Brüssow maintains belief
15 Aug 2011
Heinrich Brüssow says this group of Springboks have the capacity to defend the World Cup.
This is a view brought further into question after the Springboks, fielding their most experienced team ever, were beaten by a young Wallabies outfit at Kings Park. The defeat was their eighth in nine Tri-Nations matches (nine of their last 17 matches in total), which should be deeply concerning ahead of the global showpiece.
Yet Brüssow is adamant that their belief isn’t shaken and has urged the South African rugby fraternity to remain optimistic.
‘It’s our own fault we lost,” Brussow said. ‘It was bad to lose but people out there need to be positive. We know what we can do and we know we have quality players. This is the team that can take us through to winning the World Cup. But at the same time, the game against New Zealand is crucial because we do need to gain some confidence ahead of the World Cup and we need to win.’
Springboks coach Peter de Villiers scrambled for positives in the post-match media conference, even strangely claiming that ‘Australia only won on the scoreboard’, inferring his team were better in all facets of play. Brüssow was more measured, lamenting a poor second half performance.
‘We had a lot of control in the beginning, and it was going well. We created chances and we didn’t finish and that cost us in the end, allowing them to come back in the game. We made it difficult for ourselves. A few small mistakes cost us the game.
‘The Aussies deserved to win. We had our chances and our self-confidence was good going into the game. When we played with the ball we were able to dominate and if we had kept that up we could have won. But we gave them the chance to come back in the game and they deserved to win.’
Meanwhile, Mike Greenaway, senior writer for the Independent Group, reports that Bismarck du Plessis will start ahead of John Smit in Port Elizabeth. Greenaway, who covers the Sharks beat and has good professional relations with the Durban-based Springboks, writes that Du Plessis’ inclusion was always planned.
He added that Smit’s elbow injury is not nearly as serious as some media reports suggest. There were fears that the Springboks captain had torn ligaments in his elbow in the defeat to Australia and would miss the the World Cup.
20 Comments
15 Aug 2011, 09:41 am
The best loosie dragon we have! Imo
15 Aug 2011, 09:47 am
@Staal(Staal)-1: Yessir he was awesome on Saturday.
15 Aug 2011, 09:49 am
@Staal(Staal)-1: Your loosies for the World Cup?
Mine would be Brussouw, Burger, Spies, Alberts, Deysel.
15 Aug 2011, 09:50 am
@Staal(Staal)-1: You’re talking about Bismarck, right? Because at the moment, he is the best forward – in the tight and the loose – that we have.
15 Aug 2011, 09:54 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-3: If all are fit…
Ratel.
Juan.
Spies.
15 Aug 2011, 10:01 am
@Staal(Staal)-5: Do you think Juan will make it?
15 Aug 2011, 10:10 am
he is like sweet love with a beautifull woman by a burning fire on a rainy afternoon…magic…just magic…
15 Aug 2011, 10:16 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-6: nope….
15 Aug 2011, 10:17 am
@Staal(Staal)-8: but there is always hope!
15 Aug 2011, 10:24 am
so smit not out of WC?
15 Aug 2011, 10:46 am
Brussow is a genius!
Of course the current group of Springboks have the capacity to defend the Cup.
After all, they will be there doing just that. A failure to defend would amount to not physically turning up.
15 Aug 2011, 12:29 pm
What of Steyn and Danie?
15 Aug 2011, 12:50 pm
I thought Spies had his best game in ages on Sat. Brussow played well and will get better with each match. I’m not so sure Danie is the right one for the no 7 any longer (he should be the reserve lock). Obviously I would like to see Juan back but I doubt he’s gonna make it back in time. The best alternative then is Alberts with Schalk on the bench. Schalk is the ideal reserve as he covers 6, 7 & 8
15 Aug 2011, 13:18 pm
6. BRUSSOUW
7. SMITH
8.BURGER
Thats the best we have. If Smith not fit in time then bring back F. Louw.
15 Aug 2011, 14:11 pm
“We know what we can do and we know we have quality players. This is the team that can take us through to winning the World Cup”.
This is all that is important – ask the guys who play the game, not these know it all clowns on Keo.co.za that pretend they know everything and whom gets it wrong most of the time!
15 Aug 2011, 15:34 pm
Can’t see why Juan won’t make it. He would have played this week, but they’ve decided not to risk him just yet. Minor niggles that pops up currently, but he should be ready. Will be interesting to see whether he’ll be playing a few minutes for the Cheetahs.
15 Aug 2011, 15:38 pm
Don’t get why everybody’s so negative. We all knew this team had a serious lack of game time, but we tried to be positive. In the end we were right.
If we do measure the boks, it should be this week.
15 Aug 2011, 16:53 pm
15. The_Rugger
Eish, I’m loving your responses. Wish these Journo’s (KEO and JC) would actually try to build the nation rather than destroy it. Maybe they are being set up by Juliarse!
15 Aug 2011, 17:38 pm
Keo, after eating the meat of your Nando bones go and read the articles in the NZ newspapers. The press don’t need to ask their players for encouragement, no they say it as it is as they have that believe in their team.
Maybe you should get behind the boys and create that believe in SA and for the supporters.
15 Aug 2011, 17:59 pm
Hmm, all is not lost, not quite yet anyway. Team for sat should include Bismarck and Lambie at 15 and I’d like to see Deysel start too in DRs place. The rest to remain as they were…but this time with feeling..
Good point on Spies above, his best game for 2 years. Encouraging. The fact is that one massive performance vs the ABs this weekend and everything changes…
The nations gets behind the team, the ABs and others have a little doubt instilled, and the reality of John Smit starting the big games at the RWC on the bench comes closer. Maybe even Patrick Lambie will move to 10 at some point during the game and finally display why the Morne Steyn obsession must now end.
Excellent prospects all, and dammit it can happen
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