Looking at the pivotal position of flyhalf, the Cheetahs were derailed last year, by the long term injury to Johan Goosen, and the sudden loss of confidence by replacement Sias Ebersohn. The knock on effect for the Cheetahs was debilitating, to say the least. A repeat must be prevented.
The Contenders:
Johannes (Johan) Lodewikus Goosen:
Age: 20 years – 27 July 1992
Vital Statistics: (H) 185 cm (W) 87 kg
Born in Burgersdorp, Johan actually started playing as a flank, and then moved to fly half. At an early age “The Goose” as he is affectionately called, showcased great skill and understanding of the game. After Grade 8, he moved to Grey College in Bloemfontein. He has represented the Free State at all levels, and made the SA Schools team in 2009, and in 2010 he was selected for the u/18 High Performance Squad that played in the Four Nations tournament vs. England, France and Argentina. In 2011 he participated in the IRB Junior World Championship.
In 2012, he made his Super Rugby debut, and such was his impact, that he was topping the score sheets, up until he sustained a serious shoulder injury vs. the Highlanders, in the act of scoring a great try.
Despite only playing a combined 40 minutes of Currie Cup rugby, he was called up to the Bok squad, preparing for the Rugby Championship match vs. Australia in Perth. He made his debut, off the bench in that match, and replaced a misfiring Morne Steyn vs. The All Blacks in Dunedin and made massive difference, taking the ball flat, and attacking the line with purpose. The Boks might have won, had Goosen been brought on sooner. He started a match for the Boks for the first time vs. Australia at Loftus, and despite struggling with a sore heel, that affected his usually accurate goal kicking, he was an attacking force, that ignited the backline, resulting in a 5 try rout of the Wallabies. In the next match vs. The All Blacks in Soweto, he injured his knee in the 1st half, opening the door for Elton Jantjies. Johan will look forward to a 2012 with less injury disruptions, and cement his bok place.
Rugby Career:
- 2005 – Border (u/13 Craven Week).
- 2008 – Konica Minolta Free state (Grant Khomo u/16 Week), u/16 Elite Squads.
- 2009 – Free State (Coca Cola u/18 Craven week), SA Schools u/18.
- 2010 – Free State (Coca Cola u/18 Craven week), SA u/18 High Performance Squad, Schools u/18, Free State (ABSA u/19 Competition).
- 2011 – Toyota Free State Cheetahs (Vodacom Cup), Toyota Free State Cheetahs (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Junior Springboks (IRB Junior World Championship).
- 2012 – Toyota Free State Cheetahs (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Toyota Cheetahs (Vodacom Super 15), Springboks (Castle Rugby Championship).
Francois Brummer:
Age: 23 years – 17 May 1989
Vital Statistics: (H) 183 cm (W) 91 kg
Born in Pretoria, and a Waterkloof old boy, Brummer was once regarded as a hot fly half prospect at the Bulls. He is one of only a few players that have played in 3 IRB Junior World cups! He represented the Bulls at the 2005 u/16 Grant Khomo week, u/18 Craven Weeks. and senior levels. He also represented the Junior Boks in the 2008 IRB u/19 World Championship. He made his Super rugby debut in 2010 (5 caps). Stuck behind Morne Steyn, and Jacques Louis Potgieter, influenced his decision to move to Griquas in search of more game time. In 2012, he was influential in the Griquas success. Though unlikely to lift Goosen out the starting berth, he will add value as a back up option.
Rugby Career:
- 2005 – Blue Bulls (Grant Khomo u/16 Week).
- 2006 – Blue Bulls (Coca Cola u/18 Craven Week).
- 2007 – Blue Bulls (Coca Cola u/18 Craven Week), Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA u/19 Competition), Junior Springboks (IRB u/19 World Championship).
- 2008 – Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA u/19 Competition),Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA u/21 Competition), Vodacom Blue Bulls (Vodacom Cup), Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Junior Springboks (IRB Junior World Championship).
- 2009 – Vodacom Blue Bulls (Vodacom Cup), Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Junior Springboks (IRB Junior World Championship).
- 2010 – Blue Bulls (ABSA u/21 Competition), Blue Bulls (Vodacom Cup), Blue Bulls (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Vodacom Bulls (Vodacom super 14).
- 2011 – Vodacom Blue Bulls (Vodacom Cup), Vodacom Blue Bulls (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Vodacom Bulls (Vodacom super 15).
- 2012 – GWK Griquas (Vodacom Cup), GWK Griquas (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division).
Elgar Graeme Watts:
Age: 32 years – 24 September 1985
Vital Statistics: (H) 181 cm (W) 87 kg
Born in Paarl, Elgar represented Boland at the 2003 u/18Craven Week. He made his provincial debut for Boland in 2008, after starring for Maties, in the 2006 Club Championships. Apart from a season with the Pumas in 2010, Watts has played his entire provincial career with Boland, and was instrumental in them winning the First Division Currie Cup in 2011. He also represented the SA Barbarians South vs. the touring English in 2012. Elgar has the all round skills , and will fit in well with the Cheetahs style of rugby. In fact the sequence of events that culminated in Sias Ebersohns decision to move overseas, was probably the reason why Naka contracted Watts.
Rugby Career:
- 2006 – Maties (Fidentia National club Championship).
- 2008 – Boland Cavaliers (Vodacom Cup), Boland Cavaliers(ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division).
- 2009 – Boland Cavaliers (Vodacom Cup), Boland (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division), Southern Kings (British & Irish Lions Tour).
- 2010 – Pumas (Vodacom Cup), Barloworld Toyota Pumas (ABSA Currie Cup Premier Division).
- 2011 – Boland Cavaliers (Vodacom Cup), Regent Boland Cavaliers(ABSA Currie Cup First Division) DHL Stormers (Vodacom Super 15).
- 2012 – Regent Boland Cavaliers, (Vodacom Cup), Regent Boland Cavaliers(ABSA Currie Cup First Division), SA Barbarians South (Castle incoming Tours vs. England).
Johannes Petrus Jacobus (Hansie) Graaff:
Age: 23 years – 10 September 1989
Vital Statistics: (H) 190 cm (W) 94 kg
Born in Pretoria, and a scholar from Wonderboom in Pretoria, Hansie could well turn out to a bolter in 2013. A relatively unknown player, who only caught the eyes of the Griffons selectors due to his performances for TUT in the Varsity Cup. He was offered a contract to play for Griffons in 2012, and was named the SA First Division Player of the Year, which is remarkable in that he only moved to flyhalf midway through the season. Hansie has also caught the eye of National Sevens coach, Paul Treu. An accurate goal kicker, and he has good distribution skills. It will be interesting to see what it was that piqued, Paul Treu’s interest. All of sudden, Naka has 3 experienced players in Goosen, Brummer and Watts, plus another exciting youngster.
Rugby Career:
- 2010 – TUT (Varsity Cup).
- 2011 – TUT (Varsity Cup).
- 2012 – TUT (Varsity Cup), Griffons (Vodacom Cup), Griffons (ABSA Currie Cup First Division),
“Wunderkind” Goosen has the inside track for the fly half berth, but should another injury curse strike, a repeat of 2012’s disaster at flyhalf , should be averted, as Brummer has excelled at flyhalf for the Griquas.
Brummer is a serious talent, who lost his mojo at the Bulls. Not many players have represented the Junior Boks in three consecutive tournaments. Elgar Watts is solid if not spectacular, but the Flyhalf bolter could well be the new “kid” on the block Hansie Graaff. Paul Treu is usually an astute judge of talent, and he was more than mildly interested in Graaff.
All in all, the Cheetahs are seemingly well covered in this position for 2013, seeing that in a crisis, Riaan “True Blue” Smit can also slot in at 10, having gained experience in playing fly half in 2012.
Well at least we have 1 excellent flyhalf.
1 @ Loosehead,
1 @ Loosehead,
Your modesty should be a lesson to them 2 Shark Trolls lol.
Brummer was a very good flyhalf playing in 3 successive Junior World Cups, but the bools gotta hold of him, which screwed his programming but solid
Last year at the Kwas, he was playing good rugby again. Also watch the Graaff boykie, he has caught Treu’s eye, and he played well at the 7’s tourney. Big and fast, with a nice eye for space.
Nah, we are in good shape at FH. True Blue smit is also okayish as a back up.
3 @ Cheetah4eva:
Goosen is a seriously good flyhalf, though would like to see him have a full season next year. Felt there was a huge gap once he picked up that shoulder injury. After that think Cheetahs struggled without him.
How good is Brummer C4E? Compare him to Goosen? Not sure if he is in that class, then not really sure. What you think?
5 @ Puma,
In my opinion, only Lambie rates anywhere near Goosen. Brummer played well for Kwas last year in the CC. Nobody plays in three Junior World Cups sans any talent, so he has it, he just lost his way a tad (don’t most ex Bulls FH’s??).
He isn’t a game breaker like Goosen, but he can control a match well, and he gets a backline moving pretty smartly. He was second only to Fouche in the scorers table in the CC, ahead of Catrakillis, and Jantjies, so he is pretty consistent.
@ Cheetah4eva:
Do post on another forum under the name Wilson’s Toffee?
@ Loosehead,
How rude? Lol, nope which forum would that be? I always blog as Cheetah4eva or Cheetah4ever.
Only other pseudonym I used was on the Sharksworld blog, because it kept giving me kak with my usual nick. There I am KingCheetah.
Lol, did the Toffee dude make his name … well erm toffee?
8 @ Cheetah4eva: Nooit, he is also a VRYSTAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT supporter from the Lowveld.
Planet-Rugby forum
9@ Loosehead, Cool I will check him out. The more the merrier lol
6 @ Cheetah4eva:
Yes have to agree, Goosen and Lambie are the two flyhalves to go forward with the Boks this year. Both are pure class.
So for Cheetahs that means you have good cover for Goosen, not in Goosen’s class it seems, but good enough for cover. Would like to see Goosen go through this season without picking up a injury, felt for the youngster last year after hurting his shoulder then just to be rushed into the Bok side then to pick up another big injury. Great flyhalf though so looking forward to seeing him play this year. Without Goosen Cheetahs never looked the same last year. Goosen is a big player for Cheetahs, that goes for Coenie as well as Strauss and if Juan can play most definitely Juan too. Also like your scrummie also a class player.
10 @ Cheetah4eva:
Hello Cheetah, hope you meant in your answer there – the more lowvelders the merrier
Cheetah looks like you guys are quite happy with your flyhalves, a lot being said about the (to me) unknown Graaff, will be interesting to hear how he gets on although do you think he will get much game time? Looking at things from a complete outsiders point of view (only the people involved at the Cheetahs will really know how things went) I feel that Sias Ebersohn was treated a bit shabbily by Free State, at a time when he should have been getting game time alongside his twin boetie he was playing second fiddle to Louis Strydom I think it was, then he gets his break and sounds like he puts in many good performances so much so that I seem to remember a few folk touting him for higher honours, then this year all of a sudden he is back in the queue behind the Golden Boy, so its not surprise he decides maybe its time to look elsewhere, in the process of it all his form suffers and is written off by some folk, eish man poor guy – well that is my take on it from afar.
Good that you are happy with Brummer, it was disapointing to see that he didn’t make the most of his chances at rugby HQ , hopefully he will deliver on the promise that must have been showing to many as a youngster.
Only one question why are all these flyhalves 23 years old?
15 @ Bullscot:
Thanks for the heads up… I went and fixed it for us.
Johan Goosen is great, even spectacular… if, and only if he could remain injury free.
I have my grave doubts about that though, with both shoulders having snapped in his first big season.
Backup…. well I think this Hansie Tuingraaf kid has some special talent… and it is well known that I think of Brummer as a brommer.
Elgar Watts is not shabby… I rate him better than Louis Fouché at the Bulls (Fouché has a mule boot and offers nothing else).
So, keep Goosen injury free, protect him well…. work out special defensive patterns in his channell, and the Cheetahs should be OK.
@ Bully,
Nope, the more Cheetahs supporters in the world makes it a better place
So far, all I have seen of Graaff has been his games at the Sevens tournament recently. He does look promising.
As for Sias, he sure did get a bum deal when Louis Strydom was still at the Cheetahs, much to my frustration. In 2011 he really stepped up, but regarding the 2012 season, he was clearly second to Goosen, and when he did get his shot, he was strangely off colour, losing us two clear matches. His attitude was also not so cool, which all became a bad vibe.
I was sorry to see him go, but he was badly low on confidence, and to be fair to Naka, he did give Sias another shot after missing a sitter vs. the Highlanders, which cost us that match, but he was woeful in the next match too,which resulted in True Blue Smit moved to FH.
also ex Lowvelder here – Nelspruit old boy
This year will tell us if Goosen is the rugby freak most make him out to be, The Cheetahs are looking stronger and stronger this year.
Will they push for the no 3 spot in the conference…
17 @ GBS,
I think Brummer was pretty good in quite a few matches in the CC, but he hasn’t lived up to his early promise for sure.
Think all squads are looking pretty decent overall. The Queens have some talent in patches, but the rest look pretty settled.
20 @ Cheetah4eva:
I still have to do the Bulls & Southern Kings Flyhalves articles, will do them just after dark tonight…. unlike some of the other bums here, I work for a living… hehehe
@ Gena,
Small world! Cool what year were you in Nelspruit?
20 @ Cheetah4eva:
Brummer played better at the Griquas in 2012 than he ever played at the Blue Bulls. At the Blue Bulls he was a pain in the arse, a real donkey!
Still, if you ask me if he is close to Super Rugby quality, I would have to laugh and say, hey fark no!
22 @ Cheetah4eva:
My cousin Basie Geldenhuys is also in Nelspruit, he’s a big nob in road construction circles in that area
Cheetah4eva wrote:
1987 – Rob Ferreira – White River
1988 – Nelspruit Hoërskool
Also did some primary school years there
Schutte Bekker was one year behind me – great guy
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