Munster drop Bok centre
11 Dec 2009
Jean de Villiers has been axed for Munster’s European Cup match against Perpignan on Friday.
According to the Irish Independent, De Villiers’s midfield partnership with New Zealander Lifeimi Mafi has failed to gel over the course of five Celtic League and two European Cup matches, with Munster losing four of those seven games. De Villiers, however, has been playing out of position at No 13 in order to accomodate Mafi at 12.
The Bok centre, who is on a contract reputed to be worth around €300,000, has been replaced by Ireland international Keith Earls.
In some good news for South African rugby, Wian du Preez will make his European Cup debut for Munster at loosehead prop in the absence of Marcus Horan. The Cheetahs prop has just begun a two-month loan deal with the Irish club.
244 Comments
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 4 5 » Show All
11 Dec 2009, 10:06 am
@bunce: Yes, they are thin on centres – Barrit playing for Sarries, Steyn at Racing and Murray (remember him) wanting to leave. Sharks have this great ability to mess certain players around.
11 Dec 2009, 10:07 am
@bunce: And a Mafi, is better than a fully fit Jdv, according to Munster.
11 Dec 2009, 10:07 am
@mozez22: Yes somehow I think he signed a year with Munster (not too sure but think) so that would put him out of the S14.
11 Dec 2009, 10:07 am
Jean is world class and he’s getting 300000 quid. I don’t think he is too put out by this development.
11 Dec 2009, 10:10 am
@Big Hit:
you don’t know what you are talking about!
I am a bulls supporter and to my mind Jean is the best 12 in the world
His intercept try this year in the final 3N game against the all black won us the game.
he is not a good cc or super 14 player, but a top international player!
11 Dec 2009, 10:11 am
@grant10: Yes thought it was a year something like that. Remember reading he wanted to be back for the Tri-Nations.
If he is sitting on the bench getting no game time he wont slot straight back in. Also their conditions up there are very different to ours down here and we play a faster game. He wont slot in easy with the Boks without some CC time I think.
It is easier for a prop to slot in after playing up there but not a centre.
11 Dec 2009, 10:13 am
@groenie: JdV is a brilliant International player, especially if he is surrounded with the players of the standard that play for the Boks.
11 Dec 2009, 10:15 am
How much rugby has JDV played the year? Didn’t he play Super14, CC, Tri-Nations and now for Munster.
11 Dec 2009, 10:18 am
@Big Hit: i#ve been watching munsters games and i dnt think jean was poor at all . all he ever does is hit rucks ,you’d think they’d give the ball once in a while .his defence is pretty good but he gets exposed when mafi and rog decide to fly up in defence and they almost always miss the tackle which leaves poor jean and the outside backs outnumbered
screw munster jean go back to province
11 Dec 2009, 10:21 am
@Big Hit: Interesting points there….some very valid….who would you consider a better 12 option for Boks?
I always believed F Steyn would flourish there, as he has done in the past and seems to be doing in France?
11 Dec 2009, 10:22 am
@ Heavens game # 51 of all those players you mention the only one to be messed around by the Sharks was Barit who was moved around to accommodate Steyn. Murray has not done himself any favours these last 2 seasons.
11 Dec 2009, 10:26 am
@Sharksgirl: Yeah, he just keeps going and injuring himself – the fool. Maybe hes trying so hard to reach the heights where he once was that he is smashing himself apart, out of position and quite obviously not managed properly.
What about Frans Steyn, naa, he wasnt messed around at all.
11 Dec 2009, 10:27 am
jdv come to natal china we will look after you
11 Dec 2009, 10:28 am
@grant10: Frans Steyn has proven himself at 12 (and 15 for that matter). But the Boks didnt miss JdV in the World Cup when Frans was in that position.
11 Dec 2009, 10:28 am
@Heavens Game: the sharks are creating space for their dynamic duo of donkeys: andries strauss & swannepoel!!!!
11 Dec 2009, 10:30 am
@Transformation: Yes, the guys resmble a fantasy pairing of Tim Horan and Danie Gerber.
11 Dec 2009, 10:33 am
In an interview just before Frans Steyn went to Racing Metro he said in no uncertain terms that he wanted to play 10 or 12, he wanted to be ‘closer to the action’….
When asked about 15 he said he would rather play there when he was older….felt it was too far away from the action.
With all the talk of the boks sterile back play i wonder if a move for Steyn back to 12 in Bok set up may not be a feasible one?
11 Dec 2009, 10:34 am
The Sharks are a bit thin at center so maybe try something new and put him at 12. Could work, he might become one of the better 12′s in world rugby.
11 Dec 2009, 10:35 am
To be farnk i have to admit if i had to choose between F Steyn and JDV….its F Steyn….every day of the week….
The biggest loss to SA rugby since we so damn stupidly lost BJ and CJ in the same season!
Bloody fools we are !
11 Dec 2009, 10:35 am
@Big Hit: Interesting observation. I don’t believe he’s that bad but I also don’t believe that he’s the genius that some try to make him out to be.
It seems to me that Jean is the sort of player who’ll flourish if he’s in the right environment, playing alongside a centre he knows and understands very well.
The mark of a great player is being able to adapt to any environment and to be able to vary your game accordingly.
I still want him to show some guts and stay there, learn how to play in the NH and come back a better player for it like old oom Stef Terblanche.
I reckon the Bokke will be just fine without him.
11 Dec 2009, 10:36 am
frank
11 Dec 2009, 10:38 am
@Jozi: no we’ll not be just fine with adi and wynand swapping hair tips at 12 .people need to realise the boks are currently screw at inside center with both steyn and devilliers playing in overseas
11 Dec 2009, 10:39 am
@grant10: With you here. The French will educate him further and maybe the secret of great French movement and silky hands can rub off on him – he has the potential to be a truly great 12. Jeez, he’s already won a World Cup there.
11 Dec 2009, 10:41 am
@mbaxman93: Ja…agree….2 best centres and 2 best tightheads overseas….drives me mal!!
11 Dec 2009, 10:42 am
@mbaxman93: Dont forget Barritt – he proved a point to Springobk selectors when playing for Sarries against the Boks, however he will play for England soon.
11 Dec 2009, 10:45 am
Heavens game Steyn wanted 2 play near the action mostly at fh which the Sharks played him shifting Barrit and Murray to accomodate him. Murray was only injured at very end of last season why dont you go and whatch him in some games of 2008. Transie plse do not mention that donkey Strauss in my presence _ he is to me what John Smit is to Grant10
11 Dec 2009, 10:47 am
@Sharksgirl: LOL….remember…i have no problem with J Smit at 2…..
At 3 i have a fit of note…..thats just insanity!!!
But at 2 he is class!!
And Plumtree….good luck with Bissy.
11 Dec 2009, 10:50 am
@grant10: morning grant, Frans Steyn was being groomed for the role in 2007 and he was beginning to adapt well but Muir messed him around and it set him back and possibly influenced his move to France. He had every attribute except passing but that was beginning to develop too (see CC 2008) outside Michelak. Had he been persisted with at 12 both by the Sharks and the Boks, SA might well have had the best inside centre in the world at this point in time.
Fourie isn’t that dissimilar to De Villiers in that he’s not very creative and dies with the ball a lot leading to turnovers but his defence is much better and you could see what he was capable of going forward with a ball-playing 12 in Roberts for the Barbarians. If De Villiers returns to WP it should be outside Fourie not inside him in my opinion.
Barritt must really be kicking himself now, that shirt was probably his if he’d stayed and I don’t see him playing for England for another couple of seasons. Jacobs hasn’t really filled the 12 role well as yet and Olivier hasn’t cut it at test level, perhaps it’s time to look to new younger players to see what they can do, what about the likes of Ebersohn/De Jong etc
11 Dec 2009, 10:52 am
@grant10: Inside centre or FB. Just please hope he comes home before the wc 2011. We missed him huge in the eoyt.
11 Dec 2009, 10:53 am
@Sharksgirl: You forget to mention Adi in that mix – You had a mish mash of FS not only playing at 10, but FS taking the place of BB, AJ taking the place of WM, AJ switched with FS, BB going to 13 – it was a mess. You also had the emergence of Strauss and the tail end of Rudin Keil before he ran away.
11 Dec 2009, 10:56 am
@Heavens Game: 75 – Read that Barritt will play in the Englands 7′s side. Now not sure if that is true or not. He has played in their Saxon side if it means anything. He will turn out for England very soon. Another huge loss to SA. He did make it known his dream was always to play for the Boks but was never even given a glance. So wish Barritt all the best. He is a great player and still so young too.
11 Dec 2009, 10:57 am
@Big Hit: interesting points….
Personally i never see J Fourie as a 12, or Juan de Jongh for that matter….both classic 13 s ….both have limited kicking games too.
JDV has been a bit of an enigma for me….sometimes truly world class, sometimes rather innocuous…..
F Steyn at 12 really ticks the boxes…awesome boot, great defender and a ball carrier of distinction….you 100% right…if F Steyn learns to improve the distribution he may be the answer at 12….
Boks tend to implode with the real cancer in our set up…playing players out of position…..
I wont expand on this….it just makes me crazy!!
Anyway, work to do…cheers BH..
Outta here
11 Dec 2009, 10:57 am
@Big Hit: Barritt is in the England High Performance Squad. He has represented Saxons and is highly thought of in England – his main competition is Geraghty at the moment.
I have a sneaking suspicion that he will play a game in the Six Nations in 2010 especially if Saracens sustain their form.
Its nice also to have a coach who was a “fairly” good centre.
11 Dec 2009, 10:58 am
Grant I was hoping that the regular bloggers would understand that these nazis @ work have blocked the site so Im blogging from my phone which is fliping long and frustrating
11 Dec 2009, 10:58 am
@grant10: the question is, is frans steyn the best 12 in the country?
11 Dec 2009, 10:58 am
@Puma: F Steyn the biggest loss top SA Rugby ever…damn disgrace….
11 Dec 2009, 10:58 am
@Puma: Ditto, didnt see your comment before sending mine.
11 Dec 2009, 10:59 am
@Transformation: LOL…..Is Smit the best 3??
Or 2??
On that note …outta here
11 Dec 2009, 11:00 am
No word from Keo on JWWWs performance at the lions. Winning ways 1 – Lions Losing ways 10?
11 Dec 2009, 11:00 am
@Sharksgirl: LOL…Sorry to hear that…always enjoy your comments!
11 Dec 2009, 11:00 am
@Transformation: Hes not in SA, bt you could probably say he is the best 12…
and 15!!!
Definitely not 10.
11 Dec 2009, 11:02 am
@grant10: Agree 100%.
11 Dec 2009, 11:07 am
Steyn is awesome as long as he dosen’t have to kick for touch from 10/12. He is the master at the being charged down.
11 Dec 2009, 11:07 am
@Heavens Game: 87 – Yip, Think Barritt will play for England. Actually spoke to him when he was here on holiday in June. He seems very happy in England. Never asked him about playing for England or anything like that. Just how he was enjoying it over there and he said he was really enjoying living in England.
11 Dec 2009, 11:09 am
Okay out of here now. Cheers all.
Another rain day here in Durbs. It sure does get a lot of rain this time of year.
11 Dec 2009, 11:10 am
@Sharksgirl:
#84
Hi,
Re blogging from the phone,
You must contact the great Skopskiet for some tuition in this regard. I once had the privelage to see him in action on the Nokia. It is like poetry in motion – a master at work.
I think he would be prepared to offer you some advice as you are one of the (very few) good Shark supporters around.
11 Dec 2009, 11:10 am
Heavens game I see where you are coming from I thought you were referring to the old argument about The Sharks having moved him to 15 them back to 10 that was done @ Steyn request
11 Dec 2009, 11:11 am
@Puma: Saracens are doing really well too – it seems that Brendon Venter has created a great environment. They have also managed to play a couple of games at Wembley (50000 plus attendance). I dont think they have lost in the PL yet.
He hasnt lived through a few dark winters yet. Ask him in Feb again – if he still says he enjoys it – hes a stayer.
11 Dec 2009, 11:12 am
@bunce: reminds me of valenthine the western force player who charged him down and got injured for three weeks with a broken rib
11 Dec 2009, 11:13 am
JDV hasnt been inform for a while – imo F Steyn should have been kept at centre after the WC – the Bok backline was on fire when FS was at centre …. JDV is a great defensive player and ofcourse the INTERCEPT king ,but with the talent of Fourie and Habana / JP outside , i think he has not lived upto expectations . Would love to see Meyer Bosman given a chance at no.12 …..
Pages: « 1 [2] 3 4 5 » Show All
Have your say
You must be logged in to post a comment.