OORB

In the ever changing process of OORB trying to make sense of the cut and paste job, the following articles are included, in order to initiate a healthy denate on the Vodacom Cheetahs preparations for the 2006 Vodacom Super 14.

Unless otherwise indicated all articles in this thread are from www.news24.co.za or www.volksblad.com

Three all in injury stakes
01/02/2006 21:37 - (SA)

Hendrik Cronje , Die Volksblad

Bloemfontein - Three all.

This is the present state of affairs in the injury stakes between the Cheetahs and the Bulls prior to their Super 14 rugby match in Bloemfontein.

There is a good chance that the Cheetahs will be without two Springboks and an All Black against the Bulls.

The Bulls will probably be without three Boks because of injuries - Victor Matfield (lock), Gary Botha (hooker) and Fourie du Preez (scrumhalf).

Numerous Cheetahs players are injured. Hendro Scholtz (flank, shoulder) is one of the Boks who is unavailable, while the exciting young Alwyn Hollenbach (centre, shoulder) will be sitting in the stands for the next four weeks. Gavin Passens (Bok wing) has lost the race against the clock and will have to wait much longer to wear a Cheetahs jersey again.

This is not the last of the problems facing Cheetahs coach Rassie Erasmus.

Corniel van Zyl (lock) has a 50% chance of playing because of a broken cheekbone. He trains with the squad, but does not make contact. The All Black centre, Keith Lowen, has not been on the training field since the warm-up match against the Western Force.

He has aggravated his hip injury in a squash game and it is not yet clear how long he will be out of action.

The experienced Cheetahs Bok Ollie le Roux is also still out of action after he was injured in a scrumming session.

Report on the injuries

The Cheetahs medical staff will probably give Erasmus a final report about the state of the injuries on Thursday.

Erasmus is not someone who likes to be caught off-guard. He has Kabamba Floors and Gareth Krause to replace Scholtz, while Frans Viljoen's fiery play can get him the nod as loose forward. After his good performance against Treviso, Ronnie Cooke could be included at outside centre, while Chris Kruger could replace Hollenbach.

Cooke could also be considered as left wing, although Sinethemba Zweni has good ball skills and could take over from Passens.

Any team would be happy wit Cobus Grobler and Rory Duncan as replacements if Van Zyl should have to withdraw. Duncan is considered one of the strongest forwards in South African rugby.

After his good performance for Free State in the Currie Cup final it will be difficult to keep Barry Goodes off the field in the Super 14 series. He, Kruger and even Meyer Bosman can be play inside centre against the Bulls, depending on Lowen's availability.

It will be a big setback if Le Roux is unable to play. He can do duty as prop or hooker. The coach has Wian du Preez and Os du Randt as excellent looseheads, while Trevor Leota and Tiaan Liebenberg are the hookers in the Cheetahs squad.


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Buiteperd Cooke se grote dalk gou
Feb 02 2006 12:05:27:873AM - (SA)
Hendrik Cronjé

DIE tafel is gedek vir Ronnie Cooke om as ’n jong buiteperd ’n onvergeetlike roman van die Super 14-rugbyreeks te maak.

Dié 22-jarige senter van die Vodacom-Cheetahs het kenners aan die praat ná sy vyfster-vertoning teen Treviso in Welkom. Cooke het blitssnel deur die gapings geglip en Treviso se Suid-Afrikaanse piekniek in ’n oogwink in ’n veldslag verander.

Verlede jaar was hy die buitesenter in die Suid-Afrikaanse o.21-span wat as wêreldkampioen gekroon is. Hy het toe gewys hy is ’n speler vir groot oomblikke.

Sy grootste oomblik kan op 10 Februarie in Bloemfontein aanbreek wanneer die Cheetahs in ’n Super 14-wedstryd teen die Bulle speel.

Omdat Alwyn Hollenbach weens ’n skouerbesering nie vir 10 Februarie oorweeg word nie, is Cooke die gunsteling om die Cheetah-buitesenter te wees.

“Ek weet nog nie of ek in die span is nie, maar die Bulle is altyd ’n harde wedstryd,” sê Cooke.

Hy weeg 88 kg, is 1.82 m lank en wil net speel, maak nie saak of dit op senter of vleuel is nie. “Ek is net gelukkig as ek kan speel, daarom sal ek selfs vleuel speel.”

Cooke was ’n leerling aan die Laerskool Eureka en die Hoërskool Noord-Kaap in Kimberley. Dit is vir hom heerlik om sy loopbaan in die hartlandstreek voort te sit ná sy draai by die Luiperds, sê hy.

“Ek is ná skool na die Luiperds toe omdat ek aptekerswese wou studeer. Ek het nou besluit my rugby moet voorkeur kry, voordat ek in die toekoms my studies voltooi.”

Sy vermoë om ’n spelbreker te wees, het unies soos die Haaie en die Leeus laat toustaan om hom van die Luiperds weg te lok.

“My wortels is egter in Kimberley, aangesien my ouers steeds daar bly. Dit was nie vir my ’n moeilike besluit om terug te keer nie,” sê hy.

Cooke sal vir die Wildeklawer-Griekwas in die Curriebeker-reeks uitdraf.

Volgens hom is die aanpassing in die Cheetah-kamp onder mnre. Rassie Erasmus (hoofbreier) en Franco Smith (hulpafrigter) nie groot nie.

“Rassie-hulle laat ’n mens so tuis voel. Hier mag ’n speler bydraes lewer en hulle slaag daarin om jou bydraes te waardeer,” het Cooke bygevoeg.

Chris Kruger (met Hollenbach op die krukkelys) is die ander buitesenter in die wedloop, maar Cooke se vaart kan deurslaggewend wees. Kruger het in die Cheetah-losmakers egter gewys ervaring kan nie oor enige toonbank gekoop word nie.

Cooke kan hom solank voorberei om die sentermaat van Barry Goodes of Keith Lowen teen die Bulle te word. Alles sal afhang of Smith-hulle tevrede met Lowen se fiksheid is.

Goodes se fisieke spel en Cooke se glibberigheid kan hul in ’n goeie kombinasie laat saamsmelt.

Maar die vraag is hoe waardevol word Lowen se Super 12-ervaring deur Smith-hulle beskou?

Lowen het die Chiefs in meer as 50 Super 12-wedstryde verteenwoordig en die All Black-trui gedra.

Cooke verwag die Super 14-reeks sal uiters fisiek wees, maar hy sal nie toelaat dat dit hom ontsenu nie.

Hy kan die land eerder aan die praat kry met sy onvoorspelbaarheid en uitgeslapenheid.