This guy has been a serial non contributor for so long....it's hard to think back to the pre RWC07 promise he showed. Other than winning the odd lineout and doing the odd run through open field, it's hard to find anything in his game. He also never shows fight, passion, anger, determination....any emotion, except his skyward glances.
The captain will have to play a hell of a game for the Bools to have a chance....is it in his persona to fight for this thing? I have my doubts.
Mozart
You got me all confused now with your question. I thought the question is "Can Spies play?" the answer to that is a resounding no - he is utterly useless and a passenger on the field of play. Why did you add "the man"? Please explain. I thought he is built like Tarzan and play like Jane - as some other chap said on this board.
as i also said in other posts he is actually a winger playing 8th man. more pony than mongrel.....
we will have to see. i think his game against england was a bit better. did more of the tight work but i dont know i am not convinced. against the likes of alberts and co he is not up to standard
I think Mike that Moz is referring to the need for Spies to show qualities like fight, passion, anger , determination.. ie he needs to man up.
One thing we often forget about Spies. At 108 kgs or so he is about your average size loose forward. Alberts who can get good go -forward is 118 kg. Also, Pierre has bulked up to that 108 kg and is more naturally 103 kg.
He is ideally suited for wing. He showed a great turn of pace hunting down Whitehead and would, like JP (102 kg), be a fairly dominant back with good speed, nice footwork and a fine hand off. Very difficult to stop near the line. Sad he has not found his true niche.
So we would have these two guys and Frans at 110 kg at centre partnered by Serfontein who even now is 97 kg. Tuate at fullback at 100 kg. Now you try running at that lot. Or tackling them for 80 minutes. They would drive you back in the tackle and dominate the collisions.
Goosen and Hougaard (92 kg) complete the backline which would together with our 940 kg pack would ensure the Boks are top dogs in world rugby.
If only the selectors would catch the vision.
he is a great winger or was a great winger untiil they the narrow minded conservative mindset of most of SA rugby coaches and administrators kicked in and though he should play 8th man. to be honest i think its to late for him to shift. at 105 i reckon he can cause a lot of damage in the backline but that is just me. he does have a lot of pace to burn. i like to think only attacking rugby and not forward obsesed trench warfare.
Can Spies play the ball? Has he ever fetched or stolen possesion at a ruck in his whole career. get Rid of Spies and play all rounders. With Spoes in the team- a specialist fetcher is required.
