Reason to celebrate
30 May 2011
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly Business Day column, says South Africans should savour days like Saturday.
I can’t recall a Saturday of such vintage South African rugby; of such pleasure and of such reward. It was spectacular and it only reinforces why there always has to be expectation from South African teams.
There should never be an acceptance of failure.
We have outstanding coaches and we have incredible talent among our players, who can play the game as well as anyone.
There is more to the South African way than crash, bash and kick. Our players have more in their make-up than heroic defence. They can attack and they can play with width and enterprise. They also have rugby intelligence and it isn’t confined to the professional teams.
There has to be optimism about our rugby, at every level, and days like Saturday have to be celebrated. I got an e-mail last week from a bloke who said I had the dream job … writing and talking about rugby. He wrote that he wished his Saturday morning started, as mine does, with a radio slot talking rugby for an hour. He added that he wished he was paid to watch rugby.
I am not arguing, especially when my Saturday can also include the Lions deservedly winning in New Zealand and I get to spend an entire morning enjoying the pleasures of schoolboy rugby at SACS, where the juniors hosted Bishops and the seniors faced the might of Paul Roos Gymnasium.
And it only got better in the afternoon with Paul Treu’s Blitsbokke unbeaten at Murrayfield, with the South African-dominated Saracens winning England’s Premiership final against Leicester at Twickenham, with the Sharks dealing with the Waratahs in Durban and then with the most breathtaking last 30 minutes at Loftus Versveld as the Bulls and the Cheetahs produced the Super Rugby match of the weekend.
Veterans sparkled and the next generation of potential international SA players made their most telling contribution in Super Rugby this season.
I wrote in a recent article for Business Day Sport Monthly that Springbok coach Peter de Villiers is spoilt for choice when it comes to his World Cup selection and Saturday was a vindication of this view. Some fine players won’t make the World Cup squad and that tells you the quality of player based in SA and overseas.
Schalk Brits, among the form players in Europe for the past 18 months, was inspirational for Saracens and claimed the Man of the Match award along with a championship medal.
Earlier in the day Wikus van Heerden, who returned to SA this year after two years with Saracens, played the game of his life in Dunedin as the Lions beat the Highlanders in the last minute of the match.
Van Heerden’s celebration after scoring the try that won the game was not misplaced. It was wonderful to see the outpouring of emotion.
We don’t celebrate the good enough in this country and we definitely don’t smile enough about our rugby.
Indifferent Super Rugby results contribute to the frowns but when we have days like Saturday we have to live in the moment and make some noise.
Individually there were so many world-class performances and I thought Elton Jantjies and Ashley Johnson stood among the tallest. Both have battled in the tournament but Jantjies, in particular, has enjoyed his two finest professional performances in the past three weeks. Take a bow young man. Take a bow.
Pat Lambie, in Durban, was composed and influential in ensuring the Sharks remain a play-off prospect and at Loftus Morné Steyn played with authority. The Bulls have to win every match to make the play-offs and in the past month they haven’t looked like losing. Their visit to Newlands in a fortnight can’t come soon enough and that match will further advertise the strength of the South African game.
The Cheetahs, the most flamboyant and attack-orientated of the South African teams in the competition, did not get any league points in Pretoria but they certainly would have earned the respect of the Bulls players and a Loftus crowd I have always viewed as the most informed and rugby-intelligent in the country.
In the context of the South African tournament challenge it was important that the Bulls won, but there can be no denying the quality of the Cheetahs’ performance.
The Stormers won in Canberra for the first time against the Brumbies and as important as the win was the effort of Springbok wing Bryan Habana. He was second only to Schalk Burger, who was typically dominant in everything he did.
Habana’s 2007 World Cup wing team-mate JP Pietersen also enjoyed his best match of the season for the Sharks.
My player of the weekend was Danie Rossouw, with the Ebersohn twins again instrumental in all that was good about the Cheetahs.
There were so many individuals who prospered on Saturday but the greatest victory was the collective one for South African rugby.
328 Comments
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30 May 2011, 23:24 pm
but emperical schmetical means exactly that, it is the study of nature by first hand observation, not gumf that means fkall. Hawkins, Dawkins and Einstein study nature, in a rigorous systematic framework that is a relatively new way of understanding reality. Above all, all science says is that your theories must be supported by evidence – empericism. It works which is why you can fly to india on a 747 rather than on a magic carpet or pejote-induced astral travel.
30 May 2011, 23:27 pm
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-300:
yes and you make a very good point about his impact on the sharks backrow, which imo should be daniel, deysel and alberts – but has deysel been of form lately or is just my imagination, looks more tentative and half a yard slower? the thing is with all his energy he makes a helluva impact player – but he is a small bugger unfortunately so i dont know about test level but thats my personal prejudice. Brussow has been a revelation.
30 May 2011, 23:30 pm
@cab(cab)-302:
You know if i was asked to pick out of Daniel and Spies (yes even at # 8)
I would pick Daniel a 100 times out of 100
30 May 2011, 23:31 pm
would be an interesting experiment Aplon to 10 but I think full back suits Aplon down to a T because of the space he is afforded there to wind up his options and scythe through the stretched defenses. At 10 I reckon he would get caught too close to the action though he would definitely create some space and options from 10 no question. I would consider Jantjes at 10 and Aplon 15 rather than the other way around though.
To me Aplon is the modern day Christian Cullen, as nimble and as quick… maybe slightly smaller and more fragile in defense but not by much.
30 May 2011, 23:32 pm
at # 8
At least he would have attempted to tackle Ebersohn when he sored last in 2nd half Geez did you see that ?
Actually he did not even attempt to tackle him he just watched him waltz in for the try
30 May 2011, 23:36 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-304:
But not forgotten
Yes that has been brought up about having more space at 15
Ok I would shelve that idea
I just see his handling skills
His kicking
His speed
His defence
and he reads the game well
sound s like all you need for a 10
30 May 2011, 23:39 pm
coachpete, go to youtube & watch israel dagg’s try against the all blacks @ eden park last year…he WALTZED past spies like he wasn’t there next thing kirchner & aplon are scrambling to catch the nimble footed bugger!
30 May 2011, 23:42 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-307:
Yep like the twilight zone seems to re occur. Horrors
30 May 2011, 23:46 pm
I once spoke with Paul Delport when I bumped into him at the petrol station in Kenilworth main road, and he said Gio Aplon was the most committed exciting player in any form of rugby he had ever had the privilege to play with and he was convinced he’s the one player who will never let you down and always put in 110% in every instance come what may, and will put body heart and limb on the line for his team every time.
30 May 2011, 23:47 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-307:
And they say they have Spies there for his size and taking the ball up, and his lineout abilities???
How many times have we seen him take on 2-3 defenders and get sent back behind the gain line. and then losses the ball in the tackle, or turns it over (holding on) And how many times do they throw it to him in lineout once a game?
Bulls use their 2 boks locks and Danie
30 May 2011, 23:50 pm
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-309:
Skoppie went I visit my beloved ex home land in 2006 I went to a CC game at Newlands and watched Aplon and i turn to my brothers and said “furture Bok guys” and they laughed at me
Your right he with give you 110% at any position even at 8 in place of Spies
30 May 2011, 23:51 pm
when and visited sorry
30 May 2011, 23:59 pm
A positive, unbiased, and rather enjoyable article without propaganda! I am pleasantly surprised.
31 May 2011, 00:00 am
Smit, Spies and Habana… in their current quandary states of dubious form are gonna cost the Bok’s big time at the WC – that is 3 players from 15 who you simply cannot carry in a 15 man do or die effort.
You can maybe get away with hiding their inadequacies against mediocre opposition like we got last time in 07… but if we face any serious competition this time around those 3 non performing passengers gonna cost the Boks big time and could even get a little embarrassing if they not too careful.
31 May 2011, 00:04 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-311:
Yip that lad got heart like I haven’t seen in many players.. you put his heart in Spies’s body and then you got Superman, Batman and Flash Gordon all rolled into one.
31 May 2011, 00:07 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-314:
Yes especially when we have the talent lining up
How many class hookers do we have ? and some wont even be mentioned
A. Struss for example
Chillibooi playing well. intense aggessive, throwing ball in better than Botha (well looks like he may be selected to squad)
Fourie and Liebenberg
3rd string guy at sharks Burton?
Brits too?
31 May 2011, 00:08 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-315:
Too true Pity he does not have that.
31 May 2011, 00:10 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-316:
thats right
we got 4 or 5 hookers better than Smit
4 or 5 8th men better than Spies
and at least perhaps 3 – 4 wings better than Habana on current form
And we going to play those 3 carrying passengers in a competition where there is actually no place to hide any.
31 May 2011, 00:11 am
@GaryOwen(GaryOwen)-313:
I was very proud of Our South African rugby players and teams this weekend
Actually shows how healthy things are.
Now its time to recognize the talent and use them.
and we can play attractive rugby too
31 May 2011, 00:11 am
anyway time out here coach..
take care man.. nice chatting
hope the construction industry picking up there in summertime now.
see ya
31 May 2011, 00:13 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-318:
Ya skoppie what can we do?
Hey i did wish you H/Birthday on another thread Hope you enjoyed music at Brass Bell (Kalk Bay right)?.
31 May 2011, 00:14 am
@ashampoopaloo(joel1yahoo)-320:
Actually it is
Cheers
31 May 2011, 00:15 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-321:
yeah I saw Coach.. thanks for that… I was little late for the music only got the end of it, was raining last night here so they packed up early.
See you around.. stay well.
31 May 2011, 00:32 am
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-84: dont forget the Tahs player that kicked Sykes in the head??? Hoe about the Eyelanders eye gouging?? Wannabe seppo there are enough trolls already to deal with.
I say give the laaitjies a chance and put to rest the old boois club. Watching JDV givining Sadie a bit of lip at the end of the game really sums it up. Old school versus new, those trying to hold onto the future ans those players hoping to create. Yes creative backline play by Saffas is what the next genno is bringing and not soon enough.
WO cowardly punch eptomises the battle in South African rugby at the moment….
31 May 2011, 02:12 am
@grant10(grant10)-48: That team could be anyone of the Crusaders, Stormers or Bulls. I don’t think, if the Reds play the Bulls again, they’ll find it that easy to dominate the collisions again. This Bulls outfit is a different beast now than when they met in the regular season. Ditto the Stormers. The Reds gameplan, or better…change in gameplan is what got the Stormers the last time. Crusaders will also be better next time round. I’m not saying the Reds will lose either way, but think the other teams will be up for it, whether that game is in Brisbane or wherever. Who is willing to count the Bulls out in a play-off scenario? Not me…
31 May 2011, 02:33 am
@CoachPete(CoachPete)-316: Yes. Our last game in this years WC is not turning out to be D-day yet it seems. And another plus is we didn’t have any high profile re-signings ala NZ as yet. Hopefully all our senior Boks, those that still feels up for it will sign a contract no longer than 2 years. Think the AB’s is missing a trick in signing DC and McCaw for another 4 years. Think McCaw especially is doing himself a disservice, given his high regard around here. He might prove me wrong but I feel he can only go downhill from here. With every passing season he will find it harder to keep up with the young up and coming tyro’s. Apparently he is already regarded as the greatest AB ever. He might actualy end up tarnishing that view imo. Anything more than 2 years is stretching it. With the amount of penalties he concedes per game, a case can already be made now for Todd’s inclusion. Read is a more than capable captain. Anyway, to each their own…
31 May 2011, 08:49 am
Deaf old Kevin
now that be has been exposed as a serial-bullshitter in labelling all refs of SA-opposition are “cheats”, he’s now determined to tarnish the reputation of all SA-opposition as ‘thugs’.
Name the player and minute where the Highlander ‘gouged’, my sweet little sugarlump, or it’s off to bed without any supper again.
31 May 2011, 09:02 am
@Black Panther(Black Panther)-327:
‘DeaR old Kevin…’
he may be blind and dumb, but ‘deaf’ might be a bit harsh.
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