There was reason for hope in the Bok camp yesterday.
Gavin Rich and Alison de Villiers writes for the Cape Argus that the chances of the Springboks winning all three matches on their tour of the United Kingdom seemed to brighten considerably yesterday as the two players who hold the key to success north of the equator, John Smit and Bakkies Botha, reminded us why there is reason for optimism.
The skipper and the enforcer are both fit again, and when they attended yesterday’s press conference they appeared enthusiastic, motivated and ready to make the impact that was missed by the Boks in the Tri-Nations season.
That Botha might have made a difference had he been present during the home leg of the Tri-Nations is beyond dispute.
The Boks had massive problems at the breakdowns, but only the very brave or the extremely stupid would contemplate putting their heads or hands into a ruck when the aggressive Botha is around.
The big man appears to be itching to take out the frustrations of sitting on the sidelines for the past few months on his opponents, and his driving presence will be just what the Boks need against northern hemisphere teams that tend to adopt a different approach to forward play.
Much as Botha’s return will boost the confidence of his team, however, his importance does not come near to that of Smit. The captain was the first to admit it is a massive ask to expect him to play tighthead after just three games there for his French club Clermont.
But it is in his leadership role that Smit is so important, and why the selectors took the step that has confounded several scrummaging experts, including Sharks scrum coach Balie Swart and former Springbok strongman Cobus Visagie.
Smit was sorely missed during the Tri-Nations, not least for the influence he was expected to exert in the behind-the-scenes struggle between the coach, assistant coaches and senior players over strategy.
The captain has had a remarkable recovery from a groin injury that even stunned his own doctor, who performed the operation.
“My recovery was faster than expected and when given the chance to play in the Currie Cup, my passion and hunger increased.” said Smit.
On his move to tighthead, Smit said: “I enjoy what I do whether it’s playing or training. And I’m extremely happy for Bismarck (du Plessis), who has come a long way and is earmarked to be a great hooker for the country.
“I will play wherever the coach feels I have to play to make the team better, and I’m only 30 so I’m not retiring anytime soon,” Smit added.
In many ways, the clock has been rewound ahead of this tour, back to June, when Smit played a key on and off-field role in ensuring that not all of the structures put in place by former coach Jake White were thrown out.
The good news for Bok fans is that it appears the senior players have won their battle to play the way they are more comfortable with, and word from the camp is that the Boks are set to continue what they started against Australia in Johannesburg by being strict about where on the field the ball should be run from, and by emphasising structure ahead of heads-up rugby.
When asked if the Boks would switch from a conservative style of play after their adventurous style from the Tri-Nations, coach Peter de Villiers offered: “We will never become conservative and just try different roads to get the best results.”
De Villiers admitted the recent controversies from the alleged sex tape, as well as the sagas around controversial flanker Luke Watson and the Springbok emblem had affected the side mentally.
“Looking back, there are some games we should have won,” he said.
“We need to put the past, whether good or bad, behind us, learn from it and take it into the future.”
Ultimately though Smit, who has toured the UK with the Boks more than any other player in the squad, will probably be the most important figure on this tour as he is the nearest thing you can get to a guarantee that the Boks will continue what they started in the last Tri-Nations match.
In other words, go back to the basics of what they know best and which won them a World Cup in the northern hemisphere just 12 months ago.
If the Boks play the right way then the only thing that could possibly prevent them from completing a clean sweep in Cardiff, Edinburgh and London is if the two disputed selections at flyhalf and the switch of Smit to tighthead, are shown up.
We will only know that next month.
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October 30th, 2008 at 1:26 pm
Rich is seriously reminding me of that reporter who had one massive issue with White and even phoned into Superrugby one evening…
Nothing De Villiers says or does will seemingly change his stance.
Keo did the same thing with White and then ‘apologised’ at the WC.
October 30th, 2008 at 1:43 pm
We all had certain issues
with White – with the exception
of Cab.
Remember Snake White etc.?
Rich is a good observer, also
prepared to stirr.
October 30th, 2008 at 1:47 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 1:43 pm:
Cab is such a diplomat!
And hey I never had issues, he wanted to sue Dawie!!!
Anycase, Rich is within his rights as he is a seasoned journo I suppose – but like Keo most of the time I reckon they take things quite personal at times – we are all only human.
October 30th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Anycase I need to take my car in to get a bearing fixed, will pop in tonight hopefully.
October 30th, 2008 at 1:58 pm
Reply to Morneno @ 1:48 pm:
And I need Aldo – serious
plumbing problem.
October 30th, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Reply to Morneno @ 1:47 pm:
yoh dunno about diplomat, i’ve caused more kak and fought with nearly every one on here, miracle have not been booted.
Reply to Boertjie @ 1:43 pm:
ja and now cant stand him, miskien hanskakie goed naam, dankie. hans.
October 30th, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Reply to cab @ 2:20 pm:
Aag Hans – loop skyt.
That was just a bit of
needling. Coming from me,
you should know by now.
October 30th, 2008 at 2:50 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 2:48 pm:
hehe…sien jy uit na goeie toer of is ons in die kak?
on the positive side, it seems our okes will know some karate, lol, madness.
October 30th, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Reply to cab @ 2:50 pm:
I’m not easy with the 10′s,
especially the Mummy.
Grant would have been less risk,
especially in the NH. Not the best
kicker, but much more powerful and
a good defender.
Smit is in for a pasting against
guys like Sheridan.
It will all depend on :snor: gameplan.
If it’s conservative, with special
attention to the breakdowns, we should
win.
If it’s his prohesied airy fairy stuff,
we’ll get our arses thumped – again.
October 30th, 2008 at 3:12 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 3:01 pm:
agree with all of that. later.
October 30th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
EISH, DIE COP HY EXPLAIN BAIE MOOI!
A cop pulls over a taxi.
The cop approaches the taxi and says to the taxi driver: “License please.”
The taxi driver retorts: “What for?”
So the cop says: “You didn’t come to a complete stop at the stop sign.”
The taxi driver says: “I slowed down, and no one was coming.”
The cop says: “You still didn’t come to a complete stop. Your license please.”
The taxi driver says: “What’s the difference?”
The cop says: “The difference is you have to come to a complete stop and that’s the law. Your license please!”
Taxi driver: “Heish …… if you can show me the difference between
slowing down and stopping, I’ll give you my license and you can give me the ticket, if not, you let me go and give me no ticket.”
So the cop says: “Please step out of your vehicle, sir.”
The taxi driver gets out of his taxi, whereupon the cop takes out his truncheon and starts beating the crap out of the taxi driver……
After a while the cop says: “Now do you want me to stop….. or do you just want me to slow down?”
October 30th, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Reply to Cosa @ 3:16 pm:
Bwahahahahhaaa
only in SA can that be sooooo funny
October 30th, 2008 at 3:41 pm
Ek lees nou net op new24 dat die Bokke met n sterretjie op hulle truie gaan speel – as teken teen Rasisme.
Hoe de moer kan hulle dit doen – as die hele SARU bestuur (insluitende die Pres) en die samestelling van alle SA spanne op Ras gebaseer is?
October 30th, 2008 at 3:49 pm
Reply to PietPloos @ 3:41 pm:
Fkt.
Daar is nou al ‘n vlaggie, ‘n protea,
Mandela se tronknommer, Canterbury en
‘n sterretjie.
Miskien kan hulle ‘n snor onder die
sterretjie plak. Dan lyk dit soos ‘n
poepol met hare om.
October 30th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
October 30th, 2008 at 5:44 pm
That star is not even Bok-green
and Gold – it’s ANC green and
yellow.
October 30th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Boerman
Wil jy nie maar die Comments On knoppie druk nie? Ek sit nou hier en fokkol doen!
October 30th, 2008 at 7:28 pm
Reply to Cosa @ 7:13 pm:
As jy nog hier is sal ek dit net vir jou doen – maar ek sal nie kan saam praat nie ek moet kos begin.
October 30th, 2008 at 7:33 pm
Reply to Boertjie @ 3:49 pm:
Of soos my boetie een keer na ‘n persoon verwys het met bak ore net voor ek en boetman hom en sy connections bietjie pakslae gegee het
“Jy lyk soos ‘n p0€s met ore”
October 30th, 2008 at 7:37 pm
Okay hier is die ERT, hy kan gou Brannas live gooi vir almal.
October 30th, 2008 at 7:39 pm
Eintlik is dit nie 100% wat my boet gese het nie
Die ou het my toe girl oopmond gesoen sopmmer uit die bloute uit by Bandidos
Toe gaan ek en boetie buite om met hom te “chat” – hy het toe twee connections saam met hom – goeie odds
Anyway toe claim hy dat hy ‘n “regsitrateur” is – dis klaarblyklik wat ‘n dokter is voor hy ‘n dokter word.
Ek sien toe sy connection dra ‘n top met die woord “paramedic” op en se toe
“Kak man jy’s net ‘n ou paramedic”
En voor hy kon reageer se my boet
“Nee hy is nie, hy’s ‘n p0€s met ore”
En dis toe die boks geveg begin.
Hulle het weggehardloop en die een het oor sy skouer geskreeu hy gaan nou sy “gun haal”
Maar hulle het nooit terug gekom nie…
October 30th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Reply to Morneno @ 7:37 pm:
Yes yes jou kortgat!
Long time no smell!
Lekker om jou weer te sien
Belowe ek sal nie weer jou argumente oor Pieter De Villiers soos poephol argumnents laat lyk nie
Want as ek doen dan avoid jy my
October 30th, 2008 at 7:45 pm
Naand pisniere en ander opgevoede mense, en ja, naand ook aan die fokken tjarks!
October 30th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Yes yes Cosa
Hoe gannit daar in die swart Jakaranda Stad?
Het jy darem jou besware kon indien teen die naam veranderinge?
October 30th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Spoor
Line jy ons nou op soos ‘n o/9 meisies 40meter wedloop, en as jy die fluitjie blaas, dis fokken eight bells, dan hol ons almal om te post?
October 30th, 2008 at 7:47 pm
Reply to DavidS Die Skim @ 7:42 pm:
Jy is net gellukig jou bliksem.
Elke keer as jy wakker skrik is ek weg – ek wag al n lang tyd om jou kak te hap!!!
Maar ek moet nou eers nog kos maak – of ek is al klaar besig.
So ek kom net so nou en dan loer tot die kos klaar is. Dan sal ek hopelik kom chat as Daboe of klein Satan rustig is.
October 30th, 2008 at 7:49 pm
Reply to Cosa @ 7:47 pm:
Ek gaan normale dinge maar hulle gaan laat gaan – Brannas is oop in 10 minute, en ek het al 4 brannas klaar geslaan – werk op nommer 5 so ek hoop mense eet gaar kos vanaand.
October 30th, 2008 at 7:51 pm
Reply to DavidS Die Skim @ 7:47 pm:
Nee! Ek het ‘n nuwe besigheid, ek en my span steel tussen 2h00 en 4h00 straatnaamborde, ons verkoop dit aan die scrapyard.
Hierdie naamsveranderinge is goed, die “history freaks” in die span gee nie meer om om die grinder op die straatnaampale te druk nie!
:lekka bucks:
October 30th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Reply to Cosa @ 7:47 pm:
Ek hoop net daar’s kaalgat cherries om te perv
Reply to Morneno @ 7:47 pm:
Ek het klaar gekook
Moet nou nou kiddies in die bed sit
Reply to Morneno @ 7:49 pm:
Ek scheme ek sal maar eers hier chat en nie die pisnier se surprise spoil nie
October 30th, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Reply to DavidS Die Skim @ 7:47 pm:
Nog bitter pis, en ek haat daai fokken fisse nog!
October 30th, 2008 at 7:55 pm
Reply to DavidS Die Skim @ 7:53 pm:
“Ek scheme ek sal maar eers hier chat en nie die pisnier se surprise spoil nie
”
Wats die surprise? Kom PDP, ek bedoel PDV, met ons gesels vanaand?
October 30th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Reply to Cosa @ 7:51 pm:
Hou die goed
Hulle gaan collectors items word
Maar nou ja ek twyfel want daar’s al reeds so baie ou straatnaam borde op die scrapjaart….
October 30th, 2008 at 7:58 pm
twee beels
Vroulief is hier
Die Jode het alweer hulle pond vleis gekry
October 30th, 2008 at 8:00 pm
Reply to DavidS Die Skim @ 7:56 pm:
Jy maak ‘n fout, ons steel net nuwes. Hulle is niks geroes nie en kakkerig ingesit.
October 31st, 2008 at 3:43 am
Smit’s good… but unfortunately not even he can carry Snor any longer…