SPRINGBOK BEAT OFF ALL BLACK FOR TOP 14 AWARD; Rugby 365NEWS: VERSATILE SPRINGBOK JOHAN GOOSEN WAS NAMED BY HIS PEERS AS THE BEST PLAYER IN THE TOP 14 FOR THE 2015-16 SEASON.

The news of Goosen's award was done at an annual prize-giving ceremony for the French championship.

The Racing 92 man, who can operate at fullback, centre and flyhalf, beat out the New Zealand star and teammate Dan Carter and the Fijian Josua Tuisova of Toulon - to take the honour at the "Nuit De Rugby" (Night of Rugby).

Goosen, who was played at fullback, was axed from the Bok matchday squad for the latter rounds of the Rugby Championship - when coach Allister Coetzee named another flyhalf, Patrick Lambie, at fullback, following a three-month injury lay-off.

Goosen was upbeat about his award.

"I wasn't expecting it," Goosen said.

"When I look at the other names, Dan, no need to say anything more," Goosen, 24, added.

"And as for Josua, he had a great season, so I take this award with great humility."

Racing, who won the Top 14 last season, also took the award for best coaching team.

They are Laurent Travers, Laurent Labit and Ronan O'Gara.

Agence France-Presse

 Whoops Mozart. Seems like others appreciate Goosen.

Oh for heaven sake, we have just seen him flop in the tests and this piece has already been posted by Tokkie. Get with it.

Well, your still sharp enough Mozart, seems like wee cc is wrong in his assessment of your mental state 
Of course playing in the European comp is not the same as playing at test level. As some have pointed out some players can't make the step up. Not sure who it is that keeps hammering that point

Huge amounts of rubbish are being written by large numbers of people about the Boks. We lost on Saturday because we tackled poorly, rucked poorly, hardly chased a kick and got out mauled by NZ. NZ by contrast having won everything are playing with total freedom, with each component of the team anxious to win its individual battle. The way you reverse our fortunes is to improve self belief and generate the zest for battle. All this garbage about systems, skills and selection is a diversion. Just as a poorly performing division in a business is quickly improved by a competent manager., this can be fixed quickly by a coach with some gravitas. The other stuff is significant, but only when the team is ready to compete. Other than NZ there is no rugby country with a bigger skill base, more natural connection to the game, more seasoned players. Unfortunately we are also massively naive so large numbers of peope believe Lambie, Jantjies or Goosen are the answer at 10. When it is patently obvious they aren't robust mentally or physically. No committee will change this we need a truly professional coach.

 Ag Kak again Mozart
We lost on Saturday because we kicked balls away aimlessly and too far ahead to follow up effectively - handing possession over to the AB's.   Your heroes Morne Steyn, De Jongh and Habana missed  12 tackles out of 31 attempts representing a missed tackle ratio of 38,7%  -  while Hougaard and De Klerk also missed nearly 50% of their attempted tackles,  
The missed tackle ratio was bad for the backline - who also showed nothing in attacking play.
We lost because of the balls-up made by Coetzee with both selections and his  standard game plan based on kicking away balls aimlessly - a plan you support outright.   You know ad understand nothing abut Rugby and you are one hel l of a big fool to write about something you know zero about.               

Yes Tokkie your views are well known.....for you and most of the morons its all about selection.

 Top 14 rugby is closer to typical SA rugby than it is from AB style rugby.

It is all about penalties, begging for a foul.

During the last world cup, there is that moment when the french squad are hands up in the air, begging for a foul. That never went whistled. In top 14, it would.

Top 14 rugby does not drill players in the rugby required to dominate on the international rugby scene .