Bekker jolted by Mendoza nightmare
3 Oct 2012
Andries Bekker says his ‘shocking’ performance against Argentina in Mendoza was a massive wake-up call.
Bekker had his worst-ever Test for the Springboks in that 16-all draw, eliciting widespread criticism for his performance, with some even suggesting that it was evidence that he was a pretender as a successor to Victor Matfield.
Bekker was dropped for the next two matches, against Australia in Perth and the All Blacks in Dunedin, with coach Heyneke Meyer sending a strong message to the second rower to significantly improve or face time in the Test wilderness.
He responded with a masterclass against the Wallabies at Loftus on Saturday, and credits his improvement to deep introspection.
‘Mentally after the game in Mendoza I struggled,’ Bekker said. ‘Some [critics] described my performance in harsh terms, but I know I wasn’t up to standard and mentally I needed to make that switch. I was shocking.’
Bekker has consistently shunned comparisons with Matfield, but accepts that he will be the benchmark for years to come. Injuries have seriously curtailed his ability to exhibit the potential many believe he has, and he said staying fit, not stepping out of Matfield’s shadow, is his primary focus.
‘I just need to get back into top form. I’ve struggled after my back op last year and my ankle op earlier this year. If people eventually see me as better than Victor, then all good. I don’t think that will ever happen though. He was the very best in the game,’ he said.
Bekker said in his experience the key to beating the All Blacks was always bossing them physically, with failure to do so terminal to your cause.
‘You need to pitch up physically against the All Blacks or you’ll take 50 points. I’ve been in the Springboks set-up for five or six years and every time you play them you have to take a step up,’ he said.
He added that the pack, which dominated the Blacks in their last meeting, is fast developing into a formidable unit.
‘We are going to be one of the best packs in the world. There’s a good balance of experience and youth. We’ve also got good depth and a range of different combinations. That was the case back with the team under Peter de Villiers,’ he said. ‘It’s great to have competition. If you don’t you’ll sit back and think you’re the best in the world. That’s when you get moered every week.’
By Ryan Vrede, in Johannesburg.
62 Comments
3 Oct 2012, 15:50 pm
Overrated Parkiepiel dragon
3 Oct 2012, 16:02 pm
If this guy played his rugby in Pretoria he would’ve been the talk of this site about how kak he is and all that goes along with it ala Steyn and Greyling but because he is from the all conquering-mighty-we have fakall to show for efforts-Stormers he je gets a mention here and there.
Talk about a bunch of hypocrites.
3 Oct 2012, 16:04 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-1: i dunno he aint had good outings in the past but maybe he is turning a corner?? tough call i think him or kruger?? flip was pretty good too at times and especially against the all blacks last time. i think we could have good depth in a seasons time.
3 Oct 2012, 16:07 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-2: yep you got it in one mate guys like lambie and jean and bekker get too much protection too much provincialism going on. kirchie taken a frikkin battering in the media for playing well it just aint right! i think pienaar has been pretty ***** to be honest but hes getting protected too. obvious that hougaard is better but his a bull so **** that sh!!t. sad bunch of fukkkin loserz.
3 Oct 2012, 16:08 pm
@Blitzbok-3: I would prefer Flip as he gives us mutch need scrumming power and by the looks of his last outings he seemd to have sorted out his head.
I know people want to think of etzebeth as the ‘enforcer’ but to me he is far from it. He has the qualities of a great lock but he needs time. Kruger will keep knocking on the door as he is developing at a rapid rate. Look forward to see him next year.
Bekker offers good line out ball(not always but most of the time) and thats it.
3 Oct 2012, 16:13 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-5: Yeah I agree about Eben he hasnt been that physical. flip gave us a lot of power and dealt with the dumpings and sh!!t by kiwis well. kruger good too but a little green. i cant make my mind up but its good we got options. new zealand are stuck with sh!!ty locks hahahhaha
3 Oct 2012, 16:44 pm
What ever happened to KEO TV?? Haven’t seen any put up in ages, and haven’t seen the ladies of the team at all?!
3 Oct 2012, 16:46 pm
Boks will always have good locks and looseforwards, like NZ will always have good wings. Guess it’s the size & strength of the Afrikaaner and the explosiveness of the Polynesian which lends itself to rugby.
Always thought Bekker has a lot of peotential, but has been held back by injury and off-field dramas (divorce). Let’s hope that’s all behind him, because at his best no many people can live with him.
I do like the following combo though, very physical:
4. Flip
5. Etzebeth
But if Bekker is playing well, he deserves his spot.
Top 3 locks in SA at the moment, with J Kruger a few notches behind.
3 Oct 2012, 16:56 pm
@Blitzbok-6: why dont you and kwagga go on a date ?
3 Oct 2012, 17:04 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-2: how much talk on this site have you heard about juandre being made sam whitelock & luke romano’ biyatch in dunedin? does he play for the all conquering stormers?
your slip is showing…
3 Oct 2012, 17:42 pm
bekker is the original flattrack bully.
did nothing other than call safe etsbeth 2 ball almost all the time
compare his game with nathan sharpe…..lightyears apart. jury is still out on bekker and kruger but with a few seasons of int. rugby already one would expect more from bekker.
beest is another whom gets away without crit but he has offered zero in any department
3 Oct 2012, 18:09 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-5: Agreed.But good on Bekker for acknowledging he was KUK
3 Oct 2012, 18:11 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-5: Having said that one should have pride in ones performance when wearing the Bok jersey.
3 Oct 2012, 18:48 pm
Flip over Bekker!!! U kidding me
that walking yellow card must go back to the Currie cup
3 Oct 2012, 18:51 pm
The Bekker of 2010 was the best lock in the world even Matfield said it!!
True honest Matfield is an was the most over rated player of all time
3 Oct 2012, 19:06 pm
@Narutokun-15: Amen, only pitched for line outs and scrums, apart from that, he was missing in action.
Bekkers best is far better than that of Matfield. Now only if he can work on his consistency.
3 Oct 2012, 19:37 pm
@Narutokun-15:
Yep, probably as bad as John Eales!
@coma-16:
Are you kidding.
As a number 5 lock, Matfield, along with Eales, was one of the most intelligent and gifted ball players the game has seen.
3 Oct 2012, 19:45 pm
@David-17: Sure, you a Spies fan?
3 Oct 2012, 20:03 pm
@coma-18:
I’m a Stormers/WP supporter for over 40 years and a critic of Spies for the last 6 years. I also wasn’t convinced about Matfield initially but came to realise that the man had an immense talent.
3 Oct 2012, 20:28 pm
@David-17: Phil Kearns described Matfield as “a thing of beauty”Agree with him.
3 Oct 2012, 20:50 pm
@ryecatcher-20:
So do I. Matfield was also a supreme distributor with ball in hand. Something that most people didn’t notice.
3 Oct 2012, 22:31 pm
lol….Matfield only pitched for lineouts.
ja.okay then
3 Oct 2012, 23:27 pm
While getting out of Matfield’s shadow will take a lot of work, h ehas teh physical attributes to do so. he must now get teh mental ones. Matfield ALWAYS put in teh hard work strategically and had an edgemenatlly in teh lineouts. But he was not as good in loose play, and did not do a lot of teh physical stuff. If bekkker can get his lineout play sorted (with Matfields help I guess) AND put in the time in gym to get strong enough to be VERY effective in open running play, and cleaning out a la Bakkies, he could be legend too. So can Etsebeth.
But not like the way Bekker did a couple of games ago in Mendoza. then he was a passenger.
4 Oct 2012, 08:23 am
Cry me a river all bulls!!
Bekker had no more free time than SPIES, Morne, or even Jaques Potgieter!!!!!
I mean look hoe easy Arno becomes a bok….no question marks there??? My feeling is the Bulls becomes boks too easy and no word is said over that….they have to lose games for the boks 3 or 4 times before the players lieflings in Pretoria gets criticized for it! Bekker made big controbution on saterday but all the bulls fans can do is sit and wait for Flip to make tackle and respond with aaaawwwww….big hit….he is massive this guy……better than all……please to be honest…I dont rate him at all!
Bulls fans sit and wait for their bulls players to do something and then claim them as best in team…..while the rest are watching the boks as the Bokke end not the blue bull bokke!!!
4 Oct 2012, 08:31 am
@Hoops-24: I do not rate many Bulls players at this stage. Never liked Flip, so I do not know your Bulls friends you watch rugby with, but they are the ones you describe not all the Bulls fans. Most Bulls fans I know think Etzebeth is huge and thought Louw and Vermeulen was the 2 best players in the last game.
4 Oct 2012, 08:40 am
@coma-18: If a tighthead prop dominates his opponent and secures good ball from the scrum he is seen as one of the most important players in a team. There are more lineouts than scrums and Matfield dominated lineouts for almost a decade. The entire gameplan was designed around the fact that Matfield will dominate the lineouts. His tackle rate was exceptional, almost never missed a tackle. Sure, he was not the best cleaner, but blindside flankers and 8th men these days are better equiped to do the cleaning, while nr 5 locks are not that bulky.
Matfield was the one player you could call a legend from the previous era. He changed the way people approached lineout work and numerous opponents, coaches, etc agree, but you are the one to now tell me he was actually useless.
4 Oct 2012, 08:42 am
i dont understand why HM keeps handing out caps
yes these guys ie. arno botha and goosen are extremely talented
but what ever happened to earning your stripes first?
i dont know how goosen jumped the queue ahead of currie cup winners jantjies and lambie?
the guy is raw talent but he hasnt even finished a whole currie cup or S15
keegan daniel is clearly the best loosie in the currie cup and was by far the best in S15 but he hasnt even got a mention since he was dropped?
yet arno botha walks into a bok jersey playing for a pathetic bulls team who lose consistently??
HM OUT
4 Oct 2012, 08:47 am
@Hoops-24:
The reason for the selection of these young Bulls, is that HM personally chose them when he was Bulls DOR because he thought they were the best in SA for his new game plan. That says a lot to me about his ability to recognise talent as opposed to believing he can mold it. Bok selections IMO should be based on performance not potential. Realising potential is the job of the CC and Franchise coaches as well as the player himself.
4 Oct 2012, 08:49 am
@jacoshark-27: Botha and Daniel does not play the same position. Secondly, the national coach has all the rights to select players he think will make it at the top level. He does not have to be “fair”. Jake White picked Frans Steyn from nowhere into a Bok team. He picked Habana for a Springbok training group after the U21 World Cup and while he was playing Vod Cup rugby for the Lions. Do not be surprised if Jan Serfontein is Frans Steyn’s replacement for the EOYT.
4 Oct 2012, 08:49 am
@David-28:
have to agree with you there
its becoming farcical how players who actually perform are overlooked for talented youngsters
followed by the inevitable “we have very little experience in the squad” speech heyneke produces every single week?
4 Oct 2012, 08:53 am
@Horings-29:
frans steyn played a whole S14 season and a currie cup season, but you probably forgot that hey?
habana was the player of the U21 tournament the same year he got selected
if im not mistaken, arno botha didnt even start for the bulls in either the s15 or currie cup teams consistently this season?
oh and jan serfontein, as talented as he is..has been properly owned in the currie cup this season- can barely make the bulls bench
4 Oct 2012, 08:59 am
@Transformation-10: Transie Kruger did’nt get a chance in between the ranting over the other Bulls players. your missing my point there but hey, what’s new.
4 Oct 2012, 09:01 am
@jacoshark-31: Arno Botha has mostly been injured. He has been selected for the Currie Cup team when fit. Did Frans Steyn play Super rugby in 2006? Please get a team sheet from 2006 to confirm him playing the entire S14 season, or are you just stating “facts” to support your statement. I know he won a game for the Sharks against WP in rainy weather in the CC, and was selected based on that performance.
Regarding Serfontein. “habana was the player of the U21 tournament the same year he got selected”. Sounds familiar. “has been properly owned”. Only played in the Newlands debacle and to be honest he was not owned. He was the best player in a team that was owned.
4 Oct 2012, 09:01 am
@Hoops-24: You do not move around on this site alot do you cause your little rant is exactly the wrong way round, anyways have fun.
4 Oct 2012, 09:03 am
@jacoshark-27: Jaco your HM OUT ending is getting long in the tooth there bud. Show some intellect and try something different.
4 Oct 2012, 09:05 am
@Horings-33:
haha really?
if im not mistaken. marcel brache ran circles around serfontein
did you even watch the game?
4 Oct 2012, 09:07 am
@Horings-33:
Frans was selected because Jake phoned his headmaster to find out if he was good enough.
4 Oct 2012, 09:08 am
@jacoshark-31: So no I did not forget it as it did not happen. Frans Steyn made his Super 14 debut in 2007 against the Bulls. Go and look it up if you want to.
4 Oct 2012, 09:09 am
everyone will get some perspective this weekend when the ABs come to town
yes, we beat australia easily last week but it was a 3rd choice aussie team
on a flat track, HMs gameplan can only work on the highveld
too many players being carried along in this squad
im hoping for a bok win, but it could go horribly wrong
HM out
4 Oct 2012, 09:11 am
@jacoshark-36: Yes I did. The linebreaks in the centres were in the outside centre channel, where Sadie and JJ Engelbrecht missed the tackles. I have already established you are making it up as you go along so anything you say I will assume is rubbish.
4 Oct 2012, 09:11 am
@Horings-38:
before the WC he’d played a full s14 and currie cup season
at the age of 19, he won the WC
you dont find these players everyday, every year or every decade
comparing these players, who are already a few years where behind frans was at 19, is ridiculous
4 Oct 2012, 09:13 am
how about an article about hougaard stepping out of du preez’s shadow.
or goosen out of morne’s
4 Oct 2012, 09:14 am
@Horings-40:
your blind faith is sad
4 Oct 2012, 09:14 am
@jacoshark-41: He made his debut in 2006 against Ireland. The year before the World Cup. Not only have we established you are lying, we also established you are dumb.
4 Oct 2012, 09:17 am
@jacoshark-41: An Serfontein is in fact an U19 player this year. Was in school last year. He was player of the tournament, despite the fact that he is younger than his teammates. It is for HM to decide who is special and not.
Jaco the dumb lying Shark out!
4 Oct 2012, 09:18 am
@Horings-44:
haha i didnt say anything about his debut but yeah, well done, you are the knowing rugby fan
4 Oct 2012, 09:19 am
@jacoshark-43: A comment not related to the post. I see we emphasize dumb in this post.
Jaco the dumb lying Shark out!
4 Oct 2012, 09:20 am
@Horings-45:
no need to get personal here..
its up to HM to select who he wants yes but its his job on the line, not mine
and im doing a much better job than he is doing atm
4 Oct 2012, 09:20 am
@jacoshark-46: We are talking about players being selected for the first time. An occurence just before a debut. Dumb, dumb, dumb.
Jaco the dumb lying Shark out!
4 Oct 2012, 09:24 am
@Horings-49:
HM ‘we lack experience’- ‘the players are not experienced enough’
blah blah blah
he selects the inexperienced players before theyre ready
thats my point
4 Oct 2012, 09:28 am
@jacoshark-50: Which of the old experience heads from last year were availible for selection? Not a lot hey? So where does that leave him? Of course he need to look young guns to start building for 2015. Bullshit argument Jaco
4 Oct 2012, 09:31 am
The game against Aussie was the first in which Bekker demonstrated his potential on the international stage.
Even as a non-Stormer, you have to be excited (and disappointed to this point), about Bekker’s potential.
4 Oct 2012, 09:32 am
@jacoshark-50: So let us have a look at the youngsters picked by HM this year. Etzetbeth, Coetzee, Goosen, Taute, Coenie. Vermeulen made his debut. Did these guys perform this year?
Heyneke Meyer has a long term as well as a short term plan and all these youngsters are in his long term plans. Our experienced players are the one that is letting him down. Pity that Bismark, JPP, Guthro Juan Smith, Jaque Fourie and FdP are injured or not available, because it would have been better to build a team around them, rather than JdP, Beast, Pienaar, Steyn and JdV.
Jaco the dumb lying Shark out!
4 Oct 2012, 09:33 am
@jacoshark-50: I Barely never post, but read most of the comments on most of the stories. JacoShark, you’re so far off base it’s not even funny.
@Horings-45: Agree with most of your recent posts.
I don’t support any franchise, I support every SA team and watch every game, a bit sad I know, but I have been a champion for Goosen since Currie Cup last year, but agreed he needed a S15. Well he played in one, and dominated before a freak injury scoring a try.
As for Jan, he is a future BOD. Most likely in the 12 shirt though, but offers more than Venter and the Bulls start Venter as he has been in the systems a bit longer, has been heavily invested in and is also a youngster so they deem him the next 12 off the rank. Jan will make it his own in the coming year and I’m looking forward to watching Jan and Mapoe in the Bulls centers
4 Oct 2012, 09:37 am
@seamus-52: What I want to establish is what is Etzebeth’s potential as a number 5 lock. Can you imagine playing him, Rossouw and Bakkies Botha. Then my last wish will be for Juan Smith to make a Os du Randt like comeback. We will dominate lineouts and the rucks, especially if Steenkamp, Bismark and JdP is our front row. A hard as nails pack will then be:
8. Vermeulen
7. Smith
6. Louw
5. Etzebeth
4. Bakkies
3. JdP
2. BdP
1. Steenkamp.
4 Oct 2012, 09:37 am
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-51:
South Africa:
1. Gurthrö Steenkamp- beast
2. John Smit (c)- strauss (better than smit)
3. Jannie du Plessis
4. Danie Rossouw- etzebeth (better than danie)
5. Victor Matfield- bekker/kruger v(ictor better)
6. Heinrich Brüssow- not selected (injured now)
7. Schalk Burger- injured (coetsee is better)
8. Pierre Spies- injured (vermuelen/alberts better)
9. Fourie du Preez- not selected)
10. Morné Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean de Villiers
13. Jaque Fourie- overseas (fourie best)
14. JP Pietersen
15. Pat Lambie
Replacements
16. Bismarck du Plessis
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Willem Alberts
19. Francois Louw
20. Francois Hougaard
21. Butch James
22. Gio Aplon
if you see the team, 13 players were available this season
more than enough experience
he chose not to select FDP or brussouw or aplon
yes, been a little unlucky with injuries but australia have had it far worse than we have- so there are no excuses
4 Oct 2012, 09:37 am
@seamus-52: Seamus three years ago he was up to scratch and we all felt comfortable with the fact the he would be a good replacement for Matfield but he never really stepped up to the plate since then. Persisting with a guy that is as inconsistent as he is in a crucial position is a hell of a gamble especially if you consider the talent HM has at his disposal.
4 Oct 2012, 09:40 am
@Horings-55: Bliskem that is a monster pack. Etsebeth has still got to show he can dominate the line out ball ala Victor but I believe he has the goods. Time will tell.
4 Oct 2012, 09:40 am
@Horings-55: JdP is our weak link, but Bakkies will just tell him “keep your back straight and you will not go back with me behind you”.
4 Oct 2012, 09:43 am
@Horings-59: …..as regularly heard in night clubs in Cape town as well……
4 Oct 2012, 12:47 pm
@KWAGGA ROBERTSE-34:
I’m not on this site a lot anymore but have been commenting since the beginning of keo!
Mostly not worth it anymore as most of the stuff said here is irrelevant and way to biased.
I poke some fun sometimes to get the blood boiling but not ven that works these days!
4 Oct 2012, 14:54 pm
@Horings-55: Big, brutal and INCREDIBLY stupid pack! They will play the most brainless rugby ever seen… you can’t just select hard players.
Tons of b.alls and no brains… hey, it suits HM losing game plan to a tee! The only time when we could effectively stifle Maccaw, Pocock or any of these guys was when Brussow (for his brain, not his brawn) was there to counter them.
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