Brits, Joubert in line for top award
11 May 2010
Schalk Brits and Ernst Joubert have been nominated for the Premiership’s Player of the Year award.
The two Saracens players are joined by the Northampton trio of Chris Ashton, Phil Dowson and Soane Tonga’uiha. Brits, especially has been in brilliant form and has received many plaudits from northern pundits.
With Peter de Villiers set to name a few overseas players for the Test against Wales on 5 June, it would not be surprising if Brits was named in the squad.
However, Sarries’ director of rugby Brendan Venter wasn’t one of the three coaches nominated for their award. Leceister Tigers’ Richard Cockerill, Leeds’ Andy Key and the Saints’ Jim Mallinder are in contention when the announcement will be made at a dinner next Tuesday.
26 Comments
11 May 2010, 18:48 pm
Brits and Venter might face disciplinary hearings as a result of their conduct during the game this past weekend.
11 May 2010, 18:57 pm
Just how strong is this Premiership competition?
Because while Ernst and Schalk were good players in SA, they were nothing out of the ordinary, and there are at least 5 better players currently in SA in each one’s position.
And in Ernst’s case I count just the one side of the scrum that he packs down on, not all loose forwards, because then the count would reach at least 10.
No offense, but it seems when guys go north then they suddenly become superstars:
Neil de Kock
Michael Claasens
Butch James
Frans Steyn
Marco Wentzel
Piet Boer
Pieter de Villiers
That blond, stick thin flying wing of the Free State – Burger or something.
Brad Barrit – suddenly in the England squad.
Etc. etc. etc.
Are our average players really THAT good, or is the standard of rugby just a bit lower up there. I think I know which answer I’m leaning toward.
11 May 2010, 19:10 pm
great news…proud of those 2 boys….i have met schalk a few times….always smiling and a positive oke….
also great for brendan venter, who has done wonders with Saracens.
11 May 2010, 19:29 pm
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-2:
Agree with you
Watch a fair amount of GP
Top flight is much to diluted
To many teams
To many foreigners
One man’s mediocrity has become another man’s star
Ricky Flutey and Schalk Burger being the most notable examples at present
Both 3rd / 4th best in their home nations
Superstars of England
11 May 2010, 19:32 pm
For me, Saracens represents the structural weakness in the English game
Far to many foreigners
Hinders development of the local player
Fewer teams with fewer foreigners
And the English game will once again improve
11 May 2010, 19:33 pm
@grant10(grant10)-3: Are Schalk Brits and Mike Horn (the explorer) dopplegangers…
11 May 2010, 19:34 pm
@heita(heita)-4:
Oops, should have been Schalk BRITZ
Two slaps for meself for mixing up Hulk Burger with Ballet Shoes Britz
11 May 2010, 21:05 pm
@Tacitus(Tacitus)-2: sorry taccy but aint it amazing you only name none ex bulls players as being useless??
and they go up north because they not good enough??\
its that kind of statements why many bloggers dont respect you posts or views
lemme tell you one thing , the bulls would give the balls and all they have to have a frans steyn
you know and i know with him earning 22.3 mil for his 3 year contract no SA team can afford him ,
but the bulls themselves had in the past made offers for him , to but name one
11 May 2010, 21:15 pm
Tacticus
Howcome when the Bulls golden boy Derrick Hougaard goes overseas he suddenly becomes useless ? Didn’t cut the grade at Leicster and can’t start for Saracens to save his life ?
Maybe the support in the UK is better ? Nurture a player to reach his potential instead of waiting for the next wunderkind to arrive ?
Cheers
11 May 2010, 22:08 pm
Philip Burger embarrassed Marius Delport on his last visit to Loftus. Got the crowd all fired up as well.
Maybe Ernst just needed to be in a better team to show how good he really is. As a forward it is tremendously difficult to shine in a poor side.
11 May 2010, 23:30 pm
Brits has been on fire at Sarries. Still running away from his support tho. Altho this could be down to the Carlos Spencer Effect whereby teammates dont know what or where the fark hes going next.
12 May 2010, 01:15 am
I tend to agree with Tac
Diluted league where mediocrity revels and give SH players on their last sojourn superstar status/value. There are useless Bulls players that have become stars overseas as well..
Example
-Antonio Claasens(Bulls u19-u21 captain)-star at Brive
-Marius Goosen(ex Bulls FB) a star in Italy
-Normaan Jordaan(ex Bulls 9)-highly rated overseas
-Cliff Milton(ex Bulls lock) a star for Stade Francais
-Hottie Louw(ex Bulls lock)
-Jacques Cronje(ex Bulls loosie)-highly rated in France-Castres
-Danie Coetzee(ex Bulls 2)-been overseas for almost 6 yrs-stalwart
For all intensive purposes the above were below par talents/didn’t set world in fire.bar maybe Cronje who really had one gud yr 2004/5
12 May 2010, 02:10 am
it shouldn’t be overlooked that SA players tend to leave for Europe at an age where they are reaching their peak. Other players who leave early could well have excelled at S14 level, but we’ll never know for sure.
a lot of young springboks who were pushed maybe a little too early have shown their class; Wentzel and Claassens spring to mind. others left because of a dip in form, which they have obviously now rediscovered, such as Marius Joubert (a bok stalwart not too long ago), and Neil de Kok
12 May 2010, 02:24 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-12: to be honest I haven’t heard the hype about any of those except Classen who might well play for France, considering the talent they have in the backrow, he’s obviously a good player.
Juandre Kruger is the other ex-Bulls player who went well but Gary Botha current hooker at the Bulls spent a considerable amount of time on the Quins bench and Hougaard has been ineffectual.
12 May 2010, 07:47 am
I’m not getting involved in this scrap – my only question is: Would Schalk Brits make the Stormers line-up ahead of Tiaan Liebenberg?
Having said that, I am proud that two of our boys are flying the SA flag over there.
12 May 2010, 08:19 am
Schalk Britz is doing much better in the UK than what Gary Botha did. I rate Schalk Britz in the top 3 hookers of SA. Only ahead of him is Liebenberg and Smit.
12 May 2010, 09:22 am
Well done lads, but I don’t expect either of you to be in green and gold anytime soon.
12 May 2010, 09:39 am
If we call the Premiership weak our memory is a bit short.Did a Saracens B team not beat the Springbok B-team. Did the Leceister pack of forwards not demolish the SA pack when they met. Brits & Joubert will be welcomed back with open arms in SA. They deserve a lot of credit for their nomination
12 May 2010, 09:43 am
I would suggest that a minimum requirement for offering an opinion on a thread of this nature is that you would have at least seen a few of the games. Otherwise your opinion is about as useful as a Malema built riempie chair. Players improve or get worse. They flourish in different environments. I’ve seen a number of Saracens games and Joubert and Britz have been outstanding. Better than local based players? That’s debatable. But they’ve been bloody good and deserve the recognition.
12 May 2010, 09:55 am
@katman(katman)-19: Too right.
Post no.2 should be pretty much ignored on this thread.
12 May 2010, 10:10 am
@18 and 19
Well said…..
12 May 2010, 10:24 am
Katman
What did you think of Mouritz Botha ?
Thought he was quite good.
Cheers
12 May 2010, 10:35 am
2. Tacitus(Tacitus) :
Average players my ***. A few players on that list are World Cup winners and should still be in the Bok squad. (James/Steyn)
The thing that overseas allows is less pressure from dumbass SA supporters – look at Monty, came back a better player after half the dim witted supporters in his own country turned against him.
Brits at provincial level is class. At test level his scrummaging will let him down. In open play there is no better hooker in the world.
12 May 2010, 11:12 am
@Methos(Methos)-22: Ja, I really like his work rate. And he’s a big, solid unit. Where was he before he went to Saracens?
De Kock and Barrit have been good too (and I was never the biggest Barrit fan when he was with the Sharks).
12 May 2010, 11:14 am
Certainly a lot of players are unfairly rubbished in SA. Just look at keow!
SA has many good players that are stifled by politics and mediocre coaching. Many of these guys blossom overseas and become better to very good players. It is a pity they are more or less lost to the Boks. BUT we have plenty good players left but are still stuck with mediocre coaches.
12 May 2010, 11:22 am
Katman
He played for Bedford Blues for 2 seasons in National Div 1. Before that for Bedford Athletic in National division 3 for 2 Seasons.
Before that he played for NTK in the Western Province Super A Leauge. Never got a look in for WP Vodacom etc. Another talent lost by WP.
Cheers
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