Schalk Burger Doubtful** Tabloid content

uRbaN · 12-06-2009 11:41AM #1

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/rugbyunion/international/britishandirishlionsrugby/5512687/Lions-2009-Springboks-Schalk-Burger-doubt-for-first-Test.html

Reports in South Africa's Cape Times newspaper suggest that Burger's calf is such an issue that he has been unable to participate in training.

INteresting to see how this pans out.

jimmybeige · 12-06-2009 12:17PM

Apparently he's not been playing that well in the S14 this year anyways. Mightn't be a huge loss to them.

thomond2006 · 12-06-2009 12:36PM

jimmybeige wrote: »

Apparently he's not been playing that well in the S14 this year anyways. Mightn't be a huge loss to them.

:eek::eek::eek:

You do realise he's been saving his efforts and energy for the test series since probably the World Cup?

These 3 matches are HUGE to South Africa. Don't forget that.

Stev_o · 12-06-2009 12:50PM

Thats bad for the Lions in the sense that his replacement is either going to be Brussow or Kansokwi who are in much better form and pose bigger threats then a out of form Burger.

Elbow83 · 12-06-2009 12:56PM

Burger will be a huge loss for us... he may not have played well in the S14's but he always raises his game for the springboks. that said, it would be interesting to see if Brussow could fill his boots... i can imagine a partnership between them would be pretty damn awesome... come on bokke!!!

toomevara · 12-06-2009 12:59PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

These 3 matches are HUGE to South Africa. Don't forget that.

I wonder just how huge they actually are to the Saffies. (I would have totally agreed with you up to two weeks ago, by the way), given that not one of the three tests is sold out yet (inconceivable 6 months ago)...think perhaps we in the NH may be a lot more interested in The Lions and the associated hype than those in the SH..

Burger is no loss to the Bokke, (frightening I know)..

Elbow83 · 12-06-2009 01:04PM

toomevara wrote: »

I wonder just how huge they actually are to the Saffies. (I would have totally agreed with you up to two weeks ago, by the way), given that not one of the three tests is sold out yet (inconceivable 6 months ago)...think perhaps we in the NH may be a lot more interested in The Lions and the associated hype than those in the SH..

Burger is no loss to the Bokke, (frightening I know)..

the games are HUGE in SA... problem is the organisers are charging way way way too much for the tickets... if i was still living there and earning the local currency, i know i wouldnt be able to afford the tickets... think they start at something silly like R500 (not much if you convert it, R12 to €1) but in general cost of living terms thats massive. its like paying €250 for a normal ticket to be in the rafters of croke pack.
Most of SA is pretty poor...

jimmybeige · 12-06-2009 01:45PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

You do realise he's been saving his efforts and energy for the test series since probably the World Cup?

haha, surely you're messing? The boks have such depth in players I don't think he could afford to be playing below his best and be sure of a place in the Springbok backrow. I'm sure he has been giving it everything in the S14, but as mentioned some people just seem to play better in he national jersey. Not a conscious decision by him I'd think to save himself.

Amabokke · 12-06-2009 02:37PM

I'd rather have Burger playing in the first test than not even if we have good depth. Burger was average this year for Stormers but been delivering consistently since 2004 for the boks. He always brings his A game for the boks. It seems Burger might still play but if not they will call up Danie Rossouw as he is a gud ball carrier and provides an extra line option.

davyjose · 12-06-2009 03:27PM

Burger excels at the breakdown - currently the Lions' biggest weakness - this is definitely good news for the Lions. I'm sure he'll be replaced by someone World Class - undoubtedly. But they won't be as good as Burger in that particular role.

GiftofGab · 12-06-2009 03:50PM

Even thou loads of the Lions team are injured. I'd still like to see SA put out a full strenght team. Want to see all these players playing on the big stage.

thomond2006 · 12-06-2009 05:45PM

GiftofGab wrote: »

Even thou loads of the Lions team are injured. I'd still like to see SA put out a full strenght team. Want to see all these players playing on the big stage.

Did I just read that correctly? :eek:

You think SA won't play their full strength team!! :eek::eek::eek:

Oh yeah, I'm sure they'll rest players ahead of the more important Tri Nations.

:rolleyes:

GiftofGab · 12-06-2009 06:01PM

thomond2006 wrote: »

Did I just read that correctly? :eek:

You think SA won't play their full strength team!! :eek::eek::eek:

Oh yeah, I'm sure they'll rest players ahead of the more important Tri Nations. :rolleyes:

I didnt mean it in that sense. What I meant to say was I dont want to see several of the SA team getting injured. I want to see as close to a full strength team as possible to face the Lions. Selection wise i know they'll pick a full strength team. There's no way they are going to rest players if they are not injured.

Elbow83 · 12-06-2009 07:50PM

GiftofGab wrote: »

I didnt mean it in that sense. What I meant to say was I dont want to see several of the SA team getting injured. I want to see as close to a full strength team as possible to face the Lions. Selection wise i know they'll pick a full strength team. There's no way they are going to rest players if they are not injured.

well in your defense here, we havent been showing up with our full teams so far, which is something i cant understand.
Peter de Villiers has rested all of our springboks for these games, but that could count against us in a big way.
firstly, our guys have had no playing time against the lions, so they dont really know what they're up against.
secondly, the first time they will play together is the first test, and thats gonna be tough the way the lions have played.
third, we have effectively given the lions a run of wins thats not going to do us any good. Any side that goes into a test match with 6 wins under the belt is going to come in brimming with confidence.
if we lose this test series i'd say its all down to those 3 factors (and before i get flamed to death, yes i think the lions are a super team playing really fluid and amazing rugby)

...that is all

Moncti48 · 12-06-2009 10:42PM

Burger has been injured for the later half of the super 14. Im surprised De Villars didnt call up brussow as the only replacement at openside! but then De Villers doesnt nothing simple!! It will be Russow Smith and Spies back row, with Kansowki on the bench. Same back row Best Wally and Leamy destroyed 3 years ago!

Trojan · 12-06-2009 11:40PM

SA friends have told me that SA rugby fans (I'll let you join the dots) earn just as much as Europeans. By that logic the tickets are actually exceptionally cheap to local fans.

mikeruurds · 13-06-2009 04:29AM

Trojan wrote: »

SA friends have told me that SA rugby fans (I'll let you join the dots) earn just as much as Europeans. By that logic the tickets are actually exceptionally cheap to local fans.

That's a load of rubbish to be honest.

There are the rare few working in JHB who earn €40k+ but they're in the minority and are not going to fill Ellis Park. If you add to that the fact that the cost of living over there relative to their earnings is almost twice what it is here then you start getting a fairer picture.

I lived there most of my life so I know what I'm talking about.

Our biggest problem is that PdV is not picking players in the correct positions.

He keeps trying to play wingers as full backs (Fourie, JP) when he has a specialist FB in Francois Steyn. There's doubt that he'll play Morne Steyn as first choice flyhalf even though he's been in brilliant form for the Bulls. He seems to be favouring Ruan Pienaar who prefers to play scrum half and is coming off being injured. The other problem we have is that he's considering Danie Rossouw over the specialist 6 Brussouw who impressed in the Cheetahs game.

It boggles the mind that we can have so much depth of specialist talent available and yet the coaching staff can still screw up the selections.

GymJim · 13-06-2009 11:39AM

mikeruurds wrote: »

That's a load of rubbish to be honest.

There are the rare few working in JHB who earn €40k+ but they're in the minority and are not going to fill Ellis Park. If you add to that the fact that the cost of living over there relative to their earnings is almost twice what it is here then you start getting a fairer picture.

I lived there most of my life so I know what I'm talking about.

Our biggest problem is that PdV is not picking players in the correct positions.

He keeps trying to play wingers as full backs (Fourie, JP) when he has a specialist FB in Francois Steyn. There's doubt that he'll play Morne Steyn as first choice flyhalf even though he's been in brilliant form for the Bulls. He seems to be favouring Ruan Pienaar who prefers to play scrum half and is coming off being injured. The other problem we have is that he's considering Danie Rossouw over the specialist 6 Brussouw who impressed in the Cheetahs game.

It boggles the mind that we can have so much depth of specialist talent available and yet the coaching staff can still screw up the selections.

Fourie is a centre, Steyn is a centre not a specialist FB also. Jantjes and Terblanche are probably the only reasonable specialist FB's in SA. I know Jantjes is out and Terblanche not really on PdV's radar. JP at full back was ridiculous, you can't have a FB with no kicking game at FB internationally these days.

Rossouw over Brussouw would be poor call but not surprising with Rossouw actually in squad already.

On form Steyn should prob get OH jersey but I can understand decision to go with Ruan...down to experience simple as...he knows Ruan won't freeze on the day!

mikeruurds · 13-06-2009 11:53AM

GymJim wrote: »

Fourie is a centre, Steyn is a centre not a specialist FB also. Jantjes and Terblanche are probably the only reasonable specialist FB's in SA. I know Jantjes is out and Terblanche not really on PdV's radar. JP at full back was ridiculous, you can't have a FB with no kicking game at FB internationally these days.

Rossouw over Brussouw would be poor call but not surprising with Rossouw actually in squad already.

On form Steyn should prob get OH jersey but I can understand decision to go with Ruan...down to experience simple as...he knows Ruan won't freeze on the day!

Franscois Steyn is not a specialist centre though. His favourite position is FB. The problem is that he's been used all over the backline in recent years due to other players being favoured at FB (for reasons other than skills).

anonymous_joe · 13-06-2009 12:31PM

mikeruurds wrote: »

Franscois Steyn is not a specialist centre though. His favourite position is FB. The problem is that he's been used all over the backline in recent years due to other players being favoured at FB (for reasons other than skills).

Francois Steyn doesn't know his own specialist position.

Stev_o · 13-06-2009 12:33PM

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Francois Steyn doesn't know his own specialist position.

Yeah he does, horrible drop goal kicker.........position......thingy.

anonymous_joe · 13-06-2009 12:35PM

Stev_o wrote: »

Yeah he does, horrible drop goal kicker.........position......thingy.

Hahaha.

True that. :rolleyes:

But like, he's demanded to be full back, out-half, etc. He's probably a 12, but who knows?

Elbow83 · 13-06-2009 01:17PM

Stev_o wrote: »

Yeah he does, horrible drop goal kicker.........position......thingy.

lol... very true cough cough super 14 bulls v sharks final.... cost us the game i think...
that said his 53m drop goal against england was pretty special.

mikeruurds · 13-06-2009 04:50PM

anonymous_joe wrote: »

Francois Steyn doesn't know his own specialist position.

I guess you're right. His boot is a bit wasted at centre though.

Schalk Burger Doubtful** Tabloid content

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