Midfield marvels have more to give
1 Sep 2010
JON CARDINELLI writes Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie are already the world’s best centre pairing but more game time together will ensure they’re immortalised as all-time greats.
Last Saturday’s Test marked their first start as a combination since the 2009 Tri-Nations. Over the past five seasons, injuries, suspensions, questionable positional switches and overseas sojourns have prevented them from taking their centre partnership to new, unprecedented levels.
They’ve been limited to 21 appearances in five years, their best sequence of six consecutive matches coming in the victorious Tri-Nations campaign in 2009. When De Villiers and Fourie have operated in tandem, the Boks have won 17 Tests and lost four. A midfield combo cannot sway a result without a strong forward showing or sharp halfback display, but there’s no doubt this pair is an unrivaled force on both attack and defence.
Interviewed after the win at Loftus Versfeld, De Villiers admitted he was aware of the modest tally. Both players have surpassed 60 caps, but have only played one third of their respective careers as a combination.
De Villiers said he was aware of the win ratio, and his tone seemed to suggest that with more opportunities, this partnership could do more damage in future. Bakkies Botha and Victor Matfield have played 56 Tests together, and perhaps one day De Villiers and Fourie will be lauded for similar contributions.
The South African duo has been one of the best midfield combinations of the last decade, although it’s not uncommon to see great centre partnerships struggling to produce extensive runs. Ireland’s Gordon D’Arcy and Brian O’Driscoll complemented each other perfectly, while New Zealand’s Aaron Mauger and Tana Umaga were a potent blend of guile, physicality and explosiveness. What all three combinations have in common is that injuries affected the longevity of the partnership.
D’Arcy and O’Driscoll debuted in 1999 but only received their first opportunity to start together in 2004. The following six years saw them featuring 34 times, 24 of those on the winning side.
Umaga shifted from wing to centre around the same time an exciting talent from Canterbury got his international break. Unfortunately, the pair didn’t get many chances in the next five seasons. When Mauger and Umaga did play, they thrilled, and during a great period for the All Blacks, they were on the winning side 16 times in 18 Tests.
The comparison ends when you consider De Villiers (29) and Fourie (27) are still in their prime. They have more to give as a combination, and while eclipsing a record as formidable as that of Botha and Matfield is unlikely, they have to go to the World Cup with more caps as a unit.
De Villiers has played just two Tests at 12 this season and needs more game time. Some players will be rested for the Grand Slam tour, but he shouldn’t be one of them. Jaque Fourie has already had plenty of rugby this season, but solidifying a partnership as important as the midfield will benefit the Boks going into a World Cup year.
It presents the Bok coaching staff with a poser given the rise of Juan de Jongh. The 22-year-old is an exciting option at outside centre and can do a job at 12, and also needs opportunities. Should one of De Villiers and Fourie miss that global tournament in New Zealand, De Jongh will step in.
Those opportunities, however, are not as important as the ones afforded to South Africa’s first-choice combination. De Villiers and Fourie are already 15 Tests short of where they should be. They have some ground to make up. And after next year’s World Cup, a decision to move abroad could spell the end for a special pair. The next 14 months could be the last we see of them as a unit.
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167 Comments
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1 Sep 2010, 15:15 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-144:
Is this for real.
@Spieeeees(Spieeeees)-149:
He performs well in the S14 because his pack, in most instances, dominate play. In the Bok set up the pack don’t.
He should be able to play well behind a losing pack also. He hasn’t show that he can do that up to now.
1 Sep 2010, 15:21 pm
@Spieeeees(Spieeeees)-149: Wynand Olivier is not a BOK centre!!! Nothing wrong with Morne! If we had a half decent backline coach things will also improve at the back!
1 Sep 2010, 16:06 pm
@nama1(nama1)-151: what do you mean it this for real? I got this from the sunday times website!
1 Sep 2010, 16:20 pm
@Transformation(Transformation)-153:
It can be a spoof.
1 Sep 2010, 16:39 pm
Crazy statement.
Our centres are good, but in terms of linebreaking and creative attacking we along way off the french, ozzies, kiwis and irish.
1 Sep 2010, 17:49 pm
JdV and Mossie are not the best centre combo in world rugby. How could they be?
Were they the centre combo for WC 2007?
No.
Were they the centre combo against the BI Lions?
No.
Is there a better pair on attack?
Yes. Smith/Nonu
Is there a better pair on defence?
Yes. Basteraud/Jauzion, JdJ/Mossie even.
Is there a better distributing pair?
Yes. Roberts/Hook
Where are they outstanding as a pair? Nowhere.
Mossie carries Donkey DeVilliers in this relationship.
Time for a new combo. this one does not cut it contrary to conventional clearly subjective “wisdom”.
1 Sep 2010, 19:42 pm
@Slartifartfast(Slartifartfast)-3: I agree WO is the best hiar product model of them all, but centre? Please get serious!!! His selection even in the Bulls tema will be forever be one of life’s greatest mysteries to me. If Ettienne Botha didin’t tragically die WO would never have gotten a chance in the Currie Cup! Comparing Olivier to greats like JdV and JF is like comparing Eddie Andrews to Tommie Loubser, JJ vd Walt to Carel du Plessis, Jannie Claassens to Danie Gerber – it can only happen in fantasy land.
The Sharks are probably smiling endlessly that WO is back for the Bulls this coming weekend. Just as the Pumas did last week.
1 Sep 2010, 20:12 pm
Hi Jon, you are one hell of a comedian. JDV is only good if you look threw WP glasses. Fourie’s is definitely the better of the 2 but is not close to the best in the world as he so widely proclaims. Look at the stats and fact before you make such ridiculous statements!!!! I think you must rather apply at WP as a selector or something like that. One thing JDV definitely leads is missed tackles!
1 Sep 2010, 20:27 pm
@GoTheBulls(GoTheBulls)-158: Only a Bull supporter. JDV is not the best inside centre in the world but very close. What stats?
2 Sep 2010, 08:26 am
Hold on Mate, JDV and Fourie are formidable, but they are not the best pairing.
Conrad Smith is close to the best Centre in the world, he organises the all blacks defence makes good decisions on attack, links well and finishes. Nonu I have always disliked, I thought he was one dimensionable, but I have been proven wrong by his work over the past couple of years. Nonu looked good last year against the boks in a side that looked awful.
Nonu and Smiths combination is absolutely vital to the way the All Blacks play the game… and right now the All Blacks are the best side playing the best rugby how can you say under those circumstances that the bok pairing is the best? maybe you should have included the smith/nonu pairing in your analysis, leaving them out makes it seems like your hiding something!
all black games: Nonu played:51 won:44 Smith pld:40 won:36
2 Sep 2010, 08:37 am
@Suidkapenaar(Suidkapenaar)-157: WO is a flippen good Currie Cup and S15 centre but when it comes to International games he is nowhere!!
2 Sep 2010, 11:18 am
Man what was he smoking when he wrote that.
Saying that they will be immortalised as greats, haha.
The Bokke have the weakest attacking backline with ball in hand than almost any other top team I can think of. They have moments, but most of the time they are boring, lacking in vision and give very poor distribution outside of them. Alot of that is due to coaching and the style of rugby they are encouraged to play that isn’t based around running rugby.
3 Sep 2010, 03:22 am
To get it out of the way 1st!
. Yes I am an All Black supporter but I decided recently to read SA websites about Rugby to see an “SA point of view”. To be honest the way SA was playing and more particularly your coach prompted me… I couldn’t understand how such a team with such great history as SA could allow De Villiers to stay around – both for his crazy outbursts and the boring (sorry yes it is) way he has SA playing. Who would be a winger in SA team? They never see ball unless it is kicked to them!…. Now re this centre pairing thread… whew…. you have got to be kidding re SA centres best in the world… The joke around a people I watch with including people from SA, UK, Aus is “who were the SA centres today?”… they have been almost invisible as attacking forces in Tri Nations… I suggest Nonu/Smith as the benchmark today…and yes Nonu was 1 dimensional 2 years ago… but do you actually watch his distribution now, both left and right? And Conrad Smith.. well when great past and present players, plus coaches rave about him what can you say? His angles, straightening the line, distribution, support play, thinking etc… and when does he ever miss a tackle? PS. I hope you keep De Villiers as it make out chances of winning the world cup better… so bottom line I agree with many others in this thread, sorry but your current test style is soooo boring … and strange when you have the players to play the fast high skill game that (yes… be honest) nearly everyone wants to watch and will pay money to watch
4 Sep 2010, 02:00 am
@bananas(bananas)-100:
The hate is because he is SOOOO good, petty jealousy’s then arise.
He is unquestionably the best player on the planet, so his rivals look to tear him down by fair means or foul, but he always remains calm and composed.
The man is a legend.
6 Sep 2010, 10:01 am
@Zandberg Jansen(Zandberg Jansen)-152: Dude you obviously dont know anything about rugby. Wynand does harder work than Jean de Villiers and is more dangerous. Jean does not have the balls to do crash balls or any hard runs. All that he is good for is his intercepts. De villiers’s knees wont hold until 2011 world cup. he does not have the strenght or the speed to match guys like nonu, jauzion or james hook
6 Sep 2010, 10:03 am
@Zandberg Jansen(Zandberg Jansen)-159: Go look at the stats you clown. so what if his a bulls supporter. im a OP supporter. your probably a WP choker
6 Sep 2010, 10:05 am
@GoTheBulls(GoTheBulls)-158: THIS MOFFIE KNOWS WHAT HIS TALKING ABOUT. YOU SHOULD BE PRESIDENT
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