This is the 6th in the series of Cheetahs Squad Contenders for Super Rugby 2014. We do 2 articles per week per South African Super Rugby participating franchise.
We discuss the players IN the Super Rugby Group, and not all the options beyond that.
In this Article we look at the contenders for FLYHALVES in the Toyota Cheetahs 2014 Super Rugby group, and whether they could force their way into Bok contention.
The Contenders:
Name: Francois Brummer:
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Francois Brummer is a product of Elardus Park Primary School and Waterkloof High School.
He started his career back in 2005 for the Blue Bulls at Under 16 level. From there he went on to represent the Blue Bulls at all age levels and eventually found himself in their Currie Cup Premier Division side and Super Rugby side. Whilst at the Blue Bulls he also represented the Junior Springbok side on 3 seperate seasons, in 2007, 2008 and 2009. In 2012 he made a move down to Kimberley to join the GWK Griquas where he is still plying his trade at provincial level and is also currently representing the Toyota Cheetahs at Super Rugby level.
Brummer is the only Griquas flyhalf in the squad. One has to wonder if that affects the pecking order. The Toyota Cheetahs have some good flyhalves, so picking a starter and replacement will not be easy.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2005 – Blue Bulls – U16 Coca Cola Grant Khomo Week
- 2006 – Blue Bulls – U18 Coca Cola Craven Week
- 2007 – Blue Bulls – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week, South Africa – IRB Under 19 World Championship, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2008 – Vodacom Blue Bulls – Vodacom Cup, South Africa – IRB Junior World Championship, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Under 21 Competition, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2009 – Bulls – MTN test, Vodacom Blue Bulls – Vodacom Cup, South Africa – IRB Junior World Championships, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2010 – Vodacom Bulls – Vodacom Super 14, Vodacom Blue Bulls – Vodacom Cup, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Under 21 Competition, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2011 – Vodacom Blue Bulls – Vodacom Cup, Vodacom Bulls – Vodacom Super Rugby, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Vodacom Blue Bulls – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2012 – GWK Griquas – Vodacom Cup, GWK Griquas – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2013 – Toyota Cheetahs – Lions Challenge, GWK Griquas – Vodacom Cup, Toyota Cheetahs – Vodacom Super Rugby, GWK Griquas – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, GWK Griquas – ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation
Name: Johan Goosen:
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Johan Goosen is a product of Burgersdorp Primary School and Grey College in Bloemfontein.
He started his career back in 2008 for the Free State at Under 16 level and still resides at the Free State Cheetahs. Goosen also previously represented Border at Under 13 level. Goosen also represent the Junior Springboks in 2011 and from there went on to make his Springbok debut in 2012.
Johan is an all round flyhalf, he is good in all aspects of the game and this will in all likelyhood see him start most games. He has however been plagued by injuries (both shoulders and a troubling heel injury) in his early senior career and can only hope that this is now behind him. As history would suggest, it would seem that we will only be seeing Goosen in about 4 to 5 games in Super Rugby before injury strikes again.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2005 – Border – U13 Coca Cola Craven Week
- 2008 – South Africa – U/16 Elite Squads, Konica Minlota Free State – U16 Coca-Cola Grant Khomo Week
- 2009 – Free State – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week, South Africa – SA U/18 High Performance, South Africa – SA Schools
- 2010 – Free State – U18 Coca-Cola Craven Week, South Africa – SA U18 High Performance, Free State – ABSA Under 19 Competition
- 2011 – Toyota Free State Cheetahs – Vodacom Cup, South Africa – IRB Junior World Championships, Emerging Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Toyota Free State Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2012 – Toyota Cheetahs – Vodacom Super Rugby, Toyota Free State Cheethas – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Springboks – The Rugby Championship
- 2013 – Toyota Cheetahs – Vodacom Super Rugby, Toyota Free State Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Springbokssquad member – Castle Lager Outgoing Tour
Name: Adriaan Jacobus “Riaan or True Blue” Smit:
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Riaan Smit is a product of Jan van Riebeeck Primary School and the Springs High Technical School.
He started his career in 2004 with the Leopards at Under 20 level. He remained at the Leopards until 2006 when he made the move to the Pumas for the 2007 season. In 2008 he went on to represent the Valke before moving back to the Leopards in 2009 to represent them in the Vodacom Cup. In 2010 he made his career move to the Free State Cheetahs.
Smit is a consistent player. Most people will feel that he is not the best starting flyhalf in this side and is a better replacement as he can play a number of positions in the backline and on top of it is a good kicker to posts. I would have to agree on that. If Johan Goosen remains injury free, Smit could find himself seeing a lot of bench time, if any at all.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2004 – Leopards – ABSA U20 Competition Section A
- 2005 – Leopards – ABSA Under 21 Competition
- 2006 – Impala Leopards – ABSA Currie Cup First Division, Impala Leopards – Vodacom Cup, Puk Rugby Institute – Fidentia National Club Championships
- 2007 – Witbank Mica Pumas – Vodacom Cup, Witbank Mica Pumas – ABSA Currie Cup Qualifiers, Witbank Mica Pumas – ABSA Currie Cup First Division
- 2008 – Valke – Vodacom Cup, Valke – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2009 – Platinum Leopards – Vodacom Cup
- 2010 – Free State – Vodacom Cup, Griffons – ABSA Currie Cup First Division, Vodacom Free State Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2011 – Toyota Free State Cheetahs – Vodacom Cup, Toyota Cheetahs – Vodacom Super Rugby, Emerging Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Toyota Free State Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2012 – Toyota Cheetahs – Vodacom Super Rugby, Toyota Free State XV – Vodacom Cup, Toyota Free State Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2013 – Toyota Free State XV – Vodacom Cup, Toyota Cheetahs – Vodacom Super Rugby, Toyota Free State Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
Name: Elgar Graeme “Elgar” Watts:
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Elgar Watts is a product of Dalweide Primary School, Klein Nederberg, Boland College and University of Stellenbosch (Maties).
He started his career back in 2008 for the Boland Kavaliers. He played for them until the end of the 2009 season and then moved to the Pumas for the 2010 season. He returned to the Boland in 2011 and also found himself part of the DHL Stormers squad but was never capped and selected to play. He remained with the Boland up until 2012 and in this time also represented the SA Barbarians in the Castle Incoming Tours in 2012. In 2013 he made his move to the Cheetahs and is still applying his trade there.
Watts is also a very capable replacement. He also showed in the 2013 season when all other flyhalves were out with injuries, that he can indeed start a game and is often underrated. He has quite a good left boot and is also fairly accurate with his goal kicking.
His playing career is as follows:
- 2006 – Maties – Fidentia National Club Championships
- 2008 – Boland Kavaliers – ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation, Boland Kavaliers – Vodacom Cup, Boland Kavaliers – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
- 2009 – Bloand Kavaliers – Vodacom Cup, Southern Kings – British & Irish Lions Tour, Boland – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Boland Kavaliers – ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation
- 2010 – Pumas – Vodacom Cup, Barloworld Toyota Pumas – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division, Barloworld Toyota Pumas – ABSA Currie Cup Promotion / Relegation
- 2011 – Boland Kavaliers – Vodacom Cup, DHL Stormers squad member – Vodacom Super Rugby, Boland Kavaliers – ABSA Currie Cup Compulsory Friendlies, Regent Boland Kavaliers – ABSA Currie Cup First Division
- 2012 – Regent Boland Kavaliers – Vodacom Cup, SA Barbarians South – Castle Incoming Tours, Regent Boland Kavaliers – ABSA Currie Cup First Division
- 2013 – Toyota Free State XV – Vodacom Cup, Toyota Cheetahs – Vodacom Super Rugby, Toyota Free State Cheetahs – ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division
Starters:
The Toyota Cheetahs have well rounded flyhalves with a lot of experience between them. It is almost certain that Johan Goosen will be the starting flyhalf in this team and if he lasts more than 3 games this year, will most likely stay the starting flyhalf and go on to represent the Springboks again too.
Who will be the bench warmer? Well that is not easy, as all the remaining flyhalves are good and consistent but not Springbok material. So the best the the coach can do here is to throw all the remaining three players names into a hat on a Monday before training and draw a name as to who will be bench player that coming weekend.
I feel that the Cheetahs have the most quality depth in the SA conference at flyhalf and that means quite a bit in a long competition.
The next Article in the range will deal with the Cheetahs midfield.
I’d play Johan Goosen as starter (till injuries hit him again), with Elgar Watts on the bench.
Cheetahs certainly are well-covered at flyhalf… but I’ve been saying it about every position so far!
Francois Brummer is still somewhat of a “Brommer” in my mind, since his Blue Bulls days.
Let this be Goosen’s year!
3 @ Loosehead:
I hope so too.
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