The Rugby Thread - Part Deux

Heisenborg said:
Its amazing watching the bok stars in their club outfits playing like average joes.

Pull on the green and gold and they become different players.

I hope duhan has a good match against his home country and vs the man mountain esterhuizen. Also I hope we smash them and make an early statement
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Rassie and co have this remarkable ability to get the most out of their players. It's exactly how it should be at national level but not many coaches can achieve the levels Rassie has.

My main concern with the SA team is the tight 5, great individuals but very much a mix and match. Riley and Franco not the most impossing lock pairing around. Riley still a kid.

And then Quan at 10 is going to be interesting.

The bench is basically the Stormers pack, Faf and Vusi.

I've watched Vusi play since U14s.

A product of my Alma Mater. KES

What a privilege it has been.

Very good side that through the age groups. Beat Affies in U14. Only game of the season due to COVID. Esethu, the starting hooker, SA A, another product of that KES side,. His career has followed a similar trajectory to Malcolm Marx. Started out as a flank and moved to hooker in GR11/12... Lions Craven week and SA schools.. same as Malcolm. Absolute beast but just lately battling a few niggles. Dodgy knee. Could see an injury manifesting during the 2024 schoolboy season where Esethu was playing just about every match, at 110%, despite a niggly knee...

2023/4 KES produced some standout players. Vusi Moyo, Esethu, Thomas Beling (lock at school, flank now), Kebotile Maake, 8th man and Olunje Mehlomakulu, outside centre, all represented SA U20s...
 
Very very interesting team selections for these 2 games! Quan Horn at 10 a massive surprise. Given that the Bulls players are unavailable for these matches, I think Rassie has made some good and bold selections.
 
sand_man said:
Anyone other than Rassie and I would be asking, 'wtf is the coach doing'?
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Mzwandile Stick has been confirmed as the team’s head coach for the Springboks versus Barbarians curtain-raiser clash against South Africa’s neighbours, with Erasmus revealing that SA Rugby has one ulterior motive for the fixture outside of getting youngsters to experience the Bok environment.

That is to tie several of the country’s top rising stars to the Springboks through South Africa’s second-ranked team. As per World Rugby regulation nine, unions are permitted to nominate one senior team beyond the main international team, which ties a player to that country.

Since 2018, unions have not been allowed to designate their Under-20s National Representative Team as their next senior National Representative Team. So this year, the SA’A team will be South Africa’s second senior team, and because they are facing an international side in Zimbabwe, players who feature against the Sables will have their international allegiance tied to South Africa.
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www.planetrugby.com

Rassie Erasmus reveals ploy to 'capture' top Junior Springboks talents amid player poaching complaints

💬 Rassie Erasmus: "What Dave Wessels and Kevin Foote are doing is that they are giving us a product that is almost Test match-level ready."
www.planetrugby.com www.planetrugby.com
 
Werner1975 said:
Very very interesting team selections for these 2 games! Quan Horn at 10 a massive surprise. Given that the Bulls players are unavailable for these matches, I think Rassie has made some good and bold selections.
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I'm happy for Riley as well, that kids has some serious talent in every sport he does. Can literally play any sport at will.
 
DarkStarMonday said:
I'm happy for Riley as well, that kids has some serious talent in every sport he does. Can literally play any sport at will.
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Super talented individual, headboy at PRG to boot, matriculated with distinction, 7 I think... but he isn't the mongrel the Boks need at lock... he's a nice guy, we need a cowboy in the Eben/Bakkies mold... I can see him at flank though...
 
A lot depends on who's squad clicks first. Obviously the Boks have a jump start in that regard but due to all the changes, particularly the tight 5, and 9/10 combo, it leaves the door slightly ajar for the BB's to exploit.

There is some serious fire power coming off the BB's bench too. Definitely hoping to finish strong, regardless of the scoreboard... But while the Boks don't have the sheer grunt and torque to match the BB's bench, they will have cohesion and continuity given that the bench is basically the Stormers pack...

Should be an interesting contest. Looking forward to the start of the international season....

Aside from the result, Boks number 1 priority will be getting through the fixture without any injuries.... stating the obvious perhaps...
 
Thought I would just say, Tony Brown is honouring his contract and I don't at all believe against his will. He wants to coach his nation. Can't blame him for that.

I would remind people that at some point Felix Jones is going to leave, permanently. He deserves the HC role after Rassie, in my opinion, but he may go join Andy jn Ireland after 2027 for all we know.

He knows the whole system, nevermind bit-part. Has coached attack and defense at international level for two nations as well.

I think he would be a good fit for Wales. Restructure them entirely by getting results and clout. Sort of like Rassie has done a great job navigating SARU politics here.
 
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netstrider said:
Thought I would just say, Tony Brown is honouring his contract and I don't at all believe against his will. He wants to coach his nation. Can't blame him for that.

I would remind people that at some point Felix Jones is going to leave, permanently. He deserves the HC role after Rassie, in my opinion, but he may go join Andy jn Ireland after 2027 for all we know.

He knows the whole system, nevermind bit-part. Has coached attack and defense at international level for two nations as well.

I think he would be a good fit for Wales. Restructure them entirely by getting results and clout. Sort of like Rassie has done a great job navigating SARU politics here.
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I agree with you, once Tony and Felix leave, it would be like Rassie losing both his left and right arm.
I wonder what aces Rassie might have up his sleeve then....
 
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