Jannie best bet for Twickers
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.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Early weather indications for Saturday, sunny but cold.
Friday’s weather in Twickenham is 7 degrees high, -1 low with sunshine (no rain), and cold northernly wind.
Dress up warm!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
#193 SodaJoe: Janee daai gesanik kan mens mal maak
November 17th, 2008 at 8:20 pm
..and warm up those hamstrings farkit!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
#196 SodaJoe: Pssssst… don’t tell anybody but Handbriekie is an aggressive driver…. Jody Schecter se maaaaa se moerrrrrrrrr !!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:21 pm
#198 grootblousmile: You should be so lucky. I suggest booze. Strong booze. And the “sepies”.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
#193 SodaJoe:
Don’t mind what you call me as long as it’s not early in the morning
From my perspective there’s FS, Ruaan and to some extent Kanko and Kocky that are the future of Sharks and SA rugby (OK I’m talking backs) and to see 3 of them languishing on the bench (or at home) is stupid.
To have FS and JF sitting on the bench is, well, immoral?
November 17th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
#184 JL1:
PdV’s problem is that he listens to too many people,
he listens first to Dickey boy Muir, then he listens to Johnny boy Smit, then he listens to Gary boy Goldilocks, then he listens to Vicky boy Matfield, now and again he listens to Jean and Juan and Bryan when they’re all throwing their toys out their cots, and then before he goes to bed at night he tries listening to God.
In the final analysis if he’d goddam start listening to himself and his own inner convictions Peter Grant would have been the Springbok fly half in June and we would have won the 3N and we would be riding as high as some Chinese kite filled with helium.
Otherwise he could always get on the blower and start listening to me instead, then all the problems would be solved.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
#197 grant10: I would have Steyn on at FB and kick drop goals all day against the English. or run at those poms and I would also play JF, size matters in my book
November 17th, 2008 at 8:22 pm
frans at 10 saturday and cipriani will wet himself!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
#187 OCO:
I cannot remember that match. Who was the bowler from EC that took a hat trick? Maybe Brett Schultz?
November 17th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
#203 grootblousmile:
And who would put her in such a mood
November 17th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
#122 Zulushark: you’d be happy because steyn is a better player than adi or you just want steyn playing at whatever cost, chuck working combinations to the side?
November 17th, 2008 at 8:23 pm
#206 tjokvol: Skop, I think that if you want to advise PDV, you better get ready for a long wait in the queue
November 17th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
#199 Robzim: Kuwaiti Times that well known publication. Rugby is second only to Camel Racing in terms of priority.
Nah this discussion goes on – and now Grant is going to come in. I will say it again – Steyn at center – crash bang bif slow kick droppie attempt 1 m gain.
At 15 (banned from drop kicking) – scary. For the All Blacks.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
10 Ruan
11 JdV
12 FS
13 Adi
14 JPP
15 Jantjes
16 JF
November 17th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
#206 tjokvol: My issue is that as individuals the players are doing well, except at tight head, scrumhalf and fullback, and wing……………………but as a team we just not doing the job
who is responsible for that, surely the head coach
November 17th, 2008 at 8:25 pm
#204 SodaJoe: I am so lucky…. after the “sepies” I will light some candles for her to bath by…. and put on some mood music…. pour some aromatic oils in the bath water….. they melt for that type of treatment…….. I’m quite the romantic sort actually !
November 17th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
#208 JL1: JA boet…bloody hell i am sick and tired of the most talented backline player in SA languishing on the bench!!!! We play our guys into the ground…will haunt us Saturday…dead men walking!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:27 pm
#213 SodaJoe:
lol
November 17th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
#205 OCO: I think Ryan is a terific impact player but needs to put in more hard yards when it is tight. Spies is really grafting his bum of at the moment, and might just break through.
Rocket is very unlucky. If I was him I would pack for Perth.
Frans is a 15. Give him time to get his head up. Give him time to launch those bombers and touch finders. Attack space.
Nice problem to have – our bench.
If only we had a scary Tight Head
November 17th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
#217 grootblousmile: enjoy!!! After Sat nightmare we all need to unload…pardon the pun!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
weather jannie starts or mujati starts the boks are looking at a massive hiding by england,they cant get going they look tired and PDV has now out stayed his welcome.we gonna lose to england on saturday and the british lions are gonna thump us 3-0 if PDV is still coache is taking springbok rugby backwards and this must stop now
November 17th, 2008 at 8:28 pm
#216 grootblousmile: Just don’t wear Homer Simpson undies, it kills the mood like a dry ****
November 17th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
#217 grant10: I am going to get the nurse to give the 3 of you (now including OCO) a fkn big injection.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:29 pm
#220 SodaJoe: we have a great tighthead….BJ Botha!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:30 pm
#221 shark bok: A think that you should go out and place a $10,000 bet, RIGHT NOW, no time to lose, come on. Great odds.
You won’t.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
#221 shark bok: They only people who are more depressed than Springbok supporters are the England supporters. I was at the Saracens match yesterday and the crowd was shouting “Cipriani” every time a flyhalf made a mistake!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
#220 grant10: Hahaha… yeah… she deserves to be spoilt and I deserve to get unloaded….. fair trade !
Hehehe
November 17th, 2008 at 8:32 pm
#224 SodaJoe: hi soda….as long as she is Blonde and gifted!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:33 pm
#224 grant10: Boet, Boet, Boet. I can’t take it any more.
You have the beach, porno blonde Swedes and Turks. A Beemer. But fok you like the wrong players. It’s a curse.
The ONLY front 3 since RWC that have dominated a game has been CJ, Bis and Beast.
BJ has never helped us dominate at scrum time. Before RWC too.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
#227 scar: imagine the heat he would feel with frans bearing down on him!!!.Peter Grant, Ruan….no chaps…the answer is under your noses….skops,soda and Robzim as blind as those bats skops mentioned in a previous post!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
#228 grant10: She will also (if you’re very, very good) check out your prostrate.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:35 pm
my team if there is any hope of beating england
15 steyn
14 jp
13 fourie
12 devilliers
11 hab
10 pienaar (steyn)
9 du preez (pienaar)
8 kanko
7 smith
6 burger
5 matfield
4 bakkies
3 jannie
2 smit
1 beast
16 mujati
17 rossouw
18 spies
19 januarie
20 conrad
21 jacobs
22 depends if dupreez injured
November 17th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
#219 SodaJoe:
I wish that kocky little kockety kock kockott would pack for Perth with Pickfords, I may even pay the fare.
Heinie Adams, Franscois Hougard maybe a couple others are way better and more humble about it too, he should f’off to Australia, his mentality suits them, and they suit him, he should do a Rhino waltz like that wing that thought he was next best thing to sliced bread, the one Jake was so devastated over, lucky for Jake he f’d off because then John Smit would never have been captain the Australian Wannabee Rhinoceros would have.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
#230 grant10: Forget she’s going to check out your prostrate and inspect your colon with a looooong camera.
Frans “bears” down on these guys week in week out – a 1m gain is not that helpful. Bif Bang Crash Ball Bif Bang. Droppie wide. Crash Bif. Slow intercepted kick Bif Hospital pass.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:37 pm
#232 shark bok: It is a pity there are not more Sharks players, hey
November 17th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
#230 SodaJoe: go check 1 st test vs wales this season…bj….smit and beast….best ,most dominant front row performance of the year…by the way cj not shabby either! Rest of your points…yeah…i am quite lucky!! LOL
November 17th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
#209 Robzim:
hate to say this but can’t remeber his friggin name.
red hair (therfore wasn’t Brett), played for the Proteas and later the Dolphins then dissappeared. temperament matched his hair. Tall, sort of gangly.
Accuracy not his strong suit.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
soda joe i bet you wont go put a $10 000 bet on the boks winning on saturday????? i BET YOU WONT
November 17th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
#231 SodaJoe: Thats low
November 17th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
#208 grant10:
Cip does look a bit fragile compared to Frans!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:38 pm
#233 tjokvol: Too long for a T Shirt.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
#232 SodaJoe: now thats something i could do without!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
#233 tjokvol: Take 2 blue ones and one red one, immediately and start to breath
November 17th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
#228 grant10: How many blondes does a man need?………………. ***** Bells!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:39 pm
232 JA BOET at least the sharkies are impressive even thogh they are tired
November 17th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
Guys do not forget the reality that is facing PDE V, he has employers to report to and transformation is a huge part of his brief. It is not going to go away, he has numbers and he needs to fill them , bottom line !!!
The players of color he has in his side are all very good players in their own right, , Beast could go on and be a great player, Mujati good but perhaps not ready for test arena. JP as good as any other international wing , especially defensively. Habana already a great and will be again. Jantjes very good without being great, no better fullback in SA besides Stefan but his age counted against him and remeber numbers have to be filled so Jantjes the obvious choice.
Ricky is unique and brings to the game his own style and strengths, a great stand in for Fourie.
So while while these guys are not necessary the best in their posistions they are still very good, and what would we do if we had a brief from our employers to fill nummbers.
PDEV is also a work in progress, he will get it wrong but I geuss he is learning and I am happy if mistakes do not get repeated, the problem I believe lays with his back up team, also relatively inexperienced at test level, so collectively we have the entire coaching team on a learning curve, that fundamentally is the problem.
Oh yes and for people who are saying that Pienaar sufferd because fourie was not there to take the pressure off him , well then he should not be playing in a pressure posistion, if he has not got the temprament to handle it, best he get out and give the posistion to Steyn, he will thrive on the pressure
November 17th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
#237 OCO: David Terbrugge?
November 17th, 2008 at 8:40 pm
#236 grant10: We definitely did not dominate Wales B. That was the start of the early malaise that continued until CJ, Bizzie and Beast came in to their own.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
#241 SodaJoe: Hi Soda, my Skopie T shirt quote is ….”Goose Bumps or Sugar Lumps, I call a Spade a Spade”!!