Is the South African rugby team too old?
This week, Rassie Erasmus had to come out to bat for captain Siya Kolisi over whether he was over the hill. As someone eyeballing 40, it is hard to believe that players are cast into the scrap heap of rugby after 35. The balancing act of experience versus youthful energy often dictates who wins the […]
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My top 5 South African rugby analysts
We get our analysis from a relatively small group of rugby journalists but we are fortunate to have some very insightful analysts. I will have a look at my top 5. Use it or Lose it (Schalk Burger and Jean de Villiers) Anyone who has watched the show Use it or Lose it will have…
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What have we learned after this past weekend’s matches?
Race to 24th July Both the British and Irish Lions and the Springboks are in a race to get ready for the first test. The plans have been laid and the teams mostly picked but whoever has the most match ready outfit will win. The keys players in the Bok team who are short on…
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What do the British and Irish Lions need to get out of the midweek matches
The easy answer to this question would be wins right? Not exactly. These midweek games are more about sharpening the squad up for the main course – the three Test matches. When people look back at the tours the results of the matches outside of the Test matches are quickly forgotten. Look at the previous…
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Why the Bulls failure against Benetton will benefit in the long run
Covid 19 has shown the South African rugby community one thing, we cannot succeed as a rugby nation in a bubble. After the various internal tournaments resulting in the Bulls inevitably winning it showed us that they are currently the best team in SA without a shadow of doubt. This has been achieved with very…
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Marcel van der Merwe is a sign of larger issues for SA props
Jake White and his high flying Bulls team have been hailed as masterminds in recruiting both experienced campaigners and young stars destined for greatness. Marcel van der Merwe was one of the players that was heralded as a masterstroke but he struggled from day one and never looked like the prop we expected. He is…
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5 Observations of the British and Irish Lions vs Japan
The loss of Alun Wuyn Jones and Justin Tipuric in rather innocuous looking tackles will leave a massive void in the team, outside of their obvious abilities on the field it will be the leadership that is most affected. Looking at the available locks in the squad it seems to be a position of weakness…
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Why teams need to embrace transformation rather than shun it
In any large organization CEO’s talk about the importance of diversity to enable employees to approach problems from different angles creating a more holistic solution. Rugby is no different in that signing players who all look the same, think the same and speak the same language aren’t able to problem solve situations as well as…
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Do South African rugby teams need a fetcher?
The famous line from Jake White will go down in history when talking about the role of a fetcher in his teams, “The only fetcher that I need is my two sons to get me a beer on a Sunday”. The game has evolved drastically from that time but South African teams still seem reluctant…
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Why is New Zealand rugby in so much trouble?
New Zealand rugby was the golden child of World Rugby for so many years producing talent year after year under the brilliant tutelage of Graham Henry and Steve Hansen. Winning became so synonymous with NZ rugby that they thought they could do no wrong. Fast forward to today and the players union are revolting against…
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Way too early Springbok World Cup 2023 team
Take a way too early look at who are the frontrunners to don the green and gold for the World Cup 2023 in France. 15. Aphelele Fassi He is electrifying from open play and can turn a moment in the game on its head but he has a much underrated ability to read the game…
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Will the South African contracting model work?
We are currently in unknown territories with Covid 19 well and truly wreaking havoc on the bank balances of rugby teams around the world. SA Rugby took the opportunity to implement the new contracting model of 45 senior players and R60 million cap for each of the four PRO 16 bound franchises. The cap on…
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Winners and losers in british & irish lions tour schedule
Winners: Local SA Franchises: They get to have a crack at the Lions touring party fresh off the boat on hard fast fields in altitude which is incredibly difficult at the best of times. The Lions will be looking to use their superior forward power to slow the game down and kick for territory whilst…
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