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fullbacksview · 6 years

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Rassie’s Springbok Squad - The Right Calls

The job of Springbok coach and selector must be one of the best and worst jobs at the same time. On one hand you are in charge of arguably the most talented pool of players and coaching a team that captures the nations imagination and on the other hand, the “fans” are going to criticize you at every opportunity on performance, selection, etc. It was no surprise to hear in a recent podcast that a former South African player, currently on the edge of selection for England, saying that the biggest reason for our players succeeding overseas is that regardless of how they’re playing the fans are 100% behind them. Something a vast group of South African’s struggle to offer our players and coaches.

As a passionate Springbok fan and lover of rugby who spends far too much of my day pondering these things I thought I would put into words my opinion on Rassie’s first Springbok squad.

Coach: I think Rassie is a great call, he is a proven winner as a coach, demands respect and is meticulous in his work. Just over 15 Months out from a World Cup, he is the sort of person you want at the helm.

From what I can see, Allister was free to pick all the international players Rassie has (Bismarck, Willie, Duane, Francois, etc. all are heavily capped and were available to him), while the local players were all available to him as well. Don’t get me wrong, yes, a year on there are players who are performing much better and it has given Rassie more options, but a coach cannot argue if his team does not perform with what is available to him. That is the sad reality of professional sport.

Props: There is very little to not like about Rassie’s selections here, barring possibly the omissions of Vincent Koch and Lizo Gqoboka. These are the form front rankers. I’ll admit I haven’t watched a great deal of the Pro 14, but Ox Nche was very close to selection last year and if he has improved, his call-up is well deserved and exciting. Malherbe is probably the lucky one, based solely on his lack of game time, but when fit there aren’t many better defensive and scrummaging tightheads in world rugby and with the short prep time, Rassie has worked with him before.

Hookers: Malcom Marx’s injury was always going to be a huge blow to the Boks. He is by far and away the best hooker in the country and quite possibly the world. That being said, we’re kidding ourselves if we thought he was immune to injury and would be fit all the way to the World Cup. However, what it has done is shown our lack of depth in this position. I back Rassie on excluding Strauss, though the one justification I would have seen for picking Strauss would have been that both his locks (and would have been Lood as well were it not for injury) have made the squad and you cannot underestimate combinations.

Bringing back Bismarck ensures the squad has experience in the position but also that we lose very little in physicality on Marx. Both Bongi and Chilliboy can feel fortunate to be in the squad, not on talent, but purely on lack of game time. Bongi has been injured for ages but based on last year does deserve his place and I thoroughly enjoy the impetus he brings to a game.

Chilliboy however has been fit, but for whatever reason has lacked game time under Rob Du Preez Snr and although talented is the surprise selection. The final hooker in the group, Akker, has been one of the duo keeping Chilliboy out of the Sharks team and for good reason, he has been dynamic, physical and game breaking and justifiably makes the squad.

Locks: It is scary to think that even without Eben and Lood, there are still this many good locks in the country. Especially when you think of all those not picked as well. In Mostert and Pieter Steph you have two of the most inform locks in Super Rugby (albeit both also looking equally at home on the side of the scrum) and in Jenkins and Snyman you have a combination that has played together for the SA U/20’s and the Bulls and have shown moments of brilliance that justify their selections. I haven’t seen much of Marvin Orie this year due to work during Lions games, but I know he has been highly rated at every level he has played and is definitely one with Springbok potential. For me the only lock I think can feel hard done by is Ruan Botha, but we are well stocked at no. 5 and his opportunity will come.

Loose Trio: This is probably the position that most divides South Africa and that is because everyone has loyalty to their team, their opinions on loose trio make-ups and most significantly a number of players to choose from. Personally, I like the Rassie’s picks and for me the 1st choice trio picks itself: Vermuelen, Du Preez, Kolisi, but who makes up the bench, etc. is a lot more interesting. In Notshe and Kwagga he makes up in speed and dynamism what he loses in size to the others, with Kwagga also being the only recognized fetcher in the group. Mohoje has been a stalwart of recent Bok teams and never gives an inch, but I do wonder whether he fits this new Bok loose trio template as he is not a recognized skillful player but will carry hard and never shirk on defense. In Du Plessis and Carr he has chosen two different options at 8, Du Plessis is the power player who will bash players on attack and defense, while Carr is probably the best linking 8 (Whiteley aside) in South Africa and someone I often feel is underrated because he is not flashy in his play and it helps that he can cover the side of the scrum as well.

There is obviously a limit on squad sizes (though 43 is huge) but I think all three Bulls players of Bholi, Van Staaden and Smit have a right to feel aggrieved at their exclusion as all have been very good in an up and down Bulls team.

Scrumhalf: I hate to say this, and I know many will disagree, but ABF (anyone but Faf). With him recently having been nominated as English Premiership Player of the Year this is going to alienate most people so let me justify it. Faf is an incredible rugby player, but not an incredible scrumhalf. For me, a scrumhalf is so instrumental to a team’s performance and if he cannot do the basics of his position well (pass from the base, kick and read a game) then he is no good to an international side. Faf always looks busy, is exciting, gets involved physically and that excites fans, but he walks before he passes and makes too many bad decisions and that doesn’t win you test matches.

Rassie said it in an interview “Do I select someone who has been tried before but not convinced and give him 19 more test matches to prove to me he deserves it, or do I give someone who I think has what it takes 19 test matches to get to where I need him to be?”. To me the answer is the latter and the player he has to back is Cameron Wright. No-one has completely put their hand up to say “pick me” but Wright has definitely shown the capabilities to be that guy. He passes crisply from the base, has great vision, kicks well, organizes and barring his missed tackle on the weekend is generally good on defense. He certainly has some rough edges but not for a long time have I seen a scrumhalf who excites me as much as he does.

Van Zyl has also been good for the Bulls this year and will be there and thereabouts in selection discussions, but I think he is marginally pipped by Wright. In Papier we have incredible potential but he has lacked game time and I think his selection is more to experience the culture, knowing he has the ability to be a Bok performer in the future.

Flyhalf: When was the last time we genuinely had this much potential at flyhalf? Jantjies has once again been great for the Lions (not as good as the last two years, but still very good), Pollard has been exciting, intelligent and physical but also not completely consistent at times, while Rob Du Preez started slowly but is now the leading point scorer in Super Rugby and arguably the most inform of the three.

I imagine Pollard will be Rassie’s man, but Elton and Rob will push him hard and be there to take their opportunity should Pollard show any hints of bad form.

Add to that Willemse, who is away at the Junior World Cup, Du Plessis, who has recently returned for the Stormers and looked exciting, physical and clinical and Bosch, who is being seen more as a Fullback for now and suddenly the Flyhalf stocks look pretty good for the Springboks going forward.

Centres: Once again there is not much you can fault Rassie on here. He has picked the form players from Super Rugby in Am, Esterhuizen, Kriel and De Allende (I know he divides opinion, but he has looked the part this season again) and then throw in a World Cup winner and player who seems to always be in form in France, Francois Steyn.

Esterhuizen and Am have formed an incredibly effective partnership at the Sharks, on both defense and attack and would certainly not look out of place against England. Esterhuizen’s physicality as well as useful left boot would come in handy, while Am has been exciting on attack and clinical on defense.

Kriel last year looked lost, he was running sideways, never passed and typified the lack of threat the Springbok backline posed. A pre-season under John Mitchell and he suddenly looks like a rugby player again, he knows when to pass, when to straighten and even has a handy grubber to open up defenses and will certainly bring something to the Boks in 2018.

The same could be said of De Allende, his 2018 and 2017 performances couldn’t be further apart and although he’s not completely back to the player we know he can be, he is causing havoc at times on attack with his straightening and ability to break the line.

Francois Steyn has lived a roller-coaster as a Springbok, from World Cup winner at 19, to being discarded by the Boks, going overseas, being picked and then not picked again but one thing has stayed constant; his ability to perform week in and week out. Unfortunately, the SA public expects miracles from him at every opportunity but ask anyone in France and they will tell you that Steyn is one of the most consistent performers in the league, this despite being shifted from 12 to 10 to 13 to 15. His experience cannot be underestimated in this Bok squad and he would be my first choice 12.

Wings: In Mapimpi, Nkosi and Dyantyi we have 3 of the most exciting wingers in Super Rugby. Mapimpi and Dyantyi are clinical when it comes to finishing and will score many tries for the Boks, provided we get the ball to them. While both are physical, Nkosi is a step up on that front and what he could do for us really excites me.

In my personal opinion I wouldn’t have gone for Ismaiel, I think we have players in the squad who offer the same and more and if I were to include others it would have been Tambwe, who is arguably the most clinical finisher of the lot and Leyds who I think is one of the smartest players in SA rugby. We have seen the All Blacks consistently use Fullbacks as wingers to incredible effect and I think Leyds could do the same job for the Springboks.

Fullback: Gelant.

I really could just leave that there as he has made that position his and I am incredibly excited to see what he will do there. Having watched him as a 17-year-old playing 12 for SWD at Craven Week, I could see he was special. He seemed to have more time than anyone on the park and I am just glad to see how has progressed into a potentially world class Fullback for the Boks.

His back-ups (as I see it) in Willie and Curwin are both incredibly exciting players and bring their own strengths and weaknesses to the team. Curwin has unquestionably, the biggest boot in SA Rugby and his game breaking ability with drop goals and speed is going to be a major asset to the Boks over the years and if he gets his defense sorted, he will be major threat at 10 and 15

Willie in his prime and at full confidence is one of the most exciting and devastating outside backs in world rugby. He can pick a pass, cut a line, chip and chase at will and word from the UK is that he has been doing that, profiting greatly from Cipriani’s ability to create the space for him to work his magic. If he can find that sort of form for the Boks, he offers significant experience and value going towards RWC 2019.

However, Le Roux is a confidence player and by his own admission, the unconditional support in England has lent itself to his form. We know the South African public will not be so kind and I wonder whether he has the ability to bounce back from a bad game (should he have one). On the other hand, Bosch seems to have the right amount of nasty and self-confidence to bounce back from any errors and drop a goal from 60m, etc.

Test Matches: With that all being said, there is no way we can pick the same squads for the Wales Test in the the USA and the 1st England test and with that in mind, the teams I would select from Rassie’s above squad would be:

Springboks vs Wales: 1. Steven Kitshoff 2. Akker Van Der Merwe 3. Trevor Nyakane 4. Jason Jenkins 5. Pieter Steph Du Toit © 6. Kwagga Smith 7. Oupa Mohoje 8. Dan Du Preez 9. Faf Du Klerk 10. Elton Jantjies 11. Aphiwe Dyantyi 12. Andre Esterhuizen 13. Jesse Kriel 14. Willie Le Roux 15. Curwin Bosch. 16. Chilliboy Ralapelle 17. Ox Nche 18. Frans Malherbe 19. RG Snyman 20. Sikhumbuzo Notshe 21. Embrose Papier 22. Rob Du Preez 23. Travis Ismaiel

Springboks vs England: 1. Tendai Mtawarira 2. Bismarck Du Plessis 3. Wilco Louw 4. RG Snyman 5. Franco Mostert 6. Siya Kolisi © 7. Jean-Luc Du Preez 8. Duane Vermeulen 9. Cameron Wright 10. Handre Pollard 11. Sibusiso Nkosi 12. Francois Steyn 13. Lukhanyo Am 14. Makazole Mapimpi 15. Warrick Gelant 16. Bongi Mbonambi 17. Steven Kitshoff 18. Trevor Nyakane 19. Pieter-Steph Du Toit 20. Nizaam Carr 21. Ivan Van Zyl 22. Elton Jantjies 23. Damien De Allende

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fullbacksview · 9 years

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Heyneke Meyer, your time is up.

I haven’t written a post for a long time, but my growing frustration broke this morning when reading the headline “Meyer: Boks not skillful enough”. The gist of the article is that he believes we don’t have the skills to play an exciting brand of rugby and compete with New Zealand & Australia. I couldn’t disagree more and that coupled with some questionable decisions all make me pray at night that he isn’t given another four year term.

Questionable decision 1: You name your team for the Japan game with Willem Alberts at 7 and Siya Kolisi on the bench. Nothing wrong with that as Willem needs game time and Siya will get some off the bench. However Willem then gets ruled out and instead of promoting Siya to the starting XV he brings Pieter-Steph Du Toit from outside the match 22 straight into the starting line-up at 7, when he was picked primarily as a lock. This hardly points to a coach who claims he is “fully committed” to transformation.

Questionable decision 2: Bryan Habana, the best winger SA has ever produced is playing his last ever RWC game and needs just one try to pass Jonah Lomu and hold the record for most tries in RWC history. Yes he is having a shocker (dropping balls, missed opportunities, etc) but you are safely ahead and Habana has been a brilliant servant to this country and one of our best players at the World Cup and Heyneke replaced him before he could break the record. I understand people will say there is “no space for sentiment in professional rugby”, but as far as I’m concerned in the Bronze Final, a game many would rather not be playing, there is certainly room for sentiment for a player of his calibre.

Questionable decision 3: The Springboks have just lost to the All Blacks, by the finest of margins, and the players are understandably disappointed. We didn’t deserve to win, but through strangling defence (even though we missed 20 tackles) we pushed them all the way. If you ask most players how they feel about the Bronze Final they will all say “I want to play, every opportunity to wear the Springbok jersey is a privilege” and that is the right answer but these players will be exhausted after a long and draining tournament, why not give the other players in the squad their chance. Players such as Rudy Paige, Siya Kolisi, Pieter-Steph Du Toit, Jan Serfontein, etc. Why not give them a run, because I can guarantee you they want to play and win in that game and they certainly wouldn’t let you down.

Questionable decision 4: This relates to the previous point but I thought deserved a point on its own. Patrick Lambie was sitting on 49 caps for the Springboks prior to the Bronze Final, the perfect opportunity to give this man his 50th cap from the start. Not the case, Pollard starts. Pollard has been very good this tournament and vastly improved in the knock-out stages as well, but by picking Lambie you’re hardly giving anything away. If anything Lambie shades the tactical kicking and goal kicking ratings and his distribution is certainly on par if not slightly more consistent. Yes Pollard gives you greater physicality going forward and defence, but Lambie is not going to shirk or stand deep in the pocket. And yes there will come the argument that there is no place for sentiment, yet by playing Pienaar, Schalk, Matfield, etc. in one final test match, he clearly showed sentiment.

Then I get to this morning’s headline and I run out of patience with Heyneke. He has turned into an emotional wreck in the media, fighting any criticism with defensive retorts blaming everyone and everything but himself. Anyone who has watched schoolboy rugby in this country and even the SA U/20 side, has seen that our players possess the skillset. However it coached out of the players as they move through the system through a fear based mind-set, they are taught to cut out mistakes and as a result they become afraid to try anything creative.

I will admit we may not have the same skills as the All Blacks, they focus on skills from a very young age and continue throughout school and hence you have players like Brodie Retallick able to run and pass like a 13 in a RWC final. This is also because they play weight against weight when young, smaller but skillful players don’t have the thrill for the game knocked out of them before they’re old enough and ready to play on the big stage. We do however have the ability, watch Jean De Villiers or Victor Matfield in a Barbarians game and they stand-out with the array of skills they have. Yes it may be a “fun” game when playing for the Barbarians and the result matters little, but the execution of the skills is there for all to see, so why are they so afraid to execute them in South Africa.

Another example I give is Jan Serfontein, IRB young player of the year 2012 . Anyone who watched him at the U/20 World Cup will remember a player with speed, dynamism, the ability to create something from nothing and most of all the ability to offload and create moments of magic (see match winning try created by him in the final vs New Zealand). Yet now he mimics a crash and bash centre that is there solely to set up the 1st phase. The problem is that at a Super Rugby level the coaches and players have become so scared of losing that they coach the excitement out of the players, they don’t instill belief in the players and the players around them, they instill the fear of failure. THIS HAS TO CHANGE.

Johan Ackerman is breaking that mould, his team believe in each other and their camaraderie is there for everyone to see and the results speak for themselves. Now I know everyone will say “wait for Super Rugby” and I don’t doubt they’ll lose some games, but they’ll excite and if they continue to believe in each other and the system they will start to win the tight ones based purely on execution of an exciting game-plan and the defence to back it up. John Dobson is on the right track as well and will be great for the Province juniors next year, all while also getting to learn from Eddie Jones, one of the best in the business.

To return to my point, Heyneke is not the right guy. He does not believe in transformation and he doesn’t believe in our players abilities. He is not focused on winning, he is focused on not losing and they are vastly different outlooks. If I were SARU I would bring in a proven, foreign head coach (John Plumtree, etc) but on a 2 year contract with Johan Ackerman serving as his assistant (while staying on as Lions coach) and then after two years promote Johan to head coach and let him appoint his backroom staff to take us to the World Cup in 2019. This is just my opinion and open for so much debate, but it’s time SARU stopped planning to not lose and rather started focusing on how they are going to win.

By Ed Gregory

#springboks #rugby #rugby world cup #sa rugby

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fullbacksview · 9 years

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Elton is not the man for the Rugby World Cup.

Whatever you do Heyneke Meyer, don’t pick Elton Jantjies for the World Cup. I know that I will probably get some hate for saying that, especially on the back of a highly impressive season from the one-time Stormer, but I stand by that statement.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Elton has a Bok future (although in the Pollard and Lambie era, not a 50 cap future), but this World Cup is not for him. Springbok fans will point to the way he has been playing, the tries the Lions have scored and overall impressive nature of his game and say that he simply must go as the 3rd choice 10. However, the 2015 RWC is not played on the dry fields of the Highveld, or on clear evenings in Australia, it is played in the likely wet United Kingdom under immense pressure.

Pressure means that every wayward pass is criticized, that easy games become closer and that moments of big match temperament are needed. Elton has shown of late he has the nerve to land his kicks in pressurized moments, but he also cracked under the pressure of performing at the Stormers. Yes he will have learned a lot about himself during his stint in CT (also due to the unfortunate passing of his father just prior to his relocation) and come back a stronger person, but at the Lions he is playing for a team considered underdogs. There has been no pressure from the public, they were never seen as playoff hopefuls and thus they could play with freedom and have surprised many a team and pundit with their die-hard defence and willingness to attack. Even so, they are unlikely to make the playoffs and they will be remembered as the team who performed better than expected and played the best rugby of the SA teams.

The RWC will be different, the Boks will be among the favourites, mistakes will be punished by the opposition and being the team who played beautiful rugby will not win them the trophy. This World Cup will be about grinding out wins, playing smart, limited rugby and limiting mistakes. Sounds horrible for the fans, but that is what it takes.

The South African public, myself included, are praying for exciting rugby but now is hardly the time. We won’t be changing our game plan 4 months out from Rugby’s showpiece event. If the Boks are going to play exciting rugby, it will be post RWC where we have 4 years to prepare and adapt and will take a distinct mind shift.

However, back to the point, Elton Jantjies is not the man to take to the RWC in 2015. Stats and Lions performances may suggest otherwise, but for me the three flyhalves to take to the RWC are Pollard, Lambie and Steyn. Pollard to start, Lambie to bench and Steyn to mentor and play if the other two need rests.

This is not an anti-Jantjies post, because I thoroughly enjoy the way he has been playing rugby of late and hope he continues to get better, but he is not tested and not physical enough to grind out a win against England at Twickenham in the pouring rain with 90 000 Brits against him.

By Ed Gregory

#rwc2015 #springboks #rugby union #rugby world cup

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fullbacksview · 10 years

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Transformation - not impossible

“50% BLACK BY 2019”, that’s what the headlines say and there goes everyone panicking, complaining and bashing SARU. Do not get me wrong I was one of those doing the complaining. I strongly oppose quotas at that level, but I am strongly for transformation. I mean I really do not care whether the Springboks are 100% Black or 100% White because I feel that the best players should be on the field. However, for the good of rugby in this country I believe that two things must remain true: 1. The Springboks must continue to win and be either 1st or 2nd in the world and 2. The team must be more representative.

We experience a good level of representation at Craven Week, but these black players are not coming into the provincial sides with a similar ratio of black versus white players. We (SARU) must then be asking why so many of the talented schoolboys are slipping through the cracks? It is not for Heyneke Meyer to provide a quick fix, it should be at a lower level where these players with talent are coming through, should then be supported and given the opportunity to succeed and this in turn will lead to a more representative Springbok side.

2019 is four years three months away, which is a long time and includes a full Rugby World Cup cycle. Is it that unbelievable that we could find 11 *black players (60% ethnic black) who are the best in their respective positions? Not so long ago Siya Kolisi was seen as the heir to Schalk Burger’s world-beater tag and at WP, they still genuinely believe that notion even if his form was not great in this year’s Super Rugby (his own admission).

If we assessed the current squads at the six biggest unions (not the best 6 at the moment, as Pumas are proving in the Currie Cup) and assessed the *black players on offer who will be of a good age during the period 2017-2019, then I get:

At WP: Sti Sithole, Ntubeni. Mbonambi (from 2015), Kolisi, Carr, Notshe, De Jongh, Senatla, Kolbe,

At EP: Gqoboka, Bholi, Luiters, Petersen

At Sharks: Mtembu, S’bura Sithole, Mvovo

At Bulls: Mastriet, Gellant

At Free State: Mohoje, Nyakane, Rhule, Hendricks, Blommetjies

At Lions: Lusaseni, Mnisi, Mapoe, Volmink

That is: 3 Props, 2 Hookers, 1 Lock, 6 Flanks, 1 Scrumhalf, 2 Centers, 2 Center/Wings, 6 Wings, 2 Wing/Fullbacks, 2 Fullbacks, 27 Players.

It is not unbelievable that 11 of those players could be part of the best 22 players in the country come 2019. I know I have included some names there that currently are not near national selection, but many of them have shown strong potential and some are still relatively inexperienced. We also have to remember I have not mentioned any players at the other unions or any SA Sevens players (Senatla aside as he is at WP as well). However, the majority of players mentioned above are certain starters come the 2015 Super Rugby season (Kings in 2016), so is it that unbelievable that they could become the same for the Springboks in 2019?

I do not believe in SARU’s “50% *black by 2019” plan because it is too definitive and closed minded and I believe their position will ease, but If any players mentioned above (and youngsters not mentioned coming through) are the best in their relative position, then I will back them 100% playing for the team we all love.

What SARU must realise is that transformation happens at grassroots level, not at elite level and these types of quotas just irritate the fans. Find me a coach who does not want to pick the best 22 players on the day and I will show you a coach who will be out of a job very soon. Therefore, if we develop those *black players at a young age we give coaches the opportunity to pick them when they come through at various levels.

By Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 11 years

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Damian De Allende - Inside (Centre) or Outside (Centre)

Juan De Jongh`s injury and the Stormers sub-par performance against the Lions this past weekend may turn out to be Damian De Allende`s gain. Yes, he played in that sub-par performance but he played on the wing, which is no longer his natural position (The first time I saw him was on the wing for UCT) and yes, the Lions loss wasn’t due to Michael Van der Spuy (who played 13 vs the Lions and who unfortunately misses out on selection this weekend). Last year when De Jongh was not fit De Villiers shifted to 13 and De Allende came in at 12 and the same has happened this weekend. There could be numerous reasons for this; they feel De Allende is not ready to defend in the complex 13 channel, there is too much pressure, they think he is still too young or the most used saying from Coetzee ''we see him as the next Jean De Villiers''.

Don't get me wrong he had some great games in the 12 jersey but he also had some ordinary ones. Personally I think he probably has all the attributes to be a good 12 in the future but I’m not sure it's his best position. 13 would be.

My argument is that he is more likely to be the next Jaque Fourie than Jean De Villiers. Like Fourie he is big, quick, runs great support lines and can use his boot if needed. But one area he is superior to Fourie is his distribution, perhaps the reason he's seen as a 12 within the Stormers set up. As a 12 you need to be a playmaker of sorts and bring your outside backs into the game more, something you could see he was aware of last year and as such he forced a few passes when holding on to it would have been better. As a 13 you rely more on getting outside your man and drawing and passing to put someone away down the wing (something he'll find easy with his solid pass). You also thrive off running off your 12 and that is where I see De Allende being most effective. Imagine Jean attacking the channel between 10 & 12 or 12 &13 and offloading to De Allende, he is either going under the poles or going to be comfortably making you 20\25 meters with his pace and power.

The modern day coach will tell you that the number on your back doesn't matter other than at set pieces and thus perhaps argue that De Allende and De Villiers can interchange, something I wouldn't argue, in fact would be certain they will. That however is in broken play, but when using set moves, etc., I can guarantee that they will stand in the position corresponding to the number on their back because that is how they will have trained all week. Thus, I believe that Jean should be starting at 12 on Saturday with De Allende outside him. After all, Jean was named SA Rugby Player of the Year, is the Springbok Captain, and all while was playing Inside Center.

De Allende is mature enough now to defend in the 13 channel and will probably humble a few International stars in the process. Robbie Fleck and Allister Coetzee seem fixated in their ideas and should perhaps take a step back and explore alternative approaches.

Friday's game will be interesting, because once again they will lineup with Jean at 13 and Damian at 12 , for the Stormers and their fans' sake I hope they prove me wrong. This is just my opinion but I would rather Jean was kept at 12 where he is most effective and Damian was deployed at 13 where I feel he will be most dangerous. I prefer a true, ball playing 12, who can act as a second flyhalf and bring all players into the game. This is a dynamic the Sharks are almost certainly going to benefit from with François Steyn at 12. I'm not saying he's definitely a better 13 or that he won't be a great 12 in time but from what I have seen of him, provided he can learn to defend there, Damian can go on to become a world class 13 for the Stormers and in the future, the Springboks.

Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 11 years

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Victor Matfield - Will his comeback be a success?

So as the start of another Super Rugby season dawns there are yet another set of questions people are eager see answered. Will Jean be able to repeat his 2013 form, can Johan Goosen stay injury free and will newlywed Pat Lambie emerge as a true match-winning flyhalf; but the question possibly most intriguing is, will Victor Matfield’s comeback be a success?

The reason that Matfield’s comeback is the most intriguing is that at the peak of his powers there wasn’t a lock in world rugby who could touch him. Skilful, physical and an absolute genius in the lineout, his influence was immense. However when he retired those powers seemed to be fading, lineout genius aside. Whilst I very much doubt his skills decreased, he was finding himself in positions to display those skills more infrequently, his biggest decline being his physicality.

Victor was never a Bakkies or Etzebeth type enforcer but he wasn’t soft, just ask Byron Kelleher what it felt like being hit by Victor at Newlands , who thought it felt as if he’d had a steel plate under his forearm guard. However towards the end of his career Victor, when he entered contact, resembled a player yearning for retirement; laboured, slow, no leg drive. This was heart-breaking to watch, a brilliant player who just didn’t seem to have the same desire anymore.

Now, if you read his interviews about returning he makes it very clear that he would never have retired had he known Heyneke Meyer was going to be named Springbok coach. This says 1 of 3 things; either he didn’t not enjoy playing under Peter De Villers, he thought Heyneke would continue to pick him and he could break Springbok appearance record (unlikely reason) or he just clicks with Meyer and thinks he would be the “old Victor” playing for him.

There is no denying that the current Victor is a better physical specimen than the one that retired. He is bigger and more toned. That being said however, he can do all the gyming and cycling he wants, the proof will be how his body reacts to tackling Julian Savea or when he has to run into Duane Vermuelen. If his mind is right I’m sure the body can handle it, but if it is still as it was when he retired he is going to miss that tackle and get smashed backwards. (In his defence most people go backwards when running into Duane.)

Brad Thorn did it at Victor’s age and older, so there is no point saying it can’t be done, but Thorn hurt people when he played and thrived on the physical stuff. Victor is not that type of player, but he needs to compete physically, not just exist and fall back on his influence in the lineouts. The only way we will truly know if Matfield can comeback successfully is after a few games. I personally think he should have stuck with coaching and should be added to the Springbok coaching set-up as he can only have a positive influence on the likes of Etzebeth and Du Toit. But that is just one man’s opinion, and if I am proved wrong I will gratefully acknowledge it, because a top-of-his-game Matfield walks into any team in the world, including the Springboks.

Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 11 years

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Asics were officially announced as the new technical sponsor for the Springboks, taking over from Canterbury on January 1st 2014 and running through until 2019. There have been mixed reactions from the public and media with many saying it was money motivated or it is not-wise going with an inexperienced (rugby apparel wise) company. There are however people and I include myself in that group, who think it is a smart move from all those involved.

Those who say that the deal was money orientated are extremely short sited. Asics may have been amongst the top bidders, but they would all have bid very similar amounts and would not have been a deciding factor. One can expect that there would have been bids made from all the top apparel brands, Nike, Adidas, Puma as well as many smaller brands such as Kukri, Rugbytech, etc. However the company’s name is not going to win them the bid, they would have had to put forward the best proposal.

SARU have already mentioned that one of the terms was that a significant part of manufacturing needs to take place locally. This is great news for the economy and jobs in South Africa and a strong move on SARU’s part. Most companies however would have been able to fulfill that aspect of the contract though and thus deciding who would not have been defined by that. It would however be more costly for companies not currently producing here to set-up in SA though and thus Asics’s willingness to do so highlights their commitment to SA.

Adidas are more than likely to have bid as they currently sponsor multiple national rugby teams and adding another would not be beyond their capabilities. However we would then be competing against the All Blacks, France & Italy for attention within the company. The All Blacks will always be their first priority and while admittedly we would be second it just places us in a diluted pool competing for resources. We also must remember that Nike, Puma and Adidas will also be putting a lot of resources into the Rio Soccer World Cup in 2014 (which is during the start of the sponsorship) and Russia in 2018 (which is the year before the World Cup in Japan), periods where the Springboks will not want to play second fiddle. For those companies football is their biggest focus, especially in a World Cup Year as they all sponsor numerous teams and it is the most popular sport in the world and thus their most lucrative.

Asics however allows us a personal working relationship where we know the Springboks are their first priority. Therefore they will be constantly looking for ways to improve aspects of their rugby apparel for the sole purpose of benefiting the Springboks. The result is that we are likely to receive the highest quality kit and build a strong working relationship with them.

SARU are constantly looking to grow the Springbok brand to gain a more global recognition. We are currently behind the All Blacks in that aspect and thus partnering with Asics’s will help us gain entrance into markets where we were not previously present. Being a Japanese company we are likely to see a sharp increase in the Japanese market and with the World Cup being there in 2019, the more people we have donning Springbok Jersey’s the better. With respect to the Japanese they are likely to be eliminated in the pool stages of RWC2019 and thus are likely to “adopt” nations to support in the latter stages. With the Springboks being sponsored by a Japanese company they are likely to align with us and having greater support in the knock-out stages can only benefit the Boks.

Asics will also be supplying kit to the SA Schools, Sevens, Women’s, u/20’s and match officials from 2014 and thus having a company whose focus is on South African Rugby ensures that the teams below the Springboks will not be neglected and will also receive the highest quality attention and apparel.

We must also remember that when UnderArmour took over from Reebok as the technical sponsor of Wales in 2008 they too were almost non-existent in rugby and yet Wales re-signed with them after the original 4 years due to the high quality kit and strong relationship they’d built together.

The Springboks and Asics’s now have the potential to do the same. They can make sure they both benefit through growing Asics as a brand in rugby markets (they already make boots and sponsor Castres in the Top 14) and helping grow the Springbok brand globally while helping ensure that the Boks regain the No.1 ranking.

Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 11 years

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Warren Gatland has invited more criticism in his Lions selection for the series decider this weekend than Peter De Villiers did with his numerous bizarre choices. The British media are never short of a dig at coaches or sportsman, regardless of their nationality, but picking 10 Welshman will irritate any non-Welsh Brit and dropping Brian O’Driscoll is just short of treason to the Irish.

I do understand his reasoning, to an extent. Heyneke Meyer certainly will understand. His thinking is, when in trouble resort to the players you know. That’s all well and good when, as Heyneke did, you’re not given much time to shape a team and have to win a test series. The Lions however have been together for over a month, played 9 matches and should be far from panic stations.

The front row is not a bad selection, Corbisiero and Jones to start are certainly the best options left on the tour. Vunipola is also strong and will add impact off the bench. Dan Cole, like Vunipola, has given away a few penalties at scrum time but is solid. The Hibbard selection is questionable given Tom Youngs has been doing well and sometimes you wonder whether Hibbard could hit a barn door with his throwing. If he does that right he should do the business up front and is not a bad selection.

The locks are deserving of their places. Parling is certainly not the greatest around the park but his line-out work will be vital alongside Jones. Jones has been working hard and playing well this tour and thus deserves his starting spot once again. I’m glad to see Richie Gray on the bench because at 2.08m he really does offer something Andries Bekker-esque with ball in hand. His entrance off the bench could be vital against some weary Wallaby tacklers.

The loose-trio is an interesting combination. You have to feel for Heaslip who has been great on this tour but was definitely not at his best in the last Test. Faletau has probably just missed out on selection each time in the last two Tests after some impressive performances in the Tour matches and deserves his opportunity. Lydiate and O’Brien have been impressive but I feel Tipuric probably deserved a start in the absence of Warburton, but he will also be dynamic from the bench. Croft is unlucky to miss out after being benched for the second Test on the back of a Solid first Test. I feel the Lions may miss him if they need to chase the game as his speed and skills often result in tries for himself or his team-mates and he is a pure athlete like Spies but more of a rugby player than the South African, and is also very effective at line-out time. Gatland has picked 3 Welshmen in 4 available positions and that will be under scrutiny if the result is not in the Lions favour.

After the Barbarians game I am sure Gatland immediately penned Phillips’ name into his Test side and rightly so. However he was never that impressive again for the rest of the tour and I firmly believe Ireland’s Connor Murray has been the best 9 on show and should be starting. They have however, said that Phillips was carrying an injury from the Barbarians game all the way into the first Test and that may explain his very sub-par performance in the first one. If he is completely over the injury he will cause the Wallabies far more problems than he did in the first test and show up much better in defence as well. If however he still has the niggle he may yet do the Lions more harm than good once again and make Gatland rue his selection.

Sexton has done very little wrong since he first put on a Lions jersey and bar the brilliant performance against the Rebels Farrell has done nothing to warrant selection ahead of him. Farrell however is solid off the bench and there are no issues there.

The biggest debate has featured around the selection of Davies and Roberts as the centres. A lot was said of Roberts’ ability to cross the gain-line ahead of this tour but he has far from lived up to expectations. He has dropped balls, misplaced passes (on the rare occasion he does) and looked far from Mr Dependable. Add to that that he has missed the last 4 games and you have to feel Gatland is taking a huge risk. Davies has showed touches of brilliance, but also touches of mediocrity. He is a good player but certainly not superior to Brian O’Driscoll, even if BOD is 9 years his senior at 34. O’Driscoll has made 23 tackles and missed none in the two Tests and combined with that he has the unique ability to break open a game with a moment of brilliance with nothing on. Who wouldn’t want that in your team? Manu Tuilagi deservedly comes onto the bench for the final Test but probably deserves to be starting alongside BOD for this game. Of the many centre combinations picked on this tour the BOD/Tuilagi one arguably looked the strongest. Tuilagi has the physicality to match Roberts but offers so much more in the way of subtle touches, a side step and linking ability. I can’t help but think Gatland has missed a serious trick and regressed in his centre pairing choice.

Not much can be said of the back three, they all but pick themselves. Halfpenny has continued his great 6 Nations form while North and Bowe offer solid defence matched by great size and speed. North has been a revelation on this tour and a lot will depend on the Lions ability to bring him into the game and giving him one-on-one opportunities.

I strongly believe this is the weakest of the three Test XV’s Warren Gatland has picked and they will be very lucky to come away from Sydney with a win. If they don’t Gatland will be hung by the media and probably deservedly so. If they win however he will be made a Welsh Hero. The Southern Hemisphere in me wants the Wallabies to win and continue our dominance. There is a part of me that wants the Lions to win, merely for the good of Lions tours and to demoralise the Wallabies ahead of the Rugby Championship. Having now seen the Australian team I can’t see beyond the Wallabies for this one, Gatland has dug himself a hole and he will struggle to get out of it.

Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 11 years

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Taking the team to their fans - well done WP

Western Province really is doing their best to win over the Cape Crusaders and hopefully it is starting to work. It is a work in progress and may take some time but they are being pro-active and must be commended for it. There are those pig-headed individuals who will never be won over, but there are those who will hopefully see the work WP are doing and appreciate it.

WP have played one game at Newlands in this year’s Vodacom Cup and that was a home game for the Pampas XV who chose to play it there. Their other home fixtures have been played at Paarl RFC, City Park in Crawford and Helderberg RFC in Strand. Compare that to the Sharks who have played either at Kings Park or Kings Park 1 and the Bulls who have played at Loftus B and Loftus.

This means that the Western Province Vodacom Cup team has not yet had two games on the same field, and as such is not able to make any one ground a fortress. However, instead of moaning about this issue, the WP team has embraced the opportunity to go and play in these areas where they previously wouldn’t have. Instead of making the fans come to them, they are taking the game to their fans and have gained a lot of respect for it. I watched them play a few games at City Park last year and there was a great vibe. It was more intimate as the fans are really close to the players, and both the grandstand and the opposite bank were filled with supporters from all walks of life.

The Vodacom Cup went through a rough patch around the start of the Varsity Cup, but has steadied and is now a great opportunity for fans to come and watch the future Super Rugby and Springbok stars, as well as some more experienced heads. As a competition it is vitally important within the South African rugby structures and must continue over the long term. WP has taken the right path. They have shown the fans, and hopefully the doubters as well, that they are not bigger than the game and that the fans mean a great deal to the players and union.

It is an impressive decision and whoever decided they should take the games to their fans should be applauded for it. Hopefully this is just the start of a creative campaign - alongside the “#Respect” campaign started by The Stormers - to help win over some more fans, even if it just helps to create an identity with the youngsters in those areas, and ignites a passion for WP rugby, or even rugby as a whole. Watching rugby should be something for everyone to enjoy regardless of age, race, gender or affiliation. Well done, Western Province, for setting a great example. Let’s hope that the appeal and effort shown does not fall on deaf ears and blind eyes.

Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 12 years

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It's Tough Being a Springbok

South African supporters have got to be the best and worst all rolled into one. Almost everyone believes that they know better than the current Springbok coach. Yes he may make some calls that don’t make sense straight away to us supporters, but his pedigree as a coach suggests he has a plan and knows what he’s doing. Let us not forget that he is happy to adapt: after previously stating that the role of the fetcher is dead, he recalled Francois Louw and selected him continuously. There are very few Bok coaches in recent times willing to do that.

It is unfortunate that Meyer’s success came with the Bulls because as soon as a Bulls player is selected into the squad it is assumed it is because “he is a Bulls player”. This is just the same as when players of colour made the squad and were said to be there “because he is of colour”, even when his form warranted his selection. It may not be racism, but it is divisive nonetheless. Rather than label players “Bulls selections”, let us look at them as Springboks who are there to make our country proud through their performances for the team.

Unfortunately South African supporters have their worst characteristic in their un-wavering Provincial bias. There have been numerous guffaw prompting selections I have heard and read, in the weeks preceding the End of Year Tour squad announcement, that reek of Provincial favouritism. There is also the tendency for players to be hated, for what seems pretty much no reason at all other than they’re keeping someone else out of the team. The New Zealanders have to deal with a terribly out of form Piri Weepu constantly being selected (maybe to run the Haka), but there is far less hatred being sent his way and much more un-wavering support of the All Blacks.

One such example of a player hated for no reason is Zane Kirchner: is there a more disliked Springbok? And for what reason? He may not be the flashiest player but what has he done to deserve all those who are so against him? Yes he may have kept Lambie out of the team, but it’s hardly his fault, I can guarantee you that if I was in the Bok 15, and doing nothing wrong, I would definitely not be going to Meyer and asking to be dropped? I have even heard suggestions that Joe Pietersen would be a better Bok Fullback; I’m still oblivious as to why that would be. He is very susceptible to the high ball (Have people forgotten the Super Rugby Semi vs the Sharks), he is prone to rash decisions (Currie Cup Final) and far too often is dominated in the tackle. I’m not saying he’s a bad player, hell I enjoy him as a player and as my mate said on Saturday: “sign him up for 10 more years” after he made what was a brilliant try-saving (and match-winning) tackle on Ludik and then McLeod, but he is not Springbok material.

As I have said, Kirchner isn’t the flashiest, but he is solid under the high-ball, has good positional play, dominant on defence, has a large boot, runs hard and finishes & supplies tries, so he is hardly a bad option as Springbok Fullback. He is not brilliant, or likely to light up a Test match, but he is solid and dependable and was definitely one of our best performers against England in June. However a player like Ludik may feel justifiably aggrieved at not being selected for the End of Year Tour after an incredible Currie Cup, but Kirchner has hardly done anything to warrant his own omission.

Kirchner is just one example of a player doing his utmost best, performing solidly and yet getting singled out for abuse. I’m not a Kirchner fan, I believe there are better Fullbacks in South Africa, but I certainly don’t begrudge him his place in the team as he’s hardly the reason we have been performing as averagely as we have.

Meyer has made some mistakes, (Jean at 13, Steyn at 10 for so long), but what is positive is that he seems to be learning from those mistakes and the Boks’ are improving. Hopefully he makes a couple more moves in the right direction (Lambie at 10) on the End of Year Tour that will leave South African supporters with renewed confidence heading in to the 2013 Test Rugby season. While they may have their faults, what South African fans do possess as a strength, is their incredible passion for the Springboks and long may that continue.

Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 12 years

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End of Year Tour - Lambie must play 10

The fly half conundrum for the End of Year Tour is currently South African sports fans’ greatest debate. Up until two weeks ago I was firmly on the Jantjies bandwagon as far as the Bok 10 jumper was concerned. With Goosen injured, Steyn a shadow of his old self and Grant clearly not an option, Jantjies seemed the logical choice. But up stepped the wonderfully talented Lambie to knock down the door and change my mind. Two Man of the Match performances in two weeks, one against Steyn and his Springbok laden Bulls side, speaks volumes about the guy. All this considering he had played at most 40 minutes of rugby since Super Rugby ended before those two brilliant performances.

The Northern Hemisphere is a different prospect altogether, but he has shown he has the mental strength to handle the pressures of performing when it matters. That same mental strength will be vital in directing a Springbok back-line likely to feature numerous youngsters after the injuries that have hit the team. He also has all the skills to succeed on the End of Year Tour; he can kick, pass and attack the line and best of all he showed on Saturday against the Bulls that he can do it when it’s wet and chances are that wet it will be in one if not all of the End of Year Tour games.

Lambie may not be the future Bok 10 as I think Goosen is just too good and therefore is the future Bok flyhalf. Which may mean Lambie has to re-invent himself, perhaps at 12, as he is too good to leave out of a Bok 15 but for the End of Year Tour Heyneke should look no further than the Sharks pivot to direct the Springboks in what will be 3 tricky test matches.

Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 12 years

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Rugby World Cup 2015 - Our Time

At the risk of thinking too far in the future and making some controversial calls, here goes: It’s the World Cup Final 2015, The All Blacks vs. The Springboks at Twickenham, the two best teams on the planet clash for the most coveted trophy in world rugby. The Springbok line-up reads: 1. Beast, 2. Du Plessis, 3. Oosthuizen, 4. Etzebeth, 5. Bekker, 6. Louw, 7. Burger ©, 8. Vermeulen, 9. Hougaard, 10. Goosen, 11. Habana, 12. Steyn, 13. Taute, 14. Pieterson, 15. Lambie.

If for a minute, after reading that line-up, you think that the Boks are finishing that final as runners-up I am deeply concerned. It may not be the best team in your opinion or even others opinions but there is enough talent, commitment and experience in that 15 to dominate any line-up they may face. Add to that the bench of eight (assuming sanity prevails and International Rugby goes the way of the Varsity Cup where you are allowed another prop as player 23 to prevent uncontested scrums) and there should be an air of confidence throughout South Africa.

I admit that the line-up is open to scrutiny: who knows if Habana will still be producing at 32 or if Bekker, Burger and Oosthuizen can stay injury free long enough to build momentum in their respective positions, but to me, if those 15 players can stay injury free and in some sort of form, they’d be near on unbeatable. Hougaard also may not be first choice now, but Fourie Du Preez said he would be a great (and I personally believe him) and while all the potential is there he needs to play solely as a scrumhalf in 2013 and 2014 to re-acquire the subtleties of his position again. If he doesn’t however, there are two more than capable enough candidates in Reinach and Groom who are destined to wear the Green & Gold in the future and may do so sooner than anticipated.

I say this team will be near unbeatable, but if they’re slapped together the year before the World Cup after numerous spells in and out of the team, then that will not be the case. This is because combinations and communication at that level take time especially as they are all playing for different provinces in the weeks leading up to the Test Match windows. However, if each of them plays 80% of Test Matches between now and the start of the World Cup, which allows for non-inclusion in approximately 8 test matches due to injury or dips in form, then they will have an average of 55 caps per player and an average age of 28. They say you can’t buy experience and that’s true, but you sure as hell can build it. Jake White did it when he took over and we all know where that got him (the World Cup Winners Medal, not the farce that followed).

The team I selected above may not all make it to the World Cup in 2015, but neither did the entire squad Jake selected in 2004, but the core will still be there come the World Cup and it will be a good idea for Heyneke to be aware of this. Bringing in players such as Goosen, Jantjies, Jordaan, Serfontein, Kitshoff, Kolisi and Malherbe now may cost him a few close games in the near future (it may also win him a few with moments of brilliance), but come 2015 they will be experienced enough and ready to perform when required at the World Cup.

Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 12 years

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U/20 World Cup - Where to from here

Congratulations must go to the entire SA u/20 squad and management team for producing an incredible display at the recent U/20 World Championship. Against the odds after the defeat to Ireland in round 1 they rallied together to produce fantastic performances against Italy, England, Argentina and New Zealand to win the title. However, in this tournament, it was obvious to see that the Northern Hemisphere are quickly becoming incredibly potent opposition, more so than before. England beat us in last years championship to knock us out, while Wales beat NZ this year and France beat Australia (twice). One reason for this could be that the Northern Hemisphere have much more professional junior systems, where players are linked to a club as well as their school from a very young age and receive professional training, nutritional advice and guidance. I however don't agree there, because in SA we have junior provincial weeks which exposes players to more professional set-ups (admittedly often biased set-ups where more deserving players are excluded, but that is another day's argument) and competition against other provinces. Where I feel we lack is in the preparation for the Junior World Cups. The Northern Hemisphere has an u/20 6 Nations which is closely competitive and hard fought, providing the perfect introduction to the level of competition they'll experience. The schedule of Northern Hemisphere rugby allows for this competition to be perfectly timed, just before the u/20 World Cup. We, however, are limited to warm up matches such as our 3 against Argentina this year. However many of the players who were involved in that series did not make the final cut and that lack of cohesion showed against Ireland in the 1st game. Is it not a good idea to have and U/19 Tri-nations or U/19 Rugby Championship as it is now, that runs parallel to the Senior one where U/19 players of promise can get game time together in preparation of being U/20 the following year and representing SA at the U/20 World Cup? I can see certain hurdles but at 19 very few are playing senior Currie Cup Rugby and the players should be mainly from the big unions, so it will allow a more competitive all round u/19 Currie Cup as well. Just a thought. Ed Gregory

This letter appeared in SARugby Magazine as the winning e-mail for the September 2012 issue

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fullbacksview · 12 years

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WP fulfil their potential.

One performance, even if as commanding as Saturday's was, is not reason enough to suddenly celebrate. Yes enjoy the win and the thumping WP gave to the Bulls, but don't get carried away. This is the first time since sometime in last year’s Currie Cup where WP or The Stormers have scored 4 tries. Credit must be given though for breaking their duck against, on paper, an impressive Bulls team.

I feel for Duvenhage as you never like to see serious injuries, but when Nic Groom came on there was an important comment made by Hanyani Shimange. He said something along the lines of “I feel sorry for Duvenhage but this gives Nic Groom the opportunity to play 70 minutes and prove to the coaches he deserves to be playing and there is one thing about Nic and that is he usually takes those opportunities.”. Oh how correct Shimange would be, WP transformed into an attacking force with his introduction, he was not the only reason but certainly a massive influence.

As can be seen by the last article written after the Super 15 semi-final, I have been calling for this change to be made for a while now. Groom came on and suddenly the service was crisp, the defenders around the ruck were kept guessing and WP’s backline had direction and space to exploit. Even watching on TV you can constantly hear Groom through the referee’s microphone talking to his players telling them where to go, when to get out of the way. His defensive organisation is also un-paralleled amongst South African scrumhalves having watched an incredible amount of rugby, including all WP’s Vodacom Cup games in which he often starred. His kicking game is flawed, not in idea as can be seen by the intention of his kicks but in execution. Kicking is however something that can be learned through practice and repetition. Nic is one of those players always willing to work on his game so I can’t see him not putting in the necessary hours.

Groom cannot alone be congratulated for the win, as this was truly a team effort. Deon Fourie looks galvinised at flank and is truly playing some incredible rugby at present. There were several people who deserved mentions after that performance with De Kock Steenkamp (not a player I enjoy) and Don Armand deserving praise for the way they bossed the line-outs and fronted up physically to the Bulls. While Elstadt had arguably his best performance in well over a year, gone were the multitude of penalties, the cynical play and back was the hard hitting, no-nonsense player that Stormers fans of last year worshipped.

Ntubeni was man-of-the-match in his first start at Newlands and really impressed me, having played against him at school level several times it was always clear he had the talent and ability to go all the way however the move from eighthman at u/15 level to hooker in u/16 when he was beginning to be on the short side of loose-forwards seems to have worked wonders. He is powerful in his running and scrumming, while still having not lost any of his skills from his days as a loose-forward and it is no surprise to see why WP rate him so highly.

In the backline they all played their part in the win but in Marcel Brache and JP Du Plessis they have two centres’s perfectly suited to modern day rugby. Give me a 80kg centre with a great pass, a step and vision and you can have your 95kg/100kg battering ram every day. Brache has that special quality of time on the ball where he almost always knows which is the right pass to make and just seems to open up space for those around him. Just ask JP Du Plessis how much he likes playing outside of him and I’m sure you’ll be hearing him wax lyrical. While he may be all creativity and smoothness on attack on defence he doesn’t hold back. JP Du Plessis had his best day in a WP jersey yet and there is more to come, his talent has never been in doubt but on Saturday he showed exactly why the Roosters were so keen to sign him. He has great feet, a great offload and is a very powerful runner. He capped off an excellent performance with a try, handing off Springbok JJ Engelbrecht in the process, to add to the one he created for Brache.

This WP team had an average age of just 23 years, yet they played clever rugby and were very well lead by Fourie and Brache. There is a saying that has becoming increasingly popular “let the boys play” and on Saturday it seemed like just that, the players oozed confidence and rewarded Allister Coetzee with a performance that will leave him wondering if he does in fact want all his Springboks back for the closing stages.

Ed Gregory

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fullbacksview · 12 years

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Lessons Learned

Jean De Villiers, in an open letter to the fans, recently wrote that there were a few tweaks that needed to be made to the Stormers game plan if they were to continue their improvement and compete in next years Super Rugby Final. He may not have said it, but we are all aware that he was alluding to the lack of tries scored by his Stormers team and most importantly his star-studded back-line. As often as he, Allister Coetzee and the rest of the management and playing squad stated that they were not worried by the lack of tries it clearly was on their minds.

The Stormers defence was consistently praised, and rightly so, as Nienaber has turned their line into the most impenetrable in the competition. But as was seen in both losses to the Sharks and the one to the Crusaders, when that line was breached and they faced a healthy deficit, they lacked the ability to score the tries needed to bridge the gap. Yes very strong comebacks were staged in both losses to the Sharks, but in Durban Gio Aplon's try was scored off arguably the most forward pass given in this years competition. In Cape Town for the Semi-Final the fatigue of traveling from Durban to Brisbane and back to the Mother City was apparent for all to see in the last 20 minutes, which of course is the reason Plumtree turned to his bench rather early, to combat that exact issue.

Hopefully the most important point gained from the Sharks game was that the issue is not with a misfiring back-line, but a misdirected scrumhalf. There has been a lot of public support for Duvenhage to be included in the next Springbok squad but I am still oblivious to the justifications of that argument. It is clear Dewaldt is Coetzee's preferred option, but one only has to look at the transformation the Stormers had once Schreuder replaced him to question this faith. With him, Schreuder brought snappy service, a powerful pass and a much better directed boot. To his credit, Duvenhage does possess a very educated left boot and it unfortunately just deserted him in the game where it was probably needed most.

My qualms are not with Dewaldt's kicking but rather his inability to give flat, crisp passes to Peter Grant. WP have arguably two of the best passers of a rugby ball in South Africa on their books in Nic Groom and Luis Schreuder, yet they continue with Duvenhage, who has very much stagnated. Duvenhage has been very good for the Stormers, even covering flyhalf last season when their ranks were heavily depleted by injury. Professional rugby is however about winning and in order to breathe new life into this Stormers team I believe a scrumhalf with better service is needed. It is for Allister Coetzee to do what he did with Duvenhage a few years ago and put his faith in the youth, namely Groom and Schreuder.

Schreuder is clearly the preferred back-up option by Coetzee, however this may have suited Groom perfectly because although I'm sure he would have greatly enjoyed being involved in the Super 15, he instead Captained and Vice-Captained WP to their first piece of senior rugby silverware in quite some time. Groom will have definitely benefited from the regular game time and hopefully he is given a chance to build on that in this year's Currie Cup.

From what I have heard Duvenhage is a determined and hardworking player and he may yet be the best option The Stormers have. At the moment however he does not seem to have any challenger for his place as he plays 80 minutes each week and has maybe become "comfortable" knowing how much Allister favours him. Give Schreuder and Groom opportunities in the Currie Cup as they will surprise a lot of people with their performances and perhaps this will drive Duvenhage to correct the faults and improve his pass. That then will once again lead to a healthy situation in WP rugby where three quality scrumhalves are all equally likely to start each week and it is up to them to perform in order to keep their place.

Ed Gregory

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