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• 51.Big Hit:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:38 am

  Butch 10, Lambie 15 – Stransky

  Joel Stransky believes that Butch James, not Morné Steyn, should be the Springboks’ first-choice flyhalf at the Rugby World Cup. And he thinks that Patrick Lambie can be considered as the starting fullback instead of at No10.

  The Springbok 1995 World Cup hero believes that James is able to better vary his play, while his strong defensive ability is another plus point.

  James arrived in Cape Town on Tuesday along with 48 other players for this week’s Springbok assessment camp.

  “I’m not sure right now that the Boks have an idea of who that starting flyhalf is going to be. To be fair, the way he has played, it should probably be Butch,” Stransky said.

  “I assume that that is the thinking, and they would probably leave him at home for the Tri-Nations tour coming up (the first Test is against Australia in Sydney on July 23).

  “I, right now, would go for Butch. His ability to make decisions, to play closer to the gainline, defending that channel. All of that, plus his experience, means for me that he would be the flyhalf. Butch’s kicking game has improved dramatically since the last World Cup, and even in that tournament, he kicked out of hand really well. He looks comfortable as a goal-kicker too, and looks natural. With his experience, they won’t look past him.

  “There is only one thing – whether he will stay on the field. It’s those hot-headed tackles every now and then, and he has had three or four knee reconstructions. His longevity might be an issue.”

  Stransky adds that if Lions pivot James is the No1 flyhalf, the Bulls’ Steyn and Sharks playmaker Lambie should get gametime on the Tri-Nations tour. “It will be difficult circumstances as some players won’t go on tour. We will see who puts their hand up and comes to the fore. Whether they play Morné or Pat, I think you have two great players there,” he said.

  “The other side of Lambie is that they will probably want to look at him as a fullback in the Test arena. In the last few Super Rugby games, he looked very good indeed at fullback.”

• 52.Dawn:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:40 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-42:

  “Kyknet Afrikaans E-news ”

  How many channels do you watch at once?

• 53.stormersboy:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:41 am

  @grant10(grant10)-50: Maybe. In Butch’s case I’d be looking for game time, Frans Steyn too.

  But ja, I guess all will be revealed in time.

  It’s a strange feeling that I have this time around (WC Year). I’m feeling oddly ambivalent about who gets chosen etc.

  Maybe I’ll “sharpen up” closer to the time.

  Maybe I’m still battered after last Saturday.

  Dunno, Just don;t get a great feeling about our current crop. Come the hour I’ll be screaming my head off like I always do. Just can’t work up a great deal of enthusiasm at this stage.

• 54.he's not the messiah. he's a very naughty boy!:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:42 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-45:
  thats a sensible way to see it. butch needs game time and if anyone needs to be cotton wooled its morne. so whether butch really is injured is an interesting question because it means lambie will get more games then?

• 55.Ryan:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:42 am

  @Big Hit(Big Hit)-29: ‘his current 83% goal-kicking stats cannot be relied upon in big test matches. ‘ … Really BH? Those ARE his Test stats. He has kicked in 16 of the 40 Tests he’s played and that’s his return.

• 56.Ryan:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:44 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-31: Butch will start at flyhalf in the Boks’ big games at the World Cup. Fact not speculation.

• 57.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:48 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-53: I share your ambivalence.

  It is a near Mission Impossible imho.

  But as you say, closer to the time the excitement will get to me !

• 58.Taahirah:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:48 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-56: Tough talk.

• 59.stormersboy:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:48 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-56: I Think it’s a bit premature to be calling a future event fact, but ja, he’s certainly one of 2 or 3 likely options for the flyhalf jersey…..

• 60.poppa69:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:49 am

  @Taahirah(Taahirah)-49: of course I know that…

  because instead of building a team capable of winning it this year, by bringing through and nurturing the talent, you are relying on the same crew who won it 4 years ago, even though they peaked two years ago and are on the downward spiral… you guys are hoping like hell F.Steyn will be just as good, that Juan Smith will return the same player he was etc… lots of gambles there…

  so that false sense of World Champs for four years is going to hurt your rugby for the next 4 years..

• 61.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:49 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-56: absolutely correcr.

  And a damn fine choice.

• 62.Big Hit:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:50 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-55: fair enough, but he kicked for Bath through the latter part of last season and had quite a few mares kicking at goal. Time will tell I guess.

• 63.Taahirah:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:50 am

  @grant10(grant10)-61: How ironic.
  Your spelling of correct isnt correct.
  

• 64.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:51 am

  naas Botha s preferred choice is Lambie…

  Stransky says Butch.

  Says a lot about M Steyn….

• 65.Taahirah:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:51 am

  @poppa69(poppa69)-60: Time will tell I suppose.

• 66.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:51 am

  @Taahirah(Taahirah)-63: LOL

  Freudian slip!

• 67.Taahirah:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:52 am

  @grant10(grant10)-64: Lambie is to Naas like the son he never had.
  Oh no, wait…

• 68.Dawn:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:52 am

  “Wellington – New Zealand police have questioned known political activists about their protest plans for this year’s Rugby World Cup, asking some whether they would alert authorities if contacted by terrorists, local media reported.

  Joe Carolan, an organiser for the Unite union which represents low-paid workers, told the New Zealand Herald “three massive lads” in uniform had visited union offices and asked about planned World Cup protests.

  Carolan said the policemen had asked “‘If any terrorists got in touch with you, would you contact us?’ And we just looked at each other. Of course we’re opposed to terrorism.”

  The Unite union is one of a number of groups planning protests during the World Cup in September and October. Carolan said the union’s protests would highlight the low wages of hotel staff and security guards.

  Meredydd Barrar, a spokesperson for the Coalition for Social Justice, said it and other protest groups were planning acts of “civil disobedience” to disrupt the tournament.

  “(We) intend to take action during the RWC to alert the world that New Zealand is not as squeaky clean as people might perceive,” Barrar told the New Zealand Herald.”

• 69.stormersboy:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:53 am

  @he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-54: That’s the way I see it. I’ve seen bits and pieces of the “old Butch” this year, but not nearly enough to convince me that he’s still sharp enough for 80 minutes against the all Blacks.

  For me there really is only 1 critical game at the WC: The semi against the All Blacks.

  Yes I know every game is important yada yada and that Ireland aren’t going to be a walkover yada yada but the way i se it, whether we select Morne or Butch for those games won’t make a difference, unless James gets binned against Ireland and makes us play with 14 men. That could cost us for sure.

  The pool and quarters will be won or lost upfront really. The total combination becomes critical when you play the AB’s in the semis (likely). Then you cannot afford to leave anything to chance.

• 70.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:53 am

  Ryan.

  I have heard a little bird whisper that Brussow has indeed signed on the dotted line for the WP.

  Have you gents heard anything?

• 71.pakslae:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:53 am

  @poppa69(poppa69)-41:
  Yeah, 2008 we were rubbish. A lot of things happened after the World Cup with Jake White getting sacked and P de Villiers trying to play a more expansive game, which was ‘foreign’ to our senior players.
  In 2009 we reverted back to our old game plan and strenghts and we managed to white-wash the ABs and win the Lions series.
  What’s worrying me ahead of the World Cup, is that teams know how to beat us. If they dominate us up front, our game-plan is pretty much stuffed and they have a good chance of winning us. And with the one dimensional Morne at flyhalf, he can’t offer anything else besides booting it upfield.
  I don’t think Butch is that great either, but what he offers is the physical presence in that channel and he will strike more fear into the opposition and bring our centres more into play. Imagine SBW running at you all day behind a dominant AB pack. I would feel better having Butch there.

• 72.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:54 am

  @Taahirah(Taahirah)-67: LOL

  Classic

  You on fire my man!

• 73.Big Hit:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:55 am

  G10….

  Smit back at prop for Boks?

  Springbok captain John Smit may be cast into the role of part-time tighthead prop again when South Africa embark on their Tri-Nations tour.

  While the Tri-Nations will offer Smit a golden opportunity of giving his career as hooker momentum again, Werner Kruger is now the only fit tighthead prop of those still standing in the Bok training squad.

  It is believed there is a good chance that Kruger will be among the substitutes when the Boks open their campaign against Australia in Sydney on 23 July.

  If that is the case, the responsibility may well be Smit’s to wear the No 3 jersey.

• 74.Tacitus:
  8 Jul 2011, 09:57 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-56:

  Lucky for us then that World Cup semi-finals and finals don’t come down to penalties or drop kicks then, hey…

• 75.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:00 am

  @pakslae(pakslae)-71: spot on Pakslae.

  Butch will make opposing defences sit up and take notice…..and he will add steel to the defenceand limit the offensive choices of the opposition.

  Saders 27 nil win over Bulls ruthlessly exposed both M Steyn and WO on defence…..

  I would not want a Kiwi team running against M Steyn…….give me Butch there any day of the week.

  I would seriously also consider F Steyn at 12 for a test against Kiwis…..

  Sonny Bill may think twice with Butch and Frans in his face all day.

• 76.he's not the messiah. he's a very naughty boy!:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:00 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-55:
  yes ryan, but both you and big hit should consider that stats don’t always paint the proper picture. who’s the leading points scorer for the 2007 wc? well, its percy montgomery with 22 conversions and 17 penalties and thats the point. butch was never the kicker for the boks if he had taken all the kicks for all the tests he played he would have had a much worse kicking stat percentage.
  now then, if butch goes to the wc as #1 then who’s the kicker?

• 77.Ryan:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:02 am

  @stormersboy(stormersboy)-59: The decision is made. It’s not premature.

• 78.Tacitus:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:02 am

  @he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-76:

  It seems like Plod has a bit more influence than Matfield in team selection, if the James rumours are true.

  Maybe he just doesn’t want to carry the blame alone when we crash in the semifinals. Will be much easier to blame James’s yellow card than Smit’s fat arse.

• 79.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:04 am

  @Big Hit(Big Hit)-73: yes….

  I heard Kanko, Spies and A Johnson have requested danger pay.

  And Ruan and Mc Cleod have been sent to counselling in preparation.

• 80.Ryan:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:04 am

  @he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-76: I don’t deal in hypotheticals – ie ‘..if Butch had taken..’ . I make a judgement on what he has done when entrusted with the duty. By your standard I could also argue that he would have kicked at the same or higher percentage. Make a call on the info available to you, not a ‘what if’ to support your argument.

• 81.Ryan:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:06 am

  @grant10(grant10)-70: We’re chasing the story mate. Transfer season in rugby is almost as crazy as in european football. Early signs indicate Cheetahs won’t be able to match a massive offer from WP.

• 82.Tacitus:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:06 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-80:

  Available info: Montgomery was our World Clas goalkicker in 2007, Jannie de Beer in 99, Stransky in 95.

  Without Morne Steyn, we will go into the 2011 tournament with no reliable goalkicker.

  That’s the end of the campaign right there.

• 83.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:07 am

  @he’s not the messiah. he’s a very naughty boy!(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-76: Butch will take the shorter kicks and Frans the longer kicks…..simple.

• 84.Big Hit:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:08 am

  @grant10(grant10)-75: what is your back 3 and scrum-half?

• 85.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:08 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-78: you are becomming just as pathetic as the other smit bashers??
  would you have to guts to tell him this face to face??

  You assume Smit is the selector of James, who tells you its not MAtfield? , or actually just the Book coaching staff??

  As for fat?? grow up man , name calling like a school girl because you trying hating anytyhing thats not a blue bull player

  And you try make out like ur intelligent?? nee wat typies van party swape wat niks in die lewe vermag het nie

• 86.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:09 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-81: thanks….I heard Brussow had signed on Wednesday…..but I have learned a long time ago that a deal aint a deal till the ink is dry.

• 87.Ryan:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:10 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-78: Definitely a Smit inspired selection. But Matfield has made enough to still be firmly ahead on that count. Did someone say Wynand Olivier?

• 88.Tacitus:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:10 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-81:

  More available info:

  We won 2 World Cups – thanks to Stransky and Montgomery’s boots.

  We beat the British Lions once in the professional era – thanks to Morne Steyn’s boot.

  We lost to the British Lions once in the professional era – thanks to Andre Joubert’s poor boot. Jouberts general skills were irrelevent when it came down to his erratic goalkicking. Series lost.

  We won the Tri Nations twice in the last decade – thanks to Montgomery and Steyn’s deadly goalkicking.

  South Africa has only won 3 Super 14 trophies – each one with a deadly kicking flyhalf in place – first Derick Hougaard and then twice with Morne Steyn.

  The stats speak for themselves. Without a world clas specialist goalkicker/dropkick specialist we have no hope. It is just the South African style of play.

• 89.stormersboy:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:11 am

  @Ryan(Ryan)-77: Ok so what you then should maybe have said is ” According to information available to KEO, Butch is currently the first choice flyhalf and the intention is to start him in the important games…something or other”

  On a point of journalism, you cannot state something as fact before it’s happened. Only death and taxes Ryan. Injury? Cards? Form?

  If you sometimes wonder why people give you a hard time here, this would be a good example. “Butch will start at flyhalf in the Boks’ big games at the World Cup. Fact not speculation.” is not fact. It’s actually speculation at this stage.

• 90.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:12 am

  A player like Butch gets inside the All Blacks head , if they will admit it or not i doubt it but Butch is that kind of player

• 91.Taahirah:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:13 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-88: On fire, Tac.

• 92.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:13 am

  @Big Hit(Big Hit)-84: for the A team ?

  15 Frans

  14 JPP

  11 habana.

  Against the kiwis in a semi I am not so sure….

  Frans Steyn has been playing a lot of his rugby at 12…..and Kiwis pose a unique threat with SBW at 12….JDV has not really managed to combat him twice effectively this season.

  Maybe I would unleash Frans Steyn at 12 there….

• 93.Ryan:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:14 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-82: Tac, come now, you know you are being irrational and your usually good analysis is being compromised by your allegiance to the Bulls. Have an early dutch cocktail (make it a double), relax and write on this subject later when you’re in a different, more rational zone. Alternatively, cancel your DSTV subscription, burn your Bok jersey and wait until October to be the first to write ‘I told you so’.

• 94.poppa69:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:14 am

  @President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-90: perhaps one should tell Butch that to “get into the ABs heads” is NOT a literal statement…

• 95.grant10:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:15 am

  A lot of senior players prefer Butch at 10…..

  And PDV has never really been a M Steyn fan.

• 96.President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:16 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-88: you also lost many games at the BUlls this year due to Steyns poor plaY and just kicking ball away

  amamzing how you try give Butch no credit for the 2007 win?? where he was probably the best 10 in the tourney, look at over all play ,

  I guess you only rate a kicker , rest of the game means zero??

  or is it as long as he is a blue bull???

• 97.Taahirah:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:16 am

  @poppa69(poppa69)-94:

• 98.Ryan:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:16 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-88: James – 83% goalkicking in Tests Tac. Morne is only marginally higher. Why the pessimism? What is the basis or are you going to argue that the stats don’t reflect his aptitude in this regard?

• 99.pakslae:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:16 am

  @Tacitus(Deucalion)-82:
  With Morne there against the ABs, penalties won’t make any difference because the game will be lost before the second half. Let’s face it, the Abs are the biggest obstacle we going to face in this World Cup. We will beat the Irish and go through to the semi’s with any flyhalf we have in the squad.

• 100.Ogre:
  8 Jul 2011, 10:16 am

  Thjis entire farce just deepens and generates its own momentum in its downward spiral like a jet fighter in a tailspin after being hit from behind by a guided missile, and its pilot is using the smoke from the smoketrail to blow up everyones a_r-s-e.

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