Province Boks to soldier on
16 Sep 2008
The Western Province management have no intention of resting their Springboks as the Absa Currie Cup reaches the business end.
At the climax of the Boks’ Tri-Nations campaign, coach Peter de Villiers suggested the elite players would be managed by their provinces to avoid burnout ahead of the UK tour in November. But this loose ruling has been contradicted by teams like WP, who desperately need their Boks to make up lost ground.
WP require three bonus-point wins on the bounce to stand any chance of making the play-offs. Allister Coetzee told keo.co.za it is for this reason there will be few changes in the lead up to the knockouts.
“We’ve built some nice momentum over the past two weeks and the Boks have settled in nicely. But we have to get maximum points from our remaining games and we cannot take the opposition for granted,” said Coetzee.
“Nobody told us the Springboks shouldn’t be playing. We do appreciate that these players have to be managed, but we have taken that into account in the structuring of our training sessions. Some players will sit out certain practices – in that way they won’t be run into the ground.”
WP face Griquas at Newlands this Friday before travelling to Boland next weekend. The final fixture will be staged in Cape Town against the Lions, a game that could effectively be a play-off.
“Our focus is on Griquas. We can’t afford to get ahead of ourselves. We have to get the win and secure the bonus point this weekend,” said Coetzee.
“But at the same time, I’d be lying if I said we haven’t thought about the final game against the Lions. The game in Boland is not going to be easy either. We have to keep the momentum going.”
By Jon Cardinelli
280 Comments
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16 Sep 2008, 10:54 am
#249 Big Hit: Jean De Villiers played in every game for the stormers and boks I think he deserves a rest.
16 Sep 2008, 10:55 am
#251 iori Yagami: are you sure? I thought he had a wrist injury for the stormers? if not fair enough, he should get a rest and Steyn should get the 12 shirt for the NH tour
16 Sep 2008, 10:59 am
#236 iori Yagami: If I was PDV, I would pick my best team to go on the year end tour, this will help his winning percentage, win more games end of the year, win more just before the Lions tour and who knows what might happen
16 Sep 2008, 11:02 am
#252 Big Hit: Really? How long was he out for? And who played inside center when he was gone? I cant remember. Ja steyn at 12 grant at 10.
16 Sep 2008, 11:05 am
#247 It is just a game:
you’d rather face the lions,cheetas,the bulls in the play offs cause you know you can beat them,province on the other hand “YOU FEAR”
in the beginning of the seosen you beat an understrenght province side narrowly,in the shark tank i might ad,what would happen if you had to face a full strenght province side
16 Sep 2008, 11:07 am
#253 XhosaKid: He doesnt need to increase his winning percentage he already has the job for another year.
16 Sep 2008, 11:08 am
#248 iori Yagami: They are a remarkably well drilled team though. They have tremendous coaching staff and some really classy players like Williams x2. But really, not in the league of the Boks.
16 Sep 2008, 11:10 am
#257 aftermath08: I just hope PDV learnt from his mistakes. With John Smits leadership the young bokkies should be alrite.
16 Sep 2008, 11:11 am
#254 iori Yagami: I think he missed a game or two altho I may be wrong. Not much of a rest I suppose. I’d like to see if Earl Rose has what it takes for the Boks.
16 Sep 2008, 11:12 am
#255 st.a.t.w: We’ll beat them like we do in the S14 regularly.
16 Sep 2008, 11:17 am
#255 st.a.t.w:
Hey, Stormers made it to the semi’s because other teams lost. They didn’t outright go out and win and make the semi’s. They had to bank on other teams losing and a bit of luck.
So there’s no fear. Take away the bonus poins for losing by less than 7 and it would be an entirely different picture
16 Sep 2008, 11:18 am
I don’t think “valuable” Bok players should be completely rested but I think they should be pulled from the Curried Cup and given specialised skills training. Obviously speed and strength but also maybe vision to take in the whole field quickly, peripheral vision for the offload, kicking skills; out of hand kicking, line kicks, drop kicks and place kicking.
But,………. remember wot happened to the All Bleks when they rested.
16 Sep 2008, 11:18 am
#260 It is just a game:
only time will tell my friend,but beware if province make the play offs and they face the sharks things could be diffrent this time round
16 Sep 2008, 11:21 am
#262 husky:
All Blacks lost to a good French team, end of story. No matter which teams plays the French it’ll always be a 50/50 chance of winning, even if you are the World Champs, Trinations champs, or ranked #1 in the world. They’re unpredicatable with a lot of flair. They are every International side’s black horse team, you just never know which way it’ll go
16 Sep 2008, 11:23 am
#263 st.a.t.w:
“IF”
Using that word is like saying “Please Bulls do us a favour” ” Pleeeeeaaaaazzz”.
Not very manly IMO.
16 Sep 2008, 11:25 am
#264 Richie_7:
Gough gough !! Choke choke !!! Excuses !!!
16 Sep 2008, 11:28 am
#266 Ek sê my sê, ek sê:
Who’s making excuses? I just said the All Blacks were beaten by a better team. I actually responded to a post where it was mentione that resting could have been a factor in the AB’s losing, and I said no, France are a dark horse side and can beat anybody on the day.
Plain and simple
16 Sep 2008, 11:34 am
#265 Ek sê my sê, ek sê:
that’s exatly what we want ,the bulls to do us a favour and ” if ” they can do it we don’t have to use the word ” if ” anymore
16 Sep 2008, 11:34 am
#267 Richie_7: Dont worry mate, the AB are like our cricket team, jokes…..
16 Sep 2008, 11:36 am
#269 XhosaKid:
Well that depends, like your one day or test team?
16 Sep 2008, 11:54 am
#240 XhosaKid: XhosaKid have to disagree with JF he is a fantastic player. I think better than Adi. Adi do rate Adi does have a lot of skill but JF when fit will be a lot better with just as much skill. Better defender and we need that at centre. Also makes a lot of breaks like Adi too. I rate Steyn too. Not because he is big just that he is a great player. Most do.
16 Sep 2008, 11:55 am
#258 iori Yagami: Yes agree there
16 Sep 2008, 11:56 am
#237 XhosaKid: Really don’t think JF is past it. Never. Just watch when he comes back.
16 Sep 2008, 12:03 pm
#107 Disa:
am not falling for that one
16 Sep 2008, 12:12 pm
#270 Richie_7: One day side, its always ranked 1 or 2 until the WC arrives and all hell b reaks loose
16 Sep 2008, 12:31 pm
#256 iori Yagami: Do trust the SARU lot?, I know, I dont, they might just sneak in the winning % ****#250 iori Yagami: those comments were made about Adi as well, he was called the “saloon door” before the start of the season, Its amazing how those critics have been silenced.
16 Sep 2008, 12:49 pm
aaaaight
16 Sep 2008, 13:16 pm
thank goodness the sharks played weepee earlier in the season
16 Sep 2008, 13:41 pm
#276 XhosaKid: Yes but he is way down the pecking order. Behind Bobo. Sireli, PJ, Des Fountain and Newman.
16 Sep 2008, 19:53 pm
This is story of Currie Cup vs Springboks. Coaches have both levels have jobs to do and unfortunately those jobs are judged solely on results.
Coetzee is not going to get anything for resting his top players and losing games. Although I would love him to give Jean and others a rest I really don’t see why its in his interest, and THAT is the problem here. I don’t buy into Schalk needing a rest that badly. If you look at his history over the last 12 months he’s had regular breaks in the form of suspensions.
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