­
  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER

SA Rugby magazine

South African rugby news, interviews, videos and more. Covering the Springboks, Bulls, Stormers, Sharks, Cheetahs and Lions, as well as schools and club rugby.

Primary Menu Search
  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER
You are here: Home ∼ ‘Willemse must curb attacking instincts’

‘Willemse must curb attacking instincts’

Damian Willemse Damian Willemse playing for Western Province
Published on October 24, 2018 | Leave a response

Joel Stransky says Damian Willemse should retain the Western Province No 10 jersey for Saturday’s Currie Cup final but play more conservatively. MARIETTE ADAMS reports.

The 1995 World Cup-winning flyhalf, who won the 1990 Currie Cup with Natal before going on to represent WP, told SARugbymag.co.za that neither team should alter their starting lineups.

‘When you’ve got a settled environment, you don’t go change the recipe,’ he said. ‘My first reaction is that both flyhalves should start again. They’ve played pretty well; granted Western Province had a huge scare and could well have lost against the Bulls last weekend.

‘It’s about consistency now. There’s not much you can do in one week, in terms of changing the way you go about things and the way you do things. I wouldn’t change anything.’

While Stransky believes Willemse should start again at the expense of Josh Stander, he says WP’s 20-year-old Springbok should stifle his attacking instincts in favour of a more effective kicking game.

‘Damian is unbelievably exciting from a running perspective. He has pace and is a great stepper, all those exciting attributes you want to see in a running game. But I’m not sure a final is suited for that sort of open game where you can go and play like that from the start.

‘If there’s a gap in a moment you can steal it, but it’s not something you can force in a final. You have to wait for the opportunity as opposed to creating the opportunity. He has to be a little more conservative.’

Stransky said Sharks flyhalf Rob du Preez’s style of play would benefit the Sharks at Newlands.

‘Rob is a big kid, strong and powerful. He gets over the gainline and is strong defensively. He has controlled things well for the Sharks with his kicking game and that’ll suit them in this final.’

Like Willemse, Du Preez also made his Test debut earlier this year and Stransky says how the two Springbok teammates measure up in terms of handling the pressure will be pivotal to the outcome.

ALSO READ: Five key battles at Newlands

‘There’s no need to worry about bonus points and permutations anymore. They don’t have to worry about anything other than winning, even if it’s close, tight and ugly.

‘When you play winning rugby, two things happen. One is the team that defends best will probably win. And if it’s a strong defensive effort from both sides, whoever makes the most of their opportunities takes it.

ALSO READ: WP-Sharks have dished up thrilling finals

‘When you get into a final and the nerves of playing in an arena with a big crowd and the pressure that comes with a game of this magnitude hits, it’ll be important to play slightly more conservatively and certainly with a stronger kicking game.

‘Rob and Damian are both smart kickers and when a team has a strong kicking game it brings the back three into play a lot more, particularly the likes of Dillyn Leyds and Curwin Bosch.

‘It will be a fascinating battle at No 10.’

POLL: Who will win the #CurrieCupFinal at Newlands between @WP_RUGBY and @TheSharksZA? #WPvSHA

— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) October 22, 2018

Photo: Shaun Roy/Gallo Images

Posted in Currie Cup, Sharks, Stormers, Top headlines Tagged Currie Cup, sharks, Western Province

Post by stagingsar

stagingsar

Check out Blackout Rugby Manager HERE!

← Previous Next →

Sevens’ party falls flat

World Rugby shouldn’t have messed with a winning sevens formula, writes SIMON...

Draining format clogs Blitzboks’ blockage

A protracted schedule took the wind out of South Africa's sails at...

England cut Eddie, Razor to stop the bleeding

England have made the rash decision to part ways with coach Eddie...

Rassie ref hom in die rooi

Rassie Erasmus is hardly the embarrassment that some are making him out...

Cut and paste Kurt-Lee for Kolbe

Kurt-Lee Arendse ticks all the right boxes to replace the injured Cheslin...

Rassie auditions for England job

Rassie Erasmus has made the most calculated of public job applications to...

Boks need to make mentality adjustment

The Springboks need to lose their underdog mentality, writes SIMNIKIWE XABANISA in...

Kolbe’s worth every penny

Cheslin Kolbe’s big-money move to Toulon should be welcomed as a massive...

‘Bok gameplan, when executed correctly, is hard to match’

The opportunity to play against the All Blacks is a career highlight...

Five key areas the Boks need to dominate for first victory

SA Rugby magazine highlights five crucial areas the Boks will need to...

Top six: Best and worst foreign imports

SARugbymag.co.za identifies six of the best and worst foreign players to play...

Column: When context is needed

As highlighted by the Argentina controversy, ‘cancel culture’ needs a spoonful of...

Dark cloud hangs over WP Rugby

The problems at Western Province Rugby are layered, and everyone involved needs...

From the mag: Foreign Favourites

As Vodacom Super Rugby turned 25 this year, JON CARDINELLI picks an...

Bulls rookies to watch

After a massive exodus of players the Vodacom Bulls will be eager...

Analysis: The new suffocate-and-strangle game

For the Boks to emerge as World Cup winners, they need to...

VIEW MORE
  • Bonus-point Bulls douse Dragons
  • Munster maul luckless Lions
  • Stormers sign off 2022 in style
  • Sharks carve Bulls on New Year’s Eve

Jacques Burger’s Perfect XV

    BKT United Rugby Championship, Scotstoun, Glasgow, Scotland 8/1/2023 Glasgow Warriors vs DHL Stormers Stormers' Damian Willemse Mandatory Credit ©INPHO/Craig Watson
  • Highlights: Heartbreak for Stormers in Glasgow thriller

###


COVID-19 Corona Virus
South African Resource Portal

African Insider
African Insider News

ABOUT

  • Contact us
  • Competitions
  • Videos
  • Player Features
  • Subscribe
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy Policy

TOURNAMENTS

    • Rugby Championship
    • Super Rugby
    • Currie Cup
    • Varsity Cup
    • Gold Cup
    • Schools
    • Six Nations
    • Champions Cup
    • World Cup
    • Challenge Cup

OPINION

  • Mallett on SuperSport
  • Cardinelli column
  • Lewis column
  • Xabanisa column
  • Borchardt column
  • Superbru

Primary Menu

  • Home
  • Match Centre
  • Vodacom URC
  • Videos
  • Cars
    • Cheap cars for sale
    • Used Cars For Sale
    • New Cars For Sale
    • Demo Cars For Sale
  • Deals
    • One Day Deals
    • Nationwide Deals
      • Deals in Cape Town
      • Deals in Johannesburg
      • Deals in Durban
      • Deals in Pretoria
      • Deals in Port Elizabeth
    • Accommodation Deals
    • Romantic Getaways
    • Food and Drink Deals
    • Experiences
    • Health and Wellness Deals
    • Beauty and Spa Deals
  • BLACKOUT RUGBY MANAGER