Boks must back Butch
23 Aug 2010
RYAN VREDE argues that Butch James must start at flyhalf at Loftus.
In announcing his squad for the Tri-Nations, Springboks coach Peter de Villiers told the media that the World Cup winning flyhalf had had limited opportunities in the incoming tour Tests, and because of this he deserved an opportunity to prove he still had the aptitude for Test rugby.
That opportunity has amounted to 39 minutes out of a possible 320. This while Morne Steyn struggles to replicate the form that saw him monopolise the shirt in 2009. James’s time is now.
Steyn is an excellent goal kicker and is suited to the kick-chase approach that the Springboks employ as a primary means of attack. However, he has failed to consistently display the variation that is a feature of his play with the Bulls and was evident with the Springboks in 2009.
Against the All Blacks in Auckland Steyn took the ball to the advantage line just thrice in 33 handles, with a solitary linebreak. A week later in Wellington Steyn attacked the gain line four times with zero success in 35 handles, while against Australia in Brisbane he breached the defence once in 19 handles. While typically accurate in his goal-kicking (sinking six from six) Steyn’s struggles with ball in hand continued at Soccer City.
Tellingly, just once in the aforementioned matches has he offloaded in contact – a marked feature of the Blacks’ Dan Carter and Wallabies’ Quade Cooper’s play. Carter had made nine play-maker offloads in four matches prior to Saturday’s Test in Soweto, while Cooper made four in the one match he played prior to his suspension. One doesn’t need to elaborate on the value of a flyhalf who creates attacking opportunities in this way.
There are mitigating factors, the most notable being the Springboks coaches’ unrelenting fascination with a flawed, pragmatic game plan. Their impotency at the tackle point on attack and consistent inability to deplete the opposition’s defence through multiple phases is another. And there can be no doubt that his potency is diminished in the absence of Fourie du Preez, who takes immense pressure off his flyhalf through his all-round excellence.
With nothing to gain from the remaining Tests, there can be no justifiable reason to omit James from the run-on side. Steyn’s selection will amount to nothing more than a conservative move from a desperate coach.
James, who impressed with Bath in 2009 before an injury sidelined him, watched the entire match in Soweto from the wood. De Villiers argued that the result could have rested on a 50m penalty and that in that situation Steyn was his go-to man. That rationale is understandable given that Steyn is a superior goal-kicker with experience in sinking pressure kicks.
But the next two Tests must be used to measure James in order to accurately establish the depth at pivot. The stocks were trimmed with Ruan Pienaar’s departure for Ulster, and outside of Peter Grant and more recently 19-year-old Pat Lambie, none at franchise level have impressed.
James physicality in defence will be a boon against the hot-stepping Cooper, while his directness in attack – something De Villiers says was lacking in the second half in Soweto – will add a dimension to the Springboks’ play which has been sorely lacking.
There is no risk in the selection. James is an experienced player, versed in the ethos and playing philosophy and whose combination with inside centre Jean de Villiers is well established. He is also a competent goal-kicker (there will be an insurance policy in Frans Steyn should Butch’s kicking boots still be in Bath) and has the skill to adapt to various styles of play.
James is a must for Loftus.
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267 Comments
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23 Aug 2010, 05:11 am
Forget Butch select some one for the future. We need to test our player depth.
Dragons
23 Aug 2010, 05:18 am
I agree. We need to choose someone who will actually still be young after the WC.
23 Aug 2010, 05:18 am
Butch? Why not get a real retro #10? Get Lem Honiball to pull his old BG Continentals out of the attic.
23 Aug 2010, 05:21 am
I find it so ironic that now everyone is baying for the pragmatic approach to be dropped by the stubborn coaches and a distributive flyhalf to be picked….who woulda thought it 3 years ago when Snor came onto the scene with his “lets run the world ragged” philosophies and the general public calling pragmatism the best thing since sliced bread. The grass is always greener.
23 Aug 2010, 05:24 am
We don’t want a total change of game plan, just a fly-half who can do more than one thing.
23 Aug 2010, 05:30 am
@Ratman(Ratman)-5: lol, well put
23 Aug 2010, 05:33 am
I think the coaches had a bit of a catch 22 in the sense that Steyn has now clearly been exposed as being 1 dimensional especially without FDP but back when Pienaar was the incumbent during the BI Lions tour he was yanked off due to the pressure Steyn put primarily because of his boot. Had they simply stuck with Pienaar though and possibly sacrificed steyns boot by now I daresay we would have a complete 10 in Ruan
23 Aug 2010, 05:36 am
The Reds (and to a lesser degree wallabies) had a similar conundrum with Barnes who was a kicking 10. The Reds stuck by their creative flyhalf Cooper and Barnes left, now Queensland and Australia are reaping the rewards of a complete 10 while Barnes slowly fades into obscurity
23 Aug 2010, 05:38 am
FLANKA, or at least we would get to see if he COULD show great potential to mature int oa great no.10.
23 Aug 2010, 05:38 am
In summary: Kicking can be taught….creativity and instinct can not.
23 Aug 2010, 06:04 am
The 3N is lost for SA. It’s over. There’s far less at stake in the two tests against Oz than the tempting prize of a grand slam. But the grand slam won’t be secured with a weak B team.
So, if resting needs to be done, then now is the time.
But, when all is said and done, the big casualties of this year’s 3N have been PuffDivvy’s reputation as a rugby coach and the Boks’ pie-in-the-sky dreams of winning RWC2011 in Auckland.
It’s just not going to happen, pilgrims. May as well admit it and look for some redemption in far lesser areas like a grand slam tour.
Your dream died in Soccer City, right in front of 90000 eye witnesses.
23 Aug 2010, 06:06 am
There’s nothing wrong with playing Butch at 10, he’s still got it and can make the world cup. Would like to see Lambie take with for the EOYT and maybe given 10 mins here and there, the boy has it. Steyn looks lost at the mo with out FDP
23 Aug 2010, 06:30 am
If Butch James represents the solution at 10, we have HUGE problems.
Butch is a has-been, finish en klaar.
23 Aug 2010, 06:35 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-11: stadig oor die klippe pelgrimsrus. wereldbeker is eers volgende jaar
23 Aug 2010, 06:42 am
If Habanna didn’t leave his line for another glory-intercept, and if JS just held on to Nonu, in the last 5mins, MS’s kicking boot would have been the best thing since sliced bread!!!
You guys are hilarious!
The Boks were sublime in the 1st 60mins. They were simply on fit enough! As simple as that!!!
23 Aug 2010, 06:48 am
@UnbeataBULL(UnbeataBULL)-15: Thats not point, I would have taken a bad year this year, had we tried something new, but the fact that we’ve been playing from the same template since last year is concerning, we need to wake up
23 Aug 2010, 06:59 am
It’s one thing that brings about another one
The Boks backline doesn’t score too many tries lately, the pathetic, quota selected backs don’t even score at Super14 level, let alone at the test level, that in turn makes Morne Styen kicking to posts indispensable.
Simple
23 Aug 2010, 07:02 am
I personally think Butch is past it, he has had his time, SA have plenty of talented younger 10s that need to be developed.
23 Aug 2010, 07:03 am
@UnbeataBULL(UnbeataBULL)-15:
The selection of DeJongh at centre put paid for Habana’s tries scoring career, for a change it’s refreshing to see one quota ruins the test career of another, they usually ruins the careers of the merit selected players.
Habana is desperate now, that explains it.
23 Aug 2010, 07:03 am
@sharky_in_clapham(sharky_in_clapham)-16: Thats exactly the point! The gameplan works! Its proven last year. The guys just need to get fit!!! They need some rest, and then get fit!!!
If we have Brussow back, and the team is super fit, no team in the world will come close to us! FdP’s successor was brilliant, so that headache is cleared up as well.
23 Aug 2010, 07:11 am
@Kiwisamoan(Kiwisamoan)-18:
Nonsense, on two counts
1. Not enough time to groom a young, inexperienced flyhalf, unless you want to see Earl Rose there or the other pathetic clown Francis
2. Butch plays WELL, I watched his Bath’ resurgent and it was impressive, for the muddy NZ pitches, Butch is the logical choice, what exactly did we see from Styen last 4 tests?
23 Aug 2010, 07:14 am
@UnbeataBULL(UnbeataBULL)-20: The problem with that game plan is that teams work you out, wthl the change in interpretations this year, all the AB’s did was pick another FB on wing and wait for the bomb and then run it back through 79 phases. This year we needed to work out a new system and the same for next year, so when the world cup come we have a few different tatics
23 Aug 2010, 07:15 am
@Hondo(Hondo)-21: Their is Ruan who I think plays much better than Butch. I watched Butch playing in Bath as well and to be honest it wasn’t exactly outstanding rugby
23 Aug 2010, 07:16 am
@mamma_lou(mamma_lou)-14: All your slow, faded old toppies are going to be a year older and more faded. There’s nobody who is up-and-coming any more in the Bok team. They peaked in 2009 and it’s all downhill from here.
23 Aug 2010, 07:17 am
@Hondo(Hondo)-21: I agree, not enough time and Butch still has it and has been there done that, if we put all our money on Steyn and he has another bad season…then we fuct!!!
23 Aug 2010, 07:23 am
Butch is certainly not a thought that should be entertained
Our peculiar coach may just go out and dust Rose of for a game or 2
23 Aug 2010, 07:35 am
Butch a far better bet than the 1 dimensional donkey that is MS…..I absolutely agree that he should be given the shot at Loftus. Go for broke….lets try something innovative and exciting…..1 thing is now abundantly clear…..if we continue doing the same things we will get the same results….and we know what that means!.
Must give Skopskiet his dues….he called this train smash at 10 even when we were winning last year…..skoppie has proved his rugby acumen over and over…..far sighted gent that….
23 Aug 2010, 07:38 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-24: weve been here before. ab’s peaking a year before the world cup. whats new
23 Aug 2010, 07:39 am
forget Lambie who is just keeping JLP’s position warm. The future lies with Burton and Elton.
23 Aug 2010, 07:39 am
Jaques L Potgieter is the go-to guy!
23 Aug 2010, 07:40 am
@sharky_in_clapham(sharky_in_clapham)-22: I dont agree. McCaw said before the S14 semi this year, that knowing what the Bulls would do is one thing. Being able to stop it is another.
The execution of the gameplan is key. It worked well on Saturday, untill the guys got tired. Then it all went pearshaped.
The replacement of FH with RJ meant that the backs lost that good momentum built up during the game. He was slow again, and could not boot us out of trouble like FH did. The chasing of JdJ and Aplon was brilliant! The gameplan worked! The guys just got tired! For the life of me, I cannot understand how any international team can take the field without being able to play rugby at full tilt for 100mins.
Its beyond me!
23 Aug 2010, 07:41 am
Timing is everything. Pdivvy persisted Steyn for the crunch game and he was woeful. What does bringing in Butch for the Wallabies games prove? That hes a competent player? Didn’t we know that already? Unless Butch was brought in as some type of “genious” move to keep him warm for the next weold cup, it never made sense to keep a guy of his age warming the bench, when you could have been blooding a youngster with potential.
In fact, all the players Pdivvy has persisted with, haven’t repaid that faith. I would love to see the fitness stats! Smith looked the freshest and hungriest ‘bok on the park.
23 Aug 2010, 07:42 am
@RedLion is born again(RL)-29: I think JLP is going to be a bench warmer next year, Plum like Lambie and if he keeps playing like he is JLP doesnt have a chance
23 Aug 2010, 07:43 am
Peter Grant should have been given an opportunity this season after a very good Super 14.
23 Aug 2010, 07:44 am
@UnbeataBULL(UnbeataBULL)-31: theres not one team in the world that can do it. ab’s and aus were out on their feet after 30mins
23 Aug 2010, 07:44 am
@Ratman(Ratman)-5: Well thats kind of a contradiction aint it cos our gameplan is based on that one approached flyhalf.
Its Ironinc that everyone is shouting for the gameplan to change when the same people almost eradicated PDV when he wanted to change our gameplan 3 years ago , stick with the structures that Jake implemented they all shouted including the scribes @ Keo.
Now the in thing is what the ABS are playing , Ball in hand and they play what is in front of them !! Haa haa , check what PDV said 3 years ago , he wanted the same thing melted with SA traditional strength of forward dominance and a offensive defense.
23 Aug 2010, 07:44 am
@grant10(grant10)-27: Go for broke? Why not give Earl Rose a chance then? Lack of fitness was the problem on the weekend. Not MS.
23 Aug 2010, 07:45 am
@grant10(grant10)-27:
Hi Grant,
If they want to be innovative and exciting they should rather select someone like Lambie – he is the future and Bruce is the past – I can see Bruce getting frustrated and end up in the sin bin after trying to take the hot stepping Coopers head off in one of his infamous tackles.
I do not think they should make an ageing team even older at this stage – rather give the youngsters a run seeing that there is nothing to lose anyway.
23 Aug 2010, 07:45 am
die ref se oe sit in sy g@t .. missed a hugeeeee forward pass …. Hougaard het die rosseneri en mighty horua die gemorste stil gespeel … hou by die blou!!!
23 Aug 2010, 07:47 am
@UnbeataBULL(UnbeataBULL)-31: I agree with you, but if you put all your eggs in one basket and it doesnt work then what. I agree that the bomb and chase worked and you right when the miserable fat fu.cken excuse for a SH came on it went pair shapped. But we need to be able to do more that kick and chase, esp with the advantage of being able to keep the ball for ever and a day
23 Aug 2010, 07:48 am
@geroom_sexwater(geroom_sexwater)-39:
Are you still crying? 
23 Aug 2010, 07:49 am
no mighty …. i’m kinda glad we lost … the only way we will get rid of quota PDV
23 Aug 2010, 07:49 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-38: That would be asking this Management far too much i am afraid Rob…..it wont happen now, although i do believe a Lambie or Jantjes may be introduced on EOYT.
Again Rob we see the poor management ….P Grant sitting in Japan ….crazy stuff…..
This ship now firmly sinking…..
23 Aug 2010, 07:51 am
now they want the Bytch while on the other thread they say should have been Pienaar whilst less than a year ago Steyn was the ‘complete’ flyhalf without a flaw.
Palookas don’t know wtf they want, between Butch and FdP they f’d up the ’08 tri nations so bad now they trying to re-invent the wheel.
Between Pienaar, Grant and Steyn they had best of all worlds, a silky distrubuting running pivot ala Stephen Larkham, a hard running hard tackling crash ball line breaker ala Henry Honiball, and a dead eye d’ck kicking metronome ala Nasty Booter if all else failed and they really needed one. But now they’ve exhausted all their options and still can’t tell if they’re Arthur or Martha.
Had they started with Grant and Pienaar in ’08 as they should have and not reverted to the Butcher (which was another one of those senior player veto decisions taken) who butchered our chances pretty bad back then, we would have been up and running solid, now we’ve lost them both and we back where we started 3 and a half years ago.
Idiots supreme – and I blame it squarely on this reliance of giving senior players far too much say in matters team selection and tactics.
Grant and Pienaar should have been rotating the duties with M. Steyn as the backstop – Butch should still be bathing his sore knees in Bath.
23 Aug 2010, 07:51 am
One more thing , Butch James really ???? Whats the future ? How can we want to change our gameplan and rather tweek it but at the same time call for Butch ? He offers Zero , nothing.
I would instead give Lambie a chance instead. He is like Frans Steyn and Schalk Burger before him and seems to have the aptitude for test rugby from a earlier age. There is something special about him.
Lastly I was too depress on Saturday but congrats to the Sharks supporters , we were totally out muscled and outplayed. The last try cushioned the defeat for us a bit but it was not reflective of the match.
23 Aug 2010, 07:52 am
@Mighty Horua(Mighty Horua)-41: Boks should rather get rid of Plod, Victor, Spies and Morne Steyn! Otherwise all of the wifeys are crying coming Saturday vs Oz!
23 Aug 2010, 07:52 am
@sharky_in_clapham(sharky_in_clapham)-33: Lambie will play at FB only because Ludik offers nothing at the back and because he is a sick note … is he even walking after this weekends match?
23 Aug 2010, 07:55 am
If the butcher is the answer then I don’t want to know the question.
I’d rather play Elton “John” Jantjes than Butch.
23 Aug 2010, 07:55 am
i agree … pick chilliboy, lobberts, jantjies, eal tollie, earl rose, raubenheimer!!
23 Aug 2010, 07:58 am
how plod is still contemplating test rugby is far and beyond me…..now there is the real cancer….pdv wants to wrest back control from the ‘senior cabal’ ….my advice….pdv….get rid of the cancer once and for all…..they dragging you down and the blame being shifted pdv…..ultimately you will have to stand in the dock…..not smit!
Get rid of the poisonous snakes…..and the most poisonous is Smit!
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