Butch still Boks’ best bet
15 Jun 2011
JON CARDINELLI says Butch James has made a statement since returning to South Africa and one bad tackle hasn’t changed the fact that he remains the Springboks’ strongest flyhalf option.
James has featured in just five games for the Lions since leaving English club Bath, and his impact as a leader and innovator has been profound. He did well in tandem with Elton Jantjies at the crucial 10-12 axis, and when asked to assume the pivot responsibilities, he so nearly orchestrated a great upset over his former Sharks team-mates.
The Lions led the Sharks 30-9 after 60 minutes, but a late rally by the visitors saw the game ending in a dramatic draw. The Sharks scored a converted try through Pat Lambie before James was sin-binned for a dangerous tackle, and seven more points while they enjoyed a numerical advantage.
Another converted try levelled the scores, and so the Lions’ dream of ending a poor season on a winning note was crushed.
Much has been said in the aftermath about James costing the Lions the game. Some have even gone as far to say it’s a mark of things to come if the aggressive No 10 goes to the World Cup.
Those who are quick to judge James’s yellow card as the turning point conveniently forget that the Lions conceded tries either side of his sanction. They also choose to ignore James’s late drop-goal attempt that was charged down by Bismarck du Plessis.
Would James have been so harshly criticised had Du Plessis been a yard slower, and that kick had bisected the posts? Would there be such ridiculous statements about his tackling style costing the Boks’ in big games, or would those self-same pundits be praising him and touting him to win the World Cup in a similar fashion?
Kicking has long been perceived as James’s weakness, even though he’s averaged 83% as a goal-kicker for South Africa. On Saturday, he challenged that perception again by slotting six from six, some from extremely difficult field positions.
James’s attacking skills and bruising defence have been evident during his five-match stint with the Lions, but his kicking and overall game management have been equally impressive. He will be afforded starting opportunities in the coming Tri-Nations, and if he can build on his performances in the Super Rugby tournament, he will force Peter de Villiers to reconsider the decision to stick with Morne Steyn.
Both Steyn and James will go to the World Cup, with utility players like Ruan Pienaar and young Lambie providing further flyhalf options. The Boks will need a flyhalf who can play according to the situation, in other words, somebody who is equally capable of kicking for territory or bringing the backline into the game.
Steyn’s limitations were laid to bare in the Boks’ 2010 Tri-Nations campaign, and the Bulls have struggled on attack in 2011. Steyn kicked the cover off the ball in the Bulls’ most recent game against the Stormers as part of a specific game plan. These tactics won’t work against an All Blacks or Wallabies back three who have the tactical kicking ability as well as the counter-attacking means to hurt the Boks.
Selecting a first-choice flyhalf comes down to who offers the team more options in the big matches. The Boks will have a relatively easy ride through to the World Cup quarter-finals, and you’d back them to overcome Ireland in that fixture. Who then is the best No 10 to lead the charge when the Boks take on the All Blacks in the semis?
The argument that James was a poor kicker was flawed to begin with, and his recent performances for the Lions have put that myth to rest. Outside of his kicking, he will offer a sound defensive option and unleash a Bok backline that has been shackled for too long.
And for those who are worried about his tackling, just remember what an important role he played as a defender at the 2007 World Cup. James will be one of the Boks’ greatest assets at the tournament in New Zealand rather a perceived liability.
352 Comments
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15 Jun 2011, 15:36 pm
ROY, can you please do your job!!!!!!!!!!!!
15 Jun 2011, 15:39 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-149:
The little you know about the country is frightening. Why point this out because it doesn’t affect 99.9% of the bloggers on this site….we don’t live in poverty with rats in our houses….ignorance is bliss where you come from sonny.
15 Jun 2011, 15:42 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-152: who are the 0.1% on this site who live with rats?
15 Jun 2011, 15:45 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-147: I take it all back! I’m on the next plane to Auckland to meet some Kiwi sl uts!
15 Jun 2011, 15:50 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-152: so, excluding bloggers, how many people does it effect?
or are you that ignorant?
@The_Don(The_Don)-154: yep, good luck… perhaps you could use “corrective rape” as your opening line huh?
15 Jun 2011, 15:52 pm
@The_Don(The_Don)-154: Hey and dont forget we have the loosiest sheep on the planet – have told my father to lock our sheep away for the WC , dont want you Saffas gettin a taste of the good life.
15 Jun 2011, 15:55 pm
Both should go to the world cup
Butchie had a good game against the sharks but il first wait to see his form during the tri nations before saying he should start at 10.
Play Butchie on the away leg and Morne at home
Lambie will be there but probably wont make the bench as we will have Pienaar, Jdj and Gio on the bench
15 Jun 2011, 16:02 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-67:
Justice4 the Persecution Theorists !
15 Jun 2011, 16:05 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-72:
3 – 0, sweetheart.
be off with your tutu and tell the other ballerinas to hand Cinderellas slipper back
15 Jun 2011, 16:06 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-80:
now thats class.
15 Jun 2011, 16:14 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-155: You don’t want your sheep catching AIDS either…
15 Jun 2011, 16:14 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-153:
Capo.
15 Jun 2011, 16:15 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-147:
no man.
I think I know a little boy who needs a lie down.
15 Jun 2011, 16:16 pm
Caleb Ralph is back for the Reds – traitor !!!
15 Jun 2011, 16:17 pm
@gunther is feeling bullish(gunther)-162:
15 Jun 2011, 16:18 pm
@stew(stew)-164: caleb ralph? wasn’t he with the saders?
15 Jun 2011, 16:20 pm
@Mustard(Mustard)-157: why must butch play away games?
15 Jun 2011, 16:22 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-166: About 4 years ago – apparently he has been drafted in for cover been playing in the local club league in Brisbane
15 Jun 2011, 16:27 pm
@stew(stew)-164: Caleb ralph…..thought he retired…had a good step on him
15 Jun 2011, 16:28 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-153:
I was thinking that skopskyt might know someone that knows someone that knows an uncle who has a cousin twice removed in Orlando…
15 Jun 2011, 16:30 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-152: That’s typical NZder for you. He displays is race tinted glasses view for all to see. He has the gall to come onto a SA site and insult sA, then try take the moral high ground!! Jeez I wonder why that makes me angry… idiot!! and he ASSUMES that I’m white as well, loved that Dutchie jibe! bwahahahahahah. I’m not white and I’m definitely not Dutch, or Afrikaner.
15 Jun 2011, 16:32 pm
@poppa69(poppa69)-155:
Stop trying so hard to always be right….that’s indicative of your inferioirty complex with regards to South Africans.
You waste so much negative energy trying to be one step ahead of us that you forget why you hate us so much..my 7 year old daugher is more mature than you.
15 Jun 2011, 16:33 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-153:
Good question.
He probably count you as one of them you shack dweller you.
15 Jun 2011, 16:33 pm
@grant10(grant10)-167: Both Butch and Morne need game time with the Boks….so best solution would be to play the one one on the away leg and one at home.
15 Jun 2011, 16:37 pm
@Mustard(Mustard)-174: okay….
so let Butch play at home then….
Just cant understand why Butch has to be the player to go compete away…..M Steyn is the player that doesent cope away from the melktert….let him go to kiwiland and aussie
15 Jun 2011, 16:38 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-171:
Thing that I’ve noticed about that blogger is that he goes through periods (literally) of being somewhat coherent and logical….the suddenly goes off the deep end and throws his reputation for being a solid bloke right out the window by being childish in his arguments….it’s like he has a narcissistic personality disorder.
15 Jun 2011, 16:40 pm
My backline for the away leg 3 nations
9. Hougaard
10. Butch
11. Habana
12 JdJ (rest Jdv)
13 Fourie
14 Gio
15 Frans
For the home leg
9. FDP
10. Morne
11. Habana
12 Jdv
13 Jdj (rest fourie)
14 Jpp
15 Frans (needs game time)
15 Jun 2011, 16:44 pm
@grant10(grant10)-175: either way….they both just need game time. Why i said play Butchie on the away is because we have to consider player fatigue given the season that they have had. Morne played almost every game if im not mistaken…..and the away leg is first i think…..so rest morne during that period so he’l be fresh for the home leg. Butchie has not played that much so keep playing him i say…then bench him at home.
15 Jun 2011, 16:45 pm
Watsup with poppa today.
If he uses that story one more time re SA I will moer him myself.
I mean wtf!!! Surely he has better things to do with his time!
If he actually lived in NZ it would be a different matter.
15 Jun 2011, 16:46 pm
@nama1(nama1)-173:
15 Jun 2011, 16:47 pm
@grant10(grant10)-175: ja MSteyn goes to p!ss away from the koeksusters
15 Jun 2011, 16:49 pm
Damn I have had it with people millions of miles away preaching at us.
It infects my eyes.
15 Jun 2011, 16:51 pm
@Mustard(Mustard)-178: M Steyn needs all the practice in kiwiland he can gett.
bloody useless when he leaves SA…
15 Jun 2011, 16:51 pm
i’m getting concerned now, the English team going to the world cup might just be New Zealanders & Saffas with some poms sprinkled in there for good measure!
Boertjie in England’s sights
2011-06-14 19:00Email | Print
Bloemfontein – Mouritz Botha, a South African from Vryheid, could be the surprise package in England’s squad for this year’s Rugby World Cup.
Botha became eligible to play for England this year.
The 29-year Saracens lock has been lauded by the English media after his feisty performance at Gloucester’s Kingsholm ground against Tonga on Sunday.
It was especially his bone crunching tackles on the physical Tongans that attracted big attention in the English Saxons’ 41-14 victory in a Churchill Cup match.
Saxons’ coach Stuart Lancaster, said that many of their forwards impressed so much that they could be included in England coach Martin Johnson’s Rugby World Cup training squad.
After Botha represented English club side, Bedford Blues in 73 matches since 2006, he received an offer from Saracens’ South African coach, Brendan Venter in 2009. He has since excelled at Saracens.
He made his debut for the Saxons in their 87-8 victory over America.
15 Jun 2011, 16:52 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-85:
gee, this tale has so many funny chapters – more more !
15 Jun 2011, 16:52 pm
It wasnt one tackle, it was two and he should be banned for a month
15 Jun 2011, 16:53 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-179: poppa is just “returning serve”
15 Jun 2011, 16:55 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-179: where does he live?
15 Jun 2011, 16:56 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-188: aus…
15 Jun 2011, 16:59 pm
We are gatvol of his returning serve.
You know mos. We should be ashamed of ourselves for letting that baby die. Why didn’t you stop it.
We allowed it to happen.
15 Jun 2011, 17:02 pm
He lives in bloody australia.
Fecking hypocrite
Don’t get me started
15 Jun 2011, 17:02 pm
@Hospital Pass(Hospital Pass)-125:
yeah, youre probably right.
Only NZ is ‘under pressure’ at the RWC.
Everyone else arrives under No Pressure……
certainly France, who have never won a RWC despite multiple Grand Slams
Not Engl, the richest rugby nation, 6N Winners but hammered by Ireland.
Not Aussie, because they never believe they can win anything and surrender quicker than Boy George in the face of a pea-shooter.
And not SA, and their travelling political excuse-ridden Circus with Krusty as the Ringmaster.
Yep, just NZ, only NZ.
psssst, pass the Tuis !
15 Jun 2011, 17:03 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-190: do you know how far from Orlando i actually live?
15 Jun 2011, 17:05 pm
My point exactly
We should be ashamed
15 Jun 2011, 17:06 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-191: yep, yet nothing to say about post 147 Dawn?
hypocrite is right…
15 Jun 2011, 17:06 pm
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-148:
Pray for Fiji !
15 Jun 2011, 17:08 pm
@stew(stew)-164:
you should be relieved, not disappointed !
can remember a more average Canty AB since Rita Philpott.
15 Jun 2011, 17:10 pm
@Great White Shark(Predawn)-176:
Premenstrual giving lessons about ‘periods’
that is bloody hilarious !
15 Jun 2011, 17:12 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-191:
are there 2 of you, Peaches ?
nectarine imposters !
15 Jun 2011, 17:14 pm
Shut up
We never claimed to be perfect so we have nothing to apologise for
Go vent your spleen elsewhere
You can’t vreet us but spend 100 percent of your time here
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