Willemse struggling at 12

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Jan 05, 2026, 16:42

That was a remarkably unconvincing display by our new anointed 12

Jan 05, 2026, 16:50

Sacha also didn't set the world alight in that match...you can say the same about him then...which will be absurd, but yet ...

Jan 05, 2026, 17:01

About as absurd as saying Hooker is struggling at 13?

Jan 05, 2026, 17:50

Bullshit he was good at 12 far better than Esterhuizen was and easily the best centre on the field


Clearly you have not seen Hooker at 13 in his past 3 games for if you have then you are as rugby ignorant as I know you are

Jan 05, 2026, 18:02

12 Damian Willemse: The Springboks star hit the ground running upon his return to action after injury and showed his class with his playmaking ability throughout. Despite that, he was kept in check by the Bulls defence but he also came to the fore with an impressive defensive display.

6


Hardly sounds like a failure now does it


Ignore is bliss

Jan 05, 2026, 19:00

Willemse was clueless at 12…as for Hooker’s form at 13, it wasn’t good. But no worse than Willemse at 12. Do you think JJ will get back on the bench

Jan 05, 2026, 19:07

Stop lying there was nothing clueless about Willemse at 12 - you know fuck all about centre play anyway


Clueless and piss poor at 12 was Esterhuizen


Hooker was piss poor at 13


JJ is injured - JP best hope he recovers soon so that he can have a real 13 back in his side and move Hooker back to wing where he belongs for now

Jan 05, 2026, 19:47

Hooker is not fast enough for wing….his place is in the centers. JJ isn’t fast enough for center, perhaps scrumhalf where his pace deficiency won’t be as much of a problem

Jan 05, 2026, 19:56

JJ is faster than Hooker and saying he is not quick enough for centre confirms the fact you really do know fuck all


If Hooker is to play centre then it best be 12 for it certainly is not 13 at this stage


I’d be surprised to see JP retain him there this coming weekend. He better hope JJ is fit

Jan 05, 2026, 20:15

No Julius is slow, Hooker has more top end….we saw that against the ABs in his 50m break

Jan 05, 2026, 20:51

Bullshit is JJ slow, he is quicker than Hooker of that I have no doubt


His explosive pace off the mark is unmatched in SA and his pace overall is on par with the likes of Jessie Kriel, Moodie etc

Jan 05, 2026, 21:36

Give us the proof, almost every other poster except Vaccine who is losing it very fast, think JJ has a top end problem,

Jan 05, 2026, 21:51

Bullshit do other posters think JJ lacks pace other than you and Plum - shock, shock


Watch his highlights video and come tell me he is slow - fucking hell it’s embarrassing


Jan 05, 2026, 22:50

Mapimpi glides away from him in the video….JJ is not fast

Jan 05, 2026, 23:03

Enough of JJ until his coaches take him seriously. Let’s get back to Willemse at 12. Willemse at 10 was a flop, everybody claims because his kicks got charged, but he never really created at 10. So will he create at 12.


I don’t see evidence that he is an exceptional passer or tactical kicker. He has that step….but the days of Horan like 12s seem to have gone. Yes Kerevi has a step. But he also has bulky power. Willemse is a tall lad and not suited to constant collisions…,that’s more Esterhozen and Dud’s thing.


The big positive point is the Wellington test…but while he was brilliant, apart from the bulldozed try it was mostly open field stuff.


Watching him on Saturday was much like watching him at 10….he seemed a bit clueless. Against all those questions we have 3 seasons including a WC of him excelling at 15. If he was 24 there might be a case for an experimenting with a change, but he’ll be 28 in a few months.


Some may want to see Fassi and Willemse in the same backline. But so far Willemse has been the better fullback. Although I suppose Fassi, Arendse, JJ, Willemse, Kolbe, Sacha and Williams will be a final affirmation that we don’t need quota selections.

Jan 05, 2026, 23:13

Bullshit re Mapimpi

Jan 05, 2026, 23:39

Nonsense about him being clueless on Saturday - based on what exactly? You seriously make stuff up


You also seem to have this perception that players always have outstanding games


Willemse’s performance on Saturday encouraged me in terms of his carries in traffic - it’s one area he will always find unreasonable comparisons with DA and AE.


There was one occasion he beat a few defenders with his stepping - a trade mark of his.


Nothing has changed - 12’s still mostly operate in traffic, but what sets him apart is his ability to create something from nothing thanks to his step and power - it’s sets him apart from DA and AE.


But those moments will be few and far between because that’s the nature of the modern game


His best moment in the NZ test was his try and try assist - both set up from the 12 spot


His kicking is better than DA’s and AE’s which is a bonus


He is not going to be ripping defences apart at will in each game - simply impossible from 12 in today’s game


He was good on Saturday, nothing special and the same can be said of Sacha - evidencing that players can’t be expected to set the world alight in every game they play


Disagree on him at 15, he has always been good at stepping and creating from the step but you have never seen him create from the back, hitting the line at pace or out sprinting the opposition given the space he is afforded at the back


Fassi on the other hand is excellent at running a great line from deep or setting up something from a counter both thanks to his pace


For me it’s simply not up for debate - it’s definitely Fassi at 15 and Willemse at 12 both because it’s their best positions and I would definitely want them both in my starting 15


These two positions are locked in for me as are Sacha at 10 and Kolbe and Arendse on the wings


Up for grabs are 13 with Moodie the front runner - I really like him there, JJ and Henco v Wyk. I think JJ is a star in the making - he excites me as much as Sacha does. Henco can’t stay away from injury - it’s ridiculous how often this lad is injured but boy does he have a knack of busting tackles. Hooker is still an option at 13, but of late less and less so. I see him as a back up to Willemse at 12 but always in the match 23


At 9 it’s Williams and vd Bergh but they might both be blown out of the water by Baby Bok sensation Hashim Pead - this kid is special



Jan 06, 2026, 00:23

JJ excites you…as much as Sacha…..okay time to get real. Most of your JJ highlights were against school boys. Sacha ripped up the top teams in the world. There is a difference

Jan 06, 2026, 06:39

"Disagree on him at 15, he has always been good at stepping and creating from the step but you have never seen him create from the back, hitting the line at pace or out sprinting the opposition given the space he is afforded at the back"


Well, that's just patently untrue

Jan 06, 2026, 21:37

Being just as excited about JJ as I am Sacha does not mean I think JJ is as good or will ever make the test impact Sacha has


Sacha is on another planet and excites everyone


Centres are my favourite positions in the game and JJ represents all the best attributes of a test 13, so hence the excitement

Jan 07, 2026, 09:22

The reason for the contant loses of the Sharks is in thei backline, Their forwaards are good enoug - their backline is shit in both he flyhalf and center positions.


I blame Hendrikse and Estehuizen for the poor performance of the Sharks backline.in the test on Saturday.

Jan 07, 2026, 10:13

"I lame Hendrikse and Estehuizen"

Off course you do...and yes, you are lame for blaming these two for all of the Sharks backline problems.

Jan 07, 2026, 10:24

Lol M!


At least you're one of the WP boys that can look beyond its borders and not live in bias...like oom kak praat Michael

Jan 07, 2026, 23:07

I keep hoping ou Mampara Mozzietard will find a rugby position which he understands.

There appears to be none.

Hooker at this stage is clearly a better wing.

JJ reminds me somewhat of Daniel Gerber.

Great swerve and change of direction. Good acceleration and certainly doesn't look slow!

What the MGU is missing is that backs thrive off good go forward ball. The Stormers pack struggled a bit in the scrums. Certainly not the great go forward ball delivered by the Bok pack.

The match against the Bulls was very fiercely contested for 80 minutes. Bodies were put on the line and it was do or die. The defence of both sides was tremendous and often brutal.

If you can nail down a player of the brilliance of Sacha one could expect the same to happen to Willemse.. Both were of course marked men.

Mozzietard is all confused once again and the Gimp are in tow!.

Plumstr's obsession with Esterhuizen is unhealthy and not really based on performance. Andre had a couple of barging runs and not much more. Lacks the silky skills of Alllende.

Hope JJ makes it back soon. Put Hooker back on the wing. At this point in time it's the obvious thing to do.



Jan 07, 2026, 23:42

Spot on Beeno

Jan 08, 2026, 00:00

Yes JJ is just like Danie Gerber….hahaha….priceless, the dumbest comment of the year so far,

Jan 08, 2026, 06:48

That's not what he said...but yeah go ahead and ridicule...

Jan 08, 2026, 07:08

Yes, Beens...we know they may AE has never played for the Stormers and that DDA is from Cape Town.


Are there any other biases you'd like to wear on your sleeve today?



Jan 08, 2026, 10:04

There h as been plenty facts about Esterhuizen _ he just is not a center's ase - or perhaps he is. He is slow and strong in traffic - but his ball skills and thinking rug by is way beyond his capacity and is not all that good in defese as well. A poor center on Franchise level - proved aain on Saturday. Defintely not good enough to play center on test level


The proof of the pudding in he end i the performance of the S harks on URC and Rugby Cup level. They lost 8 out of 10 matches played and that is because their backline performances are way below par and for that they msut blame shot poor 10's and 12's


The Sharks have winning forwards and losing backlines. Simple answers, their performance problems start in the backline players,



.

Jan 08, 2026, 10:37

Mike, I don't read your posts. Learn how to edit.

Jan 08, 2026, 11:09

It seems poor Mampara Mozzie is now having reading comprehension problems.

Can't but wonder if the poor guy is now suffering from mental issues.

Plumster quick thinking and a great skills set are essential ingredients for a top class center.

Andre has brute strength but is not quite up to scratch in the above mentioned areas. My assessment is of course entirely objective and correct as it usually is!

Bye the way could you do me a favor and try to explain to poor Mozzietard what I said about JJ. Maybe you can get through to him. Hahahahaha. what a blunder that was.


Jan 08, 2026, 13:46

Both bulls and stormers played abysmal rugby, massive factor was the Cape Doctor, AKA south easter. I grew up on the field of Table View and your touchies game in the summer end up chasing ball for 3 length of the soccer fields just to retrieve ball. That wind is the devil. So not great for a passing or fluid game. Everybody seems to forget that.


Then, just watched the highlights of the Northampton game and there is a reason why they are one of the top teams in Europe. They have backline players that don't look like traditional backline players, but they are very lean players with exceptional skills and passing ability. Running great angles, crisp passing, short, long, etc. Their tries were out of this world and all of their backline players are under 24 or something. No wonder the bools got destroyed by them last season. They use their big forwards and then use their guile in the backline. I think their backline play is even better than Leinster and it is not high risk high reward, just very smart and quick decision making. Running into space, off loading and finding the inside man, great support line. Fantastic advertisement for rugby which doesn't make it all about flashy play but just incredible ball skills.


Our backline play between our two best teams was awful. We have two bok backlines and they couldn't put any decent performance on the field.

Papier, Pollard, Kriel, Willie etc were clueless.

Reinach, Zulu Boy, Willemse, Gelant.


Those are huge names. They were shit.


End of.


Willemse is a 15, he is like a deer in headlight every time he touches the ball. Always takes the ball in two hands, then jumps up and then sets of on a step and then tries to pass. I have watched him do it so many times. There are absolutely no brain cells.


Very athletic, great runner but no brains.

Jan 08, 2026, 17:15

Never mind HasBeen I comprehend exactly what you are saying, you see Julius as the new Gerber. You also see Pead succeeding at the Sharks, even though he is playing for the Lions.


I don’t pay much attention to what you see.

Jan 08, 2026, 17:16

Good post Corn, you nailed it

Jan 08, 2026, 19:22

Knowing that rugby noobs like Moffie and naked racists like KKKcorn don't like or rate Damian Willemse is quite reassuring.


Until the arrival of SFM, DW was the player I used to call our best Springbok. He remains our second best Springbok, whatever position this visionary, versatile and courageous competitor plays. That try he scored receiving the ball relatively stationary with the pass way above his head against the All Blacks is an example of everything I'm saying here . . . among countless other match-winning performances for province and country.


If you don't rate DW, you have to also be stupid enough to not rate Rassie and/or PSdT . . . and yes, such people do exist.

Jan 08, 2026, 20:41

Yep Rooi imagine being stupid enough to declare Willemse has no brains - wow


King - chuck in the towel you are fucking clueless


Willemse is a 12 - try wake up

Jan 08, 2026, 20:43

Lol


"Watching him on Saturday was much like watching him at 10….he seemed a bit clueless. Against all those questions we have 3 seasons including a WC of him excelling at 15."


You always rush out the gates, Rooi.


I don't like Willemse for 12 either. Guess that must mean I hate him too, even though I rate him highly and like him very much, and have done for a damn long time.

Jan 08, 2026, 20:54

Nice to know you’re enjoying my Saints side though, Kingcorn !

Jan 08, 2026, 21:26

Vaccine and HasBeen are pretty much on here to score petty points. Unfortunately as the last few posts clinically demonstrated….it’s usually points against them.


Rofl!

Jan 08, 2026, 21:30

Fuck there is stupid and then you get this - Willemse has been excelling at 15 for 3 seasons - has he really?


Let’s try work out why he has been used at 15…….a long hard think about this - could it have something to do with de Allende I wonder???


Willemse’s best ever game for the Boks has been at 12 and that’s a fact


Anyone who does not like him at 12 is plain rugby ignorant

Jan 08, 2026, 21:48

"Never mind HasBeen I comprehend exactly what you are saying, you see Julius as the new Gerber. You also see Pead succeeding at the Sharks, even though he is playing for the Lions."


Another deliberate lie...either that or your reading comprehension is shot...

Jan 08, 2026, 22:12

What’s the deliberate lie and what was the other lie.

Jan 08, 2026, 22:17

DW is a brilliant fullback and flyhalf . . . but an even better #12. If you need proof of that, just search for the video of the Springboks biggest ever victory against the All Blacks . . . and watch it.

Jan 08, 2026, 22:20


"What’s the deliberate lie and what was the other lie."


Beenz: "JJ reminds me somewhat of Daniel Gerber.

Great swerve and change of direction. Good acceleration and certainly doesn't look slow!


You:

  1. Yes JJ is just like Danie Gerber….hahaha
  2. ...you see Julius as the new Gerber.


Either your comprehension is shot or you are deliberately twisting the facts...lying...take your pick.



Jan 08, 2026, 22:20

Spot on Rooi - pretty obvious to most of us but clearly beyond a few on here

Jan 08, 2026, 22:21

"What’s the deliberate lie and what was the other lie."


Moffie, I don't there's a single poster childish enough to play one of your stupid little "he said no I said no he said" games. Maybe a Servile Gimp will try and help you out here but I'd be surprised if one of them even tried. Just score yourself the point and tell us what it us now . . . 32-0 I think?


LMAO!


We all know you're a liar, just as we all know you're a lifeless loser. Deal with it and try to move on.


Oh and grow up. A 78 year old man acting like an 8 year old is pretty sad for the rest of us to witness.

Jan 08, 2026, 22:31

Well I guess it doesn’t translate to you in rock.


JJ reminds HasBeen somewhat of Gerber….and he then strengthens that claim by citing 3 Gerber attributes….swerve, change in direction and pace.


I come back with sure JJ is just like Danie Gerber…..meaning he isn’t at all like Danie Gerber,


Where’s the lie.


Jan 08, 2026, 22:33

"Well I guess it doesn’t translate to you in rock."


Try pulling your head from your own arse for a change...and stop being disingenuous...

Jan 08, 2026, 22:33

Actually Vaccine quite vigorous at 78 and not a loser….former lead director of 2 Fortune 100 companies and CEO of 3 Fortune 500 companies. Tell us again if you are not too embarrassed, what were you?

Jan 08, 2026, 22:43

No where is the lie HasBeen is saying he sees many of Gerbers attributes and I respond he is just like Gerber….meaning I don’t see it. Where’s the lie.


You throw that word around as if it has no weight ….prove it.

Jan 08, 2026, 22:44

Nice edit but tell us where’s the lie….explain it. Tell you what, I’m off to play 9 holes….think about it and explain the lie.

Jan 08, 2026, 22:55

Whoosh! I don’t have time to waste on such nonsense...go ahead and go mindfck yourself into a victory...I hope you are more honest with your golf scorecard.

Jan 08, 2026, 23:48

"I hope you are more honest with your golf scorecard."


LMAO!


Yeah right!


Can you picture Moffie on the golf course? It would go something like this . . . the fourball is walking off the green and the scorer is writing in the scores . . .


Scorer: "Okay, so that's a bogey for me, a double bogey for Jim and a par for Sam. How about you, Moffie, should I just give you a ring?"


Moffie: (sputtering) "A ring? Try again, son, I shot a 5 on that hole."


Scorer (incredulous) " A 5? You were in the rough off the tee. I saw you play at least two shots in the rough . . . then you topped it over the green, duffed the return chip and three-putted. How in the name of all that is holy did you score a 5?"


Moffie (red-faced) "Liar! I can integrate x squared and I ran 3 Fortune 500 companies! My education was better than yours, my house is bigger than yours and my car is faster than yours. It was a 5 . . . or maybe even a par 4. Wait, it was 4, not 5."


Scorer: "Oh for Pete's sake . . . a 4??? And how come you're using a Titleist ball now when you teed off with a Callaway"?"

Jan 09, 2026, 02:17

So Vaccine too much of a coward to tell us about your great accomplishments in life? I wait to hear your superior record….You are so quick to call others losers. I can’t wait to hear what a winner has done.





Jan 09, 2026, 02:26

As for you Draad you happily call another poster a liar and then shame….your time is too precious to prove your point. Hasbeen basically said Julius has a lot of Gerber’s attributes and my response simply denied that in a completely standard way. No lie. No reason for the attack out of the blue and now the pathetic self pitying truculence.



Jan 09, 2026, 06:51

I did explain, you are just trying to twist out of your misrepresentation of the facts...I'm not going to spell it out for you.

Jan 09, 2026, 07:01

Love reading these threads during my morning gym.


I wish I was like you, Rooi...and could gather up so much hatred and focus it. Could really use that sort of motivation as I test my limits in the early morning hours.


Alas, I'm just not like that.


Give me single hit on my THC vape, a podcast about some obscure topic and that's all I need to fight my way through my routine.


I hope that all you knuckleheads are keeping fit too.



Jan 09, 2026, 17:08

You explained nothing Draad and you don’t have the guts to admit you lost the plot. But I’m pretty sure you’ll think twice next time before carelessly calling another poster a liar. Straighten up and fly right.

Jan 09, 2026, 18:47

We all know Damian Willemse is a good rugby player. That is obvious.


The real argument is about his best position. Under Rassie, Willemse has mainly been used at fullback, with him occasionally playing at 12 or Flyhalf.


That is not by accident.


Yes, his performance at 12 in the Wellington game, was good. What is conveniently left out is that the game really opened up once he moved back to fullback and AE came on at 12.


From fullback he has more space, more time, and a better view of the field. He identifies space well, links into the line at the right moments, and his cover defence is outstanding.

There is also a contradiction here. If Willemse is such a brilliant long term 12, why has he not replaced de Allende after all these seasons??


Saying it is because de Allende is so good undermines the claim that Willemse is clearly better at 12. You cannot argue both at the same time.


Either Willemse is a specialist 12 who should have taken that jersey already, or he is a world-class fullback who can cover 12 when needed.


Rassie’s selections up till now, clearly point to the second option.

Jan 09, 2026, 19:00

In fact Willemse’s career was in jeopardy after he had essentially failed at 10….it was resurrected by the move to 15.

Jan 10, 2026, 00:08

"You explained nothing Draad and you don’t have the guts to admit you lost the plot. But I’m pretty sure you’ll think twice next time before carelessly calling another poster a liar. Straighten up and fly right."


Nah, it wasn't careless...words have meaning...BTW, how was the golf?


Jan 10, 2026, 01:35

Mpower I’ll give you a little clue why Willemse has been mostly employed at 15 for the Boks……de Allende


Glad to be of service pointing out the blatantly obvious

Jan 10, 2026, 01:48

Great….,I cheated.

Jan 10, 2026, 09:05

"Great….,I cheated."


That was uncalled for from me. I apologize for that and I concede that the lie was probably more mocking sarcasm than an attempt at an outright lie.

Jan 10, 2026, 15:07

Well played Draad…we’re good.

Jan 10, 2026, 15:30

We are all to eager put the liar tag on someone.

Jan 10, 2026, 15:30

.

 
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