Burger set to start
23 Jun 2009
Schalk Burger is looking strong in training and is likely to feature in the Springbok starting line-up named later today.
Burger missed the first Test with a calf strain, and on Monday the Bok medical staff were reluctant to give a definitive answer on his availability for the second. However, in Tuesday’s training session at Wits University, he has taken part in all contact drills with no sign of struggle.
Fourie du Preez and Deon Carstens are also showing no side effects of their respective shoulder ailments. The only player to miss the training session is Pierre Spies, who has the flu.
The Bok management have confirmed Spies will be back at training on Thursday, and he looks likely to retain his starting spot for Saturday’s clash with the British & Irish Lions.
Ricky Januarie is also running drills, but there has been talk that he will be axed from the Bok bench. In this event, flyhalf Ruan Pienaar will cover the scrumhalf position if Fourie du Preez has to leave the field.
The defensively-suspect Adi Jacobs is still running with the first-choice backline and looks set to keep his place as the starting No 13.
The Bok match 22 will be announced at 13:30 today.
By Ryan Vrede, at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
144 Comments
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23 Jun 2009, 12:08 pm
#93 grant10:
And long may it continue, otherwise it would be boring!
23 Jun 2009, 12:08 pm
#98 green_and_gold:
agree, but then why use the stats at all?
23 Jun 2009, 12:08 pm
#94 skunkie: Dit was nie ‘tackles’ nie, hy was net in hulle pad, want hy is so lank, dat die ouens nie om hom kan hardloop as hy lê nie.
23 Jun 2009, 12:09 pm
#92 bdb: Beast die Bul:
We put him under an alias so the Lions think they have a chance…
23 Jun 2009, 12:09 pm
#97 PissAnt: wont mention the week before and the dead rubber status ??
23 Jun 2009, 12:10 pm
#99 grant10:
I quite fancy the position let’s say 40 or 50 minutes into the game where the Lions look up, all smashed already, and seeing ‘Oh goodie Brussow is going off’ until they see who replaces him…
23 Jun 2009, 12:11 pm
cheers guys…bloody chiropractor and then to forries and the game tonight….Bokke Forever…whoever plays i am there 100%…but will still reserve the right to ***** and moan if Brussel sprout dropped…
23 Jun 2009, 12:12 pm
#105 grant10:
Of course you can mention it.
My point is there is no reason to believe our ‘bigger loosies’ will suffer against fetchers any day of the week if we execute correctly.
There is no such thing as a dead rubber in test match rugby.
23 Jun 2009, 12:12 pm
#106 PissAnt: yeah….seriously though…i would prefer brussow for 50…then steggmann on…but hey…you know that! Cheers my man
23 Jun 2009, 12:13 pm
#90 Loosehead: My friend, the Bulls will hate you for saying Spies is a showpony. I think the Stormers/WP boys have the franchise on that and they have a very special place for that particular species
I do have to agree with Spies’ physical presence – my humble opinion he misses too many tackles and disappears in the tough games, where Burger never does.
23 Jun 2009, 12:13 pm
#109 grant10:
Cheers.
23 Jun 2009, 12:14 pm
Can someone please explain how it is possible that Bismarck stole more ball at the breakdown than Brussouw? If there is an overriding defensive mindset and approach, Brussouw adds value (to an extent). That Div replaced him, only shows Div wasn’t prepared to sit on a lead and wanted to drive the points advantage home, by bringing on Danie (a ball player). This also means the Boks would kick less and this means less attacking ball for the Lions who changed their game from returning kicks with kicks to a ball in hand game. The fact that the plan didn’t work out, could be seen as a player issue. As Div said, he didn’t send on schoolboys, but experienced test players. Fact is, he deflected some of the attention that should be placed at the player’s door onto himself.
Why would you want to play a home test where you are overwhelmed in possession and territory stakes? Sure it shoudl be other way round?
23 Jun 2009, 12:14 pm
#102 skunkie:
I was not trying to defend anybody…… it was just out of interest. I found the lack of go-forward from the likes of Juan and bakkies , and to a lesser extent Spies, quite interesting.
also, its interesting to note that bismarck and Beast easily matched the loose forwards tackle count…. but then again that could be due to frequent attacks on the fringe of the rucks…..
23 Jun 2009, 12:18 pm
I sometimes worry about the ‘rugby experts’ commenting here. Do you guys even understand the concept of rugby and what it is about? Rugby is about committing players and creating gaps.
In the modern game a fetcher has become important for that role. Why? To steal balls? No. That’s one of their tools.
How can I explain this easily.
Let us look at McCaw. He steals the ball. Fantastic. Poor cleaning work by the opposing team. What happens next? The opposing team starts to focus on McCaw and cuts him off, preventing him from stealing the ball. Good. The ABs are laughing now! Why?
In the process of stopping McCaw the opposing team commits more players in stopping McCaw, and suddenly there are less people standing in the backline. Much easier to defend.
The Lions said before the game their main target would be Brussouw, which is what happened. They committed a number of players to compete and protect their own ball. Same happened with our own ball going to ground. They tried to prevent Brussouw from cleaning the ball quickly.
What happened when Rossouw appeared? They relaxed and committed less players to the breakdown. Suddenly you had many more players attacking the midfield.
Burger isn’t a fetcher, but his style of playing has much the same effect. His intensity is his ‘tool’. The problem this year is that he lost most of that intensity. We’ll see whether he got that back.
23 Jun 2009, 12:19 pm
#109 grant10:
Wanted to mention, I would pick Pottas over Stegman any day of the week, including public and religious holidays.
That guys is going to become a superstar.
23 Jun 2009, 12:21 pm
#84 bdb: Beast die Bul:
you must be drun#@k
guthro for beast…
Danie for Bakkies
MS for Ruan
WO for jacques Mossie
i dont want what ur drinking… u’d probably swop ricky for fdp as well?!?!
oh no, fdp is a bull…
23 Jun 2009, 12:24 pm
You know just rewatching the highlights of the first test and something struck me and I was surprised I didn’t pick it up before. The reaction to Brussow’s try was great all of the players seemed genuinely happy for him and he looks like a really popular guy. I was very happy for him as I felt he deserved to be there and he once again played the Lions off the park at the breakdown. Im happy that Schalk is coming back but I believe we should ease him in, let Brussow start and then let Schalk do his thing when the effects of altitude start kicking in. It would be harsh to drop Brussow after such a superb performance. (One of the reasons that is underplayed in the analysis about the Lions comeback is how quicker they got their hands on the ball once Brussow had left the field. He is such a weapon on the deck and has so much to offer the Boks I hope we keep him in the side)
23 Jun 2009, 12:25 pm
#114 Bouts:
Yup, he’d (schalk) better bring his tools to the game…
23 Jun 2009, 12:27 pm
#117 Thameside Bok fan:
like hoskins said (which keo denied and hated…) ITS A HAPPIER TEAM
23 Jun 2009, 12:30 pm
#119 skunkie:
Skunkie I don’t have time for Hoskins’ political BS and I don’t buy this rubbish that the Bok team is happier under PdV. They looked like they were having a pretty good time when they won the 3N and RWC under Jake. No what I was pointing out was that Brussow seems to have slotted into the Bok set-up well. The senior guys really respect his ability and it looks as though he’s become a popular guy with his team mates.
23 Jun 2009, 12:31 pm
The team i would LIKE to see on saturday
Beast / Gurthro
Bismarck
Smit / Carstens (only if necessary)
Bakkies / Rossouw
Victor
Schalk / Brussouw
Smith
Spies / Kankowski
FDP
Ruan / M.Steyn
Habana
JDV / Olivier
Fourie
Pietersen
F.Steyn
23 Jun 2009, 12:31 pm
#89 grant10: ****, ****.
#90 Loosehead: Bekker bo Spies … hoekom het ons nie al lankal daaraan gedink nie.
Bekker is mos eintlike ‘n senter van formaat.
23 Jun 2009, 12:32 pm
#95 grant10:
will try and make it …. got a lunch in town will try and come through afterwards …. you will be the guy in the blue speedo?
23 Jun 2009, 12:36 pm
the legend ,burger,to start and back to the bench for midget-boy brussow.
23 Jun 2009, 12:39 pm
#116 crikey mate did you see that shark: Before you your tantrum ‘mate’, can you understand any Afrikaans ? I said they must be the subs, not in the starting 15 (although I won’t mind MS and WO in the starting line-up). Don’t mind, I allready have accepted your apology, anti-Bull ‘mate’.
23 Jun 2009, 12:40 pm
#124 mk:
That midget-boy did probably as much as anybody on Saturday to win the game for the Boks. The only guy you could say outplayed him comprehensively was Beast! Burger is a legend yes but Brussow is excellent and I think it would be better to ease Schalk into the game on around the 60 minute mark. Brussow has done nothing wrong and everything right. He should be retained.
23 Jun 2009, 12:42 pm
#125 bdb: Beast die Bul: Before you ‘have’ your tantrum …
23 Jun 2009, 12:46 pm
#80 rich1: Would Muir have a say even if he was there? It surprises me that he would favour Adi over JF, so I wonder how much influence he actually has apart from obviously coaching what he is given.
23 Jun 2009, 12:49 pm
Ouens
Gaan kyk asseblief weer die game. Asseblief. Dan kyk julle wie het die game vir ons gewen. En dit was nie Brussow nie, dit was Beast. Ons besit het gekom van pressure in die skrums en van lynstane wat afgevat was. Dan hier en daar ‘n knock-on deur die Lions en ‘n k@k taktiese skop. Daar het weinig besit gekom van tackles. Brussow is te klein om agresiewe tackles in te sit. Bring vir Scalla in. Hy is die baas as dit kom by agresiewe verdedigig.
23 Jun 2009, 12:49 pm
Good news, play Schalk at 8 for 50mins since he wont be match sharp, but is better suited to the fire and brimstone of these test matches and will seal up the inside channel.
Bring Spies on in last 30mins when more gaps start to appear.
23 Jun 2009, 12:53 pm
Jeez I get nervous before a team announcement.
It’s never 100% satisfying.
T – 40min
23 Jun 2009, 12:53 pm
#129 KingPaul: Maar as Burger die ouens onderstebo geduik het, moet daar nie ‘n fetcher (Brusssow) wees om die bal vinnig te wen, en dan vir ‘n hardloper (Spies) te gee nie ?
Daar sal dus gekies moet word tussen Juan en Schalk wie begin en wie later opkom, nie tussen Schalla en Brussow nie.
23 Jun 2009, 12:55 pm
Juan Smith and Pierre Spies are both great players but I won’t use them in the same loose trio because they are similar players. The Bulls use Stegman to play to the ground and Pottie to tackle the **** out of the opposition. A similar approach but with better palyers would be
6. Brussouw
7. Schalk
8. Spies
If you rather want Juan, I’ll pick a heavier ball carrying 8. with either Burger or Brussouw at 6. A good choice should be Danie Rossouw. So
6. Brussouw/Schalk
7. Juan
8. Rossouw
23 Jun 2009, 12:59 pm
#90 Loosehead:
You seems to be only one who has a problem with king Spies, fire your shrink hy f@k jou kop rond.
23 Jun 2009, 13:02 pm
#132 bdb: Beast die Bul: Ek gaan ‘n moerse klip in die bos gooi. Wat van Brussow op 8ste man?
23 Jun 2009, 13:03 pm
#134 Kalahari Kid: Spies!! Ai, ek hoop hy speel darem die naweek, want f@k weet wat hy laasnaweek gedoen het? hehehe
23 Jun 2009, 13:08 pm
#136 KingPaul: Het jy opgelet BOD was amper af van die veld toe hy net skrams teen Spies vas gehardloop het…
23 Jun 2009, 13:08 pm
#135 KingPaul:
Ek dink jy het die bos heel mis gegooi!!
23 Jun 2009, 13:18 pm
#135 KingPaul: Ek gooi ‘n klip terug: Dewald op agsteman, en Spies op 7 ?
#134 Kalahari Kid: Sy ‘nick’ is nie verniet ‘loose’ head nie.
23 Jun 2009, 13:26 pm
#22 skunkie:
he stole
three
they found
them
in his bag
on the bus
no charges
were laid
23 Jun 2009, 13:27 pm
No way PDV could justify getting rid of Januarie and Jacobs. It’s not in line with POC requirements. Question is, who do we need to get rid of more? I think Januarie is the right choice in that event.
If Pienaar covers FDP, who will take Januarie’s spot on the bench? Brussow with Schalk starting?
23 Jun 2009, 13:38 pm
Start Schalk, and bring Brussow on after 60 min when the Lions are tired.
Or after 50, I actually don’t get this 60 minutes subs. If you are going to make tactical substitutions, let the starter play his heart out for 50 minutes, and then the sub can still play 110% for the last 30.
Our defence will be better with Schalk in the team.
Fourie should start in Adi’s place, then the team is perfect. Aah and not Carstens, but ok.
23 Jun 2009, 13:40 pm
And i’m really tired of all this “Schalk competes with Juan” nonsense.
23 Jun 2009, 14:30 pm
Why “either or”? Start with a trio of Brussouw, Burger and Smith, and then let Spies run at them after 50+ minutes on the Highveld.
Another thought… Is there even a remote chance that PdV might realise he is doing a player who did the business for him last year a disservice by playing Adi Jacobs with a shoulder injury?
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