Juan Smith Praises God After Stint in Sin Bin

Juan Smith is a hard as nails oke. He once worked as a bouncer in Bloemfontein, but his bread and butter is still moering people.

He's a good player, and he's a Cheetah, but I don't know why - it irks me when these guys (Danie Rossouw did it to when he was awarded Man of the Match) get airtime and the first thing they do is 'praise the Lord'. Can't you guys do that on hands and knees before you go to bed, you know, like, in private.

Posturing in Public

I think the reason there's this public display, with a bit of spluttering, is because they are not used to or comfortable with praise and adulation, they're used to the arena. And thus to deflect criticism, and calm their own nerves, they call on God for moral support (and support in the sense of a moral backbone).

It may make sense to them, but I really think platforming and broadcasting your beliefs ought to be more private, and more humble. And in the context of rugby, it doesn't quite work does it? It's not a game based on love, but toughness, and the ability to tough it out. I thought that much was obvious.

Grandstanding

Today on the way back from lunch we walked by three or four peculiar gentlemen dressed in white and green tartan collared shirts, standing at the curbside in Rosebank, but looking really out of place. As we stepped past, one of them said: "Can we share with you about our glorious God? Will you accept him as your saviour?" "Er...Let me think about that: NO!"

Church Currie Cup

I have a suggestion though: A Church Rugby League. Soccer has it's PSL and MVELA, we've got the Currie Cup and Super 14, but why stop there? With so many Christian rugby players in our own rugby teams (Boks like Habana, Smith and Roussouw, the Blue Bulls etc) and even the international players (remember the Tongan and Fijian Faithful?), what we really MUST see is a battle of the denominations. That way everyone can wear their Jesus is King t-shirts, and may the best player...er...I mean PRAYER win. There can be a special service after the game - after all the moering - for the man of the match and the various captain's to humbly give thanks for the source of their strength and superior strategy. Fans can applaud them or lay hands on them at the same time. Ah men brother.

Habana Neutralised in Fiji Game

Did Bryan Habana play yesterday? You'd swear he didn't. He was completely neutralized by the big lugs from Fiji. And you got the feeling if he got the ball more than he did, he would have limped off the field, trailing bloody rags.

On Keo.co.za it's reported that Habana has, what - been nominated for the prestigious IRB Player of the Year award. Re-he-he-heallly? Any chance we can hold off on these awards until AFTER the world cup? Why? Because it seems to me that at least 3 crucial games still need to be played to establish who are some of the best players.

For others on the shortlist, click here.

I'd like to see Habana make up for the Ngwenya defeat. In my book he hasn't, and I'd like to see him do his thing. Handing out awards at this stage of the game seems - to me - to be premature. And anyway, I think there are two or three other Springboks that are impressing me a lot in the last few games: Schalk Burger, Jaque Fourie and Juan Smith. So let's hold up on these nominations...

RWC: Boks overcome Ferocious Fijians (37-20)

Springbok Powerhouse shrug off nerves to pull off convincing win

With a halftime score looking ominously like the New Zealand score (versus France), at 13-3 , it was starting to look like a third upset was on the cards. Jacque Fourie’s easy-as-you-please try in the second third of the first half was an anomaly. After an hour’s play, scores were level at 20-20, and the Boks were tempted to doubt themselves, as their Southern Hemisphere rivals had done to their detriment on Saturday.

Saturday’s upsets provided the Boks with powerful incentives not to make the same mistakes.

Errors

Yet both sides made handling errors; the Fijians messed up their own lineouts, and took chances in scrummages and tackles, while Springbok Francois Steyn’s performance blew hot and cold. Schalk Burger uncharacteristically missed a crucial tackle that led to a try.

The Boks erred in throwing the ball out wide, opening themselves up to the fleetfooted Fijians (and Sevens World Champs).

The turning point came for South Africa in the second half. But not due to the sin binning of Seru Rabeni for his high tackle on Butch James. In fact, with Rabeni gone the fourteen remaining Fijians still scored twice in quick succession. It could so easily have gone the other way. A desperate tackle soon after these two tries saved the Boks from a disastrous third try, and a morale breaking score (perhaps 25-20).

Spoiler

All this happened close to the 70th minute with South African JP Pietersen spoiling flying Ifereimi Rawaqa’s surge for the corner. Pietersen scooped up the big man as he dived across the line, pinning down his arms and preventing him – just – from grounding the ball.

The Fijians disappointment at this near miss began to infect the Boks with the impulse, the nerve to counterattack, and to do so within a prescribed game plan. And so they fought their way back to ascendancy. The match was characterized by ruthless high tackles, perhaps more from the bulky Fijians, but the Boks were also guilty of playing rough, and spilling blood.

Thanks to solid leadership from the Bok captain, John Smit, the Bok troops gathered themselves up, and shut down the Fijians. They effectively placed a garage door on their own try line at one point, barricading this zone against the bulldozing attempts of the muscular Fijians.

Composure

After some frantic initial countering, the Boks did what the Aussies and Kiwi’s failed to do, they regained their composure, and fell back into a game plan that involved muscling, mauling and rucking their way through the Fijians. It worked again through Free State flank Juan Smith, and again at the death – although Butch James had to clean up the attempt by running it slightly wide and fast from the ruck to score his try. In the end the Boks pulled off 5 tries.

The last of the four quarter finals games is on Sunday between Argentina and Scotland. Argentina are the favorites, but given what has already happened this weekend, there’s almost no point in mentioning that.

SA try scorers: Jaque Fourie, John Smit, JP Pietersen, Juan Smith, Butch James. Conversions: Percy Montgomery (3). Penalties: Francois Steyn, Percy Montgomery (1 each).
Fiji try scorers: Vilimoni Delasau, Sireli Bobo. Conversions: Seremaia Bai (2). Penalties: Seremaia Bai (2).