Butch bullish
26 Sep 2007
Butch James believes he is finally realising his potential at test level.
James described his performance against England as the best in a Springbok jersey, but more significantly as proof that he can control a game from flyhalf at this level.
James starts against the United States on Sunday in Montpellier and he is desperate not to lose the momentum of the England performance.
“The England game was the injection I needed at this World Cup. I thought I did okay against Scotland a few weeks before the World Cup, but I was very disappointed with my game against Samoa. I struggled to get into the game and wasn’t getting my hands on the ball. It was an indifferent start to the tournament and I owed everyone a big performance against England,†James told the Cape Argus. “I felt I delivered it and it meant a lot to me because a guy like Jake (White) had backed me unconditionally this season.â€
James, seven years after his test debut, delivered on the expectation that first won him a test start against France in 2001. White and Bok technical advisor Eddie Jones agreed it was James’s best yet and both predicted equally mature performances from their flyhalf in the World Cup play-offs.
“He has confidence and he has comfort that he arrived in France as the number one flyhalf in the squad,†said White. “I always knew he had the qualities to play like he did against England and he knows we have big expectations of him at this tournament. He has finally settled at test level, but that is also because he has been given a chance to find form.â€
James, having made nine consecutive starts for the Boks in his debut season in 2001, played just three times in the next four years. In the last season and a half he has doubled that game time for the Boks.
“It certainly helps to know your role in the squad and it makes a big difference when the coach is up front about whether you will be playing or not. I knew at the start of the international season this year that I would be starting against England at the World Cup, provided I was fit and playing well. Jake had given me that assurance and because of this there could be no reason for me to fail. The coach gave me every opportunity to succeed and surrounded me with people who could also make sure I delivered for the team.â€
Jones, in particular, gets an early mention from James, but scrumhalf Fourie du Preez gets the biggest rap.
“What a pleasure playing outside of him (Du Preez). He relieves so much pressure on a flyhalf because he has such an outstanding kicking game. He also reads the match so well and has a sense of when to do something or bring me into play. This is the first time in my test career that I’ve spent consistent game time playing as a combination with him and I’ve felt the difference in my play,†said James. “Eddie’s advice has also been influential, in that he emphasised the maturity required of a flyhalf. He felt I needed more composure in the opening 20 minutes of a test and there are certain plays that get me involved early and allow me to settle. Jake and Eddie have spoken a lot about game sense and of game plan implementation; be it in the first 20 minutes or the third quarter of the game. I now understand the structure to playing flyhalf for 80 minutes at this level a lot more than a few seasons back.â€
James’s discipline at the World Cup has also been outstanding and he said the team was extremely mindful of the need to maintain this standard against the USA and in the play-offs.
“We haven’t lost our physicality or our aggressiveness, but there is a lot more control and discipline in what we do. We showed great intensity against England and we have to produce that kind of display against USA because after that there won’t be any more matches in which to find the consistency needed to win this tournament. Once you get to the play-offs you simply have to produce or you’re out.â€
White will confirm the match 22 against USA only on Friday because it is a Sunday match. However, Akona Ndungane and Albert van den Berg will get starts. Neither is expected to start in the quarter-final.
232 Comments
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26 Sep 2007, 16:41 pm
if I had to pick one player who is most likely to do something stupid to lose the big game it would be you Butch.
26 Sep 2007, 16:47 pm
Please give us something interesting to read. It’s the same old gunk over and over again.
26 Sep 2007, 16:56 pm
1 РJust like you would feature near the top of the list of posters most likely to write something stupid, n̻?
26 Sep 2007, 17:02 pm
typically gerber you show ur one minded self always knocking players that aint bulls players
its sad really that one is so unsporting
i guess youd want ur bulls liefling moffie player in the bok team ????
damn mate get real , again go back to friday
SHARKS 26 BULLS 18
That with 14r players for the sharks and the ref helping you guys ??
fact is with liefling you got a klap because you have the most one dimensional flyhalf in the country
26 Sep 2007, 17:03 pm
Butch has incredible talent. He has to have it to wear that Bok 10 Jersey. But by modern standards he is just another average flyhalf. In 20 years people will be still talking about Mehrtens, Carter and Larkham but Butch James will be forgotten.
26 Sep 2007, 17:04 pm
sad how some people just cant support the bok players
BJ is far and away the best flyhalf we have
again it sahowed saterday when AP played
just like we agree fourie du preez is the best scrummy
26 Sep 2007, 17:07 pm
niceone lets talk after the world cup when we have won it and butch i tell you will be one of the reasons we win it
some people seriously just cant stop living in the past
26 Sep 2007, 17:08 pm
For sure Du Preez is the best scrummy … for now ! Wait till Piri Weepu finds form again. Those two really have amazing skills.
26 Sep 2007, 17:10 pm
#7 – HAHAHA ! You got NO chance bro ! The mighty ABS will win . It is destiny and you cant change that . Boks will get knocked out in the Semis ! TRUTH HURTS BRO !
26 Sep 2007, 17:12 pm
#1 lol how predicatble.
if i had to pick one stupid poster on this forum it would be you lol.
26 Sep 2007, 17:14 pm
#9 LMFAO if you think Piri Weepu is better than FDP then god help NZ lol.
He looks like an overwieght ORKS from the first lord of the rings.
26 Sep 2007, 17:15 pm
Keo how about your thoughts on the changing weather in Europe? Against England it was sunny and mid 20s during the day, already this has started to change and by the time the semis take place it will be positively autumnal. Do you think that this will de-rail the Boks’ more expansive game of recent?
26 Sep 2007, 17:16 pm
sharks_lover, liefling maybe predictable but he is solid when he is on form. Butch is on form but he is prone to erraticism and BTW he is NOT the best flyhalf we have, Steyn is far superior.
I do not expect Bulls to make same mistakes twice come the finals.
26 Sep 2007, 17:16 pm
#11 Haha ! Yeah ! – Piri Weepu – or POW – is a very talented player who has not even begun to tap his talent. You will eat humble pie by this tim next year
26 Sep 2007, 17:21 pm
#10 Butch has a history of bad option taking in big games. He needs to play percentage rugby in big games instead of his rush option taking.
26 Sep 2007, 17:24 pm
Gerber you are an idiot. Steyn is not the best flyhalf we have, he’s clearly the best centre. Against England, our 9, 10 and 12 was the best it’s been forever. Steyn is too young and erratic at FH (remember the last 5 minutes against NZ in Durban Tri-nations?). Butch is by far SA’s best flyhalf and no, he doesn’t always take bad options in big games. England was a big game wasn’t it? Name one bad option he did there?
26 Sep 2007, 17:25 pm
Butch is talking way 2 much here.
Save ur energy for the world cup cos one great game does not make one great..
Looking good so less talk and more action.
26 Sep 2007, 17:28 pm
#17 – Well Said ! You can apply that to the other 14 Boks aswell !
26 Sep 2007, 17:28 pm
9# niceone why do u support Weepu???
He has talent but he is incredibly stupid
26 Sep 2007, 17:30 pm
17# How can i apply that to Matfield or Bakkies
or … Dont show ur ignorance here just pretend to be clever. The less u say the cleverer u sound
26 Sep 2007, 17:31 pm
#19 – Joeboy . Always been a fan of him because I believe that he is heavily underrated . I reckon he deserves more respect and attention.
26 Sep 2007, 17:31 pm
i mean 18#
26 Sep 2007, 17:31 pm
I can’t believe some of you idiots!
We are 4 games away from lifting the Web Ellis and you are knocking a Springbok who is currently the no.1 in his position by a long shot.
Can’t some of you guys grow up and support the Boks or move to Australia where the real whingers live!!!
Great to hear that he is finding his feet. Good article Keo.
26 Sep 2007, 17:32 pm
21# niceone are u also an islander?
26 Sep 2007, 17:33 pm
#20 – Nah . I am just playing around and having a dig . Obviously the Boks are not all like that !
P.S. I have a MA in Contemporary Rugby Studies
26 Sep 2007, 17:34 pm
23# the real arrogant whingers are the islanders
26 Sep 2007, 17:35 pm
#16 I give you the english game but there always an element of risk with Butch. I think his major strength is his close quarter defence.
Steyn is a great flyhalf in the making, he needs to touch the ball as much as possible. 10 is his best position IMHO. His distribution is superior to Butch.
shame Steyn plays in Durban though.
#18 agree, I think the french are quietly getting their act together in the background of all the hype around the Boks and Abs.
26 Sep 2007, 17:38 pm
#26 – ay we not all like that bro .
26 Sep 2007, 17:39 pm
25# ok good to hear
26 Sep 2007, 17:41 pm
#27 – For sure – And I reckon if the Frogs get to the semis , they will win the whole damn thing ! They are a very real threat.
26 Sep 2007, 17:43 pm
28# im really glad to hear that cos
some of the islanders on this site are nothing less than awful, cool bru..
26 Sep 2007, 17:48 pm
if argentine beat ireland the French are dead
26 Sep 2007, 17:56 pm
Imagine the laugh we’ll get if Frogs beat AB’s in quarters. Damn that would be amusing.
26 Sep 2007, 18:03 pm
Keo you cant use the same heading every time you write about Butch! Surely….?
26 Sep 2007, 18:12 pm
With Fourie Du Preeze on your inside Derick Hougaard looks good. Enough Said, Butch doesn’t have to think Du preeze does it for him. Poo AP he had januarie on his inside and Julies WO on his outside. Had AP(even wilkinson is stuggling and Carter only mont and ellisad seem to be liking the new ball) had a good game at posts it would have been a diffeent game.
James is the king of self promotion. I for one can’t wait till he buggers off to the uk. Lets see if he can cope without great players around him.
26 Sep 2007, 18:13 pm
sorry rugger bloggers to change the tune of the thread – but this is something interesting – Clint Eastwood is about to direct a movie about the Bokke winning the World Cup in 1995 – well sort of. Morgan Freeman is to star as Madiba and Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar in a movie highlighting the 1994 elections with the 1995 World Cup as the apotheosis of teh process. It’s to be called The Human Factor: Nelson Mandela and the Game That Changed The World. Thought it’s an interesting script – not sure how successful it will be although Hollywood is saying it’s one of the hottest scripts they have seen.
I don’t think it will focus too much on the game itself – but more on the political climate at that stage.
On a lighter note – can we come up with actors or look a likes for the Bok 15 at the time for extras hahahahaha
26 Sep 2007, 18:15 pm
If u ruggbloggers are looking for the source of the Eastwood / Mandela movie – check out UK version of the Independent
26 Sep 2007, 18:16 pm
Evening ladies and foreigners
26 Sep 2007, 18:19 pm
Someone old and wise to play Kitch Christie – Paul Newman
Someone with a huge ego to play Joost – Tom Cruise maybe
Someone on the heavy side to play Kobus Wiese – maybe Big Fat B*stard from the Austin Powers movies
26 Sep 2007, 18:23 pm
some more
Andre Joubert – Tom Cruise
Chester Williams – Will Smith let’s try and find suitable actors
Japie Mulder -
Hennie le Roux
James Small
Joel Stransky
Joost van der Westhuizen;Os du Randt, Chris Rossouw, Balie Swart; Hannes Strydom, Kobus Wiese; Ruben Kruger, Francois Pienaar, Mark Andrews
26 Sep 2007, 18:25 pm
Matt Damon as Francois Pienaar, should be hilarious!!
26 Sep 2007, 18:25 pm
what’s happened to teh above players – eg – James Small
26 Sep 2007, 18:25 pm
Technically he’s got the lot. Great hands, good pass, good boot and physical with it. Don’t get ahead of yourself though, that was the worst English team since the 70s and they had an OAP playing 10. If you can’t control when faced with that you never will.
Keep it focused and you’ll be right Butch. Genuinely one of my favourites in the current crop, battled the odds and then some. Go boytie
26 Sep 2007, 18:25 pm
that’s what I thought Castlelager – maybe Gerard depardeau with his big nose -
26 Sep 2007, 18:26 pm
Nah Stodders, Joost is a better actor than Tom!
26 Sep 2007, 18:32 pm
Joel Stransky
the guy from the Police Acadamy movies with the funny voice
26 Sep 2007, 18:32 pm
Joel Stransky as himself of course!
26 Sep 2007, 18:34 pm
I would have Vin Diesel and James Small.
Danny De Vito as Balie Swart (Yeah I know the height).
Naas as Pienaar ?
26 Sep 2007, 18:36 pm
Who would play Suzie?
26 Sep 2007, 18:36 pm
nice one niceone – the Pienaar/Naas bit hahahaha
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