2013 - First year in 8 that the Boks played with 15 men

Born, bred and raised in Pretoria, Pierre Johan Spies was destined for greatness from a young age. He had muscles in his genes a jet pack on his back from a tender age.

As we all know by now, Spies burst on to the scene in the junior ranks at the Bulls as a bullocking winger with speed to burn. Spies power cleans 135kg. He dead lifts 240 kg. He bench presses 165 kg.

With a pedigree like that and a father that represented Northern Transvaal, Spies couldnt have asked for much more, in his quest to wear the green and gold.


...fast forward to 2012....


Pierre Spies was struck down with a season ending injury. In stepped a workhorse who was everything that Spies wasn't.

Making his debut against Australia in 2012, Duanne Vermulen seemed to be a decent substitute for an already injured Spies. However he lacked the pace, natural athleticism and electricity that Spies had been blessed with.

I was one of those who raised an eyebrow when the often clumsy and cumbersome Vermulen got a starting berth ahead of a few others who had done a decent job at the back of the scrum for the Boks... especially in today’s times when a quick link-man with vision is needed at number 8.

It was only after a year that he was out of action that I was able to come out of the closet and succumb to the fact that Dear Pierre was probably the Boks biggest liability since making his debut way back in the middle of the Jake White era. In hindsight, Luke Watson may have even offered more grunt than the gruntless dynamo from Affies.

In my mind, there is little doubt as to why the Boks have looked so much sharper in the past 18 months. We are no longer playing with 14 men every time we take to the field.

Duane Vermulen has been a God send, no matter which allegiance your heart belongs to.

Perhaps he is your stereotypical Bok loosie. Hard as steel, works like a miner and isn't afraid to get his elbows dirty... but lacks flair.

I can look past the flair factor. I really couldn't give a rats ass if he ran the 100m in 10s or 13s... or if he has a Danie Gerber side step.
All of that is secondary.

I don't want our number 8 to be a professional photographer who can get extreme close ups of Victor and Bakkies's asses. We have many pro photographers in S.A who could do the same job by sitting in the stand or on the sidelines.

As a Bok supporter, I want to turn on the telly and watch 15 men giving more than they get, whether its with ball in hand or ball on the ground, and with Duane Vermulen starting each week, he has made my Bok watching much more pleasurable. Especially from the number 8 position!

I can't recall a single game that he has played in for the Boks where after 80 minutes, he hasn't played his heart out!  

Hailing from the School of Hard Knocks in the Free State, Vermulen has made Heyneke Meyer's job all that much easier. He can plan a game plan around 15 players. He can afford to be a bit more expansive knowing that one his most important players on the field, his link man, isn't going to go M.I.A.

Here's to a great year ahead, where we will hopefully be able to see a 15 man Bok side once again have a win loss ratio of 85% and close the gap on the All Blacks so that come 2015 we'll be able to kiss, lick and tug on William Webb Ellis.

See you in the stands Pierre....

 When you think we had an over the hill lardy at hooker, the 106 kg stringbean matfield at lock and Spiesies at 8 then one must wonder how the pack ever coped.
Meyer is building a power pack as has been realised by many. The pace of the pack will pick up with Malherbe at 3 and du Toit at lock. Only thing to ask is do we need one speedster loosie when playing on the highveldt.
Pierre was lost to us when they made him a loose forward - doesn't have a forwards soul. We have this funny notion our big backs must become loosies. Somehow the temptation was resisted with Fans Steyn.
One question though - did Pierre suffer this decline subsequent to his illness. He started off well.

 Fokkof Flash...

Wat se jy van my seuntjie?
Steek jy jou slang in Vermulens se gat?

Hy's so stadig soos my ouma en hy lyk soos een van daai trolle.

My seuntjie, jy sal sien... klein pierre sal sy nommer 8 jersey terug vat.

 wilma, spiesies should try for wing or retire. 

vermeulen is the only Bok loosie who pulls his weight in nearly every game.

alberts is useless against eveyrone but NH teams, louw had three great games when he retruned into the Boks in 2012, but has been meh every other time.

and all three of these incumbent loosies are barely faster then ur average frontrower, a big negative IMO, especially against the All Black loosies who schooled those one braai too many Bok loose forwards.

while vermeulens speed and mobility is a big meh, the rest of his physical game more then makes up for that area, and he would be even more effective if meyer gave him a half decent looseforward partners.

spies IMO should concentrate on a career in sevens where IMO he would be awesome, cos as long as vermeulen is fit, he will be the incumbent 8.

but when spies was at his peak back in 08/09, he was one of the best players in the world period, closest thing ive seen to keirean read anywhere and anytime, but OMG those injuries hurt him, cso from 2010 onwards its been a steady decline.

spies still plays well for the bulls though.