Smit to feel Bismarck’s heat
GRANT BALL writes that Bismarck du Plessis’ imminent return to rugby heaps further pressure on John Smit.
Smit has rightfully been criticised by former players, coaches and the media for his performances over this international season, especially on the Springboks’ Australasian tour. On his return to South Africa this week, that pressure would have increased with news that Du Plessis – the Boks’ first-choice hooker last year – is back in training and taking contact after being out for three months.
Du Plessis won’t feature for the Sharks this weekend, but is set for a return to the 22 next weekend when they play the Lions. It will take some time for him to regain his best form and fitness after a serious neck injury, but what has been clear regarding Smit is that his form spirals without having Du Plessis pushing him, although he won’t have that luxury now.
Du Plessis’ return to the playing field will be two weeks before the Boks’ first home Test in the Tri–Nations, and while it would be unrealistic to expect him to force his way into that squad in such a short time, Smit will know that further laboured individual and team performances will have his critics salivating.
Smit will start at Soccer City, as part of the fanfare in the build-up has revolved around it being his 100th Test. Peter de Villiers has also stated his intentions and placed his faith in Smit until the end of the World Cup, handing him a contract until then.
If Du Plessis recovers fully from the injury and rediscovers any sort of form similar to last year, there’s no question that he offers more playing value than Smit. However, in the Boks’ current player-driven system, Smit’s leadership takes on even more importance, although even those attributes have waned with his and the team’s form on the decline.
Against the top nations like New Zealand, Australia and France at a World Cup, the Boks won’t be able to carry passengers and they require the best players on the field – not selecting a captain and then basing the rest of the side around that.
Du Plessis’ unrivalled physicality and mobility that sees him act as an extra loose forward – which will gain even more importance under the new law interpretations – was the initial reason why Smit was moved to tighthead in 2008. With Smit being so off the pace in the Tri–Nations at hooker, the remaining question is whether he’ll continue to be used there through until the World Cup.
After being so selfless for the Boks throughout his career, Smit needs to make the decision on which position he’ll play. He believes he offers the most to the team at hooker, but he’s been hampered by putting on extra weight for the tighthead switch. What’s clear with Du Plessis set to return is that Smit needs to be better conditioned and he must display a level of form that will silence his detractors ahead of the World Cup.
Accommodating Smit and Du Plessis in the same team has been a problem for the Sharks and Boks since 2008, and it’s set to continue with Du Plessis’ return next week.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:12 am
@OUToftheBOKS(OUToftheBOKS)-200:
He’s a similar type of player to Bismark but with more finesse and brains.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:21 am
@David(David)-201:
I’ve never rated him on throwing in (Mealamu)…but I would not be able to throw into the line out either if I saw mattfield and baxxies in front of me…kry sommer die horries…but everytime he freaken starts looking up and down and around when he approaches/sneaks up to the ruck, I start sweating…FREAKEN oke scavages and attacks about 30cm above the ground with VERY low centre af gravity…remember once he picked up about 15m from the bok try line and just ran through everything infront of him (and that was about 5-6years ago. every game since then, i stress when his approaching the breakdown and appears that he is going to do the same “pee-dee”
July 30th, 2010 at 8:26 am
@OUToftheBOKS(OUToftheBOKS)-202:
You’re quite right about his lineout throwing, but as you say, trying to avoid Matfield and our other jumpers is always going to screw up the oppositions throw ins.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:55 am
@OUToftheBOKS
2006 was 4 years ago. You can not use something that happened then to decide who the best player is now. In 2006 John was still a good player!
Did YOU happen to watch any rugby last year? Go back and watch the Lions series and keep count of how many times Bissie didn’t throw straight. Then watch the tri nations and keep count of his penalties.
I tell you what, if Bissie worked on his throwing and went 5 games without giving away a penalty, I wouldn’t mind seeing him in the team. Also is handling is atrocious. Never have I seen so many knock-ons by an individual.
And really he doesn’t know the rules of rugby. He just flies into the rucks wrecklessly, he tackles high and doesn’t scrum correctly.
This is 2010 not 2006. Give Gary Botha the Springbok jersey and then see if you still want your ***** Bismarck du Plessis. When you’re done sucking his ****, maybe you should watch some rugby
July 30th, 2010 at 9:46 am
@rugbywriter(rugbywriter)-204:
Calm down boy, insults will not bring you anywhere in life…throwing comments around about f ing someone else wife and now this sucking **** etc…pathetic little man. Rugbywriter…
Are you one of those die hard bulls…im i wrong? as posted by someone earlier…spies, meisiekind and gary botha…same boat.
Doesnt seem that we were watching the same games then…lions series: he was one of the stand out players, IMO. And tri nations: agree that he might have conceded some penalties…but then again…how many penalties did McCaw concede in the games we played now? Do you not agree he probably made us look like boys, although conceding penalties? wasnt he one of the best players on the park, although conceding those penalties? Did any of bissie’s penalties cost us any games last year? How many valuable steals did Bismark make during the Tri nations last year?
Gary Botha is an opportunist. thinks he can go away and earn the dosh, and then he deserves to come back and be a bok…come on man! Sure, he is a good player, but has not conviced me that he is better than Bismark, or Liebenberg for that matter.
Your insults wont work here, unlike with your own wife. Twit
July 30th, 2010 at 3:18 pm
hi all
a few good comments, i personally will take this team to the 2011 wc
Coach: Heynek Meyer
Assistant Coaches: Alister Coetzee , Plumptree , OS Du Rand as scrum coach, Vlok Cilliers – kiking coach, eddie jones and jake white as technical
Team
1.Steenkamp
2.Bissie
3.CJ
4.Roussouw
5.Matfield
6.Brussouw
7.Potgieter
8.Spies
9.FDP
10.M . Steyn
11.G V.D Heever
12.J de Jong
13.J Fourie
14.G Aplon
15.F Steyn
16.Beast
17.J Smit
18.Bekker
19.F Louw
20.F Houghaard
21.J L Potgieter
22.J De Villiers
23.BJ
24.G Botha
25.D Potgieter
26.Kanko
27.B James
28.Habana
29.S Burger
30.Meisiekind ( Someone to carry FDP bags)
July 30th, 2010 at 8:24 pm
@David(David)-198: I wouldn’t, Mealamu can excel in an open game, BDP can shine whether it’s a tight tear up or an open running affair. In my opinion he’s the world’s premier hooker.
July 30th, 2010 at 8:28 pm
@Big Hit(Big Hit)-207: Well said
Bismarck is the man
July 30th, 2010 at 9:19 pm
204. RUGBYWRITER(RUGBYWRITER) :
July 30th, 2010 at 8:55 am
@OUToftheBOKS
Geez that is a bleak assessment of Bismarc. Personally i think has been the best hooker of recent times in the world. Are you a bulls fan?
July 30th, 2010 at 9:32 pm
@rugbywriter(rugbywriter)-204: Saw Gary play in London, he was average, small, limited in scrumming and not better than Bismarck