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

Pages: « 1 … 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 [11] 12 13 14 » Show All

  • 501.rich: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:04 pm

    1234

  • 502.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:05 pm

    Rich 0

    Tony 2

  • 503.Kerneels: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:05 pm

    Hey Lam, not bad at all!

    CJ, that may just be one of the dumbest things ever posted on Keo – come on ‘girl’, I usually enjoy your posts, even though I almost never agree with them!

  • 504.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:05 pm

    Tony and Saint the Brothers of Destruction…hehe

  • 505.Kerneels: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:07 pm

    501 WTF? It is not hard to count if all the numbers sit next to each other on your keyboard…

    Hey Tony!

    Not wasting my time – I just had a long day and feel like joining the mud fight for a few moments!

  • 506.rich: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:08 pm

    lol Tony u can give it but u cant take it
    its ok
    456#

  • 507.Tony Moneo - The Perfect Storm..er...: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:08 pm

    501. We`re only at 503 now, too early (some might say premature).

  • 508.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:09 pm

    Where is Steyn the Dyslexic?

  • 509.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:09 pm

    Rich

    He loves taking it! :lol:

    Tony

    Het jy lam se mail gekry? forward pls.

  • 510.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:09 pm

    toemaar – het hom tony!

  • 511.MR Lam: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:09 pm

    hello Saint Tony supa
    things that happened today 18 January

    1778 – Captain James Cook discovered the Sandwich Islands, now known as Hawaii.
    1871 – King Wilhelm I of Prussia was proclaimed the first Kaiser of the German Empire (flag pictured), a newly unified nation state.
    1958 – Willie O’Ree of the Boston Bruins played his first game in the National Hockey League, breaking the color barrier in professional ice hockey.
    1977 – The mysterious Legionnaires’ disease was found to be caused by a novel bacterium now known as Legionella.
    2003 – The Canberra Firestorm: Bushfires burning out of control began blazing through residential areas of Canberra, Australia.
    2007 Carla Jane speaks k@K again

  • 512.Tony Moneo - The Perfect Storm..er...: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:10 pm

    506. I`m still here and I`m taking it. I didn`t come back with a clever retort like “f*uckoff you clown” or anything like that.

  • 513.Tony Moneo - The Perfect Storm..er...: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:11 pm

    Ek wag nog Supa. In spanning!!! :eek:

  • 514.rich: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:15 pm

    509# Supa siestog

  • 515.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:15 pm

    Tony F*ck off you tosser…

  • 516.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:16 pm

    LMAO at 511 lam!

  • 517.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:17 pm

    rich

    Het jy ooit verstaan wat ek bedoel????????????

  • 518.Tony Moneo - The Perfect Storm..er...: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:23 pm

    Saint, it`s ok, I forgive you.

  • 519.rich: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:24 pm

    dont worry Supa
    i read what u said
    515# lol
    Howzit The Saint

  • 520.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:24 pm

    Supa

    Nie eers jou ma verstaan wat jy bedoel nie…

  • 521.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:27 pm

    saint

    Maar JOU ma verstaan my – dis al wat saak maak!

  • 522.Fern: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:28 pm

    Howzit all.Tony Moneo why so irritated?Missing your buddy The Tackler?

  • 523.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:29 pm

    My ma is dood

  • 524.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:33 pm

    myne ook

  • 525.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:34 pm

    #523

    Nie regtig nie, maar NETNOU was ek ‘n weeskind, wat dan Supa?

  • 526.rich: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:34 pm

    520# LoL

  • 527.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:36 pm

    ek is REGTIG! Jy is die een wat begin het…

    Rich

    Om elke keer vir saint te lag gaan hom nie jou maat maak nie…

  • 528.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:36 pm

    527 is vir saint

  • 529.Tony Moneo - The Perfect Storm..er...: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:36 pm

    Howzit Fern, what the hell? Tackler?

  • 530.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:37 pm

    Supa net Carla Jane en die kommin campers maak ma grappies…

  • 531.Fern: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:37 pm

    Tony so are you denying you are friends?Werent you in NZ as well?

  • 532.MR Lam: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:38 pm

    ek sien GBS het vir Dawn bangemaak gister sy is nerens vandag skies IT is nerens vandag

  • 533.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:38 pm

    Saint

    Nou hoekom het jy dan EERSTE die grap gemaak moegoe???????!!!

  • 534.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:39 pm

    SUPA

    #530

    Dis vir my bedoel ook…

  • 535.rich: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:39 pm

    527# Supa grow up you are not 12 anymore

  • 536.Tony Moneo - The Perfect Storm..er...: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:39 pm

    Supa, ja nee, die mannetjie dink hy`t `n buddy.

  • 537.MR Lam: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:40 pm

    530

    Saint

    ek stem nie saam nie ek het n kakhuis vol jou ma jokes, mense wat dit persoonlik vat wil dit persoonlik vat so dat hulle kan kak maak

    n grap is presies dit N GRAP

  • 538.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:40 pm

    Lam

    El het my moeg gelag vir daai mail nounet! Beste een in n laaaaaaaaag tyd! Al wat snaakser as dit kan wees is n foto van Saint wat die hoenders doodval!

  • 539.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:41 pm

    Rich

    No one here likes you – not even saint so fark off!

  • 540.Tony Moneo - The Perfect Storm..er...: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:42 pm

    Fern, never lived there. I`ve just visited the place a few times.

  • 541.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:43 pm

    tony

    Jy al daai mail van Lam oor Steyn gekry??

  • 542.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:44 pm

    Lam

    Ek het actually kak gemaak…hehe

  • 543.Fern: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:45 pm

    Tony nothing better than some saveloy sausages on a gas bbq I have been told.Where have you been?

  • 544.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:46 pm

    Daai mail is nie snaaks nie…

    Dis die mees disgustingste ding wat ek in my hele lewe gesien het…

    Ek is naar, ek voel olik…fark man…SIEK SIEK SIEK!!!

  • 545.Supa Die Bloubul: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:47 pm

    lol at saint – daai “hehe” klink baie verlee

  • 546.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:48 pm

    #543

    Then obviously you have never tasted braaivleis…

  • 547.Stormers: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:48 pm

    Hello to all my favourite boneheads!!!!

  • 548.rich: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:48 pm

    Supa doos

  • 549.Fern: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:49 pm

    Saint I have,the person telling me this has never tasted braaivleis.

  • 550.The_Saint: Reply to this comment
    18 Jan 2007, 15:50 pm

    SUPA

    Daai hehe is baie verlee

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