The 2012 keo.co.za awards
3 Dec 2012
JON CARDINELLI and RYAN VREDE rate the real winners and losers of the 2012 season.
THE HEROES by Jon Cardinelli
McCAW THE MASTER
Come on, were there any real contenders beside Richie McCaw for the Player of the Year award? Fellow All Blacks Kieran Read and Dan Carter had a chance, but otherwise no player came close to McCaw in 2012. Before the Rugby Championship finale in Soweto, Bok coach Heyneke Meyer told a New Zealand reporter that McCaw’s presence was worth an extra 10 to 15 points for the All Blacks. Meyer’s prediction then came to pass when New Zealand thumped South Africa 32-16 at Soccer City. Tellingly, McCaw also excelled in the Tests where the All Blacks struggled for fluency. New Zealand were manhandled by the Boks in Dunedin, but McCaw (as well as some wayward Bok goal-kicking) kept them in the game through a superhuman breakdown effort. The 2012 season will have added to his legacy as one of the best forwards to have played the game.
EBEN THE YSTER
Eben Etzebeth was born to play Test rugby. From his first Super Rugby appearance, he displayed an appetite for destruction that had many tipping him to become the next Bakkies Botha. Fast-tracked into the Springbok starting side in the series against England, he lived up to the hype, and while there was the one incident where he went too far in the Rugby Championship (the headbutt on Nathan Sharpe), he continued to take giant strides in that enforcer’s role. His progress was evident in the latter stages of the Currie Cup and then on the Boks’ end-of-year tour, where powerful yet controlled performances at the lineout and at the collisions helped the respective teams to victory. Rumour has it that Western Province recently ordered Etzebeth a bigger set of dumbbells, as the older weights no longer presented a challenge. Etzebeth will only get stronger, and better, in 2013.
CLASSIC COMEBACK
In 2011, many people including this writer felt Bryan Habana was a spent force, and a mediocre performance at the World Cup seemed to signify the end of a great Test career. But Habana refused to give up. He got back on Dr Sherylle Calder’s EyeGym programme and adopted a more measured approach to training. The end result was a fantastic return to form, first in the 2012 Super Rugby competition, and then on the Test stage. The brilliant Bryan of old is back, and as much he will be praised for his game-breaking attacking skills, his perseverance cannot be commended enough.
JUNIOR JUBILATION
The biggest triumph for a South African team in 2012 was the winning of the IRB Junior World Championship. The fact that Dawie Theron’s charges defeated the Baby Blacks in the final made the victory that much sweeter, as these are the players that will be contesting the No 1 ranking at senior level in the years to come. The tournament highlighted the potential of Jan Serfontein and Steven Kitshoff, and also showcased several other superstars in the making such as Handre Pollard, Shaun Adendorff, Raymond Rhule and Pieter-Steph du Toit.
MYTH BUSTED: SOUTH AFRICA CAN ATTACK!
The Try of the Year Award goes to the Springboks, and no, I’m not being ironic. While the Boks delivered some brutally effective defensive displays, their attacking innovation and execution left a lot to be desired. There were a few instances, however, where the Boks showed their latent attacking potential, both as individuals and as a collective. There was the try that scooped the official IRPA award, but that try in Soweto ranked as a superior example. It began from a strong lineout, involved a smart interchange between all three loose forwards, and culminated with Bryan Habana rounding the poles. It was the highlight of that game if you were a Bok supporter, and one of the few highlights of the year as far as the Bok attack was concerned.
BREAKING THE DROUGHT
Many sneered when Western Province celebrated their Vodacom Cup success as if they had ended a 11-year trophy drought, and similarly discounted the Stormers’ winning of the South African Conference trophy. What couldn’t be denied, however, was WP’s triumph in the Currie Cup final, a win against all odds that definitively ended a decade-long period of pain and frustration. It was the stuff of fairytale, with WP given zero chance of winning against a Springbok-laden Sharks side in Durban. It will be remembered as one of the greatest title wins in WP history.
MONEYBALL MEN
Read the book? Seen the movie? Okay, so it’s not exactly the same as Moneyball, but the Chiefs embraced similar principles ahead of what would be a Super Rugby-winning campaign. Coach Dave Rennie installed a healthy work ethic and initiated a culture that championed the collective over the individual. They may not have boasted as many international stars as the other teams in the competition, but the Chiefs were the best collective unit. They played some exciting rugby at times, but they never de-prioritised the basics of territory and defence.
UPSETTING THE STATUS QUO… ISLAND STYLE!
Scotland deserve recognition for their first win on Australian soil in 30 years, as do England for their surprisingly dominant performance against New Zealand. But the results that came as more of a shock were the victories for the Pacific island nations in Cardiff and Edinburgh. First Samoa rocked the Six Nations champions, and then Tonga rattled Scotland a week later. They are results that come less than a year after Samoa beat the Wallabies in Australia, and Tonga shocked France at the World Cup in New Zealand. They are also results that must send a message to the IRB that the Pacific island nations can be more than also-rans in world rugby. They deserve more opportunities against top-flight teams, as well as the same resources and leeway to ensure that they can be competitive.
THE VILLAINS by Ryan Vrede
HOW TO LOSE A TEST CAREER … IN 20 MINUTES
Most of us have willed the memory of Dean Greyling’s horror show in Dunedin against the All Blacks to the darkest depths of our subconscious. He is a cult hero in some parts of Pretoria, I’m guessing, but for the vast majority of us he will be the prime example of how to completely destroy your international future. He squandered a scoring chance, was out of position for one of the Blacks’ tries and, most pertinently, was sent off for a cowardly and highly dangerous forearm smash on a defenceless Richie McCaw. I have it on good authority that he will never see a Springbok jersey for as long as Heyneke Meyer is coach. He should never have in the first place, but that knowledge is comforting nonetheless. The guy is named after the famously intelligent ’80s television character MacGuyver. They share a name, but not intellectual capacity. The guy can’t even get his face framed for his Twitter avatar. On your marks, go check.
COACH’S PET
Morne Steyn was always going to have the inside lane to the No 10 shirt when Heyneke Meyer became Springbok coach. The two have a professional relationship going back more than a decade and in the context of Meyer’s game plan, Steyn was viewed as central to success. The signs were there in Super Rugby, where Steyn’s general play was uninspiring, and, tellingly, his goal-kicking fell well below the standard he has set in recent years. That form carried into the Test season, and calls steadily grew for his axing. Meyer cupped his hands, put them over his ears and defied the unbelievers. That was until Steyn’s diabolical goal-kicking cost Meyer a victory on New Zealand soil. It should have seen him cut loose, but for Meyer’s inability to end his poisonous love affair, and Steyn was again involved for the year-end tour. Only a brave man would bet against him resurfacing in 2013.
ALL THE KINGS’ MEN
Everyone, and I mean everyone (including the Kings themselves), involved in the messy Kings saga deserves whatever criticism has come their way. There are varying degrees of culpability, but that doesn’t matter, they all contributed to a national embarrassment. And after all that they still failed to reach a solution that was even remotely close to satisfying or sensible. That the Kings will be hammered in 2013 is a given, but that’s not the point. There has been so little planning around their introduction and their own vision for the future is weak.
LAME LIONS
The Lions won three of their 16 matches, continuing their Super Rugby ineptitude. Only this year their problems deepened, with boardroom chaos culminating in the already broke franchise being successfully sued for millions by the Pumas and Leopards. As if they didn’t have a bad enough year, they then suspended coach John Mitchell (on full pay) after a player revolt, only to reinstate him a couple of months later after he refused to resign. They simply didn’t have the cash to pay him out for the remainder of his contract and palmed him off to the Sale Sharks. Poor Sharks.
87 Comments
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3 Dec 2012, 05:14 am
Winning dragons and loosing dragons……….
3 Dec 2012, 07:03 am
” He is a cult hero in some parts of Pretoria, I’m guessing”
playing to the audience are we, boys…
3 Dec 2012, 07:18 am
“but for Meyer’s inability to end his poisonous love affair, and Steyn was again involved for the year-end tour. Only a brave man would bet against him resurfacing in 2013.”
keep it up, funny guys…
loving the routine
anyway, my two cents worth on morne is only a buffoon would ignore a players season, especially if its good, and rather formulate opinions about him based on his form from the year before.
3 Dec 2012, 07:23 am
Cult hero? Really?
You did some research to back this up, I assume, Ryan?
3 Dec 2012, 07:29 am
What struck me about 2012 is how few players the Bulls have in the Bok team – and I have to say deservedly so at the moment.
Somehow the Bulls management – who have been the most professional in SA for the last decade – failed to manage the transition to the new generation properly. We all knew ther Matfield generation was retiring, but little was apparently done to counteract this in the short term.
From a quality perspective they are a shadow of the team they were in 2007-2010.
May 2013 start addressing these deficiencies, but even if it does, it will not excuse the last 2 years underperformances.
3 Dec 2012, 07:35 am
macaw and the chiefs are not heroes in my book.
the very definition of villians for what they do for the games reputation.
3 Dec 2012, 07:37 am
” He guy can’t even get his face framed for his Twitter avatar.”
And then you belittle someone else’s intelligence.
Oh, the irony.
3 Dec 2012, 07:42 am
@Tacitus-5: Your Bulls didn’t do very well the season before Matfield and co left either…. In fact your last valid ‘hurrah’ was in the S15 final 2010. Matfield and co were around after that…..
Not really fair to blame all the Bulls woes on those fellas leaving, some of it yes, all of it? NO.
3 Dec 2012, 07:49 am
“On your marks, go check.”
?
3 Dec 2012, 07:52 am
this is the standard of our journalism..?..
oh i weep for humanity
3 Dec 2012, 08:07 am
McCaw had one of his lesser impressive seasons, if Eben had not headbutted Sharpe than I think he would have been the best option for player of the year.
Did anyone see how McCaw get burned by Youngs, he looked like he was running in slow motion. Shame, the old man needs his 7 month sebatical.
I also feel Flouw needs a special mention, best selection decision HM made.
3 Dec 2012, 08:29 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-10:
Come back to the Hore Thread.
3 Dec 2012, 08:54 am
@WP-Forever-12:
i suppose
one can always count on a hore for satisfaction
3 Dec 2012, 08:58 am
Good idea + bad exectution = poor form
3 Dec 2012, 09:12 am
Add Freddie Michalak to the comeback kid award alongside Habana.
3 Dec 2012, 09:27 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-8:
Indeed. It was a dilemma, in that you couldn’t get rid of the veterans in 2011, in a World Cup year, but it was clear they were just going through the motions, pacing themselves to get to their last World Cup.
Hence my reference to the 2 years of underperformance (2011 – 2012) being inexcusable. It should have been handled better.
3 Dec 2012, 09:28 am
Sharks for the bridesmaid award?
3 Dec 2012, 09:58 am
@Tacitus-5: One day you will have a metaphoric Copernican revolution, and all your old ways of kick ,chase and maul will suddenly seem regressive . You will be enlightened that there are players outside of pretoria who deserve a Bok jersey.
“What struck me about 2012 is how few players the Bulls have in the Bok team “
3 Dec 2012, 10:15 am
A nod to Nathan Sharpe. Unlike Ponting he couldn’t go out on his own terms – having to postpone his retirement three times due to the injury crises in Oz. Then captained a poor Oz team to good results.
I suppose it a measure of the guy if he is one of opposition you don’t like (on the field). As you know he makes an influence. Bit like Naas/Clive Rice/Fitzpatrick/KP etc.
3 Dec 2012, 10:17 am
Perennial chokers 2012 – The Sharks
3 Dec 2012, 10:32 am
@Tacitus-16:
Not sure I agree with that assesment of the bulls.
this year but for a lucky win by the stormers at loftus as will as a daft loss against the blues at home as well the bulls could have finished top of the conference. As it was, the bulls still finished above the sharks in the conference. The margins between success and failure are miniscule.
In the CC there are signs of something better but with so many youngsters, a few losses would really take its toll on confidence, and I would include the confidence of a very inexperienced pine pienaar at this level. I believe they are a better side than results suggest and will be a lot better for the experience.
the beauty of not having so many bulls with the boks is that the entire squad can have a decent pre-season for a change. The Bulls will be there or there about next season.
3 Dec 2012, 10:40 am
Sharks for the Truth 2012 Award…
Otherwise known as the Exposing Bullshitt award…
- The Bullshitt that there is or should be one SA style of rugby
- The Bullshitt that SA can’t do enterprising backline play
- The Bullshitt that small loosies can’t play at the highest level
- The Bullshitt that is known as the Traditional North South “powers”
3 Dec 2012, 10:41 am
@Heavens Game-22:
and you can include yourself in that list as “bullshitter of the year”, ne?
3 Dec 2012, 10:43 am
@Heavens Game-22: Agree with you. It was the Sharks winning the S15 and Currie Cup that made me a believer……..
3 Dec 2012, 10:44 am
Another Hero… Definitely unsung on this Stormfront Propaganda site…
None other than John Plumtree…
To think that some fairweather Sharks “fans” were calling for him to be replaced by such a “luminary” as Jimmy Stonehouse…
Fuckwits all
3 Dec 2012, 10:44 am
The award for the blogger who has made himself irrelevant but has nowhere else to go ….
You guessed it.
3 Dec 2012, 10:45 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-23: The truth sets you free Brig…
Open your mind…
The future is here…
The future is Black and White…
Dynamite…
BOOM!
3 Dec 2012, 10:47 am
@stormersboy-26: a stray fap…?
3 Dec 2012, 10:56 am
@Heavens Game-28: Careful. It stings if you get it in your eye.
Apparently.
3 Dec 2012, 11:02 am
@stormersboy-29:
Crying Game blogs in raybans.
Negative Ghostrider the pattern is full.
3 Dec 2012, 11:03 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-21:
Fair enough. And about 3 losses in the S15 were due to Steyn’s poor goalkicking. Which would have put us top of the conference, yes.
But I still don’t think we were good enough to go all the way, even if Steyn was on song.
3 Dec 2012, 11:10 am
@stormersboy-29: Ask Grunter to stop then… if it gets too much…
3 Dec 2012, 11:12 am
@Tacitus-31:
As another scenario…the Bulls have come from nowhere in seasons past and crawled up the log to smash everyone aside to win…if they had managed another almost impossible Super 15 final, I personally beleive that the Bulls could have beaten the Stormsaders.
The Sharks just don’t have the balls for the bigger occassions.
3 Dec 2012, 11:15 am
@Tacitus-31: I think the margins in super rugby are fairly small, but the way we ended the series i.e. our form in the last half were way below the form from the top 5 teams.
I do not want to believe it, but I think the Bulls “success” this year is due to the excitement of a new team and a new style in those first weeks. The actual strength of the team was shown in the way we ended the season. In 2013 we could possibly have a Super 15 the Blues had this year.
3 Dec 2012, 11:18 am
@gunther-30: Aviators… to be more specific. Maui Jims now though…
…enhance my rugged good looks…
3 Dec 2012, 11:23 am
Add the clowns Loubscher, Van Graan and Koen to the villains section. All conspired to castrate the Springbok and render it an impotent attacking specimen. Surely Meyer has to be on the lookout for some quality backup? His job wont get any easier with that lot “helping” out.
3 Dec 2012, 11:26 am
No award for Keagen Cullen?
3 Dec 2012, 11:28 am
@Slappes-37: Keagan Daniel – the Christian Cullen of loosies won an award already…
No validation from Keo Stormfront Propaganda pages needed…
3 Dec 2012, 11:28 am
@Slappes-37: Best Small Guy in a Big Guy’s Role?
3 Dec 2012, 12:23 pm
A guy that really impressed me this year is Vemullet. I’ve been really critical of him in the past, but he was great on tour – particularly against England.
3 Dec 2012, 12:25 pm
@Heavens Game-38: Yip, it was the v-oetsek fly-swot award, which he graciously accepted, courtesy of JdJ.
3 Dec 2012, 12:28 pm
@Tacitus-40: Could you please repeat this
About 500 times? Someone, who is not a Duane groupie giving him credit? Awesomeness. In fact, he needs to see this.
3 Dec 2012, 12:29 pm
@Heavens Game-38: He did indeed. And his prize (which accompanied the award) was a piggy back ride on the back of an Argie maul. Yipeee.
3 Dec 2012, 12:36 pm
@pompies2-41: Twas a gimme… No more, no less…
An impressive gimme, but not quite as impressive as Sulk Burgers on yer ar.se after SuperPat’s handoff…
3 Dec 2012, 12:36 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-43: Double Tap…?
3 Dec 2012, 13:57 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-43:
hahahaa
3 Dec 2012, 14:15 pm
@Heavens Game-44: If Keagan is into gimmes in CC finals, he’s prety generous. Difference between Keagan and Schalk is a RWC medal. I know who i’d have in my side.
3 Dec 2012, 14:27 pm
@pompies2-47: You seem to forget Schalk was also pretty generous in his (only?) CC final… to Lambie. So yes, it does happen to the best of them, as it did with the Christian Cullen of loosies – King Keegan… The same Keegan with one more Currie Cup winners medal than Schalk has… and soon to be one more Super Rugby medal next year…
Hehe
3 Dec 2012, 14:42 pm
The Boom-Sit-Down Award goes to the stars of this moment:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DNRtO9iU_uE
The Stuff Up Of The Year Award (tied):
Sharks – Every Playoff Defeat
Stormers – Super 15 semifinal at Newlands
In Your Face Award (tied):
Western Province Currie Cup victory
Stormers win at “Roftus”
Most Astonishing Result of The Year:
England plenty – 21 New Zealand
Rest In Pieces Award:
New Zealand 60 – 0 Ireland
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (WTF!) Moment:
Springbok June Tests squad announcement
The Inevitable Storm of Controversy Award:
Every Bok team announcement (read former)
Epic Fail of the Year:
Ticket prices for Bok matches
This Should Be Good and Bad To Watch Award:
The Kings in 2013 and the resultant political spindoctoring
Fall From Grace Award:
Bishops 1st XV of 2012 (yoh!)
Really Annoying Git Award:
Heavens Game (no contest)
Pride of the Nation Award:
The Proteas
3 Dec 2012, 15:12 pm
@BishopsOD-49: I would say In your Face award by far and away owned by the Sharks:
- S15 Semi Final at Newlands, after travelling the circumference of the planet to the Red Zone and back…
That win more than compensated for losing in the Final…
In yer Face foshor
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