Stransky on URC: 'I just think it works better for us'
Springboks World Cup winner Joel Stransky is predicting a South African clean sweep in this weekend’s second round of BKT United Rugby Championship matches against Welsh opposition.
The man who landed the decisive drop goal in the 1995 World Cup final against New Zealand was on TV commentary duty for SuperSport as Cardiff pulled off a remarkable 35-0 victory over the Cell C Sharks in Durban last weekend.
He is full of praise for the way Dai Young’s team performed at Hollywoodbets Kings Park Stadium and offers particular plaudits to scrum-half Lloyd Willliams, the Player of the Match.
But he feels they will find it tougher against the Vodacom Bulls at Pretoria’s Loftus Versfeld this Saturday and expects the Sharks to bounce back by beating the Ospreys, while he’s also backing the DHL Stormers and Emirates Lions to get the better of the Dragons and Scarlets respectively.
Speaking on a BKT URC Round Table, along with Welsh legend Shane Williams, former Natal fly-half Stransky first reflected on watching Cardiff’s startling win in rain-lashed Durban last Sunday.
“I had to commentate on the game and I can tell you it was hard work. It was tough and it was sad in a way,” he said.
“Obviously Dai Young did a great job with the Cardiff team and Lloyd Williams just bossed the game from scrum-half. He controlled the territory and in those conditions that’s probably the most important factor.
“Cardiff were up for it and the Sharks just didn’t pitch up. There was no real desire, no real motivation, no game-plan. They just didn’t offer anything at all.
“It’s easy to say they went in without their Springboks, but they still had a number of talented players on that field. It was a really poor performance.”
That heavy home defeat was followed by Sharks head coach Sean Everitt stepping down from his post.
Stransky commented: “I feel for Sean a little bit, but at the end of the day, when you have got that many massive big names in your squad and so much talent around and you are not winning tournaments and you are losing 35-0, something is bound to break.”
The former Leicester playmaker is now expecting a response from the Sharks when they host the Ospreys on Friday evening, as he gives his predictions for the coming weekend.
“I think they will bounce back a little bit and I also think, for Cardiff, going into Loftus might be a little bit tougher. The Bulls will be quite resolute up on the highveld. They are quite physical. So I am going to go for a weekend of South African wins.”
The 22-times capped Stransky has also been giving his thoughts on the BKT United Rugby Championship in terms of how the tournament is going down in his homeland.
“We have loved being part of it, we have loved the change, with the different time periods, the fuller rugby season,” he said.
“We loved seeing the Kiwi and Aussie players come to our shores in Super Rugby, but for our players to travel 13 hours to New Zealand, with massive time differences and long tours, it was arduous and it was tough.
“It’s a lot easier going north. There are lots of advantages to playing in the northern hemisphere from the financial perspective, TV rights, ease of travel, spreading the game. I just think it works better for us.
“There is something really special about it and I think the players have embraced it. If you chat to the players, they are loving the BKT URC . The level of competition in the northern hemisphere is really high.
“The Sharks have just lost to a Welsh side 35-0. That sort of tells a story. A few weeks ago, we would have bet on the South African teams beating all the Welsh sides. So it is rapidly changing.”
But, nevertheless, Stransky believes it will be four out of four for the home sides in the Rainbow Nation this weekend.
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments