Stormers need BJ the destroyer
28 Apr 2010
BJ Botha would provide the Stormers’ scrum with a destructive edge if he was brought to the Cape franchise.
Injuries to looseheads Wicus Blaauw and JC Kritzinger mean the Stormers are one blow away from crisis at a critical stage of the competition. JD Moller will start at No 1 against the Crusaders this Friday, but coach Allister Coetzee will be praying there are no injuries to either of his props.
Coetzee told keo.co.za on Monday they are considering a number of options after it was confirmed Kritzinger could be out for as many as three weeks. Local men like Janro van Niekerk have been talked up, and there’s been speculation that Botha, a Bok tighthead playing for Irish club Ulster, could be called on to help the team.
While the move may seem necessary with injuries to Blaauw and Kritzinger, who are both looseheads, it’s at tighthead where the Stormers are most vulnerable. Brok Harris has done a formidable job at No 3 this season and has played for the majority of the campaign. If Harris goes down, they’ll have to rely on the inexperienced Argentinean Eusebio Guinazu to slot in at tighthead. Guinazu hasn’t had many opportunities to date and while he is listed as a versatile prop, he has played more at loosehead than tighthead for the Cape team.
The Stormers’ scrum has been solid this season and have in some instances dominated the opposition. Harris has been the standout No 3 across the South African franchises, although it’s premature to be talking about him as a Bok contender. He’s also benefited from the scrumming power of Tiaan Liebenberg and the afore-mentioned looseheads beside him, not to mention the underrated back five of the Stormers.
The signing of a high-profile prop to the Cape franchise is long overdue. Botha’s experience would be a boost to youngsters like Harris, Blaauw and Kritzinger, while his own performances would help the Stormers to destroy opposition scrums on a more regular basis.
Botha was recalled to the Bok side last November and had an immediate impact. He impressed against Italy and then produced a dominant showing against Ireland. The Boks’ effort at scrum time was undoubtedly the highlight of the visitors’ performance.
Botha told this site last November that he wants to return to South Africa and push for a place in the World Cup squad. To become eligible, he’ll need to sign with a South African team and play in the 2011 Super 15.
While Harris has done well, the Stormers will strengthen their chances of success in next year’s competition by bringing Botha to Cape Town. At the moment, there has been no official word on Botha joining the Stormers for the back end of this campaign, but surely there should be a move to acquire his services for 2011.
The Stormers have been lucky that Harris has avoided injury in 2010 and will be hoping their luck holds out for the rest of the campaign. But they can’t bank on luck forever. In reference to the old adage, top teams need two quality tightheads, not one.
By Jon Cardinelli
102 Comments
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28 Apr 2010, 10:10 am
Who has BJ ever destroyed?
He’s merely held parity.
28 Apr 2010, 10:11 am
Brendan Botha destroyed the Irish scrum last time he played
28 Apr 2010, 10:13 am
Ridiculous to think, you have 2/3 looseheads out injured and you go shopping for a tighthead! Rassies disco lights are getting to him again.
Stormers should be getting Daan Human back for a few weeks.
28 Apr 2010, 10:14 am
“that Botha, a Bok tighthead playing for Irish club Munster” dont you mean Ulster? Whoops.
28 Apr 2010, 10:16 am
doesnt bj play for ulster?
28 Apr 2010, 10:18 am
This story was broken by Gavin Rich, who also broke the Butch James coming to Stormers story.
Reliable?
28 Apr 2010, 10:19 am
BRING BACK THE BJ!!!!!! and Botha too =P
28 Apr 2010, 10:20 am
Stormers are set to lose one of their stars to Bayonne too.
28 Apr 2010, 10:21 am
good buy this for the stormers if they can get him, but we still dont have any monster THs, he’s been about average in the NH.
28 Apr 2010, 10:21 am
what is up with these stupid names in brackets???
28 Apr 2010, 10:22 am
@Karma-zaf(Karma-zaf): And we still lost. Puts to bed Grant10’s kak. Nothing more than a smokescreen for an anti-Smit crusade provoked by his comments about Luke Watson. The Reds scrum was turbo-reversing but they still won. A strong scrum gives you a good attacking platform but what’s the point if your forwards are failing to dominate in the loose and the backs can’t do anything with go-forward ball? This turbo-reverse nonesense is a smokescreen for a hidden agenda. There’s much more to rugby than just scrums.
We lost to Ireland because Matfield was nullified in the lineouts, our forwards were being knocked backwards and we were very uncreative on attack. The Reds proved on the weekend that a dominant scrum will never guarantee you victory.
28 Apr 2010, 10:23 am
My Bok squad for this years Tri-Nations…..
15. Zane Kirschner / Hennie Danillier.
14. Lionel Mapoe / Gio Aplon.
13. Jacques Fourie.
12. Wynand Olivier / Bradley Barritt.
11. Ryan Kankowski.
10. Morne’ Steyn / Peter Grant.
9. Ruan Pienaar / Jano Vermaak.
8. Pierre Spies / Willem Alberts.
7. Juan Smith / Jean Deysel.
6. Schalk Burger (c) / Joe VanNiekerk.
5. Andries Bekker / Juandre Kruger.
4. Bakkies Botha / Flip VanDerMerwe.
3. Brendan Botha / Jannie DuPlessis.
2. Bismark DuPlessis / Gary Botha.
1. Gurthro Steenkamp / Beast Mtawarira.
Players rested for conditioning programme = John Smit, Victor Matfield, Fourie DuPreez, Bryan Habana, J.P. Pieterson.
28 Apr 2010, 10:25 am
@fish out of water(fish out of water): very strange indeed.
28 Apr 2010, 10:25 am
@Karma-zaf(Karma-zaf): Barritt is not eligible to play for South Africa.
28 Apr 2010, 10:25 am
hey Jon…?
So when the tighthead can’t take the heat, it’s his fault alone… but when he can take the heat it’s only because of everyone around him…
hmmmm…???
Harris really shoulda signed your autograph book hey…??
28 Apr 2010, 10:26 am
@PissAnt(PissAnt):
who PA…???
28 Apr 2010, 10:27 am
Is Joe Pieterson not rumoured to be heading overseas?
28 Apr 2010, 10:27 am
I expect to wake up one morning and read a headline like this…..
“It was reported in the Cape Times this morning that WP Rugby has made a bid for every South African ruby player, in their quest for Super rugby success.When questioned on this fact,Wp CEO, Robert Wagner, strongly denied ever having made a bid for Earl Rose.”
28 Apr 2010, 10:27 am
@KZN King “I touch you on your studio” Shark(JayDaFiveOh): I have to mention in my opinion John Smit aint no tighthead. Sorry. I must add though that he MUST be in the Bok team though. I think hooker or loosehead is his best bets. To be honest the only player challenging him for the number 1 jersey is Gurthro and this has been his best season so far for about 5 years now to be honest. I think the Bok front row for World Cup time will be 1. Smit. 2. DuPlessis and 3. Botha. Smit has to be there….no negotiations
28 Apr 2010, 10:29 am
@Karma-zaf(Karma-zaf): Ryan at 11?
28 Apr 2010, 10:29 am
@Oubaas2009(Oubaas2009): 6 – Yip, said that yesterday here. The same was said about Butch going to Stormers. He is still in Bath. It never happened.
Botha still has a beautiful home in Durbs. So I am hoping he goes home to the Sharks…
With the Dup brothers not so sure he will come.
Though for South African rugby would be just good to see him back in South Africa even if he had to go to the Stormers.
28 Apr 2010, 10:30 am
@PissAnt(PissAnt): From Stormers to Bayonne is a step down. Bayonne are sitting near the bottom of the Top 14 log.
28 Apr 2010, 10:31 am
I hope that we can sign BJ…
In other news, I see that the ref panel has caved into Brumbie pressure and removed Welsh as ref for their next game.
28 Apr 2010, 10:33 am
@MacToogie(MacToogie): 20
Why the hell not ????? its a worthy experiment i say
28 Apr 2010, 10:35 am
I seem to recall BJ last playing in 2008 3N and his presence had little effect. Face it guys SA scrumming technique is flawed. We need better scrum coaches. I agree that BJ is a much better 3 than Smit but as the 2008 3N proved, dominant or parity scrums do not guarantee you a win. Its what you do with that go-forward ball that matters the most.
If BJ does go to the Stormers he’s a little turncoat ingrate. He should be returning to his old province. After all it was thanks to the Sharks he got selected for the Boks.
28 Apr 2010, 10:35 am
@money_man(money_man):
1. money_man(money_man) :
April 28th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Who has BJ ever destroyed?
He’s merely held parity.
I was about to say so myself… maybe I’m suffering from short memory syndrome…
28 Apr 2010, 10:36 am
@fish out of water(fish out of water): why do you say he is ineligible for the Boks Fish, surely playing for the Saxons doesn’t mean he’s played a test for England right?
28 Apr 2010, 10:39 am
@Sonito(Sonito):
Correct.
28 Apr 2010, 10:39 am
@KZN King “I touch you on your studio” Shark(JayDaFiveOh):
not thanks to his own ability…???
you admitting then that Sharks players should become Boks just cause they’ve got prettier jerseys…?
28 Apr 2010, 10:39 am
@Michael(mikeybrass): Are they afraid of another Kurtley Beale style “I was going for the intercept, honest” knock down? Goes to show that Aus rules the roost in the South. Was he the guy that reffed the Sharks/Tahs game?
28 Apr 2010, 10:40 am
BJ is a great player and hopefully solve the soft underbelly of 3 in future. Let’s hope he comes and stays.
28 Apr 2010, 10:41 am
@Gonzo Journalism(Gonzo Journalism): nah, no use medling if you not going to make it a permanent move, rather give experience to guys who actually play wing, no time to muck about right now.
28 Apr 2010, 10:41 am
Will be a real pity if Joe goes now… he’s been by far the best of the SA fullbacks this season…
28 Apr 2010, 10:43 am
@fish out of water(fish out of water):
Money walks I suppose…
28 Apr 2010, 10:44 am
Cape Argus Headline:
Grant10 finally delivers BJ to the Stormers pack.
28 Apr 2010, 10:48 am
@KZN King “I touch you on your studio” Shark(JayDaFiveOh): I never doubted that the ref panels would bend to the Aussie will.
28 Apr 2010, 10:50 am
How many group games do you have to play in to qualify to play in the play offs?
28 Apr 2010, 10:53 am
@MacToogie(MacToogie):
8.2
A Player who has played for the senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the next senior fifteen-a-side National
Representative Team or the senior National Representative Sevens Team of a Union is not eligible to play for the senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the next senior fifteen-a-side National Representative Team or the senior National Representative Sevens Team of another Union.
Saxons caps are not English Test caps but it does stop him from playing for any other country.
28 Apr 2010, 10:54 am
@fish out of water(fish out of water): That should be IRB Regulation 8.2
28 Apr 2010, 10:58 am
@fish out of water(fish out of water): That seems made up as:
Barritt played for South Africa against France in the final of the 2006 Under 21 Rugby World Championship.
He represented the Emerging Springboks at the IRB Nations Cup in 2007.
Brad Barritt was selected by England manager Martin Johnson to represent the England Saxons at the 2009 Churchill Cup. This was made possible as Barritt has not had a cap for another country but owns a UK Passport which makes him eligible for England and South Africa.
Are the emerging boks not the same as the Saxons?
28 Apr 2010, 10:58 am
@fish out of water(fish out of water): Interesting, thanks for that Fish, didn’t know that.
28 Apr 2010, 11:01 am
@fish out of water(fish out of water): The Emerging Springboks are the second national rugby union team in South africa after the national side.
I smell a rat, or is that a fish out of water?
28 Apr 2010, 11:01 am
Grant where are you…..??
This is just what you wanted to hear!!
(Now your quest for CJ) !!
28 Apr 2010, 11:04 am
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated):
No, which is why so many people are tired of the farce of ‘emerging’ Boks as a simple cloak to play useless players in green and gold.
The SA A Team (when last did you hear of them?) are like the Saxons.
28 Apr 2010, 11:04 am
@MacToogie(MacToogie): Wouldn’t beleive everything you read here. Barrit played for Emerging Boks BEFORE Saxons. So something is very “fishy” with 8.2!
28 Apr 2010, 11:06 am
@PissAnt(PissAnt): That’s ridiculous! Is SA rugby really that stupid? I am still dubious of this ruling.
28 Apr 2010, 11:06 am
i haven’t been on Keo since Friday, what has the backlash been since the Stormers succumbed to the Reds and lost the “Favourites” tag.
28 Apr 2010, 11:11 am
@Ratel Brussow(Morne Steyn is under-rated):
It is (ridiculous).
But the Saxons, who are effectively England A, is very different from the Emerging Boks.
Emerging Boks is not classed as our A side. But exactly what the name says – Emerging…
28 Apr 2010, 11:14 am
@PissAnt(PissAnt): ahhhhh so Barrit is ineligible then, shot for the clarification PA
28 Apr 2010, 11:19 am
Grant 10 has been in dire need of a bj for some time now..,
Let’s hope the big guys arrival brings him some relief..
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