit nie heeltemaal te laat om die sake nou op die ou end uit te sort, so ons moet net maar kyk en sien hoe vorder die ouens voorentoe.
23 Jul 2007, 20:50 pm
Wie is jy op daai site 178 Pietman?
23 Jul 2007, 22:25 pm
Its all shamming I can see it and the other countless millions feel it, so you guys of the old protectorate, the ancient bye gone glory years gone by, better reminisce cos thats all we gonna have, its time for new brooms to sweep the floors clean get those goddam stinking cobwebs out the hallways and get some decent fresh blood to give the nation a chance at holding its head up high, enough is enough, you’ve had your stint you’ve overstayed your welcome and I might add you are still in the MINORITY, get a hold on some reality boyo’s, fast.
23 Jul 2007, 23:18 pm
jake has been talking a lot about his bench recently, and how pivotal it is to have impact coming off he bench. amazingly he only learnt about this tactic after this years 3N.
so now, in every match lineup he selects for this WC, olivier will be he selection on the bench. impact? i dont think so. olivier at best is steady. he failed to impress against teams like ireland, and others while on tour last year and the year before.
currently the impact we getting from the bench is ruan, steyn, ap, spies, both, avb, cj. or does jake now take out AP and have olivier there, or does he dare to take out ruan or steyn?
id play olivier against samoa and thats it.
23 Jul 2007, 23:32 pm
Jakes going to bemoan the fact that he left Waylon behind for WO and Bismark behind for GB, those are two blatant errors I can see a mile off. He also needs another fly half but he’s left it way too late to groom anyone for the position so now he’s going to have to wing it and hope to God both Butch and AP aren’t crocked early, they’re already half crocked and susceptible to damage. He might have to blood Steyn or Ruan early on or shove JdV or Percy up there and switch Ruan or Steyn to fullback, don’t quite know what he’s got planned for such an eventuality.
24 Jul 2007, 00:46 am
skop you need to stop trying to act all righteous boet, its getting old. I’ll quote someone else who put it brilliantly in a sort of poem form.
“sports teams
were never
meant to be
representative
of demographics
only representative
of
the best”
Jake has said so many times that he has been trying to get together a core group of players and WO is part of that. If the team were picked on form there would be alot more wrong than just WO being there.
24 Jul 2007, 00:54 am
I’m not getting your meaning you saying WO was picked on form or favoritism or consistency on what grounds are you saying WO was picked?
24 Jul 2007, 01:39 am
Jake has said consistency in selection and building a core group of players is vital. Hence WO selection.
24 Jul 2007, 01:45 am
Consistency even at the expense or denial of current form and talent? Bad call.
24 Jul 2007, 02:18 am
No comparison between Gary Botha and Bismark – Bismark is STREETS ahead in all departments.
24 Jul 2007, 02:24 am
Agreed Jo123 pity the people that matter can’t see it.
24 Jul 2007, 02:45 am
Skopskiet #182
Jammer, ek was weg.
Jy nog daar?
Ek is die enigste een van Korea, onder die ander ‘Piete’ daar by Sarsu.
Jy moet kom aansluit, daar is lekker projekte aan.
As jy naby Bethelehem is, gaan kyk en ondersteun die rugbytoernooi hierdie naweek, asseblief. Ons Soweto-spannetjie speel daar. Dit is vir n goeie saak.
24 Jul 2007, 02:47 am
190# Jo
That is no lie!
Gary is more of an extra loosie around the fringes, same as Derek Kuun.
24 Jul 2007, 03:05 am
Odogg you are a racist prick. Why do you hate white people so much? You can’t complain about ‘racism’ when you are so obviously one yourself. I will be supporting all the Boks because they are the best players to represent SA, not because of anything to do with the colour of their skins.
24 Jul 2007, 04:48 am
rich
Right.
I would support a black Springbok team anyday, all 15 of them, but for different reasons than odogg.
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