All in to blunt Steyn’s threat
8 Jun 2012
Brad Barritt says nullifying Frans Steyn will require a collective effort not an individual one.
The Springboks have made no secret about their intention to attack England’s 10-12 axis of Owen Farrell and Barritt, with key strike runners – the most prominent back in that group being Steyn – set to test their defensive resolve.
Much of the Springboks’ success will rest on how Steyn fares in this primary role, but Barritt, a team-mate of Steyn’s at the Sharks before he opted to continue his career in England in late 2008, doesn’t feel burdened by the challenge at hand. It is a weight he says will be shared.
‘If they want to give away their tactics that’s their prerogative,’ Barritt said. ‘Gainline dominance is obviously important to the way they want to play. Ultimately it will be a collective effort in stopping [Steyn]. If their forwards can’t get front foot ball it is going to make it a hard day [for Steyn].
‘But really we’ve been focusing on ourselves and not too concerned about what they will do. We’ll try to impose ourselves on them by holding on to possession.’
England of course have a notable wrecking ball of their own in Manu Tuilagi, who impressed in the Six Nations and who is equally adept at physically dominating his opponents as he is at dazzling with his quick feet, good hands and appreciable ball skills.
Read SA Rugby magazine’s in-depth interview with Barritt
If England manage to boss the gainline and, particularly, the set pieces, against a Springbok side that will be big on defensive aggression but still seeking synergy under new structures, Tuilagi will have opportunities to isolate his counterpart Jean de Villiers, who has had limited experience at outside centre. Barritt experienced the same positional shift during the Six Nations and explained the biggest challenges De Villiers will encounter.
‘Defensively there is a a different feel about it. You have to react more instinctively because you don’t have that protection on the inside. He is very experienced and I’m sure he’ll adapt,’ he said. ‘On attack you need to be the team’s width and show that you are a running threat. Ultimately playing 12 open your eyes to what is available outside of you.’
England haven’t won in South Africa in 12 years and Barritt conceded that they were underdogs once more. However, he pointed to them defying expectations previously and says they are determined to do this once more. ‘We aren’t daunted by that tag. That was the tag for most of the Six Nations [England lost just one game].’
By Ryan Vrede, in Durban
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176 Comments
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7 Jun 2012, 19:54 pm
@Tourettes(Tourettes)-43:
And playing an AVERAGE English team with SA 3rd rate discards they are even firmer favourites.
7 Jun 2012, 19:54 pm
@The Analyst(The Analyst)-51:
I mean how embarrassing to have a BOTHA in your ENGLISH team?????
7 Jun 2012, 20:01 pm
@The Analyst(The Analyst)-52: how is it “embarrassing”?
There are names of English, French, Dutch and German origin in our own team.
7 Jun 2012, 20:01 pm
@The Analyst(The Analyst)-49:
I just love it when the English players and press talk up their teams before playing the SH big three. The obituaries after the game are usually classics like ‘how could our great England team lose to SA/AUS/AB’. And their players saying ‘oh but we are England, we have a great history’ WTF are they smoking!?!?!?!? Great history when compared to Scotland, Wales, Ireland and Italy!?!?!?!?!?
Wales and Ireland have seldom been in the top 3 in the world and after England’s brief spell there 10 years ago I seriously doubt they will get there any time soon. But I just love their optimism!!!!!
7 Jun 2012, 20:02 pm
I see the poisonous dwarf inherited that nickname for very good reason. Doesn’t seem to be the nicest of guys, huh?
7 Jun 2012, 20:07 pm
@The Analyst(The Analyst)-49:
The fact is Baritt and Botha qualify to play for England in terms of the regulations of the IRB.
That is all that counts.
The rest is only opinion.
So get over yourself.
7 Jun 2012, 20:14 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-56:
Have to agree. It’s not their fault that the rules allow them to play for another country. I would say ‘good for them’ for managing to play international rugby. After all, this is a professional era and we will all relocate to another country under the right conditions. Just walk around London and you will hear the SA accents.
7 Jun 2012, 20:16 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-53:
I am sure you can work it out?? DUH!
7 Jun 2012, 20:18 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-56:
I am entitled to an opinion, and it is pretty obvious to everyone. Why do you think they went to ‘qualify’ to play rugby for England? Because they knew they would never play international rugby here?
Am I mistaken?
7 Jun 2012, 20:21 pm
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-57:
And that is the whole point – they would never have played international rugby here.
Who would you play if both were eligible for Boks? Steyn or Barritt?
Barritt never even made a squad.
He knows he is second rate. He was at the sharks so left for ‘greener pastures’ – no pun intented – and good for him.
my ‘opinion’ is he is average …. that is why he is saying he needs the whole team to support him against Steyn.
7 Jun 2012, 20:23 pm
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-57:
Exactly. After reading the story of Mouritz Botha the other day i only have respect for him. He did it the hard way- for him there was no scolarships, no rugby- academies – no breaks in SA- he went to work as a carper cleaner and roof washer in England playing for a lowly semi amateur team until he eventually made it to the top level. – and he never had a bad word to say about South Africa. So there is no need for people to “dish” him for daring to try and make a better life for himself elsewhere.
7 Jun 2012, 20:24 pm
@Golden Boy(Golden Boy)-54:
And don’t get me wrong, they still have a chance to beat the boks … most international teams in top 5 can do that ‘on their day’.
They have a chance now in first game when the boks are ‘new’ and have not played a lot together.
But they are average, always have been.
But good luck to them.
7 Jun 2012, 20:25 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-61: Yes. Good one
7 Jun 2012, 20:26 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-61:
And good for him for making a life for himself in England. No one is dishing him for that and one can only give him all due respect.
But as a rugby player? Sure he might be ‘the business’ for England in the second row, but would he have played for the Boks?
NO.
7 Jun 2012, 20:29 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-61:
And Botha had no breaks in SA because he was not good enough.
7 Jun 2012, 20:31 pm
Respect to Mr Botha.
Never played rep rugby at any level in SA as far as I know, came over to England, played his guts out for a range of Average teams, until finally landing up at Saracens as a full pro, leading to selection for England.
Aparently landed up hooking up with a local English girl, and is now settled in the UK.
He plays his GUTS out everytime he plays. The hardest working English forward.
Anybody who calls him a traitor or whatever is a D.O.O.S IMHO. He plays for his adopted country with distinction, at the same time doing his country of birth proud with his natural saffanis.
He owes us fuckall! traitor se gat!
7 Jun 2012, 20:31 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-56: @Robzim(Robzim)-61: Good posts. See, when the Stompies are not involved, we can agree!
7 Jun 2012, 20:32 pm
@The Analyst(The Analyst)-59:
Of course you have the right to an opinion.
But it makes you look a bit (lets say) naive if you say those players know they are second rate. There is no ways that you will ever know whether they would have made the Bok team or not. Remember they developed as players since they left SA- you cannot compare the Barritt of 2008 to the Barritt of 2012.
Take a look at Kevin Pieterson. He could not make the Natal team and left for England and became one of the best batsman in the world. And that is NOT opionion as in cricket players can be “rated” according to actual averages.
Give these guys a break.
7 Jun 2012, 20:32 pm
Mouritz Botha is the complete opposite of Kevin FIGJAM Pietersen.
7 Jun 2012, 20:34 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-61: Well said Rob. Have totally respect for what Botha has done. Well done to him for making the English team.
Another thing Barritt never had to qualify to play for England. He had always held a British and South African passport. So could have played for either country at the time. Of course now that he has played for England he no longer can play for SA.
At the time when Barritt came along J. Fourie and JdV were playing superb rugby together and was always going to keep him out.Then of course came Fransie during the wc 2007 and naturally Barritt would have thought his best bet would be to try and play for England. Barritt is a great player and well done to him for getting into the England side too. He too has never said a bad word about South Africa.
7 Jun 2012, 20:35 pm
Barrit’s mother is English. He plays for England.
What is complicated here? Back in the day, if you had a foot in both camps so to speak, you could play for both.
Anyone care to look up the number of Boks who also played for England?
7 Jun 2012, 20:36 pm
@wooden spoon(wooden spoon)-67:
Thanks… I am a bit pissed off with only 3 Stormers in the wider group of 32 though
I have no real complaints about the starting xv though although I would have loved to see lambie at no 10 and Aplon on the bench.
7 Jun 2012, 20:37 pm
@hensopper1(hensopper1)-66:
No one said he is a traitor. No one disrespects how hard he has worked.
He is just not good enough to play for the springboks.
7 Jun 2012, 20:41 pm
@hensopper1(hensopper1)-66:
I agree. He is a geezer. Any South African who cuts the mustard is a man worth his salt. Those English girls are naughty!
7 Jun 2012, 20:43 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-68:
Robzim … OK I hear you. I will give them a break when I see it on the field.
I am still sceptical that they ‘developed’ playing N.Hemisphere rugby.
If I see Barritt suddenly transformed into a ‘Frank Bunce’ I will be happy for him. Or Botha suddenly becoming a “Bakkies”.
No direspect for them as people or what they have achieved, I think it is great.
They are just not Boks and never would have been. There were and are better players in SA than them.
7 Jun 2012, 20:44 pm
@Puma(Puma)-70:
We just have so much talent in this country that some players will just have to miss out. Sometimes the difference between them and those who made it are marginal- some are more lucky, went to the right school, etc.
Having said that we have so much talent, the performance of the junior Boks were quite disappointing the other night- not sure whether it is bad coaching or whether the Irish team is just better.
7 Jun 2012, 20:47 pm
@The Analyst(The Analyst)-75:
Cool man. Lets see how they go on Saturday.I think it is going to be a tight game with SA only slight favourites.
7 Jun 2012, 20:54 pm
@Robzim(Robzim)-76: Absolutely Rob. We have so much talent here and some may always just miss out. So if they do go overseas to try their chances and make it there, well done to them.
About our Juniors, just have no clue. My feeling there is lot of very good talented players there for all of them just to mess up like that. We looked clueless. I will put the blame on the Coach. See he has changed almost the whole team, maybe HE should have been changed and not so much the team…hehehe. Anyhow think Ireland were far better than us and well done to them.
Anyhow out of here now. Good to catch up again Rob.
7 Jun 2012, 20:57 pm
@Puma(Puma)-78:
Cheers. Have a good evening.
7 Jun 2012, 20:59 pm
@The Analyst(The Analyst)-75:
They may not have been good enough for South Africa but they are good enough for England. That says more about the relative depth in SA and ENG doesn’t it?
At a certain level most players are fairly similar with maybe a handful of standout players all over the world. So maybe those players never made it due to other extraneous circumstances like the coaches game plan, or their ‘fit’ within a particular rugby culture. They then went to another country and thrived there not because the other players are arguably weaker, but because they found a better fit with their natural game.
Now having said all that I STILL believe that SA is at least 10-15 points better than England on any given day. But players all over the world want to play International rugby against the best there is. If it means having to play for an adopted country then so be it. If I was offered the opportunity to represent Japan today I would take it up in a heartbeat!!!
7 Jun 2012, 21:16 pm
Geez okes, I am not sure why so many are disrespecting Barrit, but he is a bloody good player and I would have loved for him to be available for the boks.
Played some great rugga for the Sharks at flyhalf and inside center. Great hands, great brain, big, fast, strong and already has a 100% career win record against the Boks after being on the Saracens team that beat us on end of year tour.
Huge respect to Botha too for earning the right to play test footie, has shown a lot of character.
7 Jun 2012, 21:17 pm
Don’t we all love an English girl with big t!ts ! Hmmmm…
7 Jun 2012, 21:34 pm
@brains_trust(brains_trust)-82:
Naaahhh..they are to pasty..now a nice Latina..mmmmmmmmmm
Bring on the Argies I say 
7 Jun 2012, 22:09 pm
Henry Batt wrote: Wat is die top punt van ‘confoculation’…….as jy in Desember in die see op Durbanse hoofstrand gaan swem, en daar uitstap met n drol in jou broek…en jy weet dit is nie noodwendig joune nie.
7 Jun 2012, 22:14 pm
What’s with all the man-love for SA players running out for the enemy?
Even Boots and All tonight had an ode to Barrit, wishing him well on the weekend.
Stuff that. I hope he gets clobbered by Frans Steyn, that Willem Alberts does a Jonah Lomu-Mike Catt impersonation over him, that we totally stomp all over him and Mourtiz Botha.
I really don’t understand this tipping of our hats to guys running out for the enemy.
Honestly, I don’t.
7 Jun 2012, 22:25 pm
@Puma(Puma)-78: Howzit Puma , I’m tired of hearing about all this talent in SA and not seeing it on the rugby field. When last did we see someóne with sidestep,swerve (footwork) and handling skills that is so prevalent in NZ rugby. Where do we see the attacking of space ,in fact when SA sides have plenty of possession and space they don’t seem to be able to use it to break down defences. I just don’t see the off the ball running and making themselves available for the ball carrier that you see the AB’ s doing. The only skills that we seem to excel at is kicking. I know i’m exagerating but it irks me no end to see great athletes without the thinking brains on a rugby field.
7 Jun 2012, 22:30 pm
Barritt is absolute kakkas would never have made Boks he did the right thing for his career f’ng off and turning his coat into the enemy’s … such is the category of turncoat.. Barritt is the epitome of Judas Priest and his technicolor dream of playing for old mother Hubbard’s dainty Doolittle England.
Only problem he ain’t so hot.. he’s the weakest link in that English back line.. dunno why on earth Lancaster even got him in his squad.
7 Jun 2012, 22:32 pm
@The Analyst(The Analyst)-75:
FYI Barritt’s parents both hold Zimbabwean passports, so he was certainly not a South African product from that point of view.
You seem to be trying to belittle the English side by saying, “Well, if Barritt and Botha can get in, your lot can’t be much good”. Fair enough, but in several position your guys wouldn’t get into the English side. Would we swap Spies for Morgan, or Cole for JdP, or Marler for the Beast? Nope. Would we like Kirchner or your half-backs in our team? Probably not.
The only guys in the Springbok team who would definitely get into this England side would be Bismarck, Jean de Villiers [at 12] and Habana.
Staurday will be close and the series will be close.
7 Jun 2012, 22:32 pm
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-87:
Now hang on. Barrit is a decent centre. Not quite Bok material, but easily England material.
7 Jun 2012, 22:33 pm
@bananaboy(bananaboy)-86: they weren’t picked because bigger is better and those with blou ogies and permed blond hair fit the DNA stereotype so much better.
7 Jun 2012, 22:36 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-89: Barritt is way overrated in terms of SA talent.. all these Sharkies moaning and lamenting his departure to the land of his forebears… I can’t for the life of me see why on earth anyone would miss a carthorse of such plodding magnitude and deceptive slowness.
7 Jun 2012, 22:38 pm
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-91:
Although I must say between Olivier and Barritt I’d have a tough time deciding who to leave out…
7 Jun 2012, 22:41 pm
@louis schropnel(louis shrapnel)-92:
Trying to antagonize every non-Stormer tonight are you?
Boy, I have never seen Skopskiet with his team actually doing well. I’ve only seen posts by him for the last 10 years, after all.
It’s not a pretty sight, I am discovering.
7 Jun 2012, 22:42 pm
@kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-88: Methinks you are short a few scoops of objectivity there.
You’d rather have Marler over Beast? Care over Hougaard? Parling over Etzebeth? Barrit over Steyn?
You guys have odd taste in rugby players.
7 Jun 2012, 22:46 pm
The equation is quite simple, really:
If Tuialigi was good enough to play for NZ, like all his cousins do, then he wouldn’t be playing for England.
Same thing with Mourtitz and Brad. If they were good enough to play for the Boks, they wouldn’t be playing for England now would they.
7 Jun 2012, 22:49 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-95: And even with our relatively slim pickings at tighthead prop at the moment, Matt Stevens would still be well towards the back of the queue.
7 Jun 2012, 22:52 pm
@Tacitus(Deucalion)-95: @>^..^< katman(katman)-96: @kinlaw_62(kinlaw_62)-88:
Conjecture.
I think Barrit is bloody good, I think Botha is quite good.
I think rugby teams win matches and I think the teams are more evenly matched than us South Africans care to wish.
I also agree with @Brendope(Brendope)-81: If we are so bloody good why do we play such kak skop & charge rugby and lose against NZ and Australia more than we win?
7 Jun 2012, 22:52 pm
@>^..^< katman(katman)-96: Howzit Katman.
7 Jun 2012, 22:52 pm
Nah there is this fable doing the rounds around here that Stormers are inferior rugby players or some such concocted jargon
the real problem facing these two coaches is they both have some rather mediocre players in their team..
The more I analyze this England team the more I start considering their plight here.. I mean Barritt and Botha are their two Juggernauts of great magnificent physical virtue .. the two SA cast offs coached by another SA cast off Catt who got so highly humiliated when he faced a real SH opponent he practically wished the earth would open up and swallow him up whole…
I like to think England are going to put up a big fight.. I reckon between their front row.. though they are now missing Corbisiero … and their second row .. where they are going to be missing Lawes hugely.. and their back row which is a pretty good balanced outfit though they will miss the height and speed of Croft … they will probably fire on about 3 from 4 cylinders.
As to their backs they are all pretty good and deft distributors with decent running possibilities apart from Barritt, who is the one weak link in their chain.. so remains to be seen which plodding carthorse inside center going to out plod the other.. Barritt or Steyn.
7 Jun 2012, 22:55 pm
@SodaJoe(SodaJoe)-98: Hey Joe. Why you so scarce lately? Or are you exclusively a night owl?
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