Francois Hougaard is being wasted at scrumhalf!

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FibreOptic

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Being a Super Rugby fan I cant but help notice that Francois Hougaard is being totally wasted at scrumhalf. He does not have the required accurate kicking game and he lacks the space and time on the ball for his explosive skills to really have an impact on the game. Bulls move him to wing and let him play his natural game like he did when he first came on the scene.
 
FibreOptic said:
Being a Super Rugby fan I cant but help notice that Francois Hougaard is being totally wasted at scrumhalf. He does not have the required accurate kicking game and he lacks the space and time on the ball for his explosive skills to really have an impact on the game. Bulls move him to wing and let him play his natural game like he did when he first came on the scene.
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I agree with you to a point because I think the Bulls would be better of with Vermaak at scrum half and Hougaard on the wing. There is no denying he is a real threat and very exciting on the wing where he will score a lot of tries, and Vermaak is wasted on the bench imo. But that would mean playing him out of his preferred position and he'd run the risk of being another Ruan Pienaar or even Lambie at the moment.

Either that or he can come home to CT and play scrum half anytime :whistle:
 
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Agree. The way he sidestepped Daniel Carter in a Super rugby match a while ago was epic.

[video=youtube;Uo_q9a8liKY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo_q9a8liKY[/video]
 
This guy has so much talent. Power, ball sense etc.
He's currently the best scrumhalf in the S15 so I don't think he's wasted in the position. He is a fine wing like you're saying, but he's also a fine outside center. He has previously played one game @13 in the Currie Cup and was outstanding. I'm sure he can fit in any position in the backline.
 
Think he would rather prefer to be first choice scrumhalf for the Boks (depending if Fourie doesn't return) than sitting on the bench as an impact player.

Though he is much more explosive at wing.
 
Spizz said:
I agree with you to a point because I think the Bulls would be better of with Vermaak at scrum half and Hougaard on the wing. There is no denying he is a real threat and very exciting on the wing where he will score a lot of tries, and Vermaak is wasted on the bench imo. But that would mean playing him out of his preferred position and he'd run the risk of being another Ruan Pienaar or even Lambie at the moment.

Either that or he can come home to CT and play scrum half anytime :whistle:
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I think he will return to the Cape in the next 3 - 4 years.

KOPITE said:
being wasted at the bulls
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Haha, where do you think he should play his rugby?

@ OP:

I think that at scrumhalf he keeps the defence honest and causes the defending team to leave greater gaps along the line.

Also his kicking isn't bad but it is not an inform Fourie's.

As said in this thread already, I think he could play in almost any position in the back line and would myself love to see him slot in at no. 10 for a run (think Brent Russel a few years ago).

I am however not in favour of messing him about too much by having him play in three different positions.
 
Personally I think he is one of the best scrummies we have, you can’t compare him to Fourie, he was a different type of scrum half, Fourie loved his tactical kicking but was not as explosive as Hougaard, but Hougaard does not need to kick that much, he has Steyn and Zane behind him.
Fourie did not have the speed Hougaard has nor the tackling ability or power, Saturday 3 guys was hanging on him and he still made the try, that was freaking amazing!!, I tend to think you can play Hougaard 9,11,12,13 and 14 and he will do wonders!!!
I do however feel for Vermaak, he has the talent to play 1st choice Scrumhalf for any other province besides the Bulls…
 
Off topic
But how good was CJ Stander and Potgieter this weekend, WOW, I can’t see how Stegman and Dewald Potgieter will start again this year!!
Beginning of the competition we all though the bulls might end bottom of the log, hats off to whoever at the bulls does the talent scouting, each province should have one of you!!
 
NBS said:
Off topic
But how good was CJ Stander and Potgieter this weekend, WOW, I can’t see how Stegman and Dewald Potgieter will start again this year!!
Beginning of the competition we all though the bulls might end bottom of the log, hats off to whoever at the bulls does the talent scouting, each province should have one of you!!
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I have never been happier to be wrong.
And back to topic: if I am not mistaken, Hougie did in fact start his pro career at scrummie...
 
NBS said:
I do however feel for Vermaak, he has the talent to play 1st choice Scrumhalf for any other province besides the Bulls…
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I agree, it is however nice for the Bulls to have him as we do not have no other great talent if something was to happen to Hougie and Vermaak.

NBS said:
Beginning of the competition we all though the bulls might end bottom of the log, hats off to whoever at the bulls does the talent scouting, each province should have one of you!!
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I know Meyer had a lot to do with the structures and his last position at the Bulls was as "overseer" of all things for the future. :D

GreGorGy said:
I have never been happier to be wrong.
And back to topic: if I am not mistaken, Hougie did in fact start his pro career at scrummie...
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+1, as far as I know he did.

I really think that pound for pound he is the strongest player in SA.

Can't we clone him slightly bigger then we can play the clone as a flanker. :D
 
Wings playing for the Bulls hardly ever see the ball. Notice how little we see of Basson these days. Hougaard would be lost on the wing. I'm quite happy seeing him regularly in the action playing at 9...
 
sand_man said:
Wings playing for the Bulls hardly ever see the ball. Notice how little we see of Basson these days. Hougaard would be lost on the wing. I'm quite happy seeing him regularly in the action playing at 9...
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I agree with this, but I think they should first speak to the team gynecologist (I hear the team doctor was recently fired):p
 
sand_man said:
Wings playing for the Bulls hardly ever see the ball. Notice how little we see of Basson these days. Hougaard would be lost on the wing. I'm quite happy seeing him regularly in the action playing at 9...
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That is just because Griekwas' game plan was: "Pass to Basson". :p
 
GreGorGy said:
I have never been happier to be wrong.
And back to topic: if I am not mistaken, Hougie did in fact start his pro career at scrummie...
Click to expand...

Yes, 2008 vs Highlanders was his Super debut. At scrummy. Had a brilliant match off the bench.

sand_man said:
Wings playing for the Bulls hardly ever see the ball. Notice how little we see of Basson these days. Hougaard would be lost on the wing. I'm quite happy seeing him regularly in the action playing at 9...
Click to expand...

Really? You must be watching a different tournament than me.
 
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