Selections highlight flawed system
1 Nov 2009
Several tour selections reiterate a sad truth that Peter de Villiers and the Currie Cup coaches aren’t on the same wavelength.
De Villiers has defended the selection of Earl Rose time and again, choosing to ignore the player’s inconsistent offerings in the Super 14 and Currie Cup. He’s rather blamed the Lions’ coaching staff for not giving Rose more opportunities at flyhalf, where De Villiers feels Rose is best.
Chiliboy Ralepelle will tour with the Springboks this November despite playing understudy – when he was fit – to Derick Kuun for the better part of 2009. Bandise Maku is one behind Ralepelle in the Bulls’ hooker queue, but bizarrely has also made De Villiers’ 37-man touring party.
Adriaan Strauss and Tiaan Liebenberg have enjoyed fantastic seasons for the Cheetahs and WP respectively, and have also been involved with the Boks before. It would have made more sense to take these players on tour, as they wouldn’t let the Boks down if Bismarck du Plessis succumbed to injury.
For De Villiers to say Maku has made the touring squad on merit is an interesting statement, as it suggests neither form nor game time in the domestic and Super 14 tournaments are pre-requisites for national selection. Maku is talented and deserves to play at Super 14 and Currie Cup level, but what has he done in those tournaments to deserve elevation to the national squad?
Maku’s selection may be justified if there weren’t other players performing, but that just isn’t the case. It could be justified if Liebenberg (27) and Strauss (23) were on the wrong side of 30, but that isn’t the case either.
Rose is the classic example of a De Villiers favourite keeping a more deserving candidate out of the national set-up. There are other backline players that deserved to tour, WP’s Peter Grant as well as the Cheetahs’ Lionel Mapoe just two that come to mind. In the case of Grant, the tour would provide an alternative flyhalf the opportunity to gain game time so that if Morne Steyn broke down, he would slot in seamlessly. In the case of Mapoe, it would provide an up-and-coming youngster the opportunity to take the next step. Unlike Maku and Rose, Mapoe has earned the right to be there through his consistent performances in the Currie Cup.
There are other players that will feel frustrated. WP flanks Duane Vermeulen and Francois Louw have been outstanding this season, as has Province loosehead Wicus Blaauw. The young flankers would have benefited immensely from a tour experience, but instead De Villiers has opted for Griquas’ Davon Raubenheimer. Instead of Blaauw or other impressive young props like WP Nel and Coenie Oosthuizen, De Villiers has gone for Gurthro Steenkamp, a player that was embarrassed at scrum time in the Currie Cup final.
The decision to take a perfectly good loosehead in Heinke van der Merwe and switch him to tighthead is also ludicrous. Why not give this promising player from the Cheetahs a go? If Os du Randt feels Nel is national prospect, why aren’t the national selectors taking that suggestion to heart?
It’s hard to have faith in De Villiers’ masterplan to defend the Boks’ world title when it’s clear his view differs from that of the Currie Cup coaches. When Ruan Pienaar went back to the Sharks, they played him at No 9, even though De Villiers wants him to get game time at 10 and 15. The Lions prefer to use Rose at fullback or off the bench, while Ralepelle and Maku are regular bench warmers at the Bulls. One way or another, it’s not a healthy situation for Springbok rugby.
De Villiers and the respective coaches need to iron out their communication problems and work toward a common goal. It’s no use to the Boks if a South African side wins the Super 14 or Currie Cup without the starting players De Villiers plans to utilise at Test level.
By Jon Cardinelli
503 Comments
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1 Nov 2009, 12:28 pm
Actually, when you look at this squad, it’s a rather conservative one with only 4 “prospects” in Maku, Raubenheimer, de Jongh and Hargreaves being given a chance at a more senior level. All have u/21 credentials.
1 Nov 2009, 12:29 pm
a very good squad selection by pdv,a nice mixture of white and black quotas.
1 Nov 2009, 12:30 pm
Gurthro stakes his claim squarely and probably a better LH than Beast. Its Smit and Du Plessis that are the passengers in the front row, not Gurthro, if Smit must go as captain then he should go as hooker otherwise hang up his boots.
1 Nov 2009, 12:30 pm
Heinke last played in April…a bigger ask on him than on J Smit…if he makes it at 3 it will be a massive boost for Boks….
Brave to accept the challenge…go Heinke!!!
1 Nov 2009, 12:31 pm
#104 grant10: thought u didnt like em played outa position =P
1 Nov 2009, 12:32 pm
If Heinke shoots the lights out as a 3…where does that leave J Smit????
1 Nov 2009, 12:35 pm
grant why do u under estimate the value of a captain that we have in j smit
1 Nov 2009, 12:36 pm
Hello All, hooray back to Springbok talk…… Have really enjoyed the Currie Cup build up chatter but your National Team is my favourite…..
Probably because I can actually get a chance to see these guys play in real life, not just on TV.
Blue Bulls winning yesterday was the icing on the cake though!!! Just basking in the glory of supporting a winning team for a change!!
Hope the Bulls Boys and Brussow get a few days break before flying up here!
1 Nov 2009, 12:36 pm
A couple of key injuries………
A bout of swine flu……
A red card here and there…….
Some political behind the scenes shenanigans….
A eye-gauge 37 seconds into a game……
and hey…….you okes are looking vulnerable.
1 Nov 2009, 12:36 pm
Potgieter won plenty ball on the ground yesterday and even beat Brussow to a couple 50/50 balls plus linking well with others in the loose. Spies is more of a liability in the handling dept than Potgieter, and its Brussow’s immense strength in the carry that is more mind boggling than his actual fetching credentials. Potgieter way better choice as extra loosie for my money than Deysel or Stegman.
1 Nov 2009, 12:37 pm
#106 grant10:
Hello…
1 Nov 2009, 12:37 pm
#105 80srovers: I dont….seems that the conversion of J Smit to 3 has opened a can of worms….now needing to risk Heinke…and Buys now converting to hooker to accomodate heinke at the lions….
Brave move by heinke…hope he manages…to be fair i think he has the build and ability to convert better than Smit…..
1 Nov 2009, 12:39 pm
#111 carol: Hi there…please send my congrats to BDB and Superbul and the other Bulls fans ona great Bulls season…
1 Nov 2009, 12:40 pm
overrated players like kanko and wynand olivier completes the picture just nicely.how many chances are we going to give these guys?
1 Nov 2009, 12:40 pm
I think Smit should consider playing an impact role coming off the bench in the 2nd half cos:
- the scrums are depowered especially in last 20
- can benefit from his exp and captaincy at closing out close ones
- as a replacment he covers all three frontrow positions
a starting front row of:
Guthro / Bismarck / WP Nel = would be extremely capable and mae up a helluva unit in the early thunderous tighloose exchanges.
1 Nov 2009, 12:41 pm
#110 skopskiet: thos balls where won illegaly ,even comentators had a bit to say about it -and alot of the balls had already been won -i thinki stegman had a thumper of a game !was far better on the ground than potgieter
1 Nov 2009, 12:42 pm
#109 cane:
lol, they gotta keep the controversy away from the ireland game, and not select schalla the great.
1 Nov 2009, 12:43 pm
#107 80srovers: i would have J Smit at 2…and as captain….if not …V Matfield as captain.
I would never have J Smit at 3 …he cant scrum…not fair on him or the rest of the team…..
Smit at 2 i am happy…maybe at a strtch at loosehead…but at 3….for me…not amn option…its nuts…
1 Nov 2009, 12:43 pm
Its funny how black uncapped young prospects are always quotas and white ones are bolters. Which eva word you wana use its still young guys being GROOMED. Call me an idiot if will I lyk the look of this team and not because of peoples color.
1 Nov 2009, 12:44 pm
#115 cab: aha….the man starts to see the light!!!
1 Nov 2009, 12:44 pm
Anyone who thinks Guthro Steenkamp is an acceptable scrummager knows nothing about the frontrow. He pops out his shoulder to push on the side of the TH. These means it is difficult to push him back but it allows the TH to put a ton of pressure on the hooker and that’s why the other side struggled so heavily. Steenkamp is really good in the loose but is a poor scrummager
1 Nov 2009, 12:45 pm
#116 80srovers: You sharkies just dont like Dewalt because he keeps Deysel out the team???
1 Nov 2009, 12:45 pm
#118 grant10:
you cannot leave bismarck out, he is the best hooker in world rugby at the moment.
1 Nov 2009, 12:47 pm
#121 HulkSmash:
that may be true, but i saw at least one scrum where the bulls decimated the cheetahs, so not sure its as open and shut as you make out.
1 Nov 2009, 12:47 pm
In a perfect world the frontrow would be 1 heinke
2 J Smit
3 CJ
Bring on beast and bissy last 30 to wreak havoc….
Bobs your aunt
1 Nov 2009, 12:48 pm
#113 grant10: Will do, very quiet there today, think there may be a few sore heads!!
1 Nov 2009, 12:48 pm
#119 skunk: idiot -some players are not merit or even experienced enough to be considered as bok material-eg hargreeves
1 Nov 2009, 12:50 pm
#123 cab: ja…but then i get trial for treason….i like your suggestion Smit off the bench..
1 Nov 2009, 12:51 pm
playing Smit as impact the better way to go and a front row of Gurthro Bismark and Nel with Buys and W. Du Preez in the wings nothing to be shy about. Have Smit and Beast off bench with Gurthro and Nel or Heinke starting a better way to go than other way around.
Stegman is ok but not a shadow on Brussow and Potgieter still better loosie cover for me any day of the week than either Deysel or Stegman surely because of his overall versatility across the back row. Kanko is the weak link there.
1 Nov 2009, 12:51 pm
its not about the scrums, that is a facet, but with the modern game you want guys who can hold their own but are primarily tightforwards, its all about the tightloose and tacklepoint.
1 Nov 2009, 12:52 pm
#127 80srovers: I always rated A Hargreaves…watch him come on big time….better than bloody J Muller!!
1 Nov 2009, 12:53 pm
#128 grant10:
that was always where he was going to end up, but they wanted his captaincy against the Lions. He did bladdy well here, regardless of what you say.
1 Nov 2009, 12:53 pm
#125 grant10: In a perfect world that is who I would start too. Would never ever leave out our Captain.
Then this is not a perfect world and Boks will never be selected on merit either. So we will have to live with it.
This Sharkie by the way is very pleased that D. Potgieter was selected. Think he will be our next Bok Captain after wc 2011. Probably captain the mid week games too and not. Chili as many think.
Just wish that Alberts, Deysel, Vermeulen, J. Pietersen, Mopoe, Vermaak even Kockott had a chance. Adams is 30 now. Unless they going to use Ruan to be back scrummie, FB and FH. Shame man he too going to be messed about like Fransie was.
1 Nov 2009, 12:55 pm
@127
If I remember correctly AH is a fomer junior bok captain. He is a better lineout jumper than both sykes and muller. And he is smarter than AVZ
1 Nov 2009, 12:56 pm
the days of scruming beasts like tommie laubscher and guy kebble are way gone – its just too frenetic a game to support these body shapes – in fact props take tremendous pressure on their hearts with their frames that they have to haul around.
even the mighty os du rand was not a beast in the scrums, esp in his twilight years, where the french and english drukked him at scrum time, but in the tightloose, good god what a piledriving machine.
1 Nov 2009, 12:56 pm
Thank God that Muller eventually put to pasture what a damn relief. Next is Roussouw and then Smit, then we start cooking with some gas again.
1 Nov 2009, 12:57 pm
#132 cab: He did too Cabbie agree.
We cant have Smit off the bench for goodness sake. Does McCaw play off the bench? Never man we need our Captain to play the full 80min. Look what happened when he came off in the first test against the Lions? We almost lost until he came back on. Play Bissie off the bench rather.
1 Nov 2009, 12:58 pm
Brilliant article.
Some of the selections are a complete joke. PdV has been an arrogant twit. Reinforcing what a poor judge of talent he is!
Remember this is the guy who didnt pick Brussow and Morne Steyn in the original Bok team. Two of the superstars of the year.
1 Nov 2009, 12:58 pm
#137 Puma: 2nd paragraph not meant for you Cabbie. Just speaking in general there.
1 Nov 2009, 12:59 pm
#138 WP_: Last paragraph spot on WP. Now both are stars. They got a lucky break to play in the Lions series and proved they should have started first up.
1 Nov 2009, 13:00 pm
#137 Puma:
he cant play for 80, he’s mobility in the tightloose is his strength, by 60min he is poked and looks like he might have a corronary – rather get him on at the sharp end when games are close, bmt is need to close out, he can run full-out for 30mins and the scrums are less of an issue.
1 Nov 2009, 13:03 pm
smit needs to be there until 2011, even as an impact player, he will add tremendous value to shaping the youngsters that come thru, this is one guy who will take anythin for the team, just like fitzy.
1 Nov 2009, 13:03 pm
#141 cab: He did play almost the whole 80min in the 2nd test against the Lions.
We come apart when he comes off. Not sure why but we do.
1 Nov 2009, 13:03 pm
#130 cab: no cab….you need competent platforms to launch. If the scrum in a shambles it messes up the whole rhythm of the team. We must neber be lulled into accepting a weak scrumming front row is acceptable….we simply do not have to…we are Boks…noty bloody tiddlywinks platers….
That attitude is going to get us into a lot of trouble…really boet…we must never accept poor scrumming through accomodation selections…it is weak!!
1 Nov 2009, 13:04 pm
WP still carrying huge grudge around his neck even after this coach brought home the bacon time and again this year. Poor supporters the Sa problem perhaps not so much a case of poor coaches.
1 Nov 2009, 13:04 pm
#132 cab: he did well in 1 st test….
1 Nov 2009, 13:05 pm
#142 cab: Yes agree Cabbie, Smitty has to stay until 2011. Remember Fitzy was older when the ABs beat us in 1996 here in their first ever test series win against the Boks.
Then he played Hooker. Maybe they should put John back to hooker.
1 Nov 2009, 13:06 pm
Yeah Puma. Luckily they got their chances eventually.
Was hoping guys like Vermeulen, Mapoe, Liebenberg, A Strauss, WP Nel might get a chance.
Such a pity
1 Nov 2009, 13:06 pm
battery low. Out.
Go the quotas, show all these delinquent ostriches a thing or two.
1 Nov 2009, 13:08 pm
#133 Puma: yeah…although i heard chilli is captaining midweek team…but dewaly may be long term skipper
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