Duanne the answer at 8?
29 Jan 2008
Cheetahs loose forward Duanne Vermeulen will play at No 8 in Friday’s warm-up match against the Sharks.
The 21-year-old was a standout in last year’s Currie Cup, and at the time coach Naka Drotske told this website he’d be reluctant to select Juan Smith at No 7 even if the World Cup-winning blindside had been available for the domestic play-offs. The return of Smith seemed to signal the sidelining of Vermeulen, but the former Pumas player could emerge as the Cheetahs premier No 8 in the Super 14.
Cheetahs assistant coach Hawies Fourie believes the move has great potential, especially under the new laws. The friendly between the Stormers and Boland showcased the space around the scrum and how the No 8 is such an important attacking player. Fourie told keo.co.za Vermeuen is well equipped to fulfill this role.
“Duanne is a very talented player and I think he’ll be very effective in this position given the new rules. There’s so much more space at scrum time, and aside from being a very strong ball carrier he’s very quick,” he said. “His good ball-skills help him to get away those little offloads and he can link well with the backs.”
Fourie confirmed Darron Nell is also in contention for the No 8 position having had a strong game in Friday’s trial. Nell, however, is a different sort of player and may be better utilised for matches when a more direct approach is required.
Jacques-Louis Potgieter will start this match at flyhalf after playing for the Cheetahs B side last Friday. Drotske has faith in his general play, but at the moment Barnard’s kicking is seen as a valuable asset. After Friday, the Cheetahs management will have a better idea of who to start against the Lions on 16 February.
“We gave Conrad Barnard a run in the Cheetahs A side last week, so Jacques-Louis was always going to get a start against the Sharks,” said Fourie. “This can’t be strictly viewed as our strongest team, as there are still a few decisions left to be made.
“At 10, 11 and 13 there are still questions we hope will be answered after Friday. JW Jonker will play at 13 for 45-50 minutes against the Sharks before we give Hendrik Meyer an opportunity.”
New Zealand import Joel Iggo is on a one-month trial with the Cheetahs, but has received few opportunities of late because of injury.
Cheetahs- 15 Hennie Daniller; 14 Eddie Fredericks, 13JW Jonker, 12 Meyer Bosman, 11 Gavin Passens; 10 Jacques-Louis Potgieter, 9 Noel Oelschig; 8 Duanne Vermeulen, 7 Juan Smith (c), 6 Heinrich Brüssow, 5 Barend Pieterse, 4 Rory Duncan, 3 CJ van der Linde, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Wian du Preez.
Subs: 16 Richardt Strauss, 17 Kobus Calldo, 18 Flip van der Merwe, 19 David de Villiers, 20 Kabamba Floors, 21 Darron Nell, 22 Tobie Botes, 23 Herkie Kruger, 24 Hendrik Meyer, 25 Jongi Nokwe, 26 Howard Noble.
35 Comments
29 Jan 2008, 13:30 pm
With CJ and Caldo the Cheetahs have super tighthead props.
I wish that these games were being televised. I would like to see JL Potgiter playing.
29 Jan 2008, 13:47 pm
Who the hell is Tobie Botes?
Where is that Valke scrumhalf? He’s a great player. And De Bruin too – any news on his injury?
This is the Cheetahs run-on 15 for the Super 14, without a doubt. Although, I’d put Bosman at flyhalf and Meyer at 12. Maybe Nokwe on left wing with Passens on the bench…
29 Jan 2008, 13:50 pm
Where is Frans Viljoen??
29 Jan 2008, 13:53 pm
This is a great pack!!
This will be the loose forward trio to watch this season.
If Vermeulen and Brussow start reaching their potential, they will be fantastic along with Juan.
There is no doubt that Vermeulen can go all the way to international rugby if he keeps improving.
29 Jan 2008, 13:56 pm
Pack’s great – backs are a problem. No De Waal, Joubert, Burger, Fortuin – eish!
29 Jan 2008, 14:48 pm
if Duane’s the answer, what was the question?
29 Jan 2008, 15:04 pm
this guy seems good, some great loosies there…not too mention hendro.
29 Jan 2008, 15:16 pm
cab, possibly the best depth of loosies out of SA’s S14 sides.
Just a pity that we have no backline.
29 Jan 2008, 15:51 pm
Good Team. Meyer Bosman is average at best. He would be better suited at fullback.
29 Jan 2008, 16:34 pm
If you chuck Richardt Strauss at hooker, that is probably the strongest line-up they would be able to put forward. Maybe Nokwe at wing as well.
29 Jan 2008, 16:44 pm
Loosehead,
ja agree with both points. hendrik meyer looked quite useful, perhaps not as nippy as cooke tho?
29 Jan 2008, 17:15 pm
Duane is one hell of a player – superb – he certainly has the siz, height and speed to be a good no 8 …..what a player and only 21 years young.
Watson could walk right between his legs without touching!!
29 Jan 2008, 17:34 pm
Tewis De Bruin should be the Cheetahs #10. Mark my words, within two years he will be wearing green…somehwere in the backline. Very much like Ruan Pienaar.
29 Jan 2008, 17:37 pm
Nice team !
And to think that the Ebersohn brothers will join the backline next year and Coenie Oosthuizen at prop !
I love my Cheetahs, they always produce good players !
29 Jan 2008, 17:38 pm
13 Yomama – good point and observation – Tewis certainly has hte capacity and is probably under rated in how I have seen him play.. Good player indeed
29 Jan 2008, 18:12 pm
i tell you what, i can’t wait to see kankowski with these new rules. he was running rings around guys last year, imagine this year.
come to think of it these rules would have suited bobby big time, retired one year too soon.
29 Jan 2008, 18:14 pm
straight talk #12, but could luke resist not touching?
29 Jan 2008, 18:22 pm
we in SA are blessed with wonderful rugby players…..no doubt….but the management and adminstration of the players at national level leaves a gap. Otherwise there is no reason the bokke could not be in the top 3 teams every year….but Mr Stofile and his new syle may not help us achieve that unfortunaltey.
certainly the Cheetas, bulls, sharks are well organized and aI am sure if they leave Erasmus alone he will make hte pretty boys start to look ugly like rugby players.
29 Jan 2008, 18:23 pm
17 Knersboy…I am sure if Luke tip toed…he could just reach…
29 Jan 2008, 18:26 pm
Cheetahs are the SA breeding ground nursery where they churn out talent for the others to pillage,
There is nothing much wrong with our depth of talent across most provinces except perhaps Lions running thin, I would be scouting all these new boys now, and forget the class of 2007 apart from some obvious stalwarts, its time for the new breed of springbok to stake their claims, like all nature to everything turn turn turn, there is a season, PdV should get singing and rope in the bright new stars of our game, history should be consigned to where it belongs, in the record accounts, the rugby fields of 2008 are waiting to get burned with a brand new fire and flame.
29 Jan 2008, 18:27 pm
certainly the cheetahs produce excellent rugby players – out in front compared to the other unions
29 Jan 2008, 18:32 pm
And they’re not oft with all the good life dished up to them morning noon and night like in Cape Town and Jozi, though the vaalies at least try keep an honest grind about them thanks to loffies input, here in CT they got to be whipped into shape every morning when they roll out of bed after the night before.
29 Jan 2008, 18:33 pm
oft – soft
29 Jan 2008, 18:33 pm
bismarck is outstanding (as is strauss), rallapelle was also very good at u19, with such young players, plenty competition. dont just turn out the old, the class of 2007 had a blend of exp and youth, in fact i reckon it was probably one of the youngest sides at the RWC.
29 Jan 2008, 18:42 pm
John should bow out gracefully as did Johnson and Pienaar, one more campaign will ruin his credibility he (and his mentor) worked so hard to create, he was a gentleman’s captain, not a hard man or a hero, but for Jake he was the guy to nail his colors to and between them they delivered, another hurdle could be his undoing, a bridge too far as they say, games got faster, competitors harder, younger, tougher and faster too, John could play a bit part imo, but not the lead, less he’s kept in cotton wool like Jonny and only brought out as a talisman, but does he carry that weight well, lead from the front?
If its me I play the young guns and develop them early and nurture them well, ol timers had their dance, new foxtrot going to hit the stage and some won’t stay the pace, fear not JS nor Butch and one or two others.
29 Jan 2008, 18:42 pm
King Cheetah, tell me more about this Coenie Oosthuizen? He will have to be one hell of a good player to be better than Caldo.
29 Jan 2008, 18:44 pm
a gentleman’s captain that led his side to an RWC 2007 is the best sort of captain i can think of. any oke that packs down in a test frontrow is hardly a softy. he does not need to talk or shout, mentally he’s tough, thats all you need.
29 Jan 2008, 18:53 pm
His body will not handle the punishment, Johnson knew when to turn in his chips, John still has some years left maybe but not as a front runner, Bismark is far stronger more athletic and can carry the 80 minutes, in the new faster game JS will blow out, or his knees will cave, he might have the mental experience and maturity, but I doubt he can carry a S14 and a 3N with EOYT’s all the way to 2011, no way.
PdV going to choose a captain he should start honing his ideas now already, maybe he’s eyeballing someone like Watson for later and JS may just be the baton bearer for the short term change over.
29 Jan 2008, 18:54 pm
My muso friend is here, we going to hit some riffs, loosen some vocal cords, take up the ping pong debate some other time.
Adios
29 Jan 2008, 18:57 pm
perhaps, it would seem that way following the signs.
29 Jan 2008, 19:09 pm
I’d like people to stop saying that the Cheetahs aren’t going to do well because they don’t have DE Waal anymore. De Waal has always been a good currie cup player but nothing more, in S14 he was made to look very average and oer the past few years he has been warming the bench for them in S14 because he was not good enough!
Players that have proven themselves at S14 level and who the Cheetahs are really going to miss is the likes of Joubert,Burger and Cooke. NOT De Waal.
BTW, I saw someone talk about the Eberson brothers, saw them at Craven week, those 2 must be the best under-19 players I have EVER seen. Can’t wait for them to explode on to the scene.
29 Jan 2008, 19:23 pm
Pirlet BEL, nor can I. The best thing is that they are contracted to the Cheetahs.
29 Jan 2008, 19:35 pm
I rent my business premises from Duanne’s mother, and I met him last year during their “off time’ and found him to be a very pleasant guy indeed. His performances for the cheetah’s have been stellar too. I think he will be an outstanding 8.
I believe the Cheetah’s can only do better than in their previous two seasons. Agree with Pirlet BEL. We just need a flyhalf to ignite the backline, it is all the Cheetah’s lack. They have the firepower up front, in the locks and loosies
29 Jan 2008, 20:46 pm
there is no doubt that duanne (not very ovs-like and perhaps not the feminine version of the name – ala herschelle?) is/will be the real deal.
for a youngster he has it all – hands, vision, anticipation and, most of all, the will.
look forward to seeing him in the backrow of the boks sometime soon.
go **** muir, sign him now.
29 Jan 2008, 22:21 pm
So whats wrong with Herkie Kruger, plenty of talent there maybe just not enough self belief, this is the bane of SA flyhalves, Gaffie, Hougard, maybe Grant and Pienaar and Steyn, all of them might just lack that one little ingredient called belief, its the coaches that stuff these guys up because they can’t recognize enough of the talent early enough and hone it and develop it, battle through the lean tough times to become a confident match winner, its the coaching needs a wake up about our flyhalf problems not the players, there is talent there a plenty just not enough professional common sense about how to put it all together and make it stick, stupido’s.
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