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
Pages: « 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 [13] 14 » Show All
9 Oct 2006, 11:26 am
I think Carla Jane was batted by Luke – hence the angst in her posts.
Chocolate Milkshake > Carla Jane (in Luke’s opinion)
9 Oct 2006, 11:26 am
599, like i said in 597…
9 Oct 2006, 11:26 am
This site desperately needs spicing up.
It needs a “Babe of the day”.
I nominate Carla Jane as the inaugural BOTD. The photo spread could be interesting.
9 Oct 2006, 11:26 am
Wp lost cause they think they all like captain courageous…i can do it on my own.
9 Oct 2006, 11:27 am
596- i’m not saying we must sign brown specifically (without him we would not have finished as high as 5th though) but i think the sharks are lacking depth at lock, flyhalf and centre
9 Oct 2006, 11:28 am
Cane
Im not to sure we want to see a photo of her/it
9 Oct 2006, 11:28 am
WP lost because Luke tried to play all 15 positions (except lock). Perhaps if Greeff had been allowed to play inside centre…
9 Oct 2006, 11:28 am
Of the bulls website:
Tickets for Saturday’s Absa Currie Cup final between the Vodacom Blue Bulls and the Vodacom Free State Cheetahs will be available at Shoprite-Checkers stores.
No tickets will be on sale at Loftus Versfeld.
For more information, contact the Free State Rugby Union at (051) 407 1700. Prices are R200 for tickets on the grand stand, R150 on the open stand and R50 for scholars.
9 Oct 2006, 11:28 am
Shosoloza,
My mail addie is op # 593!!
9 Oct 2006, 11:29 am
Quinny, the Sharks played like a bunch of schoolboys who had lost their girlfriends, to much aggresion and absolutely no common sense, they deserved the hiding they got.
9 Oct 2006, 11:29 am
jees carla you can talk allot of ****…
9 Oct 2006, 11:29 am
No 550…Before he was injured, Nick Mallett suggested that he was ready to fast-track Frolick because he was such a good prospect. I’m not suggesting that he should play for the Boks just yet, simply that participation in a tour is quite a good way of introducing an extremely talented youngster to the Bok set-up and the rest of the squad. Every other country does it.
No 561…Your comment simply confirms my point. Paulse did play, albeit mainly as a sub, but you obvously didn’t notice.
9 Oct 2006, 11:30 am
hehe Phoeboe
Geluk vir Dewald hulle ook! Hoop jy gaan Bloem toe op hom te ondersteun! Dan kan jy maar vir die bulle sommer in die senior finaal ook skree! Het al die hulp nodig daar wat ons kan kry!
9 Oct 2006, 11:31 am
Jees like it Free State stadium will packed with wall to wall dutchmen on Saturday… LOL
9 Oct 2006, 11:32 am
KIR
Agreed. Centre is a big problem, as there’ve been huge defensive leaks there. Any candidates?
I wish the Sharks had bought Hendrik Meyer. He’s been one of my standouts – even when he was playing for the Pumas. Even Ronnie Cooke, seeing as though he was on the market. Will be hard to raid the Cheetahs, seeing as though they seem to have our number
9 Oct 2006, 11:32 am
bigg,
Is’nt it great….wall to wall quality “********”!!
Dis lekker om ‘n Bul & “********” te wees!
9 Oct 2006, 11:33 am
It is sad, but the Bulls will easily beat the Cheetahs. There will be no repeats of last year, the best team will take it this time.
9 Oct 2006, 11:34 am
610
I agree. I really do not understand why **** started with Botes ahead of Keegan. Daniels will never be a top player if he continues with that attitude. How many yellow cards has he received this season? The Sharks should punish him by fining him part of his match fee – maybe then he’ll learn.
9 Oct 2006, 11:35 am
groot – i mean it in a friendly way…
9 Oct 2006, 11:36 am
bigg,
I also mean my answer in a friendly way….you would have known all about it if I was not that friendly!
9 Oct 2006, 11:36 am
Bigg,
The Dutchmen know how to play and enjoy rugby…!
He he he ..!
9 Oct 2006, 11:39 am
Bulla so do the sout pielers… ( rooi neks )
9 Oct 2006, 11:39 am
The best players in SA are ********.
9 Oct 2006, 11:41 am
In Pretoria u must be 2meters tall to play flank
9 Oct 2006, 11:42 am
gbs, jy hom gekry?
9 Oct 2006, 11:44 am
finmaster – without a doubt re dutchmen being the best players. if they the same intellect as the english saffers then we would be world champs over again
9 Oct 2006, 11:44 am
nog fokkol thehef, server seker bietjie stadig!
9 Oct 2006, 11:50 am
Ok Jean en jou punt is?
9 Oct 2006, 11:51 am
jean div any results to prove a different point ?
“Looks at the score bord”
By the way this is a typical wp comment , Kuun is 1.86m he ‘s the guy thats 22 and scored twice.
9 Oct 2006, 11:54 am
how tall is that sexy bulls cheerleader with the really dark brown hair?
9 Oct 2006, 11:55 am
As long as te Bulls don’t win the Currie Cup
9 Oct 2006, 11:56 am
wolfman2006,
You talking about the 1 who did all those flick flacks…….parratjie, ***, parratjie, ***, parratjie, ***……
9 Oct 2006, 11:57 am
jean
You have a problem then the cup is comming home buddie!!!!!!!!!
9 Oct 2006, 11:58 am
indeed i am gbs! i would be willing to watch the spears play rugby, as long as she was there!
9 Oct 2006, 11:59 am
Here we go, every one whose team did not make the final are all Cheetas all of a sudden – anything, as long as the Bulls don’t win the cup!
Fokkern Henshoppers!
9 Oct 2006, 12:00 pm
Simeon # 197:
You clearly not interested in winning the World cup are you mate:
Seconds? Van der Merwe? Stauss? Gary Botha? Phillip Burger? They are all slightly better than average Currie Cup players and possibly average Super 14?
You need Smit there and you need Jagues Fourie!!!
9 Oct 2006, 12:01 pm
Kerneels
This saturday it is the rest of SA agains the bulls………..and just think how it will be after Gary lifts the cup
9 Oct 2006, 12:03 pm
Ons alleen tussen die ander…
Fine, we will just need to shout that much louder.
9 Oct 2006, 12:05 pm
Kerneels, Steyn
My stem was reeds Saterdag amper weg, maar sal hom mooi rus vir Saterdag!
9 Oct 2006, 12:06 pm
Brad Barrit is overrated
9 Oct 2006, 12:06 pm
Kerneels,
Stem saam. Die laaste 50 weke het baie skielik splinter nuwe Vrystaat ondersteuners opgelewer.
Ek as ‘n leeu en die forseerde samesyn van Leeus en Cheetahs in die nou gelukkig afgestorwe Cats, het maar ‘n sagte plek vir die blikore.
Dit bygese dink ek die bulle is beslis die gunsteling om die naweek die bekeer terug te neem Pretoria toe.
9 Oct 2006, 12:08 pm
GBS
Jy moes my gehoor het sondag kon amper nie eers praat nie…..maar dit was alles cool…..sal dit weer doen die naweek
9 Oct 2006, 12:10 pm
# 330, Rugby Student.
That is a pretty solid side but would have Bekker or Van Der Merwe in place of Albert. Butch ahead of Willem, Louis Luddick on the Wing as back up to Paulse, Pretorious can stay as centre cover, and Jannie in place of Carstens. Visage murdered him in June!!!
9 Oct 2006, 12:16 pm
jp pietersen & brad barrit are way ******* over rated. If JP was white he would never been selected in the bok squad
9 Oct 2006, 12:19 pm
A 15 seater full of Bulls muppits/supporters on the road from Pta to Bloem….. Keriiissst!!! now thats a scary one…
Cane
Why is a decent citizen of NZ on a SA site looking for a Babe of the Day?? Surely its not what I am thinking…
9 Oct 2006, 12:19 pm
Watson might be an arrogant arsehole or whatever everyone says about him, but atleast he was gracious enough to congratulate Gary Botha and wish the bulls luck in the final. Gary didn’t even have the decency to acknowledge the losing team.
Congrats Bulls – you layed a great game.
9 Oct 2006, 12:24 pm
646 oops layed = played
9 Oct 2006, 12:29 pm
Peanut
Good point. But does you finks vat Gary had the ability to change his rehearsed pm speech to accommodate Lukes gracious comments?
9 Oct 2006, 12:43 pm
Supa
Gaan beslis. Ry Saterdagoggend 6h00. Dewald het n riller beleef Vrydag. Sy trui verloor in die
8ste minuut. Steke in die 16de. Vinger in die
oog 2de helfte (Sy Kuif afgesny teen sy haarlyn
op die veld oor die bloed en goed!) Afgestuur met
geelkaart oordat hy sy man gestaan het. Geboo van
die pawiljoen ens, ens.. Wat n Game!!!!
9 Oct 2006, 13:50 pm
To all Bulls fans. I have cut this blog out to point out the mentallity of your supporters. This clearly illustrates the problem with all you DD. If someone has a personality, then suddenly he is kak? When will you guys get over the bright lights and big city syndrome. the world has changed, move with the times, their is another World outside of PTA. Seriously, you clowns need to get out more!!!
Keo Watson’s arrogance made him loose a lot of support including me, how many turnover did he make on Saturday , he’s playing way to loose thes days , he always standing at flyhalve , imagine having him and Victor together ???
No way WP can keep him, there are other loosies pushing as well Lobberts, Kabamba, Kuun their personalities are much better than Luke’s as well
Comment by capebull : October 9, 2006 @ 8:24 am
Pages: « 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 [13] 14 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.