Kobus all smiles
17 Jul 2006
Vodacom Western Province coach Kobus van der Merwe is grinning like a Cheshire Cat at the moment, as his underdog team continues to go from strength to strength.
When asked the rhetorical yet valid question of how he felt after the 20-13 victory over Free State, he just chuckled and retorted, “Do you really want to know?”
The man who was vilified in the media after the Vodacom Stormers poor showing earlier this year could hardly contain himself, but managed to shift the focus onto his captain, Luke Watson. It seems that the longer Jake White turns a blind eye to his form the longer WP will benefit.
“A lot of the credit for this win needs to go to Luke’s captaincy. In fact, we have put in a new clause in his contract that states that he may not play Springbok rugby until the end of the domestic season,” he joked.
He did, however, stress the need for Province to stay grounded. “It’s still a very long season, so we won’t be getting too excited yet. Look how Griquas beat the Sharks in Kimberely. We’re playing the Valke this week and it will be tough up there.”
The coach was at a loss for the turn around in the Cape Town side’s fortunes. “It feels nice to get it right for a change. Since the Vodacom Super 14, we’ve grown as a team and the coach has learnt a lot,” said Van Der Merwe.
Watson was also in a vibrant mood when he commented on the win. “I was a great supporter of WP rugby even before I went to play for the Sharks,” he said. “I loved the running, creative rugby they played. We are now starting to play the same type of rugby and moving away from the conservative.”
During Saturday’s game WP put together an enterprising move that spanned the length of the field, but in the end lock Gerrie Britz could not hold the final pass. Watson highlights this moment as a great reflection of how well they are playing and how close they are as a team.
“We are enjoying our rugby, and we are actually smiling on the field. I mean, when Gerrie knocked that ball on, I ran up to him and gave him a high-five. I high-fived him not because he knocked it on, but because he was there to take the final pass. That was what was important to me. Even though he is a lock, he was right up there.”
By Jon Cardinelli
83 Comments
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17 Jul 2006, 11:26 am
Yeh Province! Pitty about the injuries, but nevermind. It’s part of the game. And now they will be bolsted too with the arrival of that Pumas prop and Fijian centre.
17 Jul 2006, 11:29 am
so why cant the stormers play rugby?????????????
17 Jul 2006, 11:29 am
I like it!
17 Jul 2006, 11:29 am
I like it!
17 Jul 2006, 11:33 am
Goodmorning fellow Province supporters and to those unfortunate ones of you born and raised up North.
SA (aka Bulls) lost but at least the performance of WP made up for it. If there is any good to come out of this poor SA performance it is that once again it has been shown that you can not win test matches playing boring and brainless Bulls rugby. How much more proof do we need. And for those of you still singing the praises of Pierre Spies….well you have obviously been last in the queue when they handed out brains.
Stan…..15-10. Have a nice day.
17 Jul 2006, 11:33 am
Klippies,
because the coaches were thrown into the deep end, Mallet was a disruptive influence, and we had a few showponies around. Look at Heyneke’s first season record with the bulls… dismal
17 Jul 2006, 11:35 am
Ja, high five maar lekker. Julle moet nog teen Griekwas in die Gat kom speel.
17 Jul 2006, 11:37 am
Poublou,
I have no problem with Griquas. They got some mongral in them. I like that.
17 Jul 2006, 11:39 am
Weet iemand iets van Brits se besering af?
17 Jul 2006, 11:41 am
Spokie,
Brits het sy mediale ligamente beseer. Specialis het gese dis nie nodig vir ‘n operasie nie. Hoort net gestrap te word. Hulle gaan vandag vir ‘n tweede opienie. Ons sal maar sien.
17 Jul 2006, 11:41 am
ok jammer sien op hoofpage.Jammer!
17 Jul 2006, 11:44 am
Mooi so province….
17 Jul 2006, 11:46 am
in Afrikaans. Kan dit ook in Frans vertaal. Enige iemand?
17 Jul 2006, 11:47 am
Staal? Kooots. Is jy ok vandag?
17 Jul 2006, 11:51 am
Go province, let’s hope Watson can keep them humble in victory. This team can only grow from here, that loose trio is something special, all that WP and the Stormers have needed this year is a strong and intelligent leader on the field, which Barry and Burger certainly weren’t.
17 Jul 2006, 11:56 am
That’s what i am talking about. We going from strenght to strenght. I think sins Mallette is not involved in the coaching and team selection things went well for us. We will get there , still a long way to go but we on the right track so far.
17 Jul 2006, 11:56 am
They face a very tough game at the Falcons on Friday. Brakpan on a winter’s Friday night could be more intimidating than Kamp Staaldraad.
It’s great to see how WP and the Sharks are succeeding at playing expansive rugby. I hope they carry it through to the Super 14?
17 Jul 2006, 11:56 am
the prob with the boks is we dont select the right player watson brits aj venter ruan pienaar russel how can they not be in the boks
17 Jul 2006, 11:57 am
Watson – humble? Hmmm, not sure about that – but am sure about the fact that he is playing out of his skin. Thing is that WP still look like a one-man team….if Watson gets called up I think julle gaan jou gatte sien….
17 Jul 2006, 12:01 pm
quinnyshark wake up pls …
17 Jul 2006, 12:03 pm
brits out of CC
17 Jul 2006, 12:05 pm
Ig,
Please update us on the injuries regarding Schalk Brits and Joe Pietersen.
Gaffie is a thug. Most players would have been red carded for that tackle. But Aplon tackled the shite out of Gaffie and at least I felt better.
Stuff the boks – Wp is the team to watch.
Newlands was Newlands again on Saturday – the crowd chanting…
Dis ‘n Wp dag, ‘n lekkker lekker Wp dag, want ons gaan nie worry nie, want ons gaan wen…..
17 Jul 2006, 12:07 pm
Eloise,
Where did you get that info from about Brits?
What injury did he pick up?
17 Jul 2006, 12:07 pm
le Fou,
how can i be okay after the bok performance?
17 Jul 2006, 12:08 pm
knee
17 Jul 2006, 12:10 pm
Staal dont worry the Boks will get up!! as soon as the people in charge realise there’s some players currently playing CC that should be over there…
17 Jul 2006, 12:12 pm
Lo I’m with you 100%. I must say I have had to eat humble pie with regards to Jaco, he just hasn’t come right.
The boks have traditionally been good when WP rugby is good and now I am really happy to see WP starting to come right.
I think this can be attributed 60% to Luke Watson. Not only is the guy brilliant in his position but it is his leadership that has really counted.
WP haven’t had a quality leader in ages, they definattley now have one. You can see how Luke encourages his players, I haven’t seen such constructive talk on a SA rugby field in a while. I was really impressed.
The WP No 8 is alsoa revelation, tehy guys is good, and Naas Olivier looks like a talent for teh future. I enjoy the balanced running of the fullback. All together some exciting youth.
I am no fan of provincialism, I just can’t stand Bulls supporters because they stead-fastly belive the Bulls are the answer to every problem in SA rugby. I wish tehy could get past their obsession with loving their rugby and rather acknowledge they Bulls rugby is only good for Currie cup trophies.
The Bulls are only good against SA opposition that is, they will be good Currie Kak’ers nothing more. They receieved most of their S14 points from SA competition. The Sharks were the best SA team because they competed overseas.
When Jake became bok coach he always said that is was away form that was most important. I think after 2 years as coach his ideas have been squashed by sheer media and public pressure.
His loss in the NH in his first season as coach was where the rot started and he staretd to think he needed Bulls mentality to win matches over there. We slowly became more and more conservative.
I hope and pray that the Aussie thrashing can reset Jakes brain to where it was when he first took over as coach. SA forwards do not dominate foreign opposition, they have worked out how to counter it. SA scrum is decent not spectactular, get used to it and stop focusing on it. The line-out is by far the most important first phase anyway and we good at that.
We need to start holding possession again, we need forwards that can get across the field, so that when a backline payer takes the tackle there is someone to clear out. I think we are often to scared to run wide as we get caught for holding on as there is no one to form the ruck. For tis reason we keep teh ball close to the forwards in contact.
anyway, good luck Jake, I have no doubt in your rugby accumun.
17 Jul 2006, 12:12 pm
Staal,
just asking boet. You gave us okes a complement and no mention of rugridders. Don’t let Stan see this. Hey sal die fits kry.
17 Jul 2006, 12:14 pm
Stormsaam – Brits out for two months thats certain – i think Joe P will probably need two weeks mandatory concussion break judging by how they took him off the field.
17 Jul 2006, 12:15 pm
le fou,
been a province supp all my life.
17 Jul 2006, 12:16 pm
Mike I agree… I also believe the SA players on the field should use their brains for once!!
17 Jul 2006, 12:18 pm
Staal,
weet Stan? Welcome home boet.
17 Jul 2006, 12:19 pm
jaaaaaaaaaaaa boet…
Province gave us reason to smile… All credit to Watson and to poor old Kobus… He’s taken much flack and hey… seems he’s doing something right…
it’s great to be contenders again… (and for the bulls supporters, I’m not saying we’re gonna win but Province supporters can justifiably feel we’re in with a chance…)
three weekends in a row… against the three strongest sides in the Currie Cup. no one gave us a rats *** chance… Sharks squeaked it late, hog-tied the bulls and caged the cheetahs…
but… just keep it humble guys… a long way to go still…
pity about the injuries… but the guys are stepping up big time…
they really want to play for the jersey again…
(unlike another team I support…)
17 Jul 2006, 12:24 pm
Le Fou,
but i’ve also been a bulls supp all my life.
17 Jul 2006, 12:25 pm
Shame Staal,
ag nevermind. These things happen.
17 Jul 2006, 12:26 pm
This article just serves to further prove Festers stupitity. During the S14, he chose 3 or 4 captains, incl. the dimwitted Barry, Brits, de Kock, de Villiers, etc when he had the answer in front of his nose.
Now, due to national duty call-ups, he accidentally stumbles across Luke Watson as captain, and he sings his praises??
In truth, the CC is not a measure of SA rugby anymore. Only when we can compete consistently in the S14 and top internationals will I rate the CC.
17 Jul 2006, 12:28 pm
even if he stumbled upon it sage… at least he’s recognised him now…
a lesson for jake… who wouldn’t recognise it if it slapped him in the face like a cold, pap snoek…
17 Jul 2006, 12:38 pm
kobus lekker smile ou maat want Hougie gaan daai smile van jou gesig afskop. Nog 2 weeke dan kan hulle die curriecup vir ons gee want dan is thepoint-machine terug
17 Jul 2006, 12:42 pm
Dronkie, Hougaard will be Steyn’s benchwarmer…
17 Jul 2006, 12:45 pm
Fester is still a dodgy coach but seems that the WP players can think on the field, so his lack of coaching is actually a benefit
I haven’t forgotten the cr@p that the Stormers pulled, but I am LOVING my Province boys.
17 Jul 2006, 12:48 pm
PS Gaffie is a thug, I agree Stormsaam #22.
I actually defended him the other day to a buddy, and Im sorry I did. He is sour cos he is not a Bok anymore, that tackle on Pietersen was bullsh1t.
17 Jul 2006, 12:58 pm
Any coach that picks De wet Barry let alone make him Captain is a moron.
Hopefully Smit is on the next plane back then we can get Luke Watson accross.
Duck here comes that pap snoek
17 Jul 2006, 13:00 pm
Province you lekka!!!
Couldnt watch the game…What did gaffie do? cause I hear alot of things about his tackle on Pietersen.
Dronkie, Hougie will play right into our gameplan…kick, stand deep,, miss Aplon on his way to the tryline after a quick throw!!! Punte!!!!
We’ll make the bulls our ******* again on nuweland!!
17 Jul 2006, 13:06 pm
Gaffie….tackle, in the same sentence? Wierd!
17 Jul 2006, 13:08 pm
Watson and Diack getting plenty of (deserved) kudos…
But Aplon has just been amazing… Cool… quick… reads the game well… get’s into position with loads of time to spare… and defends superbly for such a little guy… Sorry “for such a little guy” is not fair. He defends superbly, period.
Think he deserves as much credit as the forwards…
17 Jul 2006, 13:12 pm
Provvas,
Agreed. With Aplon, Petersen, Rhyland, Seconds….Hougie will have to think twice before he kicks away any posession.
17 Jul 2006, 13:21 pm
Well done WP. When the three lock/flanks are back,Skeate, Bekker, Boome the team will be unbeatable.
The currie cup could be ours.
17 Jul 2006, 13:26 pm
Hilke,
I agree. Skeate and Bekker at locks and Boome on the flank or as an impact player. With Justin Melck, vd Merwe and Gerrie Britz, we would have a decent bench as well.
17 Jul 2006, 13:27 pm
Lo,
Spies is a very good player. Saturday’s (mis)match is not the yardstick with which to measure him. With time, experience and a coach, he can become one of the great Boks.
And just so that you know, I’m a rabid, fanatical province supporter. Always have been, always will be.
17 Jul 2006, 13:32 pm
yeah kudu… gotta keep britz and vd merwe in the mix… they’ve done us proud and would hate to see them get shunted…
skeate and bekker better really step up and show us they are ‘that’ much better…
spies is a good player… not easy as a debutante when all the experienced players around you are so pathetic… he’ll be back…
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