JAKE White says he would pick Schalk Burger before Heinrich Brussow. The former Bok coach was giving his opinion on the current team ahead of the Test against Australia in Perth.

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Burger is serving an eight-week suspension for reckless play, and in his absence the diminutive Brussow has performed superbly for the Boks.

But White, who coached Burger from 2002, when the flanker was 19, says that Brussow does not offer the same qualities.

“If you’re going to change a side you have to ask yourself whether it will improve the side,” White told The Times.

“In the case of Schalk Burger it most definitely will.

“I wouldn’t have picked Brussow, but I also have to admit he has done well. But Schalk is one of the best players in the world and he has been one of the best for the past five years. He hasn’t suddenly become a bad player,” White said.

“I put a premium on the lineout and Burger will win that battle hands down over Brussow. He jumps well and the most overlooked aspect is the lifting he does at the lineout.

“Though I don’t use the term ‘fetcher’, for lack of a better word, Burger is able to do that job as well.

“Perhaps with the team at such an advanced stage of its development it can afford the luxury of having a flank the size of Brussow, but when I was coaching we certainly didn’t have that luxury.”

Brussow is only 1.81m tall against Burger’s 1.96m. But the Free Stater has punched above his weight at the breakdown with both New Zealand’s Richie McCaw and Australia’s George Smith.

Both players are considered the best at the job and Brussow was able to make life uncomfortable for them.

But before recent matches against the Boks, McCaw and Smith agreed that South Africa would miss Burger’s physicality and while it never showed because Brussow was so effective, it indicates how highly rated Burger is by his peers.

“Schalk has been voted the best player in the world in the past, but would Brussow ever win that award? I doubt it,” White said. “It will be interesting to see if the coach selects him in Australia.

“It’s simply a question of ‘is he good enough or not?’ and if he isn’t, then why is he going on tour? Schalk has been selected to do a job and he should be allowed to do it.

“I’ve read reports that suggest Schalk might have to vie for a place with Juan Smith in the No7 shirt. If that’s the thinking, and I don’t know for sure that it is, then they’re mad.

“Why change something that isn’t broken? Schalk is an openside flank and Brussow is an openside flank and the choice must be between the two of them for the No 6 jersey.”

67 Responses to White’s opinion on Burger and Brussouw

  • 1

    Hello almal. Net so vinnige een. Moet nou weer hardloop.

  • 2

    Listen to JW. he knows what he is talking about.

    Brussouw is brilliant. Doesn’t make Schalk a plodder.

    Be interesting to see the difference if Schalk plays again.

  • 3

    Nee man, ek sal eerder kyk om altwee saam te speel. Schalk en Brussow speel twee heel verskillende games.

  • 4

    @KingPaul – Vir my belangrik dat White se Schalk kan fetch. As dit so is bring hy baie party toe.

  • 5

    @bul-a-bhloo – Schalk is meer fisiek as Brussow, sy verdediging is beter en hy dra die bal beter. Sy bal verspreiding en lynstaan spel is ook beter, maar Brussow is beslis ‘n beter fetcher. Ek sal graag wil sien hoe Scalla die ouens fuctup tackle sodat Brussow nog meer balle kan steel.

  • 6

    Ed!!!

    Hoekom sien ek elke keer as ek weg is dat jy my naam in my afwesigheid noem???!!

    Dis nie baie mooi nie Eddy…

    Dink jy regtig ek sal die blog as “poor” rate??!!

  • 7

    Brussouw begin.

    Schalk op die bank om 6, 7 en 8 te dek.

    Ons kan nie meer sonder n fetcher speel nie.

  • 8

    ““I put a premium on the lineout and Burger will win that battle hands down over Brussow. He jumps well and the most overlooked aspect is the lifting he does at the lineout.”

    Ons het laasnaweek al ons eie lynstane gewen en NEGE van Aus s’n gesteel. Ons lynstaan is meer as fine. Spies en Juan wen baie balle daar agter.

  • 9

    “Schalk has been voted the best player in the world in the past, but would Brussow ever win that award? I doubt it,” White said.

    Weet nie of dit nodig was om te se nie. Brussouw kan maklik in die toekoms die speler van die jaar word. Hy was inelkgeval imo die beste Bok speler sover die jaar. S14 en toetse ingesluit.

    Schalk is n legend en hoort by die Bokke. Hy sal egter sy spelpeil moet lig want Brussouw speel uitstekend. Maar Schalk moet minstens in die 22 tal wees.

  • 10

    @Supa Die Bloubul – As ek geweet het jy gaan huil daaroor sou ek dit nooit gedoen het nie. Ek is baie jammer Supa. Vergewe my asseblief.

  • 11

    Ek dink Earl Rose moet in Schalk se plek gaan. Schalk is nie wat hy was nie.

  • 12

    Ek is bly Earl en Wynand gaan nie WP toe nie. Hulle speel baie dieselfde tipe rugby.

  • 13

    Ek dink Earl se verdediging is net so bietjie beter as Wynand sin. Hy is so bietjie vinniger ook as Wynand.

  • 14

    @Ed_the_Lion

    Ja, jy maak my gevoelens baie seer. Dis lelik.

  • 15

    @Supa Die Bloubul – Dit was lelik van my Supa. Ek stuur vir jou blomme om sorry te sê.

  • 16

    @Ed_the_Lion

    Ek dink jy spandeer te veel tyd saam met K9. Sy onkunde smeer duidelik aan jou af. Daar is wragtig nou twee ondersteuenrs wat Earl rate.

  • 17

    @Supa Die Bloubul – Bwahahahahahahahaha. Ek het geweet ek sal jou kan opcheer. Hartjie nou weer kloppend Supa??

  • 18

    15@Ed_the_Lion

    en n gediggie?

    So van blomme gepraat Earl, gaan jy ook vir onsmooi briefies en geskenke stuur soos Keo nogsteeds maak?

  • 19

    17@Ed_the_Lion

    My hart klop al stadiger. Ek dink ek is besig om te sterf net om te hoor jy rate vir Earl…

  • 20

    @Supa Die Bloubul – Supa, ek is besig om die gediggie te skryf.
    Die titel is “Supa Hougaart, daars ‘n reënboog in jou oë”.

    Ek het vandag vir jou ‘n lekker Casio gaan soek, maar daar was niks op special nie. Gee net bietjie kans.

  • 21

    @Supa Die Bloubul – Jy sal dit maak. “hang in there son”

  • 22

    20@Ed_the_Lion

    Nee, stop dit…nou begin ons te veel na G10 te klink.

  • 23

    @Supa Die Bloubul – Ons twee se spanne sal moet perform die naweek.

  • 24

    Ek sie Hernandez en Cocky speel nie Saterdag nie, Leeus behoort nou met minder te verloor.

  • 25

    @Ed_the_Lion

    Ja, ons twee spanne het crucial games. Die een wat verloor die naweek kan lelik agter raak.

  • 26

    @Supa Die Bloubul – Ek sien Sarel Pretorius speel, so bulle gaan ver verloor!!

  • 27

    @Supa Die Bloubul – Kan rof raak. Cheetahs gaan julle nog verby vat.

  • 28

    Eintlik sal dit goed virdie log wees as die Leeus en Bulle wen die naweek. Dan kan die log so lyk.

    GW 23
    Sharks 18
    Leeus 18
    WP 18
    Bulls 17

    Dis nou sonder bonuspunte. Kyk hoe lekker close sal daai 4 spanne dan le!

  • 29

    @Ed_the_Lion

    Cheetahs sal eers verby julle draf voor hulle ons vang!

  • 30

    26@Ed_the_Lion
    Ja, klein Sarel is myle beter as Jano. Sarel en Kockett moet FDP se opvolgers wees.

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