Boks star Burger back for Tri-Nations tour
By AFP, 11 Aug 2009 AFP is a Roar Pro
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- All Blacks, Andries Bekker, british and irish lions, Bryan Habana, Danie Rossouw, Gurthro Steenkamp, Heinrich Brussow, Jannie du Plessis, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, John Smit, Juan Smith, Luke Fitzgerald, Morne Steyn, Richie McCaw, Ricky Januarie, Ruan Pienaar, Rugby Union, Schalk Burger, Springboks, Tendai Mtawarira, Tri Nations, Victor Matfield, wallabies, Wynand Olivier
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Suspended South Africa loose forward Schalk Burger has been included in a 27-man squad for the away leg of the Tri-Nations tournament.
Flanker Burger is serving an eight-week ban for eye-gouging British and Irish Lions winger Luke Fitzgerald a minute into the second Test last June.
His suspension ends before Tri-Nations pacesetters South Africa confront Australia in Perth on August 29 and the teams clash again one week later in Brisbane.
Seeking a third southern hemisphere title in 14 attempts, the reigning world champions complete the Australasia tour against New Zealand on September 12 in Hamilton.
Long considered an automatic selection for the green and gold, Burger will face stiff competition for a starting place from Heinrich Brussow, the dynamic Free State Cheetahs flanker.
Brussow has been a revelation in two home victories over the All Blacks and one against the Wallabies this season, proving more than a match for illustrious rivals like Richie McCaw and George Smith.
Also added to the 22-man squad that defeated Australia 29-17 in Cape Town Saturday are wing Odwa Ndungane, centre Wynand Olivier, prop Gurthro Steenkamp and number eight Ryan Kankowski.
© AFP 2012SQUAD
Backs: Jaque Fourie, Bryan Habana, Adrian Jacobs, Ricky Januarie, Odwa Ndungane, Wynand Olivier, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Fourie du Preez, Francois Steyn, Morne Steyn, Jean de VilliersForwards: Andries Bekker, Bakkies Botha, Heinrich Brussow, Schalk Burger, Ryan Kankowski, Victor Matfield, Tendai Mtawarira, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Danie Rossouw, John Smit (capt), Juan Smith, Pierre Spies, Gurthro Steenkamp
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- All Blacks, Andries Bekker, british and irish lions, Bryan Habana, Danie Rossouw, Gurthro Steenkamp, Heinrich Brussow, Jannie du Plessis, Jaque Fourie, Jean de Villiers, John Smit, Juan Smith, Luke Fitzgerald, Morne Steyn, Richie McCaw, Ricky Januarie, Ruan Pienaar, Rugby Union, Schalk Burger, Springboks, Tendai Mtawarira, Tri Nations, Victor Matfield, wallabies, Wynand Olivier
Neil said | August 11th 2009 @ 6:25pm | Report comment
Schalla will struggle to make it back into the Bok team given the incredible form of Brussow. Luckily for all South African fans Matt Giteau effectively killed off all high-horsedness that the sanzar partner fans could’ve thrown his way.
Sometimes people just make mistakes hey? And end up doing things they shouldn’t.
matt0931 said | August 11th 2009 @ 6:25pm | Report comment
Heinrich Brussow is an incredible player and has proven how strong he is and how valuable he is at the breakdown. Burger is much more aggresive and provocative though, and it will be interesting to see which way the Springboks will lean with their selected game plan.
CraigB said | August 11th 2009 @ 7:07pm | Report comment
Yeah… like eye balls within peoples heads
Fuzz said | August 11th 2009 @ 9:37pm | Report comment
Brussow would pick himself in 99% of my teams however that 1% that i would put Burger in first will be the Perth match. it is the only match where South Africa will play under a SH ref in Lawerence, don’t think for a second that he will ref the same way as the NH refs and hand out penalty after penalty to South Africa for Aussie infringements I think you may see the opposite happen, and to counter this Burger being the provocative player he is will be ideal in this situation as he could create lots of niggle by getting under the skin of the Wallabies so much they in turn will commit silly fouls make mistakes etc in retaliation.
However back to the final two matches I would reinstall Brussow.
Darryl SA said | August 11th 2009 @ 10:03pm | Report comment
Fuzz, if blaming the ref helps you feel better about the losses then so be it. When Saffers complained for years gone by about being done in by poor refereeing of Dickinson, Walsh and co it was laughed off as sour grapes and denial so I give current allegations the same regard. Personally I think the ref has been spot on and where there has been the odd bad call, it’s gone both ways.
To the point however, the only way Burger should get on the field is if he usurps Juan Smith. Smith has been playing below his usual levels for a while now. He’s an excellent loose forward and I wonder whether he isn’t nursing an injury or playing conservatively after concussions have threatened the length of his career. I rate Burger far more for his ball carrying (though he should learn to pass I think) and defense than for his fetching skills. He’s never been as good as Brussouw already is, in the area of fetching, but he’s a workhorse when it comes to defense regardless of what others think of him since the eye gouge incident. Will be interesting to see which way PdV plays it.
sportym said | August 11th 2009 @ 11:42pm | Report comment
It has to help having a NH ref when your playing like the 2003 england team
. They would be used to it.
I could care less that Saffa fans think that SH refs have it in for them, I was at the Bledisloe HK game last year and the game was runied by a NH ref. We have Saffa/NZ/OZ reffs for the S14, and the fans get used to the SH rule interpretations. So why on earth do we get NH refs when we play the tri-nations (all SH teams)?
Darryl SA said | August 12th 2009 @ 12:47am | Report comment
sportym, touche on the 2003 England team cop
Can’t say I disagree. I’m a Bok supporter, but I’m definitely not happy with the poor backline showing at the moment.
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 12:53am | Report comment
‘sportym, touche on the 2003 England team cop Can’t say I disagree.’
Is this the 2003 England team who had some of the best backs in the world? Who had the ability to play both tight and loose? You wish, Darryl.
Darryl SA said | August 12th 2009 @ 1:51am | Report comment
“Is this the 2003 England team who had some of the best backs in the world?”
Hahahahahahahaha…………. that was a good one Knives Out. Made my day.
CraigB said | August 12th 2009 @ 8:00am | Report comment
They don’t play like 2003 england because they could put it through the backline as well. Sa play like Argentina 2007
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 12:52am | Report comment
‘When Saffers complained for years gone by about being done in by poor refereeing of Dickinson, Walsh and co it was laughed off as sour grapes and denial so I give current allegations the same regard.’
Likewise the Lions refereeing. We do have such short memories.
van der Merwe said | August 12th 2009 @ 8:59am | Report comment
Smith has been playing as well, or close to it, as I’ve ever seen him play (his was a man of the match level performance against the Wallabies). As it stands, I wouldn’t touch the back row (or any forward, for that matter), but if I had to drop someone to accommodate Burger, it would be Spies long before Smith.
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 1:58am | Report comment
“Is this the 2003 England team who had some of the best backs in the world?”
Hahahahahahahaha…………. that was a good one Knives Out. Made my day.’
Who was a better fly half than Wilkinson?
Who was a better centre than Greenwood?
Who was a better winger than Robinson?
Who was a better full back than Lewsey?
Matt Dawson, Mike Catt and Ben Cohen were hardly stodgers either. You see, this isn’t just opinion, Darryl. That collection of backs actually did the business on the field… regularly and thoroughly. Perhaps a quick google search might refresh your memory. Or maybe you should buy some eye wash to help rinse out that ol’ green eye. Frankly, the comparison between that England side and this current SA side is absolutely silly.
Colin N said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:03am | Report comment
Oh yeah, forgot about Dawson, another very underrated player. You also had good squad players such as Tindall, Grayson, Bracken, Luger, Gomersall and Balshaw (before injuries struck). I believe 03 was when Ollie Smith first came onto the scene, but for whatever reason, never quite reached his potential. Mis-management perhaps?
I’ve heard he’s been doing some good things for Montpellier since he joined them.
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:08am | Report comment
I was never a fan of Ollie Smith. He always seemed to lack that dynamism that test 13s have these days. I couldn’t imagine him playing against any of Mortlock, Fourie, Shanklin or O’Driscoll. I think that Smith was more of a traditional 13 than a modern 13. I’d be interested to see how the French league is shaping him. It really developed Stephen Jones and Gareth Thomas.
Colin N said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:12am | Report comment
KO, who would you have at 13 for England in the AI’s? Do you think Tait is a ‘modern 13?’ I think he’s a similar player to Conrad Smith in the sense that he’s a footballer rather than a physical centre.
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:16am | Report comment
If Flutey is playing 12 then I’d be inclined to select Tindall. I know that the Catt-Tait partnership was never over-powered in the WC, but if England are going to play like they did in the 6N then I think they need a battering ram at 13. That said, if Tait manages an excellent season at 13 I’d have no hesitation in playing him there during the 6N and summer games. Bradley Barritt has been ‘Anglicised’, so it will be interesting to see where he fits in, if at all. You?
Chris said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:56am | Report comment
Who’s a better scrum-half than Du Preez
Who’s a better center-partnership than Jean De Villiers and Fourie
Who’s a better winger than Habana
All these players have shown at various times in their careers that they are amongst the best in the world in their positions.
Hindsight often colours the way we see players.
In 2002-2003
Wilkinson wasn’t CLEARLY better than Larkham
Greenwood wasn’t clearly better than Mortlock, Mauger, Umaga and was well behind Brian O’Driscoll
Robinson simply was better than Joe Roc
Lewsey was never a real candidate for best fullback in the world.
Chris said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:58am | Report comment
That should read
Robinson simply WASN’T a better wing than Joe Roc
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 3:13am | Report comment
1. Probably nobody, although Mike Phillips emerged with more praise from the Lions tour than du Preez.
2. Roberts and Shanklin, D’Arcy and O’Driscoll, Jauzion and Fritz, Nonu and Smith… That’s a ridiculous question. Firstly, they have hardly played together over the past two seasons, and secondly when they have they have looked totally mediocre and bereft of invention.
3. Sivivatu, Bowe, Williams, Nalaga, Rougerie, Heymans, Halfpenny…
That’s all well and good but the past is the past and currently only Fourie du Preez could be taken seriously.
No, bias often colours the way we see players. Which is why you have come out with some ludicrous comments. Try again, Chris. Absolutely ludicrous. Beyond ludicrous. Not even worth a response.
Darryl SA said | August 12th 2009 @ 4:52am | Report comment
“No, bias often colours the way we see players.”
Knives Out, perfectly put, yourself being a case in point.
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 5:35am | Report comment
–
Oh absolutely, Darryl SA, I must be a minority of one. Who doesn’t think JdV and Fourie are the best centre partnership going and that Habana is the best wing currently playing the game?! What a subjective oaf I am. How idiotic of me to suggest that Wilkinson, Greenwood, Robinson and Lewsey were world class players, the best in the world at their peak. Damn empirical evidence for making that suggestion redundant. You and Chris should swap email addresses. You have a lot in common.
Darryl SA said | August 12th 2009 @ 7:16am | Report comment
Woah, steady on Knives Out, you’re coming a little unhinged there old chap. Have a spot of tea old sport, or a wee dram to calm your nerves.
What a silly little tirade you can throw. Predictable as ever, ludicrous in fact, and boring as usual. Much like this thread.
craigb said | August 12th 2009 @ 10:51pm | Report comment
Have jdV Fourie and Habana been playing?? I haven’t seen them thus far…
Colin N said | August 12th 2009 @ 1:59am | Report comment
England did have world-class backs between 2001-03. Greenwood was a great distributor and a perfect foil to Wilkinson, who himself was and still could be a great player. We all agree about Robinson and Cohen, although lacking certain skills was a great finisher. Catt, as well, was a great player.
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:03am | Report comment
Kyran Bracken and Dan Luger were pretty good talents, too.
Colin N said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:26am | Report comment
That’s what I would be inclined to do, but if Tait starts the season well, then I would risk it and play Flutey and Tait together. They may lack physicality, but they are both good defenders.
You could also play Banahan and Monye/Cueto, who you could use in midfield off set piece, as all three of those players are powerful lads (like they use to do with Cohen)
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:32am | Report comment
Personally, I’d like to see Strettle involved. I think he brings something different to the party. What with Ojo, Monye, Sackey and even a player like Miles Benjamin England will never lack pace and pace is so, so vital in test rugby. However, it’s nice to have an alternative like Strettle, or even Simpson-Daniel. I’m not sure how I feel about Banahan yet. I could imagine Leigh Halfpenny or Tommy Bowe making a monkey out of him. To that extent, I’d even consider playing Delon Armitage on the wing and starting with Olly Morgan. I’m not sure that’s a great idea but Banahan is definitely a risk IMO.
Colin N said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:44am | Report comment
I said Banahan because if we were to play Tait with Flutey, then it would be a way of balancing the backline out. I really like Strettle, but he needs to prove his fitness first. Having said that, his stats were incredible last season, despite missing half of it. I think he was second on the ‘defenders beaten’ list in the Guiness Premiership.
Knives Out said | August 12th 2009 @ 2:46am | Report comment
I understand your logic but I’m just not a fan of Banahan. I’m still unsure as to whether he has that base power to hit the crash ball. This season will definitely be his most important yet.