JP NOT a center?

Ex Keo

RYAN VREDE writes JP Pietersen hasn’t advanced his Springboks cause with his switch to outside centre.

I wrote in the pre-season that the move to midfield could rejuvenate Pietersen. However, on the evidence of what I’ve seen that belief was misplaced. Pietersen’s willingness to fill a void in the Sharks’ line-up deserves acknowledgement. But he has undoubtedly compromised his international future. Nine matches into his new role Pietersen has done little to convince that he could be a Test-standard outside centre. (Nonsense)

Certainly for a player who has spent the majority of his professional career on the wing the transition has been impressive. He is competent in all the key performance areas of the position, but he hasn’t displayed the aptitude that would point to him being a force in elevated company.(Nonsense)

Pietersen’s success has certainly been undermined by the Sharks’ mediocrity. Their pack has seldom established a platform of any note and as a result the back division have rarely had the space to exploit. He has shown fleeting glimpses of what he is capable of when offered such space, but the best 13s have the ability to operate in constrained confines. Even as a wing this wasn’t a strength of Pietersen’s.

Jaque Fourie was skilled in such situations and before he announced his unavailability Springboks coach Heyneke Meyer had intended to install him as his premier outside centre for the mid-year Test series against England as well as for the Rugby Championship. My colleague Jon Cardinelli wrote on the expected impact of Fourie’s loss last week and examined who the contenders are to fill the significant void he leaves.

Pietersen is well back in that queue. My understanding is that Meyer doesn’t see him as a midfielder and still believes he is best suited to wing. But others have jumped ahead of him in the latter pecking order, most notably Bjorn Basson, who Meyer believes has the skill set suited to the kick-chase approach he will employ.

This leaves Pietersen in a difficult position. He can request a return to wing. This may be the best course of action in the context of his international ambitions. The Sharks, however, will be reluctant to accommodate such a request as they seem to have doubts over Marius Joubert’s ability, evident by their promotion of Pietersen ahead of him and his consistent omission from the match 22s.

But if Pietersen has his own best interests in mind he would insist on a return to his favoured position. With the Sharks’ struggle for attacking momentum don’t expect him to suddenly return to prominence. But at least he will succeed or fail on his own terms.

A few scintillating breaks by JP and mouths will shut!!! JP has shown considerable promise. END OF STORY.

Dr Moz please note comments re Jaque Fourie. Hehehehehhe

JP is not a centre....there I've said it.  Take it this way....what's JP's biggest issue as a wing? It's his head. Lack of concentration, poor motivation, often leading to a collapse in confidence.

And centre play needs more alertness, quicker reading of the play....more involvement. All playing aginst JP's player personality.

Then you get into the technical stuff....hands, speed off the mark versus top speed, elusiveness.....short strides vs long strides....and ability to kick the ball under pressure. Every one of these technical requirements becomes sharper at centre.

So given the metamorphosis has not occured after 10 weeks (I'm always persuaded by what actually happens) I now say with some considerable confidence, the JP at centre experiment will be no more succesful than the Pienaar at 10 debacle.

I would rather play Jean, De Jongh and Eberson at 13 before JP (in that order) but I would still play him at 14 though.

Ahead of Basson...you betcha....totally agree Draad.

 What nonsense, JP has been good at 13 and we should see him there for the Boks.......certainly ahead of pretenders like little men de Jongh and Ebersohn.

Not sure why people think Meyer will play Jean at 13. If he is going to play Jean and Steyn it would make more sense to keep Jean at 12 and play Frans at 13.........I would not play Jean as he has past it......but if its going to be the 2 of them then Jean at 12 is the logic call

Dave forgive me for bringing this up, but weren't you the poster who thought Pienaar could be a 10. How did that work out for you?

Like JP making a success of 13, Pienaar was good at 10, look no further than his MOM performance at Twickers against England. Pienaar is a far better 10 than Morne and I never saw any of the negative you saw in him at 10, much like I dont in the performances of Jantjies, Lambie and Cooper at 10..............we watch different games sir.......I much prefer the game I see, yours has far too many negatives in it

JP at center has not been  a failure and hence his remaining there because of wha the actually contributes.

Pienaar's failure was, I believe, more to do with consistency regarding where he would play.

Pienaar was hugely talented but has been ruined by bad handling. Frans Steyn has barely escaped the same problem but now maybe signing up for more of the same. He had better spell out his terms very clearly including where he wants to play. Shape his destiny stuff.. 

 Beeno1, while I agree with you that JP and Habanna are not doing themselves any favours in terms of Boks selection, I have this little voice that keeps telling me that if you are a good player, it should not matter where they put you, you will still stand out ala Dan Carter playing at number 12 for the Crusaders.

In the game against the Chiefs, JP ran 71metres with ball in hand (more metres than any other Sharks players), beat 2 defenders and offloaded twice, successfully tackled 6times but mistackled 5times (same thing he was guilty of on the wing - except for that one time against Fiji in RWC 2007 Semi Final - why didn't he mistackle then LOL)

Hakwa you are confusing me with somebody else. I think JP has done very well at center and hope to see him go from strength to strenght in this position as I believe he lacks a yard of pace as a wing.

I did not hisdefensiv elapses and it is a concern. W shal lse ehow he settles in and whether this is fixable.

Jp is strong and doen't easily lose the ball in contact. has a nice step and often breaks a line. He also has the vison that enables him ot bringothe rplayers into action. But yes he must impose himself as a defender. At about 100 kg he should be able to do that but doesnt. a bit like de Jongh who should be able to improve his distribution skills but doesn't. Why?
Thinking about de Jongh, I do wonder how he would go on the wing. He is, I think, fast enough, takes on and beats the opposition and defends well. The guy has real talent so this distribution weakness MUST be addressed - ditto JP and his defence.

At this stage in my books JP remains a converted wng and will remain that for a while still, when he makes the mindshift from wing to centre is debateble. I don't see him as a centre, he doens't play like a centre, the fact that he has the ability to do it, is clear, but until that happens I cannot realisticly see him as a centre. Only time will tell, and if he wants to improve as a centre then he should play there, as I said, I don't think that he does not have the ability.

Bok Barometer for week nine:
15. Joe Pietersen (Stormers) 14. Akona Ndungane (Bulls) 13. JP Pietersen (Sharks) 12. Juan de Jongh (Stormers) 11. Lwazi Mvovo (Sharks) 10. Morne Steyn (Bulls) 9. Francois Hougaard (Bulls) 8. Duanne Vermeulen (Stormers) 7. Jacques Potgieter (Bulls) 6. CJ Stander (Bulls) 5. De Kock Steenkamp (Stormers) 4. Eben Etzebeth (Stormers) 3. Frans Malherbe (Stormers) 2. Chiliboy Ralepelle (Bulls) 1. Steven Kitshoff (Stormers).

WITH JP at 13!!!

Jp at 13.......but Joe Pietersen at 15 and De Jongh at 12 and Morne at 10. You amaze me Sapp.....you have railed against those very picks. Tell you what, admit those were right and I'll trade you JP....hahahaha.

My issue with Joe and de Jongh is purely size and I am not conceding on that - not until I see 87kg players regularly playing centre or fullback at test level in todays game. Both good players and if they weighed 95kg's I be their supporters as then they would also be able to impose themselves physically at the highest level. de Jongh has done nothing of note at test level.

As for Morne being selected, well sadly that is on the strength of his kicking display that day - sad but true

Not good enough Dave ....how's the foot you just shot?

 Whats not good enough Moz, the fact that I have no place for 87kg players at fullback or centre or the fact Morne won a spot on the strength of his kicking.......next you will be telling me 87kg fullbacks and centres dominate tests sides today and that Morne had a great game last week, especially defensively!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And in case you had forgotten this thread is about JP at 13 - get it?

Missed most tackles of any SA back line Player and is only beaten by Alberts on that list of disgraceful performers.    I think both of them lost a lot of pace and that is the end of the story - and reason for the poor defensive performances.

JP always was a strong runner and on wing a good defender since he could use the sideline for the said purpose.   On center that facility is not available for him.   Back to wing is best bet - but is that really a solution since he lost speed badly?  

very observant Mike. Jp lacks a yard or two at wing. His best chance is at center where he has made a promising. start His defence on the wing has been good and one would think he can defend at center.

As I asked, how many missed tackles would he have against his name if he has been playing for the Stormers - food for thought.

JP is 25, why would he have lost pace. Hardly been blighted with serious injuries?