PdV’s misplaced loyalty could cost Boks
7 Oct 2011
JON CARDINELLI writes that Peter de Villiers has failed the Springboks by favouring John Smit over Bismarck du Plessis.
‘Don’t be surprised if Bismarck starts the big games,’ a source close to the team told me last week. By that point, Smit had started the Boks’ first three World Cup matches, but there was still a strong belief that Du Plessis would wear the No 2 jersey in the play-offs.
Before Thursday, Du Plessis had pledged his support to his mentor and captain, although privately he may have expected to start the big games. When the team to play against Namibia was named, Du Plessis told an Irish journalist that he’d accepted his role as Smit’s understudy, but following the announcement of the Boks’ quarter-final line-up, he cut a dejected figure at the team hotel.
When he was interviewed, there was none of the good humour that had characterised his media offerings earlier in the tournament. There was also a rumour that he’d reacted badly to the news that he would be riding the bench, and that the head coach was unimpressed with this reaction.
De Villiers calls it a bad attitude, I call it a bad decision. Not for the first time in the last four years, the Bok coach has favoured Smit over Du Plessis even though it’s become increasingly evident that Smit can no longer meet the standards of an international hooker, let alone match the trend-setting Du Plessis.
Smit is also no longer the indispensable leader he was during De Villiers’s early years. On the 2010 tour to the Home Nations, Victor Matfield proved himself to be a capable leader in Smit’s absence. When he was handed the responsibility at this World Cup, Matfield admitted that the captaincy wasn’t as demanding when you had leaders like Bryan Habana (73 caps), Jean de Villiers (71), Jaque Fourie (68), Schalk Burger (67), Danie Rossouw (62) and Fourie du Preez (61) in the side.
There can be a case made for Habana’s exclusion, but the rest of these players deserve their places regardless of their age. The same cannot be said of Smit, and you have to wonder if the reasons around his selection are truly rugby related.
There will never be another John Smit. He’s already the most decorated Bok captain of all time, and his achievements are all the more remarkable given what he’s had to endure from an off-the-field perspective.
It was during the turbulent times of 2008 and 2009, when De Villiers was at his controversy-inciting worst, that Smit needed all of his experience and diplomacy, and behind the scenes, Smit worked to ensure the right calls were made in terms of selection and tactics. While he had already achieved so much prior to 2008, his value and contributions during the first two seasons of De Villiers’ tenure should never be underestimated.
When I interviewed Smit in April 2010, he told me that he would continue to put the team first. He said that the time may come where he would need to step aside, either to warm the bench or support the team as a non-playing squad member. He said this with conviction, and his past deeds both on and off the field gave me no reason to doubt that he would make good on his promise.
I couldn’t help but think about that conversation when Smit was announced as the starting hooker for this Sunday’s quarter-final against the Wallabies. The senior players have a big say in selection and strategy, and so I felt Smit’s selection didn’t align with his commitment to put the team first. By marching on as the starting No 2, he is doing the Boks no favours. By standing in the way of Du Plessis, he is, ironically, doing his country a disservice.
De Villiers will also need to accept responsibility for this situation. He may feel that he owes Smit something but the reality is that a Bok coach should always place the needs of the team above the needs of individuals.
Du Plessis is right to feel aggrieved. The best player won’t start in the No 2 jersey this Sunday, and this decision could cost the Boks’ in the decisive battle up front. It could cost the team everything they’ve worked for over the past four years and lead to an embarrassing quarter-final exit on par with that of Rudolph Straeuli’s side of 2003.
Through the weak management of De Villiers and Smit’s refusal to face the fact that he’s a spent force, the rugby world has been denied the privilege of seeing Du Plessis in his prime on the greatest stage of all. From a South African perspective, the decision to favour Smit has robbed the Boks of the stronger, more dynamic starting option, and it’s likely to be a decision the entire nation will come to lament.
717 Comments
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7 Oct 2011, 23:35 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-644:
@JockBok(JockBok)-645:
Kick off first match is at 7am you lazy Africans.
7 Oct 2011, 23:36 pm
@Hellen’s Shame(Hellen’s Game)-620:
Bravefart, because of you Fri. drinking habits did you avoid taking your meds. again.
Has the Banshee not sung yet about that avoidance?
How the h e ll do you link this to 611?
I know King David’s origins and Rhodesia/Zims. has never been my problem when my own country then and now exhibits an equally corrupt and failing ‘non-racial’ ‘democracy’?
7 Oct 2011, 23:37 pm
@ET.(ET.)-646:
Oh, I forgot. You’ll be drowning your sorrows due to a Bok victory. Silly me.
7 Oct 2011, 23:38 pm
@I am a stormer moffie(I am a stormer mooffie-651</a
That is absolutely good of you now to know your place and role in Africa.
7 Oct 2011, 23:39 pm
@I am a stormer(I am a stormer)-651:
Thank you for small mercies. That’s 6am here then, not so bad. But it would’ve been funny getting Dawn out of bed an hour early
ET has been awake since Tuesday waiting for kick off.
7 Oct 2011, 23:40 pm
@I am a stormer moffie(I am a stormer moffie)-653:
Your meds., your meds. please your meds., right now. It will even soothe your aching piles I am told
7 Oct 2011, 23:42 pm
Am gonna roll out of bed onto the floor!
7 Oct 2011, 23:42 pm
Righty ho, hitting the sack time. Night IAAS, Princess D. Catch you over the weekend.
7 Oct 2011, 23:43 pm
Paralytic drunk, of course.
7 Oct 2011, 23:45 pm
A team which was once called the Boks
Once used to have very fine locks.
But Old Father Time
Turned them nickel and dime
And now they’re just sorry old crocks.
Their hooker, a man called John Smit
Was once thought to really have it;
But he’s nowhere as fizzy
As a pilgrim named Bizzy
John Smit should give Bizzy his kit.
Papa and Mama Du Preez
Rhymed the name of their wee son Fourie
He was a fine scrummy
With fire in his tummy
But these days he’s as hot as cold tea.
7 Oct 2011, 23:47 pm
@JockBok(JockBok)-658:
Cheers mate.
@ET.(ET.)-654:
See you have a sense of humour. Well sort of. You know “jocularly speaking and all that”.
Get a life.
Speak tom. Don’t do anything silly now, you hear.
7 Oct 2011, 23:50 pm
” Was once thought to really have it;”
Was once thought to really be fit
7 Oct 2011, 23:51 pm
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-660:
Jolly good, old chap.
And you couldn’t leave “pilgrim” out. Even better.
Underestimate the Boks at your peril.
7 Oct 2011, 23:52 pm
games can’t come soon enough. luckily we not under nat rule anymore or we would have to forfeit sunday’s game, nervous as hell, go boks
8 Oct 2011, 00:26 am
What a load of nonsense. As a journalist on a widely read blog you should have some more responsibility towards your readers. You do realise that the tripe you write influences sheep to think in a similar way.
Rugby has and always will be a team sport. A team can be less or greater than the sum of it’s parts. One player will not make or break a team. Witness plenty of sub-par players for the Boks over the years and we’ve still done ok.
The Springboks may well lose on Sunday, but if they do it will be a team effort. Blaming a loss prior to the fact on one player just plain STINKS John Cardinelli. If we win will you give John all the credit like you want to heap all the blame on him? You shouldn’t call yourself a rugby fan.
8 Oct 2011, 00:31 am
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-616: In Covent Garden area… best place to watch is Walkabout Pub in Maiden Lane. Aussie pub!!!
But for me… best venue in London to watch sport is Sports Bar & Grill at Victoria Station (also one at Marylebone)… great venue, clean, good food & they serve Windhoek Lager!! They open from 7 in the morning. I think for the WC they’re opening for the games.
8 Oct 2011, 00:56 am
@Number15(Number15)-665: If I see Jon Cardinelli, I skip the article. I’m yet to see something decent by him. He is trying to be controvercial. Personally, I think he’s a loser.
8 Oct 2011, 01:35 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-660: LOL .Good one.
8 Oct 2011, 01:37 am
@ET.(ET.)-662: good response.
8 Oct 2011, 01:44 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-472:
You should be the last person to talk about loyaity to the Boks and their coach.
T two goes hand in hand together, you know!
___________________________________________________________
This very thread is the reason why Keo is the best rugby site in SA, and maybe the world. The very fact that Cab and Skop can agree on a specific point, standing “together” against people who they would normally agree/disagree with.
VIVA KEO…VIVA.
8 Oct 2011, 01:48 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-660:
A kak attempt.
You are much better than that.
8 Oct 2011, 02:00 am
A grumpy old whiner called Nama
Supports any boer or farmer
But his team’s too old;
Their skills have grown cold
So Nama will get Four More Years karma
8 Oct 2011, 02:25 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-660: Don’t quit your day job.
8 Oct 2011, 02:39 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-672:
An old toppie who calls himself a Tackler
all regard him as a hackler
……….
… I tried..
I was in Eksteenfontein about four weeks ago. Could not find anybody who know the oom you talked about on here some time ago (During the Eng cricket tour). Maybe if you give me more info because I’ll be seeing somebody from there tomorrow as I ordered a “slagding” from a guy. He is a Strauss.
8 Oct 2011, 02:40 am
It’s grist to TheTackler’s mill
Coarse insults from Fred, Bob and Bill.
A verslibrist fine
A rhymist sublime
Retorts with a wit that could kill.
8 Oct 2011, 02:48 am
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-673:
He got a bit over emotional there.
To be expected from old toppies. Don’t be too hard on him.
8 Oct 2011, 02:57 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-675:
“It’s grist to TheTackler’s mill
Coarse insults from Fred, Bob and Bill.
A verslibrist fine
A rhymist sublime
Retorts with a wit that could kill.”
Definitely not your’s.
8 Oct 2011, 03:06 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-675:
“grist”
“verslibrist”
“rhymist”
You’re speaking the elevated english now, ha boet.
You’re so clever (read vain)
8 Oct 2011, 03:16 am
@nama1(nama1)-677:
… but reaction proves that you have a thin skin.
8 Oct 2011, 03:29 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-672:
“A grumpy old whiner called Nama
Supports any boer or farmer”
Let’s unpack what you are saying here.
“boer” and “farmer” are the same thing, so you can’t say “boer” OR “farmer.” There is a difference between “Boer” and “farmer” ….yes.
Don’t give Julius a ideas. He is still appealing.
8 Oct 2011, 03:30 am
@nama1(nama1)-678: You have a phobia against words ending in -st, it seems.
Fist. Twist. Ghost. Past. Post. Wrist.
Run and hide!
8 Oct 2011, 03:31 am
@nama1(nama1)-680: Some boers aren’t farmers. Some farmers aren’t boers.
8 Oct 2011, 03:55 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-681:
… and you got to that conclusion exactly how?
It’s like you see in your dreams how you POST me with your TWISTed FIST in your WRIST back into my PAST where I’ll only see GHOST’s.
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-682:
“Some boers aren’t farmers. Some farmers aren’t boers.”
… that is exactly where you have it wrong.
A boer is a farmer and a farmer is a boer… if you get my drift.
… maar ‘n Boer is nie noodwendig ‘n boer nie en ‘n boer is nie noodwendig ‘n Boer nie.
Kyk bietjie of jy dit verstaan.
8 Oct 2011, 04:05 am
Nope. Boer with a capital B is just a person who identifies with his farmer Afrikaner heritage, even if he’s only a speedcop or a Macca burger-flipper. But who cares?
Iemand wat as ‘n Boer (met ‘n hoofletter) identifiseer is ‘n regse verkrampte Afrikaner-rassis. Die ou met die klein B is ‘n plaaseienaar, en kan enige taal praat. See? You can’t hide. Ek kan jou orals kom haal! Nou bewe jou broek, of hoe?
Don’t teach grandmother how to suck eggs, pilgrim!
8 Oct 2011, 04:06 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-660:
Don’t forget the most important ending:
Their greatest intermittent fan
a small man known only as Tickles
who turned at every corner
to kiss favorites arse
just lined himself up for another donder
8 Oct 2011, 04:10 am
Ou Nama hy wou nog vuis maak
Toe tik Tackler hom reeds op sy kaak.
Jy **** net ‘n knal
En sien die ou val
Ou Tack lag hom pap van vermaak.
See, pilgrim?
8 Oct 2011, 04:11 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-684: Talking about grandma : Don’t forget to ask ouma to wash and iron your union flag and bokke t-shirt … in case your current favorites don’t make it. It does mean you’ll lose all your new friends again (to their relief), but at least you’ll get to celebrate and won’t have to wait yet another four years.
8 Oct 2011, 04:16 am
@TheBoksAreBack(bringbacktheboks)-687: That’s weak, pilgrim.
8 Oct 2011, 04:19 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-684:
“Die ou met die klein B is ‘n plaaseienaar,…”
….of hy is ‘n Nama met vee wat nie die reg gehad het om ‘n plaas te mag besit in die tyd toe jy en jou volk ALLEEN stemreg gehad het nie.
Hoekom sien jy ‘n Boer (hoofletter “B’) as “n regse verkrampte Afrikaner-rassis.?”
Hier’s nogal ‘n heel paar ouens op die site wat hulleself as Boere sal identifiseer sonder dat hulle noodwendig aan jou beskrywing voldoen.
8 Oct 2011, 04:21 am
Tackler was a cranky old queen
who thrill was to try to demean
he spent hour after hour
trying hard to be sour
at the South African fans and their team
8 Oct 2011, 04:24 am
First line doesn’t scan properly.
8 Oct 2011, 04:27 am
Of course it does.
8 Oct 2011, 04:28 am
@nama1(nama1)-689: @nama1(nama1)-689: Bywoners is ook boere. Klein b. Mense wat deesdae eis hulle is Boere (groot B) is verkramptes of hulle dit erken of nie.
8 Oct 2011, 04:32 am
@stormer in a teacup(stormer in a teacup)-692: Limericks there start with an unstressed syllable: ti TUM ti ti TUM ti ti TUM. (“There WAS a young MAN from Cap-RI…”)
The TACK in “Tackler” is stressed. It’s TACK-ler, not tack-LER.
Scansion error.
8 Oct 2011, 04:33 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-694: Jy is gesuip. Klim terug in die bed.
8 Oct 2011, 04:35 am
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-695: Feeble.
8 Oct 2011, 04:35 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-693:
So, jy wil se dat die Namas, wat Jan van Riebeeck hier gekom kry het, met hul vee, was nog al die jare “bywoners” in SA. Hulle was nog nooit boere (veeboere) nie!
8 Oct 2011, 04:59 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-694:
That was funny… really funny.
Sometimes you outdo yourself with you humoristic side. :lol;
@TheAgent(TheAgent)-695:
Kom nou man. Tackler is al amper 70. Gee die Toppie die respek wat hy verdien. Ek meen, hy het vir Danie Craven geken toe die nog ‘n enkeling was.
8 Oct 2011, 05:09 am
@nama1(nama1)-697: They were itinerant stock farmers. Small b boere.
8 Oct 2011, 05:16 am
@TheTackler(TheTackler)-684: can you speak Xhosa?
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