Living on the edge
13 Mar 2012
Heinrich Brüssow will continue to play an important game-shaping role for the Cheetahs and the Springboks in 2012.
Nobody polarises opinion like a world-class fetcher. Ironically, nobody is as valuable to the team cause.
In the latest issue of SA Rugby magazine, on sale this week, former Springbok assistant coach Gary Gold gives his views on what sets the best fetchers apart from the rest and how an opensider’s performance should be judged.
‘Opensiders, especially the clever ones, tend to stay a step ahead,’ Gold says. ‘They know when to get involved at a ruck and when to bide their time. As defenders they can be very menacing and I’ll admit that as coaches we do look for ways to take them out of the equation. I know for a fact that Heinrich is a nightmare to play against.’
Gold goes on to explain exactly what makes Brüssow so good, while the player himself chats about his two main rivals in world rugby – Richie McCaw and David Pocock – as well as his serious knee injury in 2010.
Also in the new issue:
– Having taken his opportunity in the Currie Cup, 19-year-old Johan Goosen is ready to test himself on the Super Rugby stage
– Sharks flank Marcell Coetzee missed out on Craven Week because he went to an unfashionable rugby school. Now he’s living his dream
– Lions fullback Jaco Taute can put himself into Springbok contention this season by taking his game to the next level
– Change has been the order of the day at the Chiefs where new coach Dave Rennie will try to help a team of baby faces grow into something special in 2012
– How the Rebels signed two of the biggest names in the game
– Sanzar CEO Greg Peters on player welfare, Super Rugby expansion, and his expectations for Argentina in the Rugby Championship
– Kings coach Alan Solomons insists his side will be competitive in Super Rugby next year. We find out how
– Earl Rose tells SA Rugby magazine his side of the story
– The Varsity Cup’s new points system has received mixed reviews
– Springbok Sevens coach Paul Treu wants to eliminate errors that cost his team dearly in Wellington and Las Vegas
– Everything you need to know about the new George Sevens Premier League
– Tobias Botes is the latest South African to play Test rugby for the Azzurri
– Joe van Niekerk is playing the best rugby of his career for Toulon
122 Comments
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13 Mar 2012, 12:30 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-99:
Yvonne Chakalaka?
Now THAT chick could sing.
13 Mar 2012, 12:32 pm
@Guns(Guns)-97: Ok, I will not argue, maybe you are right and they added that later, in that case I apologize.
The only thing I saw in the morning was Sharks byes on week 10 and 19, while week 15 they are, of course, playing. That’s what I was saying then.
13 Mar 2012, 12:35 pm
@Nils(Nils)-102:
Careful
Guns is built like Vin Diesel.
13 Mar 2012, 12:38 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-103: Who is this Vin Gasoline?
13 Mar 2012, 12:42 pm
@Nils(Nils)-104:
He’s Fast and Furious an built like a truck.
13 Mar 2012, 12:47 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-105: Oh, good on him then, although have never watched it. He’s not the only one in the world built +/- ok however, so no big deal.
Anyway, I already offered my apologies in case I wasn’t right.
13 Mar 2012, 13:31 pm
@Nils(Nils)-106:
In case you weren’t right?
surely not?
13 Mar 2012, 13:46 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-107: The problem was following. Guns said one thing he saw, I looked in the same site and saw opposite, so I stated according to what I personally witnessed. Maybe information there was indeed changed during the interval between we looked there, I do not know. So if it was changed, then he was right, if he just overlooked, then he wasn’t.
Or did you mean now something I did not understand correctly?
13 Mar 2012, 13:52 pm
@Dawn…Vin Deisel acts in Pitch Black, seen it yet. Yes I spelt his name wrong I don’t care, am to knakkered.
13 Mar 2012, 14:32 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-109:
Have a bath.
Think of handsome Gunther.
feel free to abuse yourself.
13 Mar 2012, 14:47 pm
@Treehugger(Treehugger)-109: your spelling ain’t that great, can’t be Waterford’s fault, where did yiu do your primary school?
13 Mar 2012, 14:52 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-111:
where did yiu do yours?
13 Mar 2012, 15:01 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-103:
Dawn, I’ve been told it’s not about the size of the boat, but the motion of the ocean.
Is that true?
13 Mar 2012, 15:02 pm
@the artist formerly known as gunther(gunther)-110:
as free as mr hugger will feel to abuse you..?..
haiyibo! you are cruising for a bruising.
13 Mar 2012, 15:47 pm
@willievz(willievz)-113:
skipper that’s what everyone who sails a dinghy says.
13 Mar 2012, 16:20 pm
79 Dawn… And you know exactly how??
13 Mar 2012, 17:40 pm
@ 112 – You just made my day!
Moerse snaaks! Lol
13 Mar 2012, 19:07 pm
My fear is always that other teams will do a Dan Vickerman on him over and over.
If he had the protection that the anointed one (Sir Ritchie) has, he would be the biggest little guy in rugby.
13 Mar 2012, 21:56 pm
@YoMama(YoMama)-118: “My fear is always that other teams will do a Dan Vickerman on him over and over.”
While Brussow got a nasty blow to the head by Vickerman I do not think it was intentional as (I watch that moment on my PC) Dan was looking the completely other way when going into the pile of players, he could not see where his knee lands. But it was nasty, I do not argue.
The reason why Brussow went off was the rib injury, and he was playing while carying this injury. I remember well how Aussie commentators mentioned at the very start that Heinrich is playing through injury. He did his job until could not anymore.
14 Mar 2012, 01:17 am
@Nils(Nils)-119:
Point stands… South Africans have still not learned anything from their early exit… they still don’t protect their own ball properly as a unit… nor do they counter-ruck on opposition ball… the individuals like Brussouw are always going to get injured because of this… and in the case of the Cheetah’s and the likes of Ashley Johnson they’ll always be coughing up as much ball as they pilfer…
Bulls second half a case in point… they ceased to kick away possession onto one of the most attacking teams in Super rugby… and they protected their own ball as a unit at the breakdowns (marginally better than the first)… not to mention counter-rucked better as a unit (albeit they don’t really have much grunt in that dept other than Wepener atm)…
14 Mar 2012, 19:21 pm
@Nils(Nils)-119:
You’re right. I know Dan well enough to agree that it was not intentional.
That being said, it still worked out well for the wallabies and you could easily see thugs like Reuben Thorn and Ali Williams taking note and plotting to physically remove one of the key tools in the Bok arsenal.
14 Mar 2012, 19:24 pm
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-120:
You are very right, both the Reds and Highlanders have become the master of obliterating rucks. This is the ONLY reason why SA sides have struggled against the likes of Thompson and Kaino.
We really do miss Juan. Perhaps someone should sit Alberts down and teach him this little trick, I believe that we will be better off.
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