Jannie best bet for Twickers
17 Nov 2008
Jannie du Plessis must start at Twickenham if the Springboks are to have any hope of besting the English scrum.
Multiple front-row injuries have cut short the John Smit-tighthead experiment, and now there is talk of Brian Mujati having a sore shoulder. Du Plessis was recently called to London as his brother Bismarck and prop Gurthro Steenkamp were simultaneously released from the Bok camp. Du Plessis is likely to face one of the world’s premier looseheads in Andrew Sheridan this Saturday, and from the vibe gathered at Monday’s press conference, the Boks are feeling confident about the match up.
A World Cup winner in 2007, Du Plessis was deemed surplus to Bok requirements in 2008. He received a recall against Australia for the Ellis Park Test when CJ van der Linde was suspended and BJ Botha had left for Ireland, and did a solid job. This was on the back of a strong showing with his new Super 14 franchise, the Sharks. Many felt he was an unfortunate omission when the Boks’ UK touring squad was announced given the nature of the game up north and how Du Plessis’s strengths would be valuable.
If the Bok management pick Du Plessis to start this Saturday, it’s a sure acknowledgment of his value in northern conditions. Mujati has battled for the better part of the year, and does not boast the technical experience that comes with winning three Currie Cups and a World Cup winners medal. Mujati may be more mobile than Du Plessis, but it is the latter who will make the greater impact at the tight-phases. Up north, you need to favour set-phase proficiency over athleticism. Jake White applied this logic when playing Danie Rossouw at No 8 in last year’s World Cup, and look what came from that decision.
The question will be raised that if Mujati is fit enough to warm the bench this weekend, why isn’t he fit enough to start? The troubling answer may also point to another question as to whether he deserved a squad place ahead of seasoned specialists like Van der Linde, Botha and Du Plessis.
The same applies for Bulls hooker Chiliboy Ralepelle. If your first-choice hooker is injured, surely you’d back your second choice to slot in. It’s become accepted that Smit fulfills the hooking duties in the event of injury as he did last week, but if Smit is really supposed to concentrating on prop and Ralepelle is truly the understudy to Bismarck du Plessis, then why shouldn’t Ralepelle start this weekend? Smit’s covering for Du Plessis is only supposed to be in emergencies, as his own development at 3 was a priority on this tour.
Ralepelle has had little game time in the past two years and won his place on this tour ahead of more deserving players such as Adriaan Strauss. Strauss joined the Bok side when Smit was ruled him out of the Tri-Nations, and started for the Boks when Bismarck broke down. How Ralepelle has leapfrogged him in the hooking queue is anybody’s guess.
While calling up Jannie du Plessis is the right short-term solution, it speaks volumes for De Villiers’s lack of confidence in Mujati and Ralepelle. It may also say something about the move of Smit to tighthead, a move De Villiers promised was a long-term initiative with a view to the British & Irish Lions series and the 2011 World Cup. Either play Ralepelle at No 2 with Smit at 3, or call up Strauss to fill the hooking void. That would suggest continuity and a long-term plan.
But it’s become clear there is no plan, or at least there is little confidence in the fringe players already in the squad. Du Plessis is the best bet to scrum against Sheridan this weekend, and the Boks have a realistic chance of winning this battle. If one remembers that Mujati and Ralepelle are likely to remain in the set-up come the Lions series, then one has to ask why they aren’t being pushed through in what will be the ultimate acid Test at Twickenham. The Boks may win this Saturday, but they won’t learn anything new.
589 Comments
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17 Nov 2008, 19:59 pm
#130 SodaJoe: Giteau was very good on Sat. He was spot on with those kicks. Got most of Aussies points. Ruan is hit and miss with the kicking at goals. It will cost us that we don’t have a real kicker in the team.
17 Nov 2008, 19:59 pm
#139 goyougoodthing2:
Let’s sweep that under the carpet and pretend it didn’t happen.
Let’s also forget that FS has a RWC medal at #12 and JdV doesn’t.
Let’s also forget that Williams ran around JdV/Adi/Chavhanga and Jantjies when the Boks played Wales in SA.
17 Nov 2008, 20:00 pm
#142 goyougoodthing2: Because of Saturday?
Very good S14, Very good 3N. Best player against Wales.
Brave under high ball. Kicks long and well.
Needs to back himself more and ask more questions of opposition and create some space for his team mates. Pretty much a confidence issue.
A little too risk averse with his continual up and unders – a little one dimensional. Again confidence.
17 Nov 2008, 20:01 pm
#145 goyougoodthing2: LOL
17 Nov 2008, 20:01 pm
#147 JL1: It’s our fkn turn I tell you. ********.
17 Nov 2008, 20:01 pm
#128 JL1: Giving up hope tjomma?
17 Nov 2008, 20:01 pm
Naand fokkkerrrrrrrrrrssssssss
Het julle nie huise en vrouens, kinders & kuk & hare nie ??
Demmit julle BOERRRRRRRRRR hier !! Fokkoffff nou, my hel !!
Hehehe
Kom ek beginne weer mooi…. Goeie naand my geleerde rugbymaats !
17 Nov 2008, 20:02 pm
#137 SodaJoe: Thats what I would do this Sat. If Steyn cant play at 12 I would play him at fullback and Jantjes at 11. Habs on the bench. But read in the papers that PdV will play Habs no matter what this Sat and Habs is so out of form.
17 Nov 2008, 20:02 pm
#151 OCO: Let’s forget too then that a number 8 ran down and tackled haBanana…
Or that Januarie can’t pass right
Or that Spies can’t catch
Or that Smit is fat
Otherwise all glory to the finger
17 Nov 2008, 20:02 pm
#139 goyougoodthing2:
Pity the scribes nominating the players of the year fail to see it.
Mind you, I heard they are also going to nominate a “best player on the bench” from next year onwards. Maybe Frans can challenge for that award.
17 Nov 2008, 20:02 pm
#148 Zulushark: Getting 1 meter over the gain line is not all that helpful.
17 Nov 2008, 20:02 pm
#156 grootblousmile:
hulle’s amal in die bed !!
17 Nov 2008, 20:03 pm
#154 SodaJoe: It better be, I need this win maybe more than PDV
#155 scar: Never give up, never surrender
17 Nov 2008, 20:03 pm
#152 SodaJoe: Because Stefan Terblance eats him for starters, not even mains.
17 Nov 2008, 20:03 pm
#144 SodaJoe:
never mind we can still be friends
I do think that you are level headed though and are not (provincialy – or otherwise) biased. I certainly try not to be but get ‘spanked’ for my honest opinion.
17 Nov 2008, 20:04 pm
#150 Puma: When he dithers over the ball I think it’s 50:50. When he sets it, settles and kicks he’s a 90%.
I think he is going to be the best flyhalf we have ever had and he’s still very young. 2 more World Cups in him.
17 Nov 2008, 20:04 pm
#160 SodaJoe:
Come on man !! don’t be so lion biased. He get at least 2 meters every time and 15 against the lions..ehehehehehehe
17 Nov 2008, 20:04 pm
#161 Zulushark: In wie se bed ??
17 Nov 2008, 20:04 pm
#163 goyougoodthing2:
Last time they played saw ST trying to clean him off his studs…..
17 Nov 2008, 20:05 pm
#162 JL1: Seriously I laughed my head off at that one. Fkn funny dude. I know what you mean.
But we will win.
17 Nov 2008, 20:05 pm
#167 grootblousmile:
die buurman, wie anders !!!!
17 Nov 2008, 20:05 pm
#151 OCO: OK.
17 Nov 2008, 20:05 pm
Klip in die bos:
Saw Cobus Visagie playing for Saracens on Saturday. PdV could do himself a favour and rope him in for a bit of frontrow consultation.
17 Nov 2008, 20:06 pm
#159 Robzim: He won’t be benched at the Sharks. Maybe we can have ‘Best Pretend Springbok Player of the Year according to DIV and WP’ and then best ‘Not considered for Bok but S14 and CC Champ Awards”
17 Nov 2008, 20:06 pm
If we would have dropped Butch earlier than we did we would most likely have won the 3N, I’m willing to take a wager on it though the damn deed is already don and that sad horse bolted when they chickened out from playing Grant and went like merry go round the f’ng mulberry bush with Steyn at 10, and Butch at 10 and then Pienaar at 10.
Pienaar is the best candidate out of the 3 Sharkey boys, and although Grant is also a born and bred Natalian, like Honiball was, he would have been the right choice at pivot this year.
That one dumb decision has cost us a hell of a lot more consternation this year than anyone in this country even remotely understands, it was the most stupid decision of the entire year and set us back a whole couple seasons of progress already. Idiots, and i’m willing to lay my bottom dollar that it was Muir and Smit that pushed for Butch and Pienaar, and Grant sucked hind ***.
In the end we have a talented and fluid young general when on the front foot, but he will always be suspect under pressure, Peter Grant would have insured we motivated our correct game plan forward, we would never have looked back, now we looking left right and center, and still don’t know where the hell vorentoe lies.
17 Nov 2008, 20:07 pm
#165 SodaJoe: Yes I think he is a fantastic player. I think that he will get the kicking perfect. It will take time. Just watch him play agains the Lions next year after playing flyhalf for a whole season with the Sharks. He is really going to be a great there.
Now out of here all. Enjoy the evening.
17 Nov 2008, 20:07 pm
#157 Puma: Habs should have stayed at home iwth his hammie and shoulder – no one could have blamed him.
Dof Dof Dof Dof Dof Dof Dof Dof Fkn DOF man management.
17 Nov 2008, 20:08 pm
#166 Zulushark: LOL
17 Nov 2008, 20:09 pm
#174 tjokvol: Not sure what you smoke but it sounds mighty good. LOL
17 Nov 2008, 20:09 pm
#170 Zulushark: Hehehe
My Handbriek het BOOOOOOOSSSSSSS by die huis aangekom…. sy het ‘n woeste BlouMaandag gehad….. eers het sy ‘n uur langer werk toe gery as gevolg van kragonderbrekings along the way…. toe die wildste dag van baklei gehad met dom forkerrrrssssssss wat onder haar werk….
So, ek het haar kamer toe gestuur om sepies te gaan kyk, ‘n laaaang bad te vat…. en haar reg te kry vir my undevided attention !!
Toe kom speel ek maar weer solank !
17 Nov 2008, 20:10 pm
#172 scar: Do you want a ticket?
£60-£71 pounds
Lower east, around the 22m
17 Nov 2008, 20:10 pm
#174 tjokvol:
So I take it you’re a grant supporter than ?
17 Nov 2008, 20:11 pm
#174 tjokvol: Howzit Skops.
Although I agree on Butch – Grant & Pienaar (although he pushed for 9) would have been a lot better.
But stop whining about Muir & Gold.
17 Nov 2008, 20:11 pm
#179 grootblousmile: That’s the type of management we need in the Boks dressing room!
17 Nov 2008, 20:11 pm
#174 tjokvol: Skop, phone your friend PDV and tell him
17 Nov 2008, 20:11 pm
#181 Zulushark: He just hates all thuings Jake White.
Cheers again all
17 Nov 2008, 20:11 pm
#179 grootblousmile:
Trek uit die stad uit. It will kill you yet, i kid you not..
17 Nov 2008, 20:12 pm
#159 Robzim:
Yeh remember a certain cricket match. WP vs EC at Newlands. Kallis on 73, from memory, and WP running away with the game. A certain read headed gentleman came back into the attack, removed Kallis, took a hat trick and 5 for the match. EC won and the man of the match was? Kallis.
So much for rationality.
FS is rated internationaly, not JdV. Would rather be rated by the international community than by a bunch of self congratulatory locals.
17 Nov 2008, 20:12 pm
#182 SodaJoe: Snap!
17 Nov 2008, 20:12 pm
#180 JL1: Cheez, ek het eers laat gisteraand van London teruggekom, family LHR toe gevat en toe Saracens gaan kyk. Sal jou asap laat weet!
17 Nov 2008, 20:13 pm
#179 grootblousmile: Is it not un- deee – vided attention?
Or is it Undies Divine Intervention?
17 Nov 2008, 20:13 pm
#183 scar: Hehehe… what… the BOOOOOSSSSS part or my Organisational abilities to have her calm down ??
17 Nov 2008, 20:14 pm
#191 grootblousmile: Both!!
#190 SodaJoe: Or Undies devided attention!
17 Nov 2008, 20:15 pm
#187 OCO: I am going to call you Skopocoskiet soon.
There is an empty bed in the Jake White ward at Sterkies since Puma stopped going on and on and on about Spies. It’s between Skops and Grant (who also goes on and on about Steyntjie).
17 Nov 2008, 20:16 pm
#186 Zulushark: I’m rustig Zulu… I have offices at my house….. it’s the Handbriekie who has to brave the rush hour traffic to Auclandpark in Josi twice a day………. dammit I feel for her… it’s not nice at all !!
17 Nov 2008, 20:17 pm
#193 SodaJoe: hehehehe!
17 Nov 2008, 20:17 pm
#194 grootblousmile: I thought the Texis from the ‘Pan were ok?
Maybe she had a sore finger?
17 Nov 2008, 20:18 pm
Lots of Frans Steyn bashing going on here…..if he and jaque didnt come on we would have lost Sat…..
17 Nov 2008, 20:18 pm
#190 SodaJoe: #190 SodaJoe: No Undies – legs devided ATTENTION !!
17 Nov 2008, 20:19 pm
#187 OCO:
We will never agree on Frans and Jean, nothing wrong with that. At this stage I am in the pound seat as Jean is in and Frans is on the bench. Maybe it will change later, who knows?
I do not know where you are getting the info that FS is rated internationally and not JdV. It sounds a bit dodgy
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