Schalk Burger welcomes Carlos Spencer back to Super Rugby
A few weeks ago I posted a video and article about Carlos Spencer, and his return to Super Rugby after five years away from the tournament. Schalk Burger, accommodating as ever, took it upon himself to welcome King Carlos back.
Speculation was rife about how Spencer would perform at the age of 34, and after only forty minutes of game time, he’s already been written off by some members of the media and had his lack of spark blamed on his time up north.
Spencer was substituted at half time in his debut match against the Stormers, and while his actual performance wasn’t bad, he was pretty quiet and lacked the fizz that fans will have been used to seeing.
Coach Dick Muir was disappointed with the way he played, questioning if perhaps his time playing in the north was the reason for the lack of attacking play he showed.
"For Carlos, having played in the northern hemisphere as long as he has has restricted his vision a little bit," Muir said.
"But certainly the individual doesn't lack vision. For me, it is just some old habits that are there that he has to shake off. We've had a good chat this week and I'm really confident that he will do the right job for us," he added.
This is just a quick clip showing the welcome that Spencer got last weekend, as Stormers captain Schalk Burger gave him a fat lip as he slipped into the tackle. It doesn't look like anything at first, but you can see how long it takes him to get up, and the impact in the replay.
Hopefully things will go better for Spencer tonight, as he’s been picked to play the Chiefs at Ellis Park in round two of the tournament. We’ll be watching closely.
Make sure you take a look at the Fixtures page to see what's happening this weekend.
Speculation was rife about how Spencer would perform at the age of 34, and after only forty minutes of game time, he’s already been written off by some members of the media and had his lack of spark blamed on his time up north.
Spencer was substituted at half time in his debut match against the Stormers, and while his actual performance wasn’t bad, he was pretty quiet and lacked the fizz that fans will have been used to seeing.
Coach Dick Muir was disappointed with the way he played, questioning if perhaps his time playing in the north was the reason for the lack of attacking play he showed.
"For Carlos, having played in the northern hemisphere as long as he has has restricted his vision a little bit," Muir said.
"But certainly the individual doesn't lack vision. For me, it is just some old habits that are there that he has to shake off. We've had a good chat this week and I'm really confident that he will do the right job for us," he added.
This is just a quick clip showing the welcome that Spencer got last weekend, as Stormers captain Schalk Burger gave him a fat lip as he slipped into the tackle. It doesn't look like anything at first, but you can see how long it takes him to get up, and the impact in the replay.
Hopefully things will go better for Spencer tonight, as he’s been picked to play the Chiefs at Ellis Park in round two of the tournament. We’ll be watching closely.
Make sure you take a look at the Fixtures page to see what's happening this weekend.
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Carlos Spencer back playing Super Rugby
Time: 01:28
Carlos Spencer back playing Super Rugby
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41 Comments:
Spencer actually wasn't too bad last weekend. He was just average. You can't expect miracles so soon. Hopefully he gets into it this weekend though.
Nice hit, but Spencer was about the height of a normal players waist. Unlucky really.
Reds just pumped the Crusaders. wtf
By FrankyH, at February 19, 2010 12:22 pm
said it in the last spencer clip i will say it again to old to slow i give him 1 or 2 more starts for the lions then he will go back to being a bench warmer
sorry spencer loved to watch you in your prime but you just need to know when to stop
By s myler, at February 19, 2010 12:56 pm
Burger is playing like a man possessed now that he is the Stormers captain. What a player.
World Champion.
By Anonymous, at February 19, 2010 1:26 pm
Never mind Burger or Spencer , lets have extended highlights of the cheer leaders
By Anonymous, at February 19, 2010 2:17 pm
fell into the arms of shalk.. lovely
By Cheis, at February 19, 2010 2:46 pm
Creep ^
Carlos crumbled to the ground when he saw the might of South Africa closing in on him.
By Cool Capey C ;), at February 19, 2010 2:48 pm
poor clip, poor tackle spencer fell into him
By yog, at February 19, 2010 2:57 pm
Spencer tombe tout seul, pas de la faute de Burger, déjà que carlos est pas grand... mais si en plus il se met à genoux devant Burger, forcément il se fait découper!!!!!!
By Unknown, at February 19, 2010 3:02 pm
Spencer tripped, copped an arm into the face, not really a tackle and the hit to the face would explain why he took a while to get up. I hate Spencer so I'm not a fan boy, just saying what I saw.
By Les Bleus, at February 19, 2010 3:29 pm
So it seems the mighty SH players play in the NH a while and loose their modjo!
Sad for them to play in such a shite tornament!;p
The coach tries to find excuses where he can...
If Spencer is finished, it's not the NH's fault bitch!
kevdetoulouse
By Anonymous, at February 19, 2010 4:32 pm
Getting really tired of the perception that NH rugby is shite....
By ConnachtFan, at February 19, 2010 4:54 pm
Nice display of Super 14 defences going on right now, Lions 65 Chiefs 72 lol. Basketball score.
By Anonymous, at February 19, 2010 8:52 pm
Fuck YES! That Chiefs vs Reds game, OH MY GOD!! 72-65, what a cracker! 18 tries!!!
By Les Bleus, at February 19, 2010 10:03 pm
i know, 18 TRIES. OMFG!!!!!
By Alexander, at February 20, 2010 12:00 am
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 12:01 am
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 12:04 am
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 4:14 am
Anonymous said...
(and i use NH chaps because unless you're an abbo, black, or islander, you are hardly from the SH!)
Sometimes the ignorance and stupidity of some people on here is just depressing.
By UK2, at February 20, 2010 9:45 am
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 11:18 am
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 12:13 pm
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 12:13 pm
65-72 What a joke, Union is finally turning into rugby league. Although the defences aren't so bad In league.
By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 12:16 pm
Haha, Anon has a point. The majority of New Zealanders, South Africans and Australians are European and yet they bitch about their true homelands.
By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 1:30 pm
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 1:40 pm
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 4:21 pm
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 8:50 pm
65-72 is insane, I enjoy watching high scoring games but 137 points is just stupid.
By WelshOsprey, at February 20, 2010 9:41 pm
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 11:27 pm
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By Anonymous, at February 20, 2010 11:35 pm
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By Anonymous, at February 21, 2010 5:28 am
The tackling in the Lions and Chiefs game was beyond ridiculous. And yet people complain about the tackling in the GP.
By Anonymous, at February 21, 2010 9:26 am
From New Zealands Sunday Star Times:
" To paraphrase a line from the great Dr McCoy, I'm sure the general observation in the north will be: "It's rugby Jim, but not as we know it!" The problem was that neither the Chiefs nor the Lions defended with anything other than token effort. In fact, the only tackle the Chiefs mastered all game was the spear one, and the Lions weren't a lot better. It's sometimes called turnstile defence. Or matador tackling. What it resulted in at Ellis Park was a procession of tries and a quite bizarre game of rugby. "
By Anonymous, at February 21, 2010 9:28 am
But for all the entertainment on offer, the match was not to everybody's taste with New Zealand newspaper the Sunday Star Times writing it off as a "no-tackle, airy-fairy 18-try romp".
By Anonymous, at February 21, 2010 9:31 am
The game is going to be cleaned up around the tackled ball area and attacking rugby is going to be given its head. Whether a scoreline of 72-65 confirms that, Foster wasn't too sure.
His preference would be for these types of games to be kept to a minimum. In total, there were 18 tries and 137 points, both of which are Super Rugby records.
With the points coming in a deluge and space to be found all over the field, it was exactly the sort of game that gave Super 12 rugby a bad name in the early days.
Back then, the Northern Hemisphere branded it 'pyjama rugby' and claimed it was full contact basketball.
By Anonymous, at February 21, 2010 9:35 am
^ I'd take it over dreary 9-6 results any day.
By Scotsdale, at February 21, 2010 2:12 pm
I agree, It wasn't playing in the north that did for Spencer, it's more the fact that he's 34 and past it.
I do wish the Hemisphere's would stop rubbishing each other. It doesn't exactly accomplish anything, and isn't pleasant to watch.
Not that anyone will listen to this, so it's really a waste of my time. Ah well.
By SaddenedBaggers, at February 21, 2010 2:14 pm
Actually, human life began in Africa, so if you go back far enough the Scots are southern hemisphere. So the fact that they can't score tries for love or money is all the fault of the southern hemisphere. Bastards.
By The God that is Magnus Lund, at February 21, 2010 2:20 pm
"Scotsdale said...
^ I'd take it over dreary 9-6 results any day."
I bet you prefer movies with robots and explosions over a proper flick too.
By Anonymous, at February 21, 2010 4:06 pm
The coach's opinion is that NH teams don't play with the same vision that SH teams play with.
It's his opinion as a coach.
If that bothers people, who cares, it's just his opinion.
Results between SH and NH teams suggest that SH teams do play more expansively.
By Jon, at February 22, 2010 1:52 am
Hey S myler... Nice prediction you twat.. Spencer had a great game against the Chiefs... Scored a try and caused all sorts of trouble!
Give him 1 or 2 more games and he will have settled in nicely... Plus whos going to take the 10 Jersey? Earl Rose? ha ha he will probably wet his pants before the kick off!
By Tui, at February 22, 2010 3:24 am
Typical Burger cheap shots, swinging arm... Straigh outta the springbok handbook.
Ban them all I say!
By Anonymous, at February 22, 2010 3:27 am
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