What Bismarck’s loss means
21 Aug 2012
RYAN VREDE writes that Bismarck du Plessis is the most significant of all the Springboks’ injuries to date and further erodes the hope of them winning the Rugby Championship.
I wrote at the time that I didn’t believe the absence of Schalk Burger, Jaque Fourie, Danie Rossouw, Bakkies Botha and Fourie du Preez (who was courted for a Test return) among a clutch of uncapped players (Duane Vermeulen and Johan Goosen for example) would be terminal to the Springboks’ cause against England. There were competent replacements available who subsequently got the job done. Neither did I feel it would hinder them against Argentina last week, even with Pierre Spies and JP Pietersen added to that injury list.
It was their unavailability against Australia and New Zealand that most concerned me, although I still believed the depth was sufficient to beat the former and mount an appreciable challenge against the Blacks. But Du Plessis’ loss is a hammer blow. To understand it’s significance you have to take into account the tangible and non-tangible impact.
Technically he is the most complete hooker in the game. He is a brutal defender who has also grown as a breakdown scavenger in recent years. Indeed Heyneke Meyer highlighted this as amplifying his value, especially in light of the absence of a specialist openside flank. On attack he is a force at the gainline, a constant source of go-forward. His work-rate in both these facets of play is unmatched by any hooker on the planet (I know this because I’ve seen the Springboks’ analysis of all their competitors in this regard). Furthermore, his set piece work is excellent.
Away from the technical competencies, his game intelligence and temperament under pressure has improved markedly, as has his discipline, which was a point of concern early in his career. He has also become an accomplished leader. Meyer’s estimation of him in this regard has grown to the point where he had considered him for the captaincy. Finally, his experience will be sorely missed. Forty six caps into his Test career, Du Plessis’s presence at crunch times would have been a boon for a youthful and largely inexperienced Springbok pack.
Seldom will one player’s absence be decisive to the outcome, and I’m not suggesting Du Plessis holds such sway at this point in his career. He was, however, the heart and soul of the side and embodied every quality Meyer sought in his players. He has the capacity to galvanise those around him through the standard he sets. He is a match winner.
His replacement, Adriaan Strauss, is a fine player but he isn’t in Du Plessis’s class. That said, Strauss faces a decisive phase in his Test career, where his success or failure will have a significant bearing on the Springboks’ fortunes. In the context of their game plan he is an important cog. His lineout feeds will come under the microscope and with the Springboks’ rolling maul being one of their primary weapons, Strauss’s accuracy will be central to their ability to set this in motion. It is also a facet of play where the Springboks have traditionally had the edge over the Wallabies and Blacks.
In addition Strauss will have to rein in his fondness for lurking in the loose. It is a strategy that suits the Cheetahs’ approach but the Springboks will need him to get stuck in at ground zero in the coming Tests.
In Monday’s press conference in Mendoza Meyer described Strauss as world-class. That offering and other examples of his professed faith in him is not lip service. He has an extremely high regard for the player, whom he brought to the Bulls as a youngster and whose loss he deeply lamented when he returned to the Cheetahs. Strauss owes it to himself and Meyer to take the opportunity that now presents itself.
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579 Comments
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22 Aug 2012, 11:17 am
@Heavens Game-498: See told ya
22 Aug 2012, 11:18 am
@Heavens Game-487:
Agreed. The Frenchies love a bit of Durbs hey.
22 Aug 2012, 11:20 am
@John Galt-502: Maybe Freddy can organise one
22 Aug 2012, 11:21 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-492:
me too.
he is an honest down to earth guy.
a legend.
22 Aug 2012, 11:21 am
@rangerman-479:
squirrelhunter
22 Aug 2012, 11:23 am
so much bait on this thread…worm colony
22 Aug 2012, 11:23 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-496: grant10, the real one not the d oo s who impersonates him, HATES smitty.
seriously, there was a four year all out war on here that ended in gwantie retiring injured to the tub with his ducky.
22 Aug 2012, 11:24 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-495:
its sad really and i do feel for all the ‘special kinda fans, who wear their pride right on their bodies’… it will take a lot super gees from supporters going forward if the lions are to be saved from dying.
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-496:
are you joking?
@Heavens Game-498:
hehehe
just stating the facts… thats all…
22 Aug 2012, 11:24 am
@gunther-505:
@Transformation-506: haha, spearos dont use bait buddy, we shoot to kill.
22 Aug 2012, 11:27 am
@rangerman-507:
Ducky?
JR?
22 Aug 2012, 11:28 am
@Transformation-497: The true Lions fans are the only ones in this whole saga I feel genuinely gutted for. NO fans deserve the absolute chaos the clowns at the GLRFU have gleefully embraced, promoted and seemingly enjoyed for the last decade (plus).
I for one am delighted the Kings get their shot, as the Lions had theirs, and fuckeditupamazingly. I just wish this de Klerk fellow would stop trying to pull the age old, “I am incompetent and a totaldoos who couldn’t manage Justin Bieber, never mind a professional union – but I am a victim and will take no blame because it’s Apartheids fault, coaches fault, players fault, SARU’s fault, and Allistair Coetzee’s fault that things are so fuckedup”.
@Transformation-499: Plod? John Smit? Must be honest, I have only the greatest admiration for the man, as a leader, person and even as a player. Yeah yeah, the Bissie thing caused upset, but from my side, I am glad he led the Boks into the WC.I also know for a fact that without him leading many players would have seen NO leader on the field. There were a few in the team who did not see Matfield as their leader.
Nah, he was a great servant to Bok and world rugby. My fave Shark of all time – and always will be.
22 Aug 2012, 11:29 am
@Transformation-506: NO the worms are the ones who run around blogs trying to bait people, spineless to say the least, But then again most of us know this, so run along toad
22 Aug 2012, 11:29 am
@gunther-510:
22 Aug 2012, 11:30 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-511: Well there is a good side to you
22 Aug 2012, 11:31 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-511: Atleast you are giving credit where it’s due
22 Aug 2012, 11:31 am
@gunther-510: no, thats Woof.
Ducky is small and yellow, if he had fingers he would probably also be attacking Smitty
22 Aug 2012, 11:37 am
@Transformation-506: I will have bring myself up to speed on who likes and who doesn’t like certain players: past and present, as it is obviously a topic that is referred to quite a bit round here.@rangerman-507: Ah ok, so there were people round here who didn’t like him. I find that quite funny actually, as even in the WP fan dominated circles I live and move in, most of the ‘dislike’ was reserved for Pierre Spies, Morne Steyn and Fourie du Preez in the build up to the WC, not John Smit at all. That is why I asked, who doesn’t like Smit, just find it funny that’s all.
22 Aug 2012, 11:38 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-517: i agree, its funny.
the whole luke watson debacle and smitty’s comments in his book set some peoples pulses racing like teenage girls at a bieber autobiography signing.
22 Aug 2012, 11:39 am
@rangerman-516: whats your thoughts on our match against the bulls Sharks match?? we without 19 players now for various reasons, think we can win??
22 Aug 2012, 11:41 am
@sharks_lover-519: well i see the bulls may ask for a postponement as their players are all down with some kind of virus?
hectic.
i am not sure if its possible? (calling off a match)
but i think we can take em!
22 Aug 2012, 11:41 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-517: NOt a few but many WP supporters in here , and not all, and also some BB supporters too, JOhn SMit was trashed to no end in here,
Just so you know??? that is why the whole Sharks , WP Fight started in here.
John SMit was called the worst of names etc etc etc. anyhows atleast it has stopped
22 Aug 2012, 11:42 am
@rangerman-520: Yeah o saw thaT, and i hope we can win, so much disruptions man
22 Aug 2012, 11:43 am
@rangerman-504:
a legend indeed
i intend to use the two examples when teaching my sons what i want them to aspire to be as persons, when they grow up.
one the one hand i will list john and tell his life story and how he behaved and acted.
on the other i will list richie macaw and tell them of his story and how he acted.
and right there, you have the story of life.. good and bad… high roads and low roads to take… easy or tough decisions to make…
my hope is this will teach them what it means to be good, honest, hard working men who will give everything in what they do and strive to achieve the highest of goals but accept with good grace either success or failure, whichever comes their way, and yet will always… always.. walk away with their heads held high.
win or lose, my wish is for them to be good men… nothing more, nothing less…
(true story)
22 Aug 2012, 11:44 am
@sharks_lover-521: Stopped?……..John se knaters man………..hehehe
22 Aug 2012, 11:44 am
@sharks_lover-521: All those people who slated JS showed a huge ignorance for the game. Yes JS possibly should have been replaced a little earlier by Bissie but he didn’t pick himself and he was playing pretty well at the time. JS is a Bok legend and all real supporters regardless of where they are based should see this
22 Aug 2012, 11:46 am
@Skeppie-525: too true.
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-523:
you will coax a few out the woodwork with that one i tells ya.
22 Aug 2012, 11:46 am
@Skeppie-525: This is true, thats why i said not all WP suporters or supporters, but yeah was ,mostly WP supporters in here , and i dont know how loing you been coming here?? but everyday in here was a war zone
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-524:
Kwagga
22 Aug 2012, 11:49 am
@Skeppie-525: Skeppie i dont like the swearing of players no matter who they play for,
Yes i have called Fourie of the WP Scum, for throwing a ball with force into a oponents face for no reason, and i have seen him throwing punches in so many matches, so yes i am not totally innocent, but its not the norm with me,
22 Aug 2012, 11:49 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-523: Well done ou bul. Voel ek kan nou so iets hier deur die klier stoot.
22 Aug 2012, 11:50 am
@sharks_lover-528: adding to that, it ws a once off, i aint gonna sit here for 4 years and swear at fourie,
that was the case with Smitty
22 Aug 2012, 11:50 am
@rangerman-526:
they can fokkoff
its the truth, and i’m simply telling it
22 Aug 2012, 11:50 am
Actually much longer than 4 years
22 Aug 2012, 11:55 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-523: Or you can buy the movie The Good , the Bad and the Ugly and make them watch the dvd
22 Aug 2012, 11:55 am
@sharks_lover-521:
People can call Lard Arse Smit all the names they like.
They are expressing an opinion.
However FACTS outweigh OPINIONS………………………..always.
FACT,
John Smit is a WC winning Captain. More people have walked on the moon than can claim that honour.
And wherever he goes in the Rugby World. He will be respected like few others.
22 Aug 2012, 11:57 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-523: I respect and admire Richie as well, almost on the same level as John Smit. I feel the rugby world was privileged to have had both men leading teams at the same time.
@rangerman-518: I like Luke Watson as well, as a player and leader. Just because John Smit and Luke didn’t get on, doesn’t mean I have to like ONE or the OTHER.
I know Luke’s ship has probably sailed, but a few years back, I also felt he received a helluval raw deal all round. I’m keen to see him back in Super rugby.
22 Aug 2012, 11:57 am
@stew-533:
Or perhaps Dumb and Dumber.
22 Aug 2012, 11:58 am
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-529:
dankie kwagga
moet net nie emosioneel raak nie, i am not good in dealing with ‘the emotions’
22 Aug 2012, 11:58 am
@cane-534: agreed, Cheatie McCheat is the same though his world cup win will forever be tainted by bryce sadly.
22 Aug 2012, 11:59 am
@stew-533:
22 Aug 2012, 11:59 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-531:
You wouldn’t know the truth if it sucked you dry Bakkies.
22 Aug 2012, 12:00 pm
John Smit deserves our respect for his 2007 WC exploits,but at the end of the day his ego and pride got in the way.He should never have gone to the 2011 WC due to the fact that he was,at best,the fourth or fifth best hooker.His supporters would say that his selection was for leadership abilities but if you look closely to the quarter-final game,despite the antics of Bryce,you would see that leadership was surely missing in the frenetic end to that game.In his ego-driven quest for rugby immortality John Smit polarised the South African rugby fraternity.
22 Aug 2012, 12:00 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-535: ag it was a storm in a pukebag imo.
22 Aug 2012, 12:01 pm
@wnbb-541: no, pdv did the polarising as he selected smitty buddy.
wake up.
22 Aug 2012, 12:02 pm
@cane-536:
thats a white card for you buddy, i’m putting that on review.
now if i could just get a clean commisioner….
22 Aug 2012, 12:04 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-535:
Luke was a victim of many things Doggie.
His name certainly didn’t help.
Was he good enough to be a Bokke?
I’m not sure about being a Starter………………………………………..but MOST certainly good enough for any squad of 36.
22 Aug 2012, 12:06 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-535:
not an admirable way to behave as a human being. yes, he may have been a good player but his legacy will forever be tainted.
22 Aug 2012, 12:07 pm
@cane-545: he played for the boks cane.
wasnt bad, wasnt great.
then he got injured.
then he played for the boks again.
then someone tried to blackmail pdv with a *** tape and it ended in tears.
22 Aug 2012, 12:11 pm
@rangerman-538:
My understanding is that John “lard arse” Smit is also a pretty decent guy.
Black Panther told me so.
And he wouldn’t lie to me.
22 Aug 2012, 12:12 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-537: But you are brilliant when dealing with the ‘emoticons’. **smileys, rolling eyezies**
@cane-545: There was a time when at the very least, he deserved a fair shot to prove his fans right and his critics wrong or vice versa. But as I say, it will be good seeing him on the Super rugby stage once more. Just a pity his presence has always and will always lead to 1000000000000 debates – and not one of them related to what he does or doesn’t do on the field of play.
22 Aug 2012, 12:12 pm
@rangerman-547:
With all the shiit that came with Luke.
Do you think his heart was really in it.
I don’t.
A shame really.
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