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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11 Aug 2010, 15:40 pm
JC you are very slow: This is the real situation
“WP coach Allister Coetzee, has already accepted backline stars Juan de Jongh and Gio Aplon will not be released by the Boks for their important Absa Currie Cup match against the Blue Bulls, but he has named Francois Louw in the side for in Saturday’s ‘North – South’ clash at Newlands.
It is very likely the Bok selectors will inform the provinces on Friday and Coetzee has listed the name of Nick Koster alongside Louw’s in the event of the latter being required for national team duty.”
@Airwell(Airwell)-48: Thank the Lord
11 Aug 2010, 15:40 pm
this continues by far to be the most stupid mistake the sa selectors keep on making. before we discovered brusouw, we kept on losing tests, nz/aus simply kept on taking the ball from our loosies like candy from a baby, ecpecially mcaw. schalk burger is and will never be a classical fetcher in the mold of brussouw or mcaw.
when brussouw burst onto the scene we started to dominate as we were not only a more complete team, but we had a weapon in our arsenal that we never had before. games are won on the ground as simple as that, if you do not have the ball how the hell can you score tries, someone please tell me this..??
why, why ,why.. this is soooooooooo stupid. ball carrying is not all that rugby is about you first have to make sure you can hold onto the pill, before you can bust tackles at will, move over the advantage line, gain momentum and then score tries. continuity guys. get steggman, or potties in if flo is for some reason not good enough..?
juan smit in a hardman but he too very one dimensional in this regard,and this unbalanced back row will be shown up to be as idiotic as the ones who selected them. to the selectors, please stop mocking our rugby, i am starting to think you are also being bought by some nz/aus conspiracy pushers, being paid to throw the games… well this i know is far fethced but what the hell man, some common sense….!! jeesh..!
11 Aug 2010, 15:44 pm
@geroom_sexwater(geroom_sexwater)-47:
Radical!
I’d go with:
6 – A confirmed, Bona Fide, Eye Gouger.
7 – A Rumoured Eye Gouger.
8 – A Potential exponent of the facial massage.
11 Aug 2010, 15:44 pm
@Airwell(Airwell)-48: That is hte best news so far today :0
11 Aug 2010, 15:45 pm
@malema vs verwoerd(malema vs verwoerd)-52: great post
11 Aug 2010, 15:49 pm
@grant10(grant10)-55: It is not a great post. It will only be a great post if it is confirmed Flo won’t be picked.
@Panzer Chief(cane)-53:
I’d go with
6 a world cup winner
7 flo from WP
8 the gouging world cup winner
bench: the steriod user
Still, 2 world cup winners. AB haven’t had two world cup winner in their loose trio since Zinny & Jones last played.
11 Aug 2010, 15:50 pm
Cane .. you’d pick Brad Thorn @ 6 & Luaki @ 7 for the Boks?
11 Aug 2010, 15:52 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-53: And Kiwis woul always pick:
6. A tokoloshe
7. A half tokoloshe
8. A rumoured tokoloshe
Hmmm, Hobbits and gollums for the Middle Earth backline…
11 Aug 2010, 15:52 pm
@WP_(WP_)-46:
20 minutes for an impact is overrated. How many ball carries do you think he’ll get in 20 minutes?
If Pocock and McCaw are still operating at capacity at that stage, then it’ll be even less.
Burger played one game against bloody USA in an emergency. Where does this fascination with Burger the 8th man come from?
Can you imagine Burger having to fall back like an 8? Or accelerate like SPies from the scrum? Or kick?
Ja, me neither.
11 Aug 2010, 15:52 pm
My team for the current squad:
15 Frans Steyn
14 JP Pietersen
13 Juan de Jongh
12 Jean de Villers
11 Bryan Habana
10 Morne Steyn
9 Francois Hougaard
8 Schalk Burger
7 Juan Smith
6 Francois Louw
5 Victor Matfield
4 Danie Rossouw
3 BJ Botha
2 John Smit (c) (Possibility of moving him to 1 when Bismarck is back to full match fitness)
1 Gurthro Steenkamp
16 Bismark du Plessis
17 Beast Mtawarira
18 Flip van der Merwe (would keep an eye on Juandre Kruger for the future)
19 Pierre Spies (Impact)
20 Ricky Januarie (Because we have too)
21 Butch James
22 Gio Aplon
11 Aug 2010, 15:53 pm
@gecko(gecko)-56: NZ haven’t any world cup winners mate, without SA you can hardly call 1987 a World Cup
11 Aug 2010, 15:54 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-19: Um, no, not when you compare penalties conceded against minutes played. Flo comes out way ahead. Stegman looks better if you compare penalties per game, but as you know, he didn’t play nearly as much as FLO this season.
11 Aug 2010, 15:57 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-59: He was a brilliant cricketer and has brilliant hands. Could easily be an 8.
Well to be honest mate Spies has made bugger all impact in the last 3 tests for the full 80 so why not unleash him for shorter bursts to get him back to form (cant help but try wht difference will it make, the Tri Nations is gone. He can be put back at 8 later)
Spies is turning more and more into a Highveld bully. Doesnt do the hard yakker away from home like Burger ans Juan do.
If you hadnt realised, the world cup next year is in NZ, not at Loftus…
11 Aug 2010, 16:02 pm
What i dont understand is why Schalk Brits does not even get a mention – (european player of the year) and we mess with fatty and chilli – Brits will give us another dimension even if just an impact player. Politics and all that cr@p aside watson is still a better fetcher than Stegman or flou and would have been the option at 8 while Spies would be a perfect impact player with speed and power later in the game. Could rotate
Spies/Watson
Brusow/Schalk
Juan/Flou
11 Aug 2010, 16:05 pm
The difference between a good S14 player and an international player I believe will always be seen in the way in which they play their first international game. Now i was really looking forward to Louw and Kirchener for instance stepping up to the plate but compare the impact in their first internationals versus say the impact that Brussouw and Steyn or even Aplon had. This is not detracting from Louw’s abilities at all but the genuine internationals step up to the plate even in a losing side. I will however concede that his first international was away from home and that he was probably badly affected by jet-lag.
Other players who have not made the step up are Kanko and WO and whether that is also down to coaching or style of play, I don’t know.
11 Aug 2010, 16:06 pm
By the way this ones for Rangerman; Chelsea 1 Man Utd (Glory Glory) 3
11 Aug 2010, 16:06 pm
SA had a magnificent 3N last year.
MAGNIFICENT.
Irrefutable FACT.
But the World turns.
Veterans become The Aged.
What was once progress, becomes dated.
So far this year, they (The Springboks) have been disappointing.
FACT.
Unless something changes.
Next year looks ……………..well………… not good.
Time to bring in “New Blood” Okes.
11 Aug 2010, 16:07 pm
@Divz(Divz)-64: Because his line-out stats were in the bottom half of the Guinness Premier League.
11 Aug 2010, 16:08 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-62:
SB, that’s exactly what I said. But,
I also said Stegmann has far more BD stats were the penalties were conceded. If you correct for penalties concede off the ball (there are numerous), then Stegmann was still way more economical in “penalties per breakdown”.
Anyone who says that’s bull doesn’t understand the lengths these flanks go to to push the envelope. So My case stands- Flou is more of a penalty risk than Stegmann and/or is simply not as efficient at the breakdown.
11 Aug 2010, 16:10 pm
@WP_(WP_)-63:
I would rather have an inexperienced Vermeulen (at test level anyway, and he should’ve been an EBok last year and part of the squad make-up this year. I’ve never rated Kanko, next on the list is Alberts if he can improve his fitness)
11 Aug 2010, 16:13 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-69: Ah. Ok, but then again (and yes I’m being argumentative, I’m not as anti Stegman as I sometimes seem) this assumes the value purely from a breakdown perspective. Ignoring the other roles that FLO had to perform perhaps?
On the whole the Stormers had the best defensive record of the comp, and conceded the fewesty penalties and yellow cards of the tournament, so that also says something doesn’t it?
11 Aug 2010, 16:18 pm
I think we need to pick Smit as fetcher, that opens up the whole front row for merit selections
11 Aug 2010, 16:18 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-65:
For loosies to excel,
the tight 5 must be doing their job.
Either holding their own,
or dominating the opposing Team.
For backs to excel,
it certainly helps if the 8 forwards are doing their bit.
Louw and Kirchner, are having a somewhat less than ideal intro to International rugby.
11 Aug 2010, 16:20 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-71:
Yes, but Flou isn’t the Stormers, you see?
And also Flou did wear 7 on his back- he didn’t really fulfil the openside setpiece duties of a 6. And Burger relied on Flou for the BD “benadering”. So the only “full package” left is Brussow/Steggies.
11 Aug 2010, 16:22 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-72:
I think that could really work- he could support his immense weight with the necessary both hands, and then snap up the ball with his big mouth.
11 Aug 2010, 16:24 pm
BRING BACK LUKE!
11 Aug 2010, 16:26 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-76:
Yeah, to remind us of how bad things really could be…
11 Aug 2010, 16:30 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-77: Brussouw injured, Stegmann injured, Burger playing like a 7, Flo not selected(?) – Watson suddenly seems an OK option. Saw him turn over a lot of ball for Bath.
11 Aug 2010, 16:31 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-73: yeah agreed but I’m not even talking about excelling. Even in a match where a side is being totally dominated players of international calibre when given the chance they manage to step up to the plate. They have an unshakeable belief in their own ability and you may only catch glimpses of it in a first international but its there.
11 Aug 2010, 16:31 pm
This 3N is boring………..
And you know why!
It’s because YOUR Team SUCKS.
Now,
You Okes are SA, The Springboks, The World Champs.
Current 3N Title holders.
Holders of the Mandela Hub-Cap and the Freedom Trophy.
Get
your
shiit
together.
……………………………….cause cane is bored.
11 Aug 2010, 16:33 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-77: haha
F louw is just to slow for open side @Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-74: i thin you are right ,open side flank is now such a vital position -and unfortunately i think that an opensider has to be quick ,fairly athletic and powerfull -and about 6,2 -stegman ,botes ,brussow and even other louw are ideal
11 Aug 2010, 16:35 pm
He, he, as far as I’m concerned the Boks could play a human mole in the back row and he’d never steal a ball away from Oz or NZ. All he’d do would be to concede penalties to well-primed trigger happy refs. I hope I’m wrong and that Paddy O’ Bumchum let’s us have chance now that NZ have won the TN.
11 Aug 2010, 16:35 pm
why is that face mugging bonehead neanderthal still in my team? Burger if you want to play as a fetcher then play as a fetcher or just piss off.
11 Aug 2010, 16:35 pm
@gecko(gecko)-78:
it seems not to be the same over there in the NH. Look what Flou did to France when they came over hereb in June.
11 Aug 2010, 16:37 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-77:
The Luke Watson Saga,
was a tragedy for All.
Do you think he doesn’t feel the pain.
11 Aug 2010, 16:39 pm
@baw(maxed)-81:
Brus/Steg aren’t even 6 foot tall. That’s good since the low centre of grabity helps them sstay on their feet as they steal the ball. They are compact and powerfully built and squat all day long. So that’s what I prefer.
11 Aug 2010, 16:39 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-80: The 3N is a boring 2 bit TV tournament… It has no heritage and definitely does suck. SA woul be better off going it alone, synchronising with NH test scheduling, and longer tours annually midyear (3 tests and 4 midweek games) with a tour to the antipodes every 2 years… Also regular games against a strong Pumas side with all players available due to NH synchronicity…
The kissing cousins can stick to their beloved bledisloe and can bring in Japan…
Geographically and schedule wise it makes sense. It will also preserve the status of the CC which will be pressured by this S15 aberration.
Also the Boks can get out of the 3way gangbang where one keeps giving and two keep taking…
11 Aug 2010, 16:39 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-75: Make the ball from chocolate or pork pies and Smit would grab it
11 Aug 2010, 16:40 pm
not sure why the coaches are persisting with spies. also surely its far too big a gamble to push juan smit straight into a test match vs the ABs without at least a CC game or two.
11 Aug 2010, 16:41 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-85:
I’m told sticking your finger down your oesophagus has that affect.
11 Aug 2010, 16:42 pm
@goyougoodthing2(goyougoodthing2)-88:
JA, but then he won’t pass it
11 Aug 2010, 16:42 pm
and so PE will be hosting a 3N match next year at the expense of either the WP or the FS … it is nice to see the minnow unions denying the other small stadium unions some vital income. From next year onwards it will be soccer city every year and 2 others, oh it is true.
11 Aug 2010, 16:42 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-79:
Some grow into their role,
and some are born to it.
give them time Bananarama.
or:-
BRING BACK LUKE!
8)
11 Aug 2010, 16:44 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-86: yep its realy ashame the stegman hasnt been given a chance becuase just his workrate is realy great …tackle tackle tackle ! and he fetches ,i would just worry about his technique in fetching ,for my money i would rather have stegman in a bok jersey then his blonde mate on the other side of the scrum
11 Aug 2010, 16:45 pm
Funny my selection would have been 6. Flo 7. Potgieter 8. Schalk with Juan on the bench; with Brussow and Stegman injured
Yip they’ve learnt nothing
11 Aug 2010, 16:47 pm
@Panzer Chief(cane)-80: We just need to get a fetcher, then we can actually compete with you guys. Until then Im just going to sit and moan at the ref
11 Aug 2010, 16:50 pm
@RedLion is born again(RL)-92: I hear you and think the same.
11 Aug 2010, 16:51 pm
@baw(maxed)-94:
(Just between you and me- that would mean an entire back row of Bulls, kinda like they’re punting the entire Stromers back row now). Of course this has great benefit in the fluidity and communications of the combo. But politically?)
What’s wrong with his technique? Fooled the trigger-happy Craig Joubert when it mattered most- and what was the end-result? Fantastic. You don’t have to worry about it, our opponents do.
11 Aug 2010, 16:52 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-90:
Would your personal conversations pass the same kind of scrutiny as those passed on Lukes?
I can assure you Tyrant……………….. Mine would not.
And judging but the comments on here,
many of those that condemn Luke, would not pass such scrutiny either.
11 Aug 2010, 16:53 pm
@baw(maxed)-94:
Oh, I misread! “rather Stegmann then his blonde mate” OK, gotcha. I agree 100%
Potties can’t feature with Stegmann, Burger and Brussow and Juan there.
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