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.
57@ Oirish – What is your home language… and please don’t say English because all of you Oirish still have to learn to speak it!
Hehehe
Naa all tongue in cheek – really looking forward to the weekend – this is going to be a long one for all of us. This is the highlight for any Rugby player in Ireland.
57 – Irish 😀
Wish he was playing this Saturday. Yip, a bit worried now that FdP may not play and then we have Adi at inside centre!! With WO there PdV has to start with him, Otherwise that channel of Adi will be a target for sure.
59 Irish
Are you waving the the white flag already mate? hehehe
Mmmmm, what do you think is going to happen between the Frogs and the All Blacks this weekend?
61@GBS – Go raibh mile maith agat
59 – Irish they should allow the visitors first choice 😀
irish @ 60
of course not
it wouldve been correct to say that they (the boks) would not be playing in their usual green-and-gold, but will be wearing a colour similar to those f*ckers on her majesty’s f*cking mudd island, hehehe 😆
66@ Oirish – Gaan kak in die mielies! Hehehehe
#64 SAB – yeah really worried – all the hype here and the devastation if it doesn’t materialise.
I’d also be scared of a bleating late & high tackling player who has a fairly good try scoring record but has taken 101 tests to do it in.
A class centre yes but only World Class in the top half of the world. Would he get into SA team, No. All Blacks, No. Australia – Possibly but I don’t believe he’s a great deal better than Mortlock.
Is he still crying about the wedgie from Tana Umaga ?
65 – GBS
That is a tough one. France are playing well. Think ABs by 3. They will want one back for France beating them on home soil.
If France win it will be something similar. 3 or 5.
GBS 65
Blood.
Lots of it!!
69 – what a position that one…
Go raibh maith agat – Gura míle
Ash – I know…lol
France by 9
Wales by 17
Irish, What is the weather like there?
Now back to rugby.
Let’s see the scores guys! Will be nice to see how the match up on Saturday.
Ireland by 5 – my score – Low I know but I’m a humble boy
78@ Die weer is grys, nat en fattup !
77 – Irish
Wales could beat Oz if Scotland can anyone can 😆
Jeepers loved watching the Scots beat Oz.
Wales by 5
70 Irish
If our strategic and tactical genius of a coach persists with two of his weirdest selections the hype may be justified
Rain and more rain – wind and more wind.
79 – Irish,
You about right there. I say Boks by 7
No score predictions yet… I want to see how the Teams are composed first….
83 – Irish, Bugger 😀 We don’t like to play in that weather. Then we are used to playing ABs in that weather so we will be ready 😉
#82 – Yeah I have to agree.
85 – GBS
You think PdV will go with the front row of – Beast, John and BJ? He would be crazy not too. Also WO to start.
Then just hope that FdP is not injured.
JPP also not playing well on this tour. He had better watch it. Mapoe is knocking on that door.
Well we have your team already. New front row – Burger on flank – Roussouw 8 – Hougaard 9 – Matfield back at flank.
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