Smit must prop up Bok bench
12 Apr 2011
JON CARDINELLI says the Sharks have provided the solution to the John Smit conundrum.
Peter de Villiers may be blind, but the answer’s there for all to see. Smit must go to the World Cup as a leader; not as a frontline player. That’s not a contradiction.
De Villiers has criticised the Sharks for their present management of Smit. He’s made it clear that he wants Smit playing hooker at the Sharks and at the Springboks.
But Sharks coach John Plumtree has had other ideas. Smit has played just 18 minutes at hooker in the 2011 Super Rugby competition. While it seems clear to De Villiers that Smit is a hooker, the Sharks believe that he better suits their purposes as a reserve prop.
Plumtree and company are not at fault. Bismarck du Plessis is in the form of his life. He’s not only the best hooker in the country, but one of South Africa’s most important players. Du Plessis is a crucial cog at the set-piece and a bully at the breakdown. The Sharks need him to play as many minutes as possible in the big games. The Boks do too.
Smit struggled when he was shifted to tighthead at the end of 2008, and failed to make a successful transition back to hooker in 2010. He shed a lot of weight in the 2011 pre-season, but at 33 he doesn’t offer as much grunt and dynamism as Du Plessis.
The Sharks have at times included the bustling Craig Burden on the bench, preferring to deploy Smit as a reserve prop. In seven appearances, Smit has featured four times at loosehead and twice at tighthead. He may be given another crack at hooker this season, but his real value in the games that matter is as a reserve loosehead.
There may be an argument to start Smit at No 1 for the Boks, as he has done in three Super Rugby matches thus far. But to do so would deny the Boks another dynamic player. Beast Mtawarira continues to improve at the scrum, and his work-rate around the field is tough to match.
Mtawarirra and the Du Plessis brothers are likely to form the Bok front row at the World Cup with Smit providing support from the bench. Smit told SA Rugby magazine last year that he would play off the bench if it was best for the team. If the first eight rounds are anything to go by, Smit is making good on his word.
The truth is Smit still has a lot to offer as a leader. De Villiers has committed to Smit, and it’s no secret that the Bok captain and senior players play a big role in the running of the side. He may not be indispensable as a frontline player, but he’s crucial to the World Cup cause.
Victor Matfield is the natural successor to Smit, but his captaincy has been less than inspiring over the past 12 months. He made some dubious calls as the Bulls’ skipper in the 2010 Currie Cup semi-final, and wasn’t at his best on the Boks’ subsequent tour of the Home Nations.
The 2011 season has also witnessed a disappointing effort, as unlike Smit, Matfield doesn’t possess the underrated ability to stay on the right side of the referee. It’s something he needs to address, as with the Boks’ robust reputation, you need a charmer wearing the captain’s armband.
376 Comments
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12 Apr 2011, 16:58 pm
@iori Yagami(iori Yagami)-319: The mighty Boks which are currently headed to the RWC are a bunch of broken down hasbeens who couldn’t beat a girls u19 squad right now. Ireland has had our number many times before as has France. Wales nearly beat us last year. If we were to meet either team at the RWC I would be betting against the other side. If we don’t select in-form players and change tactics we will be lucky to get out of the group stages. If PdV goes through with selecting every Bulls player on a Bok contract we will end up as the laughing stock of the RWC.
12 Apr 2011, 17:01 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-349:
semi-pro?
don’t let her catch you saying that
12 Apr 2011, 17:02 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-349:
Good heavens, have you seen me in my Lycra in the Argus Bike Race pictures!!!
12 Apr 2011, 17:05 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-352: I have been called worse here!!
I would like to enter your competition, do you have a section for overseas candidates?
12 Apr 2011, 17:05 pm
@carol(carol)-353:
indeed.
you put the semi in semi-pro
12 Apr 2011, 17:06 pm
@JR – The Real Make The Circle Bigger(JayDaFiveOh)-351: Dont you dare forget about the loss against Scotland! We desperately need young blood who will fight for glory and not just another personal achievement (the senior player give off that type of vibe).
Matfield and co cant possibly believe that they still have what it takes to claim a spot in the run on team. Smit must be there in one way or another and im not going to try and crack that problem, but the rest must brought back to earth and dropped. The youngsters can do it. And Danie Rossouw is totally underrated and not used enough on national and these days domestic level.
12 Apr 2011, 17:08 pm
@carol(carol)-354:
yes indeed we will.
it shall be called “girls of many nations” category.
there will be prizes for those who write Gunther on their body parts when posing.
12 Apr 2011, 17:12 pm
Jannie
Bismark
Beast
Rossouw
Bekker
Burger
Alberts
Smith(if fit)/Brussow
Du Preez(if he regains his form)/ Mc Cloud/ Hougard (with limited gametime not really an option)
Grant/Lambie
Peterson
Jean
Fourie
Aplon
Steyn
12 Apr 2011, 17:16 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-357:
Body parts sound a bit CSI….!!!
12 Apr 2011, 18:38 pm
@Jeez(Jeez)-358: I would also add Sykes even if he is going off to Ulster next year. This is the RWC year. We’ll worry about replacing him next year.
12 Apr 2011, 19:22 pm
@JR – The Real Make The Circle Bigger(JayDaFiveOh)-351: You are sooo right … i mean look at NZ – Conrad smith, Nonu, Donald, Muiliana are in sublime form, Canes and Chiefs wiping everyone before them. And then those NZ teams with their great lineouts, absollutely dominating the competition … lets not even get to the Aussies – I mean Giteau and the Brumbies dazzling their way to victory after victory and the Tahs man … absolutely sublime
12 Apr 2011, 19:38 pm
If you look at the SA teams and the amount of boks in each of the sides, its quite shocking and scary knowing that at least 4 Bull-boks will make the bok team. Matfield, Botha, Spies, Steyn, Kirchner,Olivier (K & O probably on the bench) The Cheetahs at this point look more competitive than the Bulls and the only bok in their team at the moment is Floors. At least he’s a hasbeen who doesn’t feature in the bok setup anymore.
12 Apr 2011, 19:40 pm
O and Du Preez, but lets hope he can regain form. He was out for a long time, so hopefully he’s just still rusty..
12 Apr 2011, 19:57 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-329: That is amazing !!!!
HAAA !!! read and weep boys.
But then again i started brilliantly on super bru as well then took a massive nose dive when the heart took over from the brain, i just cant maintain with the brain choices, the heart just takes over and i convince myself its the brain
Hope you found that Cape Velvet recipe ?? need it before the next SHARKS stormers game
12 Apr 2011, 21:26 pm
I have said many times before that the polls here are a bit whacked… something wrong with the system that allows the voting options to be displayed in the order of results…
Anyway, I don’t believe this one:
After eight rounds, who’s your favourite to win the SA conference?
Bulls
3742
Sharks
324
Stormers
287
Total Votes: 4353
Started: April 11, 2011
12 Apr 2011, 22:13 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-365: did they allow tacci to put in 3700 votes???
13 Apr 2011, 08:52 am
Smit must prop up Bok bench but not actually play on the Bok bench???
13 Apr 2011, 14:24 pm
Oh Captain my Captain…!
13 Apr 2011, 15:43 pm
@chucky(chucky)-70:
A few changes IMO
Probable bok squad for RWC
15. Francois Steyn / Gio Aplon.
14. J.P. Pieterson .
13. Jacques Fourie / Juan De Jongh
12. Jean De Villiers
11. Bryan Habana / Lwazi Mvovo.
10. * Morne Steyn / Butch James/Pat Lambie
9. Fourie Du Preez / Ruan Pienaar/F.Hougaard
8. * Pierre Spies
7. Juan Smith / Willem Alberts
6. Schalk Burger / Heinrich Brussow
5. Victor Matfield (vc) / Andries Bekker.
4. Bakkies Botha / Danie Rossouw.
3. Jannie Du Plessis / CJ van der Linde
2. John Smit (c) / Bismark Du Plessis / ChilliBoy Ralapelle
1. John Smit / Beast Mtawarira / Gurthro Steenkamp
Ryan Kankowski will miss out due to both Willem Alberts & Rossouw can cover 8.No need for a second specialist 8 (Frans Louw more realistic an option to sneak in as second specialist fetcher)
BJ Botha a will not make RWC,hasnt been in squad for a bit.CJ van der Linde has more of a chance at reserve TH.
Wynand Olivier wont make RWC squad.Juan De Jongh covers both 12/13 plus also Frans Steyn also an option at 12 thus no need for another specialist 12.(Butch & Lambie also can play at 12)
This is a 30 man squad.Thats is too big at least by 2 players.usually its a 28 man squad…Rallapelle might miss out as they may choose to go with 2 hookers rather than 3 and last place is between Lambie/Pienaar/Mvovo.
Mvovo-limited becasue he only plays wing (both Aplon & Hougaard cover wing as well)
Pienaar/Lambie-utility tag is only suitable for largely 1 player in team.And both of them fill this quota.One may have to go.
Take your pic
14 Apr 2011, 08:48 am
Am I the only one who thinks this is a bad idea? Didn’t read thru all the posts but this confusion needs to stop. If Smit is goint to be there, he needs to be there, front and center! The team needs 1 leader and that’s the captain. A captain should never be substituted either, unless injured of course, but what JC is suggesting can only fck up the works even more
14 Apr 2011, 08:58 am
@BokiNZ(BokiNZ)-370: ja
k ak idea.
just drop the oke and send him to supersport as a commentator.
15 Apr 2011, 04:25 am
@grant10(grant10)-371: In essence what I’m saying mate. If Smit is going to the WC, it has got to be as the leader…period. Front and center. If not as captain and 1st choice hooker, then he has to be dropped and watch on tele like the rest of us. I feel Smit can still lead this side from the front, but to get there he needs to play. And prop is not it. He’ll never be a 1st choice prop but he could/should be 1st choice hooker. When the international season comes round, it will be too late. Now is the time. Plum needs to reconsider
15 Apr 2011, 04:59 am
“If not as captain and 1st choice hooker, then he has to be dropped and watch on tele like the rest of us.”
What a crock of shite… Smit off the bench for the Boks offers more than any other front-rower in RSA…
15 Apr 2011, 12:00 pm
“Matfield is the natural successor”. Huh??
1) He’s unlikely to be around for bokke after this season.
2) He only looks like a good captain in a winning team. But a winning team doen’t need a captain, everyone just does their job. In a losing team Victor as captain is a sulky petulant pratt. We haven’t seen it often cos he hasn’t often skippered a losing team. But he has been consistent.
There are no other obvious choices. Neither Jean nor Schalk have impressed as leaders. Fourie is like Matfield in spades. Any other offers?
So Plod must travel as captain from the bench. Not ideal but he’ll be on the field for the vital last 20 min.
22 Apr 2011, 00:03 am
Reading everyone’s comments makes me see things in many different ways. The whole experienced versus too old situation can be pretty tricky. If we only send the young ones to the Rugby World Cup and don’t make it past the quarter finals, we’ll think we should have used the experienced players more. But the flip side is true too. If we really think about it, we are in a good position.
We have some of the most experienced players in the world as well as some of the most talented. We stand a very good chance to win the world cup again. The coach, management and senior players have to make hard decisions and be true to the team and themselves. I think the answer lies in putting the teams best change to win first in every decision and cancel out everything else. We can only hope. Go Springboks!
22 Apr 2011, 05:22 am
@jacob(jacob)-375: You’re not in a good position if your experienced players are over the hill and your inexperienced players have only played a series of five-minute cameos.
Well, let’s amend that : you’re in an excellent position to commit rugby suicide, but you’re in a dreadful position to contend for a world cup.
Hope is all you’ve got. Same as Namibia.
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