TRUTH BE TOLD

The 22yr old Goose stepping Giant stepped out against the Griquas over the weekend with the #3 on his back. 

I remember first seeing Coenie in action against the Bulls in the Currie Cup, coming from the bench, The Bulls had the game firmly in their control and Coenie wasn’t too happy about it, he couldn’t do much about the scoreline, and probably out of frustration or in an attempt to salvage some pride, he pushed a few of the players around, clearly trying to start a fight, he may have been younger than 20 at the time, and fittingly seemed very immature(depsite his near 130kg frame) 

I wasn’t a fan at the time, through his behavior he didn’t exactly portray himself as a likable guy. After that game, I didn’t see much of him, I’m not sure at who’s expense he finally got promoted to the starting line-up but his first “full” season saw him become a fan favourite, as everyone loves a try scoring prop.

Coenie sure loves playing against the Griquas

2010 Coenie did the unthinkable when he scored a hat-trick against the Griquas, doing so proving to the rugby world that he should be added to the list of top class ball carrying loosehead props. After the successful 2010 Currie Cup, Coenie, his captain Adriaan Strauss and WP Nel established themselves as one of the top frontrow units in the Super15. Coenie personally also performed out of his skin, he outplayed the form openside flankers in the competition with 15 pilfers to his name for the season(closest to him was David Pocock(12) and Matt Todd(10) ) – Here’s a post on it

This weekend, I’ll first admit, I didn’t watch the whole game, I only tuned in at about half time, So I won’t be commenting on Coenie’s game , I know Wikipedia states Coenie can play both sides of the scrum, but to be honest , I’ve never seen Coenie in the nr3 jersey. I know in the scrums I saw, from watching the second half, and having watched the highlights, that Coenie was by no means a dominant force in the scrum, he actually struggled a bit, which was almost expected, as I’ve heard he last played tight head at school? (seeing that I’ve never seen him play tight head, I’ll accept that this is indeed true)  

Coenie’s still a work in progress, but probably very high up on our list of bright prospects. 

The value of a versatile prop(being able to play on both sides of the scrum) on the bench or in the starting line-up has recently again been confirmed with our national team opting for a 5/2 split on the bench, as a versatile first choice prop is certainly a better option than having three frontrow replacements on the bench. 

Some have been quite disappointed with the selection of CJ van der Linde in recent times, although most understand the value that his versatility brings, With Beast and Jannie perhaps being available for the Springboks for another couple of seasons, Coenie may be the ideal replacement for CJ, nothing says impact quite like Coenie Osthuizen. 

Coenie is certainly one to watch… scoring hat-tricks, stealing opposition ball, goose stepping, tackling like crazy and now being able to play tight head…one can only wonder what other cards he might have up his sleeve.  

So on the 11th September,as Springbok supporters, our World Cup campaign officially gets underway when we meet Wales in Wellington. 

I read a post, There be Dragons by Labach tanai ,  On the Welsh, and more specifically their dangerous backline, I acknowledged most of what he said in that post while reading it, and couldn’t help but agree. 

Wales are now ranked 6th on the IRB rankings table, They’ve recently beaten 2007 WC finalists England, and semi finalists Argentina.

Wales however were extremely disappointing in the previous World Cup , failing to secure “their” 2nd place spot in a group completed by Australia , Fiji , Japan and some other minnow.  

The Dragons’ early exit has earned them a reputaion of being weak against Pacific teams, Ironically, in 2011 they’ve been drawn into a group containing both Fiji and Samoa. And The 2011 World Cup will definitely either confirm or rubbish this claim.  

I’m however not worried about the challenges that Wales will face, but our own challenges. We face Wales in our very first game, some of our players aren’t 100% match fit, and Wales are definitely on a high after recent performances. 

I’m asking the question that’s also coincidentally my heading because on the linked post, the Comments ranged from starnge to completely confusing. not to pin this on anyone in specific, but people laughed off the threat that Wales pose.

The Welsh backline will be packed with quality world class players. just picture this:

9.

Mike Phillips, the 1.91m 104kg giant Welsh Scrum half will certainly need to be watched around the fringes as he’s always dangerous on attack, specially close to the tryline. 

10.

James Hook’s distribution will surely get the dangerous Welsh backline going. his tactical kicking will also add to their cause. 

11.

Shane Willimas – Third on the all time test try scoring list, he’s one of the deadliest finishers to ever play the game. 

12.

Jamie Roberts has established himself as one of the leading centres in world rugby, at 1.94m tall, and weighing 107kg, he almost always gets the Welsh over the advantage line. 

13.

Jonathan Davies, Not sure if Davies is the favourite for the no13 jersey, but he’s been relatively effective alongside Roberts. 

14.

the 19 yr old George North has been a revelation since joining the national team, his 105kg frame will take some stopping 

15.

 Lee Byrne – Byrne has in his 40odd tests proven he is world class. and we might regret kicking possession away against this Welsh backline

- This Welsh backline may not be the exact one that runs out against us, but it won’t be very far from it. 

I’m not making the Welsh out to be Gods, not at all, but I do believe if we look at our World Cup campaign, and focus on our Group stage matches, purely going on IRB ranking, the Welsh are our biggest obstacle. And they seem to be an in form quality unit at the moment. one that should not be taken lightly. 

my message is clear, be wary of the Welsh, I would feel much more comfortable, if we enter the World Cup and forget about the fact that we’re the current World Champions, forget that we’re one of the only two teams that have won the World Cup twice. I would prefer if we enter the 2011 World Cup with the mindset that we have won nothing yet, that we have achieved nothing yet, we should approach the WC one game at a time, as every game is a must win game, not just the semi final against the All Blacks(a match that people are already talking about, a match that we could miss should we screw up against the Welsh and either Samoa or Fiji) 

We start our campaign off against the next best team in our group, and even winning this match comprehensively will not guarantee us a playoff spot. I want us to show our killer instinct, I want us to deliver the knockout blow to our opponenets when they find themselves on the ropes, but I certainly don’t want the players expecting a big win, getting complacent. 

I believe we can successfully defend the World Cup, but only if we remain humble, keep a level head, and give the opposition the respect they deserve. 

The term best describes the excess of players from a certain union all playing a certain position. 

the perfect example would be at the Sharks, where the brilliant Graig Burden was stuck behind John Smit and Bismarck throughout the Super15, and the biggest part of last year. 

Similarly has Juan de Jongh patiently been playing from the bench behind the Bok combination of Jean and Jaques. the situation worsened when Johann Sadie appeared on the scene, as many were tipping him to be the next big thing. This situation was sorted out, when the Bulls contracted young Sadie for the 2012 season.

Now I’m well aware that you need a bunch of players, as injuries, Bok Call-ups and competitions like the Vodacom cup simply demand it. I feel the situation or position can be defined “overcrowded” as soon as quality players, who are arguably already good enough to be starting for any of the other teams, aren’t getting necessary game time. 

It is however strange that in some cases, one union will have a sure shortage, while another is clearly struggling with depth. 

You might be wondering why I’m doing this post now, I was reminded of this issue when I saw the Sharks team announced for Saturday, The Sharks have had a surplus of quality loose forwards for some time now, the arrival of young Marcell Coetzee hasn’t really helped the situation, as for this weekend John Plumtree chose to stick with Coetzee in the blindside position, in the meantime, usual first choice Blindside Flanker Willem Alberts has been named in SA’s 30-man WC squad, while Jean Deysel missed out, and is named on the bench, Now I know Alberts when he returns is perfectly capable of playing 8th man, but with Ryan Kankowski there, and Keegan daniel(the current captain) likely to be named somewhere in the trio, whre will all these players play? Some may point to rotation, as the current Super rugby consists of simply too many minutes , and players will need rest at some stage or another, just remember Jacques Botes is also a loose forward contracted to the Sharks, I am not completely convinced that having a (recent)Springbok player on the bench is exactly fair or healthy for SA rugby. if you think about it, 3 of the 5 Super urgby teams could field complete Bok Trios, the Stormers also have two of their own Springboks Loose forwards, so in this case, distribution isn’t really an option, as Deysel, Alberts , Coetzee or Kanko would have no where except for the Lions to go to. 

This may just be an indication of how great our depth in this country is, but I’m not completely comfortable with it. 

Some of these Situations are created by stubburn selections(coaches sticking to a favourite player who isn’t necessarily better) or by coaches never entrusting the inexperienced younger option with a start , either way, one has to ask, why a player would persist at a club where he isn’t getting the recognition or game time he deserves, Chiliboy was a perfect example of this a few years ago at the Bulls, when he was stuck behind Bandise Maku and Gary Botha , being reduced to playing Vodacom Cup rugby , but staying put at  the Bulls none the less, and we all know what hapened when Chiliboy recieved regular game time in the Super15, he stepped up and proved he deserved his reputation and  spot, he’s now regarded as a very strong Hooker option, some would even say his season eclipsed that of Bismarck du Plessis. 

Some unions like the Lions and Cheetahs(locks) have struggled with quality forward depth in recent times, while the Sharks have had a shortage of quality centres. Somehow I think this being a professional era and all, talent should be better managed, as young talented players are now popping up everywhere. I’d be hesitant to keep a player at a union where you know he won’t be getting much game time, I can’t imagine what the Sharks will do with their surplus of Loose Forwards next year, in the Super15, as they’ll have top class players spending large amounts of time not playing. 

Looking at all the options available at the teams, one actually realises that it would be near impossible to give every talented player a place to play.  This makes the Currie Cup being reduced to 6 teams even more of a silly decision, as playing for one of the two smaller teams that will now drop out gave the players an opportunity to start regularly at Currie Cup level, some of these players moving to the smaller unions would not do anything to solve the problem of overcrowded positions at Super rugby level, but it may have resolved the same issue at Currie cup level as well as emphatically improving the samller team which may just have given a team like the Pumas the edge to turn their close losses into close wins , and become truly competitive against the so called Big Five.

Perhaps having the talent in SA beter spread across the  provinces is the only way of creating  a well contested and competeive Domestic Premier devision between all teams participating. 

I’m not exactly sure what Chabal’s wages currently are,  but it is no secret that Sebastien Chabal is widely regarded as the highest paid french rugby player ever,  I also do know in 2009 he earned 1.5m euros a year. which roughly translates to R15 million a year.

I read the Following article on Planetrugby.com:

Chabal, 33, said that he had accepted Lièvremont’s decision(to exclude him from the French WC squad) – which was the first of two blows to hit the player earlier this year as he received a 60-day ban later reduced on appeal for remarks he made in an interview in May in which he criticised Top 14 referees, calling them hopeless.

Chabal, who has one season left on his contract, said he was uncertain what the future holds.

“I don’t know at all. I don’t know if I’m going to continue or stop,” he said.

“I’m going to discuss it with my president, I’ll see what they want and I’ll decide when the moment comes.”

Taking into account that Chabal will be 35yrs old by the time his contract with Racing metro ends, that the Caveman will still probably be worth at least half of what he currently gets yearly and that some believe he’s more hype than anything else  , I just have one question..

Will anybody really be interested in signing the then 35yr old Frenchman? 

This try scored earlier in 2011 proves he isn’t exactly playing like an old man just yet. 

I have to admit, the inclusion of Francois Louw and Odwa Ndungane wasn’t exactly expected, even if Tank suggested Louw might be a surprise inclusion earlier Yesterday. But realistically both selections are perfectly warranted. 

I am not sure why I see people on the blogs and on Sport24 still questioning the squad selection. I think it was summed up best in a heading I saw this morning, “Boks bases beautifully Covered”, and I think that may have been the exact criteria for selection. Having a genuine backup in every position. People who are still questioning the exclusion of Ashley Johnson, Jean Deysel, Gerhard Mostert, Lwazi Mvovo or anyone else for that matter should realise these players are all either playing in a position that is alread filled or either a style that would leave us lacking cover for ceratin specialist positions. 

The Squad: 

1.Beast Mtawarira   –   Gurthro Steenkamp 

2.John Smit   –   Bismarck du Plessis   –   Chiliboy Ralepelle  

3.Jannie du Plessis   –   CJ van der Linde

4.Bakkies Botha   –   Danie Rossouw

5.Victor Matfield   –   Johann Muller 

6.Heinrich Brussow   –   Francois Louw 

7.Schalk Burger   –   Willem Alberts 

8.Pierre Spies 

9.Fourie du Preez   –   Francois Hougaard   -   Ruan Pienaar 

10.Morne Steyn   –   Butch James 

11.Bryan Habana   –   Odwa Ndungane 

12.Jean de Villiers 

13.Jacques Fourie   –   Juan de Jongh 

14.JP Pietersen   –   Gio Aplon 

15.Frans Steyn   –   Pat Lambie

* positions that aren’t covered by a specilaist back-up player marked in blue, while our versatile Substitutes are in grey. 

firstly let me just state that we were always going to take 3 Hookers and 3 Scrum halves. meaning technically we can only select cover for 13 of the positions(including SH and Hooker) in our case, we have no sole nr8(or blindside flank depending on where Alberts will specialise) or inside centre replacement. but in Alberts’ versatility he covers both Spies and Burger, should there be an injury to either, he’ll no doubt take over their starting position. 

in the backline, either Frans, Lambie, de Jongh, or Butch could slot into that vacant inside centre position(should Jean pick up an injury) 

Specially in the backline we are well covered due to versatility, Odwa is probably the only player who only covers one position, and technically Odwa, not due to being black, slowish or a Sharks player is still a strange inclusion, the reason for me saying this is, With Aplon covering the Wings, and Hougaard also used on the wing from the bench in our most recent games, just how necessary is having a 4th wing?

*(just by the way, I feel Odwa is a good 4th choice wing option being good under the high ball, and strong defensively(where Mvovo has struggled in the recent past) some may feel Mvovo is brilliant, but our gameplan won’t see him get a lot of ball, which would reduce him to defending for the bigger part of the games, taking that into account, although I feel for him, the right choice was made)

perhaps instead going for another Loose forward (either Jean Deysel or Ashley Johnson) to cover the Blindside Flank position would’ve been ideal, specially with Burger and Alberts both coming off injuries. Some also feel we are slightly light on the tight head side of the scrum, perhaps taking another tighthead may have been warranted? even another centre wouldn’t have been completely ridiculous. 

I see some are confused by Johann Muller’s selection, for me between Danie , Flip and Mostert we have 3 great replacements for Bakkies, and someone asked the question, what happens if Victor was to get injured(good question). having someone who is more of a specialist no5 lock just puts more emphasis on having our bases covered, I’m personally more relaxed knowing we have someone to replace Victor. Johann is also a tried and trusted option, having captained the Springboks before, his leadership and experience makes him a good option for the big occasion. 

In General I’m very happy with the Squad, I’m specially happy about the thought process that clearly went into selecting the squad, something that has been missing in previous seasons. I feel there’s absolutely no reason why we can’t successfully defend the World Cup. 

Congrats to Flouw , Odwa and the rest of the boys…go make us proud. 

1. Wyatt Crockett 

The Giant Wyatt Crockett has become known for his dominating scrums, scary big tackles, and strong ball carrying, he has established himself as a feared loose head, and as pointed out by Tank, many tight heads will breathe a sigh of relief by the giant omission of Crockett. NZ coach Graham Henry opted for the more experienced option of Tony Woodcock, and there is no doubt, as the tournament will be held in NZ that many local supporters will miss Crockett’s bruising play. 

2. Schalk Brits

Schalk Brits has been regarded as the best Hooker in the Northern Hemisphere arguably for two seasons now, many now make reference to Brits whenever describing a lively hooker, he has almost become a new generation of Hooker(much like he was when he was still at the Stormers). He has apparently Matured , and has a great rugby brain to go with his all round skills. Saracens coach Brendan Venter has called Brits, the best player he has ever coached. Brits has represented SA in a few tests, but has largely been overlooked, with local talent being deemed good enough.

Honorable mention: Matthew Rees

3. Brian Mujati

He has been called up by many Couch critics to replace Jannie and save the Bok scrum(not that the Bok scrum needed any saving on Saturday against the AB’s), but whether Eligible or not, he won’t be travelling to the WC. I haven’t seen much of him up North, but people say he has outscrummed most in Europe. Mujati has become a fan favourite, and would have been a brilliant option to have at the WC.

4. Chris Jack

The All blacks seem to have little need for the services of Jack, He returned to NZ after a short stint at WP, to get his NZ career back on track, he had more than enough time, and he was probably hoping to get back into WC contention, unfortunately for him, Sam Whitelock appeared on the scene, and since then, Jack has been seen on the Crusaders’ bench, he then had to make way for Luke Romano on the bench… Everything may have turned out different were he to sign with any other NZ side than the Crusaders, as a starting position was then almost a certainty, Jack may be past his prime, but he looked good when he did come on, He is 32, Matfield is 34 and Sharpe 33 , the other two big Southern Hemisphere teams held onto their old stalwards, unfortunately for the Jack fans, NZ didn’t.

5. Andries Bekker

The from lock in 2010, and very close to the form lock in 2011 , He has lived in the shadow of Victor Matfield, but would’ve been a sure WC squad member, until he was ruled out by inury. Bekker has been keeping Matfield on his toes for some time, transforming himself from a once one dimensional “light” lock, to an all round bruising physical player, who still has his trademark runs down the wing. he is also a very good line-out jumper, and at 2.08m tall, has very few equals in teh air. 

6. Martym Williams 

Williams may not be that “good” anymore, specially at his age, but he’s a figure that motivates and inspires on the field. unfortunately, he was denied the opportunity to play his 100th test match(currently on 99) or to play in his 4th World Cup, a long successful career perhaps came to an end. 

7. Juan Smith

He ruled himself out of WC contention after announcing he will not be recovred in time for  selection. Many have questioned the use of Danie Rossouw on the side of the scrum in the Tri Nations 2011, but De Villiers pointed out that if Smith isn’t fit in time, Danie is his second choice blindsider, (I personnally don’t agree with this) Hopefully fellow flanker Schalk Burger recovers fully and makes the blindside position his own, as we’ve leaarned Danie is not the option. Juan played a huge part in the Springboks’ 2007 World Cup victory. 

Honorable mention: Joe Worsley 

8. Sebastien Chabal

Chabal is world wide known for his cave man look, he is also coincidently a very hard man on the field, very quick for his size, a scary defender and ball carrier. Chabal is a fan favbourite, he has represented France mainly from the bench though, in resent times, covering lock , 8th man and flank, He is said to be one of the most expensive players in Europe. At test level, he has in my opinion never really lived up to the hype(if it was ever possible) he wasn’t really given a starting position consistently enough to make his mark the way he would’ve liked, Some say his exclusion isn’t based on rugby reasons, and that would make sense as Chabal’s explosive play makes him just too valuable to discard.

Honorable mention: Thomas Waldrom 

9. Sarel Pretosius

Sarel scored 9 tries in this year’s Super15, he has been poached by Australian side, the Waratahs in the meantime, (after not being included in South-Africa’s WC plans) Sarel has been very good on attack, and less so on defence. His direct approach has been at the heart of the Cheetahs’ success this year. he was known as Super-Sarel after his explosive season. A player who would add value to any WC squad in the world.

10. Matt Giteau

Matt Giteau was officially excluded when Robbie Deans announced his final 30-man WC squad.. The Aussies have great versatility in their backline players, and have multiple options, Deans however prefered Berrick Barnes for the backuup FH position, a decision that may just come back to haunt him should Australia fail to reach the final(as I feel anyhting less would be seen as a failure)  

11. Hosea Gear

I can just imagine the NZ supporters aren’t extremely happy about the omission of Gear. Hosea is one of the deadliest finishers in the world. he, with his limited starting opportunities, has a very good conversion rate, and has scored tries in most matches he has started. Gear being a local boy will surely be missed in NZ, should NZ fail to win the WC, this omission amongst others will be questioned.

Honorable mention: David Smith

12. Yannick Jauzion

With the French known to blow hot and cold, their “star” Centre has also followed suit. He scored a try in France’s historic WC win over NZ in 2007, he is a very good direct centre. He has been in good form in recent years, although I have no idea on his current form, his 73 national caps worth of experience makes him another strange omission.

few quality centres have been omitted 

13. Mathieu Bastareaud

The 22-year old 112kg Bastareaud has only a couple of caps to his name, he was however the talk of the town after scoring two tries on debut against Scotland. but he hasn’t been without controversy, as he returned early from a tour to NZ after sustaining facial injuries, claiming to have been attacked , police inversigation later confimed there was no attack, Bastareaud then admitted he was drunk and a fall caused the injuries, and that he made the story yp in order to avoid getting trouble from the coaching staff. He’s fallen out of favour in the meantime, a very strong running outisde centre. and If this was actually fielded , I like the French combination in midfield. 

14. Sitiveni Sivivatu

I rate Sivivatu very high, he is a pacy winger who is also very strong on his feet. NZ coach Graham Henry however prefers to play wingers with a good kiking boot, and who are better suited under the high ball. traditional wingers like Lelia Masaga and Rene Ranger have also missed out as a result.  

15. Gavin Henson

Henson, the Welsh superstar whho has never played a single World Cup game. Gavin Henson is a very solid player, even on a bad day, he’s a very strong defender, has a good kicking boot. I know Henson is nowhere near he’s best currently, but an on form Henson would be a very good option at Fullback or inside centre. Not too long ago, it actually sounded as if Wales management were considerring including Henson, but it seems Henson will miss another World Cup, he has parted from rugby for almost two years, and one can only wonder what Henson’s career would’ve delivered had he not become famous for all the wrong reasons. 

Honorable mentions: Luke Fitzgerald , Hugo Southwell

I’ve picked some players purely because I like their style of play, and would’ve nejoyed seeing them at the 2011 World Cup, however, with most squads recently announced, there have been quite a few arguably nig omissions, I’d like to hear any suggestions on players who you think should make the team, and why. 

I think if this team was included into the World Cup, (surely we could scrape together a bench, or even complete a 30-man squad) they would give quite a few teams a real run for their money. 

Not too long ago, in South-Africa, we seriously lacked depth in the Fly Half position, so much so, that Ruan Pienaar, Frans Steyn, Earl Rose and Meyer Bosman were all converted into Fly Halves,  and considered as the national team’s pivot…Luckily, not too long thereafter Morne Steyn appeared on the scene(for the Springboks) and made the position his own with his reliable kicking. This however didn’t change the fact that as far as depth was considered in the position, we were nowhere. 

Since end-of-year 2010 we discovered two bright young talents in Elton Jantjies and Pat Lambie, Both went along on our EOY tour, and as a result, Pat Lambie is now seen to have an almost certain World Cup spot. Elton is probably next in line, and has since then made the Lions’ #10 jersey his own.(playing some brilliant rugby in the process) 

The Sharks have in Lambie the top young Fly Half, why the Lions aren’t very far behind with Elton Jantjies, The Cheetahs joined the party this year when they promoted young Sias Ebersohn to the starting line-up of their Super15 side, he stood up against the best that the Southern Hemisphere has to offer, and has won over many with his strong attacking rugby and accurate kicking. 

The Currie Cup started, and due to a string of injuries at Western Province and another stint for Peter Grant in Japan another young prospect, Demetri Catrakilis was given a starting opportunity, the WP Coach stated that Catrakilis is the most accurate kicker contracted to the union(a big statement). On the field however the young man confirmed what Coetzee was claiming, after a hand full of starts his kicking success percentage is above 85. 

I watched the Lions vs WP game over the weekend and was treated to a great FH battle, as Elton and Demetri exchanged kicks that saw the lead change hands numerous times. Demetri kicked a Drop goal, a conversion and six penalties and missed none on the night, while Elton kicked 2 conversions, 3 penalties and a drop goal, he however missed the final 50m plus win stealing penalty after the final whistle to end the tug of war spectacle. 

Not sure if any of you noticed, but this effectively means that every one of the 5 big teams except the Bulls are in possession of a young talented Fly Half(Something that can only be good for SA rugby). How fitting then that the Bulls also joined the party over the weekend when young Louis Fouche(who kicked the match winning Drop Goal against the Pumas) was rewarded with his first start. I doubt Francois Brummer will be starting anytime soon, as Fouche took full advantage of the opportunity given to him and the Gqiguas’ poor defence by scoring a try, kicking 4 conversions and two penalties. 

With a young option at each of the Super rugby teams, getting regular gametime during the 2011 Currie Cup, the future sure does look bright. besides these options named above, Johan Goosen(tipped to be a future Bok Fly half) has been getting gametime in this Currie Cup, and although I haven’t seen much of him, I did watch about ten minutes of him against the Pumas on Saturday, and he did look like a good creative, running FH, taking into account all the noise being made about him is actually about his kicking, he does seem to be the complete  package. 

Players like Burton Francis, Francois Brummer, Lionel Cronje, Gary van Aswegen, ect are all still young and have all been playing either Super rugby or Currie Cup rugby with some success. 

I predict post WC we will be really spoilt for choice, as quality young Fly Halves seem to pop up everywhere, I know these players are most still far away from being an option for the National team, but after a solid season of Currie Cup rugby and Super rugby behind their backs, the only thing standing between them and the Green and Gold will be getting THAT call-up.  

The Springboks vs All Blacks: 

I’ve read quite a few views on the game, and personally, I felt we dominated up front, we kept the AB’s under pressure, we were on their tryline, but in true AB fashion they spoiled our ball, and as a result got penalized, we took the points. People seem to be complaining about us not scoring a try, I feel we took the right approach, the AB’s in comparison without a quality kicker had all their emphasis on scoring tries, and look where they ended up on the scoreboard? I feel we played to our strengths. 

We struggled a bit on defence, and some may feel the AB’s broke our defensive line too easy, I personally agree to some extent, as much as this was a second string AB team,  Hosea Gear, Isaia Toeava, Israel Dagg, Sonny Bill Williams, etc. are all game breakers, and I don’t think anyone who knows how dangerous these players are expected anything less than a couple of line breaks. 

Fourie du Preez had a very average game for me, he is obviously still rusty, and gametime is the only thing that’ll get him back to his best. (same can be said of Willem Alberts) Some seem to feel Jean de Villiers was also weak, I personally feel he improved from the previous week, and he held onto the ball much less, which is exactly what I wanted. 

Brussow was outstanding, Habana was brilliant, Morne was his old self and Bismarck was strong. I however don’t see what people are on about re Smit/Bismarck. I think we all( the realists among us) always knew the experienced options will be first choice at the WC. Fourie was always going to start ahead of Hougaard, Smit ahead of Bismarck, Victor ahead of Bekker, Jean ahead of de Jongh, Frans Ahead of Alon, Morne or Butch ahead of Lambie….I thought this was common knowledge? I know Bismarck looked pissed off about being subbed, but how the fuck can the assumption that he was indeed unhappy about being subbed by “a much weaker option” in Smit, now be seen as fact?? surely he could’ve been enjoying the physical game and just wasn’t ready to go off yet, perhaps he expected a moved to the side of the scrum when Smit came on(in the place of either Brussow, Spies or Alberts), perhaps MU has a point, perhaps he was disappointed with his performance, although good on the ground and in defence, he struggled to breach the defensive line, carry after carry being held up or pushed back(Think about it, he coud’ve been even better, much better, this is “the best Hooker in the world” we’re referring to),Hell! he could’ve been constipated ? 

I believe we South-African fans are unbelievably fickle, even after a win we can’t celebrate without singling out someone who has to be dropped, replaced or left at home. Sometimes like Spoiled little children, nothing is ever good enough, tantrums and demands thrown left and right…fuck the medal, Peter de Villiers deserves a trophy…and hopefully the William Webb Ellis Trophy will be reward for 4 years of criticism he took basically without any complains. 

I just read the following article on our own Sport24. 

Pool A of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, also known as “a joke” will be contested by the Hosts New Zealand, France, and three teams(Japan, Tonga and Canada) who can’t even get regular matches against top test playing nations. “for the past four years Tonga has relied largely on matches against second tier nations”

Pool A

Now Ironically the linked article is one where All Black and World Cup Legend Jonah Lomu gives his opinion on Tonga’s chances in “the Group of life”(Group A) , And apparently he feels that it’s not beyond the Tongans to win three group stage matches, saying, “A lot of players are getting that experience and they’re going across to Europe and learning, refining their art and bringing it back and sharing it with the locals. It showed in the last World Cup and it’s going to show again at this(World Cup) because it’s going to be even more passionate for them because New Zealand is basically home for them because they have a lot of family there.”

Some may agree with Lomu, as one never really knows which French team will pitch, and Canada and Japan, on face value, appear to be easy wins. But against popular belief, Tonga are actually the lowest ranked team in pool A, (according to current IRB ranking) ranked 15th behind both Canada(14) and Japan(13) . I know this ranking doesn’t win you matches, and specially with the rankings so close to each other, it would give an indication that the three teams will be evenly matched on the field. 

Canada may not have played a lot of rugby against Tonga in recent times , and the presumably bigger and more physical Islanders may have an edge as, as pointed out by Lomu, NZ is like a second home to most of their players. However, for them to make it through to the Knockout stages, besides an upset against France they will need to cause another upset. Tonga will also face this year’s Pacific Nations Cup winners, Japan in the group stages, Japan, coached by NZ legend John Kirwan will also be looking to cause a few surprises, and will look to repeat their Pacific cup heroics, when they beat Tonga 27-28 in the Final game to clinch the Cup. 

One thing that is a certainty, starting off against the All Blacks won’t do Tonga’s confidence or momentum any good…unless they win of course…

Finau Maku 

For me, the fact that a team ranked 15th on the IRB rankings are given a realistic chance (prior to the start of the Tournament) of finishing second in their group is just an indication of how Easy the All Blacks’ run in to the Quarter-finals will be. 

If any of you are wondering which final 30-man WC squads have been announced, and what they look like. follow this link. 

I have pasted below an extract from the page you can visit by clicking on the provided link. I have just used Argentina(below) as an example. The format looks a little oversized on here, but it’s much better on the original site. 

It provides you with the team, and world ranking

- the 30 players arranged according to their positions

- a Possible starting 15 (in bold)(obviously just based on opinion)

- Each players: date of Birth, age , Current club which he represents , when he made his debut,

his total test caps, test tries, test points  and it states in which of the previous World Cups he participated, if any. 

Player names that are shown in different colours I believe are the captain, and possibly Vice captain or key players. 

I believe the deadline for the final squads aren’t too far away(22 August) and as the teams are completed they are updated. 

I think it makes for interesting reading, so I thought I’d share it. 

The All Blacks have announced their “B” team for their Tri Nations encounter against the Springboks. 

It seems they have gone for “heavy mobile” backline players.  Isaia “Ice Man” Toeava/wing(100kg), Hosea gear/wing(100kg), Richard Kahui/centre (102kg), Sonny Bill Williams/centre(108kg) 

Now these weights may not be anything spectacular, but guys like Hosea Gear and Israel Dagg are some of the more dangerous attacking players in World Rugby , Gear has probably been the best finisher in NZ over the past two or three years. He is also in good form. I was shocked to read Toeava weighs just 100kg, as he is known for his strong powerful runs.  

Rustiness may be a bit of an issue for the AB’s, as Dagg and Toeava are both returning from injury, while Kahui is also returning to the AB jersey after spending some time injured. 

New Zealand:
15 Israel Dagg, 14 Isaia Toeava, 13 Richard Kahui, 12 Sonny Bill Williams, 11 Hosea Gear, 10 Colin Slade, 9 Jimmy Cowan, 8 Liam Messam, 7 Adam Thomson, 6 Jerome Kaino, 5 Ali Williams, 4 Samuel Whitelock, 3 John Afoa, 2 Keven Mealamu (captain), 1 Tony Woodcock

Substitutes: 16 Andrew Hore, 17 Ben Franks, 18 Jarrad Hoeata, 19 Victor Vito, 20 Andy Ellis, 21 Piri Weepu, 22 Cory Jane

A very mobile pack has also been selected, with Whitelock, Thomson , Messam , and Victor Vito on the bench. 

Fitness will be an issue for both sides to some extent, and if this match was played at altitude , we may have had a slight edge, as both teams would’ve been tiring closer to the end of the game, however, I expect the All Blacks will try to play their usual expansive game, Colin Salde at FH has come across as an out and out running pivot, and we may just spend the bigger part of the game defending, however, we may have an edge at the breakdowns, where Brussow and big Willem Alberts will probably play a relatively tighter game than their opposition on the day. 

We will need to be defensively sound, and first time tackles will be key. if we are to implement the kick and chase tactics, both the kick and the chase needs to be well executed. I would’ve liked to see Butch at FH, if our backline got some ball to run with, the new centre and back three combinations of the All Blacks may have been tested. Quite a few people have called SBW an average defender, and although he’s brilliant on the attack, I think he hasn’t experienced being on the back foot and under real pressure enough to properly test his character. 

Prediction : Springboks by 9

The Aussies have apparently announced their 30-man WC squad, the final squads being announced just reminds us how close we are to the start of the World Cup, and unless we plan a warm-up match, this weekend will be the last chance for the fringe players to stake their claim on a WC spot. I know de Villiers will most likely wait until after our final Tri Nations match to announce his squad, but I’d like to select a squad of my own, and compare how much it differs from the real McCoy.(when it gets announced)

I have selected it in team format, instead of alphabetical order, simply because it’s much easier to keep track of the players and positions that way. (taking into account Juan won’t be part of the squad) 

My 30-man final World Cup squad. 

1.Beast Mtawarira 

2.John Smit(c)

3.Jannie du Plessis 

4.Bakkies Botha

5.Victor Matfield

6.Heinrich Brussow

7.Schalk Burger

8.Pierre Spies

9.Fourie du Preez 

10.Butch James

11.Bryan Habana

12.Jean de Villiers

13.Jaques Fourie

14.JP Pietersen

15.Frans Steyn

16.Bismarck du Plessis

17.CJ van der Linde

18.Danie Rossouw

19.Willem Alberts

20.Francois Hougaard

21.Morne Steyn 

22.Juan de Jongh 

23.Chiliboy Ralepelle 

24.Gurthro Steenkamp 

25.Gerhard Mostert 

26.Jean Deysel  

27.Ruan Pienaar

28.Lwazi Mvovo

29.Pat Lambie

30.Gio Aplon