Following the semi’s this weekend and given the nominations for awards around the corner, I wondered if a new category should not be included?
Guys like JJ Harmse might be perplexed by some of the nominations for the up and coming SA Rugby Awards but I believe the categories do not actually serve some of the most telling contributions by certain individuals.
For starters, player of the year means less to me than player’s player of the year nominations as the true judge of your ability should not come from administrators or journalists, but your direct peers.
In fact, did we ever see a tighthead prop receive the player of the year award?
When speaking to rugby players you find that most believe man of the match awards and player of the year awards are not always a true reflection of the contributions of certain individuals.
I have almost no doubt Fourie du Preez will receive the player of the year award. And although there is no doubting his ability and the fact that he is the best scrumhalf in the world right now, I wonder if the award of South Africa’s ‘best player’ is really down to his influence on the teams he represented, or more to the fact that he has no equal when judged against other players in the same position – almost like there is so much daylight between him and the next guy he just has to be the best player on the planet.
Perhaps he deserves it based on those ground, I am certainly not going to dispute it, but there is another player who in my view had the biggest impact and biggest influence in just about every single game he played this year.
It is also difficult to debate whether the Bulls and the Boks would not have achieved they success if Fourie was not present. There is a strong case for that but all the arguments would have been subjective, as we will never know.
What became clear to me however on Saturday is the immense influence one man had both for the Bulls and the Boks this year.
Do you think there is more truth in the statement that: “Without Fourie we might still have achieved success at the Bulls and Boks, but without X we would not have”?
I suppose it depends on who X is?
Well the more I think about it and the more I look back, the more I start to believe that a massive influence on both the Bulls and Boks’ success in 2009 was none other than one Mr. Morné Steyn.
On Saturday one guy remarked that next time we see Steyn, we should check for a pulse because they believe this guy has no nerves or any emotion no matter what the situation. He is simply calculated and deadly.
Another story I heard in the post-match presser was one where Morné missed a conversion in one of the tests this year where the game was already won comfortably. After the match the guy was apparently incensed at the fact that he could have missed that kick…
The difference on Saturday between WP and the Blue Bulls was Morné Steyn. Perhaps as much as the difference between the Boks and B&I Lions in Pretoria was the same guy, and the difference between the All Blacks and Aussies and the Boks was again, none other than Mr. Steyn.
Oh and let’s not forget the Bulls Super 14 campaign now either…
Morné might not be a Dan Carter, whereas Fourie du Preez can be mentioned in the same class as a scrumhalf as Carter is to flyhalf, but does that make Fourie more influential than what Morné was in 2009?
I don’t think so.
Perhaps the only way around this is to create a category of most influential player of the year?
But for my money, the guy that was the difference between his team winning and losing, was Morné Steyn, which makes him SA most valuable player for 2009 in my books.
@smallies72 – 30
Weerlig slaan nie twee keer op dieselfde plek nie………
30@smallies72 – Jong, kom ons worry later daaroor…. hehehe
Ek is mossie ‘n ou wat paniekeerig raak nie… solank die hemel netnie op ons kop val nie, drank nie opraak nie, daar nog kondensmelk te koop is… en solank mooi meisies nie ophou bestaan nie, is die lewe ‘n tiet… sorry ‘n Lied…. hehehe
Ashley, wanneer wens jy die BB bietjie geluk met die wen, ou maat ?
33@bdb –
haai skuus waars my maniere
..
my congratulations to the bulls and supporters
my gelukwensinge aan die bulle en hul ondersteuners
雄牛および彼らのサポータへの私のお祝い
34@Ashley – Hey, jy maggie so lelik vloek in Manderynse Chinees nie… weet jy wat jy gesê het?
Sies Asbakkie, ek het dit nie van jou verwag nie!!
25@smallies72 –
ek hou meer van die rondborstiges!! 😉
35@grootblousmile –
issie ekkie. is yahoo babelfish
36@Ashley – Jy hou seker van hulle wat “vooruitstrewend” en “agterbaks” is…. hehehe
38@grootblousmile –
ag
maakie eintlik sakie … wat belangrik is is dat hulle “gaaf” moet wees, jongkinders wat “omgee vir hul medemens”, wat toesien dat hul medemens “nie gebrek lei nie” ens ens ens, hehehe
gbs,
Ek voel ongemaklik om hieroor te praat want ek glo nie jy is so ‘n persoon nie, maar ek voel jy moet weet. Ek kyk nou en dan ook na die ander site, en wat die mense jou ‘scout’ noem ,en ek dink jy weet van wie jy praat, is regtig besig om RT se naam deur die modder te sleep met sy werfery.
Daar is die heeltyd mense wat moleste daar maak, soos om mense se nics te steel en gemors te praat, en RT kry die skuld. Ek het juis gewonder wat met julle gebeur het toe ek julle nie sien post het vir ‘n lang tyd nie, en was bly toe iemand my van die site gese het.
Julle het nou ‘n (onverdiende) reputasie, en terwyl die mense hier vriendelik is en die site vir my beter is as ie ander plek is daar enkeles wat jul naam weggooi.
Weereens, ek beoordeel nie, maar waarsku jou net.
Lol, ek wil amper jou ‘oom’ noem en dit was moeilik om te se.
Jis die plek is warm vandag dit kook hier
41@smallies72 –
waar is jy?
@Die Valk – Die Valk. Ek hoop jy geniet R-T hier. Ek en GBS het die site begin om daai afkraakende lot op hul eie te los. Ek glo nie iemand hier sal nics steel om op Voldy mense te gaan omkrap nie.
Wel, jy moet jouself gate uit geniet, en welgedaan met jou span.
@ ashley hier
VRYSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT!
44@smallies72 –
waar presies is “hier”?
streek, dorp ens?
@ loosehead vrystaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat!
45@Loosehead –
gedra jou … dis ñ rugby-site, nie ñ bar nie!! 😀
@ ashley dit kook op die site man
@smallies72 – @Loosehead – You both have reason to be proud. Your team were the better team on Saturday.
So now I will say it and only just this once…hehe.
VRYSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT.
Thanks ed,
Jammer vir jou span. Kon ‘n Mayor gehad het, maar jul sit nou met ‘n Dick. 😉
In alle erns, ek hoop die Lions bou op hul laaste paar games. 5 Sterk unies sal wonders vir ons doen.
Wat’s die storie met Sharks_lover?
@ puma it,s nice ne
smallies,
Jy het ‘n sekondant!
Daar is geen staat soos die VRRRYYYYYYSSSSSTTTTAAAAATTTT!!
@smallies72 – 52
Yes they played great. You must be looking forward to the Final.
Sorry Valk you a Cheetah supporter too. Well done to your team.
@Die Valk – Sharks_lover is ‘n goeie ou. Wat het hy gedoen?
Hy werf mense op keo, laat ‘n slegte smaak in die mond. Net my opinie.
Thanks puma
@Die Valk – Ek sal met hom praat oor die storie.
@Ed_the_Lion – 55
Ed how you feel about Muir going to coach Lions next year?
I thought it would have been H. Meyer. Muir going to be very busy. He actually lives just a few houses away from me. Wonder if he will travel back and forward to Umhlanga or relocate to Joburg.
Have a feeling he will do well at the Lions. He done wonders for the Sharks when he took over.
58@Ed_the_Lion – geluk met jou tweede span se oorwinning op Nuweland, het jy dit geniet ?
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