83 Comments

• 1.Staal:
  17 Aug 2012, 07:54 am

  Imo this Dragon must improve..

  not sure he can…

  but who else?

• 2.Guns:
  17 Aug 2012, 08:06 am

  Not quite the topic but hoping Alberts and some of the Sharks men have had some rest since all the travelling, I think Alberts was one such desperately in need as after first 10/15 of S15 final he was completely AWOL. Am sure they would have made sure of it though so looking forward to seeing Francie and Alberts back with the boys. Gna be interesting with the sharks looses reckon they may take things up a notch if they have it in them for Daniels. Zane is not a disaster at this point with the other injury at hand but he is definitely no Dagg…

• 3.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 08:21 am

  yes, zane has limitations but who else then?

  i cannot help thinking this is reverse psych negative spin

  to get people bolgging

• 4.papaown:
  17 Aug 2012, 08:25 am

  Ag Zane is more solid as a fullback than Lambie…end of story

• 5.SamM:
  17 Aug 2012, 08:35 am

  Zane is average at best- definately not test material . Hopefully when Taute has recovered he can do the bussiness . We really haven’t got quality deph at fullback .

• 6.xtremebull:
  17 Aug 2012, 08:53 am

  I’ve just realized that as long as there is bullsplayers in the 22 then we as boks will never be a winning team. Cry me a river!- I’d prever taute to zane on any givin day. But I’m not gonna lie about having zane there. His defense is even better then tautes. Gv em bulls a break and focus on the boks! We were devided long enough no we 1- viva boks va sa!!

• 7.pattyfries:
  17 Aug 2012, 08:53 am

  I wander how much SARU paid Vrede to whip up this trumpeting praise of such a below average player

• 8.Hondo:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:04 am

  @pattyfries-7:
  SARU just told him to do it
  It called ‘The Mobilised Press for the (quota) cause’, the Keos are obliged to run thread like that from time to time to promote pathetic, out of their depth players of colour, and it happened everywhere, not just in SA!
  

• 9.BrumbiesBoy:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:09 am

  Yo Keo, why the deafening silence from the Parliamentary Sports Connittee and their ilk re: yesterday’s main story?

  Still busy concocting their propoganda-fuelled press release I presume?

• 10.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:11 am

  @xtremebull-6:
  every part of this country is turning into a right wing american corporate style circus.
  its just ‘spin baby, spin…’

• 11.Hondo:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:17 am

  Kirchner’s best credentials are that he MIGHT be a better fullback than Conrad Jantjes or Ricardo Loubcher
  The number of tackles he made at test level are equal the numbers times he got injured, starting with the Lions 1st Test in 2009

• 12.Mr Black:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:18 am

  Why be satisfied with ordinary?

  Anyone of the following players would have been better at fulback.

  Coetzee – Lions
  Lambie – Sharks
  Aplon – Stormers
  Daniller – OVS
  Ludick – Sharks
  Van der Oosthuizen – Angler

  Need i go on?

• 13.TooMuchRugby:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:27 am

  Would have been nice to comment if you could actually hear anything these two jokers are saying.
  Anyway, Kirchner is bollie, and doesn’t belong anyway near a Bok team

• 14.Jeez:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:34 am

  Sa dont really have enough quality fullbacks…

• 15.gunther:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:38 am

  @Jeez-14:

  Exactly.

  Which is why we need to manufacture one.

  JPP or Hougaard would be my choices.

• 16.TooMuchRugby:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:39 am

  @Mr Black-12:
  @Jeez-14:
  But we do
  The guys on Mr. Black’s list (except van der Oosthuizen of course) as well as Joe Pietersen are all better options, especially Coetzee who is a very promising talent

• 17.TooMuchRugby:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:40 am

  @gunther-15:
  Hougaard? Maybe not such a bad idea. Has he got the kicking game though?

• 18.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:41 am

  @Jeez-14:
  coaching and planning structures in sa is horse manure.

• 19.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:47 am

  that list is ridiculous save for ludik, who has been promising potential wise but was injured for long periods up to now. he looks good so far with nice form but has really only shown form late in the year for meyer to consider.

  also, going into rc tests with a green fb as a starting player is asking for trouble in terms of wider squad and bench selections.

• 20.gunther:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:51 am

  @TooMuchRugby-17:

  Percy didn’t have the kicking game when he started. They have decent enough boots, nothing that a bit of coaching wouldn’t fix.

  Both JPP and Frankie are great runners in broken play are very physical and fearless in defence.

  Both would make our back line far more potent.

• 21.Mr Black:
  17 Aug 2012, 09:58 am

  @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-19:

  Would you rather play a player who came into form late in the season than a player with no form whatsoever?

• 22.willievz:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:05 am

  Ryan

  If you want to argue that Zane is the right man, then – as a starting point – please spell his surname right.

• 23.willievz:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:08 am

  @SamM-5: Andries Coetzee, Taute, Ludik, Daniller, Joe Pietersen, Viljoen….

  All better than Kirchner.

• 24.nkqo6:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:10 am

  @Hondo-8: in 2012 a black player is still a player of colour with you , bok fans though. ja sure he’s **** and should be playing for a club side but why colour ?

• 25.willievz:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:10 am

  So Ryan, if Israel Dagg was a Saffa he would not be the right man for Meyer’s gameplan?

• 26.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:14 am

  @Mr Black-21:
  i think you mean to say would i rather play a player who is ‘not dazzling & electric and destined to be a great’ rather. there has been nothing wrong with his form all season, has all the necessary attributes meyer is seeking as of now and has been in the strucutres and environment already.

  no, he is not the greatest fb by a long shot but will do a job and i suspect that is meyers thinking. lets be clear, meyer is in it to win it so i dont think he will put any other ‘hondo’ type considerations or the like into it, over and above the needs for winning.

  mind you, this squad is already affected in so many positions and combos due to injuries and retirements. would it be wise for meyer to risk a new fb given this? the answer is no, of course not. i would venture that if meyer had his preffered squad available and fit he would have been a lot more open to ‘risky gambles’.

• 27.JA-JA:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:14 am

  Zane is not a test player by a long shot. I’m a Biiiiiiig Bulls fan and I am sure the Bulls will have a better balanced back three if Akona plays at 15.

  Go watch Zane’s up and under kicks and see how many he gets back or how far he ends up from them not by kicking it to far but misjudging them laterally, it is shocking.

• 28.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:17 am

  @willievz-23:
  that is why heyneke meyer is heyneke meyer… and you are not.

• 29.Jeraldjay:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:19 am

  I like a FB that can kick not far but very far when we in our own half so that we can attack the oppositions lineout ball which traditionally has alwyas been our strength.

  He also has to have the presence of mind to see the gap and go with his gut especially in broken play, whether we are in the oppositions half or not.

  Finally he also has to be a fearless defender.

  JPP covers all the bases expect his kicking game which surely can be worked on.

  We have enough cover on the wing, so his the man.

  #inmyhumbleopinion.

• 30.willievz:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:19 am

  @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-28:

  Just because Jacob Zuma is president doesn’t mean he knows all about politics.

• 31.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:20 am

  i second that

  jpp would be deadly as a fullback, with the right coaching and desire.

  it is a specialist position and requires the thinking that goes with it.

• 32.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:25 am

  @willievz-30:
  fair enough.
  he will be judged by his results and on his selections so lets see how this pans out.

• 33.gunther:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:29 am

  @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-31:

  It would be nice to have a bok 15 who was a threat with ball in hand.

• 34.Kietzphat:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:30 am

  Zane is just plain average… He’s not even solid. A poor man’s Johan Roets.

  Lambie has a far better rugby brain. He offers far more than Kirchner. He just needs to sort his ankles out.

• 35.rangerman:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:31 am

  @nkqo6-24: you are a nz rugby supporter right?

  so why should we give a toss what you think pal, you are a dinosaur still hung up about race asnd pointing fingers at your own reflection.

  qha!

• 36.Mr Black:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:31 am

  @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-26:

  Lets agree to disagree then.

• 37.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:36 am

  @gunther-33:
  how much practise does kicking require i wonder?
  he’s only 26 so has time to aqcuire it.
  how old was percy before he turned into a great kicker.

• 38.Jeez:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:38 am

  but do SA’s fullbacks qualify as great fullbacks???

  Imo not really, the last great fullback SA had was Andre Joubert…. Imo a fullback should just be as dangerous as his two wings, with a enormous boot like Steyn and Viljoen… Its important in Test rugby to make the opposition pay if they fail to find touch and lose the territory battle…

  Who knows if youngster can prove to be just as effective as Steyn at 12, Steyn could move back to 15…

• 39.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:40 am

  @Kietzphat-34:
  will never happen.
  meyer said as much.
  why bother..?..

  @Mr Black-36:
  no
  i disagree to agree
  accept my points
  they are bulletproof

• 40.gunther:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:43 am

  Was Percy ever a great tactical kicker?

  Solid IMO no more.

• 41.willievz:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:48 am

  @Jeez-38:

  In two seasons we could see Serfontein at 12, and F.Steyn at 15.

  I still think Andries Coetzee has Springbok written all over him, though…

• 42.TooMuchRugby:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:50 am

  @i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-31:
  I don’t think JPP has enough natural ballskills to ever become a truly great kicker of the the ball or to be truly comfortable under the high ball.

• 43.Robzim:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:51 am

  Zane is probably the best no 15 for the bok team at the moment, not that he is particularly good or would make the teams of any of the few other top rugby playing nations. He is however in good company as players like Steyn, Hougaardt, Daniels and Mvovo are certainly also no world beaters- all in all this is not a good Bok team, luckily they are only playing against the lowly Argentinians and should be good enough to grind out a fairly comfortable win. It is certainly not a match that I will pay any money for to watch.

• 44.Robzim:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:56 am

  @gunther-40:

  Percy used to be a very good attacking player with fantastic running skills but sadly they coached it out of him.

• 45.race of tan:
  17 Aug 2012, 10:59 am

  Hondo/Anydbidy – Hondo mentioned Conrad Jantjes, where on earth is he? HAs he retired or injured again

• 46.Wogga22:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:01 am

  nobody rate willie le roux?

• 47.wpstormerbok:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:03 am

  Zane’s a bit like Wynand Olivier really. Decent to very good at Super Rugby level but Internationals are just one level too far.

  Safe on the D but otherwise he runs sluggish and often loses the ball in contact either by spilling it or by getting turned awkwardly and then penalised for not releasing.

  50/50 under the high ball and his only threat from the back is taken from the Bulls Johan Roets manual of upnunder@everychanceiget.

  Poor conservative pick at 15, luckily we have Lambie on standby.

• 48.race of tan:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:04 am

  wpstormerbok – Conrad Jantjes, where on earth is he? HAs he retired or injured again

• 49.TooMuchRugby:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:09 am

  @Wogga22-46:
  Of course, I forgot about him because he has been playing wing in super rugby, but he is another promising talent.
  Very good attacking skills and vision. Not sure how he is under high ball and defense though

• 50.Jeraldjay:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:12 am

  @Robzim-44:
  I remember during the Lions Tour in ’97 when Percy played at centre he was selected by Carel for his attacking skills.

  But Jeremy Guscott refused to give his Lions jersey to Percy after the game….

• 51.TooMuchRugby:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:15 am

  @Jeraldjay-50:
  Ahh, Percy “speedstick” Montgomery. I remember it well.
  He was very rapid in his earlier days, but in his latter years whenever he ran, it seemed to me as if he forgot to release the handbrake…..lol
  But he remained an asset to the Boks

• 52.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:17 am

  @gunther-40:
  i think he matured well into the role yes, but was perhaps not a ‘best of breed’.
  but, to his credit we cant fault him on his goal kicking, especially in 2007.

  @TooMuchRugby-42:
  with the right training training training & coaching coaching coaching i think he could do it.
  but we can agree he would be dangerous ball in hand.

• 53.Jeraldjay:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:17 am

  @TooMuchRugby-51:
  Without Percival Montgomery we would not have won the RWC 2007 in France.

• 54.wpstormerbok:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:18 am

  @race of tan-48:

  Found an article on Supersport saying his contract was not renewed by WP and he left for Biarritz.

• 55.Mr Black:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:20 am

  @Wogga22-46:

  No!

• 56.Mr Black:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:27 am

  13% of voters think the Boks will lose
  12% think All Blacks will lose
  89% think Wobblies will lose
  88% think Pumas will lose

  Surprised by the high amount that think the wobblies would lose at home, of which i’m one.

• 57.Robzim:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:30 am

  @Jeraldjay-50:

  Guscott always seems to have a bit of a stiff upper lip and a very high opinion of himself. He did however say that he has never swapped a Lions jersey with anyone as it means too much to him, so maybe we can excuse him for that incident.

• 58.John Galt:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:37 am

  I personally think this young Lions player, Coetzee, is the best 15 prospect we’ve seen in a while.

  Other than that, the best FB in the country toward the latter part of the S15 was Louis Ludik. Was never a huge fan of his but when he came back into the Sharks side first as a 14 then moved to FB in place of Viljoen, I really took a shining to him.

  Awesome in defence and has got some of his old pace back.

• 59.i_love_u_bakkiesbotha:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:46 am

  @John Galt-58:
  i trust a lot the players putting their hands up will get a look in to make the eoyt squad.

• 60.Skeppie:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:53 am

  @John Galt-58: What would your thoughts be if Taute was fit?

• 61.John Galt:
  17 Aug 2012, 11:55 am

  @Skeppie-60:
  I like Taute as well.

  Also would be there in front of Zane.

• 62.greegs:
  17 Aug 2012, 12:24 pm

  My word Ryan….have you lost your marbles? Kirchner before Lambie??? You can’t even compare the two. Lambie is in a class of his own at 15. Kirchner in the green and gold has been weak to medium and he gets your backing. You probably back Steyn at 10 as well? How bad do you have to be to retain your position? Elton deserves a run with Steyn on the bench to cover. We’ve seen how good Elton is in the big games and he deserves a run. Me thinks HM’s record after this series is not going to look as rosy as everyone thinks!!!

• 63.BrumbiesBoy:
  17 Aug 2012, 12:32 pm

  It’s called propoganda Greegs, trying to convince people that nonentities like Kirchener actually belong in a Springbok team.

• 64.goyougoodthing2:
  17 Aug 2012, 13:07 pm

  Kirchener is useless. This is just propaganda for the quota.

• 65.wnbb:
  17 Aug 2012, 13:32 pm

  After the Chiefs executed Habana tactics on Lambie in the Super 15 final I am glad that he is not starting at 15.

• 66.rangerman:
  17 Aug 2012, 13:35 pm

  @wnbb-65: he hadnt played in a while bud so he was rusty.

  worst game i have seen from lambie.

  but then again he is only 21 or 22 with 13 boks caps already so i expect that he will come right.

  he should be at 10 though imo, the argument for steyn has diminished in light of his terrible kicking percentages this year.

  if steyn was ruan p, he would have been replaced, oh say the middle of the pom series.

• 67.Puma:
  17 Aug 2012, 13:51 pm

  @wnbb-65: You have said this before. And we have said this as well. Lambie was not game fit. He had been injured since he played for the Boks against England in the 2nd test. He had only had 40min game time since then. Plum should have played him off the bench. He is actually a very good fb. BUT a excellent fh. Lambie should have been starting at fh to see what we have in him before we play Wallabies and ABs. Remember he played most of his games at fh this year for Sharks not fb. Only played a few games there towards the end of the season.

  If anything Ludik in the last few games of the season was our best fb in our conference and probably should have been there. Though Lambie against the Stormers at the Tank played fb then and was superb. So have to see. Lambie will cover fb and fh. I personally hope he gets sometime at fh against the Argies.

  Naas on Boots said he would have started Lambie at fb. Rated him more than Zane.

• 68.itsamyth:
  17 Aug 2012, 13:54 pm

  @John Galt-58:
  Don’t know much about this lad Coetzee, but gotta agree on Ludick. His spot tackles as a last line of defence is outstanding, similar to Lambie. Great timimg, awareness and technique IMHO. We will need that kind of last ditch D against the ABs plus he is strong in the tackle and has a good turn of pace.

• 69.itsamyth:
  17 Aug 2012, 13:56 pm

  sorry about the spelling…Ludik it should be

• 70.Stoffel:
  17 Aug 2012, 14:11 pm

  Zane is kak, full stop. He is Henyneke Meyer’s Jorrie Muller. I hate seeing a guy so out of his depth playing for the Boks. Ludik would do a much better job than him, and so would Lambie. Once Taute is back from injury I hope we see him at fullback.

• 71.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food:
  17 Aug 2012, 14:24 pm

  @Puma-67: Lambie was kak against the Lions as well.
  Thing with him is, he doesn’t know what his best position is, because his coaches don’t know.
  He is not a specialist 15, not a specialist 10 at this stage.
  Destined for a spot on the bench until he stamps his authority on a specific position (and for more than TWO games….)

  Hope the Sharks coaching team are ready to make a final decision, because while Michalak was good for the Sharks cause, he has utterly fuckedup Lambie’s for now…..

• 72.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food:
  17 Aug 2012, 14:27 pm

  @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-71: In fact having Michalak in Durban was bad for Springbok rugby.

• 73.blueboy:
  17 Aug 2012, 14:38 pm

  I see kirchener is getting it in the neck again,no doubt the kirchener haters are having a field day sad really.As a bulls fan i have already stated that i do not think he is up to test standard,but i also want to say that every time i have watched him play for the boks,i cannot think of him ever letting the boks down.He is a steady if not flashy player,who gives a 100% every time he plays whether it be for the bulls or the boks,so guys give him a break maybe he will have a really good game for the boks tomorrow.

• 74.TooMuchRugby:
  17 Aug 2012, 14:47 pm

  @blueboy-73:
  Why settle for second best?

• 75.The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food:
  17 Aug 2012, 15:03 pm

  Poms on a highway to hell…

• 76.blueboy:
  17 Aug 2012, 15:10 pm

  #74 TMR The only way i think i can answer that is he has more bok experience than the rest of the names being touted and i think that will help him and he has also played in super rugby finals.

• 77.goodstuff:
  17 Aug 2012, 15:13 pm

  @Jeraldjay-50: Maybe because Guscott played 12 or maybe because he won the series with a last minute drop.

• 78.Hondo:
  17 Aug 2012, 16:10 pm

  @greegs-62:
  The best news about Jntjies are that he will ply his trade soon at the Stormers;)

  @itsamyth-68:
  His time will come, Kirchner is a high maintenance dud, gets injured pretty early in most series.

• 79.Jeraldjay:
  17 Aug 2012, 17:26 pm

  Tah!r needs to come to the party.

• 80.Big Hit:
  17 Aug 2012, 19:42 pm

  @goodstuff-77: maybe, but Guscott is just one of those characters. Neil Jenkins was rooming with him first on that tour he tried to make small-talk with JG who looked up from behind his newspaper and told him to go bother one of his Welsh mates and leave him alone.

• 81.carol:
  17 Aug 2012, 19:55 pm

  Sighhhh…….

  Sooo good to hear the name ‘Percy Montgomery’ again…… !!

  Where is he these days?

  Bring back my favourite Keo TV presenter.

• 82.mshiniwami:
  17 Aug 2012, 22:05 pm

  Meyer’s tactics are outdated and limited.

  He wouldnt pick Izzy Dagg cos it doesnt fit his “tactics”

  Aplon should be Bok 15

• 83.nama1:
  17 Aug 2012, 23:12 pm

  @goyougoodthing2-64:
  “This is just propaganda for the quota.”

  It would’ve been all good if you just said, “This is just propaganda.” Why did you have to mention “quota?” and thereby bring his color into the discussion?

  Has anybody ever bring in the color of Pierre Spies or Tarzan Potgieter when their inclusion in the Bok team were discussed?

  @John Galt-58: @itsamyth-68:
  Ludik must first ensure that he is the best FB at his franchise before he can claim to be the best FB in the country.

  Until then, he’ll have to abide his time or move to another province.

  ————————-
  Personally, I’m not a great fan of Zane myself but of the current talent available at FB, I think he is not that far behind the rest. In fact, some will argue that he is the best out there.

  HM does and I’m sure that at least ou Tac will agree with that.

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