Back to his best
21 Apr 2009
Pierre Spies believes he can become the world’s premier No 8.
Speaking in the new issue of SA Rugby magazine, on sale now, Spies said he would not make excuses for having confidence in his ability.
‘If you look at the guys out there, not much separates them. I’d like to think I have that extra bit that sets me apart. I know it’ll be perceived as arrogance, like: “Listen to this guy talking himself up. He needs to learn his place.” That’s the way we are as humans isn’t it? We’re encouraged to aspire to be the greatest, then shot down when we do. But it’s not arrogance. I know my limitations and strengths and I’d like to believe that I can be the best in the world.’
Spies also speaks out about allegations that he tested positive for steroids before the 2007 World Cup, how religion helped him stave off depression during that period and his battle with Ryan Kankowski for the Bok jersey, while Heyneke Meyer and Jake White give unique insight into what makes Spies the player he is.
Also in the new issue:
– An out of shape, demotivated JP Pietersen failed to score a single try in last year’s Super 14. The Sharks winger speaks candidly about that nightmare period and how he got his mojo back.
– Sireli Naqelevuki on adjusting to life in Cape Town, Fiji’s player drain to New Zealand, why foreigners should be allowed to play for South African sides, being busted for smoking marijuana, and why he desperately wants to play in the 2011 World Cup.
– George Smith on his goals for the season, why he enjoys playing under the hybrid ELVs, whether Australia could field a competitive fifth Super Rugby side and who he’d pick for the Springbok loose trio.
– With Dan Carter still injured, Luke McAlister’s return to New Zealand in May after a successful two-year stint with Sale could be a godsend for the All Blacks.
– Jake White column: ‘The Boks mustn’t underestimate the Lions’.
– Having enjoyed success on tour in 1971 and 1974, does Welsh legend Gareth Edwards believe this year’s Lions will return from South Africa as heroes too?
– Why getting sevens into the Olympics would help rugby become a truly global game.
– CJ van der Linde desperately wants to be in the Bok front row against the British & Irish Lions, but playing overseas could count against him.
– England’s Kiwi centre Riki Flutey lifts the lid on a youth of gambling, drinking and violence and speaks of his horror time in an Argentinean jail.
– When Matt Stevens became addicted to alcohol and cocaine he knew he was gambling with his rugby career. The England prop explains why he did it, how he reacted when he heard he’d failed a drugs test and his desire to fight his way back from a two-year ban.
– While the Varsity Cup provides a party atmosphere, winning matters.
– Clint Eastwood’s big-screen portrayal of the Springboks’ 1995 World Cup win will tell the story of a divided nation united by rugby. SA Rugby magazine finds out more about the movie starring Matt Damon and Morgan Freeman.
– We speak to Ireland forwards coach Gert Smal who added a Six Nations winners’ medal to those he earned in the Tri-Nations and World Cup.
PLUS: Free double-sided poster featuring Keegan Daniel and JP Nel.
Click here to subscribe to the mag
130 Comments
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21 Apr 2009, 10:54 am
#46 lilith: only being heard on thutsday….supporting Arsenal tonight
21 Apr 2009, 10:56 am
Even more suprising than Habana getting caught was Kokwe getting caught by Kankowski 2 weeks ago. Fair enough, he didn’t tackle him, but to even get a hand on him from behind must take some pace
21 Apr 2009, 11:02 am
Zinny could teach him how to slot 40m drop goals at Loftus.
21 Apr 2009, 11:02 am
#43 Ashley: Stormer are a difficult side to watch.. Only Duane Vermuelan has impressed me in that team. The usual suspects will come good when called upon (i.e Burger an Devilliers).
21 Apr 2009, 11:02 am
#52 Richie: Nokwe?
21 Apr 2009, 11:03 am
#52 Richie: Kanko did well to come close.. He is a pacey 8th man but Nokwe should be leaving day light between himself and forwards. Kanko is quick.
21 Apr 2009, 11:04 am
Fastest rugby players in SA: In descending order, Tacitus version:
1. Gerhard vd Heever – Former SA U/18 110m Hurdles record holder and current Bulls wing.
2. Tonderai Chavanga – rumoured to be uber-fast, when in one piece.
3. Jongi Nokwe – Clearly uber fast, and usually in one piece.
4. Stephan Dippenaar – Apparently the 2nd quickest guy at the Bulls, after vd Heever.
5. Brian Habana – (At his quickest, not currently.)
6. Marius Delport – A former 10.6 100m athlete at school level.
According to the Bulls website a Bulls 4x100m relay team would consist of:
Gerhard vd Heever, Stephan Dippenaar, Brian Habana and Marius Delport/Pierre Spies.
I don’t know about the other provinces in SA. What we know for sure after last Saturday is that Nokwe is significantly faster than Ryan Kankowski – even when encumbered by a rugby ball under his arm.
21 Apr 2009, 11:05 am
#51 grant10: I am hoping my Liverpool boys pull through to top of the table.
Liverpool has no Gerrard
Arsenal has no Adebayor
We have to wait and see.
21 Apr 2009, 11:06 am
#31 race of tan:
ja, i think so, the last paragraph of the article talks about damon and morgan freeman, difficult to see how damon could play madiba and freeman to play pienaar.
Yes you make good points on Habana, which is that he has become more than speed, but Habana was always physical, he had natural wirey strength, i just think he needs to adapt his training and recover some of that blitzspeed. Its very hard to defend against sheer pace. i wonder if JP has not in fact overtaken Habana over 50m?
think they have to bring back Butch for his sheer experience in such a huge series. Pienaar injured and its a big call to play Grant there esp when Rassie is not selecting him consistently. Steyn not really impressed at 10.
21 Apr 2009, 11:06 am
#50 Dantalion: Thanks.
21 Apr 2009, 11:09 am
#52 Richie:
Kanko is very fast, but he also had a slight angle on Nokwe.
In a flat out race, would not get close.
Nokwe can also step tremendously well.
He looks like a different player these days, far more confidence.
the starting wing positions are obvious, i.e. Habana and JP, but for my money Nokwe is the next choice with Chavanga injured.
21 Apr 2009, 11:10 am
#57 Tacitus: Chavanga is the quickest winger in SA rugby. He runs times like 10:4 for the 100m. Even at high school he was running similar times. As for Habana, at his best I hear he runs 10:4 t00. He needs time as he has only just come back from an injury.
21 Apr 2009, 11:12 am
Ok sit nou eers jou veiligheidsgordel aan voor jy verder lees:
My 2009 verkiesingsboodskap is soos volg:
As jy terug verlang na die dae van wit dominasie (en wat daarmee gepaard gaan) sal ek jou aanraai om geduld te hê. Jy gaan lank wag.
As jy jou verlekker in swart dominasie (en wat daarmee gepaard gaan) jou dae is getel. Dis net ‘n kwessie van tyd.
O ja, en stem teen poligamie.
21 Apr 2009, 11:13 am
#59 cab: I think you are right about Butch. However Pienaar needs to be a starting 10 coz kicking points are crucial at test level. Butch may cost us the series witgh his missed kicks.
21 Apr 2009, 11:16 am
#56 Tbozknows:
think theres a bit of a difference between the habana and nokwe incidents:
habana intercepted which means the defence is caught on the wrong foot and still need to turn around
…
nokwe’s try came after the ball was turned over, brussouw broke one or two tackles before passing to nokwe … by that time kankowski (who can outrun most wings) were already coming over on the cover defense.
…
nokwe, my friend, is really seriously quick
…
i saw him playing while he was still almost unknown and saw him do stuff to players like what he did to muliaina
…
even when i think back to the first game i saw him play in, … i still have trouble closing my mouth!!
21 Apr 2009, 11:17 am
#61 cab: You are right Chavangha has been a no show at international level. He is pacey but he is poor in contact. JP is essential to SA rugby right now. His defence and work rate. It is like having a flanker on the wing. He is not the fastest but he runs good lines and is good in the contact area. He was my god during the autumn internationals.. He was a consistant performer. Against Wales and England he was important to the tries we scored..
21 Apr 2009, 11:18 am
#57 Tacitus:
hey
…
you forgot about sireli!!
21 Apr 2009, 11:19 am
#65 Ashley:
He played for Boland, didn’t he, when he used to live in Kayaletsha ?
He seems like a nice kid, comes over very modestly during the two interviews I have seen.
I hope he gets a change against the British, I like him.
21 Apr 2009, 11:19 am
#65 Ashley: I think No0kwe is a good finisher. Probably one of the best in SA. If he has one man to beat he will take him with ease. He has a strange sidestep which works every time.
21 Apr 2009, 11:21 am
#61 cab:
agree
….
and to think the stormers didnt want him ….. hehehe …c*nts!!
21 Apr 2009, 11:28 am
#68 Pietman:
yebo …. and he was playing for daaaaaaaaaaaaaaaarling, of course!!
man, just thinking about that, and i have to force my mouth to close!!
but yes, he’s quite modest (more shy than anything else, i would bet). a really nice chap!!
#69 Tbozknows:
yeah … he can step of both feet … and that at speed! he’s good, he really is. hope he’ll get the chance to develop even more … i really believe he’s pretty much still the raw product … think he still need a bit of work on eg. defense and under the high ball!
21 Apr 2009, 11:29 am
#58 lilith: is it at Anfield?
21 Apr 2009, 11:30 am
#71 Ashley:
Darling!
I thought he was from the E-Cape?
21 Apr 2009, 11:35 am
Interesting to read that the Stormers winger, Naqelevuki, ONCE tested for smoking da ‘erb. Will, he plays like he hasnt stopped – have the Stormers signed the only slow Fijian winger on the Planet ? I cant figure out why he keeps getting selected. He must be getting his medicine from da coach.
21 Apr 2009, 11:35 am
#73 Pietman:
yes, he is!!
whilst playing for boland, we … uhm … sort of took him “under our wing”
21 Apr 2009, 11:38 am
Aaaahhh the Spies Kanko debate.
Spies for me, no question. (even though I think both should play seven in modern rugby).
Where Spies takes it over Kanko is simple upper body strength.
Both are quick, both have decent hands and both are very decent players, but Spies strength makes it able for you to use him both as a ball carrier getting over the advantage line as well as a strike runner in multi-phase play or from line-outs.
His strength makes him stay on his feet just those couple of extra seconds longer which is crucial when carrying the ball up especially from the back of scrum where you run away a lot of the time from your support.
Thing is Spies can play a more traditional, Danie Rossouw type 8th man role and a modern one like Kanko equally effective.
This gives you options as a coach and the ability to change a game plan without changing players or using subs.
True, Spies does need to work on his defense but defense is all technique coupled with attitude, you can fix that.
Natural ability, I will pick Spies as he simply gives me more options.
21 Apr 2009, 11:41 am
#75 Ashley:
You did a good job there with Jongi!
But I’d rather live in Darling than Bloemfontein.
Only problem is will have to play for Boland then, at muddy ‘Smellington’, hehehehe!
21 Apr 2009, 11:42 am
#76 PissAnt:
agree.
think the spies/ kankowski debate ended a while a go, though
…
how about a spies/joe van niekerk debate?
21 Apr 2009, 11:46 am
#77 Pietman:
naaah, i think he made the correct move
i think he missed a chance a while back when the bulls wanted to sign him
just cant believe that demas was preferred over him in the previous games (when he came back from injury)though!!
21 Apr 2009, 11:53 am
#79 Ashley:
Tell me, who took him on tour to the UK first, Jake or PdeV.
I remember he went, but didn’t get any game time.
Just as well PdeV lives in Paarl, or else we might never have seen this man in national colours.
If the Bulls had signed him he would also have been sidelined, with Habana there.
No, he made the right move, WP or Cheetahs.
Rassie should have grabbed him first instead of the Fijian!
21 Apr 2009, 11:56 am
#66 Tbozknows:
LOL I agree. Nokwe has a very strange side-step. I once played against a chap with a similiar sort of step in High School (its more of a ‘stop-start’ shimmy isn’t it?) and he left me flat on my bum one-on-one as he ghosted in for a try.
21 Apr 2009, 11:57 am
#57 Tacitus: where did u get that from? is it facts or u guessing? cos its pretty interesting… didnt know stefan dippenaar was THAT quick?
21 Apr 2009, 12:01 pm
Isnt it great that we can actually all argue about who should be in certain positions as there are so many candidates for positions in the bok team.. I think South African rugby is very healthy at the moment, we have alot of depth.. except for flyhalf.. but when have we ever had depth at flyhalf? infact when have we ever had a world class fly-half apart from Henry Honibal?
21 Apr 2009, 12:08 pm
#80 Pietman:
jake did … think back in 2004?
he didnt play a single game
he was also not considered good enough for the 2nd team that toured nz and aus in 2007
21 Apr 2009, 12:14 pm
#80 Pietman: made the right move going to the cheetahs? he is playing in a losing team.. ?
21 Apr 2009, 12:19 pm
#83 ray-bulls_fan:
nasty booter?
21 Apr 2009, 12:22 pm
#85 ray-bulls_fan:
No, having left the Boland, he made the right move!
Obviously the Bull would have been a much bigger opportunity, especially with the great academy and ‘development culture’ they have over there.
Perhaps the fact that Habana was there as the number one had made him hesitant to move to Pta…..
21 Apr 2009, 12:22 pm
#85 ray-bulls_fan:
if you can stand out in a losing team, you’re due to be noticed, arent you?
anyway, think the cheetahs were the only team (after the bulls) who were interested in him.
think thats about to change, though!!
21 Apr 2009, 12:24 pm
#84 Ashley:
We might have lost him then, under Jake…..
21 Apr 2009, 12:25 pm
#87 Pietman: oh yeah ofcourse… im surprised WP didnt take him..
#88 Ashley: yip, he is doing well at the cheetahs i must say.. i didnt even know the bulls were interested in him…
21 Apr 2009, 12:26 pm
#88 Ashley:
Always a big decision as well for a Cape Town boytjie to relocate to Snor City!
I remember he said he had a girlfriend in the Cape still…
21 Apr 2009, 12:29 pm
Are there pictures of Matt Damon in this mag.
21 Apr 2009, 12:30 pm
#88 Ashley:
Corne Uys?
21 Apr 2009, 12:31 pm
#91 Pietman: Hello boetie van my…
Ek’s maar leep-oog vandag…. eers vanoggend so 2:15am by die huis gekom van kliente af… so 3:00am gaan slaap… weer op gewees 7:00am…
Ek is behoorlik spoedloos…
21 Apr 2009, 12:32 pm
#90 ray-bulls_fan:
Rassie’s folly, preferring to import the big Fijian.
I doubt if he had ever given Nokwe any thought, sitting right next door to him in Darling….
21 Apr 2009, 12:33 pm
#94 grootblousmile:
Klink woes swaer!
Nee hel, ek weer nie meer so nie, ek is klaar met daai…
21 Apr 2009, 12:37 pm
#96 Pietman: As die PUT in die KALF is…. dan arbei mens maar….
Ek is eers weg na die klient toe gister na 5:00 pm nadat ek by my prokurowers in Groenkloof was…. moes toe nog ‘n hele Netwerk aanmekaarknoop en klooooomp ou data oordra na klompie nuwe rekenaars…
Kom toe laasnag by die huis en het ‘n mailboksie wat verwoed met my raas…. eishhhhhh
21 Apr 2009, 12:40 pm
#90 ray-bulls_fan:
well, then youre about the only one left suprised by the idiots running wp rugby!
and on the bulls, they were surely interested
oh, and i’ve found another interesting bit of news
“The Lions have given Jonghi Nokwe the boot ahead of this year’s (2007) Vodacom Super 14″
i know who’s kicking themselves now!!!
21 Apr 2009, 12:43 pm
Kon hulle nie ‘n beter foto van Pierre op die voorblad gesit het nie?
Waar is Saai-min? Hy vra mos altyd wat ons van die voorblad dink? Of die speler op die voorbald vir ons mooi lyk …
21 Apr 2009, 12:45 pm
#99 Sheriff:
“Of die speler op die voorbald vir ons mooi lyk …”
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