Bok wrecking ball
20 Aug 2008
Schalk Burger is a rugby phenomenon, but what makes him the player he is?
In the latest issue of SA Rugby magazine, Jake White, Richie McCaw, Rudolf Straeuli, Derick Coetzee and Henning Gericke all offer unique insights into arguably the greatest Springbok of all-time by explaining exactly what sets him apart from the rest.
White, during a detailed discussion, reveals that Burger “averages 21 tackles per game – seven more than the average for an elite international flank. He’s got great ball skills, an unbelievable feel for the game in the sense that his running lines are so good that he gets into excellent positions long before the opposition even realise he’s there.”
McCaw says, “He just flies in [to the rucks]. Every time you play against him, he’s everywhere. His work rate is amazing.”
In a revealing Q&A, we also ask Schalk if opensiders are born or made, what he defines as failure, if he’s received offers from overseas clubs and if he misses having Jake around.
Also in the new issue of SAR:
– The Springbok scrum no longer strikes fear into their opponents. Former Springbok front rankers John Allan and Guy Kebble explain why
– BJ Botha was a shock omission from the Boks’ Tri-Nations squad, but the tighthead prop, who 
recently signed for ulster, believes he can force his way back
– Player depth remains a top priority but South Africa can no longer afford to neglect the development of local coaches. SA Rugby magazine investigates Saru’s plan to implement a new coaching programme in 2009
– The increased involvement of the TMO has been the most hotly debated point of this year’s Absa Currie Cup. SA Rugby magazine assesses the positives and negatives of the system
– Craven Week is supposed to be a festival of South African schoolboy rugby where winning isn’t a matter of life or death. but for a group of determined talent scouts, it’s merely an opportunity to snap up the next 
Frans Steyn or John Smit. SA Rugby magazine finds out how a respected talent scout goes about his job, and how others, with less integrity, will do almost anything to get that important signature
– At just 19, Robert Ebersohn has already lent the Free State Cheetahs backline some much needed attacking flair this season
– Last year, a disillusioned Gcobani Bobo was released by the Sharks to play for the Springbok Sevens team. Now he’s an automatic selection for the Stormers, captaining Western Province, back in the Bok set-up and revelling in his amazing change of fortune
– Former Springbok flyhalf Gerald Bosch has played a major role in the development of Wallabies utility back Berrick Barnes
– Outside centre has been an All Blacks weakness since Tana Umaga retired at the end of 2005. But the problem of who to play there has finally been solved by the emergence of Conrad Smith
– Andre Pretorius’s career has been plagued by leg injuries, especially during the last four years. The latest setback came when he played for the Boks against the Barbarians last year, limping off the Twickenham turf after 33 minutes with a crocked foot. The Lions flyhalf has not played in a match since, yet despite calls for him to retire, he believes he will have a big 2009 season
– SA Rugby magazine is on sale from Wednesday, 20 August. To subscribe, e-mail subscriptions@hsm.co.za or phone (021) 416-0141.
667 Comments
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20 Aug 2008, 17:06 pm
#499 ministerterrorlekota:
Rum and Maple ?
Ok, gaan my ma bel, sy moet more vir my by die Spar gaan koop !
En pypskoonmakers…
20 Aug 2008, 17:08 pm
#490 puff: Richie McCaw is 1,87 m tall, not exactly a shortie. Burger is 1,94 Smith 1,97 and Spies 1,94 Kanko 1,93, Watson 1,83 but 10kg lighter than McCaw and a few yards slower.
20 Aug 2008, 17:10 pm
#459 Brickwall: Don’t run into it!: Bolt 19.30 seconds
old record michael Johnson 19.32seconds
20 Aug 2008, 17:19 pm
#500 Pietman: Cheers Pietman!!!
20 Aug 2008, 17:19 pm
#503 ekweetniks: #503 ekweetniks: Was that walking or running?
20 Aug 2008, 17:24 pm
And Brussow outclassed them all – review super 14 statistics
20 Aug 2008, 17:25 pm
#505 Objective 101: huh!!!
20 Aug 2008, 17:29 pm
#502 Objective 101: and Heinrich Brussouw??
20 Aug 2008, 17:30 pm
#506 AP: have you got the stats ,would love to view them?
20 Aug 2008, 17:41 pm
#508 grant10: Same stats as Watson 1,82m 100kg but probably faster. Fetchers ned upper body strength not as much leg and neck strength.
20 Aug 2008, 17:49 pm
#510 Objective 101: this is a fact! What other pedigree does Brussouw have,did he play sa under 21???
20 Aug 2008, 17:51 pm
#510 Objective 101: Brussouw has really impressed me,saw him at newlands vs wp. Cheetahs lost but he was still man of the match!
20 Aug 2008, 17:59 pm
#512 grant10: Bothes as well !!!!!
20 Aug 2008, 18:04 pm
#513 Hillbilly Bob: you talking about Botes,the sharks opensider?
20 Aug 2008, 18:04 pm
#511 grant10: Doesn’t say
20 Aug 2008, 18:05 pm
Quite often in the annals of sporting history, outstanding, topclass, special players after a serious injury never get back to the dizzying heights of their previous performance levels. It does not matter whether we are speaking association football, rugby union, gridiron or even cricket there are enough instances to demonstrate this phenomenon. It could be that from that injury return forward the fear factor comes more and more into the equation and so it may be with kamikazi Burger. Spies’ serious pre-WC medical problems may also explain his lower levels of play these days.
20 Aug 2008, 18:06 pm
Vic cleaned the ruck when Habana almost scored. Spies is improving, which is one way to look at things, he should get better and better. PdV is obviously telling the players they stuffed it up last week, go and correct it this week.
I would have thought wallaby would’ve posted something recently, but I figure the cables and satelites in Zim are all upto.
20 Aug 2008, 18:07 pm
#516 ET: this is a sad fact!
20 Aug 2008, 18:09 pm
I haven’t seen Luke turnover more than two balls per game in what, maybe a year.
20 Aug 2008, 18:10 pm
#517 shooter: Come on Vic is getting worse adn has becoem a real liability. No one kicks the ball out anymore and Matfield is usually with the wings. Leave him out for once play Bekker and Juan Smith at locks and a fast flank at no 7 (Big Joe, Watson however). Spies will come good and when he does he will back at his awesome best.
20 Aug 2008, 18:10 pm
Ole’.
20 Aug 2008, 18:13 pm
Good evening Inbeeders, Englishmen, Kiwis and fellow Aussies
20 Aug 2008, 18:14 pm
What is very healthy about this thread is that more and more rugby enthusiasts are seriously questioning the performance levels of a number of seemingly untouchable players(WC greats????) like Burger, Matfield, F.DuP., Monty, James, etc. as you do on this thread. This is always healthy and many who were hiding in the closets are now coming out into the open and pointing questioning fingers at poorly performing rugby players.
You want REAL rugby greats then mention Gareth Edwards, Barry Johns, Jean-pierre Rives, Serge Blanco,Carel DuP. etc., etc.. Long after they left the playing fields we still talk about them.
20 Aug 2008, 18:18 pm
I think the Boks would be better off leaving out Matfield, James, Smit and Percy – if you dont you run the risk of losing them all at the same time with no succession planning in place
20 Aug 2008, 18:19 pm
#523 ET:
Sigh!!!!
20 Aug 2008, 18:19 pm
Jaja, that’s alot of people’s opinion now, that Vic is not doing what he should. I think however, you’ll find that when we leave out Vic, we’ll feel it the way when John Smith was not playing. There is no one else. Juan Smith is the one to take a rest I think. he is becoming one -dimensional. Play Schalk at 7. Wikus at 6. Spies and Joe at 8.
Bekker/ Rossouw/ Albert van Zyl/ with Vic.
Sure Matfield slipped up with the ref, but that will still be ok.
The application on play at the moment see our pack scattered over the park.
All players should also do the hard work I agree, in context of us talking about Vic, but great players also do the right things at the right moments. And Vic is one of those that will look or appear the player he is, once the forwards can pull together a little more. Some of that pulling together must come from his directive, being captain and all, our style of playing for now isn’t allowing each player to play to the best of their unique capabilities, although we are maybe closer than we think. A bit like Mallet’s side, when we click, we might click for good.
20 Aug 2008, 18:21 pm
I hear those people in prison don’t get to see their wives so often.
20 Aug 2008, 18:22 pm
#520 Objective 101: 526 was in response to you btw.
20 Aug 2008, 18:26 pm
#526 shooter:
Nice one shooter. Good read an objective view rather then speculation.
Like trying to compare Ali to Marciano. Different era, fewer games, different game.
20 Aug 2008, 18:27 pm
#23 Richie_7:
Id take schalk over richie any day!!! Richie is useless!!!! Absolutly nothing!!!!! The only reason he is so called “good” is because the dam refs let him get away with murder!!!!!!! He plays the ball on the ground!!! NEVER EVER EVER rolls away, hes dirty and hes just a captain of a rugby team as useless and pathetic as himself. But hey ges thats jus my opinion!!!
20 Aug 2008, 18:28 pm
#519 shooter:
Maybe u should start watching the game with ure eyse open!!!!! Read the stats!!! Watch the game!!! It helps!!!
20 Aug 2008, 18:29 pm
#524 vindicated: howzit little lamb?
20 Aug 2008, 18:30 pm
#531 storm08: and you’re referring to?
20 Aug 2008, 18:31 pm
#530 storm08: #531 storm08:
Time for you pills.
20 Aug 2008, 18:36 pm
#531 storm08: go and look up the word chill, come back cool calm and collected.
20 Aug 2008, 18:39 pm
McCaw made Burger look like a kiddies Burger. To flash words like greatest Springbok of all time around can only be tik-related.
20 Aug 2008, 18:42 pm
Can’t get this dmn soit eot work proerly. Keoooo get your IT guys to pull finger this is more frustrating than watching the boks play!!!
20 Aug 2008, 18:44 pm
And in the the left corner Joonghi the Accelarator Nooohooooooohoooooookwe. haha, cheers.
20 Aug 2008, 18:46 pm
#536 Lang Giel: lol
20 Aug 2008, 18:49 pm
SA Rugby = Circus
PdV = Ringmaster
Player = Clowns
Supporters = Audience
20 Aug 2008, 18:50 pm
Looks like Storm08′s mother has caught him.
20 Aug 2008, 18:57 pm
#541 David: do u think Shooter is his mum ?
20 Aug 2008, 19:11 pm
#542 vindicated:
After your 540 post, I don’t know if I should be seen talking to you.
20 Aug 2008, 19:22 pm
#543 David: Dawn is the one who likes to think she controls who speaks to me – ask her
20 Aug 2008, 19:27 pm
#544 vindicated: she’ll appreciate the gesture
20 Aug 2008, 19:29 pm
#544 vindicated:
I think Dawn likes to think she controls a lot more than that.
20 Aug 2008, 19:42 pm
#546 David: how do you see the game going on Saturday – do you think the Boks have any chance of a win ?
20 Aug 2008, 19:46 pm
#547 vindicated:
I believe they have a very good chance of winning.
Last Saurday was just one of those days.
No way the breakdown can be that bad again.
20 Aug 2008, 19:48 pm
#547 vindicated: 7 – 10 for the Boks.
And then we see a different thread tone ……… until we lose and revert to cannibal type.
20 Aug 2008, 19:50 pm
Soda – the bloggers have been hungry this week. It’s just been a sharpening of the knives though. If the Boks lose this weekend then the Roast Snor is dished up for the feast.
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