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, 08:24 am
@Robzim(Robzim)-46: haha, poor elton.
i truly hope he recovers his confidence as i rate him but he defo not at the level lambie has reached yet.
he has the talent though.
lol, i dont take reef fish mate, what do you take me for! i was in the water at 6 on sat morning and the couta (king mackerel) were thick but they wouldnt come in close enough for a shot.
i let the shad surround me but it seems they werent actively feeding.
then i hear about other bustards smashing natal snoek down the coast!
ag, i will get em soon! but i took my 8 bugs so it wasnt all bad.
12 Apr 2011, 08:25 am
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-39:
Mary had a little lamb
It wouldn’t stop it’s gruntin’
So she took it round the back of the shed
And kicked it’s f’ckin cnut in
12 Apr 2011, 08:26 am
The simple fact of the matter is that, barring injuries, divot
Is unlikely to look outside his current crop of 10s.
Steyn
Lambie
The Butcher.
Grant must get used to being big in Japan.
12 Apr 2011, 08:28 am
A Natal snoek?
Surely that’s a shark?
12 Apr 2011, 08:28 am
@justrugby(justrugby)-49: no, it is you and grant who went mad last week proclaiming p grant as a DEFINITE first choice for the boks.
when lambie is injured.
but i guess after cooper showed grant up as a pretender you cant really stick to that line anymore can you?
wiggle away because i must off to work.
we will see which flyhalf has the goods in ct in 3 weeks i guess.
@Pick the team in August not March(stormersboy)-50: ja, but with 4 bye pts in hand and only leading the sharks by 4 without having toured i think the stormers may rue their lack of bonus pts accumulated this year.
us sharks fans know the value of bonus pts better than most man, but it seems the sharks players have finally caught on too.
anyways, tjorts!
12 Apr 2011, 08:28 am
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-53:
You are right and the sad fact is he will start with steyn !!
12 Apr 2011, 08:29 am
@ all those talking about lambie’s age… Sure, a few years’ more experience would be nice, but I’d rather have a ytoung and complete player out there than an older, limited player. Besides, lambie’s temperament is fantastic. For me, steyn and grant are both limited players and the only two options who bring it all to the table are lambie and james. If butch james is in top. Form when he arrives in may, then his experience might edge it for him. Otherwise I’d pick a brilliant youngster over a limited older guy for sure.besides, with two full seasons behind hoim and with du preez and jdv on either side, I reckon lambie will be more than ok.
12 Apr 2011, 08:29 am
@Rangerman: ahem, actually thats the second trophy we have in the Cape this year…
12 Apr 2011, 08:29 am
LOL
Grant went to loftus….and won
went to the tank…and won…
playing non stop from japan as well…
looked out of sorts after 5 6 very good games for stormers.
give the chap a chance….
lets see how 2 nd half of the super 15 goes before we make Lambie the bok 10….
He has had a break now….hopefully injury is sorted….and Lambie has the opportunities to show everyone he is the real deal as he goes to Ellis Park, Loftus and Newlands….?
Great opportunity for the young man to show he can handle the high pressure games consistently well…and win them !
Remember he was there when sharks lost to chiefs as well….but that didnt make him poor player….as the loss to reds did not turn grant into a pumpkin either
12 Apr 2011, 08:31 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-55:
So presumably when Cooper has one of his off days, which happens rather regularly, the opposite FH is his superior and has schooled him in the arts?
Oh, btw…my Dad is bigger than your Dad
12 Apr 2011, 08:32 am
@sonofgun(sonofgun)-57: i agree
12 Apr 2011, 08:34 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-55:
I distinctly remember saying that if PDEV started with Lambie I would have no problem, I distinctly remember having a go at bloggers that did not have Lambie in their teams/squad ,saying that he needs to be there, so wtf are you on about ????
I personally would start with Grant, that’s my opinion, surely I am entitled one ??
But hell Lambie needs to be there , starting or on the bench !!!
12 Apr 2011, 08:35 am
amazing how Grant is consighned to the scrap heap after 1 average game.
but fat boy can go years of turbo reverse and be bullet proof.
spies the same
matfielsd now too!
M steyn, Habana et al?
But fark me we are strange fans…..we show as much consistency as Marius Jonker!
12 Apr 2011, 08:36 am
I just don’t know how important this leadership thing is. Surely there are other leaders in this country who could inspire the team to greatness? How much respect will John Smit command from other players who know that he is not the best in his position? How much will his influence inspire them if he is being murdered in the scrums? What will his leadership help the team if his lack of mobility is exposed and we start losing as a result of it?
I am a little old fashioned in this respect. I believe you select your best team and then appoint a captain from among them. Surely there are enough experienced players still good enough to make the Bok starting team?
FDP
JDV
Schalk
Mossie
Juan? Will he have recovered in time?
Victor
Surely the discipline thing is a team effort and not the responsibility of the captain only? My experience is that a well-drilled team that is prepared by professional coaches who know what they are doing, will always be calm and relaxed on the field. Maybe it is the lack of quality coaches that makes the need for a leader so significant.
12 Apr 2011, 08:37 am
this Rangerman is a 1 eyed buffoon ….
anyway
outta here
12 Apr 2011, 08:40 am
Bullshit. Smit and the other senior player need to fckoff!
12 Apr 2011, 08:42 am
@JockBok(JockBok)-52:
Hahaha outstanding.
I think I just made a little wee.
12 Apr 2011, 08:43 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-27:
larkham had a pop gun boot.
12 Apr 2011, 08:47 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-68: so did Honiball
12 Apr 2011, 08:50 am
Probable bok squad for RWC
15. Francois Steyn / Gio Aplon.
14. J.P. Pieterson / Francois Hougaard.
13. Jacques Fourie / * Wynand Olivier.
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 or Jean Deysel.
6. Schalk Burger / Heinrich Brussow or Jean Deysel.
5. Victor Matfield (vc) / Andries Bekker.
4. Bakkies Botha / Danie Rossouw.
3. Jannie Du Plessis / B.J. Botha.
2. John Smit (c) / Bismark Du Plessis / ChilliBoy Ralapelle
1. John Smit / Beast Mtawarira / Gurthro Steenkamp
Peter Grant is Unlucky to lose out to Morne Steyn
Duane Vermuellen unlucky to lose out to Pierre Spies.
We need the best balance with experience and form.
12 Apr 2011, 08:51 am
We have to face the fact that we are seriously limited in SA when it comes to flyhalves. The debate here rages on forever about who is the best, but in fact we are just trying to find out who is the best of an average bunch. There is not one flyhalf mentioned here who is worthy of tying the bootlaces of Carter, Wilkenson or Giteau (the latter being horribly out of form at present).
All our flyhalves have certain qualities that can compare with the best, but taken as a whole, our players just do not match up. The one notable quality that all of our leading 10′s lack is pace off the mark, quick feet and straight line speed.
12 Apr 2011, 08:52 am
@rangerman(rangerman)-48: jeez ranger, you’ve hardly been on here at all in recent times, but a win for the shorks over the mighty lions and you’re shooting your mouth off faster than julius at a youth league rally.
12 Apr 2011, 08:52 am
@sonofgun(sonofgun)-57:
gotta agree about the comment that that lambie will be fine with du preez and JDV either side of him.
boks have a real risk of going with too many “experienced” players and having a team over the hill.
if PDV gets the courage to pick some youthful form and surround it with sufficient experience we’re in with a shout!
and even though I support the stormers i’ve never been a big grant fan. you’d need to pair him with du preez at 9 and frans steyn at 15 to cover his limited punts and in a world cup i still believe you need a team with an ability to control a game tactically the way carter can for ABs and the way Cooper did for Reds on the weekend.
12 Apr 2011, 08:53 am
Most folks have a provincial agenda, whether they are aware of it or not. Maybe just because they watch all of their own teams games more ardently and subsequently know their own players more than the others.
So when someone touts one of their own above one of yours, the wolves are waiting to pounce on an average/poor game, which of course everyone has.
No-one said Grant was the consummate or ultimate FH. Only a fool would label an individual unworthy after one poor game involving 21 other players.
12 Apr 2011, 08:58 am
@chucky(chucky)-70:
Hey, howzit Mnr de Villiers.
Your squad is exactly the one I expected you would pick. But I thought you’d have Oregan announce it on the tv after a big game rather than give Keo the scoop. He doesn’t like you very much you know….
12 Apr 2011, 09:02 am
@JockBok(JockBok)-75: We have a love hate affair. him been from pietermaritzburg and me from the western cape, but its all water under the bridge.
Just wanted to give you guys something to chat about while I do some “tactical” planning
12 Apr 2011, 09:03 am
must be a lot of bulls fans on this site given the scoring on the latest poll!
12 Apr 2011, 09:06 am
@chucky(chucky)-76:
Lol. Only kidding mate
But don’t you feel the need to replace some of the tired, out of form/over the hill regulars with some young bucks chomping at the bit?
12 Apr 2011, 09:10 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-77:
Large numbers think they have to answer any question on Keo with the name of the team they support. Stupid really.
12 Apr 2011, 09:11 am
@Couchcoach(GI POT)-71: I beg to differ.
We have a few quality flyhalves in South Africa. We have never ever had an emphasis on flyhalf rather it has been emphasised on scrumhalf.
Joost,fourie etc.
We have used scrumhalves as our attacking weapon or controlling pivots.
Lambie looks the business and we should be grateful that at schoolboy level or at the sharks Plum hasnt converted him into a scrumhalf. We believe a flyhalf should be strong,bulky and have bone crunching defence.
Now we have two young flyhalfs who are been developed by kiwis, who have not opted for bigger physical 10′s. albeit one is progressing rapidly both are bright prospects who would normally be plying their trade at scrumhalf beacause of their size.
Wilkinson, giteu and carter didnt have great scrumhalves inside them they were used as the potent attacking weapon.
So in summary our emphasis has been on brilliant scrumhalves
12 Apr 2011, 09:13 am
@JockBok(JockBok)-79:
yeah i voted sharks, but support stormers, thinking one of the two would top the list, but was blown away by the number who think the bulls can climb to top spot.
12 Apr 2011, 09:14 am
@JockBok(JockBok)-78: LOL i know
I am really tempted to drop atleast
5 boks in that starting team for fresher more consistently on form players, but the reality is this is the probable team. mainly due to “sticking with the tried and tested”
The same reason a disgruntled woman will cheat on her husband with the slimy old no-good ex purely because of familiarity.
12 Apr 2011, 09:18 am
@munkiboi(munkiboi)-81:
Snap. I’m also a Stormer and voted Sharks.
But I think we now know what’s happened to the Bulls fans on this site. They’re spending their days writing scripts to bump up the Keo polls
12 Apr 2011, 09:18 am
@Couchcoach(GI POT)-64:
i agree completely. not all of the older boys are washed up. JDV is doin a pretty alright job of captaining the Stormers and call me crazy but i would LOVE to see general Mossie captain a side for a bit. get a feeling he’d be brilliant.
but most of all i agree that PDV should select the BEST team. not the most experienced. look where thats got us in Super Rugby so far. Im gonna have a real difficult time supporting the Bokke with all my heart when i know PDV chose the wrong team. i just hope someone smacks some sense into him before its too late.
im starting to get the feeling PDV is choosing a team that, when they fail, will carry more blame that him because we all know them so well. Elton Jantjies makes a mistake at 10 for the bokke, PDV should never have chosen him. M Steyn makes a mistake, he’s lost his mojo.
I just REALLY hope that we get a proper team chosen for the RWC. im so over this BS we’re getting from our more “experienced” players.
12 Apr 2011, 09:24 am
@TheHon(TheHon)-84: Lets not forget that the RWC is played over 8 weeks and if you reach the final you play 7 yes SEVEN games.
Now when the pressure is on in the playoffs and i have the luxury of choosing a rested victor matfield,john smit,bryan habana for 3 knock out games over gary botha/liebenberg/strauss/chilliboy, bekker/flip/hargreaves and basson/mvovo/hougaard I will gladly take the former.
Remember they arent been chosen over the next four years but over a 8 week tour.
Sad but true experience will win those games. forget about learning from history in the case of England 2003 Australia 1999 it is pure common sense who/what will win RWC”s
12 Apr 2011, 09:24 am
@TheHon(TheHon)-84:
Wise words !
12 Apr 2011, 09:25 am
@chucky(chucky)-82:
You’re right of course. I’d expect your first picks on the list are the starting side, apart from 1 and 2 where it’s probably Beast and Bis (although no doubt Div would have Smit at 1 and 2 if he could)
But I’d say it’s possible to keep the bones of the side you list, but get rid of the obvious out of form players and still have a good team.
12 Apr 2011, 09:27 am
@JockBok(JockBok)-74:
a provoincial agenda?
you sound like comrade julius “tasting menu” malema talking about that racist white little girl.
she mustn’t come and tell us when to close our nightclubs.
if she doesn’t behave we will eat sushi from her naked body.
12 Apr 2011, 09:29 am
@chucky(chucky)-85:
Yes chucky ,what you are saying is true……. if they are in form though !!!!!!!!! ……..why would they suddenly find their form ???
If they have been pis s poor all season how do they suddenly get it “right ” over 3 games ??, won’t happen.
If these experieced players are all showing good form going into the WC , no problem !!!
Time will tell !!
12 Apr 2011, 09:32 am
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-88:
Eish!
Hold the wasabi…
12 Apr 2011, 09:32 am
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-88:
12 Apr 2011, 09:35 am
ahhh rubbish. Daft article. John Smits leadership doesnt win matches if the rest of them are too old and catankerous to keep up and if everyone keeps making basic errors.
12 Apr 2011, 09:37 am
@chucky(chucky)-85: @JockBok(JockBok)-87:
Your both right. i dont believe that when choosing the best team he’ll end up with only a bunch of new players because experience should be taken into account. but, for example, all the experience Pierre Spies has cannot make up for the fact that he is not close to RWC form atm. and when it comes to a position as important as FH, would you realy trust Morne Steyn in his current form just because of experience? i agree with chucky that we need matfield and smit. MAYBE habana. but i’m not sure that id just GIVE them starting line up. id have them in the squad, but make them earn a place on the field.
but thats just me.
12 Apr 2011, 09:43 am
@justrugby(justrugby)-89:
The answer i am about to give might sound like a joke but im very serious about it.
PLAYER FOCUS is the problem here or rather lack of it.
The moment our players start focusing on anything but their jobs then there is a problem.
for many years SARU didnt allow players to earn from ads/endorsements etc.
Well here is why—-it takes the primary focus that they should have out of their sights and that is play rugby.
Habana – out of outsurance adverts and stop with twitter
Matfield- cancel blood brother golf days and twitter
Spies – Stop outsurance and usn gym stats adverts
The list goes on…players shouldnt be writing for Supersport blogs, tweeting their every moves, endosrsing kicking apparatuses etc.
Get their primary focus back and that is playing rugby. They are not bigger than the game. stop raising them to idol status and let them work for their places and bonuses. enough with this AURA business
12 Apr 2011, 09:47 am
@TheHon(TheHon)-93: Totally agree.
I dont know where people come up with the assumption that Morne Steyn has all this experience. He had a good season or 2 with the boot, but thats it.
Peirre Spies was never great, he gained experience in the team because of the hype surrounding his Physical Stats in the gym and by what Matfield convinced PDV about the potentiall such a monster should be on the field.
Same as The Tongan Player Epi Tione that cost the sharks a place in the final against the Waratahs in 2008 because of his World Cup Hype ala 1 good season.
Id Prefer Alberts at 8, Juan at 7 and Brussow and Burger at 6
12 Apr 2011, 09:48 am
@chucky(chucky)-94:
exactly.
12 Apr 2011, 09:50 am
@JockBok(JockBok)-90:
@justrugby(justrugby)-91:
hawu.
you dare insult the tuckbox?
it’s time you two rich mhlungus felt the cleansing fire of the revolution.
12 Apr 2011, 09:55 am
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-97:
Don’t get me wrong comrade, I’m not against eating sushi from a nubile young hostess, but I draw the line at using Ms. Zille as a trough.
12 Apr 2011, 09:58 am
@chucky(chucky)-95:
a back 3 of alberts, juan and schalk would be awesome to watch.
i reckon senior boks are cruising and savings themselves for one big hurrah come world cup. only question is can they lift themselves after months of mediocrity
12 Apr 2011, 09:58 am
@stew(stew)-29:
he’s wayyyyyyyyy more experienced now than Mehrts was when he landed in SA for RWC’95. And thats without a TriN/June-Tests to consider
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