How to make Russell rock
17 Jan 2007
Brent Russell needs a coach who believes totally in his skills.
I thought Kobus van der Merwe would be the man to do so, but I fear the pre-season optimism has quickly been dashed after one trial game. Naas Olivier is a competent flyhalf, but he is in the Louis Koen mould. He’ll never let you down, but he won’t win you championships. Russell is a player who can be the difference in a competition like the Super 14.
The Aussies have always said that if Stephen Larkham was South African he would never have played test rugby. Equally, they’ve said if Brent Russell was Australian he’d have played 50 tests by now. Invariably because there are so many good players in this country in every position coaches are unwilling to coach a player when it comes to Super 14 or test level. They want the finished article and the investment in a player is minimal when you compare it to the likes of Australia, who have a limited supply of quality rugby union players.
Russell, in other countries, would be an asset because of what he can do and not a liability or potential weakness because he has vulnerabilities in his game.
Already the doubts have been allowed to creep in. The media questioned Russell’s first appearance and the coach felt obliged to concur that the player had struggled. What did he expect? Russell has played a handful of games at flyhalf in the last five years. Take the good in his attacking game and nurture it. Take the weaknesses and work on them.
Playing percentages rugby in the Super 14 has never won a team anything. So the Stormers looked more structured when Olivier played flyhalf in the second half against the Bulls. So what. Structure is not the key ingredient to winning the Super 14. The Stormers last year lacked a playmaker close to the scrum. The did not have that X-factor from broken play or when quick ball was recycled. They had solidity in Peter Grant and Olivier. Nothing more. Near misses remained just that.
Russell has the X-factor, but he is also a player who simply has to be boosted to get the best out of him. He has to be trusted to make an impact and I can only hope Van der Merwe has sat with him pre-season and told him he’s got the first 5 games to prove he is good enough. To judge him on every game individually will lead to failure. To unleash the beast, there has to be some massaging of the shoulders and there has to be a belief from the coach that playing Russell at flyhalf is not a gamble, but an investment.
Russell’s out of hand kicking game must improve and as a natural soccer player it is something that can be fixed. He is not a goalkicking option and to try and make him one will lead to frustration.
To allow Russell to prosper Van der Merwe should pick Grant at inside centre, shift Jean de Villiers one out to the number 13 jersey and give Grant the goalkicking duties.
If blue is the new black in Cape Town, then boldness must be the coach’s motivation. A year ago Van der Merwe suffered because of conservatism in his selections and because of a reluctance to back playmakers. Russell gives him the chance to change all that.
689 Comments
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18 Jan 2007, 14:26 pm
Saint, grow up
18 Jan 2007, 14:27 pm
#448
Ironic if you read #449…hehe
18 Jan 2007, 14:29 pm
ground hog day again i see.
18 Jan 2007, 14:29 pm
#450
If Steyn was a fly he’d get zipped up very quick…
18 Jan 2007, 14:31 pm
Is it just me or does CJ not like me…
18 Jan 2007, 14:32 pm
Rich & CJ, gaan praat k*k iewers anders.
18 Jan 2007, 14:32 pm
If Steyn gets plays 10 for the Boks, the temptation will be so much greater to pick Pienaar at 9. Imagine that combo!
Can I dream even more and believe that Bobby at his best at 8 will give us the most courageous and talented 8, 9 & 10 in the world?
18 Jan 2007, 14:34 pm
bobby is a has been.
18 Jan 2007, 14:34 pm
CJ
See you are dreaming about nude men on a different thread…
18 Jan 2007, 14:35 pm
Ruan Pienaar is best suited at fullback or at least wing, my friend and confidant PissAnt, whose opinion has a lot of weight around here, feels the same…
18 Jan 2007, 14:35 pm
Martin, one big difference, Supa is Punxsutawney Phil…
18 Jan 2007, 14:35 pm
Saints sits on greased towbars! That explains the lump in her throat!
Rich, I think Jake should be looking at combinations this year. The important ones 9 – 10, 12-13, 2-4-5, 2-1-3, 6-8, 8-9 etc should guide his selections. Those combinations are what wins games in the last minute.
18 Jan 2007, 14:37 pm
Carla
Except for wingers and a fullback, that IS the hole farking team…
18 Jan 2007, 14:37 pm
Saint thinks Pienaar should play fullback becoz Pissant said so. Ag please man, do us a favour and have an original thought. It is because of you that women have such a bad name on this blog
18 Jan 2007, 14:37 pm
So yeah
I agree we should have a good team if we wanna win…
18 Jan 2007, 14:37 pm
And we all know Pissant is da bomb!
18 Jan 2007, 14:38 pm
jake should be looking at numbers 1 – 22.
18 Jan 2007, 14:39 pm
Tony
Het jy al ooit n goeie woord vir my te se gehad?
18 Jan 2007, 14:39 pm
18 Jan 2007, 14:39 pm
and we need to score more points than the opposition if we want to win
18 Jan 2007, 14:39 pm
464. No, it`s because of you CJ.
18 Jan 2007, 14:40 pm
Carla,
You amaze me with your wealth of knowledge.
18 Jan 2007, 14:40 pm
MAtches win matches Carla?
18 Jan 2007, 14:40 pm
Indien julle wonder hoekom stres ek nie dat Carla Jane dink ek is ‘n vrou nie…
Ten minste is ek dan veilig van haar/hom/dit…
18 Jan 2007, 14:42 pm
Supa, jy weet ek joke net!
18 Jan 2007, 14:43 pm
Carla actually anyone who saw the Boks against the World XV could see what a danger Pienaar constitutes from the back…
18 Jan 2007, 14:45 pm
Vinnie
Carla gets all her rugga knowledge from Grandmaster Google, so sometimes, if it doesn’t make sense, blame Rugby365, or Wikipedia…
18 Jan 2007, 14:47 pm
Steyn, as a big guy, will prove to be just a fraction slow off the mark for a truly great 10.
He looks and plays like a natural 15.
18 Jan 2007, 14:47 pm
Saint
And you would definately know when someone is good “from the back”!
18 Jan 2007, 14:47 pm
Saint, sy suffer van Medomalacuphobia…
18 Jan 2007, 14:50 pm
David, I agree, Steyn is a good 15 and I would play him there for the WC.
18 Jan 2007, 14:52 pm
hmmm suffers from eisoptrophobia…
18 Jan 2007, 14:55 pm
LOL Supa!!!!
18 Jan 2007, 14:55 pm
die hele stormers span suffer defnitief NIE van peladophobia NIE!
18 Jan 2007, 14:56 pm
Waar`s almal nou?
18 Jan 2007, 14:58 pm
Tony
Van daai goed is n klomp strooi! Wie de hel ly nie aan Liticaphobia nie!
18 Jan 2007, 14:59 pm
FdP and Ricky will be our WC 9′s – I think it is time you lot accept that and move on.
18 Jan 2007, 15:00 pm
Again Carla runs off from the master…
18 Jan 2007, 15:00 pm
Ig
Why do I alway get shat on when I call someone a clown…
18 Jan 2007, 15:00 pm
Dag manne…dit sluit jou in CJ.
18 Jan 2007, 15:01 pm
Rich suffers from Tonyhatesphobia – the fear of Tony.
18 Jan 2007, 15:02 pm
We never play our best players
We are our own worst enemies
sorry Tony only one f* off was meant
18 Jan 2007, 15:02 pm
middag almal
CJ HAVENT YOU GOT A BETTER SAYING THAN 462
18 Jan 2007, 15:02 pm
Supa, daar is `n paar siek puppies out there!
18 Jan 2007, 15:03 pm
kerneels
dont call them a clown
call them what they are
dumbasses lol
how you doing?
18 Jan 2007, 15:03 pm
No rich – we never play our best players in your opinion. I bet you won’t be hard pressed to find some people who disagree with you…
18 Jan 2007, 15:03 pm
491. Exactly Supa, and he stutters badly…
18 Jan 2007, 15:04 pm
ja tony! Nie eers geweet mense fear sulke nonsens nie!
18 Jan 2007, 15:04 pm
Hello Kerneels, Lammie!
Don`t waste your time on rich.
18 Jan 2007, 15:04 pm
Rich 0
Tony 1
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