How to make Russell rock
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.
January 18th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
saint supa
ek het julle lekker insults gestier ek het dit hier probeer pos maar IG blok dit
cmmon IG
FREEDOM OF SPeeCH???
January 18th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
baie oorspronklik rich! Jeez must be the first time i heard that! Idiot…
January 18th, 2007 at 3:51 pm
rich
You gonna say something original soon?
Cause otherwise we will have to let you go…
January 18th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
mr lam
nog nie gekry – maar as iets blok sit net ! tussen in. Bv Rich is n po!efter
January 18th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
538
SUPA
ja dit was K@K snaaks kon nie help maar ek moes Niel terug kry gister vir daai Spider episode
January 18th, 2007 at 3:52 pm
Fern, when they make hot dogs I laugh my *** off!!! A piece of bread with no margarine and a white sausage. They roll the bread around it and whalla, a snack! Flippin hilarious!!!
NZ food seriously suck!!
Been to most of the North Island, I have family in Auckland. Must say it`s a beautiful country. Bay of Islands is magnificent. However, it is sooooo boring!
Next time I want to go see the South Island.
January 18th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
rich I find your posts very poor.
January 18th, 2007 at 3:53 pm
Lam
You dumb clown…
Change the spelling, if they let rich in, anything goes…
January 18th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
Fok Lam – i let you okes get away with murder
January 18th, 2007 at 3:54 pm
You see Rich – everyone think you are lame!
Lam
Die snaakse was toe jy byskryf “N op vakansie”. ek het my doodgelag! Jammer Steyn maar dit was snaaks buddy…
January 18th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
IG
your leaving anyway I will email you the page then you decide
January 18th, 2007 at 3:55 pm
Supa, whats it with you and name calling? Were you bullied as a child???
January 18th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
So Tony in short you couldnt life there?
January 18th, 2007 at 3:56 pm
ja saint and he let Stormers in…i think he is Ig’s charity case!
January 18th, 2007 at 3:57 pm
stormers
No, the bullies pick on weaklings like you…
January 18th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
Lam – already read it – it ain’t gonna get published
January 18th, 2007 at 3:58 pm
The Saint what are u on about?
I always attack people who initiate insults.
Tony and the other
557# what do u find poor about my posts?
January 18th, 2007 at 3:59 pm
Ja ouens , hoe lyk die krag sake ? Gelukkig darem nie hier kragonderbrekings gehad nie.
Any of the games being broadcast over the weekend guys ? or is it just me and the castle again.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:00 pm
Ek het die Steyn joke gekry, dis hilarious!!!
January 18th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Andre
drinking castle is making love in a canoe
******* CLOSE TO WATER
January 18th, 2007 at 4:01 pm
Middag andre
Ek **** nou oor die radio die hele land gaan binne die volgende week of twee krag onderbrekings kry! Plase, stede almal
January 18th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
Ig
When’s the party ? are we invited for a dop ?
January 18th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
NZ cooking is a hoot compared to the English…
I was in LOndon for a while, working holiday…
Saved up 3 days to buy myself the juiciest Rump Steak I could afford…
Took it home to the flat I shared with one SAFFA and two pommies, put it in the fridge and went off trying to find charcoal or at least wood or something…
Found some wood, went back, opened the fridge, STEAK GONE!!!!
One of the farking POMS cut it up in blocks and made a stew…. A FARKING STEW…
Fight broke out… SAFFAS 2…..POMS 0
January 18th, 2007 at 4:02 pm
rich
Attack? You call that attack? Damn that was so weak – then i dont wanna see your defence…
January 18th, 2007 at 4:03 pm
IG where you going by the way or is it a case of if you tell me you gonna have to kill me
January 18th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
rich if your posts were even faintly amuzing, I’d join your fight, but as it is D@@S seems to be all you got…
January 18th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Supa, i’ll give you a P@#$ klap any day of the week buddy!!! Any day of the week!!!!
January 18th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
Andre ?
Lam – end of march, but hopefully the new guy will be running the show by then and i will do some coasting – lagging my *** off while you guys tear him a new one.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:04 pm
573
LMFAO
January 18th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
I think Ig got Keo’s old job as Springbok Media consultant…
January 18th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
IG not when.
WHERE??
January 18th, 2007 at 4:05 pm
Fern, the funny thing is I could live there. Great country and a wonderful place to raise kids. BUT, I love SA and this is my country.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Saint that is hectic.Worse about a scenario like the hotdog one TM described is because you are a guest you get a big helping.After forcing it down you have to lie to the people when asked if you enjoyed your meal.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:06 pm
Lstormers
like you got as a child at school?? bwhaaaaa…you! bwhaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
January 18th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
LAM
#579
I did not find that even remotely funny at the time, couldn’t use my right hand for almost a week…
On the other hand, they couldn’t eat their farking stew, had to order soup, if you knw what I mean…
January 18th, 2007 at 4:07 pm
o ja stormers…im not your buddy!!!!!!!!!11
January 18th, 2007 at 4:08 pm
582.Exactly Tony it’s not home.Surely if you could choose between sitting at a scenic place there and having a beer compared to doing it in SA you would prob choose SA.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
585
thats the only language pommies understand
messing with a saffas steak,
they should have been shot
January 18th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Stormers…
Any day of the week? Come on man, you sound like rich, people have been banned for saying things less stupid…
January 18th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Lam – i plan to move to Tshwane and grow a mustache and challenge Supa’s dominance of DVD sales at robots…..
January 18th, 2007 at 4:10 pm
590
that one I heard
remeber i already place my order for Debbie does Dallas
January 18th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Ek hoop die nuwe ou gaan so nice wees soos ou Ig was. Soek nie ‘n ou wat heeldag met ‘n dikbek gaan rondsit daar in sy kantoor nie. As hy ons die eerste week probleme gee dan moet hy gefire word.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Ig
If you take my business, ill have you killed!
Cant believe you still remeber me saying that – that was months back!
Stormers
Po@S klap?? What do you know about po@3s?? Playing with your sister doesnt mean you no something…
January 18th, 2007 at 4:11 pm
Stormers whats with the aggro bru
we are relaxed here dude
take a chill pill
January 18th, 2007 at 4:12 pm
Ig
Se net vir die nuwe ou hy moet nie alles ernstig op neem nie!! anders gaan keo vir sy sielkundige moet betaal!
January 18th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Sorry Mr Lam.
Supa tends to get the worst out of all bloggers on this site!!!!
#593 thats classy Supa. Sounds about right for you BUDDY!!!!!
January 18th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Ig
Your farwell party ? can we come ? I am sure Keo is going to make it a big one. Lots of dop
January 18th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Supa – i be filling my 3litre cortina with Tikkoppe – they will be running my defence – i am not afraid.
January 18th, 2007 at 4:15 pm
Ig is going to miss the brotherhood, especially after he sees what we have planned for the new guy…
Stormers and Rich, are you guys gone now?
January 18th, 2007 at 4:17 pm
Andre – sure, but i am not sure there will be one, happy to sneak out the back door and come back as a rabid province supporter freed for the bounds of keeping everyone else in line !