Bismarck mustn’t be rushed
11 Aug 2010
GRANT BALL believes there should be a clear plan for Bismarck du Plessis before he plays for the Springboks again.
Du Plessis returned for the Sharks on Saturday after three months out with a neck injury, and understandably didn’t have as much impact as he would’ve liked. But that’s merely down to the high standards many expect from him and although the physical strength he possesses is freakish, it would’ve been expecting a super-human effort for him to immediately be up with the pace of the game after such a serious injury.
Du Plessis conceded a tighthead at one scrum, although he wasn’t helped by having two loose locks in Alistair Hargreaves and Ross Skeate on at that time, while the hooker wasn’t his usual self with ball in hand and gave away a couple of penalties at the breakdown with his overzealous approach. But that was to be expected. Those 16 minutes he had off the bench were all part of completing a rehabilitation programme and building up his confidence.
Now that Du Plessis is back playing, there shouldn’t be a rush to use him for the Boks until he’s close to resembling the form he displayed in the latter stages of the Super 14. Du Plessis joined up with the Boks on Tuesday and took part in training, and although it’s wise to keep players such as him, Fourie du Preez and Heinrich Brussow in the mix, Du Plessis shouldn’t come into the selection reckoning for the All Blacks Test. Rushing him back to that extent would be a risk not worth taking.
Although Du Plessis’ loose play and presence at the breakdowns would be a boon for a Bok side without a fetcher, he would be best served by the management if they have a clear plan regarding his return. The Sharks play the Leopards this Friday and although Craig Burden is in good form and is the province’s incumbent No 2, Du Plessis would benefit from a run off the bench.
With three hookers in the Bok squad, Du Plessis won’t be required for the Soccer City Test, which will be John Smit’s 100th, and Du Plessis would again be best utilised by playing for the Sharks against Western Province, which takes place on the same day.
Mapping out Du Plessis’ role in his return to the Boks should be directly linked to the plan, if there is one, for Smit. The Bok captain will lead the side in Johannesburg and Peter de Villiers has also placed his faith in him up until the World Cup, handing him a contract until then. De Villiers is under pressure to produce results and won’t want to release his captain to go on a conditioning programme for the final couple of Tri-Nations Tests against Australia, but that’s the way to go. A conditioning programme may not necessarily make Smit the best hooker in the country, but it would be the wisest step for him to take to regain his form.
De Villiers has also talked up the faith he has in Chiliboy Ralepelle, and if that really is the case, he has two Tests against Australia to give Ralepelle a start. If Du Plessis is back to his bruising best by that stage after three matches for the Sharks, then he’ll be an asset off the bench for the Boks.
Rushing him back unnecessarily won’t do the player or team any good.
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18 Comments
11 Aug 2010, 12:44 pm
agree
vital player
11 Aug 2010, 12:50 pm
Get fully fit and replace JS!
11 Aug 2010, 12:52 pm
Bismarck should only play again for the Boks on the EOYT. He and chilliboy should rotate on the EOYT. So long he can gain confidence in the currie cup.
11 Aug 2010, 12:54 pm
Was I dreaming or did I hear somewhere John Smit hit the second most rucks or second most ball carries behind Spies??
11 Aug 2010, 13:22 pm
Awesome player, BdP.
Gives away alot of pens/YCs tho. I think Safas have another word for that.
11 Aug 2010, 13:33 pm
There should be a clear plan for Juan Smith as well.
And John Smit.
11 Aug 2010, 13:49 pm
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-5: Yes we call it “unfairly targeted”
11 Aug 2010, 13:56 pm
The heading should read Bismarck shouldn’t be rushed.
You use “must” when it’s obligatory to do something.
You use “should” when it’s better to do something but you don’t really have to.
11 Aug 2010, 14:18 pm
2 + 3 should not be rushed at all. They should give him a long rest. About 5 seasons.
Then this unproductively aggressive, penalty generating, movement wrecking, selfish glory boy won’t put a much better player out of business and mess the Sharks up generally.
11 Aug 2010, 14:20 pm
And I don’t mean Barney.
He also needs a very long rest.
Let the other teams go get the ball instead of waiting (not very long) for one of those 2 to turn it over.
11 Aug 2010, 14:59 pm
John Smit needs his vice captain to start playing a bigger role… And I dont think it should be Matfield, considering his rugby career is over after the world cup.
Having someone like Bismark and not playing him for more than forty, is denying the team to be at full force. Hopefully by now moving Smit to prop should not be considered as an option.
The boks need to start getting use to being confident on the field without Smit on it. Lets not make Smit an excuse when we lose with him on the or off the field.
If he’s fit and at his best play him. But the boks need to know that there is someone they can play for if Smit is not around.
12 Aug 2010, 02:32 am
I say play him for next sat, that way he can get injuired again and hopefully worse, that way the abs wont have to worry about him next year
12 Aug 2010, 07:17 am
Kiwisamoan
that’s about the most obtuse comments I have read on this site – and there have been oh so many.
12 Aug 2010, 07:22 am
@OhYeah(OhYeah)-13: only joking around mate. Seriously Bismarck should just wait for the EOYT, cause I would rather the abs play a full strength boks including Du Preez that way the abs can see where they are at come next year.
12 Aug 2010, 07:36 am
some breaking news
Mapoe saga far from over. Apparently he will rather retire than play for cheetahs!
And talk that some bok seniors are putting pressure on management to call mapoe up into bok team as he is so highly rated.
Never a dull moment in SA Rugby.
12 Aug 2010, 07:48 am
very overrated = mapoe. but lets wait and see
12 Aug 2010, 08:08 am
South Africa, unlike Australia for example, are in the fortunate position where we do not have to rush back many players from injury, especially at hooker where we have allot of quality depth at present.
What Australia would do to have the quality of Gary Botha, Tiaan Liebenberg, Adriaan Struass, Deon Fourie and Craig Burden to call on.
12 Aug 2010, 11:53 am
Bismarck is useless, gets into trouble in every test. He is the Danny Grewcock of South African, rugby, neigh, worse then that! Everybody ******* about Bakkies, but Bismarck has the worst discipline of any Bok I have ever seen in my life. Not smart enough to stay out of trouble. He offers far less than he contributes negatively to the team. Bismarck is not Bok material. This S14 showed that quite clearly.
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