De Villiers best bet at 12
26 Nov 2009
Adi Jacobs’ ankle injury could be the good fortune the Springbok backline so desperately need.
The Boks beat the British & Irish Lions 2-1, but the series was not without error. Peter de Villiers came under fire for his suspect use of the Bok bench, and the biggest criticism centred around the subbing of backline kingpin Jean de Villiers.
Instead of swapping one outside centre for another, the Bok coach shifted Jacobs to No 12 and introduced Jaque Fourie at No 13. Jacobs was targeted with the Lions midfield pairing of Jamie Roberts and Brian O’Driscoll attacking his channel. Because Jacobs was driven back so often, the men on his outside, including Fourie, were placed on the back foot. The pressure the Lions exerted on Jacobs enabled the visitors to cut the line out wide.
Peter de Villiers had plans to persist with this combination in the Tri-Nations given Jean de Villiers was set to join Irish club Munster. Jacobs suffered an injury in the build up to the first match against the All Blacks in Bloemfontein, and fortunately, the Jean and Jaque midfield combination was restored. It’s one of the reasons the Bok defence was so impressive during this tournament, as the opponents battled to make substantial ground in De Villiers’ channel.
Since the Stormers centre’s departure, however, the Bok coaching staff has revisited the Jacobs/Fourie midfield combination. Jacobs battled against a French barrage in Toulouse and was part of an awful mix-up that led to an Italian try in Udine.
Before their final fixture against Ireland, the Boks have caught a break. Jacobs is out of the tour with an ankle injury, allowing De Villiers to resume his position.
There will be eyebrows raised if De Villiers is named to start given he hasn’t featured for the Boks since the final Tri-Nations match. But it’s a set-up he understands well, and his experience would be a boost for such a big clash.
You have to feel for Wynand Olivier, who should have been the logical alternative to De Villiers all along. He enjoyed a dream run in the Bulls’ Super 14 campaign playing alongside the halfback pair that have since traded powder blue shirts for those coloured green and gold. As an individual, Olivier was impressive, but as part of that No 9, 10 and 12 triumvirate, he was outstanding.
Olivier lacks the kicking game required of the modern No 12, but it’s his only shortcoming. He showed against Saracens what he’s capable of defensively (Derick Hougaard bears the bruises as testament), and is the ideal kind of player for the Boks’ game plan – which is not unlike the Bulls’ strategy.
Olivier partnered Fourie in the third Test against the Lions. The Test was a disaster in many aspects, but it’s disappointing that this midfield combination wasn’t given more opportunity to develop. Even now with Jacobs out, De Villiers returns, and the big loser is Olivier.
The Irish enjoy a fast-paced game and all first-phase ball would have been directed down Jacobs’ channel with the robust Jamie Heaslip sure to lead the charge. Why? Because they know they’re guaranteed to make ground. Jacobs may affect a tackle, but he’s failed if the opposition gain five to 10 metres in the process.
With De Villiers replacing the injured Jacobs, the Irish will be forced to rethink their tactics. The Boks stand an excellent chance of repelling an Irish surge if De Villiers and Fourie are standing in the centres.
Stopping power is what’s required. The Boks need to slow the Irish down this Saturday; they have to cut down the hosts’ space. A big defensive effort is what will earn a win and render this tour a relative success. In realising that goal, Peter de Villiers needs to pick players that are up to the task.
Olivier has the ability, but if you have Jean De Villiers available, you have to play him. He knows the Irish players well having played against them in the Lions series and at club level for Munster.
It may seem crazy to pluck a player from the international wilderness just two days before kickoff, but given what De Villiers has achieved alongside the incumbent backline players in 2009, you wouldn’t expect them to lack synergy at Croke Park.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Dublin
300 Comments
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26 Nov 2009, 05:59 am
Draak
26 Nov 2009, 06:25 am
The news just keeps getting better and better. Might as well bring Frans Steyn BACK.
26 Nov 2009, 06:26 am
What do you mean international wilderness? The guy just played his last game for the Boks just more than a month ago.
26 Nov 2009, 06:41 am
Frans Steyn next and Bobs your aunt
26 Nov 2009, 06:44 am
Good morning bloggers. Yip – good news this.
Need Frans as well – to kick the living daylights out of the paddys..
26 Nov 2009, 06:51 am
I wonder if this means the end of PDV’s selection policy of SA players based overseas.
If anything, this end of the year tour has proven that SA does not have enough depth to stock the English and French clubs + fielding two world beating Springbok teams!
26 Nov 2009, 06:51 am
jamie roberts made mince meat of all our centres, not one was exempt.
If one looks at the conrad smith’s try in bloemfontein it was through this so-called rock solid centre partneship. If you look at adam ashley-cooper’s try in brisbane it was through this gaping centre combination, and there are plenty other examples yet south africans swallow this tripe about jdv/mossie whole.
26 Nov 2009, 06:56 am
Silly suggestion, why not keep the ban on overseas players policy for home internationals and the Tri-Nations and allow their selection during Northern Hemisphere tours and in cases of emergency? It keeps the foreign Boks in the loop, allows the selection staff to see where they’re at and gives the locally based players a break after 9 or so internationals and a gruelling Super 14. I’d like to select all overseas Boks if given the choice, but it does set a precedent. Either that or make a statement that you’ll only select an overseas player if they’re already an established Springbok?
26 Nov 2009, 06:57 am
@Pearl Rose:
There is no fullproof combination. At least no one runs over JF and JDV like they do over Adi.
26 Nov 2009, 06:59 am
@Pearl Rose: JDV at 12 and Adi at 13 a lot better than Adi at 12 and JF at 13 as well….
In fact F Steyn at 12 in this game would not have been a bad idea either….that 12 channel gonna be very physical.
26 Nov 2009, 06:59 am
WO.will be at 12 starting.
26 Nov 2009, 07:01 am
@SimiJan:
Sounds like a reasonable suggestion and therefore will not work. I think if you can come up with a more eccentric and complicated similar suggestion, PDV will more likely go for it!
26 Nov 2009, 07:02 am
@grant10:
I hope so, he deserves it.
26 Nov 2009, 07:09 am
Jacobs is a very good no 13, but J Fourie is the best we have, so now we move Jacobs to no 12 because of the old PDV favourite effect. At 13 Jacobs can handle the one man traffic and is sometimes suited for it because of his pace and quick feet. But at 12 he becomes a target for every runner in the team and that includes abrasive big loosies or inside centres who can run straight down his throught. Jacobs is not a bad defender (does not miss takles) but is not a good defender at 12.
26 Nov 2009, 07:16 am
Morning gents. I dont post often, but i visit this site numerous times a day. We all know Jacobs weak points, but on many occasions ive seen Jdv and Mossie get brushed off in attempting a tackle. The way these so called journalist pick on Adi one would think he did something really bad to them. I just hate seeing these okes tear apart Jacobs everyday. I do know though that on current form Adi shouldnt be anywhere near the bok team…it doesnt mean he should get murdered everyday on this site.
Anyway, hoping the boks give the irish a hiding.
26 Nov 2009, 07:18 am
It’s amazing how many of PDV’s selection blunders this year have been rectified by injuries or suspensions.
Adi Jacobs has been injured at almost every crucial stage this year, Schalk’s injury/suspension saw Heinrich Brussow get enough game time to cement his spot. Our entire dirt-tracker front row got sent packing after the first game which resulted in the obvious choices coming in as they should have right from the start.
I reckon PDV could drop the entire team, select midgets in their places and somehow by the time the big game came along, all the right people would be in the right places. Freaky stuff!
26 Nov 2009, 07:22 am
@ossewa: as early as the fourth minute in the Italian Test Jaque Fourie was on his arse after being swatted like a fly by Parisse.
26 Nov 2009, 07:24 am
@SKW: agree with you
26 Nov 2009, 07:26 am
@WestAussieBok: what part of experimenting is obscure to your brain and thus your understanding?
26 Nov 2009, 07:29 am
How many times did 17 year old Manu Tuilagi of Leicester run over WO all journos remember is one hit on Liefling, Please!
26 Nov 2009, 07:35 am
@SKW: the jon cardinelli’s of this world are still pissed off that adi had an outstanding year last year when all & sundry has rubbished pdv’s selection. He ended up being the top try-scorer last year & was 2nd to jdv in the SA Player of the Year awards. Now if you look @ jdv’s form this season it is nowhere near last years but he doesn’t get all these vile write ups about him. It is what it is man.
26 Nov 2009, 07:36 am
It would have been great to see Adi on the bench as an impact sub. I think thats the role he is best suited to @ international level. WO deserves a start, but id start with Jdv in this MUST win match. Whens the team being anounced?
26 Nov 2009, 07:36 am
Yes yes YES!!
Great news! Great day to be a Bok supporter…
Tough luck Adi… Good luck Jean…
Kudos to PdViva for beling bold enough to make the right call…
26 Nov 2009, 07:36 am
Jean is a suspect defender. Olivier is the best defender we have in SA. In fact, i recall the Lions centres embarrassing De Villiers a few times on defense.
26 Nov 2009, 07:40 am
****, I hope O’Driscoll doesn’t break him as we need him at Munster.
26 Nov 2009, 07:40 am
Shows you how much Jon Cardinelli knows about the Bok players.
Adi has played inside centre since he represented SA at Under 19 level and guess who was his partner at 13?? JEAN DE VILLIERS
Anyway, there is no doubt that Adi is off form at the moment but the way people react one would swear de Villiers is going to beat the Irish on his own.
He IS our first choice 12 and has been since 2005 when he did so well against the Aussies at Ellis Park.
Jon, next time please check your facts before making an *** of yourself.
Yes, Adi has played at 13 for the Boks in most of his tests but he is actually an inside centre and always has been… even going back to his days at the Falcons when the late Ettiene Botha played next to him at 13.
26 Nov 2009, 07:47 am
@wpw: This count for a lot of rugby supporters as well, wonder what the excuse would if the Boks fail on day, seeing that Adi Jacobs are not playing to play…Altitude ???
26 Nov 2009, 07:49 am
They would probably like to blame the Bok front row troubles on Adi if they could. Lol
26 Nov 2009, 07:52 am
@SKW: You from SK-Walmers ?
26 Nov 2009, 07:53 am
@Pearl Rose: The experiment has been done my friend. In case you were sleeping, it failed horribly. Adi is no 12. Time to move on.
26 Nov 2009, 07:53 am
Massive day for SA Rugby landscape today,absolutely massive. When that Bok team is announced it is a watershed time for a few Boks….the ramifications will be felt ,especially in Shark land.
1. Will PDV revert Smit to 2? What then Bissy at both Bok and Shark level?
2. Will Schalk retain the 7 jersey, or has Deysel done enough to push Schalk back in the pecking order?
3 If Cj is fit, will he come back in as 3 if the Smit move done….? Or does PDV keep faith with his second call up BJ BOtha…
4 Will JDV leapfrog WO into the starting lineup,thereby confirming the flood gates have been opened for overseas players?
5] Will Danie Rossow revert to 8 th man, signalling an end of Kanko Bok aspirations,especially in the NH?
Is this the beginning of a new Bok landscape?
Smits last test??
I am not sure everyone fully appreciates the huge dcisions resting on PDV S shoulders today.
My opinion is PDV will leave Pandoras box unopened right now….and persist with the Smit at 3 experiment. I think he will take the stance that the Irish may not pose as big a scrum threat as the Italians and French….and select accordingly.
Time will tell….
26 Nov 2009, 07:54 am
@SKW: agree
only we saffas know how to tear into each other better than the british media
instead of deriding the inefficiencies of our opposition we onstantly deride the “inefficiencies” in our own team
where’s the respect for the springbok when we tear a player down in this fashion
no wonder okes like Frans Steyn leave
its BS man
26 Nov 2009, 07:56 am
I feel for Adi but he is not top of his game at the moment and playing out of position, perhaps a good S14 will see him back to his best. Thank goodness PdV is the coach and not the very knowledgeable bloggers on this site. Feel for the coach can’t win with the haters (those that don’t want to see a coach of colour doing well) or the so called supporters (those that don’t want the coach picking white players they don’t like).
26 Nov 2009, 07:58 am
@grant10: if you cant take the heat…get out of the kitchen!
PdV is there to make these tough calls
shouldnt have applied if he wasnt going to be able to handle it
Not easy
Not easy at all
26 Nov 2009, 08:01 am
@Papoose: agree….now he earns the bucks….showtime!
26 Nov 2009, 08:03 am
A few bloggers’ prayers have been answered, I guess.
Good thing about it is that WO probably won’t start.
26 Nov 2009, 08:04 am
Yes charile, i am from SKW. Stopped playing abt a year ago, still support them though.
26 Nov 2009, 08:04 am
Wynand needs to start at 12.
Jean is still in Ireland and will continue to play there once this tour is done.
It is time we show faith in players like Wynand who has been part of this setup for many years.
26 Nov 2009, 08:05 am
@PissAnt:
And of course, who is in great form himself.
26 Nov 2009, 08:05 am
Aaaah , the coach have oppened his eyes , we need the best combinations in midfield and Jean and Fourie are the best. Good move mr coach. Stop this nonsens of players that’s playing overseas will not be allowed to play for the boks.
26 Nov 2009, 08:06 am
Well, Jon Cardinelli, with all the poison arrows that you and others direct against players who you feel do not deserve to be in the springbok team, it is not surprising that they end up injured. Fortunately, you and others of your ilk have met your match in Peter de Villiers’ wife and family who understand these things.
26 Nov 2009, 08:07 am
@radiohead:
That is about the weirdest post of 2009…
26 Nov 2009, 08:08 am
Pity Juan is injured. The last two times we beat Ireland Bob Skinstad and Andre Venter had huge games!
26 Nov 2009, 08:11 am
ag, another stab at adi.
when will it end?
wo was dogshit in 2007 and yet jake took him to the wc whilst adi was for me the top impact player in the s14.
wo and jaque then looked useless against the lions in the 3rd test. wo was anonymous against leicester, jaque anonymous vs the frogs and adi is slammed again?
against italy we scored 5 tries! oh ja, but the defensive gap (borderline obstruction and arguably morne steyns man, ja morne the guy who had a shocker btw) was adi’s?
ag, i dont think adi did so well at 12 IN THE TWO OPPORTUNITIES HE HAD, but i also dont think wo has shone in ALMOST TWENTY TESTS (unless you count a single try vs the italians as outstanding!).
oh well, par for the course i suppose.
26 Nov 2009, 08:11 am
If Adi Jacobs was really a quota selection (I HATE SAYING THIS) why was he not replaced by another player of colour like Juan De Jongh ?
26 Nov 2009, 08:13 am
ROG the dog… smarmy twit… was saying how the Boks would miss JdV etc…
I’m not saying Jean wears superman-tights but opponents do respect Jean and if they were expecting him not to be there their planning would’ve reflected that… With this late and unexpected announcement they are going to have to go back to the drawing board and include JdV in their plans…
This news has got to have unsettled the Irish to some extent…
Brilliant move by PdViva!!
26 Nov 2009, 08:13 am
@SKW: I am still playing for Hands & Heart RFC in Kraaifontein
26 Nov 2009, 08:15 am
We have two stand-offs who can’t tackle for **** but let’s not worry about their channel.
26 Nov 2009, 08:17 am
@rangerman: It took Meisiekind 26 tests @ 12 to score his first test try, and it was from a forward pass aswell
26 Nov 2009, 08:18 am
btw, i am happy to have JdV’s back in the team but i have major reservations about picking overseas based players for the Springboks.
imo, if youngsters want to go for the fortune in europe, they are welcome to, but our domestic game must be protected.
the people here singing hallelulja about dropping the overseas selection policy are the same people who will watch on tv or cancel their season tickets as the domestic game (cc and s14) becomes vodacom cup level and talent is poached even before it reaches the senior sides.
it a quite frightening scenario imo and a simple “win at all costs on an end of year tour” attitude will not mitigate the effects of opening the floodgates.
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