Super Rugby Season 2012 : Young guns

[SomeOke]

Easy thread the Super Rugby season is over and we name the young stars who've really made an impression.
Doesn't have to be debutantes necessarily but particularly young players who have had a good opportunity to shine this season.

I'll just name three from South Africa because despite their being many many young players that impressed this season from NZ and Aus (Retalick, Hooper, Barret, many others) I didn't follow them as religiosly so I feel unqualified to comment fully. Anyway without further ado my top three:

1) Eben Etzebeth



With his unwavering physicality, and brutal style of play, the extremely brief worries that we saffers had about who would replace Bakkies were put to rest, in the most violent and best possible way.
The best part about Eben is he is 20 years old, young especially for a tight-five forward, with plenty of years to go (and potentially a bit of filling out). He forced his way into the Springbok side, where it will be very hard for anyone to remove him for a long time.

2) Marcel Coetze



He's physical, he can offload, he tackles like a demon and has an extremely high work rate. He has all the class and potential to be one of the best loose-forwards we've produced in years, he show all the signs of being a more polished Schalk Burger.

One of my absolute favourite players at the moment and a joy to watch he's one of the reasons I find it hard to dislike the Sharks these days .


Anyway I'm done for now, I'd rather discuss than rant anyway.

 

[Larksea]

few for NZ

Brodie Retalick

IMO his meteoric rise in NZ Rugby has been greater than that of Sam Whitelock. Tall powerful, great in the air and trieless around the field, earlier in the season he broke Bran Thorn record on the shuttle test. Chiefs have lacked a true top shelf Lock for a long time. He basically came out of the blue, not even his chiefs squad mates knew anything about him when he arrived at the start of the season but after a couple of games for the chiefs one I think he clocked up 20 tackles - everyone in NZ with an interest in rugby knew about him.

Sam Cane

been under the watchful eye of Ian Foster for quite some time now, Ian basically made sure he was secured for the chiefs region and monitored his progress. he actually announced his arrival late last season. What stuck out for me was I think his debut against the stormers when he put a massive hit on Schalk Burger, dominated him in a tackle. Then early this season he did the same to Jerome Kaino just to show it was no fluke. give him 80min and he will top the tackle count every time. Even though he's only had limited time off the bench he's still clocked up some 180 odd tackles - runs great lines on defense and a really impressive ball carrier and support as well. He's still had a managed introduction to super rugby mostly as part of the chiefs bench but his Selection as an All Black shows just how much regard he has.

Bauden Barrett

After some eye opening and even record breaking appearances for the naki in the ITM cup Barrett was snapped up by the hurricanes and he has been just what the doctor ordered, they have had such a fantastic year but just imagine how their season would have gone with Daniel Kirkpatrick as their main first five again?? He does sit top of the missed tackle table for this season but I would not read too much into that. Once a problem was fixed in the canes defensive setup that area improved. Once he fills out and gets more confidence and better combination on defense with TJP I dont expect to see him in that position next season. In my opinion he is the most talented player to come into the NZ scene since carter. And within a year or so I believe he will overtake Slade and Cruden in the pecking order and genuinely threaten Carters hallowed position as established All Black 10.

and there is more:

TJP
TKB
the arrival of Robbie Robinson as a player of note.
Aaron Smith
Ben Tameafuna

and to some extent Tom Taylor

 

[Draggs]

I am rather (OK, very) biased, but I think Paul Jordaan will be quite special.
He has bags of pace and not afraid to use it. That try v Reds in the QF was incredible, left the Reds dumbfounded.

Willie le Roux looked a good prospect. Not as young as the others mentioned, but he is a different kind of wing than the 'typical' SA wing. His background as an inside back gives him a different skillset and he has shown how lethal he can really be.

For New Zealand, I thought John Hardie looked brilliant, pace and power combined. I was gutted when he got injured because he was improving with every match and a callup to the All Blacks seemed imminent.

 

[BZHopenside]

Johan Goosen. Before his injury, he was the heart and soul of the Cheetahs offense.

 

[big ginger 8]

1. Coetzee
2. Barrett
3. Goosen
4. Perenara
5. Etzebeth

While they both did play some games this year I don't really think this was a breakthrough season for either of them. Feel Jordaan and Sautia could have big years in 2013.

 

[SomeOke]

From Aus I thought Michael Hooper was absolutely fantastic.
A lot of people were going on about Liam Gill who was also great but Hooper would be my pick of the Aus youngsters.

At times I honestly felt there was only a small gap between him and Pocock (and really it's a shame for him because Pocock is still so young).

Jordaan was very impressive indeed but I have to agree it wasn't quite a "breakout" season for him.

 

[Icemn]

Andre Taylor
Julian Sevea
Aaron Smith
Tim Bateman

 

[SomeOke]

Andre Taylor
Julian Sevea
Aaron Smith
Tim Bateman

All great players, who've really come into their own, but I wouldn't necessarily call them "young guns" they've all had at least a season of Super Rugby if I'm not mistake. Except perhaps Smith.

 

[Icemn]

All great players, who've really come into their own, but I wouldn't necessarily call them "young guns" they've all had at least a season of Super Rugby if I'm not mistake. Except perhaps Smith.

Doesn't have to be debutantes necessarily

well you said they didn't have to be deputants :?

its tim Bateman's 1st super rugby season :? i think...

 

[big ginger 8]

It is young guns though and while I don't know what age you consider someone a young gun Taylor is 24 and Bateman is 25 as far as I can tell and I think by Super Rugby standards aren't really "young guns".

 

[Icemn]

It is young guns though and while I don't know what age you consider someone a young gun Taylor is 24 and Bateman is 25 as far as I can tell and I think by Super Rugby standards aren't really "young guns".

i thought they were 19 :O

 

[madflyhalf]

Dom Shipperley (though 2nd SR year) were very good, Liam Gill has been outstanding and IMO the in-form openside flanker of the year, 2 or 3 times he left sidelined.

Hooper is very good, but he plays different rugby than Gill, my ideal 7 has a game more like to the Reds flanker's one.

Another interesting player, who played very well this season is Luke Jones, in a year or 2 he can develop as a very good lock and even an extremely mobile 197cm blindside flanker!

 

[Amobokoboko]

Kerr barlow and Horrel

 

[Smithy_NZ]

A Chiefs fan in Belgium, nice. I played a season for Brussels Celtic in 2010, must say some of those Flemish guys are massive, see where the Afrikaners get their brute force and size from. Heading back to Brussels in a few weeks, sadly no rugby though.

Beyond the obvious candidates (Cane, Retallick and TKB ), August Pulu is a real talent in the Chiefs set up, only played limited time this year at no.9 but the word is that he may well have a future on the wing. He has real x-factor. Some may recall him scoring a last second try vs the Sharks in the round-robin phase of the Super season.

Ben Afeaki and Ben Tameifuna are both quality young props. Afeaki has better work ethic and Tameifuna probably has more talent. Also Josh Hoeneck is an up and coming prop (a bit older) who switched from no.8 a few years back - seriously tough and as we saw vs the Cheetahs he can play.

Horrell is a jack of all trades, I love his dependability and think if he had a bit more pace then he would be a real ABs chance. His hands are lightening quick.

 

[Ziggy]

Without a doubt the standout for me in a very lowly SuperRugby season (personally) was Michael Hooper. As long as he maintains his fitness and avoids injury he has a deposit well and truly secured on the Green and Gold No. 6 jersey.

And he's going to be a Waratah next year. We're going to need all the help we can get!