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
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10 » Show All
16 Sep 2008, 21:14 pm
#296 justrugby: Love Connolly have some dvd’s of his. Rod Steward although speaks with a English accent his Dad is Scottish and he is one very proud Scot. Supports Celtic football team. Yes he is also coming to Durban too. May go and see him.
16 Sep 2008, 21:15 pm
#295 carol meredith:
Hope “Johnny be good” stays injury free and is included in the Lions tour, I have my doubts though !!!!
16 Sep 2008, 21:15 pm
#8 PissAnt:
I’m a subscriber and totally agree. The last issue seemed slightly better but in issues gone by the actual content in the magazine is very limited. In fact, I remember reading the entire magazine in one good session on the loo.
16 Sep 2008, 21:15 pm
#299 carol meredith: I thought his Scots accent was not that bad. Then maybe the English would not think so. Still loved the movie though.
16 Sep 2008, 21:16 pm
Liverpool just equallised, great Gerard goal !!!
16 Sep 2008, 21:17 pm
#285 grant10: You are going to wear that Sienna DVD out.
By the way, when you collect me from the airport I will be the one wearing……………
16 Sep 2008, 21:17 pm
#301 justrugby: Was a great 10 but getting on a bit now. We have a problem with 10. Butch will still probably play there in the Lions tour down here. Or Steyn.
16 Sep 2008, 21:19 pm
Evening all
This is iafrica’s 3N dream team. What do you reckon?
Tri-Nations Dream Team
Article By: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 17:23
Our rugby team got together for our annual Tri-Nations selection process and produced a Dream Team. We think our team can beat any selection from the rest of the world.
They may have had an early-season wobble, but New Zealand came back strongly to win both the Tri-Nations and Bledisloe Cup — and not surprisingly they also dominate our team.
There are nine All Blacks in the Dream Team, four South Africans and two Australians.
The Tri-Nations Dream Team:
15 — Mils Muliaina (New Zealand): He wins our vote because he was just a touch more consistent that Conrad Jantjes and Adam Ashley-Cooper, who both put forward strong arguments.
14 — Peter Hynes (Australia): He always looked threatening with the ball in hand and his high workrate impressed us. Again, he faced strong challenges from Richard Kahui and Odwa Ndungane.
13 — Adi Jacobs (South Africa): This one took us a while to decide, as we debated for some time over a position where consistency was not at a premium. Jacobs edged Ryan Cross, a late charge, Conrad Smith and Stirling Mortlock.
12 — Jean de Villiers (South Africa): Easy decision and without doubt now the world’s premier inside centre.
11 — Sitiveni Sivivatu (New Zealand): Things did not always go his way, but with ball in hand he still kept the defensive lines honest. Lote Tuqiri was his strongest challenge.
10 — Dan Carter (New Zealand): Unanimous and simply the best. Need we say more?
9 — Jimmy Cowan (New Zealand): He took his opportunities this year to secure himself a regular starting spot in the national team, also overcoming some off-field troubles. Once he started focusing on his rugby, he had no trouble in beating off the challenges of Fourie du Preez and Ricky Januarie.
8 — Rodney So’oialo (New Zealand): He may have faced a late challenge from an ever-improving Pierre Spies, but So’oialo clinched our vote with his standout performance in the decider in Brisbane.
7 — Richie McCaw (New Zealand): Was there ever any doubt?
6 — Schalk Burger (South Africa): This one caused plenty of debate, but in the end the Burger clan won the vote on the basis of his relentless energy. But believe us, it was not without equally compelling arguments from the Rocky Elsom and George Smith camps.
5 — Ali Williams (New Zealand): He may not have covered himself in glory in Brisbane this past weekend, but for the duration of the tournament he was much better than a very disappointing Victor Matfield.
4 — James Horwill (Australia): He may have been a late entry, but he came home in the final stretch to win the sprint — especially his performance in Brisbane. Andries Bekker was his strongest rival.
3 — Greg Somerville (New Zealand): Steady rather than spectacular, but still streets ahead of any other tighthead prop in this year’s competition. Perhaps the most disappointing of all the positions.
2 — Andrew Hore (New Zealand): Having now firmly established himself as New Zealand’s best hooker, he was well clear of a very poor chasing bunch — which included World Cup winner Bismarck du Plessis.
1 — Tendai Mtawarira (South Africa): All we want to say is: ‘Beeeaast!!!’
Our individual selections:
Phil Coetzer XV: 15 Conrad Jantjes, 14 Richard Kahui, 13 Jean de Villiers, 12 Ma’a Nonu, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Rodney So’oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Ali Williams, 4 James Horwill, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Nick Pawson XV: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Ryan Cross, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Schalk Burger, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 James Horwill, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Steve Farrell XV: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Odwa Ndungane, 13 Adi Jacobs, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Pierre Spies, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Brad Thorn, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Paul Dobson XV: 15 Adam Ashley-Cooper, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Adi Jacobs, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Rodney So’oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 George Smith, 5 Ali Williams, 4 James Horwill, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tony Woodcock.
Rob Peters XV: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Lote Tuqiri, 10 Dan Carter, 9 Ricky Januarie, 8 Rodney So’oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 Rocky Elsom, 5 Victor Matfield, 4 Andries Bekker, 3 Greg Somerville, Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
Jan de Koning XV: 15 Mils Muliaina, 14 Peter Hynes, 13 Stirling Mortlock, 12 Jean de Villiers, 11 Sitiveni Sivivatu, 10 Daniel Carter, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Rodney So’oialo, 7 Richie McCaw, 6 George Smith, 5 Ali Williams, 4 James Horwill, 3 Greg Somerville, 2 Andrew Hore, 1 Tendai Mtawarira.
______________________________________________________________
16 Sep 2008, 21:19 pm
liverpool 2-1 Gerard penalty !!!
16 Sep 2008, 21:20 pm
#293 Puma: Highlanders or Islanders?#297 Puma: Big Hit will tell you Jonny played a blinder on his return for the Falcons on Saturday. 22 points. Mended shoulder etc. I think we have a 3 possible 10′s sniffing at his heels.
16 Sep 2008, 21:20 pm
#286 carol meredith: Great grandparents, Irish and English, I am a Sa though, very proud and all that! Especially with our new democracy , we not perfect , lots of challenges ! Somehow i believe we will make it, cant wait for 2010 world cup, hope the world will fall in love with sa, i know they will all love Cape Town!!
16 Sep 2008, 21:21 pm
#301 justrugby: We live in hope, he is a bit of an icon for us. We all need hero’s.
16 Sep 2008, 21:21 pm
#292 justrugby: havent,it is slow , may not be your cup of tea but she is special !
16 Sep 2008, 21:22 pm
And how can Phil Coetzer select JDV at 13? Did JDV play 13 in the 3N?
16 Sep 2008, 21:22 pm
#306 Puma:
Agree, Cipprati (not sure I’ve spelt it right) seems to be the new “Johnny”
16 Sep 2008, 21:23 pm
#296 justrugby: i am there my man!
16 Sep 2008, 21:24 pm
#308 carol meredith: Not highlanders. I believe they came from the Clyde so that must be around the Greenock area. Well that side anyway. What my grandmother told me they also lived in England before getting on the ship and headed for South Africa.
16 Sep 2008, 21:24 pm
#304 justrugby: stunner …2 1 now Gerrard on fire!
16 Sep 2008, 21:24 pm
#313 justrugby: Damn!! hope he is not as good. We still looking for ours.
16 Sep 2008, 21:25 pm
#314 grant10:
For sure !!!!!!!! I might even don a kilt …LOL
16 Sep 2008, 21:27 pm
#305 carol meredith: will need to synchronise dropping you off, the M Manager arrives back at 13h05 on Friday as well!! Gosh, reminds me of past complexities!!
16 Sep 2008, 21:27 pm
#296 justrugby: Are you sure you want to see Rod Stewart? Possibly a bad move, fight your way past his blondes and the zimmer frame!
“Do ya think i’m sexy” was a great song though
16 Sep 2008, 21:28 pm
#320 carol meredith:
I have no problem fighting past the blondes LOL…he’s had many great songs !!!
16 Sep 2008, 21:29 pm
#318 justrugby: well yes, at least its summer!
16 Sep 2008, 21:29 pm
#309 grant10: I think all that come for 2010 will take a visit to Cape Town. A favourite with all tourists that come here and the gameparks. Cape Town is beautiful but the world cup is held from mid June I believe. Just hope its not raining a lot in the Cape then.
16 Sep 2008, 21:30 pm
#312 wooden spoon: JdV played 12 in 3N, swopped no’s with Adi in JHB.
16 Sep 2008, 21:30 pm
#322 grant10: LOL
16 Sep 2008, 21:31 pm
#320 carol meredith: my favorite Stewart song! Yes, justrugby and i may find all those blondes a bit intimidating……
16 Sep 2008, 21:31 pm
#309 grant10: Great mix, Irish and English. You will have hybrid vigour!#319 grant10: Ok I will find a flight, sounds like you are practiced at subterfuge (is that how you spell that)?
16 Sep 2008, 21:32 pm
#325 SA Barbarians: Seems a bit silly to pick him as the tournament’s best 13 then…
16 Sep 2008, 21:32 pm
#317 Puma:
Saw him play a couple of times last year…looked very good, got a nast injury and has only recently retuned to training, so yip I do not understand why we no longer produce world class FH’s !!
16 Sep 2008, 21:32 pm
Some funny stuff…
Player of the Tournament: Dan Carter.
Forward of the Tournament: Richie McCaw.
Back of the Tournament: Jean de Villiers.
Newcomer of the Year: Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira.
Try of the Tournament: Ricky Januarie’s amazing last-gasp chip-and-chase score in Dunedin.
Best Performance: South Africa, winning 53-8 against Australia in Johannesburg.
Worst Performance: South Africa, losing 15-27 v Australia in Durban.
Turning point of the Tournament: New Zealand’s 39-10 win over Australia in Auckland.
Thanks for the memories (Kleenex Award): Percy Montgomery.
Runners-up: Greg ‘Yoda’ Somerville, Dan Vickerman.
Time Magazine Award for Most Newsworthy Person: Peter de Villiers.
The Murray Mexted Award for the Quote of the Year: It was quite a task choosing from an extensive Peter de Villiers collection, but the winner is: “Maybe I should just give the job back to the whites.”
Honourable mentions should however go to these gems:
“If you look at the Bible, Joseph started out in the pit and ended up in the palace. There was a moerse lot of kak in between.”
“The same people who threw their robes on the ground when ***** rode on a donkey were the same people who crowned him and hit him with sticks and stuff like that, and were the same people who said afterwards how we shouldn’t have done that, he’s the son of God. So that’s exactly what we do. You have to look at history is repeating itself, and I’m not saying that I’m God.”
Howard Stern Award for Most Controversial Incident: Brad Thorn’s spear-tackle on John Smit in Wellington.
The Y2K award for the Biggest Anti-Climax: Percy Montgomery’s 100th Test debacle.
The ‘Hoff’ Award for the Biggest Cult Following: Beeeeeeeeaaaaaaaast!
The Nadia Comaneci Award: Ricky Januarie’s hand-stand/summersault/cartwheel after the Boks’ win in Dunedin.
The Grudge Award: Tony Woodcock for scoring all five of his Test tries against Australia.
The Weakest Link Award: Matt ‘Doughnut’ Dunning for getting scrummed off the park inside 30 minutes by Tendai ‘Beast’ Mtawarira in Johannesburg.
Roy Keane Award for the Worst Tackle: Brad Thorn’s spear-tackle on John Smit in Wellington.
Judge Dredd Award: This goes to the judicial commission that sentenced Brad Thorn to a lame one-week suspension.
Waterworld Award for the Biggest Box-Office Bomb: Backseat Instinct II, starring Peter de Villiers.
Weigh-Less Slimmer of the Year: Piri Weepu.
2008 Top of the Pops Awards:
Can’t buy me love – Luke Watson
I am the Walrus – Matt Dunning
Johnny B Goode – Brad Thorne
Lend me your comb – Percy Montgomery
The Colosseum Award: Durban’s Absa Stadium crowd, booing the Springboks off after their loss to Australia. There was plenty of vitriol amongst the Bok faithful after an abject display saw the Boks thumped for the third Tri-Nations match in a row.
Escape from Alcatraz Award: This surely has to go to New Zealand coach Graham Henry, who has been under heavy fire from the media and the Kiwi public since the All Blacks’ World Cup fiasco.
The Duck Egg Award: To South Africa for their fat, round zero against the All Blacks in Cape Town.
Three years is a long time: In 2005, All Blacks hooker Keven Mealamu broke South African hearts with a last-gasp try that gave his team victory, and the Tri-Nations title, in Dunedin. In 2008, Mealamu’s defensive blunder allowed Ricky Janaurie to skip through a ruck and set up the chip-’n-chase that gave his team an historic victory.
Selector of the Tournament: Cedric Frolick — yip, that’s the same guy that criticised the selection of World Cup winners Fourie du Preez and Percy Montgomery — ahead of Janurie and Conrad Jantjes — for the Test at Newlands. Frolick said of Monty’s selection: “Conrad Jantjes is, on present form, the number-one fullback. It is worrying that people make decisions with their heart to give someone [Montgomery] his 100th Test cap.”
Individual Performance of the Tournament: McCaw’s performance in Auckland was huge, Carter, despite his poor goal-kicking, was immense in Cape Town. But can anybody argue with Jongi Nokwe’s four tries against the Wallabies in Johannesburg?
The Hindsight Award: To Peter de Villiers, after Nokwe’s four-try performance. Bear in mind that Nokwe was playing only because of injuries to Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen, but after his four tries, Div said: “Nothing is a risk if you don’t take chances in life. I’ve always believed in him, from the start. He performed well for us today.” And the injuries just made it that much easier to pick him…
To the Newlands wind: Thanks for making Dan Carter miss five kicks at goal — you saved the Boks 14 points. Pity you also made Percy miss his two kicks at goal…
The Vuvuzela Award: To those little Vodacom djembe’s that created such a din, first at Newlands, and then in the remaining home Tri-Nations Tests. It was kinda nice, but not quite as irritating as those vuvuzela’s.
The Britney Spears Comeback Award: To Jimmy Cowan who was arrested three times this year for ‘disorderly behaviour’. He put his off-field demons aside, however, and ended the Tri-Nations as arguably the best number 9 on offer. During the tournament he admitted that without rugby he would have been doomed, saying: “Rugby’s probably been my saviour because I was pretty close to losing it at one stage.”
16 Sep 2008, 21:33 pm
#315 Puma: You should write your family stuff down otherwise it will be lost for the next generations.
Scottish weather is dreadful, you should be glad they made the move!
16 Sep 2008, 21:33 pm
#323 Puma: this June was so wet Puma, i almost drowned at so many matches at Newlands this season. Biting cold and loads of rain this winter, could be a real problem next year,would be a shame!
16 Sep 2008, 21:33 pm
Wow, that comes out as quite a long post. Makes for good reading though.
16 Sep 2008, 21:34 pm
#328 wooden spoon: Yes, they should leave him at 12, end of story
16 Sep 2008, 21:34 pm
Insanity in individuals is something rare – but in groups, parties, nations and epochs, it is the rule.
16 Sep 2008, 21:36 pm
#326 grant10: At least your eyes wouldn’t be level with their “assets”. Rod is a midget, and only ever sees cleavage! How intimadating is that!
16 Sep 2008, 21:37 pm
#327 carol meredith: for my sins had a 5 year stint as a regional sales manager of a bank,covering cape town to durban, hence my affinity for the sharks. 5years single and 5 cities left its mark!! LOL
16 Sep 2008, 21:38 pm
#334 Friedrich: Whatever you say is cool
16 Sep 2008, 21:38 pm
Hi SA Barbarians, thank you for defending my honour last night.
Wooden Spoon, I am on the case.
16 Sep 2008, 21:38 pm
#330 carol meredith: Damn glad they made the move. Thats the only thing I hate about Scotland is the weather. And the wind is even worse than in Cape Town and its feels like ice coming at you in the winter months there. Still love the Scots but pleased I grew up here in sunny South Africa. Love our weather its the best. Cape Town has good weather too just their winters are not that good. Winter in the rest of SA is probably better than your summer!!!
#331 grant10: I hope the weather is good in June in the Cape come 2010. In Umhlanga temps around 25 with full sun everyday then. Bliss and no humidity that time of year either.
16 Sep 2008, 21:38 pm
#335 SA Barbarians: Agreed, best 12 in the world at the moment (contrary to what Big Hit thinks
) although I’d favour Mortlock at 13 to Jacobs. Jacobs was great this year though, but if we were to play a Mars XV tomorrow, Mortlock would be the man.
16 Sep 2008, 21:39 pm
#335 carol meredith: Intimidating? No……
16 Sep 2008, 21:41 pm
Whenever I seek to ascend I am followed by a dog called ‘Ego’.
16 Sep 2008, 21:41 pm
#335 carol meredith:
And he mimes!!
16 Sep 2008, 21:41 pm
#338 carol meredith: Hi CM
My pleasure. I sensed wishful thinking on some guys part
16 Sep 2008, 21:42 pm
#335 carol meredith:
Talking about midgets, Ronan Keating was in Cape town among many other celebs playing in a golf charity match, we went through and walked a few holes with the celeb’s and pro’s ,Angelina fancied Ronan until she saw him in real life close up…if he couldn’t sing he could easy be a jockey !!! she is still dissapointed !!!
16 Sep 2008, 21:42 pm
#333 SA Barbarians: Steyn at 12 last Sat for the Sharks. How good was he there? Just a thought.
16 Sep 2008, 21:42 pm
#340 carol meredith: Thank ye graciously. I’ve also been pointed in the direction of ‘Snow Dome’.
I’m now thinking of just carting them off to Paris for 2 nights – that solves the problem.
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 9 10 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.