Massive blow for Boks
18 Aug 2011
Juan Smith is out of the World Cup.
Smith sustained an Achilles injury during the Cheetahs’ Super Rugby campaign and has been in a race to regain fitness ever since. However, on Wednesday an emotional Smith confirmed to the Volksblad that he was withdrawing himself from the squad.
‘I am not 100%,’ Smith said. ‘I won’t be able to give everything and realise I should put my team, team-mates and the Bok fans first. I must stop lying to myself – what I’ve been doing these last three weeks – and realise that I’m not ready.’
The 30-year-old flank conceded that he has trained through considerable pain in recent weeks in the hope of representing the Springboks at his third World Cup. ‘The pain level that I have been practising with was seven out of ten,’ he explained. ‘I really cannot describe how disappointed I am…immensely.’
Smith has been central to the Springboks’ success in the last eight years, his powerful ball carrying and physical defence lending immense impetus to their cause. Springboks coach Peter de Villiers has consistently expressed fears about losing him and now has to attempt to fill the huge void he leaves.
De Villiers has intimated that Danie Rossouw will be the player to step in in the event of Smith’s unavailability. He isn’t short of talented options outside of the Bulls man, with Willem Alberts and Jean Deysel competent replacements. He could also opt to use Schalk Burger in the position, combining him with Heinrich Brussow and Pierre Spies in the back row.
623 Comments
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18 Aug 2011, 10:27 am
Gunther
with JDV at 12, none of us have to worry about his “ball handling” skills
18 Aug 2011, 10:29 am
Spies should play on the wing, Habana should be left out of squad – be brave, do the right thing
18 Aug 2011, 10:29 am
This is realy bad news.
18 Aug 2011, 10:53 am
@poppa69(poppa69)-151:
that too.
jdv is starting to piss me off.
18 Aug 2011, 10:59 am
The next big thing in rugga will be when players are played differently for offence and defense.
For starters, fetchers are no longer the same person as the tackler, but instead the 2nd person to the breakdown, therefore in defensive play you put Brussouw at 8.
Another creative way would be to play the likes Butch at 10, F Steyn at 12 in defense and then Lambie at 10 and J Div at 12 in attacking manouvers. Just an example!
Why oh why do we insist that the hooker always throws in at lineout. Surely, if Smit is at prop, he can still do the throw-ins even when he’s been subbed at 2. This kind of one dimensional thinking is so old school
18 Aug 2011, 10:59 am
@pakslae(pakslae)-120:
sshitballs!..if thats the case i think i’ll start smoking boom in the morning too..hehehe…
18 Aug 2011, 11:03 am
NFL can teach us quite a bit about how to employ resources differntly to each match situation.
In your own lineout, where you want 1st phase possession to cross the advantage line, you put the likes of J Div and J Fourie as lineout supporters and then Burger and Alberts at centre. Immediatekly you create the most favourable attacking option: Forwards running at Bcaks or Backs running at Forwards
18 Aug 2011, 11:03 am
Gunther
the NH has ruined many a good player. far more than they’ve improved IMO
18 Aug 2011, 11:05 am
Watch this space…. this kind of thinking will dominate the next 4 years in the sport’s developement. Mark my words. It is only a question of time before a creative coach starts experimenting with this… and selection policy will have a complete overhaul
18 Aug 2011, 11:12 am
@Helen(Helen)-155:
@Helen(Helen)-157:
ja, but heres the thing (and dont get me wrong as it might just be me and others might feel differently)…i ffuckking hate gridiron footballl !…
18 Aug 2011, 11:17 am
Damn what a shame, fantastic player. Another legend.
Juan, Bekker and Vermeulen – hell no more please.
Alberts needs to step up this RWC. We need some zeast and something new and special.
18 Aug 2011, 11:26 am
WC loosies will be
8 Spies
7 Russouw
6 Schalk/Brussouw
backup Alberts and Johnson
18 Aug 2011, 11:27 am
@cab(cab)-161: hiyas Cabby
Yeah we cant afford to lose more stars like that
is bekker and vermeulen definately out of the WC??
18 Aug 2011, 11:28 am
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-162:
No, they’ll be doing more stupidty by playing rossouw at 7, he is a natural substitute for bakkies at 4, this is where he has played his best rugby, he does not bring the mobility or ball-carrying prowess or tackle count of alberts, not even close. please god, let these fools see the obvious.
18 Aug 2011, 11:34 am
@President_of_the_Sharks_rugby_experts(sharks_lover)-163:
hi, yes i think they said a while back that bekker and vermeulen were out.
18 Aug 2011, 11:35 am
FFS not D Rossow at 7 and Schalk at openside!!!
Jeepers man…are we farken retarded ?
18 Aug 2011, 11:38 am
Juan is not easily replaced . Just chuffed to see that so many people are unanimous that Danie is not the one . Would loved to have seen Juan ,Brossouw and Skulk play together at the WC ( maybe Juan will pop up for us if we make it to the Semi ? ) . Time now to maybe take a chance , live on the edge and throw in Strauss ……..along with Skulk and Brossouw …….Otherwise Alberts , Brussouw and Skulk as 8th man . Watched Spies live on Saturday and although he had a better game , he still can”t read a game which is so important for an 8th man ??????????
18 Aug 2011, 11:38 am
FAAAAAAAAARK! This is very bad.
Sterkte Jaun, hoopo jy is binnekort weer 100%.
It must be Shalla at 7, Brussow at 6 and Spies/Alberts at 8 (Ive given up hoping and praying they will give Vermeulen a bash)
18 Aug 2011, 11:39 am
@Sean(seanbokpool)-167: Totally agree – Juan is just a special player. It is so plain to see how the Boks suffer when he is not there – which speaks volumes about his worth.
Hopefully he can be ok by Semi-Final time
I wouldve also loved to see those 3 together.
18 Aug 2011, 11:48 am
Magnificent player for may years now. I’m an AB supporter to the core but the RWC will be poorer for his absence. All the best for your recovery. Respect from New Zealand
18 Aug 2011, 11:58 am
6. Brussow
7. Alberts
8. Spies
with Danie on the bench to cover.
18 Aug 2011, 11:58 am
I am so friggin bored. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Have read all the threads, loved the the Ethel and Helen show.
18 Aug 2011, 11:59 am
Juan will be greatly missed,he is a legend. Here’s wishing you a speedy recovery bru.
18 Aug 2011, 12:04 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-172: typica chick. go watch soapies
or run the bath, Gunther should be around soon
18 Aug 2011, 12:28 pm
Tee 47 – We didn’t say Smith wasn’t a Legend cause he’s the best we’ve had in the no.7 jersey for the Boks but to laugh about Josh Strauss show your rugby knowledge. He’s an awesome player that would never let the team down. Way better than Danie!
18 Aug 2011, 12:35 pm
@JKBridge(JKBridge)-175: yeah right.
18 Aug 2011, 12:36 pm
Any one that played rugby at club level will know and tell you however fit you are total rugby fitness can only be achieved by playing matches over at least a number of physical games. How on Earth could the coaching staff of the `Boks` who are X rugby players ever thougt that Juan Smith could gain match fitness to be ready for the world cup. It boggels the mind. What where they thinking?
Juan`s own withdrawel is a huge copliment to himself and to his future. For the sake of SA the end of the current coaching staff can not come soon enough!
18 Aug 2011, 12:37 pm
When (if?) he recovers I wouldn’t be surprised to see Juan go to a place like Japan where he can play a ‘lighter’ level of Rugby but still get paid a bit. It’s obvious he is not going to have as long a career as he thought and he needs to earn that pension money while he can.
18 Aug 2011, 12:39 pm
No Bekker and Smith.
No Robinson and Giteau for Aus.
The All Blacks are licking their lips!
Look at AB planning – me thinks Henry is the most prepared.
He knows who his first-choice centre pairing is (Nonu and Smith), so he’s not even bothering to include a back-up centre on the bench for the upcoming test.
18 Aug 2011, 12:42 pm
Juan Smith is my favourite rugby player and I am gutted, but Burger or Alberts will slot into the Bok 7 role and do an admirable job.
Pakslae’s use as THE back-up lock has exacerbated with Bekker’s injury.
Never mind who will replace Juan in the squad – there are a host of options.
Who will be Matfield’s back-up?
Van Der Merwe, Mostert? Both more suited to the tighter lock position?
Muller? Then why is he back in Ireland having just been named captain for his club?
Hargreaves? Please, say it aint so.
18 Aug 2011, 12:47 pm
3 spots in Bok 30 are still up for grabs.
Back-up to Matfield.
A fifth loose-forward.
And another backline player (depending on whether Boks go with a 16-14 or 17-13 split).
Surely these players have been pencilled in already:
1. Mtawarira 2. Steenkamp 3. Smit 4. Du Plessis 5. Ralepelle 6. Du Plessis 7. Van Der Linde 8. Botha 9. Rossouw 10. Matfield 11. Brussow 12. Burger 13. Spies 14. Alberts 15. Du Preez 16. Hougaard 17. Pienaar 18. James 19. Steyn 20. Habana 21. De Villiers 22. De Jongh 23. Fourie 24. Pieterson 25. Aplon 26. Steyn 27. Lambie
So that leaves 3 places to be filled by one of:
Mostert, Van Der Merwe, Muller, Hargreaves
Johnson, Deysel, Vermeulen, Kankowski, Louw, Stegman
Mvovo, Basson, Olivier, Jacobs, Ndungane, Kirchner
Time will tell whether astute selections are made, as opposed to ones based predominantly to fill quota requirements or to indulge the illogical thought processes of the Bok “brains trust”.
18 Aug 2011, 12:50 pm
Please not Hargreaves…Bok fact #374 – there is no adequate backup for Matfield, other than Bekker, and he is out as we know already.
18 Aug 2011, 12:51 pm
No better number 7 in this country. He was the best by a country mile!
Alles van die beste Juan, geniet jou boerdery.
18 Aug 2011, 12:52 pm
@puff(puff)-179: Toeava is starting on the right wing but is an excellent centre as well as an excellent fullback. Hasn’t had much top level game time recently though
18 Aug 2011, 12:54 pm
@paulynz(paulynz)-184:
Yes, ABS spoiled for choice in backline with a number of players able to cover a myriad of positions.
Wonder who Henry will start on the wings come RWC time?
18 Aug 2011, 12:54 pm
@grant10(grant10)-166: Ag boet – I’ve lost the energy to complain about the decisions that have been made by our coaching staff (Gold and Muir included). Calling them retarded is an insult to retards….
Starting Danie at 7 last week – every rugby analyst was laughing at that one.
Moving Smit to prop for the latter stages of the game – hasn’t worked before but let’s try it again and hope for a different result! You know what they say…
Danie is a back-up lock at best. Play him as a loosie and you take away from the boks something special that our opponents have always respected: a killer loose trio combination.
18 Aug 2011, 12:54 pm
Juan laat my dink aan Andre Venter. Hy verdien respek, hy hoef nie daarvoor te vra nie.
18 Aug 2011, 12:57 pm
One step back…
wonder who he will leave out of the 30?
Cowan, Weepu, Ellis sure to be there.
Carter and Slade too.
And also Nonu, Smith, Muliaina and Williams.
So Gear, Guilford, Sivivatu, Kahui, Toeava, Jane and Dagg must fight it out.
7 players but only 4 or 5 places.
And, don’t forget, Slade can play fullback or wing too.
And Carter can play 12, if necessary.
18 Aug 2011, 12:59 pm
@puff(puff)-181: Vermeulen and Stegman out injured. I have no idea why Louw is not currently in the mix. Is he also injured? Otherwise he would be my choice as we need openside backup. Matfield’s backup is pretty much a lottery between those you mentioned; none of them good enough as a lineout specialist. They may look at Mvovo as the backline backup player, as we appear to have adequate cover in the squad you mentioned for all positions except wing. Won’t be Basson, he did himself no favours down under, and neither did Olivier. Jacobs as we know is a favourite of Pdiv, so he stands a chance. Ndungane is a worse option than Mvovo, and Kirchner won’t go as we have potentially 4 fullbacks in the squad you mentioned.
18 Aug 2011, 13:03 pm
@Marty(Marty)-186:
It was only a couple of weeks ago that the esteemed analyst, Mr Jake White, said that Danie should be the Bok number 8 for the WC.
18 Aug 2011, 13:05 pm
@BullDog15(BullDog15)-189:
Flo is starting for WP tomorrow.
As for Matfields backup, Albert vd Berg is waiting in the wings for a recall.
18 Aug 2011, 13:11 pm
@puff(puff)-181:
-Mostert
-Deysel/Johnson
-Mvovo
Interesting is that we will be taking 5 loosies
NZ looks like they wont be taking a genuine backup 7 for McCaw(thus only 4 loosies)-looks like Thompson to cover 7…And Hoeatta to cover 4/6 Pakslae style. Or they will take 5 loosies if Messam makes it but 4 out of the 5 are 6′s or 8′s…
18 Aug 2011, 13:11 pm
@David(David)-190: Maybe 4 years ago when f^&kall was available at no. 8…Now we have some animals with speed and power that we can choose as loosies – what the hell does Danie bring as a loosie? Anyhow, pity about Juan but any one of Alberts or Schalk at 7 is power (even Deysel if the sh&t hits the fan)
18 Aug 2011, 13:13 pm
@BullDog15(BullDog15)-189: i 100% agree around F Louw…..
18 Aug 2011, 13:16 pm
we should take 5 loosies to wc?
Mine would be Brussow….F Louw
Schalk….W Alberts
and regretfully Spies will be there….
But F Louw must be there….anything happens to Brussow we will need F Louw, not anyone else with Steggies out the mix….
Talking of steggies….where is Agile? Maybe he was Steggies?
18 Aug 2011, 13:16 pm
@puff(puff)-185: Very hard to call as the competition for a RWC wing spot is so fierce. All of the contenders know that the slightest blemish on their game could see them out of the 30 but they’re all supporting each other and know that they need to bring their A+ game into eavey match.
I’d probably go for Jane and Sivivatu, on current and past form and x-factor, but really I’d be happy with any one of Gear, Toeava or Guildford, or indeed Dagg or Kahui on the wing.
Some very good players won’t make the 30.
18 Aug 2011, 13:17 pm
@David(David)-191: Really….Flo?
Are you sure David?
18 Aug 2011, 13:18 pm
@David(David)-190:
That ‘esteemed’ analyst has just got huge wraps from TheRugbyClub live… showing him and his young team already working on their combinations and more importantly conditioning months out from the S15 start… unlike others eh?
18 Aug 2011, 13:20 pm
@grant10(grant10)-195: is flo fully fit?
18 Aug 2011, 13:21 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-174: Sod off Transie ;-0. Am away from home, dont do soapies.
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