AussieBoer

Heyneke Meyer looks like a bull without horns. Seriously, he has gone from saying things in May to know saying something completely different (things that most were crying out for). Is he panicking and realises that he is out of his depth and/or maybe his assistants are not good enough? Now, Patrick Lambie must play to his strenghts: in other words; Patrick, go and play rugby they way it was intended to be played!  However, now against England where tactical kicking is so much more important than playing the Scots or Ireland. In those tests Lambie should have be given free range! Eish!

The Boks if we can believe the media, are tired after a long season; weird that it’s the same for the Wallabies and All Blacks and they never use that as an excuse? Anyhow, it is true for all three countries and that is why Mr Meyer must use his bench must quicker than normal against the fresher Poms. Play typical Boks chrashball rugby in the first half and then soon after oranges time, Schalk Brits, Pat Cilliers, Heinke vd Merwe and Marcell Coetzee must be sent on to pick up the pace. Add Jaco Taute in Zane Kirchner’s place, Lwazi Mvovo on the wing and move Francois Hougaard to the scrumhalf position.You need a scrummie that’s going to break ala Joost vd Westhuizen, when you play the Poms. Just like the Boks, they play a very conservative game plan. These replacements early will add more flair and will cause more problems for the Poms on defence.  Don’t wait till the 70th minute! It’s time to go big or go home!

Springboks:Zane Kirchner, JP Pietersen, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (capt), Francois Hougaard, Pat Lambie, Ruan Pienaar, Duane Vermeulen, Willem Alberts, Francois Louw, Juandre Kruger, Eben Etzebeth, Jannie du Plessis, Adriaan Strauss, Gurthro Steenkamp.

Replacements: Schalk Brits, Heinke van der Merwe, Pat Cilliers, Flip van der Merwe, Marcell Coetzee,Elton Jantjies, Jaco Taute, Lwazi Mvovo.

Put your balls on the Guillotine: (Mine in bold)

Poms vs Springboks

Italy vs Wallabies

Ireland vs Pumas

Scotland vs Tonga

France vs Samoa

Wales vs All Blacks

Bloggers:

Baylion: Bokke Wallabies Pumas Scots France All Blacks

Met al die spekulasie dat Jean de Villiers op sy laaste bene is en dus moontlik die laaste keer is dat hy die (K) agter sy naam sal he, word daar nou al bespiegel wie die volgende leier van die Boktrop moet wees.

Jou kaptein moet die beste is sy posisie wees. Hy moet toetsgehalte wees en die spel op en vanaf die veld verstaan. Hy moet ‘n rolmodel wees en dus ‘n skoon karakter is krities. Hy moet gerespekteer word deur sy mede-spelers en die publiek. Meeste verkies dat die leier ‘n voorspeler moet wees. Vir my is dit ook uiters belangrik dat hy ‘n slim speler moet wees en op sy voete kan dink. Heyneke Meyer sal ook iemand soek wat sal inkoop by sy wedstrydplan.

Francois Louw is die man! Hy het in al die toetse vanjaar gekook en alhoewel hy nog nie MR Richie McCaw is nie, is hy in dieselfde klas as ‘n David Poccock of Michael Hooper. Flo staan egter minder strafskoppe as as laasgenoemde twee. Flo het ook ‘n einde gebring aan al die ‘one-hit wonder’ Heinrich Brussow fans. Flo is baie fisies en sy verdediging ook toetsgehalte. Hy is Bath se kaptein.

Bismarck du Plessis en Pierre Spies is seker die sterkste kandidate in Meneer Meyer se gedagtes. Adriaan Strauss het die afgelope jaar ‘n lelike spanner in daai wiel gegooi.

Schalk Burger kan ook dalk op die kortlys wees? Andries Bekker en  Dewald Potgieter kan groot buiteperde wees om die kortlys te maak.

Meneer Meyer sal nog ‘n fout begaan indien hy Adriaan Strauss aanstel. Bismarck du Plessis, op vorm, is nie net die beste haker in die wereld nie; maar kan dalk eendag ook uittree as die beste haker ooit! Bissie het ongelukkig te min ondervinding. Indien Meneer Meyer hom oorweeg, sal hy vir ene John Plumtree moet vra dat Bissie die Piesangboere volgende jaar moet lei. Dit kan egter ‘n klap in die gesig van Keegan Daniel wees maar vir nasionale belang (en Bokrugby moet altyd eerste kom), broodnodig.

Gaan Schalk Burger weer die kapteinskap oorneem by Jean de Villiers vir die Stormers in 2013? Gaan Schalk Burger deur Heyneke Meyer as no 6 of 7 flank oorweeg word? Tans Flo-reer Louw so dat dit moeilik sal wees vir Burger om net terug in te stap in die Bokspan. Burger op sy beste is wereldklas en die uwe so hom in Willem Alberts se plek kies as no.7 Bokflank. Alberts speel 2/3 goeie toetse. Hy sluit nogsteeds nie sy arms nie, en alhoewel hy as baldraer oor die voordeellyn kom, gaan hy gewoonlik grond toe. Burger kan ook ‘offload’ en dit is ‘n vaardigheid waaraan alle Suid Afrikaanse spelers kan werk aan.

Wie dink jy moet die volgende Bokkaptein wees? (Stem op peiling)

Die nuwe Bok ‘enforcer’, Eben Etsebeth, is onskuldig bevind aan ooguitkrappery! Baie goeie nuus vir SA se groot fonds van 2012. Etsebeth kan nog baie, baie diep spore nie net in Bokrugby nie, maar in wêreldrugby trap.

Hy sal egter net so bietjie ‘slimmer’ sy aggressie moet beheer. Hy was alreeds vanjaar getug oor ‘n so-so kopstampie na Nathan Sharpe en om nou uitgewys te gewees het vir seker een van die ergste boef-oortredings is nie goed nie.

Etsebeth het die Bakkies Botha en Martin Johnson elemente van die ‘breker wat nie kak vat nie’; maar hy het ook die lynstaan vernuf van ‘n Mark Andrews. Sy werksverrigting in die vastelos sou, ‘slaag met onderskeiding’, lees op sy rapport. Dit kan hom eendag laat aftree as die beste nommer vier slot van alle tye. Hy sal egter sy voete stewig geplant moet hou op die gras, want dit is gewoonlik in jou tweede jaar wat opponente jou behoorlik ken en planne maak.

PS: gepraat van slotte, Victor Matfield is nou die Bulle se nuwe voorspelerafrigter vir die Super15 van 2013. Verwag puik lynstane en baie rolmaal bewegings vanaf die Bul-lynstane volgende seisoen.

PS: Lionel Cronje gaan volgende jaar ‘n Leeu wees. Cronje wat nes Johan Sadie met groot glimlagte Pretoria toe getrek het, het egter vinnig besef dat daar ook maar baie bulstront in die bulkraal is! Is vandag se jongmanne te ongeduldig en geldgrierig?

Will he play union, league or become  a boxer in 2013? Quade ‘super’ Cooper dominated Super15 rugby in 2011! He was the magician of that level! How quickly has he fallen from grace. Last year the highest paid Wallaby, now, maybe lost to Australian rugby union after the ARU only offered him an incentive-based top up contract. Cooper’s three year deal with the Queensland Reds, $400 000 p.a, depended on a satisfying ARU top up. He can now leave the Reds without any issues.

France, Japan or rugby league might be the future for this talented and graceful young player. Yes, he did cause a lot of ‘trouble’ over the last few years. Allegedly, stealing lap tops on the Goldie and just recently twittering out against Robbie Deans and the toxic Wallaby enviroment, which got him a hefty fine. Although Cooper’s comments had merit, it is just not expected in this gentlemens game.

It all started going pear shape for Super Cooper when he kneed , Mister Richie McCaw in the Hong Kong test, late 2010. When he arrived in his  homeland for the World Cup, Cooper was the most hated kiwi, by the kiwis! He had a shocker against Ireland and ditto in the semi-finals versus the All Blacks.

Rugby league followers think he is a Benji Marshall wannebee; while many recons he is now a $onny Bill Williams follower. Boxing and then league?

Personally, I think Cooper should go to France in 2013. Robbie Deans, who’s job has been on a very thin line, might be gone after next year’s British and Irish Lions tour ‘down under’. Ewan McKenzie is rumoured to take over and McKenzie is a big fan of Cooper. Playing in France will suit Cooper’s flair and he can retain some form and confidence, not to mention the experience. This could all make him a better player.

Will he be missed by rugby fans or is it better that he leaves the ‘upper class game’?

RIP, Ian Kirkpatrick or Kirkie as he was known to various rugby people around the world. Ian Kirkpatrick (not the All Black flanker) done it all and he did it his way. He played, selected and coached the Springboks. Ian Kirkpatrick was rugby in every sense.

Kirkie’s debut for his first of 13 tests (two at flyhalf & 11 at inside centre) was against the Wallabies in 1953 at Newlands. He was 23 years old. His last test was in 1961 in Paris against the French.

Kirkie was on the winning side 8 times, drew 3 and lost 2 tests. He played against the Wallabies (1), All Blacks (5), Scotland (2), France (2), England, Wales and Ireland in one test each.

Kirkie, in his retirement years, not that he ever did retire, was a legend at Maties: but, also in the Somerset West area where he was involved with school boy’s rugby in the 90′s!

I was fortunate to spend two years of coaching with him. He was my mentor although he let me be in complete control; he would give advice and although, on occassions, we might have disagreed on gameplan etc he let me feel that I was on the right track and stood behind me.

He would also be remembered in Kimberley when he coached Griquas in 1970 to their third Currie Cup, by beating a star studded Blue Bulls team by 11-9!

He told me that for all the good he has done as player and coach, people still remember how he was part of the 1974 Bok selection fiasco with their ‘horses for course’ approach.

What have I learned form Kirkie:

- to always be honest with players/people. If you drop someone, don’t bullshit them by saying you see him as a ‘impact player’ etc. Tell him that you feel that he is not good enough and give him something that he can improve on.

- never burn your bridges

- never judge a player on size or his colour, but rate him on his abillity

- never tell a player not to try something, because of the fear of failure. Players must be encourage to play what they see in front of them.

- believe in yourself otherwise players won’t believe in you.

RIP Kirkie! Surely Doc will be waiting for you at the gate!

Put your Balls on the Guillotine!

An action packed international rugby weekend starting today with Wales playing Samoa at home. The Dragons are spewing more flames than usual after been slaughtered by the Pumas last weekend.

Then we are  off to Rome where the Pasta&Pizza boys are going to feel the force of the mighty All Blacks!

The Poms will try and prove that they are still ‘Big Brother’ to the ex-convicts from ‘down under’. The Wallabies’ scrum will again be under huge pressure, not even to talk about Robbie Deans! David Campese, made Channel 10 sport headlines again by saying that Deans is the worst thing ever to happen to Wallaby rugby! Campo is back!

Ireland vs Fiji: the Paddies will bounce back after slipping up to the ‘green&gold’ last weekend.

Tonga vs USA: just  the raw flair and big hits should be enough for the islanders to beat the ever improving Yanks!

France vs Pumas: the battle of flair, passion and pride. Both teams have the ability to produce magnificent tries, however, the Frogs will try and revenge both losses against the Latinos during the 2007 ‘holy grail’!

Canada vs Russia: Russia’s forwards should prevail, however, Canada’s backs will prove too skillful. Isn’t it great that Russia’s rugby is improving drastically!

Scots vs Boks: if the Boks lose this one, Heyneke Meyer should be fired regardless of what happens next weekend! If the Boks deviate away from kicking as first option and run (weather permitting), they should beat the Scots easily.

Put your balls on the Guillotine! Who do you think will win?

Vote on Polls:

Who should coach the Boks / Who should be the Boks future 10 & 15?

Yeah, yeah. The Scots is a country and team that most Saffas struggle to take serious as real competitors. The ‘William Wallace’s are always seen as a sure victory when the green and gold tour up north.

The world champions put 50 points on them, however, the Springboks will struggle to do that. England is always the biggest UK threat; however, Scotland has more victories against the Boks, yes, more than Ireland or Wales.

The Boks won 16 /21 with the last lost in 2010. Other times when the bag pipes made huge noises were in 1906, 1965, 1969 and 2002.

Om eerlik te wees; Fuhrer Kampstaaldraad Rudolph Straueli, se Bokke was sommer eerlik waar meer blesbokke as Springbokke. Met voorspelers soos Wessel Roux, Deon Carstens, Marco Wentzel (Meyer het hom nou ook binne SOS noodlyne benader, nee wragtig) en  Pierre Uys sou meeste internasionale pakke kans gesien het vir die Bokke.

Die Bokke se verouderde wedstrydplan en benadering is alombekend. Heyneke Meyer is tans die grootste SondeBok in die Bokkraal. Sy span/groep keuses is al sedert Mei verdag, provinsialisties en basies swak. Laas week regverdig hy Schalk Brits (die nuwe Bodb Skinstadt) se keuse bo Deon Fourie, is omdat Brits daardie x-faktor impak sal maak vanaf die bank. Realisties was Brits net op die bank en as hy nie die witlyn gaan kruis nie, is sy impak maar dieselfde as die passievolle ondersteuners in die pawiljoen.

Die Bokke se agterspel is skandalig veral inaggenome dat hul tans die naas beste span op die planeet is. Meyer het wel nou, ‘n stewig vulkaan-oond-agttal, maar selfs die spoeg nie altyd die nodige lawa nie. Die Iere het daai vlamme koud gehad in die eerste helfte; tog is die Bokpak nie een wat sonder handskoene aangepak moet word nie. Die pak sal in die toekoms nog seerder brand as Bismarck du Plessis, Andries Bekker, Beast Mtwarira en Schalk Burger ook weer inaanmerking geneem kan word. Maar dit is agter waar Bok se kind geen spring het nie!

Die probleem is eerstens ‘n skrummie wat flink kan dienslewer maar ook gereeld verdedigers rondom die losgemale kan eerlik hou. Ruan Pienaar pas in Heyneke Meyer se waansin skoprugby-patroon, maar dit gaan nie werk nie. Francois Hougaard is ‘n klein ettertjie met bal onder die arm maar sy primere taak (veral na sy regterkant) is nie toetsvlak standaard nie. Hier is dit mos waar die Bokagterlyn afrigter….hmmmm…wat is sy naam nou weer….hmmmm. jul weet mos, daai ou van die Bulle….sy geld moet verdien en Hougie leer ordentlik, akkuraat en vinnig te kan uitgee! Juis agv hierdie twee spelers dink ek dit sou goed gewees het om vir Jano Vermaak Saterdag teen die Skotte los te gelaat het. Die arme man het skaars gespeel vanjaar want hy was by elke Bokkamp met duikskerms in die arm!

Die ander kommer is Meyer se dom-astrantheid om nie vir Juan de Jongh te speel nie. Jaco Taute wil en is ‘n heelagter. Ja, hy het potensiaal om wel in ‘n senter te ontwikkel maar moet die vaardighede gaan leer op Curriebeker en Super15 vlak; dan as hy dan ‘n reuse sukses is speel hom dan daar in toetse. Het Meyer nie geleer hoe die All Blacks  vir Christian Cullen ook  gemors het deur hom tydens die ‘holy grail 99′ te gaan senter speel het nie? Meyer se keuse voor Taute, JJ Engelbrecht was net so mislukking. De Jongh en Gio Aplon is glo ook in onguns omdat hul tierlantyntjies uithaal as hul vyfpunters behaal. Onthou Meyer ken nie die nuwe generasie van waar spelers ook emosie mag toon nie; basta nog dat hul te veel ritme het vir Meyer wat seker net Steve Hofmyer en Kurt Darren ‘trekke’ in sy kar het!

Verkrampt seg ek jul!

Nadat die uwe gister so uitgesien het om die Blomme op die Gabba te kon sien, was dit oral nat, hopeloos te nat selfs vir Proteas. Geen krieket het gelei tot baie nat kele in die kroee rondom die Gabba. Eers die Duitseklub, toe die Pineapple hotel en daarna die Chalk hotel. Na ‘n paar ure en baie jugs, het die uwe en sy mates maar opgegee en gaan wag vir die Bokke.

Dank Vader dat Kallis en Amla vandag albei honderdtalle behaal het. Oor die Bokke wil ek nou nie eers praat nie, dalk more! Kallis het sy 44 ste honderd behaal met slegs die ‘meester Sachin Tendulkar’ voor hom. Baie geluk Jacques en ditto vir Hashim. Ek sal maar ‘jou Castle’ op jou drink, oops ek het alreeds gister genoeg ‘gevier’!

Met slegs twee dae oor, kan slegs die Proteas nog hierdie toets wen. Dit sal die reeksoorwinning vir die Aussies bemoeilik met slegs twee toetse daarna, in hul jaagtog om SA te onttroon vir die nommer 1 posisie!

PS: het SA sport alweer die pot mis gesit? Dr Sherylle Calder sit in die Aussie krieketkamp by die Gabba om die Aussies te help! Alweer….kom aan SA gebruik ‘n slag jou uiterse vaardige bates!