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
Pages: « 1 … 23 24 25 26 27 [28] 29 30 31 32 33 » Show All
6 Feb 2013, 10:49 am
@gunther-1323:
Was actually called the Fistoff Bash. After all the airpunching and high fives that took place in during the season.
Brock the Rock was the cheerleader apparently.
They had to change it to Kickoff after a few CT ho mos wandered in expecting something else entirely.
6 Feb 2013, 10:49 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1346:
Bulls bring the fear with a capital B, Pedi.
6 Feb 2013, 10:50 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-1352:
unlike the Kiwi teams
all they bring is the loathing
minus the fear
and Las Vegas
6 Feb 2013, 10:50 am
@gunther-1347: 2 weeks of pneumatic
bliss and sea sickness
6 Feb 2013, 10:51 am
@gunther-1350: Just trying to draw fellas like Taccy out of hiding (Reckon he still thinks Doomsday is coming and it still in his bunker)…… He who believes no Bulls players swear, drink or associate with loose women….He who is horrified with tattoos and piercings…..
6 Feb 2013, 10:52 am
@John Galt-1351:
Got me laughing out loud bru.
6 Feb 2013, 10:53 am
@John Galt-1351:
I can’t see mad dog going to a fistoff.
@ryecatcher-1354:
Show her your rusty nail.
6 Feb 2013, 10:53 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-1352: Fear with a capital ‘B’? I’m either suffering from a RHCP hangover…..or I don’t ‘get’ Bulls threats?
6 Feb 2013, 10:55 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1355:
gravitas is biding his time.
He is gradually evolving from his culturally homogenous state.
Rome wasn’t built in a day.
6 Feb 2013, 10:57 am
@gunther-1344: Many, many years ago a late friend was supporting WP @ Loftus in a Currie Cup game.
The normal ribbing etc was going on but when these guys from the other side of the Hex River valley got rather too excited and kept on jumping up and down.
From behind them came a booming voice, “Sit meneer, net nou kom die borrel!”
’nuff said.
6 Feb 2013, 10:59 am
So Keo hasn’t paid the bills – opened the gates to let the looneys run wild.
Is the the end of the wee dwarf mans propoganda machine.
6 Feb 2013, 10:59 am
@gunther-1357: lol
6 Feb 2013, 11:07 am
for the record:
as far as letting the bloggers contribute articles
i will never read any Kiwi contributions
6 Feb 2013, 11:08 am
You all know my take on male nurses.A nurse accused of raping a dying, paralysed cancer patient in the National Hospital in Bloemfontein in October 2011 appeared in the Free State High Court on Tuesday.
The patient, Magda Lombard, aged 51 at the time of the crime, died in the Bloemfontein Medi Clinic a month afterwards, Beeld reported on Wednesday.
According to the deceased woman’s sworn statement, read out in court by investigating officer Arlene Snyman, the accused, Michael Moema, 33, came into her room with another nurse, Janette Kgoame, and sexually assaulted her.
Kgoame allegedly helped Moema position Lombard to allow him to penetrate her, and later placed a hand over her mouth, to prevent her from making a noise.
“The woman told me to be quiet,” Lombard said in her statement, which was given to police captain Francois Laux two days after the attack.
At the time of the assault, she had been paralysed from the waist down for over a year.
She told Laux that although she could not physically feel the sexual assault, she could see what was happening, and identified Moema from
6 Feb 2013, 11:08 am
Considering that, now his journos have gone, we’re the only thing keeping his site going. You’d think Keo would let us know his situation. Whilst articles are sparse, he seems to have more than enough time to spend sending tweets.
6 Feb 2013, 11:09 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1358:
you need to go beyond fear
to the place where the bulls and fear meet
‘Bufear’… with a capital B
6 Feb 2013, 11:11 am
Do Not Usually SWEAR BUT……
Dear Michael is a F ing animal How can he share this planet with us.?…..
6 Feb 2013, 11:18 am
@ryecatcher-1364: As a planet, we deserve to be wiped out…. sick to the core.
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-1366: ‘Buffet’? Will there be sausage rolls?
6 Feb 2013, 11:22 am
@BrumbiesBoy-1360:
Classic lofts humour.
6 Feb 2013, 11:26 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1368: What gives me hope is the comments on IOL
6 Feb 2013, 11:26 am
@BrumbiesBoy-1360: At Loftus 2 years or so ago: Bulls vs Cheetahs.
Lone Cheetah supporter in replica jersey egging his team on in full cry. Staunch Bulls supporters all around him, sucking it up untill they dont anymore.
One of the guys gets up, grabs him by the shoulder in a calm voice filled with the promise of violence goes: “Luister hier, Boetie. Hierdie is Loftus. Jy skree vir die Bulle, of jy hou jou bek”.
6 Feb 2013, 11:31 am
@Taahirah-1371:
More classic loftus humour.
6 Feb 2013, 11:32 am
@ryecatcher-1370: Naaah,Not even that.
6 Feb 2013, 11:34 am
@ryecatcher-1364:
terribly tragic, Rye
words escape me.
6 Feb 2013, 11:35 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1368:
@Taahirah-1371:
6 Feb 2013, 11:37 am
wow
i went from sad anger to larfter in one easy step
what is wrong with me
6 Feb 2013, 11:37 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1368:
not the planet…
but a certain species upon it does deserve extermination…
6 Feb 2013, 11:41 am
@ufo-1377:
could we start with the Kiwis and see how it goes from there?
6 Feb 2013, 11:43 am
@Taahirah-1371:
Ja, that guy was probably our very own Bakkies. 
6 Feb 2013, 11:44 am
Remember
Sonny Bill Williams v Francois Botha
Friday 10:00
Supersport 5
Can’t wait
6 Feb 2013, 11:45 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-1378: You need us like Batman needs the Joker. What would you do with the Kiwis gone?
6 Feb 2013, 11:49 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-1285: I know this was a comment from waaay back this morning but I’ll have to politely disagree with you. Some of the best gigs I’ve been to were bands I didn’t know or only vaguely was interested in. Ok, I’m not forking out EUR100 to see RHCP if I don’t like them but some of the smaller shows are great, especially if the alternative is staying home on a Tuesday night or going to a pub without music. I confess, I illegally download all my music for free so I figure I should at least contribute by paying bands for their live show
6 Feb 2013, 11:51 am
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-1378:
hehehe…
no…
i’d vote for instantaneous global rupture of ALL people everywhere… saffas, nzs, everyone…
human beings just can’t be trusted to look after and care for this tiny bejewelled speck in the vastness of the cosmos… it would do a lot better and look a lot more beautiful without any of us left to defile it…
as nietzsche said… “The Earth has a skin and that skin has a disease; that disease is called man.”
6 Feb 2013, 11:55 am
@David-1365:
i agree David.
I would have thought Keo would post something informing us of what has gone down?
I have seen that he is recruiting journos currently so expect to see something happening soon?
did he lose Monty and the Blonds as well?
6 Feb 2013, 12:09 pm
@David-1365: YES dAVID…AGREED…Dissapointed that he has not kept us informed.
6 Feb 2013, 12:15 pm
@i_love_u_bakkiesbotha-1378:
You need professional help, you’re only fooling yourself Houston.
6 Feb 2013, 12:19 pm
The only time you aren’t on KEO is when you’re sleeping and then for the whole time you attack another country all day and everyday year after year and then pretend you’re just joking around, get some help mate.
6 Feb 2013, 12:24 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-1384:
I don’t know if it’s a complete break from HSM as keo.co.za is still listed as a HSM member. RC and RV also have HSM as their current employment on their Facebook page. It looks like HSM have decided to use Keos journos as full time employed on their magazines. I can’t find any mention of a break between Keo and HSM, or HSM selling Keo.co.za back to him.
6 Feb 2013, 12:26 pm
#1371 Taahirah I really liked your little anecdote and i found it quite amusing,have you got anymore.The sa rugby season is upon us thank goodness as i am getting fed up watching NH rugby,it will be good i hope to watch my beloved bulls try and win a 4th super rugby title,also the vodacom cup and last but not least the currie cup,and crown off i hope a glorious rugby season.
6 Feb 2013, 12:28 pm
@Taahirah-1371: That would have been Bakkies I reckon?
6 Feb 2013, 12:29 pm
Who can remember who was on the cover of the very first SA Rugby magazine, published shortly before the ’95 RWC?
I can!
No cheating allowed…
6 Feb 2013, 12:31 pm
@gonzo-1382: No probs with that. I’ve also been to a few unheard ofs, or fringe musos performances, thing is, the tickets don’t cost the earth (as in the case of the RHCP’s etc). Nothing ventured, nothing gained, nothing lost type of thing…
But this lot, were a family of four in a GOOD SPOT…. and to pay for that, when you’re clueless? They could have won the seats in a competition though, and decided to attend for that reason…and were then shocked to the core
6 Feb 2013, 12:31 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-1391: Joost?
6 Feb 2013, 12:32 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-1391: Francois Pienaar?
6 Feb 2013, 12:32 pm
Probably Pienaar
6 Feb 2013, 12:35 pm
This is tragic…
http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Red-Hot-Chili-Peppers-fan-attacked-on-way-to-show-20130206
6 Feb 2013, 12:36 pm
@David-1388:
Keo’s taken his website back but the journos belong to HSM.
This I have learn from his twotter.
So know its just Keo and the tea lady.
6 Feb 2013, 12:39 pm
Good Afternoon! I’m as confused as a hungry baby in a topless bar at the moment. In one sentence what is going on!!!
6 Feb 2013, 12:39 pm
@BrumbiesBoy-1391:
Luke Twatsen playing school rugby?
6 Feb 2013, 12:40 pm
@gunther-1397: Was this news tattoed on it? His twotter that is?
Pages: « 1 … 23 24 25 26 27 [28] 29 30 31 32 33 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.