Lodewyk de Jager at 4 for the Cheetahs is a gaint. The 20 year old stands 2.05m and tips the scales at 125kg.
The ex Puma is said to have been unlucky to have missed out on last years Baby Bok squad - it does not pay to play for a minor union.
His lock partner Uys is the other end of the scale at 1.96m - will be a case of the long and the short
Quite a big boy then! He has all the physical attributes, hopefully he has the skill. Raises another interesting point, being a successful rugby player does not only depend on the level of talent a player might have, but also the opportunities and even luck, they might have. One would think that a club like the Pumas would offer enough of a platform to expose any players in their ranks to greater opportunities, but that does not seem to be the case. And they are a relatively recognised club. The sad thing is, there are many truly special players out there that slip through the cracks without being noticed, and that is the end of them. I think this is where New Zealand is most effective, virtually no player with talent slips the eye of those in a position to identify talent. Back to South Africa, the problem of young talent identification is very prevalent in the black and coloured communities. Sad for the country, and sad for rugby.
Anyway, all the best to him.
Yeah it really frustrates me how players are missed out and how some players are not invested in. SA rugby should ensure they have their finger on the pulse and make sure we never lose youngsters to overseas clubs.
I dont mind seeing players in their late 20's leave to make good money, but it grates me to see the likes of CJ Stander, Quinn Roux, Ettienne Oosthuizen, Carl Wegner, Josh Strauss and the likes leaving our shores.
If I was Bok coach, I would want to employ someone to monitor the well being and prospects of all youngsters who are signed up by the different unions. Take the Bulls for instance, they sign up all the young talent in SA, have too many players on their books, which results in these youngsters becoming disillusioned with the lack of game time at the top level and with their prospects. These kids then become easy targets for the international scouts.
CJ Stander is a Bok material loosie who got pissed off with spending so much time on the bench at the Bulls - Ludeke had no idea.......well my call is that someone should be in tune with this type of situation, should be in a position to question the Bulls on the handling of said player, for the benefit of Bok rugby. If the player is unhappy then he should be protected and moved to another union who will appreciate his talents and utilize him.
It astounds me how some players miss out on recognition. Hell Marcel Coetzee never made the Baby Bok side, but shortly thereafter turned out for the Sharks.
As for black and coloured players, it would appear that players of colour feature in terms of numbers at schoolboy level but then fade from the scene post school. I believe this has alot to do with the physical make-up of these kids. Size at school is not that important, it becomes a major issue at senior level and many of the schoolboy stars are just not physical enough to make the grade at senior level
Saffex
I believe that there is in SA Rugby far too many cases of empgasis on size without regard to skill. That frequently results in -
* talented school boys being out of rugby after leaving school; and/or
* the coaches being successful in coaching skill and natural taent out of players - leaving the talented players no place in subsequent development as rugby players.
The latter attitude by coaches has massive impact on development of players in later years and can be seen in many players. Even though those big players with skill and talent in later years become robotic and without the skills they showed in their early years - even when selected to Springbok level. Thi is particularly true in respect of backline players - where size is toally over-shadowing skills - with the result that we are suffering froom the dreaded dead backline syndrome.
I agree with you about physicality - but oftn enough that is limited by coaches purely on the basis of size and nothing else. That is where I also agree with you about what should be done to protect the younger players and trying to prevent them being poached by foreign clubs. Stander is indeed a case in point. - but the otther younger players who left was never really serious candidates for higher selection. Those who have potential should rather be identified carefully and be managed to ensure that they are not poached.
You are perfectly correct about the Bulls signing up of players and then misusing them - there are far too many examples of players they signed up and then vanishng from sight. The Bullas are particularly noted for the talent destruction in younger backline players and the resultant losses are not in the interest of SA Rugby.
The system in South Africa is wrong and SARU need to come to the party sooner than later to sort out their sh*t. New Zealand have a far better system in managing their players and also identifying the talent and then developing it. Mexted is also involved in this thing. We lose too much talent and guys go to play for more money in Europe. THis is something the IRB can discuss - a cieling pay for players on different levels so the one cannot steal the player from another nê.
Mike its the reality of the modern game, size does count, whether you like it or not.
We have Northampton Saints scouts frequent our club on a regular basis and they tend to only look at the talented big boys. I have had two players who have been involved in the Saints academy and age group sides for years now - one a prop, the other a wing. Both have been dropped purely based on their size.
One year I had a kid playing who was a regular B team player, playing for the A's because of injuries. He was a big lump but the Saints scout wanted his details. I politely informed him he was clueless!
Saffex
Don't get me wrong - I think size is an asset - but only if skill and talent is added to it. You can have a talentless big player - there are too many of those in SA - with extremely limited talent and skills,
I think in backline play players with talent and skills weighing betwen 90 and 100 kgs are acceptable - but added to that they need speed and ball sense and skills. SA has far too many big backline players virtually devoid of the latter two aspects. That is the main reason for our backline deficiencies.
Amongst the forwards I think you have to have players weighing between 107 kgs and 125 kgs - to be really effective - the props beng on the upper level of the range. Howevr, even on that level you need skills and talent - as was stated by Etzebeth in a recent interview.
The above ranges are what I would say are acceptable - I am totally opposed to smaller players - especially if -such as in the case of De Jongh, they are also devoid of any ball sense/skills. There could be smaller players - but then they must have ball sense and skill sets way above all other potential candidates.
Yep and that's why we dont see the coloured and black players coming throug at senior level as they struggle to make that 90kg plus mark amongst the backs and we dont see big black forwards in particular locks and props.
Our two black props of recent years are Zimbo's. Of the current crop we only have Nkanyane of the Cheetahs who is a respectable 118kg at prop and a good player.
Saf just wanted to say on the last comment that we have had black players come through at lock but can rarely out skill the ones in atm! However! I'm sure you have heard about a certain player who I think might set the kings on fire this year called Daniel adongo! A true beast much like Dannie rassow he can play lock and flank and 8 he is strong and monster at that last year the bulls completetly fuck up excuse my French and didn't give him game time and sold him! Idiots as I think he will chose to play for boks if he proves himself this year! I read that in the bulls under 21 game last year or the year before he broke something skill like 8-10 talked scored 3 tries and stopped another 2 from being scored with a tackle and turnover! He is one I look forward to seeing!
Keagan
Adongo is a Kenyan - I think Saffex was referring to SA players only.
Ahhh my bad :P miss read! I doubt he will play for Kenya though :P
Yeah I know about Adongo, he is a monster, looks like a body builder but by all accounts has no skill at all. They say he struggles to catch the ball and thats why both the Bulls and Sharks let him go
Sounds like a player with plenty of size and no skill - hope he proves us wrong
