Coetzee is the future
6 Jun 2012
RYAN VREDE writes Marcell Coetzee is the natural successor to Schalk Burger, with Heinrich Brussow’s limitations as an openside seeing his Test future hanging in the balance.
Coetzee is the real deal. You get a sense about these things when you’ve seen enough impostors to know the difference. I remember being awed watching an 18-year-old Frans Steyn’s performance in torrential rain at Kings Park for the Sharks against Western Province in 2006. Coetzee has had me incredulous at times this season in the same way Steyn did six years ago and indeed as other players of their ilk have. They are a class apart, born not only to play Test rugby, but excel in elevated company.
Schalk Burger will be remembered as one of the great Springboks in history when he retires. There were concerns about the void the 29-year-old will leave when his battle-battered body eventually betrays him. And it will. Burger only has one gear – over-drive – and knowing nothing else but absolute commitment to the cause, he has scant regard for his longevity in the game. The South African rugby fraternity can take heart that in Coetzee there is a successor of immense quality.
Three years ago Brussow announced himself on the Test stage by tormenting the British & Irish Lions, and his value endured to the point where it was largely accepted that his injury-enforced early exit from the World Cup quarter-final was central to the Springboks’ defeat. But that was a time when a greater contest was allowed and under a coaching staff that overlooked Brussow’s relatively diminutive constitution because of the asset he was on the ground.
But Brussow’s future now looks bleak for a number of reasons. Future changes to the breakdown laws will increasingly favour the attacking team, gradually eroding the importance and value of a specialist fetcher (already statistically in 2012 Brussow has stolen nearly as many balls as penalties conceded). Indeed, Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer believes the laws that govern that facet of play already demand the selection of an openside flanker adept at contesting the breakdown in a bid to slow or turnover possession, as he is at carrying the ball, while having the height to be a lineout option is a bonus.
Coetzee ticks all those boxes, Brussow two at a push. Undoubtedly the Cheetahs man is a competent carrier, but Coetzee has shown himself to be a greater force, his muscular, 106kg frame better equipping him than Brussow’s stocky 100kg does in this regard. Both possess a high degree of mongrel (a key ingredient that a physical god like Pierre Spies lacks and which accounts primarily for his inability to consistently boss the tackle fight) but Coetzee’s aforementioned physical superiority amplifies his threat.
Coetzee, who started his career as a No 8 and later moved to blindside flank, readily admits he isn’t close to Brussow in terms of his contesting skills. But Meyer, who believes Coetzee will become a ‘superstar’ at openside, doesn’t care. He offers a multi-faceted threat that Brussow doesn’t (by Meyer’s standards), and, given he is close to his physical ceiling, probably never will.
The best Brussow can hope for now is a role as an impact player. Coetzee may have to bide his time when Burger returns from injury, but he is the future.
By Ryan Vrede, in Durban
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98 Comments
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6 Jun 2012, 21:01 pm
I reckon Marcelle will make the move to 8 before long, to accommodate Kolisi at 6. Or they’ll play Kolisi at 8. Either way i reckon both would fill both roles with distinction. They are skillful, athletic and seem to possess a decent rugby brain (something we really have very little of in this country). This means we can always just pick some brute like Alberts at 7 to bash into the opposition. Kolisi and Coetzee will form an intelligent back row in future.
Compare that to Burger, Juan and Spies … of those only Juan had brains, but he didn’t really have a great skillset and didn’t have the same athleticism that Kolisi and Coetzee have.
6 Jun 2012, 21:02 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-50:
Sonny Will Billions…seems legit.
6 Jun 2012, 21:03 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-50:
Nee, it should be 0800geevirSpiesballs
6 Jun 2012, 21:04 pm
@lepel(lepel)-51:
We had a guy in highschool we called Lepel, because he face was concave.
Is your face concave inwards?
Also, did you know “lepel” is a palindrome?
Does your backside look the same as your face by any chance?
6 Jun 2012, 21:05 pm
fetchers were a necessity from around 2004 through to 2009 until the new laws stated daylight had to be shown and tackler had to roll away and not contest..
Even as far back as 2000 Neil Back made a huge contribution to the way open side flanks played in modern rugby. as did Ruben Kruger and Josh Kronfeld and Michael Jones and Rob Louw before him.
McCaw, and George Smith redefined the role of open side flank through that era but SA still relied on big bruising ball carriers until Brussow was eventually discovered (by accident – or be default rather than by selection)
Burger used to play the fetcher role through 2004-2005 until his neck injury.. thats when we lost 49-0 because nobody was attacking the ground ball and Aussie had a field day in that department… after that he changed his modus operandi entirely that why Rassie tried making him the stand off first receiver ball carrier.. which was an utter dismal failure.
Today the small dynamite package of fetcher is a prerequisite in modern rugby which Marcell Coetsee will have to adapt his natural No.8 style game to, which is to suit the philosophy of Meyer who reckons its the hookers job to pilfer balls on the ground not the open side flank any more.
Pocock, McCaw, Hooper, Dusetoir, Warburton, Todd, Brussow, Kolisi, Stegmann, Fourie (hooker), Bismark (hooker), all immensely strong upper body strength low to the ground center of gravity efficiency type players
Coetsee is a slightly different type animal.. more open field abrasive speed ball carry game similar to a young Schalk Burger with perhaps a tinge more linking and intelligence to his game… not quite the same attributes as a traditional open side terrier.
6 Jun 2012, 21:05 pm
@lepel(lepel)-51:
Jerry Collins wasn’t exactly a rocket scientist but he did well for the AB’s at no 8
6 Jun 2012, 21:09 pm
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-55:
Jaaa, it’s always been the tackler may contest and from any direction, they just got stricter.
But what does your post say about the “future”? That’s the buzzword in this thread
6 Jun 2012, 21:10 pm
Hmmm… let’s see. Coetzee is the no1 tackler in this season’s Super Rugby? Brilliant! I’m happy for him!
Hmmm… Wait a sec! Brussow is also in the top 10! What? I thought Ryan Vrede and Meyer said Brussow only fetches?
Hmmm… Wait a sec! Brussow is still one of the top stealers? What? Meyer and Vrede said he can’t steal ball anymore? Hmmm… different stats?
Hmmm… Wait a sec, where is Coetzee in those stats?
Hmmm… Wait a sec, Brussow appears in most of the stats. Where is Coetzee? I thought Coetzee is an allround player?
huh????
6 Jun 2012, 21:10 pm
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-56:
Being a qualified rocket scientist would be awkward when you’re emptying out rubbish dumpsters for fun on Sundays :p
6 Jun 2012, 21:14 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-58:
Coetzee played a lot at blinside, his tackle and carry stats are superb, and he is “no slouch on the deck” as they say here at keo.co.za
Are you sad about Brussow’s omission?
Well, there’s always the pmission and the qmission and …you get the picture.
6 Jun 2012, 21:15 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-59:
But emptying dumspters might come in handy when you need to hand JS his a-ss or run over Britney`s well muscled 250lbs weakling body
6 Jun 2012, 21:20 pm
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-61:
Did I miss something? How long have you guys been calling Spies Britney? Is this is reference to Britney plastic Spears?
Sigh, I miss Jerry, he showed that men of colour don’t have bigger penises than the rest of us, major ego booster, who else is going to piss on our fields?
New Zealand Zef effect. Must’ve been a real turnon for the ladies, we should ask Nikita’s opinion. She’s a lady, isn’t she?
6 Jun 2012, 21:21 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-48: Well I sat in front of a particularly vocal, and fairly plump female Bulls fan at Loftus and she screamed like a siren all game long ‘kry hom uit….gooi hom wyd…’ even when the opportunity to go wide was clearly unavailable
My wife, with her Sharks scarf stood up and stared her down at one point……although I must admit my wife would have gotten the beat down from that woman….if you could call her a woman. She could have been Werner Kruger’s identical twin sister. And I mean identical….
So – perhaps she should coach……
6 Jun 2012, 21:26 pm
@Dusky(Dusky)-63:
If she’s a prop what does she know about backline play?
Why did your wife stare her down? Never underestimate alcohol, gives you strength you cant believe.
6 Jun 2012, 21:26 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-62:
> How long have you guys been calling Spies Britney? Is this is reference to Britney plastic Spears?
Ek weet nie maar dit pas hom, hy laat my dink aan Ken van Barbi, al daai apteek en USN spiere, en geen hart nie , soos die leeu in Wizard of Oz
> Sigh, I miss Jerry, he showed that men of colour don’t have bigger penises than the rest of us,
Jammer om van jou probleem te ****, sterkte
> major ego booster, who else is going to piss on our fields?
Die Ingilse Saterdag?
> New Zealand Zef effect. Must’ve been a real turnon for the ladies,
Daar was nie ‘n droë skaapkoekie in al die stalle in Kiwiland nie
> we should ask Nikita’s opinion. She’s a lady, isn’t she?
Sy’s nie ‘n skaap nie
6 Jun 2012, 21:27 pm
@Bouts(Bouts)-58: Dude, you should know by now…..
Brussouw is still one of my favorites, even though I am elated that Coetzee is getting a run. I must admit, I don’t follow the stats. In 2003, Charl Van Rensburg at the Sharks had the best stats of any South African loose forward according to a Kiwi site that tracked this stuff – far better than Bob Skinstad for example – did Van Rensburg ever get a chance ?
So, stats be stats…..I think Brussouw is like a diamond that you find once in a lifetime, but I don’t think him and Coetzee are fighting for a jersey. I would love to see them putting their skills together in tandem on a rugby field. Can you imagine the poor opposition with Brussouw, Coetzee and Bismark giving them grief at the rucks all game long ? Would be classic !
6 Jun 2012, 21:27 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-64:
> Why did your wife stare her down?
Sy kan dit bekostig, sy’t nog al haar voortanne
6 Jun 2012, 21:30 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-64: My wife wont tolerate someone screeching in her ear for too long
I had to get her attention off because we were the only Sharks supporters in a sea of blue where we were sitting. And some serious BLOU boet…..it was the east pavilion….the cheap seats….you get the okes from Pretoria Wes there 
6 Jun 2012, 21:31 pm
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-65:
Nee, sies!
Vat jy en verdraai my woorde so, ons is besig om Afrikaners a slegte naam te gee. Gou-gou pluk bietjie die Psalms daarso uit, hier moet ons keer, vir Volk’nLand.
Ai tog, nadat ek so goed gevaar het in my rehab.
6 Jun 2012, 21:32 pm
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-67:
O, so sy’t gedog sy kon n paar prysgee?
6 Jun 2012, 21:32 pm
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-67: LOL – actually my wife is quite a bit more ‘petite’…..but if that woman had taken a swing, it would have been on like donkey kong…:-) And then I would have had my hands full and so would stadium security
6 Jun 2012, 22:15 pm
@Agile T*t-Tyrant(Anairetes agilis)-70:
Dan lyk sy soos die WPie fans oppie tv met ‘n mooi passion gap
6 Jun 2012, 22:24 pm
Sites giving problems, Oraait manne, chat more dan weer, have a goodevening guys.
6 Jun 2012, 22:48 pm
“I Coetzee for miles and miles…”
7 Jun 2012, 00:21 am
@victoriabok(victoriabok)-72: nej my bra….dissie ‘passion’ nie….dis ‘passin’ jong….djy moet die reg kry my bra….en ons tanne vallie uit oor ons mekaar p0}$ie…..hjul val uit oor ons ma’s teveel pers koeldrank suip toe sy pregnant was my bra….
7 Jun 2012, 01:26 am
@Dusky(Dusky)-75:
Verder? Nixmaakie Dusky. Hoesit, sister. Wil tzy dan nie me’ my saam kom jol by Koekie’s bar in Soutie’s. I spot you mos ‘n ntjar margarita b4 kickoff.
7 Jun 2012, 02:26 am
The game is going to be won at the breakdown. England are going to flood the breakdown and boss the tackle point.
Watching NH rugby shows me that ‘daylight’ isn’t very heavily policed – who is the ref?
7 Jun 2012, 05:50 am
Stegmann? Its clear only Aggie rates this bloke! What a passenger!
7 Jun 2012, 07:53 am
Is “Nikita” also known at the Keo HSM HQ as “Snow White”?
7 Jun 2012, 08:00 am
Coetzee is a blindside / 8 playing as an openside. He is more of a Juan Smith than a Brussouw. He will tackle everything that moves, take the ball up, clean at rucks, run good support lines. He is very good at 1 and 2 as his stats show, need a bit more accuracy at 3.
He is not a breakdown spoiler – so you cannot compare him to a Brussouw. I would just hope HM does not except him to try and be a Brussouw clone
I would not mind trying a trio of Brussouw(6), Alberts(7) and Coetzee(8)
7 Jun 2012, 08:28 am
Heyneke is a dom coach. You don’t see aus and nz dropping pocock and mccaw because of the penalties they give away. Brussouw is on the same level as them.
7 Jun 2012, 08:38 am
Pack should be:
1. Beast
2. Biz
3. Coenie
4. Etsebeth
5. Bekker
6. Brussouw
7. Schalk
8. Kolisi This pack would dominate all.
7 Jun 2012, 08:41 am
@Sasuke(Sasuke)-81:
Bismark has conceded more penalties than Brussouw, made less tackles, missed more and wait for it… has conceded 31 turnovers…
So yep I don’t buy that logic that some are purporting…
7 Jun 2012, 08:49 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-83: A lot of those turnovers are at lineout though. Every steal by an oppo lock is clocked against the hooker
7 Jun 2012, 08:51 am
@Bokhoring(Bokhoring)-84:
And ‘not straights’… the fact remains…
7 Jun 2012, 09:04 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-85: He has not had a not straight in the past 6 games I checked.
7 Jun 2012, 10:31 am
@Bokhoring(Bokhoring)-86:
Yep but 6 out of 10 conceded in the last 6 games were from a re-start, ruck/mauls and general play… so add those to PK’s and one can see just how invalid the argument against Brussouw being included based on PK’s conceded is…
Done and dusted now… hope the Boks can fire without him…
7 Jun 2012, 11:23 am
First off stats dont always tell you the proper story. Fir example , those that play fantasy rugby will know that a guy like Adam Thompson of the highlanders consistently scores the best week in and week out. His tackle and ball carriers are way above everyone else for the last few season’s. How ever he never quite made it to international level. Same for a player like Wynaand Olivier and Doppies Le Grange over the years.
Having said that I do feel that Coertzee is a very promising player , I wont put the horse before the card yet and predict he will be in the same company same level as Ryan suggested but I will say he has about the same chance to be a great as a young Schalk Burger or a young Juan Smith did many years ago. I also feel SA rugby should tread carefull the next few months and try and get the best out of a situation where we have a few potantially great players in the backrow. Kollissi and Potgieter to name just 2 , Elkstad possible if he can get his head right along with the regulars of Daniels etc bodes will for us and then there are up and coming stars like Nizaam Carr etc. The problem is who to pick where ? Thats gonna be the biggest challenge and a lekka problem to have.
PS – The one thing I really struggle with is why do people reckon Siya is young and not ready but think Marcel is ? They the same age and have basically the same experience ? I have no problem if Marcel is picked ahead of Siya for rugby reasons , fact is I honestly cannot say who deserves it more but will probably only pick Siya ahead of Marcel due to the fact that he is a Stormer. So if Marcel is picked ahead of Siya then I say great but not because Siya needs development and Mercel is ready. Please man , its a rugby decision and both are ready , one just more than the other. People need to get it out of their heads that “black” players needs more development.
7 Jun 2012, 11:34 am
Sorry about the **** spelling above folks , comes from posting from a BB !!
7 Jun 2012, 11:37 am
@bryce_in_oz(bryce_in_oz)-83: 31 turnovers conceded. That is colossal.
I’ve never seen Bismarck pass a ball.
7 Jun 2012, 11:38 am
This is the same guy who was on the receiving end of the ugliest handoff ever from Dean Mumm. Youtube Marcell Coetzee handoff. On that basis alone I would never pot him within 5 m from a Springbok squad.
Whenever I watch him play I think of that. Seriously the handoff should have been a yellow card. How embarrassing.
7 Jun 2012, 11:40 am
Kolisi should have gotten the nod above Coetzee
7 Jun 2012, 11:48 am
@SAfan4life(SAfan4life)-91: I seem to recall once where the ABS lock Ali Williams totally Nailed Schalk , dont mean Schalk is weak. Balance , running , positioning etc plays a huge role. It was a great handoff from Mumm probably on of the best but it happens.
FDP was once annihilated by Schalk in a CC game , he got up , dusted himself off and gave Schalk a wry smile. So it goes. Does not mean FDP a weak player.
7 Jun 2012, 11:50 am
The role of the specialist pincher has changed. I believe that he is now critical in the last 20 when the players supporting the player with ball-in-hand get tired and cant keep up with the play. The extra few mini-seconds allows a Brussouw type player to steal ball, much like what Deon Fourie did to the Bulls last weekend. Another example is Bulls v Highlander when Spies attacked the line and his team mates arrived slightly too late.
7 Jun 2012, 12:05 pm
SPARTICUS
Never said a weak player just weak. I remember when Ali ran into Schalk. They collided – Ali, with headgear, was concussed and Schalk was unscathed.
A great handoff is an understatement. Its the best handoff ever seen.
7 Jun 2012, 12:05 pm
Marcel Coetzee’s Springbok cap needs to be seen in the real context that it was achieved.
As a schoolboy which is a mere 3 years ago he was never ever considered as a prospect,he went to an unfashionable school,Port Natal,and all the selectors eyes were on Francoise Kleinhans from Glenwood and Brynand Stander from Westville.
Coetzee never played Craven week,but with the help of Shaun Everitt,he went from club rugby with no junior provincal colours to starting for the Boks in under 3 years.
Probably the last guy to do this was Henry Honiball,who also went to an unfashionable school Estcourt High, did not play Craven week,and owed his career r to being seen playing Koshuis rugby by Gysie Pienaar.
I am proud to have watched and marvelled at Marcell’s rugby since he played against my son a t primary school.I am so happy for his hard fought success.
7 Jun 2012, 12:47 pm
@SAfan4life(SAfan4life)-95: I guess that’s kinda the point , it was a moment only , dont take one moment and judge the player. There is hundreds of other times that he stood out.
7 Jun 2012, 12:53 pm
@sparticus(sparticus)-97: To add , personally I also believe that Kollisi should start ahead of Marcel but either way I am happy as they both deserve it, While I am extremely unhappy about Kollisi’s omission I dont feel he should be in the team at the expense of Marcel.
There are other players either coming back from injury or not first choice players for their franchises that dont deserve to be there in my opinion. Their selection goes against what Meyer said he would pick his team on. The **** that he did not have enough time with the squad does not make sense to me as well cos a guy like JJ was never coached by Meyer.
Look we all went down this route before and its really irrelevant , everyone has opinions but at the end of the day the coach will be judged by results not necessary selections, I just feel Meyer erred in a big way and is sending the wrong message to hundreds of players deemed not “big” enough etc. Then again Neither Basson , Keegan or Steyn is big players so again its a little contridictive.
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