Bok wrecking ball

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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  • 351.Ed_the_Lion: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:26 pm

    So can anybody tell me what the score will be on saturday??

  • 352.grant10: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:27 pm

    #351 Ed_the_Lion: heart says Boks 22 15. Brain says other way around!

  • 353.ministerterrorlekota: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:27 pm

    #343 Dust: No. shame on you! Of course I referred to the bushmen writings. And please don’t call me a $%#^@ again. It’s borderline racist. Whether or not you withdraw your EVIL EVIL wishes, I for one will only wish blessings upon you friend dust.

  • 354.palletoe: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:27 pm

    #351 Ed_the_Lion: the scorboard only goes up to 2 digits

  • 355.the peanut gallery: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:29 pm

    #351 Ed_the_Lion: only keo and his elves have the rugby knowledge to tell you that.
    my prediction is that one team will probably score more points than the other, but if they don’t it will be a draw.

  • 356.Ed_the_Lion: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:29 pm

    #354 palletoe: I normally get a good feeling before a game like this, but its not happening anymore. To be honest I am getting a bad feeling.

  • 357.Rooinek07: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:29 pm

    #341 palletoe: I wasn’t actually talking to you, palletoe (sic), I was talking about you.

    Not to worry, if for some bizarre reason I ever want the opinion of someone with the intelligence of a pot plant and the attention span of a sub-normal goldfish, I’ll be sure to respond directly to one of your posts.

    Regards

  • 358.Richie_7: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:31 pm

    So who’s the big money on this weekend?

  • 359.Ed_the_Lion: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:32 pm

    #358 Richie_7: No money this weekend. I will never bet against the boks.

  • 360.the peanut gallery: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:32 pm

    #353 ministerterrorlekota: i agree. dust, you should know that only a $%#^@ may call a $%#^@ a $%#^@.

  • 361.Expatinus: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:33 pm

    We have wrong expectations and perceptions of Skalk. He is a guy that is 100% Rodney, and 60% Richie – all in one package. Our expectation should never be that he is 100% Richie. That’s why its INSANE for PDV to not play a true fetcher, in the ELV game. (Unlike WC).

    I would play:

    8 – Skalla
    7 & 6 – Baywatch and Brussouw.

    We can afford 2 fetchers, as we dominate lineouts, and don’t need length at 6 and 7.

    Would love to hear comments.

  • 362.grant10: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:34 pm

    #356 Ed_the_Lion: same with me,bloody apprehensive!

  • 363.FrenklyMuDeah: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:36 pm

    #351 Ed_the_Lion: No, but it would be a great gift

  • 364.tight head: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:36 pm

    #348 grant10:
    Simple.
    We need Joe, and we are not allowed to drop Luke.
    So in order to keep Luke in the team, we cannot select a lock.
    Welcome to the future!!

  • 365.palletoe: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:37 pm

    iam sorry rooinek, i was wrong. you are the all-knowing, rugby god. why they didnt make you coach is beyond me and the rest of south africa will never know what you could have contributed to this great rugby nation.
    When you make a guest apperiance on thursday nights and have a decent chat with rugby great a.k.a Naas Botha, iam glued to the tellie. what i dont understand, is why u resort to calling people names. you dont know me, and have done nothing to you. so piss off

  • 366.Ed_the_Lion: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:38 pm

    #362 grant10: Actually feels bad. I love the team and rugby, but they are dissappointing me. Now I now what my parents felt like all those years ago..

  • 367.palletoe: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:38 pm

    #357 Rooinek07: iam sorry rooinek, i was wrong. you are the all-knowing, rugby god. why they didnt make you coach is beyond me and the rest of south africa will never know what you could have contributed to this great rugby nation.
    When you make a guest apperiance on thursday nights and have a decent chat with rugby great a.k.a Naas Botha, iam glued to the tellie. what i dont understand, is why u resort to calling people names. you dont know me, and have done nothing to you. so piss off

  • 368.Ed_the_Lion: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:38 pm

    now = know

  • 369.the peanut gallery: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:38 pm

    #361 Expatinus:
    6 – fetcher
    7 – schalk
    8 – hard man (any suggestions)

    we need more hard men because our tighties don’t clean the rucks hard enough.

  • 370.grant10: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:39 pm

    #361 Expatinus: schalk at 8 not a good idea, he is too clumsy? Brussouw at 6,or for that matter luke or baywatch,7 schalk 8 juan!

  • 371.Objective 101: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:40 pm

    #361 Expatinus: How many years of rugby does Baywatch left in him? What is the point of playing a player in a national side that you are building to win a tournament in 4 years time? Schalk shoudl stay at no6 not so god at no8.

    I still think that given his size and speed Kanko can be coverted to a fetcher (he is young enough). We need a specialist no 8 either Spies or Big Joe. Juan Smith can go to no 5 and replace the ageing and useless captain we have at the moment. After that all we need to find is a tight head prop and them our scrum coudl be flying with both agression and mobility.

  • 372.grant10: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:43 pm

    #364 tight head: that is a frightening scenario. Should have been one or the other. Those calls will come back to haunt us, and the coach, if Bekker or Matfield goes down early!

  • 373.Rooinek07: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:45 pm

    #367 palletoe: Trust me, I know enough about you to know that you’re in the very shallow end of the gene pool.

    Regards

  • 374.grant10: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:46 pm

    #366 Ed_the_Lion: yes,i have real issues with not playing a fetcher. We seem to arrogantly **** our noses at tactics which seem to be a given by all other countries. I pray we dont take a real klap Saturday,that coaching staff then going to feel blowtorch heat! Wont be pretty!

  • 375.grant10: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:47 pm

    #369 the peanut gallery: juan smith?

  • 376.Richie_7: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:47 pm

    #372 grant10:

    What you mean Luke is too short to play lock? I thought size doesn’t matter

  • 377.palletoe: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:48 pm

    #373 Rooinek07: come on man. you know that from what? exchanging 5 post with me? i think you are the troubled soul. never mind.

    REGARDS

  • 378.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:49 pm

    What do you guys think of this – my current ideal 22:

    1. Mtawarira
    2. Smit
    3. Botha
    4. Botha
    5. Matfield
    6. Burger
    7. Smith
    8. Van Niekerk
    9. Du Preez
    10. Grant
    11. Habana
    12. De Villiers
    13. Fourie
    14. Pieterson
    15. Montgomery

    16. Van Der Linde
    17. Du Plessis
    18. Bekker
    19. Kankowski
    20. Januarie
    21 Pienaar (flyhalf and wing cover)
    22. Steyn (fullback and centre cover)

    Surely this is the best balanced 22 the Boks can muster? I know it doesn’t meet “transformation” requirements. But, man, I’d like to see how this 22 performs.

  • 379.grant10: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:49 pm

    #374 grant10: why?

  • 380.tight head: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:50 pm

    #372 grant10:
    The whole Luke brigade will demand that I be burnt at the stake for this, however there is no other logical explanation.
    This issue will come to haunt the make up of our loose forwards for a long time to come.

  • 381.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:51 pm

    If Wikus and Baywatch are nearing the latter stages of their careers and people are calling for investing in youth re depth for the openside position, then it is simple:

    Heinrich Brussouw

  • 382.grant10: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:52 pm

    #381 puff: absolutely . That kid is a classic fetcher.

  • 383.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:52 pm

    If only it really was that simple, eh?

  • 384.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:53 pm

    Orduh !! Orduh !!
    Honourary members, orduh !! Please !
    Or I will call a recess untill the Hon. member Skopskiet takes the Chair again.

  • 385.ministerterrorlekota: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:54 pm

    #369 the peanut gallery: Joe at 8 for me.

  • 386.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:54 pm

    I know Matfield and Du Preez are currently in a form slump. But they are world class and will play themselves back into form sooner rather than later.

    James, me thinks, has had his day. The ELVs really don’t suit his tired knees. Percy can still last till the Lions tour, in my mind. But he needs to play more regularly.

    Although, I’d have Steyn as first choice fullback from now on ahead of Monty or Jantjes.

  • 387.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:56 pm

    Burger
    Smith
    Van Niekerk

    Truly the most well-balanced loose trio we can muster at present. And probably the most experienced too. It makes total sense.

  • 388.Achmed the dead terrorist: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:56 pm

    #384 ministerterrorlekota: I KILL YOU!!!

  • 389.puff: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:56 pm

    Spies and Kanko may well be fast, but Joe’s no slouch in the speed dept.

  • 390.SodaJoe: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:57 pm

    #296 tight head: Exactly right.

  • 391.Ed_the_Lion: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:57 pm

    #383 Pietman: Hello Pietman,

    Mediazone werk great vir die rugby. Dit is net jammer my eerste game op mediazone was die naweek se toets. Hoe gaan dinge verder?

  • 392.Brickwall: Don't run into it!: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:58 pm

    #388 puff:

    Kanko and Joe are fast but I am not conviced by their ballskills.

    I think Koster will be a more complete player once a little older.

  • 393.Richie_7: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:58 pm

    Thanks to Dawn skopskiet is banned and the rest of us have to curse using wingdings.

    tsk tsk

  • 394.ministerterrorlekota: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:59 pm

    #387 Achmed the dead terrorist: peace brother. How are your 40 virgins?

  • 395.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:59 pm

    #390 Ed_the_Lion:
    Jisja Ed.
    Hoe is dit daarin Boston ?
    Is jy ok daar?
    Ja, mediazone werk lekker, maar klink my dis duur daar by jou.
    Jy moet vir ses maande inskryf, dan kry jy twee maande (en Egoli !) gratis.
    Jou span doen goed, hulle gaan die CC wen vanjaar, **** my lied…

  • 396.Brickwall: Don't run into it!: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 15:59 pm

    #386 puff:

    I tend to agree. Spies is not a well rounded player.

  • 397.Richie_7: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 16:01 pm

    #395 Brickwall: Don’t run into it!:

    Until Spies learns to take contact effectively he should hold tackle bags during practice to slowly get used to the bumps of rugby

  • 398.Objective 101: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 16:01 pm

    #377 puff: No 5 Juan Smith or Andries Bekker.

    No7 Watson, Brussow, Daniel whoever.

    No 15 Steyn.

  • 399.Brickwall: Don't run into it!: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 16:01 pm

    #392 Richie_7:

    i am amazed at how quickly they pick up the swearwords. I posted some on a thread with 700 posts and within seconds it was deleted. Sometimes the post never get to the page. Almost as if they read it while you type.

    Freeky!

  • 400.Pietman: Reply to this comment
    20 Aug 2008, 16:02 pm

    #392 Richie_7:

    I think we must get skoppie back here, this lot is getting out of hand, I tell you.
    Skoppie will sort them out in a flurry.
    I miss old skop, especially the up-dates from the Olympics he used to do for free here.

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Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

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