Old and new a sign of good times
4 Feb 2013
MARK KEOHANE, in his Business Day column, writes that veteran Juan Smith’s performance was a reminder of a good Bok past and Jan Serfontein’s qualities are about a good future. Both are an asset to our rugby.
There is no such thing as a pre-season friendly in South African rugby. What was a supposed first hit out for the Stormers could easily have been a Super Rugby match played at the most critical juncture of the season. It was full on.
It was unrelenting and both teams were playing to win. Both teams kicked for goal at vital times and neither bought into the 10-try feasts usually associated with warm-up matches. Tries were at a minimum and both sides tackled.
The quality of the math was remarkable given it was the first week of February. The Cheetahs won with an injury-time penalty but the biggest winner was surely the sight of Juan Smith back on a rugby field and as imposing as ever.
Smith is one of the great loose forwards of the last decade. He is also one of the least spoken and written about, but every South African supporter would have kept an eye on his comeback in Bloemfontein.
Schalk Burger’s return is a week or two away and if Smith and Burger can make it to July with knees, hands, feet and head intact the Bok pack will again be the envy of the rugby world.
Smith was darn good given he has been out for 18 months with an Achilles injury that threatened closure on his career. What a wonderful view to see him rampant and playing as fearlessly as is his norm.
In Smith South Africa has a legend but watch centre Jan Serfontein of the Bulls. He will play for the Boks before the year is over. He was the world U20 player in the Baby Boks tournament-winning effort in Cape Town last year and he has been nurtured into senior rugby without haste and with plenty conviction.
Some players simply make the transition from juniors to seniors and Serfontein is one of those. He is a also a beast, physically the most imposing centre in South Africa and one of the biggest in the game. He’s just 20 years old but it’s his skill and natural feel for the game that is even more impressive than his physical presence.
Not since Danie Gerber weaved destruction has a player looked as capable of doing as he pleases from broken player. If Bok coach Heyneke Meyer battled with some positions in 2012 it won’t be the case this season.
There is so much new talent in the South African game and there is also massive changes to what paraded as Super Rugby in New Zealand and Australia.
It is heartening to see how the Lions have embraced their year out of Super Rugby. Johann Ackermann is bringing through another generation of player and the Lions have been committed in everything they have done on the field this year.
The year regrouping could be the best thing that has ever happened.. The core of the Super Rugby team is on loan to other South African franchises and there’s a very promising group being played in the season’s first month of matches.
Rugby in South Africa is strong and globally it is healthy.
The sevens in New Zealand was the best tournament I’ve watched and Kenya were 10 seconds away from a miracle win. The Africans had beaten the Boks, beaten hosts New Zealand and were leading England 19-12 with 10 seconds to go. They turned over the ball, England scored and in the sudden death scored again to win the tournament.
But what a display from the Keyans who have benefited from the structure and intelligence of English coach Mike Friday. Kenya now play the game like they understand it and not just on natural feel. They understand defence, thrive on it and they were the most physical of teams at the tournament. A coach does make a difference.
The Boks have opted for more agility and players blessed with a step but not with size. There is no substitute for physicality in rugby. When the Bok Sevens have had more bulk than balanced runners they have been effective.
Paul Treu is currently trading on goodwill as coach as the Sevens has been in free fall for some time now. It can’t be a fait accompli that he is the best there is. Result don’t make a convincing argument.
Finally the Six Nations delivered on the promise with Wales diabolical against Ireland and England ruthless against Scotland.
The global game needs seven to 10 teams to be a factor in between World Cups and England and France most definitely are the equal of South Africa and Australia with New Zealand still out in front, but not by a lot.
The rugby season will run until December but the break over the last two months has been too long. Just like Juan Smith’s performance on Saturday it is full on from hereon in and be confident that South Africa’s Super Rugby challenge can deliver a winner this year.
1,605 Comments
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4 Feb 2013, 21:46 pm
@skopdiekan-541:
The Bulls are still unexperienced, it will be between the Stormers and Sharks
The Stormers should be able to get a home final this season, they have a flyhalf now
The Sharks barring injuries should go all the way too
4 Feb 2013, 21:46 pm
@victoriabok-548: look Transformer is being duplictious – he knows that every coach in world rugby will choose Serfontein (a proper inside centre) over de Jongh (an average outside centre) any day of the week. Watch our transie pull the transformation card and wave it to Meyer.
4 Feb 2013, 21:50 pm
@Heavens Game-550:
No, why Prawny, fishy smell?
4 Feb 2013, 21:51 pm
Strange how all these two face onward Christmas soldiers all bow and scrape to the same Roman pagan rituals even the Watsons are staunch devotion to Christmas carols and all that jazz like Luis that came Luytly all bowing and scraping to the same bullshit storytelling.
Yet these fanning wobble weasel wacko’s wanna switch allegiances when their sht hits the fan. I remember you became Red Bull once upon a time now you an arselicking Sharkishits supporting harlot. You’d be better off supporting Bulls this year than that bunch of weasel thieves who dunno the first thing about rugby that they can’t buy with their pocket full of silver blood suck money.
4 Feb 2013, 21:55 pm
@RL-552:
Jan Serfontein vs De Jongh. Both can step, both can tackle. the one can offload, the other not. The one has vision, the other not. We do not even need to talk about size.
Only thing standing between Serfontein and a Bok jersey is Bulls management and gameplan. As simple as that!
4 Feb 2013, 21:55 pm
@RL-552:
> he knows that every coach in world rugby will choose a proper inside centre over de Jongh
Like AC did for a couple of seasons?
Maybe AC was a racist and a sizist too?
Picking the 1.9m 105kg Milky Bar Jaque before the 88kg of caramel JdJ
4 Feb 2013, 21:57 pm
@RL-552:
> Watch our transie pull the transformation card and wave it to Meyer.
Naah, he used them all on the Kings when they played an all white team against Boland in the 2011 final
4 Feb 2013, 21:57 pm
I like the look of the younger Bulls side if they can bring themselves around to ditching Britney Wynand and Morne and go with Arnold at 8 Pollard at 10 Venter 12 Serfontein 13 Basson Mastriet Engelbrecht out wide they’ll cause some fluttering
4 Feb 2013, 21:58 pm
@Heavens Game-542: “Honest rugby supporters” se MOER!
28 November 2008
The Southern Spears, made up of the 3
rugby unions of the Southern and Eastern
cape Rugby regions, were awarded the 6th
South African Super 14 rugby franchise by
SA Rugby on the 8th June 2005.
This was contained in a collective SA Rugby
Franchise Participation Agreement, between
SA Rugby and the 5 other South African
franchises, the Bulls, Cheetahs, Sharks,
Lions, Stormers, as well as the Southern
Spears, which commenced the 1st January
2006 and runs through to 31st May 2010.
SA Rugby’s Presidents Council bound
themselves in a unanimous Resolution on
the 8th June 2005, to financially support the
Southern Spears for the year 2006 only.
Thereafter, the Southern Spears were
included in the Super 14 competition for
the years 2007 and 2008.
When SA Rugby reneged on the agreement
in March 2006, the Southern Spears
challenged this in the Cape High Court and
Judge Dennis Davis ruled in favour of the
Spears on the 4th August 2006 and
declared the agreement legal and binding.
what did you FAKE “honest rugby supporters” say about this, huh?!
“honest” as Verwoerd was a democrat…. haha
4 Feb 2013, 21:59 pm
@victoriabok-551: If the Bulls play with the following team, they may go all the way to the semis: Kirchner, Akona, Mapoe, Jan, Basson, Steyn, Hougaard, Spies, Botha, Stegmann, Kruger, Flip, Kirsten, Ralepele, Greyling.
However they will play with the following team and may end up behind the Cheetahs: Kirchner, Akona, JJ, Olivier, Basson, Steyn, Hougaard, Spies, J Potgieter, D Potgieter, Kruger, Flip, Kruger, Ralepele, Greyling.
4 Feb 2013, 22:00 pm
@skopdiekan-554:
> even the Watsons are staunch devotion to Christmas carols
Only for PR value, real Christians would have forgiven the Dutchmen by now
4 Feb 2013, 22:01 pm
@skopdiekan-554: skoppy what are we going to do about Burger who is intent on stealing Elton’s limelight? I can’t believe you will let that go unpunished. There are bigger thing at play here than worrying about the guppies, which is understandable, since they are that damn good and will smack the brokebacks straight again.
Come on stick with Kolisi, Elstaf and Vermeulen and get rid of that meat Burger you so dislike.
4 Feb 2013, 22:01 pm
De Jongh should play 12 Serfontein 13 problem solved only messiah Heineken won’t be able to see the clarity of vision as simply as that
4 Feb 2013, 22:01 pm
@RL-552: where is the duplicity? Mustard said Serfontein is ” fourth in line” after steyn, jdv, de jong & i said “serfontein will leapfrog de jong”
where’s the duplicity?
4 Feb 2013, 22:02 pm
@skopdiekan-558: It may be too soon to play Pollard. Who will play at fullback?
4 Feb 2013, 22:03 pm
@skopdiekan-563: Ah, let us play the guy that can offload at 13, and the player that has no distribution skills at 12. Makes perfect sense!
4 Feb 2013, 22:03 pm
@skopdiekan-554: Ag shurrup man, jy praat soveel kak, hierdie hele f$*ken blog ruik soos jou ma se vuil uitgenaaide hol. Bly stil man. Jy maak stink.
4 Feb 2013, 22:04 pm
@skopdiekan-554: you’re right skop, there’s no bigger hore on this blog than RedKitty…
a true Hillbrow Special
4 Feb 2013, 22:05 pm
@RL-562: WP are owned by Burger how they ever hope to do what I would do ain’t gonna happen
4 Feb 2013, 22:05 pm
@skopdiekan-563: And you should be surfing p0rn and spanking the monk – you are much better and experienced at that than you are at talking rugby. Some lekker haraam before you go to bed.
4 Feb 2013, 22:06 pm
@Horings-560:
Hopelik kry Duane nie seer nie en HM gebruik nie vir Spies nie, dan sal die Bulle dalk ook lig sien en Arno speel
Arno laat my aan ‘n jong Duane dink toe hy nog vir Vrystaat gespeel het
4 Feb 2013, 22:07 pm
@skopdiekan-569: They dont hope to do what you would do. Anyone that is sane hopes to do the exact opposite to you. You need a psychiatrist and a few visits to the shock therapy ward.
4 Feb 2013, 22:08 pm
@Transformation-568: Aaah….skops little p#ssy hole is here.
4 Feb 2013, 22:08 pm
@Transformation-568:
Hahahahaha we both know that the tik is talking now.
4 Feb 2013, 22:09 pm
10. Goosen 11. Rhule 12. F Steyn 13 Serfontein 14 JPP 15. Taute. Klaar gepraat!
Hougaard better play him into the Bok team this season, because Groom, Piet van Zyl and Reinach will be pushing him.
4 Feb 2013, 22:09 pm
@Dusky-573: @RL-574: two peas in a pod?
4 Feb 2013, 22:10 pm
@skopdiekan-563:
> Heineken won’t be able to see the clarity of vision as simply as that
The problem is not clarity of vision, the problem is he won’t see De Jong if he stands behind Jan
It’s hard to spot a gnome
4 Feb 2013, 22:10 pm
@Dusky-567: stupid two face cowering runaway whitey punks likes you who would ever take schmuck like you seriously
4 Feb 2013, 22:10 pm
@victoriabok-571: Ek stem honderd persent saam. Enigste rede hoekom spies in my span plek kry is omdat CJ Stander in Ierland is.
4 Feb 2013, 22:14 pm
@skopdiekan-578: BP = 260/100 ?
4 Feb 2013, 22:14 pm
@victoriabok-577: Did you watch the Superbowl ?
4 Feb 2013, 22:15 pm
@Transformation-576:
At least you have a sense of humour.
4 Feb 2013, 22:16 pm
Tighthead prop and nr 5 lock remain our biggest challenges. Bekker is a walking sick note. Kruger is not committed to SA rugby.
At this stage Etzebeth is a possibility and Bresler the best prospect.
At tighthead Frik Kirsten may be the young player we were waiting for, but again the Bulls may stand in his way.
4 Feb 2013, 22:17 pm
@skopdiekan-578: At least you aren’t commenting on the flavour of my a hole today. That’s a step in the right direction.
4 Feb 2013, 22:17 pm
Pollard is the way to go for Bulls at 10 and Fouche at 15
Play Serfontein at 13 he’s a Danie Gerber type prodigy Venter at 12 not Meisiekind
De Jongh should be at 12 at Stormers with De Allende orJdv at 13
4 Feb 2013, 22:20 pm
@skopdiekan-585: Fouche at 15? Ulrich Beyers should be playing fullback for the Bulls.
4 Feb 2013, 22:21 pm
@Horings-560:
JJ for Akona and Marcel vd Merwe for Greyling… With Visagie, Kruger, Willemse, Potgieter, Vermaak, Fouche, Olivier
4 Feb 2013, 22:24 pm
@mxhosa-587: Forgot about about vd Merwe. not yet convinced JJ is playing for the jersey. Pollard ahead of Fouche on the bench.
4 Feb 2013, 22:27 pm
@Transformation-576: transformer I will smell you tomorrow – get ready for your team raping this weekend.
Skoppy will entertain until 3am.
Later losers!
4 Feb 2013, 22:27 pm
@skopdiekan-578:
For a guy that confessed not watching or following rugby for twenty years you sure seem to think you that know a lot?
4 Feb 2013, 22:34 pm
@Dusky-581:
Yes, I did
I always want to compare it to rugby though
If a guy gets tackled and they all stop to spit, take off their helmets, scratch their nuts and then only play again I always think “what a waste, a quick ruck and it would be great second phase ball”
And those vetgat linebackers puffing after playing less than a minute?
I’d like to see if you take all the padding and helmets away, let them run for 39 minutes of the first half and then let the ones who haven’t succumed to cardiac arrest scrum down against “doodpoes” or try to bliksem him
4 Feb 2013, 22:38 pm
@victoriabok-590: I know enough you don’t need a Harvard graduation to know much about rugby I was playing rugby and watching Springbok rugby awhile before you were.
4 Feb 2013, 22:38 pm
@victoriabok-591: Yep – because there are effectively 4 teams, most American football players wouldn’t last 15 consecutive minutes on a rugby field. The highlight was Jacoby Jones 109 yard kick return !
4 Feb 2013, 22:39 pm
@skopdiekan-592: You played rugby ?
4 Feb 2013, 22:39 pm
@Horings-583:
The Bulls don’t seem to rate Kirsten very highly, they shipped him off to the Pumas last year…
@Horings-588:
That’s because JJ is being out of position. Wing is where he’s played rugby. Unfortunately Akona is way too slow to play wing in SR. He’s future is at centre, that’s where he started anyway.
4 Feb 2013, 22:41 pm
@victoriabok-591: What impresses me is the showmanship of the Superbowl. Quite something. But then I suppose with 76 000 tickets at $ 1200 a ticket – they can afford it.
4 Feb 2013, 22:42 pm
@mxhosa-595: Both Ndungane brothers are excellent finishers and have enough pace to play wing. I like both of them. Would happily have Akona at the Sharks.
4 Feb 2013, 22:44 pm
@Dusky-593:
The average NHL Hockey player is on the ice only 20-30 seconds at a time but it’s much faster and moving all the time
4 Feb 2013, 22:47 pm
@Dusky-594:long before chickenhit runaway whitey lighties like you did.. long before
4 Feb 2013, 22:48 pm
@Dusky-596:
Yes, and all the huge sponsors and ads and the concert
But I still can’t get over the conditioning of the players, a lot have real beer boeps, but that could be HGH causing it as well
I saw Manti T’eo on tv the other night, and he’s the equivalent of a U/20 or U/21 prop and he’s fat
And that for a young guy going into the draft?
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