Legends, Captains and uncle DeV

Let me begin by emphasizing that rugby is definitely "chess played at lightning speed", and just as chess is calculating, precise and, to a point, mathematical so is rugby. However, rugby also involves much more then that, it involves brute force, instinct and natural god given talent. With that very philosophical start out the way let’s get to the practicality of this discussion, but where to start? The booing at ABSA (Kings Park) stadium, the captaincy, the coach, the players, the expensive, aah I mean expansive rugby theory? So much to talk about, so little time!


Well lets start with Percival Colin Montgomery, the boy with the golden boots that grew into one of South African's finest fullbacks, highest South African points scorer and the first and only springbok to reach 100 test caps. Congratulations Percy, it is a great, great achievement! You will go down in history, and just like the 1995 world cup, I will always know everything I did the day you reached your century (unfortunately I wish I could forget the 19-0 defeat).


But Percy its time to take a bow, you have served your country beyond measure, your fellow players hold you up in the highest regard as a professional, a rugby player, a role model and mostly as a person. But you are not the in-form fullback at the moment. The springboks as an entity, as a survival necessity, needs to play the in-form player regardless of how we may want the great players to stick around, every great player eventually needs to step aside to allow the new players to come through.


While I’m on the topic of moving on, I have to ask the question, can a captain remain when a coach is replaced? Ok maybe that is a rather general question that truly can have no correct answer. But with reference to the Jake/Smit context, surely Smit as the right-hand man of Jake, who shared the vision, pushed the plan and without a doubt was there more as a captain then a player, can he now remain to lead the Boks under a new coach who has a vastly different idea of the game, where its going, and how the Boks should play the game.


Captaincy, is Victor the right person for the job? Did the All black game at Newlands show his shortfalls as a captain and reiterate to all those watching how important a great leader is. I know it made me realise how great an asset Smit has been. In that Newlands white wash, you saw a captain fighting with the ref at every break down, visibly getting aggressive with the ref and not actually leading his team, he should have seen how the ref was blowing the game, gone to his players, told them how to adapt to the refs calls and lead by example. In the end, he made the ref favour the Boks less and open the door for other players to throw their two cents in. Not the example of an international rugby captain. (Soccer captain maybe, but not rugby! :))


Should Jean De Villiers be given an opportunity to show his ability as captain? At first I wasn’t too sure of him taking over at WP but I can’t really fault him on anything he did as captain, a really great surprise.

Coach, Uncle Dev, Jake was given enough rope to hang himself, and proved many wrong. I think DeV should be granted the same opportunity, I myself will devote a whole blog to the question of uncle DeV, but for now, the players support you, SA Rugby aren’t firing you, so I support you.

Ok, so far we have discussed legends, coaches and captains, now to focus more on vital positions that I can’t say worry me as much as they excite me with possibility. Every great team has had great players in vital roles, most notably, and for the sake of this argument, fly half and scrumhalf.


There is no doubt in my mind that Eddie Jones really got the best out of Butch during the world cup, I have never seen Butch play as controlled and confident about everything he did as he did in the world cup. I don’t think he is by any means out of contention with regards to the no. 10 jersey, and he has a wealth (as does Percy) of knowledge to pass on to future players, however he himself admits he isn’t the quickest fly half and people are starting to notice a moderate loss of form.


For me there is one clear and obvious choice for the No. 10 slot, a young man I saw playing in a super 14 side as a scrumhalf who in a desperate situation was selected at No. 10, and to many people's surprise he could not be faulted. Ruan Pienaar in my mind is a future legend. He never seems rushed, always seems to be in the right position and has a side step any fly half could hope for. At scrummy I have visions of Joost, Ruan has consistent passing, dependable kicking, and is aware of a gap, and in broken play often seems to see a gap where no one else would. At fly half, I see a little bit of Honnieball, and dare I say Larkam. He has the ability and the rugby mind to truly control a game, the speed and skill to break the advantage line, the boot to kick when he has to, the ability to see a gap, for him or others, and the ball skills to put those outside him into that gap. I see Ruan becoming a great, great South African fly half. I wish he could see that. But until he shows that he truly wants that jersey others should be given a shot.


So who should we be looking at? To make the Bok team you should be the best the country has to offer, and currently Earl Rose is playing blindingly great rugby, there are concerns with size and maybe defense at international level, but, you cant argue that he is in top form, so surely he should be allowed a shot at the title? Especially with the coach considering "management of player" during the upcoming UK tour


What about Steyn? He could be a really good international fly half, BUT he could be one of the most legendary full backs of all time. I have much more to say on this, so look for my future Steyn blog. For now, yes he can play flyhalf, but he isnt my first, second or even third choice for the job.


If you thought fly half had exciting opportunities I guarantee it's nothing in comparison to the scrumhalves South Africa is currently blessed with. I can’t hide the fact that I am a huge Joost fan, so any scrumhalf is going to have a hard time to impress me, given his standard of play. But looking at the guys putting their hands up, it might not be that hard after all.

Du Pree, wow! The man was undoubtedly one of the players of the world cup and even South African rival coaches rate him as the greatest scrumhalf in the world, and they can’t all be wrong. We don’t really need to discuss Du Pree, he is a great player, and with a little more game time will be back to full strength in no time, but I think we could be seeing even greater things from him because he really, really has to work hard if he is to earn that no. 9 jersey.


Cant say "Close on his heels" coz frankly Ricky has not let us down. There was a period where he was carrying a little too much weight, but he worked hard and is nippier then ever, he is a great all round scrumhalf that is hard to pin down and never ever looks like he is slowing down. I had a jack russel that at the age of 8 weeks took on the four dogs across the road, a week and 48 stitches later my dog went back for more. The reason for the story is that I have seen Ricky take hits from people built like dump trucks, the sheer physics of such collisions make no sense, and yet he is up quicker then anyone else and looking for more work. That’s not talent, that’s not taught that’s just plain heart! (or stubbornness?). But all the fluffy, big heart stuff aside, he is a game breaker and has everything it takes to hold onto the Bok no. 9 jersey.


But the list doesn’t stop there, Ruan, Ricky and Fourie are all great options but I need to throw one more into the hat, Rory Cocket. Think about it. Ok, now get rid of your bias (for or against him) because he is a Shark’s player and really think about it. Love or hate him, he is a great scrumhalf.


Well think about all that has been mentioned, I’m open to discussion...


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