Marnitz Boshoff, a couple questions

[OedipussyRex]

As my post count shows, I'm new to the forum, but I'm also new to Rugby so any insight would be helpful.

1) At the start of the 2014 Super Rugby season Marnitz Boshoff was the lead scorer. Why was he essentially benched in the second half? Even when he was on the pitch they had someone else kicking goals.

2) Why is Boshoff not a Springbok? The man has a ~90% kicking accuracy. Even being benched for half the season he was still the 4th highest scorer in Super Rugby and the top scorer in South Africa. Was he caught sleeping with the coach's daughter?

 

[TRF_heineken]

As my post count shows, I'm new to the forum, but I'm also new to Rugby so any insight would be helpful.

1) At the start of the 2014 Super Rugby season Marnitz Boshoff was the lead scorer. Why was he essentially benched in the second half? Even when he was on the pitch they had someone else kicking goals.

2) Why is Boshoff not a Springbok? The man has a ~90% kicking accuracy. Even being benched for half the season he was still the 4th highest scorer in Super Rugby and the top scorer in South Africa. Was he caught sleeping with the coach's daughter?

Answers:

1) He was swapped with Elton Jantjies, who is a springbok, but more of a running fly half than a kicking fly half. They usually would move Elton into fly half and Boshoff to fullback or to the bench when they wanted to change the style of play. Also Boshoff was at times benched to prevent his hamstring from pulling up as he has had a history of hamstring injuries.

2) He is a Springbok! He made his Debut against Scotland earlier this year. But then got injured with the resumption of the Super Rugby tournament, he will most likely be fit for the EOYT.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Boshoff is a Springbok even though he only had a few minutes off the bench helping in demolshing an admittedly B-team Scotland at home.

He was setting things alight early on in SR and got a test call up and a few minutes off the bench for SA on the back of that but he seemed to dip a tad in the middle roughly after that game against the Blue Bulls where he got the taste of his own medicine from Jacques-Louis Potgieter and coach Ackermann- I think- took a chance on the more mercurial Elton Jantjies to see if he couldn't revive the Lion's season. A mistake IMO as well.

He is now out with a broken arm since round 1 of the Currie Cup. Hopefully he'll be back for the Lions next year, fit, first choice and in form. SA can do with quality options at 10.

 

[TRF_heineken]

this just in:

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/CurrieCup/Boshoff-named-on-Lions-bench-20140923

Boshoff will be on the bench this weekend for the Lions.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

this just in:

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/CurrieCup/Boshoff-named-on-Lions-bench-20140923

Boshoff will be on the bench this weekend for the Lions.

Good for the Lions and for Boshoff. I hope they don't rush him back in but I suppoe an arm is either ready or not; not as fickle as some other injuries.

I see the Lions have both Schalk van der Merwe and Julian Redelinghuys bracketed on the bench as well. Very good news as well. Those two plus Francois du Toit from the Pumas for SR duty is a pretty handy front row.

 

[OedipussyRex]

He is a Springbok!

Sorry, I expressed myself poorly. I should have asked why he wasn't playing with the current squad. But you answered my unexpressed question admirably.

I did watch the match against Scotland and saw the goal which further added to my confusion as to why he was participating in the Currie Cup instead of The Rugby Championship.

Thanks for the responses.

 

[TRF_heineken]

Sorry, I expressed myself poorly. I should have asked why he wasn't playing with the current squad. But you answered my unexpressed question admirably.

I did watch the match against Scotland and saw the goal which further added to my confusion as to why he was participating in the Currie Cup instead of The Rugby Championship.

Thanks for the responses.

Well, he wasn't picked for the Springbok squad for the Rugby Championship because of the return of Pat Lambie. And with Handre Pollard as the incumbent flyhalf, along with Mr. Reliable in Morne Steyn, there were no place for Boshoff. He was however on the standby list should one of the first 3 become unavailable.

But I think Boshoff will feature more frequently, especially if he stays in South Africa and not travel to the NH.

If I were to make a list of Fly Halves for the Springboks it would look like this:

1. Handre Pollard
2. Pat Lambie
3. Johan Goosen
4. Marnitz Boshoff
5. Morne Steyn
6. Elton Jantjies

 

[OedipussyRex]

especially if he stays in South Africa and not travel to the NH.

Northern Hemisphere?

I gather that players move north for the money. Is this what you're referring to?

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

Well, he wasn't picked for the Springbok squad for the Rugby Championship because of the return of Pat Lambie. And with Handre Pollard as the incumbent flyhalf, along with Mr. Reliable in Morne Steyn, there were no place for Boshoff. He was however on the standby list should one of the first 3 become unavailable.

But I think Boshoff will feature more frequently, especially if he stays in South Africa and not travel to the NH.

If I were to make a list of Fly Halves for the Springboks it would look like this:

1. Handre Pollard
2. Pat Lambie
3. Johan Goosen
4. Marnitz Boshoff
5. Morne Steyn
6. Elton Jantjies

You have Lambie quite high IMO. Is this your own view or what you think is HM's? I'd have it quite similar but move Lambie to below Boshoff. He's had enough chances IMO and have underwhelmed at 10. Steyn, after the Aus game... that pathetic defense just has left him out of the picture in my eyes.

Northern Hemisphere?

I gather that players move north for the money. Is this what you're referring to?

Yes, in droves. The settled stars can earn at least double what they earn here and still play test rugby. Many move due to a lack of game time and a few of the younger guys will probably move on due to racial quota's in SA sport.

 

[SomeOke]

Well, he wasn't picked for the Springbok squad for the Rugby Championship because of the return of Pat Lambie. And with Handre Pollard as the incumbent flyhalf, along with Mr. Reliable in Morne Steyn, there were no place for Boshoff. He was however on the standby list should one of the first 3 become unavailable.

But I think Boshoff will feature more frequently, especially if he stays in South Africa and not travel to the NH.

If I were to make a list of Fly Halves for the Springboks it would look like this:

1. Handre Pollard
2. Pat Lambie
3. Johan Goosen
4. Marnitz Boshoff
5. Morne Steyn
6. Elton Jantjies

I can't believe I'm saying this but if Pollard was injured (touch wood) I'd probably rather have Steyn starting, Goosen has proven unreliable and isn't a long term option and I don't really see Lambie offering anything that Morne doesn't. Boshoff is essentially a young Steyn.

 

[TRF_heineken]

You have Lambie quite high IMO. Is this your own view or what you think is HM's? I'd have it quite similar but move Lambie to below Boshoff. He's had enough chances IMO and have underwhelmed at 10. Steyn, after the Aus game... that pathetic defense just has left him out of the picture in my eyes.

It's based on HM and what I think he sees the list of fly halves. If it was me, I'd have

1. Handre Pollard
2. Johan Goosen
3. Marnitz Boshoff
4. Morne Steyn
5. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
6. Demitri Katrakilis
7. Elton Jantjies
8. Gary van Aswegen
Last. Pat Lambie

 

[ruggabee]

It's crazy how I have no idea who the guys after Steyn are. TBH I've never seen the potential in Lambie. I mean he's good but I never saw how he'd be a world beater. He was young and handled the game well at a young age but he didn't seem to pick up from there. I thought Steyn really improved SA's game when he came on for Pollard against Argentina. No idea who Boshoff is and Goosen I guess is out of the pecking order playing in France? Interesting seeing these names.

edit. arGHH there are other players playing for SA who are in France. SORRY.

 

[TRF_stormer2010]

I can't believe I'm saying this but if Pollard was injured (touch wood) I'd probably rather have Steyn starting, Goosen has proven unreliable and isn't a long term option and I don't really see Lambie offering anything that Morne doesn't. Boshoff is essentially a young Steyn.

Goosen sadly hasn't been himself since that horrible run of injuries. I blame the Cheetahs for being cheap and poor and rushing quality players back from injury before they're ready. I too prefer the 'devil you know' in Steyn over Lambie. TBH, apart from the game against Aus Steyn has been going better than usual these last two years (with FdP but who wouldn't?). I see Boshoff as adding a slightly better passing game than Steyn and some semblence of use in defense.

It's based on HM and what I think he sees the list of fly halves. If it was me, I'd have

1. Handre Pollard
2. Johan Goosen
3. Marnitz Boshoff
4. Morne Steyn
5. Jacques-Louis Potgieter
6. Demitri Katrakilis
7. Elton Jantjies
8. Gary van Aswegen
Last. Pat Lambie

That looks a lot more likely, yes. Sorry for doubting you!

It's crazy how I have no idea who the guys after Steyn are. TBH I've never seen the potential in Lambie. I mean he's good but I never saw how he'd be a world beater. He was young and handled the game well at a young age but he didn't seem to pick up from there. I thought Steyn really improved SA's game when he came on for Pollard against Argentina. No idea who Boshoff is and Goosen I guess is out of the pecking order playing in France? Interesting seeing these names.

edit. arGHH there are other players playing for SA who are in France. SORRY.

It's difficult to judge Pollard at this stage. He has been immense for the junior Bokke more often than not. He certainly buckled against Argentina but the guy is still only 20 and did a fantastic job against the All Blacks given another go while Steyn was probably playing the worst game of his carreer (that's saying something) against Aus the previous week and Pollard added more off the bench so if it's a question of using the two games against Arg or the last two against Aus and NZ I'd use the latter. Goosen should probably still get a look in if he manages to stay fit and deliver on his promise but I'd assume Meyer will look at Boshoff (and probably Lambie whom I don't rate) first. Lambie I think is still rated by one game (Currie Cup final) where he ran through the entire WP team and put Schalk Burger (who was wrong-footed TBF) on his behind before scoring the match winning try. Take away that game and.. meh.

 

[Draggs]

You guys rate Pat too highly.
9. Tony Jantjies
10. Peter Grant
11. Lionel Cronje
12. Fred Zeilinga
13. Jean de Villiers
14. Willie le Roux
15. Morné Steyn again
16. Butch James
17. Frans Steyn
18. Peter de Villiers
19. Riaan Viljoen
20. Louis Koen
21. Louis Strydom
22. Louis Ludik
23. Gaffie du Toit
24. Johan Roets
.
.
178. Earl Rose
179. Patrick Lambie