Smit silences detractors
12 Sep 2009
Keo.co.za brings you the Springbok player ratings from the Test in Hamilton.
Ratings out of 10:
Frans Steyn- 8
His last Test before departing to Racing Metro and he sent a clear message to coach Peter de Villiers with his haul of nine points (points no one else in world rugby could have produced). A couple of massive 60m kicks to score the Boks’ first six points, his first an especially phenomenal effort at sea level on a damp pitch. One mistake in the air, but otherwise was so strong under the high ball. Coach De Villiers will be rightly celebrating the win, but after that will have to re-think his overseas policy for players such as Steyn and Jean de Villiers.
Odwa Ndungane – 6
Had a shaky start as he didn’t get in the air when receiving kicks, and will have to re-work his technique. Week in defence at times, and didn’t commit himself when Isaia Toeava ran at him for Sitiveni Sivivatu’s try, but did look more composed as the match went on.
Jaque Fourie - 6
The All Blacks adopted a high-ball strategy akin to the Boks, but Fourie and co were solid in the air. Also marshaled the defence well, although he did miss some tackles as the match loosened up.
Jean de Villiers – 8
Got over the advantage line every time in possession and got his customary intercept off a Dan Carter pass to stroll over under the poles. Coach De Villiers also has much to think about with him leaving to Munster. Jean has talked in depth how this could be his last Bok tour, there is no way it should be and everything must be done by the Bok management to ensure it isn’t.
Bryan Habana – 7
Took a late hit from Kieran Read as well as one in the air from Joe Rokocoko, both of which should have resulted in yellow cards, but continued to harass all night. Came into the match with a hamstring problem, but soldiered on bravely until two minutes remaining.
Morne Steyn – 7
Didn’t miss a kick all night, including a drop from the wrong side of the field which saw him claim 13 points. Also did some impressive covering work on defence.
Fourie du Preez – 8
Great up and under for his try which showed his game-breaking ability, and was so composed throughout. Why coach De Villiers brought Januarie on for his customary two minutes with the game still in the balance is a mystery.
Pierre Spies – 7
Some defensive work that goes unnoticed, one hit on Ma’a Nonu when the Blacks looked dangerous early in the second half was vital. Has also adapted his play to be more tight in Tests such as this. However, still lacks the composure at the back of the scrum at times with his handling.
Schalk Burger – 7
Was a late replacement for Juan Smith and worked hard throughout with controlled aggression. Off after 67 minutes and worked industriously throughout.
Heinrich Brussow – 7
Made some telling steals, especially one with the hosts on attack in the first half. Harassed Richie McCaw all night and was more productive than the previous two weeks in Australia in outplaying McCaw for three consecutive matches.
Victor Matfield – 8
His 20th Test against the old enemy and again disrupted the All Blacks’ lineout. Steve Hansen said he’s only human before the kick-off, might re-think that statement as the Blacks lost set-piece after set-piece.
Bakkies Botha – 8
The most outrageous pick up at full pace in the build-up to Du Preez’s try showed his extraordinary skill to go with the grunt. His usual self around the park.
John Smit – 9
Most of the focus was on the Bok captain before the Test and was clearly targeted by the All Blacks. However, it didn’t work as he claimed his first victory on Kiwi soil in an international to go along with the Tri-Nations title. Conceded the first six points against the Boks due to belligerent referee Nigel Owens for some interesting calls, but from there on silenced all of his detractors. Not that he would have thought about it before the match, but gained some revenge for Brad Thorn’s spike tackle last year in Wellington when he put in a monstrous hit to much appreciation from from his team-mates. His scrum effort on the hour-mark underneath the poles when the Blacks were coming back into the game was another act of greatness.
Bismarck du Plessis – 7
Missed some poor tackles when he went too high, but forced three telling turnovers in the second half to stop the constant Black attack.
Beast Mtawarira – 7
Also under scrutiny at scrum-time but negotiated Owen Frans with relative ease. Some brilliant cross-cover hits.
Subs:
Chiliboy Ralepelle – Not enough time to be judged.
Jannie du Plessis – As above.
Danie Rossouw – 7
On after 71 minutes for an injured Bakkies Botha and put in some big hits around the fringes as well as some hulking runs.
Ryan Kankowski – 7
Late replacement as Burger was elevated to the starting XV and came on after 67 minutes for the injured flanker. Showed some nice hands and played tight, which was needed.
Ricky Januarie – Not enough time to be judged.
Adi Jacobs – Not enough time to be judged.
Ruan Pienaar – Didn’t come on.
By Grant Ball
103 Comments
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12 Sep 2009, 13:13 pm
Just nit picking, ala BH.
I thought the Boks got beaten at the breakdown today. Brussow was anonymous in the 2nd half. I’m surprised he got 7.
And Spies was poor today too. His work at the back of the scrum highlighted his poor 8th man skills.
12 Sep 2009, 13:14 pm
#38 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR):
Yeah I understand the Favouritism on the site but he just giving his opinion. But there is abosolutly no evidence that he is signalling ndguane out because he is black. I just cant stand it when people play the race card. All he did was give a rating and puts some comments on why he thought the guy only deserved 6. He gave him 6 because he believes he was partly to blame for the try which I dont agree with. Defending in that situation is extremly difficult.
12 Sep 2009, 13:14 pm
#47 skopskiet: how about
6. Brussow
7. Burger
8. Smith
12 Sep 2009, 13:17 pm
humble pie indeed.
12 Sep 2009, 13:19 pm
#47 skopskiet: Bull man, the side was up for it this week and the whole team deserves the accolades.
#43 grant10: Hehe Grant!! Its like I always told you, the Aussies are pulling the wool over everyones eyes! Can’t wait to see that WP scrum back-peddling when the sharks get our a-side back!
12 Sep 2009, 13:20 pm
#51 Big Hit: How about: 6-Ratel; 7-Smith; 8-Spies with Schalk on the bench?
12 Sep 2009, 13:21 pm
#11 Fire: Who is the ONE black player?
12 Sep 2009, 13:24 pm
My opinion on why the boks are great this season, besides the obvious up in form in many of our experienced players. Ratel – we no secure more ball and pressure theirs, also he gets special attention which creates oppertunities for others. Also Morne – now we have a complete 10 who can run, kick and tackle I hope his detractors now see that he is more than just a kicking machine. The balance in the bok side is perfect.
12 Sep 2009, 13:27 pm
#51 Big Hit: Good selection, Spies off bench would work well, Spies running some decent lines off back today but still either fumbles or gets turned on the deck, still a way to go to a true world class 8th man.
#53 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR):
Whole team deserves the accolades and especially the coaching staff knowing and believing in their gut that they can take NZ in NZ, the old phobia that JW lived under is gone, NZ no more invincible at home. FS at FB swung that game in the early exchanges with 2 x 60 mtr place kicks and another 45 mts out. Steyn should never have been dropped from FB for last 2 games and we may even have gone 6 from 6.
FS was a huge factor in todays win, deduct his 9 points and see where we would have stood then.
12 Sep 2009, 13:27 pm
#56 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): Also Smits move to 3 to allow Bissie as an extra ball scavanger was a master stroke by PdV. despite what Grant10 says……
Anyway what a game, well done boks, every single one of you in that squad deserve this victory. Enjoy.
12 Sep 2009, 13:27 pm
#39 grant10:
need some custard with that…?
you’re a scholar and a gentleman!
12 Sep 2009, 13:29 pm
#6 BULLET: Well said Bullet. I agree 100%. Now hope that grant10 can eat some humble pie and give our captain the accolades he so deserves.
John Smit is a legend. May he play until the next wc cup.
12 Sep 2009, 13:30 pm
#57 skopskiet: agree, though if Burger starts he’ll have to be warned not to try and break John Smit’s nose again
12 Sep 2009, 13:32 pm
#57 skopskiet: Yes MOM performance, but don’t think he would have helped the Brisbane test. The guys were just flat. I actually see what PdV was about, Ruan was selected for the harder more running rugby fields of Aus, whilst in NZ this is not an option. FS an asset, but Ruan does offer a bit more if you are playing a more running game. Well done FS, that performance will be hard for the selectors to forget! Juan Smith is also a great player.
12 Sep 2009, 13:32 pm
#10 thefeather: Good post agree again. John was superb today. Hope those that were calling for his head have the grace to say they were wrong.
12 Sep 2009, 13:34 pm
#12 Esoteric:
I enjoyed his tackle on Thorn too. You said it well.
12 Sep 2009, 13:35 pm
I havnt heard anything of smitty retiring yet @ Grant
12 Sep 2009, 13:37 pm
#61 Big Hit:
Yup Schalk should watch out for his flying head butts, should try avoid his own captains head, could have been tickets if JS went off concussed. Imagine Jannie Dup on the field for 65 minutes, would have been a disaster.
I watched this game at a church function, where they had Eddie Andrews and Dawie Snyman as guests of honour talking some rugger in between the evangelizing. Eddy buggered off straight after the game and I caught him in the car park, could see the glow in his eyes when I mentioned PdV proving all his detractors WRONG, yeah his answer was, he’s taking this team where no other coach could take them before, and he was a JW selection, shows how some rate PdV in spite of the prior ‘general consensus’ in certain circles around here.
12 Sep 2009, 13:38 pm
#39 grant10: Sorry never saw your post. Pleased you are eating some humble pie about what you said about John for many weeks here.
John was brilliant today and that tackle on Thorn just done it for me
Revenge for last year.
12 Sep 2009, 13:40 pm
#66 skopskiet: absolutely, I think PDV’s record v NZ is 4-2 with two wins in NZ. Jannie Dup definitely shouldn’t be back-up 3, not really adept enough in the scrum or the loose. Perhaps a of the guys will put their hands up today in the CC matches.
12 Sep 2009, 14:10 pm
#28 Vman: Actually three bad games against Aus if you’re judging it by the scrums, and 4 bad games against Benn Robinson if you include the S14.
Saying he is “completely vindicated” now on the basis of his performance against an NZ scrum missing some of its key scrummagers is a little odd. If he’d done it against Aus — the team who’d caused the murmurs to surface in the first place — I could understand it.
He played an exemplary match tonight though and scrummed really well. A true gent of the game in the John Eales mould. Good luck to him and the Springboks on the EOYT — I hope you smash those NH mob (especially the poms and the welsh).
12 Sep 2009, 14:12 pm
FFS!!!
“However, still lacks the composure at the back of the scrum at times with his handling.”
Today was the first bloody time this year Spies had problems with the pick-up at the back of the scrum (and probably due to slippery ball from dew)
Even when we were getting monstered in the scrum in previous games he gave us go-forward ball from the scrums.
NO other eightman is better than him at the moment.
And best of all he is not yet the complete package….and he’s obviously working to become that and not resting on his laurels as EVERYTHING he does improved this year.
He didn’t have space to run in tests this year, hardly his fault.
12 Sep 2009, 14:23 pm
#70 The_Green_Machine_is_a_Mean_Machine: I agree with that. Does a hell of a lot of defensive work, is often at the heart of the maul also. I was happy to see how disappointed he was when knocking on an a scrum-it shows it means a lot to him and that he is only going to improve.
M. Steyn deserves higher. He again showed that he isn’t only a kicking flyhalf-can run a backline, attack the gain line, beat defenders and his defence was awesome.
12 Sep 2009, 14:25 pm
I am just wondering-F. Steyn’s first kick-that didn’t look over to me. What do you lot think?
12 Sep 2009, 14:29 pm
#72 WOLFMAN21: The two guys with flags standing just under the poles thought it was.
12 Sep 2009, 14:31 pm
#73 stormer in a teacup: For sure, and I am a big believer in looking at the score board-I am not trying to suggest the Boks shouldn’t have won or it should have been a draw. I watched it probably about 8 times, and still thought it didn’t look over! Perhaps it was an illusion
12 Sep 2009, 14:37 pm
#71 WOLFMAN21:
Exactly, M Steyn is actually a running flyhalf that became a great kicker but tell that to the idiot “journalists” in SA.
If a player don’t fit into one of their categories, they’ll make him fit.
No such category in their database as “a running and kicking flyhalf”
Even if they do accidentily type it, their grammar and spellchecker automatically corrects it to one or the other.
12 Sep 2009, 14:43 pm
#72 WOLFMAN21: It touched the cross bar and went OVER !!
12 Sep 2009, 14:49 pm
#75 The_Green_Machine_is_a_Mean_Machine: Its the same with the reporting on a guy like Spies, and the claims that he goes missing when playing for the Boks. The Bulls use him a lot more than the Boks, and sticking him into space. You then seeing him making 50 meter runs, whereas for the Boks it doesn’t happen. He is only used as crash ball for the boks(and always get go forward), never stuck in space, but is still incredably involved, either at the break down, chasing kicks, or in rucks and mauls.
He made a real nice run of the back of a scrum today, and popped to Habana, which was nice to see. It was a shame though that he kicked when in his 22, it would have been great to see him counter attack.
12 Sep 2009, 14:59 pm
*****……what a difference 4 points makes to the Keo rankings.
12 Sep 2009, 15:05 pm
“Was a late replacement for Juan Smith and worked hard throughout with controlled aggression. Off after 67 minutes and worked industriously throughout.”
Apart from damaging John’s nose all Burger did was run around trying to catch up all day. By far the worst performer today. Certainly Odwa and JF played better than Burger the liability.
Deserved 6 at best.
Apart from the Intercept JdV desrved a 6. Played better last week in a losing team. No line breaks or anything to write home about. As an ‘attacking #12′ just didn’t cut it today. Mind you the last 2 weeks have been his best this year.
Can we have factual ratings and not just extend the hype?
Today 3 stood out. JS for captaincy, FdP for nerves and FS for making the difference between winning and losing – no one else could do what he did today.
8 each for them, 7 for the rest and 5 for Burger.
Move Spies to #7 and put Kanko on at #8.
No place for Ricky, Chilliboy or Adi. We have better.
We’ll miss FS more than we do JdV.
12 Sep 2009, 15:09 pm
Here is a Post specially for Big Hit.
Peter de Villiers, has now Won, as many games in NZ, as England has EVER.
Keep sucking up to the Saffas Bigglies……
12 Sep 2009, 15:09 pm
#79 OCO: Watch the game again. Burger put in a huge effort, as did everyone else.
12 Sep 2009, 15:11 pm
#80 cane: SA play them more often.
12 Sep 2009, 15:15 pm
how on earth can JS get 9???? he gave away 6 points? what can you expect from KEO … never played rugby in his hole life … Jurie Els knows more!!! Keo reminds me of the rockspider kiddies we use to m0er
12 Sep 2009, 15:15 pm
If PdV isn’t coach of the year I’ll go “Hee!”
12 Sep 2009, 15:15 pm
Chilliboy to captain SA!!!!!
12 Sep 2009, 15:16 pm
PDV is overrated, with all these players, how can you lose?
12 Sep 2009, 15:16 pm
#85 XhosasKid: We don’t have a sumo team.
12 Sep 2009, 15:17 pm
It was a joke keo … you know your stuff… but 9 for JS?? really! .. made 1 great tackle but gave away 6 points …
12 Sep 2009, 15:19 pm
Alright blowtorch, settle down. Wind ups don’t work if you try the scattergun approach to giving everyone the *****.
12 Sep 2009, 15:40 pm
#88 XhosasKid:
Dude, why are you trying to make people think it is XhosaKid writing all this nonsense? We all know the difference now – XhosasKid (you) talk rubbish, XhosaKid (only one ‘s’) actually has something constructive to say
12 Sep 2009, 17:21 pm
ja nee, smit and schalk, give detractors an up-yours-and-stop-talking-kak
12 Sep 2009, 17:42 pm
I think Smit vindicated his selection. I have been one of his staunchest detractors, but I must say he has certainly silenced the critics this week. But regardless, I still think it would be wise to have a ‘plan B’ like CJ to cover him in case it gets nasty.
Look there’s no kidding ourselves. Our scrum didn’t dominate today. We won one scrum in the game at a pretty pivotal moment in the game and it was a joy to watch. Our scrum generally held up under pressure although generally they had the better of us, but it didn’t really affect the result.
I am one of those people who believes that its okay to have an average scrum provided your front row makes up for it in other areas, especially in terms of work rate and the tight loose. But when a bad scrum starts to impact on the result its time for a change. I thought Smit had a few key moments today and worked hard throughout. I think his performances this year have been below par in general, but he had one brilliant test in the lions tour and a brilliant one in Hamilton, and his leadership has been excellent.
He’s a great leader, but I remain unconvinced that he is a great tighthead.
12 Sep 2009, 19:27 pm
i just read a mike philips interview and for some reason he thinks its okay to compare himself to the great fourie du preez ! judging from the interview you’d think he cam to SA with the lions and scored a hatrick while dominating the entire springbok pack with his accurate kicking and all round superb skilss :O arrogant idiot!
12 Sep 2009, 19:29 pm
#83 XhosasKid: for one second i thought you were the acutal XHOSAKID writing all this rubbish
12 Sep 2009, 19:33 pm
#77 WOLFMAN21:
“Disapprearing in a tight match” is actually a compliment because it means the player is getting stuck in and his hands dirty.
That is lost on these Keo muppet “journalists” though.
Then again, we don’t come here for the articles.
12 Sep 2009, 20:08 pm
9. husky – great post mate!
12 Sep 2009, 20:26 pm
92. Harlequin – read your 1st sentence but lost interest after the second. Put a sock in it, you sound like a broken record…. At least Grant10 is fixed now!
12 Sep 2009, 22:18 pm
The thing I admire about Smitty, Vic and the boys – in fact the whole team PdV and coaching staff incl – is that they know what to do and how to do it to secure the wins.
Smitty will only get better.
That’s for sure.
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