Killing Kanko
24 Nov 2010
RYAN VREDE argues that Ryan Kankowski is guilty of letting himself down but appalling management and a patent lack of coaching are mitigating factors.
Just two years ago there was a raging debate about who of Pierre Spies or Ryan Kankowski should start at No 8 for the Springboks. Spies had one of his worst-ever Super Rugby campaigns, while Kankowski shone for the Sharks, prompting widespread calls for his inclusion.
However, Peter de Villiers banked on Spies but told the media that we were ‘blessed’ to have a talent like Kankowski in the wings. ‘There is no difference whether Spies or Kankowski plays,’ he added, ‘they’re equally good.’
Seventeen Test matches into his career and we’re still waiting for Kankowski to replicate his best Super Rugby form on the Test stage. Certainly he hasn’t strengthened his case for a run-on start in the limited opportunities he has received, but the cause of his mediocrity demands closer inspection.
Undoubtedly the Springboks’ pragmatic tactics don’t aid him and is the reason both he and Spies have struggled to assert themselves consistently at Test level. Nowhere was that more evident than against Scotland at Murrayfield on Saturday.
The Springboks began promisingly, playing through phases and attacking the channels around the ruck fringe. Kankowski would often be deployed at third or fourth phase, where he had time and space to attack a depleted defensive line. By utilising him in this manner the Springboks were harnessing his primary strength and extracting the greatest value from him.
Then inexplicably they started to kick away possession. Compounding their problems was the poor execution of those kicks. Kankowski, along with the team’s other primary strike runners, was rendered a virtual spectator for the remainder of the Test.
Furthermore, De Villiers argues that he has invested in Kankowski, but that investment amounts to 609 minutes of a possible 1 360. That seems reasonable for a second-choice eighthman.
However, the picture becomes clearer when you consider that 122 of those minutes were spent at blindside flank, a position he freely concedes he is not suited to, 86 of those minutes were against lowly Italy and those 80 minutes were in the dead-rubber third Test against the British & Irish Lions in 2009. Tests against Wales and Scotland account for a further 215 minutes.
De Villiers’ estimation of the player was further questioned when he selected Joe van Niekerk ahead of him for the Test against Wales in June. Van Niekerk would not be selected again in 2010.
In fact this year Kankowski has suffered most from his coaches’ clear lack of vision and unwavering belief in an off-form Spies.
Barring the Scotland Test on Saturday, he’s started once, at blindside flank against Australia in Perth, and was woeful. Only twice has he played in two successive matches. When announcing his team to play England, De Villiers called Kankowski the Man of the Match against Scotland, but still omitted him from the match 22 for Twickenham.
It’s not just flawed and stifling tactics and a lack of game time that irks. It is also that Kankowski clearly hasn’t been schooled in the the nuances between Super Rugby and Test rugby. His running lines and positional play don’t differ, which is a poor reflection on the Springboks’ coaching staff.
Willem Alberts is De Villiers’ new plaything. When Heinrich Brüssow returns, Kankowski’s international career will stall. The treatment he has received is abominable. A player of his calibre deserves better.
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189 Comments
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24 Nov 2010, 14:17 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy) :
it’s like poking a rabid pitbull in the nuts with a sharp stick..
cruel…but ultimately quite rewarding.
24 Nov 2010, 14:18 pm
@gunther(gunther) :
24 Nov 2010, 14:19 pm
@gunther(gunther) : from behind a fence of course..
24 Nov 2010, 14:25 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game) : someone had to do the dirty work
24 Nov 2010, 14:28 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy) :
or a keyboard
24 Nov 2010, 14:48 pm
@gunther(gunther) : ed zachery. Although of course, his “Clark Kent” to his Superman would probably be extremely dissapointing.
24 Nov 2010, 15:23 pm
Ryan Kankowski was no worse than the rest of the Boks
England are gonna smash us and thats okay with me.
I can’t support these clowns any more
24 Nov 2010, 16:27 pm
With Danie Rossouw – the no 8 who excels in NH conditions – being “rested” for this tour, Willem Alberts should have been the no.8. Alberts is very similar to Pakslae with his driving plays and could have grown in stature now that Danie is fading into the twilight. Spies & Kanko are similar players – speedy and fast on hard and dry surfaces but disappearing in a muddy and sloppy forward brawl. Spies actually suprised me on this tour, but Kanko last Saturday was the completely wrong horse for the course in the Murrayfield bathtub.
I wonder if the 3 stooges even realized that they werepicking a team for the Northern Hemisphere and not for Australia/New Zealand/locally when selecting the squad? Do they bother to look at weather predictions? Why announce the team on Tuesday and not wait till Thursday when a more reliable weather prediction can be factored into the team selection.
I really hope PdV have Eddy Jones on speeddial for next years WC – that may be our only hope unless SARFU has the balls to do something about the 3 stooges NOW.
24 Nov 2010, 17:01 pm
@kevin w(kevin w) :
You’re not going to win the argument. Too many on this site think that Kanko (or any other ‘non pampered’ player) should win the game on their own or they’re useless. The fact of life is that many, like Spies, MS, JdV and the other premadonnas have played consitently in poor bok performances. That they are the common denominator just escapes thier limited knowledge of Rugby or any other sport. The whole shenanigans revolves around their unabriddled hero worship of certain players which makes them totally blind to reality. Whilst other players are not given the opportunity to perform in a decent team without these little premadonnas then nothing’s going to change. No one on this site will influence the selection process. Whilst many open their mouths wide and protest about the poor results it’s humurous that their thoughts run parallel with PDiv – an we all know what an abject failure he’s been.
As they say – look at the scoreboard.
24 Nov 2010, 17:24 pm
Whilst there is great celebration about the reinstatement of Spies and the retention of MS, Stegman, Aplon and JdV, 196 of 270 bloggers at this time think England will win. Is it just the vociferous bloggers who apparently account for the 27.4% of the ‘yay’ votes (sic)?
24 Nov 2010, 17:32 pm
@OCO(OCO) : Yeah, I agree. Spies comes in a makes the odd meter here and the occasional tackle there. He does this game in and game out. Kanko comes in, does these same meters plus maybe a little more, hardly misses a tackle, but because he didnt score 5 tries from 70 meters out in the one game he gets every year, he is considered as not taking his chances.
Its okey though, as Plum sees him as the best 8th man in a team that has Alberts, Daniels and Deysel. But hey, what does an ol’Kiwi coach know anyway, the Bulls supporters reckon benchpressing and flexing muscles in stupid TV adds make you a great player.
24 Nov 2010, 17:36 pm
@OCO(OCO) : I predict Spies to be tackled backwards at least every 2 out of 3 pickups from the base. And Spies lovers, you who have such great knowledge of the game, pay attention Saturday, put you brandy asside, and stop talkin k@k to your mates, pay attention on how many “almost tackles” Spies makes…you know, those where he sticks out his arm and the person just flops past him…see how many times the scrummie breaks and just drags Spies behind him for the first 3 paces, and the Spies just lets go.
Always funny how Bulls supporters always ignore the fact that their hero tackles like a nancy. Howe did someone put it on News24, built like a brick shithouse, but playes like a Barbie Dollhouse.
24 Nov 2010, 17:37 pm
@Skiballas(Skiballas1) :
The probelm is with the Boks is that they still think they can play with brute strength and zilch intelligence. the game has changed (basically because of the new rules – and for the better) and the Boks still think they can still play 1950′s rugga. Well the recent results show just how stupid this is – as they were shown in the 3N and also the 3 EOYT games this year.
they need to start from scratch and chose a team that can compete and not just try the odd experiment whilst retaining the core of neanderthal players.
24 Nov 2010, 17:41 pm
@Skiballas(Skiballas1) :
LOL! Yeh SPies is all that. the other reason he doesn’t run away from his support is that he’s so slow that they run past him! Also, as you say, he gets tackled backwards all the time. his best performance this year has been minus 50 meters gained
24 Nov 2010, 17:48 pm
@OCO(OCO) : On Saturday his will have so many negative running meters he will arrive back in SA before the rest of the team…
But on a serious note, it is all about combinations as well. I truely hope to see the Sharks combo play the Babarians next week. I think Kanko, Alberts and Daniels really compliment each other…
Oh yeah, and to the pricks always saying Daniels is a fetcher, and using that to justify Stegmans inclusion…The Sharks didnt seem to struggle to steal balls from the Bulls and Province lately.
24 Nov 2010, 17:54 pm
@Skiballas(Skiballas1) :
Well, if the trio get a run then it would be a good indicator of potential. I’m ‘holding thumbs’ that they play and Lambie too. However, PDiV has a very strange mind (to say the least) so I wouldn’t expect him to change the team, especially if they get beaten by England, as it he would be worried about his stats and not trying to improve the team ahead of the RWC.
24 Nov 2010, 18:12 pm
hey guys! it’s been a while
just thought I’d let you know, I’ve just started my OWN blog- following some people’s lead 
anyway so if you ever miss me or wonder what I’m up to feel free to check it out
http://rugbyheelsandeverythingelse.wordpress.com/
cheers
24 Nov 2010, 18:28 pm
What don’t you understand……
MOTM says it all.
24 Nov 2010, 19:00 pm
@SpringbokSarah(SpringbokSarah) :
Are you the stukkie on the left or right?
24 Nov 2010, 19:02 pm
What is a premadonna?
Is it a player who was born before Madonna became famous?
24 Nov 2010, 19:05 pm
Not predawn?
24 Nov 2010, 19:16 pm
@Bhloo(redj) : Wow, I recall Adi Jacobs also getting man of the match once, maybe he should be the number 1 centre.
24 Nov 2010, 19:16 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn) : And Kanko was the MOTM for the Bokke, as selected by the coaching staff.
24 Nov 2010, 19:17 pm
@gunther(gunther) : In pretoria it is someone who doesnt have a crewcut and also doesnt tuck his T-Shirt into his jeans.
24 Nov 2010, 19:19 pm
@Skiballas(Skiballas1) : You mean, jean pant
24 Nov 2010, 19:20 pm
@Skiballas(Skiballas1) : And T-shirt also means Two Tone Shirt
24 Nov 2010, 19:21 pm
@Skiballas(Skiballas1) : Crew cut must mean short,back and sides
Or pee pot hairstyle
24 Nov 2010, 19:30 pm
something like that LOL
24 Nov 2010, 19:33 pm
You guys looking for a job.
We need someone to polish the silverware…
You interested?
24 Nov 2010, 19:39 pm
You can wear your teeshirts in or out,
Tie you hair in ponytails,
Front teeth are not obligatory……
As long as the shine comes through!!!!
24 Nov 2010, 19:49 pm
In fact we will settle for two guys to shine up the three, yes three S14 trophies.
Well what is it….yes or no?
24 Nov 2010, 20:00 pm
With Alberts now part of the squad, Brussouw, Bekker coming back Danie Rossouw might just keep Kanko out of the WC group in 2011…
24 Nov 2010, 20:08 pm
@OCO(OCO) : That is how the Sharks won the CC with brute force, not too much brains (apart from Lambie) at the back where they tackled anything that moved…Andries Strauss will need another season (poor Cheetas) just to recover:)
24 Nov 2010, 20:28 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn) : what blog are you on? there’s only one piece?
24 Nov 2010, 20:53 pm
Ask a Nazi, snottie, I asks you wif tears in my eyes, couldn’t you do better than that?
As for all the Oucou’s etc that whine about Kanko, Spies etc being useless being useless, a question for you?
If WP, the Bulls or Sharks had played Snotland on Saturday last, who would have won?
You have to say Snotland or WP to be consistent in your argument. Then I ask, who beat WP (and the Bulls) a few weeks ago?
24 Nov 2010, 21:14 pm
its absolutely patently obvious its been staring us in the face for how long, how long
Fact is I inadvertently chose exactly the correct pseudonym for this here pseudo open minded race inflicted highly intolerant and outright indignant white skin prejudicial so called rugby congress of garbage ridden gnats
These f’ng pseudo intellectual closet indoctrinated inverted Nazi’s, especially these pommie faced imbecilical little paraprats, like this pisswilly little punkeyed peanut brain self delusional little irritation of an erroneous claptrap pratassed rat gunthergoebeldygargoyle geloompa gnat is tantamountly the absolute exact pertinent example of it.
I smell a rat, a f’ng piece of garbage high handed punkface pratassed Nazi sympathetic prat, and ain’t it a small coincidence that such dubious pieces of smugfaced pratassed eroded chunks of second grade crapass garbage tend to high five it around here exactly like the garbage riddled feeble little pieces of punkeyed schmuckface Nazi’s that they undoubtedly and despicably are,
24 Nov 2010, 21:56 pm
@askanaz1(askanaz1) : ….so anyway Skop, are we gonna climb out of this hole we let ourself fall into this weekend
Bloody Diek is the problem and Victor telling coach who to select and coach with poor tactical subs
24 Nov 2010, 22:13 pm
we winning this weekend JL1
its pretty much already done and dusted, we setting a new course into the sunrise
Victor and John have befuddled PdV’s brain with their senior status whatever we say goes cockamamie bullsh’t baffles brains bemusing
John wants to play it Jakes way, Victor wants to play it Heyneke’s way and in betwixt and between all the confused thinking of Victor and his Bully beef buddy buddy bye bye system of spoils and spots for pals, and John’s heredity of traditionalized strengths of kicking and chasing to eternity and beyond, old Diekie dew drops and Goldilocks have dropped their porridge and are asking who’s gonna feed the cat.
Meantime back at the ranch, we got the old enemy in our sights and even by fluke or by hook or by crook, you can take it as granted, we taking England to the cleaners this weekend come hell or high water, while lifting our legs and mixing it with the bloodhounds and bull mastiffs and ugly Pomeranian bulldogs.
25 Nov 2010, 00:41 am
You’d expect a coach of a national team to do it his way, not Jake’s way or Heyneke’s way. After all, it’s his neck on the line.
If he can’t do it his way, why bother with a coach at all?
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