Burger Injury

[MunsterMan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

The Springboks look set to be without star flank Schalk Burger for the first Test against the British and Irish Lions in Durban.

Burger has still not been able to fully participate in training since injuring a calf muscle in the Super 14 nearly six weeks ago.

The Springbok management team have been unwilling to comment on Burger's fitness or the possibility of a replacement being call-up.

Bulls utility forward Danie Rossouw has been running in Burger's place since the squad reconvened and is his most likely replacement as calls for the selection of Cheetahs fetcher extraordinaire Heinrich Brussouw seemingly continue to fall on deaf ears.

Brussouw was a surprise omission for the Bok squad after initially being named in the training group take took on a Namibain Invitation XV. The Free State answered the selection snub with a stellar performance at the breakdown against the touring Lions last weekend.

Springbok skipper John Smit is well aware of Brussouw's ball-stealing ability.

"As a Shark, I know all about what he can do. We have been reduced to tears many times on a Sunday after visits to Bloemfontein," he told the Pretoria News.

"He is only four and a half foot tall and born to steal ball a few inches from the grass!" Smit joked.

The Emerging Boks have joined the Springboks in Durban as the senior squad undergoes series of full-contact sessions. Brussouw is not part of the Emerging Boks squad having already won a senior cap, but is said to be in Durban.

Elsewhere in the line-up, Francois Steyn now seems to be the forerunner for the vacant full-back berth after he ran in the position at Thursday's practice. JP Pietersen had been mooted to start at number fifteen but now looks set to continue on the right wing.

In the same session, Adi Jacobs was at outside centre with Ruan Peinaar at fly-half.[/b]

http://www.planetrugby.com/lions-09/story/...5376117,00.html


The teams when the Irish back row played the South African back row of the park during a 32-15 win in 2006:
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

Ireland:

15. G Dempsey
14. S Horgan
13. B O'Driscoll (capt)
12. G D'Arcy
11. A Trimble
10. R O'Gara
9. P Stringer

1. M Horan
2. R Best
3. J Hayes
4. D O'Callaghan
5. P O'Connell
6. N Best
7. D Wallace
8. D Leamy

Replacements: F Sheahan, B Young, M O'Kelly, S Easterby, I Boss, P Wallace, G Murphy.


South Africa:

15. B Fortuin
14. J Pretorious
13. B Habana
12. J de Villiers
11. F Steyn
10. A Pretorious
9. R Januarie

1. L Sephaka
2. J Smit (capt)
3. CJ van der Linde
4. J Ackerman
5. A van den Berg
6. D Rossouw
7. J Smith
8. P Spies

Replacements: C Ralepelle, BJ Botha, J Muller, J Cronje, R Pienaar, W Olivier, JP Pietersen.[/b]

So they are not calling up Brussouw, playing a lock at openside and have no tighthead or fullback in their squad. I'm starting to feel more optimistic about the test series now.

God bless Peter de Villiers!

 

[Prestwick]

Shhh..don't talk about 2006!

 

[KZNSharksFan]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jun 13 2009, 10:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

God bless Peter de Villiers![/b]

May God smite him and his amphetamine induced ramblings

 

[shtove]

2006 is one of the reasons I'd start with ROG at 10 - sliced them apart like a corpse on a slab. Been there, done that.

I think it was also the first time the NH sat up and took notice of Steyn. He's been a bit flakey, but a match winner all the way.

 

[Aeros]

Urgh... Adi Jacobs

Fourie will be on the bench, and Jacobs will start... Thank you PDV, thank you VERY MUCH you ugly little rectum.

Does anybody know when PDV will announce the XV for Saturday?

 

[Count of Devonshire]

Steve-o: Post removed due to going off topic and offensive content

Behave!

 

[dundeesmiffy]

My name is Scott Smith.

I am neither a MMA fighter or a a figure skater.

A name is simply a name.

 

[Olyy]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Count of Devonshire @ Jun 14 2009, 11:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jun 13 2009, 10:34 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So they are not calling up Brussouw, playing a lock at openside and have no tighthead or fullback in their squad. I'm starting to feel more optimistic about the test series now. [/b]

Steve-o: Post removed due to going off topic and offensive content
[/b][/quote]
Nobody in England speaks like you, stop pretending you're really English/speaking down to everyone who isn't English, you're embarrasing yourself

 

[Aeros]

Mr Count buddy, 44-22, 36-0, 15-6, 42-6

Now go troll some wenches in thy brothel.

(not aimed at anyone but him )

 

[Cymro]

Reckon its all spin by the South Africa media to get the Lions thinking!

 

[Steve-o]

Getting Brussouw in on the act shouldn't be too difficult. He was one of the players that played against the invitational Namibian XV a couple of weeks ago. He knows the structures and so on.

Here's hoping...

 

[dundeesmiffy]

It be a good choice. He could be another player like Shaulk Brits and only get a few caps.

 

[Jer1cho]

Here's what i would do:

- Play Spies at 6. Last time he played at 6, he was man of the match against New Zealand, and was more than capable of handling McCaw.
- Play Kankowski at 8. The prospect of those 2 starting is awesome, but obviously aint gonna happen.

Being a loose forward myself, i honestly believe that any back-rower can adapt to 6,7 or 8. There is no 'specialist' in those positions.

Ideally, Brussouw should play, but PdV is too proud to admit he screwed up in leaving him out.

- I am perfectly happy with Steyn at 15. Had Terblanche or Kirchner made it, i would STILL back Steyn. I'm a fan, and i think he is only going to get better from here.

- Playing Jacobs ahead of Fourie is a MASSIVE mistake. Good luck to him at trying to contain BOD. Jacques Fourie is class, and he and JdV is by far our best centre pairing. Why Helium is changing that is beyond me...

 

[Bullitt]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Count of Devonshire @ Jun 14 2009, 11:07 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Steve-o: Post removed due to going off topic and offensive content

Behave![/b]

:lol:

 

[munross]

Burger boost as Boks take a stab at Lions

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE </div>

According to Springbok conditioning coach Neels Liebel, star Springbok flanker Schalk Burger has a "good chance" of being fit to face the British and Irish Lions in the first Test at the Absa Stadium this Saturday.

Burger has been battling with a calf injury for some time and although he was considered highly doubtful over the weekend, Liebel told a press contingent on Monday afternoon that Burger was making good progress and a final decision on his fitness would be made later this week.

Just in case they have to contend with a worst case scenario, Cheetahs flanker Heinrich Brussow has been called into the squad to add loose-forward depth.

Bok coach Peter de Villiers said he was confident whoever turned out in the loose-trio would do a good job and that a specialist fetcher was not necessarily a must-have.

"My belief is that the way the game is going nowadays, you need to be multi-skilled and if you set up the rucks correctly, the guys who are there first will steal the ball and if you approach the collisions correctly, you can actually dominate it, then you don't need a guy who plays to the ball all the time."

The Lions have made no secret of the fact they have worked on the breakdowns ever since Brussow recently worked his magic there for the Cheetahs, and it will once again be a crucial area of the game this Saturday and one that will be closely monitored by referee Bryce Lawrence.

De Villiers added that he felt that the British and Irish Lions have been playing illegally and that he hoped the referee on the day would police the Lions.

"We've picked up with the Lions that there's a lot of sealing off, obstruction, all those kind of illegalities around the breakdown but then again we don't want to labour a point like that," De Villiers said.

"We have all the faith in Bryce to officiate that area of the game well because he comes from New Zealand where that area is a huge thing."

"We must not fall into the trap whereby if they are illegal we play illegal.

"We must prepare the right way and do the right stuff."[/b]

http://www.rugbyweek.com/news/article.asp?id=20804

PDV starting again with his verbal diarrhea, can't he just learn to shut the f**k up?

And if Burger is fit to play I hope it will be from of the bench and that Brussow gets a start.

 

[Steve-o]

I've also noticed the Lions are doing a lot of off the ball stuff and obstructing the ruck area. I noticed Sheridan doing it in the last game, but that could be because he's confused where he is.

Gotta say though that his comments weren't out of hand.... This time.

 

[alexrugby]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (MunsterMan @ Jun 13 2009, 02:34 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

So they are not calling up Brussouw, playing a lock at openside and have no tighthead or fullback in their squad. I'm starting to feel more optimistic about the test series now.

God bless Peter de Villiers![/b]

Guess absence of Burger will definitely aid Lions

 

[Jer1cho]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (LeksoRugby @ Jun 15 2009, 11:41 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Guess absence of Burger will definitely aid Lions[/b]

I dont think so. He has been really off form lately, and i think we need the best we have playing. He is certainly not good enough to be starting at the moment. Call gt a blessing in disguise.