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 8:41 pm
#235 SodaJoe: Soda,,,,what the hell you been drinking???
November 17th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
#242 grant10: So behave yourself.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
#237 OCO: Here’s a clue, when he made his debut against England, the commentators comment on his WAYWARD bowling was that he was “like a young puppy being let loose in a field full of rabbits” !!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
Oco,u really seem to dislike jdv!steyn is a great player,but i think if he was playing in centre fourie would not have scored against scots because he probably would not have passed.i think his best games for boks has been at fullback and wing where he has space and time to make his gr8 runs and where he does not have to pass as he is not a good distributer.pls stop carrying on about rwc medal as jdv would also have one if he didn’t get injured.steyn played really well at rwc but jdv was always 1st choice centre.jdv is nominated for player of year for reason.i agree though that steyn should be in starting lineup as he will be a special player
November 17th, 2008 at 8:41 pm
#213 SodaJoe:
Nah, we don’t race Camels here, just Cayennes – biggest number per population in the world..
Betetr than a 312 who goes AWOL for most of the match whilst he has his hair permed on the side lines.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
#237 OCO:
It might be Nantie Hayward then?
November 17th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
#252 scar:
Thanks dude, was scratching my head. Thought I felt a hole appearings.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:42 pm
#245 carol: LOL…Hi Princess…soda Frans bashing and threatening invasive medical treatment on me!! Too many blondes…is that possible?? LOL
November 17th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
#255 Robzim:
Yup, don’t have much hair to scratch away any more!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
#252 scar: Nantie Hayward, the only guy more attractive that Niel Jenkins
November 17th, 2008 at 8:43 pm
#216 grootblousmile: Talk like that and you publishing your e mail address here, you may be inundated with “special requests” form the female bloggers!! LOL Hehehe… (as you would say)!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
hi all, Im pretty new to the site so please have some patience with me, but I enjoy everyone’s comments.
i’m just sorry that John Smit isn’t playing tighthead against England this weekend, i would’ve liked it if big Andy Sheridan proved to PdV and everyone else that John Smit isn’t a tighthead.
He hardly managed against Wales.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:44 pm
#259 JL1:
I swear I nearly made a similar comment in my previous post but then decided not to be rude!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
#247 JL1:
Had red hair but no Wayward Hayward – owe Scar a beer for that. Cheaper than having to buy a toupe.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
i made this 2 worder for a t shirt;may have mentioned this before ;;;; F/ck celibacy! cool ! Sorry Princess…
November 17th, 2008 at 8:45 pm
#257 grant10: How many could you cope with?
Have I missed anything here today? Good grief it was grumpy yesterday!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
#246 justrugby: Well written.
Disagree on Pienaar, but reality is when your scrum is getting murdered everything behind it goes to pot.
Visiting hours for Skop, Grant and Oco are over.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:46 pm
#264 grant10: Tell me you didn’t wear it !!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
#259 JL1: And Jannie de Beer!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:47 pm
#260 carol: Hahaha…. I knew the moment you pitched you would read my post and it would GRAB your attention…. see I understand the female species…. as well as they can be understood…. hehehe
I don’t have many minutes here until the 2 soapies finish….
November 17th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
#249 SodaJoe: cj or bj cool with me…just not ,at this stage against eng, mujati or j smit!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:48 pm
#269 grootblousmile: Phase 2: Get some bubbles in the bath …
November 17th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
#262 Robzim: Hi Rob, I had to laugh at your comments about the Percy book!! I was a bit surprised to see he hunts. Hunting over here is chasing small furry critters with a pack of hounds!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
#266 carol: just Robzim and soda dissing Frans…they should stick to music!!! LOL
November 17th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
#267 carol:
And Sherman?
November 17th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
#250 grant10: #238 shark bok: Nope.
But one-eyed dogma like this “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” needs a man with real balls to stand behind it.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:50 pm
#266 carol: 7 of the 9 fridges now with blondes….damn theres a lesson in there somewhere!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
#266 SodaJoe:
Soda, i think Ruan is a gifted rugby player, he will be a good flyhalf but never a great as some suggest.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
#269 grootblousmile: Amazing, you Saffa blokes do have some style……….I knew I was in the right place.
Can you teach the Europeans how to behave please!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
#275 SodaJoe: Grant I don’t know why your name is included. You had nothing to do with that.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
#272 carol:
I was actually shocked! I always though he was the sensitive kind.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
#274 Robzim: Sherman Robertson absolutley blew our socks off. He was brilliant value, the best blues act I have seen since Eugene “Hideaway” Bridges last year!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
#276 SodaJoe: i think it takes more than 1 person to bring the boks to there knees…Poor man management and a lack of confidence in the squad has left this team shattered physically….sat we will pay the price…i pray i am wrong…i usually am…said boks by 6 vs scots and 7 vs wales…this sat eng to win…but would like to see teams first!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:54 pm
#276 grant10: Promise I won’t hassle you for a fridge! Any fridges with redheads?
November 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
#199 Robzim: The kiwis and ozzies rate FS and not JDV. They have been saying it for about 2 years on all their shows.
Sorry Rob, hate to be the bearer of bad news.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
#278 carol: Nope…we won’t teach the European blokes didly squat….. we are hungry fellas with a healthy appetite !
November 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
#272 carol:
Also known as “bullying” 20 odd against one fox hardly seems fair game…… LOL
November 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
#281 carol: Hows life in the North of the South West?
November 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
#278 justrugby: hey my man …1st loan reg today,,,,chq in the post …congrats!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
#277 justrugby: Like everything – we will have to wait and see.
I think he’s quick with very good hands. Takes a lovely gap, and ask questions of the opposition. Kicks like a mule. Tackles.
Where do you see him as weak?
Steyn – needs space to collect his thoughts. His talents give him many options. Maybe too many when in limited space.
Peter Grant. Good player. Better at 10 than Frans imo. Very unlucky not to tour.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
I don’t rate Mujati at all, and Jannie is only slightly better but not world class.
we lost our only 2 decent tightheads in CJ and BJ
November 17th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
#280 Robzim: It was the zebra that really surprised me. I suppose they need culling like deer though. I know nothing of “big game” management, as you may have guessed!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
#215 JL1:
There is a feeling of despondency because they have been selling themselves short, they were a couple tries short in the 3N from finding their form, and when it did not materialize because they were not gelling to the levels that they were aiming at, they started to doubt themselves, the vision, the game plan and unravel and a whole coup looks like it started transpiring from within.
We have all heard how its the senior players now calling the shots and the game plans from the change rooms, that is not a good situation, PdV picked his assistants and his advisers, Muir, Gold, and Smit his captain, he also listens intently to what these people are telling him because he believes they all have the necessary experience and maturity to give him the right feed in and information.
If I must criticize him mostly it is for giving these people around him too much power and too much sway over his decision making, he possibly has chosen the wrong assistants, I cannot know that for sure, seems some of the things Muir is saying and Smit is saying is almost in direct contradiction, so there seems to be a pulling apart in relation to the ideology and philosophy of the playing style.
Jakes style for me was a recipe for stagnation and lack of progress, PdV had very high ambitions for where he saw these players evolve to as a winning team, somewhere along the way some poor decisions were taken, and they were not many, only one or two wrong turns, like Fly half for one, Tight head for another, and the lack of a true fetcher and a competent No.8 the 3rd.
Overall we have not played badly in any game this year but let ourselves down in critical moments on the field. Schalks going off his feet about 6 times in the last two games almost disrupted our entire momentum in both games, had we scored from the momentum then, or when we were challenging NZ or OZ in Wellington, Perth, Durban, it would all have turned out very differently.
This is where some faith and commitment is required, by players and coaches alike. Somebody has to take the stand that they are persevering with a specific standard and strategy come hell or high water and not flip flop around trying this way and that, Stick to their guns and pull it through.
If any player or coaches assistant cannot but into the philosophy 100% and carry it through, then they should climb off the bus.
I’d rather have less talented players 100% committed that a whole lot of super stars that are only giving 60-70% or only playing out of pride but not from inner conviction.
It makes a huge difference the psychology and mentality a player or a team takes to the field. If they are under emotional strain already, so much more is the physical strain going to manifest itself onto them also.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
#280 SodaJoe: no stress my man
November 17th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
#284 carol: i black haired italian…and a brunette!!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:57 pm
#281 carol:
You mean you never got to see SA’s Bles Bridges………ask GBS for a copy of his cd …LOL I know GBS will take it with a smile…
November 17th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
#282 grant10: I think we will win. It’s a Test match. 1 point will be enough for me.
Both teams under pressure to perform. A lot of pressure. Proud guys. Going to be good. Especially if the ground is dry.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
#285 grootblousmile: A means to an end………….LOL
Low cunning to, like our fox!
November 17th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
#288 grant10: Nice.
November 17th, 2008 at 8:58 pm
#291 carol: Cheers…. Romeo signing off !!
Heeee haaaaaa….. handbriekie here I come….. well I mean… I’ll be there now !!