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Does Jordaan in some ways not remind you of Mannetjies Roux.   Both are small in built - and Roux was a very tricky customer and so is Jordaan.   Roux was a huge tackler - and I noticed that in recent games Jordaan is beginning to show a similar tendency.

I think though that looking at pics and having met Mannetjies Roux - that Jordaan is stronger built than Roux was

Mike I see why you draw the parallel, but Jordaan is really more average in size...Mannetjies was small even back in the 60s.

To me Jordaan with his smooth acceleration and swerve is a bit more Danier Gerber....ish. Danie was bigger and probably harder to bring down. But hey 60% of Danie Gerber is a lot better than 100% of JJ Engelbrecht.

Mozart

I think I agree with you in this case about some similarities between Gerber and Jordaan.   However, i still think that there are some similarities between Jordaan and Mannetjies Roux as well

I wrote elsewhere about the issue of backline play and in essence wrote about the issue of clever and skilled backline players - we had them in the past,  but not at present - who by cllever play outwit their opponents - and that I do not like quasi-forwards who think that the only way to deal with the opposing players is to run over them by force.

Not that physical strength is not a factor - it really is.   Gerber had both qualities - hence his huge reputation as a center.   Jordaan shows signs of it as well - a very clever player..

What really is interesting is that many of the top backline players came from the Eastern Cape.   Gerber is one of those - another family was the Du Plessis's (Michael, Wynand - rated at one time as a better player than his siblings - and Carel)  and now Jordaan and his younger brother - contracted by WP.

 Mike I think you forgot arguably the most talented Du Plessis Brother, whoe never made the bok side. Jacques, he was probably one of the most hard working wings ever, you regularly saw him popping up on the opposite side of the field, and he was not big either. Don't know if you rember him though he was the youngest of the bunch played for EP. He stopped playing and went farming as far as I know.

Ek

I was trying desperately to find the name of the brother you referred to and then tried my recollections without reference.   Yes it was Jacques - not Wynand - that I referred to. 

it terms of the running style mannetjies was very unique.  i agree that jordaan looks like at all accounts to be more gerber than le roux but gerber biggest as more power and skill whereby mannetjies used his speed and stepping.

but one thing we all can agree on is that jordaan is a massive talent and needs just to develop even more and the level that he van reach can only make the mind boggle.....as moz said i would rather have 60% gerber than 100 JJ....

 Coreect yes, as far As I remember there where 4 I am not sure which is elder Carel or Michael, but Willie is the oldest then either Carel or Michael and then Jacques.

In order of age: Willie,Michael, Carel, Jacques.

 Edit: Oops, Michael was 2 years older.

In order of rugby skills: Carel, Michael, Willie and Jacques.

Jacques started playing for WP, but did not quite manage to keep his place in the team. He then went to EP and became a regular for a while. IMO he was to short for a wing and should rather have played outside center. Michael played center and fly-half, but I think he was an excellent 10. Great vision with a bit of an kicking game, but could not kick for posts AND he had to compete with Naas at the Boks and Robbie Blair at WP.

I was at the WP/FS game at Newlands in 1984. On the day Carel, Willie and Michael was in the team with Willie the captain if memory serves me well. Great game in the light drizzle...or not so great, but due to the fact that it was my first time at Newlands, I would always recall it as a great game....right next to the field with my heroes only a couple of meters away. Those were the days.

Go WP!!! Bring back the GLORY DAYS!!!!

I'll drink to that Draad....we lost the plot with Joke van der Merwe and luke Watson.....and have never got it back.