Keo.co.za
23 May 2013
Willie le Roux and Lappies Labuschagne have finally been rewarded with spots in the Springbok training group. They are two of eight that are first timers in Springbok training groups this year. The others are Gio Aplon, Trevor Nyakane, JJ Engelbrecht, Lionel Mapoe, Wiehahn Herbst and Demetri Catrakilis. The group of players will assemble in Durban for the second training camp of the year, before the final squad for the Incoming Tours is selected. Players not considered due to injury include: JP Pietersen, Jaco Taute, Frans Steyn, Johan Goosen, Duane Vermeulen, Pat Cilliers and Frans Malherbe. ... Read Article23 May 2013
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly KEOtv offering, is picking the Bulls in Durban and another Stormers shambles in Cape Town. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8m3yMKuy8yM Read Article25 Apr 2013
Jan Serfontein, the player of last year's under 20 World Championship, will head the baby Boks defence in France. Serfontein and Kings wing Sergeal Petersen are two Super Rugby regulars to make Dawie Theron's squad and brilliant flyhalf Handre Pollard is another to play in a second successive tournament. Theron's squad lost a three-match series 2-1 to Argentina in Argentina. Serfontein, Petersen and Western Province's Cheslin Kolbe did not play in those matches. Bulls loose forward Ruan Steenkamp is captain. Serfontein and Pollard are the only two squad members from last year's ... Read Article14 May 2013
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has selected several uncapped Blues players in his training group. Hansen confirmed 38 names and this included many from the potent Blues backline. The Highlanders, despite only winning one match in this year's Super Rugby competition, have six players in the group. An obvious area of weakness is at hooker where Hansen has selected veterans Andrew Hore and Keven Mealamu and Canes Dane Coles. Options are limited and it certainly is a concern for New Zealanders. No overseas-based players were considered, as it is NZRFU policy. Among the uncapped players ... Read Article15 May 2013
French coach Philipe Saint-Andre has included three South African-born players for the three-Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand. Racing Metro flank Bernard le Roux and Clermont prop Daniel Kotze join Antonie Claassen in a squad that includes eight new caps. Fijian-born Clermont winger Noa Nakaitaci is among the newcomers. Saint-Andre has rested flyhalf Francois Trinh-Duc, but included Toulon's Frederic Michalak. France play world champions New Zealand on June 8, 15 and 22 in Auckland, Hamilton and New Plymouth respectively. French super club Toulon's foreign dominance ... Read Article5 Mar 2013
MARK KEOHANE writes the Varsity Cup in its first year rocked. Since then it's just another professional tournament. The Varsity Cup may have the innovation of doing a few things differently, but what was supposed to be a celebration of student rugby somehow just seems like another tournament, in which the traditional power houses remain the traditional strengths in the tournament. Much has been made of the Port Elizabeth-based Nelson Mandela University display this season and equally there has been bewilderment at how poor Shimlas have been. But it seems the old one two of Stellenbosch University ... Read Article12 May 2013
Marcus Watson scored in extra time to beat the Blitzbokke in the London World Series Sevens Cup quarter-finals. The teams were level 14-all at full time. Watson's try came four minutes into extra time. England won 19-14. England had the chance to win the match with the last play of the game in normal time. They were awarded a penalty and opted to take a drop kick for goal. It missed. Watson then rounded off a move after England had retained possession for two minutes. South Africa suffered further embarrassment when they lost for a second time in the tournament to the USA and were eliminated ... Read Article8 Jan 2013
Limpopo will play in the Vodacom Cup as a separate side for the first time this year. The region, which is a sub-union of the Blue Bulls Rugby Union, has been granted a place in the tournament in its own rights to help foster rugby in South Africa’s far north. They join the 14 provincial unions as well as the returning Pampas XV from Argentina in the tournament, which kicks off in the second week of March and concludes in mid-May. The Polokwane-based Limpopo team will play in the North Section of the competition, along with the Blue Bulls, Golden Lions, Griffons, Leopards, Pumas, Valke ... Read Article4 Aug 2011
MARK KEOHANE says there is no disarray in the Bok camp and that Peter de Villiers knows exactly who will start against Wales in RWC opener. The question is whether the warriors of 2007 have anything left as a unit?
Ryan has written 4017 articles.
1 Dec 2012
29 Nov 2012
MARK KEOHANE, in his weekly KEOtv offering, is picking the Bulls in Durban and another Stormers shambles in Cape Town. Read More
Willie le Roux and Lappies Labuschagne have finally been rewarded with spots in the Springbok training group. They are two of eight that are first timers in Springbok training groups this year. Read More
The Rugby Football Union has turned down a proposal from their Welsh counterparts to stage the 2015 World Cup pool match between England and Wales in Cardiff. Read More
Marcus Watson scored in extra time to beat the Blitzbokke in the London World Series Sevens Cup quarter-finals. Read More
French coach Philipe Saint-Andre has included three South African-born players for the three-Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand. Read More
All Blacks coach Steve Hansen has selected several uncapped Blues players in his training group. Read More
447 Comments
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3 Aug 2011, 15:51 pm
@Hendrik Pienaar(hendrikp)-143: Yes, and you hoped that Morne would apply the brilliant tactic last Saturday?
Fact is that the game has changed so much and the Boks don’t seem to understand this. However, at the RWC, the style of play will definitely be more conservative and therefore Steyn’s skills will come in handy. I just believe that he is no longer feared by the opposition or a game breaker. I thought he would become one of the greatest Boks ever, but he has been disappointing. Too much ego and weight, I think…
3 Aug 2011, 15:52 pm
@PissAnt(PissAnt)-148:
You prepared to put your good reputation on the line? Man you are brave!
3 Aug 2011, 15:52 pm
@Hendrik Pienaar(hendrikp)-99:
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-131:
well here he’s listed as 100kg
http://frenchrugbyclub.com/Players/Racing-Metro-Players.html
if this helps
3 Aug 2011, 15:52 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-137: Say “excuse me” after you have a brainfart.
3 Aug 2011, 15:53 pm
Got to go chat later.
@Bill Reyts(Gumboots)-152:
I have done worse for beer before
3 Aug 2011, 15:57 pm
I never said jake goes around saying he got lucky.
I said he got lucky and he did. Thats my opinion and its the only one that counts.
3 Aug 2011, 15:57 pm
@Finfan(Finfan)-151:
Actually no I thought it was stupid that they would even consider playing Morne at fullback. but go ahead and put words in my mouth.
@we have it on good authority that on september 11, a legend will rise…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-153:
it helps, but makes no difference because when these guys feel like bantering they’ll drag anyone through the mud. it could be 95kg and then they’ll accuse him of being too soft for test rugby.
3 Aug 2011, 16:00 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-156: As long as you dont expect everyone to share your opinion.
3 Aug 2011, 16:00 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-156:
The IRB agreed with you so much they awarded him IRB International coach of the year twice (2004 and 2007)…
3 Aug 2011, 16:01 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-150:
Like I said. Soon as they’ve got it in for a player they rant about things that aren’t true. Anything to make that player look completely useless. In reality Spies was the Bulls most effective runner throughout the S15 campaign. Also made 3rd most tackles from memory behind Olivier and Matfield. Could be wrong but it was close to there.
3 Aug 2011, 16:01 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-159: Sssshhh. You’ll shake his believe system.
3 Aug 2011, 16:03 pm
Well keo is kind of stating the obvious.
Agree with the sentiments…..the real question is whether or not these guys have 4 big games left in them.
On the side….I dont think Juan will make in time so i think they will go with Alberts or Schalk at 7 with Brussouw at 6.
3 Aug 2011, 16:05 pm
Why do all the journalists say the team is old? This drum has been beating for ages now, but the fact is the 2007 was very young for a winning team.
Average age of the starting fifteen you quoted is 29. From Steyn at 24 to Matfield at 34. That is not old for a rugby team.
3 Aug 2011, 16:06 pm
Then why hasn’t he coached another big team since, wait I forgot about that brilliant stint he had with the lions. I feel sorry for act.
3 Aug 2011, 16:07 pm
Keo is persisting that it’s a training camp, not a rehab camp. I guess we all knew that it was really a training camp despite what Jurie Roux is saying.
3 Aug 2011, 16:07 pm
@Hendrik Pienaar(hendrikp)-160: Yes, third or fourth. I think Stegman was also up there. But the point is that some players are simply disliked for personal reasons. No matter what they do on the field, it will never be good enough. I am all for it when bloggers favour certain players, but I try to avoid bashing players I do not rate.
3 Aug 2011, 16:08 pm
@Hendrik Pienaar(hendrikp)-157: As far as I can remember, you thought moving Steyn to fullback could’ve been a brilliant ploy. If it weren’t you, sorry, wasn’t trying to put words in your mouth. You are surprisingly touchy and aggro this afternoon. Anything to do with Keo’s presence on the blog earlier?
3 Aug 2011, 16:09 pm
I think it will be foolish to judge the merits of whether or not Frans Steyn should be 15 as we haven’t even seen him play yet, however, the fact is that Frans is the first choice in the first team at 15 and until proven otherwise should start, or then Gio could step up. Same policy Henry is applying to the AB 12 jersey, Nonu is the incumbent and until SBW proves he adds more value hes benched.
3 Aug 2011, 16:09 pm
@Alicamousa(Slider)-163: someone called the Springboks “dad’s army”, what is the average age of the likely All Blacks 1st XV?
3 Aug 2011, 16:09 pm
Brycie
Yeah but it was downright criminal that The Greatest did not get the award in 2009. BIL series and 3N with cleansweep of Nz. Crazy stuff.
Keo
You mention above how the Special One should do things differently and have pulled the plug on certain players careers, well why not write a piece explicitely pointing out which of the old boys should have been canned. Let’s hear it – about time some hard talk questions were posed.
3 Aug 2011, 16:09 pm
@keo(keo)-13:
You may well have thought it through now in 2011 and with inside information but that reflects zero longstanding foresight which someone in your business should have as a character trait.
The very day PDIv was appointed he was purposefully compromised to get him to understand his role as a figurehead. Weeks later he was sent by his Masters to pleadingly bring back the petulant Matfield and erstwhile capt. Smit(both playing out of position in France and in inferior competition) who were on their last pensions’ tour.
Were your bells ringing then suggesting you should ask serious questions of Saru and its cohorts?
The selection of his first TNs squad in mid 2008 despite the horrid results thereof and the subsequent tapes(now a deathly silence) more than clearly suggested that the ” 2007 WC Champion seniors “, long decrepits by the year 2011(look at ALL the ‘injuries’ now?) was the instructed way to go. Yet you were still too quiet even in the year 2010(will you wake up by 2525?).
All of a sudden in year 2011, now that the die is cast, everybody and his dog, cat, rat and more is collectively wringing the hands and trying to look abusively smart by claiming there is no chance in hell now for the WC effort. How truly opportunistic you all are.
But you deserve the impending failure and will have earned it too.
The seniors are so psychologically fragile that they have to be kept from good, healthy competition because defeat will instigate the precipitous mental disintergration to the point of no return.
They have set the low standard of one win out of four(1/4)in this TNs(that even may not be attained) and that is how far ‘Bok rugby has fallen.
3 Aug 2011, 16:10 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-164: Remember to pop in during the S15 over the next 2 years or so. **** Muir was the coach at the Lions, not Jake. I can teach you economics, but that doesn’t mean you’ll become an economist.
3 Aug 2011, 16:11 pm
@SteveWarren(SteveWarren)-164:
Because John Mitchell was the answer to the Lions problems?
Jake brought the Boks back from disaster. 2002 EOYT – 2003 was without a doubt the worst period in Springbok rugby history. Then we were given a list of potential Springbok coaches that to this day I’ve never again heard of 80% of those guys.
Then came Oregon Hoskins & Jake White. A bit of stability, some decent coaching, some excellent performances along with the 2004 Tri Nations, and eventually the World Cup.
If you need any more assurances of Jake being a good coach, let’s wait and see what happens with the Brumbies.
3 Aug 2011, 16:11 pm
@Mustard(Mustard)-162: it would appear I have to state the obvious looking at the majority of comments in relation to the Boks squad.
3 Aug 2011, 16:11 pm
@Alicamousa(Slider)-163: perception as they have bags of experience……think the average age of the AB team is higher.
3 Aug 2011, 16:12 pm
@Alicamousa(Slider)-163: old in playing terms (teams are never referred to as old in age … how many lessons have to be given today).
3 Aug 2011, 16:12 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-165:
Absolutely correct you have that.
And is that not really big time CHEATING making their sick claims of McCaw cheating looking ever so small even though it is not true?
3 Aug 2011, 16:13 pm
@Finfan(Finfan)-167:
Definitely not me. I came out against it strongly saying it would limit what they could do… and that it was VERY VERY unfair on Morne Steyn to have to play there.
Not aggressive just saying
3 Aug 2011, 16:13 pm
Keo.co.za thrives on negativity!!
3 Aug 2011, 16:13 pm
@cab(cab)-170: thanks for that question cabbie, put your money where your mouth is keo, which member/s of the fatboys club should’ve been canned
3 Aug 2011, 16:15 pm
Hendrick Pienaar: swearing at people is not a unique talent, most of us could with more creativity emulate you, however, our preference is for adult discourse. If you are able to raise yourself above your present standard, you’ll find that you’ll possibly broaden your outlook and even improve your English in the process, not to mention that you’ll have a clear sense of decorum. Remember I do this for you gratis, I want to see you grow.
3 Aug 2011, 16:17 pm
I agree with Keo on the team going with a bench:
Bismark, BJ, Danie, Brussouw, Pienaar, Steyn, Aplon
Also if Juan Smith is not fit P Div may want to play Danie Russouw at 7 ahead of Alberts…
3 Aug 2011, 16:17 pm
@keo(keo)-174: Keo, Do you know if Rassie will be travelling with them to Nz or will his involvement be the same as in 2007?
Also any news on Juan Smith, Alberts and Schalla’s injuries?
3 Aug 2011, 16:18 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-181:
Fool. What is wrong with my english? Nothing considering it’s my first language.
You can put your thesaurus away now. Using big words doesn’t impress me.
3 Aug 2011, 16:18 pm
@mpundulu(mpundulu)-181: First learn to spell before you want to teach. Not to mention your punctuation.
3 Aug 2011, 16:19 pm
Keo I will cut to the chase.
Do you think we will win the semi against NZ and the final against England the week after?
3 Aug 2011, 16:19 pm
@wallabie.(wallabie.)-179: Rich coming from a Wallabie….you okes thrive on whinging
3 Aug 2011, 16:20 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-182: I’ll go with Bismark, Guthro (Smit can move to 3), Rossouw, Brussouw/Burger, Hougaard, Steyn, Aplon.
3 Aug 2011, 16:21 pm
@Griqua_warrior(willievz)-186:
. England? Well, you never know I suppose.
3 Aug 2011, 16:22 pm
@ET.(ET.)-177: hehehe yes richie doesn’t cheat, he plays to the ref’s whistle which is what is taught to the U12…
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFshWX2ypgE
3 Aug 2011, 16:23 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-189:
They will be there, I can almost guarantee you
3 Aug 2011, 16:26 pm
@willievz(willievz)-191: Well, I wouldn’t mind that. Then we’ll hear for another 4 years just how lucky we were.
3 Aug 2011, 16:26 pm
@Griqua_warrior(willievz)-186: If you ask me boet, its going to be a repeat of the 2007 final Boks vs Poms.
Build – up…..Revenge Match
Getting there: I thinks will adopt and expansive approach against Wales and the minnows, keeping it tight against Samoa. Against Ireland they will try and domniate up front and collisions and grind out a win. Against the AB i think they will go a more conservative approach, maybe even revert back to the 2009 kick and chase game plan with JPP and Habana tackling anything that moves.
Then the Final.
3 Aug 2011, 16:27 pm
Bench for me would be:
16 Bismarck du Plessis
17 BJ Botha (would start Gurthro. Leave Beast out unfortunately.)
18 Danie Rossouw (Bekker a bigger loss then most realise)
19 Pierre Spies
20 Ruan Pienaar
21 Pat Lambie or Gio Aplon
22 Juan de Jongh
3 Aug 2011, 16:27 pm
@willievz(willievz)-191: there’s that favourite phrase of scoundrels “i can ALMOST guarantee”
3 Aug 2011, 16:27 pm
Refs. are paid more handsomely these days to do a good job.
So they must do it and non-players must just shut-up as they gain nothing for all their boisterous noises.
3 Aug 2011, 16:27 pm
@willievz(willievz)-191: What happened to the support for the Griquas?
It is still early days and they’ll still knock over a few big ones in the Currie Cup, I assure you!
3 Aug 2011, 16:29 pm
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-188:
I would also go with your bench but Schalla definatly to start, only I think Peter De Villiers will not…
3 Aug 2011, 16:30 pm
@ET.(ET.)-196: “…and non-players must just shut-up as they gain nothing for all their boisterous noises.”
Why don’t you take your own advice?
3 Aug 2011, 16:31 pm
@Hendrik Pienaar(hendrikp)-194: It takes time for a prop to get some rhythm going again in scrumming and Gurthro’s been out for so long id would start with Beast and give Gurthro a run against Fiji Samoa
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