Rock of the ages
26 Jul 2011
RYAN VREDE writes that Danie Rossouw’s value to the Springboks in a World Cup context will be further underlined when he starts at lock on Saturday.
The Springboks have been severely depleted in the second row department, losing Johann Muller and Flip van der Merwe to injuries within days of each other. It is too soon to make an absolute judgement on Alistair Hargreaves. He is just three Tests into his international career. However, he certainly hasn’t given the impression that he can be anything beyond a purely competent option.
Hargreaves is expected to drop to the bench for the clash in Wellington against New Zealand, lending support to the previous assertion. His place is likely to be taken by Gerhart Mostert, who will partner Rossouw in the second row.
Rossouw’s versatility is a massive boon for the Springboks. His true value, however, is not only is he adaptable, but has a high level of competency whether he plays at either of the lock positions, blindside flank or No. 8, the role he filled so successfully at the World Cup in France. No Test nation can boast a player of such ilk.
At the Bulls his value is acknowledged and fully appreciated. They are acutely aware of what they are losing when Rossouw ends his 10-year tenure at the franchise to take up a deal with Japanese side Suntory after the World Cup.
Certainly the fact that the last three Springboks coaches have consistently selected him suggests they too recognise his worth. Yet it wouldn’t be a stretch to suggest he has, among most Springboks supporters, been grossly undervalued.
He has been ever-present in most of the Springboks’ notable triumphs over the last eight years. Furthermore, Rossouw’s humility is an endearing quality. While most fringe players have expressed their frustration at riding the wood more than they feel they should, Rossouw has openly acknowledged that he is playing in a generation were there are superior players in the positions he can occupy. Yet remove him from the selection equation, particularly when faced with injuries or a slumps in form of the lock and loose trio incumbents, and the Springboks will be in a dire situation.
Through the offerings of Springboks head coach Peter de Villiers, it has become increasingly obvious that Rossouw will be his go-to man at blindside flank should Juan Smith fail to recover from an Achilles injury that curtailed his Super Rugby campaign. I have no reservations about his aptitude should this scenario unfold, which is not to underestimate Smith’s immense value to the Springboks.
For Saturday’s match, however, he looks set to start in the No 5 jumper, requiring him to tap into the more athletic attributes he possesses (as opposed to being asked to play tighter as a No 4 lock which is adept at). Again, there is no discernible sense of concern around this selection, which again speaks to Rossouw’s competence.
In the midst of the turmoil that these Springboks find themselves, Rossouw’s presence is one factor that should be comforting when viewed in the context of their World Cup title defence. I’ve written it before and I’ll reiterate the point: He is a national treasure. Sadly, I suspect his value will only fully be appreciated once his Test career ends.
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45 Comments
26 Jul 2011, 11:41 am
Seems to me i am the only blind Dragon here!
26 Jul 2011, 11:43 am
To confirm. With ball in hand i rate him.
Defence and frontal contact… imo is “Butchlike”….
26 Jul 2011, 12:01 pm
Danie is a Legend.
26 Jul 2011, 12:02 pm
He started off over rated but now that age has caught up with his other “rock of ages” pals i.e Victor,bakkies etc he is able to shine as he has ALL the experience they possess but in terms of freshness and conditioning he is miles ahead as he has mainly been used as an impact player for the Boks/Bulls.
Tha doesnt mean I think he is a bad player, just that he is a 1968 Ford Mustang that has been driven only on Sundays limiting his wear and tear compared to the over driven Mustangs used Monday to Friday to and from work and also to the ocassional party.
Question to Ryan – which 4 Bok coaches did he play under ? Rudolf, Jake, Peter and ?
26 Jul 2011, 12:06 pm
@chucky(chucky)-4: Harry Viljoen. Rossouw first got picked for the Boks in Nov 2001 – bit of a leftfield selection (he was then replaced by Krige who was originally dropped and chosen to captain SA A to Georgia), but had to withdrew due to a knee injury, a knee injury that kept him out whole of 2002.
26 Jul 2011, 12:07 pm
@chucky(chucky)-4:
The senior players in the team are considered collectively to be one coach
26 Jul 2011, 12:10 pm
@chucky(chucky)-4: See here: news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/1633976.stm
26 Jul 2011, 12:12 pm
hopefully a player like elstadt will be able to fill his massive shoes after rwc’11.
26 Jul 2011, 12:13 pm
@gecko(gecko)-5: Thanks for clarity.
I somehow seem to forget what his preffered position is.
In my opinion it is blindside? not sure
26 Jul 2011, 12:15 pm
@Staal(Staal)-1:
Dit intereseer my dat jy so krities teenoor hom is. Ek onthou etlike kere dat die Bulle sonderdie injury prone Botha moes klaar kom vir kritiese Super rugby wedstryde – en dat Danie dan moeiteloos in sy plek ingespan is. Trouens, die vaste vyf se vertonings was moontlik selfs beter met hom daar.
Hy gaan n reuse verlies wees vir ons.
26 Jul 2011, 12:17 pm
@chucky(chucky)-4:
Viljoen may be teh other coach
KInda agree with your points there
26 Jul 2011, 12:18 pm
@ali(ali)-8: South Africa churns players out daily… somewhere out there, there is an age group player that will come from “obscurity” and be the new prospect.@chucky(chucky)-9: I see before he was to make his debut in 2001 he was listed as losse forward
26 Jul 2011, 12:20 pm
@Mike H(Mike H)-11: Although injury prevented him from making his debut under Viljoen.
26 Jul 2011, 12:21 pm
After the past weekend Danie’s value should be seriously questioned. He was one of 5 players who had a shocker! The others are Steyn, Smit, Olivier and Ruan. All considered by you guys to be musts for the WC.
WOW! They were bad, and directly responsible for the loss. Ruan and Morne’s bad kicking mixed with miss tackles: tries. John and Danie’s miss tackles: tries. Olivier’s bad defense was the obvious target for the Aussies and they made most of their breaks between him and Morne. I was praying for these 5 to get injured after just 10 minutes into the game!
26 Jul 2011, 12:24 pm
I hope that this is not a pun on Danies ethnicity.
Otherwise I shall be on the phone to afriforum.
and keo is going to have Stevie Hofmeyer on his @$$.
26 Jul 2011, 12:24 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-10: My ook. Maar dan weer, Staal is baie versigtig in sy prys vir die Bulle, by tye soms selfs negatief teenoor hulle kanse en/of vermoens.
Ek skat dis maar omdat hy so na aan hulle is, waar ons net die vertonings van Danie, Victor, Bakkies op die veld sien het hy ‘n groter verwysingsraamwerk waarbinne hy hulle oordeel.
26 Jul 2011, 12:26 pm
@Gunther is friends with bra Julius and his family trust(gunther)-15:
26 Jul 2011, 12:27 pm
this time keo’s got the title dead right.
rock of ages he is indeed.
bakkies would be proud…
26 Jul 2011, 12:30 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-14: That whole team was responsible.
Was shocking to see our 10/12 axis look like they never played together before.
A backline for saturday of:
15 Lambie/Pienaar
14. Basson
13 JDJ
12 Adi
11 Mvovo
10 Pienaar/Lambie
09 Mcleod
Would even do much better i feel.
We cannot blame individuals for a teams loss, especially a game they were never realistically going to win, but its individuals who have been given game after game to prove themselves but continuously fail.
26 Jul 2011, 12:33 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-14:
wow! one game! seriously? one game! thats just ******** ***** **** ***** **** *** ***** complete ****** yes! you heard me! dont think **** ** **** for one minute ****** ****!!!!!!!!
seriously?
one game?
26 Jul 2011, 12:54 pm
he;s always been a good player – he can play 7, but should be playing at 4, he’s been excellent there and is vital since bakkies is only good for 50 mins these days, if he breaks down there is no other no 4 lock in the country.
He carries well, but tends to lose it in contact. There is no better ball-carrier than Alberts. Should Juan not recover, blindside can be covered by Alberts, Schalk or Vermeulen – tho it seems the latter is also injured, but Alberts is the ideal 7 with Danie at 4.
26 Jul 2011, 13:02 pm
danie is a lock…
we dont need him at 7 or 8 …..not with alberts and vermeulen around….
In kiwiland I would certainly start him at 8 before spies though….
but he is a lock….imo
26 Jul 2011, 13:14 pm
Boks use Spies & Wynand to pick up chicks.
26 Jul 2011, 13:22 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-10:
Askies – moet die nie negatief sien nie.
Ek dink hy was n monster maar nie meer wat hy was nie..
so ook Fourie d Preez, Bakkies, Schalla, Jean de Villiers, J Smit en so aan. Hul is goed maar nie meer great nie… imo.
so ek verseker jou dit het niks met Pakslae te doen nie…hy is die beste sub op slot wat ons het.
Ek gee nie om om verkeerd te wees nie – ek kyk maar net baie spesifiek na die spelers se 50/50 kanse wat hul kry…. hul is besig om dit te mis waar hul nie altyd sou nie.
So dis al. Niks ernstig nie.
26 Jul 2011, 13:29 pm
@chucky(chucky)-23: Meisiekind is a chick…
On a serious note though, Danie is an Yster. His one failing is losing the ball in contact more often than you would expect from someone with his physicality and skill level… It’s something that has happened for years (he went through a stage a few years back where he wasn’t holding opposition in the tacjkle, instead using the shoulder, but I think he was being played with an injury). He still adds great value with his ability to play multiple positions…
@Bouts(Bouts)-14: Smit and Danie had good games (especially in the context of the abysmal team effort) – if you missed that – rewatch it. I do agree about Pienaar, MS and WO – they were terrible, with MS and Meisiekind embarresingly shown up time after time. Pienaar was bad as the team seemed to be a bit headless throughout (no gameplan to speak of) and this brings us back to the terrible coach we have – he makes Streauli look like the messiah…
26 Jul 2011, 13:35 pm
en dis nou die laaaaaaaaste wat ek my mond oopmaak hieroor!
26 Jul 2011, 13:53 pm
I said at the time when Danie earned his 50th cap that he is one of the most undervalued and under-estimated rugby players and Springboks we have ever seen.
For me his name will one day belong next to those of Andre Venter, Ruben Kruger etc.
26 Jul 2011, 13:57 pm
@ali(ali)-8: Massive shoes? Yes, more like a circus clown.
26 Jul 2011, 13:57 pm
There were two main failings on Saturday.
1. Poor midfield selection (Olivier is useless and should never touch a green and gold jersey again)
2. Poor performance at the ruck. (I am going to state that Stegman is also not test rugby capable)
My team for Sat would be:
15 Aplon
14 Basson
13 De Jongh
12 Straus (Better than the alternative)
11 Mvovo
10 Steyn
09 Pienaar
08 Kanko
07 Deysel
06 F Louw
05 Rassouw
04 Mostert
03 Bj Botha
02 Smit
01 Kruger
26 Jul 2011, 14:12 pm
@BreakdownBoy(goodstuff)-29: banana boy why would you list a team with so many players not on tour? so this would be your ideal team then since you have taken ALL players into consideration.
26 Jul 2011, 14:29 pm
@grant10(grant10)-22:
Agree 100% And based on who is on this tour an the objectives he should be playing at lock as well as if selected for RWC.
It’s the dam bench split versatility that keeps us seeing him used at 07/08. Not that I really have a issue with him playing there if its ahead of Spies or Steggman.
26 Jul 2011, 14:31 pm
@chucky(chucky)-23:
So what the faaark do the Boks us Steggman for? In-case there are no chicks left or what?
26 Jul 2011, 14:33 pm
@BreakdownBoy(goodstuff)-29:
And Aplon has been rules out & Sent home. Brussow also ruled out.
26 Jul 2011, 14:33 pm
@BreakdownBoy(goodstuff)-29: Aplon injured… flying home, Strauss (although much better than Meisiekind) not in contention, Flouw (light years ahead of Stegasaurus, but not considered), BJ in the ‘Rustenberg Injury Pot’ and finally Kruger is a tighthead, so maybe you meant Greyling as he is there and he’s a Loosehead.
Nonetheless – a much better team, but you use what you have…
26 Jul 2011, 14:33 pm
@Guns(Guns)-33:
Ruled**
26 Jul 2011, 14:37 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-27: Not quite, but he is definitely underestimated (lets hope he is not underutilised come WC time – he’s a darn side better than Bakkies ‘the playground bully’ that can’t fron the big boys anymore and has turned into a walking penalty).
26 Jul 2011, 14:49 pm
@Guns(Guns)-32: Someone has to update Matfields blog/twitter. apparently Stegmann and Dewaldt Potgieter are quite handy with mouse and keyboard
26 Jul 2011, 16:13 pm
@ali(ali)-8: I rate Elsttadt highly- how do the two compare in terms of size? I ask as Danie is a monster.
26 Jul 2011, 17:13 pm
Danie = Yster
26 Jul 2011, 18:15 pm
That is why we get beaten by the All Blacks far more often than we beat them because we love players like Danie Rossouw. Big, strong, little skill. Players like Pierre Spies and Ryan Kankowski who would be stars in New Zealand are heavily criticised in South Africa for daring to have a little flair.
26 Jul 2011, 18:45 pm
@malcolm(malcolm)-40: as far as I see they’re criticised on keo for being work-shy, it’s perhaps harsh on Kanko who has limited opportunity but it certainly accurate in the case of Spies. You simply cannot afford passengers at test level and that’s not a bracket Rossouw has ever fallen into, he deserves his plaudits.
26 Jul 2011, 19:37 pm
Watch out for an improved Bok display on Saturday. I predict they will hold there won for the first 5 minutes at least !!
26 Jul 2011, 19:58 pm
@malcolm(malcolm)-40: Danie Rossouw has no skill!!!…oh my word…can’t tell if troll or just stupid…sigh
27 Jul 2011, 00:52 am
Danie Rossouw is great. His ball and off-loading skills are excellent, although he does lose the ball in contact a bit too much.
I think that Jaundre Kruger is the best lock in SA outside Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Andries Bekker and Danie Rossouw.
He was excellent last week and was very good in the time he played in the UK. He is very experienced and highly regarded by everyone who saw him play in the UK.
With 3 of the guys stopping after the world cup, he and Andries Bekker are the the future locks and he should be part of the squad.
27 Jul 2011, 02:16 am
@Is not on the Sadie bandwagon(Sasori)-43: Rossouw is very limited skill wise as a loose forward. He is a useful player to have around as he can be used in many positions I do not dispute that. The problem I see is that the players and tactics we adopt make us very predictable and is a huge reason why New Zealand beat us more than 50% of the time in SOUTH AFRICA and about 90% of the time in New Zealand. Everyone who plays us knows the way to beat us is to man up to our forwards and if they succeed we will slowly but surely fall apart. New Zealand, France and recently Australia are getting this right more often than not against us in recent years luckily England also with competitive forwards use similar tactics to us but are even more predictable. When you have players that can be match winners the other players around them should be used to give these player the space and oppertunity to use their skills. We should not try and make Spies into a Schalk Burger in other words. Of course I do not expect anyone here to agree:-)
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