2017 International Tests

Might as well speculate on what the starting XV will look like...

1) Beast
2) Marx
3) Dreyer
4) Etzebeth
5) du Toit
6) Kriel
7) Kolisi
8) Whitely (c)
9) Hougaard
10) Jantjies
11) Skosan
12) de Allende
13) Serfontein
14) Rhule
15) Steyn

That is a pretty 'meh' backline if I'm honest...
 
My starting XV

1) Beast
2) Marx
3) Dreyer
4) Etzebeth
5) Mostert
6) Kriel
7) Mohoje
8) Whitely (c)
9) Cronje
10) Jantjies
11) Skosan
12) Steyn
13) Am
14) Leyds
15) Coetzee

Only one Fly-half. Frans Steyn maybe AC see him as a Fly-half.
 
Agent_Smith said:
Some real head scratchers here... Disappointed to see that Ruan Combrinck has only made the SA A squad but I assume that can only be as a result of his prolonged absence due to injury (otherwise, it's another epic brainfart).
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Also disappointed that Combrinck isn't in the team. He is one of our best utility backline players. I'm happy with the choice of captain. Warren is the best we have at the moment.
 
No squad ought to have Etzebeth in it, especially not the international side :mad:
 
Why is Beast there? He didnt impress on international level last season at all.
 
Hmm, I still think that when on form, he's one of the best in the world. Very much in the mold of Bakkies. Unfortunately though, like Bakkies, his discipline (or lack thereof) comes to the fore like it did on Saturday. If he can sort himself out between the ears, he'd become the complete player.
 
Agent_Smith said:
Hmm, I still think that when on form, he's one of the best in the world. Very much in the mold of Bakkies. Unfortunately though, like Bakkies, his discipline (or lack thereof) comes to the fore like it did on Saturday. If he can sort himself out between the ears, he'd become the complete player.
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That's going to be tough.
He's an "Etzebeth"...it's in their nature to make k@k ;)
 
Agent_Smith said:
Hmm, I still think that when on form, he's one of the best in the world. Very much in the mold of Bakkies. Unfortunately though, like Bakkies, his discipline (or lack thereof) comes to the fore like it did on Saturday. If he can sort himself out between the ears, he'd become the complete player.
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Not really, imo. He just doesn't have the game smarts. He's got physicality down, but that's not really enough in the locking department anymore. Worked for Bakkies, but that was also only because Matfield used his brain and made up what Bakkies lacked.

If you look at Whitelock, Retallick, Itoje etc. they're taking the second row to another level.

No idea why Ralepelle, Rhule (horrid defence) or Paige are there, tbh.

Torsten Van Jaarsveld, Ruan Combrinck and Cobus Reinach > them.
 
MTN to sponsor Springboks
http://www.sarugbymag.co.za/blog/details/mtn-to-sponsor-springboks

MTN is set to sign a four-year Springbok sponsorship deal with SA Rugby worth between R40-million and R50-million a year. SIMON BORCHARDT reports.

The South Africa-based multinational mobile telecommunications company will become the official team sponsor, with the MTN logo appearing on the front of the jersey.

SARugbymag.co.za understands that the deal includes an incentive element that could see SA Rugby receive up to R60-million from MTN per year depending on how many matches the Boks win.

MTN's biggest rival in the telecommunications industry, Vodacom, which has sponsored South African rugby since 1994, will presumably be furious about the deal, which will be announced only a few days before the new Test season.

While Vodacom declined SA Rugby's invitation to be the official Bok team sponsor, it remains an associate sponsor of the team, and sponsors the Super Rugby tournament in South Africa and the Bulls.

With Super Rugby set to be reduced from 18 teams to 15 next season, Vodacom will renegotiate its sponsorship agreement with SA Rugby. It will be interesting to see whether Vodacom decides to pull its entire sponsorship amid the controversy of the MTN deal.

SARugbymag.co.za understands that while Vodacom could legally fight MTN's deal with SA Rugby, it will probably opt to leave South African rugby amicably and not take any action that could damage the Bok brand.

While SA Rugby no doubt values its relationship with Vodacom, the organisation's perilous financial situation means it cannot turn MTN away.

SA Rugby is set to announce the MTN sponsorship deal next Wednesday or Thursday.

The Boks will wear the MTN-branded jerseys for the first time against France in Pretoria on 10 June.
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Mapoe replaces injured Am in Bok squad

Cape Town - Sharks centre, Lukhanyo Am, sustained a cheekbone fracture in Saturday's Super Rugby clash against the Stormers.

He will undergo surgery in the coming week, which rules him out of action for the Springboks’ Castle Lager Incoming Test Series against France.

Am is replaced by Lions centre Lionel Mapoe, who is drafted from the SA ‘A’ side that was announced earlier in the week to face the French Barbarians in a two-match series.

Mapoe has earned 11 Springbok Test caps to date since making his international debut on 25 July 2015 against the All Blacks in Johannesburg.

He has played in eight Tests for the Boks in midfield and three times on the wing.

Meanwhile, the Springbok squad will assemble on Monday in Plettenberg Bay in the Southern Cape to continue with preparations for the forthcoming series against France.
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http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/mapoe-replaces-injured-am-in-bok-squad-20170528
 
Japan has named a strong squad, though they are missing crucial players to bolster up the pack,

The squad:

Props: Shintaro Ishihara, Keita Inagaki, Koki Yamamoto, Takuma Asahara, Heiichiro Ito, Yu Chinen; Hookers: Yusuke Niwai, Takeshi Hino, Shota Horie; Locks: Kyosuke Kajikawa, Uwe Helu, Shinya Makebe, Kotaro Yatabe; Flankers: Hendrik Tui, Yo****aka Tokunaga, Shuhei Matasuhashi; No 8s: Amanaki Lelei Mafi, Michael Leitch; Scrumhalves: Keisuke Uchida, Fumiaki Tanaka, Yutaka Nagare; Flyhalves: Jumpei Ogura, Yu Tamura, Rikiya Matsuda; Centers: Derek Carpenter, Harumichi Tatekawa, William Tupou, Timothy Lafaele; Wings: Shota Emi, Kenki Fukuoka, Akihito Yamada; Fullbacks: Ryuji Noguchi, Kotaro Matsushima.
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and they do have Amanaki, Leitch and Tui returning, Horie and Tatekawa are co-captains. Carpenter now being eligible to represent Japan is selected. Joseph said that Matsuda and Noguchi, the two youngsters in the team, are great prospects. The team however is still vastly inexperienced on test level.

They play Romania and Ireland, but Romania has recently had a good 2017 season also beating Georgia. This Japanese team should be able to outpace the Romanians on the wide and with quick ball cycle.

Ireland is too experienced to be beaten by inexperience, maybe the Japanese loose trio and clever backline tactics may pull a rabbit. Japan will struggle without Naoki Ozawa, Samuela Anise and Shunsuke Nunomaki, too little depth to be a threat to the Irish.
 
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