Cotton wool key to Bok backlash
There’s nothing to be gained by starting an already exhausted Bok senior side against Saracens and Italy.
Peter de Villiers was clear about his goals when naming a 37-man squad to tour England, France, Italy and Ireland. Five wins from five matches was the target, and the Bok coach also hoped to develop some untried youngsters and work on strengthening the second-choice combinations.
South Africa suffered the worst possible start to the tour with the dirt-trackers going down to a depleted Leicester, and the Boks’ reserve front row returning home with injury. The senior side was outmuscled in Toulouse, and unless the Boks reassess their priorities, the tour could finish in disaster.
To salvage this tour, the Boks need to beat Ireland in Dublin. To beat the Irish, the incumbents will need to time to recuperate, and giving them the next week off could also aid De Villiers’ secondary ambition of developing the second-string.
It’s yet to be confirmed whether the team named to start against Saracens will be available for starting positions in the Italy Test. One hopes this is the case, because the Boks’ best could do with a break, especially after the beating they took at Stade Municipal.
Wian du Preez, Adriaan Strauss and CJ van der Linde are picked to front Saracens, a powerful Free State combination that should provide the South Africans with stability at scrum time.
The smart move is to start these three against Italy, a side renowned for their scrum. The Boks would have a shot at parity despite the absence of Beast Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis and John Smit, while the frontline players would be spared a physical tussle a week before the game that really matters.
Ireland’s scrum was poor against Australia on Sunday, an encouraging sign for a Bok team that’s endured their own problems in this facet. Nevertheless, you’d want your best players available for this clash, and you’d want them firing at something close to 100%.
Again, the Boks are well capable of beating this Irish outfit, but after Friday’s French lesson, they will know that intensity is everything. It’s the last game at the end of a taxing year, but they’ll need to be at their brutish best.
The most recent selection suggests De Villiers and company are taking the Saracens match seriously, but they need to keep their eyes on the prize. The Six Nations Champs have been hyping the 28 November fixture as the ultimate north versus south clash, and those British & Irish Lions players who tasted defeat earlier in the year will be desperate for revenge.
It won’t help the senior Boks’ cause to arrive in Dublin after what should be a physical battle in Udine. With respect to Italy, this is a Test where the fringe players should get a start. Start Danie Rossouw and Andries Bekker in a Test environment, and see what loose forwards Jean Deysel and Dewald Potgieter have to offer when awarded an official Test cap.
For Du Preez and Strauss, it’s a massive challenge scrumming against a team that includes Martin Castrogiovanni, but they’ll have one of the world’s best and most experienced tightheads alongside them. In an ideal rugby world, that’s how you’re supposed to blood newcomers – by surrounding them with experience.
So let’s hope the announcement of the side to face Saracens isn’t a case of the Bok management hitting the panic button. Let’s hope the first team aren’t rolled out in Udine, because it won’t contribute to success in Dublin.
The Irish press believe De Villiers’ job will be on the line by the time the Boks arrive. There’s no chance of the South African coach being sacked after the Boks’ success in the Lions series and Tri-Nations. But the Irish are correct in assuming South Africa’s tour would amount to a failure if they’re downed at Croke Park.
By Jon Cardinelli, in London
November 16th, 2009 at 9:09 am
Justrugby reckons the Bok front row look too clean cut…..perhaps he has a point….
Difficult to be intimidating if you all freshly shaved and smelling of Aqua Velva….
Check those Argies and Italians….French too….bloody front rows look like cavemen ….and smell of stale tobacco , beer and garlic…..
No wonder we get moered!!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:11 am
Aden Thomas on Cape Talk this morning interviewed our boy Ras and got him to sing it again over the radio live………..I thought he was worse this morning !!!!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:11 am
#50 justrugby: LOL….this is an undisputable fact!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:12 am
#52 justrugby: LOL….i was shocked to silence….the entire pub just came to a stunned silence!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:14 am
This is the best article written on Keo in a while. Totally agree JC! Our boys need rest!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:16 am
Have to agree with you on Danie Gerber mate – he was something special but current players BOD rocks
November 16th, 2009 at 9:18 am
WILL SOMEONE PLEASE TELL ME ABOUT ROB LOUW !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:19 am
#35 justrugby: and the lineouts too, which for a decade were one of our biggest strongpoints.
That said, with the backs it’s hard to tell, as they are so bloody intent on kicking all possession away. The few times they spread it wide against Ireland they made huge ground.
#39 nama1:
November 16th, 2009 at 9:20 am
#52 justrugby: Did he have Ebony and Ivory, the special needs drummers, on the radio too? Or did that al dente pastafarian opt for a stirring a cappella rendition?
November 16th, 2009 at 9:22 am
Eish , what a disaster ! think it’s time we listen to Mr Tim Noakes. The guys are realy tired after a long season. Handling errors is something to realy get worried about. Lets hope these guys get some off time before the new seasons starts.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:22 am
#59 katman:
Ol’ Ras should lay off the doobie.
But when I heard it on the radio this morning I had to laugh.
Man it was kuk funny.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:24 am
#60 Andre_WP:
Don’t they get paid lots for these games.
How come no other country is using the “tired” excuse.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:24 am
#58 DonutDunning:
If they get the balance right, they will be the side to watch out for come 2011 !!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:24 am
#61 Dawn: I think Ras Dumisani is a shining example of what Tim Noakes was warning about. That’s burn-out, if ever I’ve seen it.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:25 am
#59 katman:
LOL….the latter !!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:27 am
#61 Dawn:
LOl…my daughter said that’s the first time she has heard someone sing worse than me !!!!……thank you Ras !!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:31 am
#66 justrugby:
Man, the look on Schalk Burger’s face was classic!
Ras is lucky to get away with his face intact!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:31 am
#57 Dawn:
Sorry Dawn, I was out for a while.
He is currently in the USA where he receives treatment for cancer. He underwent an operation two weeks ago to cut out the cancer from his intestines. His next treatment, which includes chemo, begins on 09/12/09.
He seems to be positive about the treatment and hope to be back home early next year.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:33 am
#48 katman:
I said a mayhem is brewing, sit back and enjoy!
Not surprisingly they don’t blame the Boks ‘management’, nor the Embassy officials, the department in SARU which is in charge of the travelling and overseas Tests’ arrangements (there is one) or the rag tag singer.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:33 am
#68 nama1:
That’s horrible.
I really like him.
One of the best.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:34 am
#22 puff:
November 16th, 2009 at 9:36 am
Just heard him resing the anthem on 702. Worse than the first time. He doesn’t even know the words. It was even more funny.
My word SA has talent.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:36 am
#58 DonutDunning:
Specifically, M Styen and FdP kicking possession away because they don’t know any better.
The alternative of passing to Jacobs isn’t an option and rightly so!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:40 am
“already exhausted Bok senior side”
is this jetlag from crossing all those time zones?
November 16th, 2009 at 9:40 am
Another thing – I used to scoff at old Rocky Elsom’s fingerless gloves. There was a time when many players wore them, but only Rocky has persisted. Like he thinks he’s the drummer for Poison. But after the amount of balls we coughed up on Friday, I’m having 22 pairs couriered up today.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:42 am
#70 Dawn:
Yeah. And yet nothing about it on SA’s favourite rugby blog, Keo.co.za.
I wonder if the fact that LW once dated Roxy has anything to do with it!!!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:42 am
#75 katman:
Listen.
The manne are tired.
Los uit.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:44 am
#76 nama1:
Ssshhh.
That isn’t funny!
Rob is a special guy.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:48 am
#73 Hondo:
Hondo, Hondo, Hondo.
Stop your ADI bashing. The man had a good enough game compared to some others on Friday night. Your perception of him makes you blind for the good thing that he did in every game he has played this year.
I will take you more serious if you also talk about the poor game that SB, Kanko, MS had every time you post here. Your failure to do so make it seems if you down ADI because of…
November 16th, 2009 at 9:49 am
#72 Blindspot:
Not unreasonable to assume that if it was Johnny Clegg they asked to perform there would have been no ramifications, right?
Maybe it was Leon Schuster in disguise?
November 16th, 2009 at 9:50 am
#80 Hondo:
Isn’t Johnny Clegg from Zim?
November 16th, 2009 at 9:53 am
#73 Hondo:
November 16th, 2009 at 9:53 am
#56 Blindspot: BOD is a vuilgat player that has forgotten all about rugby
During the BIL tour in SA he was the one that declined an offer to have post match drinks with the Boks, all other teams, All Blacks, Aussies etc do the couple of drinks with the Boks and there is no bad blood, but the BOD reckons he is above rugby
November 16th, 2009 at 9:54 am
#78 Dawn:
OK, sorry.
Yes, he is special. As I said, one of my all time favourites. Not just because of his rugby but also because he was open about his political stance in a time when it was not fashionable for whites to swim upstream.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:56 am
#60 Andre_WP: It does not matter what Tim says. The senior players wanted to go on this one. Many has not beaten France in France and that was the challenge. Now you do not just fly in for one test and then not the others, so yes they all know that they are tired but wanted the French and the Irish matches
November 16th, 2009 at 9:56 am
Let’s just put something right here. CJ isn’t part of the Cheetah front row. He hasn’t been for years. (Heck, he last played for Cheetahs when Jannie was still there and one or two seasons after Guthro left.)
WP Nel should have been there.
#80 Hondo: As an ex-player, Schuster wouldn’t dare messing up the anthem, so you can scratch that off the list. Heck, I can’t think of anyone, able to sing or not, who would sink to the level of this weekend, besides this rasta…
November 16th, 2009 at 9:56 am
#79 nama1: Ja well Nama1, I just love for that type of comments…
November 16th, 2009 at 9:57 am
#84 nama1:
Ja.
Him and Michael du Plessis.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:58 am
I wonder if the All Whites will be received by the SA locals as much as the All Blacks.
November 16th, 2009 at 9:59 am
Die Rasta sê hy het al twee Albums uit en sy verkope is goed. Maar hy moet net onthou dat almal wat hom luister gerook is, dan klink alles goed.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:00 am
Tannie kofski is nie moeg nie, net treurig.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:01 am
#87 Charlie:
Ja, well Charlie. Enjoying Hondo’s comment at 73 and not liking mine is an answer in itself.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:02 am
#87 Charlie:
LAUGH 
November 16th, 2009 at 10:03 am
#79 nama1:
SB was SB, he only performs when Juan Smith and JvN are the combo, seldom otherwise
And yes, he is deteriorating since the departure of Eddie Jones, in 2007 he learned how to off load at the tackle, but not anymore
Kanko should never been there in the first place, I kept saying it, not worth referring to, Vermulen and Albert are far better, let alone JvN.
MS: See my #73, R Potgieter, Meyer Bosman or Peter Grant if given a game time are all better because they have the option.
Pienaar is my first choice anyway.
I ran the replays on Jacobs twice, enough said.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:03 am
#92 nama1: Sorry
November 16th, 2009 at 10:03 am
#91 capebull: Daai ou was nog altyd over rated, hy is nie ‘n internasionale toets speler nie, selfde as Adi,Ndungane
November 16th, 2009 at 10:05 am
#94 Hondo: You ran the replays on Jacobs twice, what all 12 seconds of it?
November 16th, 2009 at 10:07 am
#90 capebull: and almal is gesuip vir Steve Hofmeyer. Think before you make a judgement. Reggae is far mor original than what is dished up by Steve to you Bulls supporters.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:07 am
#96 JL1: Nee , maar ons moes tot vervelens toe **** dat Spies nie werk in tight games nie, ( what a load of rubbish) . Ons kon Vryadg sien hoe lyk ‘n speler wat net wil los speel.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:09 am
#98 kevin w: Waar kom jy vandaan speel die Rasta dan vir die Sharks, dit lyk so.