Baywatch boss of the breakdown
18 Mar 2008
Lions flanker Cobus “Baywatch” Grobbelaar is revelling under the ELVs.
Baywatch’s reading of the game has meant he has consistently been one of the best South African flankers in this year’s Super 14. The Lions loosies were the stand-outs against the Sharks, with Grobbelaar at the forefront. Baywatch arguably won the battle of the breakdown against the dual-fetcher combination of Keegan Daniel and Jacques Botes, repeatedly turning over crucial ball with the help of teammates Ernst Joubert and Joe van Niekerk.
Grobbelaar told keo.co.za he has noticed a few aspects of change at the breakdown since the introduction of the ELVs, where teams are committing less cleaners to the rucks due to the pace of the game. Flankers such as Baywatch then have to try predict the course of the game and decide which breakdown they will commit to.
“If one of their guys has sealed the ball off at the tackle, I’ll go into the defence line and wait for the next ruck,” said Grobbelaar.
Grobbelaar has been one such Lions player who has shown an ability to forecast the flow of the game. All fifteen Lions will need to produce similar levels of perception against the Reds on Saturday in order to break the franchise’s four-match losing streak.
Grobbelaar is expecting another physical performance from the Reds this week. The Reds outmuscled the lacklustre Bulls last week, and got the rewards when they hammered them 40-8.
“They had lots of passion last week against the Bulls – they have a good scrum, aggressive tackling and are very physical at the breakdown. They have got guys like Latham who can play the expansive game, but I think they are going to try dominate us up-front first,” said Grobbelaar.
This approach, if adopted by the Reds, could favour the Lions. The Lions, despite lacking when finishing in the backs, do have a tight-five who have only enhanced their reputations in this year’s Super 14, and a loose-trio who have dominated the breakdown area.
By Grant Ball
73 Comments
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18 Mar 2008, 15:04 pm
ja true…but like I said in previously in another article that ironically the Lions started the profesional era in sa. LUYT/PIENAAR.
18 Mar 2008, 15:08 pm
Thats great. Love it when people stick with their side!
remember that time with putt. but u guys pulled through and ur now the deserving top team in SA. Can still not understand why u guys never play in the currie cup final.
18 Mar 2008, 15:08 pm
Cab.
If you are still around, I have always thought Baywatch was the best.
Last year I personally asked a number 8 who was one of the greatest Bok captains, who HE thought the best fetcher was.
His answer was given immediately, Baywatch Grobler.
18 Mar 2008, 15:11 pm
Eish maar die Lions is darem hondkak!
18 Mar 2008, 15:11 pm
we as Lion supporters must just be patient and wait till that day comes when we will be that great team again.
18 Mar 2008, 15:12 pm
#3 Jaco is not a 12 at the moment. He can be a playmaker but has the tendency not to pass the ball. Against the Sharks he was guilty on several occasions of being selfish and killed the ball rather than pass.
18 Mar 2008, 15:14 pm
diss them as much as u like….the day will come when you will eat ur words *******!
18 Mar 2008, 15:17 pm
agree. Jaco at 13 or wing. he needs space! keep that venter outjie at 12 4 now.
18 Mar 2008, 15:19 pm
Insomniac trust me neither do we! I often feel that the Sharks are like the ABs of SA, as Cane once put it to me the WC is like the Holy grail, well thats the Sharks and any trophy! I don’t know maybe its the colour of the jersey go figure!
18 Mar 2008, 15:20 pm
BAYWATCH is very good. he should get a go against wales. Still dont think he must trade jerseys with Burger. Heinke on the other hand MUST be a starter. Him and BJ will kill any opposition in the scrums!
18 Mar 2008, 15:24 pm
lol. girlshark. maybe ne.
The sharks 2 me have the best management in this country. they back their coach and players.
18 Mar 2008, 15:27 pm
on the subject of loosies. can u guys think of any loosie trio in our local teams thats kak?
18 Mar 2008, 15:27 pm
on the subject of loosies. can u guys think of any loosie trio in our local teams thats kak??
18 Mar 2008, 15:28 pm
sorry 4 repeating…something not lekker with my phone.
18 Mar 2008, 15:46 pm
sean 40,
they are playing well, but just cant get results, dont really have the player depth or the resources to afford it, still they are competitive. cant complain when they play like this, in passes years we’ve seen some lions teams where none of them would even tackle.
Howzit tight head,
claasens, teichman? yoh…very interesting. perhaps baywatch needs to be more controversial and then can get mentioned in the media more.
My first choice is still Burger tho (huge game against Chiefs), but Baywatch is a great fetcher.
18 Mar 2008, 15:53 pm
Cab.
Teich.
I agree entirely with your other comments about the media and Schalk.
Baywatch would be very good back up.
18 Mar 2008, 16:11 pm
The Lions have had a kuk team for years!!
18 Mar 2008, 16:20 pm
and will have a kuk team for many more
18 Mar 2008, 16:47 pm
now fellows I for one think that Loffie has to open up the cheque book and buy some talent. – I am talking about buying Jonny Wilkinson!
yes next year is year 3 of Loffie’s 3 year plan and I want to see wins and I do not want to read excuses.
for now I am keeping away from the pain and the booze by supporting another tram for the remainder of this years S14..
18 Mar 2008, 16:51 pm
die wiel draai manne, net bietjie stadig maar hy draai.
18 Mar 2008, 17:14 pm
Some of the players need to take responsability too.
Earl Rose was looking like he just needed time to mature into a star and he hasn’t.
JAcoP, seems to have lost the spark that earned him his 1st cap. ( he really should have scored around kankowski)
Every back up flyhalf has been extreemly average. Is there not a single #10 in club rugby in Jozi/Vodacom cup that the lions can inject into this team?????
The Lions need to puchase some guys with more intnernational caps.
18 Mar 2008, 21:55 pm
#5 “limited resources at the force”? Are you talking about all the best, highest paid players in Aus at the Force that they bought from all the other franchises?
Limited resources my ***!
19 Mar 2008, 08:48 am
This morning I added the Sharks try against the Lions for download on my website, click on my name to go have a look.
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