The Springbok performances over the last two weeks have left more questions than answers. Were the All Blacks better than the Bokke? Yes. How bad were the Boks? Not sure. How good were the All Blacks? Very good, but did they make the Boks play badly?...
So what's keeping the crowds away from Bok matches this year? Is it the coach? The selections, the decision to let the Bok reserves have their crack at run-out against the Lions at Ellis Park? Or is it, as I suspect, just much simpler than that?
L...
The Bokke boast players who are the undisputed world's best in the following positions: wings (both), inside centre, scrummie, blindside (in our sense), lock (both -- with emphasis). In the following positions we have players who on their day need st...
To be Mahlatse Ralepelle. "Chilliboy" to the okes. Talented schoolboy player with great leadership potential. Rose up the ranks smoothly enough, earning his stripes along the way and maturing into a better rounded player. Then out of the blue (a then...
Those who are regular readers of my blogs know I have quite the penchant for playing selector in my imagination. You know the effects of beer on one's sense of judgement and superior analysis. Two six-packs and suddenly you know better than everyone....
So with the Super 14 pretty much done and nearly dusted, South African attention now turns to the -- impending/looming/choose own hyperbolic adjective here -- incoming tour by the British and Irish Lions. Now as is the nature of such, every man, dog ...
Comeback Of The Year
Adi Jacobs was one of the most contentious selections in PdV’s first squad. Long written off as a lightweight show pony impact player not suited to the grind of Test rugby by those who had forgotten how he made Etienne Botha...
So after a great Currie Cup (always amazing to witness the transformation in the great cup when the Bokkies return) spirits are high in Bokland. And so too as -- you’d expect -- are expectations. After all, when it finally came together at the Fizz...
Last week, the Bok pack held its own against an All Black unit full of grunt, experience and guile. This afforded the halfbacks and loose forwards plenty of forward momentum and space to work with. We know they made less use of that last weekend than...
When PdV started talking about creating a culture of responsibility amongst our players and teaching them to think on their feet and play the situation, he was derided.
The All Blacks first try was a direct consequence of an antipodean player doing ...
