Brits would be brilliant Bok bolter
24 Oct 2012
MARK KEOHANE says Schalk Brits would be a bold but brilliant Springbok selection for the November internationals.
It is unlikely to happen but don’t be surprised if lock Marco Wentzel is part of the Boks three-Test campaign.
Brits, according to those with South African links and actively involved in rugby in Europe and the United Kingdom, is the best hooker in the English Premiership and he is also rated by many as the best in Europe.
He plays for Saracens and has always expressed his desire to play again for the Springboks.
For those in South Africa who haven’t seen much of Brits in the past few seasons, take a look at this Brits performance against Leicester. It just illustrates the class of the player on attack, in defence, doing the basics of hooker play and so much more. You can find many more examples of his performances on Rugbydump.
Heyneke Meyer rates Adriaan Strauss highly and he will probably select Chiliboy Ralepelle and Craig Burden as back up to Strauss for the Tests against Ireland, Scotland and England.
Bath director of rugby and former Bok forwards coach Gary Gold says Brits would add a dimension to the Boks.
‘He has been brilliant for the last few seasons and is so highly regarded over here,’ Gold told keo.co.za. ‘There are several European and English-based South African players still good enough to play for the Springboks, which doesn’t necessarily mean they are better options than what is in South Africa. But Brits, in the absence of injured Bismarck du Plessis, would be a player I’d not hesitate in getting involved. He commands presence and there is huge respect in the English game, especially, for his ability.’
Former Bok and Italy coach Nick Mallett said Brits would be the one overseas-based player he would look to in the November internationals.
‘More so in light of the absence of [Bismarck] du Plessis. You have a guy who consistently has been the best performer in his position. He knows the opposition. He knows the conditions and he is not a player at the tail end of his season, as is always the negative for the southern hemisphere sides touring in November and of course for the northern hemisphere sides touring here, Australia and New Zealand in June. Fatigue is always a factor to be considered and Brits, of the South Africans abroad, has been a big performer for some seasons.’
Mallett singled out Francois Louw and Ruan Pienaar, who will be selected, as quality additions to the squad and said he had been impressed with the contributions of Bakkies Botha, Gurthro Steenkamp and Rory Kockott.
Injuries may force Meyer to look at a veteran like Botha, but outside of that he is expected to put his faith in those who played in the Rugby Championship.
Brits would be a bolter, even though he should be selected on ability and performance, but the player who may be the bolter is lock Marco Wentzel, who played for the Boks as a youngster a decade ago.
Wentzel lacks the physicality of Eben Etzebeth, Flip van der Merwe and Botha, but he is primarily a No 5 lock and Meyer told keo.co.za earlier in the week it was the one area of concern because of injury to Andries Bekker and Ulster-based Johann Muller. Juandre Kruger assumed the responsibility in the three-Test series against England played in South Africa earlier in the season, but Wentzel has been consistently impressive as a winner of lineout ball and in his organisation of the lineout.
Wentzel, capped just twice for the Boks, has enjoyed spells at Leicester and Leeds and is now integral to the forward pack at London Wasps.
For those unfamiliar with his contribution read Brendan Gallagher’s feature in the London Telegraph on how Wentzel is viewed within the Wasps coaching structure. He has assumed a role very similar to Victor Matfield’s at the Bulls and Boks.
Meyer also confirmed that none of the Japanese-based trio Fourie du Preez, Danie Rossouw and Jacque Fourie are available for selection because of the structure of their respective club contracts.
84 Comments
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24 Oct 2012, 14:11 pm
@nama1-40: Brits would inject necessary speed into our pack, which as a unit is far too slow for a tier 1 team at current.
24 Oct 2012, 14:12 pm
@willievz-51: Especially since we now play a less mobile nr8
24 Oct 2012, 14:13 pm
@nama1-49:
ja ok.
24 Oct 2012, 14:27 pm
@katman-50:
How many starts did John Smit have ahead of him and why was that?
24 Oct 2012, 14:30 pm
@willievz-51:
Into the back line, you mean.
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-53:
24 Oct 2012, 14:34 pm
@willievz-52: The advantage however is, that he is not quick enough to get away for the potential contact ala his predesessor, Pierre Spies.
24 Oct 2012, 14:36 pm
@nama1-55: No, linking the back line.
Strauss and Chilli are the ones that set up camp at the far end of the back line on offense.
24 Oct 2012, 14:37 pm
Mind you, I would still start Strauss.
24 Oct 2012, 14:39 pm
Brits is a poor version of Burden
24 Oct 2012, 14:39 pm
@Mr Black-59: Other way round.
24 Oct 2012, 14:46 pm
Keo, why the fascination with Brits? We’ve got plenty of talent playing in the Currie Cup – even without the injured okes like Bissie, Chillie and Liebenberg.
And Wentzel? Bro, have you lost it? lol.
24 Oct 2012, 14:50 pm
@nama1-54: I haven’t followed all the games, but Smit was a sub in all the games I saw, with Brits the starting hooker.
24 Oct 2012, 15:08 pm
@katman-62:
Oh OK.
He started a few games ahead of Brits and I got the impression that it was because they were looking for more scrumming power. Might be totally wrong of course.
24 Oct 2012, 15:25 pm
@Mr Black-59:
Burden is a less creative version of Brits. I like his passion though. But he is not a tier 1 unit.
24 Oct 2012, 15:32 pm
@Jinx2-64:
What do they say about opinions?
24 Oct 2012, 15:59 pm
Chiliboi is the best!
24 Oct 2012, 16:07 pm
@Hondo-66:
Must have take a hell of a lot for you to admit that.
24 Oct 2012, 16:42 pm
Brits is overrated, it isthe question ofa big fish inasmall pond. English ckub rugby is at a lower level and that is why he loks good.
24 Oct 2012, 16:43 pm
@KingTJ-68: So why did JDV at Munster and John Smit at Clermont struggle at this so-called “lower level”?
24 Oct 2012, 16:45 pm
Sorry tabloid keyboard
24 Oct 2012, 16:54 pm
JS is over the hill, he should come back to the sharks and coach. Never watched JDV there…so cant pass opinion, but many of our plyers have gone there that couldn’t the mustard here. Just look at reinach strauss and the rest of the english squad…..none of those players where good enough. So UK idols to try and make it .
24 Oct 2012, 16:55 pm
Hopelik trek Gottlieb Swart ‘n paar strooitjies.
24 Oct 2012, 16:56 pm
So they joined UK idols(rugby) to try and make it.
24 Oct 2012, 17:00 pm
Oh dear I wonder if the unregistered keow is Brits’ agent? That’s why he’s forever punting him duh!!!
But Brits is good, maybe on par with Strauss; possibly not as good a scrummager but better with a bit of space and ball in hand. Not sure I would boot anyone to accomodate him though.
24 Oct 2012, 17:03 pm
@nama1-54: Because JS was the best set piece hooker to ever play the game, was a brilliant leader, a good in close defender and he hit rucks…..pretty simple really.
24 Oct 2012, 17:06 pm
Something interesting. Sorry for afrikaans
DIE feit dat daar nie ’n enkele gekleurde speler die naweek vir die Oostelike Provinsie Kings teen die Cheetahs opgedraf het nie, is ’n probleem vir die Suid-Afrikaanse Rugbyunie (Saru).Só sê die uitvoerende hoof van Saru, Jurie Roux.“Dit is ’n probleem vir Saru en ons het dit met die Kings opgeneem.”Roux het nie gesê wat aan die Kings gesê is nie.Wynand Claassen, oud-Bokkaptein, het gesê as die Kings nie Suid-Afrikaanse gekleurde spelers kies om te speel nie, is dit sinloos om hulle aanstaande jaar in die Superreeks te laat speel.“Dit defeat die purpose. Word hulle nie juis toegelaat om in die Superreeks te speel sodat meer gekleurde spelers die kans gegun word om op daardie vlak rugby te speel nie?”Naas Botha, voormalige Springbok-losskakel, sê om gekleurde spelers te laat speel, was nooit ’n amptelike rede vir hul insluiting in die Superreeks nie.“Daar is nooit amptelik gesê dit is die rede nie.”Die Cheetahs het die Kings Saterdag met 53-14 vermorsel in die eerste van twee promosie-en-relegasiewedstryde.Claassen reken die Kings gaan nie die mas opkom in die Superreeks nie.“Hulle gaan verneder word.” Roux het ontken dat Saru geld vir die Kings gegee het om spelers te kontrakteer vir aanstaande jaar se Superreeks.“Saru het nie méér geld vir die Kings gegee as vir enige ander unie nie en sal ook nie bykomende geld gee sodat hulle beter vaar in die Superreeks nie.”Botha wou hom nie uitlaat oor die Kings se kanse nie.“Ons sal moet wag en sien. Hulle het ’n paar spelers gekontrakteer wat dalk ’n verskil kan maak. Tot voor die onderskep-drie van Andries Strauss het hulle nie te vrot gevaar teen die Cheetahs die afgelope naweek nie.”Cheeky Watson, president van die Kings, het teen druktyd nie sy selfoon geantwoord nie.
24 Oct 2012, 19:50 pm
@Skeppie-75: Maybe in 2007 ….post 2007 a useless lump of lard .
25 Oct 2012, 02:09 am
@husky-74: Brits probably would do a better job at 13 than Taute!
@grant10-77: let it go g10, Smit was still a top player in 2009 and a good test hooker in 2011 albeit Bismarck was a better one
25 Oct 2012, 03:24 am
@grant10-77:
Build a bridge ya boring git!
25 Oct 2012, 03:26 am
I rate Brits. Watched his game over the week-end, great hands, step and appears all over the park.
SA’s no 2 hooker IMHO, but doubt ‘ol blue eyes would consider him……..unfortunately
25 Oct 2012, 09:28 am
A hooker who does up and unders, is kick receiver, side-steps and runs in the back line like any centre… Maybe this is what the Bok back-line needs a forward who can cover both.
Check his performance in the Premiership final, this guy is very impressive
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5BoZBKxO4TQ&noredirect=1
25 Oct 2012, 09:43 am
In an ideal world my SA team
1 Steenkamp / Beast / Coenie
2 Bis / Brits / Strauss
3 Mujati / Doctor / Cilliers
4 Estebeth / Mostert / Flippie
5 Becker / Kruger / ?
6 Brussow / louwe / Coetzee
7 Smith / Burger / Alberts
8 Burger / Vermulen / Daniels /Spies / Brits?
9 Pienaar / kocket / Hougie
10 Lambie / Goosen / Jnjies – Lambie before Goose just for experience for now
11 Habs / Mvovo
12 Fourie / F Steyn /Jordaan
13 JdJ / Taute / JDV
14 JPP / Hougie / Basson
l515 Taute / F Steyn / Lambie / Ludik all before Nik Nak
25 Oct 2012, 10:58 am
@rabooby
Does SA not have any other quality scrum halves other than Pienaar (has been reliable at best) and Hougie (mercurial at best)?
Who is the new talent there, seems like another of the many Bok weak spots at the moment?
25 Oct 2012, 11:28 am
Don’t think we have another option. We need to find another FDP or bring him back till we can. Think Pienaar will come good again.. we just need to get more game time with players, our 10 keeps changing so that changes things all the time. So I think Pienaar has done a great job considering,, I just wish he would clear the rucks quicker ..
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