Steph du Toit demonstrates the gulf.....

....between senior rugby and U20 WC....beaten, robbed, driven back, stepped and hurt. You had  to feel sorry for this lad, who looked like he weighs about 110kgs.  These youngsters need care, if we want them to develop.

Kirchner played his usual Woolie Boolie game, missing a slew of tackles including those for the Bisamarck and Ludik tries. Basson is a ghost- like presence.....JP was much more effective.

Mvovo is hopeless when the ball is behind him....he reminds me of Lomu in that way. Engelbrecht ran well twice.....but in space....the runs of a winger. At centre he was constantly losing alignment....including the time Mvovo was away for a try, if he just caught the ball.

And how slow is Whitehead....old Spies gobbled him up with a 10m deficit.

Morne played a good game I thought....so did Hougaard, who really is a force. But on the night Michalak and McLeod matched them.

In the front row the two fatties Greyling and Werner were destroyed. Bismarck is 10 times the player Chili is....imagine old Aristokat arguing the contrary.

Flip Flop departed along with young du Toit at the half....each ineffective. I also thought Juandre was pretty ordinary....no Victor Matfield.

And then a facinating loosie duel with Kankowski outplaying Spies and Marcel way more effective than the dumb Potgieter. In fact I'd say Kankowski was the pick of the forwards on the night. Spies may be quick but so is Kankan, who has now added some real mongrel to his play.

 What bull! PSD was eaten a few times, but it did take 3 players each time! He did very well in the loose and line out time.

Spies is quicker than most backs! What's the big hoohaah for? So he caught whitehead!

if spies played to only half of his true potential he would be the best Bok loosie  of all time. The problem is that his heart is as small as my 1 year old girls!

Mozart

Du Toit was unfortunate to get injured and was replaced very late in the first half.   I differ from your assessment here and thought he did well under the circumstances and will develop further.   While he was on the field he was better than the locks of the Bulls.  

My assessment of the Bulls players are as follows:-

15    Kirchner               -        5

Wings                           -        5 both

13   Engelbreacht      -        7

12   Olivier                  -         6

10   Steyn                  -          4 

  9   Hougaard         -           5

  8   Spies                -            3

Flanks                      -           4

Locks                       -           5

Props                       -           3

Hooker                     -           3

Let me explain the point allocation in more detail hereunder

Kirchner looked very good on attack - and his kicking game was good.    However, his defence was suspect and he is lucky that he was given a 5.

The wings did very little and performance was questionable - they had no attacking opportunities other than the near try - but their defence was acceptable.

For the first time ever I was impressed by Engelbrecht.   His defence was good and the one line break of his was wonderful to see.  

Olivier did nothing in attack - but his defence was acceptable.

Morne Steyn failed badly insofar as his passing game is concerned - his goalkicking was acceptable and same goes for his defence.   However - I find it impossible to give him more than 4 out of ten.

Hougaard on attack looked good - but his passing game failed again tonight when put under pressure.   Lucky to get 5 out of 10.

Spies was invisable for 89 minutes of the game - was he actually playing?   

The tight forwards were poor and Chilliboy's line out throws was atrocious.

Now for an assessment of the Sharks players:

15    Ludik                 -       6

Wings - Pietersen   -       8

               Mvovo         -        5

13     Whithead       -        5

12     Steyn               -        6

10    Michalak          -       7

  9   McCleod          -        6

  8   Daniel              -        6

  7   Coetzee           -        9

  6  Kankowski      -         8

Locks                     -         6

Props                    -          8

Bismarck             -           9

The two best players on the field tonight was Bismarck and Coetzee.   They were both outstanding.   I was not happy with Francois Steyn kicking two balls out of play and hacing to have a scrum in his own half.   Otherwise he was solid in attack and defence.     Whitehead was disappointing - his speed is poor and even Spies managed to haul him in - when a try looked certain.    That was the only time Spies did anything during the course of the game.

The rest of the point allocation is with due regard to the scoreline self-explanatory.

After this game I do not want to be in Meyer's shoes.    The Springbok-filled Bulls team was poor and his selections of some of them  will be severely questioned.    The Bulls locks could do nothing positive and the loosies were nowhere to be seen.    Chilliyboy in particular had an atrocious game - especially his line throwing.     The props was poor - both Greyling and Kruger was scrummed into the ground.    In my book - Hougaard barely made the grade as scrummie - Steyn failed badly - Spies (did he actually play?) and Kirchner was good in attacking play  and non-existemt in defence.     Bad news all round.

I'm not saying Steph du Toit doesn't have long term potential. But to rush these kids is criminal. The way Greyling popped the ball out of his hands showed his unfamiliarity with the brutal senior game. I bet the same would be true of Serfontein, Pollard and the rest.

Let them play some CC at the end of the season....play them off the S15 bench next year.

 Moz you do speak the biggest load of bullshit don't you? Steph du Toit had a great game for the time he was on, you only need to listen to Bob's comments for confirmation. The only time he went backwards was when injured and having two players drive him back. Your bullshit is irritating. And no, he weighs 117kg and you can see that by looking at him.

He was easily the best lock on the field. He had a great half, one good run, plenty of tackles, a good line-out take, plenty of muscular supporting runs, plenty or ruck clear outs - what bloody game were you watching. This kid is as good as Eben - wake up

Saffex

I already said I do not agree with his statement on Du Toit.    I was impressed by him today - he did everything you said in hsi first game on Super 15 level.    While he was on the field he played better than Juandre Kruger and the latter is a Springbok already.    You may have noticed that I rate Du Toit's performance as 6 out odf 10 and that of Kruger 5 out of 10.  

I believe that Mozart is a bit blinkered when he rates younger players - I liked what i saw.   I do not think his injury would prevent him from playing for the Sharks again next week.   

The feeling is mutual Sapp. I find your long lists of mediocre players irritating. As for du Toit, he tried damn hard, but he was  out of his depth.  For example the way he ran upright into two players giving Greyling the opportunity to rip out the ball, was playground stuff. Get over it.

 During last year's JWRC Dave Rennie the Baby Blacks coach said only 2 or 3 of his championship winning squad would go on to make the All Blacks, maybe about 5 would go to to play S15 and the rest would probably play ITM cup rugby, under 20 form is so low in the KPI rating for first class success it's not funny, dominating  against Italy at under 20 level is completely different to dominating against the Hurricanes (for example) at S15 level, only a complete mug wouldn't recognise that.

poi-e

Agree - but I have seen a few players withh massive potential in the Under 20 WC - especially some of those already playing on Super 15 level - that stood out and may make the grade.   Three  of those already playing on Super 15 level - were Kitshoff, Jordaan and  Du Toit -  and I would add Serfontein to the list as possibly the best of the rest.

It all depends on how players develop after the Junior level. 

 Moz like I said you do speak a load of shit and I love the way moments define players for you - its pathetic. So just because Greyling ripped a ball of du Toit he is out of his league - what crap........lets never play Schalk again because Lambie slapped him.

du Toit was the best lock on the field, not bad for a 19 year old. Our of his depth my arse, what game were you watching. The kid was powerful, massive workrate and contributed in a big way to the Sharks forward dominance - FACT

 Powerful.....massive? The kid made 17 metres. Won a single lineout.  He missed one tackle in four. Conceded a penalty  and turned the ball over twice. That's powerful....massive? The only thing that's massive is your belief in any young player.

Dontcha ever learn. Remember Flip Flop your previous dead cert for the Boks....lock. Did you see him blunder along yesterday....yanked at the half?

You get them mostly wrong....but you pick so many, sometimes you get one right.

Funny that  Moz, seems you are very alone with your assesment of his display - wonder why that is, would it be because its complete bullshit. He was very strong, it took 2 players at a time to stop him. 17 m gained by a lock is pretty good going for 35min - I dont recall a single miss. But I'm going to have a look at his display again as it needs a minute by minute account, for I cannot believe the crap you have reported on the lad, its so far from the facts its laughable. As Bob Skinstad said, the kid had a great game.

For the record Flip had a good game

Yes Flip Flop had a good game....that's why they yanked him at half time in a crucial game. You really miss a lot.

He was injured Moz!!!!!

Do you really think that the Bulls would take one of their physical guys off when they were being dominated physically? Would they really bring on the less physical Steenkamp?

The only sensible view is that Du Toit has great potential but he was out of his depth a boy amongst men.

In 2013 Du Toit could possibly tried as a 7 but not as a tight foward.Spot on Moz.

Some here cant see the difference in intensity and physicalty between junior rugby and Super Rugby especially as it relates to tight forwards 

 Beenkop, trust you to put your pathetic stupid slant on things - you are clearly clueless as usual - let me guess Steph du Toit is your next Matfield

Snapster please dont be completely unrealistic wee matfield wouldnever have coped with the physicality of under 21 rugby and would agisn have flopped as a backline player.

Du Toit is the deal not to be ruined by premature advancement. Look after the guy and bring him on in due course. These kids are not battle hardened and  need to be managed carefully.

As I said you seem to have no clue as to the difference between Super comp and ujuniour rugby.

with backs of coues it is a little easier.

Rugby lesson 101 for snapster.