CJ fated to carry front row
CJ van der Linde, Wian du Preez and Adriaan Strauss have been gifted a fantastic opportunity to prove their front-row worth.
Injuries have robbed Chiliboy Ralepelle, Jannie Du Plessis and Gurthro Steenkamp of their respective chances to shine, and as fate would have it, three players who should always have featured now find themselves in line to battle the French.
Van der Linde’s move to Leinster was met with regret, Ollie le Roux once telling this website the incumbent Boks lacked a genuine tighthead who was as mean or versatile. It was a big disappointment of Springbok legend Os du Randt that Du Preez and Strauss failed to make the initial touring squad, as the Bok coaching staff obviously didn’t view the pair as long-term prospects.
Three injuries later, and Van der Linde, Du Preez and Strauss have the opportunity to alter perception. Those in the know reckon they deserve their Bok jerseys ahead of Du Plessis, Steenkamp and Ralepelle, and after being named on the bench, the weight of Test performance should be added to what would appear a one-sided debate.
The policy preventing foreign-based players from playing for the Boks is not set in stone, and this is why Van der Linde now finds himself in the mix. If he makes a big impact on this three-Test tour, how can the coaching staff continue to ignore his obvious talents?
It’s not as easy as rocking up and performing this Friday. The World Cup-winning tighthead hasn’t played for the Boks since the 2008 Tri-Nations and questions will be asked about his ability to perform in an altered South African set-up.
What’s in Van der Linde’s favour is his experience scrumming in front of locks Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha. He also has enjoyed many games alongside Du Preez and Strauss for the Cheetahs at Super 14 and Currie Cup level.
Peter de Villiers has named the Cheetahs trio on a Bok bench that sees five forwards and two backs. These forwards should be utilised as the Boks look to maintain their intensity over an 80-minute period. If they make an impact, they need to be rewarded. If it becomes clear they will contribute to a successful World Cup defence, then they will need to be retained.
Keo.co.za has it on good authority that the French Test squad took heart from the forward capitulation at Leicester. Perhaps France don’t know that South Africa are touring with a first- and third-string side, rather than the conventional first and second, and thus expect the Bok seniors to be only marginally better than the Leicester losers.
Marc Lievremont has talked the Boks up over the past month, and his selections are geared toward a physical bout, with emphasis on the set-phases. William Servat (hooker) and Romain Millo-Chluski (lock) are powerful scrumming options while aside from a dependable second row the hosts will look to Imanol Harinordoquy as banker at the tail of the lineout.
The Boks are favourites in every department bar the scrum. They’ve been inconsistent this season, and given the amount of rugby Beast Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis and John Smit have endured in 2009, they’ll be hard pressed to deliver a strong showing.
De Villiers has his bankers on the bench. If the Boks are looking to realise the dual ambition of an unbeaten tour and squad development ahead of the World Cup, they could do worse than invest in Van der Linde, Du Preez and Strauss.
All three have the pedigree, but the proof is in the performance. A strong showing and they should become the understudies to the incumbents and not return to club and domestic obscurity when Ralepelle, Du Plessis and Steenkamp return from injury.
Heinrich Brussow and Morne Steyn usurped Schalk Burger and Ruan Pienaar respectively when both fell foul to injury. As long as Van der Linde, Du Preez and Strauss perform, they should be treated exactly the same. Through the ill-fate of three others, they now have that opportunity.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Toulouse
November 11th, 2009 at 3:22 pm
#148 gunther: Please don’t tell Grant that.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
#128 flanka: i know wot u mean
same with gary botha
sumtimes i think its better for some players to go play overseas
as it might actually help with springbok credntials
that way there’s no spotlight when u perform badly but u still master ur trade
November 11th, 2009 at 3:26 pm
credentials nt credntials
November 11th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
#147 Valkyrie: Actually it was Grant who started with the insults, my posts to him had been purely rugby based, then after the Leicester game Grant got boozed and whined about his hang-over, taking it out on me with his senseless insults. He lost the plot, its not my fault his body can’t handle booze the way it used to.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:29 pm
#154 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): LOL
November 11th, 2009 at 3:30 pm
#131 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): well said!!
its th catch 22 situation because when the boks are picked and they performed the way they did..every1 knows they’re the best internationally
then we expect them to show the same class and intensity in the domestic competition
its not going to happen
but what then, do you rest the boks? do you nt get a good chance to see whose next in line?
tough questions
November 11th, 2009 at 3:32 pm
#152 Papoose: the CJ that returns will be the same CJ that left us and from what i remember he wasnt shoving anybody into the ground before he departed, but suddenly he’s being treated like some kind of hero while beast bissie and smit have toiled the last 2 years to help bring back fear of the green jersey. Smit is internationally respected, Vickery still has nightmares about beast (that performance by beast set the trend for the BI Lions tour i might add), and bissie is a tireless mongrel…so im not buying into all these outsiders trying to waltz into the team now that all the hard work is done and we’re the undisputed world number 1 ranked side
November 11th, 2009 at 3:40 pm
Why is it that we are now OK with parity in the scrums? I thought as South Africans we always look to DOMINATE the scrums. Or at least, that was the view when Eddie was the TH. Double standards? (smilie)
I have to agree with you Ratel and Gunther. I can’t remember BJ and CJ dominating a scrum. I can well remember our scrum get stuffed with either one of them in the front row. At least CJ’s presence give us a much better option on the bench than Jannie, (Die Bielie van die Sharks) du Plesis.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:42 pm
#130 cab: But he’ll probably score a brace of tries off the right wing to make up for the pooopy scrums.
November 11th, 2009 at 3:45 pm
#135 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR):
Thank you Ratel for putting this argument to rest once and for all.
Grant10, respect your opinion and rugby knowledge but get annoyed when you keep repeating yourself about how weak our front row is AND its wrong!
Ratel, please do us all a favour and counter Grant10 everytime he posts his nonsense on here.
Adios amigos!
November 11th, 2009 at 3:47 pm
#160 UKBokSupporter: Thanks, I’ll try, but its hard as Grant seems to shy away from facts and when he can’t back-up his arguments he starts to rant!
November 11th, 2009 at 3:57 pm
cj plays both sides good in the loose not especially strong at scrum time…
bj is a penalty machine completely anonymous in the loose….
how on earth could either of these be remotely better than Barney?
November 11th, 2009 at 3:58 pm
You okes and your sentimentality…makes you weak …
There are a handfull of bloggers on this site i value….bloggers who are not blinded by provincialism or race bias….independent thinkers….
And then there are the Ratel Msiurs of the world….Rangerman i see falls into that trap as well…..sentimental…blinkered and never open to debate…..
Now …to be frank….i care not a jot about there views or perspectives…cool guys and all that…but from a rugby perspective….light weights….absolute persona non gratas…..
Thats my best insult .
November 11th, 2009 at 3:59 pm
#162 gunther: Wynberg girls u 15 tighthead a better scrummer than Barney.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
#163 grant10: Most of us old-school keo muppets have learnt to take with a pinch of salt the comments of posters with player-adulation nicknames. It’s quite a teenish fad.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:04 pm
#163 grant10: This from the man who ate humble pie how many times this season? FS not a 15. NZ will kill us in scrums. Morne not the real deal. Have I forgotten any of your other brilliant prophecies Nostradamus?
November 11th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
#165 katman: When i want your opinion I’ll ask the one chap sitting in the stands at Ellis park.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:08 pm
#164 grant10: And what do you know about tighthead from 15 year-old school girls anyway? I’m sure they great scrummages but 16 is the legal age Grant.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
#165 katman: LOL…ja…okes probably 23 years old….started shaving last week…digs Britney…
November 11th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
#167 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): Does your dad take you to Ellis Park?
November 11th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
#168 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): LOL….i have a 25 year old son and a 13 year old daughter…sis man!
November 11th, 2009 at 4:11 pm
#163 grant10: or maybe they just a player who has led their team to a World Cup, Lions series and second Tri Nations victory?
come on grant, just because they have a different view doesn’t mean they’re wrong
November 11th, 2009 at 4:12 pm
#172 Big Hit: just rate*
November 11th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
#166 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): i got it wrong with F Syeyn at 10….i never said he would be a poor 15…just that he wanted to play 10 so give the lad a fair shake at it…
Interesting that F Steyn left to play in France because he wanted to ‘be closer to the action’ at 12 or 10….But you sharks do well…lose a lot of players by stuffing them around the backline….better be careful with Ruan!
November 11th, 2009 at 4:13 pm
#170 katman: Why would he do that, I can buy my own drugs?
#171 grant10: Cool, I don’t have any kids yet, but was just joking.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:14 pm
#172 Big Hit: i was joking with them…
November 11th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
#174 grant10: And now he is playing 15 in France.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:15 pm
Ons voorry is skitterend — dis die kameraman wat die kamera vinnig vorentoe beweeg dan LYK dit of ons agteruitgaan!!!!
ons vermorsel eintlik almal innie skrums.
Mettie CC finaal was die Bulls se skrum skitterend…. en in Durban die Skarks sin ook….. die probleem was dat SSport dieselfde blêddie kameraman gebruik het!
November 11th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
#175 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): LOL…no sweat…cant fault your passion….i think you as thick as a telephone pole…but you certainly passionate…
November 11th, 2009 at 4:16 pm
#176 grant10: to be fair to you, you got the Brussow call right, but I’m not sure you’re right about Smit and Pienaar. Could never understand the Steyn at 10 call, what was your thinking behind that one?
November 11th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
#177 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): 13 last week boet…and 12 before that.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
#176 grant10: Whateva, you think you know best, somehow your self-confidence is undentable. Facts are facts, and you don’t deal in them.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
#181 grant10: and 15 before that, where he slotted some winning DPs.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:19 pm
#178 Staal: LOL…die ouens dink dis n probleem wat ek het met J Smit….WTF….Ek dink net die ou is nie n 3 nie en ons kry swaar en moet iets doen….
Jy sal sweer ek is die Duiwel!!
November 11th, 2009 at 4:20 pm
#157 flanka: couldnt have put it better
check post 156
November 11th, 2009 at 4:22 pm
#180 Big Hit: reality was Boks had no 10 at the time…R Pienaar was a reluctant candidate…i knew that so had my misgivings from day 1…..F Steyn wanted the job and i thought well why not give the lad a shot?
But he struggled there….i think he will be a legend at 15….but i certainly would be happy with him at 12 too….
November 11th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
#182 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): Its only my opinion….being honest about opinions has nothing to do with confidence…everything to do with being honest.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:23 pm
#179 grant10: We’ll see. I think your rugby knowledge extends to knowing which bok was last spotted on Clifton. But hey who can blame you, you only have that trashy Argus to read. Anyway I’m out of here, have to go enjoy the 38 degree heat. One day, when it is safe, you can finally crawl out of your blinkered little rugby bubble.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
#183 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): He is a legend F steyn…my favorite back…happy that he plays 12…13 or 15…thats how good he is.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
#186 grant10: We had Morne, but apparently according to you, he wasn’t up to it.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
#188 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): cheers
November 11th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
#189 grant10: Whateva, I’m sure he’ll end up in CT anyway.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
#178 Staal: Hahahahaha dis nou die waarheid!
November 11th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
#186 grant10: hmm you really were never a Pienaar at 10 fan, he started so well too on the EOYT.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:27 pm
#190 Ratel Brussow (MSIUR): He wasnt being punted at the time…i believed he had some limitations…i was gratefully wrong…the best 10 in the land…class…
November 11th, 2009 at 4:30 pm
#194 Big Hit: Not true really…i think he could be a class 10…problem is he didnt want the switch…ever…now that is the truth of the matter…he was never happy at leaving 9….
This he has made crystal clear….not anyones fault…he wants to play at 9….
Now with that mindset its always a matter of time …doomed to fauilure…also i believe he is a damn good 9 anyway…
Just not a 15 or 12 or something stupid!
10 only if he agrees!!
November 11th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
#194 Big Hit: Now justrugby certainly had his reservations …from day 1 …RP at 10 was bad news to him…and he was proven right.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:32 pm
#196 grant10: I think without the goal-kicking load, it would ease a lot of issues. Might be difficult finding another spot for M.Steyn though, and he deserves his place atm anyway.
November 11th, 2009 at 4:38 pm
#197 grant10:
… until now that is anyway
i do believe (and i might get stick for thinking so) that ruan WITH ENOUGH TIME mightve (yes, i said … mightve) developed into a class 10.
problem is … i cant see ruan get that needed time behind morné at the boks
or even at the sharks … which means that he should be allowed to go back to 9 (now that kirchner have been selected to start at 15)
November 11th, 2009 at 4:39 pm
Ah well, at least they didn’t pick “show’n'go” Olivier who spent much of Friday night on his ar$e wondering what just ran over him. Not to mention the time he tried to run through Tuilagi and ended up looking like a crash test dummy.
21 caps without a try? Disgraceful.
P.S. I’m just kidding before any Bulls fans jump to Fabio Olivier’s defence. He’s not that bad. Unfortunately he’s also not that much better than Jacobs. Personally, I’d rather we put aside the “overseas ban” on JDV and start looking at some youngsters to take over from him.