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, 11:05 am
#97 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: Thank you! I rest my case!
10 Jun 2008, 11:05 am
#91 Brickwall: Don’t run into it!: like a few folk here…nothing much at all
10 Jun 2008, 11:06 am
#97 wallabie – Superbru S14 Champion!: listen you bloody aussie! no one wanted JdV dropped for steyn. it was circumstantial and steyn grabbed his chance.
we see and we believe.
and by the way, mujati was never a loosie. thats beast. you will see the difference soon.
10 Jun 2008, 11:06 am
Can’t help but get excited about the combo of Butch, JDV and Mossie.
Probably the most physical midfield in the wolrd. And between JDv and Mossie – they car run riot.
10 Jun 2008, 11:07 am
#98 Sniper:
Brrrr…..say it again, say it again….brrrrrr!!
10 Jun 2008, 11:08 am
#102 squonkmonk:
Do you always try to avoid a question?
10 Jun 2008, 11:09 am
#100 squonkmonk:
And how do you connect that to monk?
10 Jun 2008, 11:09 am
#92 rangerman: Yeah well that idea seems to have been chucked out along with love thy neighbour and all those other wonderful lessons many so-called Christians prefer to ignore…it’s the unfortunate fact of organised religion, it’s got bugger all to do with spirituality, ethics and morals.
10 Jun 2008, 11:09 am
#106 Brickwall: Don’t run into it!: Perhaps
10 Jun 2008, 11:09 am
#104 johnnybravo:
My mond water.
10 Jun 2008, 11:10 am
#107 Brickwall: Don’t run into it!: I’m a religious squonk, my athiest remark was an obvious stir!
10 Jun 2008, 11:10 am
#104 johnnybravo: Do they share a car?
10 Jun 2008, 11:10 am
#57 Butch James 4 president:
We have quite a few solid combos there. Grant can play 10 when Butch is injured. JdV, Grant and Steyn can play 12. Fourie, JdV and Steyn can play 13. It is not unusual for 12 and 13 to move around in a match.
10 Jun 2008, 11:13 am
walla, you googling mujati or what?
i dont know how to make the smileys so dont take me too seriaaas eh?
you arent a bloody aussie. just an aussie.
10 Jun 2008, 11:13 am
#113 klingon_x: Thanks for the lesson! I thought all players move around during a match! I will watch carefully on Saturday though!
10 Jun 2008, 11:14 am
#85 Kerneels: I read his biography (written by Leon Rossouw) – Die Groot Verlange – and it’s an amazing story about an amazing individual.
I found a pretty good English translation of Winternag:
O the small wind is frigid
and spare
and bright in the dim light
and bare
as wide as God’s merciful boon
the veld lies in starlight and gloom
and on the high lands
spread through burnt bands
the grass-seed, astir,
is like beckoning hands.
O East-wind gives mournful
measure to song
Like the lilt of a lovelorn
lass who’s been wronged
In every grass fold
bright dewdrop takes hold
and promptly pales to frost in the cold!
But the original poem is really special:
O koud is die windjie
en skraal.
En blink in die dof-lig
en kaal,
so wyd as die Heer se genade,
lê die velde in sterlig en skade
En hoog in die rande,
versprei in die brande,
is die grassaad aan roere
soos winkende hande.
O treurig die wysie
op die ooswind se maat,
soos die lied van ‘n meisie
in haar liefde verlaat.
In elk’ grashalm se vou
blink ‘n druppel van dou,
en vinnig verbleek dit
tot ryp in die kou!
10 Jun 2008, 11:15 am
#114 rangerman: Morning Bro! I was even to scared to comment! I thought: “Rangerman is getting violent!” Yes all sometimes I do “thought”!
10 Jun 2008, 11:16 am
#117 Sniper: lol, never violent. very little gets under the skin nowadays, must be this website. great therapy!
10 Jun 2008, 11:17 am
#112 PlayBall:
grapgat, after submitting – thaught some-one was gonna say something.:-)
10 Jun 2008, 11:18 am
#116 katman: katman, that is a great bit of prose i must say.
thanks for the translation too. i forget you are a dutchie.
10 Jun 2008, 11:19 am
#116 katman:
Ek het vir Baas gewaarsku gisteraand van te veel Port drink.
Nou kyk nou.
10 Jun 2008, 11:19 am
Let’s not get ahead of ourselves Jdv blows hot and cold in the Green and Gold , he is a great player but he to tends to hold onto the ball sometimes when he really should swing it . Steyn lifted our game in the World cup even Jdv would admit it himself it’s a shame that Steyn is dipping in form I think the two of them will be a great centre combo .
10 Jun 2008, 11:20 am
#122 gman:
and drop Fourie? – now way. He’s in a league of his own.
10 Jun 2008, 11:20 am
#116 katman: What talent! Great translation!!!
10 Jun 2008, 11:21 am
#120 rangerman: Not my translation though. It’s by a guy called JW Marchant.
10 Jun 2008, 11:22 am
#122 gman: Sounds like a a Steers special – Great Combo!
10 Jun 2008, 11:23 am
#116 katman:
Hy sit soo eensaam in die aande as dit so koud is en die wind waai en hy luister na Kerkorrel dan huil hy so in sy port in.
Ek en my man Johannes kry hom vreeslik jammer, as ons vir hom so beskou van die shack af … maar wat kan ‘n mens nou maak.
10 Jun 2008, 11:25 am
#127 Dawn: lol
10 Jun 2008, 11:25 am
hie hie
10 Jun 2008, 11:27 am
#122 gman:
Since when do we select players on form only ? Everybody says Steyn had “dropped form” this season. The matches I watched he was always excellent on defense and he made more meters in the Sharks backline this season than any other player. For Steyn it appears that “dropping form” means not single handedly winning a match with a try, two drop kicks and three 60 meter penalties.
10 Jun 2008, 11:27 am
#127 Dawn: So gepraat van die shack: julle moet teen Sondagmiddag uit wees.
I’m letting you go. Interest rates. Fuel price. Xenophobia. Something’s got to give. You are it. Sorry.
10 Jun 2008, 11:28 am
#116 katman: Jip, read it as well. He is my dad’s hero (even named the first born after him) so we grew up with his work.
My personal favourite:
O die dans van ons Suster!
Eers oor die bergtop loer sy skelm,
en haar oge is skaam; en sy lag saggies.
En van ver af wink sy met die een hand;
haar armbande blink en haar krale skitter;
saggies roep sy.
Sy vertel die winde van die dans
en sy nooi hulle uit, want die werf is wyd en die bruilof groot.
Die grootwild jaag uit die vlakte,
hulle dam op die bulttop,
wyd rek hulle die neusgate
en hulle sluk die wind;
en hulle buk, om haar fyn spore op die sand te sien.
Die kleinvolk diep onder die grond **** die sleep van haar voete,
en hulle kruip nader en sing saggies:
“Ons Suster! Ons Suster! Jy het gekom! Jy het gekom!”
En haar krale skud,
en haar koperringe blink in die wegraak van die son.
Op haar voorkop is die vuurpluim van die berggier;
sy trap af van die hoogte;
sy sprei die vaalkaros met altwee arms uit;
die asem van die wind raak weg.
O, die dans van ons Suster!
Anyone who has ever seen a Lowveld thunderstorm approaching should know what this means.
10 Jun 2008, 11:28 am
#111 squonkmonk:
Oh, and here I though that I just exposed you for the true hipocryte you are. I am offended.
10 Jun 2008, 11:30 am
#130 klingon_x:
It was JW’s way. You no to select players based on reputation and talent. Look where it got him. mmmm aaaa….. he won a world cup. Damn, there goes the form theory.
10 Jun 2008, 11:31 am
#130 klingon_x: Are you Steyn’s father? We all watched the same games and don’t come to the same conclusions!
10 Jun 2008, 11:31 am
very interesting on marais, never heard of the chap until now.
10 Jun 2008, 11:32 am
#132 Kerneels: sy trap af van die hoogte; sy sprei die vaalkaros met altwee arms uit
I love the image.
10 Jun 2008, 11:33 am
#103 rangerman:
Sorry I got them mixed up.
But I think my point was understood.
10 Jun 2008, 11:33 am
#131 katman:
Ek sal maar gaan as baas dit so wil he.
Ons vat die shack saam sommer.
10 Jun 2008, 11:34 am
#134 Brickwall: Don’t run into it!:
As said in my opinion Steyn did nothing this season to get dropped. He didn’t have a few absolute shockers like DR for example.
10 Jun 2008, 11:35 am
#135 Sniper:
Do you want me to point you to SArugby stats LOL
10 Jun 2008, 11:36 am
#140 klingon_x: When you do nothing you actually get dropped! “As I said in my opinion Steyn did nothing this season..”
10 Jun 2008, 11:38 am
#28 katman: I loved it. Very good and give credit where its due. He had Habananana on his butt
10 Jun 2008, 11:38 am
#141 klingon_x: Don’t believe them – they never tell the truth!
10 Jun 2008, 11:39 am
140
10 Jun 2008, 11:40 am
#142 Sniper:
See Brickwall’s comment. Anybody who says Steyn “did nothing” this season must have missed the Hurricanes and the Cheetahs games. Or requires Steyn to deliver sub-human miracles each and every time he runs on the pitch.
10 Jun 2008, 11:40 am
#140 klingon_x:
I agree with you. i also think Ruan is class and should play whether he is on form or not. He will not dissapoint.
10 Jun 2008, 11:42 am
123 johnnybravo ..
Mate Fourie is our best outside centre yes indeed but you want someone to fill his shoes when he’s not there .
klingon_x .. ???? Let’s pick everyone because of what they did in the past ..
10 Jun 2008, 11:44 am
#146 klingon_x:
You’ll find that 80% of rugby supporters get high on flash in the pan performances and still fails to recognise true class.
In afrikaans we call them “mooiweers ondersteuners”
10 Jun 2008, 11:45 am
#148 gman:
No, lets pick them cause we know what they are capable of.
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