Strauss fronts Leinster lashing
5 Dec 2011
GARETH DUNCAN looks at the Saffas who impressed in Europe over the weekend.
Former Cheetahs hooker Richardt Strauss started in Leinster’s 52-9 mauling of Cardiff Blues in Dublin. The hardman has owned the Irish club’s No 2 jersey with powerful performances up front, and he delivered another one to help Leinster to their biggest league win of the season. He formed part of a strong front row, who shone when they kept the visitors out from a series of 5m attacking scrums, while he also had an impact on attack and defence. Reserve prop Heinke van der Merwe also featured as he came off the bench early in the second half.
Strauss, who left South Africa in 2009, becomes eligible to play for Ireland in the new year and local reports suggest that the IRFU is interested in using his services. The 25-year-old has already confirmed the desire to play Test rugby for his adoptive nation to SA Rugby magazine after Leinster’s European Cup final triumph last season, so we could see the Grey College old boy don a different shade of green on the international stage in the near future.
Leinster hooker Richardt Strauss
Also in the Pro12, lock Johann Muller and flanker Pedrie Wannenburg played a part in Ulster’s 24-17 win over Scarlets. World Cup Springbok Ruan Pienaar also made his first appearance for the Belfast-based club as he came off the bench to fill in at his preferred position of scrumhalf. Flyhalf Willem de Waal kicked a penalty and a conversion in Treviso’s 15-13 away win over Connacht.
In the French Top 14, pivot Conrad Barnard continued to play an influential role with the boot in Agen’s campaign. This time, he kicked 20 points via five penalties, a conversion and drop goal in his team’s 37-18 win over centre Sam Gerber and lock Rob Linde’s Bayonne to secure fourth place on the log. Tighthead prop Gert Muller, lock Dewald Senekal and flanker Adri Badenhorst (who picked up a yellow card) also turned out for the victors.
Former Springbok scrumhalf Ricky Januarie played the full 80 minutes in a rare win for Lyon as they beat Perpignan 19-12. Former Bulls No 9 Heini Adams also saw out Bordeaux’s 16-12 win over Brive, who had tighthead prop Pat Barnard, No 8 Antonie Claassen, wing Ronnie Cooke and flyhalf Riaan Swanepoel (who’s normally a centre) in the starting line-up.
In the English Premiership, Saffa-laden Saracens picked up a hard-fought 15-11 victory at home over tighthead prop Faan Rautenbach’s London Irish. It was challenging start for Sarries as hooker John Smit picked up a yellow card in the 11th minute of his third start for a professional foul in his team’s red zone. But the hosts did enough to finish on top, with loosehead prop Matt Stevens, lock Mouritz Botha and No 8 Ernst Joubert all chipping in for the win.
Scrumhalf Michael Claassens’ try couldn’t help Bath as they lost 16-13 against Sale Sharks after leading 10-0 at the break. Centre Corne Uys, fullback Greg Goosen and reserve lock Adriaan Fondse contributed to a Newcastle Falcons’ much-needed 26-25 win over Gloucester – only their second league win of the season.
Northampton Saints tighthead prop Brian Mujati started in the controversial fixture against Leicester Tigers, which saw wing Alesana Tuilagi and flanker Tom Wood both red-carded for a punch up. Leicester went on to win 30-25.
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31 Comments
5 Dec 2011, 08:24 am
Us Saffas are Dragons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
5 Dec 2011, 08:33 am
Isn’t it amazing how players who are good, but struggle to make the CC and Super Rugby teams, seem to go overseas and feature prominently in those teams’ performances?
I’m not talking about the ageing bokke here, I’m talking about the fringe players as mentioned above.
The conclusion to me is simple.
Aside from a handful of teams (4 or 5 at the most), the rest of them are not of a very high standard.
The top few are good for sure, but not great by any means.
I doubt that we’d be doing our rugby any good by moving lock stock and barrel up North.
A “Champion of Champions” league for sure, with the top 3 or 4 against our top 3 or 4 (Super Rugby here not CC) would be great for the game and spectators, but not in addition to the existing match schedules, and accommodation would have to be made.
5 Dec 2011, 09:07 am
The Cardiff Blues were missing all their Wales stars who were doing test duty vs Australia, Important to mention, but Strauss is a valued hooker and did some damage.
5 Dec 2011, 10:06 am
Adri Badenhorst? Is he still playing?
Swanepoel at flyhalf? Try as I might, I just can’t picture it.
5 Dec 2011, 10:28 am
So you can arrive in a country in 2009, stay there until 2012 and as a result you get to play for the national team??????
Is this what we really want? I suspect the vast majority will say no.
Strauss, a very Irish surname.
I reckon a period of 10-15 years permanent residence is more in order, that way at least you have a good chance of feeling a little bit proud or a part of your adopted nation.
5 Dec 2011, 11:25 am
George Kruis isn’t South African, but I’m sure he is glad for the mention anyway.
I think Richardt Strauss is still about 11 or 12 months away from qualifying for Ireland. He last played for the Cheetahs in the 2009 CC Final (31 October), and debuted for Leinster in February 2010. He certainly can’t play in the 2012 6N, or the June tests in New Zealand. It’s touch and go whether he qualifies in time for the November 2012 tests. Very good player.
5 Dec 2011, 11:28 am
What? Surely SAFFAcens lost!!! I mean Smit started… It’s all Smit’s fault!!
5 Dec 2011, 11:31 am
plod…starts 3
wins 1
losses 2
Yellow cards 1
5 Dec 2011, 11:33 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-5:
Good point.
Much as I love Richardt Strauss as a player….
As soon as he was offered a deal with Leinster, he said he was going to play for Ireland. So can’t even say that he had a connection to the country, because he hadn’t even set foot there yet.
He did have a desire to play test rugby though, and he wasn’t going to do that in SA, largely because they thought he was too small.
5 Dec 2011, 11:58 am
@grant10(grant10)-8: Give. It. A. Rest
Douche
5 Dec 2011, 12:01 pm
Plod WC champ!! Most capped Springbok captain! 2 Trinations titles!!
Grant…. D##s!!!!!
5 Dec 2011, 12:05 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-5: Should be at least 5 years in a country. 3 years is just a mockery, cause no country gives you citizenship unless you have stayed there for 5 years. Well think most countries you have to be staying there for 5 years at least.
5 Dec 2011, 12:15 pm
I heard in July that Pat Barnard is coming back to Cape Town from a family member of his – do anyone know if he is still coming and if he is going to play rugby in the Cape ?
5 Dec 2011, 12:20 pm
Strauss actually lost the 2 shirt to Cronin this season. Strauss only started as Cardiff were missing 10 starters, so Leinster gave all their subs a run. Shoddy journalism.
5 Dec 2011, 12:28 pm
@Jonck(Jonck)-13:
that would be great news if he does…!!
maybe one of the kaolin’s will follow up and give us a real story…!!
5 Dec 2011, 12:30 pm
grrrr… damn predictive text…
maybe one of the keolings will follow up…
5 Dec 2011, 12:34 pm
@gecko(gecko)-14:
Bull-cr@p.
Making up stories. Strauss has been ahead of Cronin the entire time. If they rotate them for a few games, that doesn’t mean he’s lost his place.
5 Dec 2011, 12:34 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-9: If I remember correctly one of his grand-parents came from Ireland which make him eligible. And yes, he was eligible early this year. I remember a few of their local journos named him for possible selection for the WC.
5 Dec 2011, 12:36 pm
@Puma(Puma)-12: Unless you have ancestors in the country, then you become a citizen much quicker.
5 Dec 2011, 12:38 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-19: Meaning british or irish ancestors from the Brit & Irish Isles.
5 Dec 2011, 12:54 pm
@grant10(grant10)-8:
Tries – 1… and more importantly have now won twice as many games as they did in last years HEC…
5 Dec 2011, 12:57 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-19: Must be grandparents and not Great Grandparents. Need to draw the line somewhere. If not grandparents or parents then they have to wait 5 years.
Strauss don’t sound Irish to me, unless his mother is Irish or his mothers parents were Irish.
5 Dec 2011, 13:18 pm
@gecko(gecko)-14: Strauss is the starting hooker. Shoddy comment.
@Bouts(Bouts)-18: I spoke to Richardt personally, he told me it might happen in 2012 sometime. So we’ll have to see.
5 Dec 2011, 13:25 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-18:
Don’t think you remember correctly. He definitely doesn’t qualify yet.
5 Dec 2011, 13:30 pm
Gareth & Hendrik
I’ve watched every Leinster game this season, and since the WC has ended Cronin had started every big game. Keep an eye this coming weekend when Heineken Cup is back on and see who starts. Last season Strauss started, however Leinster still signed Cronin from Connaght.
5 Dec 2011, 14:14 pm
@gecko(gecko)-25: What are you smoking mate? He’s started eight of their 10 league games this season, was injured for one and sat on the bench for the other!
5 Dec 2011, 14:29 pm
@gecko(gecko)-25: Cronin only started playing for Leinster in November… and most of the match reviews since then shows Richard starting.
5 Dec 2011, 14:54 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-27: @Gareth(GarethDuncan)-26: Both of you missed ‘ since the WC has ended Cronin had started ‘. Also, the Irish provinces uses the league to rest their big player in the months of HC rugby. In HC the real first team will start. They been doing this for years. As I said, keep an eye on the team news this week.
Anyway, Joe Schmidt called Cronin his first choice in the telly interview after one of the HC games just passed.
5 Dec 2011, 15:17 pm
@gecko(gecko)-28: It makes you a big man when you’re admit you’re wrong. Just because he sat on the bench for one game, doesn’t mean he’s dropped. It’s called player management – and we will see more of it in Super Rugby next season. Since the World Cup, Strauss has started two of four league games and was rested for one. This after starting the first six.
5 Dec 2011, 16:05 pm
Strauss has always been good, but wouldnt argue with Gecko on NH rugby too much.
6 Dec 2011, 06:18 am
This would be the South African hooker pecking order today…..
1. Bismark Du Plessis.
2. Adriaan Strauss.
3. John Smit.
4. Tiaan Liebenberg.
5. Reichardt Strauss.
Enough said about Mr. “I want to be Irish because I am not good enough to be a Springbok” Strauss.
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