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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5 Feb 2013, 22:32 pm
@victoriabok-1146: Played for the Last Outpost drinking club at Inside tight elbow bender… Was freakishly dexterous with my buffalo left and could do a rapid sprint on the down down of sub 10 secs… repeatedly…
5 Feb 2013, 22:34 pm
@Angostura-1145:
Played 1 game against Campher – now he was a Joggie Jansen type of tackler – very vicious and went out to do bodily harm.
Hannes Marais was a legend at UPE.
The 1974 Lions flew him over to Britain for one of their re-unions and gave him an honoury blazer after the hiding the Boks got in 1974.
5 Feb 2013, 22:35 pm
@Heavens Game-1151: Had a memory like a Roving Elephant for crucial calls… Like He’s abastard so they say, He sits on the steeple and Monday’s a wankingday… Top secret… Baffled all comers
5 Feb 2013, 22:40 pm
@Heavens Game-1137: Don’t forget the tough as teak Natal flanker, Derek la Marque, who captained both SA Schools water polo & rugby in the same year, & represented SA water polo (seniors) whilst still a schoolboy.
5 Feb 2013, 22:40 pm
@Heavens Game-1151:
Oh I thought you’ve played for Durban Old Boys or Michaelhouse Old Boys or the like
5 Feb 2013, 22:41 pm
@I am a stormer-1152: Natal in the 80s had a tough centre in that mould too… Ronnie Haarhoff (? Spelling).
5 Feb 2013, 22:42 pm
@Angostura-1154: La Marque – tough as teak??
Farken fatty boom boom, cuzzie…
5 Feb 2013, 22:43 pm
@I am a stormer-1152: yes, that must have been an (unenviable?) experience playing against Dennis
5 Feb 2013, 22:44 pm
@Heavens Game-1157: not then …
5 Feb 2013, 22:46 pm
@victoriabok-1155: DHSOB used to be one of the top clubs – they won the League a few times… I think they may even have won the Club champs…
But they are no more… Amalgamated with Glenwood Old Boys.
There was never a Michaelhouse Old Boys… But many of their players went to College Rovers or its predecessor clubs as well as Natal Varsity…
5 Feb 2013, 22:47 pm
@Angostura-1159: Hehe…
5 Feb 2013, 22:47 pm
@Heavens Game-1156: NOU praat jy k_uk
Ronnie Haarhof was good, but nothing like Dennis Campher or Joggie Jansen
did you even see Dennis or Joggie play?
5 Feb 2013, 22:48 pm
@Angostura-1159: Another decent loosie, unlucky not to get higher honours, was Graham Hefer…
5 Feb 2013, 22:49 pm
@Heavens Game-1160:
Didn’t Cabous play for them?
Have you ever met him?
5 Feb 2013, 22:51 pm
@Angostura-1162:
HG is a Mannetjies Roux fan. His tackles went beyond the call of duty.
5 Feb 2013, 22:51 pm
@Heavens Game-1163: yeah, but a bit of a whippet wasn’t he? A bit like Keegan Daniel, if I remember correctly
5 Feb 2013, 22:51 pm
@I am a stormer-1165:
Pieter Muller?
5 Feb 2013, 22:52 pm
@Angostura-1162: Settle you oldfart… I said Haarhoff was in that mould… Certainly not in the league of Jansen which is quite obvious due to the lack of Green and Gold to add to his Black and White…
But he pretty much had the midfield spot sewn up for a few seasons as a Banana Boy…
5 Feb 2013, 22:53 pm
@victoriabok-1164: Cabous played for Quinns, Fern’s old club…
5 Feb 2013, 22:54 pm
@victoriabok-1164:
Cabous a dity player? I don’t think so.
5 Feb 2013, 22:54 pm
@I am a stormer-1165: yeah, the original Flying Springbok (with the grey & orange Harvard in the background)
5 Feb 2013, 22:55 pm
@Angostura-1166: Whippet, yes… But a bit taller than Daniel…
Permanent head bandage… and ‘tache…
Clever chap…Did a PhD…
5 Feb 2013, 22:56 pm
@I am a stormer-1165: Now there is legend…
5 Feb 2013, 22:57 pm
@Heavens Game-1169:
Did you ever meet him?
I remember the girls liked him plenty
5 Feb 2013, 22:57 pm
@victoriabok-1167: Good player… A Shark too… But not legend.
5 Feb 2013, 22:57 pm
@I am a stormer-1170:
Nope never
5 Feb 2013, 22:57 pm
@victoriabok-1167:
That guy could make your teeth rattle. He played a couple of tests with Danie Gerber – that could’ve been an explosive partnersip.
5 Feb 2013, 23:00 pm
@victoriabok-1174:
Cabous only got dirty late at night. Long after the final whistle.
5 Feb 2013, 23:01 pm
@I am a stormer-1177:
I remember him in the Bloem test against Ireland where he tackled the snot out of their flyhalf
After each tackle they just added a bigger bandage, eventually it looked like a turban
5 Feb 2013, 23:01 pm
@victoriabok-1174: Yes… Mellow chap… Think he works or worked for Mr Price like quite a few Sharks players such as Robert Du Preez…
5 Feb 2013, 23:02 pm
@I am a stormer-1178:
Not with much effort from him or protestations from the ladies I imagine?
5 Feb 2013, 23:03 pm
‘kay… Am out before I hear the wailing, ever louder howling screech…
Cheers Chaps… Nice that it wasn’t all farken Stormers tonight…
5 Feb 2013, 23:04 pm
@Heavens Game-1180:
I see Robert has three sons, all rugby players, and one’s a lock
Is that the lock you’re always referring too as the next best Bok lock?
5 Feb 2013, 23:06 pm
@Heavens Game-1180: Cabous now lives in Mauritius
http://mauritius-expatriate.blogspot.com/2009/11/cabous-van-der-westhuizen.html
5 Feb 2013, 23:07 pm
@Heavens Game-1182:
cheers.
5 Feb 2013, 23:08 pm
out as well, g’nite all
5 Feb 2013, 23:21 pm
KZN Sharks to fly the flag against the mighty leopards from Potchefstroom
1. Allan Dell , EP (Humansdorp)
2. Kyle Cooper , Lions (JHB)
3. Wiehahn Herbst , Lions / Leopards (Klerksdorp)
4. Pieter-Steph du Toit , WP Stormers (Cape Town)
5. Franco van der Merwe , WP (Paarl)
6. Jacques Botes , Lions (JHB)
7. Jean Deysel , FS (Virginia)
8. Lubabalo Mtembu , EP (EL)
9. Charl McLeod , Lions (JHB)
10. Patrick Lambie , KZN Sharks (Durban)
11. Lwazi Mvovo , EP (Umtata)
12. Francois Steyn (Captain) , EP / FS (Aliwal North)
13. Tim Whitehead , EP (PE)
14. Odwa Ndungane , EP (Umtata)
15. Riaan Viljoen , Lions ( Carltonville)
Replacements :
16. Craig Burden , KZN (Durban)
17. Tendai Mtawarira , Zimbabwe (Harare)
18. Jandre Marais , FS (Welkom)
19. Anton Bresler , Namibia (Windhoek)
20. Keegan Daniel , EP (Humansdorp)
21. Cobus Reinach , FS ( Bloemfontein)
22. Meyer Bosman , FS (Bethlehem)
23. Paul Jordaan , EP (Somerset East)
24. Louis Ludik , Lions (Kempton Park)
EP Proteges x 8 / 24
Lions Proteges x 6 / 24
FS Proteges x 4 / 24
WP Proteges x 2 / 24
KZN Proteges x 2 / 24
Namibia x 1 / 24
Zimbabwe x 1 / 24
Similar scenario will occur when the super 15 run on team is announced, more WP’s EP’s FS’s Lions stalwarts in this truly mercenary blood money circus of players than any real down to earth hardcore KZN’s..
Durbanites should stick to soccer.. that is where their true calling is they far better at soccer than they will ever be at rugby.
5 Feb 2013, 23:27 pm
Imagine all those EP’s, WP’s, Gauties and Vrystaters went HOME who would turn out for the almighty black and white?
Craig Burden and Patrick Lambie
and who else… One Zimbo and one Namib oerwoud seuntjie
what a lot I got in my pack of smarties.
5 Feb 2013, 23:31 pm
Cheeky Watson got one mighty big point.. there are more EP stalwarts plugging up the holes and propping up the works at the sharkshits guppy tank than all the little sharkishits playing rugby in eThekwini put together.. they should stick to soccer in guppyland it suits them way far better.
5 Feb 2013, 23:45 pm
and the rest of Cheeky’s lost legions are propping up the works in Flou Nul country
Potgieter D
Potgieter J
Basson B
Kirchner Z
Ndungane A
Engelbrecht JJ
Mapoe L
Serfontein J
Stegman D
So there you have it.. take the EP, WP and FS players out the Bulls and take the EP, FS and WP players out the Sharkshits and the SA rugby hierarchy would look something like this
1 ., WP
2 .. FS / EP
3 .. EP / FS
4 .. Lions
5.. Bulls
6 .. Sharks
That is the true reading of rugby strength in this country.. not the money go round bullshit everybody preening the feathers in their dainty caps with.
6 Feb 2013, 00:10 am
Today my Android was stolen out of my bag last week my car keys was taken by mistake and not returned. This alone cost me 6000 Rand. Wtf?!?!? Maybe I should just move to Norway or something to avoid all this kak. Thanks a lot 2013 in Cape town.
6 Feb 2013, 00:12 am
Just goes to show you can trust no one wherever you are. This all happened in constantia btw.
6 Feb 2013, 01:23 am
@ufo-1004:
With all due respect UFO my man… Pissant already has his own ‘rugby’ blog… which is free from the loons and garners many rugby fans ‘in the know’ on top of the mug-punters like myself…
http://www.ruggaworld.com
6 Feb 2013, 01:29 am
@Wezwp-1192:
You’re correct there Wez… it’s not a South African thing… my phone was stolen from my car in a neighbourhood of Melbourne where I can leave my front-door to the house open during the day and there are no such things as fences (for security nor burglar bars on windows…
6 Feb 2013, 06:10 am
‘morning’ bryce… how you doing bud…?
yeah, I’m very aware of pissant’s blog… you and I even had chats on it a few years back… I just don’t have the time anymore to chat on more than one rugby blog and as much as I admire and respect pa I chose to use keo only because I ‘know’ the posters better having been on here from the beginning… and there are always people chatting…
my point is if keo is still serious about his blog he should get the best rugby writers to contribute and IMO pissant is right at the very top…and is respected by the vast majority of the rugby net community… keo should make him an offer he can’t refuse…
and there are other posters in all major centers who could do a very good job too..
(apologies pissant… don’t mean to put you on the spot…)
6 Feb 2013, 06:21 am
tank is also very good… and also has his own blog going…
6 Feb 2013, 06:23 am
@ufo-1195:
I hear you brother…
IMO there nut-bags on here have ruined this place for good… cannot see a turnaround… it’s been a long-time coming really with some of the swill posted for all concerned from punters to owners…
6 Feb 2013, 06:35 am
true bryce… too many people here now don’t want to really chat about rugby and only want to spread hate and trade insults… nothing wrong with heated banter and even going ott sometimes… but the same puerile stuff for years repeatedly really does get tiresome…
keo could also do with an active full-time moderator again… ig was an absolute star who used to keep people in check in an inoffensive way and knew who the stirrers were… this site was at it’s best when ig kept an eye on it…
6 Feb 2013, 06:38 am
Morning UFO and Bryce. I heard rumours of a walk-out but I consider them rumours until confirmed. I’ve been so busy so I have had rather little time to chat. How you boys doing? I must say I’m enjoying the cricket. Our test team is right up there.
6 Feb 2013, 06:51 am
hey gumboots… am well thanks bud… and you…? yeah… been missing your regular appearances… but understand… I’ve been pretty hectic too lately…
I’m out of touch and only hear what I see from posters on here… interesting if an actual walk out happened though… puts a slightly different spin on it…
yeah the cricket guys are doing us proud in the test (and real) arena… so many stars at the top of their games they’re an absolute pleasure to watch… can’t remember when last I’ve actually made a plan to watch tests on tv during working hours but its so great to watch I make sure I see it as live as possible…
but I get soooo frustrated by the one day team… I know it’s more of a lottery but I don’t believe nz raised their game that much… ( although they were good value for and deserved their wins)… I just didn’t like the lackadaisical way we seem to approach the odis… we need to take it just as seriously as the tests… because if we can’t win the WC with this side then we never will… but to do that we need to show the format and the opposition a little more respect IMO
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