Bok back-row blunders continue
11 Aug 2010
JON CARDINELLI says the axing of Francois Louw is a sure sign the Springbok selectors learned nothing from the Australasian beatings.
Louw’s been selected for Saturday’s Currie Cup clash between WP and the Bulls. WP coach Allister Coetzee said he would play the Boks who don’t make the final 24-man squad, and Louw’s selection suggests the flanker isn’t being considered for the 21 August Test against the All Blacks.
Dewald Potgieter will also return to the Bulls, which leaves loose forwards Schalk Burger, Ryan Kankowski, Juan Smith, and Pierre Spies in contention for the Soweto fixture. Burger, Smith and Spies will start, and while they’ve been such a formidable combination in the past, it’s clear the current breakdown laws demand the inclusion of somebody who plays to the ball.
Heinrich Brüssow was the top fetcher in the world in 2009, besting prominent breakdown bandits like Richie McCaw and George Smith. After Brüssow’s season-ending injury in early 2010, Louw was identified as the alternative. He made a great start in the preliminaries but then battled behind a losing tight five in the two defeats to New Zealand.
Surprisingly, the Bok selectors opted to replace Louw with Kankowski for the final tour match against Australia. Predictably, the Boks were completely outclassed by a Wallabies back row that boasted a better balance, and more importantly, a specialist fetcher in David Pocock.
The Bok selectors who explained Kankowski’s inclusion as one that would speed up their game were exposed. You cannot hope to put speed on the ball (or deny the opposition a quick ruck recycle) if you don’t have a breakdown specialist. Louw should have played in Brisbane, and he’s a must if the Boks want to combat McCaw and Pocock in the coming three Tests.
Burger and Smith are no slouches on the deck, but their ball-poaching strengths cannot match those of the best fetchers. A trio of Burger, Smith and Spies is geared for ball carrying which is fine as long as the Boks are on the attack, and on the Highveld it will work to some extent. But consider how well the All Blacks and Wallabies retained possession in the Tests against the Boks, and you will realise why a ball-stealer is so vital.
You would hope there’s been some mistake and that Louw will return to the Bok squad next week, but then why would you release him to play in a grinding forward-oriented clash against the Bulls? He will be needed at some point this year and in 2011, as even when Brüssow is fit, the Boks need two fetchers in their squad.
The decision to retain Kankowski is perplexing, as like Wynand Oliver and Zane Kirchner he’s yet to make the step up at Test level. The Bok selectors are blowing an opportunity to start Louw, Smith and Burger as a combination. They’re refusing to try something new. They’d rather favour a tried and tested, but ultimately limited, trio. That may work to a degree, but it won’t win matches.
And if they believe that combination can win matches, where is the planning beyond the Tri-Nations, a tournament that South Africa can no longer win? They need to give Louw opportunities now and experiment with a new No 8 in Burger. Kankowski is not good enough and Spies’s defensive game is lacking.
The Bok management should try something new on this home leg. Playing the same old combinations will ensure they get even less out of this Tri-Nations tournament than they already have.
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281 Comments
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12 Aug 2010, 02:14 am
@whatever(whatever)-250:
12 Aug 2010, 03:44 am
@Slartibartfast(Slartibartfast)-251:
12 Aug 2010, 05:07 am
@skopskiet(yliad)-246: Frans Steyn tries to crash-bash, but seldom eve gets as far as the gain line and he invariably dies with the ball. He’s utterly one-dimensional and predictable. He’s a good #15 though. Fido the Dog can do a better job at #10.
12 Aug 2010, 05:07 am
eve? Pick “ever” or “even”.
12 Aug 2010, 05:28 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-87:
Do that and the standard of Bok rugby will end up much the same as NH nations.
12 Aug 2010, 05:45 am
Frans has no side step? Mils can step and accelerate to full pace in a flash. His mindset is to run into space on attack even it’s on the other side of the field, he works hard at it. I cant imagine Frans Steyn doing that, he’d kick the ball way better though but there’d be a lineout or stop in play and the AB’s will re-group??
12 Aug 2010, 06:06 am
What’s with the constant Kanko bashing on Keo?
He had a fantastic game in Brisey. One of the few boks that did in fact. The fact that we were without a fetcher is not Kankos fault. He is not a fetcher. So why was he “graded” as one?
The imbalance in the back 3 is not Kankos fault either. It is a coaching blunder. So why is the selection blunder permanently squared on his shoulders? It makes no bloody sense whatsoever.
Grade him for what he is, a carrier, not a fetcher. And He is a terrific carrier.
I agree management should try something new on the home leg. And they should absolutely include a fetcher or two. But blaming a player is not the answer. And to regard him as not having “made the step up at test level” is nothing short of ridiculous.
He was an SA Rugby player of the year nominee 2008.
He was a Sasol Player of the year nominee 2008.
You don’t get that without having “stepped up”.
12 Aug 2010, 06:25 am
@rugbypedia(rugbypedia)-257:
Well said Bud, totally agree, selections remain just that, selections by the coach. JDv on the wing was another stupid selection by, well dare we say it, a coach who is clueless!
12 Aug 2010, 07:02 am
Good systems make mediocre players good and good players great. We have many good players, but our current head coaches systems suck, and we are struggling agains the AB’s that do have good systems. EG The systems in use at WP obviously are very good, as they hardly missed a beat without their Boks.
If we had a coach that had good systems (or any sort of systems at all) then we could rest the best players and use them only for the biggest games, and use many of our good players in smaller games like EOYT and June internationals.
Instead, now we must use the best players all the time to play good rugby, but cannot even seem to make the step up to great rugby against the AB’s. Because our systems are letting us down.
I seriously think that PdV is just not good enough. The evidence is starting to show that he lucked into his playing strategy last year, and his luck has run out.
12 Aug 2010, 07:11 am
The Springbok team will be these guys once Bismarck and others return:
1. Steenkamp\Smit
2. Bismark
3. Smit\BJ
4. Bakkies
5. Victor
6. Brussouw
7. Smith
8. Spies
9. Pienaar
10. Morne
11. Habana
12. Wynand
13. Jaques
14. JP
15. Frans
This is really wrong. A better team could be picked from the players that are left out.
12 Aug 2010, 07:57 am
Just in case this has been done before, I apologise, but don’t have time to read all the threads. It seems the real problem with the Boks back row is the lack of a quality fetcher. There is plenty of talent at blindside and 8, but without the correct balance in the back row it doesn’t really work so well for South Africa. So who to play? HB was amazing last year and made a massive difference to the way the team performed and one would assume he will go straight back into the team when fit again, but you never know with the current management. In the mean time its Schalk, but I don’t really believe he can play the role effectively any more and needs to change position for his and the boks sake. Flow is a bit like a Schalk, but not as good yet and I feel his physique doesn’t really lend itself to stealing ball at the break down pretty tall, high centre of gravity, therefore easier to get shoved off the ball. The rest of his game is pretty good, but its the turnovers the boks need, not another ball carrier or line out option. Stegman would of been a great player to check out as I think he is a player who makes a lot of turnovers, like Brussow, he has the perfect shape, stocky, low centre of gravity and incredibly strong for his size. Unfortunately he’s injured. Has Keegan Daniel ever played openside? He is on fire at the moment in the CC although playing a totally different style of game to the one required. Perhaps he should work on trying to play the fetching role more, although “glamour” players don’t often like to do the dirty work and I get the feeling he’d rather hang back and get the ball in hand. Shame, because he’d probably achieve more if he made this sacrifice.
Probably best to stick with Flow or Schalk for now, but in the future someone else has to play 6 for the Boks is they want to compete effectively at the breakdown against the stronger teams.
12 Aug 2010, 07:57 am
Ah yes, just had to peep in to see wee gwanty10 having a hissy fit and snotty licking nz ring piece; again. I see JW is going to be appointed Head of Coaches by SNAFU to overse all national and Bok coaching.
Just to get your temperatures up.
12 Aug 2010, 08:00 am
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-108: If your overrated favourite was indeed as good as Brussow, he would have been pick by the Boks by now.
Last year, Brussow vastly outperformed him in the S14, and this year Louw outperformed him. Deal with it. The bok selectors agree.
Dont waste anyone’s time with feeble excuses…
12 Aug 2010, 09:15 am
nie so seker daarvan nie……
12 Aug 2010, 09:22 am
It’s not all about the players build. He needs to be smart as well. Look at McCaw.
12 Aug 2010, 10:11 am
@Auntie Mavis(Auntie Mavis)-255: Why?
12 Aug 2010, 10:20 am
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-261:
I think Keegan Daniel was always considered an opensider by the Sharks.
12 Aug 2010, 10:43 am
The desicion to (if it goes ahead) to play Spies, Smith and Burger is moronic.
Burger is seriously overrated. He contribute as little as Kankowski in the trinations and in fact offered less. At least Kankowski is very dangerous with ball in hand. Spies had been horribly exposed. Behind a dominant pack get go forward ball he is very dangerous. Behing a losing pack, ****. We cannot grantee a dominant pack. All things being equal he is, on balance, a substandard international level loosie. Incredibly strong in one area weak in the others. Smith, well hope he is fit. But if he is on form he is a better choice for blindside than anyone else. As for Burger at openside. McCaw and Poccock will crucify him. Finished and klaar. A better balance would be Smith or at, a push Burger, Louw and Kankowski. If we really thing the tight five will be under pressure go for Smith, Louw and a Vermeulen or Alberts.
12 Aug 2010, 11:33 am
They are trying to mimic the AB backrow in shape and size but alas not ability
No fetcher no chance
12 Aug 2010, 11:38 am
Should have played 2 fetchers to force the abs out of the defensive line and back into the ruck
Got Muir written over this
12 Aug 2010, 14:04 pm
@WP_(WP_)-263:
Is that your professional opinion?
I remember that game clearly. I would say that that is “feeble” of you.
Now let’s say that Brussow did, EVEN IF he did, what about this year’s S14? What about the CC matches?
And then you show more bias than me by saying Flou outperformed Stegmann in the S14 final?!?!?!
Flou didn’t even make any S14 final team of the week (except yours)- it was Burger and Stegmann.
I mentioned the reasons- each year that made it that much difficult to get selected. The Bok loose trio is an exclusive club, you know that. And Brussow made his S14 and CC debut a full year earlier than Stegmann.
And where do you get off saying that the Bok selectors agree???
You don’t even agree with the selections by the Bok selectors and are vastly upset that Flou may be facing the axe.
So how does tha count for anything? HUH?
Chiliboy shouldn’t be there, so shouldn’t Ricky, Kirchner (in a way), Smit (at the moment), Kanko etc.
So how do you say that the Bok selectors are the be all and end all of a player’s status?
What’s the difference between you and I? -Our “favourites” as you put it?
Well recently Stegmann met Flou in the S14 final and the 2009 CC semi final.
What happened?
Ja, exactly.
12 Aug 2010, 14:06 pm
Thank god Francois Louw was axed
JC praat k@k al weer
12 Aug 2010, 15:43 pm
It would be very sad if we fall back to the JW days when we regularly played without a fetcher. In the 2007 WC when we played England in the 1st round and Wickus vH played we hammered the poms. When Burger came back for the final we nearly lost against them.
Brussouw was instrumental in the resurgence of the Boks last year. We need a fetcher. Flo is the only match fit fetcher we currently have who had a good S14. He should play.
We need a strong no8 who can pick up the ball at the back of the scrum and go forward. Case in point: CC semi final 2009, Last scrum of the game with the Bulls scrum struggling. Spies picks up, Schalk comes in with everything he has to tackle man and ball. End result: Schalk flat on his back, Spies advances a few metres, Bulls recycle the ball and keeps posession until the final whistle blows.
Kanko to me has not shown that he is physical enough. If we had a dominant scrum he might have been an option. There are other candidates like Vermeulen who are strong enough but lack speed. Spies has speed. He might have gone through a slump but he will be back.
That leaves the no 7 jersey and there I will choose Juan Smith ahead of Schalk anytime.
12 Aug 2010, 16:17 pm
@Cyperus(Cyperus)-268:
Did you even watch the 3N?? Schalk was the best forward, followed by Gurthro. Had it not been for their defensive efforts we probably would’ve had half centuries notched up around us in all the games
12 Aug 2010, 16:26 pm
I don’t think Juan is 100% match fit to play an 80 min 3N test match yet.
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again…Spies is a great S14 and CC player, but he doesn’t have all the needed skills an 8th man should in order to be considered amongst the world’s best. As for the Bok team, he doesn’t fit the mould of player we require right now. That being a hardman like Alberts/Vermeulen
12 Aug 2010, 23:04 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-266:
My reply was to a rant about shutting NZ and Aus out by SAf and playing exclusively against NH sides.
If SAf played all their competition rugby against NH sides the standard of Bok rugby would descend to the level of their opponents.
This always is assuming the NH sides would not mind travelling to SA to play them.
12 Aug 2010, 23:17 pm
@Auntie Mavis(Auntie Mavis)-276: South Africa could go it alone and not descend to the level of its 3N “partners” – backbiting, underhandedness and duplicity. The Boks should forge their own way and leave the kissing cousins well alone.
3N going from home and away to best of 3, S14 to S15 and SA’s travel disadvantage does not add up to anything of benefit to the Boks anyway – to the extent that the S15 aberration is going to seriously threaten the CC. Actually its a farkup to stay in a lopsided “partnership” with 2 teams in a different time zone – it would be better to synchronise with NH.
The Boks were strong before 3N and they will remain strong without it… In fact they have a lot to gain without it. They can visit the antipodes every 2 years for a longer tour… (Bang goes Australian rugby, and bang goes the cash to NZ)…
Basically a big middle finger to the kissing cousins will do Bok rugby very nicely, thankyou very much…
12 Aug 2010, 23:18 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-277: It should be bang goes Australian domestic rugby – the purpose of the S15 anyway…
12 Aug 2010, 23:23 pm
@Auntie Mavis(Auntie Mavis)-276: Regular games against a couple of NH sides after the 6N ends would be perfect. A big tour of 1 nation – 3 games and 3 midweek against clubs with a couple of once-off tests against another will do all the nations involved very nicely money-wise and rugby wise. It will also add more meaning to a return match at home mid year…
12 Aug 2010, 23:53 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-207: Hahah mate thats some wishful thinking. As an international world champ team you have only one objective. Win! everything. I dont think they decided to just let this one slide with a long term view on the grand slam. Lol. Really man.
They dont know what theyre doing and theyll lose at least another 2 on home soil – mark my words.
15 Aug 2010, 06:48 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-279:
You are suffering delusions of adequacy.
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