Back where he belongs
15 Jun 2010
After a difficult period at tighthead prop, John Smit has returned to hooker. And he wants to stay there.
In the latest issue of SA Rugby magazine, on sale this week, Smit reveals how he feared for his safety when he was moved to tighthead prop in 2008, and how the constant media attention on the positional switch drove him crazy.
He goes on to explain why hooker is his best position and says he plans to finish his Test career in the No 2 jersey.
Smit also talks about how his leadership role has changed since 2007, why he doesn’t like to be rested, working with Os du Randt, and having to shed weight to play hooker again.
Also in the new issue:
– Super 14 wrap: We rate all five South African franchises, and pay tribute to the champion Bulls. Eddie Jones, in his first column for the magazine, looks back on the Soweto final and where it was won and lost.
– New Springbok scrum coach Os du Randt on what went wrong with the set piece last year, his ideal front row, and bringing back South Africa’s overseas stars
– Springbok assistant coaches Gary Gold and Dick Muir have had a major influence on the team’s playing philosophy
– Zane Kirchner is ready to establish himself at fullback for the Springboks
– If there’s one thing the All Blacks fear ahead of this year’s Tri-Nations, it’s getting caught out again by the Springboks
– When Will Genia arrived in Australia a decade ago, he hadn’t even heard of rugby union. Now he’s one of the world’s most dangerous scrumhalves
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– Dan Carter on his Super 14 struggles, why the All Blacks will pose a serious threat in the Tri-Nations, his ideal halfback partner, and next year’s World Cup in New Zealand
– SA Rugby magazine looks at the evolution of Super Rugby from the first instalment in 1996 to the competition’s new format in 2011
– Southern Kings CEO Stephan Pretorius on Saru’s empty promises, Alan Solomons’ role as director of rugby, and transformation
– Butch James: ‘I want to play in another World Cup’
– Mike Catt heads into retirement as one of England’s greats, writes former team-mate Will Greenwood
122 Comments
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14 Jun 2010, 11:16 am
I was at newlands on saturday (close to the field and had a very close view of quite a few of the scrums) and was watching the scrum setups closely. Because Gurthro is taller than BJ the scrum had to set at an angle in order to get the hit even. What I mean by this is that BJ sets slightly in front of JS, who is slightly in front of Gurthro. The result is that the scum has to Wheel forward clockwise at engage, with BJ engaging from a closer distance than Gurthro, who has longet to go in order to make sure his back isn’t bent at contact. This makes the timing a lot more inconsistant and will take some getting used to before the team is getting it right consistantly.
People forget that props and hookers come in varying shapes, sizes and particularly heights, and all of this requires an adaption depending on the combination. That’s why i was in favour of a Beast JS Jannie combo as they are a well drilled unit. With Beast out of the way and Gurthro in the mix you have a strong argument for Werner’s inclusion at T.H.
14 Jun 2010, 11:16 am
@GI POT(GI POT)-49: Tall looseheads normally battle against the shorter tightheads. Os used to say so.
14 Jun 2010, 11:16 am
@GI POT(GI POT)-49: Tighthead still a problem for us. Boy is a guy like Visagie missed
14 Jun 2010, 11:18 am
@Oubaas2009(Oubaas2009)-52:
Hayman is 6’5”.
The Big Girl Sheri is about the same.
Not too shabby at scrumtime.
14 Jun 2010, 11:19 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-46: I don’t think it is a question of him playing better at Bok level than WP. I think it is a case of the different game plans that they employ. WP depend on quick ball to get strike runners going. Bekker, Burger and Liebenberg are used to punch holes and then quick ball goes to the back before defense is ready.
Duvenhage is ideally suited to this type of game and Januarie not. The Boks are more defense orientated, but under PDV they are showing much more attacking flair. I believe that it is this added dimension to their play that scares the AB’s and others the most. We have always been a good defensive side, but it did not mean that we were getting the results.
PDV will work on Januarie’s all round game because it is vital to his new philosophy of play. There is hope
14 Jun 2010, 11:20 am
@Bok fan(Bok fan)-50: That makes more sense.
14 Jun 2010, 11:22 am
Jannie saved a guy’s life!
Good on you Jannie.
14 Jun 2010, 11:22 am
@GI POT(GI POT)-55: Good points. I hope he does improve that side of his game, as he’s going to be in the mix for a while.
14 Jun 2010, 11:22 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-54: Hayman is a tighthead, thats a number 3.
14 Jun 2010, 11:26 am
@Oubaas2009(Oubaas2009)-52: Yes, that used to be the case when there was a contest allowed in the front row, ala they could “pop” the opponent or the tighthead was allowed to scrum in on the hooker to put pressure on him.
A good tighthead was characterized by not having a neck because then he could get under the chest of the loosehead and lift him out of the scrum.
It was the looshead’s job, therefore, to keep the tighthead scrumming straight and to prevent him from getting under him. That is what made short tightheads a bugger to scrum against, ala Olo Brown of the AB’s and Dougie Heymans of the FS who Os regards as the toughest opponents he had faced.
The contest is now out of the game and I believe that is why we have so many resets at scrum time. The art of scrumming is dying because of pedantic laws. WP Nel proves that short tightheads are no longer a necessity – they have become a liability.
14 Jun 2010, 11:30 am
@Oubaas2009(Oubaas2009)-59: Just serves to illustrate my point. Hayman is a big bugger and regarded as one of the best tightheads around – if not the best. Nobody messes with him at scrumtime
14 Jun 2010, 11:50 am
@GI POT(GI POT)-61: Size is not everything.
Nicolas Mas, the french tighthead is lighter and a little shorter than BJ Botha.
The loosehead who Botha scrummed against (Domingo) is shorter and lighter than him.
IMO BJ remains the best bet at 3. Let the boys settle on a combination. You scrum as a unit. Its been said many times and remains true.
14 Jun 2010, 12:03 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-54:
I was reading your rantings on another thread about 2 of or players getting suspended during the lions tour, when are the likes of you goona shed this perception that all bok players are brutal thugs, I mean that notion did hold ground once upon a time, and yes we have been guilty of thuggish play, but I believe that has been stamped out since the Jake white era, so every time I hear other fans crying foul I just think they disgruntled a$$hole falling back on outdated ramblings because the Boks are usually thuggish when they are losing, not winning like our current outfit who are setting the global benchmark!!!
14 Jun 2010, 12:30 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-38:
You know, 33% of the starting 15 are POC nowadays, so does that mean we can’t crit 1/3 of the team in fear of being called a racist?
Just wondering – I think the Boks did great Saturday and everybody except Olivier and Kirchner looked international standard
14 Jun 2010, 12:42 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-64:
You can crit anytime.
Just when it’s warranted not just cos the player is not white.
14 Jun 2010, 12:45 pm
Smitty back at Hooker!
Great News. That means Bismark is on the bench.(at best).
Bismark was, O for awesome last year. Around the field no better Bok.
14 Jun 2010, 12:48 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-65:
Are their any White Players The Banarama’s, (your soccer team).
14 Jun 2010, 12:49 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-67:
Yes.
And my rugby team is called the Irees.
I don’t know the Banaramas.
14 Jun 2010, 13:09 pm
It may be where Smit wants to be but I’d prefer to see him at home, with a pie on Saturdays, while I watch fit people play rugby.
14 Jun 2010, 13:27 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-69: Agreed, Smith and Zane need to stay home.
14 Jun 2010, 13:27 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-69: Man, I agree with you 100%. If ever there was evidence that John Smit shouldn’t be in the Bok team, it is on the replay of Rougerie’s try (angle from behind the posts). You can see John Smit hanna-hanna along but getting nowhere… A fit hooker like Bissy, Liebenberg, Gary Botha or Schalk Brits would’ve tackled the guy before that last pass to Rougerie. (I apologise if John S was carrying an injury, but then again he shouldn’t be on the pitch if this was the case)
14 Jun 2010, 13:29 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-65:
and the opposite is also true, right? Don’t just crit because a player is white…
Just saying it starts to get difficult in SA to crit some players as a lot of people have the race card as the final “Ace” in the hole – going to become more difficult to have objective discussions on here regarding players in the future imo, since the team is becoming more representative, fully on merit I believe.
just musing… no point really.
Carry on…
14 Jun 2010, 13:30 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-71:
yeah, a any hooker in the world would have tackled that world class wing…
wait, what?
14 Jun 2010, 13:32 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-73: Read my post again
14 Jun 2010, 13:39 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-73: Rumour has it that even the Hillbrow hookers feel that JS is dragging their names through the mud…????
14 Jun 2010, 13:40 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-74:
ok, give me a second…
there done.
still says the same thing – he should have tackled the first guy or the try scoring guy, right?
using a hooker’s potential tackle on a 13 or a wing as your defenitive measuring stick for “should he have been there…” is off base
talk about scrumming, line-out throws or other main characteristics of no 2 play of you want to talk about form
imo, he did most if not all of the no 2 jobs well on Saturday
And what do you mean by “hannah hannah”ing around and getting nowhere – was he standing still? Was a buying a burger? having a chat with the ref? or was he just being…outrun…by…a…wing?
Shock and horror
14 Jun 2010, 13:42 pm
@JohnyBlue(JohnyBlue)-75:
I put about as much stock in their opinion as yours
14 Jun 2010, 13:47 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-76: You’re not the sharpest tool in the shed, are you? Make an effort to go and look at the replay of Rougerie’s try and see for yourself who made the pass to Rougerie… so ‘my defenitive(sic) measuring stick’ is not ‘off base’ when you see that it’s actually a forward making that pass to Rougerie. And yes, it bloody looked like he was standing still! (He actually maybe should’ve stood still – that would’ve probably been less embarrassing on the replay for him)
14 Jun 2010, 13:53 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-77: Rougerie STROLLED past John. Don’t bother with all the rhetoric, Smit was hamstrung (pun intended).
14 Jun 2010, 13:55 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-76: It was the French 8 man, Smittie was in a position to catch him or at least force him out wide.
14 Jun 2010, 13:57 pm
Probably going to be slaughtered for this but why not start with John Smit on bench – keep him team/tour captain; and he can come on in last 30 if and when needed (ie cr@p hits the fan). best of two worlds: better hooker on for first part of game, cool headed captain on for last part.
14 Jun 2010, 14:12 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-78:
I would have let this slide, but no-one questions the sharpness of my tools, so let’s go to school…
You are obviously coming unarmed to a battle of wits, so let me not try and confuse you with the facts too much
try and keep up…
I looked for a match summary on this heavenly internet tool we call Youtube – which you may not have heard of there in Put-Sonder-Water yet – and posted it on my site – click on my username to view it
ok, still with me? no? ok, I’ll wait….
5 minutes later> ok, go to time code 1:42, this is the try from the side – here, I’ll summarize events for your benefit as you are possibly still on dial-up and cannot see the video
* Ball is passed to French 15
* tackled by Louw and Olivier leaving the outside gap – French 15 offloads to French 12
* French 12 tackled by Habana coming off his line and leaves more of the outside open – Habana has been doing this all game in order to exert pressure in the inexperienced French mid-field,
French 12 offloads to French 8 who leaves Smit in the dust
* SA 15 does a silly little half tackle on French 8 and French 14 goes over the try line.
ok – now stick with me here, please – go to timecode 1:57 – the much vaunted “behind the poles” angle.
Now, look to the right of your screen, Yes – that is JS coming in from the right of your screen trying to defend from halfway up the field when French 12 gets the ball – he is the one with the number 2 on his back, a dead giveaway.
When 8 gets the ball on the angle, JS is still about 5 meters away from him having come from ******* i n g far away…
Now sit back, think, and ask yourself this question…
Would you expect Liebenberg to catch Spies in that situation?
No? Good, school is over – let the tirades begin
14 Jun 2010, 14:28 pm
@Oubaas2009(Oubaas2009)-59:
Gee thanks……
What is Sheridan then ?
The tall vs short was the relevant point. But dont mind me if youre so desperate to clock some ‘points, your insecurity levels seem to need it more then mine.
@Gonzo Journalism(Gonzo Journalism)-63:
I dont have toooo much of a problem with the players themselves – despite assessing dear BaXXies as a thug, Ive also said he’s an awesome player and 1 that I would select. But I wouldnt be at pains to argue that he’s innocent when the victim is a non-Safa (Mortlock, A.jones) and that he’s guilty when the victim is a Safa (Aplon). For exactly the same offense. Kiwis were happy to acknowledge R.loe as a thug and yet select him on the basis he was a walking penalty-risk. Noone denied his strengths NOR his weaknesses.
What I DO have a problem with are those that Protest Too Much to declare what is clearly Black is, instead, White.
And quite why youre so desperate to say “that was in the past…..Jake White era” when we are still talking about the immediate past-season, 2009, under PDivvy ?! And BaXXies is CURRENTLY serving a ban for exactly the same repeat offense.
Wow. Come on, Gonzo, where is the ‘journalism’ in that ?
@Panzer Chief(cane)-66:
Bismarck was Boks best player vs ABs last year, outside of Matfields dismantling of the AB ‘lineout’.
Long Live King Smit !!!!
14 Jun 2010, 14:33 pm
@Gonzo Journalism(Gonzo Journalism)-63:
Journalism assignment for the day:-
” The wearing of the Justice4-armband by the Springboks in 2009 was both a protest of 1 players treatment (BaXXies) whilst condoning the actions of another (Burger), from the same match (2nd Test).
Discuss”.
14 Jun 2010, 14:39 pm
@Oubaas2009(Oubaas2009)-62: You are right, size is not everything, ask Aplon. My problem with BJ is not his size, but his lack of scrumming ability. However, as you say, maybe he deserves a chance to gel with the rest of the team. We shall see…
14 Jun 2010, 14:45 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-82: No need for tirades because all your explanations relating to what happened before John S’s ramble means absolutely zip. Have another look at John Smith hannah-hannah-ing along when he ‘tried’ to keep up with the Frog 8 and tell me honestly if you think that he is a fit international hooker and if it looks like he can keep up with the pace… There is no way. Then you can go and watch the rest of the game before AND after that incident and you’ll see much of the same from him throughout the game – jogging slowly everywhere, looking like he is carrying an injury. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t be on the field and if it’s not the case, well deary me…
14 Jun 2010, 14:53 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-86:
wow, I give you facts, video and a run-down of the try – you give me your opinion…
what an argument
14 Jun 2010, 15:02 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-87: No, if you read my post you’ll see that I simply asked YOUR honest opinion. Man, is it THAT hard to admit that John Smit is over the hill and should not be allowed to take the field without a zimmer frame…?
14 Jun 2010, 15:20 pm
@82. DOOMSAYER
F.ck you’re boring!
14 Jun 2010, 15:23 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-87: By the way – strange how your facts has changed – in your post 76 it was 13 or a wing that outstripped Smit and passed the ball to Rougerie. You then had to be corrected and after you’ve actually watched the clip you’ve now decided that we need a second-by-second analysis of what happened and that Smit is still not at fault? You’re obviously a doughnut so let’s leave it there.
14 Jun 2010, 15:33 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-82: ‘When 8 gets the ball on the angle, JS is still about 5 meters away from him having come from ******* i n g far away…’ I’ve actually just seen that comment in your post and nearly pissed myself laughing. The Frog try came from loose play – John Smit was standing in the middle of the park – and he basically had a few meters to get there (Poitrenaud even stepped inside AND outside to give him more time to get there before passing to the 12 and on to 8 etc…) Shocking, but watching the replay from behind the posts is even more shocking when you see Smit’s effort.
14 Jun 2010, 15:34 pm
@The Dude(RaynoG)-89:
If only you were as cool as the real Dude, the big lebowski, I might give you the time of day…
but you’re not, so fffffffuuuuuuuucccckkkkkk offffffff
14 Jun 2010, 15:38 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-92: Yep, Big Lebowski… It all becomes clear – you’ve been smoking way too much bergpietersielie/papegaaislaai to talk about rugby you plank.
14 Jun 2010, 15:38 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-90:
yeah, I first thought it was a 13, watched the clip, saw it was a 8 – came back and gave a proper argument
you have yet to do so, over and above your own opinion.
answer the question first though, would you expect Liebenberg to catch Spies in the same situation?
or maybe Gary to catch Duane?
14 Jun 2010, 15:41 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-93:
ok, so this is degenerating into name calling? I can play…
I may be a doughnut, but I heard you like a different kind of round hole
14 Jun 2010, 15:44 pm
@ DOOMSAYER
Just be less boring. ******!
14 Jun 2010, 15:44 pm
@Doomsayer(www.pollwar.co.za)-94: I’ve got sad news for you – there are NO pills for stupidity. End of.
14 Jun 2010, 15:47 pm
@The Dude(RaynoG)-96:
you are the poster child for pro-choice
14 Jun 2010, 15:48 pm
why cant I say chr!st
14 Jun 2010, 15:52 pm
@panniepeet(panniepeet)-97:
There are, they are called contraceptives – your parents should have used them.
zing!
ok, guys – this has been fun
let’s do it again sometime
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