Heinke to get a taste of tighthead
5 Nov 2009
Heinke van der Merwe is hoping to learn the most from his tighthead experiment in match situations.
The Lions loosehead is on the bench for the Boks’ opening tour match against Leicester, but coach Peter de Villiers’ plans are for him to be transformed into a tighthead. Van der Merwe last played against the Reds in the Super 14 on 18 April, where he severely injured his knee.
He hasn’t been on a rugby pitch since, but ‘simulated tighthead conditions’ had been arranged for him during his rehabilitation.
‘I’ve basically completed my rehab in the last few weeks and worked on my strength in the gym,’ said Van der Merwe. ‘There’s been no practice for me. However, I’ve chatted with Marius Hurter and Leon Boshoff about the position.
‘But that’s it. I’m fully aware the best place to learn and get the work done is on the playing field. Training at tighthead isn’t going to do much…I know I need to play in the position before I get used to it. But I’m up for the challenge.’
Van der Merwe has rarely played on the tighthead side in the past, and has never concentrated on the complex position. De Villiers is confident however, that the work done in the gym will be sufficient.
‘Heinke’s very strong, mentally as well. Our conditioning coach Neels Liebel has been working with him for the last three months under simulated [tighthead] conditions. I’ve got confidence in Heinke.’
63 Comments
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5 Nov 2009, 08:39 am
The fact that he hasn’t played rugby since April means f*all. A number of players in this Bok squad have been warming the bench for their provinces all year with little if any game time. Selecting on form is so old skool.
5 Nov 2009, 08:48 am
There is no logical reason whatsoever NOT to have included the Free State frontrowers.
This oke should have been selected a long time ago as a loosehead anyway.
Addmittedly, props that can play both sides are worth their weight in gold.
5 Nov 2009, 08:58 am
Not sure about 3, but he is imo the best 1 in SA by a country mile….
5 Nov 2009, 09:03 am
Sorry but I think this guy’s scrum technique is suspect. He scrums up instead of straight. But he is one strong SOB.
5 Nov 2009, 09:05 am
#1 kwas: eish – i think any player coming back from such a sierieaaas injury is gonna struggle in the first few games … and now he is playing in an unnown possie…. But let’s hope ot.
5 Nov 2009, 09:09 am
It was about time that a good loose head swith…well done !!! it´s a pitty that Wium Du Prez is out, he shld have been part of the squad…hope he doesn´t leave to Europe..
5 Nov 2009, 09:16 am
Give ‘em HELL!!!
5 Nov 2009, 09:20 am
#4 VyfSlot: who’s is not suspect?
5 Nov 2009, 09:21 am
Madness!! Selecting a player for the Springboks, who hasn’t played or even practiced in a contact situation for 7 months, in a crucial position, which he has never played.
Fortunately he has ‘simulated’ playing at tighthead in the gym. That should sort it all out…
Oh, and he has chatted to Marius Hurter and Leon Boshoff too… thank goodness for that!!
5 Nov 2009, 09:25 am
What has happened to all the good number 3s? They surely should be a protected species
5 Nov 2009, 09:28 am
8. STAAL: WP Nel en Wian du Preez. Hehe Hulle is net plein yster.
5 Nov 2009, 09:36 am
#3 Staal: True. And I would have tried to bring BJ Botha back to SA, if I were Div. A front row of Heinke, Bismarck and BJ doesn’t come standard with a reverse gear.
5 Nov 2009, 09:37 am
This guy is good – been watching him for a while and when fit will dominate – needs to work on his loose game
5 Nov 2009, 09:37 am
@ least there’s consistency in PdV selecting players who arent match fit or been on bench, and he doesnt discriminate by race hahaha
shame
5 Nov 2009, 09:46 am
I think Hiekie is a great prop. He will go along way in SA rugby. But, the Springboks 1st and 2nd choice tightheads are being converted from other positions. When asked about this, PdV always gives the same answer – “we lack quality TH in this country.”
I think it is a serious insult to some of the TH in this country, especially those who made the Beast look rather average in the CC. Why is it that certain players are allowed the luxary of using Springbok tours to show that they can make the step up, but others (without being given a fair opportunity) are simply defined as not good enough! How does anybody know that Blaauw, Nel or Du Preez is not good enough? They haven’t had an opportunity to show.
The midweek games and the test against Italy would surely have given the selectors a good view of how good these guys really are. But, instead they opt two play a guy (with emmense talent) who hasn’t played for seven months. I think it is ridiculous and very short sighted. Look at Brossouw, PdV didn’t (propably still) think he was good enough to start a test at the beginning of the year. The same with Morne. Luckily for us there were injuries and loss of form and two awesome players were “discovered” this year. Why not give guys who showed their worth in the CC a chance to show their worth in the national set-up?
5 Nov 2009, 09:47 am
Maybe, just maybe it is a Teichman vs Bobby or Erasmus vs Krige situation. If you actually have someone in the team who is better that your captain in his position – don’t choose that person…
5 Nov 2009, 09:54 am
#15 fsjakes: It is the same with the 2nd and 3rd choice hookers in the bok setup. Liebenberg and strauss are the best backup for bismark but div cant see past his snor.
5 Nov 2009, 09:59 am
Heinke can do it boys. He’s still young so he can sort out the nuances and little tricks of the trade as he goes. He competes with the Beast for the loosehead spot so tighthead is where his future lies.
His lack of time “in the middle” as it were is worrying though. But clearly the selectors and Divvie like him…
5 Nov 2009, 10:03 am
#15
PDV were the first coach to give Brussouw and Morne a chance.
He know how too keep them on their toes.
A coach uses players he have faith in.
5 Nov 2009, 10:08 am
#15 fsjakes: Yep…we’ve been amazingly fortunate with injuries/suspensions enabling us to get our selections right this year…doesn’t say much for the selection process but the rugby Gods have been smiling down on us
I reckon Heinke’s selection is purely for power in the last twenty ’cause that is when our scrum has been under pressure when Bakkies goes off and Bekker comes on…
5 Nov 2009, 10:11 am
#19 BOD: Like I said…Brussouw and Morne got their chances by default…the whole country was screaming for their selection but Twakkie chose to ignore them till he had no choice…
5 Nov 2009, 10:15 am
#2 Brigadier Van Zyl:
Tactically, this is a shrewd move, to develop a prop who can play both 1 and 3. Someone like that will be vital for the WC squad. The only other one is CJ and he’s not available.
5 Nov 2009, 10:17 am
#19 BOD: Now he has no choice but to play them ’cause they’ve made those positions their own…altho’ the a major cause for concern is that it seems he may want to fiddle with the loosies now that Spies is out and he may not play Brussouw in the tests in order to use the heavies in NH conditions
5 Nov 2009, 10:23 am
No player is picked by default. it is the coach and only his decision.
Flyhalf was open after Butch went overseas.
Schalk burgers pedigree tells it all.
White did not believe in a fetcher
I think heinke is a good choice. still young, strong and PDV knows him well.
5 Nov 2009, 10:38 am
#24 BOD: Yeah well…as far as I know Ruan ‘Tiger’ Pienaar is still the coach’s first choice flyhalf but there is no way he can drop Morne now
5 Nov 2009, 11:21 am
#3 Staal: Best scrumming loosehead by a mile. His other play leaves a bit to be desired.
5 Nov 2009, 11:52 am
Did PdV not watch the CC because if he did, then he would have seen that the Lions have a great prospect at tighthead in Kevin Buys. If I was the Lions coach I would keep Heinke at loosehead.
Kevin Buys and WP Nel are the future.
5 Nov 2009, 11:54 am
agree with above. Heinkie us undisputed most distructive loosehead in the SH. he is on par with Tony Woodcock.
Switching him to TH is nuts IMO. This is crazy. BJ Botha is still the best TH and the problem lies in fact John Smit play TH. When he should not be. Smit is picked first for his captaincy. He should be playing hooker with Bismack on bench.
The selection of the third best NTvl hooker is quota. FACT. The front rows for this tour should have being following. Most would agree.
H.vd Merwe(Tvl)
J.Smit(Natal)
WP Nel(OVS)
Beast(Natal)
B.du Plessis(Natal)
J.du Plessis(natal)
Chillyboy(NTvl)
W.du Preez(OVS)
Strauss
du Preez
thank you.
5 Nov 2009, 12:05 pm
#28 greatest13gerber: who de fok is NTvl?
5 Nov 2009, 12:49 pm
#29 Valkyrie: Northern Transvaal
greatest13gerber is getting a bikky nostalgic it seems…
5 Nov 2009, 12:53 pm
#28 greatest13gerber: We may be on opposite ends of the political food chain
But dammit i agrr on your choice of front rows!!!
5 Nov 2009, 12:57 pm
agree
5 Nov 2009, 13:05 pm
#30 jaimie: i see.he reminds me of that japanese soldier they found on one deserted island many years after the end of the second world war and who was still under the impression that the war was on-going.
5 Nov 2009, 13:13 pm
“Van der Merwe has rarely played on the tighthead side in the past, and has never concentrated on the complex position.”
Let’s not go overboard here. Heinke will come through fine. He is switching from one end of the scrum to the other. His head will now be tucked in-between someone else’s on both sides instead of just one side and there are a few more tricks to learn.
That is it though, this is not a major positional change, and my god if an ageing Smit can do it successfully going from Hooker to tighthead then Heinke, who is already a prop, certainly can.
5 Nov 2009, 13:16 pm
#34 Yetirat: The jury is most definitley still out on whether the Smit move is a success…..but lets not get into that debate again.
Dont underestimate the difficulty of the switch….Os refused to attempt it!!
5 Nov 2009, 13:29 pm
#34 Yetirat: in total agreement with you on this one .it’s not as if pdv decided a day before anouncing the team that heinke was going to play th.pdv decided on this nearly about 3months ago according to rugby reports,discussed it with the player and the chap seems happy enough with the challenge.what more can we say on this subject?
5 Nov 2009, 13:33 pm
#35 grant10:
I played both positions as a youngster at junior school level and no loosehead ever wants to switch to tighthead. Its like asking a flank to play lock – it’s a helluva lot more uncomfortable!
I accept that Heinke will take time to learn some of the new tricks but I have great faith in him and I’m convinced his natural power will carry him through. Don’t forget he is still only 24 which is quite a young age for a prop so he has time on his side.
As for the rest of his game, he tends to go a bit quiet outside of the set pieces which is a lot more in tune with a tighthead style anyway.
5 Nov 2009, 13:34 pm
#35 grant10: oap’s normally like to keep to their familiar ways and get very agitated when their normal routine changes.don’t read too much into the os refusal.
5 Nov 2009, 13:41 pm
#38 Valkyrie: In his book he said it was just too difficult…..
But i hear you…
Easier for a 1 to convert to 3 than a 2 imo…
5 Nov 2009, 13:42 pm
GG13 is back! Where have you been? I mean how busy does that carpark get, lifting the boom whole day in the scorching aussie sun.
5 Nov 2009, 13:44 pm
#37 Yetirat: I do agree with you 100%.
Although i feel it would have been better to test him outside of the international arena.
Heinke an awesome scrummager and always played’ like a tighthead’.
I hope he makes a massive impression…he is one of my favorite players.
5 Nov 2009, 13:50 pm
Grant, I see you and Rob are awake at ungodly hours?
You guys should stop taking those pills.
5 Nov 2009, 13:50 pm
#38 Valkyrie:
Agreed completely. Lets see how he does on this tour, I believe that he is going to come out of this with flying colours.
5 Nov 2009, 13:52 pm
#42 Slappes: LOL…all that talk about Minki….couldnt sleep!!
5 Nov 2009, 14:03 pm
Grant, those pills gonna have you arrested at clifton beach. Minki is a no go area. Me and skop will have a duel to decide.
5 Nov 2009, 14:14 pm
GG13. The hawkers at the traffic lights are selling bull jerseys. I bought a sambok from one of them and proceeded to wip the bull jersey sellers. Dont these guys have pride in their work.
5 Nov 2009, 14:27 pm
Grant and co, get over yourseves. The springboks have won 9 out of 11 tests with John Smit starting at 3 – thats 81.8%, much better than his overall 65% and infact his captaincy record of 71%. What exactly is the problem. BJ Botha only ever started 11 tests (same record), John Smit has equaled that and BJ played against more weak teams.
5 Nov 2009, 14:28 pm
#15 fsjakes: <i couldnt agree with you more mate. I was watching Brussouw and Steyn for a long time and was amazed at how good they were in the Super 14 but nooooo PDV is mos hardekop. He has to do things his way. So Ruaan it was in the first Lions test and the poephol almost lost it for us. Thank god for Steyn.
PDV has taste up his butt. Heinke is great as a scrummaging loosehead prop. But the rest of these experiments he is making are very very short sighted when we clearly have some excellent players coming through the ranks.
One thing I was impressed with was that he had the insight to include Francois Houghaard in the tour squad. Everyone is making a fuss about the obvious choices but in my opinion Houghaard has incredible line breaking and stepping abilites and is an all round good player. He reminds me of Quade Cooper (who if Deans had any brains would already be in the runon team for the Wallabies instead of wannabe mommy´s boy James O Connor – coaches man theyre all the same) in his style of running rugby.
Other choices that were good for the current choices are:
Ashley Johnson (though Willem Alberts should have got the nod ahead of him), Dewaldt Potgieter who is a menace, Juan de Jongh who is going to give Fourie a real run for his money.
5 Nov 2009, 14:30 pm
#41 grant10:
Yeah I’m sure he will do well.
Don’t forget he is from a fine pedigree too as his dad “Oupa” played for the Transvaal.
Sometimes rugby runs in the blood and you only have to look at other players like Du Preez, Spies and Ruan Pienaar to understand the value of a strong association with the sport through the generations of a family. There is nothing to suggest that Heinke won’t do just as well.
I’m going to the game at Leicester tomorrow evening after work so I’ll be sure to report back on my findings
)
5 Nov 2009, 14:31 pm
#42 Slappes: ha ha ha that’s the first thing i saw this morning! it seems these okes like trading “xoxo” and calling each other by endearing names! Ha ha
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