Stormers scrumhalf Ricky Januarie, who meets All Black Piri Weepu in a Super 14 rugby duel here on Saturday, has received a huge pat on the back from his coach.
“I’m proud of Ricky. He never misses a practice and he puts his body on the line in every match,” Rassie Erasmus said after a practice in Durbanville.
Stephen Nell writes in Die Burger that Erasmus’s decision to offer the former Lions Springbok a contract before the start of the present season was roundly criticised but Januarie has shown such good form that he can hardly be left out of the national squad.
“We also have Bolla Conradie, an experienced player who never wants to miss a match,” Erasmus said. “The competition between them makes for a good atmosphere.”
Talking about the expected halfback duel in the match between the Stormers and the Hurricanes, Erasmus said Januarie and Weepu were similar players, both extremely competitive.
Januarie, who scored the first try when the Stormers beat the Cheetahs 34-22 last weekend, is starting to look as dangerous as he was earlier in his career.
Ankle problems
The duel with Weepu provides him with another opportunity to prove he should be in the Springbok squad.
There is still some concern in the Stormers camp over the fitness of lock Andries Bekker, who has a groin injury, and loosehead prop JD Moller, who has ankle problems.
No 8 Luke Watson and flyhalf Peter Grant also did not take part in the field session on Monday.
“Luke and Bash (Grant) will both be ready,” Erasmus said, adding that Moller and Bekker had to deal with the “pain factor”.
Scans have shown no damage to the ligaments and Erasmus is confident that both will be available.
It is unlikely that the coach will consider Brian Mujati at loosehead prop. If Moller is unable to play, Schalk Ferreira could come into contention.
“One wants a guy who has handled that sort of pressure,” Erasmus explained. “Schalk is an experienced player.”
Other front-row options are young Wicus Blaauw and Janro van Niekerk but no decision has to be taken before later this week.
Erasmus knows the Hurricanes will be formidable opponents. “Just look at the big names in their team,” he said.
“They are fitter than in previous years and can play for the full 80 minutes. And they have retained the same players and coach for a few seasons.”
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Ricky has been the form #9 of all SA’s scrumhalves.
He’s boep also seems to have decreased in size. 😯
I’ve been a mini-critic of Mr. Januarie…but he’s done really well this year. Hopefully he can keep it up…good for the Stormers and good for RSA.
Revelling in the new rules… go Boesman!
Chavanga-Boesman- to a lesser degree Nokwe… finally repaying Jake’s faith…
I was impressed with Watdefokkykdjy this weekend. Some big Cheetah gave him a hard time and he didn’t grab the ou by the scruff of the neck. he just tuned him verbally.
He must be calming down as he get’s older.
Hehe he did give De Bruin a bit of a ruff-n-tumble on the ground… got a tap across the head from CJ but decided he’d let him off this time… and was already in the play on the other side of the field secs later…
Looks like Januarie service has improved due to a lot of effort in practice and lets hope he gets even better, his breaks around the side have always been his strongest point, but for the love of all that is good the next SA scrumhalf who pumps away possession with another pop box-kick needs to be shot.
but for the love of all that is good the next SA scrumhalf who pumps away possession with another pop box-kick needs to be shot
yeah Pienaar and Kockott have been doing a fair bit of that. They seem to be doing it well and at the right time mostly.
you know KSA what i cant understand is that both kockott and pienaar are potential gamebreakers with ball in hand, and yet its almost default muscle-conditioning with our scrummies, at least 2 or 3 times, kick over the top where the ball is simply caught by a Tuitivaki or Rocococo or Nonu who proceed to tear open a new one.
CAB
I think Kockott breaks often and well enough though and his kicks are pretty intelligent. RP doesn’t break so much but his kicks are also pretty intelligent.
yes true, but i’ve yet to see a box-kick in the S14 that really opens a game up and does anything other than giving the softest of turnover posession. for it to work it needs to drop into space and preferably get an akward bounce. In a game all about retaining the pill, as the Crusaders motto, I simply cannot understand the box-kick strategy particularly when NZ have such dangerous strike runners.
We have fantastic scrumhalves when they focus on quick service and/or backing themselves as playmakers with ball in hand, but am not a fan of the box-kick esp with the ELVs.
I simply cannot understand the box-kick strategy particularly when NZ have such dangerous strike runners
I agree with that 100%
alot of talk of our young SA talent coming thru, but what about Oz?
1. ? 2. Moore 3. ?
4. Horwill 5. ?
6. Pocock 7. Beau Robinson 8. Palu
9. Burgesse 10. Beale/cooper
12. Tyson 13. Cross
11. Horne 14. Cummins 15. Mitchell
Damn fine talent coming through, guess the oz problem has always been their props but i wouldn’t bet against them fixing that.
Enrico Januarie has a face only a mother could love… 🙄
Stop worrying about his face and worry about his game wpw.
Im still waiting for him to get back that bullet pass he used to have.
I reckon FDP and Heini Adams have the best pass of all SA’s scrummies.
JP Jouberts pass is not bad hey, his [email protected] ineverything else but had a good pass.
I reckon the Bulls should drop FdP with coach FL. The Bulls need PdV as coach and Ricky @ 9
Cab there are multitudes of real young talent (U21) coming through at prop, hooker, flank, lock… just have a wee look on their websites… particularly the Reds… heaps… plenty of Aus born Islanders amongst there too…
ja bryce, the reds props were who i was thinking, tight 5 has been a minor revelation this year, still v young too.
Clayton, agree think Jouberts’ pass was the quickest service.
I’d love to see a bok trial with our two best squads off 22.
1. Guthro v Heinke
2. Smit v Bismarck
3. BJ v CJ
4. Bakkies v Rossouw
5. Matfield v Muller
6. Burger v Watson
7. Juan v Vermeulen
8. Spies v Kanko
9. FdP v Pienaar
10. Butch v Grant
11. Habana v Chavanga
12. Steyn v JdV
13. Fourie v Murray
14. JP v Nokwe
15. Percy v Jantjies
16. Carstens v Beast
17. Liebenberg v Brits
18. Jannie Dup v Mujati
19. Pieterse v Corniel
20. Wickus v Brussouw
21. Januarie v Kockott
22. Kirshner v Ludik
shit cab… not a bad squad you just picked there…
Which UNCAPPED players have put their hands up in the Super 14 for the South African sides?
I think the most obvious one is Duane Vermeulen at the Cheetahs, who has carried on his awesome CC form into Super 14.
Kockott is another one.
Chavanga is capped but has shown a return to form and Nokwe has impressed too. Andries Bekker is another.
I think this “B” squad can give them a run for their money…
I’m particularly interested in
6.scHULK vs Shorty
11. Cyborg vs Chavanga
15.Percy vs Jantjies
What about Heinrich Brussouw? Damn but he is a good player.
I select him ahead of Keegan or Botes any day. I’d even be tempted to select him ahead of Watson.
*
….I’d even be tempted to select him ahead of Watson.
Comment 24 of 24, posted at 15.04.08 14:42:50 by wpw (YNWA) wpw (YNWA)
At that point wpw heard a knock at the door…he opened it to find a very irrate Cheeky staring at him with a traditional weapon in his hand..
#22
There’s no way Pienaar can be ahead of Januarie at scrumhalf…except on a sharks site.
Cru-El
Ruan does one or two brilliant things in a match and then he had a great game.
He is not the second best 9 in SA, hell he isn’t even in the top 4 imho.
Hell, he isn’t even a scrumhalf imo. 😎
Comment 26 of 28, posted at 15.04.08 14:48:01 by Cru-El (BABVA)
I would say a fair portion of the Sharks fans here are hoping for Krockott to be chosen ahead of RP….which shows we are not as 1 eyed as perhaps a person that thinks Dan Carter should be playing ahead of Brett? 😉
DP
Or as 1 eyed as perhaps a person that thinks Brad Barritt should be playing 12 ahead of EVERYONE. 😀
Comment 30 of 30, posted at 15.04.08 14:59:39 by wpw (YNWA)
….Don’t talk about our coach like that!!
I think they should just clone Brad 21 times and let him play ALL the positions
#29
It’s called succession planning 😀
Carter is showing his successor the ropes as he was when playing at 12 alongside Merthens 😉
Comment 33 of 33, posted at 15.04.08 15:12:50 by Cru-El (BABVA)
….you are very right on that one….something we don’t do, Steyn should have been playing 12 last year for the entire Super 14 for that very reason.
#34 (also the number of my favourite biker of all time – Kevin Schwantz)
Not everyone thinks that far ahead. 😡
Peter Grant had a dodgy start to the Super 14 but seems to be playing with a lot of confidence over the past few weeks.
Villie if he just had another inch of speed… he’d be a shoe-in…