Buffel Steenkamp

The role of the loosehead prop from initially only having to be a solid scrummager and sturdy lineout lifter has evolved dramatically over the years. The modern day No.1 now needs to be able to run with the ball, make pop passes, score tries and even take the odd gap!

Os du Randt for many years was the rock in the Springbok tight five. He was a great scrummager, fantastic lineout support and carried the ball up strongly. Although Os had age against him near the end of his career, he still maintained good fitness and got around the park to hit rucks with good effect.

When Os retired many looked to a young Gurthro Steenkamp as the perfect replacement. Young Gurthro was big, scrummed well and was handy with ball in hand too. Unfortunately, a series of injuries and lack of form saw him fall out of the Bok fold while Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira took the opportunity with both hands.

One man’s loss is another one’s gain and when the South African government decided to turn the tables and not allow the Beast to be selected for the Springboks on grounds that he was not a South African National, the door opened once again for Steenkamp.

After a stellar Super 14 for the Bulls, the massive front ranker had some people wondering if he could transfer those same performances onto the Test arena. He did. Steenkamp is by far this season’s Springbok player of the year. This year he proved to the world that he is an outstanding scrummager, defends extremely well for a man his size and runs like a buffalo with ball in hand.

This season saw Steenkamp establish himself as a World Class loosehead. With the Beast also a top class No.1, one sometimes wishes that one of them was a tighthead.

The maturity shown by Steenkamp this season is one shining light in all the gloom produced by the Springbok performances this year.

Keep up the good work Gurthro!

de Villiers - Shape up or Ship out!

As Springbok supporters, we find ourselves at the end of a frustrating 2010 Tri Nations and the Springboks are seriously in need of a major overhaul.

I do not for a minute believe that we need to make wholesale changes to the squad of players we currently have. We have the players who possess the skill, talent and passion to beat any team in the world and everyone knows that. It is how we manage these players and design our tactical play that is the fundamental disparity between the current management team and their predecessors.

Since the present Bok management took over in 2008, we have not seen any significant changes in the Springbok game play. Tactics remained largely the same and when we did try to alter our game and it didn’t work, we resorted back to what we knew under Jake White.

The All Blacks and Wallabies are the most astute rugby nations in the world and it is no secret that to beat the best you need to study the best. They did and our attacking strategy based on our kicking game was measured and found wanting. Our rush defensive system was measured and was found wanting. All this points to our management incumbent being found wanting.

Jake White took Springbok rugby to new heights in terms of management. Looking from the outside in and from feedback from players quoted in the media, he created an atmosphere that oozed World Class. His professionalism towards studying of opposition and tactical play was a welcome new found characteristic of Springbok rugby and by the 2007 World Cup he and his management had worked out specific tactics for every team and player.

Unfortunately, three years after Whites departure it seems that this is no longer a facet we can be proud of as Springbok supporters. Our management team seems like they lack the ability, creativity and vision for the job.

Our world class players were given sand to build a house with when the old foundations were found to be unstable. If de Villiers is to resurrect Springbok dominance in time for the World Cup he needs to change his approach be it by shifting his views, bringing in someone else or letting go because he has run out of ideas.

To create a talking point, Springbok coaches have been fired for less and I’m sure a guy like Alistair Coetzee would fulfil the quota desire and the coaching role to everyone’s satisfaction.

Testing times for Boks

After a poor away leg to Australasia, the defence of the Tri Nations champions tag is out of reach for the all conquering Springboks. A lot of questions have been asked, and players and management have come under immense scrutiny of late because of 3 poor matches.

Head coach Peter de Villiers has chosen to stick with the tried and tested players – who many feel need a break – and it may be of dire consequence if the team does not perform to the high standards expected from a country that is so laden with exceptional talent and such gargantuan potential.

If the Boks do not win all their home games there will be huge unrest amongst the South African rugby public. If not the players, then surely the coach will be scrutinised for it is he who selects the team, formulates the game plan and is ultimately responsible for the results.

Players do not select themselves - the selection panel do, with the final decision lying with the head coach. For this reason I do not entirely blame Ricky January if he is selected to start and does not play up to standard. Let’s take his case as an example. When selected he is obviously playing the best that he knows how, but if it’s not up to standard then the responsibility lies with Peter de Villiers. To clarify what I mean, it’s one thing to back your players and another to accept that you are responsible for their well being. If the writing is on the wall that Ricky is over the hill (and there are many indicating factors), then surely for the player’s well being the coach should allow or at least guide the player so that he can make a dignified exit from the Springbok fold. Ricky isn't the only player that might fall into this category, Wynand Oliver also needs to have a sit down and a think.

With the current day professionalism of the sport, this does not mean that the player is totally relieved of his responsibilities as an ambassador of our beloved country. As a player, as difficult as a decision it might be, there comes a time when stepping down is the right thing to do.

How will you remember Percy Montgomery and Os du Randt in 10 years time? Both these legendary stalwarts could have stayed on to seek a British and Irish Lions winner’s medal, except they realised that Springbok rugby was bigger than any individual and they chose their dignified exit.

Sticking to the subject and current affairs, if all doesn’t go to plan the next few weeks might see some players considering the dignified exit sooner than they would’ve anticipated. My biggest fear is for John Smit and Victor Matfield. Arguably the best Captain and Lock the world has seen have their fate balancing on a knife’s edge after some disappointing form in New Zealand and Australia. A rest would’ve done them and the Springboks a world of good. I do believe that they can still contribute meaningfully to Springbok rugby but they need to be managed like Os du Randt was under Jake White.

Let’s hope that Saturday is the turning point as far as recent results go.

Boks by 3.

Eastern Cape Rugby

For a long time the Eastern Cape was the dominant sporting force in both Cricket and Rugby in South Africa. In the 90’s EP and Border Cricket had some outstanding players who represented the National team, including legends Dave Richardson and Kepler Wessels - who captained the Proteas. From that era, the region seemed to slip in stature and results for a few years but has recently found the glory it always had the potential of fulfilling by lifting a few of South Africa’s most coveted domestic competition trophies.

There has always been a rich rugby talent pool in the Eastern Cape and many Eastern Cape schools produce outstanding players only for them to be picked up by the bigger unions when they showcase their skills at Craven week level.

The most pleasing aspect for the transformation junkie is that the amount of Black rugby players coming through the ranks in the Eastern Cape is far greater than any other part of the country. Not only are there more Black players playing the game in this region but the standard of play by South Africa’s ethnic majority is higher in this region than in other parts of the country.

But rugby isn’t about race and there are also some outstanding White, Coloured and Asian players running around the rugby fields of Grey, Dale, Selbourne, St Andrews and the like. The Eastern Cape is basically a hotbed of Rugby talent and should be supported by the powers that be to set up the correct structures that can take the region back to the heights it once reached.

It is pleasing to know that SARU is initiating some momentum and all signs point to a Springbok v All Black 2011 Tri Nations Test Match.

Port Elizabeth and East London have some of the finest rugby fans in South Africa and have a lot of avid diehard supporters. The new stadium in Port Elizabeth is of world class standard and should be aptly used for world class events.

Like its sporting sister code, let’s hope Rugby in this region can replicate the recent successes of Cricket and bring some pride back to the Eastern Cape rugby fraternity!

A few top players with links to the region:

Mike Catt, Rassie Erasmus, Andre Vos, Deon Kayser, Danie Gerber, Joe van Niekerk, Ricardo Loubscher, Brent Russell, Gavin Cowley, Garth Wright, Luke Watson, Deon Stegman to name a few.

Time to freshen up!

After each of the first three Springbok Tri Nations matches everyone, including myself, has been writing and asking questions about how bad the matches were from players to management to game plan. The finger pointing surely must end somewhere, but knowing ourselves like we do, we won’t stop until we start winning and winning convincingly.

After our first Tri Nations match this year against the All Blacks, I wrote an article called “Is the Bok Ship sinking?” where I asked some concerning questions and got criticised heavily for my supposed negativity. Although no finger pointing was done, I hit a nerve among the avid Bok fans as the questions being asked could surely not be valid! Up until then the Bok machine was unstoppable with only a few minor blips since 2007. After the first defeat to NZ, surely the mighty juggernaut just had a bad day at the office? Three games later, three similar results later and those critics are now asking the same questions.

I am not about to say “told you so” nor am I seeking reprisal, what I really want to point out is that the early warning signs were there and yet we as fans built ourselves and our team up for 2 more big weekends of Tri Nations triumphs only to be let down like a fat kid in a fake candy store.

Now that the Boks are where they are, let’s try to be positive and look ahead to see what we can possibly look forward to. There are still 3 Tri Nations matches left for the Boks to gain some experience and momentum. New Zealand are now looking like the favourites to regain the Tri Nations crown and Australia have some exciting talent in their young ranks. Everyone supporting South Africa will now settle for 2nd place, but let’s look at the bigger picture.

A big question we should ask is, “Is Jake White remembered for the terrible year he had with the Boks in 2006?” The answer is a categorical NO. The reason is because he learnt from his mistakes. He realised that things weren’t going well and he learnt from his players and took advice from outsiders. The word in the Springbok camp now should be FRESH. Let’s get some fresh ideas and some fresh players in. Give the older journeymen a rest like Jake White did with Os du Randt. John Smit, Victor Matfield, Schalk Burger and Pierre Spies all need a rest. They need to forget about rugby for a good few months to renew their hunger.

Let’s speak to our Super 14 finalists and see if the brains at the Stormers and Bulls can share some ideas to bring onto the Test arena.

Let’s bring in the talent knocking on the door and if they perform well then this will only be good for the Springboks on the whole. Added pressure on the experienced guys will only bring out the best in them or be the cue to retire – either result is good for Bok rugby.

The younger guys deserve to know that they have a chance and the experienced guys need to be kept on their toes and not become complacent. No one should be guaranteed a place at next year’s World Cup – bar none.

Is Springbok rugby is disarray? No.

Is Springbok rugby in need of massive changes? No.

Is the Bok ship sinking? NO.

Can the Boks FRESHEN things up? YES.

My squad for the home leg of the Tri Nations:

Forwards:

Tendai Mtawarira, Gurthro Steenkamp, CJ vd Linde, BJ Botha, Chilliboy Ralepelle, Gary Botha, Danie Russouw, Flip vd Merwe, Steven Sykes, Juan Smith, Jean Deysel, Francois Louw, Dewald Potgieter, Ryan Kankowski, Duane Vermuelen. (15)

Backs:

Ruan Pienaar, Dewaldt Duvenhage, Butch James, Morne Steyn, Juan de Jongh, Jacque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Bjorn Basson, Gerhard vd Merwe, Francois Steyn, Gio Aplon. (13)

Boks change nine

The Springbok match 22 to face Australia in a Vodacom Tri-Nations Test at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday shows nine changes to the one that went down 17-31 against New Zealand in Wellington last week.

There are four changes in the run-on XV and a further five on the reserves bench.

Amongst the backs, Gio Aplon, who was on the bench in Wellington, starts in place of the suspended Jean de Villiers on the right wing and Ruan Pienaar is promoted to the starting line-up in place of Ricky Januarie at scrumhalf.

Up front, BJ Botha starts ahead of CJ van der Linde at tighthead prop, whilst Ryan Kankowski is preferred to Francois Louw at flank.

Van der Linde, who was cleared to play on Tuesday morning after receiving a knock to the shoulder last week, moves to the bench. Further changes here include lock Flip van der Merwe in place of the injured Andries Bekker, Dewald Potgieter as cover for loose forward, Francois Hougaard in place of Pienaar and Juan de Jongh replacing the promoted Aplon.

Januarie and Louw fall out of the match 22.

Speaking at a Press Conference on Tuesday, Springbok coach Peter de Villiers said he had based the selection on the expected match conditions at Suncorp Stadium.

"Statistics show that Suncorp has the fastest playing surface in the Vodacom Super 14 and we have to be prepared for a faster game," he said.

"We have two tough games behind us, but if we stick to our structures and use our opportunities I believe this team is capable of getting a result."

De Villiers added he expected a physical onslaught from the Wallabies at the weekend.

The Springbok team is:

15 Zane Kirchner (Vodacom Bulls) – 9 caps

14 Gio Aplon (Vodacom Stormers) – 6 caps

13 Jaque Fourie (Vodacom Stormers) – 59 caps

12 Wynand Oliver (Vodacom Bulls) – 31 caps

11 Bryan Habana (Vodacom Stormers) – 62 caps

10 Morné Steyn (Vodacom Bulls) – 17 caps

9 Ruan Pienaar (The Sharks) – 42 caps

8 Pierre Spies (Vodacom Bulls) – 33 caps

7 Ryan Kankowski (The Sharks) – 14 caps

6 Schalk Burger (Vodacom Stormers) – 59 caps

5 Victor Matfield (Vodacom Bulls) – 97 caps

4 Danie Rossouw (Vodacom Bulls) – 50 caps

3 BJ Botha (Ulster) – 24 caps

2 John Smit (The Sharks, captain) – 98

1 Gurthrö Steenkamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 27 caps

Reserves

16 Chiliboy Ralepelle (Vodacom Bulls) – 14 caps

17 CJ van der Linde (Vodacom Cheetahs) – 61 caps

18 Flip van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls) – 2 caps

19 Dewald Potgieter (Vodacom Bulls) – 5 caps

20 Francois Hougaard (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap

21 Butch James (Bath) – 39 caps

22 Juan de Jongh (Vodacom Stormers) – 4 caps

Issued by SARU Communications

Is the Ship sinking?

To some people, it might seem premature and hasty to suggest after one bad match that the Springbok machine is becoming obsolete. The truth however, is that South African rugby fans demand and deserve a respectable display from their heroes in green and gold. I’ve always said that it’s not the fact the that the Springboks lose that makes us bitterly disappointed, it’s the manner in which they lose that leaves us feeling physically ill.

Saturday’s display brought back memories of times when the Springboks were the whipping boys of the Tri Nations. Times when our players seemed to give up, times when our leaders went missing and times when we hoped we’d win rather than knew we could.

When all goes well and you are winning, it’s easy to smooth over any problems and to the naked eye everything can be perceived to be going well. Pieter de Villiers took over Jake White’s squad landing the dream job of looking after the World Champions. Since then de Villiers has had a mixed bag of results and a year out from the World Cup the jury is still out. As much as the players back up the coach and proclaim their faith in him, his elementary public attitude and affectionate broadcasts towards his counterparts contributes negatively to the team atmosphere with the players watching their self proclaimed leader hang himself.

However, de Villiers isn’t the only suspect in this potentially ill fated saga. John Smit for all he’s worth showed signs of concern when he had to fall back on Victor Matfield for a decision on whether to go for poles or a touch finder during the match against New Zealand this past Saturday. If our World Cup winning captain doesn’t have faith in his decision making then how can he expect the rest of the players to? To further fracture his leadership trust he publicly stated his disappointment in Bakkies Botha’s head butting incident without backing the player’s abilities and positive influence on his team mates which is imperative in a team dynamic.

So the question begs, “Is the ship sinking?”

The Springboks looked complacent and disjointed in their opening Tri Nations match of 2010. It’s not that we don’t have the quality players or the experience needed, but what we seemed to lack enormously was direction. Pieter de Villiers and John Smit need to stand up and be responsible for this team. Snor needs to bite his lip and give the South African rugby fraternity the results they rightfully deserve and Smitty needs to be the player and leader we all know he is capable of being.

There is still over 12 months before the World Cup and this weekend in Wellington can be a step in the right direction.

Why de Villiers should pick de Villiers

One of the big failings on Saturday was playing Jean de Villiers at wing. A playmaker of his ability is not only wasted but playing out of position against a world class winger in position is always asking for trouble.

Just like de Villiers was outplayed on the wing by Joe Rokocoko, I’m sure Rokocoko would be masterfully outplayed by de Villiers if he had to line up opposite Jean in the No.12 jersey.

Wynand Olivier for all his heroics and great Super 14 still has many pundits wondering why he is selected ahead of de Villiers for the Boks. While Olivier’s stats show that he made an immense number of tackles on Saturday he offered nothing on attack. The one moment that de Villiers did decide to join the midfield from the wing, we came oh so near to scoring!

Fourie and de Villiers have a great partnership and it is the most exciting combination we can field. I’m sorry Wynand, but Jean is just in a totally different class. When Jaque Fourie made a break in All Black territory in the second half, while he was being tackled he looked inside to find…no one. Had de Villiers been positioned at 12 this would have been a certain try.

De Villiers and Fourie are the best combination in the Springbok midfield, period. And when you’re playing against a tried and tested combination of Nonu and Smith, there is no time to hand out test caps for good performances in the Super 14. If that’s the case then Januarie shouldn’t have started for the Boks.

Every player needs to step up this coming weekend, but we can only help ourselves by playing the correct combinations. Bring in Pienaar at scrumhalf and play our best combination in the midfield.

My backline for Saturday:

9. Pienaar

10. Steyn

11. Habana

12. De Villiers

13. Fourie

14. Aplon (or Hougaard)

15. Kirchner

Having a Loose Head

The Loosehead Prop position in rugby is the second most important position after the Tighthead Prop in my humble opinion. Besides scrum time, the Props’ work and importance go relatively unnoticed to the average rugby fan.

Comparing playing on the left side of the scrum to right side shows a huge difference. Propping is not all about brute strength and power, there is a lot of technique involved and often experience counts more than anything which is why we typically see props peaking in their early 30’s.

The legendary Os du Randt once said that to be good on both sides of the scrum is to set yourself up for a place on the substitutes bench – du Randt has won two World Cup winners medals.

In 2007, the Springboks were a settled side and 99% of the rugby public could name Jake White’s starting XV. When Os decided to retire after Rugby World Cup 2007, the big question on everyone’s lips was: “Who will take over from Os?”

Three years ago it was a young Gurthro Steenkamp that was making waves in the Os’ wake. He was young, talented, powerful and could scrum really well! Although not the finished article, Steenkamp had all the qualities to take over from du Randt. Unfortunately, Steenkamp’s initial path to success was hampered by injury.

The other player earmarked to fill the Loosehead position was CJ van der Linde. It was at tighthead that van der Linde won his World Cup winners medal, but with BJ Botha in the realms returning from injury on the Tighthead side, it was a feasible option. Van der Linde, however, decided to make some money playing overseas and didn’t really get an opportunity to establish himself at Loosehead for the Boks because of this.

In 2008 the main objective was to fill the void left by Os. In 2008 Zimbabwean born, Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira reinvented the Loosehead prop as we know it.In 2008 South African rugby fans developed a new chant: “BEEEEAST”.

Beast was strong, scrummed extremely well and had ball skills and speed like no other prop. The international rugby world had gotten used to the Hooker being a 4th Loose Forward, South Africa now had a 5th!

The Beast established himself as the starting No.1 and held this spot until the beginning of 2010 when the South African government stepped in to take legal action against SA Rugby if they selected him, as he was not a South African National.

After a stellar 2010 Super 14 campaign with the championship winning Bulls, Gurthro Steenkamp was given a second opportunity to stake his claim for the No.1 jumper in the June internationals. He performed outstandingly and literally sent Martin Castrogiovanni – who many rate as the best TIghthead scrummager currently in world rugby - to the stands with injured ribs.

With the Beast now back in contention, as he has been granted South African citizenship, South Africa possesses the two brightest talents in the Loosehead position.

On current form, Gurthro retains the starting spot but he can’t rest on his laurels with the BEEEAST biting at his heels.

BOTHA AND ROSSOUW FIT AND IN MATCH 22 FOR ALL BLACK CLASH

Locks Bakkies Botha and Danie Rossouw have both been declared fit and included in the Springbok match 22 to face the All Blacks in the opening fixture of the 2010 Vodacom Tri-Nations at Eden Park in New Zealand on Saturday.

Botha, who is in the starting XV, has recovered from a hamstring strain whilst Rossouw, who is amongst the reserves, is over the hip flexor injury that kept him out of the previous Test against Italy in East London almost two weeks ago.

The starting XV for Saturday’s clash shows three changes from the one that started the second Test against Italy. Zane Kirchner returns at fullback in place of Gio Aplon, Wynand Olivier replaces Juan de Jongh at inside centre and Victor Matfield resumes his familiar role in place of Andries Bekker after being rested.

Aplon and Bekker move to the bench with Bekker replacing Flip van der Merwe and Rossouw preferred to Dewald Potgieter. Four bench players from East London have been retained – Chiliboy Ralepelle, BJ Botha, Ruan Pienaar and Butch James. De Jongh falls out of the match 22.
Coach Peter de Villiers said it had been a difficult selections to make.

“All of the players in the group are fit and available so there we some tough choices to make but we are putting a very strong team out there”.

De Villiers told a press conference at the team hotel today that his team was looking ahead and that last year’s results over the All Blacks did not matter. The Boks beat their traditional foe three times during the 2009 competition.

“If you look backwards you will go backwards. Last year’s results are in the past and we face a new challenge on Saturday. It will be tough but we expect it to be as it always is against the All Blacks”.
The Springboks’ perceived psychological edge over their opponents in the lineouts has received prominent coverage in the media in New Zealand this week and vice-captain Victor Matfield was asked for an opinion during the media session.

“It is always an area that we will target against any opponent but we will be looking to contest and get a few steals early on to maybe sow a bit of doubt in their minds. The lineout is one of our strengths but we have to be good in all departments against the All Blacks because they are a great team. You don’t just pitch up here and expect a win, you have to work for it and I am looking forward to a fantastic contest,” Matfield said.

The selection sees Jean de Villiers retained on the wing with Wynand Olivier partnering Jaque Fourie in midfield. Asked about the combination, Fourie said he was looking forward to playing with Olivier.

“He is a great player and had a great Super 14 and I think we will go well. It is not only about the midfield partnership though but about how we can bring the wings and the fullback into play too,” Fourie said.

Number eight Pierre Spies said he expected a tough battle amongst the loose forwards. He added the new Springbok combination including Schalk Burger and Francois Louw was developing well.
“We are fortunate in South Africa that we do not have a shortage of good loose forwards. Francois has come into the side and has done well and the three of us are working well together,” Spies said.

Springboks:

15 Zane Kirchner,14 Jean de Villiers,13 Jaque Fourie,12 Wynand Olivier,11 Bryan Habana,10 Morne Steyn,9 Ricky Januarie,8 Pierre Spies,7 Francois Louw,6 Schalk Burger,5 Victor Matfield,4 Bakkies Botha,3 Jannie du Plessis,2 John Smit (capt) 1 Gurthro Steenkamp.

Reserves: 16 Chiliboy Ralepelle,17 BJ Botha,18 Andries Bekker,19 Danie Rossouw,20 Ruan Pienaar, 21 Butch James, 22 Gio Aplon

With thanks to SARU Communications

All Black team to face Springboks

All Blacks Coach Graham Henry and his Assistant Coaches Steve Hansen and Wayne Smith have named their team for the opening Test of the Investec Tri Nations against South Africa at Eden Park, Auckland, on Saturday 10 July.

Starting XV:
1. Tony Woodcock (63)
2. Keven Mealamu (74)
3. Owen Franks (12)
4. Brad Thorn (40)
5. Tom Donnelly (7)
6. Jerome Kaino (27)
7. Richie McCaw – captain (83)
8. Kieran Read (19)
9. Jimmy Cowan (36)
10. Daniel Carter (69)
11. Josevata Rokocoko (62)
12. Ma’a Nonu (46)
13. Conrad Smith (35)
14. Cory Jane (15)
15. Mils Muliaina (83)

Reserves:
16. Corey Flynn (7)
17. Ben Franks (2)
18. Samuel Whitelock (3)
19. Liam Messam (3)
20. Piri Weepu (37)
21. Aaron Cruden (3)
22. Richard Kahui (10)

Number of Test caps in brackets

Steering the Ship

The other day an American friend of mine was discussing American Football and describing why he loves the sport. His main point was how an American Football match was defined in only a few short seconds. He said, “The main reason why I love American Football is because the Quarter Back has only has a few seconds in which to make a decision which can entirely shift the whole match.”

I looked at him and said, “You’ve just described the importance of a Flyhalf in a rugby match!”

Matt Giteau is a little genius at Flyhalf for the Wallabies. He has a good rugby brain, quick feet and good distribution. He also has a solid defence considering that he isn’t the biggest of rugby players. While Australia have a young exciting backline with loads of potential, Giteau’s downfall is that he plays rugby behind a mediocre forward pack. Quite a few teams around the world would love to have a Giteau steering the ship but unless the Australian forwards can find some dominance I’m afraid he will find himself more frustrated than in charge.

New Zealand, although seemingly unsure of their real starting XV, generally have a decent forward pack. They are perhaps a bit light in the international experience department but have a pack that can compete. With Dan Carter back in the fold and looking as dangerous as ever, the All Blacks can look to mount a serious attack for Tri Nations glory. Carter is the best Flyhalf of his generation and when he is inform he is untouchable! Nullify the supply of quality ball to Carter and even the very best have trouble on the back foot as he has previously shown.

South Africa always seems to produce sound Flyhalves. Over the years the Springboks have typically produced two types of Flyhalves. Type number one seems to be able to kick the ball miles, provide solid defence and standard distribution where type number two seems to possess great vision, great distribution and good organisation but lacks the kicking game that is so important to the way the Springboks play.

When Morne Steyn stepped up to kick the winning points against the British and Irish Lions in 2009 to stamp his name in history he was still classified as flyhalf type number one. Over the past year he has showed a marked improvement in his running game and distribution. Steyn is slowing evolving into what the Boks need at Rugby World Cup 2011 and it feels as if he is headed in the right direction.

Behind the best forward pack in world rugby, Steyn has a great opportunity in this Tri Nations to show the world why his name can bracketed in the same group as Giteau and Carter.

The Beast is back…in contention!

Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira is now a naturalised South African after being granted South African citizenship. This means that the man who annihilated Phil Vickery in the British and Irish Lions Series is back in contention for Springbok selection.

“This is very gratifying news indeed and thanks to much hard work that has been going on behind the scenes over the past few months,” said Mr Oregan Hoskins, president of the South African Rugby Union.

“I’d like to personally thank Minister Dlamini-Zuma for her intervention to assist in this matter. It had long been the Beast’s desire to become naturalised and he has had to endure some difficult times in recent months. He is now eligible for selection should he fit into the plans of the coach and national selectors.”

The Beast’s availability brings a welcome conundrum for Peter de Villiers and he stands a good chance of making the squad for the Tri Nations series. Gurthro Steenkamp will probably keep the No.1 jumper as he has been the form loosehead in South Africa this season.

Knowing that there is real competition in the form of the Beast will bring out the best in Steenkamp and this is a great scenario for the Springboks.

The Springbok squad for the away-leg of the Vodacom Tri-Nations will be named by Mr Hoskins and Springbok head coach Peter de Villiers on Saturday evening. It will be broadcast live on SuperSport 1.

The Overseas Based Fan

There has been so much written about the overseas based player, but what about the overseas based FAN!? Does the overseas based fan have the same bragging rights as the fans back home in South Africa? Are the fans in South Africa more eligible to shout for the Boks than those based overseas? Here’s a look at what it’s like supporting the Boks from abroad…

Living abroad is fun, exciting and lonely all at the same time. Having a base of friends that come from South Africa helps, but even braais, boerewors, biltong and a £1.40 can of Crème Soda doesn’t help when you’re really missing home!

The recent FIFA World Cup in South Africa has been televised every single day in the UK and has put South Africa on the map! Seeing home on TV every day brings both pride and longing. Proud that your beautiful country is being showcased and longing to be home so that you can soak up the atmosphere with your family and friends.

Unfortunately Bafana Bafana, with as much progress as they have made under Carlos Alberto Parreira, are not our most dominant sporting force. When you mention “South African sports” and “world beaters” in the same sentence, only one sporting code and name springs to mind - Rugby and the Springboks.

The Springboks are more than just a national rugby team. They are a brand and an identity, and take the hopes of a nation on to the field of play in every match. None more so than the hopes, pride and identity of the many South Africans living abroad who revel in the camaraderie, friendship and pride of being South African when the Boks play!

Fewer days are better than when you are kitted out in Green and Gold after watching the Boks beat the opposition at Murrayfield, the Millennium Stadium or Twickenham. When you wear your team’s colours, you not only show support for them but are representing your country as a fan. Your behaviour in losing and in winning counts towards the image of the Boks.

On a recent visit to the Millennium Stadium to watch the Boks vs Wales, just before half time the Boks found themselves trailing 16 -3. A welsh lady turned to me and said, “You know you’re still going to win.”

Either this was pure negativity from the Welsh or immense respect for the World Champions - I’d like to think it’s the latter, either way she was right. The Springboks are the most dominant force in World Rugby at the moment although our Kiwi neighbours would argue otherwise. The Tri Nations is sure to settle that debate.

As a Bok fan and a South African living in the UK, I can safely say that the end of year tour is highly anticipated by the many Saffers living here. It will bring a time to celebrate being South African and in a small way it will be a time to feel at home again!

Bad Brad represents England

Brad Barritt has been rewarded for a good season with the Saracens with an England call up and many might see him as being a traitor, but you can’t blame him.

It would have taken a lot to replace Jean de Villiers at inside centre and Barritt is just another unlucky player to be plying his trade in the same era as the current crop of Bok superstars.

Good luck Brad, you’re going to need it if you play against the Springboks.

England team to face the NZ Maori’s:

15 Delon Armitage (London Irish)
14 David Strettle (Harlequins)
13 Mathew Tait (Sale Sharks)
12 Brad Barritt (Saracens)11 Chris Ashton (Northampton Saints)
10 Charlie Hodgson (Sale Sharks)
9 Danny Care (Harlequins)
1 David Flatman (Bath Rugby)
2 George Chuter (Leicester Tigers)
3 Paul Doran-Jones (Gloucester Rugby)
4 David Attwood (Gloucester Rugby)
5 Geoff Parling (Leicester Tigers)
6 Chris Robshaw (Harlequins) CAPTAIN
7 Steffon Armitage (London Irish)
8 Phil Dowson (Northampton Saints)

REPLACEMENTS

16 Rob Webber (London Wasps)
17 Dan Cole (Leicester Tigers)
18 Dan Ward-Smith (London Wasps)
19 James Haskell (Stade Francais)
20 Ben Youngs (Leicester Tigers)
21 Shane Geragthy (Northampton Saints)
22 Ben Foden (Northampton Saints)

Putting on my selectors hat...

The eagerly awaited Tri Nations series between the worlds leading rugby nations is around the corner and with a match against a northern hemisphere nation standing in the way, players are probably eager to fast forward a few weeks.

Australia beaten by England this past weekend are sure to want to rectify things against Ireland but the Wallabies look the most brittle of the three southern hemisphere giants.

New Zealand are looking good with Dan Carter back in form and convincing wins the past two weekends.

South Africa look good as well and although not highly convincing against Italy this past weekend, when Peter de Villiers selects his first XV it will be a different story. Let's take a look at the possible selection.

Loose Head Prop:
With Tendai "Beast" Mtawarira fighting to become a South African citizen, the door is wide open for Gurthro Steenkamp who has put in two stellar performances for the Boks after a solid season for the Super 14 winning Bulls.

Hooker:
There is no contest with de Villiers clearly not including Gary Botha in his plans and Bismark du Plessis recovering from surgery, John Smit is the obvious choice for hooker and captain.

Tight Head Prop:
Three players are in contention for the No.3 jersey. BJ Botha has been uncharacteristically unconvincing and CJ van der Linde needs to acclimatise to the Southern Hemisphere pace of the game again. So after a notable performance against a solid Italian front row Jannie du Plessis gets the nod.

Second Row:
There was talk about Danie Russouw putting pressure on Bakkies Botha for the No.4 jersey, rightfully so after a superb Super 14 for the Bulls and good performances for the Boks. Botha silenced any critics with a powerhouse performance in his return match. The World Cup winning combination of Victor Matfield and Bakkies Botha are paired to form the Bok engine room.

Openside Flanker:
Dewald Potgieter, Francois Louw and Schalk Burger are all available for the No.6 jersey but with regular Blindside Flank Juan Smith still unavailable Schalk will don the No.7 jumper. From recent performances of Louw and Potgieter, Louw has been the pick of the two. Francois Louw comes off the back of a great Super 14 with the Stormers and has shown that he can handle his own in the Test arena.

Blindside Flanker:
Schalk Burger has been immense for the Stormers this season and is the ideal candidate on the Blindside in place of Juan Smith. His partnership with Francois Louw will also bode well for the Boks.

No. 8:

Ryan Kankowski, Danie Russouw and Pierre Spies are all in the mix for the No.8 position but no one will argue that Pierre Spies is the obvious choice with Kanko and Russouw in all likelihood providing cover from the bench.

Scrumhalf:

There has been lots of debate around the selection of Ricky Januarie and the playing of Ruan Pienaar at fly half instead of his accustomed No.9. Januarie has been inconsistent but can have matches where he is untouchable. Pienaar played a fair amount of games at scrumhalf for the Sharks during the Super 14 and is currently not the first choice flyhalf for the Boks. With quicker service and a good eye for the situation Ruan Pienaar gets the No.9 Jersey.

Fly half:

Butch James is back in the Springbok mix and we all know what he can do! James looks off the pace and probably needs more match practice before can mount a serious claim. With Pienaar the prime suspect at scrumhalf, Morne Steyn is in great form and showed last Saturday that we has the footwork as well with his jinking try.

Left Wing:

Bryan Habana picks himself in a position with no real contenders. Van den Heever, Francois Hougaard and Gio Aplon have all showed promise this season but the man who has raced a cheetah is still South Africa's best wing.

Inside Centre:

Juan de Jongh has burst onto the scene and is such an exciting player! His combination with Jaque Fourie at the Stormers this season has been great to watch. Butch James was also trialed in the No.12 jumper but there remains one man for the job, Jean de Villiers.

Outside Centre:

Jaque Fourie has had an outstanding season after moving from the Lions to the Cape. No contest.

Right Wing:

Gerhard van den Heever, Francois Hougaard and Gio Aplon have the opportunity to fill the Right Wing vacancy left open by the injured JP Peterson. Only Aplon has been given a real opportunity to showcase his talents and he has grabbed it with both hands. His performances have been good enough to secure him the No.14 shirt. I would, however, like to see van den Heever given a chance.

Fullback:

Frans Steyn, Zane Kirchner and Joe Pietersen are all names that could fill the Fullback position. The jury is still out on Kirchner's abilities and Pietersen has not been given a real chance. Steyn is an outstanding player but has too many moments of madness at this stage of his career. This Tri Nations series will be perfect for Frans Steyn to settle in and get rid of the flashy play that has often got the critics talking.

1. Gurthro Steenkamp

2. John Smit

3. Jannie du Plessis

4. Bakkies Botha

5. Victor Matfield

6. Francois Louw

7. Schalk Burger

8. Pierre Spies

9. Ruan Pienaar

10. Morne Steyn

11. Byran Habana

12. Jean de Villiers

13. Jaque Fourie

14. Gio Aplon

15. Frans Steyn

16. Gary Botha

17. CJ vd Linde

18. Andries Bekker

19. Danie Russouw

20. Dewald Potgieter

21. Ricky Januarie

22. Juan de Jongh

The Boks Up Front

As most rugby purists know, the front five or tight five are the key to any rugby team’s success. You can have the best backline in the world but even Dan Carter will be ineffective if he has an under par tight five.

The possession and supply of good quality ball in a rugby match is reliant enormously on the performance of the two Props, Hooker and Second Rowers (or Locks). Lineout’s and scrums are still immensely important seeing that a winning scrum and lineout will drain energy from and demoralise the opposition.

In the Second Row department the Boks have the best combination in World Rugby. Victor Matfield is undoubtedly the Lineout King and Bakkies Botha is the enforcer par excellence. If this combination is at its peak come RWC 2011 other countries will be, and should be, very worried!

In the horrible event that one or both of these rugby superstars gets injured we have two very capable replacements that would easily start for any other national team. Andries Bekker has been Matfield’s understudy for quite some time now and when Matfield decides to pass on the baton, the 2 metre Lineout Prince will be ready, able and willing to step up and establish himself.

It has been said that Bakkies has been feeling a bit of pressure because of the way Danie Russouw has been performing in his absence. In return Botha put in a superb powerhouse performance in his first game back and is still my first choice enforcer for the Boks. Russouw can count himself extremely unlucky to be playing rugby at the same time as Botha.

For me there is currently only one starting hooker for the Springboks, John Smit. It is almost folklore already that Smit is one of the best International Rugby Captains ever! He is certainly one of the most respected. What Smit might not have in terms of loose play, he more than makes up in his scrumaging and the tight/loose. His Captaincy speaks for itself, ask any player who has played under him.

Bismark du Plessis and Gary Botha would be my 2nd and 3rd choice hookers. The main reason is that they are perfect impact players for Test Match rugby. Imagine being the opposition after playing an hour of rugby and on comes Bismark du Plesssis or Gary Botha – just the thought would make you dejected and yes, there is still a place for the impact player.

Tighthead Prop is an interesting topic at the moment. BJ Botha has not impressed since his return and Jannie du Plessis is still seeking the consistency that would make him first choice. CJ van der Linde is a tighthead World Cup winner and can play both sides, but who is our best tighthead? This is one position that is still up for grabs and any one of these three can establish themselves as the Bok No.3.

Everyone, including myself, was in disbelief when Tandai “Beast” Mtawarira was not allowed to play for South Africa after representing the Boks in 15 Tests. Beast was (and still is) regarded as one of the best looseheads in South Africa because of his great strength and incredible mobility for a prop. He is fast, has good hands and is a formidable srummager – just ask Phil Vickery.

Fast forward to today and you could ask Martin Castrogiovanni the same question about Gurthro Steenkamp! Steenkamp has been incredible in the past two test matches and Castrogiovanni, who many rate as the best tighthead currently in world rugby was sent packing to the sidelines. Here I don’t have a preference, you can put either Beast or Gurthro at loosehead and both would be superb.

Lastly, I’d like to add what a difference it seems that Os du Randt has made as scrum coach. The experience passed on by the legendary loosehead coupled with John Smit returning to hooker has made our scrum one of the finest…Bring on RWC 2011!

French toast

The French always come with an "unpredictable" tag. John Smit complimented them before the match, but Springbok rugby is too full of confidence at the moment for his statements to ring any alarm bells.

We thrashed the Six Nations champions with great authority and de Villiers will be very happy with his selections. The National coach comments that he now has 30 players that can all play international rugby and this is fantastic for Springbok rugby a year before the World Cup. My hope is that he doesn't have the headache of who to chose for the important matches in a sense.

Having 2 sides that could easily play the same level of rugby week in week out is great, but we know that rugby doesn't always work like that - look at the All Blacks. It is important for de Villiers to know his starting XV, his BEST XV. The other fifteen, although able to slot in, should not be given false hope as this will not aid the team dynamic.

Captain John Smit and senior players like, Matfield, du Preez and Habana need to work hard to ensure the team instills the ethos of Springbok rugby into the new crop of players who are making a name for themselves.

The Springboks have always been expected to win every game they play and this won't change for a very long time. South African rugby is in a good place and long may it continue, it's been said before but we cannot become complacent.

Well done to Gio Aplon on another good performance and Francois Louw on proving the Welsh test was not a false hope.

Let's see how we do against Italy...

Having a Wale(s) of a time!

My first experience of the Millennium Stadium was everything it lived up to be! The Welsh are great fans of Rugby and know how to have and show you a great time. The Lost Prophets were the pre-match entertainment followed by base jumpers delivering the match ball from the Millennium Stadium roof!

My favourite part of any match, besides the actual play, is the singing of the anthems! Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika was sung, as always, with pride and vigour by the many South Africans that had made the trip from London to Cardiff for the match. I was always told that the Welsh can sing and evidence of this has always been witnessed on TV coverage. The singing of the Welsh national anthem in the Millennium Stadium blew me away! While munching away on droewors at the Millennium Stadium watching Wales vs South Africa was a great way to spend a Saturday!

Before kickoff there were a few facts that everyone was speaking about, including the Welsh supporters. The Welsh had one or two injuries but otherwise selected their best available 15. The Springboks, although World Champions, were resting key players and had less than a week to gel a team together and had many last minute changes to the starting line up because of various reasons.

The Boks started the first half like a team introduced to each other just before kickoff. With a number of players in the starting lineup plying their trade overseas and quite a few newcomers, it was no wonder. The Welsh on the other hand came out with full guns blazing and took the game to the Boks.

The second half proved why the senior Bok players like John Smit and Victor Matfield are so important to the Springboks. They've been there time and time again and know the situation. The Boks came out in the second half like a new team and by the end of it where in control of the match. When Wales went 16-3 up a welsh lady next to me turned and said, "You know you're still going to win." She was right.

The newcomers all did well in their first outing. I am not a Stormers fan, but I was particularly impressed with Juan de Jongh, Francois Louw and Gio Aplon. De Jongh is a good centre with great foot work, good handling skills and good speed. He also has solid defence and is definitely one for the future. If he continues to work alongside Jean de Villiers and Jaque Fourie he will become a world class player! For the Wynand Oliver supporters, I'm afraid to say that he is a great Super Rugby player but has never impressed me at International level.

Francois Louw showed that he is capable of holding his own on the international stage. It wasn't a standout performance, but it was more than sufficient to suggest that he can develop into a great flanker! South African rugby is very blessed to have such depth at loose forward at the moment.

Gio Aplon provided some good touches. There are many people who think that the modern wing has to big, strong and fast - I disagree that they have to be big. I was once told that there is "no counter for speed, if someone is faster than you then he's faster than you."

Aplon is not the fastest player around yet, but he can develop into a Breyton Paulse as he has good hands and quick feet. If you can't catch him, you can't tackle him! His sevens experience showed and helped him in his first outing for the Springboks.

All in all it was a good performance from the Boks, with one or two small errors. Against better opposition these errors would have cost us, but against better opposition we will be more clinical.

Let's see what the French have in store.