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
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 » Show All
12 Apr 2011, 14:55 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-287: I think you have in spot on. The whole culture of rugby in SA is totally ineffective. Finally people are starting to wake up to it. We’ve been lagging behind the Kiwis for years now and that’s why we get our ar$es handed to us on a regular basis. None of the coaches want to get their hands dirty trying to effect a culture change in SA but until that happens we will continue to get whipped by the ABs. The way I see it is that the Boks play NH rugby marginally better than the NH teams but since they’ve been improving over the last five years we’ve not been able to give them a snotting. Those days are gone but the ABs regularly make fools out of England, Wales etc.
12 Apr 2011, 14:55 pm
@kevin w(kevin w)-285: its extremely tedious
12 Apr 2011, 14:55 pm
@Puma(Puma)-293:
SNAP
12 Apr 2011, 14:56 pm
i am off to take a valium
farkit!
12 Apr 2011, 14:57 pm
@grant10(grant10)-297:
and you crying like a baby with a wet nappy…..
classic.
12 Apr 2011, 14:59 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-303: SNAP..teehee twiddle dee..hee hee.
12 Apr 2011, 14:59 pm
Smit to start off the World Cup campaign right by leading the team to victory against Wales. Rest a few pool games. Starts against Ireland. On bench versus New Zealand in semi’s and starts Final against England.
12 Apr 2011, 14:59 pm
Who knows if what Div says to the press and what Div says to Plum is the same thing … As a coach i would also want the rest of the world to be expecting one thing and doing another.
Look at the surprise element Tahir brought to the CWC when everyone was screaming and shouting that he should have been included in the India series a month earlier. The proteas failed yes, but Tahir did not as the surprise package.
12 Apr 2011, 14:59 pm
@grant10(grant10)-294: Jeez you really are very very stupid! I never ever thought this was the case.
I NEVER said I WANT SMIT IN THE TEAM BUT I AM PRESUPPOSING WHAT PDV IS GOING TO DO BECAUSE HE’S ALREADY SAID HE WANTS SMIT AT HOOKER.THEREFORE IT CAN BE INFERED PDV WILL PICK SMIT OVER BEAST IN ORDER TO ACCOMMODATE BISMARCK!!
PERSONALLY I WANT TO SEE BEAST IN THE STARTING LINE-UP…DOES THAT SPELL THINGS OUT TO YOU MY DOMKOP SENILE OLD FRIEND?!
12 Apr 2011, 15:00 pm
@grant10(grant10)-304: ja you better be off, you’ve done enough Smit bashing for today grant
12 Apr 2011, 15:03 pm
I think Grant is going senile. He keeps thinking I’m calling for Smit to be selected ahead of Beast when really I commenting on the high likelihood of PdV picking Smit at prop in order to accommodate Bismarck.
12 Apr 2011, 15:04 pm
@grant10(grant10)-297: mate, I saw Aus and NZ stumble in the 2007 qtrs due to nothing other than poor captaincy and gameplan that needed to change … i saw us battling against Fiji until a certain leader prevented us from the same fate.
He has won u-21 world cup as a prop and captain, and a world cup as hooker and captain, led the Boks to tri-nations glory, a Lions series, has captained the Barbarians, shares a room with McCaw … Logic tells me that a lot of people who actually know the game disagree with you. Your rants are like an alarm going off all night, flippin irritating.
I have tickets to the qtrs and finals and I have not written off the Boks yet – we did that the last time around about a year before kick-off.
12 Apr 2011, 15:06 pm
I can see Smit in the future as a very successful Players Association President.
12 Apr 2011, 15:08 pm
@kevin w(kevin w)-312: Good post. Okes need to be reminded of what Smit did for S.A. rugby.
12 Apr 2011, 15:12 pm
@iori Yagami(iori Yagami)-307: I’m taking this post as a joke because if you think somehow the Boks will beat the ABs in the semis (we won’t even make it that far) with our broken down hasbeen Boks against their new crop of ABs lead by Ritchie you’ve got another thing coming. Saders rugby will provide the blueprint for the ABs RWC success. Not one S15 team has show they have an answer to the Saders brand of rugby. Their players are in sublime form and they have plenty of depth in most positions along with the fact that the ABs are the hardest team to beat at home. No this time they’re going all the way. As much as I hate to admit it, it’s going to take a pretty special team to knock the ABs off their throne.
12 Apr 2011, 15:12 pm
Look at Os in 2007, he was managed well and saved his best for last…giving a great final 80 minutes for the Boks. Smit can do the same.
12 Apr 2011, 15:12 pm
@iori Yagami(iori Yagami)-314: Yeah he is no Bismarck today on form, but he has a sensible head and thats what you need in a world cup campaign. I’d rather him on the bench heading into the semis against the AB’s at home than Coenie or Chilliboy (and no disrespect, they are good players, but he brings something extra to the table)
12 Apr 2011, 15:17 pm
@kevin w(kevin w)-317: to be honest his play hasn’t been too bad at 1. During the Crusaders game it was Jannie who was struggling at 3 and during the Lions game Smit was moving around the park and being farily commited. At the moment he’s not on form but not as bad as some make him out to be.
12 Apr 2011, 15:18 pm
@JR – The Real Make The Circle Bigger(JayDaFiveOh)-315: Blues beat them in Round 1. You dont think the Mighty Boks is a “pretty special team” ? They dont do well in knock-out games. Their fans put more pressure on them than actually helping them. So you think we going to lose against Ireland? Wait…. are you South African? Why so negative? Super Rugby is not Test rugby. Anything can happen in the next six months and anything can happen at the World Cup itself.
So yes I believe the Boks can successfully defend the World Cup.
12 Apr 2011, 15:23 pm
@kevin w(kevin w)-317: well said boet,
12 Apr 2011, 15:23 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-318: smit is a gravy train quota.
klaar
12 Apr 2011, 15:23 pm
@kevin w(kevin w)-317: Yes. Very useful squad member.
12 Apr 2011, 15:29 pm
@grant10(grant10)-304: take some jamal while ur at it
12 Apr 2011, 15:33 pm
Pienaar probably wasn’t the best no 6 in SA in 1995; Smit probably wasn’t the best no 2 in 2007; Bobby probably was more talented than Teich in 1999.
On the other hand McCaw was the best no 7 in 2003 and 2007.
It’s not hard to join the dots and see where the WC’s were won. SA needs a leader.
12 Apr 2011, 15:34 pm
People of Keo
I have noticed on the Ruggavibe website that they have a Ruggababes gallery.
Filled to the brim with cheerleader naughtiness.
It is high time that keo lifted its game.
In the interests of progress I shall be interviewing eager applicants at my seapoint studio.
12 Apr 2011, 15:35 pm
The Boks will lift their game at the RWC. Their biggest strenght is their experience.
12 Apr 2011, 15:36 pm
@Horing(Horing)-326:
Where are those buttons that I can like, like a comment?
12 Apr 2011, 15:38 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-300: No, i don’t recall him saying that, did int pay that much attention to anything else, just heard him say he made a mistake a few times, which i thought took a lot of courage to admit to.
12 Apr 2011, 15:39 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-328:
You know you are in the lead for the Sony Cam in the Rat Race right?
12 Apr 2011, 15:41 pm
The Greatest Film Trilogy Eva:
- A Fist Full of Euro’s.
- A Few Krugerrands More.
- The Good the Bad and the Rugby.
12 Apr 2011, 15:42 pm
Whats good for the game………………………………………………………………………………………forget it.
12 Apr 2011, 15:43 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-320: SNAP thee hee
12 Apr 2011, 15:43 pm
@kevin w(kevin w)-312:
OK, so why not select Frik Du Preez, then? He is after all the rugby player of the 20th century. Let him captain the side to boot. And, speaking of boots, let Naas make a comeback and be the vice captain – prolific points scorer that he is and he will tell you himself that he tackles the odd player every now and again. Put Danie Gerber outside JDV and Carel in Habana’s place and, as your logic suggests, the fact that they have collectively achieved so much will make our team much better. In fact, they should just hand us the Web Ellis trophy just by virtue of the fact that we showed up at the tournament.
While we are at it, Federer should be given the Wimbledon crown and win every tournament that he plays in because he is deemed to be the greatest ever. Schumacher should just turn up and win every Grand Prix. There is no such thing as a time to call it quits because there is no such thing as a downward curve in performance in sport.
Yeah, makes perfect sense to me
12 Apr 2011, 15:44 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-327:
12 Apr 2011, 15:45 pm
@Horing(Horing)-326: Like.
12 Apr 2011, 15:45 pm
@grant10(grant10)-321: does that also apply to Ricky, Spies, Victor, Bakkies, Morne, du Preez, Wynand and Habanadonna?
12 Apr 2011, 15:46 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-325: H O O R, H O O R. SA rugby magazine had girls in back in the day. Maybe Keo become to frisky with the girls.
12 Apr 2011, 15:49 pm
@Couchcoach(GI POT)-333: who would you propose be Bok captain?
12 Apr 2011, 15:50 pm
@Couchcoach(GI POT)-333: Dont forget Errol Tobias (you need to get the colour mix right).
12 Apr 2011, 15:52 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-338: Earl the Pearl
12 Apr 2011, 15:54 pm
@stew(stew)-340: rose?..bwaahaa
12 Apr 2011, 15:59 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-341: Only jokin – if not Smit you would have to go with Matfield – is there another choice ?????
12 Apr 2011, 16:04 pm
@stew(stew)-342: Juan Smit (if fit) might be better than Victor, look Victor is a legend but I just noticed he gets super tense with the refs at times which might not work in our favour.
12 Apr 2011, 16:06 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-343: Juan Smith
12 Apr 2011, 16:07 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-343: The only problem i could see with Juan is his pr …. speakin to the press ……… Also new captain at the WC maybe too much pressure ??
12 Apr 2011, 16:13 pm
@stew(stew)-345: fair points… earl it is then, go greens ah fk I mean go South African Rugby Proteas Team!!
12 Apr 2011, 16:19 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-325: Nice, definately second that. Or is it third, or 400?
No brainer really. I mena some people (without adblocker) had to endure some chap in his jockeys for a while…….
Not a big leap from there…
12 Apr 2011, 16:48 pm
@Pick the team in August not March(namedaftermuddyfootprintsonhismomsfloor)-347:
absolutely.
i have not been killed in the rush.
I was thinking of calling them “Beauties of Keo”.
I thought we could have a pro section (cheerleaders etc)
and then an amateur section (maybe dawn and treehugger to get the ball rolling)
We just need to make it clear to ExTraball that its chicks only.
Otherwise it could get Lionel (messi).
I have received NO support from keo in this venture.
Not even the return of my keo dollar fortune.
I feel like a Zim farmer who has just heard the doorbell ring.
12 Apr 2011, 16:54 pm
@The X-factor is staying at home.(gunther)-348: At least they rang the doorbell this time. Don’t forget Carol in the semi-pro section ( quite some looker that lady is and an athlete too boot)
12 Apr 2011, 16:56 pm
Considering that Smit is going to be PDVs first choice hooker its a good thing that he’ll get some game time with all the trination games.
Pages: « 1 2 3 4 5 6 [7] 8 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.