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Cape Town - According to Die Burger, although Cheetahs openside flank Heinrich Brüssow unfortunately didn't get a win against the Brumbies on his birthday, he once again underlined his Springbok credentials.
The Cheetahs lost their Super Rugby qualifier against Jake White's Brumbies side 15-13 in Canberra on Sunday, but emerged with credit from the game in a battling performance in which they scored to two tries and prevented the Brumbies from breaching their tryline.
Brüssow has been the subject of intense scrutiny this year after question marks were raised regarding whether he is a penalty liability under the new breakdown laws, after Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer failed to select him for the Springboks in this year's Incoming Series against Scotland, Samoa and Italy.
Brüssow's underlined his ability to win key turnovers and slow down opposition ball as he successfully blunted the oppositions' attack several times.
He finished the match with the most tackles (11) for a forward and four turnovers, with one of them resulting in a try for his team, and kept his opposite number George Smith in check for much of the game.
Although he gave away two penalties during the match, replays revealed that on both occasions he had been harshly and incorrectly penalised by match referee Glen Jackson.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske reserved special praise for Brüssow after the game.
"Brüssow was very unfortunate to be penalised once or twice (against the Brumbies). He showed again against the Blues and the Brumbies how he can almost single-handedly win a match for the team."
Brüssow showed he would have been the perfect back-up for Francois Louw in the Springbok No 6 jersey, but he will now be unavailable for the Springboks during the Rugby Championship as he joins up with the Docomo Red Hurricanes in Japan before returning to the Cheetahs for their 2014 Super Rugby campaign.
The Cheetahs lost their Super Rugby qualifier against Jake White's Brumbies side 15-13 in Canberra on Sunday, but emerged with credit from the game in a battling performance in which they scored to two tries and prevented the Brumbies from breaching their tryline.
Brüssow has been the subject of intense scrutiny this year after question marks were raised regarding whether he is a penalty liability under the new breakdown laws, after Springbok coach Heyneke Meyer failed to select him for the Springboks in this year's Incoming Series against Scotland, Samoa and Italy.
Brüssow's underlined his ability to win key turnovers and slow down opposition ball as he successfully blunted the oppositions' attack several times.
He finished the match with the most tackles (11) for a forward and four turnovers, with one of them resulting in a try for his team, and kept his opposite number George Smith in check for much of the game.
Although he gave away two penalties during the match, replays revealed that on both occasions he had been harshly and incorrectly penalised by match referee Glen Jackson.
Cheetahs coach Naka Drotske reserved special praise for Brüssow after the game.
"Brüssow was very unfortunate to be penalised once or twice (against the Brumbies). He showed again against the Blues and the Brumbies how he can almost single-handedly win a match for the team."
Brüssow showed he would have been the perfect back-up for Francois Louw in the Springbok No 6 jersey, but he will now be unavailable for the Springboks during the Rugby Championship as he joins up with the Docomo Red Hurricanes in Japan before returning to the Cheetahs for their 2014 Super Rugby campaign.
