Pienaar refined by European stint
3 Oct 2012
Ruan Pienaar says that his stint in Ireland with Ulster has improved him as a player, with his temperament in particular benefiting significantly.
Pienaar’s ability to handle the heat associated with elite-level rugby has long been the primary criticism of him. Superlative at times when the stakes were lower, Pienaar was perceived to have a propensity for folding under sterner examination. Some of his team-mates and coaches even expressed that concern in private discussions, detailing their reservations based on their close interaction with him.
However, the positional uncertainty he had to endure during his time in South Africa undoubtedly contributed to this. And having established himself at scrumhalf for Ulster, Pienaar has thrived against the northern hemisphere’s elite, establishing himself as one of the leading players in his position in Europe.
Having been handed an opportunity to establish himself in his preferred position with the Springboks, Pienaar has shown glimpses of the immense promise he exhibited as a youngster at the Sharks. Most importantly, he has looked composed, and, at times commanding, against the world’s best players in the Rugby Championship.
‘I’d like to think my temperament has improved. It is a big decision for me to make that move. I was totally out of my comfort zone. Playing conditions are also a lot worse, but I’ve learned through that. I’ve tried to work on a lot on specifics for a nine, which wasn’t possible before I left because I played all over the place,’ he said.
‘You get days when it will go well and days where it won’t. I’ve always enjoyed playing under pressure. The challenge is negotiating it successfully by making the right decision in that situation.’
He added that he is determined to entrench himself in the position after years of being compromised by the tag of utility player.
‘I’ve really enjoyed this run. The momentum from the forwards has made it easier for me,’ he said. ‘I’ve competed against some good nines in the past. I’ve also said that my confidence would benefit from an extended run and that’s what I’m getting now. Hopefully I can convince the coaches of my value.’
With Johan Goosen not expected to recover from a heel injury sufficiently to take the goal kicks at Soccer City against the All Blacks on Saturday, Pienaar is likely to take the responsibility. He said he kicked at ‘about 80%’ for Ulster last season, which bodes well for the Springboks.
‘It didn’t go that well last Saturday [he missed four], but I also haven’t kicked in those sorts of pressure situations since my season ended at Ulster. I need to get back in the groove again, so hopefully it goes well. I had a good season with the boot with my club and I’d like to continue in that vain. We aren’t happy with that aspect of our game,’ he said.
With the Blacks renowned for their potency from broken field, there will also be additional pressure on him to excel in his tactical kicking game.
‘If you are going to kick poorly on them, they will punish you. They have great finishers – Israel Dagg, Julian Savea, all those guys can hurt you from their 22m. So you have to pin them down in their territory and back your defensive line. From there we are going to be asked to make a lot of tackles and blunt their momentum. Our defence has been good, but it will have to step up against them,’ he said.
By Ryan Vrede, in Johannesburg
24 Comments
3 Oct 2012, 15:17 pm
He missed 4 Ryan.
3 Oct 2012, 15:20 pm
Ryan has a hard on for Ruan Pienaar.
The truth of the matter is Ruan is a moderate player. Good at kicking, but too slow to recycle the ball and never poses a threat around the fringes.
When last did anyone see him snipe?
3 Oct 2012, 16:59 pm
Ruan is an excellent player who can add a lot of value to the boks and make the 9 position his own. He controls and directs the forwards excellently, adds a lot to us winning the battle for territory and is starting to come into his own on attack.
He also has the best pass of any South African scrumhalf and best appreciation of tempo and variety.
3 Oct 2012, 18:03 pm
Pienaar’s kicking game is good but he is definitely prone to lapses in form. Occasionally his tactical kicks are inaccurate and hand possession straight back to the opposition. His goal kicking for the bokke has also been atrocious.
The problem is you like a scrumhalf to be your game controller in saffa land. This means your 9 takes longer to recycle the ball and teams can reorganise whilst he makes his mind up what he wants to do. We have this problem with Weeps as well.
Aaron Smith is the right kind of scrummie. Speedy delivery to the flyhalf who is our game controller. Very threatening around the fringes and keeps the opposition guessing. Basically a guy who generates more momentum for the team.
3 Oct 2012, 18:19 pm
Ruan is kak. All he does is slow the game down when we are on attack. He is the Morne of scrumhalves. Hougaard at least gets quick ball.
3 Oct 2012, 19:49 pm
Ruan produces fast ball on attack and is a superior decision maker to Hougaard.
I am a fan of Hougaard but I guess you must be thinking of quick ball when he’s not doing the human centipede.
He is great in his own way too but neither player is perfect. I think Hougaard’s strengths are better suited to wing at this stage of his career.
Speed of ball is also down to forwards and flyhalf / backline.
And also, quick ball is needed on attack but so is variety. Adjusting the rhythm and tempo of a game is an art and part of winning rugby.
Finally if anyone feels the need to open more than one account and log into them to agree with yourself on Keo, maybe you aren’t so confident in your opinion.
3 Oct 2012, 19:54 pm
Pienaar gonna blow vs AB’s.. HM has pretty much annihilated Hougaards scrum half test career.. very poor player management sticking a bone fide scrum half out on the wing.. stupid in fact…
If HM wanted to beat NZ bad he should have stuck it out with Hougaard at 9.. Pienaar gonna fold under AB pressure.. he don’t have a quarter of Hougaards balls.
3 Oct 2012, 19:57 pm
Fittz1ella, I thought I told you to keep quiet while I’m taking a **** into your moms mouth, you dof little cockroach.
3 Oct 2012, 19:59 pm
@Brendope-8: wow she’s keen for seconds, excuse me a moment while I take a dump.
3 Oct 2012, 20:04 pm
@fitz1ella-7: PDV and Frans L have done it as well, so I take it they’re equally repsonsible? lol.
3 Oct 2012, 20:07 pm
@Brendope-8: who the fck are you you little runtcunt piece of garbage fuckwitturd.. you need to get fucked to kingdom come you miserable little arsehole up your own pathetic piece of frivilous trash hole backside
3 Oct 2012, 20:12 pm
@fitz1ella-7:
> he don’t have a quarter of Hougaards balls
Two is more than enough
How many does Hougie have?
No wonder he’s always absent to clear the ruck and you could time his kicks on a calendar, he’s carrying more nuts than a squirrel
3 Oct 2012, 20:13 pm
@fitz1ella-7:
> HM has pretty much annihilated Hougaards scrum half test career..
He’s been **** at no 9 for the whole S15 season as well
He needs gametime at no 9 at a lower lever to build confidence
3 Oct 2012, 20:15 pm
@victoriabok-12: I just hope for everybody sake that Pienaar and Kirchner don’t BLOW on Saturday
I far rather have Hougaard in Aaron Smiths face than Pienaar any day of the week.. And I reckon Kirchner just going to revert to the big kick scenario.. AB’s aren’t Aussie by any stretch of the imagination and if Pienaar slows ball down, and kicks it away, we could be in for a tiring afternoon gang tackling all day.
3 Oct 2012, 20:21 pm
@victoriabok-13: Most people have not been watching Hougaard in test match conditions.. forget S15.. against England in test 1 and test 2 Hougaard was very good.. in fact Hougaard was whipping it out in that purple patch Boks showed at Ellis Park in 2nd England test before they slowed it all down and got caught in second half.
In Mendoza Hougaard was pumping all game till Pienaar came on and the game got worse.. Morne has been the problem since forever.. never Hougaard in test match conditions..
Play Hougaard with Gosen or Jantjies and watch the difference between a Hougaar – Goosen / antjies combo and a Pienaar – Goosen / Jantjies combo
Play Pienaar with Morne and you have got the absolute worst of the worst.. almost as bad as FdP and Morne.. which gave us all those lovely LOSSES we enjoyed while watching those two stuff Boks game to hell for the past 2 and a half years.
Hougaard must play Hougaard style rugby NOT FdP / Pienaar style rugby and you will see the poppies dans and the vonke spat.
3 Oct 2012, 20:27 pm
@fitz1ella-14:
> And I reckon Kirchner just going to revert to the big kick scenario
You’d be stupid to try to run the masters of running rugby off their feet with a very good but inexperienced side
You should play to your strengths
> AB’s aren’t Aussie by any stretch of the
The Wallabies were poor but we did improve
And we had the AB’s in NZ, if this side was more experienced and with a different flyhalf, we could have won
> Pienaar slows ball down, and kicks it away
At least he’s there when the ball comes out from the ruck and he’s service is crisper and more accurate than Hougie
Hougie hasn’t played good enough to justify him playing scrumhalf for the Boks in the times he had started at no 9 this year
3 Oct 2012, 21:24 pm
@Brendope-8:
@Brendope-9:
This is proof where Adults should keep an eye on there children when surfing the internet.
I have not seen such childish posts on here in a long time.
When people say things like you have either means your 10 years old or you are fuked in the head.
3 Oct 2012, 21:28 pm
@Hurricane-17:
er…is that english?
3 Oct 2012, 21:30 pm
@fitz1ella-11: Oh Skop.
3 Oct 2012, 21:32 pm
@fitz1ella-11: Mea nt this.Sorry.
3 Oct 2012, 21:44 pm
@Brendope-18:
Don’t know but is er… English?
4 Oct 2012, 09:26 am
@Hurricane-17: Agreed, Brendope grow up!
4 Oct 2012, 16:51 pm
Ruan Pienaar is an average player. His best asset is his ability to cover a variety of positions on the bench
His service is below par,his kicking average to good at times.He rarely ever folows up a good game with ANOTHER good game.As inconsistent as they come.
And is possibly the most average 50 test player to ever don the green and gold.ANd he is no threat whatsoever with ball in hand.None
ANd he kicks/keeps quick ball at the ruck while he dilly/dally’s doing his best impersonation of Tom Brady/Peyton Manning hand signals when ball should be quick and team accumulating momentum.
Average player.And has reached his ceiling.
Hougaard should be given run in position and will develop and into a world class 9,bal carrying quicker-explosive Joost clone.Must be allowed to play his own game-that suits his strengths Hougie.Not clone Du Preez who Pienaar is poor-mans version
5 Oct 2012, 06:11 am
@Fritz ellen: you two faced little maggot. I clearly remember you Mr know it all telling the great keow forum (lol) how useless Hougaard was when the Boks lost tot hat club side in the UK. Now suddenly he’s wonderful? Shows that you are just a blow hard bigot. Fyi, both are very good players. With the right coaching and game plan they could be great.
Now get to swearing and cussin; that too shows how knowledgeable you are.
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.