Ruan out, Morné in

[BLIXEMPIE]

Ruan Pienaar's errant kicking was at the center of discussion at yesterday's team selection meeting, and when the Springbok team selection will be announced today, it is expected that Ruan Pienaar will be replaced by Morné Steyn in the starting XV.

 

[BLIXEMPIE]

Source: http://m.mippin.com/mip/plus/story.jsp?&id=2259&s=2&sid=64688344&c=0

 

[hoegh]

i just don't see that happening, Ruan didn't play badly, his kicking just wasn't up to scratch and thats a far easier problem to fix than actual running play, I reckon he'll have a few more hours with the kicking coach but they won't drop him. Although it is a nice problem to have with two high quality players competing for the same position

 

[Praemon]

I agree with hoegh. I think Ruan has better vision than Morne, not to mention Morne missed that vital tackle to let the All Blacks score. So both players have room for improvement. It's tough to take one over the other, as they both add a lot of talent and skill to the side.

 

[killadoob]

Hope this is true.

 

[Devill]

i just don't see that happening, Ruan didn't play badly, his kicking just wasn't up to scratch and thats a far easier problem to fix than actual running play, I reckon he'll have a few more hours with the kicking coach but they won't drop him. Although it is a nice problem to have with two high quality players competing for the same position

Wel steyn did show he can send the back line away in the second test against the lions. But I gree 100% that we are blessed with these two choices at flyhalf

I agree with hoegh. I think Ruan has better vision than Morne, not to mention Morne missed that vital tackle to let the All Blacks score. So both players have room for improvement. It's tough to take one over the other, as they both add a lot of talent and skill to the side.

Ps 2 other players also missed that tackle

But I agree both still have a way to go before they can be seen as a "well rounded" player.


At the moment I would start Morne to give pienaar some time to recover as he has been plagued by injuries.

 

[BrianStephan]

They could always get Frans Steyn to kick at goal. Pienaar had the backline moving where when Morne came on it just completely died.

 

[Bizkit87]

They could always get Frans Steyn to kick at goal. Pienaar had the backline moving where when Morne came on it just completely died.

- Really?

i believe Ruan is an awesome rugby player, and will long serve south africa, but at fly half, sorry to say, he is out of position.

Politics aside, ideally would have been Fourie du Preez, and het gets replaced by Ruan Pienaar after 50/60 min, and flyhalf Morne Steyn and Willem de Waal....

 

[BrianStephan]

Morne Steyn is a great goal kicker but his tactical thinking is just not there if he could get the backline moving and tackle better then he would be brilliant. Where Pienaar's goal kicking is not even close to where it should be he had our backline moving and his tactical thinking was brilliant so IMO keep pienaar just let Frans Steyn do the kicking

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

So will the Boks start with Morne Steyn?

“Maybe,” De Villiers said.

But we have the rabid Bulls brigade popping the champagne already

 

[BrianStephan]

The only way we will win if they choose Morne Steyn is with his goal kicking expect the backline to be dead

 

[Alan]

They could always get Frans Steyn to kick at goal. Pienaar had the backline moving where when Morne came on it just completely died.

+1

 

[Bizkit87]

But we have the rabid Bulls brigade popping the champagne already

Where did we pop the champagne? you guys always accuse the bulls supporters of provincialism.... seem you are in the front of the cue?

guess according to you the sharks won the world cup, since sharks players scored all the points in the final, hey?

We're not doing bulls vs sharks here, we're doing flyhalf vs flyhalf.....

and i don't think any bulls supporter here has said Ruan is no good? he's just not a specialist fly-half, where he is a MUCH better scrum half...

on saturday whenever fourie wasn't available to clean the ball, he did an fantastic job in clearing the ball, and you could instantly pick up that this guy is a scrum half through and through....

 

[Devill]

Why keep starting a flyhalf who obviously isn't fit?

Atm we are blessed with two great flyhalfs that play two different games.

 

[BLIXEMPIE]

I prefer Morné in the flyhalf position, although, as was said, there is room for improvement for both Ruan and Morné.
Btw. Have you noticed how Frans Steyn did kick at goal once or twice. He is a specialist kicker and he can't kick a successful goal from just any position on the field. Morné has his preferable positions, as does Ruan and Frans.

 

[Bizkit87]

I prefer Morné in the flyhalf position, although, as was said, there is room for improvement for both Ruan and Morné.
Btw. Have you noticed how Frans Steyn did kick at goal once or twice. He is a specialist kicker and he can't kick a successful goal from just any position on the field. Morné has his preferable positions, as does Ruan and Frans.

i agree that we need two good kickers in the team [Frans/Morne] ... what happens if Frans is the only kicker and he gets injured, or has an off day?

 

[MielieSpoor]

So, its official Morné in Ruan out.

http://www.supersport.com/rugby/article.aspx?headline=Steyn to start in Durban&id=309672

Springbok coach Peter de Villiers made three changes to the match 22 that beat the All Blacks by 28-19 in Bloemfontein last weekend -- one in the starting fifteen and two on the bench -- for Saturday’s second Vodacom Tri-Nations test against New Zealand at the Absa Stadium Durban.

 

[Bizkit87]

The Springbok team is (test caps in brackets):
15. Frans Steyn (31)
14. JP Pietersen (27)
13. Jaque Fourie (46)
12. Jean de Villiers (49)
11. Bryan Habana (49)
10. Morné Steyn (4)
9. Fourie du Preez (47)
8. Pierre Spies (23)
7. Juan Smith (58)
6. Heinrich Brüssow (5)
5. Victor Matfield (84)
4. Bakkies Botha (58)
3. John Smit (85) – Captain
2. Bismarck du Plessis (25)
1. Tendai Mtawarira (14)

Reserves:
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle (5)
17. Jannie du Plessis (8)
18. Andries Bekker (15)
19. Danie Rossouw (39)
20. Ricky Januarie (36)
21. Adi Jacobs (23)
22. Wynand Olivier (23)

Looks like a decent team/bench....

 

[MasterB]

Guys
Iff rugby was about how dangerous your backline look and not about the points on the board then the All Blacks would have been World Champs since the rugby began.
No doubt pienaar is a great player - and i reckon a better scum halve - he even said that he prefers playing scrummy.
Another point i wanna make is that if Steyn was so bad at getting the ball wide then dont ou think that they score in the final would have been a bit closer?instead of scoring like 8 tries.Doesnt make sense does it - and steyn wasnt the only one that missed the tackle on smith - De Villiers ,Juan Smith and Francois Steyn missed. - Francois only got to him after the goal line and was still bumped off - so what gives guys.....

 

[Devill]

Guys
Iff rugby was about how dangerous your backline look and not about the points on the board then the All Blacks would have been World Champs since the rugby began.
No doubt pienaar is a great player - and i reckon a better scum halve - he even said that he prefers playing scrummy.
Another point i wanna make is that if Steyn was so bad at getting the ball wide then dont ou think that they score in the final would have been a bit closer?instead of scoring like 8 tries.Doesnt make sense does it - and steyn wasnt the only one that missed the tackle on smith - De Villiers ,Juan Smith and Francois Steyn missed. - Francois only got to him after the goal line and was still bumped off - so what gives guys.....

When did this happen? I did get up to fetch a beer at some point.....