And the winners are …
2 Dec 2009
Keo.co.za picks the real winners and losers of 2009.
THE HEROES
Test Player of the Year – How the IRB overlooked Fourie du Preez for their Player of the Year award in favour of Richie McCaw is perplexing. He was the fulcrum around which the Springboks rotated in the British & Irish Lions series and in the Tri-Nations. Seven of the nine judges are from the northern hemisphere, where the All Blacks are revered, while selection convenor John Eales is known to be anti-Bok. Testament to this is that he wanted Juan Martin Hernandez named World Player of the Year in 2007 ahead of the irrepressible Bryan Habana. Thankfully sanity prevailed that time, but it seems he has had his revenge. Despite the unbelievable call, Du Preez should be content in the knowledge that we think he’s the business. That’s all that matters. Victor Matfield was phenomenal and Heinrich Brüssow established himself as the finest openside flank on the planet in 2009, but Du Preez’s consistent brilliance earns him the prize.
Test Rookie of the Year – Who else but the prolific Morné Steyn. One should never underestimate the mental strength it took for him to come off the bench in the second Lions Test, have a short while to settle, then kick a 50m series-winning penalty to banish 12 years of heartache. He then carried his form into the Tri-Nations and showed that he had the aptitude to not only survive, but excel, against the world’s best players.
Test Young Gun of the Year – Since his rise to prominence in 2008, Dewald Potgieter had Springbok written all over him. He resembles a rookie Schalk Burger – bustling, powerful and fearless – and looks the natural successor to the Springbok treasure. His debut against Ireland was too brief to establish his capacity to play at Test level, but he’ll get more opportunities in future, and will develop into one of the great Springboks. Francois Hougaard didn’t show the full range of his ability on tour, but be assured, he is a quality scrumhalf, one who Fourie du Preez has tipped to succeed him.
Mighty Mouse Award – The physique of a juiced-up dwarf but the heart the size of South Africa and wonderful skills to boot – Heinrich Brüssow turned in some sensational performances in 2009. When he was burning white hot he was unstoppable, and even when he was ordinary he still made his presence felt, particularly at the breakdown. By the end of the season, the France and Ireland players couldn’t stop talking about him as the primary threat, which bears testament to the telling impact he’s made in 2009. Schalk who? Nah, kidding, but if Brüssow is anywhere near as good as he was this season in 2010, there may not be so much jest to that statement when you read this awards piece next year.
Test Try of the Year – Jaque Fourie’s two-fingered salute to the Springbok coaching staff for omitting him from the starting line-up against the Lions. He came on, as a wing, and negotiated a number of defenders en route to the try that dragged the Springboks back into the contest, and ultimately saw them go on to win the series. Brilliant.
Coach of the Year – John Smit held the Springboks together and even made the substitution calls during the second Test after the coaching staff’s ‘mare at King’s Park. Read between the lines of his book and you’ll reach the same conclusion: without Smitty, the Boks are on auto-pilot.
With special mentions to: The Springbok Sevens side for winning their first ever title.
THE VILLAINS
The Foot in Mouth Award – He’s toned it down over the last six months, but the king retains his crown purely for the madcap utterances during the Lions series. From allusions to ballet to eye-gouging lions on the highveld, Peter de Villiers entertained as much as he embarrassed.
The Sultans of Spin – The British and Irish media for dubbing the Lions tour a resounding success despite a 2-1 scoreline in favour of the Boks. Those who are interested should visit their local newsagent for a look at tour books written by respected journalists that unequivocally claim the Lions so nearly won the series 3-0. Laughable.
The Wet Nappy Whinge Award – This accolade goes to a player referred to by some Boks as ‘The Wanker of the Tour’. Mike Phillips niggled on the field and was the sorest of losers off it after the Lions went down in Pretoria.
The Brain Explosion Award – Sireli Naqelevuki for his high-tackle in the dying seconds of the Currie Cup semi-final. When will he prove worth the money and effort Province produced to extract him from Fiji?
With special mention to: The IRB Awards panel – Honestly, what were you drinking when you named Richie McCaw the Player of the Year? He missed half the Tri-Nations through injury and was captain of a Crusaders side that bowed out in the Super 14 semi-finals. Fourie du Preez and Brian O’Driscoll were the only players in this race.
Worst boots-to-performance ratio - The most impressive thing about Lote Tuqiri’s rugby these days is his flashy boots.
Dirtiest attempt at a moustache – Matt Giteau’s was pretty gross and Drew Mitchell won’t keep any photos of his, but the dirtiest Movember effort goes to Corey Jane.
By Jon Cardinelli and Ryan Vrede
326 Comments
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2 Dec 2009, 11:56 am
Special mention of worst movember must go to Bobby Failstad.
2 Dec 2009, 11:56 am
i think you wrong, the puppets are paid by Keo, who has a website which allows you to spread your mad-*** suggestions freely, which the NP never ever did. Keo is seperate from mr whoopsie and probably has more dosh and power, i dont think mr whoopsie is as revered in white SA as you like to lead on, the afrikaners have never much liked him and every soutie and his dog wanted him gone in 2006 – so i think his influence is not nearly as great as you make out – i happened to believe he is a pretty good rugby coach.
2 Dec 2009, 11:58 am
@DEE DAH: Are you one of those who thinks Brussow out played McCaw right through the Super 14 etc? Here are some stats from the SA rugby website from this years super 14 (all based on per minutes played as McCaw was out with injury for a period)-
McCaw vs Brussow (all super 14 games)
Clean Breaks – McCaw 66% higher
Defense Beaten – McCaw 53% higher
Lineouts won – McCaw 5 times as many
Metres Gained – McCaw 41% more
Missed Tackles – Brussow 2 and a half times more tackles missed
Offloads – Brussow 3 times more
Penalties conceded – Brussow twice as many (but McCaw is the one who cheats??)
Runs per game – McCaw 60% more
Tackles Made – Brussow 22% more
Tries Scored – McCaw twice as many
T/O’s conceded – McCaw 60% more
I actually feel that Brussow is a fantastic player who has added hugely to the Bok performance. For me he was one of the major improvements in the Bok game this year. But to say that he was far superior to R McCaw this year is to ignore the facts.
To say that McCaw has had no impact would have to imply that Brussow had no impact either (based on the stats). Neither statement is correct.
As for the Player of the year, I also think from watching the games that McCaw was probably not the best choice, but it might be that if you check all the actual statistics his performance was better than was obvious.
2 Dec 2009, 12:07 pm
i should imagine in purely rugby terms mr whoopsie would probably be the first to commend the wee maestro on what he has been able to achieve this year, in fact my reading of the lines is that mr whoopsie has been painted into this evil figurehead of some sort of third force, by the real third force with the real political power and even the wee maestro swallowed that incorrectly initially. i think you will probably find mr whoopsie is a bit bitter at SARU and no-one else, but then again i dont have the all-seeing eye of the artist.
2 Dec 2009, 12:11 pm
M Keo and Mr. Whoopsie practically sleep together at night, MK probably gets a shake down spin off if Mr. Whoopsie gets the high chair job as Chief Dooby Do Nothing DOR Man at SARU, and then all the bases are covered, Pdv gets told when, how, and how high to jump, what to say, when to say it when he’s told and everybody goes laughing all the way to Banana Republic Bank with JS instituted as head coach in 2012, if not sooner, you know how it goes with all clandestine mafiosi operatives, like keep it in the family.
Besides that I concur its rather refreshing having a forum where you can go ahead and tell it how it actually IS.
2 Dec 2009, 12:13 pm
@aliboy:
Yes, but the award is based on test performances, otherwise we’d have players there based on Heineken Cup etc. McCaw had very very little influence in this years tests. I’ve forgotten, though, how he performed in last years EOYT which is included in this years award.
2 Dec 2009, 12:14 pm
chief dooby do?
2 Dec 2009, 12:14 pm
IDIOT BLOGGER OF THE YEAR AWARD: SKOPSKIET.
FDP you beauty!!!!!!!
2 Dec 2009, 12:16 pm
@aliboy:
But lets not forget who Brussow was playing for in the Super 14.
Its better to compare the two when playing for the Boks and the ABs.
2 Dec 2009, 12:18 pm
MK always had sources in SA rugby, always breaks the stories first, or used to, in fact he used to be alot more investigative before becoming chief of camelot and before mr whoopsie was admitted to the roundtable. in fact MK went thru a period where he was far more scathing of mr whoopsie than he has ever been of The Greatest.
2 Dec 2009, 12:21 pm
@aliboy: Brussouw outplayed McCaw when it really counted
in the tri-nations he made McCaw his B***h
2 Dec 2009, 12:23 pm
@aliboy:
Statistics always fool idiots!
Stats are like bikinis great to look at but they cover up the important bits.
2 Dec 2009, 12:26 pm
@WakaNathan:
Yawn
2 Dec 2009, 12:26 pm
@cab:
Yup, Mark was far hungrier then and also far more personally involved as a participant on the site. I think that most of the decent stuff is reserved for the mag nowadays, and the investigative journalism has given way to coffee table type stories or the C&P that’s fed here.
If it wasn’t for the bloggers, the site would have faded a long time ago for lack of decent content.
2 Dec 2009, 12:29 pm
While I completely agree with the spin by the British press, they have never been known for their balanced views on sport – being Irish I am used to it.
But I feel I have to say something about you including the Irish press in that statement because I don’t remember you citing one Irish article during the entire Lions series!
Try irishtimes.com for some of the better rugby coverage in Ireland.
2 Dec 2009, 12:29 pm
@skopskiet: I think you may be right skoppie. MK and JK with JS have their little fantasy story boarded already.
2 Dec 2009, 12:30 pm
@Just Another Paddy:
Shut up, go do your blogging on an irish blog.
I couldn’t agree more with this Keo article. More like it, please.
2 Dec 2009, 12:32 pm
@David:
probably alot easier lifestyle, good mag, big readership, more power so gets the mainstream quotes, makes less enemies, etc.
but yeah at his peak MK stirred more **** than ou doos could ever hope to accomplish.
2 Dec 2009, 12:34 pm
@aliboy:
Brussow had his way with McCaw all year. After the Crusaders/Cheetahs game this year, McCaw was bloodied and defeated. Brussow did it ALLLL NIIIGHT LONNNNG! and he did it to him in the Tri-Nations too.
But Brussow’s best performance this year was against France. Without him we would have lost by a lot more.
2 Dec 2009, 12:39 pm
Yeah those where the days when MK and Mr. Whoopsie weren’t broeder’s in arms punching for the same cause and eating off the same table or sleeping in the same bed. In those days MK was a lot more objective than he’s recently become, these days keo.cn.za has just become another arm of the JWWW promo stable where JW is still looking for some meaningful avenue where he can exert his influence again.
Like Dooby Do Nothing DOR over Pdv’s head. Seeing even GLRU have now also suspended their all seeing consultancy services all eyes are now focussed on either unseating or upstaging or at least overseeing the out of his league poor Quota Coach puppet Pdv, like give him a hand up, you know how it goes when advanced thinking highly educated school master dictatorial’s who know it all and deignfully hand down all that superiorly learned knowledge and expertise they gathered whilst losing 49-0 and the rest.
2 Dec 2009, 12:44 pm
i dont think there has ever been a highly educated figure in SA rugby, apart from the doc and even thats relative, certainly not jake white. not sure what academic education has to do with rugby experience and knowledge in any case, but go on create that chippy strawman for all its worth. there;ve actually been some highly educated rugby players, Cobus visagie, the TH achor you constantly herald as new scrum coach, is but one of those.
2 Dec 2009, 12:49 pm
Agree with all – though John Smit for coach of the year is just there to generate hits and get the debate going. Otherwise good calls all round. Nothing wrong with McCaw getting player of the year though, he’s awesome
2 Dec 2009, 12:55 pm
your new no 4 lock at wp is highly educated, another unlikely kro-magnon man is anton oliver, the no-nonsense kiwi hooker who gave up rugby cos he got sick of it…crazy *******. there;ve been countless rhodes scholars that;ve played and captaained international rugby teams including david kirk and one of the greatest physcics of the 20th centurt that split the atom rutherford was a keen rugby player.
i’m afraid rugby was always a toff sport, its changing, but thats just the way it is.
2 Dec 2009, 12:56 pm
@cab: the Winning Ways spoils and the royalties from john smits’ book must be sweet for people to change their tune so dramatically!
Mediocrity triumphs
This entry was posted on Monday, December 4th, 2006
We are not a mediocre sporting nation that settles for second best. And what the Springboks have offered in the last 24 months has been second best, writes Keo in his Business Day column.
An opportunity was lost in not dismissing Jake White as Springbok coach. One victory, against an England side whose only success in their last nine internationals was against the Boks, has created an illusion of comfort.
The President’s Council determined that White was the right man to lead South Africa to the World Cup. They were comfortable in everything White was doing and expressed confidence in his so-called World Cup plan and in his team’s performances for 2006.
Apparently they also accepted White’s belief that Santa Claus lives.
Flying White to Cape Town from London to give him a pat on the back, at a cost of R40 000, was a farce and another example of the flaky fiscal discipline one associates with the South African Rugby Union.
The President’s Council, devoid of individuals with the rugby technical background, was ill-equipped to analyse White’s Boks. The structural weakness within the national organization was again exposed through the absence of a strong National Director of Rugby and a rugby technical committee. It is this Director of Rugby who should have led the inquisition into the national coach and Springbok rugby.
This person should have probed the details of White’s 59 percent success rate in 37 tests, which is less than the Boks historical test winning average of 62.24 percent. White’s success has dropped each year, from 69 percent to 66 percent to 41 percent in 2006. His selections have been poor; his choice of game plan equally poor and his refusal to change has stunted progress. These are all issues a rugby committee should have dissected.
Why could the Boks only score 18 tries in their last 11 tests? Why did they leak 33 tries in the same period? What was the explanation for crushing defeats at home against the French and All Blacks? How did the Springboks lose 49-0 to Australia in Brisbane and 32-15 to Ireland in Dublin? What technically was wrong with the Boks in Dublin that Ireland broke the Bok line on 18 occasions? Why were blokes picked and played out of position all year?
How difficult was White’s schedule when compared to the demands placed on Andre Markgraaff in 1996 when the Boks played the All Blacks five times, Australia twice and France twice in France? Or how different was it to Harry Viljoen’s 2001 when the Boks played the French three times, the All Blacks twice, Australia twice and a potent England at Twickenham? How different was it to every one of Nick Mallett’s years in charge or even Rudolf Straeuli’s? The fact is it wasn’t that much different and ever year the Boks have a difficult itinerary.
But it is expected that Springbok teams cope. Only New Zealand can compare with the production line of talent produced in South Africa. The expectation on the Boks is rightfully high and it is unacceptable when a Bok team gets thrashed twice in South Africa, as happened against France and New Zealand, and loses so easily against decent opposition away from home.
There should be a consequence to these results, which there was not otherwise White would not be the national coach this morning.
Asking everyone to be supportive of the national coach and to project an image of sunshine does not address the problems pointed out in this column. The Boks, in 2006, did not play good rugby and the national coach has not once given the public an explanation as to why this is the case.
The public should not be accepting of SARU press releases that state the coach explained to the President’s Council that his World Cup plan is on track. What plan? A plan that produced three wins in 10 against the major World Cup opposition? A plan based on picking 12 white players out of 15 on average every weekend?
Springbok teams cannot settle for second best and the paying public should never accommodate the kind of mediocrity the well paid White’s well paid professionals have produced.
In 2006 we’ve been forced to watch a clueless Bok team and then been subjected to the ramblings of a coach who has perfected the art of coming second and convinced the 14 provincial presidents that he has actually come first.
The New Year cannot come soon enough. Enjoy the man in the red suit with the white beard because he apparently also has a World Cup plan for White’s Boks.
This entry was posted on Monday, December 4th, 2006
2 Dec 2009, 12:56 pm
@cab:
Sorry to burst your bubble but Louis Luyt was an academic? He didn’t just get honourary degrees!
2 Dec 2009, 12:58 pm
The 2009 season does not start with BIL series in SA and end with Tri nations, I’m afraid, Mr. JC.
2 Dec 2009, 12:58 pm
@rich1:
Mate even your own ‘Reunion’ presenter wrote that he was surprised that McCaw got the award.
Awesome player no doubt, maybe a bit of justice for last year but it shouldn’t have to work like that.
2 Dec 2009, 13:01 pm
so basically……the journo’s on this site are not entitled to write an article withregards to whom, They feel, have been the outstanding performers this season have been?
well.
at least they appreciate the irony what passes for “freedom of speech and freedom of press” in South africa.
Not that I agree with all their choices.
But it would appear that unless Pieter De Villiers wins coach of the year (with an 8 from 12 record) and Heinie Adams unseats Fourie Du Preez…..they are somehow on a Jake White gravy train?
that sounds pretty bizarre.
inferiority complex anyone?
For my money, coach of the year should have been between Paul Treu and Frans Ludeke.
They both coached their sides to industry “firsts” this past season.
2 Dec 2009, 13:01 pm
@Transformation:
Nice post.
I agree that JW is massively overrated as a coach. He’s a fantastic organizer but should never ever be allowed to SELECT a team. You could say it worked out in the end but he made it very difficult for himself with some shocking selections.
The guy knows how to market himself though I’ll give him that.
2 Dec 2009, 13:02 pm
@Transformation:
Well that proves that Keo is consistant and when the Boks under perform he attacks the coach.
It also proves that the criticism of PDV is not racially motivated but rather targeted at the position he holds.
Thanks transformation the next time somebody pulls the race card on this site when PDV gets criticised we can haul this old chestnut out in order to dispel any concerns of racism or xenophobia.
2 Dec 2009, 13:05 pm
As an after thought….please keep up all the Blue Bull knocking. It is a sure fire method of ensuring further success and trophies for the men up north.
It’s when everyone starts kissing their arses, that’s when I get worried.
2 Dec 2009, 13:05 pm
i think you all miss the point, keo attacked white at a low period who subsequently went onto win the RWC and thereby prove his fitness, the team he assembled and the respect he retyrned were huge and led to ongoing experience and a winning mindset, or at least a competitive one which had not existed for some time.
i agree the current attacks on PdV are not racially motivated, but merely short0minded, the same as on white.
2 Dec 2009, 13:09 pm
sounds like something or someone, maybe its even me, thats yanking your chain.
This is usually how it goes when anyone goes along and prides themselves about something, like winning WC’s for instance, or getting Phd’s in chemistry or physics or psychology or rocket science, or even in human behaviour or sports science or rugby analysis. When people start getting all proud and educated about anything or about themselves and their achievements thats when sometimes they start overreacting to their own self worth. You see its great to be ambitious and positive and altruistic about life but when it becomes an all consuming passion for vainglory pride and self purpose, then it loses some of its do good altruist intent. Much better to be anonymous and incognito about ones ambitions and desires. Pride on the other hand to my way of thinking is more of a vice than a virtue.
2 Dec 2009, 13:18 pm
@DEE DAH: 180
You think the Boks underperformed against the Lions and in the 3Nations?
2 Dec 2009, 13:19 pm
i dont think so, you reveal something of yourself when yanking that chain too, especially when it is irrelevant and wrong.
you have painted a picture of white in your own minds eye which i believe is simply wrong and you largely dissaprove of him based on this mental construct.
i believe your dislike for JW is no rouse at all, it is intense and quite obsessive and quite unreasonable in fact.
2 Dec 2009, 13:22 pm
@skopskiet:
Easy Skop, don’t get upset,,,,
It was openly told by the Daily Telegraph, the NZ Herald and the Sydney Morning Herald 5 months ago with some attention for the details, they all quoted sources INSIDE the Boks’ camp,
It was never mentioned in S Africa for some obvious reasons.
Keo isn’t the first to blow the whistle on PdV
2 Dec 2009, 13:24 pm
what you are asking for is a person without ambition.
in that case, there is no point in watching rugby, since its all about success, and if there was any doubt about it in your particular case, there should be none cos no-one comes down harder on the Bok players when we lose – so give it a rest about all this vainglorious pride and all.
your athletic heros are all about winning, about breakiung records, about being the greatest.
also someone without ambition is someone without an ego, not someone who barks at every passing car on a blog.
absolute gyproctical nonsense
2 Dec 2009, 13:28 pm
Well it simply goes without saying that Heinie Adams is a far more team oriented and far better front foot ball distributing scrum half than Fourie Du Preez will ever be, only pity is he sat under Fdp’s highly rated privileged shadow for so long collecting mushrooms while Fdp was busy educating himself as to how to play rugby and and hone his passing skills. Also Pdv still one hundred percent superior hands on rugby coach than our overrated DOR Wannabee will or could ever be.
2 Dec 2009, 13:31 pm
the attacks on PDV are racist.
When the Boks win PDV is not praised in fact he is ridiculed when the boks lose he is ridiculed and blamed.
Thats racism…it seems no-one wants to give a black man the credit in this case PDV!
2 Dec 2009, 13:32 pm
you still dont have it in you to acknowlege you were wrong about this side, you were wrong about the world cup, you were wrong that they should retire when PdV took over and you are wrong today by taking cheapshots at a team who has done very well.
As For FdP, his education or lack thereof has nothing to do with winning a S14, BIL and 3N – this very winter of your discontent, not bad at all for a mushroom
2 Dec 2009, 13:33 pm
@wallabie.:
yes, that is also true.
2 Dec 2009, 13:39 pm
You see there are those that yank chains and those that do.
Jake White said when he took over he would win the world cup and he delivered on that promise. Some ppl often seek to explain life’s injustices through luck, but those that succeed make their own ‘luck’. And i see nothing with admiting somone who has set out to achieve something, worked for it and achieved it. if only the riff-raff could follow suit.
2 Dec 2009, 13:47 pm
@Kobus Kitty:
I’m grand here thanks…..
No chance of you actually addressing my points or would you prefer to just tell me to shut up again…?…
Either way thanks in advance…….
2 Dec 2009, 13:49 pm
@Just Another Paddy: Please excuse some of our less civilized citizens, sometimes they embarass the rest of us
2 Dec 2009, 13:59 pm
yeah the chain yanking seems to be having its desired effect. Its good to get challenged on proud nothings because thats all it is, huge grandiose escapade’s at achievement for a particular cause. Strip it all down and see what you left with once all the pride and prejudice is dissipated to nothing like a huge big puff of smoke. No trophy’s in cabinets is worth a mans integrity or his soul, and back of all the chagrin and tooth gnashing is personal ego and only that.
To be wrong or right about rubbish especially has very little recourse to reality one little innocuous bit.
But to strip down ones importance before oneself, that accounts for far more than any cabinet filled with trophy’s or letters behind any glorified names.
So I’ll keep on challenging, and those with axes or ego’s to grind will come running for more of the same.
2 Dec 2009, 14:09 pm
yeah, well you;ll get some hard truths back.
Big difference in this life between the chain yankers and the doers.
2 Dec 2009, 14:15 pm
it usually takes the outsiders here, the Wallabies and the Hurricanes and the Waster’s and the Paddy’s to see anything with any degree of unbiased clarity. Its the poor deluded Saffa’s stewing in the indoctrinated soup who simply cannot see any wood for any trees. And who are the biggest braggarts of all? Well do I really have to spell it out?
2 Dec 2009, 14:22 pm
speak for yourself, i dont believe the south africans are any bugger braggards than anyone else. the kiwis are every but as one=eyed and whats more thety expect to win.
besides if you so transcental to all this winning and losing stuff, why is it you that inevtibaly throw the toys at everything in sight when we do lose?
why watch the game at all. as for a chain-yabk, dont be ridiculoys, someone just has to mention the words ‘jake white’ and you foaming at the mouth like a rabid budgy.
2 Dec 2009, 14:23 pm
far from you to be educating me about hard truths, thats for sure, still a long way to Tipperary for those that think its arrogant pride and achievement that rules creation. Keep pumping that iron till you can’t pump no more.
2 Dec 2009, 14:24 pm
@skopskiet:
yip seems like more than one of us can chain yank.
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