Slack management irks Coetzee
12 Aug 2009
Ricky Januarie would have started against Boland had WP coach Allister Coetzee received adequate notice of the Springbok scrumhalf’s availability.
Gurthro Steenkamp and Chiliboy Ralepelle were released to play for the Blue Bulls at the beginning of the week despite being named in the 27-man Bok squad set to travel to Australasia. Januarie, a player who has hardly featured for the Boks in 2009 and is desperate for game time, was only released on Tuesday which according to Coetzee is too late for consideration.
‘When your Springboks are available, you want to play them,’ he told keo.co.za. ‘I would definitely have given Ricky a chance to play this Saturday, but I only found out he was available on Tuesday at around lunch-time. By then we had already had three training sessions.
‘I know the Bulls were notified well in advance. If I had known on the Sunday, I would have had no problem giving Ricky a game. But as it stands, it’s unfair to just bring him in knowing he’s going to be off in a week’s time. It’s also disruptive to our preparation.’
WP have three other scrumhalves in Dewaldt Duvenhage, Bolla Conradie and Conrad Hoffmann. However, there is an understanding that a Springbok is almost always first-choice.
Meanwhile, one Bok has been attending WP training with the aim of staying a fit ahead of his return to Test rugby. Schalk Burger may not be eligible until 22 August due to an eight-week ban, but is still keeping fit at WP’s High Performance Centre in the interim.
By Jon Cardinelli
24 Comments
12 Aug 2009, 13:29 pm
Ricky will get some game time in January!
12 Aug 2009, 13:29 pm
Just an excuse not to use him……if Jean De Villiers was released he would have walked straight back in the team. Alistair rates Dewaldt Duvenhage higher than Ricky…and I don’t blame him!
12 Aug 2009, 13:35 pm
Does one day really make that much difference? It’s not like Ricky is new to WP or a rookie. Somefinks not lekker.
12 Aug 2009, 13:36 pm
And what about Bekker? Why can’t he play?
12 Aug 2009, 13:46 pm
For all his improvement, Div still has certain emotional attachments that need to be broken.
Specifically, his attachment to January and Jacobs. If these guys are on form, they should be geniune contenders for the Bok match 22. But if they’re not, or if someone else is performing better, they should be sent back to their provinces.
Bekker is another example. He shouldn’t be on the Bok bench. Rossouw and Burger should be there, covering lock and loose forward respectively.
I don’t think Allistair wants Ricky in his team, despite Div’s love for the player.
12 Aug 2009, 13:48 pm
What irks me is the slack management of Ricky Januarie. His dietician should be fired and his conditioning coach shot!
12 Aug 2009, 13:48 pm
One day makes that diffs ? What is Duvenhawe gets injured ? Anyway I fail to see how this is too WP disadvantage.
12 Aug 2009, 14:01 pm
#6 Richie_7: If that happens then what would Ollie do for a living ?
12 Aug 2009, 14:22 pm
But surely you would always wanna use your best mechanic not matter what the notification period is?
12 Aug 2009, 14:34 pm
#2 SharkieBoy: Conrad Hoffmann actually looks a much better prospect then Duvenhage, he plays k@k there 1st half’s, and when it looks like they gone sub him (keeps his eye on what’s happening on the bench), he fakes an injury.
12 Aug 2009, 15:09 pm
I thought they were looking at Hoffmann as a possible long term Flyhalf – I’m sure I read that somewhere. Regardless, Duvenhage is still better than Ricky!.
12 Aug 2009, 15:33 pm
#5 Tacitus
Tac,
Se nou ma Matfield word beseer en moet afgan, wie call dan ons line-outs (ennie opposisie s’n, hehe!!)
Da issie ‘n plek virre line-out spesialis tussen jou splinters nie?
12 Aug 2009, 15:39 pm
Ricky has gone downhill since moving to Cape Town. These guys ruin all the ex Lions players they get, with the exception Jantjes.
12 Aug 2009, 15:50 pm
Easy.
Play January from the bench and use him to sub one of the props at around 60 mins…
12 Aug 2009, 16:29 pm
My guess is that if Ricky plays more than a cameo in a game even more people will realise how kak he is.
Better to keep him well hidden and perpetuate the myth that he’s actually a good player and worthy of inclussion in the Boks.
12 Aug 2009, 16:52 pm
haha, I’m very grateful that he wasnt released in time! He would only get in the way, we’re much better off with Duvenage, Hoffman and Bolla. I think he should do a ‘Craig Burden’ and convert to front rower. Not sure what would suit him best tight head or hooker?
12 Aug 2009, 18:35 pm
Any ex front rowers care to comment
12 Aug 2009, 23:54 pm
#12 bloukie: Very valid point. And PvD has previously also point out that he is preparing Bekker for when Matfield will retire (probably immediately after 2011 WC). We should build up experience seeing that we know someone like Matfield will be retiring. Especially if we have the right people and who is actually performing well enough to be selected for the Boks.
12 Aug 2009, 23:56 pm
Guys, come on! Ricky isn’t that bad.
It’s just that there are so many better than him.
13 Aug 2009, 00:28 am
Alistair, they are too busy fighting legal battles to worry about rugby matters.
Apparently that pointless armband protest during the July 4 Test against the British and Irish Lions lead on Monday to SARU president Hoskins, SARU acting managing director Marinos, SARU Communications manager Colquhoun, Springbok coach Peter de Villiers and Springbok captain John Smit all appearing before before a disciplinary committee of the International Rugby Board (IRB). Judgment was reserved after a marathon hearing of more than nine hours. They were too tired and only phoned you on Tuesday.
13 Aug 2009, 00:50 am
#18 Amerifikaner: No such a thing as ‘Very Valid Point’, it’s a binary definition; either valid or false, no superlatives allowed
13 Aug 2009, 09:28 am
Bet Januarie could eat more burgers than any other scrummie.
13 Aug 2009, 10:28 am
#22 Predawn: Naah, Piri Weepu would give him a good go I reckon.
But you gotta give AC credit for originality on this excuse. It beats him saying, “Januarie is **** and don’t want him in the team”.
15 Aug 2009, 04:49 am
If Ricki’s escapades in Dunedin is not affording him any slack from you lot, why do the RWC Boks ie, Steyn, Pienaar, JdV, Fourie, get any better. I don’t see anyone calling JdV ****. Or Frans Steyn, for that matter…they all are playing **** rugby. And that is for winning a trophy not so long after we’ve won our 1st one. Dunedin has never happened, not in over 100yrs of Bok rugby. Untill that famous night. Thx again Ricki! You certainly played your part in building this BOK team’s ‘aura’. Now go do it again in Hamilton… I’ll be there to spur you and the boyz on to further greatness!!!
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