Don’t kill a potentially golden Goose
17 Sep 2012
RYAN VREDE writes Johan Goosen is the brightest Test flyhalf prospect to emerge since Henry Honiball but he is still raw and must be judged accordingly.
I don’t share the same certainty about Johan Goosen that many others seem to. I simply haven’t seen enough of him at Test level to make such an absolute judgement. I have, however, been impressed with his cameos against Australia and New Zealand in the last fortnight and sense that he is a special player.
I wrote last week that I didn’t agree with Meyer’s faith in Morne Steyn, faith later proven to be misplaced as Steyn capitulated under the pressure to save his Test career in Dunedin. Yet I understood Meyer’s reservations about starting Goosen off the back of a lengthy injury and against the world champions in their back yard.
Now there can be no reason offered for Steyn’s retention that will satisfy sufficiently. Goosen must start in the remaining fixtures.
As South Africans our desperation to see a flyhalf that inspires has peaked. Honiball set an imposing standard, particularly during the Springboks’ period of dominance in the late 1990s. A punishing defender and an attacker with a broad repertoire, Honiball has for years been the benchmark for South African 10s. But we’ve expected a ready-made Honiball, this when the man was himself refined in the Test cauldron. Time was that refiner and time will be so for Goosen.
We must resist the poisonous habit of dismissing the aptitude of our best young talent if they struggle in their formative period. Test rugby is result-driven, of course, but the potential of some players demands our patience, with a view to a long term gain from them. Goosen is undoubtedly one such player.
He may well make the transition from Super Rugby to Tests with the ease that, say, Frans Steyn did. His temperament appears to be excellent, which is vital to success, while he has good all-round technique and an X-factor.
But he may not enjoy as comfortable a start as Steyn did. Furthermore, his success is not entirely in his control (much depends on the platform he is serviced with). He may struggle to meet the unique demands of the game and may yet be adversely affected by the pressure and expectation associated with steering the Springboks’ ship.
If we agree with the premise that Goosen shows immense promise, then it is important that we temper our expectations of him. I’m not suggesting that we tolerate mediocrity, only that we show an appreciation for the growing pains that accompany his elevation into the most high pressure position in the game.
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160 Comments
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17 Sep 2012, 06:13 am
Talented dragon with or without the ‘roids
17 Sep 2012, 06:14 am
cynical much?
17 Sep 2012, 06:15 am
as for frans steyn, apart from his booming boot i don’t see any development/change in his game from when he was 19 to now. Just fatter and slower
17 Sep 2012, 06:19 am
and from what i’ve seen of goosen he can boot it just as far as steyn, which will significantly reduce fransie’s stock value. that being said we have no better options at 12 and it’s not his fault that years of bok coaching has watered down his once swivelling sidestepping self into a beefy crash ball merchant minus an offload
17 Sep 2012, 06:20 am
Bright young prospects need to be eased into the test scene on the End of Year Tour, and particularly against the less-fancied easybeaty opponents like Italy and Scotland, when the old men are all tired and worn out and therefore can be spared to do the business only against the tougher opponents like France and England.
17 Sep 2012, 06:39 am
Goosen v Carter at Soccer City……bring it on.
17 Sep 2012, 06:44 am
@TheTackler-5: Nah its time to bring him in, when the incumbent is so cr*p and has been since 2010 there is no reasonable argument not to … The bok tactics may just be expounded as well with a better player.
HM and the boks need to skill up – 9/FH, 10/Goose 13/JdJ/jFourie and 15/Taute .. they have the potential players. We need to beg back JFourie .. just not sure what to do with JdV who is looking so tired and old .. and the captaincy issue ..
17 Sep 2012, 06:46 am
@Te Rangatira-6: Good point, I think the AB forwards will have to front better first though, I know the Boks have Coonie, Chilli, Eben and Brussow lining up … What happened to Kaino ? You chaps are missing him ..
17 Sep 2012, 06:58 am
I dont know why I keep reading all the panic over the ABs performance. They were outplayed in the forwards, credit where credit is due. But in the end, the All Blacks won the game and that’s all that counts. South Africa still looked clueless with ball in hand and kicked away everything they got. Goosen looks a good player but will he be able to get anything out of JDV and FS?
The All Blacks will be a different beast the next time these teams play. They will front up for sure and we all know they’ve yet to put together an 80 min performance
17 Sep 2012, 07:16 am
Doughnut forwards will have to front better, please they weathered the storm from a desperate Bokke side and won by 10 points, the AB forwards front week in week out they are 14 straight now, way too much overconfidence from Bokke fans after a 10 point loss.
17 Sep 2012, 07:22 am
The Ab’s can’t get any better, have peaked blah blah blah, the Bokke can get 50% better we should have won blah blah blah i’m guessing we are going to read that a couple of million times on KEO before Soccer City, talk is cheap.
17 Sep 2012, 07:23 am
disgusting kiwis.
blegh.
17 Sep 2012, 07:24 am
c’mon china. when aren’t they overconfident?
remember 2009?
new world order and ABs are on a decline that they would never recover from? fark me, none recognize that in 2009 they won two tests with the Duck at f1st five, Ross locking etc.
it’s always an AB A team when they beat them, when they lose it’s a Bok B team.
17 Sep 2012, 07:26 am
Hey Bakkies you’d be happy with two weeks for Greyling its set the precedent you can attack the head with flying elbows and miss one match, you must be so proud as you are the champion of fair play.
17 Sep 2012, 07:26 am
and one expat arsecreep
ugh
17 Sep 2012, 07:28 am
Pops they now have a 10 who can kick and run I can see why they are so confident he he we’ll take the RC and them in Soweto they must watch their filthy play though thats two suspensions in two weeks.
17 Sep 2012, 07:29 am
Goosen vs Carter – it would be epic .
Goosen looks fearless and is not scared to have a go.
Did anyone else see in 2nd half when Morne got the ball behind the half way line , he faked a kick beat the defender and had a clear path to the 22 meter line.
He then took two steps forward as if to have a run but then checked himself and proceeded to hoof the ball as high as he possibly could … how low on confidence can one be.
17 Sep 2012, 07:32 am
@NZINCHINA-14: Should have given him 6 months!! Not for the incident on RMc but his poor contribution to the game. You AB supporters can whine and dine here as much as you like. Your forwards were bullied. Unfortunately that is where it stopped.
17 Sep 2012, 07:35 am
And in Breaking News from the Springbok dressingroom: Morne Steyn kicked the wall in frustration but missed!
17 Sep 2012, 07:37 am
@NZINCHINA-14: Ask KM He is good with this stuff. Or for that matter,Sonny,Big Brad,Owen Frsnks, the Whitelocks for eye gouging etc,etc
17 Sep 2012, 07:38 am
Opti if you condone that type of play fine, when Owen Franks breaks Goosen jaw you’ll be happy for him to miss just one game. The AB fowards won us the match by 10 end of story, dont get too overconfident mate you’ve done nothing yet.
17 Sep 2012, 07:38 am
@flanka-4: Imo he is a quality 12 but in the context of Meyer’s kicking gameplan, the biggest boot of them all Frans Steyn should play at full-back.
17 Sep 2012, 07:38 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-12:
Houston, don’t feel that way…..I thought you reserve your venom for the Abs,Crusaders,Chiefs etc not us/me as a people/kiwi
17 Sep 2012, 07:39 am
@optiplay-20: Add to that the semi final punc-up..plenty of glass in your houses .Stop sounding so innocent. Other people on this site are beginning to buy it
17 Sep 2012, 07:39 am
@TheTackler-5: where was aaron smith eased, against scotland?
good enough is old enough!
17 Sep 2012, 07:41 am
@TheTackler-5: Judging by what their coach Robinson has been saying I think Scotland will give NZ a game this year, particularly if it’s wet (which it almost always is at Murrayfield).
17 Sep 2012, 07:42 am
Te Rangi Houston is the Southern African champion of fair play on the rugby field he’s been made to look very foolish over the last two weeks.
17 Sep 2012, 07:42 am
@NZINCHINA-21: I do absolutely not condone any foulplay It is cowardace to elbow sombody who is trapped in ruck(it is always wrong)personally jokes aside, I would have given him 4weeks.
17 Sep 2012, 07:42 am
@Doughnut-8:
Don’t worry about our forwards mate, they will front next game vs you guys. THE Abs made school boy errors at the breakdown which they will rectify and the test in Dunedin is the wake up call they needed.
17 Sep 2012, 07:43 am
@Transformation-25: Remember Gaffie.
17 Sep 2012, 07:47 am
@NZINCHINA-10: Overconfidence ? not I sir .. but the AB were not that flash either considring the disarray of the Boks who have a **** game plan ..
There was no AB try from 1st phase ball which is what we have seen in years past.
I think the Boks are now looking forward to the home matches, simple missed penalties at poles let teh AB off the hook. ..
17 Sep 2012, 07:47 am
@Maori_Fulla-9: We also know that Boks are yet to put in a full 80min performance. We do that let me tell you we will beat all comers. WE just need to select right. Tweak our game plan a bit and with the right flyhalf, scrumhalf and fullback we will be lethal. Our centres will do far better if we had a decent flyhalf. WE do have 3 of them but our Coach just not selecting them to start. If Goosen had started the game against Wallabies and ABs we would have won both games.
After the game on Saturday I have plenty hope. Just need our coach to see he has to drop Morne.
17 Sep 2012, 07:47 am
@NZINCHINA-21: Read my note at 18. We lost PERIOD. No excuses. The tragedy for me is,that had he played the upcoming guys and lost he would have had far more support from the public. Now Hm is in a corner
17 Sep 2012, 07:48 am
@poppa69-13: can’t really use the Donald when Carter played in the third meeting which was a home defeat where he threw the decisive intercept try to JDV.
17 Sep 2012, 07:52 am
@NZINCHINA-21: Read the posts of last week we all predicted a loss for Boks .. so to lose was not unexpected. There is no overconfidence just a knowledge that for all the huff and puff the ABs are not that flash at present.
The no1 team out there but the margins are what we are all discussing.
Come on admit that if the Boks had slotted their easy pens you would have been in trouble ..
17 Sep 2012, 07:53 am
Surprise surprise.
17 Sep 2012, 07:53 am
Doughnut in 2009 in Hamilton you beat us by 2 points with all your stars, the margins are very small no matter what AB or Bokke side takes the field.
Puma steady mate big calls being made here after a 10 point loss and winless from the last 3 tests, get some runscon the board firstwinfrom
17 Sep 2012, 07:54 am
@Doughnut-35:
The Abs were there for the taking, a missed opportunity….that is it in a nutshell.
17 Sep 2012, 07:56 am
Phone texting excuse the shambles at 37, Doughnut yer we could have been but there are plenty of tests where that could be said also.
17 Sep 2012, 07:57 am
The most obvious change needed is at FH and I really hope that HM will now finally move Goosen to FH and send Morne back to the CC , Scrum half though is not that far behind as a problem area.
Ruan was sadly again not the answer , he has had so many opportunities now but just does not produce at test level. As a Shark supporter it pains me to admit this as I had high hopes.
We can change our FH as often as we like but if we have average scrum halves inside of them we will continue to struggle. Not sure what the answer is ,my first inclination will be to move Francois Hougaard back there.
17 Sep 2012, 07:57 am
Is the backline coaching up to standard? Shouldnt the boks have a backline coach with beter credentials? Doesnt a Springbok team deserve the best there is?
Is JDV the best attacking 13 in the country? Bring back Fourie or give JDJ a chance or be brave and give an exciting prospect like Jordaan a chance.
JDV is a spent force. Id ask him to take a long holiday and come back fresh in 2013. He can then challenge Frans for the 12 jersey. He’s no 13…
Is Kirchner the best balanced 15. He’s got a pretty solid kicking game, but thats it.
And obviously drop MS all together.
He is ranked the 4th best flyhalf… Goosen, Jantjies, Lambie maybe even Fouche is better. He needs a long break too and can start rebuilding his form in 2013…
17 Sep 2012, 08:00 am
@TheTackler-30: mallett explained just last week that gaffie was NOT rushed and in fact was ‘blooded’ in exacrly the way you suggested above, the truth is that he didn’t have it…there’s no “gaffie phenomenon”
if goosen can’t cut it then he should be dropped & lambie or jantjies be given equal attempts to claim the jersey!
17 Sep 2012, 08:04 am
@Te Rangatira-23:
i apologise to you personally, tr.
i like you and cane but the rest of your countrymen disgust me.
but if it makes any difference the local kiwi gatkruipertjies disgusts even more.
thats all from me, ciao and have a good day, boet.
17 Sep 2012, 08:05 am
@TheTackler-30: gaffie made his debut for the
Springboks on 13 June 1998 in
the 37–13 win over Ireland at
the Free State Stadium in
Bloemfontein, as fly-half. He
landed three conversions and
two penalty goals in the match.
He played another five tests for
the Springboks the following
season, playing in the two wins over Italy as well as the losses to Wales and the All Blacks.
He next played for the
Springboks in the mid-year tests
17 Sep 2012, 08:05 am
What a k@k article.
EVERYONE needs to start somewhere. Do you think people REALLY believe he will come out and play like Dan Carter from day one?
Damned if you do play him, damned if you don’t. Anything to make a story.
@TheTackler-30:
No one remembers him. Get over it.
17 Sep 2012, 08:06 am
Don’t leave Houston we want to discuss fair play with you.
17 Sep 2012, 08:07 am
“I don’t share the same certainty about Johan Goosen that many others seem to. ”
Ja Vrede, you were the one batting for Morne saying how important he is for the Heineken’s game plan.
I say let the Goose loose.
17 Sep 2012, 08:09 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-43:
You have a nice day too Houston. All good mate.
17 Sep 2012, 08:12 am
If you set loose the exceptional goose please play hougi at scrummie please… Then we will have a running game like never before…
The best possible team for home game is
1-beast
2-chilli
3-coenie
4-etzebeth
5-kruger
6-louw
7-alberts
8-vermeulen
9-hougi(can cover wing)
10-goose
11-habana(can cover @13)
12-steyn(can cover @15)
13-de jong/engelbrecht
14-basson
15-lambie(can cover @10)
16-strauss
17-cilliers
18-vd merwe
19-coetzee
20-brussow
21-pienaar(can cover @9,10,15)
22-engelbrecht/de jong
I think the likes of de villiers, msteyn and beast for that matter is genuinely tired… They are in need of a rest… So heineke need to omit them from squad for home games…
17 Sep 2012, 08:18 am
The forwards were immense this weekend.
Havent seen a performance like that from them in years. Flip, Willem, Vermuelen, Jannie all were massive.
Cant believe we let this one slip. It’ll go down as one of our best opportunities to beat the ABs in NZ. And we bottled it.
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