Butch worry for Bok coach
30 Aug 2010
Butch James is a serious injury concern while Jannie du Plessis and Flip van der Merwe also missed Monday’s training session with niggles.
The Springbok trio watched the practice at Shimla Park from the sideline. The nature of their injuries will be made public later on Monday after further scans, although coach Peter de Villiers admitted James is the biggest concern.
James came off the bench in last week’s Test against the Wallabies and delivered some big defensive hits. He only played 15 minutes, but it’s clear that defensive work has taken its toll.
On the topic of defence, De Villiers was anything but concerned. The Boks leaked four tries in the opening half, and tightened up to keep the Wallabies tryless in the second. De Villiers said the defensive system is not to blame.
‘We have a brilliant system,’ he said. ‘If you criticise one element, you forget about all the good we did in that game. You also have to remember the causes of that bad defence. The Wallabies are a world-class side and they put us under pressure. That contributed to us making a few mistakes.
‘We are working on our defence this week, but we are also working on our attitude. We’ve got to have the right attitude if we’re going to beat the Wallabies, especially on attack.
‘We created a lot of good chances last Saturday and I was glad to see that we didn’t fall into a defensive mode late in the game [as De Villiers claims was the case in the defeat to the All Blacks at Soccer City].’
De Villiers has called up Dewald Potgieter, Gio Aplon and Wynand Olivier to the Bok camp, but if they aren’t named in Saturday’s match 22, they will be released to their Currie Cup teams.
By Jon Cardinelli, in Bloemfontein
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36 Comments
30 Aug 2010, 12:42 pm
Wynand Olivier is back!
30 Aug 2010, 12:43 pm
Oh and dragons.
30 Aug 2010, 12:46 pm
@rossoneri(rossoneri)-1: is that the same guy that the pumas flyhalf ran past on friday as if he wasn’t there?
30 Aug 2010, 13:02 pm
@bluejay(bluejay)-3:
I just don’t get it.
The very same!
30 Aug 2010, 13:06 pm
Ag jissie I’m so tired of all these myths that the rugby journos invent. The big hit Butch James myth is one of them. The first thing Butch James did when he got onto the field was miss a tackle on Quade Cooper. That doesn’t make him a terrible player but he does also miss his fair share of tackles.
30 Aug 2010, 13:16 pm
And here I was, full of hope that th team would use this confidence booster to work out even more of the kinks, and then they go and select WO again. Two steps backwards……
30 Aug 2010, 13:20 pm
The other myth that needs dispelling is the ‘Morne Steyn in the pocket’ myth. Morne Steyn scored 5 tries in the Super 14, the same as Quade Cooper. Rugby hacks are an unoriginal, lazy bunch who fail to do some basic research. I’m suprised any of the players or coaches still talk to them. Check these stats out :http://www.super14.com/stats/2010/final_points.asp
30 Aug 2010, 14:00 pm
@Klipspinnekop(Klipspinnekop)-7: The problem is the coaches, get rid of DM and GG. Bring in HM and AC and get some balance to this coaching team.
There is no progress as highlighted by recalling WO. A waste of time frankly as we have seen enough oh him at Intl level.I am starting to suspect that WO’s personal grooming is the envy of PdV.
30 Aug 2010, 14:29 pm
@bananas(bananas)-8: “Personal grooming”? Hahahahahahaha
30 Aug 2010, 14:47 pm
I can’t understand why Peter Grant was not used this season. I thought he had a great Super 14 and deserved to get a chance this season.
I hope he returns to S.A. soon.
30 Aug 2010, 15:46 pm
Morne Steyn had 283m & Butch James 269m Total-Meters-Gained-Kicking, and Butch was only on the field for 15min plus he made sure all his kicks went out unlike Morne. Will be a cost if Butch is injured as having both these players in the Bok team provides us with two different game plans.
Hope Wo retires as he does not deserve a bok jersey!
30 Aug 2010, 15:50 pm
There you go Grant10 & Big Hit, your butch james is a sicknote! 15min and he needs more bandages!
30 Aug 2010, 15:53 pm
i won’t even speak of WO…if Nonu was Wynand the all blacks would’ve never scored the last try at Soccer City because Meisiekind would’ve crashballed on to John Smit and died with the ball. That’s what Blue Bulls fans tell us he is good at doing on attack…
30 Aug 2010, 16:13 pm
@bosbok(bosbok)-11: LMAO
U guys crack me up
havent laughed so much
but meisiekind MUST GO
30 Aug 2010, 16:15 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-13: DUDE U KILLIN ME
HAHAHA
30 Aug 2010, 16:30 pm
I thought they were going to use last Saturdays victory as a springboard for a new playing style. Ball in hand, possession is gold, looking for gaps instead of running through the opponents. With WO back in the fold, it is obvious that they are not.
In who’s place is he there? Who is he covering for? Are JdJ, JF and JdV not enough centres in the squad?
30 Aug 2010, 16:51 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-12: ja….dammit….bad news….
30 Aug 2010, 18:02 pm
Why Potgieter and Olivier? They were nowhere in the Bulls v Pumas
Bosman or Murray should be called up but whats the point in calling up more centres? Crazy?
Fondse should be called up for FLIP
Aplon for Steyn and then Basson for Habana to rest
WTF is going on?
Louw should be there ahead of potgieter
The Pumas no.8 was twice as good at potgieter? And still no specialist breakdown opperator? Bleeuuurrggghhhh
Butch James needs to start at 10 but if he goes down then whos he gona put on bench? Frans Steyn? Please no, unfit, out of form and cant kick out of hand. Made one good goal kick on saturday and got lucky with a try that could have gone to either 3 of the men standing outside of morne steyn when he threw the pass.
PDV is lucky that the boks have Hougaard because if Ashley-Cooper had scored that try i doubt the boks would have been able to come back and win.
30 Aug 2010, 18:06 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-12:
With the hits he was putting in?
Didnt see Morne Steyn put one good tackle on an opponent on saturday?
When butch james came on he knew boks were going to be defending like crazy and he put some of the games biggest hits in to protect the lead.
That was a silly comment
@iceman(iceman)-10:
Agree, Peter Grant would also cover 12, WO wouldnt have to be there and then Basson could be called up at wing
30 Aug 2010, 18:08 pm
@Klipspinnekop(Klipspinnekop)-7: They go with the flow… not the best of journalists, Sa rugger journos, really… a little club of mutual backslapping and no great ambition, plainly…
30 Aug 2010, 18:28 pm
@Rhys7(Rhys7)-19: what is the point of your comment? Butch’s knees are finished, kaput! He is a sick-note! That might be good enough for Bath but not for Springbok rugby no way! Not all of Jake White’s ’07 selections will make 2011:::
30 Aug 2010, 18:31 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-21: But for you it seems that no rugger players are good enough for the Boks unless they are truly “representative” by having a surname Ralepelle, Ndungane or something similar…
30 Aug 2010, 19:08 pm
Butch James cant even play 15min and he’s injured does anyone in he boks management team know that the world cup is next year? Would be be able to go on the field without a wheelchair at that stage? Some of the most memorable moments of the game was when a certain 32 year old lock by the name of Nathan Sharp sidestepped the self-proclaimed world best outside centre and moments later their PROP Ben Robinson did the same!!!! And then best of all and international teams take notice if you want to score just run into JDV’s channel, you will have a 90% chance of getting through him!!!! But as Peter de Villiers says they just need to regain their top form – hopefully that will happen in his millennium.
30 Aug 2010, 19:20 pm
@GoTheBulls(GoTheBulls)-23: Its a problem with too many WePee players in the Boks – all hype, no balls…
30 Aug 2010, 19:32 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-24: As apposed to the Du Plessis penalty magnets, or the Ruan nowhere’s or the JS over-tired, or Frans Steyn unfits or Kanko show ponies of the world you mean??
30 Aug 2010, 19:38 pm
#23 heavens game i agree with you 100% MAAK ALMAL BULLE BOKKE.
30 Aug 2010, 19:42 pm
@Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-22: hahahahaha you’re smoking your socks today surely! Hahahaha
30 Aug 2010, 20:02 pm
Spot on HB spot on. As they say about province every year good on paper!!!
30 Aug 2010, 21:24 pm
@Klipspinnekop(Klipspinnekop)-5:
Agreed!
Have to say, although he’s 90% full of twak, Snor’s actually correct when he notes that the defensive structures aren’t to blame. Defensively, the Boks have a great game plan. However, in Test matches, as in all rugby matches (yes, even my u/7 primary school matches), if you don’t stick your first-time tackles, defensive structures mean fark-all.
The problem for the most part on Saturday was Boks falling off tackles, not being out of position for them. Unacceptable, and it’s been a plague throughout this year’s Tri-Nations (in fact, along with our inability to slow down front-foot ball, the most important contributor to our woes). Aus/NZ are targeting the gaps past the shoulder — sometimes you just have to settle for making the tackle and going sideways or even backwards instead of monstering the ball-carrier and driving them back.
30 Aug 2010, 22:37 pm
Iceman Peter Grant is imho one of the better centers in SA
30 Aug 2010, 22:37 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-12: why are you so negative about almost every player and oh lord there are all the wp boys screaming for their players to be boks again @Heavens Game(Heavens Game)-24: tend to agree ,one thing i dont understand is the hype around potgieter ,seriously! the kids not special ,not big ,not athletic ,doesnt tackle hard and doesnt gain much yards ,i know this sound biased ,but compare him from an objective point of view to alberts or for that matter daniels, lets compare him to johnson and p louw ,even that new guy from the lions -big blonde number 7 -they all are just so much better than he is !
30 Aug 2010, 22:42 pm
BAW
Always enjoy watching Keegan Daniels play.
31 Aug 2010, 08:24 am
@baw(maxed)-31: Potgieter, Chilliboy and Januarie are all quota players.
31 Aug 2010, 08:28 am
@baw(maxed)-31: @wpforever(wpforever)-32: You guys sound like Warren Brosnihan. Its Keegan Daniel…not Daniels
1 Sep 2010, 14:28 pm
@GoTheBulls(GoTheBulls)-23: STOP BEING SO NASTY MAN. ***** JAMES IS THE BEST RUGBY PLAYER OF OUR CENTURY. MY SPRINGBOK BACK LINE:
15-Earl Rose
14-Tondaria Chavanga
13-De Wet Barry
12-Jean de Villiers
11-Chillyboy Ralapele
10-Butch James
9-Ricky Januarie
1 Sep 2010, 14:33 pm
@wpforever(wpforever)-30: PETER GRANT IS OVER RATED MAN. GET USE TO IT
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