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, 08:56 am
PA Gus is in France
18 Jan 2007, 08:58 am
Jean Div if you watched the warmup game between the Stormers and WP last week, you would have noticed Dollie making Grant look like a baby.
He has the best pass of any flyhalf in SA
18 Jan 2007, 08:58 am
RS 144,
van die goed wat jy noem maak sin. Miskien is dit die sisteem wat ons moet volg – wat my egter die meeste pla is dat Steyn die enigste jong nuweling in die backs is wat werklike kwaliteite het – ek is van mening hy het alles wat ‘n flyhalf moet he – en ek neem aan dis die standaard waarteen ons moet meet – waar’s al die ander jong manne.
Die res is orraait maar niemand lyk vir my na ‘n werklike monster nie.
18 Jan 2007, 08:58 am
jean div
Isn’t that what they said about Gio Aplon? To me he was the bravest guy and the one who missed the least tackles last year in the CC. JP Nel with all his aggression missed loads more tackles and made less ground than Gio. So, what’s your point? Do you want a prop or a flyhalf standing at flyhalf? Ismaeel isn’t that much smaller than Andre Pretorius.
18 Jan 2007, 09:00 am
Thank God for that.
Dollie is class, hopefully someone will realise that someday.
But in SA rugby it is who you know I suppose.
And who blows your trumpet for you.
18 Jan 2007, 09:01 am
Staal
Ek stem, Steyn is baie goed. Hy makeer net vertroue van die coach dat, as hy ‘n fout maak dat hy nie vervang sal word met Derick na 20 minute nie. Carter, Larkham, Giteua, Spencer, Mehrtens, Wilkinson het almal groot foute en blapse gemaak, maar hulle was vertroue gegee. Ons is te geneig om te ‘panic’ as iets verkeerd verloop.
18 Jan 2007, 09:03 am
I dont rate Dollie for Super 14.
I dont think we can compare Gio and Dollie.
1 big tackle and its over for Dollie. What saves Gio is that he has a huge side step
18 Jan 2007, 09:03 am
146 jdiv,
i understand your reasoning – but my point it none of these backlines are “worldbeaters”.
We can argue about who’s better than who – so what – none (maybe FdP) are one of the top 2 in his pos. and as a unit they are very average.
18 Jan 2007, 09:04 am
Ek sal nog steeds Steyn op 12 wil sien langs Hougaard.
We need a twelve that thinks like a 10 (and can play like one too), it is where we fall short in international rugby.
18 Jan 2007, 09:07 am
156,
Dit is nie aldag dat ‘n werklike goeie jong speler uit die “niet” verskyn nie. Steyn en Spies is van hulle – my mening.
As daai manne in die regte pos gespeel word met die regte backing dink ek hulle sal worldbeaters word.
18 Jan 2007, 09:11 am
Whoa stadig nou manne – ek praat van Steyn vd Sharks.
Sorry ek dink ek het julle dalk op die verkeerde spoor geplaas.
Ek het probeer se dat in SA rugby is daar huidiglik net 1 werklike uitstaande jong speler in die agterlyn en dis Steyn van die Sharks.
18 Jan 2007, 09:16 am
Staal,
Steyn van die Sharks is wel, maar onthou, hy is een van die min, of enigste promising jong spelers wat n kans gegun was sover.
I was against his inclusion last year – I was proven wrong. I will still reserve judgement though until I see him play at least 7 games of S14 rugby and see how he shapes up.
18 Jan 2007, 09:16 am
155 – He needs the same chance Aplon was given with Werners injury, to show what he can do besides it warmed everyones heart to see him run round JP Nel and leave him for dead.
Unless he gets that chance – i don’t see it happening !
18 Jan 2007, 09:17 am
He fell away badly when the pressure was on in the CC especially in the latter part of the competition, and specifically in the semi’s.
When he was selected last year, no-one expected anything from him.
Lets see how he handles expectation and pressure.
18 Jan 2007, 09:25 am
Staal
I dont think we will ever have a “world beating”
backline because
18 Jan 2007, 09:26 am
our backlines are overcoached and they not allowed to make there own decisions
18 Jan 2007, 09:33 am
Things don’t change overnight guys and Wp-Chick , give time , sure he will improve his game.
18 Jan 2007, 09:35 am
I think it is a case of being too structured jd.
Players are coached (specifically in backline) to set up phases. Backline moves consists these days of a 3 phase attack or more in which they hope to score on the 4th phase.
It is believed that this is because of the excellent defensive systems in place, but I say bullshit.
Rugby is not a game of contact or looking for deliberate contact, rugby is a game of space, and how you can use and manipulate space.
You have 15 opposition players that would want to tackle you if you run with the ball. No I dont car how you spread them out 15 guys will never cover the width of a rugby field, even if you lie them down.
At any given time you only have about 25% of those 15 players in a position to tackle you which makes it even easier to manipulate or attack space.
Yet we coach our players how to be effective in a ‘tackle situation’ and how to off-load in these situations. Sure the skill is important and necessary.
But why not coach our players to avoid getting tackled in the first place?
Like I said, rugby is a game of space on a field, how you use it, will depend on how well you do. And until we change that mindset, things will not change in SA rugby.
But I agree, it stems from coaching.
18 Jan 2007, 09:37 am
You have 15 opposition players that would want to tackle you if you run with the ball. No I dont car how you spread them out 15 guys will never cover the width of a rugby field, even if you lie them down.
Keyboard problems…
Should read:
Now I dont care how you…
18 Jan 2007, 09:38 am
162 PA,
Surely he’ll also be marked by his opponents this year – but hell this guy has what it takes, (I think)
I did’nt see him in any other games but the EOYT and his workrate, skills and demeanor impressed me.
IMO he is what we need at flyhalf – has he got BMT? – only time will tell.
18 Jan 2007, 09:43 am
PA
Excellent point…
I also agree with Keo, I believe Russel is key to our success in the Super 14, and I have gone on record many times, placing Grant inside De Villiers, I believe they could be a deadly combination…
18 Jan 2007, 09:44 am
Staal the kid has talent. **** lot of it.
But we have a tradition in SA rugby to screw up young promising careers before they start – Hougaard comes to mind.
I will not put Frans in cotton wool, I will ensure he plays an equivalent of about 7 games off the bench and starting.
I will want to see him at 12 next to Butch or Percy which will do wonders for this kids career if 10 is his position we want him to grow into.
By age 22 he can be our first choice 10, and be there for 8 to 10 years to come.
It is time we managed our players better, and more clever.
18 Jan 2007, 09:44 am
I’ve got a friend who played 10+ years for the Boks, a gazillion games for his province and he says the following.
No coach ever told him what to do when, no coach ever learned him skills, no coach ever told them how/wich game plan they MUST use. They as players decided before and on the field.
But the man mannagement of those coaches were impeccable. (sorry my engels issie so goedtie)
I’m not saying rugby has’nt changed – but maybe coaches are “over controling” the players.
18 Jan 2007, 09:48 am
Staal,
One of today’s most successful coaches is on record saying;
‘I am merely a facilitator, who ensures I provide the best possible environment for my players and give them the best possible tools, to perform at their absolute best.’
18 Jan 2007, 09:50 am
#174
Jake White?
18 Jan 2007, 09:52 am
Not in your life
18 Jan 2007, 09:52 am
172 Pa,
I’m with you in bringing him in slowly.
verstaan wat jy se ek hou eintlik maar netnie daarvan om ‘n speler te probeer op al die plekke en dan te besluit wat is die beste vir hom nie.
Gewoonlik verloor die speler confidence as hy nie goed doen in ‘n pos wat hy in elk geval nie wil speel nie. Hy sal ook vir jou se wat hy wil speel.
I’ve coached some of Pta biggest clubs and were a ref for a few years before i left SA – and ek se jou Steyn is ‘n flyhalf. I might be wrong – have been wrong before – maar hel ek hoop ons hou hom op 10.
Dis tyd dat iemand DCarter op sy plek sit.
18 Jan 2007, 09:59 am
It is proven that the more experience and time you get in certain situations, the better you get at taking good decisions. Read that book “Blink” – it has some really interesting takes on how and why peopel take good, fast decisions.
Question is: how much time will Russel need to be able to take good decisions as to whether or not to kick, and whether or not to run, or pass and then who to pass to. and then if the decision is to kick, can he? How long will it take to learn that. If he hasn’t learnt to do this yet (after claiming flyhalf is his preferred position) will he ever?
Do we have this time? Do we need to make this time for him?
Its Festers call…
I reckon if they could simulate game situations every day, he could get used to the pressure and the situations faster. But not by hanging around gyms or doing excercises…
18 Jan 2007, 10:04 am
Staal,
Ek verstaan 100% en stem saam.
Dis hoekom ek Steyn langs n Butch of n Percy sal speel (as 12) en hom so inrbing om hom ons toekomstige Bok 10 te maak.
Ja begin hom in een of twee games daar, teen n Force en Reds miskien, maar nie jou eerse keuse nie, nie nou al nie.
18 Jan 2007, 10:05 am
Sjambok,
I can probably count on one hand the amount of times I saw Russell play at 10.
(Not that I think it is his best position anycase).
18 Jan 2007, 10:06 am
I think Fester will involve Russel, you don’t spend a shitload of money and play a player on the bench…
As for Francois Steyn, Naas Botha said, if you are good enough, you are old enough, I say, pick him at 10, and play him, without pressure he will never flourish…
18 Jan 2007, 10:10 am
Naas played 50 years ago Saint, when the game was amateur and centers and flankers did not weigh 120 Kg’s.
18 Jan 2007, 10:12 am
lol PA and he still couldn’t tackle
18 Jan 2007, 10:12 am
Hougaard was definately good enough – but in no way was he ever old enough – mentally.
You have to remember, guys today come straight out of school and play professional rugby.
Guys back then, had professional careers out of rugby. These kids has no idea what life is about and how to handle pressure as we do in a working environment and as time goes by we learn to handle it better.
Think of your own job. How you did as a 20 year old and where you are now, and how much you know.
These kids dont have that.
18 Jan 2007, 10:13 am
Hehe.
Too true Ig.
18 Jan 2007, 10:13 am
PissAnt
If Russel was a proven defender, I’d have played him at 12, because I feel that could be his best position of all…
OK, the way that the Bokkes was defending at 12 in the past, maybe it won’t be as great a risk…
Just for your info Russel played at 10 for WP u/21 and almost singlehandedly won that competition for WP, he absolutely rocked the competition…
18 Jan 2007, 10:15 am
….and Naas still undeniably knows better than most about Fly-halve play, he was a general and dictated play…..
If only we now had a No 10 with his qualities!
You all hated him in Blue, but loved him in Green and Gold!
18 Jan 2007, 10:16 am
Agreed Saint – he did, but you need game time to keep yourself in the position etc – something surely lacking
18 Jan 2007, 10:17 am
#187 – lol GBS the last line of your comment is so true !
18 Jan 2007, 10:18 am
I know he started out at 10 Saint, but since he became a fully-fledged pro, how many times was he played there?
It is only a belief in me that he wont be a good 10, but then that is largely based on the type of game I would employ, or would like to see employed.
You mention 12 and that, or blindside wing will imo, bring out the best in Russell.
GBS,
I dont think Naas even knew the first name of his 12. So yes he dictated.
18 Jan 2007, 10:21 am
PA
Agreed the game has evolved, as did the players in size and weight, but Steyn isn’t exactly smallish by any stretch of the imagination, size-wise he is right up there with modernday backs…
As for Hougaard, he was never ready, Steady Eddie Andrews would have performed behind a 1000kg Bulls pack, Fourie du Preez passes a mile, no flanker on earth has the speed to be able to reach him, for the Bulls he never played off the back foot…
Why did Hougaard suck in 2003? (Except for the tackle by Brian “the executioner” Lima) The Boks pack could not dominate the same as the Bulls in the CC, no pack on earth can dominate like that in a test, OK England did it for a while…
18 Jan 2007, 10:23 am
PissAnt,
Naas played N Tvl from age 19 and Bokke soon thereafter, maybe you’re too young to fully appreciate the qualities the man possessed!
He had speed off the mark, slipped through many gaps, created a lot of tries for his outside backs….and was a great distributor of the ball….
Yes, N Tvl played a lot to a 10-man pattern, the Bulls still do it a lot, and it works!
18 Jan 2007, 10:26 am
PA
I do not think that Russel could ever be the complete flyhalve, but when did WP ever have a complete flyhalve, does such a thing exist?
Carter is a freak, as was Johnny Wilkinson (albeit a fragile freak)
I think Russel might be a very smart running player, he also has excellent hands, which adds him (except for size) to the Honiball fold, who you all know, could not kick his way out of an ***-kicking competition run by paraplegics…
18 Jan 2007, 10:28 am
Saint I saw Derrick play while he was still in the Cape.
I am not easily impressed by ‘flash in the pan’ type youngsters (not that he was but just he could have been) and they played against a bloody good oppo team.
This kid had me with my mouth hanging open – Derrick is bloody talented and I for one am pissed that he never reached his full potential.
The point I am trying to make is that you have to be mentally mature enough to handle pressure, and I dont think we quite understand the pressure a 20 year old feels representing a province or even his country in a rugby mad country like ours.
It is nothing to do with weight and strength, it is how you handle things mentally. If you panic in any situation in life, you make stupid decisions.
The example I used was to illustrate that back in the 80′s and before, guys went to Varsity, they worked, and they played rugby after hours as a hobby.
You will know how you were as a 19 or 20 year old kid, **** man we could not give a **** in life as to grown up things.
With age, and more importantly, experience, comes maturity, and that is what I am trying to get to.
Knowing how to handle difficult situations.
And no psychologist will ever teach you how to do it – it comes through experience and making mistakes and learning through those mistakes.
In rugby in SA, we do not tolerate mistakes as I can prove to you through various examples. End result, that youngsters career has ended before it started.
One of the best examples of one of the most talented rugby players I have seen, and also a flyhalf, is Gaffie du Toit.
He is a great example of what I mean where a players mistakes are seldom forgiven.
18 Jan 2007, 10:28 am
Hougaard seems to be following the same road as Gaffie. Unfortunately.
18 Jan 2007, 10:30 am
Saint,
Compairing Russel to “Die Lem”……shame on you!
18 Jan 2007, 10:31 am
GBS.
I am not that young!!!
And I have allo the tapes of all the games.
I hated Naas believe me, but the man was a genius, same as Porta, the likes we may never see again, apart from Carter that is.
18 Jan 2007, 10:34 am
190 Pa,
Re: last sentence…
He knows the name of all his outside backs. They told him at the reunion in 1990.
Sorry gbs, net ‘n grappie.
Het nou die dag weer saam met hom golf gespeel – ken hom al jare – Naas is bietjie hard op die oor maar mensig kon hy ‘n game lees! Dit kan ons nie van hom wegvat nie.
Het saam met DGerber in bloem gespeel en vandag sal Danie vir jou se Naas het soms te veel geskop maar daar was altyd ‘n plan met sy skopwerk. Hel ek was bly ek was nie ‘n forward teen hom nie.
18 Jan 2007, 10:34 am
Russell gives the stormers flyhalf channel some teeth, this is something that has been lacking over the past few seasons in the cape. This means that the opposition flankers will have to first protect their defending flyhalf before moving on to close the inside center channel.. it is this half a second which will provide the stormers inside backs at 12 (JDV or PG) with the needed space to create more line break opportunities. Russell should be picked and played at flyhalf – where is the fun going into a tournament and knowing you will end top half of the table at best… Russell gives one the chance of ending top four.
As for Russells goalkicking – Fester and Nick knew that he was not a goalkicking option when they signed him and although he may improve in time, that time has not yet come… surely for the amount of money the coaching staff get paid one would think that they have had enough time to consider the various line-ups to best allow either PG or Werner Greef to be on the field to shoulder the kicking responsibility.. for crying out load you coaches are supossed to be proffessionals!!! My options would be:
10 Russell
12 JDV
13 Greef – taking the goal kicks
11/14 Paulse and Sereli (Jantjies)
14 Gio
or
10 Russell
12 Grant (taking the goal kicks)
13 JDV
11/14 Paulse and Sereli (Jantjies)
15 Gio
18 Jan 2007, 10:37 am
I hear that GifAplontjie is quite a usefull goal kicker as well!!
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