SUPER 15 RUGBY WEEKEND 22/23 FEB, 2014: LIONS VS STORMERS.

The Stormers were swept away by a rampant Lions team. As their coach, Johan Ackerman, said after the game, “ Our boys played out of their skins.” They certainly did. Warren Whiteley led the side with indefatigable drive and energy. The Stormers simply could not cope with the battering up front and the marvellous display of 15-man rugby by the home side. And what are we to make of young Marnitz Boshoff at flyhalf? 50 points in two matches! The Lions appear to be the only team to recognise the importance of drop goals. With today's tightly-organised defence lines, the drop-goal, along with properly executed grubber kicks , are deadly weapons. Boshoff has, or had, on Saturday, the confidence and ability to place kick and drop with outstanding accuracy. His little scrumhalf, Faf De Klerk, was a live wire from start to finish. Compared to him, Schreuder, looked – and nearly always looks to me – average, slowish and playing by numbers. How the Stormers can pick him over Groom remains a mystery to me.


Watching Boshoff in action brought two memories to mind: i) the performance of Jannie de Beer in the 1999 World Cup match against England in Paris when he kicked five drop goals to kill any chance England had. ( For me, de Beer is as good as any Springbok flyhalf I've played against or watched.) ii) the attempted drop goal of Patrick Lambie in the quarter-finals of the 2003 World Cup; in the dying minutes, he kicked from 45 metres out and the ball shaved the right upright on the wrong side. Had it gone over, we'd have beaten Australia and gone into the last four.


But, ifs and buts prove nothing. If my aunt had balls she'd be my uncle.

Neil Jardine

Captained Rhodesia 1962 – 1969 Rector of Michaelhouse. (1978-1986)

"Rugby is a thinking game – its’ not a running or a kicking game. This mania for running with the ball and playing open rugby at all costs is stupid – you must adapt yourself to the circumstances and play to your strength"

Now 50 years later Niel Jardine writes for Frosty Rugby Fans ...

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