Spies predicts bruiser
27 Mar 2009
Pierre Spies fully expects to be battered when the Bulls meet the Highlanders in Palmerston North on Saturday.
The Bulls have maintained that they won’t stray from the structured approach that relies heavily on forward dominance. The Highlanders, meanwhile, have stressed that in order to nullify the Bulls you have to match them up front.
You don’t need to be an expert analyst to predict that the match will be primarily (but not exclusively) a battle of the heavies, with attritional phase play taking precedence over an expansive approach.
‘I don’t think they’ll attack too often in the wider channels, especially early on in the match,’ Spies told keo.co.za.
‘They’ve also got a big pack and that game plan wouldn’t suit them. They’ll look to attack us at the scrums and lineouts from the outset and will want to dominate the collisions as well.
‘It’ll be a very physical game, it always is against the Highlanders, and the side that executes their game plan best will come out on top.’
The Bulls had a near full strength pack to select from, with only Victor Matfield and Deon Stegmann unavailable. Stegmann’s suspension has forced a reshuffle of the back row with Pedrie Wannenberg asked to play a fetching role, while Spies and Dewald Potgieter are deployed as the primary ball carriers.
Spies lamented the loss of Stegmann but is confident the balance of the trio is still good enough to front up to the Landers.
‘Pedrie is very competent playing towards the ball so the void fills itself,’ he said. ‘They’ve got a good set of loosies but we haven’t over-analysed them. We’re focussed on our roles within the structure, and if we each get it spot on, the team benefits.’
The introduction of the ELVs has seen an exponential increase in the number of tactical kicks in matches. Given that the majority of those kicks have to be kept infield, the ability of the covering No 8 to counter-attack effectively has taken on added importance.
In this regard Spies’s strengths have been amplified. He now has more space and time to get his 108kg, 1.94m frame up to full speed and attempt to put his team on the front foot.
‘It’s an aspect of my game I’ve put a big focus on,’ Spies said. ‘I know my strength is with ball in hand in space and when I get an opportunity I want to be as effective as I possibly can.
‘If I can commit a couple of defenders then it frees up space elsewhere that we can exploit. That’s the outlook of all the Bulls players – if we own our role it benefits the group and we succeed together.
‘I think I’ve done well for the team so far. Saturday is another opportunity to move us a step closer to our goal.’
By Ryan Vrede
119 Comments
Pages: « 1 2 [3] Show All
27 Mar 2009, 16:58 pm
#99 BlackPanther: Clouseau. No arguments from me on both points.
27 Mar 2009, 17:01 pm
#98 Slapjan: Slappes. Ok.
But watch Spies – he’s still developing – could be an all time great.
But everyone has their favorite players.
27 Mar 2009, 17:02 pm
#82 JUSM:
ja he was good for currie cup.. not springboks…
27 Mar 2009, 17:04 pm
#87 Corndog:
hahaha oh my word, i forgot about some of those guys… dean hall was pretty good though… who is heinrich fuls?
27 Mar 2009, 17:08 pm
#90 Hier kom groot k..: Ja **** now i remember those guys.. its all coming back to me , i suppose julies wasnt that bad.. time dlulane did play one game vs wales in cardiff under jake white…
27 Mar 2009, 17:22 pm
#34 Morne_Steyn_most_overated_SA_player:
Dude if you watch the Sharks vs Reds game and the 1st half of the Force vs Sharks you have to start wondering if you have the right Steyn?
27 Mar 2009, 17:23 pm
#105 ray-bulls_fan: Ja, you are right about Tim Dlulane that came on as a reserve against Wales. But he was a hard grafter that gave %110 when he played for the Bulls and better than Solly T and Rooikaart Lobberts. Our worst no.8 was probably Schutte Bekker that came on as a reserve for one test. Or maybe Doc Craven (a scrummie) that played one test at eighthman.
27 Mar 2009, 18:52 pm
#107 Hier kom groot k..:
I never got the selectors obsession with De Wet Barry. Awesome tackler, given, but the guy simply could NOT pass…..and he was a centre ????!!!!!
My mates often play drinking games over ‘Dirtiest AB XV’, another one for those quiet moments.
Richard Loe to my left.
27 Mar 2009, 19:22 pm
#108 BlackPanther: Ja, there were a few dirty All Blacks – Richard Loe, Kevin Skinner,…
But South Africa can also grace the park with its own angels of mercy.
How about this team:
1. Frans Erasmus
2. Henry Tromp/Uli Schmidt
3. Johan le Roux (chewing a Fitzy)
4. Adri Geldenhuys
5. Elandre vd Berg
6. Polla Fourie
7. Burger Geldenhuys (Ask Andy Dalton)
8. Kleintjie Grobler
9. Robert du Preez
10. Butch James
11. Pieter Hendriks
12. Michael du Plessis
13. De Wet Barry/Robbie Fleck
14. James Small
15. ???
27 Mar 2009, 19:28 pm
Ja but you got to have Dalton in at hooker.
27 Mar 2009, 19:44 pm
#110 jandood: Geez – Moaner Van Heerden. Schalk Burger Snr.
Please don’t bring up Henry Tromp. Was he a Bok?
27 Mar 2009, 20:09 pm
Why the hell is this game in Palmerston North?
27 Mar 2009, 20:15 pm
#111 SodaJoe: Tromp played in 4 tests. Uli in his younger days usually ended up in the “koelkas” – but you can also put Bullet in at 2 – no shortage of hookers for the team – there’s also Lukas van Biljon, Robert Cockrell, Piston van Wyk…
27 Mar 2009, 20:23 pm
#109 Hier kom groot k..: Frans Erasmus wassie regtig vuil nie en Armand du Preez sou Elandre van der Berg dik gebliksem het as hy hom raak geloop het
27 Mar 2009, 20:35 pm
#110 jandood:
????
Dalton possibly 1 of the cleanest AB fwds ever !
B.Geldenhys you c*%t. Utter pr*ck.
Fitzy was absolute filth in his youth, got told he had to clean up his act if he wanted to be an AB. Transferred all his filth to his mouth instead. Always love that shot of Fitzy when he realised Chew le Roux had bitten his ear. Sure he had it comin nind u.
27 Mar 2009, 20:37 pm
#112 church – like chch but pronounceable:
Madness, thats what it is. Sheer madness.
Why not take it to Qtown or Alex or Palmerston Sth !
27 Mar 2009, 20:52 pm
#114 Jannie: Ja, maar Armand was nie ‘n Springbok nie. Ek het net Springbok spelers ingesit. Daar was ook ouens soos Jan Lock, Pote Fourie, en vele ander provinsiale spelers, veral van die OP. Was dit Armand du Preez en Adri Geldenhuys wat mekaar by ‘n oefening gebliksem het?
27 Mar 2009, 20:56 pm
#117 Hier kom groot k..: Bedoel eintlik Pote Human.
28 Mar 2009, 04:14 am
#29 groenie: #18 groenie:
Groenie my mate i am more involved in rugby than you would like me to be his little ilness of an while ago is no secrtet in the rugby fraternity that the Bulls coverede up the use of Steroids , and secondly i have met him on two ocasions , yes and he is very doff , do you know him ?
“The OZ commentators bear testament to this ” now on the flipside the N/Z commentators have on many occasions said ” How do you keep Kanko out of an Bok team in favour of Spies ” Murray Mexted is very outspoken about this , it seems his dislike of the Bulls is even greater than mine and that says a lot .
Thank You Groenie !!!!!!!!!
Typical Bulls fan attacks an typing error as cant spell because he has nothing else to offer ” Jou Farkin Blou Trill ek bedoel Blou Bull .
#62 WP Till I Die:
Nou waaroor stry die Trill ondersteuners , volgens hierdie man se statistieke is Steroids die kaste van die vier nou waaroor stry julle trille .
#22 groenie:
You can never have an repeat of 2007 Steve Walsh has been kicked off the panel so the Bulls are F.cked this year they will have to try and do it alone and that is like tryin to get an porcupine to mate with an Mc Caw im..f.ckinposible
25 onerb:
Sorry bru got the names mixed up anyhow if you havent picked it up yet i was reffering to the lions scrumhalf who had an storming game against the Brumbies
.#20 ray-bulls_fan:
Pierre Spies and Fourie Du Preez would never get team with the Sharks do you honestly think we have that little depth and are so hard up ?
Pages: « 1 2 [3] Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.