Ricky: Before and after
Welcome to the second edition of rugby365.com’s new bi-weekly feature, Extra-time. This time we tackle weight issues, some more – erm – bad tackles and some, well, ‘skills’ from Down Under in Australia.
Earlier this week, the Springboks had two days of testing – on Monday and Tuesday – at the Sports Science Institute in Cape Town.
These tests measured speed, strength, agility and the players’ likely susceptibility to injury as well as their heights and weights.
According to Neels Liebel, the Boks’ conditioning coach, the players were in “great shape” and a number of personal bests had been set by them. (See the story, HERE!)
Do you believe him? Well, take a look below…
RICKY JANUARIE: THE BEFORE AND AFTER PICTURES:
Ricky in June 2006 (v Scotland)
Ricky in October 2010 (at Bok testing)
What do you think? Has Bok scrumhalf Ricky Januarie packed on the pounds in the last four years?
LUCKY SEVEN FOR MAFI?
The YouTube clip of Samoan Henry Tuilagi’s ‘torpedo’ tackle in the French Top 14 attracted plenty of attention, until this clip of Lifeimi Mafi’s double effort landed at rugby365.com HQ.
Have a look below and see what damage the Munster star wrecked in one match. (By the way – Mafi has since been banned for seven weeks.)
THE LIGHTER SIDE OF LIFE:
With New Zealand having set the bar with their superb skills video on YouTube a few weeks ago (see that HERE!), the Brumbies – in Australia – have hit back with their own ‘version’ of this video.
It’s been on the web for a while already – attracting over 200,000 visits – but there were plenty of chuckles in our office when we began comparing the two videos.
It’s a must-see, folks!
SEEN ON RUGBY365‘s COMMENTS SECTION THIS PAST WEEK:
Great shape
In case of Januarie, round is also a shape. But still he is about the 10th best no.9 in SA. With FdP and Hougaard surely there is no space for Kentucky Rounder?
– Viva Le Bok
P DIVVY CORNER:
We’ve moved away from video clips (for now), but – instead – found an old quote from Divvy, which went along the lines of this: “There’s little difference between winning and losing, except you feel better after winning.”
Ah, yes… that’s exactly what we thought, Divvy.
Quick question: does losing four Tests in a row feel like winning four in a row?
* Thanks to Andre Bosch and Pete Meyer for their help in compiling this week’s second ‘episode’ of Extra-time – keep ’em coming folks!
