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, 13:38 pm
@Alfred E Neuman(MR Lam)-143: In the words of John MacEnroe – “you cant be farking seriOUS!!!”… Peter Grant as WC flyhalf, after a stint in Japan and what? – 7 solid, but not game changing, games for the Stormers as general of a backline that is lying somewhere at the bottom of the league in terms of try-scoring incisiveness. You okes need to get real and stop believing this Stormer press propaganda and supporter hypermania…
19 Apr 2011, 13:40 pm
@HongKongSlong(HongKongSlong)-141: when they played together it didnt seem to work so well but why not. I´m just saying why replace Bakkies with Becker when Becker in my mind is a starter at 5 anyway? why shift him when you have Rossouw, Flip vd Merwe, Elstadt or even Anton van Zyl to fill number 4 boots – all more in the enforcer mould. Starting anyone of those 4 with Becker at 5?
19 Apr 2011, 13:40 pm
@Bok fan(Bok fan)-139: mate…plod is a no go…farken passenger…..just drop the oke if we have any pretensions for retaining Bill
19 Apr 2011, 13:42 pm
@grant10(grant10)-153: drop him and who the f%&$& carries the tackle bags? Youre insane man. lol
19 Apr 2011, 13:43 pm
nothing has changed except that Alberts has carried way more metres than anyone else and therefore should start ahead of Spies. Brussow is needed at 6 to inject some pace into the loosetrio with either Juan or Burger at 7 of coming off bench.
The Bulls are not the Boks, at most they are likely to contribute maybe only the locks to the Bok pack. Bakkies is non-negotiable, rather get rid of matfield. The Bulls loosetrio and pack is lacking grunt, Bakkies is fighting a losing battle, while the sharks have beast, bismark and alberts all hitting rucks/mauls and the stormers have burger, vermelen and cj and surrounded by other very hard working forwards.
Let them write the Boks off, with pleasure, go right ahead. That is just what we want. Every year before a RWC the ABs look to be absolute favourites peaking as they always do and their fans strutting around and cackling like prime cockerills (Cane excluded) right before they get slaughtered, brilliant planning by the maestro who has spotted the trend.
I for one think this Bok team has an exceptional chance to make it back-to-back titles. I’ve also worked out how to get SBW out of the game, someone needs to get in his face and get knocked out, then SBW will get sent off.
oh yes, happy times, what a joyous day.
19 Apr 2011, 13:44 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-147: The mind boggles
19 Apr 2011, 13:44 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-148: WillieVS has an interesting take on a decent loosie combo:
6. Ratel
7. Alberts
8. Schalk
It is interesting and not sure I agree due to Schalk’s tendency, like Bakkies, to be a walking disciplinary liability, but in terms of selecting a combo by accommodating player’s strengths this is quite a trio. Alberts is undeniably the best 7 on offer for SA if not on the planet and Ratel at 6 is pretty hard to argue with. Schalk at 8 is quite revolutionary in that he will be “loosened up” to be at his destructive best. A roving demolition 8. Its just his misfiring neurons in the heat of the moment that are a cause for concern.
19 Apr 2011, 13:44 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-138:
Blind donkeys, or not so blind ones, will hit their heads against the same wall again and again and again and again….
Stegman………good CC and Super rugby player within the Bulls set up.
Not so good player in Bok set up… in fact, way below average player in Bok set up.
Players like Pocock and HB made an immediate impact on their début. Last time I checked they play the same position and therefore the same role as Steggies.
19 Apr 2011, 13:45 pm
@Slumtown(Slumtown)-150:
“The guys nowhere at the moment”
…yet Stegmann has the highest workrate in South Africa, regardless whether his team his struggling (something bloggers here in the majority are enjoying), so how is that being “nowhere” and “anonymous”? Jislaaik at least let’s use the same definitions in a debate.
19 Apr 2011, 13:45 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-151:
read the article its based on current form in SA, thats all not to say he will get picked but today we are all her talking on current form, thats why i agree, pick the squad in August NOT NOW, and without th right forward pack MS is f…ed, I only see BJ and PG able to take ball on the back foot and do something with it, as for Lambie IMO he is too young to start at the WC the pressure will be to huge and if something goes wrong his career will probably be over before it even starts…
who said anything about being a stormers supporter by the way
19 Apr 2011, 13:45 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-151: Come on guys – you are all blind. Elton jantjies with Earl Rose as a back-up is the answer! Grant and Lambie – don’t compare to the skill, power and pace of Elton and Earl…
19 Apr 2011, 13:47 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-157:
Misfiring neurons !!
You and ET been talking offline ??
19 Apr 2011, 13:47 pm
@cab(cab)-155: One problem Cab… Alberts has been playing 7. That is where he plays best. Otherwise the Sharks would play him at 8. Kanko, as much as most seem wont to do, has been playing well. I would be interested in his overall stats in comparison to GIJoe Spies and Fatty Vermeulen… I suspect Kanko’s would not be bad at all.
19 Apr 2011, 13:47 pm
@nama1(nama1)-158:
Brussow had a 5-minute debut for his entire debut-year. What the hell are you on about?
The next test was on South African soil, having had much much more time to train with that squad and also he didnt just return from a serious injury.
It’s obvious how unfair you are tryiing to be.
19 Apr 2011, 13:48 pm
@Marty(Marty)-161: Hehehehe
19 Apr 2011, 13:49 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-157:
At the same time he might just knock on the ball when the Boks have a 5m scrum………………………. 4 points behind with 5 minutes to go.
19 Apr 2011, 13:49 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-162: I see you becoming a little bit obsessed with ET… Are his exposure of some home truths getting to you?
19 Apr 2011, 13:50 pm
i am with Marty, with Elton and Earl we are sorted, lol ya well whatever
19 Apr 2011, 13:52 pm
@nama1(nama1)-166: Yeah, true.
But 8, like 12, 15 and back up 13 seems to be becoming a bit of a problem position for the Boks.
19 Apr 2011, 13:52 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-167:
The only thing he has exposed is his ignorance……unless he has exposed something more to you in private
19 Apr 2011, 13:56 pm
It makes great drama to be described as having or bringing “BITE” into an aggressive, competitive situation. But have you all considered that a toothless “BITE” is really just a worthless “BITE”.
Where are the TEETH that give the destructiveness, in this player or even the equally toothless players around him(as in the Stormers as he is not a ‘Bok yet.).
We all know too much about the ‘destructiveness’ of toothless sharks relative to the total destruction a Great White Shark.
This guy is a one dimentional, skill-less toothless shark.
I would totally replace him with the skills and thinking of a Luke Watson in any team I pick.
19 Apr 2011, 13:56 pm
@Marty(Marty)-103: Very good article indeed.
In the section on the Springboks, there were some very good points at the end.
If you are not at least slowing down the ball in the modern game, a la Brussow against the Waratahs last month, you are asking for trouble, especially if halves like Genia are allowed to hit big runners with as many forward passes as he did on Saturday.
There’s something for those South African fans who are tired of the forward passes.
There was some solace, however, in the excellent 20-minute cameo of Fourie Du Preez at Suncorp Stadium. In that spell the Bulls scored almost half of their 30 points as the brilliant No.9 got them moving forward. If certain Bulls are to be cut from the Cup squad, he will not be one of them.
That’s something for Skoppie to chew on. During the game, commentator Tim Horan was wondering what Fourie was doing on the bench.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/wallabies-evolution-and-boks-revolution-20110419-1dmxd.html#ixzz1Jy8H4z27
19 Apr 2011, 13:56 pm
@cab(cab)-155: Well said reagrding the fwds. Who would be your 10, Lambie or Morne?
19 Apr 2011, 13:56 pm
i am most concerned about Bakkies.
we do not really have a replacement for him
a fit and firing bakkies with bissy and brussow makes for a mean pack….throw in alberts and the kiwis will be thinking twice…
19 Apr 2011, 13:56 pm
@ET.(ET.)-171:
should read Great White Shark brings
19 Apr 2011, 13:57 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-170: Naah, nothing like you and Gwantie have no doubt exposed to eachother in private… Comparing speedo tanlines is probably just the tip of the iceberg of the other nefarious private bits or activities on offer, hey?
19 Apr 2011, 13:59 pm
all fit and well [ and assuming J Smith out ] I would choose this pack
8 Vermeulen
7 alberts
6 brussow
5 A Bekker
4 Bakkies
3 jannie
2 bissy
1 beast.
fark me them kiwis will be sleeping uneasy.
19 Apr 2011, 14:00 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-176:
LOL !!
19 Apr 2011, 14:00 pm
@grant10(grant10)-174: Rossouw… Sykes…? Not sure about Flip – he seems just as capable as Bakkies to have brain implosion.
The problem with Bakkies is that refs are all over him like a rash.
19 Apr 2011, 14:00 pm
@grant10(grant10)-174: Actually, we have the perfect replacement for Bakkies: Danie Russouw.
19 Apr 2011, 14:00 pm
@grant10(grant10)-177: throw in schalk, cj, matfield and chilliboy on bench and bobs your aunt
19 Apr 2011, 14:01 pm
@grant10(grant10)-174: Who are your best props at the moment?
19 Apr 2011, 14:02 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-164:
You right. HB had a 5 minute début against Wales (was it?) during the 2008 EOYT
See you covered yourself already wrt HB’s first START in the Bok jersey.
OK, tell me this. Among HB, McCaw, Pocock, Flo, …..where do you rate Steggies. No stats please. Just tell me, if you have the option who would be your 1st choice, 2nd…. etc.
I know the other guys are not SA’s. I’m just interested in your opinion.
19 Apr 2011, 14:04 pm
@grant10(grant10)-177: Not sure about Fatty at 8. Also Bekker over Matfield?? Rather Bekker as a decent impact player.
I have lost faith in Bakkies at the moment. I believe there are players available who are not that much inferior in ability but also don’t have his ref stigma.
19 Apr 2011, 14:06 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-167:
He is another toothless ‘shark’ but a cowardly one at that who time after time promises to talk only rugby but fails the very next post to do so.
He knows so much(s hit) that I just ignore him.
Everyone knows his superb rugby brain which tells him “Stormers by 12″ and “Reds are not even in my top 6″ whereas the Reds are now sitting on top of the effin whole ‘shebang’.
Words(his) have indelible meanings and irredeemible consequences for this FOOL.
Toothless and Worthless.
19 Apr 2011, 14:07 pm
@nama1(nama1)-183: Good question. The problem is you are mad to have even thought of including Flo in the same sentence.
You are doing the same thing with Flo as you seem to be implying Agile is doing with the Steg.
19 Apr 2011, 14:08 pm
@ET.(ET.)-185: Hehehehe. Give Mini-me a break… He also probably thinks Peter Grant is a better 10 than Quade Cooper
19 Apr 2011, 14:09 pm
@grant10(grant10)-177:
That’s the loose trio I would go with purely on abilty, but it lacks experience at test level.
Juan if fit or Schalk if Juan not fit is needed for the experience factor imo !!!
Your front row is all Shark affair which from a combination perspective is good, I would not be unhappy with Guthro starting, but keeping the combination makes sense.
Andries ahead of Matfield on form ,for sure !! it won’t happen though !!
19 Apr 2011, 14:10 pm
Got to go… Work calls
19 Apr 2011, 14:11 pm
@Bok fan(Bok fan)-173:
morne or peter grant for me. maybe morne shades it cos his place-kicking which is vital in RWCs, lambie for the next one. England have a similar dilemna, in choosing between wilko or flood – i’d go with wilko every time for RWC but flood creates alot.
19 Apr 2011, 14:11 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-163:
Kanko………..another one with good CC and Super rugby stats but who totally goes awol when he puts on a Bok jersey.
@grant10(grant10)-177:
That look like a pack that will be able to slug it out with the best.
I’ll play Danie Rousouw instead of Vermeulen at 8. He always does well on NZ grounds
19 Apr 2011, 14:12 pm
@ET.(ET.)-185:
Do me a favour and go find me the post where I said Reds are not in my top 6 !!!
Because that’s news to me and you need to get your facts right , again your credibilty is shown up !!!!
19 Apr 2011, 14:14 pm
@Marty(Marty)-182: beast at 1….and Guthro
at 3 Jannie dup….seems to enjoy scrumming with bissy and beast…
CJ…bj….brock all capable….but jannie dup the man .
i would start with the sharks front row for boks
19 Apr 2011, 14:15 pm
@nama1(nama1)-183:
My opinion, (not that you really give a ****, I know) is Richie McCaw first, Stegmann second and Brussow third. No stats, see?
Of course Stegmann fits into he Bulls setup better than a McCaw would. Of course the Boks aren’t identical to the Bulls, but Stegmann is the player most similar to Brussow in the world, IMO and in the opinion of Wynand Claassen’s, superior to Brussow, only slightly.
BTW Im not covering my ***, for what? Im pointing out that those two had very different starts to their test careers, I also pointed out earlier that there is no fair criticsm against Stegmann currently, and that he is our only flank that matching the New Zealanders for workrate, doesn’t that mean anything to you? Especially playing alongside Spies and Potgieter whom are the scourge of the earth nowadays around here)
19 Apr 2011, 14:17 pm
@cab(cab)-190:
Dank die hemele dat jy terug is waar jy regtig behoort.
WELKOM terug, mar jy moet nie jou tyd mors met die onnosele, asseblief tog.
Dis altyd mos net ‘n gemors.
19 Apr 2011, 14:18 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-186:
I included Flo because Tittie compared their stats to begin with. See his earlier post.
I’m on record here as not being a Flo fan.
19 Apr 2011, 14:21 pm
@ET.(ET.)-195:
just popping in for a brief touchdown – all this doom and gloom, we got a great side and chance at the rwc, i hope none of our sides makes this playoffs, the biggest concern for the boks is player fatigue – there is no pack in world rugby that can match the Boks when rested and the best players are fit. We can take the AB backline right out of the game at source.
19 Apr 2011, 14:24 pm
cooper and genia are bladdy good, but horwill and in particular that beau robinson fella they got from nsw is superb – id be tempted to play robison over pocock, he’s like a young schalk.
19 Apr 2011, 14:26 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-188: for the most i can agree with your arguement about the loosies , but to alberts is a must and does not seem to lack because of little experience
he just seems to get stuck in every game
he also does not give away many penalties , this to me is a very gpood sign
19 Apr 2011, 14:26 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-194:
Well, everyone is entitled to their opinion.
I have mine……… you have your’s………… they are different, so what?
As long as you keep Steggies at the Bulls and don’t send him to WP/Stormers or the Boks, I’ll be OK.
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