SA latest – Still hope for Juan
1 Mar 2011
Keo.co.za brings you news from South Africa’s Super Rugby franchises.
Still hope for Juan – The Springboks have received some great news that Juan Smith may recover from his Achilles injury in time to play at the World Cup.
Smith underwent surgery to his Achilles on Monday after sustaining a partial tear of the tendon in Friday’s match against the Bulls. He is expected to be back in six months, which means he could be fit in time for the tournament in New Zealand.
Cheetahs team doctor Ian Morris said that the operation went well and that because Smith didn’t complete tear the tendon, he could be ready.
‘We are planning on having him fit for the World Cup,’ Morris told Die Volksblad. ‘There is definitely a chance that he can recover in time. If everything goes well, six months is not an unreasonable recovery period.’
Meanwhile, the Cheetahs have decided not to play Heinrich Brussow against the Stormers this Saturday. Coach Naka Drotske said that he wants Brussow to play another Vodacom Cup game before making his return to Super Rugby.
Wikus locks for Lions – World Cup winning flank Wikus van Heerden will start at lock for the Lions against the Blues on Friday.
Lions coach John Mitchell has made good on his promise to play Van Heerden at lock, and Van Heerden’s inclusion means George Earle drops out of the squad. Former Bulls utility forward Dries van Schalkwyk takes Van Heerden’s place in the reserves.
Lions - 15 Jaco Taute, 14 Lionel Mapoe, 13 Waylon Murray, 12 Doppies la Grange, 11 Michael Killian, 10 Elton Jantjies, 9 Jano Vermaak, 8 Warren Whiteley, 7 Josh Strauss, 6 Derick Minnie, 5 Franco van der Merwe (c), 4 Wikus van Heerden, 3 Patrick Cilliers, 2 Bandise Maku, 1 JC Janse van Rensburg.
Subs: 16 Martin Bezuidenhout, 17 Kevin Buys, 18 Dries van Schalkwyk, 19 Cobus Grobbelaar, 20 Rory Kockott, 21 Burton Francis, 22 James Kamana.
Burger to miss two matches – A medial ligament strain will sideline Schalk Burger for two to three weeks. The Stormers captain will definitely miss games against the Cheetahs and Highlanders, and management is hopeful that he will be fit for the derby against the Bulls.
Jean de Villiers is likely to lead the team, while Pieter Louw is the favourite to wear the No 6 jersey. Nick Koster could come onto the Stormers’ bench.
Meanwhile, Gio Aplon is still a doubtful inclusion for the Cheetahs game. Peter Grant, who returned to South Africa last week, is set to start at flyhalf in place of Gary van Aswegen.
44 Comments
28 Feb 2011, 21:09 pm
fading aura dragon
28 Feb 2011, 21:39 pm
one of the Greatest ‘Walk on Water’ Dragons.
28 Feb 2011, 21:41 pm
oh well
28 Feb 2011, 21:47 pm
may have been a great….but never ever a great fetcher…ask george smith…phl waughand mc caw.
a blind side flank whose infatuation with the oenside berth regretfully lead to a very unbalanced bok loose trio for a good few years..
28 Feb 2011, 21:51 pm
sacriledgeous … goddamnit… what u doin out the tub?
28 Feb 2011, 22:02 pm
facts are facts….2009…mc caw and deans comment how brussow now making sa a new dimensioal team
the spies…schalk and j smith loose trio sucked
28 Feb 2011, 22:19 pm
Ok so with Juan out then Schalk will play 7 and a fetcher at 6. Probably Brussow.
28 Feb 2011, 22:50 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-7: ahead of Willem Alberts?
Schalk lost his strength when he cut his hair, at least, unlike Andries, he was not tied to the kitchen chair…
28 Feb 2011, 23:07 pm
The season is still very young.
Making calls on Bok squad for World Cup at this time is a joke.
By the end of the Super 15 we’l have a better idea if Brussouw is still the best fetcher , if Butch is playing well etc etc.
still a lot of rugby to be played.
28 Feb 2011, 23:17 pm
@scar(scar)-8: I’m not saying he’s the best option but if he’s fit they’ll pick him that’s for sure
1 Mar 2011, 00:58 am
keo and your techies, some serious changes needed, you site takes forever to load. Sort it out.
1 Mar 2011, 02:20 am
Brumbies sack Andy Friend http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/andy-friend-sacked-by-brumbies-20110301-1bcdt.html
1 Mar 2011, 02:41 am
@KevinRack(KevinRack)-12: Didn’t like the look on Gituea’s face after their loss.. Disrespecting player-run franchise ?
1 Mar 2011, 03:56 am
@wp_boytjie(wp_boytjie)-9: Totally agree with you. It always find it totally ridiculous that anyone who is not a selector picks a team on keo. Why make the effort over things you have zero control. And to pick players 7 months ahead of a match or tournament is ludicrous. But then I guess it takes all kinds of brainfarts to make up the world population.
1 Mar 2011, 04:01 am
Whow, firing Friend is a surprise after only 2 weeks into the new season. Is rugby getting as prima donna as soccer/football?
1 Mar 2011, 04:07 am
@GumyBerry(gumyberry)-13: Brumbies have a player revolts often.
1 Mar 2011, 04:53 am
@KevinRack(KevinRack)-16:
See they mention Larkham to take over in future?! Great little ‘family’ business they have going there which can only end in tears!
1 Mar 2011, 04:59 am
PS Note to Cheetahs, see, it can be done, don’t HAVE to wait till the end of the season…
1 Mar 2011, 06:08 am
@KevinRack(KevinRack)-12: A shame to hear it has been handled so badly. I’ve met Friend before he is a good guy, he deserved to have this handled better than it was.
@GumyBerry(gumyberry)-13:
The rumours of player unrest that get leaked to the media seem to all have one common link – Giteau.
They were there at the Force, the last 2 years at the Wallabies, and now at the Brumbies.
As talented as he is (debatable on his form the last 12 months I guess), he is a toxic influence to every side he has been in.
I can’t wait to see the back of him, so the Brumbies can start afresh next year with 3 young dedicated players (Toomua, Coleman, Lealifano) battling for the 10 and 12 jerseys.
1 Mar 2011, 06:34 am
SB’s usually appreciated when he is absent, difficult to gauge his contribution when he is on the field.
1 Mar 2011, 07:41 am
@Amerifikaner(Amerifikaner)-14: Thats the fun of this site….we all pick our teams and compare notes.
1 Mar 2011, 09:07 am
So, the Stormers still have a return date with the Lions at Coke Park. That’s gonna be interesting.
1 Mar 2011, 10:11 am
Great news about Juan, just hope it all goes well. Even if he does not make the WC, don’t want to lose a player of his talent, experience and dedication too early!!
Cautious approach with Brussouw is appreciated. Cheetahs have a long run at home in the 2nd part of the competition and he must be playing his part then (while everyone else is getting injured in the meantime!).
1 Mar 2011, 11:27 am
Great news about Juan
1 Mar 2011, 12:00 pm
dont know how much of good news this is
he’ll be rushed back from injury with his 1st coupla games during the world cup
1 Mar 2011, 14:18 pm
Great news!
1 Mar 2011, 17:57 pm
How pathetic are you all?
For clearly it will be of another breakdown of some body component, if not the same area, not long after the comeback as he will be nowhere with being fit for the REAL ACTION of the WC.
But why should I complain, if even just to try and save you some pain, as I WANT as many of the “2007 WC champion seniors” to be there to prove me so right about the outcome at WC 2011
1 Mar 2011, 20:01 pm
Bullsh*t Bob comes on at 17:57 and everyone disappears for 2 hours….go figure.
1 Mar 2011, 22:09 pm
Number of rubbish comments above on Juan. One of the greatest ever in green no doubt. he showed his world class status in France 07 – a standout. He is the quintessential blind sider – tough, fast, athletic, reads the gameand dominates even the ABs. Like anybody he requires a well-balanced unit around him to really shine and there things have often lacked. His ideal partners are Spies at 8 with Brussow at 7. If we can get that combo in NZ great. If Juan is injured the Schalk steps in as BLIND-SIDE, never open side as he has lost the pace required for that.
Either Juan or Schalk will do us proud there, again neither at open side. Schalk will be brilliant there. But Juan would be better. If neither is right then Alberts enters or perhaps the evergreen Danie Rossouw.
Brussow is the seriously crucial one.
1 Mar 2011, 22:20 pm
I love corn dogs
1 Mar 2011, 23:19 pm
As much as Juan Smith is one of the greatest Springboks of all time, I really am less worried about his absence than ever before.
I would start Willem Alberts at 7, with Schalk Burger on the bench to cover 7 and 6.
Pretty strong argument.
The entire loose trio is interesting. For my money:
6. Brussouw
7. Alberts
8. Vermulen
18. Burger
19. Spies
My only issue with Alberts is his line out ability. But Vermulen is excellent.
1 Mar 2011, 23:41 pm
Viljoen, Vermeulen, Johnson, Alberts, Elstadt, Roussow, Deysel, Strauss, P. Louw, Van Niekerk, F. Louw, Potgieter, Burger, Spies, Kankowski, J. Kruger
Nope there is no crisis, non whatsoever, if Burger, Spies and Smith all go out injured before the WC we still got way more than adequate cover at 7 or 8
1 Mar 2011, 23:55 pm
Hmmm…. Os du Randt has been sacked as the Bok scrum coach. So HE won’t be at the RWC.
2 Mar 2011, 00:13 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-33:
Mmm…
Os given the boot by SARU
Hendrik Cronjé
Bloemfontein – Os du Randt has been axed as the Springboks’ scrumming consultant.
Du Randt confirmed to Sport24 on Tuesday that he had been informed in writing by the South African Rugby Union (SARU) that his contract as scrumming consultant will not be renewed and that he will therefore not be part of the Boks’ World Cup management team.
“I am obviously disappointed, especially as Peter (De Villiers, the Springbok coach) had told me that I have the so-called x-factor that he needs in his World Cup management team. And now the x-factor is staying at home,” said the former Springbok prop.
A shortage of money is apparently the main reason being offered by SARU as to why his contract is not being extended.
The former Bok prop, who played in the World Cup-winning teams of 1995 and 2007, was brought in as consultant by De Villiers ahead of last year’s Tri-Nations. He also was part of the management team that toured with the Boks on their recent end-of-season trip to Britain and Ireland.
“I had already arranged my life as if I would be involved with the Boks until after the World Cup. I have rented out my farm and bought a house in Bloemfontein,” said Du Randt.
Du Randt’s farm is in the Theunissen district.
However, Du Randt is not unemployed. He has a contract as the Cheetahs’ scrumming coach for the duration of the Super Rugby competition and there is a possibility that it may be extended by coach Naka Drotské.
Sport24 previously reported a number of overseas club sides, and international teams that will be participating in the World Cup from September that are interested in Du Randt’s services.
However, he did not negotiate as he was under the impression that his Bok contract was going to be renewed.
Du Randt does not exclude the possibility of linking up with an overseas team in the future.
Meanwhile, there has been speculation that consultants may be added to the Springbok management.
SARU denied last year that they were in the process of hiring consultants after it appeared that the positions of assistant coaches **** Muir and Gary Gold were in jeopardy.
Western Province director of coaching Rassie Erasmus and ex-Wallaby coach Eddie Jones, who assisted former Bok coach Jake White in 2007, are being mentioned as possible consultants.
2 Mar 2011, 00:21 am
Os is overrated as a scrum doctor coach, much better available as in Pieter De Villiers french prop, or Matthew Proudfoot, or Balie Swart
2 Mar 2011, 01:35 am
@skopiskoobidoo(ilanjo)-35:
And how did you arrive at that conclusion? Doos logic?
2 Mar 2011, 01:39 am
Quite a few early season injuries, but also good to see some new faces. I like the look of the Lions “baardman”, Josh Strauss.
There is alot of rugger to be played till we even think of a WC squad. Not sure how we can even think of Brussouw at this stage, he’s got alot of catching up to do……..
2 Mar 2011, 03:25 am
@whatever(whatever)-36:
He probably also believe Os was never a good prop…
@whatever(whatever)-37:
I agree, by the time the S15 winds up you will first have to count the people still standing and then take it from there.
I read Naka said Brussouw will play Vodacom Cup again this weekend and he will look at him for the week after. Better than nothing but still way to early and looking for trouble. Rather keep him there for a few weeks more and then slowly introduce him, but 0/2 and I bet you Naka will have him start next week.
As for old stupid remains a stupid above, what do you not understand about rehabilitation after an operation? Two months off after the operation before he will start training. Gives him 4 months to regain his confidence, work on his strength and fitness. What he may lack is game time but not fitness.
2 Mar 2011, 03:27 am
@Bhloo(redj)-28:
Ag man jy is net onnosel en lieg glad te lekker.
Dit was doodstil vir meer as 3 uur, tussen 14.18pm tot 17.57pm.al.
Skaam jou, ou man nulletjie.
Jy verneder maar net jouself en niemand sal jou glo, soos gewoontlik.
2 Mar 2011, 04:05 am
I am not religious but thank-god.
Schala needs to make way for Alberts and one fecther whether its Daniels, Brussouw or Louw. Jaun is better than Schala but both cannot be in the team.
I do think we need to start resting key players like Matfield and Bakkies.
2 Mar 2011, 05:56 am
Sheep are highly intelligent creatures. Only the ignorant and the arrogant assume otherwise. The problem with the ignorant and the arrogant is that they ignorant about how arrogant they are and arrogant about their ignorance.
2 Mar 2011, 06:28 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-41:
You a Kiwi in disguise?
2 Mar 2011, 06:43 am
Hehe. We love them for their minds.
2 Mar 2011, 06:56 am
Sure but I prefer a lekker tjop!
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