The Lions’ unlikely hero
5 Dec 2011
Josh Strauss has become a cult figure in Joburg but he very nearly fell into rugby obscurity.
Had it not been for Alan Zondagh, Sharks fans might have been spared the frustration inflicted on them by Strauss in the Currie Cup final, and he might instead have been attending to our furry friends in their hours of need. Before he was spotted playing club rugby by the former Western Province coach, the Strauss life plan was directed towards saving animal lives as a vet.
In the latest SA Rugby magazine, on sale this week, we reveal how Zondagh helped Strauss to play for Boland, and how his impressive performances for Maties in the Varsity Cup resulted in a trial at the Lions.
Strauss also reflects on the Lions’ triumphant Currie Cup campaign and looks ahead to next year’s Super Rugby tournament.
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Also in the new issue:
– SA Rugby magazine reveals how the Lions went from Super Rugby chumps in 2010 to Currie Cup champs in 2011
– John Mitchell on transforming the Lions, living in South Africa, preparing for Super Rugby, and the Springbok coaching job
– The Sharks started to develop a new team dynamic during the 2011 Currie Cup
– Heyneke Meyer’s wants the Bulls to become the world’s best domestic side again. We reveal his master plan
– Boland Kavaliers coach Eugene Eloff on winning the Currie Cup First Division, losing half of his side afterwards, and Saru’s decision to have six teams in the Premier Division
– SA Rugby magazine assesses the candidates who will be vying for the Springbok flyhalf jersey next year
– In an extract from his new autobiography, Butch James reveals how he was promised the Springbok No 10 jersey at the World Cup only to fall behind Morne Steyn in the pecking order
– Graham Henry finally has his inner peace – and his World Cup. Now he can get on with the rest of his life
– From zero to hero, jeers to cheers, agony to ecstasy, no one has a better handle on the fickle world of international rugby than World Cup winner Stephen Donald
– Thierry Dusautoir is an inspirational leader and officially the best rugby player on the planet
– The inaugural Rugby Championship will kick off on 18 August next year, two weeks after the Super Rugby final
– Francois Louw speaks to SA Rugby magazine about his new life in Bath, the recent World Cup campaign and why he hasn’t given up on playing for the Boks
– The Springbok Sevens went into the 2011-12 World Series with a settled squad
398 Comments
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5 Dec 2011, 14:57 pm
perhaps the lions could do themselves a few favours to tolerate a few stoute kabouters here and there…
5 Dec 2011, 14:58 pm
@Roar my Lions …. Currie Cup Champions 2011(RL)-295:
That hardarse coach sh*t does have its ceiling and Mitch has been there and gone beyond-past & present.
Has nothing to do with “psychologist etc rugby is not a subset of the army or security forces etc A multifaceted approach is required especially with professionalism on hyper drive. Mitch ALWAYS leaves under acrimonious circumstances-in every job barring maybe England fwds coach job but when he left they went on to be world champs….
Dilute the issue all you want,fact is fact, Mitch’s past coaching stints with the same Draconian mindset end all in the same fashion….
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-296:
Deysel is better than anything the Lions have. He was once of the only players to come away with reputation improved from disastrious 3N away leg last year amongst poor company.And no Lions didnt offer him a contract-he came to Sharks on a trial-played for Natal Duikers(Sharks 3rd’s basically) and made his way to Superrugby squad in less than 6 months then Springbok.
5 Dec 2011, 14:59 pm
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-292:
Ahh.
I have debentures.
Which means they can never deny me a ticket.
I also enjoy droit de seigneur over the young wenches serving the slop that passes for catering there.
However outside the gates amongst the sick and mentally infirm I highly recommend the sausage lady. she is a peach.
ask for the gunther.
10 inches (circumference).
5 Dec 2011, 15:01 pm
@Gunther(gunther)-303: Seriously? They can’t refuse a ticket to anyone with false teeth? Wtf is that all about?
5 Dec 2011, 15:03 pm
@Gunther(gunther)-303: He he he
Don’t be so modest.
5 Dec 2011, 15:06 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-304:
5 Dec 2011, 15:07 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-304:
some sort of affirmative action plan.
if its free its for me.
@stormersboy(stormersboy)-305:
Indeed.
I rock a size 13 adidas.
5 Dec 2011, 15:10 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-297:
Jean Deysel is a Springbok & would play ahead of Strauss as a blindside. Alberts is a better 8 than Strauss.
5 Dec 2011, 15:15 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-308:
Correct.
But I’d put Deysel behind Juan Smith, Willem Alberts, Schalk Burger, Duane Vermeulen and Ashley Johnson as a 7/8.
Definitely behind the first 3 at least… but Duane I reckon is better rounded. Runs better support lines and so forth.
And Ashley Johnson is a hell of a ball carrier. He’d be one of our biggest weapons if he didn’t miss so many tackles.
5 Dec 2011, 15:16 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-308: With all due respect, that’s rubbish. Deysel was a mid-week Springbok. And there is no way in hell that he would currently start ahead of Strauss, at 7 or 8. Anyone who has watched any Lions games this year would know that.
And I’ve already acknowledged that Alberts was a big loss. If we had managed to keep him, a loose trio of Minnie, Strauss and Alberts would have been world class.
But Deysel is decidedly next-rung.
5 Dec 2011, 15:16 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-308:
Warren Whiteley is also the best player not in their presumed starting-XV.
We really do have a lot of very good loose-forwards in SA.
5 Dec 2011, 15:18 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-310:
You rate winners of a Currie Cup that resembled the Vodacom Cup far more highly then you should.
Just saying.
5 Dec 2011, 15:20 pm
@Gunther(gunther)-303: 10 inch circumference? I’d pipe down a bit if I were hung like a burger patty.
5 Dec 2011, 15:20 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-310:
he’s a dodgy rung at that,
he keeps snapping.
5 Dec 2011, 15:21 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-308: Deysel is in the category as Kankowski and Daniels, the category of players who should never have worn a Bok jersey.
5 Dec 2011, 15:22 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-312: Strauss is the front page lead of the SA Rugby article this thread is about. He’s probably rated (by me and thousands of others) for a reason.
Just saying.
5 Dec 2011, 15:24 pm
@Roar my Lions …. Currie Cup Champions 2011(RL)-315:
Deysel did rather well when playing for the Boks I thought! Was pleasantly surprised.
But maintaining that form, I can’t see it. He’s at best a battering ram who has no feel for the game. Not overly athletic and so forth either.
He’s in the same category as MANY other players that shouldn’t have worn a Bok jersey. I wouldn’t even know where to start!
I’d back Marcell Coetzee over him long-term!
5 Dec 2011, 15:26 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-316:
Fair enough mate.
And I’ve seen some pretty good performances from him in Super Rugby.
But not good enough to convince me we can take on the Australasian teams with him.
He’s more energy then precision. Like a poor mans Schalk Burger, although not as much of the kamikaze style either.
5 Dec 2011, 15:27 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-317: I’d start Coetzee ahead of Deysel too. He has one ingredient that Deysel lacks …… pace!
5 Dec 2011, 15:30 pm
And Re: Derick Minnie.
2nd best openside in SA? Probably.
But the gap between Brussow and Minnie is HUGE.
And therefore if anything happened to Brussow, I’d either call in the ‘middle-man’ Francois Louw, or forget about an openside flanker until we find one that can play at test level.
The only Lions players that should be there-abouts (regarding Springbok selection) are CJ van der Linde, Elton Jantjies & Jaco Taute.
Guys like JC Janse van Rensburg, Franco van der Merwe, Doppies la Grange & Lionel Mapoe being very unlucky though.
5 Dec 2011, 15:32 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-316:
With all due respect thats rubbish reasoning to say the least. Derrick Houggard has been on the cover of SA Rugby mag & many dont rate his abilities. So I guess if Davon Raubenheimer was to get front page of SA rugby mag he would be best thing since sliced bread?(Strauss is in the Raubenheimer category at present-good enough for midweek dirttracker team but NOT test team)
Deysel was Test capped in 2009 ALREADY. so he wasnt just a dirttracker midweek type.
One good Currie campaign with much of it diluted doesnt make you are world class player(Minnie,Strauss)…Ask Bevin Fortuin
5 Dec 2011, 15:41 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-321:
It can make you a good player, but not a world class one. You got that spot on.
Some players have rare talent, which means they can be highly thought of and tipped for higher honors even while playing CC rugby.
A guy like Johan Goosen being a prime example. Not many can kick the ball like he can, and he showed himself to be balanced in other facets as well… which means he’s a very likely future Springbok.
But what does Josh Strauss bring that we don’t get from better athletes? Is he a great ball-carrier? No. Is he a BIG target at the back of the line-out like Juan Smith (and Kanko for the Sharks). No. Does he have a huge workrate on defense? No.
All Strauss has on his side is that he played in a well balanced team, which meant he looked alright.
If it were Nick Koster, or Ryan Kankowski in his shoes we’d be hearing the same thing.
5 Dec 2011, 15:42 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-321: So you’re saying that if Deysel were to suddenly become available to the Lions, they’d pick him over Strauss?
Because that’s essentially what you’re implying. And that’s complete and utter rubbish. Drop Mitchell an email and ask him. See what he says.
Strauss, as a player and as a leader, means far more to that team than Deysel ever could.
5 Dec 2011, 15:46 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-309:
Agree totally.
Especially on Johnson,seemed disinterested in CC this year after missing out on WC selection
Awesome ball carrier,must round off his game.But he has improved from yesteryear,must continue to do so
5 Dec 2011, 15:55 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-323:
Mate I couldnt care less what Draconian Mitch thinks, he who selects Boksburg has beens or never will be’s ahead of talents like Mjekevu along with his dubious managerial style-im alright with him.. Leadership capablities,senior player blah blah he has 1 year experience as a captain in senior rugby and now everyone must bow down because the Lions won something?Strauss is the same player that was dropped at times during the lions s15 campaign due to his deficiency in tackle efficiency-became real cappie when Doppies got injured.
Easy with the hype, Strauss must try put together a couple of seasons of top notch form in CC AND more importnaly Superrugby.Then one can speak of him in Bok reckoning otherwise its Pierre Uys type stuff.
He got a SA rugby mag cover, more due to the NEED of media to push Lions revival-to sell publication to long suffering faithful.
its alright.
5 Dec 2011, 15:55 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-320: ja
you would forget about an opesider….
because you got no farken brains
5 Dec 2011, 15:57 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-325: that ‘ Draconian Mitchell’ will in all likelihood have you shedding lots more tears…..
I suggest a bit of respect
5 Dec 2011, 15:58 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-323:
I’m backing Johnson or Koster to be the fifth Springbok loose-forward in 2012.
And then some others would say Pierre Spies, Jean Deysel, Josh Strauss or Duane Vermeulen. Depends on who you talk to really.
But those are my two I think will put up big numbers in Super rugby.
5 Dec 2011, 16:00 pm
@grant10(grant10)-326:
Grant,
You’re a real w@nk you know that.
I never realised having an openside flanker was as crucial to winning a rugby game as scoring points.
I never realised that a player was born as an opensider, and that you can’t instruct a player to perform certain tasks, rather then giving the jersey to someone incapable of playing at that level.
5 Dec 2011, 16:02 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-325: This Mjekevu thing has really made a deep impression with you, hasn’t it? Why are you on such a crusade for the chap? Is he your son? You have no idea what the dynamic was, what the reasons were for not selecting him etc. But it’s enough for you to label the most exciting, progressive coach in the country “draconian”? Nee man, sometimes your agenda sticks out like a tatty petticoat.
5 Dec 2011, 16:05 pm
A man who wants to save animals, come to the SHARKSSSSSSSSSS oh bearded one and then you would be near perfect.
5 Dec 2011, 16:06 pm
so mitchell and meyer are both “draconian”.
It must be something in the water on the highveldt.
5 Dec 2011, 16:07 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-329:
Actually, let me put it this way.
The biggest embarrassment for Springbok rugby this year… Not John Smit, our former WC winning captain who is our most capped player ever.
It was Deon Stegmann. His performances in Australasia were pathetic. Never seen anyone so out of their depth at that level.
And you demand that only opensiders get selected, no matter how far out of their depth they are.
You’re okay with Stegmann-like performances.
You really must like coming on here b1tch1ng and moaning. Otherwise you’d see the solution. Don’t select guys that aren’t up to it.
5 Dec 2011, 16:07 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-328: Both those guys are good, but I reckon Johnson as a far better chance than Koster, who needs to add a tight aspect to his game. Right now he doesn’t have enough mongrel. Ditto for that youngster, Kolisi – he’s great to watch with ball in hand, but he needs to become a tough guy too, in the Juan Smith mold.
A couple of Bulls loosies are worth watching (Botha, Stander), as is that Coetzee chap from the Sharks. And Lappies from the Free State. But these are all longer term prospects. If we had to pick a Bok squad now, I think Johnson, Strauss and possibly Vermeulen would be the candidates for the last vacancy.
5 Dec 2011, 16:08 pm
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-325: do you think that Mjekevu has worked to improve his weaknesses, poor handling skills and poor defense? Knowing his weaknesses will you still start him at 13 ahead of oupa MJ or journeyman Whitehead?
5 Dec 2011, 16:12 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-331: I save animals too and I go green whenever possible …… but I will never ever become a guppy!
5 Dec 2011, 16:14 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-334: Agreed. koster is still too young to really measure.
5 Dec 2011, 16:26 pm
Oh Simon, where are you ….. youhoooooo.
I’ve have been looking for the Josh cover and can’t find it anywhere …. still selling bonehead Burger issues … that’s not cool.
5 Dec 2011, 16:27 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-317: quite right! Deysel in a one-trick pony – BASH IT up all day long! has no finesse whatsoever and if the opposition match him physically or tackling technique is super he is a nonentity. plus he leaks a LOT of penalties when he dives over rucks or in goes head first.
5 Dec 2011, 16:29 pm
@hendrikp(hendrikp)-333:
Steggies attended more rucks than ANY bok in those two games, so pipe down!
5 Dec 2011, 16:30 pm
“a poor man’s schalk burger”…?….sshitbeans…i hear some crazy things every day… but that is right up there…
5 Dec 2011, 16:34 pm
just please Rassie / ac dont play Schalk at openside again.
Thank you
5 Dec 2011, 16:37 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-330:
Not my son,not related,not my friend etc
I have watched him from his age group days at KES,his under age group performances,his senior performances etc. he is a special kind of player the kind SA rarely embraced,great feet,great speed,balanced runner. I have seen players in NZ and OZ who have special attacking skills be moulded & coached the other aspects such as defense,attitude in physicality(the so called “mongrel” trait) etc BUT one CANT COACH what they have in abundance-skill,speed.balance. SA must be the only nation where we chose box cut yes men who do bare minimum-polyfillers safety on defense instead of embracing the game and attacking gainline.
Mitch the most “exciting” progressive coach in SA…Thats not much to write about in the company of the dour Plumtree,Pine Pienaar,Drotske & AC. And even still worse is how people want to swipe his dubious past record of management under the carpet. progressive indeed.
@grant10(grant10)-327:
Yeah thats what the Force & Waikato thought as well. I suppose he showed those organisations a lot of respect with his actions dealing with management,sponsors,players etc as well?
Give that respect angle a rest
5 Dec 2011, 16:38 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-340:
So he understands at least one aspect of being an openside!
Unfortunately he doesn’t compete for the ball, misses heaps of tackles that resulted in tries, doesn’t carry the ball, adds no value in the line-outs. Heck he might as well not have been on the field. At least then someone else could’ve attempted those tackles he missed, or closed those gaping holes.
@grant10(grant10)-342:
Like I told you… what are the suggestions that they would do that!
As soon as he came back from World Cup duty, he went straight into the 6 jersey.
Before him it was Pieter Louw.
They’re not going to suddenly give it to someone they didn’t deem good enough during the Currie Cup.
5 Dec 2011, 16:38 pm
ja i must agree with the deysel commentators here.
the guy is great for the sharks as a ball carrier as i believe this frees kanko up to do the running but as a bok? there are better around.
i am happy to have him and alberts at the sharks but young marcel may just cause a bit of a selection headache this year imo.
but i am also going to have to agree with mshini and say that josh must perform for a superrugby season before he is built up to being the next big thing.
5 Dec 2011, 16:40 pm
@Roar my Lions …. Currie Cup Champions 2011(RL)-335:
he has worked on his condition as they asked 1,91m 91 kgs
he has worked on his defense which improved especially from his 2010 season,he is still devastating with any space given to him
I would play him ahead of Mj everyday and TWICE on a Sunday. Whitehead & him to battle it out but would give Whitehead inside lane as he has more experience in midfield at Superrugby level
5 Dec 2011, 16:41 pm
@rangerman(rangerman)-345:
“josh must perform for a superrugby season before he is built up to being the next big thing”
you could say the same about mitchell.
true..true…
5 Dec 2011, 16:43 pm
glad to hear mjekevu is going to get a shot at the sharks too.
i didnt realise that he was so young but what better place than the sharks to be as a young un?
i mean simply look at all the youngsters who have made their bok debuts as practically babes in arms whilst at the sharks of late?:
ruan
frans
bizness
lambie
mvovo
kanko
beast
etc etc etc
the sharks and the bulls are the backbone of successful bok teams these days so wandile will surely hit the ground running.
5 Dec 2011, 16:44 pm
@au revoir mon tout noirs, au revoir…(i_love_u_bakkiesbotha)-347: thankyou thankyou.
said the same thing about lambie who is clearly the real deal after his wc showing IMO.
5 Dec 2011, 16:49 pm
i watched that Wandile oke play at n13 against WPu 21s at newlands…..bloody good player
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