Joe big in London

Joe big in London

12 Dec 2010

MARK KEOHANE writes that Joe van Niekerk produced a man of the match performance to down London Irish in the European Cup.

Former Bok loose-forward Van Niekerk, captain of Toulon, showed exceptional pace to break the London Irish defence early in the first half and then was influential in setting up Toulon’s first and only try of the match.

Toulon won 19-13 with Jonny Wilkinson kicking five from five for 14 points, but it was Van Niekerk who towered above the rest in a match that started well but never sustained the first quarter intensity.

Once again there was inconsistency with referee interpretation at the breakdown, with Northern Hemisphere referees still favouring the defender at the breakdown. On several occasions the attacking player was not given that split second to place the ball.

Van Niekerk, who played for the Boks in the 34-31 victory against Wales in June this year, has consistently been Toulon’s best loose-forward over the last two seasons, and he looked every bit a 51-Test veteran in leading from the front against London Irish.

Van Niekerk has reinvented his game in France and despite only playing the one Test for South Africa since moving to Toulon three seasons ago he would not be out of place in any Bok set-up.

Away wins are rare in the European Cup Pool stages and Van Niekerk’s inspirational display has given Toulon hope of making it to the quarter-finals of Europe’s most glamorous club competition.

The performance was also a reminder of the quality of South African loose-forward playing outside South Africa. Toulouse’s Shaun Sowerby has been a similar influence in the Top 14 and European club competition, and had he not been capped for 10 minutes against Samoa in 2002 he would no doubt have played for France over the last three years.

BJ Botha and Ruan Pienaar produced strong displays in Ulster’s win against Bath, who have suffered without injured South African duo Butch James and Luke Watson.


78 Comments

Pages: « 1 [2] Show All

  • 51.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 14:41 pm

    @iori Yagami : yes I think that will be the best. The key is whether you pick someone like Butch as backup 10 or Ruan ot Pat. Those types of decisions will I think be a bit harder…

  • 52.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 14:46 pm

    No matter how good Joe vN is outside the Bok setup, its how he plays within this Bok setup under the “magnificent” coaching trio of Dippy, Tricky and Goldie… I doubt this will amount to much… all of Big Joe’s obvious skills, speed and positional awareness will come to nothing when playing for the current Boks under the current setup…

    I suspect most players in the World will regress a few steps after a couple of months with the 3 Bok fools…

    Our current Boks have definitely done a reverse evolution after the past 5 weeks. Hopefully their respective S15 franchises get them back up to speed before the S15…

    So, Big Joe performs outside the current Bok setup. Many other players do too, and this has nothing to do with the “rigours of International Rugby”…

    Read my lips: “Its not the players, stoopid!”

  • 53.Eish: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 14:49 pm

    @iori Yagami : I wouldn’t include Olivier. JF is just too injury prone. JDV is not the same player he was 4 years ago. JDJ is the future at 13 with a playmaker with some bulk at 12. No one at the moment. Will thus go with JDV. Here’s hoping that someone come through in time. Who knows, at the beginning of 2010 Habana was no 1 and nobody had heard of Mvovo.

    12. JDV
    13. JDJ

    Bench
    JF and Steyn. One more needed.

  • 54.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:00 pm

    @Heavens Game : joe van niekerk was a big part of pdv’s team in 2008 starting both tests against the all blacks in wellington & dunedin that year and he chose to chase money in France…made his bed!

  • 55.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:02 pm

    @Transformation : 54. He got worse under Dippy and then decided to “chase money” and become a better player in France… Yes, he certainly made himself a good bed…

  • 56.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:12 pm

    @Heavens Game : how did he get worse in 2008? big joe was playing at the Lions under Loffie domkop…

  • 57.iori Yagami: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:15 pm

    @stormersboy : I think Pienaar will provide cover for M.Steyn. If we are to pick 18 forwards we only have place for 12 backs. Consider this team.

    1. Gurthro, Beast
    2. Smit, Bismarck, Chiliboy
    3. Jannie, CJ, BJ
    4. Bakkies, Danie
    5. Matfield, Bekker
    6. Burger, Brussouw
    7. Smith, Alberts
    8. Spies, Kanko

    9. FdP, Pienaar, Ricky
    10. M.Steyn
    11. Habana
    12. JDV, WO
    13. JF, JdJ
    14. JPP
    15. F.Steyn, Aplon

  • 58.iori Yagami: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:17 pm

    @Eish : In my humble opinion there is no-one else.

  • 59.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:19 pm

    @iori Yagami : That’s probably going to be very close to who gets selected, injuries allowing. I wouldn’t pick Kanko but we know PDV will, Most wouldn’t pick Ricky (Hougaard rather) but we know PDV might well.

  • 60.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:19 pm

    @Transformation : 56. By playing for the Boks, Dumfarkwit. And especially under Dippy… basically.

  • 61.iori Yagami: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:20 pm

    @Heavens Game : He didnt become worse, he was one of the best boks during Div’s early tenure.

  • 62.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:23 pm

    @iori Yagami : 61 don’t bother, he is like a dog in heat, no amount of logic or fact will convince him…

  • 63.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:24 pm

    @iori Yagami : 61. Yes he was, at the beginning… until Dippy finally had his wicked way with him…

    Its inevitable… basically

  • 64.iori Yagami: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:26 pm

    @stormersboy : Exactly thats why I put them in. But i nogal wont pick Hougaard as a scrumhalf. I dont think he is ready to be an international scrumhalf. He needs a full season or 2 playing no.9 for his province.

  • 65.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:28 pm

    @Transformation : 62. “Dog on heat”? Like Transie running after Momma Rossi or vice versa… :lol:

  • 66.iori Yagami: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:30 pm

    @Transformation : Thanks for the advice.

  • 67.stormersboy: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:30 pm

    @iori Yagami : I agree, but I’m hoping he’ll improve some more this year. After FDP and Ruan I just don’t see anyone else…

  • 68.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:31 pm

    @Heavens Game : 65 there you are, without fail, lose the debate and resort to toilet humour :D

  • 69.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:33 pm

    @Transformation : 68. Yes, but this “toilet humour” is rooted in fair amount of truth… Makes it funny :lol:

    The Keo “romance”. Toilet humour indeed…

  • 70.iori Yagami: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:37 pm

    @Heavens Game : I dont understand why PDV dropped him though.

  • 71.iori Yagami: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:39 pm

    @stormersboy : How much games is he going to start at scrumhalf though?? 4, 5 max? It will be tough. especially if Ricky is first choice for the Stormers.

  • 72.Transformation: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:41 pm

    @Heavens Game : “truth” hahaha

  • 73.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:42 pm

    @iori Yagami : 70. I dont understand why Dippy does a lot of things… basically. I don’t think many people do… Maybe thats why he is still Bok coach – Bullshitbafflesbrains?

  • 74.Heavens Game: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 15:43 pm

    Got to go. Work calls. Farking big stain needs to be cleaned.

  • 75.Black Panther: Reply to this comment
    13 Dec 2010, 16:27 pm

    Now this boy can play !

  • 76.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    17 Dec 2010, 02:26 am

    @keo : I watch Van Niekerk a lot, I too thought he could convert his tremendous club form for Toulon into test form for SA but the reality is JVN is most at home in an open running game and like Spies and Kankowski tends to go missing when the going gets tough at test level. A talented player yes, enough to be SA’s starting No.8? not in my opinion, players like Willem Alberts and Duane Vermuelen are better bets.

  • 77.Big Hit: Reply to this comment
    17 Dec 2010, 02:32 am

    @Eish : Butch does well when he plays, winning motm awards all the time. Unfortunately his kicking for goal isn’t good enough to usurp Steyn and Pienaar’s kicking for goal isn’t good enough to cover him.

    @fsjakes : Jonny will be doing it for years yet. People don’t realise it because our starting pack isn’t as good as then but he’s still most of the player he was in 2003.

  • 78.shaunswindon: Reply to this comment
    18 Feb 2011, 07:30 am

    My Bok squad of 30 to defend the World Cup…..

    15. Francois Steyn / Gio Aplon.
    14. J.P. Pieterson / Francois Hougaard.
    13. Jacque Fourie / Marius Joubert.
    12. Jean De Villiers / Patrick Lambie.
    11. Bryan Habana / Lwazi Mvovo.
    10. Morne Steyn / Butch James.
    9. Fourie Du Preez / Ruan Pienaar.
    8. Pierre Spies / Ryan Kankowski.
    7. Juan Smith / Willem Alberts.
    6. Schalk Burger / Jean Deysel.
    5. Victor Matfield / Andries Bekker.
    4. Bakkies Botha / Danie Rossouw.
    3. Jannie Du Plessis / C.J. Van Der Linde.
    2. John Smit (c) / Bismark Du Plessis.
    1. Gurthro Steenkamp / Beast Mtawarira.

Pages: « 1 [2] Show All

Keo.co.za has always promoted uncensored views, but has never tolerated racist or crass outbursts. Come on guys and girls. If you can't moderate yourselves or each other then I am going to be forced to regulate the posts and enforce a registration process for comments. The choice is yours.

Have your say

You must be logged in to post a comment.