Beauty of the Beast
16 Sep 2008
Tendai Mtawarira has the potential to become one of the great loosehead props.
Beast was the success story of the recent Tri-Nations and is the future of Springbok rugby as far as the No 1 jersey is concerned. In the new issue of SA Rugby magazine, on sale Wednesday, we speak to him about his storming season and he whether he can become the new Os du Randt. Bok forwards coach Gary Gold also explains in detail what makes Beast so special.
“He is the most improved player in South Africa over the last 12 months bar none,” Gold says. “He’s come on in leaps and bounds in all departments – his fitness and conditioning, his game sense and understanding of his role. But the most notable improvement has been his scrumming. I’ve never seen a player develop so quickly in this regard. It’s phenomenal.”
Also in issue 139 of SA Rugby magazine:
– Jake White speaks out: “I have never tried to undermine Peter de Villiers or the Boks this season”
– Two victories out of six in the Tri-Nations was just not good enough for the world champions. We compile a report card for Peter de Villiers’s stint at the helm of the Boks and explain what he’ll have to do to pass the next examination with distinction
– Keo on why doubts remain about the intellectual capital and emotional intelligence of the Springbok coaching team
– Joe van Niekerk may have left for Toulon, but he wants to
play for the Springboks again. He speaks about this and what he hopes to achieve in France over the next 10 months.
– After a six-year absence from the national set-up, Adi Jacobs returned to the Test fold, manning the midfield with maturity. He reflects on his season and hits back at those critics who say he’s too small and weak on defence.
– Could privatisation be the ingredient needed to invigorate a bland Absa Currie Cup? We look at how our domestic competition would benefit from a dramatic revamp
– Frans Steyn, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Waylon Murray, Brad Barritt – what’s gone wrong with this golden generation of backline players for the Sharks? We ask head coach John Plumtree and backs coach Grant Bashford.
– Heinrich Brussow may be small in stature but he’s set to make a big impact at the business end of this year’s Absa Currie Cup
– Nick Koster is still only 19 but his impact on Western Province this season has been sensational
– Eddie Jones on the Boks’ problems, where Peter de Villiers is going wrong, their lack of fitness, how it can be turned around quickly and why he’d want to coach them if the opportunity arose
– Neither Western Province nor the Sharks want to move into new football stadiums after the 2010 Fifa World Cup, but they may soon change their minds
– A six-month injury lay-off gave Chiliboy Ralepelle the opportunity to breathe and assess his life goals and aspirations. It also strengthened his resolve never to be a political puppet. Now he’s braced for the challenge of dragging himself up the pecking order of talented hookers until he faces his mentor John Smit in the battle for the bok No 2 jersey
– At 33, and having been out of rugby for three seasons, there were plenty who thought Robbie Deans was mad to bring rugby league star Brad Thorn back to the Crusaders. But the big man has been one of the stars of this season
* To subscribe to SA Rugby magazine e-mail kara@hsm.co.za or phone (021) 416-0141
481 Comments
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16 Sep 2008, 23:15 pm
I see Odogg still hasn’t lost the racial chip on his shoulder…
16 Sep 2008, 23:15 pm
Going to the article lead.
Beast was just great. Really can scrum = #1 job.
I was also pleased with Adi – showed up a lot of people.
Jantjes – he’s good. I would just have him on the wing, and Steyn at 15.
16 Sep 2008, 23:17 pm
#447 SodaJoe: Present. 2 – 1 and should’ve been more. But I’ve learnt to be patient, Villa usually start off on fire then… dis…en..te…grat…e (although not so much with O’Neill at the helm)
16 Sep 2008, 23:17 pm
#447 wooden spoon: It take s all kinds to make this place work.
Imagine if you all agreed that Leeds United are the greatest?
I like the diversity. It does get a little annoying when some people harp and harp and harp on the same ****. Make your point, establish your position then behave like an intelligent adult.
16 Sep 2008, 23:22 pm
#449 wooden spoon: So In saw your questions re family entertainment.
Lake District is always good – Lake Windermere. There’s a pretty fun car museum close by. Yorkshire Dales and the villages have nice pubs with good food.
Unfortunately Brummiedom is quite boring.
16 Sep 2008, 23:22 pm
Yeah, the problem for Odogg and the gravy trainers is that Jaque Fourie will return from injury to take back his place, Steyn will one day become SA’s best ever fullback (he is better than Jantjes now) and unless Mujati suddenly starts scrumming the world’s looseheads into oblivion, he will generally be considered a quota by the public as long as BJ Botha continues to be ignored. Beast is the success story. A great prospect.
I disagree with this notion that we have the best depth in the world. NZ have depth – they won the 3N with a supposed “average” side. SA’s ‘depth’ saw them win 2 of 6 games against 2 of the best teams in the world. That’s hardly depth worthy of shouting about from the rooftops…
16 Sep 2008, 23:26 pm
#453 SodaJoe: Thanks for the info, their first time out of SA (my sister is 12) – will all be mind blowing!
Excuse the ignorance, but what league are Leeds in these days? My Dad has a soft spot for them – apparently they had a purple patch back in the day.
16 Sep 2008, 23:26 pm
#452 wooden spoon: We have depth. But we also have arrogance to believe that there is such a thing as an “average” All Black team.
Jacques will have to win his place back. I haven’t seen anything to suggest that he is currently better than Adi.
16 Sep 2008, 23:30 pm
#453 wooden spoon: When you’re in London definitelydo the London Eye. Also you can scare the fk out of her at the London Dungeon which is more fun than standing in line for Madame Tussauds.
Don’t tease me about teh Mighty Whites.
We proudly stand 4′th in Division 1 (sometimes unkindly referred to as the 3′rd Division by Chelski supporters or those fair-weather fans who support teams in diabolical red.
16 Sep 2008, 23:31 pm
#456 SodaJoe: Look, Jacobs has been one of the top 3 standout performers this year for the Boks, and Fourie will have to fight for his place, but I reckon he is better.
From that point of view, at least we have decent competition for the 13 jersey. Can only be good. 13 is the least of our problems anyway. I’m thinking fullback, wing (Nokwe, Ndungane and Chavanga are still very raw. Not so much Ndungane but he is hardly going to set the world on fire), FLYHALF, opensider, lock and tighthead.
16 Sep 2008, 23:34 pm
#456 wooden spoon: Agree on wing, openside flank. Tighthead – with Beast in CJ looked good actually. Bismark Vs Smittie – now that’s going to be a tough call, but Bis CANNOT THROW IN THE BALL – FFS.
16 Sep 2008, 23:35 pm
#456 wooden spoon: Flyhalf most certainly. I really like Pienaar, and to my mind he looked the part, and Grant has a shout. Both would be great for the future. Now.
16 Sep 2008, 23:36 pm
Bud I have to go. See you through the window.
16 Sep 2008, 23:36 pm
#457 SodaJoe: London is great, there is so much to do the challenge will be fitting everything in.
I intensely dislike English teams that play in red, possibly because that’s the only colour you see hanging from rearview mirrors in cars in Durbs. I hate how SA ‘fans’ restrict themselves to Man U, Liverpool and Arsenal (and Chelsea since Abromovich arrived with the dough), but I guess it’s only natural to support fashionable sides when you generally have no ties to the country.
16 Sep 2008, 23:37 pm
#461 SodaJoe: Cheers.
17 Sep 2008, 00:00 am
howzit folks
without discounting/discarding talents like smit, bismark and cj, imagine a front row of beast, chilli, mujati
17 Sep 2008, 00:22 am
Beast.
All i can say is awesome.
He is the only player that i would probably cheer if he scored a try against NZ.
I have been a fan of beast since he came onto the international scene.Especially like the way the South Africans get behind this guy,its great to see.Great runner with the ball.
Has anyone talked to him?To me he seems he would be a quite speaker
17 Sep 2008, 00:22 am
Quite=Quiet
17 Sep 2008, 00:48 am
#464 Hurricane: mate, beast got a few man of the match awards this season, and each time in the interview he is very humble and always answers question from the point of view of his team, considering his team mates and what the team needs.
sounds like a cheerful chap really
kudos to him for developing his tight game on the international level to complement his outstanding loose game.
17 Sep 2008, 01:17 am
#465 Tomsta:
Hey tomsta
Yeah thought Beast would be like that,does seem very humble just by looking at him.Lets hope he stays in that Bok jersey
17 Sep 2008, 01:31 am
#466 Hurricane:
you going to the sevens?
17 Sep 2008, 02:43 am
Master stroke by **** Muir converting Beast…
17 Sep 2008, 03:10 am
carol meredith ?
very original
17 Sep 2008, 08:17 am
I’m a huge Beast fan – he does however need to get stuck in a little more, seem to be more on the wing than he should. We just did not seem to have the intimidating edge up front in this T-Nations. Also due to Bakkies and Smittie been out,
17 Sep 2008, 12:49 pm
The new SA RUGBY is here!!! Hell yes!!! Thanks for making it my only high point of a month guys. Keep the mag lekker.
…though Keo, Im still waiting for my signed MONTY!!
17 Sep 2008, 15:22 pm
Beast is fantastic. Particularly his loose play, however as Honkie says he needs to get stuck in a bit more at the break down, his game against Ozz 58-5 win, he was immense in all areas of the game. even had a few fights to compliment that.. lol Go beast..
17 Sep 2008, 15:23 pm
Mujati is overrated I prefer the BEAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!
17 Sep 2008, 23:15 pm
Anyone see that picture in this month’s Sports Illustrated (Sorry Keo, it came out a day earlier than the SARUGBY) where Beast is doing incline dumbbell presses with 80kg dumbbells?!
18 Sep 2008, 12:36 pm
#181 Puma:
The Pacific Islanders that have lived in NZ most of there lifes do class themselves as New Zealanders as well as there home nation.I dont know what your post is getting at.
So if someone is born in Zim they are not South African even though they lived in SA most of there life?
Have you been to NZ Puma?
18 Sep 2008, 13:35 pm
BBBBEEEEEAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSSTTTTTTTT!!!! He has the makings of being a Bok legend. He is on his way to becoming a complete Loosehead with the X-factor! And well, I do not see the arguments of his legitimacy of playing for SA as being valid. SA is the only world class rugby team in SA, and if there are classy players in Southern African countries, they should qualify themselves to play for SA. We’ve seen many a waste of great talents, such as Kees Lensing (Namibia) not fulfilling their potential due to their lack of games in international rugby.
France has seen this problem, hence they’ve naturalised Africans such as Yannick Nyanga, Thierry Dusautoir, and Serge Betsen to play for them.
1 Oct 2008, 13:39 pm
Heinke VD Merwe is a BEAST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!He should be starting as is the next OS. Give him game time just like you gave Beast and youll see what a class act he is
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