Braced for battle
21 Jun 2011
Watch out Sonny Bill Williams, the best is yet to come from Jean de Villiers.
After Williams and De Villiers’s first meeting, in the Super Rugby match at Newlands in May, Crusaders coach Todd Blackadder declared the midfield spoils shared. However, that didn’t prevent an avalanche of post-match analyses and comments on what the perceived outcome of this particular battle portended for the World Cup.
‘I didn’t pay attention to what was being said in the media,’ says De Villiers, in the new issue of SA Rugby magazine, on sale Wednesday. ‘For me it was just another big game. Sonny Bill is a good player, but you can’t get hung up on personal battles because you don’t go up against your opposite number in every single situation. There are so many other things to worry about. You have to trust in the guy next to you and work together to beat the opposition.’
In the same article, Stormers backline coach Robbie Fleck talks about the little changes that De Villiers has made to his game since returning from Ireland that have made a big difference, while former Wales centre Scott Gibbs explains why De Villiers is not being used properly by the Stormers or Boks.
Also in the new issue:
– Rassie Erasmus will give the Springboks a technical edge. SA Rugby magazine finds out exactly what his role entails
– Nothing much changes for the All Blacks when it comes to the Tri-Nations, even when the bigger prize hovers just beyond its conclusion
– Sonny Bill Williams on his trademark offload, facing Jean de Villiers, and his love for boxing
– Robbie Deans believes Australia’s improved playing depth will allow the Wallabies to adopt a squad system in this year’s Tri-Nations
– Matt Giteau on why teams will take the Tri-Nations seriously, Jake White’s appointment as Brumbies coach, and signing for Toulon
– Os du Randt speaks out: ‘They used that late-night incident as an excuse to get rid of me … Peter [de Villiers] and Saru don’t deserve to be a part of any World Cup success’
– The Springbok Sevens were full value for their World Series tournament wins in London and Edinburgh
– New Sharks signing Marius Joubert has become a thinking midfielder
– The Pampas XV overcame unique obstacles to win the Vodacom Cup
– Robert and Sias Ebersohn on life, loyalty and the Springboks
– Six years ago, Ryand Hattingh had his neck broken in a schools match after his opponent used an illegal scrumming manoeuvre. SA Rugby magazine reveals how, in a landmark court ruling, the latter was made liable for damages
– Schalk Brits was the best hooker in the 2010-11 English Premiership and should go to the World Cup with the Springboks
– Leinster hooker Richardt Strauss on winning the European Cup and why he wants to play for Ireland
– What happened to McNeil Hendricks?
– FREE: Double-sided poster of Jean de Villiers and Sonny Bill Willams
– SMS COMPETITION: Win Samsung products worth R60 000, including a 40-inch LCD TV, camcorder, double-door fridge and notebook
Click here to subscribe to print edition
Click here to subscribe to digital edition
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272 Comments
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21 Jun 2011, 06:21 am
A double-sided poster?
21 Jun 2011, 06:34 am
Yes double sided to cater for local Cape town bras , you know Stormers and what ever team from New Zealand they support
21 Jun 2011, 06:40 am
Shouldn’t it be Nonu beware? You know, seeing as Sonny B-low-Job Williams has been exposed in recent weeks?
21 Jun 2011, 07:20 am
SA Rugby Magazine = Keo pushing his own agendas in the name of SA Rugby.
The same **** as what is written on his blog site.
21 Jun 2011, 08:01 am
Mcneil Hendrix het gan appels pluk in Ceres.
21 Jun 2011, 08:05 am
@welshbok(welshbok)-4: the same blog site you are on … says more about you than it does me
21 Jun 2011, 08:21 am
@keo(keo)-6: Hahahaha up early this morning Mark.
21 Jun 2011, 08:22 am
@keo(keo)-6: About damn time 1 of you buggers said something. it gets so irritating coming on here and reading agendas and personla attacks on the journalists of this site. why the heck are the bloggers still on here if it is such a c r a p site?
some guys just blog with the sole intent of getting “thumbs up” and comments from other bloggers.
ITs all about Rugga manne. sober up for crying out loud
21 Jun 2011, 08:24 am
Speaking of, whatever happened to the “thumbs up” experiment?
21 Jun 2011, 08:25 am
Phil Waugh retires
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-union/union-news/waratahs-skipper-phil-waugh-hangs-up-his-boots-20110621-1gct2.html
SBW was nullified by Robert Ebersholm taking the space to where SBW off loads. Too simple but he doe not even get selected for the Blesbokke
21 Jun 2011, 08:32 am
Keo – don’t you think articles like this one serve to hype up Sonny Bill more than anything else ? If he didn’t believe he was something special before, he certainly does now – after the SA media have made such a huge thing about him.
21 Jun 2011, 08:34 am
@KevinRack(KevinRack)-10: SBW was nullified by ashley johnson who was constantly in his channel to keep him in check. Even Barry Geels sole job was to put the big hits on the midfield combo. He was given the Andries Strauss task of tackling for his life with little or no other skill
21 Jun 2011, 08:37 am
Keo whats your thoughts on the boks xv for tri-nations home games vs the boks xv against wales at the RWC will it differ much? and whats the likely away team for the tri-nations likely to look like?
21 Jun 2011, 08:46 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-7: When you have two kids of 11 and 8 – and school runs you are up early every morning!
21 Jun 2011, 08:48 am
@keo(keo)-14: Amen Brother. I do the same.
21 Jun 2011, 08:51 am
@chucky(chucky)-12: You are a genius (NOT) SBW played 40 mins against Cheetahs and looked as disinterested as the rest of the Saders. I think the Boks tech team (read Rassie) will focus on his 50-plus effective offloads in comp and not one game in which neither he nor the Saders fired a shot. I still believe Henry will start with Nonu and Smith and bring SBW on in last 30 … and his offloading game has potential to cause damage against any defence
I think SBW is a brilliant addition to the game … here we have a guy who offers something refreshing and because he is not SAfrican we can’t see why the likes of SBW need to be embraced. He is good for rugby, but he is also a four-test and 11 game Sup Rug player. That’s pretty young in union experience. I’d focus on what he has already achieved as opposed to knocking him and I don’t think anyone is putting him on a pedestal; rather just appreciating the excitement he brings to any game he plays because of the anticipation of whether he will get his offload game going or a defence will stand up to it and that of his support runners.
21 Jun 2011, 08:53 am
@chucky(chucky)-12: and did barry “sbw killer” geel tackle? made 17 tackles and missed 0
21 Jun 2011, 08:54 am
Brendan Ventre hit the very ovious nail on the head when he said that it’s SBW’s offloads that are the most dangerous, so you always need a man marking the receiving player very closely.
That means that Jaque Fourie’s job of marking Fruean is as important, as he’s the beneficiary of much of SBW’s magic.
21 Jun 2011, 08:55 am
@keo(keo)-16: sbw groupie
21 Jun 2011, 09:00 am
@chucky(chucky)-13: I would play the best team throughout the Tri Nations, try and win it and build momentum into the WCup as there is only 3 weeks between the two tournaments and see the WCup as an extension of the Tri Nations …
Given the Boks’s toughest assignment will be Wales in the first month of the WC (and Wales are pretty KAK) they may find themselves a game or two short of building cohesion or momentum if there is too much chopping and changing in the Tri Nations.
PDV’s starting XV will be this (fitness permitting) – Steyn, JP, JF, JDV, BH, BJ, FDP, PS, JS, SB, VM, BB, JDP, JS, Beast … that’s 12 from the last WC (11 of whom played in the final … incredible stat when you think of it … do they have another final in them … that is the big question … four years after their finals win against Eng in Paris
21 Jun 2011, 09:01 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-19: Right in front, leading the applause … no apology from me for appreciating his talents
21 Jun 2011, 09:02 am
@keo(keo)-16: Keo – we giving this guy too much air time….lets put the shoe on the other foot.
Patrick Lambie arrives in New Zealand, and picks up one of their sports magazines, and on the front cover is a picture of him, and Daniel Carter.
The caption reads – ‘Who will win the war ?’
What do you think that does for Lambie ?
Come on – we over-hyping this Sonny Bill fellow. And its going to only have a positive effect on him.
21 Jun 2011, 09:02 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-19:
21 Jun 2011, 09:03 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-18: it’s not only fruean that receives sbw’s offloads, what people don’t get is that blackadder is using sbw as weapon to exploit mismatches eg saders try agains stormers, sbw gets the ball, attacks forwards bekker & cj, offloads to maitland who motors and crockett scores…no jdv, no mossie in site…
same thing with the two other offloads he dished to guilford and tom marshall who BOTH knocked on with the tryline beckoning…
sbw’s efficacy for the saders is not toe-to-toe against other centres, unless they’re wynand olivier who is sh*t scared of sbw.
21 Jun 2011, 09:06 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-24: It’s easy to develop a counter plan for the offload. I don’t see what all the fuss is about.
21 Jun 2011, 09:07 am
….I thought de villiers played on the right wing
21 Jun 2011, 09:07 am
@keo(keo)-20: Interesting to note so then we shouldnt expect atleast 20 players from the extended squad to even get a minute of playing time?
Personally I would target the away leg with the 1st choice.
Glad to see butch starting
Regarding SBW – i never said he was bad for the game or even a useless player. in fact i sometimes have to sober up when watching his games as i will ask everyone in the room “OMW did u see wat SOnny Bill did, what a gifted player” and they will remind me that all he did was make a normal run and go to ground. Point is Sonny Bill was marshalled out of the game in Bloem and any team with technical ability can mark him out of the game, but then again that will only aid the players around him.
21 Jun 2011, 09:10 am
@svs(svs)-26: Isn’t it interesting that both the Stormers and the Sharks took a major play-maker and moved them to another position for pretty important games !
What is alarming for the Stormers, is that Jean was moved out of 12, and the conceded the most tries in a match so far this season. Kind of sends a very clear message.
21 Jun 2011, 09:11 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-22: what you’re missing is mark keohane is COO of a publishing company, if there’s hype about a rugby player he is as happy as capo in a poodle (read gunther) show.
21 Jun 2011, 09:12 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-24: Agreed. The Saders wings have fed off him all year. And very effectively too!. Mypint was that whoever is outside SBW must be as big a target as SBW himself.
21 Jun 2011, 09:14 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-28: Your right – the cheetahs game talks volumes about his defense i guess, but I did enjoy seeing him with more space on the wing, as he’s quite inventive….althought repetitive crash ball (ala the boks) is fantastic too
Ag sorry – that was just plain sarcasm
21 Jun 2011, 09:14 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-25: no it is not, he doesn’t offload ALL the time, i get what you gripe is but you can’t fight hype or the people with pens who buy ink in bulk.
darryl gibson is no mug.
21 Jun 2011, 09:16 am
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-30: outside or inside or everywhere! at twickenham him and carter tore the sharks new cloacas with inside offloads! now what?
21 Jun 2011, 09:18 am
Pieta, ek deel jou sentimente 100%. SARU en Peter De Villiers verdien nie eers hul kaartjies na NZ toe nie. Hulle is een en almal ‘n verleentheid vir die sport – ‘n sport waarin jy jouself oor en oor bewys het en waarvan jy ‘n legende is. Hulle verstaan nie die gees van die Wereldbeker nie – jy het ten minste twee wenners medaljes. Dit breek my hart om te dink dat hulle ‘n ikoon soos jy so kan behandel – wat het PDV in sy lewe bereik om homself so aanstellerig te hou? Absoluut niks nie en hy gaan die Bokke in die skande stel by die WB. Die nar is besig om dit waarvoor ons bloed gegiet het onder sy voete te vertrap.
21 Jun 2011, 09:18 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-29: I think the media underestimate their influence, specifically in rugby. I am convinced that when the Sharks for example read all these articles about how they are going to get their backsides handed to them, it actually helps for motivation.
Come on Keo – put up something explaining how heavily the Sharks will lose against the Crusaders ! Please dude !!! Get Ryan Vrede to do it – he loves explaining how the Sharks will lose to their opposition – and then they end up winning exactly in that way. 3 times now, he has predicted perfectly how the Sharks would win, by saying how they would lose. Currie Cup semi-final, Currie Cup final and this past weekends game at Loftus. He’s an oracle !!
21 Jun 2011, 09:19 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-28: and on whose wing was benjamin having a ball?
21 Jun 2011, 09:21 am
@svs(svs)-31: Jean De Villiers has to play 12 for the Boks – that much is clear, and if he is not available, we have to play Francois Steyn in that position.
Juan De Jongh is great on attack, but uninspiring on defense. Wynand Olivier took a hammering from the Sharks. He’s a decent player, but its too easy to implement methods to counteract him.
Our only two options at 12 are Jean De Villiers and Francois Steyn. I hope De Villiers realises this.
21 Jun 2011, 09:23 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-29: @Transformation(Transformation)-32:
jy is baie snaaks oom.
21 Jun 2011, 09:23 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-22: It makes Lambie realise he’s quality is recognised
21 Jun 2011, 09:24 am
@Transformation(Transformation)-36: Just like Juan De Jongh isn’t a good defensive 12, Jean De Villiers isn’t a good defensive wing.
Personally, I would have liked to see De Jongh play wing, and kept De Villiers at 12. One just wonders if they aren’t protecting De Villiers a bit. I got that feeling about the 10 to 15 move for Pat Lambie.
21 Jun 2011, 09:24 am
that should be his
21 Jun 2011, 09:25 am
@keo(keo)-39: Yep – I am not sure if that is something I want for SBW, just before the world cup
His quality can be recognized in his own country.
21 Jun 2011, 09:26 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-37:
I don’t see JDJ miss many tackles – whereas JDV is simultaneously a “great organiser of defense” and a turnstile?
21 Jun 2011, 09:27 am
JDV was expected to make things happen from 12 when Kurt Coleman was playing at 10. Coleman took no responsibility upon himself to draw defenders. He received kak slow ball from Januarie, trotted at about 1/3 pace and lobbed the ball to JDV who had two flanks, a flyhalf and a 12 centre waiting in his channel. No person alive could do anything in that situation.
I had the privilege of seeing some of the Boks’ games live last year and it was very noticeable how, even in the warm-ups, both M Steyn and Lambie were running diagonally across the field – thus forcing JDV to cut inside because he did not want to remove Mossie’s space. It happened every time the ball was passed in the actual games as well. Everyone commented that it was because JDV lost pace that he cut inside, but it was actually because this is Muir’s and typical Sharks game plan and structure.
JDV is a rugby brain that is under utilized at the Boks and is wasted on the wing. He and Mossie form the best defensive pairing in the country because they both organize it so well – something you cannot teach. Those who detract from his talent do so at their peril
21 Jun 2011, 09:27 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-28: they also scored tries for the first time (with the exception of the Force match). I would rather scored tries and win matches than not concede tries and lose matches
21 Jun 2011, 09:29 am
@svs(svs)-43: No way. Jean De Villiers has a great all-round game. De Jongh doesn’t miss any tackles ? Buddy, go watch the Cheetahs/Stormers game again. And he was playing against Barry Geel/Robert Eberhson…….no SBW in sight…..
It’s a matter of opinion I suppose, and I have always preferred a bulkier 12.
21 Jun 2011, 09:30 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-35:
Yep, that figures, SA always thinks defense first. That is why we are so pathecially mediocre. We will not beat the best in the world consistently if we are going into every game with a defensive attitude.
21 Jun 2011, 09:30 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-37: you’re talking rubbish, juan de jongh played 12 the WHOLE year last year, which team had the best defensive record in super rugby? pick on another dude
21 Jun 2011, 09:35 am
Look, I like JDV, I just think for the boks he’s wasted playing crash ball – he in particular needs more space (as was evident on Saturday when on the wing)….I mean for the boks, has he ever been as elusive as, say, (stand-in) FSteyn was at RWC2007?
21 Jun 2011, 09:49 am
Don’t think many teams will be too worried about the Bokke backs, as a unit they don’t offer much on attack.
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