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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6 Feb 2013, 09:12 am
Anyhow, I am out of here, my prediction? SA will have 4 strong teams this year, going to be very interesting to say the least.
6 Feb 2013, 09:12 am
Have to admit Clyde has a boring writing style.
Bring back Tank.
6 Feb 2013, 09:15 am
How hard can it be to get a few people who can copy and paste articles? I mean that is what Vrede and JC did most of the time anyway…
I think keo has gone on another bender and he took Tank with him…hope they ok!
6 Feb 2013, 09:15 am
Die laaste enetjie is spesiaal vir Bakkies.
ode-hopping Sonny Bill Williams has Olympic aspirations – he wants to win a medal at the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games playing rugby sevens.
In heartening news for rugby fans, it is understood that Williams plans to return to the 15-man game by 2015 to try to reclaim his ABs jersey in time for that year’s world cup in England.
But Williams’ aspirations as a pro boxer may lead him to quit all rugby after the 2016 Olympics.
Williams, who has a fight against South African Francois Botha on February 9 for the WBA International heavyweight title, will play rugby league with the Sydney Roosters for this season but has made no commitments beyond that but the Sunday Star-Times has learned he has a tentative road map for the remainder of an unusual career that has taken him from league to rugby and back to league while also taking on professional boxing.
Williams would like to play, if selected, for the Kiwis at this year’s league world cup, and is open-minded about playing league or rugby in 2014. He will return to rugby before 2015 to fight for his ABs jersey ahead of the world cup in England. The following year he would spend on boxing and rugby sevens, with an eye to the Rio Olympics, before boxing fulltime.
Williams and his manager Khoder Nasser wouldn’t talk directly on their long-term plans, with Williams saying he didn’t want to look too far ahead.
But Williams did say he was motivated by challenges. “When I am finished, I just want to say I have tried lots of things, and I’ve done as well as I can.”
It’s thought the Williams’ camp sees the treble of winning a league world cup, being in the first All Blacks team to win a rugby world cup offshore and then succeeding at the Olympics in sevens is the biggest sporting challenge he could take on.
wpstormerbok has now written 2 articles.
6 Feb 2013, 09:16 am
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-1248:
I said he is probably the most well known blogger here and did not discuss the merits or contents of his posts.
Kurt Darren is in South Africa better known as Ben Harper for example but it certainly does not make him a better musician.
Got it?
6 Feb 2013, 09:17 am
@Robzim-1249:
Snappin necks and cashin cheques.
6 Feb 2013, 09:19 am
@Robzim-1255: Yes, but you seem very infatuated with the old man, thats the difference lol
6 Feb 2013, 09:20 am
@Slartibartfast-1253:
Laurel and Hardy meets Hunter S Thompson.
6 Feb 2013, 09:21 am
@wpstormerbok-1254: To answer your question re Tank…. Here is his reply on Twitter.
Things fell apart in negotiations I am afraid. Tell them to pop over to frontrowgrunt.co.za … The pub is open!!
6 Feb 2013, 09:22 am
@Dilligafrican-1241:
hehe yip
this is the end my friend…
@gunther-1246:
yip.
problem is where will he go if keo folds.
i fear for female and juvenile relatives within striking range.
is it possible to take out a ‘no alcohol allowed’ injuction against another human being, for his own safety?
6 Feb 2013, 09:22 am
@gunther-1256:
You sound like Francois Botha
6 Feb 2013, 09:24 am
Hey Guys. Things with Keo and I did not work out. I am not sure what his plans for this site are, and I wish him all the best … But the pub remains open on http://www.frontrowgrunt.co.za which is where I will focus my energy …
6 Feb 2013, 09:25 am
@Sharks_are_gonna_get_you-1259:
well that’s too bad.
stupid Keo.
6 Feb 2013, 09:27 am
@Robzim-1261:
6 Feb 2013, 09:29 am
@Tankman-1262: Thing is, Tank. We are here coz we are lazy.
Much less effort to type in keo.co.za than frontrowgrunt.co.za.
Sorry.
6 Feb 2013, 09:29 am
Ahh ok, Tank made it through…
6 Feb 2013, 09:29 am
@Tankman-1262:
too bad then, Tank.
good luck on your side.
will you let the animals roam free on your site?
6 Feb 2013, 09:30 am
@Taahirah-1265:
Not saved in your favorites then?
6 Feb 2013, 09:31 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-1267:
Yes but we’ll have to quarantine Poep for six months before we release him into the wild.
6 Feb 2013, 09:34 am
how many of these sites are there?
fronrowgrunt.co.za
ruggaworld.com
sarugbymag ?
sharksworld
voelmyhoring
rugbytalk
6 Feb 2013, 09:34 am
@wpstormerbok-1247: Thanks, appreciated.
6 Feb 2013, 09:34 am
@gunther-1269:
Only 6 months?!
6 Feb 2013, 09:35 am
@Taahirah-1265:
6 Feb 2013, 09:36 am
voelmyhoring
Will have to wait for Monday and see how the newbie looks then…
6 Feb 2013, 09:38 am
Oh dear. One infuckingcredible RHCP konsertjie later, and the site is closed for business?
Oh well, whichever site promotes freedom of speech, swearing, and all round chaos – that is where I will lay my hat.
On the hat note: Good people, there were some absolute pearlers are the RHCP concert….half naked folk, to those who looked like fuckingdeckchairs and others who seemed to have slapped Biggie Best wallpaper all over themselves….. (Even Yolande Vi$$er seemed tame in comparison).
Brilliant show (must be said I enjoyed Linkin Park more) with brilliant atmosphere (zero chaos, or not that I experienced…..), fan walk great as always, Crowbar….. and all in all a gooooooooooood days entertainment
Had to laugh though, a few metres to our left was a family of 4, who seemed to have bought tickets thinking the RHCP’s was a “Cooking with Vegetables” demo….. Horrified does no justice to the expression on said family’s faces throughout….. Mommy bear was heard commenting rather loudly that ‘Skouspel: dit is nou ‘n konsert….die snert is mos nie musiek nie, en DIE ou kan nie eers moeite doen om ‘n hemp aan te trek….’
Only in SA.
6 Feb 2013, 09:39 am
Suppose we can just keep on posting here until keo’s webpage subscription runs out. I mean it is not like we ever came here for the articles in the first place…
6 Feb 2013, 09:39 am
This is the end
Beautiful friend
This is the end
My only friend, the end
Of our elaborate plans, the end
Of everything that stands, the end
No safety or surprise, the end
I’ll never look into your eyes…again
Can you picture what will be
So limitless and free
Desperately in need…of some…stranger’s hand
In a…desperate land
Lost in a Roman…wilderness of pain
And all the children are insane
All the children are insane
Waiting for the summer rain, yeah
There’s danger on the edge of town
Ride the King’s highway, baby
Weird scenes inside the gold mine
Ride the highway west, baby
Ride the snake, ride the snake
To the lake, the ancient lake, baby
The snake is long, seven miles
Ride the snake…he’s old, and his skin is cold
The west is the best
The west is the best
Get here, and we’ll do the rest
6 Feb 2013, 09:40 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-1270: Bakkies, very few of those sites are busy….most seem to get 15 posts a day ; max, regardless of how good the articles are.
There is also extreme moderating on many (moderating is fine, within reason), but part of Keo.co.za’s charm, is in the freedom of speech, thought and content
6 Feb 2013, 09:41 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1278:
And a lot of us have been around from almost day one…many years ago.
6 Feb 2013, 09:42 am
very limited costs in keeping the site open in terms of annual hosting fees…
so just leave it open and we can just keep on keepin on…
as gunther correctly says… this site has always been what it is because of the posters…
6 Feb 2013, 09:44 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1275:
good to hear you enjoyed it…
funny story…
6 Feb 2013, 09:44 am
@Slartibartfast-1279: I reckon if Keo just allows bloggers to write a few articles daily (just to get a few new threads out there), nothing stops the blog from charging forth?
Look at the ‘Hore’, she prospered with fuckall assistance from ‘management’.
6 Feb 2013, 09:44 am
@Slartibartfast-1279:
although not always under their original nics…
6 Feb 2013, 09:45 am
Whatever t w a k Keo is in I do not know but I still find it disgusting that he has not even acknowledged Doc Loius’ death.
Shocked Keo, shocked.
Better Luyt than never.
6 Feb 2013, 09:46 am
@ufo-1281: Funny people my friend…….. I don’t get why folk by tickets to events of they are not ‘real fans’. Is is just because it’s cool to be seen there? Or so that one can say one was there? Or because everyone else bought tickets? Nuts. I wouldn’t waste a cent on a band/artist I wasn’t passionate about.
Which is why the Biebs won’t be seeing me screeching when he ‘Baby Baby Baby Ooooohs’ his scrawny butt across the hallowed Green Point stage…..
6 Feb 2013, 09:47 am
@BrumbiesBoy-1284:
Luyter alligator?
6 Feb 2013, 09:47 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1282:
Exactly and it is not very hard to do either, give a handful access and Bob’s you sister’s, brother’s uncle first born…
6 Feb 2013, 09:47 am
On twotter keo said he had big plans for the site.
Fantasy rugby (whatever that is) and getting some bloggers to write some articles.
I think he should choose one from each province.
And a keewee as well as a concvict correspondent for international flavour.
It can’t be any worse than the previous mob.
6 Feb 2013, 09:50 am
@ufo-1283:
Correct
6 Feb 2013, 09:51 am
@Slartibartfast-1287: He should simply add a few new features as well. It’s not that hard and the technology is readily available.
@gunther-1288: Fantasy rugby is good……and it depends on the bloggers he appoints
I can’t imagine reading 8000 lines of : Reinach must be a Bok because…..Bresler must be a Bok because…… Each franchise should have their own ‘writers’, and then just get on with it.
6 Feb 2013, 09:51 am
@Slartibartfast-1268: I could. But it would be a lie.
6 Feb 2013, 09:51 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1285:
yeah pedigree… i got tickets front and centre for the eagles… 9 or so rows from the stage… most people loooooved it…
but a few seats away from us was this couple who kept putting their fingers in the ears and complaining it was too loud…
i asked them what did they expect and just got rolling eyes and dirty looks for my trouble…!
why do people go to rock shows if they don’t enjoy rock shows…??
as jim would also say… people are strange…!
6 Feb 2013, 09:52 am
@gunther-1288:
By the time he decides to come and tell us about it here it will only be skop and pops left…
6 Feb 2013, 09:53 am
@ufo-1292: Infuckingdeedles
People are strange when you’re a stranger
Faces look ugly when you’re alone
Women seem wicked when you’re unwanted
Streets are uneven when you’re down
When you’re strange
Faces come out of the rain
When you’re strange
No one remembers your name
When you’re strange
When you’re strange
When you’re strange
6 Feb 2013, 09:54 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1290:
yeah… was saying the same thing… got some talented rugby people on this site who could really add value with articles that are not the same old same old…
6 Feb 2013, 09:54 am
@Taahirah-1291:
ha favorites for easy access, you don’t have to laaaik it.
6 Feb 2013, 09:55 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1290:
Fantasy rugby sounds like Grantie abusing himself over a Lukas Whatsembi poster.
6 Feb 2013, 09:56 am
@gunther-1288: ‘I think he should choose one from each province.”
Will he apply the quota system as well?
6 Feb 2013, 09:56 am
@gunther-1297:
skop played flyhalf in that league.
6 Feb 2013, 09:57 am
Page over…
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