Mike lets Catt out bag
14 Sep 2007
Mike Catt and not Andy Farrell will play flyhalf against South Africa.
Farrell had been named at flyhalf in the England line-up but Catt admitted he would wear the No 10 jersey on Friday night.
“I’ll start at 10 and predominantly stay at 10,” Catt told BBC Radio 5live. “Obviously with Andy’s left foot, I think it’s a vital part of our game,” he added.
“It’s a bit like myself and Olly (Barkley). We want to get us down in the right parts of the pitch and when we do that we can attack off it. It’s a massive task for us but as long as we play down there anything can happen.”
England coach Brian Ashton said he viewed the two players as being interchangeable in the role.
“As an educated guess, Catt will play 10 and Farrell 12,” said Ashton. “I see them both as inside backs, mixing and matching during the game. If I didn’t think they could do it, I wouldn’t have picked them.”
Farrell has won all his six caps as a centre since his high-profile switch from rugby league, while Catt has won caps at full-back, centre, fly-half and even on the wing since making his England debut in 1994.
Speaking on Tuesday, Farrell said that he viewed the inside centre and fly-half positions as much of a muchness.
“The last few weeks the 10s and 12s have all been swapping in and out anyway, and we share the workload and responsibility,” he said.
“The way Brian likes to play, he likes his 10 and 12 to control the game between them. There is not that much difference, just a bit more responsibility at 10.
“When Olly went off during training on Tuesday, me and ‘Catty’ just sorted it out between ourselves.”
England will start with Farrell as their first-choice goal-kicker with replacement scrum-half Andy Gomarsall lined up as second choice should anything happen to the former Great Britain rugby league captain.
Catt has kicked 22 penalties and 16 conversions for England during a 13-year Test career, but did not kick at goal for his club London Irish last year to protect his problematic back.
Farrell’s goal-kicking pedigree in rugby league is unquestioned, having landed 1042 goals in 230 Super League appearances for Wigan, but his last kick at goal in an international was three years ago when playing league for Great Britain.
297 Comments
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14 Sep 2007, 08:57 am
Brian Ashton will pull an ‘Ian McIntosh’ and play Johnny. Brian would do anything to try and get some advantage, I think the English are closing their eyes and hoping for the best.
14 Sep 2007, 09:00 am
More Almal!!!!!
VIX INNIE MIX!!!!
TODAY IS THE DAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR FOUR YEARS NOW!!!! F*K HULLE OP BOKKE, NIE MET DROPGOALS NIE, MAAR MET DRIEE EN DRYF SPEL!!!
14 Sep 2007, 09:01 am
Im flying to FRANCE TOMOROW so thumbs up! and vive da boks!
14 Sep 2007, 09:04 am
Koos
I am almost afraid to ask but what “homework” does ManlyBok do in the garage ?
14 Sep 2007, 09:11 am
I wouldn’t be surprized if Johnny runs onto the field tonight.
The whole week I have been confident about a Bok win, today I thought back on that game at Bloemfontein in 2000 when we lost 22-27 and we were the favourites. In the first 20 minutes they played out of their socks and we were way over confident, before we knew it the game was over.
14 Sep 2007, 09:12 am
#253
YOU LUCKY *******!!!! Enloy , I must say I’m very
jealous…
14 Sep 2007, 09:14 am
Sorry
Enloy=enjoy!!!!
14 Sep 2007, 09:16 am
More manne!
We must be careful tonight guys. Confident but careful. I cannot see the Springbokke losing but the ABs couldn’t see themselves losing throughout the last two cups and look what happened…
If we can check our discipline we’ll be fine.
GO BOKKE!!
14 Sep 2007, 09:18 am
VIX thx are as exited as me for todays match? man were gonna pommel the poms pun intinded!
14 Sep 2007, 09:18 am
At least this Farrel guy has a goalkicking record
14 Sep 2007, 09:28 am
Gerra,
Very excited, have my Bokke jersey on at work today and already got pissed last night…hehehehehe
We must keep our focus against the Poms and forget about all the k@k that the press writes about them!!! A stumble block is something you faal over when you take your eyes off your goal!!!
14 Sep 2007, 09:29 am
#261
faal=fall
14 Sep 2007, 09:31 am
Lions to win the World Cup!
14 Sep 2007, 09:31 am
Bokke to win the Currie Cup!
14 Sep 2007, 09:58 am
#254 Princessie
Manly maak Vetkoek!!
14 Sep 2007, 10:01 am
# More neef Cervix,
Ek het al die biltong dik gesny en Oom Piet het vir my so n “special” gestook. As ons wen dan swem ons kaalgat in die dam vanaand.
14 Sep 2007, 10:06 am
TONIGHT….WE CONQUER!!
14 Sep 2007, 10:09 am
saartjie, het jy ‘n weerbarstige krul?
14 Sep 2007, 10:13 am
Province to win the coffee cup.
14 Sep 2007, 10:21 am
Big Hit – I think England will hold the Boks for the first 50/60 minutes and then run out of steam.
I do feel for the Roses not having Wilko and Olly.
However England should try and peak for their quarter final against the ozzies.
I wonder why Ashton doesnt play Wilko at 10 and Olly at 12? That is the kiwi way nowadays.
14 Sep 2007, 10:23 am
There’s gonna be a ‘feral cat’ in the eng backline.
14 Sep 2007, 10:24 am
more more
oor 12 ure , is dit al die tweede helfte. Bokke is 20 punte voor, en ek is twee biere agter.
14 Sep 2007, 10:26 am
# 270 Firks=Friks
14 Sep 2007, 10:31 am
I went to the World XV against South Africa in Leicester last year and saw Farrell attempt one kick at goal. It was fairly simple but he only managed about 10 metres off the tee and landed in the Springbok 22 like a spinning top. If he is kicking, I am happy!
14 Sep 2007, 10:32 am
After Tonights game, we will be able to change Mike “Jonah’s Floormat” Catt’s name to: Mike “Butch’s *****” Catt.
14 Sep 2007, 10:35 am
Brian Ashton should have considered Farrel as replacement for Vickery, not as replacement for JW.
14 Sep 2007, 10:38 am
# 275 bwahahahahahaha
I would like Bakkies to make all the forwards his little *******!
14 Sep 2007, 10:43 am
Hello, hello almal.
Jis ouens ek kan nie stil sit hier by die werk nie. Wat sal ek nou doen vir ‘n time machine.
Vix ook my bok trui by die werk, baas het amper in sy broek gek@k, toe vuvuzela ek hom uit my kantoor uit.
Die ouens sal moet kop hou vanaand, maar verloor kan ek nie sien nie.
GO DIE BOKKE!!!!!
14 Sep 2007, 10:44 am
It’s about 3 years since Farrel last took a kick at goal in a competive league match, and he has only kicked 12 points for Saracens.
14 Sep 2007, 10:46 am
vossie @ 278
ok, ek het ñ time machine!
wat is jy bereid om te doen?
14 Sep 2007, 10:48 am
#258 – U’re spot on Raegar. CAREFULL MANNE!! We should win it in the end, BUT ONLY IF WE HAVE 15 PLAYERS ON THE FIELD FOR THE FULL 80 MINUTES!!!!
14 Sep 2007, 10:49 am
Asha @ 280.
V0k, noem net wat jy wil. Ek wil net d0nners vinnig by 9uur vanaand kom.
14 Sep 2007, 10:50 am
Hello All…
Just read a preview of tonight’s game on one of the other sites – writer said he’d put his head on the block and call it: ENG by 3…
I am very, very nervous about tonight.
Based on current form (purely considering the last few games played by both sides) – we should smash the English.
Almost everyone is talking about it.
Heck, I’m almost beginning to believe it.
But I say “almost”, because every single time I get my hopes up about a Bok game being a foregone conclusion – we lose.
One would only need to look back in the not-too-distant past to see that the biggest dissapointments in our rugby history, is where we go out and lose games we were most certainly supposed to have won…
Tonight is the perfect example.
If ever there was the perfect buildup to what could be an all-time dissapointment, and spectacular derailment of all things ‘perfect’ at a RWC, then its tonight.
I’m not trying to be overly negative.
I’m just trying to keep my emotions in check.
That way [touch an entire forest of wood], if something does go wrong – the urge to take a long walk of a short pier might sound less appealing…
I’m not all that convinced about the game against Samoa.
Everyone is raving about it now – but it was far from good.
I only hope that the Bok management, c’mon Eddie(!), will underline how much improvement is actually needed.
We were seriously unsettled against Samoa in the first half.
Yes – it was an incredibly hard match – so much so that Os was quoted as saying it was one of the most physical he has ever played in…
But, like it or not people – we went to pieces.
We could’nt kick the ball out to save our life.
We were taking their lineouts in similar fashion to stealing sweets from blind orphans, and yet no-one thought to get the message out to our kickers, to make sure of touch.
Our passes were going to ground.
The backline was stagnant.
And all the while our forwards were simply getting bashed backwards.
And then Habana scored.
And we all breathed a sigh of relief.
Things were looking up.
Percy in again just before the half – but it was a rather nervous sight of relief…
And as proof of this, come the first few minutes of the next half, and Samoa score.
Yes, they had their try disallowed – but that decision was marginal, to say the least.
The law discussion on another site reasoned that it could, quite possibly, have been given.
They remained a bit ambiguous in describing possible reasons for not giving the try – but I had the distinct impression that they writer was of the opinion that it could just as easily have been awarded.
A Kiwi site said that Honiss did not award the try based on how they were umpiring games in the NPC – but that this was not inline with what the IRB expected…
Honis, in their (possibly biased[?]) view – was wrong.
Not getting that try severely affected the Islanders.
It came at a crucial time.
Their minds were still on it for several minutes after the decision.
Their heads dropped, Steyn sparked – and the fat lady sang.
The point, however, is that the scoreline could VERY easily have been much different.
I think we probably would’ve still pipped them, based purely on my reasoning that our conditioning should have been better – but a close scoreline would have at least prepared us for tonight…
Don’t be surprised if ENG are capable of doing what Samoa did in the first 20 – only for much, much longer…
And if they do – what’s stopping us from going to pieces, for much longer, than what we did against Samoa?
The simple truth of the matter is, that EJ came here and told us – “match the Boks physically, and they have no plan B”.
He said it.
He said – that’s one of the ways of beating the Boks…
We know it.
The whole world knows it.
England knows it.
Correy has said as much.
Now I ask of you all – can we honestly say that ENG are incapable of matching us upfront?
Of course we can’t.
Are ENG incapable of niggling us to the point of distraction?
And with niggle – is the possibility of a card unlikely.
Of course not.
They scrummed well against us back home.
And their men are looking supremely fit and ready.
If we don’t go out there tonight playing 120% – with the massive amounts of English support expected in France – it could become a very, very long night…
I expect at least one try from a high cross kick, placed on either of our back three.
It worked against Steyn/Habana at Twickers on the EOYT.
The English love that tactic.
They will try it tonight.
It might actually work.
What remains to be seen, is whether we can absorb the initial onslaught (again), face up – and outscore them.
Naas said it last night – we should destroy England IF, IF we bring our A-game.
Please boys.
Please.
Prove to us that you are all, finally, ready.
Bring your A game – and help us erase those terrible memories of 2003…
But please people – keep your perspective.
And then, only then – AFTER victory, can we all take turns at flailing St.Michel…
14 Sep 2007, 10:52 am
As my old R S M used to say to the new troops: “On this parade groud I Fc&%K the Catt while You lot just hold it still.” I wonder who is going to hold Mikey while Butch does the deed!?
14 Sep 2007, 10:57 am
#283 Very Valid comment. I want to say it again: BE CAREFULL…… VERY VERY CAREFULL!!!!
14 Sep 2007, 10:57 am
vossie @ 282
ok, ok, ek kan sien jy’s desperaat. ook maar goed die time machine is nie in verkeerde hande nie (soos bv in ñ bulls ondersteuner sn). hy sou jou soos ñ haelgeweer probeer knak het en dan van agter af probeer laai het.
die beste wat jy kan doen is om maar later vanmiddag die vuur aan te steek, te sorg dat jy ñ paar goeie vriende nooi en dan maar te hoop die tyd vlieg. sterkte maat, ek ken daai gevoel.
14 Sep 2007, 11:03 am
I just hope we don’t get ahead of ourselves. But i think for once even when we are favourites we are treating the game with the correct respect.
Go Bokke make us proad.
Somebody knock me out now and wake me up at game time. I’m so excited I can’t handle it!!!
14 Sep 2007, 11:03 am
Well said, greenbok.
14 Sep 2007, 11:05 am
Greenbok @ 283
I aggree on some of the points you make but you also have to realise, this is the first time since the Tri nations test against the Wallabies that this team has played together. It took a while for them to settle in with each other.
Also the Samoans were insanely physical, while spoiling everything possible and a lot of off the ball antics, which I don’t think the Poms can do as effectively as the Samoans. They lack that “urge to kill”.
Add to that a Samoan pack that was over 940kg, while ours was 925. Much heavier but we m0ered them upfront. The Poms will be much lighter (probably better scrummer that Samoa) but without Vickery their front row is much weaker.
Then you have Farrel, which is a League convert that started his career as a prop, Catt which is the wrong side of thirty. The attacking capability in the backline is almost non-existant other than for Robinson at 15. Look at the last test against Fance, they never even looked like scoring – and that was with Wilko at 10.
I just don’t think the Pansies have the team to do it today, maybe if Wilko and Vickery were playing. Not today my friend.
I just have this feeling in my balls that tonight COULD be a record margin, but trying not to get too excited.
14 Sep 2007, 11:14 am
Asha1 @ 286 – Die manse is genooi, het genoeg hout gekry, het gestieraand die yskas uitgepak en gevul met bier, en vanoggen die vleis uitgehaal. Als is ready.
Jy moet hom geniet, dit gaan ‘n grote wees.
14 Sep 2007, 11:16 am
#289 Vossie…
Thanks for taking the time to read my post
You make some good points..
Eng and Samoa are two very different propositions…
But I stick to my point of us having to take our A-game tonight…
The English forwards of the modern era, simply don’t get pushed around anymore….
But dammit wouldn’t it be sweet if they left the field crying
All I want to say is that rugby, remains a funny game.
One can never really be certain of anything….
Which brings me to the point where I say that I wouldn’t be too surprised if Johnny did take the field tonight.
Which would make a victory [fingers crossed], all the more sweet!!!
Must say, I do feel much better after reading what old Os had to say about tonight’s game…
He appears to be taking it very seriously.
And I think he will be an accurate reflection of how the other forwards should be viewing the game…
It’s a classic article.
One funny bit, I’ll put in below:
“[Os admitted that the English in the 2004 loss were probably too physical for the Boks, this]must have taken some doing on the English part, for du Randt is a veritable Table Mountain of a sportsman. When a television interviewer asked the 125kg loosehead prop what he had eaten for breakfast, the audience crowded round to hear the answer. A horse, perhaps?
The reality was a profound disappointment. ‘A bowl of porridge,’ he replied.
‘Not too much.’”
Classic.
Good ol’Os.
14 Sep 2007, 11:29 am
Yes Greenbok
The way Os is talking the guys seem focussed and they know what they have to do.
I think we as the fans are getting a lot more excited about this game than the Boks, they know exactly what is needed of them.
They must just put their head down and do the hard graft.
They will know this game today determines the rest of the World Cup for us.
14 Sep 2007, 11:57 am
Geez…
Is it my server, or is Keo really dull this morning?
No comments since 11:29 on the top story?
Huh?
14 Sep 2007, 12:10 pm
Oh.
It was my server.
I’ve been sitting in this room, talking to myself.
Joy.
It was kind of nice.
14 Sep 2007, 13:32 pm
“Cal,
What do you do to beat the Boks?….Bring Jonah along. Thery spent so much time tending to him that they forgot that there were 14 other AllBlacks on the field.
This is the only reason why the kiwis beat us in 96 to take their first ever series in SA.
We are so “proud†of never conceding a try against Jonah we forget about the resultant losses.
Comment by YoMama : September 13, 2007 @ 8:03 pm”
Heres an example of if you repeat something enough and with enough conviction people might start confusing it with the truth. Jonah never played in any of the four AB vs SA tests in SA,1996. The wingers were Glen Osbourne and Jeff Wilson. Already Jonah was starting to suffer from his kidney ailment by that stage which unknown at the time to the fans or the AB management. Everyone thought he was out of form and unfit.
14 Sep 2007, 20:45 pm
Mike Catt is not a bad player…and should match Butch for physicallity…
But their backline and tectical game will just not be up to it…as Catt is a few bar’s bellow Wilkinson…
15 Sep 2007, 06:55 am
Mike the little Grey Boy from PE who said that we’re all a bunch of brandy drinking idiots.I bet you wouldn’t of minded having a green and gold jersey on last night you twit!!!
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