Bok Bs have sting
3 Sep 2007
Wikus van Heerden says the Bok second-stringers will be up to the challenge in France.
The B-team beat Samoa at the start of the season and held their own against the Wallabies and All Blacks in the latter stages of the Tri-Nations. However, they were awful against Connacht last month, in a match that formed part of the Boks’ final World Cup preparations.
Jake White has indicated that he will play his first-choice XV against Samoa and England at the World Cup, before unleashing the second-stringers on Tonga and the USA. Van Heerden knows how important it is to maintain the momentum going into the quarter-finals.
“We don’t really see ourselves as second-stringers,” Van Heerden told keo.co.za. “We are part of the Bok squad and we have been chosen to do the job. All the preparation has been done and everybody is well aware of the roles they have to play at the World Cup.”
While the Bok second-stringers were poor against Connacht, Van Heerden believes the experience the players gained could prove vital at the World Cup.
“It was a great opportunity to give the guys valuable game time in the build up to the World Cup. It also helped to get some of the new guys into the team system while also giving the coaches a view of the depth within the squad.”
Van Heerden dismissed concerns over recent Bok performances without some of the more established players and emphasised the importance of the squad system.
“I think that it was a case of the new combinations not being settled. There aren’t any real concerns about the players and their contributions.
“The reality is that you need all the guys in the squad to have experience of playing at this level especially going into a World Cup. You don’t want a situation where the first choice player gets injured and then the next guy can’t make the step up.â€
By Ebrahim Moerat
516 Comments
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4 Sep 2007, 08:18 am
Koos
& I can direct those not impressed to my Sensei ?
Manly
True he did but the other was tucked firmly in his jacket – as opposed to where I suspect yours might be !
4 Sep 2007, 08:19 am
And according to the historians he had a *** streak in him! Always a little luitenant by his side! We are being led by Shaka and De la Rey!
4 Sep 2007, 08:22 am
I bid you all farewell! I need to get to my publisher!
4 Sep 2007, 08:22 am
Dominee
Ours – Quoi ?
My ABs are not waxed just too fast for you
What is that last word ? You swearing at me ?
4 Sep 2007, 08:24 am
#501 as always Princess, as always, will sort out the donners!
Of fairytales and Princesses and *** knights with little luitenents…but how did VRYSTAAATTTTTT slip in there?
4 Sep 2007, 08:24 am
AB
Chaka Khan & De La Croix maybe …
4 Sep 2007, 08:27 am
Koos
The fairytales & *** knights are in YOUR ABs Bok story not mine !
So excited about that first Haka on Saturday ! Best ever Haka I saw was one in Paris a year or so back – I swear those boys looked like there were gooing to rip someone’s throat out … ssiigghh … awfully hot !
4 Sep 2007, 08:32 am
No Princess, I am not into the fairytales, that will be AB, Dominee and Manly. My story prefer the non-fiction stuff….and we all know there will be horror in it for some in a few weeks time!
Yes, must admit this week is floating past waaayy to slow and we only get the first bite like Saturday morning!!!
4 Sep 2007, 08:42 am
Sweet Princes Vrystaat is a South African “war” cry.It has rugby as its base but it now widely used to applaud/laud and identify. For example during the Qatar Masters golf in Doha I shouted Vrystaat duing a lull in play. Ernie Els looked my way and said: what die donner maak jy hier?Over 600 Saffas in Qatar and that night he and players like oosthuizen and sabbadini came to the rugby club
4 Sep 2007, 08:53 am
Koos
My story is Non-Fiction & will indeed include, by necessity, horror for some … just hopefully not my ABs
Yes getting through this week is like wading through Molasses !
Dominee
War cries indeed – You religuious types are all the same – Blood & guts religion !!
4 Sep 2007, 08:57 am
As published in the NZ Herald today :
Top 10 RWC survival tips
1. Don’t talk during the game or ask questions if you don’t understand what’s going on – best to feign knowledge through silence. And don’t save your talking up for half-time, that’s for the commentary team not you.
2. Three minutes to fulltime, the score tied, with a drop-kick all that’s standing between the All Blacks winning … it’s not the time to ask whether you should go to his parents for Christmas or yours.
3. No matter how cute and fit you find those finely tuned and highly skilled professional athletes, keep the “Phwoar!!” comments to a minimum. It only validates his ogling the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition. Also be sensitive if you are captivated by all those toned manly thighs – oh those thighs – it may not be appreciated if your partner has spent the past month eating chicken wings and drinking beer on the sofa.
4. Tap into emotional blackmail. Now is the time to splurge on all those “must have” items which rising interest rates and shaky finance companies have put paid to. Neglect should have its financial rewards.
5. Harmless language can have a loaded meaning during the RWC. “Food-poisoning”, “out with injury” and “choking” should not be bandied about during All Black games, they will not see the funny side.
6. Don’t ask your partner to explain the breakdown of the scrum. Not only will it confuse you but it will only prove that he doesn’t understand it either.
7. Have distractions on hand should the worst happen. Snacks, toys, tissues, a comfort blanket, a tape of the 1987 RWC win, anything which will help ease the agony of another four years lost.
8. Do not underestimate the importance of replayed games and highlights packages. It may seem like watching paint dry to you but, as we know, once is never enough for a man. Likewise, if you hear a result from another pool match let him find out on his own – especially if it involves France, South Africa or Australia storming to yet another on-form victory.
9. Accept you will attend social gatherings, which do not revolve around rugby, by yourself until the tournament is over. This includes anything involving births, deaths and marriages. And do not invite your rugby-hating friends around to the house while the games are on, especially if they have children.
10. Be ready to celebrate if the All Blacks win. You may be a fair-weather-friend but fans will be so relieved it’s not another four years in the wilderness all will be forgiven.
4 Sep 2007, 09:17 am
Uhhh…Princess,about clause 10… ??????
4 Sep 2007, 09:22 am
Manly
Yes ??
4 Sep 2007, 09:28 am
#513.
error…..bleep…….substitute….bleep…..green…bleeep……gold…bleep….SP….bleep…..RING…..bleeep….BOK !
4 Sep 2007, 09:34 am
Manly
No silkie dear, pls note the lead sentence that said this was plagiarised from the NEW ZEALAND herald … hence point 10 naturally has the ABs as the main player.
I just thought you would appreciate the humour – perhaps I was wrong … sniff … sob …
6 Sep 2007, 03:54 am
Good day Princess, Koos, Manly, Pietman and whoever else is bored…..sorry I am late but got arrested this morning.
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