Steyn poised for national selection
8 Oct 2006
Luke Watson still won’t make the Springbok squad for the Ireland and English tests, but the national selectors will blood several in-form Currie Cup players.
The form of Pierre Spies gives White an escape not to pick Watson, although Spies has been devastating as a No 8 in the Absa Currie Cup and not as an open-side option. Watson, consistently, has been the best open-side flanker in the country, through the Super 14 and the Currie Cup. He was very good playing in a beaten pack in Western Province’s semi-final defeat and newspaper reports that played off his performance against that of Spies were outrageous. One played openside flank in a pack whose tight five got murdered. The other played No 8 in a pack that marched relentlessly to a final.
Most independent observers would laud the possibility of Watson playing as open-sider, Spies playing at No 8 and Juan Smith completing the loose-trio. For those who still argue that Watson misses out because there are better, don’t kid yourself. Watson misses out because White does not rate him and never will.
White this weekend told the Sunday newspapers, English and Afrikaans, that for the first time his focus was on winning the World Cup and not the next test. Let’s hope the national coach can maintain this supposed belief on tour. He mentioned a similar thing prior to the Tri Nations. Then the Boks got hammered by France and White feared for his job. His reaction was to stick with the same players who failed him the year before.
Injuries forced him to introduce younger players and Spies was one of those to benefit with two outstanding home tests against New Zealand and Australia. But before we get too carried away, look at the impact of Spies at No 8 in his test debut. Yeah, there was no impact because there was nothing happening among the tight five.
To beat Ireland and to get at least one win out of two against England will require a tight five that is dominant and not just competitive. The loosies in the northern hemisphere will only ever be as good as their tight five. And White and his selectors will have to think carefully about who goes and stays in that department.
Rudolf Straeuli also opted for a young tight five in 2002 to play France, Scotland and England. Deon Carstens, Bakkies Botha and Wessel Roux were all the stars of the domestic competition. They got smashed by teams, whose tight five were well versed in technique.
It will require a mix and match in selection if White is to succeed where all Bok teams have failed since 1997.
Taking younger loose-forwards and backs is to be applauded, but the wiser and more battle-hardened souls are the non negotiables among the pack.
Speculation, based on White having a banter with the Sunday newspapers, include the selection of Francois Steyn as a utility back, potentially Brad Barritt and Jaco Pretorius as a second string midfield combination and the injection of youth in Hilton Lobberts and Kabamba Floors. Chiliboy Ralepelle will again tour, despite the Bulls selectors rating him third, at best, in their current senior set-up – a rating I fully agree with when you consider the quality of Botha and replacement hooker Strauss.
White will not select overseas-based players like Cobus Visagie, although there is a very strong case to be made for Visagie, given he has given all the English props a torrid time in the last two seasons, while French-based Shaun Sowerby would be a ‘horses for courses’ selection.
White will continue to pick John Smit as his first choice hooker and captain, but Os du Randt and Percy Montgomery will be rested. There is also talk that White will ‘rest’ his best outside back in the last two tests in Breyton Paulse. Just why only the selectors would know because Paulse has played very few matches this year and has ended his overseas commitments with Clermont two months ago.
With Montgomery out, White can choose between Bevin Fortuin, JP Pietersen and Steyn, but it seems Johan Roets is very much in the Watson mould. Regardless of what he does, he won’t make the team.
Of the contracted Boks who SARU will be paying until the end of 2007, Hanyani Shimange, Eddie Andrews, Jaco van der Westhuyzen, Marius Joubert and De Wet Barry are unlikely to tour, while a decision has to be made on Jacques Cronje and Victor Matfield.
Joe van Niekerk, who has not had any rugby since the away leg of the Tri Nations, is also unclear about his tour involvement. Van Niekerk hurt his neck in August and it would be wiser to give him an additional month to make a complete recovery.
White’s biggest selection headache comes at lock. Matfield is the best contesting lineout in the world and Bakkies Botha is the best foil in a partnership to Matfield. Without Botha and Matfield, the likes of Johann Muller, Albert van den Berg and Danie Rossouw aren’t as imposing a prospect.
If you look at the two teams that will contest the Currie Cup final, the majority of the players are unlikely to feature in the touring squad. Of the Free Staters, Fortuin is the only probable backline inclusion, with Floors and Jannie du Plessis candidates among the pack. Among the Bulls, Ndungane and Wynand Olivier will probably tour, while Spies, Lobberts, Rossouw and Gary Botha should be in the national squad of 30. That’s less that 10 players out of the 30 coming from the two teams who have dominated the domestic competition.
652 Comments
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9 Oct 2006, 10:10 am
To all the Bulls,
Congrats….you guys deserved to win and are worthy finalists.
Supa, ek kon nie my nick heeltemal verander soos bespreek nie. Dit het heeltyd gesê die naam is te lank. Hoop die een is ok.
Vir wat dit werd is… JP is my rolmodel, pappa en hero !!!!!!
En vir dié naweek….GO BULLS !!
9 Oct 2006, 10:10 am
Did Seconds break his hand / arm??
Sure looked like it!!
9 Oct 2006, 10:11 am
Keepin it real…
what a lovely prize if only you sending me to iraq with zuma aswell well then i would be the happiest okie alive . . . .
9 Oct 2006, 10:11 am
LMAO Kudu
9 Oct 2006, 10:12 am
Hehehehehe @ Kudu!!!
9 Oct 2006, 10:13 am
446- i’m a little embarrassed bout that game, i thought the bulls were goin to be to strong for province but i thought the other semi would be very close. right now i’m more interested in the springbok squad than finding out who will win on sat- what i mean by that is i don’t really mind who wins, both teams deserve it
9 Oct 2006, 10:13 am
Lets be serious…….Kabamba won’t make it…..he is 175cm and weight 83kg or something…….and we all know how obsessed White is with size….so there is no way he is gonna choose the lightest loose forward in international rugby……….
9 Oct 2006, 10:14 am
bluebarb, nou wat het dit met enige iets te doen. Jy lkan maar daai corsa van jou bring ****?? by the way ons pa sit in a metro police bussie traffic fine
9 Oct 2006, 10:15 am
capebull, you deserved the win. Well played to your team.
9 Oct 2006, 10:15 am
Hmmm, morning mate. I hope you’re wrong about Kabamba. He’ll make a great impact player for the Boks – fresh legs in the last 20 mins or so
9 Oct 2006, 10:16 am
white is going to pick the same old same old .. with a few new faces to keep the public a little later. These new faces will of course only go along for show and to hold bags.
9 Oct 2006, 10:16 am
Keo
On July 24th you had a thread asking:”Is the Bulls era over?” and we had stupid comments like this:
YES,THE BULLS ARE FINISHED,GONE,OUT,GOODBYE,THIS CC WILL SHOW,THEY ARE THE HAS BEENS OF S.A RUGBY..
Comment by shark bok : July 24, 2006 @ 9:45 pm
I would just like to answer your question – with time all answers come.
Last year the bulls were finalists in al 5 divisions – amateur, women, 0/19, 0/21, senior. We won 3 out of 5 final.
This year we won the 0/18 craven week. Our women also have already won the cup. Our 0/19, 0/21, amateurs and senior team are in the finals again. Thus, 2 cups already and 4 finals to be played. So, to come back to your question, is the bulls era over?
Certainly not, the Bulls era – has just begun!
9 Oct 2006, 10:16 am
hmmm- do u think white is obsessed with size cos he has a very small winky
9 Oct 2006, 10:17 am
bluebarb
Jy het gevra weet ek met wie ek praat? ‘n scooby driver?
9 Oct 2006, 10:17 am
I do believe Lobberts will go with, for experience how to control his anger/aggression alla Schalk Burger, doubt he will play though……which will be good cozz he can take that experience to the S14 and grow it further against the best in the southern hemi….
9 Oct 2006, 10:17 am
i have no axe to grind with any WP fans, except those two wankers from Friday, Twig, and wp..2007CCChamps or whatever his stupid nick was.
oh and Macdaddy can kiss my hairy ***.
that being said, you wont hear this Bull shout the odds too loudly this week. The trip to bloem could potentially be a harrowing one… Its going to take a special effort and 100% concentration and discipline will beat passion on the day, methinks.
9 Oct 2006, 10:17 am
Kobus must realise 15man rugby differs from Rugby league and 7′s in the sense that 15man rugby code you have scrums and lineouts get a decent T5 compete and then win big games.
9 Oct 2006, 10:17 am
Supa – keo also wrote a news24 column a few weeks back saying the bulls would win…….whats your point ?
9 Oct 2006, 10:19 am
Nice Kudu!
9 Oct 2006, 10:20 am
val,
scooby driver se gat.
het jy al jou tux ge-organize?
9 Oct 2006, 10:20 am
#310
halfgk
Go and have a look again who knocked the ball out of Luke Watson’s hands when the Bulls scored their second try.
9 Oct 2006, 10:20 am
hehe….maybe kir….
9 Oct 2006, 10:21 am
#310
halfgk
Go and have a look again who knocked the ball out of Luke Watson’s hands when the Derick Kuun scored the Bull’s second try.
9 Oct 2006, 10:21 am
462
goeie antwoord supa.
dit is die jaar ook die 5de jaar in ‘n ry dat die o19 en 021 en senior span in die finaal is.
o19 en 021 het dit nog elke jaar gewen (in 2002 het o21 gedeel met leeus).
die strukture is gesond in blou bul land.
9 Oct 2006, 10:21 am
bluebarb,
Nee maar het ‘n nuwe suit. Laat Donald Trump kak lyk, vlieg kaarjie en accom gebook….Het jy die ring?
9 Oct 2006, 10:23 am
ig
If you can read, you’ll understand my point. Ek mik nie my post na keo nie – ek mik dit na almal wat ons afgeskryf het.
Keo
I also want to hand it to you – you called everything three weeks ago – you said Bulls would beat cheetahs but they would get a bonuspoint, and you predicted the sharks and wp would lose – everything is right up to the final – hope your final prediction is also correct.
9 Oct 2006, 10:24 am
Tony #391
Spot on… I think that combination has huge potential. I had my doubts with Sies at No 8, but he seems to have all the answers and could really develope into a really classical No 8, with the added bonus of speed. As Keo says ( I cant believe I am actually saying this), but provide a platform with a solid tight 5… and we may really have unrevelled a potent pack
On a separate note, I have really been unimpressed with the state of the CC this year, but I am not sure if I am the only one who picked this up, but the standard really moved up a notch this weekend
1 Free State were sublime, playing an expansive, attacking game with a really rampant pack. Why o why did it take them soooo long to adapt a game plan to the players they have at their disposal???
2 The Frikking Bulls even started thinking instead of playing theur usual “Moer en gaan duur/oor alles Stampcar” diatribe. I really think that Spies has a lot to do with their step up. A Bulls forward with a really good rugby brain… unexplored territory?? I just hope their new style of play doesnt confuse too much of their support!!
3 To me no disgrace in Province losing, based on the way they played, as well as how good the Bulls really were. 3 silly mistakes led to 3 tries… game over. I remain encouraged about the type of rugby they are trying to play and hope they build on the platform they have created
4 The Sharks… the only disappointment of the weekend. They were diabolical… nuff said
Maybe their is a glimmer of hope for the EOYT…
9 Oct 2006, 10:25 am
Agreed 471…..WP scrummed the Bulls back in that scrum (so wp were going forward)…..Luke picked the ball up and the Spies tackled Watson and dislodged the ball…..JP ran through, picked the ball up and passed to Kuun for his second……
9 Oct 2006, 10:26 am
Zorro, Ryno is too short and should consider playing hooker.
9 Oct 2006, 10:29 am
If Jake could only swallow his pride the backrow combination of Watson, Smith and Spies could be devastating – the Poms must be laughing up their sleeves at the prospect of facing Solly T instead!
9 Oct 2006, 10:30 am
I really don’t think Luke had such a bad game. He stood out for WP, althought they played some ordinary rugby for 3/4 of the game. Luke is a good player. World class by any standard. He is a bit arrogant though, but he is definantly NOT a liability to any squad that utilises him. He is in the backline alot, yes, but he does good work when he is there. I mean, he set up two tries and almost scored one himself. Luke has stood out in just about every game he has played this season. People are just tired of hearing how good he really is.
9 Oct 2006, 10:30 am
whoop whoop Bulle is baas.
dum dum Wp is kaas.
9 Oct 2006, 10:32 am
once again WP is let down by their refusal to face up to the fact that they HAVE to invest ina solid tight 5 and a decent Pivot. the last time WP featured in the CC was when they had a settled, decisive 10, and a strong, driving tight 5. their obsession with flashy rugby will cost them dearly if they dont have some decent backup.
its like having a car with huge KW but no torque.
it can do 300kph, but takes 25 min to get to 100kph…
9 Oct 2006, 10:33 am
BTW no matter how much talent young Steyn has, I dont see him having the correct temperament or decision making capabilities.
How many times did he kick possesion away when the SHarks were looking for tries?
Seems that this might be a prerequisite for Jake, if a guy kicks away possession he is in with a shot.
9 Oct 2006, 10:35 am
477, Bod, good post.
9 Oct 2006, 10:36 am
Dankie vir die 10 punte Luke – jy was ons beste speler en wp se beste agterlyn speler! Maar jy het hard probeer, ek sal dit vir jou gee!
Spies het Watson lekker gehand-off en toe reg oor Naas Olivier gehardloop!
Bolla die skare lekker probeer skrik maak en n minuut later is Lobberts regoor hom vir n drie!
Delport, mooi man, jyt Uys lekker gewys die bus is vol!
Wp het n slegter jaar as laasjaar. Hulle het swakker in die nuwe superreeks gedoen en dieselfde plek in die ccup geeindig!
Ek het julle hele laasweek gese – WP het nie BMT nie en dat hulle WEER in die semi gaan vasval!
9 Oct 2006, 10:36 am
Redcard (479) – that was pretty sharp dude!
Do think the guy would really bring stability and a thinker to a Bok backrow.
9 Oct 2006, 10:36 am
RedCard,
What was teh game plan there?? Was so frustrating to watch luckily i was watching at someone elses house I had to bite my lip a few times %^*& Sh*t B&TCh *^*()@
9 Oct 2006, 10:37 am
477:
Do you think that Campo is still being bored by the Cheetahs?
9 Oct 2006, 10:37 am
Agree Redcard, i am not sure he is the way forward and realistically carrying tackle bags must be a most un-inspiring way to start a Bok career.
What i would like to hear is waht the selectors and Bok mangement plans are for this tour – are we growing our bok playing pool, are we going for a 3 out of three. Why not communicate the goals of the tour to the public……
And personally i don’t think Jake has the balls to think out of the box.
9 Oct 2006, 10:37 am
Lte’s assume that the two best teams in the competition made to the finals. (I still do not know how the Cheeters made it considering that their only asset is their coach))
If there is any justice and/or sanity left in this world Jonathan Kaplan should be officiating in the final. I can see Mondays headlines allready and it doesn’t look good to the Bulls.
Anyway well probably get one of the weekends referees again which means the Bulls should take it easily. Even JC will not blow against the Bulls.
9 Oct 2006, 10:40 am
…..500
9 Oct 2006, 10:41 am
Look the Sharks did not deserve to win saterday i agree. But eish I don’t want to sound like a lion supporter….THE REF….at one stage I thought he owre a cheetah jersey????
9 Oct 2006, 10:42 am
Hierdie Francois Steyn lyk nie na iets spesiaal vir my nie…
9 Oct 2006, 10:43 am
494 Missed vital tackle that cost us a try…then he played better..Wheres the days of Joubert???
9 Oct 2006, 10:43 am
Môre supa,
ek sien die wp-maane kla en kerm klaar oor marius,
hy word ook nou gebrandmerk as ‘n vuilgat,
die outjie weet hoe om te finish
9 Oct 2006, 10:44 am
Ig,490, his balls shouldn’t really be thinking outside the box, at this stage it would make more sense putting them in a vice grip.
9 Oct 2006, 10:44 am
Wat was daai arme blou bul speler wat so 2-3 jaar terug in ‘n motor ongeluk oorlede is se naam? Ook Francois Steyn?
9 Oct 2006, 10:45 am
Ig, and Jake thinking outside the box, really means “kicking the ball down the oppositions throat” as opposed to kicking it into the ‘box’
9 Oct 2006, 10:45 am
#493,
ja fortuin was kak en ook die manier hoe hy met die spelers praat is onaanvaarbaar
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