Stopping Spies

Keep Spies honest in the forwards battle

Last updated: 29th May 2009

Stopping Spies

Spies: A powerful and dynamic runner

Imagine being the tackler of as this giant physical man, all elbows, all knee drives, who arcs and weaves and then sprints away from you with tremendous acceleration.

Will Greenwood on Pierre Spies
Quotes of the week

LIONS IN SOUTH AFRICA
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The Lions may be kicking off their tour to South Africa on Saturday but for most South African fans it is not the biggest game in town.

While there will certainly be a passing interest to how the Lions are playing at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium, most eyes will be firmly focussed on Loftus where the Bulls will be playing in the Super 14 final against the Chiefs.

Lions fans would be advised to keep an eye on the Bulls players; after all the likes of Bakkies Botha, Victor Matfield, Fourie Du Preez and Bryan Habana will be lining up against the Lions come the Test series.

One man who should also feature heavily for the Springboks is Bulls no.8 Pierre Spies and The Rugby Club looked at how the Lions can stop this rampaging beast.

"In a country that is so wonderful in terms of their physicality and power, Pierre Spies just seems to lead the way," said Will Greenwood.

"He is a tremendous physical specimen and is a lethal weapon.

"We know that Shaun Edwards is a defensive guru but he will have his work absolutely cut out.

"They will have to look after him first off as a power runner and secondly as a support runner. He runs great lines and if he can't go through people he will go round them. His power and dynamism is incredible.

"Imagine being the tackler of as this giant physical man, all elbows, all knee drives, who arcs and weaves and then sprints away from you with tremendous acceleration."

With Ieuan Evans and Dewi Morris also in the studio, Will asked them how they would stop Spies - apart from shouting 'drift' or 'your man'.

"He is the ultimate predator but what you have to do is deny him that space that he likes," explained Ieuan Evans.

"Make him work a bit harder and deny him that platform from which he launches his rampages up field.

"Work on the set pieces and the driving maul can bring him back to do the honest work of a forward - not running up and down the field like a back - we can't have that!"

With the maul restored to the heart of the game, Dewi agreed that the Lions can use it to keep Spies tight.

"You have got to tie this boy in and keep him in the tight," explained Dewi.

"At the scrum he will be wanting a big right hand side from his tighthead to allow him to go into the midfield. The likes of Sheridan and Jones have got to drive up that side and our tightheads almost absorb it. That allows our open side to get him.

"Our scrum half has to get in there too - try and get his hands inside that ball and disrupt the 9 and 8 combination. We need to use the rolling maul to keep him tight so that he is not terrorising our midfield."

Comments (9)

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Glen Thompson says...

As a passionate Springbok and Bulls supporter, I have to say that the Lions have their work cut out for them. The Bulls demolishing the Chiefs in the Super14 final should send alarm bells up North. I watched the Lions warm up and they almost got beaten by a second rate, half provincial team of players. I hope the Lions get their act together as we are expecting a good Lions series here. The Springbok World Champions deserve some respect so I sincerely hope the real Lions turn up for the 3 tests. And Tom Black you're right. If the Lions focus just on one man they're goin to get a proper hiding, Bulls style !!! Up your game guys !!! You're about to play the World Champions ... say no more ...

Posted 08:54 1st June 2009

Joanna Spires says...

Saw an interview and feature on Pierre on Total Rugby. The guy is absolutely awesome - how do you get that big at only 23??? And he can do the 100m in 10.7! They're gonna eat our 'lions' alive. and as for Viktor and Bakkies - they are going to be fighting every lineout - come on Lions - you've got a lot of work to do.

Posted 18:30 31st May 2009

Arthur Frederic says...

sure you could try to nullify him which usually takes 3 mean.how you gonna take care of habana ,bakkies,schalk,JD ,fourie du preez with only 12 men???? just for the record the chiefs succeeded in keeping him quiet for 60min of the game but during those 60 minutes habana and du preez ran riot and Spies pulled off another 60metre sprint to skin the chiefs back three!!!!!!

Posted 13:04 31st May 2009

Marius Enslin says...

The Lions beter have a back up plan,cause there is NO stopping the S.A and Bulls DEADLY BIG 5 (Victor Matfield,Bakkies Botha,Fourie De Preez,PIERRE SPIES a.k.a the SPEAR,and Brian Habana). Specialy after Saterdays game of the BULLS vs Chiefs. (With a defeating score of 61-17)....The only way to stop these BEAST is to but the whole British lions team (Including the Reserves, Coaches,and team support ) on the field,and hope for the best. This is going to be the Games of the Centuary...With all favours in S.A Good Luck to the Lions,cause you are going to need it,and alot of it aswell

Posted 09:22 31st May 2009

Veeral P says...

Clearly this was written before the super 14 final, try stopping those rampaging Bulls! & Spies... try stopping a guy who is 110kg pure muscle & sprints 100 meters in 10.67seconds! Stop that freight train! The Lions scrumming is good, SA's lineouts are good, both teams have a kicking game, but the Boks will win it by taking them apart in broken play & slotting drop goals!

Posted 01:32 31st May 2009

Nhlamulo Hlungwane says...

ha ha ha, Tom Black's got jokes... but he's got a point

Posted 14:52 30th May 2009

Chris Smith says...

Talking of Bakkies Botha, South Africa have the best second row pairing in the world. Have we got the line out forwards to take them on?

Posted 12:43 30th May 2009

Ivan Nel says...

Pierre Spies is a Demon ! But anyone of the Blue Bulls will tell you, Nobody messes with Bakkies Botha, Good Luck to Paul o Connell... he's going to need it !

Posted 17:56 29th May 2009

Tom Black says...

Well, that's Pierre nullified; now for the remaining 14 Boks. Bakkies Botha anyone?

Posted 14:28 29th May 2009
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