Bakkies fires for Toulon

Ex Keo

 Bakkies Botha was belligerent and at his best, but it was English veteran Jonny Wilkison’s brilliance that won the day for Toulon in the Heineken Cup quarter-final against Leicester.

Wilkinson kicked six from six in penalties and ended Leicester’s tournament with a 79th minute right footed drop goal.

Toulon won 21-15 but their second half advantage was such that Leicester did well to lose within seven points.

Wilkinson and former Wallabies inside centre Matt Giteau were the best backline players in the match while Botha and former All Black loose-forward Chris Masoe were the best of an impressive home team effort.

Leicester were defensively defiant and kept the hosts tryless through good defensive structure and also desperate scrambling on the cross cover. Twice they denied the home team with cross cover tackles.

Botha came close to scoring after a ferocious surge, but was penalised for a double movement, but that was about all that went against the former Bulls and Bok giant. Botha played as well as at any time in his Bulls and Bok career and is still good enough to make the Bok squad.

I would pick him for the Boks this season and for next year’s World Cup.

Masoe, after his pack had struggled to subdue the visitors in the first 30 minutes, was a menace to Leicester in the second half. 

Lets not forget about thsi all time greayt who crried wee victor for so many years.  He must have a great deal to terach Etzebeht and Du Toit. Like to see him in th emix.

Ou snapster will no doubt have one of his strokes but hey wee brad (who was never half the lock Bakkies was) played for the abs when older than bakkies.

Beeno

Granted Botha played very well on Club level - but you wild statement on him as quoted above - namely that "I would pick him for the Boks this season and for next year’s World Cup"  is really ridiculous.  First of all - there is no WC next year - and secondly would you pick him ahead of Etzebeth?  Don't do us a Mozart here - Bakkies is still playing well at Club level - in Europe  - but that is at best CC level in SA and below Super 15 level. The players are often enough retired international players and mostly not present international level players

Bakkies would dominate your favourites Oom.....like Thorne he just gets harder as time goes by.

Mozart

Bakkies is past tense.   Will he dominate Etzebeth?  Hardly bloody likely.  Living in the heroic past again?

Mozart

Bakkies is past tense.   Will he dominate Etzebeth?  Hardly bloody likely.  Living in the heroic past again?

No OOM you are past tense....Bakkies is still playing great rugby in France. As for who would dominate  out of those two.... by RWC15 it will probably be Etzebeth doing the dominating.This year, I couldn't say....Bakkies is a harder nut than Etzebeth  faced last year.

 World Cup next year eh Hasbeeno? I hope you're not a bean counter by trade!

Of course Bakkies would walk back into the Boks, what with your lack of depth there.

He wouldn't make the ABs however..... too much of a thug and slow as a wet week!

Ou maaaikie and moooo  la this is an article written by Keo. I leave some crumbs for the oaks to correct. Builds up their self esteem as does calling them oaks! 

Lack of depth! we have the two worlds best in Bekker and Etzebeth and then Du Toit. Then a host of locks as good as any the wee abs have.  Get real moooo la - also bakkies is a reasonably mobile lock. In his younger days you could play him at 7.

My pointg is also besides playing he could mentor young locks like Etzebeth Du Toit willemse etc. mooo you need to get a grip.

Seems like a few people on here are relying on the media to form an idea of Bakkies' game, and has not actually watched the game. Bakkies went off aftter 7 minutes but was back on about 8 minutes later, IIRC. Bakkies was indeed one of the Toulon pilars. They demolished the Tigers scrum which handed Toulon and Wilkinson a number of shots at the posts.

I once again had to have a laugh at people saying that NH rugby is boring, slow, predictable, etc, etc, etc, etc. I watched the game between Sarries and Ulster on Saturday as well, and there were lots of fast backline moves and some very creative backline play as well. Moz and Mike would have appreciated the large amounts of off-loads. I missed the other two QF games between Quins and Munster and between Clermont Auvergne and Montpellier.

Thanks for the input windpomp. You are always assurred of being on the right track when you agree with Beeno - I refer of course only to your endorsement re Bakkies.

Have you watched the game between Toulon and Leicester?

Ceradyne

I did watch the games mentioned and agree with you on your assessment of the old image of dull NH games.  The playing situation did change drastically over the last two years - and the games nowadays - probably because of the new rule changes - are much more interesting and mobile.

Is seems that only elements in SA rugby still believe in the dead backline syndrome.

It is actually longer than the last two years, Mike. Read this article by Brian Moore in 2008. He wrote it after the IRB released statistics about the "Ball in Play". I saw a recent article on the same topic, following the release of similar statistics by the IRB. I just cannot find it right now. In essence, it was found that the ball is actually in play for larger parts of the game, during NH games, as opposed to SH games. This is the article by Moore:

www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/2495092/International-Rugby-Board-statistics-show-damned-lies-are-behind-newly-introduced-laws-rugby-union.html

For those who is are not interested in reading the entire article, take note of this paragraph:

"These figures make redundant the following, much-asserted 'facts’ relating to rugby in the southern hemisphere: that more tries are scored; the ball is kicked less; the game is not marred by endless static and boring set-pieces; there are fewer penalties because teams do not kill the ball on the floor; the number of penalties awarded will be greater if a whistle-happy pedant from the northern hemisphere is refereeing; that the ball is in play for longer."

Windpomp I am sure all would agree with you that NH rugby is far superior but for the dismal fact that positions 1 to 3 belong to the SH. As Argentina gets going tha tcould become 1 to 4?

So in fact windpomp whatever slant you may wish to put on it NH rugby sucks. One exception being the meritorious win over the abs by the English Roses.  It must have made Bec's day for sure as it did mine as I saw this debacle coming a long way off. abs have become too much off a show pony team.

As for the refs how could NH refs not be better!!! we all know that nz refs are the pits closely followed by Oz refs. As bent as boomerangs!     They spend so much time blowing up saffa sides it ruins our stats re ball in play etc. One wonders really also whether all these rules changes to suit the wee abs have not ruined the game. Today you can have scrumhalves like daniel (Lets be realsitic about this chaps!) playing on the flank and holding down a super 15 spot!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hope this clarifies matters windpomp.

Wake up Beenbal. I have not said that the NH rugby teams are superior to the SH teams at all. I have addressed the fallacy that NH rugby is boring, slow, predictable, etc.

BTW, you still have not answered me. Did you watch the Toulon/Leicester game?

windpomp I confess I do not watch much NH rugby . Its bad enough trying to keep up with all the SH stuff unless you have no other life to get on with. To me the Super 15 i s an awesome comp spoiled only by bad down under refs.

I think the  top Super 15 sides would beat the NH test sides more often than not?  We will soon see the combined efforts of the 4 home unions battling to beat Oz. Should be a fine contest. Wonder how many Brumbies will make it into the test side. 

I also think entertainment can be different  to different people. To me a really good rolling maul is fabulous.  Other like to see a fancy ballerina winger (eg carol jane) skipping down the tryline locks flying in the wind. Somelike to see the nz sides running the ball. I like to see our guys flattening them etc etc.

Thank you, Beenbal, for admitting to not watching the game. That puts to bed, the fact that you claimed that I am agreeing with you about Bakkies. You have gone purely on your idol, the cocaine wizzard's article, while I have actually watched the game. Poooffff.

Having said that, you still battle with basic comprehension. Let me repeat, and maybe this time you will get it. I have not said that the NH teams are superior to the SH teams. I have commented on the fact that the SH rugby is supposed to be soooooo much more attractive than the NH rugby. The general complaint is always that  the NH rugby is slow, predictable, based on forward play (i.e. rucks and mauls for the entire game), no backline play to speak of, etc. If you read the entire article you will see the comparison between kicks, rucks, mauls, etc. Those were the stats in 2008. The recent stats that I saw have even less scrums, line-outs, kicks, etc for the NH teams than the SH teams.

I made the comment that it all depends on what is defined or thought to be attractive windpomp. But I am not impressed with the refs in the Super 15.

I read an article and have heard at various times bakkies is playing well in France. It doesnt surprise me as he is one of the all time greats and a coupl eofyear younger than thorn was when still playing for the abs.  If you think about for amoment ou windpomp, do try thinking,  there are many things you comment on that you have never seen.

Crash goe the windpomp once again!!