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'Let's hope they are taking note': The fullback-wing combination Springbok fans want to see
The Stormers and the Sharks latest draw in the United Rugby Championship put on show some of the most talented fullbacks in South Africa, with Aphelele Fassi going head-to-head with Damian Willemse.
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Not to be forgotten, former Blue Bulls fullback Warrick Gelant also had a massive say in the match coming on as a reserve back for his new team the Stormers.
Capped by the Springboks last year, Aphelele Fassi combined with Makazole Mapimpi for a brilliantly worked try that had fans predicting the pair could be selected in the same positions for the Springboks.
The 24-year-old Sharks fullback set-up the try-scoring machine with a brilliant piece of skill, taking a pass under pressure before threading a perfectly placed grubber kick in for Mapimpi to grab.
Scoring tries is what this man does!! MAPIMPI!!! @Vodacom #URC pic.twitter.com/3kEmMWUw58
— SA Rugby magazine (@SARugbymag) January 29, 2022
The finishing instinct of a shark is strong within Mapimpi 💪 @Vodacom #URC #SHAvSTO pic.twitter.com/0Zf6aVdEMl
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) January 29, 2022
The Sharks already possess the Springboks centre-wing combination of Luhkanyo Am and Mampimpi, so adding Fassi into the mix would only strengthen the combinations they have with their domestic club.
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One fan explained that ‘nothing at all’ would justify not having Fassi together with Mapimpi in green and gold, while another compared the young Sharks fullback to former Springbok JP Pieterson.
That Fassi and Mapimpi combo 🔥🔥🚀
— Oyama Sithole (@Oyama_iDyan) January 29, 2022
Nothing nothing and nothing at all will justify not having @aphelele_fassi and @Makazole16 together for the @Springboks @RassieRugby @SharksRugby
— shaun marais (@macrais) January 29, 2022
About time @aphelele_fassi get’s some more time on the pitch with @Springboks .
— Sarcastic Ginger (@sarcasticginge) January 29, 2022
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Even as a Stormers supporter, I love this play by the Sharks backline. Imagine if @aphelele_fassi had been given more game time last year. Let’s hope they are taking note now. #Rugby #stormers #sharks
— Sean Willard (@seanwillard) January 29, 2022
Aphelele Fassi reminds me of a young @jppietersen14 in the 2007 season. Each time he touched the ball he set the game alight while playing at 15. Some memorable moments at the Shark tank. #SSRugby #Sharks #URC
— Prashant 🇿🇦 (@prashd14) January 29, 2022
Really like the look of Chamberlein. Plenty swagger, and style. And Mapimpi is the gold standard, with bells #URC #SharkTank
— Clinton van der Berg (@ClintonV) January 29, 2022
Not to be outdone by the Sharks duo, the Stormers hit back when their pair of fullbacks combined down the right edge from a set-piece scrum in the second-half.
Former Bulls fullback Warrick Gelant expertly bounced to the outside to draw in Mapimpi before putting starting fullback Damian Willemse down the touchline. Willemse showed excellent poise to stay in the field of play and score in the corner to shock the Sharks.
Stormers strike back via the Gelant & Willemse Show again! Lovely offload in the tackle by Gelant, and then a great finish by Damian Willemse through 2 tackles. Stormers cut the lead to 8-19 after 53 minutes. #URC
— Ken Borland (@KenBorland) January 29, 2022
Stormers strike back via the Gelant & Willemse Show again! Lovely offload in the tackle by Gelant, and then a great finish by Damian Willemse through 2 tackles. Stormers cut the lead to 8-19 after 53 minutes. #URC
— Ken Borland (@KenBorland) January 29, 2022
Massive Mapimpi fan, but for the first time in a long while he looked human.
Big defensive mistake lead to Willemse try and he was flustered after that.
That been said, the #springbok depth at the moment is incredible.#URC— Tinus le Roux (@tinusleroux) January 29, 2022
I don't care what anyone says Warrick Gelant is ahead of Aphelele Fassi overall . The guy the most complete fullback in the country
— Tebogo Teebee (@wa_bakwena) January 29, 2022
It's time for the Stormers to make the Damian Willemse move to 12 and Gelant at 15.
— Leon Swart (@LeonSwart9) January 29, 2022
It was again Gelant who came up with the match-defining play, this time doing the same move on Aphelele Fassi who gave away a penalty try by slapping down the offload from the Stormers’ supersub.
Fassi’s indiscretion allowed the Stormers to take seven points to tie the match at 22-all with time on the clock.
Penalty try or no penalty try? That is the question. 🤔 @Vodacom #URC #SHAvSTO pic.twitter.com/XryoRXYfA6
— vodacomrugby (@VodacomRugga) January 29, 2022
The game was a showcase of all the potential talent at the Springboks disposal in the backfield.
While Fassi debuted against Georgia last year, he was unable to get any other game time with the national side. Willemse struggled to get starts despite being in the Springboks squad for all of 2021.
He managed two starts, one against Argentina and was unlucky to be injured early in Cardiff against Wales in his other.
26-year-old Gelant hasn’t played for the Springboks since the pool stages of the 2019 World Cup against Canada.
Willie le Roux and Frans Steyn have been the preferred options for the Springboks and one of the storylines for 2022 will be whether any of the aging veterans can be surpassed by the young talents vying for more international game time.
Comments on RugbyPass
A wallaby front-row of Bell, Blake and Tupou…now that would be hefty
1 Go to comments“But with an exceptional pass accuracy rating “ Which apart from Roigard is not a feature of any of the other 9s in NZ. Kind of basic for a Black 9 dont.you. think? Yet we keep seeing FC and TJ being rated ahead of him? Weird if it’s seen as vital to get our backline beating in your face defences.
1 Go to commentsThanks BeeMc! Looks like many teams need extra time to settle from the quadrennial northern migration. I think generally the quality of the Rugby has held up. Fiji has been fantastic and fun to watch
13 Go to commentsLets compare apples with apples. Lyon sent weak team the week before, but nobody raised an eyebrow. Give the South African teams a few years to build their depth, then you will be moaning that the teams are too strong.
41 Go to commentsDid footballs agents also perform the scout role at some time? I’m surprised more high profile players haven’t taken up the occupation, great way to remain in the game and use all that experience without really requiring a lot of specific expertise?
1 Go to commentsSuper rugby is struggling but that has little to do with sabbaticals. 1. Too many teams from Aust and NZ - should be 3 and 4 respectively, add in 2 from Japan, 1 possibly 2 from Argentina. 2. Inconsistent and poor refereeing, admittedly not restricted to Super rugby. Only one team was reffed at the breakdown in Reds v H’Landers match. Scrum penalty awarded in Canes v Drua when No 8 had the ball in the open with little defence nearby - ideal opportunity to play advantage. Coming back to Reds match - same scrum situation but ref played advantage - Landers made 10 yards and were penalised at the breakdown when the ref should have returned to scrum penalty. 3. Marketing is weak and losing ground to AFL and NRL. Playing 2 days compared with 4. 4. Scheduling is unattractive to family attendance. Have any franchises heard of Sundays 2pm?
11 Go to commentsAbsolutely..all they need is a chance in yhe playoffs and I bet all the other teams will be nervous…THEY KNOW HOW TO WIN IM THE PLAYOFFS..
2 Go to commentsI really hope he comes back and helps out with some coaching.
1 Go to commentsI think we are all just hoping that the Olympic 7s doesn’t suffer the same sad fate as the last RWC with the officials ruining the spectacle.
1 Go to commentsPersonally, I’ve lost the will to even be bothered about the RFU, the structure, the participants. It’s all a sham. I now simply enjoy getting a group of friends together to go and watch a few games a year in different locations (including Europe, the championship, etc). I feel extremely sorry for the real fans of these clubs who are constantly ignored by the RFU and other administrators. I feel especially sorry for the fans of clubs in the Championship who have had considerable central funding stripped away and are then expected to just take whatever the RFU put to them. Its all a sham, especially if the failed clubs are allowed to return.
10 Go to commentsI’m guessing Carl Hayman would have preferred to have stayed in NZ with benefit of hindsight. Up north there is the expectation to play twice as many games with far less ‘player management’ protocols that Paul is now criticising. Less playing through concussions means longer, healthier, careers. Carter used as the eg here by Paul, his sabbatical allowed him to play until age 37. OK its not an exact science but there is far more expectations on players who sign for Top 14 or Engl Prem clubs to get value for the huge salaries. NZR get alot wrong but keeping their best players in NZ rugby is not one of them. SA clubs are virtually devoid of their top players now, no thanks. They cant threaten the big teams in the Champions Cup, the squads have little depth. Cant see Canes/Chiefs struggling. Super has been great this year, fantastic high skill matches. Drua a fantastic addition and Jaguares will add another quality team eventually. Aus teams performing strongly and no doubt will benefit with the incentive of a Lions tour and a home RWC. Let Jordie enjoy his time with Leinster, it will allow the opportunity for another player to emerge at Canes in his absence.
11 Go to commentsLove that man, his way to despise angry little men is so funny ! 😂
4 Go to comments“South African franchises would be powerhouses if we had all our overseas based players back in situ. We would have the same unbeatable aura the Toulouses, Leinsters or Saracens of this world have had over the last decade or so.” Proof that Jake white does not understand the economics of the game in SA. Players earning abroad are not going to simply come back and represent the bulls. But they might if they have a springbok contract.
24 Go to commentsA lot of fans just joined in for the fun of it! We all admire O'Gara and what he has done for La Rochelle
4 Go to commentsThe RFU will find a way to mess this up as usual. My bet is there will be no promotion into the the Premiership, only relegation into National League One. Hopefully they won’t parachute failed clubs into the league at the expense of clubs who have battled for promotion.
10 Go to commentsWell that’s the contracts for RG and Jordie bought and paid for. Now, what are the chances we can persuade Antoine to hop over with all the extra dosh we’ll have from living at the Aviva & Croke next season…??? 🤑🤑🤑
35 Go to commentsWow, that’s incredible. Great for rugby.
35 Go to commentsYou probably read that parling is going to coach the wallaby lineout but if not before now you have.
17 Go to commentsIf someone like Leo Cullen was in O’Gara’s place I don’t hear Boo-ing. It’s not just that La Rochelle has hurt Leinster and O’Gara is their Irish boss. It’s the needle that he brings and the pantomime activity before the game around pretending that Munster were supporting LaRochelle just because O’Gara is from Cork. That’s dividing Irish provinces just to get an advantage for his French Team. He can F*ck right off with that. BOOOOO! (but not while someone is lying injured)
4 Go to commentsDid the highlanders party too hard before the game? They were the pits.
1 Go to comments