We Won...I Guess

So the Boks successfully managed to clinch a victory over the Lions in the first test in Durban, the final score being 26 - 21. But of course no one can ignore our poor play in the last 25 minutes. We dominated in the first half, going into the break leading by 19 points to seven. We dominated at the lineouts, the scrums and at the breakdowns. Heinrich Brussow in particular was superb. I'd also like to add that I'm happy to say that Ruan Pienaar proved me wrong, playing excellently (apart from his 2 knock-ons). Even his goal-kicking was good, which I don't think I've ever said about Pienaar. Fans Steyn played poorly and proved his lack of ability to be fullback. What I think wouldn't be too bad a combination to try out is Olivier with Devilliers at centres, with Jaque Fourie at fullback. I say this because Adi Jacobs looks like he's back to his old self; foiling opportunities and wasting possession. Bryan Habana was also incredibly average, not creating a single opportunity of even partially exciting the crowd. JP Pietersen was average but was superb on defence, making many crucial tackles to stunt the Lions' momentum. Fourie DuPreez had the worst game of his life. Constant errors and poor judgement, deffinately not like him. January too had a shocker, even in the short amount of time he played. Jano Vermaak should have made the Bok squad over him. All-in-all the forwards were very good. Beast absolutely dominating at the scrums and Matfield being a real nuisence to the Lions' line-outs. The whole back-row played well, especially Brussow, and as soon as he went off it all went pair-shaped.After about 55 minutes of dominating we really battled and didn't even look like troubling the Lions. Why is this? Simple: Whenever we get the ball we kick the possession away, hence the final possession count being 68% to 32% to the Lions. We never tried to make a hard run which is a huge problem in South African rugby. It seemed like almost every time the ball was given to the backs it would be kicked away. Not once did we play more than five phases, the lions did 7 times and they scored more tries then us, and Jones missed 2 penalties. There are too many Sharks players in the backline that shouldn't be there, because this is what ruined the Sharks Super 14 and if the Boks play like this, it will cost us dearly. Morne Steyn needs to be the starting fly-half, with Pienaar on the bench. DeVilliers and Fourie or DeVilliers and Olivier should be the centers, and maybe try JP Pietersen at fullback, putting Nokwe on the wing with Habana. This would be a much more threatening backline and when Morne Steyn does kick, he kicks cleverly, a thing only Pienaar did this game. Now yes Juan Smith had a great game, but I'm telling you Kankowski would be great against a team like the Lions. MAybe it should be considered to put him in at number 7. Imagine, Pierre Spies and Ryan Kankowski partners! That is a dream team! Then Schalk Burger or Brussow at flank, the amazing combo of Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha! Wow! The Lions wouldn't smell the ball at the breakdowns. All-in-all I'd say I blame the rustiness for what happened, and am quite confident that we should win the next test comfortably. Well done to Beast for getting man of the match.

The Team for the first test against the Lions is a shocker!

I'll start off with good news, Heinrich Brussow has been called up to Springbok duty. The bad news, it's due to the injury sustained by star flanker Schalk Burger. But the nightmares keep getting worse. Peter Devilliers has managed to mess the Springbok team up beyond repair. John Smit has been put at prop, which, as proved in the Super 14 by some terrible performances, he just can not play. The always over-rated Bismarck comes in at number 2, probably because our line outs are so good they needed to make it fair to the lions. Painful Pienaar who knocks-on, miss-passes and shanks the ball beyond redemption comes in at number 10 ahead of the quick, skilled and actually hand-eye coordinated Morne Steyn. Somehow, JP Pietersen has passed Natal U12's and has made the Boks. And of course, put the most incapable of making a single decision at fullback, a position where you make all the decisions. Frans Steyn has made the starting XV at the position he's worst at. Well done Peter DeVilliers! No offence to Adi Jacobsm but, how the hell is Jaque Fourie not in the starting XV? Fourie and Jean DeVilliers - that's like a dream centre combination, which Peter DeVilliers is obviously far too stupid to realise. There is one good thing, with this team, at least the Lions encounter will be a close one. 'Cause you know, God forbid if we actually put in our best team instead of one depicted on race and politics, we'd murder the Lions. The Sharks have a dreadful backline yet 4 out of the 7 backs are Sharks!!! Are you kidding me?!

THE PROPER BACKLINE:
10. Morne Steyn
11. Bryan Habana
12. Jean DeVilliers
13. Adi Jacobs
14. Jongi Nokwe
15. Jaque Fourie (Despite the Fourie - DeVilliers dream team. This is because idiotic coach Peter Devilliers didn't choose a first-positioned fullback (Terblanche, Ludik, Kirchner?)

The Sharks - Over-rated team

I might have a few Natal Sharks supporters upset after this but I, being a former Sharks supporter, am fed up with the Sharks' poor performances being sugar-coated. Often when I criticise the Sharks, someone will bring up the fact that the Sharks won the 2008 ABSA Currie-Cup, and made the final of the 2007 Super14. If you really watch the Sharks' games you will see that neither were deserved. The worst factor about the Sharks' rugby, is their almost complete incapability of scoring a four-try bonus point. Nearly every single game the Sharks scrape a win by a couple of points, failing to secure a bonus point against teams like the Lions and the Cheetas. We do alright in the Currie-Cup, but when it comes to the Super14, watching the Sharks is like watching a Kevin Federline rap video - it's pathetic and just makes you mad. I get incredibly annoyed when the commentators say how well we played when we beat teams like the Golden Lions by about 10 points without securing a bonus point. A "world-class" team like the Sharks should stampede over a team like the Golden Lions. But there are many factors that make this the case. It needs to be said, he's an alright player, but Johan Muller has got to be the worst captain in the history of rugby. With no leadership skills and positively ghastly decision making, Johan Muller has reduced the Sharks' amount of tries dramatically. It is unacceptable how he makes Rory Kockott kick for posts from out of his range, instead of going for the try. I love Rory Kockott but let's be honest, His maximum range is about 40 - 43 metres, and even then it's a slim-chance of him slotting the kick. But skipper Johan Muller insists on kicking for goal, 50m out into the wind. It just seems like he doesn't care about the bonus-point, but as the 2009 Super14 proved, constant wins without bonus points will end up being as good as losses as the elusive bonus-point victory was the reason why the Sharks didn't reach the semis. The Sharks tried their best to get the bonus-point try against the Bulls in that crucial match, and succeeded, and did deserve to win. They were unlucky. My point being, that if they played with this attitude against the inferior teams, they would achieve far greater results in the Super14. But to be honest, I now find myself a Bulls supporter. The Sharks' boring approach to the game has driven me, a once crazy Sharks fan, to lose interest in the team. They keep this up and I know many Sharks-lovers will feel the exact way I do. Another poor quality the Sharks have is that awful train wreck they call a back-line. It starts off well, with Rory Kockott at Scrumhalf. He is excellent and is great to watch. Then number 10 - Ruan Pienaar. He is regarded as a world class player. I quite frankly do not believe it. Flyhalve's ball-handling skills are supposed to be superb, but really, I don't think any player has more career knock-ons than Pienaar. I don't rate him whatsoever as he isn't greatly quick, poor handling and passing, average kicking, revolting goal kicking and every game he misses about two or three tackles. The Sharks need to get Michalak back. JP Pieterson comes in at wing. His problem is that one stage he's in the form of his life, then a couple of weeks later he can't score a try against Natal Under13C. Frans Steyn clocks in at inside centre. After terrific form in 2007, Frans hasn't done anything helpful since the World Cup. I can see he has talent, but he doesn't have the mind for rugby and needs to work on his mental game. To be honest, I definitely don't see it as a big blow for the Sharks that he's off to France. as far as I'm concerned, GOOD RIDDENS! Adi Jacobs used to seem like one of the worst players we had all ever seen. It is great how he's come back strong and is now one of the best South African players at the moment. Odwa Ndungane is on the right-wing and I genuinely don't believe he's made the Bok squad, let alone the Sharks. He scored 2 tries in the 2009 Super14. That's unacceptable for a Country-Representing winger. Stefan Terblanche at fullback is one of the best players I've ever seen. He's one of the very few Sharks who uses his head and doesn't make rash decisions. A player I want to comment on is Bismarck DuPlessis. Somehow he has accumulated a reputation as the best hooker in the country. With nearly as many knock-ons as Pienaar, zero line-out throwing ability and just a general buzz-killing way of playing, Bismarck Duplessis is the most over-rated player in the world. I just want to comment that I love Ryan Kankowski. He is one of the most simply outstanding forwards to ever play the game. As far as I'm concerned, South Africa has the 2 fastest forwards in the world in Pierre Spies and Ryan Kankowski. He very rarely makes mistakes and often sets up an amazing try for JP Pietersen to finish off and take all the credit for. When the Sharks make some changes and start scoring some bonus-points, I'll maybe start wearing black and white again. But as for now, my blood is blue!

SA Rugby - Issues

South Africa has many rugby issues now, especially now that it is almost time for the first test against the British and Irish Lions. A query people seem to frequently have is, "Why is Heinrich Brussow not in the Bok squad?" Heinrich Brusow (Cheetas) has been nominated for various SARU (South African Rugby Union) awards and has achieved plenty with his impeccible ball skills in open play, and at the breakdowns. He has won over many fans and has brought many a crowd to their feet. So why is he not included amongst others in the Bok squad? My answer is that Peter Devilliers did not search very hard for talent. There are many others who should be in the Bok squad but have been over-looked. Jean Deysel (Sharks) and Louis Ludik (Lions) have both made the Emerging Boks, but I feel,they should have made the real thing. Keegan Daniel was also a player I was hoping to see make a debut in green and gold. Not to mension, there are a few selections that have no way of being described other than "poor." I was stunned to see the rather ordinary prop Deon Carstens make the cut, not to mension erratic fly-half Earl Rose. The fact is simple that Earl Rose is not good enough to play at international levels. He has cost his franchise team many a game and is incapable of making key decisions. Though Sharks' fullback Stefan Terblanche most probably wouldn't play till the next world cup in 2011, he should've been added just for this lions tour as he possesses something only a rare few South African rugby players possess, an actual idea of what to do next. I think he should've been added for this test series and then that would be it - besides, John Smit said that the Boks are treating this like a world cup final. Ruan Pienaar is the most over-rated player in world rugby. I wouldn't even put him in my Sharks XV. His constant knok-ons, poor goal-kicking and dreadful passing make the Sharks' rugby torture to watch. To be quite frank, I do not think that Frans Steyn should be in the springbok squad. He doesn't have the mind for flyhalf or fullback, not the pace for wing and quite frankly not enough skills for centre. Steyn should consider trying out for flank. One of the Ndunganes should have made it but Peter DeVilliers chose the wrong one. Odwa is a wing for the Sharks yet only scored 2 tries. His brother Akona, who plays for the Bulls, scored more than double this and did not make it. I like Adi Jacobs and no doubt he is quite a talent, but, Jaque Fourie should Start with Jean DeVilliers and Adi should come on off the bench. Bismarck DuPlessis is a player that I can not believe everyone rates. He takes an abundance of time to throw the ball in and most of the time either misses his man or throws it in skew. John Smit should be hooker not prop and his replacement, Adriaan Strauss (Cheetas) should be his replacement. Chilliboy Rallepelle should no doubt not be included.

My Starting XV (For Lions Tour):
1. Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira
2. John Smit
3. Jannie DuPlessis
4. Victor Matfield
5. Bakkies Botha
6. Schalk Burger
7. Heinrich Brussow
8. Pierre Spies
9. Fourie DuPreez
10. Morne Steyn
11. Jongi Nokwe
12. Jean DeVilliers
13. Jaque Fourie
14. Louis Ludik
15. Stefan Terblanche (After Lions tour, Habana at wing and Ludik at fullback)