Let’s talk about the “tallest outside-centre in the world”, Andries Bekker, the second-row forward from the Stormers.
He was a titanic figure in the Stormers nail-biting 36-34 win over the Chiefs.
The quote in the lead was from one of the South African commentators half joking as Bekker took the ball through the Chiefs line and was bought down by the last man after a long run.
Bekker is surprisingly quick for a man who tops out just below the stratosphere at 211cm (6’11”).
During the match on the weekend he stood out carrying the ball nine times for 76 metres. A huge impact on the game, especially with the timing of his carries.
As with the line break, his other carries seemed to punch the ball well over the advantage line just as the Stormers needed someone to lift their performance.
Adding to the strong work on the ground Bekker managed to win 10 lineouts for the home team as well. This all-round contribution isn’t anything new for Bekker, especially to Stormers fans.
But his across the park game deserves to be pointed out in a competition where the second row doesn’t seem to have a huge wealth of talent that can compete in every facet of the game.
Often second rowers seem to be broken up into specialty roles of a jumper or scrum and ruck enforcer.
Bekker embodies the potential of a player who takes both roles seriously and works them into his game. He’s almost impossible to seal a lineout from but he’s ferocious in his open field and scrummaging work.
From a Stormers perspective he was only beaten to more rucks by the hugely talented blindside flanker Siyamthanda Kolisi, and Bekker had a ruck turnover to show for it.
In fact, Bekker has a turnover in every game so far this year.
This year the Stormers will be looking for an explosive attacking game to pair with their defence that has been stout for years.
The installation of young Elton Jantjies at fly-half instead of Peter Grant is a testament to that ambition.
As the Waratahs have learned, all the best intentions of attacking rugby go down the gurgler without having significant go forward up front.
The Stormers will be relying on the veteran Bekker lead that momentum that provides them with room to attack freely all year. There aren’t any signs so far that he’s shirking that responsibility.
While developing into one of the most consistently consistent second-rowers in world rugby, Bekker has now amassed 93 caps for the Stormers.
The strange thing is that this man has only 29 caps in his international career to date.
He’s 29, but if Nathan Sharpe and Victor Matfield are any indication, Bekker still has plenty of time to add to that tally.
I expect him to be a big feature for the Springboks later this year, and he’s started the Super Rugby season wonderfully well.
If you want to learn how a good second rower goes about their trade, flip on the Stormers and watch their big number five go tear into his work.
Hmm
Ben.S
Roar Guru
And he moves to Japan to prolong his career. Physically he just isn't robust enough. Said this before - I think there is a tipping point for locks in terms of height when unless they are very flexible are simply too tall to be competent at hitting rucks at international level.
Bakkies
Guest
''Bakkies, modern day rugby isn’t as specialised as the bygone era, players are more versatile these days, you can look at mose teams, their forwards all pilfer now, not only the 7, look at lineouts, SA sometimes have as many as 5 line out options,'' that doesn't matter when you don't do your primary job, which in Bekker's case it is win lineouts, hit rucks, scrummage, maul. You can do all the fancy stuff but if you aren't doing the basic hard work that is required of a international lock forward there isn't much point in you being picked. Bekker is 2m11 tall he can't be versatile like a back rower or a centre. The Boks don't have the luxury of Smith's lineout jumping in the backrow any more due to his retirement. Spies was used as a jumper in the England series but he has missed a lot of Bok Rugby in recent times.
Rusty
Roar Guru
Wether you rate him or not - in Super rugby 2011 he was the best forward by a country mile, unfortunately he became injured and since then lost momentum and form. Hopefully he avoids the physios and rehab this year and gets back into top gear
Felix
Guest
If he does play 12 is his only number,the boks have F.Steyn at 12 who wont be dropped if fit,Paul Jordaan is the best 13 but he wont be selected for some strange reason,Houggard got dropped by the bulls at 9,cant play wing either but will start for boks!!
kingplaymaker
Roar Guru
The selection of Jean De Villiers is becoming more of an absurdity as the years roll on. He hasn't played well for years, and will be 34 at the RWC.
Felix
Guest
How about Nanai Williams beating Jean *bok captain* 8/10,De Jongh must go back to 13 De Villiers is ridiculouse at 13,the thing is De Allende played at 90% at 12 vs the chiefs,I dont see anything wrong with Bekker as long as Etzebeth is there to partner.
Elisha Pearce
Expert
To be fair, I don't think the stat guys count every jersey that happens to lean against the ruck. I think they have to make a subjective decision about which players actually influenced the ruck.
Bakkies, modern day rugby isn't as specialised as the bygone era, players are more versatile these days, you can look at mose teams, their forwards all pilfer now, not only the 7, look at lineouts, SA sometimes have as many as 5 line out options, Modern day rugby has showed us if your players specialise in one area only they lose effectiveness, if Pocock for example is down in the first ruck as e contested, then the ensuing ruck cannot be contested as he is still getting up from the previous one, hence you need more than one pilferer. Rene Ranger is a prime example of a player oter than the 7, that pilfers as effectively, the same goes for Coenie Oosthuizen, he pilfered more ball than Brussow did when they came on. etc.
50/50 Kolisi and Messam hit 11 rucks each, they heit the most, then Bekker and another Chiefs player, can't remember who it was now.
Bakkies
Guest
Bekker is the Mark Chisholm of SA Rugby. Good at the fancy stuff but when it comes to fighting in the trenches forget it.
Mushu
Roar Pro
Guilty as charged Biltong :D not a fan of Bekker at all, my bias is showing. Figure cos I'm a little too old school for a lock ranging up among the outside backs. In my mind, the tight five should be operating in close, doing all the hard yards. If you must have a forward out wide, leave it to the blindside or 8th man (I'll allow the openside some leeway on account of having the title "loose forward" on his CV. But only every other phase mind :P) As an aside, aren't those ruck attendance figures low? Or did the Chiefs dominate possession?
You're being a tad over critical there Nushu. Bekker hit the second most (8) rucks for the Stormers, only Kolisi hit more (11) He did make an offload, and broke the line once, his tackle count could be a bit higher.
Mushu
Roar Pro
Not quite sure about lauding Bekker for camping out in the number 13 channel on attack. For my money, you should almost never see a lock running in open play. He should be too busy picking himself up from the last ruck that he had to clear, or standing off one of the halfbacks with a pod of his forward mates looking to suck in defenders to give the quicker and more skillful backs space out wide. Admittedly, Bekker had a great show and go break that made metres. However, at no point did I think he was going to score or set up a try. The defenders would reel him in, and Bekker suffers from severe whiteline fever. There was no chance of an offload at any point in his run Bekker does not deliver on one of the main core competency of a lock, namely dominating the tight aspects of open play (namely rucks and mauls). He's an adequate linout option on Stormers ball but not nearly as dominant as Etzebeth on opposition ball. All in all, I would pick Juandre Kruger, Flip van der Merwe, Anton Bresler and Steven Sykes ahead of him for a Bok place.
Felix
Guest
I think Stormers need to find an able 11 back to replace Habs even without Schalk Stormers can win it,they just needed to find form,stop missing kickable penalties & stop loosing the ball in contact like vs the bulls,Nic Groom should be a bok 9 2013
As talented as Jantjies is, he is too small.
Agree with you on Daniel, but for the purposes of KPM's argument, I was talking skills with ball in hand here.
Temba, it was actually the other way round, Etzebeth had the ball and did to Bismarck what Savea did to Dagg on the weekend, albeit in a more spectacular way.
True, got my thoughts all mangled there for a moment. :)
tubby
Guest
not one mention of how good bekker is in defending mauls? he manages to swim through the bodies to the ball carrier better than anyone else. kolisi for me has not been as impressive this year, only a few games in but he was much better last year. interesting comment on jantjies showing a change in tactics. Clearly the desire is to no longer be great in defense, he's made cooper look solid so far. More willing to put his body on the line but totally ineffective none the less.