Belligerent bolter will lend Boks bite
19 Apr 2011
JON CARDINELLI expects Duane Vermeulen to be named in the World Cup planning group on Wednesday and believes it could be a telling selection in a World Cup year.
The official World Cup group of 50 will only be named in June, but don’t expect it to differ from the ‘planning squad’ named this Wednesday. Coach Peter de Villiers has made it clear that he wants to get the right group of players together as early as possible, and has even scheduled meetings and planning camps for the select few while Super Rugby is still on the go.
This Wednesday’s announcement is thus significant. We already know of 23 players who have made the cut, as De Villiers announced his contracted group of Springboks in late March.
Bakkies Botha, Schalk Burger, Fourie du Preez, Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Victor Matfield, JP Pietersen, John Smit, Juan Smith and Pierre Spies were in the original group, while Andries Bekker, Heinrich Brüssow, Bismarck du Plessis, Adrian Jacobs, Tendai Mtawarira, Wynand Olivier, Danie Rossouw, Morné Steyn, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, Jannie du Plessis, CJ van der Linde and Gurthrö Steenkamp were only recently handed one-year contracts.
The Bok coach will name between 45 and 50 players on Wednesday, and what this means is that as many as 27 places are up for grabs. De Villiers will make a statement with the players he includes, but he will also make a statement with the players he leaves out.
The contracted group itself deserves closer scrutiny. One can only believe that De Villiers made a promise to Adi Jacobs when they were at the Valke all those years ago, because his apparent guaranteed selection has very little to do with recent rugby exploits. At least Wynand Olivier has played for the Boks in the last year, but his performances have been so poor, you would have expected him to drop out of the World Cup reckoning. Unbelievably, he’s been awarded a Bok contract in a defining year. Go figure.
De Villiers is likely to call on many players that have been in the Bok mix over the past three years. Locks like Alistair Hargreaves and Flip van der Merwe will make the cut, and loose forwards like Ryan Kankowski, Willem Alberts and Keegan Daniel surely deserve to be part of the larger squad. What’s less clear is whether the Bulls’ loosies deserve spots ahead of their Stormers counterparts.
It’s not a provincial argument but a national one. Dewald Potgieter and Deon Stegmann featured for the Boks in 2010 without making any great impact. Francois Louw was a key figure in the Boks’ Tests against Wales, Italy and France, and then was unceremoniously dumped after one sub-standard showing in the Tri-Nations. Louw has shown good form in the 2011 Super Rugby competition, and is certainly among the elite players in the country.
One man has been among the elite for the past three seasons, although the absence of a national call-up would suggest otherwise. Picking Duane Vermeulen for the World Cup planning group is a no-brainer, and he could play a big role at the World Cup. He provides the abrasive alternative to Spies the Boks have been searching for, that is a No 8 that drives opposition players back on defence and makes good ground with ball in hand. If the Boks include men like Vermeulen and Alberts in their final World Cup squad, they will improve their chances of winning the tournament.
Some will suggest that Ashley Johnson deserves a place, but this season has shown him to be a liability. He contributes with some powerful runs and gets through a lot of work, but his high error rate has cost the Cheetahs matches. There is no reason why he should be included ahead of the Bulls’ loose forwards, let alone the form men at the Sharks and Stormers.
I fear that politicians will demand that Ricky Januarie get a look-in, even though he’s unlikely to travel to New Zealand in September. The overweight scrumhalf hasn’t been contracted to the Boks, a sure sign he is not in the World Cup plans. He’s not the first-choice No 9 at the Stormers, and to pick him for the Boks would smack of window dressing.
Sarel Pretorius is a player who’s impressed in a struggling Cheetahs side, and Charl McLeod was a late call-up for the Springboks’ 2010 end-of-year tour. If it’s a toss up between the two, De Villiers needs to show some consistency in picking the latter, who has to date enjoyed a solid Super Rugby competition.
McLeod’s halfback partner Pat Lambie will also make the squad, but there is another player who comes into the flyhalf equation. Butch James has confirmed his move back to South Africa in May, a fact that confirms he is in the World Cup mix. James is the Boks’ best bet at flyhalf, as he not only has the experience but the ability to switch between a conservative and attacking game plan.
De Villiers has a fourth flyhalf option in Ruan Pienaar, who excelled at No 10 for the Boks in late 2008 and in the 2009 British & Irish Lions series. Pienaar has been alternating between 9 and 10 at Irish club Ulster, and has to date produced some match-winning performances with the boot.
Frans Steyn is the other overseas-based player guaranteed of selection, and his return could solve the Boks’ problems at fullback. Zane Kirchner will be picked for the planning group, but doesn’t deserve to go to the World Cup.
As South Africa’s best attacking player, Gio Aplon should travel to New Zealand. If Aplon pays more attention to his kicking game, he can provide a good alternative to Steyn. He has a big boot and it’s a shame that the development of this area of his game has been neglected in the last few seasons.
It’s great to see JP Pietersen finding some form, and right now he’d be my favourite to start at No 14 for the Boks. Bjorn Basson is prime candidate to replace Bryan Habana, although it is a foregone conclusion that the veteran will be taken to the World Cup.
631 Comments
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19 Apr 2011, 12:35 pm
big decisions await PDV……
main decisions around Smit….what to do ?
10….Do we stick with the skop en jag artist or look at a playmaker 10?
8 Do we persist with Spies….?
6 For me a fetcher a must….will PDV go with schalk?
4 lock….Bakkies out of sorts…..do we go with A Bekker here, even though out of position?
11 Habana or an in form flyer?
15 F Steyn?
Lots of questions and so little time.
My advice PDV?
Be bold…..sweep clean….go on form…..at the very least do it your way….
19 Apr 2011, 12:36 pm
@Alfred E Neuman(MR Lam)-97:
Surviving, thanks. You?
19 Apr 2011, 12:37 pm
A decent view on the current World Cup prospects for the Wallabies, All Blacks and Springboks. Sobering article for Springbok fans:
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/wallabies-evolution-and-boks-revolution-20110419-1dmxd.html
19 Apr 2011, 12:38 pm
A 50 man ‘planning’ squad… geez that’s enough space to have every half-decent Super-rugby player in RSA, including out of form seniors, some up-n-coming bolters… hell even enough for some window dressing…
19 Apr 2011, 12:40 pm
@grant10(grant10)-101:
“Be bold…..sweep clean….go on form…..at the very least do it your way….”
But when he doesn’t make the choices ‘you’ would like to see then I suppose we can expect to hear you vexing about the Senior’s controlling him and him not able to make his own decisions?
That’s rhetorical btw…
19 Apr 2011, 12:40 pm
@Alfred E Neuman(MR Lam)-100: i disagree….LW voted player of the year by stormers players in his last season…..and made Bath captain over and above the Pom capt for Bath?
He is a great player and leader….
dont be surprised if a major shake up …..pdv be bold my man
19 Apr 2011, 12:42 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-102:
not here much these days just bored at work today seems everyone is on holiday other wise well thanks
19 Apr 2011, 12:42 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-105: lets wait and see….
i have a feeling a few interesting things are about to happen in sa rugby
19 Apr 2011, 12:44 pm
PDV doesn’t like Luke. Luke filmed that s3x tape of PDV spykering in the East London parking lot.
19 Apr 2011, 12:45 pm
@grant10(grant10)-96: The last time I remember Schalk “fetching” was 2005 against that NZ in the final game of the Tri Nations that year.
19 Apr 2011, 12:46 pm
@grant10(grant10)-101: Good comments. I agree with your sentiments about the fresh and form comments (so I hope): Lambie at 10 (or Grant for that matter), Vermeulen at 8 (only Spies if we force him to get involved in a couple of bar fights first), Brussow is a must as first choice 6 and Alberts a must at blind side, locks we’re covered no matter if Andries, Matfield or Bekker starts – the 4th option is the discussion point, hoping that Habana finds form but at the moment he is not in the top 4 of S.A. wingers, think with Frans Steyn and Aplon we have a super fullback blend.
19 Apr 2011, 12:46 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-95: I dont see it translating into anything at test level though. Just like Olivier. Sorry he just doesnt cut it. He´s way back in the q.
19 Apr 2011, 12:47 pm
@grant10(grant10)-106:
too much history with him here he wont work in bok setup, i do like him as a player none the less, but i believe we have more than enough locally
19 Apr 2011, 12:48 pm
@grant10(grant10)-96: For sure Grant – Schalk is no fetchers *** but to be fair he played at 6 the in 2007 and we won. So I dont think he´d be out of place at 6. Besides traditonally the true opensider plays 7 – just in SA we regard him as a 6.
So I definitely think he´d do better in a test match than Stegmann.
19 Apr 2011, 12:51 pm
@grant10(grant10)-108:
As I said earlier… it’s a freakin ’50′ man squad… that should include every talented Super player in RSA including out-of-form seniors, some up-n-coming youngsters, bolters and window-dressing…
IMO there are no more than 10 ‘test quality’ players at each union (at the very most)… boom… there you go…
I cannot see how anyone’s favourite (within reason) won’t make it…
19 Apr 2011, 12:52 pm
think the bulls bloggers will survive Spies and Meisiekind been left out of the bok squad, a serious increase in sucides in the PTA region methinks if that does happen
just kidding before i get k…ed out but teh bok squad would do well with out meisiekind and his boyfriend (spies)
19 Apr 2011, 12:53 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-112:
Yeah sure mate, 4 tests, 60 minutes, a “tired” Bok team, just back from a grade 3 hamstring tear, new team, 2 weeks preparation, first time test experience, in cold, wet NH conditions, 2 penalties in 4 games, ja, just pathetic hey? 3 wins from 4, loss to Scotland a rare thing, oh well. Everyone’s eager to find something to complaing about anyways.
19 Apr 2011, 12:56 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-114: Schalk would definitely do a better job at openside then Stegmann in a test match. But he really should get the openside idea out of his head and focus on blindside or No.8 his game is far more suited to that side now. Alberts, Burger and Brussow has a very good balance to it, apart from perhaps lineout options.
19 Apr 2011, 12:56 pm
main decisions around Smit….what to do ?
Take with as advicer team motivator – cant do anything else
10….Do we stick with the skop en jag artist or look at a playmaker 10?
Playmaker – Lambie for sure can still keep Steyn on but not much point if Grant is averaging the same kicking ration
8 Do we persist with Spies….?
No – Vermeulen and Alberts should be main choices but still space for Spies in the team
6 For me a fetcher a must….will PDV go with schalk?
He´ll be in the team but so will Brussouw
4 lock….Bakkies out of sorts…..do we go with A Bekker here, even though out of position?
No way in hell – why would you do that when you have Danie Rossouw and Flip vd Merwe and even Elstadt – With Matfields form Becker a must for 5
11 Habana or an in form flyer?
In form flyer – Habana unfortunately will be dragged along but if he plays he´ll lose us matches – you read it here. Mark my words he´s a huge liability
15 F Steyn?
Lots of questions and so little time.
I´d say a must but perhaps we need a bolter liek Riaan Viljoen or Taute too?
19 Apr 2011, 13:03 pm
@grant10(grant10)-81: 100% right.
19 Apr 2011, 13:03 pm
steggmann at fetcher for me long before schalk…..any day of the week….
Flouw at 6 before schalk.
but the best remains Brussow…..in tandem with bissy those 2 can retain us the wc.
of course it means pdv having to make the tough calls….
as for WO and Spies…..!
Bloody useless at the moment….drop them …
19 Apr 2011, 13:05 pm
@Marty(Marty)-103:
A most excellent Article Marty.
The Keo Scribes could learn a thing or two here.
Thank You.
19 Apr 2011, 13:06 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-115:
the 50 dont phase me its the top 30
19 Apr 2011, 13:06 pm
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-118: totally agree
19 Apr 2011, 13:09 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-75:
Seeing that you mentioned me by name.
For years WO had the best stats of the SA centres in the S14. That didn’t help him much when he was selected for the Boks. All 32 times.
The point about WO and Steggies is that they play well within a certain structure. At the Bulls they excel because of the structure that they play in and the roles that are set out for them within that structure. When selected for the Boks they are confronted with a different structure and have to adapt their play accordingly. Both of them failed to do so. WO in 32 chances and Steggies during the EOYT last year.
Steggies is a good CC and Super rugby player. I’ll grant him that and his stats back him up on that. But……………..he is not test material. Whether he’ll become test material in a few years time, I don’t know. Maybe……….but for now he should not come near a Bok jersey. I think you (and he) should accept that now.
19 Apr 2011, 13:10 pm
@grant10(grant10)-121: Yeah, you right again. Boks need Ratel. He makes a difference for any team. Its one thing having a high workrate and then another being highly effective… Work hard or work smart. Ratel works smart. Better than any flank in SA and up there with the best in the world… at least.
I am convinced about WO not being allowed anywhere near the Bok jersey this year. Not so sure about Spies. He had a good game on Sat against the Reds other than missing “the ghost” Cooper.
19 Apr 2011, 13:10 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-117: ffs man he was anonymous on field. The difference in class is obvious to see between him and Brussouw. People have been singing Stegmanns praises for years liek Cobus Grobelaar and although both may be hard workers I believe neither have it in them to be Boks.
You can stat all you want – the proof is in the pudding and I didnt see anything from Stegmann to indicate he could do it on the EOYT – not once.
19 Apr 2011, 13:13 pm
One more thing Grant at 10 will be nothing more than Braam Van Straaten Mk II… without the big hit ability…
He will be found out at International level and there will be tears… Even Frans Steyn will be a better option than Grant at 10 (and that is not a punt for Steyn at flyhalf by any means).
19 Apr 2011, 13:15 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-128:
you know more than Naas then… well done apply to super sport before you lose your talent
19 Apr 2011, 13:15 pm
I personally would play Schalk at 7 if Juan not fit.
As tempting as it is to go with Duane, Alberts and Brusow , it is a loose trio with very little to no test experience, Schalk would do a job at 7 and will bring experience to vital combination.
Bring on Alberts in the 2nd half !!
19 Apr 2011, 13:16 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-126: agreed man well said. When Brussouw is on the field you notice him because he does the hard graft but he also does the impossible. Same as that damn McCaw
19 Apr 2011, 13:17 pm
Luke Watson is a great Currie Cup player, a good Super Rugby player and invisible at Test level.
19 Apr 2011, 13:18 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-126: spies can only play if you have brussow and bissy in pack.
spies low workrate and ineffective defence means that boks cannot afford him if pdv starts with Plod at 2….and schalk at 6…
I can almost guarantee you that a bok pack with schalk as fetcher, plod at 2 and spies at 8 will be vulnerable to most international packs and will probably see us coming home after quarters
19 Apr 2011, 13:18 pm
@nama1(nama1)-125:
You can include Spies also.
19 Apr 2011, 13:20 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-128: i tell you i would rather have Grant, Lambie or Butch at 10 than that damn skop en jag artist M Steyn….
we go that route we farked my man…..
essentially we wil be negating our backline completely.
the ‘in the pocket ‘ M Steyn will kill us stone dead….
19 Apr 2011, 13:22 pm
@Alfred E Neuman(MR Lam)-129: I definitely don’t know more than Naas, but I can tell you that if he did say what you said he did, and he wasn’t quoted out of context – which, lets face it, seems to be the habit of SA sports journos – then he was either piss.ed or he had a brainfart…. It can happen to the best of us. So wipe the dribble off your low hanging slack jaw and catch a wakeup.
19 Apr 2011, 13:25 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-131: G10 is right. Ratel is essential for the Boks at WC time.
19 Apr 2011, 13:25 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-127: @nama1(nama1)-125:
First of all, you have to take the conditions under which he made his debut,
secondly, leave WO out of this,
thridly, Slumtown, not quite anonymous making the most tackles, missing none, stealing l/o ball, most cleans and walking away with the win in your test debut in an unfamiliar team. Jou voet man.
Haters gonna hate. Help yourself.
This time around and all the critics can muster is that “Stegmann is a penalty machine”, which I already pointed out to be unfair criticism, Flo and Soakai and a bunch of good flanks this season have the same trends. If you want to ridicule a poor team; have at the Lions. Derek Minnie conceded the same amount of penalties, but you wont find anyone mentioning it, instead they call him a wildcard Bok selection.
At the seasons start they said refs are likely to loosen up at the bd, the opposite is more true.
Nice comparing WO (a back) with his “poor” 32 test record, to Deon Stegmann (a flank forward) and his 4 tests under such conditions, yet.
Are you both insane?
19 Apr 2011, 13:27 pm
@grant10(grant10)-101: Not what you’ll agree with but I would advise going bold except for changing the captain, would be suicide. Guys like Francios Pienaar, Hansie Cronje and John Smit have never been the best players in the team, but they created the best teams. I agree Smit needs to find a position and fast (should have moved to the Lions) but we need him at all costs in those tight play-offs that arent typical test rugby (dont tell the Kiwis).
The Bold or not so Bold would be replacing Habana with Basson and Spies with Alberts or Schalk depending if Juan is fit. As well as Lambie for Morne who can play off the bench
19 Apr 2011, 13:29 pm
Worst possible pack for the Boks to play in any game.
1. Beast
2. JS
3. CJ
4. Bekker
5. VM
6. HB
7. Schalk
8. Spies
Why? Because you’ll have only three forwards competing for the ball in the tight phases. Beast, Bekker (sometimes) and Schalk.
CJ and Spies will be standing at 1st and/or 2nd receiver.
Matfield will be waiting for the ball between the two centres.
HB will be lurking to chase when the ball comes out.
JS will be too tired to keep up with the game.
So, even though, on paper, it may look like a decent pack, they’ll get moered all over the park.
It’s important that the right combinations be selected if we want to be competitive.
19 Apr 2011, 13:29 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-119: Do you really have to have an enforcer and a lineout jumper as your 2nd row? I think Bekker’s form is so good at the moment, his defence is huge, his work rate brilliant for such a huge guy, Ball carrying better then most other 2nd rows, but he is always considered a “Line out specialist” and therefore Matfield’s understudy. I think he could just as easily be 4 or 5 for the boks and the number 1 at both positions (There isn’t a hell of a lot of difference in these positions anyway, but coaches seem to think so).
Every team that has one the World Cup has had a dominating lineout. With Matfield and Bekker, you are going to dominate the lineout.
19 Apr 2011, 13:29 pm
@grant10(grant10)-133: I don’t know if he can “only play” if… but yeah, catch your drift… I do agree that Bissy must start… but there is a place for Barney/Plod.
19 Apr 2011, 13:29 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-136:
have a look at sports 24 and see for yourself, dribble wiped , jaw back in place but sorry cant wakeup to your opinions
19 Apr 2011, 13:30 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-136: So only a brainfart when his view doesn’t coincide with yours?
19 Apr 2011, 13:32 pm
@grant10(grant10)-135: Funny that when you talk about M Steyn “in the pocket”… Peter Grant is also not really a gainline flyhalf like Lambie, Butch or even Francis/Jantjes.
Steyn’s deadeye boot has a place too. Maybe as replacement in latter stages of a game similar to BI Lions game 2.
19 Apr 2011, 13:32 pm
@Michael(mikeybrass)-144:
seems so doesnt it
19 Apr 2011, 13:33 pm
I shake my head in disbelief that some people still want to even consider Spies ??
He has been nowhere for 2 years now , how many poor performances warrant non selection ??
19 Apr 2011, 13:35 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-137: O fcourse he is – he´s my favouriet loosie with ALberts and Juan Smith. I agree totally.
19 Apr 2011, 13:36 pm
@nama1(nama1)-140:
In short, you can’t have more than 2 of the loafers (exclude HB here) in the same pack otherwise you’ll get stuffed.
19 Apr 2011, 13:37 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-138: yes youre right were wrong – we´ll see when it comes to selection time. Stegmann wont be mentioned. Guranteed so enjoy yoursefl and your brilliant rugby mind. The guys nowhere at the moment. Same as Cobus Grobelaar was.
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