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, 11:40 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-147:
God I love Maggie.
There is a woman who should have eaten her young.
4 Feb 2013, 11:42 am
the cursor: keo said ” The Crusaders also no longer
have the aura of a team that won 7 titles,
but a team that has lost their last 5 play-off
appearances,
not “matches”! the Sharks lost in the playoffs last year regarless of the fact that they beat the Reds & Stormers in the 1/4 & semis…
getting clearer?
4 Feb 2013, 11:43 am
@Transformation-142:
i think all the keewees are clutching at anything….much the same way as the stormers do with their “conference winners” trophy.
4 Feb 2013, 11:44 am
Trans
which opart of this statement, that you posted, confuses you?
“4 consecutive playoff appearances”
isnt a semi final a “playoff appearance”?
they havent won the comp for 4 consecutive YEARS, but they havent lost 4 consecutive playoff appearances..
maybe my england isnt as good as yours and I am confused, but I dont think so
4 Feb 2013, 11:44 am
@gunther-151:
will be interesting to see meryl playing maggie… she’s got the plummy accent down on all the promo stuff…
4 Feb 2013, 11:45 am
Those of you calling Burger & Smith yesterdays heroes… you’re a fool.
Grant, you’re unbelievably repetitive and unbearable. Before the 2012 season you said you would refuse to visit Newlands at all for a Stormers game because they didn’t have a specialized openside flanker and would get embarrassed as a result. They then flipped you the bird and ended top of the table. You…are…thick.
Burger has a huge engine. He came back from a broken neck to still be one of the best in the world (before that I’d argue he was clearly the best flanker in world rugby). A knee injury is not the end of him, and all teams perform so much better with him. The Boks are ALWAYS a better side with the legend that is Schalk.
And Smith plays with incredible determination & will bring heaps of experience. Why would you just cast him aside?
South African rugby supporters really surprise me sometimes with their stupidity.
4 Feb 2013, 11:48 am
@hendrikp-156:
grant has no clue, would never bother with what he has to say.
4 Feb 2013, 11:48 am
@ufo-155:
It was average.
It was too back and forth in an effort to be clever.
When all the audience wanted to see was bolshy strikers being charged and Argies getting wasted.
Epic fail.
4 Feb 2013, 11:49 am
I’m so confused
4 Feb 2013, 11:50 am
2 more wickets to go
4 Feb 2013, 11:50 am
@gunther-158:
Imperialist racist capitalist colonising facist right wing peeg
4 Feb 2013, 11:51 am
the cursor: if you lose 4 finals in a row, you have lost 4 CONSECUTIVE playoff appearances. the sum of your appearances in the playoffs and not the amount of games that constitute those playoffs tl tl tl
going elementary on u now
4 Feb 2013, 11:51 am
@ufo-148: Hmmmmmmmmm, as a cricketer deserves to be on my list I guess…… But the 4 above are my Pakis
4 Feb 2013, 11:52 am
@gunther-151: Her young are both useless. Did you watch Iron Lady? Meryl Streep’s finest role I reckon…..
Uselessfuckingchildrenshehadbothofthem. Deserve to be eaten.
4 Feb 2013, 11:52 am
@the curse-150: Y-A-W-N
4 Feb 2013, 11:53 am
@gunther-158: I enjoyed it thoroughly. Sorry I didn’t see this post when I posted @The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-164:
4 Feb 2013, 11:54 am
@Brigadier Van Zyl-157:
I try not to but eish he’s a repetitive pain in the backside.
Checked him out on Facebook a few years ago. Looks as arrogant as his posts would suggest.
4 Feb 2013, 11:57 am
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-163:
hehehe…
it’s your list… and you’re entitled to have whoever you want on it…
@gunther-158:
oh… well thanks for the heads-up and saving me the tickets…!!
i saw a docu-drama on a few months ago about her start in politics… she really got treated roughly by the men who thought it improper that a woman get into politics, especially a grocer’s daughter…!! i love how the poms ‘fight’ such things… always perfectly polite and proper english… dripping with innuendo and loathing…
4 Feb 2013, 11:58 am
@hendrikp-167:
Stalker
4 Feb 2013, 11:58 am
angostura. up yours
Trans. you obviously don’t understand the meaning of the word “appearance”
fair enough, lets leave it at that.
4 Feb 2013, 12:03 pm
@hendrikp-167:
ja, maybe keo can develope an “unfollow” app for this website so bloggers whom you don’t care to read do not even register on your browser?
would be nice.
skop and grant would be left talking to themselves. I give it 10 posts before they argue amongst themselves.
4 Feb 2013, 12:06 pm
@Dawn-161:
Extraball gust waiting for his neighbour to power up there wifi.
4 Feb 2013, 12:06 pm
@ufo-168: There is nothing more entertaining than “Prime Minister’s Questions”. As they rip each others throats out……there are spatterings of “my honourable friend”…….”the honourable gentleman” etc
Love it….
Watch the movie Iron Lady…..well worth it.
4 Feb 2013, 12:07 pm
@Dawn-161:
is there really a need for that?
4 Feb 2013, 12:09 pm
Another wicket of a no ball. Eish!!!!
4 Feb 2013, 12:10 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-173:
yeah… very entertaining… must say tony blair was excellent at pm’s questions…
interesting comments from you too…
okay… will have a look-see…
4 Feb 2013, 12:10 pm
@Mr Black-175: Enough to make me engage with ET on all things political…… Unreal.
4 Feb 2013, 12:11 pm
@the curse-170:
@ ” Trans. you obviously don’t understand the
meaning of the word “appearance”
lmao
the Sharks have lost 2 consecutive playoff appearances, in 2011 they went down to the Saders in the 1/4s,.last year were outclassed by the Chiefs in the Final.
lesson over.
4 Feb 2013, 12:11 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-164:
I’ve met the boy cub.
A nastier piece of work you won’t find.
As useless as a marzipandildo.
4 Feb 2013, 12:12 pm
@gunther-179:
wild goose wannabe…
4 Feb 2013, 12:12 pm
@Transformation-178: again you are wrong..
a playoff appearance is one game
it is that simple..
4 Feb 2013, 12:13 pm
@ufo-180:
i mean him of course…
4 Feb 2013, 12:14 pm
@Transformation-178:
Hey wena transie, leave the sharks out of your dumb reasoning please.
4 Feb 2013, 12:14 pm
@ufo-180:
Wild Turkey more like.
4 Feb 2013, 12:17 pm
@gunther-179: I have also had the “honour”…… The type of fella you want to nail in between the eyes with the stiletto of ones left peep toe…..
Not the healthiest salad in the fridge either…..in terms of intelligence and charm.
4 Feb 2013, 12:23 pm
@The Sharks rugby pedigree is packaged as dog food-185:
Wielding those size 14′s must be quite an intimidating sight.
4 Feb 2013, 12:24 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-174:
Who stole your sense of humour
4 Feb 2013, 12:25 pm
10-fer, Steyn! 11-fer AB!
will they take the extra half-hour available, if needed?
4 Feb 2013, 12:27 pm
@Predawn-186: Only if you’re a small man…..with the syndrome to match….
4 Feb 2013, 12:27 pm
@Brigadier Van Zyl-171:
Amen to that.
4 Feb 2013, 12:29 pm
10 catches behind the stumps and a ton.
Has it ever been done before?
Anyone ……….anyone….. Bueller?
4 Feb 2013, 12:30 pm
“The Africans had beaten the Boks…”
????
4 Feb 2013, 12:30 pm
@gunther-191:
according to cricinfo commentator AB is the 1st …
4 Feb 2013, 12:31 pm
@gunther-191: Don’t think so….. reason to celebrate.
4 Feb 2013, 12:31 pm
@Transformation-178: So there can be times when “playoff appearances” are fewer than “playoff games played”, right?
4 Feb 2013, 12:31 pm
No Hore on the “Recent Comments”.
You people distress me.
4 Feb 2013, 12:32 pm
@gunther-191:
11 catches equals world record.
4 Feb 2013, 12:34 pm
Aother 5fer for Steyn.
4 Feb 2013, 12:38 pm
@Mr Black-198:
per ESPNCricInfo:
Pakman: “10 (sic 11) overs in a spell for a out and out pace bowler!! Steyn is the complete package, he has the stamina of Ntini and the pace of Donald and the cleverness of Pollock. Superb performance!! You will not find one Pakistani who is not in awe of Steyn!
4 Feb 2013, 12:49 pm
Crazy Eyes take a bow.
Where is khakibollocks to explain what went wrong with the Stani effort?
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