After reading the player ratings in Rapport and on Rugby365 and elsewhere, I could not find a writer who felt the same as the other or whom I agreed with…. so, here’s my Bokke player ratings.
Forwards:
1. Wian du Preez – 6: Wian was solid enough in a make-shift tight five and the make-shift forwards pack. Scrumming was always going to be a problem, even for the best props in a Team where scrummaging is’nt deemed important enough and with very limited time to gel as a tight 5 unit in the scrums. He carried the ball up well and was busy in loose play.
2. Adriaan Strauss – 6: He is an industrious hooker and the same scrummaging sentiments apply to him as would apply to Wian.
3. John Smit – 5 at prop, 7 at hooker: John is a hooker… I’ll say it again… he is a FREEGIN HOOKER, not a tight head prop. John only came to his rights as a player in the last 20 minutes when he reverted to hooker. His throwing into line-outs is solid, his scrumming at hooker very good.
4. Bakkies Botha – 7: Bakkies is always dependable and strong.
5. Andries Bekker – 7: He is definately a No 5 lock, not a No 4 enforcer lock and seems to have learned a lot from Victor on Tour. He has been one of the better Bokke on Tour.
6. Heinrich Brüssow – 8: The man is a genius, the world’s best opensider by a mile. He stole ball when it mattered, he tackled well. The BEST BOK ON TOUR!
7. Danie Rossouw – 6: A mixed bag for Danie, he was better when moved to No 8, he is not a blindside flank but makes a good make-shift No 8, better at No 8 than Kankowski by miles.
8. Ryan Kankowski – 4: He had a good first few minutes when the game was loose and assisted in the 1st try but as soon as it got tight up front, he was nowhere. He is a disapointment and one of the worst Bokke on Tour. He needs to be dropped totally to regain form in next year’s Super 14.
Backline:
9. Fourie du Preez – 8: The general, the maestro…. the best scrum half in the world. He scored one try and made one for Wynand Olivier. I run out of expletives when I describe his value to the Bokke.
10. Morné Steyn – 6: A mixed bag for Morné, apparently they use a very different type of ball in Italy, which would explain why he initially struggled with place kicks but when he came right it was the Morné of old. No problems in his tackling or distribution skills.
11. Bryan Habana – 8: He was hungry for the ball, went looking for work and opportunities, scored a try and had a huge hand in Fourie du Preez’ try. A very good day at the office for Bryan.
12. Adi Jacobs – 4: Not on standard, he misses tackles, gets lured out of the defensive lines easily, runs laterally. Poor Tour and he’s a poor player at present. He needs to be dropped in total and concentrate on gaining form in the Super 14 next year.
13. Jaque Fourie – 7: Jaque is a stalwart in the team, scored a good try, defended well… and he combines so well with Habana and Fourie du Preez.
14. JP Pietersen – 5: Very quiet day, does not look for work like Habana, lazily chases kicks and seems to be resting on his laurels a bit.
15. Zane Kirchner – 7: He was solid in the last vestage, always nicely in position, takes the high ball well and mostly takes the correct options.
Bench:
Tendai (Beast) Mtawarira – 7: Beast was solid when he came on. With John at hooker and BJ at No 3 they scrummed well.
BJ Botha – 8: What a difference a good tight head, who is used to European standards makes!! He needs to RETAIN THE TIGHT HEAD POSITION ! With John Smit reverting to hooker next to him the scrums went well. This is what we want on tight head.
Victor Matfield – 8: He makes a huge difference at scrum time and is hugly underrated as a scrummaging lock. He tackles well and off course reigns supreme in line-outs in the world.
Jean Deysel – 8: He should have started the Test and was very valuable when he came on (and Kankowski left the field) at a stage when the Italian forwards were setting the pace. Things swung around in the forwards department partly due to him at blindside and Danie reverting to No 8. I Hope the selectors took serious notice of this improvement!
Wynand Olivier – 8: What a difference it makes to have someone solid at No 12 who knows the players around him well. Seeing as he instinctively knows every move that Fourie du Preez or Morne Steyn or Habana or Zane would make, makes him the logical choice going forward. He is a solid defender and runs good support lines, as was indicated in his try off the shoulder of Fourie du Preez. He needs to replace Adi Jacobs.. please, please, please let this happen.
Ruan Pienaar – 6: Ruan did nothing wrong on Saturday. Pity that his form has taken such a dump due to him being shifted from pillar to post as far as positions are concerned. Ruan needs to specialise at No 9, making that his only focus going forward.
Francois Hougaard – Not enough game time to rate him properly: These 4 minutes meant his Bok debut in Tests.
Die son is uit, die voëltjies fluit, dis ‘n lekker dag… en die somer is terug hier in Gauteng!
1 – GBS. The summer is back for sure. 😀
Cricket time too and we were rubbish yesterday. Kallis is out for the odi’s injured too. Think they should replace Amla with Bosman.
Uit-blerry-eindelik GBS…
Stem saam met jou ratings en hoop regtig PDV hou daai voorry van Beast, smit en BJ asook Wynand……en Kankowski werk nie, moet vervang word dringend!!!! as hulle scrum is sy kop die hele tyd in die lig waar hy kyk wat aangaan…….
Puma I was so blerry upset witht eh damn Proteas, they were rubbish yesterday!!!!! Definitely think Bosman should be included in Amla’s place and I hear that Gibbs is replacing Kallas, maybe this was the wake-up he needed and he will bloomingwell perform now?
GBS, Your ratings are spot on ther boet.
John much better at hooker and BJ a very good TH. Beast too had a good game when he came on.
Kanko just not the same player he was in 2007. He needs plenty game time at this level. Been a fringe player too long. He made the firt try tough with a nice break but that was it. When Danie went to 8 and Deysel came on our loosies looked far, far better. Deysel must start at blinside this week and Danie at 8. WO should replace Adi too. Otherwise that channel will be our weakest point. Our scrum will be sorted out if we start with Beast LH John Hooker and BJ at TH. More worried about Adi’s channel and I am sure PdV will start with Adi. We really need WO to start there.
Puma @5 I know, do NOT know why PDivvy insists with Adi? the Italy try was as a direct result of him going out his channel, he gets lured away too easily…..
4 – Tripps good morning. Yip, our crici was rubbish yesterday. Amla and JP batted too slow together. Then at that time think the pitch was playing a bit slow. With all the rain they had up there. The sun came out in the afternoon and then it is a very good for batting. Knew 250 would be too little.
Now one rained off and England win one. We have to win the next 3 to win the Odi’s. Hope Gibbs is back up to it though. Bosman was superb on Friday. I would have brought in Bosman.
the minute Kanko is put under pressure he fades, he does not stamp his authority on a game as is expected from a solid no8, when it is open he is good, but not under pressure, gee how I miss Spies!!!! 🙂
6 – Tripps, Can you imagine BOD with Adi playing there? I see trouble in that channel if we play Adi. WO has to start.
For sure Puma, do think that Bosmanis a must for the onedayers……Amla is waaaaaaaay too slow for 50 overs, solid in tests but not in the shorter form. I hope Gibbs comes in and klaps the souties hehehehe
8 – Tripps, I miss Spies, JdV, Fransie and Juan but Deysel has stepped up and he played very well for the first time in a Bok Jersey.
@9 Gee BOD would have a field day, he would think it was early Christmas!!!!! Very scary thought, Oh Pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaase let WO play!!!!! he is a solid tackler
Yep Deysel has done himself proud, he definitley made an impact when he came on
Couldnt agree more with your thoughts on the Bok team, John Smit should get an extra 2 points everytime just for his captaincy.PDV will hopefully realise that he can’t have his cake and eat it. This tour will hopefully kill off the John and Bissie arguement – They cant be on the field toegether and a decision needs to be made on whether you have the dynamic play of Du Plessis or the leadership of Smit – for me Smit everytime with a decision made at the 60 minute mark on whether Du Plessis should comeon when the game is close to being won. To use a motoring analogy – it doesnt matter how powerful your V8 is, it goes nowhere without a driver to steer it. Profound for a monday morning.
As for Jacobs – he clearly knows where the bodies are buried coz thats the only thing keeping him in the team at the moment. WO to start please (and put BOD on his arse.)
Lets not talk about the Cricket, these Poms are insufferable at the best of time and I have to listen to their k*k all day long.
For what its worth its cold and wet in the UK – only 5 months to go till its less cold and less wet (which is called Summer in these parts)
10 – Tripps, Amla is just far, far too slow for the odi’s and yes, he is solid for the Tests. That is where he plays his best cricket in the tests.
Jeepers, Bosman went like rocket on Friday night. I think if he can do that in the 20/20 game he will do just fine in the odi’s. I would have started with Bosman and not Amla.
@14 Bwaaahahahahaha Modder Eiland…….sal nooit daar aard nie
Be back in a sec
14 – Mielie……hehehe. Only 5 months to go for you until summer? Then sometimes not much of a summer over there too.
Well us as you know will have another 5 to 6 months of beautiful weather 😆
This was the time I also used to miss SA when I lived in Europe. The winter there is way, way too long and sometimes our summer can be long but I rather our weather mate.
WO has to start against Ireland. Adi will be targeted big time.
I would just start with John at Hooker. Bissie can be on the bench. No ifs or buts we need our Captain and I think he is a better hooker. Maybe not in the loose but scrumming he is far better than Bissie and John’s throw-ins are perfect each time and his captaincy is brilliant. he will last longer too playing at hooker will have him until wc 2011.
Shall I throw a spanner in the works and say that Adriaan Strauss deserves a place above Bissie on the bench at the moment!
Bissie causes to many penalties….. think on it….
GBS. I mostly agree with your ratings although Morne Steyn was at most a 5….he’s had a poor tour so far..(maybe I’m expecting too much?)
With FdP probably out of Saturday’s game who would you plat at 9?
Ruan who has experience but is off form or a rookie in FH.
There is a new poll on the Home Page, go vote!
20@ Polla – Difficult call on scrummie. Both options have been played out of position for a while.
Agree that at mo Strauss is better but I expect Du Plessis will be back. I’m actually no fan of Bismarcks and he does give away to many penalties, Always a risk of a card with him and his aggro but he should have detonated that bomb on O’Driscoll’s pip. Call it early preventative retribution for the late high cheap tackle on Danie. I hope he gets flattened as he is my least favourite NH player.
Is Strauss not a bit lightweight ? I dont know how much he weighs but I’m sure Bismarck is heavier, Brendan Venter reckons Schalk Brits should be Bok no 1 ??
Next year factor in Gary Botha as well.
How come so many classy hookers, loosies, scrum halves but no great TH’s or fullbacks in SA ?
My mates at Ulster Rugby are gutted BJ has been called up and reckon he will demolish Irish LH.
Is Hougaard the brother of Derick ?? I’m arguing with some one on this.
I wonder if Snor now understands that the team needs a 3 who can scrum.
Play Wian, John, and BJ.
Bakkies and Matfield
Deysel [ he really surprised me], Potgieter [or Danie at 8] and Brussouw,
The backline stays the same except for Adi who MUST be dropped and replaced by Meisiekind. JPP needs a kick up the arse.
23@ Mieliepapmike – Francois Hougaard and Derick Hougaard are NOT brothers.
I met Francois Hougaard’s dad at the Currie Cup Final at Loftus this year… he is Riekert Hougaard, now lives in the Kimberley area but they are from Skelmbosch orignally.
We smoked some siggies before the main game and at half time… he is very proud of his son. He says the 3 big tjommies in the Bulls team, who virtually did everything together, was Wynand, Francois & Habana.
Cool
I have won the bet against my brother in law !
he thinks that mullets and surnames are enough to prove family ties.
Everyone knows that PDV and JDV are related and PDV doesnt want to show favouritism to JDV so …. he keeps picking Adi.
Logical if you think about it. How else can Adi’s continued inclusion be explained.
(This is a tongue in cheek comment – In case anyone gets on their high horse.)
GBS, Whats happening with FdP? Read that he may have a hand injury and may not start against Ireland? Have you heard anything about this?
Do I sense a few nerves for Saturday. BOD is licking his lips. A huge game awaits – bigger than you all think.
Morning lads
Puma – you in panic mode mate.
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