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, 18:37 pm
Dawn could play Suzie
26 Sep 2007, 18:37 pm
Suzie hmmmm Nicole Kidman. Dunno what made me think of this – but do you guys remember a stripper called Glenda Kemp
26 Sep 2007, 18:39 pm
Suzie to be played by Sly Stallone ?
26 Sep 2007, 18:39 pm
You want Glenda Kemp to be Suzie? Snake poison?
26 Sep 2007, 18:40 pm
Ultimate female villain – Sharon Stone for Suzie!
26 Sep 2007, 18:40 pm
RedMan – ure the man – dis you ever see Glenda and her python?
26 Sep 2007, 18:40 pm
I can just see her flashing her snatch at Fitzy while slipping poison in his dinner!
26 Sep 2007, 18:42 pm
Georgia are handing Namibia their asses by the way. 13-0 near HT. Shame it’s raining, has probably spoilt the game, hope it’s not the shape of things to come in the KO stages!
26 Sep 2007, 18:42 pm
# 57 excellent – lol – electric fuzz shining in the dim light of the club while she slips some gypo guts pills into their drinks
26 Sep 2007, 18:44 pm
I was still running around in nappies when she was in her prime. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
I like it though – Sharon Stone poisons the Kiwi gash hunters with Glenda’s python.
26 Sep 2007, 18:44 pm
I still say Rambo to play Suzie !
26 Sep 2007, 18:46 pm
Red it’s good believe me. I remember watching it in the cinema as a 16 YO kakking myself ’cause it was an 18 rated flick!
26 Sep 2007, 18:46 pm
doesnt matter whether u were in nappies bru – she is a national icon – maybe we should start distributing T-Shirts with Glenda and Oupa(her slang) – make a fortune
26 Sep 2007, 18:48 pm
ja – i heard they made a movie 0 never seen it – only the real thing hahahah
26 Sep 2007, 18:49 pm
Someone not quite right in the head to play James Smal – Robert Carlyle (he of Begbie in Trainspotting fame)
We need a real villain of course to play Louis Luyt. I suggest someone everyone loves to hate – what about John O’Neill, the current head of the ARU
26 Sep 2007, 18:49 pm
Can’t see Sly doing subtle though. He’d probably waltz in to their hotel at breakfast and moer them with his machine gun. Now that would be a REAL excuse, not the lame rubbish that they trot out about food poisoning just because SA rocked up at their first ever RWC and won! Just think, if they had been playing in 1987 would the ABs have won it at all!?
Stand back and watch Tackles spout!
26 Sep 2007, 18:51 pm
Best film villian is either De Niro or Stephen Walken. Maybe the other oke who was in Speed. Can’t remember his name!
26 Sep 2007, 18:52 pm
So Bob De Niro as Luyt, Denzel Washington for Madiba anyone? ***** this is coming together!
26 Sep 2007, 18:52 pm
jonnymain,
Yes they would have. Because the Boks would have all died in a tragic plane crash on their way over.
Ridiculous i know, but no more than saying the Boks would have won!
26 Sep 2007, 18:52 pm
Believe in Butch James!!!!!!! Has long been touted as the best 10 in this country and he is finally getting the elongated-injury free run in the bok side to prove his detractors wrong.
better than anything else in SA and even OZ.barring the great Steve Larkharm.(Barnes,Q. Cooper,Norton-Knight(particularly horrendous even Hougie is better!),Beale,Hilgendorf-all a joke).
And anyone who claims to kno which is the best position for frans Steyn on this site is talking kak!!! not even the current Bok management and **** Muir his sharks coach who have worked exstensively with the boy-dont kno yet neither!!!a year ago it was 15 to replace Percy,then 10 until he had a few shockers(vs Free State Semi CC 2006),now its 12 until he messes up there,then the muppits will change their opinions again.Fickle i tell u.Steyn is a superb talent,he just needs to specialise now-hope at 10 as SA is quality lacking there.
#27 greatestgarbage…
Most of the time I cant take any of your posts seriously as u always to resort to childish comments based on provincialism(“pity Steyn plays in Durban-WTF?????),nationality,race etc.I question your objectivity at times
26 Sep 2007, 18:53 pm
morgan freeman as madiba
26 Sep 2007, 18:53 pm
Jaws, from James Bond (can’t remember which one)?
26 Sep 2007, 18:53 pm
I think Sly could play Rudi Straueli. Dom player, dom actor.
26 Sep 2007, 18:53 pm
jonnymain,
Morgan Freeman as Madiba.
Dennis Hopper to play Louis Luyt.
26 Sep 2007, 18:54 pm
but it just doesn’t seem right – who the fuc**k wants to go and see a movie about rugby – the spin doctors will have a lot of work to do. I remember a rugby movie (South African) in about 1973 – can anybody recal? Think it was called Champions or something – about a @coloured” player in a team and plays for bokke and then finds out he is not white – something like that
26 Sep 2007, 18:54 pm
Stodds. It was a wind up not meant to be responded to by a non Kiwi. Eish! I think perhaps you were a Kiwi in a former life.
26 Sep 2007, 18:54 pm
morgan freeman already signed up as Madiba
26 Sep 2007, 18:55 pm
jonnymain,
I was thinking Schwarzenegger would play Straueli. I can hear him shouting “Do it, do it now!” as Stransky shapes to drop the winning kick
26 Sep 2007, 18:56 pm
jonnymain,
Sorry mate. Just thought it a pointless argument to bring up yet again…
26 Sep 2007, 18:56 pm
~78 yeasss – but the camera doesnt show Arnie shaking Joel and klapping him and then saying “Do It Now”
26 Sep 2007, 18:57 pm
Spot on, it was Hopper. Agreed on Madiba, Morgan Freeman is the business. Who would play Chester? maybe thingy Lawrence from Rush Hour(?!) My film knowledge is really being stretched now. Did we decide on the Captain? Who’d play Jonah? Don’t know many actors from the South Sea Islands! I can only apologies for this rubbish, it must be the pills I’m taking to stave off the flu! Autumn sucks!
26 Sep 2007, 18:58 pm
Jean-Claude van Damme as Andre Joubert
And The Rock as Jonah Lomu
26 Sep 2007, 18:59 pm
Yes. The Rock isn’t famous for being too clever either!
26 Sep 2007, 19:00 pm
jonnymain,
Bloke who plays Jake the Muss in “Once Were Warriors” should play Jonah Lomu. Temuera Morrison i believe.
26 Sep 2007, 19:00 pm
What about Hulk Hogan as Kobus Wiese
26 Sep 2007, 19:01 pm
Jonah could always play himself, seeing as he isn’t playing much rugby anymore these days
26 Sep 2007, 19:03 pm
Adam Sandler to play James Smal
26 Sep 2007, 19:03 pm
Classic stodders!
26 Sep 2007, 19:04 pm
So I’m delerious on full strength Lemsip, what’s your excuse!!?
26 Sep 2007, 19:05 pm
Brad Pitt as Joost
Jack Nicholson as Louis Luyt
Orlando Bloom as Stransky
26 Sep 2007, 19:05 pm
No, no, Ben Stiller as Joel Stransky.
Both quite small, both Jewish.
26 Sep 2007, 19:06 pm
Gotta find a place for Patsy Kensit, she is the owner of the “worst attempt at a Saffa accent in film history” award!
How about the blonde villian in MI 2 for the Rolls Royce? Not a bad likeness….
26 Sep 2007, 19:06 pm
OK here’s another; if we were to ask who the greatest sportsman was in their respective sports ; eg Ali in Boxing, Pele in Soccer, Tendulkar or Lara in Cricket – who would we vote as the greatest rugby player of all time????
26 Sep 2007, 19:06 pm
And Sharon Stone as Suzie.
William H Macy as Derek Bevan in the semi-final?
26 Sep 2007, 19:06 pm
LOL @ WP
26 Sep 2007, 19:07 pm
jonnymain,
Wasn’t she great. I bet you guys love it when ppl ask you to say “Seth Efricken” hehehe
26 Sep 2007, 19:07 pm
Who do we get to play Ed Morrisson?
26 Sep 2007, 19:08 pm
worst seoouf effrikan ekksent must go to Nicole Kidman
26 Sep 2007, 19:08 pm
Bok,
Now you’ve gone and done it. Can you qualify it a bit and say the best player in the professional era or last 30 years at least. It’s difficult to compare genres.
26 Sep 2007, 19:08 pm
Arnold Vosloo to play Mark Andrews.
The likeness is uncanny!
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