Ex Supersport
Bismarck du Plessis showed the respect for Heinrich Brussow that the flanker is due when he was asked about the looming breakdown battle in the first test against England at Kings Park on Saturday.
With Brussow, the ace in the pack for the past few seasons when it comes to turning over opposition ball at the breakdown and slowing down the opposition when they are trying to attack, out of the mix, it is assumed Du Plessis will have an even bigger role to play in his other function as an auxiliary flanker.
New coach Heyneke Meyer is of the view that hookers are playing almost as big a role in modern rugby in turning over opposition ball and competing at the breakdown as openside flankers are.
It’s because he felt that the specialist openside flank could be dispensed with in favour of a more allround loose-forward that Brussow was the shock omission from the Bok 32 that was announced in Pretoria last Saturday.
“I really don’t think you can relate or compare myself to Heinrich, but there are other loose-forwards who can compete well at the breakdown,” said Du Plessis.
“Marcell Coetzee (who effectively replaces Brussow in the Bok team) is very vigorous on the floor and has done really well. Pierre Spies has also been good on the floor recently. It’s not a one-man show.”
Du Plessis agreed though that hookers generally have been showing up well in the breakdown statistics this season.
“The two other hookers in the squad, Chiliboy Ralepelle and Adriaan Strauss, have also been very good on the floor this season. Both those guys are playing well and there is a lot of competition for places at hooker. Adriaan and Chili both also carry well, so you know there is no room to rest. The competition is healthy.
“Those guys both know that if they play ahead of me I would support them to the fullest, and I think it would be the same the other way around. There is a good vibe in the squad.”
Du Plessis is of course emerging from the shadow of the years spent either as former skipper John Smit’s understudy or as the reason why Smit was shunted around to different positions in the front row (Peter de Villiers played him as a tighthead for most of 2009).
After a slow start to the season he is starting to look the part of a player rated the best hooker in the world.
“It’s a new era, there are different faces on the bus, and it’s all very exciting,” said Du Plessis.
“We have lost Victor Matfield and losing a player like that in the lineout will be a challenge, but Juandre Kruger is a good jumper who has done well at the Bulls. He runs the lineouts at the Bulls, and if you look at the stats you will see that they are right up there in Super Rugby when it comes to ball they get from the lineouts.
“Eben Etzebeth is a young player but he is very physical and is an awesome athlete. I have no doubt that in time he become one of the greatest locks ever to play for the Springboks.”(Some statement that)
The last time the Boks played England was when they smashed them physically at Twickenham in the last match of the 2010 tour. You get the impression listening to Du Plessis talk that is what they will be looking to do again.
“England are a very physical side that plays a forward orientated game. So they will set a challenge for us and we would like to give them what they are not expecting. If you say it will be a streetfight that will be good, I like streetfights,” he grinned.
The words to the anthem God save the Queen need to be changed. Some others oaks need saving!!!
Becs may disagree of course. Hehehehehehe
