Bulls to measure Michalak

Blue Bulls backline coach Pieter Rossouw believes nullifying the influence of Sharks flyhalf Frederic Michalak begins with cutting down his space and time.

Michalak has been an influential figure in the Sharks’ campaign since returning from a knee injury which ended his Super 14. Given a consistent run of matches and the chance to grow in combination with scrumhalf Ruan Pienaar and inside centre Frans Steyn, the Frenchman has thrived.

A good performance from him will be central to the success of the Sharks in the Absa Currie Cup final. The Bulls are acutely aware of this and have developed a strategy aimed at ensuring his influence is blunted.

“Any player is vulnerable under pressure and Michalak is no different,” Rossouw told keo.co.za.

“I’ve been really impressed by him this season and we’ll have to put him under pressure to make sure he doesn’t take control of the final because when he gets momentum he is almost impossible to stop. He loves to run, so our defensive organisation will have to be very good.

“I also don’t buy the criticism that he is mentally vulnerable,” he added when probed on Michalak’s ability to cope in pressure matches.

“Perhaps that was the case earlier in his career, but he has 50 caps for France and lots of experience for Toulouse and the Sharks [in the Super 14]. He won’t struggle mentally. That’s not an issue.”

Rossouw did, however, stress that to focus on an individual in a talent-laden Sharks backline would be an error. He highlighted Michalak’s partnership with Pienaar and Steyn, explaining that their differing strengths complemented each other and was part of their success.

“Both Ruan and Frans have good kicking games, where that’s not a strength of Michalak’s,” he explained.

“So they take the pressure off him in that regard and that allows him to focus on his primary strength, which is running at defences and creating opportunities for those around him.

“That’s not to say that Ruan and Frans are limited because they’ve shown in the past that they’re gamebreakers of the highest quality. That makes them so dangerous, they’re so unpredictable.”

No backline can play without a quality platform and eliminating the threat of the above mentioned players will start with gaining the ascendancy at the set phases and breakdown.

The Bulls have performed well in both these facets of play throughout their campaign and Rossouw emphasized how crucial this would be to their goal of winning the title.

“No backline can play without quality ball and while the Sharks have a superb backline they’re no different,” he said.

“If you cut their supply, of which Michalak is a vital part, you win a big part of the battle. That’s our aim.”

By Ryan Vrede

This entry was posted on Tuesday, October 21st, 2008 at 6:49 am and is filed under Currie Cup. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

51. Dawn

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:26 am

#45 WP Till I Die:

I hate prosletyzing.

But it’s a lekker, 50 buck word.

52. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:27 am

#44 the peanut gallery:

She was apparently preaching Christianity to the people she was helping, that’s why they took her out. One hell of a message, that’s for sure.

53. Staal

#10 King Shark: eish.. i can’t remember that? the only reason i would have given you “feedback” would have been if you “predicted” a Sharkie win in 07! But this year you can go ahead. They are looking like worldbeaters!

#11 King Shark:

I won’t be in front of a TV this weekend…i’ll be painting my geyser.

54. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

#47 Wezwp:

He probably will – I’m surprised they haven’t shamelessly milked the financial possibilities of a soccer portion yet

55. Koos

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October 21st, 2008 at 8:28 am

#47 Wezwp: Go google ilaaikfootball…keo only caters for proper sport!

56. Dawn

Damn, this is a forgotten war in a forgotten country.

But it’s so interesting.

57. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:29 am

#46 Richie_7:

Sundowns are tinkerbelles

58. Staal

Has anyone seen the movie.. Kite Runner?

59. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:30 am

#55 Dawn:

Well, it’s life and death on a daily basis over there.

I am working on my Pashtun at the moment, want to be able to blend in well with the locals.

60. Dawn

#51 WP Till I Die:

Just read the whole story.

The death toll must be astronomical.

These are just a couple of isolated incidents. Where did you get that story from.

61. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

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October 21st, 2008 at 8:32 am

#57 Staal:

Yip.

62. Dawn

#58 WP Till I Die:

If they know prosletyzing is forbidden why do it?

63. Dawn

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:33 am

#60 WP Till I Die:

Which website is the story from?

64. the peanut gallery Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:34 am

#58 WP Till I Die: you may have to change your nic to WP Till 2009

65. Dawn

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October 21st, 2008 at 8:35 am

There’s a show on Discovery I’ve started watching … Ross Kemp in Afghanistan.

66. Richie_7 Reply to this comment

#56 WP Till I Die: AJAX is an advert for estrogen

67. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:36 am

#59 Dawn:

Associated Press.

68. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

#63 the peanut gallery:

No, it will remain WP Till I Die, only thing is that death might be sooner than we think…

69. Staal

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:37 am

#60 WP Till I Die: Daai is wild!

70. bryce_in_oz Reply to this comment

We don’t have a soccer team though…

71. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:38 am

Hmmm, at the current exchange rate I will be earning almost R500,000 a year deployed in Afghanistan.

72. Staal

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:39 am

Aussie were klapped by India this morning! Sieriaaaaasly klapped!

73. Wezwp

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October 21st, 2008 at 8:40 am

Don’t get me wrong keo should keep rugby no1 because that’s why i’m here, for the rugby. But a soccer column now and then won’t hurt(columns about the sa national team only not the worthless amakhosi).

74. the peanut gallery Reply to this comment

#67 WP Till I Die: my point exactly.#70 WP Till I Die: you’re assuming you’ll be there for a year.

75. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

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October 21st, 2008 at 8:43 am

Actually I should rather learn Farsi. 80% of Afghans and almost all Iranians speak it…

76. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:46 am

?? ?? ???? ????? ???? ?????

77. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:47 am

#75 WP Till I Die:

****, it does not allow Arabic letters.

Fine.

Let’s transliterate:

Man az zaban e farsi khosham miayad.

78. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:49 am

Slow day today at keo.

79. Richie_7 Reply to this comment

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:50 am

?????? ??????

80. Staal

:
October 21st, 2008 at 8:51 am

Read somewhere that only in Afghanistan or Irak does more people die violently than in SA?

81. greatest13gerber Reply to this comment

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October 21st, 2008 at 8:53 am

yes

The influence of this unpredictable frog is strong. We must nullify his space and limit his possession in order limit his effect.

This playmakller is dangerous when on game.

82. Andre_WP Reply to this comment

All i can say is that the Bulls will have to stay in Sharks half if they want to win this CC. It’s going to be a hard one. Sure they going to use steyn alot for drop goals. Morne will have to have his kicking boats on that’s for sure.

83. gunther Reply to this comment

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October 21st, 2008 at 8:55 am

#79 Staal: more people may die in Iraq, but I am sure they die more violently in SA

84. Ek sê my sê, ek sê Reply to this comment

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October 21st, 2008 at 8:56 am

Interesting that the Bulls feel that they have to target certain players. The sharks luckely don’t have to target any individual player.

85. WP Till I Die Reply to this comment

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October 21st, 2008 at 8:57 am

Unpredictable frogs are one of the largest threats to mankind.

86. gunther Reply to this comment

#80 greatest13gerber: i think we should start surveillence on him..

87. Dawn