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, 05:25 am
I’m thinking Jono must prop up the list of retired captains…………..ex Dragon!
12 Apr 2011, 05:33 am
I would agree but I do not know who would be captain when we are down 15-20 and need a calm leader. Victor Matfield has shown that he can work with a big budget team, the best coach and players of the same culture. Is he really that good of a leader?
I like Bismarck but history has shown when guys like Francois Pienaar, Hansie Cronje, Gary Teichman, etc was left out to get sexier players that there is nobody to take lead.
The bok team for the World Cup for me would be:
15.) Patrick Lambie
14.) JP Pietersen
13.) Jacque Fourie
12.) Jean De Villiers
11.) Bjorn Basson
10.) Peter Grant
9.) Fourie du Preez
8.) Duane Vermeulen
7.) Willem Alberts
6.) Heinrich Brussouw
5.) Victor Matfield
4.) Andries Bekker
3.) Jannie du Plessis
2.) John Smit (c)
1.) Beast Mtawaria
16.) CJ van der Linde
17.) Bismarck du Plessis
18.) Danie Rossouw
19.) Schalk Burger
20.) Ruan Pienaar
21.) Juan de Jongh
22.) Frans Steyn
12 Apr 2011, 06:04 am
@RugbyStudent(RugbyStudent)-2:
Swop Smitty with Bismarck and Frans with Patrick and I would say we will be competitive.
Two number 5 locks, but do we really need a lumbering enforcer type lock at 4? I think not.
Who is back up 10? Lambie or Ruan?
12 Apr 2011, 06:55 am
Wait for it…..
12 Apr 2011, 07:28 am
It’s no secret that I’m a big John Smit fan, and that his form at 1 is troubling. It’s a pity that he isn’t being given more game time at 2, but it’s tricky with Bismark being in such good form.
I really hope John is able to get sharp in the second half of the season. It’s not like Matfield’s form is inspiring at the moment either…
12 Apr 2011, 07:30 am
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-4: DARY !
Oops, this isn’t How I met your mother.
12 Apr 2011, 07:35 am
seriously not worth the time or effort to remotely debate.
Smit is the nowhere man, only there on this so called aura reputation.
at best a bench rider.
imo should be propping up inside the Supersport Commentary box.
12 Apr 2011, 07:36 am
this is odd?
from what i heard, smitty had a cracker on the weekend?
12 Apr 2011, 07:37 am
Now he must make the team because he is ‘charming to the refs ? ‘.
Good heavens man, how far are we willing to go to accomodate a player that cannot even lace Bissys boots?
12 Apr 2011, 07:39 am
anyway, cant we focus on the teams that didnt win with a bonus point on the weekend?
lets rather have a flyhalf debate and all agree on who the best prospect to take over the 10 mantle is?
12 Apr 2011, 07:40 am
Compare Smit to Bissy?
Like comparing a chohauhau to that Alsatian that chased me up the Clifton stairs…..
Simply crazy man…we are going to need a pack that is dynamic and explosive to compete at the WC
Players like Bissy, Beast are simply ‘ must haves ‘.
A bok pack with Smit and Spies is like playing with hands tied behind the backs…..
we get this wrong we may not get out our pool.
12 Apr 2011, 07:40 am
personally, i think its lambie.
how about you guys?
12 Apr 2011, 07:41 am
I see Butch may make Lions debut on May 7 on there away tour.
12 Apr 2011, 07:42 am
anyone at 10….
butch….Lambie….Grant
Please not M Steyn !
12 Apr 2011, 07:42 am
what i dont understand is how p grant can be the most hyped flyhalf in world rugby one week and then, once he plays against a real 10, he is mentioned less than ze war in germany?
this is not a good look imo.
where are his defenders?
where are the ra ra pom pom piddle poodle paddle your dog up the river schitzophrenic hifalutin fanny adams fobbing brigade?
12 Apr 2011, 07:44 am
lambie and butch.
has a nice ring to it.
two natal boys edging the third (grant) out.
oh what a wealth of talent we have here in natal.
12 Apr 2011, 07:46 am
Rugby student team wont fly – only four affirmatives in the squad. May have to gamble with Habana and one other to keep the politicians happy – trust me there is a number the selectors have to target.
As for the team, it looks pretty solid but I may prefer Schalk to start with Alberts off the bench (he is awesome in the last 20 when the opposition is a bit moeg) – also have to start with Bismarck no question, Smit can cover the front row off the bench. One more note Juan Smith, if fit, to replace Rossouw
12 Apr 2011, 07:46 am
@Simon: Barney Smit boet, not Barney Stinson ;
12 Apr 2011, 07:47 am
you cant expect to win in nz, especially in tight territorial games, with a popgun flyhalf.
it simply will not do.
i just dont think p grant has the goods, especially with jdv who has no kicking game playing outside of him and an out of sorts fdp at 9.
lambie is not dependant on any of these players.
he wins immo.
but the season is still a pup.
so lets see shall we?
12 Apr 2011, 07:47 am
Tik
Tik
Tik
Boom.
12 Apr 2011, 07:49 am
The Boks needs an English leader. Afrikaners are not very good at captaining a side when they’re too busy sulking and throwing tantrums.
12 Apr 2011, 07:50 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-16: Its got to be them, real men, both play flat, tackle like daemons, and have excellent tactical kicking. James has got a massive boot nowadays.
Lambie have never played worse than what we have seen from Grant over the weekend. His line kicking was abysmal.
If we need a third, Pienaar will be there.
12 Apr 2011, 07:52 am
FDP has always assisted M Steyn in his ability to ease the pressure with his kicking game …… Could the reason that M Steyn is not performing be that FDP is off his game ?
12 Apr 2011, 07:57 am
@stew(stew)-23: Both are limited and incapable of playing the situation that unfolds. If you wanna see up and unders all day, and the backline being tackled behind the advantage line, pick both, if not, leave both at home.
12 Apr 2011, 07:58 am
Watched Ruan over the weekend. He should be the 3rd scrumhalf option at the moment. Don’t see how we can pick him at 10 if he’s playing his rugby @ 9.
Grant looked kuk this weekend because of his kicking downfield. I cannot understand why they simply cannot use someone like Aplon to take those clearing kicks. Problem (partly) solved.
If you have frans steyn in a match day 15 wouldn’t you want him to play the same role in a Bok team?
12 Apr 2011, 08:00 am
@stew(stew)-23: it is indeed the reason.
fdp gives m steyn the time and takes pressure off steyn with his usually flawless tactical kicking.
make no mistake, fdp will be back but personally, i prefer a flyhalf that is outstanding without reliance on others.
butch may be a bit long in the tooth but lambie is a fantastic PROSPECT.
he still has to prove he is the real deal in my opinion but grant keeps proving why he is not.
@coma(coma)-22: i battle to think of a poor performance from lambie.
12 Apr 2011, 08:03 am
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-25: surely you cant pick a flyhalf who needs another player to do his kicking for him?
why not pick spies at scrummie and let jdv pass from the base then?
nah, lambie is better than grant imo. grant has just never controlled a game when the pressure is on.
12 Apr 2011, 08:04 am
Lot’s of okes here look at one game, and suddenly a player that has been excellent for a year or more is suddenly poor, and vice eversa, this knee jerk reaction is a silly approach.
Smit has been poor for 2 years now, one reasonably competent game against the struggling Lions suddenly does not make him the form player !!!
Grant who has been consistently good has an average game, in a game where the opponents tactically outplayed the stormers and suddenly he is not good enough ??
In order for one to judge form it has to be done over a period of games, not on a game to game basis, must say this knee jerk approach is mostly from Shark bloggers(SL and Puma excluded).
12 Apr 2011, 08:04 am
Lambie is just too inexperienced to general a side to WC victory – 2015 yes he should be in peak form
12 Apr 2011, 08:05 am
Lambie a farken great prospect.
Lets see how he does rest of the season.
He will hopefully play against Bulls twice and come down to Newlands so plenty of opportunity for Lambie to ‘trial’ against Grant and Steyn.
Also sharks have to go to Ellis Park? So we will hopefully see him against Butch as well.
12 Apr 2011, 08:08 am
for me anyone of Grant, Lambie or Butch can only be an improvement on M Steyn, who is absolutely 1 dimensional ……he will never take it flat and get the backs going, not a chance. Simply not in his DNA.
12 Apr 2011, 08:09 am
@stew(stew)-29: cmon man.
frans steyn played in the 2007 wc at 20?
JPP too.
ruan and biz were slightly older.
if his form is good enough then he is old enough and lets not forget his motm performance at 19 in a cc final.
anyways, lets see how lambie does at 10 once he coes back from injury. i for one will be relieved to see him take over from jlp in terms of kicking duties.
vs the stormers jlp missed 9 points (we lost by 10 and didnt take a few kicks on offer at the end as we were chasing the game)
vs the saders he missed pts and didnt tackle.
vs the lions he apparently missed 11 pts?
jlp must do some kicking practice before he is a real option but i would love to see him given a shot at 12 if he can start tackling.
12 Apr 2011, 08:09 am
@stew(stew)-29: So is O’Connor for the Wallabies, but he is going to be their ACE!
Lambie owned him earlier in the year. If you are good enough, you are old enough. How old was F. Steyn when he helped us win the WC final? How much experience did he have?
What evidence do you have that Lambie can’t withstand the pressure?
12 Apr 2011, 08:10 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-32: snap
12 Apr 2011, 08:10 am
@rangerman: because Lambie is playing for the Sharks and is unlikely to move to the Cape mid season?
12 Apr 2011, 08:11 am
lambie doesnt need to “trial” against grant.
it is the other way around.
lambie is the recent bok. grant went to japan because he wasnt considered good enough for the boks.
i have noticed that the vitriol and hype this week is not so vehement.
what could the reason be?
12 Apr 2011, 08:14 am
The last thing I want to see in the last 20 minutes of a world cup final against the all blacks is smit coming on and our scrum cantering backwards as the sharks did against the saders with smit at prop. One area that the boks (and sharks) can potentially dominate is the scrum. When the sharks have started the duplessis bros and beast, they’ve got the better of all opponents. Smit at prop hands that advangtage over to the opposition. I’m a believer in leadership and have always rated smit, but if he plays at prop at test level we will be pushed all over the park. My starting 15 would be beast, bismark, jannie, bakkies, matfield, brussouw, alberts, spies, du preez, lambie, basson, de villiers (c), fourie, pieterson, f steyn. I’d go with de villiers as captain because I think he has more rapport with refs than a guy like victor. Steyn at fullback would be under heavy pressure from aplon.
12 Apr 2011, 08:15 am
@coma(coma)-33:
O connor third in line to play 10
After Cooper and Gits
That Mike Harris is also not bad at 10
12 Apr 2011, 08:15 am
Mary had a little lamb
She kept him in her back yard
Every tine she pulled her panties down
His woolly **** grew hard.
Apologies to the diceman.
12 Apr 2011, 08:15 am
always been a Lambie fan……1 of the best players i have seen in a long time.
Lets see how he goes in the high profile games…..
Every bloody game should be a trial…..thats the problem in our rugby, too many players can rest on there laurels as they are the ‘chosen ones ‘ and dish up drivel week in and week out knowing they bullet proof!
12 Apr 2011, 08:15 am
@coma(coma)-33: @rangerman(rangerman)-32: Not talking about age , maybe i didnt make myself clear , experience – Up against DC he will be beaten purely on experience IMO
12 Apr 2011, 08:16 am
@coma(coma)-34:
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-35: hahahaha! he is unlikely to move fullstop.
he has a long natal history in his blood. the lad is clearly way too calm and smart to fall prey to the hype machine.
@justrugby(justrugby)-28: ag shampies.
i told you all about grants shortcomings last week. my fears were shared by stormers supporters such as robzim and stormersboy but you still see fit to cast this as a provincial assault.
thats up to you buddy but dont expect the stormers to be the force they could be with grant at 10.
he simply cannot control a game when the opposing 10 is on song.
and your backline continues to show their impotency.
surely 9 tries (5 in one game) vs the 21 of the sharks tells you something?
probably not, you take it all way too personally imo.
12 Apr 2011, 08:16 am
So the Varsity cup stays in Cape Town, scchweett , well done Ikeys, even after giving away home adavntage to the okes from the north !!
u19, u21 titles also in Cape Town, sscchhwweet !!!!! looks like the talent pool in CT is overflowing !!!! schwweettt !!!!!!!
Now the seniors need to get it right FFS !!!
12 Apr 2011, 08:18 am
high profile games?
like a cc final?
or must we wait for a wc final?
12 Apr 2011, 08:19 am
ja, well done ikeys.
at least there is a trophy down in the cape.
12 Apr 2011, 08:20 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-36:
Yes, but Elton Jantjes is better than Lambie as he was selected as the best young player in SA ahead of Lambie.
Now that argument is just as sound as your argument that Lambie is better than Grant because he is the recent bok
btw – is their still any reef fish left in the Durban area or have you taken them all by now
12 Apr 2011, 08:20 am
This is a backline that will excite – has a distinctive Shark look to it
9. Pretorius
10. Lambie
11. JPP
12. F. Steyn
13. Fourie
14. Mvovu
15. Pienaar (he is Gysie’s son after all -and the Charl Swartzel of Rugby)
12 Apr 2011, 08:20 am
its so much more pleasant around here this week.
why is that?
nary a windgat in sight.
(or they are behaving for a change)
12 Apr 2011, 08:21 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-42:
Lets see the stats at the end of the season ?? You have been harping on about the fact that the season is but a pup !!!
You are knee jerking again !!!!
12 Apr 2011, 08:22 am
@Rangerman: I’ll see your “hype machine” and raise you one “beaten all the local teams and still comfortably leading the SA conference”
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