Saffa duo keep Bath in semi race
1 May 2011
GARETH DUNCAN looks at the Saffas who impressed in Europe over the weekend.
In the only English fixture, scrumhalf Michael Claassens and flyhalf Butch James orchestrated Bath’s 14-11 away win over wing Gcobani Bobo’s relegation-threatened Newcastle Falcons. Claassens scored a try from close range while James added two penalties to seal the win that keeps their team’s play-off hopes alive. They will need to beat Newcatle again at home and will need fourth-placed Northampton Saints to lose against flanker Hendre Fourie’s lowly Leeds Carnegie next weekend.
In the European Cup, tighthead prop Brian Mujati contributed to Northampton’s superior forwards display, that was instrumental in their 23-7 semi-final win over inside centre Gavin Hume’s Perpignan. Hooker Richardt Strauss and reserve loosehead prop Heinke van der Merwe impressed in Leinster’s 32-23 win over replacement prop Daan Human and No 8 Shaun Sowerby’s Toulouse.
In the Amlin Challenge Cup, the second-tier knock-out competition in Europe, Brent Russell impressed at flyhalf for Clermont, but his try couldn’t help his team as they lost 29-25 against Stade Francais. The victors will face Harlequins in the final as the English club beat loosehead prop Wian du Preez’s Munster 20-12.
The league stage of the English Premiership, French Top 14 and Magners League conclude next weekend.
14 Comments
1 May 2011, 19:48 pm
come home Butch….and bring Mujati with you
1 May 2011, 20:16 pm
Indeed and Butch is looking more and more the best option for the 10 Bok jersey followed by Steyn – Lambie has been exposed as slightly lacking at this stage – it is not his fault though that he is being unfairly hyped at this early stage in his career – for now choose the men and leave the little boys to develop.
1 May 2011, 20:31 pm
@Roar Loud(RL)-2: personally i would rather take butch…grant ….before M Steyn….
but its a year too soon for Lambie.
1 May 2011, 20:32 pm
Lambie is still rusty following his injury. He should be in the World Cup group, even if he does not start at 10
1 May 2011, 20:36 pm
@scar(scar)-4: there are only 7 open RWC sports and 2 of them are at fullback – he will be there as cover to FSteyn.
2 May 2011, 00:41 am
Impossible to judge these players playing in the sub-standard northern club leagues.
The average opponent does simply not compare to southern hemisphere rival.
2 May 2011, 05:13 am
I find it funny how there was a ridiculous media blitz from KEO about bringing BJ Botha home a few years ago when he was a leading Tighthead in Europe. This time around Mujati is clearly the dominant Tighthead in European rugby but receiving less of the fanfare……food for thought
2 May 2011, 05:20 am
@flanka(flanka)-7:
Reading too much into it mate………..Keo has backed the Sharks to win both games v Stormers this year………should we read anything into that other than he’s dog sh it at his picks? Probably not!
2 May 2011, 06:24 am
@whatever(whatever)-8: True, as well as his penchant for selective journalism
2 May 2011, 09:05 am
Keo talks up Watson and Van Niekerk every single week.
Just like Pieter De Villiers and his 2 favourites – Jacobs&Januarie.
Will Luke Watson disrupt a Springbok squad with his presence. – YES
Does Joe Van Niekerk have the physical presence and grunt of Alberts , Roussouw or Vermeulen – NO.
Thats just Keo talking up his Twitter buddies.
2 May 2011, 10:29 am
@wp_boytjie(wp_boytjie)-10: Funnily enough because of that I tend to find more interest in the opinions of some of the knowledgeable bloggers here more than any of the KEO journalists….I respect more of what’s said in a post by Mshiniwami for example than KEO….his website is merely a vehicle to get real rugby opinions from the impartial knowledgeable bloggers
2 May 2011, 10:51 am
@wp_boytjie(wp_boytjie)-10:
You obviously haven’t been watching Big Joe recently. He’s playing a lot tighter and harder whilst still retaining the skill and flair your other contenders lack. If physical presence was the sole criteria we’d have Bakkies at flyhalf.
If I had to choose a Bok 8 for the WC, it would come from either Joe or Ernst Joubert, both of whom, in my opinion, are streets ahead of any of the local based 8s in all round ability.
2 May 2011, 13:13 pm
@flanka(flanka)-7:
It would benefit the boks at WC to have BJ Botha, Mujati, Jannie Dup & CJ going for the tighthead position.
Preflably I would go with Mujati at 3 and CJ on the bench covering both 1 & 3
Are there going to be 23 man squads in the World Cup just as there has been in the European cup & english premiership this year to accomodate both looseheads and tighthead props?
3 May 2011, 11:08 am
surprising that SARU didn’t do more to keep Heinke. Promising prop technically, could do better around the park with better conditioning. In that regard, suited to NH rugby I suppose.
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