Ruan Pienaar
Get better as quickly as possible, Fourie du Preez!
That should be the earnest, continued wish of all astute Springbok enthusiasts… even given the knowledge that his return to fitness after an ankle operation for national team purposes probably only comes in time for next year’s roster.
But with 2015 hardly unimportant as it signals the advent of another World Cup, in the United Kingdom, that’s still not the worst scenario to mull over.
Sport24
Frankly, the more often the proven genius and much-needed game management of Du Preez is not available to the Boks, the more prone they seem to be becoming to experiencing critical breakdowns of efficiency and X-factor in the key scrumhalf slot.
It happened again in Perth on Saturday, where South Africa’s sterility both at No 9 and to a lesser extent flyhalf, in the shape of Morne Steyn, hardly aided the cause in the damaging, controversial 24-23 Castle Rugby Championship defeat to Australia.
Elsewhere on the park, a host of Bok players produced either forceful or at least acceptably decent performances and it is widely acknowledged – even among some Aussie pundits and observers – that the visitors ought to have done enough to win after building up a nine-point cushion and looking in control until a sequence of late events, including the bewildering yellow card for caps centurion Bryan Habana, conspired against them.
Admittedly, the Boks were also their own worst enemies for botching this one, and are now under enormous pressure to knock over the mighty All Blacks in their own Wellington den this Saturday (09:35 SA Time) if the 2014 tournament isn’t to be turned into simply another one-horse race.
Wholesale changes – despite the inevitable, emotion-laden public spittle that inevitably follows a loss – are not justifiable: instability and heightened unfamiliarity of combinations are the last thing the underdogs need for their tough quest in the Cake Tin.
Yes, Steyn’s failure to find touch from a manna-from-heaven, relieving penalty in the dying stages will long be remembered as a massive contributor to the Wallaby rally for a fortunate triumph, but I also made the point on Saturday that ahead of that gremlin, the seasoned if rather predictable pivot hadn’t performed too poorly.
You have to fancy that coach Heyneke Meyer will forgive the expensive boo-boo and stick with Steyn against New Zealand, figuring that his experience and kicking ability both at the posts and out of hand – supplemented by a very necessary, particularly thunderous effort from the Bok pack – is the likeliest passport to an upset in what look like being soggy conditions once again.
But is a scrumhalf shake-up required to pep up the broader “nine and ten” dynamic this weekend, perhaps infusing a welcome mystery element to a partnership that seems no more than bland and workmanlike at present?
It is desperately tempting to believe so, after Pienaar struggled yet again to truly impose himself on the Perth fixture – in damp, Ulster-like conditions that are supposedly his forte.
Of course it is a subjective exercise but a mounting common denominator in Bok Tests minus the services of the ever-shrewd, crisp-passing Du Preez is a low score for the scrumhalf (whether Pienaar or anyone else) out of 10 on the Sport24 performance chart.
It was no different at Patersons Stadium where we gave Pienaar the lowest ranking of the entire Bok side (4.5), a downgrading even of the five dished out to him in the nerve-jangling Salta clash with Argentina a fortnight earlier.
In mitigation, there are times when you can feel quite sorry for scoring him so low, as seldom does a game go by where he doesn’t contribute at least some useful element now and then, and it can come to light more on second viewing of a particular match.
For instance, just how thankless would it have been for any scrumhalf operating behind that violently retreating Bok scrum in Argentina?
In Perth, too, Pienaar was an alert mopping-up element on defence at times when peril possibly stared the Boks in the face … although the old bogey of the player just looking too infuriatingly sluggish and unassertive at his core trade certainly resurfaced as well.
The tricky question facing Meyer, if he acknowledges a need for a shake-up, is which of Francois Hougaard or Cobus Reinach to install in Pienaar’s place; the former is presumably next in the intended pecking order as he was the substitute against the Wallabies.
But Hougaard has had his own Test-level ghosts, including a penchant for struggling with his box and clearance kicks, making him vulnerable to charge-down, whilst Reinach is a mercurial, effervescent character and nippy athlete but can go a bit “headless chicken” strategically.
Perhaps, though, this is one occasion where you simply must make a change for the very sake of it, in the desperate hope that it makes a difference?
The No 9 jersey is a weakness for the Springboks right now, and there don’t seem any guaranteed, immediate-fix solutions on that front.
But let’s not forget that next year it should, all going well on the Du Preez recovery front, suddenly veer toward an area of strength once more.
Yes, there is mounting debate about the wisdom of Meyer putting his faith in more than a handful of perceived “old crocks”, with decidedly mixed success of late.
But the one veteran to have convincingly reminded – prior to his latest injury setback – that class is permanent has been the 32-year-old former Bulls favourite.
Does Du Preez have another World Cup in him?
Fuelled by what we’ve seen of others in the No 9 shirt for the Boks, and even acknowledging the passing of his peak … oh, you bet he does.
It is just a shame he can’t gallop in on his horse to Wellington.
29 @ nortierd:
Fok Norts, die game maak jou mislik…
😆
Rain will give us a better chance than dry conditions.
@ Jeraldjay:
Sal dit ingedagte hou, dis hoekom ek die AB’s met net 13 gekies het teen die Pumas.
Hulle het ongelukkig dit makliker gewen as wat ek verwag of gehoop het.
Ons sal kompeterend wees, dis verseker
While on the subject of pessimism etc., can anyone recall the last time they saw Bissie smile and look like he was enjoying himself on the field?
The last time I saw him smile on TV was when he was paid to do that silly Pump by die dam ad.
At the Sharks he didn’t look too happy those last few rounds and at the Boks he doesn’t look like he is enjoying his rugby.
@ Jeraldjay:
Big forward effort could do it.
Pienaar will probably stuff it up.
However a win would be a disaster for Club Half Empty.
😆
the Currie cup:
How good is Ronaldo Bothma playing for the Pumas?
Renaldo Bothma (born 18 September 1989) is a South African rugby union footballer. He plays mostly as a flanker. He represents the Pumas in the Currie Cup and Vodacom Cup having previously played for the Golden Lions and Leopards.
In 2013, he was included in a South Africa President’s XV team that played in the 2013 IRB Tbilisi Cup[1] and won the tournament after winning all three matches.[2]
Too bad he already played a test match for Namibia, he is playign better and better every week, a real Keiran Read style 8th man.
@ gunther:
Pity RT hasn’t got a poll type option.
Questions like:
1)You support the Bokke, but feel they are playing below par
2) You support the Bokke and don’t care how they play, as long as they win.
3) You won’t support the Bokke until they fire HM
Etc.
Will be interesting to see how people really feel, because all of a sudden the glass empty and full that started as a joke has developed a life of it’s own.
34 @ gunther:
They not invincible.
At least we won the cricket final.
Proteas are looking the part with all
bases covered including spin. Next year Feb will be a walk in the park.
@ nortierd:
You yourself have stated that after the SR season we had we would have a tough RC
So in response to 1)
Does that not set the “Par” set be fairly low already?
Does that not set the “Par” to be fairly low already?
and after the SR we had, would losing by 1 point away to Aus (a game where we were leading till right at the end) constitute, above or below par?
Look I know we were crap on Saturday, and by losing we did not deserve to win… we have our scrum issues as well as our scrumhalf issues… but should we need calibrate our expectations as well?
@ MacroBok:
The RC for us is going precisely as expected, only difference is that we didn’t beat Argentina by a large score at home, weather played a roll.
There is a difference between people being glass half empty and traitors though. To question the tactics and game plan and be unhappy with it doesn’t mean you don’t support your country or team, and to not have faith in the current team also doesn’t mean you don’t want them to win.
A poll with the right questions might be interesting?
MacroBok wrote:
We haven’t been crap since last Saturday MB, we have been underperforming since the second Welsh test, only difference is we won those games we also deserved to lose.
That’s what is bothering me, but whether the wins were justified or not, it lulled many into false sense of security that things are still ok and as long as we keep winning, irrispective of how, it’s all fine.
But when some question that logic, we are negative and pessimists.
Surely one weighs up all factors when trying to determine the outcome of a test?
And, currently, how can one logically expect another result based on the last 5 Bok tests? Scotland excluded
35 @ MacroBok:
When did he play his test for Namibia?
Pity he hasn’t in the meantime qualified for a SA passport, then, if it was 18 months or longer since his test then he can qualify under the new rules
45 @ nortierd:
he played for them this year, but was born in South Africa.
@37
1)You support the Bokke, but feel they are playing below par (where you will fall under ;), well most of us will
@43
The RC for us is going precisely as expected
?
37 @ nortierd:
We have a huge Poll System here at R-T… I’ll show you sometime but not tonight, with a Great Ruby Port in me, that’s for sure!
@ grootblousmile:
Celebrate maar lekker.
46 @ MacroBok:
Last year we beat an Aus side still in transitional phase, this year they are a bit more settled.
There aren’t too many surprises in this annual competition, every 5 years or so NZ might go through a dip and we or Aus win the RC.
At this stage they are still well on top of the world though, they had their world record choke in Aus already.
It seems that the opposite of being realistic is being positive/loyal/logical.
It can also be unrealistic/head in the sand/delusional, but we won’t mention it.
Nama wrote:
As a member of the Glass Half Empty Club, let me put it out there.
I WANT THE BOKS TO WIN ON SATURDAY…
I WANT THE BOKS TO WIN ON SATURDAY…
I WANT THE BOKS TO WIN ON SATURDAY…
I WANT THE BOKS TO WIN ON SATURDAY…
I WANT THE BOKS TO WIN ON SATURDAY…
I WANT THE BOKS TO WIN ON SATURDAY…
…unfortunately, I cannot, for the life of me, see it happening. I want to believe it will happen but I just cannot see it.
Will I be cheering for the Boks on Saturday? Hell yes!
Will I be happy if they do the unthinkable and win? Hell yes!
@ Nama:
You old pessimist you…..
Skuif op, is daar nog plek daar langs jou?
That’s all most of us empty glass members have been saying all along, support with your heart, bet or make picks with your head
Found this somewhere.
The reasons the #bok fans are so upset is not the loss! but our style of play, the player selections and the coaches kicking game plan. We use to be the World’s best defense team – now we have more gaps than a kaapenaar. Our forwards and scrum were one of the best, now you think it was a bunch of rooineks, not boereseuns pushing in the scrum. Forget about names and reputations – pick the best inform player for each position – and we will SUPPORT YOU with a cold dop in our hand, piece of biltong in our mouth and our blood flowing green with pride.
Everybody with more than one brain cell knows the AB’s should and will most likely win on Saturday.
They are just not allowed to say so or they will be branded as a traitor/ hensopper/capesader/glass half empty club member, hanskhaki or even something worse. .
Hilarious.
@ Nama:
“Forget about names and reputations – pick the best inform player for each position – and we will SUPPORT YOU with a cold dop in our hand, piece of biltong in our mouth and our blood flowing green with pride.”
Therein lies the problem, they must be supported 110% whether the worst players are picked, or the best are picked.
Whether they win or lose by 100 points, whether they kick every ball or run every ball.
@ nortierd:
@ robzim:
Truly hilarious.
@ nortierd:
Wat so frustrerend is, is dat ons weet die Bokke is tot baie beter instaat. Ons het dit gesien op Ellispark verlede jaar. Van die pelers wat daai dag begin het, is die volgende 5 nie in die span nie:
Juandre Kruger
Willem Alberts
Fourie du Preez
JJ Engelbrecht
Zane Kirchner
Kruger, JJ en Zane is nie ‘n groot verlies nie. Inteendeel, hulle is glad nie ‘n verlies nie.
In Mohojo, wat in die groep is, het HM iemand wat hyself beskryf het as, “…big and strong and is excellent in the lineouts. I think he can be a great blindside flank – he’s more or less the same build as Willem [Alberts] and I want to see what he can do when he comes on.” (voor die wedstryd teen Skotland. A like for like sub in other words.)
Bring ons by die no. 9. Verdere kommentaar is sekerlik nie nodig nie.
My vraag egter, waarom kan ons nie ‘n soortgelyke wedstryd as die een op Ellispark PROBEER speel nie? Dit sal tog Pienaar se spel baie beter pas as die skop, jaag en hoop strod waarmee ons nou al heeljaar besig is.
Piet Van Zyl was an excellent scrum half until he went to the Bulls.
The honest thing is that HM wants an FDP type 9. The problem is that there is no other. Ruin is the closest. So until FDP is back up and running expect to see only Ruin. HM is too stuipid or pig headed to change his shit tactics.
Bring back Snor!
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