Smal the frontrunner for Bok post
15 Dec 2011
Gert Smal is the favourite for the Springbok coaching position although Allister Coetzee and Heyneke Meyer are also on the shortlist.
The appointment will only be confirmed on 27 January 2012, but according to a reliable source, Smal is expected to pip Coetzee and Meyer for the job.
Smal has enjoyed success as a coach in South Africa, coaching Western Province to the Currie Cup title in 2000 and 2001, and also serving as the forwards coach during Jake White’s World Cup-winning tenure. For the past four years he has coached the Ireland forwards and was integral to the Emerald Greens’ 2009 Six Nations triumph.
While Meyer has also enjoyed great success with the Bulls, firstly as a hands-on coach and then as a director of rugby, it is Smal’s record with transformation that may reportedly secure him the post.
Smal was responsible for nurturing numerous players of colour while he was at WP, and in 2008 he drafted a transformation proposal to Saru detailing the development of black forwards in the Eastern Cape region.
Peter de Villiers, whose term as Bok coach will expire at the end of 2011, struggled to transform the Boks despite his earlier intentions. This is best illustrated by the make-up of White and De Villiers’s respective World Cup teams.
White picked just two players of colour in the match 22 for the 2007 World Cup final in France while De Villiers picked the same two players (Bryan Habana and JP Pietersen) and just two more (Gurthro Steenkamp and Gio Aplon) in the 22 that played Australia in the 2011 quarter-final in New Zealand.
260 Comments
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15 Dec 2011, 16:17 pm
@Michael-146:
Pretty close to what our first-choice starting line-up will look like, give and take injuries:
1 Deon Carstens
2 Tiaan Liebenberg
3 Brok Harris
4 Rynhardt Elstadt
5 Andries Bekker
6 Schalk Burger (c)
7 Nick Koster
8 Duane Vermeulen
9 Dewaldt Duvenage
10 Peter Grant (Gary van Aswegen first up)
11 Bryan Habana
12 Jean de Villiers
13 Juan de Jongh
14 Gerhard van den Heever
15 Gio Aplon
Disclaimer: Nowhere do I say I wouldn’t go in without a fetcher. Just predicting the way they will go. I’d take a long hard look at Reuben Johannes.
15 Dec 2011, 16:18 pm
@grant10-148:
who knows who’d select where?
remember he started with anton leanard for many years.
one thing is for sure, our 1-8 will be right on the fcking ball for a change and not relying on individual brilliance to save us ala Snor.
@Michael-146:
stormers look weaker than last year. bekker is way overrated, as flat track a bully as they come. Same with Dejong. All kak really.
15 Dec 2011, 16:20 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-152:
Obviously you’re from Pretoria.
15 Dec 2011, 16:22 pm
@hendrikp-153:
nope, from cape town.
but i realized very quickly years ago that the stormers were pish.
15 Dec 2011, 16:22 pm
@hendrikp-141:
if you say so hendrik, if you say so.
i have heard this sort of talk about the stormers for as long as they have been the stormers, honestly.
which actually brings to mind one certain mr gert smal…?…how bout that..?…
15 Dec 2011, 16:23 pm
oh and koster, I’m yet to see anything that comes close to justifying the hype.
15 Dec 2011, 16:24 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-154:
Don’t see how Bekker is overrated… Takes a crazy amount of line-out ball, excellent ball-carrier… a bit of a cheap shot really.
Also very harsh on de Jongh given his lack of game-time and that he’s actually been a pretty dangerous ball-in-hand when on the field.
15 Dec 2011, 16:27 pm
What did we learn from this thread?
1. That AC & HM are STILL candidates despite ruling themselves out earlier?
So who is bluffing here?
2. The main criterion for the appointment will be how many players of colour will the new coach pick?
3. No Performance Clause will be required, for sure it has not been required from AC, Terue or Pdv
So much fun awaits us
15 Dec 2011, 16:29 pm
@Michael-150:
15 Dec 2011, 16:30 pm
@hendrikp-157:
please, whenever Bekker is put under pressure at the lineout he gets all flakey and starts shouting and blaming everyone except himself. Definately not altogether mentally yet.
and Dejong?
Come on,seriously, the bloke never passes, on the odd occassion it’s aimed at the floor and then that silly step thing he’s got doesn’t even fool props anymore.
Seriously?
15 Dec 2011, 16:31 pm
@Hondo-158:
There should be 8 players in contention IMO – I exclude Lwazi Mvovo & Bjorn Basson
(and Mapoe who’s had some injury problems).
Forwards: Beast Mtawarira, Chiliboy Ralepelle & Ashley Johnson
Backs: Elton Jantjies, Juan de Jongh, Bryan Habana, JP Pietersen & Gio Aplon
15 Dec 2011, 16:32 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-160:
I’ll leave it at that. You’ve obviously got your own ideas
The other teams must be really really bad then to go 1 from 8 against them, considering how terrible they are.
15 Dec 2011, 16:34 pm
@hendrikp-151: bud….that team gets done 6 love at the breakdown…..I am telling you now we go in without a Kitshoff or a fenton wells at fetcher its all over rover….goodnite nurse…..6 love 6 love…listen to an oke that knowws a little bit …
@Brigadier Van Zyl-152: brig….you on the double klippies and diet pepsei again……?
Because vokkit you rekking the bek big time!
15 Dec 2011, 16:37 pm
@grant10-163:
Hey grant, are you in twitter?
You aren’t the ‘grantwp’ guy are you?
Like I said, it’s not the team I’d pick.
15 Dec 2011, 16:38 pm
Smal is an excellent forwards coach but the fact is, after 4 years in Ireland he has no offer in Europe.
He inherited a sound Stormers team from Allan Solomons, but had little to show past 2001 season, and that was 10 years ago already.
Prediction: Just a smoke screen article to create impression that there is a competition in selection at SARU,
It will be AC who will have no Performance clause
15 Dec 2011, 16:42 pm
@hendrikp-161:
I am all for it, frankly
Rather go flat out for a sheer entertainment than having a heart break due to unsubstantiated expectations, let the Boks go the Bafana way!
Dannie Gerber said it years ago
15 Dec 2011, 16:42 pm
15 taute
14 jpp
13 jdj
12 f steyn
11 Habanero
10 Jantjes
9 hougaard
8 vermeulen
7 schalk
6 brussow
5 A Bekker
4 vokken probleem
3 jannie
2 bissy
1 beast
bobs your aunt
15 Dec 2011, 16:43 pm
@grant10-163:
steggies will slice and dice you at the breakdown.
6-luv
15 Dec 2011, 16:45 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-168:
Steggies at a breakdown?
I figured by his performance in Australasia that he runs around creating holes in his own defense and missing as many covering tackles as possible.
15 Dec 2011, 16:47 pm
@hendrikp-169:
…something you rekon all to easy with at newlands?
15 Dec 2011, 16:47 pm
@hendrikp-164: not me
15 Dec 2011, 16:48 pm
@grant10-167:
No Lambie I see
Sadie will be there. Wait and see!
So are you Grant Lange?
15 Dec 2011, 16:48 pm
@grant10-171:
Ah ok. Cheers.
15 Dec 2011, 16:49 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-152: Nah our front-line starting 15 is stronger than last year.
15 Dec 2011, 16:49 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-168: ja….i know that….like minnie did in cc semi….but farken AC dont see it for what it is…..ac like jake in that regard
15 Dec 2011, 16:50 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-170:
At Newlands we’ve got Schalk making 3 tackles in the space of 20 seconds.
At Loftus you’re more likely to see Stegmann miss 3 tackles in the space of 20 seconds.
15 Dec 2011, 16:52 pm
1.A.Boer
2.chilli
3.kruger
4.flip
5.juandre
6.steggies
7.potgieter
8.spies
9.hougaard
10.morne
11.Basson
12.Wynand
13.Sadie
14. Engelbrecht
15.Kirchener
….that’s very probably how the Bulls will start the season. Very settled. After that, it’s open season for the young okes to start banging down the doors of selection.
15 Dec 2011, 16:52 pm
Wish i could give an informed opinion but i cant, only thing i can say is he surely cant be worse than our last coach.
15 Dec 2011, 16:53 pm
@grant10-167: I like the look though I prefer Lambie at fullback.
Smal as coach. He has the CV, the attitude, the intelligence and is well respected internationally. He knows running rugby well, as a player and coach (except under White).
15 Dec 2011, 16:54 pm
@hendrikp-172: no bud
15 Dec 2011, 16:54 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-177: hahahahahaha. And you say Stormers have a problem at 6,7 and 8. Bwahahahahahahaha
And poor Sadie will never see the ball with Shampoo by his side wanting to know how silky smooth his hair is.
15 Dec 2011, 16:55 pm
@hendrikp-176:
and yet, one has 2 superrugby medals and a CC.
And the other does not.
So guess who’s who?
15 Dec 2011, 16:55 pm
@Michael-179: rather gert than ac or heyneke…..i would be happy with him…
15 Dec 2011, 16:56 pm
@grant10-180:
Good. I was going to ask you if you got smacked with the ugly stick as a child.
Haha, no, thats horrible.
But I would have.
15 Dec 2011, 16:56 pm
@Michael-179: lambie damn good player….but hell i like taute…attacks like a kiwi!!
15 Dec 2011, 16:57 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-182:
The one who missed all those tackles and didn’t play for the 1st-string Bok side?
15 Dec 2011, 16:59 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-182:
The one who embarrassed himself in Australasia maybe?
Made me wish Corne Krige was still around the way Stegmann ran around cluelessly.
15 Dec 2011, 16:59 pm
@Michael-174:
what kak.
stormers are without Jaque Fourie and Frans Louw. So a weaker starting 15 and with the loss of sadie and whitehead, I’d say a weaker 22 as well.
@Michael-181:
Come now, last time habana scored a superrugby try he was still at the bulls. Jean DeVilliers, for all the hype, does fokol for the stormers backs and then dejong has never passed either.
bulls backrowers are proven superrugby winners, not pretenders.
15 Dec 2011, 17:01 pm
@hendrikp-186:
no, that would be frans louw the year before,ne?
as if skulk has ever eye gouged anybody yet? ne?
15 Dec 2011, 17:03 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-188:
I hope you don’t seriously think Habana’s last SR try was when he was at the Bulls?
15 Dec 2011, 17:04 pm
and the truth of it is, the team I’m really looking forward to watching are the cheetahs.
who the hell is playing for them next season? Which new bunch of no-name brands are going to give the sharks a fat klap?
15 Dec 2011, 17:04 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-189:
Louw is average, but still 10x the openside Stegmann is.
It just shows you how well-drilled that Bulls team was, that they could get on with having players like Werner Kruger & Stegmann in their line-up and still win.
15 Dec 2011, 17:05 pm
@hendrikp-190:
nope, I’m sure he’s scored one or two for the stormers, even one against the bulls in the super final.
you know
the one where he was on the losing side?
15 Dec 2011, 17:06 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-191:
Willie le Roux perhaps?
They got r@ped by the Bulls the past couple of seasons, meaning no juniors.
15 Dec 2011, 17:08 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-193:
You’re making no sense, but okay.
15 Dec 2011, 17:10 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-182: One has a WC medal and the other won’t be anywhere near the Bok side again unless Meyer is appointed.
15 Dec 2011, 17:13 pm
bulls and shaks se moer….its the lions i am kakking myself for
15 Dec 2011, 17:14 pm
@Grant: Taute, Lambie, Jantjies and Pieterson competing
Fantastic.
@The Kolonel: JdJ played fantastically when JdV was unavailable in 2010. He will do so again in Fourie’s place. Losing Louw is a blow but someone else will step up; I have no doubt. We are strengthened at prop and with the arrival back of Joe. The Stormers are stronger. Take off your Bully glasses dude and see the sunlight
You wait and see. You guys are just scared of the Stormers and afraid you won’t make the semis again.
15 Dec 2011, 17:15 pm
@grant10-197: Yup
15 Dec 2011, 17:15 pm
@Michael-196:
Ouch, good work.
One has a IRB Player of the Year award.
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