Another Promising Youngster at Province
December 2, 2011 in Uncategorized
I present to you JP du Plessis
I was in talks with Baylion when he told me that JP du Plessis was back at WP. Some of you will remember JP from last year’s Super15, where he was strangely signed by new Australian team, the Melbourne Rebels. He was 19 at the time, and he didn’t get much gametime in his first season, playing in only their pre season games(I believe). He was signed as a winger, although he played most of his non-professional rugby at centre(either inside or outisde). Currently at 20yrs Old, he is back in Cape Town and was part of WP U-21 side, 2012 will most likely see him pushing for a spot in the Super rugby squad.
JP is a strong running, stepping centre, but I guess like most strong running centres are, he’s a little on the selfish side, which may have led to his move to the wing. Many tipped him as a definite future Springbok after his SA U-18 performances.
Here’s a look at what he does on the rugby field.
There has been quite a bit of talk this morning about WP management, and players that have come and gone. I feel the time has come for WP & Stormers management to show some faith in the youngsters available, personally I’m not in favor of bringing back either Grant or Fourie. I also doubt signing older players for the sake of experience is the way forward. We’ve seen a bit of Timo Swiel recently, and many felt this kid is a sure future star, I was rightfully reminded he’s only 18 though, and Super rugby is a huge step-up. I however feel players like Pat Lambie and Jaco Taute in recent times have confirmed that there is no age restriction on readiness, they proved the old saying of if you’re good enough your old enough true.
I feel with limted experienced cover at centre, wing, Fly half, fullback and Scrum half at the Stormers, management should finally decide whether we in fact have a tendency to sign “has-beens” or whether we’ll for once leave the conservativeness at home and give opportunity to the deserving young talent we have in such abundance in the mother city.
The fact that the Rebels were willing to invest in JP du Plessis and have him in their Super rugby squad is evidence enough to convince me he’s a real prospect. JP spent some time at Australian league team the Sydney Roosters before signing with the Rebels. His time in Australia will have given him valuable experience.
Will the long 2012 season see youngsters such as Nizaam Carr, Siya Kolisi, Eben Etzebeth, Timo Swiel, Steven Kitshoff, Demetri Catrakilis, Gary van Aswegen, Nick Groom and JP du Plessis finally get some deserved game time or will we also see these talented youngsters departing after another frustrating season of watching the action from the stands?
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Randy85 said on December 2, 2011
Lemme tell you your dilemma.
WP will give him some spotlight to shine…..and pooooffff Rob Wagner sells him to the Bulls
hanjooveres said on December 2, 2011
He seems good, not sure why the Rebels didn’t use him, they’re usual starters weren’t exactly firing.
lmyburgh said on December 2, 2011
yes, I remember he was signed by the Sydney Roosters (league team) after they saw him in the Craven week, so he left for Sydney straight after school to play league.
GertBloues said on December 2, 2011
In the end, the best comparison will be if somehow these players can go to a patch of grass somewhere and kick a ball around for eighty minutes or so. Then we will know who made the right choices…
Wait, I heard that this will happen sometime next year, twice, maybe even three times.
Ok, in the mean time we can try settling it here.
hanjooveres said on December 2, 2011
I agree partially, yes they’ve been losing players here and there for a few seasons, but nothing major, I feel the core of the group is still in place, and the raw talent is there to be employed, (if management stop being such pussies)
I know the loss of Sadie and JJ was big, JJ for me more so than Sadie, we had three Springbok centres, so Sadie would’ve been a fringe player at best, so good on him for leaving, I just feel the team is still good enough all round to be competitive and even successful, but small decisions like signing Francis, Bolla and Adi Will be the difference between losing talent again next year, or holding onto prospects.
GertBloues said on December 2, 2011
They may not be rebuilding in the same sense as the Bulls and Lions are doing, but they have been in a process of reinventing themselves for the past three seasons. Players have been coming and going for a while now. And they lose a star player or two every season.
Francois Louw was a standout performer for them last season, and he is gone. The same applies to JF. Jean de Villiers was a big loss in 2010 together with Joe Peterson who just started to make a name for himself in 2009.
2011 looked like a season where WP finally managed to keep a team together, and their consistency showed this. But they needed to keep that team together for them to get the killer instinct needed to win knockout matches, the one thing the class of 2011 lacked.
Sadie and Engelbrecht are two examples of a season’s investment going to waste.
Now WP must again restructure to get the new guys used to S15 rugby.
It just creates a constant rebuilding phase. WP are becoming more and more like Free State. (Just without the minority complex)
hanjooveres said on December 2, 2011
that may have been nerves, I’m not sure he’s THAT limited, lets see how he does in the Super15, we also have Swiel and Watts who seem to be brilliant attacking FH’s.
hanjooveres said on December 2, 2011
I agee. we’ll be competitive for sure.
wpfan said on December 2, 2011
Catrakilis is just another Morne Steyn. If we want to take the Bulls approach it could work but I doubt that we can have the success the Bulls had. If we want to play an attacking and running game Catrakilis is very limited. You saw that in the semis against the Lions when we needed to run but he was still kicking the ball away.
hanjooveres said on December 2, 2011
I’m not convinced – I feel WP have a very experienced core, and they only have to bring in a youngster in one or two positions, so I don’t feel WP are rebuilding, when Jean, Schalk, and Habana finish, then they’ll need to rebuild, only experience they’ve lost is Fourie, but with de Jongh there to replace him, not much is lost.
hanjooveres said on December 2, 2011
Can’t say I agree, I think we were without real experience in the Currie, with our current team, Schalk, Duane, Jean, Juan, Aplon, Habana, Joe, Duvenhage, Bekker , Tiaan, DEON, Carstens, etc. we have ample experience, having a few youngsters in key areas will not be the end of the world, Catrakilis was greta this CC, his general game isn’t bad, while his kicking is sublime, no reason to bring old ballie Grant back.
powachair said on December 2, 2011
There is talent aplenty at WP/Stormers. With or without Grant and Fourie we will play good rugby and will be there at the end. Write us off at your peril
GertBloues said on December 2, 2011
Its great having these youngsters, but the recent trend is for them to leave the union either going overseas or to another club, citing different reasons.
The problem now is that WP isn’t the only team in SA rebuilding. Of the five SA franchises its only the Sharks and the Cheetahs that really have a settled senior setup with not many players leaving.
It will be hard for Province to keep hold of these youngsters when the Bulls and the Lions are recruiting youngsters and rebuilding their team.
The Bulls have a fairly settled senior core as well which might, together with the recent youth additions to the squad, help them in being successful sooner than anticipated. If the Lions manage to build on their success as well, then it might leave WP fourth in SA at best.
This might frustrate these youngsters and there will be another player exodus next year.
wpfan said on December 2, 2011
Nothing against bringing in youngstars. But going into a Super 15 season with Catrakilis, van Aaswegen and Coleman on flyhalf would get us nowhere. How many games in this years Currie Cup did we throw away because of inexperience? Think it were at least 3-4 games. To have a good mixture is the key. Therefore I think signing Adi would make sense after the departure of Fourie. Also to bring back Bolla Conradie would make sense at least to boost our experience.