Taking centre stage
10 Jun 2008
Jean de Villiers is determined to become the axis around which the Springboks revolve.
In the latest issue of SA Rugby magazine, on sale Wednesday 11 June, the Bok centre talks about the pain of missing the 2007 World Cup, what he has that Frans Steyn doesn’t (and vice versa), and why he’d be happy to wear the Bok No 13 jersey even though he prefers 12.
He also expresses his burning desire to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand this year. ‘It’s still a huge goal among the senior players,’ he says. ‘We achieved a lot under Jake [White], but the fact that we’ve never won in New Zealand has always bugged me. After this year’s Super 14, I’m confident we can head over there with a very strong side and pick up the win.’
Also in the latest issue:
– Ian McIntosh on the ELVs: the former Bok coach (who was on the IRB’s Law Group Project) gives unique insight into how they were conceived, why they were supposed to be adopted as a package, and the ‘orchestrated’ effort to undermine them
– Seven steps to glory: former Bok mental coach Henning Gericke on how to beat the All Blacks in New Zealand
– The key to Robbie Deans: why he’s the right man for the Wallabies job
– Frank Bunce rates Anthony Tuitavake, while Stirling Mortlock aims to bury the Wallabies’ World Cup ghosts
– Jeremy Guscott on why Ian McGeechan will get the Lions roaring in 2009
– Former Bok centre Joe Gillingham left South Africa for France and never returned. Keo finds out why
– WP scrumhalf Paul Delport has suffered more setbacks than most, but he hasn’t given up on his Bok dream
– Currie Cup preview: Can the Sharks win first title since 1996?
219 Comments
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10 Jun 2008, 13:41 pm
#200 Desert Stormer:
Your name isnt there and I joined barndial
10 Jun 2008, 13:43 pm
#195 Dawn:
How is dawn today…is it bright and sunny or dull and cloudy.
10 Jun 2008, 13:47 pm
#202 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!:
What the heck is wrong with you.
You not insulting me.
10 Jun 2008, 13:48 pm
#203 Dawn:
10 Jun 2008, 13:49 pm
#203 Dawn:
Did you watch the football?
10 Jun 2008, 13:51 pm
#205 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!:
So far, all the games.
10 Jun 2008, 13:51 pm
#195 Dawn:
No jokes. I’m sure I sent it with the 2 t’s.
Having difficulty accessing my mail. I will have to try to resend it tonight.
10 Jun 2008, 13:54 pm
#206 Dawn:
The dutch gave the italianos some spaghetti!
10 Jun 2008, 13:57 pm
JDV is fantastic and had he been at the WRC, he would have been amazing. Always breaks the line etc. However I rate Jaque Fourie.. The man is a amazing centre. He picks great lines, runs a great crush ball and is always there in support, not forgetting his awesome defence.. You know that when South Africa come up against world class centers you feel at ease knowing Jaque Fourie is there to tackle any threats in sight. He is legendary..
While Jean De Villiers scores all the tries Fourie is running the decoys and moving men out of position then there is his rucking like a loosey..
10 Jun 2008, 14:07 pm
Byt Jean op sy tande of wat?
10 Jun 2008, 14:10 pm
#201 THE MAULER:
Ok dont worry I got it right!!!
10 Jun 2008, 14:26 pm
#200 Desert Stormer: desert stormer you still here?
the sards are at the wild coast sun and heading north with just a light n-westerly blowing.
apparently there are thousands of dolphins and tens of thousands of sea birds!
it isnt called the “greatest shoal on earth” for nothing and anyone who has the chance should try to witness this phenomenon.
and eata da potugees sardines with cheepsh!
10 Jun 2008, 14:27 pm
someone asked me if i had contacts with fishing charters and the answer is no, unfortunately!
10 Jun 2008, 14:28 pm
#208 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!:
That was an excellent game.
10 Jun 2008, 14:31 pm
#191 MADaboutrugby: I think we all got it…it’s about the seventh time you’ve posted that since Sunday, all on different threads. Talk about covering your bases.
10 Jun 2008, 20:13 pm
JdV is an awesome player. He will benefit under PdV as he will beable to play is natural game. Remember a couple of years back when he was touted as our most creative back with the most flair? Well we saw glimpses of that Jean this year.
Frans Steyn is an enigma. He has talent but something is missing. I think he needs a few hours on the psychologists chair to set his head right coupled with someone who can manage him properly. He needs some guidance and needs to play with players that will set him straight and tell him to stop farking up.
He does not deserve the Springbok jersey at the moment.
Age isn’t the reason for his kak performances. Beale, those 2 centres for the Tahs (their names escapes me), James O’Connor who is frikken 17 have all been playing with more maturity than our Steyn. So “he is young and must be given time to mature” isn’t an excuse anymore.
10 Jun 2008, 20:43 pm
Geez great cover….I’ll be waiting outside my nearest SASOL Delight tomorrow morning in anticipation.
10 Jun 2008, 21:26 pm
can’t agree with you more, will drives couple of km just to get a look at that cover
11 Jun 2008, 08:54 am
#6 Storm Voort: If Jean is so great, how come we got the ball once to Habana (standing still) and not once to Chevanga? why have we scored so few tries the past two years, besides out of broken play and intercepts – why could Wales on Saturday score such an easy looking try against our ‘star studded’ backline? Why did JdV again throw two passes where the ball bounced on the ground before reaching the guy next to him, and these weren’t passes where someone tackled him?!
**** Muir is stuffing up Francois Steyn and Ruan – keeps moving them around all the time – trying to make another few Brent Russels? Ruan should be the future bok 9 and Frans the bok flyhalf – ask Murray Mexted – Frans needs help to kick the ball faster at flyhalf – taking a few steps too many resulting in charge downs.
SA had two lucky breaks in the 2007 RWC – the one was Eddie Jones who fixed in a few weeks what Alistair Coetzee couldn’t do in 4 years!! and the other was JdV getting injured.
JdV should be playing wing – he has an uncanny ability to get across the line with little space on the wing – but with him, Jacobs and Chevanga, the Aussies and All Blacks are licking their lips – open paved road to the try line. There is no way they’ll stop Gitteau and Mortlock when they start running hard.
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