Opportunity knocks for Kanko
4 Nov 2009
Pierre Spies’s tour-ending injury has gifted Ryan Kankowski the opportunity to prove himself on the heavier tracks of Europe.
Talented though he is, Kankowski is hardly celebrated for the pick-and-goes from the base of the scrum or the crash ball in midfield. The Sharks No 8 is devastating in a looser contest, his speed and agility marking him as the ultimate threat on the counter-attack.
He received precious few chances for the Boks this season, but his running ability has certainly been showcased for the Sharks in the back end of the Currie Cup. The KwaZulu-Natal side scored some cracking tries, most of them from turnover ball, and on several occasions Kankowski was on hand to round off.
Europe presents a different challenge for the man they call “The Hoff”. In scenes about as far from Baywatch as you can get, Kankowski is going to be measured. Now that Spies is on the injured list, Kankowski will need to show he can play a tighter role.
It’s a big ask, especially at scrum time. This Bok set piece has been in trouble for the past couple of years, although there have been instances where the Bok eight have dominated (think the first Test against the British & Irish Lions and the last Tri-Nations Test against the All Blacks). But when the Bok scrum has failed, Spies has struggled from the back. On the muddy surfaces of Europe where scrumming is hold dear to even lowly Italy, Kankowski will need to show the Bok coaching staff he has other strengths.
The Spies injury is an untimely one, as it has further disrupted the intended loose trio dynamic. With Juan Smith already ruled out, management were looking somebody to fill the void. Schalk Burger did an admirable job at the end of the Tri-Nations, but given he was initially included in the Test XV to stay at home and Heinrich Brüssow was down to start against Leicester, it suggested Burger would play 6, Spies would play 7 and Kankowski would pack at 8.
It’s an interesting selection that was made according to the opposition. In a recent interview with keo.co.za, Bok forwards coach Gary Gold spoke about the loose-forward dynamic and how it could change according to the opposition. Burger and Brüssow bring different things to the openside position, and in a hard game when ball-carrying is likely to be more important than fetching and counter-attacking, Burger would have been preferred. Spies would have also adjusted to the role of blindside and utilised to carry the ball up.
But with Spies’s injury, Brüssow has been recalled, a call that will see the Bok game plan change significantly. Burger will start at 7 and Kankowski at 8, meaning the Boks will only have one specialist ball-carrier in their back row.
Kankowski has this opportunity to prove he’s more than a gifted runner when afforded the space. On paper, this back row doesn’t have a balanced look about it, but the trio will have the France and Ireland games to prove the theory wrong.
In 2008, there was a big hype made about the debate on 8. At present, a fit Spies holds a monopoly on the position, because Kankowski is yet to make the step up in other departments. For the Boks’ sake, hopefully he can adjust to the conditions next Friday and help the Boks to their first win over France since 2005.
By Jon Cardinelli
200 Comments
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4 Nov 2009, 09:53 am
the trust in that relationship is a -1000 never mind about just a not trust , and getting worse with every press release
4 Nov 2009, 09:55 am
#50 grant10: Logic sais you are right, but I feel for those children!
4 Nov 2009, 09:58 am
#52 Sharksgirl: I understand….but it will be a battle to reconcile ….
4 Nov 2009, 10:01 am
Joost has another problem
According to bouncer Mike Bolhuis he gave Joost R700 000 to help him out and he now wants it back.
Joost better hope his book sells well (amazingly there are people who buy such rubbish)because from what I heard Bolhuis is the last person in the world that one must owe money.
4 Nov 2009, 10:05 am
#54 Robzim: hope Joost still got the sidestep…
4 Nov 2009, 10:06 am
Q: Where will the England cricket team stay when they come to SA?
A: With their parents.
4 Nov 2009, 10:07 am
#56 Jozi: BWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
4 Nov 2009, 10:08 am
Kanko has got to deliver this tour or be cut, I have never really rated him as he doesnt do the hard graft as well as the flash stuff .. a complaint I had about Spies but he is better these days. I guess Ashley Johnson is being considered but he has the best front row in SA to work off whereas Kanko has only the “vaunted Bok front row” ……
They need Stegman to back up Brussow, then either Alberts or Vermulen to back up Juan (who is still the premier no7) with Shalk milling around 7 or 8 destructing things …
Also Potts should be in the group.. easy !
4 Nov 2009, 10:12 am
Good luck Kanko. He can do it and hope he takes this chance with both hands. He played well at the end of 2007 in the Wales game. So he could again. Needs to play in all 3 tests to get game time with the Boks.
4 Nov 2009, 10:14 am
As Heyneke said last year, he would find a way to include both Kanko and Spies in the run on side… But shucks, who then do you leave out?
Brussouw, Burger, Smith, Spies, Kanko, Deysel, Vermeulen, Alberts, Potgieter… Why can’t we have this sort of depth in every position?
4 Nov 2009, 10:16 am
#56 Jozi:
Well Strauss is a Joburg boy and KP a Maritz boy. Who else in that side is a South African? They do like to make a South African their captain though? Their coach too always seems to be from the this side of the world.
4 Nov 2009, 10:18 am
#60 Kietzphat: Add Stegmann to that list.
We really do have huge depth there.
4 Nov 2009, 10:21 am
#61 Puma: Matt Prior was born in Joburg if I’m not mistaken and Jonathan Trott.
I reckon KP will be pysched for this tour. He’s just had a 3 month layoff and he’ll be well rested, can’t wait.
4 Nov 2009, 10:22 am
#62 Puma: gm brudda ^5 hope you are well
there are another 2 south africans in the england team
jonnathan trott as well as their keeper , not sure of the name
4 saffas , no wonder they still play reasonable cricket as a team
4 Nov 2009, 10:23 am
#61 Puma: Trott.
4 Nov 2009, 10:30 am
#63 Jozi: Jeepers, they have many Saffas in their side. KP will be up for this tour for sure. The last time they toured here he was superb.
Just hope our cricket team plays like they done last year in Oz. They were superb there. Also no early morning get ups. Damn was tired after all the 2am getting up last year to watch the tests. Was worth it though.
4 Nov 2009, 10:30 am
#54 Robzim: #64 sharks_lover: Lets leave Joost out of this thread , Joost screwed up , but it is not my or any of your roles to judge him.
Lets rather get you Sharkies to focus on why , the Sharkies want alberts as 8 while you have Kanko ?
4 Nov 2009, 10:32 am
#64 sharks_lover: Morning Sharky, Ja, seems like they have a few of us in their team. No wonder they won the Ashes, with all that SA genes what you expect
4 Nov 2009, 10:33 am
#67 capebull: RobZim is a WP supporter, get your facts straight!
4 Nov 2009, 10:37 am
#67 capebull: why would the bulls have jlp and morne??
just a thought lol
4 Nov 2009, 10:38 am
#68 Puma:
4 Nov 2009, 10:39 am
#22 grant10:
Deysel ahead of Schalk ……..why ??
Schalk got 50 caps and I doubt that Deysel is harder than Schalk, in fact nobody is harder than Schalk !!
4 Nov 2009, 10:40 am
puma btw i hope you also were not caught out by willa?? lol
he was trying to bullshit us sharkies about louis ludick abd alberts
both are still very intent on comming to the sharks
as is brussouw
we still need a top class center and bobs ur uncle
4 Nov 2009, 10:41 am
#66 Puma: Yeah and last year they had Allan Donald as a bowling coach. I’m sure AD will compare notes with Mickey & Graeme.
KP is the danger man for sure. I reckon our guys will be up for this as well especially after the criticism they copped following their early exit in the champions trophy.
4 Nov 2009, 10:41 am
#72 justrugby: they both 2 hard fuggers
4 Nov 2009, 10:41 am
#5 John Galt:
Pray tell me then, why is he there in the first place? To fill the bench? This is what pisses me off about the way we select Bok sides. You should not be selecting anybody based on potential to develop. It should be the best guy or two in every position.
But alas, our historic baggage forces us to accept that we have to allow for some leniency in this respect insofar as players from the PD sector is concerned, and I don’t have any problem with that, but that is all the more reason why the rest must be the top guys in their positions-
1. to limit the effect of the essential PD compromise we have to live with.
2. to have the PD guys play with and learn from the best, because if that is not the case then the entire rationale for doing it in the first place becomes a farce.
Having said that, let me qualify by saying immediately that guys like Habana, Gurthro, JPP and Beast are what I regard as front echelon players picked on merit as the best in their position at present, and that we have to grow the numbers in this group for the sake of representivity.
It is for this reason that I believe that we are barking up the wrong tree by continuing to pick guys like Chilli, OdwaEarl Rose and Adi who are just not making it at the very top level, whether through susceptibility to injury or lack of physical aptitude or whatever. These guys have had enough chances and especially a guy like Chilli breaks down either because he is physically just not up to it or because we keep on pushing him too soon after injury everytime- like now again. It is not fair to anyone in this permutation.
And again, having said that, I have no problem with the likes of Maku or Raubenheimer or Viljoen, etc. etc. being there, because the coach is looking to develop those players. And yes, I believe there is a lot of merit in his approach to give a guy who puts his hand up a chance. I am not saying the guys like Chilli /Adi/Odwa aren’t good first class players, because they are- they are just not test players.
Every player in the world has a ceiling- I personally played rugby from 8 to 35 years of age for the love of it, got some recognition up to a certain point, but never got selected for my country in spite of dreaming it and wanting it and trying my damnedest. That was it and I have had to accept it like every other guy not selected has had to. It had nothing to do with race or politics or anything else for that matter other than that I simply wasn’t good enough, end of story. And I accept that, as others in my situation have to accept.
Worst of all, those guys, by their mere presence are now keeping other guys who do have the true potential to make it- guys like Mapoe, out of the team and depriving them of opportunities. It might upset a lot of you but it is true. They can say it is because of his 7′s contract- I say BS. How is it that SA athletes can play rugby for SA and a 7′s rugbyplayer can’t? As for ability- it is there for all to see, and we have. It is because of misguided loyalty to below-par players. Truth is , a guy like Adi has served his country well, but that’s it, he is past his prime now, and should accept it gracefully, and probably would have, if it wasn’t that it is his livelihood- but then, go and earn it at CC or S14 level where you still can, and be honest with yourself. The way JL Potgieter ran past him in the semi, and his half-hearted attempt- for whatever reason, to stop him was there for all to see.
I know it sounds harsh, but life’s a ***** and then some, which is why there is not way we can beat around the bush when looking at these things.
And after all that, what applies to Chilli and Adi, applies to Kanko. He has his strong points, there’s no denying that, but he has glaring deficiencies and he has been lugged along from tour to tour warming the bench. Why was he never played more regularly, even if only for ten minutes at the end? Am I wrong in believing it is because there was a better guy ahead of him, or because he just isn’t the real deal in the eyes of the coach, or for whatever reason, why is he sitting there on the bench collecting splinters like Shimange?
I’ll tell you why, and this is just my honest opinion. Because he isn’t a test 8- a wing maybe, but not an 8.
And he is not the first guy, and won’t be the last, to be called on to accept reality. I say again, it is a cruel world!
4 Nov 2009, 10:42 am
#22 grant10:
4 Nov 2009, 10:43 am
#74 Jozi: Looking forward to the tests.
Have they solved the problem with wanderers? Pity if they don’t get a test. Our biggest cricket stadium.
4 Nov 2009, 10:46 am
#73 sharks_lover: No never read the those posts. Will go back and read. Was speaking to him on the otherside a bit this morning. Think Chili wants to go to the Lions or Lions want him. Think it would be a good move for Chile he could become the Lions S14 Captain I think.
4 Nov 2009, 10:49 am
#72 justrugby:
Absolutely !!!, the 50 test experience favours Schalk, that experience must not be undermined, vital !!….Deysel will get his chance in due course !!
4 Nov 2009, 10:49 am
#72 justrugby: Jonny is harder, but Schalk tough all right
4 Nov 2009, 10:52 am
#76 catleya: The fact is you dont like certain players just as i dont etc
Thats life we cen never all be the same or like the same players
And kankowski is reckoned to be brilliant by most rugby experts and then some ,
Now you dont like him and you point is?? the rugby experts do thus he is in the bok sqaud , and has been for some time
You say Adi is not good enough?? i am a sharks fan and yes i could have killed him in the semi’s for not attacking the ball or tackling JLP.
In saying that on form Adi Jacobs is one of the best backline players for breaking the line and running off the ball and running into gaps we have had in SA for a long time.
I agree he is not in the best of form, and WO should probably be playing ahead of him as it stands now , but to say he is not worthy is BS.
See its normal for humans to see what they want to see , and i doubt how great Adi plays , you will not see the good in him , and i know its not about colour,
He just is not one of the players you like nor is kanko or who ever else .
4 Nov 2009, 10:52 am
#78 Puma: As far as I know they have….very childish that whole saga.
I’ll be at the Wanderers for the test. I was there when the Aussies toured earlier in the year and the atmosphere is brilliant. The crowd is very involved and knowledgeable….poor old Peter Siddle was given a rough time.
4 Nov 2009, 10:53 am
Can anyone tell me why Hougaardt was selected? He is a fine young player with great potential, but he is selected as a utility player, apparently.
Enough scrumhalves have been selected and with a squad of this size what use is a utility player? He can only keep a specialist out and that defeats the whole point of taking so may players for each position. If the squad was small then versatility would be very valuable but we should have enough depth in positions with a squad this big for 5 games.
Mapoe would have been a better choice, I believe. He is the kind of player who should be given a chance because he has so much talent as well as that other quality which is missing from several of our other top wingers ie. a high work rate. He looks to get involved.
4 Nov 2009, 10:53 am
#79 Puma: chilli would atleast get game time and prove his worth , if he does then not make it or makes it? , its because he was good or not good enough
4 Nov 2009, 10:54 am
#5 John Galt: Good post. Agree with you John Galt.
4 Nov 2009, 10:57 am
#83 Jozi: Well that is very good news then. Really cant leave Wanderers out for any tests. Our biggest stadium.
#85 sharks_lover: Sharky, Yip Chili would get game time and I think if he keeps starting he will get better. He is a very good player and showed what he had in the U19′s and a pit he has been injured so much. He must push to go to the Lions where he will be their first hooker and will probably captain that side too. I think. Would be a great move for him. Then lets hope no injuries.
4 Nov 2009, 10:57 am
grant you damn cold water fish far down south
bte that loose trio would be damn brilliant too
deysl , pottie and brussow eish
4 Nov 2009, 10:58 am
#87 Puma: pit meant pity
4 Nov 2009, 11:00 am
#87 Puma: he was one of the finest players i have seen at under 19 level agreed , but it does not mean he will be great in the senior levels
what is true is 1 he has been ripped apart by injuries , thus never getting into form fully and warming a bench because of that
nowe i gree if he stays uninjured and gets more game time just maybe, what we saw in junior level will come back to him
4 Nov 2009, 11:00 am
i would have started danie russouw at 8 against the frogs, hourses for courses. Kanko never does well when the going gets tight, danie shines in the tight games, we going to regret this.
4 Nov 2009, 11:01 am
#84 stormer in a teacup: Mapoe should have been a cert for selection for this tour. Sad they left him out.
Now some are saying it is because of him having a 7′s contract. He could have been bought out of it if they wanted him.
4 Nov 2009, 11:05 am
#90 sharks_lover: Agree Sharky, He was superb in the U19′s and had high hopes for Chili. Then all the injuries came and that set him back big time.
I do think if he can be first choice hooker at the Lions he should really try and get to play for them. No injuries and I think we will see him back to playing great rugby once he gets all that game time.
4 Nov 2009, 11:07 am
#91 Mustard: Don’t think so. Not with Burger and Brussow playing with him.
Give the oke a chance. He is a great player but cant get better if never selected. I for one hope he has a great, great tourney. Now is the chance he has been waiting for.
Danie will cover for Bakkies I think.
4 Nov 2009, 11:14 am
i think there thinking behind mapoe was that they selected habana, jpp, nokwe and odwa it wudov been dum selecting 5 wings. They needed more depth at fullback thus the inclusion of viljoen and hougaard (utility, possibly a fb retread ala f.steyn). Agree with u guys though, mapoe instead of nokwe who offers nothing besides pace and cant tackle for ****.
4 Nov 2009, 11:21 am
@ 94 puma, yep hes been selected now hes got to show if hes got the mettle. I didnt say he wasnt a good player, i think hes awesome in the s14 type games, but against nh sides test match rugga? we’l see, this tour will provide the coaching staff many answers with regards to 8, 12 and 15, and possibly 3 aswel lets see how john goes up north.
4 Nov 2009, 11:21 am
#72 justrugby: stirring the pot!!LOL
4 Nov 2009, 11:21 am
#70 sharks_lover: Pottie will cover 10 and 12 , he wanted to stay at home , the driving to Bloem every week was getting to him.
4 Nov 2009, 11:23 am
#76 catleya: Who do you think reads long threads like that
4 Nov 2009, 11:25 am
Burger , Brussouw and Rossouw wil be great
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