Coenie set for tighthead return

Ex Keo

Coenie Oosthuizen is set to make his comeback from injury for the Free State Cheetahs next weekend as a tighthead prop.

Oosthuizen suffered a serious neck injury during the Springboks’ June Test series against England and has been out of action ever since. However, the front-rower has rejoined his Free State team-mates at training this week and is expected to get a run-on against the Blue Bulls in Pretoria next Saturday.

And he’s set to feature at tighthead prop, instead of loosehead.

The 23-year-old has been preferred in the No 1 jersey since making his senior debut in 2008, and only packed down on the other side of the scrum occasionally. But Springbok head coach Heyneke Meyer made a request to Cheetahs boss Naka Drotske earlier this year to give the player a run at tighthead, because of the lack of depth in that position in the national ranks. (Good thinking Meyer and I hope it works)

Oosthuizen confirmed that he’ll begin the planned transition at Loftus Versfeld.

‘I’m back at training and should be back in the team next week,’ Oosthuizen told keo.co.za. ‘And it will be at tighthead.’

This is good news for the Boks, who are currently struggling with injuries in the front row. Props Jannie du Plessis and Pat Cilliers were injury concerns after the 26-19 loss to the Wallabies last weekend, and inexperienced Stormers and WP No 3 Frans Malherbe was flown over from Cape Town for tighthead cover.

If all goes well, Oosthuizen could make his comeback for the Boks during their Rugby Championship home leg against the Wallabies and All Blacks. South Africa will face Australia in Pretoria on 29 September and New Zealand in Soweto on 6 October.

We are desparte for a quality tighthead and we must also relook at the loosehead position. Hope Coenie is fully healed. Anyone know anything about Guthro Steenkamp?

 Yes, Knew this was going to happen. Coenie at tighthead might be a revelation. but we shall wait and see. Thightheads in general aren't as Mobile as loseheads, with coenies Power and mobility, could be the key. jannie should watch out. 

but lets see. Naka has had this plan since January, now it seems to be implemented. 

This is very good news! I really rate this kid!

Jannie should be dumped, he has been riding his luck for years now. Both he and his brother have been let off rather easily by the media given how poor they really are. Coenie absolutely monstered that England front row and is not quite so passive. As I always say, if you build a team up with passive players, you end up with a lifeless mess. Lambie, Jean, Pienaar, Jannie, Mvovo, Spies (to a lesser extent), Adi, Odwa, Flip, Olivier, Stegmann, Louw... all passive players, all should not have been Boks! Bring in some fire and intent, players with the drive to make a statement. The Hougaard's, Coenie, Bakkies, Brussows of this world are the kind of players you need. Lets hope Coenie delives what we all know he is capable of.

Fire in the belly is fundamental in  player - as is a rugby brain.

Coenie is mobile and one wonders if we will lose some of that ability when he goes to tighthead. However the cupboard is pretty bare of really good tightheads.

I would say Bissie has that fire but Jannie not  much. Jannie and Beast have been coasting for some time.

Jean is probably now in his last international season.  Louw, well to me he has played with fire at times in the past so we shall see - dont think he possibly can be fit yet.

Lambie has a good head and skills but could lack physicality.  He needs to settle into one position.

Pienaar has passed the ball pretty well but seldom takes on the opposition as Sarel does or even Vermaak.  Flip has another chance and we shall see what he is made of. 

Meyer will see his players being tested for sure - which is good and will help him see who he can keep and go forward with and who are not up to it. He is saying as much right now. The next few tests will determine some Bok careers. Then we have the year end tour where he will probalby try out the younger players particlualry if he wins at home and relieves some pressure. So by the 2013 test season he should have a clearer picture as the Super 15 campaigns will also give pointers especially re some of the young talent.

Pienaar, now there's a real fluke. It amazes me how easily he has gotten off the hook. He has done far, far less than Hougaard at 9. Pienaar just happily shovels the ball to a loose forward all day long. In the last twelve minutes he made zero impact. Hougaard would have been far better. Drop Pienaar to the bench, Hougaard is hands down the best scrumhalf in the country.

glad to see coonies back, easily my favourite prop in 2012, but the last report i heard was that coonie was out for the year, as his injury was very serious.

so meyer wants coonie to play tirht head aye??? thats pretty funny, cos drotske stated that he didnt want goosen to play for the Boks until he had more games under his belt, wouldnt be surprised if drotske ignore meyers request in a publicaly PC way, while privately flipping him the bird.

NZ are going through the same problems but with our looseheads, weve got tony woodcock and ben franks, but both have a few years at best left in them and then after that its crockett who hasnt played anywhere near the way he did in 2011 when he dismantled scrums everywhere plus wast the best attacking and defending front rower in the business.

 Sasuke, actually Meyer and Drotske are really on the same page here. I think innitially it was Dritske that started the Coenie at tighthead thing begginning of the year. He just wanted Coenie to get some experience at loosehead first. coenie will play tighthead, he was marked for that from the beginning during his development. Naka had a problem at the cheetahs innitially, an abundance of loseheads and only WP nel as a true tighthead. So he started converting. Marcell vd Merwe (think it's his name) has also been converted. Although he will defenitely not have the same impact as Coenie could have at tighthead.