It was with much fear and trepidation that this brave reporter set out on the far-too-long train journey that would eventually take me to Wembley Stadium. My fears turned out to be well-founded, as the Bok midweek side suffered yet another defeat to club opposition last night.
There were a number of late changes made to the side, none of which made too much sense to me. I would imagine that Wian du Preez and Danie Rossouw were pulled out of the starting lineup to keep them fresh for the test match this weekend, but their replacements really struggled to make any impact. Heinke van der Merwe started out well enough at loosehead, but when CJ van der Linde was forced to hobble off barely 20 minutes into the game, we very quickly learned that the Lions strongman is certainly no international quality tighthead – at least, not yet. Perhaps he should have been tried in this new position at Currie Cup level first? Just a thought, guys.
As for Alistair Hargreaves, well, it just defies all logic that he was selected for this tour ahead of Steven Sykes and when picked to do an “enforcer” job, he completely disappeared. Hargreaves and Andries Bekker are just not the sort of combination you can pick together and coupled with the front-row weakness, the Bok pack was pretty much on a hiding to nothing all the way through. Sarries’ ultimate victory, from where I was sitting anyway, was built on a platform of total scrum dominance and it all started with a rookie tighthead and pair of lightweight locks on the Bok side.
In the backs, it was again the Jongi Nokwe and Juan de Jongh show, with both players showing that they have what it takes to make the step up. Ruan Pienaar’s nightmare season continued and the Bok XV may well have won this game had somebody else been doing the goalkicking. In all-round play, Pienaar was certainly no worse behind a well-beaten pack than Morne Steyn was last weekend, but unless he can improve his posts percentage, he’s just never going to unseat the boring Bull from the test side. Wynand Olivier has yet to convince me that he’s anything more than a decent Super 14 player and was made to look rather silly on the night by Brad Barritt, who enjoyed a superb game for Saracens. If only bloody Derick Hougaard had given a little more ball to the exciting Sarries backline, perhaps the win could have been even more convincing for them.
The standout player for the Bok XV, as we probably could have predicted before the game, was none other than our very own Jean Deysel and it will be an absolute travesty and a sham if the burly flanker isn’t rewarded with a spot in the test team for the next two games. Should Schalk Burger be forced out with a rib injury, as now looks likely, Deysel must surely be the man to step into the breach. Not sure why he and Dewald Potgieter swapped jerseys before the game, but Wolla plays his own game regardless of what number he has on his back and is always good value for money.
Latest injury news is that Andries Bekker and CJ van der Linde are both crocked, leaving the Boks frighteningly short of decent forwards with two tests still to play. Bismarck du Plessis, like Burger, is seriously in doubt for Saturday’s encounter but without van der Linde to provide tighthead cover, it looks like John Smit will be forced to soldier on in the number 3 jersey, with only van der Merwe to provide cover off the bench (shudder). Adriaan Strauss will start at hooker, with Bandise Maku coming into the squad, while Danie Rossouw will now have to cover lock. Assuming no Burger, both Deysel and Potgieter will presumably need to stay on, with one starting and the other occupying the number 19 jersey.
The Bok team will be announced tomorrow.
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Eish these tours are always heart break – and we shouldn’t be too upset – but in reality if we are going to send people to gain experience the likes of Smit, Bakkies, Vic need to rest and chill at home and let a bunch of youngsters get beaten.
As to Pienaar – i suggests he quits the game for a couple of months and take a long hard look at himself – because he is going backwards faster than a Stormers pack – and is sonn going to find himself not even being picked for the squad.
Individually the Boks played well, but as a unit they where terrible. I don’t agree with you regarding Hargreaves. He might not have been flashy, but that is because he was doing all the hard graft while the rest of the forwards where hanging around in the backline. If some of the others did more of the hard work up front we might actually have had more ball posession end protection.
@Pokkel (Comment 2) : and
i cant comment got to drunk to early and passed out,missed everything
@Pokkel (Comment 2) : ok, bear in mind I was sitting way back in the corner and couldn’t really see the forward exchanges too clearly.
@willa (Comment 4) : good form
looks like Wolla is going to get a test cap he and Pottie have been told to stay behind with the test 22
Fitness tests today for Bekker CJ Skalk and Biz if we loose all 4 we could have a situation John tight head hooker strauss Wian/beast lose head so we await the next installment
The game changed when we subbed Adams, up to them it was only the lack of gelling in the combo’s that kept us back.
Hargreaves had his best game since captaining the baby Boks.
Rose was very good as well and Nokwe seems to be working on his off the ball stuff which is good to see.
Deysel about the only loosies that tried anything worth writing home about and Andries is also scarily enough pulling his weight.
The rest were pretty kak.
@Morné (Comment 8) : sounds like I need to find a video of the game and watch Ali more closely
@robdylan (Comment 9) :
Allister was good Rob.
@Morné (Comment 8) : i agree about the subbing of Adams thought hougaart was K*K now he is added to the test squad which tells you that Adams is crocked again Also thought Bekker going off made a huge difference pack seemed to have lost its shape To me Pakslaai is not on top of his game ALos Olivier dies with the ball
and the line run accross the field needs to be fixed
Though Hardgreaves had a good game Strauss also
@robdylan (Comment 9) : get a PVR Rob want to use mine?
@Fattmann (Comment 12) : sure – send it over
@Fattmann (Comment 11) :
I’ve heard quite a few Bulls supporters saysing Hougaard should be back up to FDP. Ja right!!
@wpw (Comment 14) : He is also been stuffed around by the Bulls….I think he is a good player and I would have chosen him at 14 instead of Odwa for this game
@Pokkel (Comment 15) :
I also think he has potential.
During the CC final he passed the ball from a ruck and it was a bullet pass (better than FDP imho)
He will more than likely play tests for SA but he first needs to play at 9 and perform at CC and S14 level.
@wpw (Comment 16) : agreed….at last
@Pokkel (Comment 15) : Odwa. Shudder. I meant to write a whole paragraph on the poor bloke, but luckily it fell off my radar.
He was pants.
@Pokkel (Comment 17) :
Finally!!!
@robdylan (Comment 18) :
I think it is time to blood someone like Mapoe.
It is a disgrace that he is not on tour!!
@wpw (Comment 20) : agreed again
@robdylan (Comment 13) : if i unplug it will it lose the game that is recorded need to fnd out first
@wpw (Comment 20) : like so many senior Sharks players, Oddy has had a really average season. Currie Cup hangover?
@robdylan (Comment 23) : From Voldy
‘Jongi Nokwe looked dangerous every time he got the ball while Juan de Jongh defended bravely and troubled the Saracens defence even though he usually received possession on the back foot. Heini Adams also shone even though he was playing behind a losing pack, and Odwa Ndungane was typically solid.’
JC seems to think Odwa was good
@robdylan (Comment 23) : So apart from the rugby how was the whole Wembley experience and did you have a good jol??
@robdylan (Comment 9) : He was outstanding, did twice the work Big Vic does, stole a lineout or 2 and got through a massive amount of work.
No-one has mentioned Dewald Potgieter, he also gave 150%.
Reseve scrummie was an absolute shocker, one charge down try, another charge down, kicked everything he got, he was a joke.
@Pokkel (Comment 24) : yeah well…
@Pokkel (Comment 25) : it was good beforehand… nice stadium. Afterwards was a bit of a disaster, with the cops generally acting like pricks and forcing everyone to go home rather than find a pub!
@Worcestershire Sauce (Comment 1) :
because he is going backwards faster than a Stormers pack –
@Xmas Ice-Icle (Comment 29) :
Sauce supports the Bulls now!!
@wpw (Comment 30) :
He’s almost as bad as you!!
@Xmas Ice-Icle (Comment 31) :
Wadduyamean??
I always support the Stormers!!
@wpw (Comment 32) :
and the Sharks…and the lions…and the Cheetahs..
@Xmas Ice-Icle (Comment 33) :
At times the Sharks… but I’ve never supported those two!!
If Pienaar is going to be picked for the Boks it should only be as scrumhalf and only if he is good enough. Thats his wish, he and his coach have made it very clear. Im sure he can live with missing out on selection if others are ahead of him in the 9 jersey.
It was unfair to pick his at flyhalf when everyone knows that that is not where he sees himself playing. He probably feels as if he’s been stitched up here.
@wpw (Comment 34) : I’ve often wondered how much easier my life would be if I could find it possible to be a part-time Sharks fan
@wpw (Comment 34) :
U did…in the semi-s against us!!
@Salmonoid (Comment 35) : you are spot on, I feel.
@Xmas Ice-Icle (Comment 37) :
That was more due to the arrogance of certain Sharks supporters on this site.
Apparently you just had to pitch up for the Sharks vs WP final and the trophy would be yours!!
@wpw (Comment 39) : whatever. Like you guys are never arrogant…
@wpw (Comment 39) :
We all knew if that was the case, it would have been true!
Liefling scored the winning goal. – Just lovely.
The discards beat the coach’s pets. – Priceless.
@fyndraai (Comment 42) :
Almost a Ex-pat Saffas team we played against@!
@fyndraai (Comment 42) :
Don’t you think Liefling had more than enough chances at test level to prove he just isn’t good enough??
On the other hand, he is a much better flyhalf than Ruan Pienaar!!
So whats this about BJ??
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 45) :
pak uit???
…I wonder what WP Nel of the Cheetahs has done wrong. Why pull a midget like BJ Botha away from a holiday in SA?……
Tank
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 47) : at least Bj didn’t cry during his team initiation…
@wpw (Comment 44) : Sometimes one just have to be pragmatic and pick the “best available” even when you consider him to be “not good enough”.
What if Morne Steyn suddenly starts to play shit too? SA rugby will have a real problem.
@fyndraai (Comment 49) : what do you mean “suddenly starts to play shit”… guess you didn’t watch the French test…
@provincejoulekkading (Comment 47) : where did you get that from?
BJ is technically our best tighthead. He should have been a fixture in the Bok side. We have a serious problem with our props in SA. The CC is no place to assess whether they are good enough. You need to see them play against players from other countries first!
@Villie (Comment 52) : i agree with that but i dont knwo if he would slot back into the boks heard he was injured
@robdylan (Comment 48) : Dude..you have no idea how many times i’ve wanted to bring that up!!!!!!
@Fattmann (Comment 53) : Twitter
What has really struck me on the tour over here so far is the inability of the Bok 10’s (both Steyn and Pienaar) to vary their game. All the teams we’ve come up against so far have employed the rush defence and yet how many times have the flyhalves employed the chip over the rushing defence? You need to vary your gameplan, keep the opposition guessing. It’s SOOO EASY to defend when you know exactly what the Boks are going to do. That puts mega pressure on the outside backs!
Obviously also doesn’t help when your forwards are going backwards!
Anyone on this site going to the Dubai 7’s? I’m possibly planning a trip but don’t fancy going on my own!
@Villie (Comment 57) : I’m sure Whindy will be there
@Villie (Comment 57) : KSAs?
they are very quiet recently
@robdylan (Comment 58) : Aaah thanks. I’m coming back from SA that weekend and was thinking of stopping over in Dubai for the 7’s. My mate who usually goes (and can get me free tickets) is going to be in the UK…bad timing.
@fyndraai (Comment 42) :
It was a mighty British club with a strong Saffa flavour that beat the pet Boks.
Rule Britania and all that.
BTW do you think Liefling deserves a recall.
@robdylan (Comment 50) : Good guess. It’s like the bear in the woods thing. I didn’t see it, so it did not happen.
Reports are though that most players were shit, so I’ll give him another game or two, to come right.
@fyndraai (Comment 62) : look, I think that like virtually every other flyhalf on the planet, Morne STeyn looks shit behind a retreating pack. There’s not really a huge amount of shame in that.
What really gets up my nose (it’s a hot topic, since my daughter has just got a little bead or something stuck up hers and is on her way to casualty) is the Blue massive who like to pretend that Steyn is all of a sudden some sort of superhuman. We’ve all seen him develop over the last five years and while he has played superbly for the most part this year, I for one have not forgotten the howlers along the way.
@Salmonoid (Comment 61) : He is nothing flash but he is a proven match winner.
You Sharks should be ashamed of your team screwing the SA cause with your international fly-halfs.
@fyndraai (Comment 64) : does the name Butch James ring any bells?
@robdylan (Comment 63) : Good luck with the bead.
@robdylan (Comment 65) : Also Stransky and Honibal. But what about more recently? Both Steyn (Francios) and Pienaar, also Barritt was prospects while the Sharks chose to import their 10s.
Rob, I actually thought Hargreaves did well last night. Earl Rose was excellent too, as was Adams.
The biggest problem was that we played as individuals rather than as a team unit. Scrums were once again a joke.
But I also think the IRB needs to do something about the laws….as SH and NH officials blow completely differently. It’s as if there are 2 completely different sets of laws. I will be writing a blog about this shortly. In addition refs no NOTHING about scrums and just guess when penalising sides.
He penalised The Boks when Barritt was in a horizontal position, lying on top of players contesting the ball, and then penalised the Boks again when Deysel (?) was on his feet contesting, moments later.
As Naas said afterwards, it was almost as if when Sarries had a sniff of victory, the ref was only too happy to enforce that trend.
Another “Law” that hasn’t been policed at all on this EOYT is side entry at the rucks, it has been a total joke.
@Villie (Comment 68) : you in Dubai this year?
@fyndraai (Comment 64) :
Other than slotting the winning kick Hougaard was very funny.
The SA cause should be ashamed for playing our scrumhalf at flyhalf thereby screwing themselves …and the Sharks.