Editors Note

 

Volume 2, Week 38

Editors Note

Brilliant!       And what an absolutely brilliant final it was! During the early days of South Africa’s return from isolation SABC endeavoured to embrace three languages in their commentary team and one of the phrases in either Zulu or Xhosa that stuck by me ever since was “pressha paya” (apologies for my poor spelling, pronounce phonetically!). The commentator used this term liberally to emphasize the enormous pressure on a specific player. On Saturday this applied to all the poor Lions’ players and it was a case of “pressha paya eLions!”

Congratulations to the Blue Bulls for winning a game few thought they would and in such emphatic style that nobody can argue the result. By the way my lucky coin is now nestling in the depths of the Atlantic Ocean!

The man of the match was undoubtedly Derrick Hougaard who displayed phenomenal class and maturity in the most important match of his fledgling career. His touch was that of genius and the comparisons to that other genius from Pretoria, Naas Botha will now become even more frequent. The similarities are there; both represented their province as a 19-year old prodigy behind dominating packs and both won the Currie Cup in their debut year. Naas did it in 1977 when Thys Lourens as the grizzled captain was encouraged by legendary Brigadier Buurman van Zyl to, “look after him!” I can imagine Heyneke saying the same words to Joost on the day.

Well, the Currie Cup is history and the focus is back on Springbok rugby, after the successful domestic season a lot is expected of Rudolf Straeuli for this year’s European tour. In two weeks time the French await in Marseilles in what will be a stern test for a young Springbok side. Expect the coach to stick to the players who served him during the Tri-Nations and where there are obvious omissions an exciting array of talent and experience will be available for selection. The forwards will need to be at their absolute best to tame a French team set on providing quality first phase possession, they possess brilliant scrummagers in De Villiers, Crenca and Ibanez ably backed up by one of the best loose trios in rugby, Magne, Betsen and the young Harinordoquy. The backs are combative with enough élan and flair to decimate opposing defences, led by the experienced Galthie this is a difficult team to beat.

The Springbok squad contain a few new faces, eight in total and the selections are mostly well deserved and very little critique can be expressed. Jean De Villiers is perhaps the biggest surprise as he hardly played any Currie Cup rugby but as a product of the SA Sevens team few will doubt his talent and if he is anything as spectacular as Brent Russell it will be another masterstroke from the selectors.

The Chester Williams biography is an interesting story about a man who just wants to be a rugby player, not a black player or a development player but a rugby player. The story is a first hand account and there is actually very little sensationalism in the writing. The man is telling it as he saw it during a 10 year stint at the top, subjective it definitely is as expected from any biography and the question that many expressed and criticized, why only know? is well answered and motivated. The book is a good read and invites the reader to share the difficulties of being “different” than those around him, hopefully things have changed…

This coming weekend is an “off” weekend so enjoy the break from rugby before the three final matches of the year.

Lucas

lucas@rugbyforum.co.za


Visit www.rugbyforum.co.za for statistics, all the quotes and an archive of previous issues

Death in the Afternoon by Tom Marcellus
No doubt like many self-proclaimed aficionados who watched Saturday's big game at Ellis Park, I found myself hopelessly blown away: firstly, by the steely resolve shown by the Bulls, with their relentless, bovine vigour, and, secondly, by the prodigious talents and unflappable temperament of the team's adolescent (almost!) flyhalf. In fact, the manner in which the boys from Pretoria went about their business forced me to think back through a beer-induced haze to a memorable weekend I once spent in that steamy Basque town some years back, when the town centre was all a-quiver with snorting bulls and terrified hombres, thrashing drunkenly through the cobbled streets in terror.

Although Saturday's big match wasn't exactly the Slaughter of the Innocents, as the home side did occasionally show some of the flash 'n dash that had brought it to the brink of glory, there were enough thundering drives and shoulder-charges, not to mention outbursts of anguish and pain, for me to think back, misty-eyed, to those misspent afternoons under the hot Spanish sky. In fact, if, as the old trophy slipped from the Lions' grasp, old Ernie Hemingway had suddenly tapped me on the shoulder an d asked me for his favourite tipple, a triple Martini (with extra olives), I would hardly have blinked. It was one of those days.

What was quite astonishing, given the open style of what is traditionally referred to as "modern" rugby, was that the Bulls were able to resort so successfully to the bump 'n grind tactics that had seen them to victory in the days when Naas was still baas and oom Morné prowled about the fringes of the Province scrum. Observers during the Super 12 called it a naïve approach, but on Saturday it worked wonders, and the Lions, having been sucked into trying to match the brutal, physical approach of their opponents, just did not have enough meat on the bone to overcome the onslaught.

Of course, a mate of mine was so outraged by this hick approach (his words) that he was moved to say that he would not have been surprised if Noah himself – all menace in his scrum-cap – had jogged onto the pitch from the replacement bench, such was the "archaic" nature of the Bulls' game. Being a biblical fellow myself, I thought that this observation, which, to my delicate ears, smacked of irreverence, not to mention sour grapes, was a tad harsh, especially since it came from a good Roodepoort oke who drove a Cortina. Archaic indeed. But it must be said that, after each set piece, the Bulls centres drove towards their counter-parts like human pocket battleships, and even one A Vos, who had been bloodied as soon as the 2nd minute (so late, Vossie?), could not stem the blue-jerseyed tide. Ian Mac must have thought that he had died and gone to heaven.

And forwards aside, let's not forget the contribution of the little fellow in the blue number 10 jersey….. 

One of the most memorable moments, personally, came in the 33rd minute of the match. Hougaard had been felled by a old-fashioned klap by Jorrie Muller, and lay seemingly lifeless on the pitch. The game ran on for a bit, but the crowd's attention was clearly not following the action. Almost to a man, the 25 000 fans on the main grandstand swiveled 45 degrees towards the big screen, to catch an update on the goings-on on the far side of the field. Lions fans, no doubt, wanted to make sure that that cocky teenager had been suitably grawnched in what they would have called a fair high tackle, whilst their counterparts from the nation's capital, all bristling with rage and well-clipped moustaches, were filled with angst for their fresh-faced boy-wonder.

The gesture, made in unison, said much for his contribution.

With the Bulls' clobbering of the Lions, and in their own back-yard, nogal, have we now seen a re-birth of this once imperious Union, which, but a week or two ago, was tottering on the brink of relegation? My undying support for the Sharks may tempt me to hope otherwise, but then a rampaging Blue Bulls team can only be good for our rugger.

Enjoy!

Join the OFFICIAL SPRINGBOK SUPPORTERS CLUB by contacting 021-438-8185 during office hours or mail info@springboksupporters.co.za and take advantage of special offers, members discounts and great competitions and prizes!!


Networking Nations by Desmond Organ
The Currie Cup and NPC Finals are but a few days old and the complex arrangements for the Southern Hemisphere domestic season has begun. Already the English strategists are competing for the rights to the next World Cup and with it there are several very interesting permutations. 

No wonder the RFU brains trust has met with their Australian counterparts; they are the only Tri-Nations representatives without a conflicting provincial championship season. The so-called new Tri-Nations have been sent to the cupboard for the time being as they thrash out their World Cup bid. Going to Australia is absolutely the right thing to do; simply put the Australian bid represents the copybook of what the RFU are aiming for. The icing on the cake, says the RFU is that there bid will address the needs of the IRB’s biggest stumbling block, the development of the game outside the current strongholds. 

What is not so simple is the number of relationships that are going to have to be carefully managed. The New Zealand “brains” trust has recently gone through the equivalent of a multiple by-pass operation and is not ready to be networked into a supportive state of mind. There are still several scars lingering from the Australian coup d'état and any attempt to raise the World Cup bidding issue is likely to open a few wounds. The proposal of the RFU could potentially impact not only the Tri-Nations b ut also the “holy grail” of New Zealand, the NPC. One of the current proposals from the RFU is that the Tri-nations be held simultaneously with the Six Nations Championship, with the Super 12 scheduled from July to October.

This would make a mockery of the current provincial set-up in both South Africa and New Zealand, but then nobody can guarantee that the Tri-nations will continue in its current format. The second alternative proposal has the Super 12 played between January and April with the Tri-Nations starting a week after the World Cup Final. Well there is a bright idea, play the World Cup and then play the next most competitive international competition shortly afterwards. This proposal makes a mockery of the c oncerns over player burn out.

Amongst all these many proposals lies the French bid, which has been shrouded in secrecy, certainly it has not enjoyed the same limelight as that of the RFU. I have a strong feeling that the French will be rattling their sabers and planning several urgent meetings with representatives from Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Rumour has it that the Welsh will only support an English bid if there are several games at the Millennium Stadium. The French have not as yet proposed a dual competition along the li nes of the RFU, however the need to address rugby development may force them to do so. 

The dual competition structure, which proposes a new 32 country Rugby World Nations Cup, is probably the best proposal to extend rugby development into new and existing cash-strapped regions. The IRB has not exactly managed to raise much support for the North vs. South initiative and this might just be the best alternative. The one thing that the RFU does not have in its favour is the current make up of the decision-making structures of the IRB. It is here that the Welsh, Irish and Scottish Unions have an equal say. 

The main competition would be reduced to 16 nations and with it is a proposal to have a Super 8 round at the completion of the initial group stage. The only problem with this proposal is the fact that points from victories against the non-qualifiers are not carried through. This is a system that has been tried in the Currie Cup and is not ideal. Every game has to count in the World Cup and the idea that only certain wins count for points is ludicrous to say the least.

All of this points to a very interesting 2003, let’s just hope that the World Cup is just as exciting as the networking.

Join the SARUGBY news and discussion group for the fastest sarugby news and the most intense debates around the South African game. Send a blank email to sarugby-subscribe@yahoogroups.com


Auckland wins the NPC by Vinesh Naicker
This weekend saw the final round of the NPC and the subsequent selection of the All Blacks for the November tour to Europe.

The first division final was between Waikato and Auckland. After qualifying top in the round robin tournament Waikato had beaten Otago in the semi-finals. Auckland, qualifying third had beaten Canterbury in their semi-final. Although Waikato had beaten them in the round-robin stage, Auckland came into the final on a bit of a roll, having beaten Otago, Wellington and Canterbury in consecutive weeks leading to the final.

The stage was set and there were three important unknowns which would in the end decide the game. Auckland flyhalf Carlos Spencer, would he be wonderful or woeful? Rookie flyhalf for Waikato, Derek Maisey, a man not known for his boot, who never-the-less had a superb tactical game in the semi-final. Paddy O’Brien, touted by some as the best referee in the world, but a man with a tendency to decide the winner before the game and then referee accordingly, would he favour Auckland who have won every one of the five finals they have been in?

I’m a Waikato supporter and I doubted my ability to comment independently after the game so as I watched the game I took notes. It turns out they weren’t that independent after all, they went as follows.

Game starts with Waikato kicking off. Spencer receives the ball inside his 22 and kicks it. The kick is charged down and the ball rebounds off Spencer and goes forward. Referee doesn’t notice the knock on. Auckland rucks the ball, and again knock it on, before kicking it downfield. Paddy misses the second knock on too, somehow. It’s obvious which way the 50/50 calls are going to go tonight. It gets worse from there. Penalty to Auckland 3-0.

Waikato manages to get the ball back up-field and replies with a penalty to equalise 3-3. Some sloppy ball handling by Waikato, pushing a 50/50 pass but Auckland knock on, Paddy seems to be playing an advantage as Waikato recover and charge forward again. More sloppy handling, and Auckland kicks it ahead to win the race to the line and score 8-3. Sorry Paddy, but explain to me how Waikato got any advantage from that.

Play goes on and Waikato have a line out on their own 5 metre line. They tap it back, but instead of going to their own hooker, the Auckland hooker, Kevin Mealamu, charges through and collects it to bullock through and score a try. Spencer converts 15-3. I read in the newspaper later that Waikato were still using the Chiefs line-out calls from the Super 12. Hello guys, Mealamu was the Chiefs hooker and knows those calls as well as you do.

The game goes on. Waikato for some reason, instead of keeping the ball in hand as they have done all season, choose to consistently kick the ball back to Auckland. They make a pretty bad job of it too and so Auckland are making all the play.

A ruck on the Waikato 10 metre line and with the ball coming back on the Waikato side Paddy decides to finalise the result by awarding Auckland a penalty. Not content with this, he also sends a lock from each side off to the sin bin. The video replays of the rucking have the crowd as baffled as the players as to why.

Spencer takes a shot at goal and the ball glances off the upright, Waikato is sloppy in securing the ball and end up forcing it down behind their try-line. Five metre scrum to Auckland. From set phase Spencer ghosts over the line to score. Now that’s class. 20-3 and the game is lost for Waikato. No way they can close the gap and win, Auckland has the best defence in the competition this year and Waikato are playing like zombies. It’s not even half time.

Waikato finally use their brains and try and keep the ball in hand. Lowen makes a break and Waikato get a penalty five metres from the Auckland try line. They kick for touch and take the lineout. Although driven back over a number of phases Waikato gets the ball out to wonderkid Reagan King who ghosts through under the posts for a try. 20-10.

More mistakes from Waikato and great smother tackling from Auckland. Lowen makes two more breaks and from the second a penalty results. Reihana kicks it. 20-13.

Auckland gets done for pulling down the maul and Reihana kicks the resultant penalty. 20-16.
Derek Maiseys kicking of last weeks seems to have been a fluke as his tactical kicking is abysmal tonight, missing touch on several occasions and slicing the ball infield the rest of the time. Has he got a single kick right tonight?

Half time. Maybe it’s a bit premature to go home, Waikato have a small chance of winning.

Auckland start the second half off and Waikato takes it into a ruck. Duggan kicks from the base of the scrum, too slow and too casual and the kick is charged down. Waikato is lucky to drive Auckland into touch one metre out from the goal line. Duggan is looking a couple of years past his use by date.

Waikato clears from the lineout but they’ve put themselves under unnecessary pressure from that last play and Auckland keeps attacking. Another lineout on the Waikato 5 metre line and the Waikato hooker overthrows. Auckland number 8 Xavier Rush collects the ball and scores a try. Spencer misses his fifth kick and the score is 25-16.

Waikato attack and bust through the Auckland line to kick ahead. Spencer running towards his goal line collects the ball five metres out and while still facing the dead ball line kicks the ball back over his head. The Waikato number 8 collects it and attacks the line. Auckland is penalised for a professional foul but Reihana misses his first kick.

Maisey continues to kick woefully and now Spencer matches him, we’re seeing the two different sides of Spencers play in the same game. An appalling 5 minutes of play ensues from both sides. Then when Waikato is hard on attack on the Auckland 10 metre line, an intended miss pass is fired out, but the Waikato player not wanting to be missed reaches above his head for the ball as it goes past and knocks it on. Doug Howlett pounces on the ball and runs about 70 metres to score under the sticks. 32 -16 and it’s definitely game over now.

Play resumes and once again Lowen almost bursts through. This inspires some go forward and Waikato get another penalty 15 metres out and choose to go for touch. Duggan runs it wide from a ruck which follows the line out and the hooker goes over for a try 32-21.

20 minutes left to play and massive amounts of replacements are thrown into the game by both sides and the game loses some more structure. Waikato tries to play catch up rugby but the Auckland defence is as firm as ever.

Another penalty to Auckland and then Doug Howlett takes the ball from a ruck and struggles over the line. 40-21.

Waikato clear their bench but to no avail. Graham Henry, back from Wales and with Auckland again, has obviously studied the Waikato game plan, while Waikato can’t say the same of Auckland.

Persistent effort from Keith Lowen results in a try for him but that is the last stanza of the game and Auckland are worthy winners by 6 tries to 2. Final score 40-28.

The All Black team to tour Europe was announced on Monday and reflected the talent in the Auckland team by selecting 8 of their players. I’m just going to list the players for now and will share my thoughts on the selections with you next week.

The players chosen were

Ben Blair (Canterbury)
Daniel Braid (Auckland)
Sam Broomhall (Canterbury)
Christian Cullen (Wellington)
Steve Devine (Auckland)
Carl Hayman (Otago)
Marty Holah (Waikato)
Andrew Hore (Taranaki)
Doug Howlett (Auckland)
Regan King (Waikato)
Danny Lee (Otago)
Jonah Lomu (Wellington)
Keith Lowen (Waikato)
Keven Mealamu (Auckland)
Kees Meeuws (Auckland)
Andrew Mehrtens (Canterbury)
Joe McDonnell (Otago)
Brad Mika (Auckland)
Taine Randell (Otago)
Keith Robinson (Waikato)
Mark Robinson (Canterbury)
Rodney So'oialo Wellington)
Carlos Spencer (Auckland)
Tana Umaga (Wellington, vice captain)
Ali Williams (Auckland)
Tony Woodcock (North Harbour)

Players not considered were

Canterbury's Greg Feek, Corey Flynn, Mark Hammett, Dave Hewett, Chris Jack, Leon MacDonald, Justin Marshall, Aaron Mauger, Norm Maxwell, Richard McCaw, Caleb Ralph, Scott Robertson, Greg Somerville and Reuben Thorne; Otago's Tony Brown, Byron Kelleher, Simon Maling, Tom Willis and Anton Oliver, Wellington's Jerry Collins and North Harbour's Ron Cribb

"Ge-drop, Place and Ge-score" by Mark Foster
The Blue Bulls beat the Lions 31-7 in a pulsating match at the Ellis Park stadium. The score is in all essence a true reflection of the match as the Lions were pulverised up front and dominated by sheer pressure. The Blue Bulls did everything right and this was a well-deserved victory.

The sight of a full Ellis Park is one to behold and with thousands of flags flying the atmosphere for the domestic showpiece was electric. The whole occasion displayed and signified a new vibrancy in SA rugby and even a non-supporter of the two teams could be forgiven for joining in the joie de vivre!

The Blue Bulls started the game with a purpose and a plan and their commitment was clear from the beginning. The target area was the much-vaunted Lions pack and the halfbacks. The Lions on the day did not play to their full exciting potential but they were never allowed to, Wessel Roux, Richard Bands and Danie Coetzee scrummed and scrummed and scrummed. Backed up by two physical locks in Botha and Matfield (yes, Matfield!) the foundation was there for one man to dominate the game – Derrick Hougaard .

The famous phrase recounting Frik Du Preez’s heroics in a Currie Cup final of yesteryear is an apt way of describing the influence of the young Hougaard on the match. Oom Frik was a lock hence the significance of the words but then he was a special lock… Hougaard however provided a similar kind of "specialness" for the much-maligned Blue Bull supporters to once again lift their proud heads and look the rugby world in the eyes.

Derrick, as was written on his back (all the Bulls’ players had only their first names as identification on their back) played a superb tactical match and his kicking display was of the highest quality. Yes he missed a few conversions near the end but such was the dominance that these kicks failed to matter in the greater scheme of things. The young guy made sure that his hard working forwards went forward and when the opportunity arose he struck with the lethality of a mamba. 

The Bulls were however not as one dimensional as many thought or predicted, they cleverly chose to run when the opportunities arose and both Wylie Human and Gavin Passens saw more ball in the final than in the previous three games combined. The centres did their job and as much as critics likened them to props they provided tremendous impetus and Dries Scholtz played his best match of the season. As a team and a combination everything “gelled”.

The Lions were dumbstruck by the ferocious assault and with the spoilt ball the backs could do very little. Andre Pretorius displayed a remarkably calm appearance despite Bennie Nortje’s struggling; this is expected of the incumbent Springbok flyhalf. The centres were given a bit of a lesson in straight running and Grant Esterhuizen made two vital mistakes when scoring opportunities lurked. Two players displayed a tremendous amount of courage under fire and that was Andre Vos and Wikus van Heerden who played their hearts out. It was however not meant to be.

The Bulls deserved the win and their identity is back, South African rugby needs a strong showing from all their teams regardless of their style. The final was a wonderful match to watch and bodes well for the year 2003 when maybe a similar kind of pressure is required to win another famous trophy.

Quotes
People are sick of waiting for him (Jonah Lomu) to regain his best form. He understands the consequences (if he fails).    John Mitchell

They didn't give us a sniff. We were up against it. They didn't allow us into the game.     André Vos

We realised that we didn't play good rugby in the first half and it was nice to see the passion out there early in the second half. The Bulls, however, were too good for us.    Frans Ludeke

The reason for All Black dominance... violence... no other team except the Springboks have set out to physically intimidate New Zealand. The French have been able to occasionally and the Australians try, but all other teams tacitly admit physical defeat before the match starts. They are not tough enough, and not violent enough. . . in England, there is a public school reticence to knock someone to the ground even if it meant you'd get the ball. We don't suffer from that inhibition.   & nbsp; David Kirk

When I played, the All Black flankers and No 8 always had a port and cigar club. After every Test we would get together and drink a couple of bottles of port, smoke cigars and talk not just about the game that had just gone but the great matches of the past. It was a tradition. Those are the things that keep the history of the All Blacks alive.    Wayne 'Buck' Shelford

We didn't just go and get tackled: we looked for support. That's how the game was played - communication between the players and keeping the options open. Not just run here, do this, do that.       David Campese

Look he is brilliant. I would go so far as to say that he kicks better than I remember Naas kicking.      HO De Villiers on Derrick Hougaard

I'm really looking forward to play under coaches like Gert Smal and Carel du Plessis - two of my childhood heroes - and I will play in any position they want to use me.      Gaffie Du Toit

It's not lost or anything, we just don't exactly know where it is at the moment.      Auckland team manager Derek Sampson re the NPC trophy.

WHY THE BOKS WILL WIN THE WORLD CUP: South Africa is destined for glory in Australia next year. To find out why, buy the new issue of SA RUGBY magazine, on sale now, or visit www.sarugby.com

Letters to the Editor
Hi Ed

Re: My opinion

I along with many others were disappointed with Natal not making the final, not that Northerns should not have won, the news papers will always remind us of that fact . I just wonder if the style of play by the Bulls is good for the game beyond Currie Cup level. I guess we will have to wait till next years Super 12 (or 13) to see how they fare, and I honestly hope they do well.

We don't need the super 12 to see which SA side will finish last we can figure out who owns that spot with the Currie Cup. If that type of play proves successful then we will all have to go back to the drawing board. As well as Hougaard played I with out to much bias feel that Britz was the best player on display for that game and I wonder if that fact has been noticed by Strauelli , even Wannenberg who has had a very good season could not match him on the day. 

As a well known radio jock in 702 land would say " In my opinion" Thanks for allowing me to express mine

George Fanning

Dear Ed

Re: Bok Contracts 

Bok contracts are a point every year which generates a good amount of discussions. Whilst guys like Percy Montgomery and Robbie Kempson lash out at the hand that fed them for years (even when they were not playing), some of us welcome the change in contracts.

I should think that R300 000/year from Sarfu (R25 000/month), Another, let say VERY conservatively R250 000 from the union and yet another R200 000 for Super 12, it boils down to substantial amount of R 62 500/month!!! Add to this win bonuses and match fees, then you have a situation where, just from match fees, a player can earn R975 000 per annum (R75K/test x 13). That is another R81 250/month. Now that gives you a total of R 143 750 / @#*MONTH. AND STILL THEY COMPLAIN!! AND this excludes win bonuses. These figures are based on junior players in the Bok squad. Think of somebody like Corne, and you could more than double the above figures. Now, if R143 000/month is not security, then I don't know what they would say earning R13k/month like me.

In my line of work, if I don't perform, I don't get bonus or commission (match fees/win bonus for players). If I'm off sick for more than a certain period, it goes down as UNPAID leave, where as the players STILL get their monthly salary, without match fees and bonuses. I don't think they have anything to complain about.

The players need to come down off their little pedestals and be grateful for the money they do earn. I don't think there is a lot youngsters (22-32) earning that money in SA.

Good for you, Rudolph.

JB (Cape Town)

Beste Red.

Wow wat se Currie Cup was dit nie gewees nie. Wie sou nou kon raai dat die Blou Bulle van ouds te voorskyn sou kom. Maar ek moet sê hulle verdien dit uit en uit. Al is ek `n vurige Lions man en moet maar nou in my trane snik.

Maar die eintlike kwessie is ons Springbok Toer groep en ek moet sê ou Rudolf het `n hele paar manne mis gekyk.

Manne wat in is wat nie daar hoort nie is Robbie Fleck : Wat van senters soos Rudi Keil wat `n puik seisoen gehad het , Adrian Jacobs : Het hy al ooit `n tackle gemaak en hier dink ek dat Dries Scholtz van die Bulle dit baie meer verdien , Marius Joubert baie goed op die aanval maar sy arrogante houding sorg vir heeltemal teveel geelkaarte ek sou eerder vir André Snyman `n luitjie gegee het dan Butch James ek bedoel ons het almal gesien wat Derick Hougaard kan doen ja hy is jonk maar hoe oud was Naas gewees toe hy die groen en goud begin dra het. Dan is daar Breyton Paulse al wat ek kan sê is hy het sy tyd gehad en daar is baie ander goeie vleuels wat van Anton Pitout wat `n uitstekende seison gehad het.

Werner is ook bietjie gelukkig om daar te wees ,want Jaque Fourie "Need I say more" is briljant.

Uit die groep wat ons daar het kan daar darem `n decent span kom :

1. L. Shepaka
2. L. v Biljon
3. W. Meyer
4. J. Labachagne
5. V. Matfield
6. C. Krige (C)
7. P. Wannenberg
8. J. v Niekerk
9. N. de Kock
10. A. Pretorius
11. F. Lombaard
12. J. de Villiers
13. M. Joubert
14. B. Paulse
15. W. Greeff

16. J. Conradie
17. B. James
18. B. Russell
19. W. Roux
20. B. Botha
21. P. Uys
22. J. Dalton

Ek dink dat hulle dalk die ding oorkant kan doen let wel dalk

Groete
Nardus Oelofse

Mail unsubscribe@rugbyforum.co.za to unsubscribe

Copyright 2002 Rugby Forum. All rights reserved. This e-mail may be freely distributed, provided that the document is left in its original form. Submissions are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect that of the editor or owner.