Meyer to unleash Bakkies

Ex Sport 24

Cape Town - Bakkies Botha is likely to make his return to the Springbok team for their clash against Scotland in Edinburgh on Sunday.

Botha, 34, was recalled to the Bok squad for their end-of-year tour but was not included in the 23-man line-up for last week's Test against Wales in Cardiff as he only joined them last Tuesday evening.

Bok coach Heyneke Meyer told Die Burger's websitethat he is likely to call on Botha this weekend.

"There is a good chance that Bakkies will start. We want to see what he can do for us. He's been very influential since he arrived. You could see how guys like Eben Etzebeth and Pieter-Steph du Toit look up to him," said Meyer. 

Botha, who currently plays for French club Toulon, last played for the Boks at the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand two years ago.

Meyer also said he would take a few selection risks for the Scotland Test. With the game being played on Sunday - and the following weekend's one against France on a Saturday - it gives the team relatively short time to recuperate for what will be a tough last outing at the Stade de France.

"We'll have to think long and hard about the team. The priority is obviously to win and secondly there's also the issue of having only five days before the Test against France.

"We'll have to take calculated risks. Not only to make sure that the players are 100% for the game against Scotland, but also for the game against France.

"The plan will be worked out in detail. But the team must be strong enough to beat Scotland."

Sunday's clash at Murrayfield kicks off at 17:00 (SA time)

That wee man who lives under a bridge in scotland is wetting himself.

Rooinek

Meyer is headstrong - he just love the players that played a role for the Bulls a decade ago and will keep on insisting in experimenting with players like Bakkies.   So let him experiment - like he is doing with Fourie and even JP in his present form - the experiment is going to fail.  

He cannot play Bakkies in France - so let him rather try him against Scotland.  These foreign club players will with rare exceptions never work out in the long run in any event and the sooner Meyer realises that - the better it will be.

 Clean Cut

This is aboput Bakkes being "unleashed" - not about the merits or demerits of Du Toit.   He has proved pon CC level and Super 15 level that he is good enough to move up to test level - and one has to see whether he is as good a he was on those two levels on test level.   I think he is the best prospect to partner Etzebeth in the long run.

As to Bakkies - this one will be a failure - just like -

  *   Francois Steyn was on his return from France - fat and unfit and even after 18 months not really good enough as yet;

  *    Gurthro Steenkamp was over the past year - also fat and unfit - who crumbled even in the Toulouse club side; and

  *    Fourie and JP was on their return from Japan in the game on Saturday - unfit to play anything but Japanese touch rugby.

When I saw Bakkies in his Springbok blazer on Saturday - he really looked like he was carrying too much gut -  and the chances are that he is unfit for test rugby as the other club players from France has proved to be in the case of the other French-based players listed.

I have waned in advance about Fourie and JP and said they are bound to be disappointing - but got shouted at by most members on this site - and my prognosis was correct.    I am now saying that Bakkies are also bound to fail on Sunday and Meyer would be wise to study him carefully as he is bound to be another embarrassingly poor selection.

Gatland said the gap between club and regional rugby and test rugby  is too big for players to make a proper adjustment to test rugby.   He is correct in that and those clowns Mozart and Ceradyne too stupid to comprehend that.    

 PSDT is a good player but I dont think he can be compared to Etzebeth right now. Yes he had a good CC final (and I am a Sharks man) but number 1 through 15 for the Sharks pretty much outplayed their opposition. Sharks were just a lot more urgent and wanted it more! Revenge for 2012 and 2 x log matches vs WP 2013..No more motivation needed than that. It wasn't a case of PSDT dominating Etzebeth. More the Sharks pack dominating Province.

The week before in the semis vs Cheetahs, PSDT lost his footing on many occasions whilst carrying that it became frustrating and he was much less effective.

I think its unfair on Etzebeth to say he is 3rd best in SA. PSDT has currently not shown anything on test level. He has only had a few mins. In time, we will be comparing the 2..Bit premature now and a bit of a kick in the teeth for Etzebeth.

Poor Mozart has missed the point.  Botha has NO CHANCE of making a successful return to test rugby - but since he is beyo nd doubt a foolish specimen - he would never realise that and will come back with fabricated praise singing of under-performers dear to his heart. 

Poor Mozart has missed the point.  Botha has NO CHANCE of making a successful return to test rugby - but since he is beyo nd doubt a foolish specimen - he would never realise that and will come back with fabricated praise singing of under-performers dear to his heart. 

Fury was dumped in at the deep end. But by the time the second half came around, he had absorbed the pace. He may have lost a crucial step, but it wasn't clear in the Welsh match....we need more data. I disagree with your take on JJ, Hasbeen, he will never be a satisfactory test centre....honestly de Jongh is a better player.

As for RIP's vendetta against Etzebeth....it's funny how these guys can't let go, even when the evidence mounts.