Andries Bekker gooooooneeeeeeee.

[Blue]

Gone for the World Cup. Ankle surgery. Big loss. Perfect lock as sub for the last 20 and I reckon he was going to pushing hard to start.

http://www.keo.co.za/2011/07/22/bekker-out-of-world-cup/

Hurts the Boks chances.

 

[barbarian]

It does. Does Danie take the bench lock spot now Blue?

 

[DPK]

His International career has just never taken off, has it. Poor bloke.

 

[Scarfman]

Yep, that is a shame. Top footballer without the thuggery.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Bloody hell, that is a blow. Thoughts on who might step up into his place?

 

[Lee Grant]

Poor guy - he's had a bad week on and off the field. It's not quite as bad as us losing Fat Cat because they have Rossouw as a backup, as indicated by barbarian - but it's definitely a negative for the champions.

He was always in the shadow of Matfield, being similar players, but he had a superb Super season and would have been on the plane to the RWC for sure and certain.

 

[Blue]

Yeah Danie definitely but he may well have been there anyway as he covers back row.

I believe Bekker would have pushed Bakkies for a starting spot alongside Matfield. The physical side of his game has really improved which is why a lot of people would have liked to see them both starting for the Boks.

Danie is an okay jumper at 4. More suited to jumping at 2 or the back.

This gives Hargreaves the chance of playing himself into the 30. I don't rate him on bit at all but the coaches seem to think he is our third best no 5 lock. I like to look of his backup at the Sharks, Bresler and I would even take the Stormers backup to Bekker, Anton van Zyl instead.

Fark this sucks. Lots.

 

[Blue]

His International career has just never taken off, has it. Poor bloke.

One of those players who breaks easily. Seems he just gets back to form each time and it's the next injury.

 

[DPK]

It's understandable that a man his size will get injuries from time to time. I'd hate to have to feed him.

 

[tigerland12]

Big game for Flip Van der Merwe tonight, potential replacement?

Now it looks like it'll be Matfield, Botha and Roussouw, but I like the looks of Flip, and with Roussouw potential being a backrow cover on the bench, he could be the reserve lock come WC time.

 

[BDA]

Shouldn't hurt SA too badly as long as Matfield stays fit, although I actually would have put Bekker ahead of Botha in the pecking order. Botha just doesn't have the impact he did 3 years ago.

THe South Africans fans will no doubt down play the signficance of this, pointing to the fact that Bekker has never been an important cog in the Bok machine, but it is signficant.

Bekker is the next in line to Matfield's throne and would have been the ideal replacement with 20 minutes to go in some of the World Cup matches. In fact he was realistically one of only a few next generation players that PDV would have considered playing in the starting line-up at the world cup.

The loss of Bekker simply means the gap between starter and backup has widened immeasurably. This is going to put more pressure of the aging pairing of Botha/Matfield.

Will be interesting to see whether someone steps up tonight to try to stake their claim at Bekker's bench spot.

 

[TOCC]

Interestingly in the Stormers v Bulls game this year, Matfield started avoiding going for line-outs due to the pressure Bekker was putting on him..
IMO Bekker has passed Matfield as the best lock in South Africa..

 

[qwerty51]

Bulls were all over the Stormers' lineout this year (2nd game). Partly because of Deon Fourie's awful throwing but Matfield didn't stop attempting lineouts.

 

[Mank]

Feck

 

[Blue]

THe South Africans fans will no doubt down play the signficance of this

Not even remotely true. Most people recognise the value Bakker will bring off the bench, and possibly even as a starter. Only an idiot will not see the value of a 2.07m freak coming on with 20 to go.

I suspect we may have seen Bekker and Matfield starting together in the home leg of the 3N.

Flip vd Merwe is Botha's future replacement. He is an out and out 4, not a 5.

 

[PaarlBok]

Another example of a player played into the ground by his S100 coach. Bekker played all through the competition with his injury. Luckily locks have a long career and pretty sure he'll be our best tall timber after the WC.