Goosen injury sharpens flyhalf focus
30 Apr 2012
JON CARDINELLI writes Johan Goosen’s campaign-ending injury will come as a blow to a Springbok squad that suddenly isn’t so spoiled for No 10 options.
As reported by keo.co.za on Sunday, Goosen’s shoulder injury will rule him out of rugby for four months. It’s not a train smash for the Boks as far as the starting line-up is concerned, but it will mean Heyneke Meyer’s plan to blood Goosen in June and then start him in November is now seriously compromised.
Goosen has shown himself to be more than a freak with a cannon of a goal-kicking boot. His tactical kicking has been a big feature of a Cheetahs game that has been more balanced in 2012. His decision-making, be it to kick, attack the line or feed the men on his outside, has been spot on. His defence has also improved since last year’s Currie Cup.
The Cheetahs uncovered a strong flyhalf option in Sias Ebersohn last year, but in 2012 Goosen has proved himself to be a class apart. Indeed the Cheetahs haven’t been as effective when Goosen hasn’t started. This was evident in the round eight loss to the Chiefs, and again when Goosen left the field in last Saturday’s clash with the Highlanders.
In 2011, Ebersohn was one of the better flyhalves in South Africa. But ever since Goosen replaced him in the No 10 position at the Cheetahs, his confidence and overall performance has dipped.
He would have done himself no favours with that fragile showing against the Highlanders. The Cheetahs as a collective were guilty of dropping their intensity in the second half, but Ebersohn seemed to crumble under the pressure.
He slotted a difficult kick from the sideline as soon as he replaced Goosen, but then missed an absolute sitter in the dying minutes. It was a miss that cost the Cheetahs the game.
With Goosen unavailable until September and Ebersohn struggling for form and confidence, South Africa looks to be two flyhalf options lighter.
It’s a shame that Goosen won’t get the opportunity to play against England. As Meyer has intimated, Goosen is the complete package. At 19 he’s good enough to form part of the Boks’ match 22 and in a year’s time he may be good enough to command that all-important starting spot.
Meyer will lean on experienced combinations and trust in existing structures for the series against England. It is for this reason that Morné Steyn will be backed to start at No 10.
While Steyn hasn’t been his accurate self in front of goal, he’s thrived behind an impressive Bulls pack. What would have impressed Meyer is Steyn’s tactical kicking accuracy. This aspect of his game has certainly not suffered, and at the highest level it’s been shown that a strong kicking 10 is essential to success.
Steyn will start against England, but Goosen’s injury will present an opportunity for another young 10 to play Steyn’s understudy. Having said that, not many possess Steyn’s tactical boot or will fit into that Bok game plan.
Stormers flyhalf Peter Grant has started to find form after a quiet start to the season. His defence has always been a strength, and he has worked hard to become one of the best goal-kickers in Super Rugby (he hasn’t missed a goal attempt in 2012). The confidence is clearly flowing, as Grant has started to attack the gainline in recent matches, and it’s resulted in an improved overall showing by the Stormers’ attack.
What Grant still lacks is a strong tactical kicking game. The Stormers look to offset this shortcoming by handing much of the tactical kicking responsibilities to scrumhalf Dewaldt Duvenage and fullback Joe Pietersen. But at the highest level, you cannot circumvent this kind of weakness.
Elton Jantjies has done some good and bad things over the course of the season. It hasn’t helped that the Lions have struggled as a unit or that his forward pack has grown further depleted as the season has progressed, but as seen in the game against the Brumbies, he doesn’t always make the best tactical decisions.
Perhaps in the right environment he will flourish, and it’s clear he has all the skills to be a success. The Lions don’t have a hope of making the Super Rugby play-offs, but Jantjies must use the remaining games to show Meyer why he would add value in the series against England.
Pat Lambie has the ability to kick crucial goals and like Jantjies has the skill set to be a flyhalf force at Test level. While not as experienced as Steyn or the recently retired Butch James, he has played for the Boks in that position, and that may count in his favour when Meyer weighs up the flyhalf options before the first Test.
Lambie has always been the favourite to wear the No 15 jersey against England in June, as Meyer considers him a stronger fullback than a flyhalf. But with Goosen no longer in the mix, Meyer will have to think about who to bring in as a back-up to Steyn.
It could be that Lambie covers this position, or that Jantjies is named the official understudy. There is much to play for in the coming weeks, especially for Jantjies who has it all to do on a difficult tour Down Under.
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80 Comments
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30 Apr 2012, 10:10 am
@skyewalker(skyewalker)-33:
its a joke really.
they are channeling the lions with this attitude.
big bek when wp or the bulls come to town but then lay down with their arseholes wafting the air for the keewees and ozzies.
30 Apr 2012, 10:24 am
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-40:
I realise you must be suffering from extreme disapppointment at the Sharks’ performance this year, but it’s not healthy to deflect. You need to confront your disappointment head-on, be honest with yourself.
30 Apr 2012, 10:46 am
Nice JC, I see you haven’t gone all Vrede on us and said something like “it’s a fact that Goosen was going to get picked yadda yadda”
Thing is, with the injuries hitting the teams Morne will play a very important role in June,
Lambie will back up.
Aplon at 15, so i’m not sure where Goosen would have fitted in.
he needs another year IMO.
30 Apr 2012, 10:51 am
Wooden spoon is your typical loser supporter. The sharks playing k@k rugby with all the Boks in their team. I’m sick and tired of our teams gifting 5 points to the ozzies and nz teams.
30 Apr 2012, 11:00 am
Log points conceded to overseas teams:
Lions: 13 in 3 matches (4.33 points per match)
Cheetahs: 18 in 6 matches (3 points per match)
Sharks: 17 in 6 matches (2.83 points per match)
Bulls: 7 in 4 matches (1.75 points per match)
Stormers: 4 in 6 matches (0.67 points per match)
The Stormers are doing all the SA teams a massive favour.
30 Apr 2012, 11:11 am
I can’t believe anyone in their sane mind would suggest Jantjies ahead of Grant as a back-up to Steyn. Grant may not have the biggest boot but tactically and defensively he’s light years ahead of Jantjies. Besides, we should stop this infatuation with huge kickers and try running the ball from time to time. We could have frans at 12 anyway, one of the longest kicks in the game.
30 Apr 2012, 11:26 am
So the contenders currently are:
Grant, great goal kicker, solid in defence and good hands. Never going to terrify the defence with ball in hand. Age is against him but I wouldn’t be unhappy if he started against England.
Lambie, composed with good hands, hasn’t impressed this year, maybe due to the world cup hangover, seems to lack authority at 10 right now.
Jantjies, Playing for a terrible side isn’t helping Elton, he appears to be making desperate decisions as he knows his teamates will drop the ball/get turned over anytime. I believe he brings his team mates into the game better than any other ten and has a great step of his own. I think, on ability, he could be a very dangerous weapon for the Boks and should be brought in and blooded.
30 Apr 2012, 12:17 pm
Jantjies has a bigger boot than Grant,better step,better pass,attacks the line better.Only thing Grant has on Jantjies is defense.Allround ability Jantjies is better
Lambie also better alround 10 than Grant
Goosen,Jantjies,Lambie all better 10′s than Grant
Grant shouldnt be even in the picture.
30 Apr 2012, 12:22 pm
@Winesy83(Winesy83)-57: Grant at position number 9 on Tackles Missed list at Verusco
30 Apr 2012, 12:39 pm
Fair enough, goes to show initial perception can be deceiving. He does seem to bring a certain calmness and experience. I still love the way Jantjies manipulates defenders. If he was playing for a team that can retain the ball (Lions, currie cup) He is highly effective.
30 Apr 2012, 13:19 pm
1.Steyn (NTvl)
2.Goosen (OVS)
3.Lambie (Natal)
4.Jantjies (Tvl)
5.Pienaar(Natal)
5.Grant (WP)
6.Duvenage (WP)
30 Apr 2012, 15:47 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-40:
Stand by dude…’landers about to ream the sharkies a new one at the tank,this with so many so called boks in pathetic loser team.By the way,if you were playing your 4th choice captain who would it be?Jannie du Plessis Bwahahahah
30 Apr 2012, 16:00 pm
@Dawn(Dawn)-42:
Hi’ya,went to Afrikaburn in the tanqua karoo,total blast,nice to see the Strompies pulled one off in damn awful conditions,with such a depleted team,will definitely need some big guns back for Cheetahs at Newlands tho’…shame about Goosen.
30 Apr 2012, 19:07 pm
Yo wooden spoon, what a loser you are!! If I were a guppie supporter I’d shut up very quickly. Go crawl back into the Durtbin hole that you came from..
30 Apr 2012, 21:18 pm
@brains_trust(brains_trust)-64: seriously does the lack of bonus points not concern you?
No bonus points = no home semi.
No home semi = no chance.
Home semi vs NZ team = loss.
Lots to be worried about.
Is this another season of hype?
p.s what’s a “durt bin”?
1 May 2012, 01:38 am
@Boksarenumber4(Boksarenumber1)-4: And Lambie has done what? piddly wee lad on defence and as a attacker. yep morne is never going to be a cooper but the man is world class and nobody else is going to replace him except for goosen. its one or the other really. we dont have a lot of good flyhalves out there not like keo has made out this year. lambie and jantjies are flunkies like rose and jaco
1 May 2012, 01:41 am
@mshiniwami(mshiniwami)-58: nah grant is nothing great but he is a specialist 10. lambie is no 10 at all but a damn fine 15. jantjies is skillful in some ways but too much like a ear rose too much flash not enough substance. i think you gotta go 1.morne, 2.grant, 3.butch. nothing much else. at least grant offers you stability until goosen is better again. keep an eye on sias too the bloke was pretty slick last year and he has enough time to find his confidence again.
1 May 2012, 01:44 am
@Winesy83(Winesy83)-57: nah jantjies just aint a good decision maker end of story. a great 10 can make the difference even in a beaten side. he has a good enough backline to work with better centres than morne has (morne has the worst centre combo of the lot i think not much better than sharks at best imo). decision making is 9/10 of a test 10.
1 May 2012, 05:06 am
@niknaks(niknaks)-56:
Only the former ‘under privileged’ might think that Jantjies is at the same league as Grant or even better, but they have no opinion of their own anyway, how many Super Rugby matches has Jantjies won last two seasons?
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-68:
Janjies is highly talented and skilled, but just like Dannie Capriani, nothing useful happened to benefit their teams
1 May 2012, 05:13 am
@Hondo(Hondo)-69: jantjies is not a test bok no excuse can hide the reality. once he steps onto the field as a bok again he is toast just like the last time just doesnt have it.
1 May 2012, 06:15 am
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-70:
I agree he is not bok material at all
Actually Coetzee at 15 is better than him at 15 or 10
Bottom line with Goosen out its M steyn at 10
Lambie on bench to cover 10 12 and 15 if he does not start at 15
1 May 2012, 06:15 am
@Blitzbok(Blitzbok)-70:
I keep thinking that way for a while
Goosen played well on a losing team and everyone took a note, Jantjies was hailed as the next best thing for 3 seasons now but really was exposed at the Super Rugby level
Mitchell had to make a difficult mistake to play him as his 1st choice, since the quaota watchers would have been all over him and De Klerk, in the end all they got for playing Jantjies is a relegation
1 May 2012, 07:25 am
AC must buy the Lions FB, Coetzee.
1 May 2012, 08:05 am
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-61: Has Frans signed for the Bulls?
1 May 2012, 08:26 am
@brains_trust(brains_trust)-73: To play fullback or flyhalf or to provide cover?
1 May 2012, 08:34 am
@garth(garth)-74:
I wish.
Morne Steyn in in final year in BOk colors IMO. in 2013, Goosen be ready to step up
1 May 2012, 09:18 am
@greatest13gerber(greatest13gerber)-76: So what is it then:
Goosen (Morne)
Coetzee (Lambie)
I’d personally go for:
Goosen (Lambie)
Coetzee (Lambie)
I don’t think that Morne has what it takes, and it’s going to be even worse if coupled with FDP and JDV again. They have collectively proven that they are not world beaters. the sooner we get the young crop of players up to speed the better. I would not remove all experienced players from the boks, but definitely the majority of them.
1 May 2012, 10:57 am
Easy one really.
9. Hougaard or Fourie Du Preez
10. Elton Jantjies with Morne Steyn as back up
11. Bjorn Basson who is great under the high ball
12. Fransie Steyn for the long kicks
13. Jean De Villiers experience
14. Gio Aplon
15. Patrick Lambie
Three guys more than capable to kick. Speed, size and flair in the backline. Big centres with experience. So, no problem!
2 May 2012, 08:34 am
@MG(MG)-78: If the selection of a player was determined by his ‘skill’ under the high ball, I’d have picked Habana. However, I’d rather pick players that are utterly pathetic under the high thereby ensuring we don’t try and implement the dumbest of gameplans, the kick and chase.
2 May 2012, 12:12 pm
Garth 79, I am looking towards the future, I am a Stormers fan myself, but Basson is not just good under a high ball. He has pace and is a good finisher. Who would you pick at 11?
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