Butch is back
15 Apr 2008
Butch James will make his comeback to rugby tonight after three months out with a dislocated shoulder.
James returns for Bath’s fixture against Leicester after his forced omission in January. At the time of his injury he was widely considered the form No 10 in the Premiership. Bath have since slipped from first to third on the log and this dip in the club’s form has been largely attributed to the South African pivot’s absence.
This will be good news for Springbok coach Peter de Villiers, as the dearth of in-form South African flyhalves playing Super Rugby has been worrying ahead of the June Tests against Wales and Italy. When keo.co.za spoke to James earlier in the year the World Cup-winner said he would consider playing rugby in South Africa again if it meant it would improve his chances of playing for the Springboks.
De Villiers has, however, intimated that he will pick overseas-based players for the Springboks if their form warrants selection. If James reaches anywhere near the heights he produced post-World Cup from November to January for his club, the No 10 Bok jersey should be his again.
54 Comments
15 Apr 2008, 10:45 am
Butch you Dragon
Pity he’s not back in SA
15 Apr 2008, 10:51 am
read the first line and thought he was back in SA!
15 Apr 2008, 11:02 am
please tell me supersport is broadcasting this game/s? ..
but
i doubt whether they will be!!
why cant we also have a rugby channel similar to supersport 3 where they could broadcast rugby 24/7?
15 Apr 2008, 11:02 am
3
supersport 3 = soccer channel!
15 Apr 2008, 11:12 am
If any of the south african teams can’t produce a good flyhalf this year than Butch will have to come back. Only one that’s doing ok so far is Grant. But for the first few tests we will need James back here in SA
15 Apr 2008, 11:30 am
Butch with Grant as understudy should sufficiently take care of present and future needs of the boks.
15 Apr 2008, 11:37 am
Butch 1st choice, Grant 2nd then maybe Steyn/Ruaan for back-up.
And of course Liefling must be there ( someone must catch the balls and kick it back to the real flyhalves)
15 Apr 2008, 11:39 am
LOL @7
15 Apr 2008, 11:40 am
question: would gits, berrick barns or the other rookie make an sa cc team? and how can saders lose carter and brett, but still feature gard with some success?
15 Apr 2008, 11:44 am
the problem for me in sa rugby is the ‘stars’ determine their jobs on the rugby field, rather than the coach/strategy defining their roles in the team.
15 Apr 2008, 11:46 am
#7 look at those guys eyes on the field, they never look to affirm the players around them. that is key at 9 and 10.
15 Apr 2008, 11:48 am
Mongrel #9
Good question but we will only really know when they play the Chiefs away.
Lions weren’t that gig an obstacle for them
15 Apr 2008, 11:52 am
Jis Butch…I hope you’ve been doing some running in the last three months.
Butch James, the scourge of Dan Carter, who gets nervous and drops the ball when he sees Butch coming!!
15 Apr 2008, 11:52 am
If Grant was born an Aussie or Kiwi we would see him in a different light.
He is willing to take gaps, try cross kicks and do things that is not deemed to be conventional fly halve play in SA .
When Carter or Larkham take risks we regard them as visionaries, yet we don’t afford the same respect to our own when they think and play outside the box
15 Apr 2008, 11:56 am
#12#14 agreed, sa need to build players in the 10 position.
#13 dream on. what if butch never comes back and if you think that carter is a bang gat, think again, his a pro.
15 Apr 2008, 12:00 pm
Asha. supersport are broadcasting the game tonight. 20:40 on Supersport 6. Should be a cracker.
I think Grant is a great youngster, but the experience of Butch CANNOT be thrown away. Would rather play BJ
15 Apr 2008, 12:01 pm
15, DC is a pro – but his game takes a serious plunge when Butch is the opposing flyhalf.
15 Apr 2008, 12:04 pm
I don’t think Carter is scared of him, maybe just carefull. The great strengh of Butch, and the reputation that the Aussies helped him build, was his unpredictability on defence. The opposition trying to go through his channel could never be sure if they would still have a head afterwards. The self doubt he caused in opposition was worth a lot of points
15 Apr 2008, 12:07 pm
We are forgetting Pretoors!! He always does well in the Tri-Nations, it’s a case of whether he can get over his current run of injuries. Wold be great if he is fit for June then we will have 3 flyhalves to choose from
15 Apr 2008, 12:08 pm
#19
To injury prone and only really performs at Ellis Park
15 Apr 2008, 12:10 pm
daniel – He saved Bok blushes in 2006 by beating the kiwis and ozzies in the last 2 games, as the Boks were in danger of being white washed that year. But yes he needs to get over his injuries properly this time.
15 Apr 2008, 12:19 pm
One thing we must not forget is that in all the important games, irrespectinve of who was flyhalf, we had a certain Percival behind them, guiding, assisting and occasionally cleaning up. I sincerely hope PDV brings him in, even just to pass the torch, and let him get his 100 caps which he deserves.
Petoors is, I think, a confidence player, so if he is not 100% fit or comfortable with the structures he might struggle
15 Apr 2008, 12:23 pm
butchie you beaut!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
love those big hits, love em!
come on back to the sharks, we will sommer skop freddie back to frogland!
15 Apr 2008, 12:24 pm
Pretoors only “saved” those games with his kicking. He doesn’t allow his centres and wings into the game quite as much as Butch or Grant.
15 Apr 2008, 12:30 pm
PDV has stated in the press that he will pick only 7 of the RWC run-on side in his first team to play.
He has met with Smit, Montgomery and Matfield. But he HASN’T met with Butch – which may lead one to assume he doesn’t rate James, and is probably looking at Grant, Pienaar and Dollie in the number 10 jersey moving forward.
Smit is a definite starter, as are Matfield, Burger and Habana.
That’s four. Who will be the other 3 out of Bakkies (not at his best, but why mess with the best lock combo in the world?), Juan Smith (who I would definitely play), Du Preez, James, Steyn, Fourie (if fit in time), Pieterson and Montgomery (for composure at the back. And Monty should def kick the goals!)
That’s 8 players – at least 6 or 7 of which, I’d put in the run-on side.
Who will PDV choose?
15 Apr 2008, 12:32 pm
I reckon this will be PDV’s first run-on backline:
9. January
10. Grant
11. Habana
12. De Villiers
13. Bobo
14. Chavhanga
15. Montgomery or Jantjes
with Du Preez, Pienaar (covering flyhalf and fullback) and Jacobs or Murray on the bench.
15 Apr 2008, 12:35 pm
1st Bok 22 of the year:
1. Steenkamp
2. Smit
3. Mujati
4. Botha
5. Matfield
6. Burger
7. Smith
8. Kankowski
9. January
10. Grant
11. Habana
12. De Villiers
13. Bobo
14. Chavhanga
15. Montgomery
16. Van Der Linde
17. Du Plessis
18. Bekker
19. Watson
20. Du Preez
21. Pienaar
22. Jacobs
7 “players of colour”… plus Luke Watson.
2 new caps in Mujati and Bekker.
Pretty good team – an interesting mix of established and new combinations.
15 Apr 2008, 13:09 pm
Rangerman
I agree! As much as I like Frog boy, I like Butchie much more and want him back at the Sharks! If only van Zyl will take his head out of is ar$e and give him the 2 year contract he asked for!
15 Apr 2008, 14:21 pm
We have to use the ‘war veterans of the wc’ to teach the younger generation the tricks of the trade. Look what value Os brought to the forward play. Use Matfield to teach Bekker (Fondse, Bieterse), Butch (Grant) , Smit (Bismark or Brits) and Percy (Steyn or Kirschner). Use the knowledge and we will gain the upperhand on test level.
15 Apr 2008, 15:17 pm
# 7 (DANIEL)
What you talking about Butch 1st choice Peter Grant 2nd. Grant has been performing and is playing rugby for a SA fanchise. How can you just give a position to someone like Butch that prefers to use his talent oversea. I think Grant 1st choice and Jame 2nd if he should even be give the the green and gold.
15 Apr 2008, 15:42 pm
How about…
Mujati
Smit
Heinke
Matfield
Bakkies
Schalk
Smith
Kanko
Fourie
Grant
Tondi
Steyn
jean
Habs
Janjties
Januarie
Bismark
Bekker
Vd linde
Petersen
Pienaar
smoking joe
15 Apr 2008, 15:43 pm
kyle and co:
Reasons why we should pick Butch over Peter G:
1. He has a world cup winners medal….
2. He has significantly more test experience
3. He is a better defender, and in my opinion a more dangerous attacking option
4. He has played in a S14 final
5. He has a great partnership going with Fourie d P
6. He is at his peak at the moment.
7. He now has even more experience of playing in wet heavy conditions
Imagine if two years ago we decided that because Kabamba Floors had a great S14 we were going to drop Schalk??? Would have been madness in hindsight. In the same way i think we have a classy player like Butch who we should not discard because a young upstart like Grant is playing really well.
Grant is a good player, and will play plenty of tests for the Boks. Just not yet.
15 Apr 2008, 15:48 pm
Well, seeing that everyone is playing selector here goes my stab:
15 – Steyn
14 – Chavanga
13 – Jacques Fourie
12 – Jean de V
11 – Habana
10 – James
9 – Fourie
8 – Spies
7 – Juan
6 – Schalk
5 – Matfield
4 – Botha
3 – BJ Botha
2 – Smittie (k)
1 – Guthro
Bench:
JP Pietersen
Peter Grant
Ricky January
Heinke vd Merwe
Andries Bekker
Bismarck du Plessis
Ryan Kankowski
If Jacques Fourie is injured i would play Steyn at 13, and would play Jantjes at 15
15 Apr 2008, 15:54 pm
How can you still rate Kirchner???
No ways…Janjies is better!!! And fondse in the Bok squad already??? No ways you know your rugby!!!
Bekker is the inform lock at the moment…….and Luke is playing a blinder week in and out…stil no mention with everyone trying to convince us Spies is great???????
15 Apr 2008, 16:07 pm
# 30
I think your views are rather dated and realistically rugby players are professionals like any other sportsperson who makes a living from sport, they are entitled to ply their trade wherever they get paid the most! There is one provision – they have to be the best in their respective position!
Grant has had a good season and is IMO the best SA flyhalf in the S14 but he is not better than Butch by any stretch of anyone’s imagination!
15 Apr 2008, 16:11 pm
Hoops. You know an opinion is like a panty. Elke po..s het een
My opinion on why Spies is better:
1. He is faster – which means a lot with the ELV’s.
2. He is taller, and therefore a line out option
3. He is less controversial and therefore less of a disruption to team morale
4. He is a specialist no 8 who can play flank. Watson is a specialist flank who can play 8.
5. He has more test experience.
i agree that watson i playing goog rugby, but i would personally play spies every day of the week
15 Apr 2008, 16:11 pm
Cheetha, now thats a world beating test match side… Wouldnt change much with that.
Some would argue about who to start, Kankowski or Spies or maybe Ruan instead of January as another utility back but you cant really argue with that side.
15 Apr 2008, 16:12 pm
Hey Guys
I see you’re already hard at work, selecting your Bok teams for Wales in Bloem on 7th June.
I was thinking of introducing a Springbok Barometer, based on votes from you guys (which I’d like to think would in turn be based on intelligent selection based on each week’s performances).
Then, by the time we reach Coach De Villiers’ first official team selection – we’ll be able to compare the keo bloggers squad to his, and see how far off the real deal we actually are. Or how near.
There are 2 ways we could do this. We could pick who WE believe to be the best, or we could go for who we think PETER is gonna select.
Personally, I’d prefer to see who makes it into OUR team. How about you?
Should we do it?
Cheers
Jonty
15 Apr 2008, 16:19 pm
i think the Sharks must use Steyn in his best position or risk loosing him,
15 Apr 2008, 16:22 pm
# 38 JG
I’m in for sure – OUR team! Are you going to handle it like you handle the adhoc votes that you run on the site? On a weekly bassis and at the end tally the numbers?
15 Apr 2008, 16:24 pm
Jonty – stunning idea. Count me in. Can we not do both? Lets see who can read PDV the best? I reckon his team will differ drastically from my team mentioned at post 33.
15 Apr 2008, 16:37 pm
jonty i’m in…i cant actually wait to see what the side is gonna look like, what makes it even more frustrating is that over here on mud island we see very few of the saffa super 14 sides playing week in and out!!! Wish bloody sky would show the stormers more often as they are quite clearly the form side at the moment!!!
15 Apr 2008, 18:00 pm
There are only five men capable of filling the 10 jersey and doing it justice.
1) Butch James (If PdV is smart he will keep the world cup team as intact as possible)
2) Meyer Bosman (Dark horse? yes. But he has shone in a shocking Cheetahs side, albeit at 12. If the selectors were looking for a like-for-like replacement for Butch they should look no further.)
3) Andre Pretorius (Bit of a paper tiger and he blows hot and cold but when he’s at the top of his game he can turn it on his head.)
4) Peter Grant (Still not convinced but its hard to stay among the detractors with the super 12 he has had)
5) Francois Steyn (The future: Left field but I think he has what it takes to be a great bok 10 albeit in a couple of years time.)
15 Apr 2008, 18:01 pm
BTW I rated them from best to worst.
15 Apr 2008, 18:30 pm
Grant is no Butch James. Butch is no Lem. Both Lem and Bucth were great on what they had to offer, not similarities. Butch controls the midfield like a brick wall and offers the ‘fear factor’, Lem had distribution skills (not that many got past Lem either!) and a pretty complete game.
Grant will have to develop his own style to make him worthy of Bok selection. Doubt he will ever be able to tackle as well as the other two but can make up for it by keeping the oppo on the back foot. Will be interesting to see how he measures up in internationals. However, no one else much to offer in this possy!
15 Apr 2008, 18:31 pm
Should add that I would still like to see Ruaan have a good go at #10.
15 Apr 2008, 18:34 pm
Just checked up. They are showing the match live tonight locally.
Sometimes being in the desert does have it’s bright side!
15 Apr 2008, 18:44 pm
Harlequin
Bosman has shone at 12,never been a fan after the “whole Next Henry Honiball” thing.But he has lovely hands,great timing of the pass.Still has to work on his decision making and his tackle efficiency leaves a lot to be desired.
He is still far from being a Bok again amongst the new talent.
Question:Who is gonna be the Bok 13?????????
No one is/has been stand out,if Mossie is injured…then what???
Bobo has been the most consistent but He isnt a 13 IMO.
15 Apr 2008, 18:52 pm
how about playing steyn at 12 and Jean at 13, bring back percy at 15 or play jantjes?? I think that they could be an effective centre combination.
15 Apr 2008, 18:55 pm
GOOD NEWS, Jaque Fourie is gonna be back from injury and start playing in Voda Cup.. Still young and a great player..
16 Apr 2008, 01:40 am
Please someone tell me, I must of forgot, but what was the score last year when SA played the BABA’s, didn’t the Jappies get creammmed???
16 Apr 2008, 08:17 am
cheetha champs – your team post @ 33 is spot on in my book.
16 Apr 2008, 08:17 am
but who is your goal kicker?
17 Apr 2008, 09:10 am
cheetah champ………..you have a good rugby brain china! agree with everything you have said 100%
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