Bakkies still the business in France
10 Sep 2012
GARETH DUNCAN looks at the Saffas who have impressed in the leagues around the world over the weekend.
Toulon have enjoyed an unbeaten start to their French Top 14 campaign as they secured their fourth consecutive victory against Bordeaux.
Lock Bakkies Botha and captain and flank Joe van Niekerk both started in the 42-12 bonus-point win at the Stade Mayol, which saw the club hold on to top spot on the log. Both players have been in impressive form up front for Toulon, with Botha providing his characteristic hard edge and Van Niekerk showing good leadership and having an influence on attack and defence.
Botha’s good form could be a great boon for the Boks, who are likely to loose No 4 lock Eben Etzebeth to suspension. Springbok head coach Heyneke Meyer has expressed his interest in calling up the veteran second-rower.
Props Wikus Blaauw and Eugene van Staden started in Biarritz’s 27-8 victory over inside centre Paul Bosch, reserve hooker Erasmus van Vuuren and replacement lock Drikus Hancke’s Montpellier. The Basque club has also won all four of its games to date, and trail Toulon by a singe log point in the overall standings.
Clermont tighthead prop Daniel Kotze came off the bench to help his team clinch a 13-12 comeback win over No 8 Jacques Cronje and flank Bernard le Roux’s Racing Metro. Trailing 12-7 in the final quarter, Kotze formed part of a strong forwards showing that saw scrumhalf Morgan Parra punish Racing’s late ill-discipline.
Hooker Gary Botha and loosehead prop Gurthro Steenkamp came off the bench to help defending champions Toulouse crush Agen 62-13. Botha scored a try at the death.
In the clash of the new boys, Grenoble smashed locks Philipus Liebenberg and Berend Botha’s Mont-de-Marsan 52-7. Replacement prop Albertus Buckle scored one of seven tries, while lock Naude Beukes, No 8 Shaun Sowerby, wing Ronnie Cooke and utility back Rudi Coetzee also featured for the victors, who jump up to fifth place in the standings.
Scrumhalf Rory Kockott kicked four penalties in Castres’ 20-20 draw against lock Anton van Zyl’s Stade Francais. Tighthead prop Michael Coetzee, No 8 Antonie Claassen and replacement flank Pedrie Wannenburg also got a run for the former club.
In the English Premiership, Saffa-laden Saracens downed replacement centre Corne Uys’s Sale Sharks 23-16. Inside centre Brad Barritt, hooker Schalk Brits, tighthead prop Petrus du Plessis, lock Mouritz Botha and No 8 Ernst Joubert started for the victors, while lock Alistair Hargreaves and scrumhalf Neil de Kock came off the wood.
Scrumhalf Michael Claassens steadied Bath to a 30-23 win over lock Marco Wentzel and replacement flank Ashley Johnson’s London Wasps. It was Johnson’s official debut for his club.
Tighthead prop Brian Mujati and No 8 Gerrit-Jan van Velze started in the Northampton Saints’ 24-21 edging of the Exeter Chiefs. However, Van Velze struggled with his discipline, and received his second yellow card in as many games.
In the Pro12, loosehead prop Wian du Preez and replacement tighthead prop BJ Botha helped Munster ease to a 19-6 win over lock Cornel van Zyl’s Treviso.
Tighthead prop WP Nel came off the bench to help Edinburgh beat No 8 Andries Pretorius’s Cardiff Blues 21-19. Lock George Earle put in a good 60-minute performance in Scarlets’ 18-13 win over wing DTH van der Merwe’s Glasgow.
Wing Hanno Dirksen scored a try to give Ospreys a 7-3 half-time lead against lock Johann Muller’s Ulster, but the Northern Irish club managed to secure a 16-13 triumph.
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9 Comments
10 Sep 2012, 12:36 pm
Hope Bakkies does the business …for the Boks!!
10 Sep 2012, 12:44 pm
We need Mujati, the man is playing great TH rugby!!!
10 Sep 2012, 14:58 pm
@grant10-1:
Will he start?
Will he be benched?
Will he even make the 22?
10 Sep 2012, 15:01 pm
Will Kruger and Van Der Linde be called up for Du Plessis and Cilliers?
Will we see a front row of Greyling, Strauss and Kruger?
With Van Der Merwe and Kruger as locks?
10 Sep 2012, 18:00 pm
Bakkies has started all 4 games for Toulon, this was his weakest match as he looked as if he could do with a rest.
Meyer should let him join up with the squad when they return to SA, not fly him across the world.
10 Sep 2012, 19:50 pm
Hello Bakkies Baby ! !
10 Sep 2012, 21:22 pm
Van der linde is a better bet then kruger(I’m a bullsfan)… Bakkies won’t be in match 22 only to fill the no4 lock vacancy now…
I hope heineke give greyling a chance(as beast is struggling and coenie is unavailable and now jannie and pat2)…
To make matters worst its looking like a vd merwe/kruger combo… (Flippie is a penalty prone/enforcer)
I hope goosen/lambie gets 20+ coming saturday as they can bring freshness/flair and x-factor to the fore…
Can’t we play jean @14? With de jong coming in @13-the twinkled toe vs the snake legs would be interresting to watch…
My team:
1-greyling 2-strauss 3-vd linde 4-alberts 5-bekker
6-coetzee 7-louw 8-vermeulen 9-hougaard
10-goosen 11-habana 12-steyn 13-de jong
14-de villiers 15-lambie 16-burden 17-mtawarira
18-kruger 19-potgieter 20-pienaar 21-steyn
22-mvovo…
Just kidding- don’t give a siht on who Is playing.. Well still get fcukd!!!
10 Sep 2012, 21:43 pm
“who are likely to loose No 4 lock Eben ”
For F…. sake Gareth, you’re supposed to be a bloody journalist. The word is LOSE.
11 Sep 2012, 01:02 am
Not sure why everyone goes on about Bakkies being to old, he is 32 for crying out loud!!!
Brad Thorn was 36 when he won a world cup in 2011 and was by no means a passenger. He was instrumental in a dominant pack.
We need Bakkies’s experience in a pack that lacks experience and grit.
There is this constant perception that our pack is bigger and stronger than all the other teams, but I think we SA’s are pulling the wool over our own eyes. Thinking we can just run over and dominate other teams…shame. We won’t do that with a young inexperienced team.
Other than Beast & Jannie who seem to be on holiday we had a hooker, 2 locks and a back row that have limited to NO experience & an eighthman who hasn’t played in months!
It’s fine when you slot a new comer into an established pack, more often than not that rookie will thrive, but to start from scratch with your WHOLE pack – you’d be lying to yourself that it wouldn’t be tough.
As supporters we all need perspective on the reality of the situation.
People like Bakkies and even J van Niekerk woud add very welcome stability, strength and experience.
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