AussieBoer

Revenge hey? Yes, at least the Sharks or their coach, Johm Plumtree, is honest to admit that. For sure, WP winning the Currie Cup last year in the tank must still hurt. Unlike New Zealand, SA Super franchises are basically the same outfit in the domestic series; so it is the same ‘banana boys’ that still feel their peels have been ripped off last year.

Put your Balls on the Guillotine: (my picks in bold)

Blues vs Crusaders

Crusaders will play their first game while the Blues who already won a game, will be at home. The Crusaders are normally slow starters and is without the brilliant Mr McCaw. The Blues are full of young guns.

Warathas vs Rebels

Warathas only because they play in Shitney!

Reds vs Hurricanes

Reds only because they play in Brisvegas!

Chiefs vs Cheetahs

No brainer? OK, voor ek nou met mieliestronke gegooi word…die Chiefs is huidige kampioene, speel tuis en het nie ver gevlieg nie.

Bulls vs Force

Loftus….

Sharks vs Stormers

Sharks are at home and have Patrick Lambie at 10. The Stormers kept Elton Jantjies and although I can live with that for now, Jean de Villiers should have been picked in the 12 position. He is the Springbok incumbent and would have been a better option to try and contain the future Bok-12, straight runner Frans Steyn.

As always the battle upfront is going to be crucial. Forget about a try-fest, this is a mini test. Control field position, maintain good primary possession, iron curtain defense and giving the minimum penalties away; will be the main ingredients for success on Saturday.

It is time for Andries Bekker to get back to his sublime form of 2010-11. Without Eben Etsebeth, Siya Kolisi, Duane Vermeulen and Rynardt Elstadt will have to man-up or go home.

The Stormers can win; for sure, but, I won’t put my house on it.

The Bulls has horns again! Congrats; however, if these are two of SA’s better teams and you can compare this quality to the Highlanders vs Chiefs, I want to do a Luke Watson! The Stormers’ ‘lions’ were poor. Don’t blame adapting to a gameplan etc. That was individual skills of shocking standard. Elton Jantjies blew it and made Allister Coetzee’s selection for next Saturday as easy as pie. Pick Peter Grant as he is ready to fall in this week.

The Bulls kicking; tactical and to posts, were superior and the big difference. They also had the edge at scrum time. To Frans Ludeke and Allister Coetzee: when your lineouts were as dismal as it was, implement short lineouts and beat the opponents with movement. Ever heard of a three or five man lineout etc? How much do you coaches get paid?

Bryan Habana was brilliant for most of the game. An easy standout and the best on the field. When Jean de Villiers (the Springbok incumbent at inside centre) did pop-up in the inside channels, the Stormers did get over the game line. It’s elementary Mr Coetzee! Next, to slaughter some Sharks in the tank!

Well done to the Sharks and the Cheethas to display some exciting running rugby. Alhtough Johan Goosen started like a cat and not a cheetah, he and Patrick Lambie are the future of Bokrygby!

The biggest surprise was the Kings beating the Force convincingly. Team pride and defense pulled this one through and even if the Kings don’t win any more games, they have done better than the Bulls in 20002!

Alhoewel dit alreeds afgeskop het ‘doer onder’ sal die meeste ondersteuners hierdie naweek die vure aansteek en ‘karate-sap en coke’ gooi en looi.

Dit begin met van die grootse derbies in al drie lande. ‘Doer onder’ kry jy nie groter as Queensland teen Nieu Suid Wallis nie. Dit is Oz se twee oudste rugby-unie state. Suncorp sal die gas wees vir die Reds (kampioen van 2011) teen die Warathas. Baie voel dat die Reds sonder Will Genia, vir Quade ‘super’ Cooper nie so ‘super’ maak nie. Die Warathas het ook ‘n nuwe liga-AFL aanwins in Israel Falou. Hy is groot, sterk en vining. Hy verstaan nog nie lekker die reels nie, dit gebeur mos as jy ‘n liga-ster dan ‘n AFL-bemarkings-wa was en nou die ‘upper class’ spel moet speel. John Kirwan reken Falou kan dieselfde inpak op rugby maak as $onny Bill Williams! Sal interessant wees, Falou se ontvangs hier op Suncorp waar hy sy rugby-liga vir die Brisbane Broncos gespeel het. Nou is dit ‘n nuwe kode en hy is ‘n ‘kakkerlak’, die bynaam vir NSW mense!

‘Across the ditch’ van Oz, is die Kiwi ‘groothond’ die Crusaders nog nie in aksie nie en die Hurricanes vs Blues in die ‘koekblik’, die hoofgereg. Sal die teleuerstellende Blues vanjaar onder die All Black-legende, John Kirwan kan opstaan? Die invloed van Heer Graham Henry as tegniese adviseer, sal beslis bydrae tot hierdie moontlike herrysing. Die Blues  verliese van Tony Woodcock en Ma’a Nonu sal egter gevoel word.

Die Highalnders vs die Chiefs is selfs nie te versmaai nie. Die Highlanders het verlede jaar soos William Wallace’se begin en sal met Ma’a Nonu, Tony Woodcock en Brad Thorn baie ervaring by kry.

Maar die grootse veldslag sal in die Republiek wees. Noord teen Suid! Die ossewaens sal weer optrek Madeliefieland toe en dit behoort soos altyd burgeroorlog wees. Die Bulle sal beter wees as verlede seisoen. Hul probleem le egter in spankeuses. Is hul kaptein, Pierre Spies, ‘n skouponie en die John Smit van die Bulle? Sommiges voel tereg dat Arno Botha beter is. Jan Serfontein moet ook vanjaar speel. Vergeet daai bog van in watte toedraai! James O’Connor, Ben Tune, Frans Steyn, Kurtley Beale, Schalk Burger en kie was oud genoeg omdat hul goed genoeg was!

Die Stormers sal Eben Etsebeth, die wêreld se nuwe ‘Enforcer’ mis, maar moet nie bekommer nie. Ryndardt Elstadt, as hy sy passie en aggressie reg kan kanaliseer is ook Bok-gehalte! Die individuele stryde en gevegte vir Bokposisies gaan daar beslis wees.

Andries Bekker vs Juandre Kruger, Pierre Spies vs Duane Vermeulen met Morne Steyn vs Elton Jantjes die kaviaar! Elstadt en Deon Fourie sal ook ‘n vroëe boodskap wil stuur dat hul enige tyd hul plek in die Bokgroep kan volstaan met tweestryde teen Flip van der Merwe en Chilliboy Ralapele.

Die Cheetahs sal egter die onderspit delf teen die ‘Vrystaat B-span’, die Haaie. Die individuele tweestryd tussen die Bokke se voorste aanspraakmakers, Johan Goosen en Patrick Lambie is KFC lekker!

 Die ander interessante stryd is teen die nuweling, die Kings vs Oz se swakste, die Force. As daar een wedstryd is wat die Kings ‘n kans staan is dit hierdie een!

Sit jul Balle op die Guillotine (my keuses in Bold)

Highlanders vs Chiefs

Rebels vs Brumbies

Bulle vs Stormers

Hurricanes vs Blues

Reds vs Warathas

Cheetahs vs Sharks

Kings vs Force

 Baylion: Hihglanders Brumbies Stormers Hurricanes Reds Sharks  Force

Die Stormers, SA se vlagskip die afgelope twee jaar, het vanjaar ‘n moeiliker pad om te seil. Die Haai-ondersteuners sal seker nou frons, aangesien hul ‘piesangmanne’ dan verlede jaar die Stormers op Nuweland in die halfeind geklop het, dat die Stormers nogsteeds SA se Vlagskip is. Die feite bly dat die Kapenaars die afgelope twee seisoene die SA-konferensie beker in hul trofeekas het. Net omdat hul ‘kompas van koers’ geraak het in die semi-finaal, beteken nie dat hul nie die trots van die Republiek was nie. Hul het minder wedstryde as die Haaie verloor; bo die Haaie op die punteleer geeindig en was die beste verdedigende span in die kompetisie. Dit is mos wat ‘n Vlagskip is; jou land se beste skip in ‘n oorlog!

Die Stormtroepe gaan met die intrapslag drie kritiese veldslae moet oorkom om die Super15 oorlog te wen. Waar hul in 2012 met naelskraapse oorwinnings afgeskop het teen die Bulle en die Haaie op Nuweland, is die gras beslis nie groener daar in Pretoria of Durban. Haai-ondersteuners sal goed onthou dat Keegan Daniel se kopontploffing, tot ‘n kritiese strafskop in die doodsnikke op Nuweland gelei het.  Peter ‘Bash’ Grant het dit koelkommer oorgeklits en die Stormers was ietwat gelukkig om met glimlagte af te stap.

Vanjaar skop SA se Vlagskip egter met die intrapslag af teen die Bulle op Loftus, die Haaie in Durban en dan die verdedigende kampioene, die Chiefs op Nuweland. Die Stomers het nie verlede jaar teen die Chiefs gespeel nie. Realisties kan die Stormers al drie verloor en dit kan paniek veroorsaak. Afrigters sal dan kopkrap en selfvertroue kan ‘n groot knak vat. Daarna raak dit ook nie makliker nie, met tuiswedstryde teen Jake White se ‘wilde perde’ en die Crusaders. Tog sal dit nie noodwendig die doodsklok wees nie; kyk maar hoe het die Haaie na hul swak beging laasjaar terug geveg.

Die Stormers speel vanjaar nie teen die Highlanders of Force nie. Albei is die ‘makliker’ oorsese spanne, veral as hul Nuweland toe sou moet reis.

Die Stormers se groep is vanjaar beslis versterk; tog bly die skrumskakel posisie nogsteeds waar die Stormers te kort skiet.  ‘n Jaco Taute, Michael Rhodes, Pat Cilliers en Elton Jantjies verskaf kwaliteit diepte. Taute behoort ‘n besliste in die begin vyftien te wees. Jantjies gaan moet kyk of hy die antwoord kan wees vir meer aanvallende spel wat sal moet lei tot meer vyfpunters. Die Stormers sal vanjaar moet bonuspunte behaal vir vier driee of meer, om in die wedloop te bly.

Is Jantjies egter beter as Peter Grant? Toegegee dat Grant dalk nie in die semi-finaal sy stempel kon afdruk nie, tog was hy SA se akkuraatse skerpskutter laasjaar. Verskeie van sy breekslae het gelei tot individuele driëe of het ander geskep. Grant was ‘goed genoeg’ om bo Morne Steyn in die Bokgroep te gewees het. Nee, ek sê nie hy is beter as die belowende Johan Goosen of wonderkind Pat Lambie nie, maar wat het Steyn gedoen om die groep te haal? Oops, vergeet hy is ‘n Bul!

Jantjies se verdediging is meer verdag as Grant sin. Bietjie raad aan Allister Coetzee en Robbie Fleck. Grant is nie ‘n binnesenter nie. Een, hy is nie groot en sterk genoeg om as direkte baldraer , oor die opponent en die voordeellyn te kom nie. Twee, hy is te stadig van die merk af, ‘n vereiste vir ‘n binnesenter. Drie, hy het nie natuurlike ‘dansvoete’ soos ‘n Juan de Jongh nie. Vier, Grant het ook nie die $onny Bill Williams vermoë om die retensie-aangee (offload) tydens kontak uit te voer nie.

So vergeet daai idee. ‘n Noodgeval ja, maar nie ‘n strategiese skuif nie!

Kan die Stomers vanjaar die Kaap weer Hollands maak? Hul het die groep; genoeg wêreldklas spelers, kontinuiteit en diepte? Maar selfs die bestes het ook geluk nodig!

Kom ons Storm saam!

Na ‘n paar wedstryde is daar geen besliste antwoorde nie. Daar is elf veranderings wat die IRR deurgevoer het. Die meeste is om die spel meer aanvallende, opwindend, toeskouers-vriendelik en vinnger te maak. Werk dit? Hier is sommiges.

Die skrum se ‘couch, touch set’ ipv ‘crouch, touch, pause and engage, het nie werklik ‘n verskil gemaak in die wedstryd tussen dieBrumbies en Reds nie. Sommige skrums het ineengestort sonder strafskoppe en ek was geensins teen Mark Lees se interpretasie nie, want strafskoppe vir ‘n skrum wat grond toe gaan is soos ‘n Lotto. Sulke strafskoppe het al tot te veel kontroversiele uitslae gelei. Lees, het egter te lank gevat om die ‘set’ bevel te gee. Dit was amper soos ‘n stil ‘pause’ gewees en albei spanne was gestraf vir vroee inslag.

Die vyf sekonde toepassing van die bal by losskrums onder die agterste man se voete is om te verhoed dat spanne die klok laat aftel. Wat beteken dit vir afrigters en spelpatrone?

Een; dit gee nou vir die verdedigende spanne minder tyd om hul verdedigende lyne op te stel. In beginsel goed want dit bevoordeel die aanvallers. Die probleem is dat die skeidsregter nou ‘n arends-oog moet he, omdat die verdedigende spanne nou flankeer met die onkantlyn. 

Twee; kleiner, vinniger, ratser en beter besluitmende skrumskakels word bevoordeel. Will Genia, Aaron Smith, Francois Hougaard en kie sal nou ‘n groter rol as langer en stadiger skrummies soos Ruan Pienaar en Mike Phillips speel. Skrummies se diens sal ook opgeskerp moet word en die wat nie so flink na albei kante kan uitgee nie, sal die spel vertraag vir aanvallende spel aangesien hul  een of twee tree passies sal uit voer voor die bal uitgegee word.

Die vinnige ingooi vir lynstane, enige plek van waar die bal uit was en die hoekvlag, sal die assistant-skeidsregters moet laat kophou. Baie meer spelers sal nou in ‘n onkant posisie wees, veral as hul die skop gevolg het. Dit sal ook die TMO laat werk vir sy geld aangesien die skeidsregter nou twee fases terug kan laat kyk vir enige ander foute of ontgeoorloofde spel.

Die neem van ‘n vervyfskop binne 90 sekondes nadat die vyfpunter behaal is, sal nie veel van ‘n invloed he nie. In baie gevalle word die TMO genader en dit kan soms lei tot baie minute voor die drie toegeken word.

Die ekstra voorry op die bank, maak baie sin. Nie net vir beserings nie, maar ook vir taktiese beplanning.

Ongelukkig bly die reel vertolking van die ‘bal besit’ by die duikslag nogsteeds ‘n skiedsregters oordeel besluit. Dit is soms net onmoontlik vir die verdediger om ‘n veilige poging aan te wend om weg te rol. Dan moet dit ook in ‘n knipoog gedoen word. Belaglik!

Die rol van die oopkantflank, nes laasjaar, raak alhoe minder krities. Oopkantflanke wat nie ander vaardigehede het nie, se dae is getel. Heinrich Brussow, Deon Stegman en kie se spel is verouderd. Hul staan te veel strafskoppe af want hul is te gretig. David Poccock is selfs besig om hierdie strik te val. Wen jy een omgekeerde besit maar staan drie strafskoppe af, beteken nie dat jy goed is nie.

Oopkantflanke, moet slim wees en dit is hier waar Meneer Richie McCaw in ‘n klas van sy eie is met Francois Louw nou ook een van die bestes op die planeet. Hul staan selde strafskoppe af en het gewerk aan hul baldraende vaardighede! Omgekeerde besit is minimaal vanaf die eerste twee fases, gewoonlik na die derde fase is daar minder spelers betrokke by die kontak situasie en dit is hier waar jou hakers (ekstra flank) gewoonlik effketief is want jou oopkantflank is meestal betrokke en vasgevang by die eerste duikslag stryd.

Wat dink jy? Wat sal jy verander in die reels van rugby?

Life as we know it starts for the ‘upper class game’ followers! SupeRugby kicks off this weekend in Australia with the Rebels hosting the Force, while the Brumbies will take on the 2011 Champion, the Reds, in the capital city. Australia’s teams (except Warathas) are starting one week earlier to accomodate the British & Irish Lions tour later this year.

The Rebels should be the slight favourites. Interesting that Kurtley Beale, Wallaby incumbent at flyhalf, will start there with Oz’s wonderkid James O’Connor  at fullback. I’m still not sure where O’Connor’s best position is; however, I thought that he might have tried to establish him as the number 1 inside centre for Oz. Wallaby spots for wings/fullback are scarce with numerous very good players sticking their hands up.

The most exciting thing in Canberra will be the return of Jake White’s Boks U.21′s World Champions of 2002 captain, Clyde Rathbone, on the wing for the ‘wild horses’. Great to see the passionate Rathbone back on the park.

With just two games I won’t start the Balls on the Guillotine this week; however, will still be interested to see who you back:

My picks in BOLD:

Rebels vs Force

Brumbies vs Reds

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After $BW got one over the Republic, Paul True’s BlizBokke smashed the Kiwis in the IRB Las Vegas Sevens tournament, by 40-21!

Pleasing to see was the good crowd that attended which is just going to increase in the future building up to Sevens as a 2016 Olympic Sport.

The Kiwis are still on top of the leaderboard with 96 points, 23 ahead of the second placed Bokke.

Eben Etsebeth’s injury he picked up over the weekend, is a huge blow as Estebeth is the new ‘enforcer’ of world rugby. His ankle strain will keep him between 6-8 weeks on the sideline. The bigger picture is maybe more glossy as it means that Estebeth will be ‘fresh’ coming back in to the latter part of the Super15 and will also have good implications for the Bokke as he won’t be overplayed.

Estebeth was a key to the Stormers hectic start with away games vs the Bulls and Sharks and then to play the current champions the week after. The good news is, however, that Rynardt Elstadt was brilliant a few seasons ago, so good that he was an effective counter to the former ‘enforcer’ of world rugby, Mr Bakkies Botha. If Elstadt can channel his aggression he should be part of Heyneke Meyer’s Worlc Cup dreams

Controversy with a fight that everyone thought is for 12 rounds ended after 10, when $onny was on wobbly legs!

Respect to both. $onny Bill Williams is the ultimate athlete. Francois Botha although, reminded me of Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon 3, thinking to himself….”I’m getting too old for this shit!”

SBW has done what he has never done before, go for more than 7 rounds. He won most rounds easily, but, old fella Botha was a great learning curve for $onny.Botha and almost knocked out $onny in the 10th round; but, $onny has hanged on to claim a victory although he was out on his feet!

You got to give him some credit for entertaining, that was Botha, coming in dancing to Bob Marley’s’ Buffalo Soldier! Wasted a lot of energy though.

In the end, the spectators got their money’s worth. Good for boxing to have rugby fans talking about this. Great win for $onny, but Buffalo earned some respect by all.

Quade’super’Cooper, in his debut, knocked out his opponent in the first round; 2min 59 seconds!

Respect to both. $onny Bill Williams is the ultimate athlete. Francois Botha although, reminded me of Danny Glover in Lethal Weapon 3, thinking to himself….”I’m getting too old for this shit!”

SBW has done what he has never done before, go for more than 7 rounds. He won most rounds easily, but, old fella Botha was a great learning curve for $onny.Botha almost knocked out $onny in the 10th round, but $onny has hanged on to claim a victory although he was out on his feet!

You got to give him some credit for entertaining, that is Botha, coming in dancing to Bog Marlyes’ Buffalo Soldier! Wasted a lot of enrgy though.

In the end, the spectators got their money’s worth. Good for boxing to have rugby fans talking about this. Great win for $onny, but Buffalo at 44 years, earned some respect by all.

Quade’super’Cooper, in his debut, knocked out his opponent in the first round; 2min 59 seconds!

It’s a far cry from a ‘rumble in the jungle’ nor a ‘thriller in manilla’; however, for the first time in a long while I’m going to watch Heavyweight boxing again.

In the one corner we have…Francois White Buffalo Bothaaaaaa!  A reasonable proffessional in his heyday. Botha, although losing to Mike Tyson (KO in the 5th-1999), Lennox Lewis (TKO in the 2nd – 2000), Vladimir Klitschko (TKO in the 8th -2002) and Evander Holyfield (TKO in the 8th – 2010), has been in the ring with some big names. He was also knocked out 3/4 fights vs Corrie Sanders as an amateur.

Money Bill Williams, probably the most perfect atlete if there ever was one, will retire if he loses in Brisvegas.

$onny, who will be playing rugby league this year for the Sydney Roosters, has never fought anyone of name. He has never gone for more than six rounds yet. The only way he can beat the old and overweight SAFFA will be by dancing, running and dodging the Baffalo in the first 10 rounds. Surely then Botha will be out on his feet!

The other draw card is Quade ‘super’ Cooper, who will make his debut in the ring!

Ring the bell….!