Ek weet nie hoeveel van my Engelse maatjies hierdie speletjie as kind geken het nie, maar ek glo steeds dit is die hoofoorsaak van my rugprobleme. Dit is egter nou die Bokke se voorland in die Rugby Kampioenskapstoernooi.
The team best able to adjust to the new scrum rules will have a major advantage over the rest. Add to this the possibility of different applications thereof by referees, and you are not far off the mark made by confusing legislation in the financial services industry.
Ten minste het die Bokke nou ‘n nuwe “Pieter de Villiers” wat sy stem, en nek, dik gemaak het in 68 toetse vir die Franse. Dit, tesame met die fokus in spankeuse op kontinuïteit, kan ons goed te pas kom oor die volgende paar weke.
Ek is bly dat Meyer vir Pienaar behou het, en Fourie du Preez eers op die reserwebank gelos het. Dit voel vir my soms of mens dink Du Preez gaan met ‘n kierie op die veld verskyn. Mense, hy is maar 31, en volgens berigte, net so skerp soos altyd. Die keuse van Duane Vermeulen in die beginspan verbaas my bietjie, gegewe die feit dat hy vir so lank uit was weens ‘n besering. Dit is onwaarskynlik dat hy daar sou wees as dit nie vir die Spies van die Blounasie se besring was nie.
No doubt, the coach chose a side based predominantly on size. Their opponents on Saturday are renowned for their fearsome scrummaging and, aided by the shrewd Graham Henry as advisor, will no doubt be more than a handful. According to reports, he has brought a new dimension to their attacking play, and our defence out wide will be sorely tested.
The Wallaby squad shows that new coach, Ewen McKenzie, plans to follow Heyneke Meyer in selecting a beefed-up pack, coupled with in-form backline players, like Jesse Mogg. Unlike Meyer, who initially showed provincial preference, the ex-Reds coach included more Brumbies in his first side as Aussie coach.
The All Blacks adopted a similar approach, but stuck to the tried and tested players in view of the uncertainty of what to expect from the new look Wallabies on Saturday. It continues to amaze me how they are never weakened when a star player is injured. A Dan Carter loss would have been a catastrophe in any other country, yet Aaron Cruden outplayed Carter in the last two matches. Richie McCaw’s return was met with some scepticism, yet it makes sense that he plays at least the first half until they have the measure of the Wallabies.
Wie gaan Koning Kraai?
Soos gewoonlik moet die All Blacks die gunstelinge wees, veral met hul ervaring, gevestigde kombinasies en werksetiek. Dan is daar natuurlik ook nog hul trots – ek lees in die NZ Herald dat hulle hul laaste wedstryd teen die Wallabies steeds as motivering gebruik:
The All Blacks will be spurred by distasteful memories of their last meeting with the Wallabies when an 18-all stalemate in Brisbane halted their run at 16 consecutive victories.
Coach Steve Hansen noted his side had not gone “bone deep” in their preparation that night last year and had suffered the consequences. That detail will have been raked over again this week.
Die Bokke is tans onoorwonne in ses wedstryde. Dit sê egter nie veel nie, as jy kyk wie hulle geklop het. Soos The Waterboys sing: That was the river, this is the sea. Ons het ongetwyfeld die talent, veral voorlangs, en dit is waarop ons spelpatroon gebou is. Dit sal egter jammer wees as ons gaan bly “mik-en-moer” rugby speel, veral met die geleenthede wat die nuwe skrumreël bied. Die fokus gaan nie meer op die eerste inslaan wees nie, maar eerder op die tweede stoot. Dit, as ek reg verstaan, gaan beteken dat al agt voorspelers meer gebind sal bly, wat meer ruimte agter gaan laat.
Die Wallabies en Argentyne gaan beslis harde neute wees om te kraak. Boonop is hul nog redelik onbekende faktore. My siening is dat die reeks puik rugby gaan oplewer, en ons ‘n paar nuwe name in elk van die spanne gaan leer ken.
I read somewhere recently that you will never hear a winner say: “It’s only a game…”
Kom ons hoop dit geld vir die Bokke.
I sent the following figures to Tony Calitz in Durban:
Top earners in the French Top 14
1. Jonny Wilkinson (Toulon) – €56 000 per month
2. Jonathan Sexton (Racing Metro) – €52 000
3. Bryan Habana (Toulon) – €50 000
4. Morgan Parra (Clermont Auvergne) – €46 000
5. Thierry Dusautoir (Toulouse) – €43 000
6. Dimitri Szarzewski (Racing Metro) – €41 000
7. Carl Hayman (Toulon) – €41 000
8. Bakkies Botha (Toulon) – €41 000
9. Jamie Roberts (Racing Metro) – €40 000
10. Matt Giteau (Toulon) – €40 000
He responded: Now that QUOTA’s are being re-introduced – watch the outflow. . .
