Chiliboy’s been cheated
25 Aug 2010
RYAN VREDE is utterly disgusted at the raw deal Chiliboy Ralepelle has been given.
Springbok coach Peter de Villiers deplores the suggestion that Ralepelle is nothing more than a token selection to appease those appeased by that sort of thing. How does he justify that he isn’t when his actions reinforce that view?
There is, and will continue to be, debate about whether Ralepelle merits selection on ability alone. That isn’t the point of this argument. De Villiers has selected him and in doing so implies he rates him and is committed to using him.
Ralepelle played 56 of a possible 400 minutes in 2009. In 2010 that figure has risen to 160 of a possible 320 minutes. On the surface the latter figure seems acceptable for a second-choice hooker, but eliminate 79 minutes against Italy in East London and 17 minutes in Witbank and you begin to see a different picture. Consider also that he would probably have not have had more than 10 minutes against France had John Smit not been injured (he played a full half and impressed).
De Villiers said after that Test it was the first time since the start of his tenure that he trusted his bench. Ralepelle was obviously an exception because he subsequently got two minutes in a losing cause against New Zealand in Auckland, eight in a similar situation in Wellington, eight in Brisbane against Australia and zero in Soweto, where he watched a physically exhausted Smit crawl through his 100th Test and miss the decisive tackle of the match.
De Villiers’ commitment to Smit knows no bounds, which is partly understandable given that he travelled to Clermont to get him back in the Springbok fold in 2008. At this point it seems that De Villiers would instruct his medical staff to strap a wooden peg onto Smit should he somehow lose a leg, slap him on the arse and send him to war. He’d then spend the match formulating an excuse for Smit’s struggles and get his conditioning team to tell the media that wooden pegs actually make you go faster.
I don’t share the view that Smit is finished. I do, however, believe that he needed to be rested for the two Tests against the Wallabies, then be put on a specifically tailored conditioning programme during the four-week camp the contracted Springboks will embark on following the Tri-Nations.
That would have given Ralepellle two matches against world-class opposition to establish his credentials as a Test hooker. Bismarck du Plessis could have been eased into action off the wood and all three players (Smit included) would have benefited.
After 14 Tests and four years we still only have a vague idea of what Ralepelle can offer. This is utterly unacceptable. Jake White is partly culpable for this, and his coaches at the Bulls must accept some responsibility. But De Villiers, who in 2008 told the media that Ralepelle would have been his first-choice hooker had he not been injured, must shoulder the bulk of the blame.
And the future doesn’t look bright for Ralepelle either. If one considers how deeply De Villiers lamented Du Plessis’ injury-enforced absence, and how little faith he has shown in Ralepelle in the biggest matches, the Sharks man is likely to be Smit’s deputy for the foreseeable future. This will leave Ralepelle third in line at the Boks and under immense pressure from the likes of the dynamic Tiaan Liebenberg.
I recall an informal conversation with Ralepelle earlier this year, just before the June internationals. He said that for the first time since 2006 he was enjoying his rugby. He said he felt confident. He said he no longer felt like he was being used to make up the numbers. He was optimistic about his Springbok future.
I’d venture to suggest that his point of view has changed dramatically. This at the hands of a coach who prides himself on his honesty and man-management. Pathetic.
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535 Comments
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25 Aug 2010, 19:44 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-399: transie who is threatened?? please mate i even told him where to find me
25 Aug 2010, 19:44 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-399: you like to assume you know me huh???
25 Aug 2010, 19:46 pm
boks better hope the altitude assists them the weekend….i reckon the aussies have been a bit silly training in CT the whole week…..last 20 may see us home.
25 Aug 2010, 19:48 pm
if we do lose…..well then i reckon a big ugly tomcat let loose in the hen house……
Plod will have run out of lives….perhaps even PDV as well….
it may get ugly.
25 Aug 2010, 19:58 pm
would have been so much more to look forward to if we had experimented a bit more and played some new blood.
Probably be the skop en jaag game again……a narrow bok win …..same old same old.
25 Aug 2010, 20:00 pm
@grant10(grant10)-404: Helloo….Strange old day here on ‘Sunny Keo’ !!
You just watch, now Smittie has got his 100 he will hang his boots up soon!
You will be bereft!!
25 Aug 2010, 20:00 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-402: assume to know you? Who the f*ck are you?
25 Aug 2010, 20:03 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-399: Transie, I am no bigot or racist, Smits form has been poor for a couple of tests
RJ’s form has been diabolical, sent to Wales to see if they can help, it did not work, anyway…….
Smit has also not been up there, by my word, I do not carry on ad naseaum about Smit or RJ or for that matter any other player
Let the natural course run now, Smit and PDV need to pull a rabbit outta the hat
Now it could happen by selecting certain young individuals or by getting some professional experts(read coaches) to help out, or it could happen by getting the right combinations to play together or it could even happen by getting injured players back and having a full strength Bok team
…..but the yadda, yadda about Smit is really someone just showing that they know sweet f’all about rugby
SA rugby is better than 1992 but we are still some way of being very good consistently
We now need administrators with a strategy and a vision, professional coaches and assistants, experts in the required fields and selectors selecting the right players
Strong leadership
I get the feeling we just pitch up on a Saturday afternoons the same as we did 100 years ago, that is just not good enough
Smits form is neither the root or the cure of the problem
25 Aug 2010, 20:08 pm
@carol(carol)-406: LOL
Its all just theatre…..as Keo would say….
25 Aug 2010, 20:10 pm
@carol(carol)-406: hey carol, longtime no see, how is it over there on RT, you must be having fun, having GBS all to yourself
25 Aug 2010, 20:10 pm
@JL1(JL1)-408: munch…munch…munch…
yada…yada…yada….
All talk….no action.
We need a John Mitchell….or a Martin Johnson….or even better a Robbie Deans…
Now he really culled the aussie fat boys club…
25 Aug 2010, 20:11 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-407: well you calling me a bang broek??
25 Aug 2010, 20:12 pm
just saw Smit on news…..he is still looking out of shape.
but his aura like Spies…..solid and strong…..
so he is good to go!
25 Aug 2010, 20:13 pm
best is transie just scroll past K???
25 Aug 2010, 20:15 pm
@grant10(grant10)-411: Give it a rest, really pathetic, go patrol the beach or throw darts at your John Smit poster
25 Aug 2010, 20:16 pm
@JL1(JL1)-408: for the record, i don’t remember ever saying you were a bigot
yeah man it makes a mockery of the paying public when a dikgat player like smit who has been kak since the 1st game vs wales is played EVERY week!
25 Aug 2010, 20:18 pm
@grant10(grant10)-409: Does Keo ever show his face here these days?
25 Aug 2010, 20:19 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-410: Hello Confused of Cape Town….Who rattled your cage?
25 Aug 2010, 20:19 pm
@JL1(JL1)-415: go scroll through the keo records….i never engage you ….you seek me out…..so i suggest you do as i do…scroll my man…its best…it will save you heartache…..just ignore me….as i will you.
I dont like you….i dont respect you….i believe you are a bigot ….i can go on….but wont.
So leave me alone….as i will leave you….and we will co exist happily here in cyber space……Same as i do with 2 other bloggers…..just ignore…its not difficult actually.
25 Aug 2010, 20:20 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-416: And so many players being played by coaches before
25 Aug 2010, 20:21 pm
@JL1(JL1)-415: …and it looks like the rain here today is making you all ‘scratchy’ too.
Wassup with everyone?
25 Aug 2010, 20:23 pm
@JL1(JL1)-394: yes there is a different set of rules, look at how the “Boks” were embarrassed with their end of year tour against english club sides..it started then. but PdV and his cronies could loose every single game to the end of 2011 WC and they would remain untouchable – don’t you know, its the dawn of lack of accountability.
25 Aug 2010, 20:23 pm
@sharks_lover(sharks_lover)-412: jl1 said you were ‘threatened’ and you acknowledged it, now i was askin HIM if that’s what he really thought. Don’t get your shark panties in a knot
i know you like swearing at other bloggers so i’ll stop now before another avalanche of vulgarity
25 Aug 2010, 20:25 pm
@carol(carol)-417: rarely!
25 Aug 2010, 20:27 pm
@JL1(JL1)-415: ha ha ha…
25 Aug 2010, 20:28 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-423: scroll by
25 Aug 2010, 20:29 pm
@carol(carol)-421: Carol, the same reasons on Keo why the best knowledgeable bloggers left and formed their own blog
I see your cricket team is coming to London, good luck with that one should be big, are you up for the double header at Twickenham?
25 Aug 2010, 20:31 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-422: Definitely a new set of rules
Eric Sauls have been doing what he has been doing for years and nothing gets done to change it
PdV seems protected as wellk
25 Aug 2010, 20:35 pm
I see Robbie wants some of the fat boys back like Rodzilla
Deans will never coach SA with quotas forced upon him
Steve Waugh wanted to coach SA cricket until they told him he had to play quotas, he run faster than the budgie smuggler or Clifton beach after his relationships
25 Aug 2010, 20:37 pm
@JL1(JL1)-429:
25 Aug 2010, 20:39 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-422:
The same lack of accountability seems to be entrenched with the players !
They have signed contracts till WC 2011, does not matter if we win or lose, the moola is there for them anyway.
I say reduce basic salary and pay bonuses for a win !!!
25 Aug 2010, 20:41 pm
@JL1(JL1)-428: PdV has apparently even said he won’t take responsibility for the loss on Saturday, I mean wtf??? Bring on Meyer!
25 Aug 2010, 20:41 pm
@JL1(JL1)-427: Our boys ‘Dun Good’!! We are dead pleased!
Will go and see the Boks in Cardiff again. Will there be an outing to Twickenham with ‘London Keo’ (Norms Nomads) do you think?
25 Aug 2010, 20:42 pm
@JL1(JL1)-429:
He does not have to…….. enough talented players of colour to start on merit !!!
25 Aug 2010, 20:43 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-431: Hey JR, long time…Your W.P boys let me down badly on Saturday, I had them them to beat the Sharks!
25 Aug 2010, 20:44 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-431: ja some of the older boys need a bit of a kick up the ar*se, but I like how some of the new blood like Hougaard, Aplon, De Jongh and Flip are playing. I’m not writing off the Boks for 2011.
25 Aug 2010, 20:45 pm
@JL1(JL1)-427:
Rubbish. The core of the guys who started RT did it because they couldn’t tolerate their “senior” status being challenged by young black bloggers who wouldn’t accept their point of views.
25 Aug 2010, 20:46 pm
@carol(carol)-435:
HI Carol
LOL…..me to, we were handicapped by losing 2 of our loose forwards and having to play a hooker as a loosie.
However , I did say that the Sharks at home were favourites…….also said the hard game we had against the Bulls the week before would take it’s toll on us in the last 20……which is what happened !!!
25 Aug 2010, 20:47 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-434: hope you not talking about RJ and chilli being there on merit?
25 Aug 2010, 20:47 pm
Always barneys about Barney.
25 Aug 2010, 20:48 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-436:
Absolutely not, with proper and brave selections in key positions we will no doubt be a force !!!
Here I am talking about 2, 6, 8 10 !!
25 Aug 2010, 20:48 pm
@David(David)-437: are you one of those young black bloggers then?
25 Aug 2010, 20:49 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-434: That is just the point scrap quotas, we have enough talent across all spectrums
One week we will have 2poc and the next , so what
Same as style of play, Heineke Meyer said there is no such thing as attractive rugby, there is only winning rugby or losing rugby, I agree
25 Aug 2010, 20:51 pm
@David(David)-437: Not true, I was on the blog when it happened, check the records
25 Aug 2010, 20:51 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-441: what about 11, and the bench? I’d prefer JPP and Aplon instead of JPP and Habs.
25 Aug 2010, 20:52 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-432: We need a change across the board, but maybe that is a bit too radical, so maybe we need an evolutionary process
25 Aug 2010, 20:52 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-439:
Ricky definetely not , he has let himself down from a fitness perspective, I think Chilli is talented and needs to be given a chance, the best thing for him to do imo is perhaps look to join the Lions where he can get relevant game time to prove his abilities to his critics.
From what I have seen and I was at the French game the guy definetely has somethinhg to offer, given the chance !!
25 Aug 2010, 20:54 pm
@foreverrugga(foreverrugga)-445: JP is a great player, Aplon has the heart, but needs some refinement
25 Aug 2010, 20:54 pm
@justrugby(justrugby)-438: Well just as I was clawing my way up superBru that happened!!
Glad you have been getting ‘You know who’ back to his fighting weight!! I look forward to seeing the results!
25 Aug 2010, 20:55 pm
John Smitty Smit can’t retire, he can’t do what the budgy smugglers call the honorable thing.
The reason he can’t is cos he’s been contracted by Saru until 2011.
The only question is whether they rest him on EOY tour, but he’s def going to the RWC smiling all the way like a cheeky ******
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