A couple of little bits floating around the airwaves. None of them really warrant an article in their own right, so let’s lump them all together here:
Of the Springboks: It seems as though Peter de Villiers has named Big Vic Matfield as stand-in skipper for this weekend’s mismatch against Italy. Other news from the camp is that Schalk Burger is fit, so thankfully, it seems we have been spared the ignominy of Luke Watson captaining the Boks in a test. For now, at least.
Man, but didn’t the Boks alternate between sublime and ridiculous on Saturday? The media consensus seems to be that Dev doesn’t have much option now but to pick his strongest combination to face the Iteys, in the hope that they’ll gel before the Tri-Nations. Kanko over Spies is a no-brainer. Monty, alas, is not available, meaning that Jantjes, the up-and-under king who can’t tackle, is likely to continue at fullback.
The one change that absolutely has to be made, though, is to get rid of Tonderai Chavanga. He has been awful two weeks in a row and is clearly not up to it at this level. If he’s picked against Italy, he’ll probably go on to score 6 tries again, given the coach yet more false hope that he’s actually a capable test wing. Odwa Ndungane, to my mind, is the guy that needs to come in for him, based on current form, but JP Pietersen’s name has also been mentioned. I find this strange; JP wasn’t in good enough nick to be named in the original squad at all. How can he now leapfrog Odwa into the side? Of course, the other option is to pick Odwa at fullback. Perhaps a little bit too radical for right now, but you never know…
Of the Blue Bulls: What is it with Francois van Schouwenberg? Is the dude literally stapled to Victor Matfield? The latest is that he too is coming back to the Bulls from Toulon. Why would he do this? He moved away from Loftus to get game time, but got none when Matflied went to the same club. Now that Matfield is leaving, you’d think it would be the ideal opportunity for the young doctor to establish himself at his new club, but no, he decides to move BACK to Pretoria to once again sit on the bench. Perhaps he sees the potential movement of Bakkie Botha the other way as a chance to play alongside his idol in light blue, but whether he would be picked ahead of Danie Rossouw at 4 is quite debatable. What an odd saga.
It seems as thought Heyneke Meyer is off to coach Stade Francais, speaking of all things ligblou. I wonder how many of his favourites will go with him? JP Nel has already decided he’s had enough of Currie Cup rugby. Will we see Liefling, Wynand Olivier and the rest all decide to follow suit, now that Oom Heynie seems to be working his way back into the game?
Of our favourite ex-Shark: It seems Clyde Rathbone is making his return to rugby in some meaningless club game or something. Whatever.
Of the Sharks: It sounds like the guys did pretty well in Welkom, all things considered. This potential injury to Jean Deysel really is a sucker-punch, though and we’re going to struggle to replace him in the short term. Keegan Daniel is the guy most likely to benefit at this stage, but he’s going to have pull finger in a big way.
Oh and I really hope we don’t lose Rory Kockott at any stage. Brad missed all 5 kicks at goal on Friday and without Ruan or Frans we really have zero backup in the goal kicking stakes.
Tweet
my Bok team for Italy:
15 Ndunange
14 JPP
13 Jacobs
12 JDEV
11 Habana
10 Butch
9 Januarie
8 Kanko
7 Smith
6 Burger
5 Matfield
4 Bakkies
3 BJ
2 Bissie
1 Beast
16 Brits
17 CJ
18 Rossouw
19 van Niekerk
20 Bolla
21 Steyn
22 Bobo
What happened too Heineken’s other job? Or am I confusing him with some one else?
@ra-cheltjie de’ be-er (Comment 2) : no, you’re right. He was appointed marketing director for USN Sports … you know, the “supplement” company.
I heard Pierre Spies was his best customer 😉
@robdylan (Comment 3) : That’s it!
@robdylan (Comment 1) :
Good team. I 2nd your proposal. 😆
Would have Steyn in jersey 19, but vNiekerk is slightly better option. 😉
Thought he was to cut all ties wiff rugby?
Apparently he said:
Meyer said at heart he remains a South African and “I can’t coach the Boks, I don’t want to coach.”
@ra-cheltjie de’ be-er (Comment 7) : obviously didn’t have the right offer on the table yet.
Maybe PDV will give Frans Steyn a start at 10 against the Ita’s? Give Butch a bit of a rest!
@Villie (Comment 9) : thought about that, but surely Grant is next in line?
@robdylan (Comment 3) : Do they make brain supplements?
@ra-cheltjie de’ be-er (Comment 11) : It’s a rare compound called Kankonium
@robdylan (Comment 12) : Very good.
@ra-cheltjie de’ be-er (Comment 13) : Ag, I try my best, hey 😉
Seems Heyneke is a South African with a price tag?
@VinChainSaw (Comment 15) : aren’t we all? 😉
@robdylan (Comment 16) :
Touche.
@robdylan (Comment 1) :
Ndugane at fullback..have you completly lost it Robd..must be the British Air and global warming…I can’t see any reason to play the dude there as he won’t ever feature in that position..I’d rather see either Ruan, Steyn or JPP play 15 first.
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 18) : He has played there for the Sharks and every time he has, he’s done bloody well
@VinChainSaw (Comment 17) : no hablo espanol, esse
@ra-cheltjie de’ be-er (Comment 7) :
They must have left the bit about “unless the money is gooder than at the bulls” out. 😉
@robdylan (Comment 16) :
Bok-El is the only NON expat on this thread so it seems you are 100% right.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 22) : it happens every once in a while 😉
From 365 on Victor Matfield’s appointment.
Victor Matfield is “in a league of his own” when it comes to analysing games and the opposition. That is why he will captain South Africa in their one-off Test against Italy at Newlands in Cape Town on Saturday
League of his own???????? What league is that? A good player, kak captain league?
Yes then he is difinitely in a league of his own. He is a KAK springbok Captain.
His decision making ability sucks!!!!!!
He has no idea how to manage or deal with referees!!!!!!!!!
He is useless.
Fortunately he is only captain against italy so he will at least win one as captain for a change.
We lost One Home test in 2007 and guess who was the captain????????????
@KSA Shark © (Comment 25) : pierre spies? 🙂
@robdylan (Comment 19) : I can second that. Don’t think Boks will play him at 15 but he has done the business there for the Sharks
@Villie (Comment 27) : well, I guess JP being sent back kinda ends the speculation about him playing 14 against Italy. Surely Odwa must be next in line?
Fish – MSN just died on me
@KSA Shark © (Comment 21) :
LMAO!
@CoffeeShopBok;-) (Comment 18) :
Dude, Odwa has played and done very well there. All the things that make him a very good wing could make him an excellent FB – big, fast, great defence, good hands. He can also kick reasonably well. Great temperament too.
I know friend Rob, I know. 😉
@Big Fish (Comment 31) : silly little piece of software
@robdylan (Comment 32) :
Something a girlfriend once told you Rob? 😈
@Big Fish (Comment 33) : very funny.
Off to bed for me.
Catch yuo all tomorra
Cheers bud!
I’m off to sleep the sleep of the innocent…
@robdylan (Comment 26) :
Nope, Guess again? 😉
I’ll give you a hint.
his team once drew a match rather than win it becuae when they were only three points behind, he kept telling his kicker to go for touch, thinking his line out ability was enough to get a try. Only to cost his team the game.
@KSA Shark © (Comment 36) : Gary Botha?