Official 2015 Rugby Championship Thread

[APoc184]

That squad is rugby porn.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

That squad is rugby porn.

That it is. Immense talent there. I'd say Ardie Savea is unlucky to not be included in the wider group at least.

Very glad for Naholo and Sopoaga.

 

[Agent_Smith]

That it is. Immense talent there. I'd say Ardie Savea is unlucky to not be included in the wider group at least.

Very glad for Naholo and Sopoaga.

That Milner-Skudder oke is ridiculous! Definitely one of the players of the tournament (Super XV) for me this year!

 

[OrbitalDawn]

That Milner-Skudder oke is ridiculous! Definitely one of the players of the tournament (Super XV) for me this year!

Absolutely. He went from a rookie to All Black in 1 year. Crazy.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

My starting XV for RC2015

1: Steven Kitshoff
2: Bismarck du Plessis
3: Frans Malherbe
4: Eben Etzebeth
5: Victor Matfield
6: Francois Louw
7: Willem Alberts
8: Duane Vermeulen
9: Faf de Klerk
10: Handre Pollard
11: Bryan Habana
12: Damien de Allende
13: Lionel Mapoe
14: JP Pieterson
15: Willie le Roux

Thoughts?

Matfield too old.
Alberts too slow and lazy.

Also: if Pierre Spies comes anywhere near this RWC, I will boycott SA rugby the rest of my life.

 

[Agent_Smith]

Matfield too old.
Alberts too slow and lazy.

Also: if Pierre Spies comes anywhere near this RWC, I will boycott SA rugby the rest of my life.

Not sure who else to replace Matfield. Pieter Steph du Toit still injured and Flip van der Merwe has made himself unavailable. Unless Andries Bekker earns an 'out of left field' recall, our no 5 lock stocks are looking a bit bare.

As for Alberts, I thought he looked quite good when came back. At least there are several possible candidates to replace him though, should he not cut the mustard.

 

[Pitbull]

Not sure who else to replace Matfield. Pieter Steph du Toit still injured and Flip van der Merwe has made himself unavailable. Unless Andries Bekker earns an 'out of left field' recall, our no 5 lock stocks are looking a bit bare.

As for Alberts, I thought he looked quite good when came back. At least there are several possible candidates to replace him though, should he not cut the mustard.

^^ +1

With Alberts and Vermeulen in your loose trio. You have the game 1/2 won already. How can anyone say Alberts is too slow and lazy?

 

[OrbitalDawn]

^^ +1

With Alberts and Vermeulen in your loose trio. You have the game 1/2 won already. How can anyone say Alberts is too slow and lazy?

Yeah, I wouldn't agree with that at all. Alberts was a monster when he came back from injury. All over the field, hitting rucks like a freight train, running over people, hard tackles etc.

My loosies would be Louw, Alberts and Vermeulen, with Coetzee and Whiteley backing up.

 

[TheMightyQuinn]

Not sure who else to replace Matfield. Pieter Steph du Toit still injured and Flip van der Merwe has made himself unavailable. Unless Andries Bekker earns an 'out of left field' recall, our no 5 lock stocks are looking a bit bare.

As for Alberts, I thought he looked quite good when came back. At least there are several possible candidates to replace him though, should he not cut the mustard.

^^ +1

With Alberts and Vermeulen in your loose trio. You have the game 1/2 won already. How can anyone say Alberts is too slow and lazy?

Yeah, I wouldn't agree with that at all. Alberts was a monster when he came back from injury. All over the field, hitting rucks like a freight train, running over people, hard tackles etc.

My loosies would be Louw, Alberts and Vermeulen, with Coetzee and Whiteley backing up.

My apologies. I recollected a Mallett / Mitchell discussion incorrectly re. Alberts. They actually discussed his "lack of reviewable performance" based on his injury absence. Apparently he has been good since his return.

 

[APoc184]

 

[SeRpEnT]

1: Steven Kitshoff
2: Bismarck du Plessis
3: Frans Malherbe
4: Eben Etzebeth
5: We need a miracle!
6: Francois Louw
7: Jaco Kriel (http://www.rugbyworld.com/countries...o-overlook-jaco-kriel-for-the-world-cup-46034)
8: Duane Vermeulen
9: We need a miracle!
10: Handre Pollard
11: Bryan Habana (Although I have my doubts…)
12: Damien de Allende
13: Lionel Mapoe
14: Jesse Kriel
15: Willie le Roux

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Matfield is a pretty obvious inclusion for me. The dude's old but he's still got it. And we need him come lineout time, and level heads when things get tough. The Stormers over the weekend in this facet of the game.

 

[MickeyD]

The Springbok squad is (in alphabetical order):

Willem Alberts (Cell C Sharks), Loose forward, 32 Test caps
Schalk Brits (Saracens, England), Hooker, 7
Schalk Burger (DHL Stormers / Suntory, Japan), Loose forward, 75
Marcell Coetzee (Cell C Sharks), Loose forward, 26
Damian De Allende (DHL Stormers), Centre, 3
Faf de Klerk (Emirates Lions / Steval Pumas), Scrumhalf, 0
Bismarck du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), Hooker, 70
Jannie du Plessis (Cell C Sharks), Prop, 62
Eben Etzebeth (DHL Stormers), Lock, 33
Elton Jantjies (Emirates Lions), Flyhalf, 2
Bryan Habana (Toulon, France), Wing, 106
Cornal Hendricks (Toyota Cheetahs), Wing, 11
Zane Kirchner (Leinster, Ireland), Wing / Fullback, 29 Steven Kitshoff (DHL Stormers), Prop, 0
Vincent Koch (DHL Stormers / Steval Pumas), Prop, 0
Siya Kolisi (DHL Stormers), Loose forward, 10
Jesse Kriel (Vodacom Bulls), Fullback, 0
Willie le Roux (Toyota Cheetahs), Fullback / Wing, 25
Francois Louw (Bath, England), Loose forward, 34
Frans Malherbe (DHL Stormers), Prop, 4
Victor Matfield (Vodacom Bulls), Lock, 121
Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje (Toyota Cheetahs), Loose forward, 7
Franco Mostert (Emirates Lions), Lock, 0
Tendai Mtawarira (Cell C Sharks), Prop, 64
Lwazi Mvovo (Cell C Sharks), Wing, 10
Scarra Ntubeni (DHL Stormers), Hooker, 0
Trevor Nyakane (Vodacom Bulls), Prop, 13
Rudy Paige (Vodacom Bulls), Scrumhalf, 0
Ruan Pienaar (Ulster, N Ireland), Scrumhalf, 80
JP Pietersen (Cell C Sharks), Centre / Wing, 59
Handré Pollard (Vodacom Bulls), Flyhalf, 9
Morné Steyn (Stade Francais, France), Flyhalf, 59
Adriaan Strauss (Vodacom Bulls), Hooker, 44
Heinke van der Merwe (Stade Francais, France), Prop, 4
Marcel van der Merwe (Vodacom Bulls), Prop, 4
Warren Whiteley (Emirates Lions), Loose forward, 2

The national selectors have identified 13 players who are currently injured or will be in rehabilitation, but will form part of an extended squad for the matches against the World XV, Castle Lager Rugby Championship and the Test against Argentina in Buenos Aires.

Injured / Conditioning squad:

Heinrich Brüssow (Toyota Cheetahs / Docomo, Japan), Loose forward, 20
Lood de Jager (Toyota Cheetahs), Lock, 9
Jean de Villiers (DHL Stormers), Centre, 106
Fourie du Preez (Suntory, Japan), Scrumhalf, 70
Pieter-Steph du Toit (Cell C Sharks), Lock, 2
Jaque Fourie (Kobe, Japan), Centre, 72
Patrick Lambie (Cell C Sharks), Flyhalf / Fullback, 40
Lionel Mapoe (Emirates Lions), Centre, 0
Coenie Oosthuizen (Toyota Cheetahs), Prop, 21
Cobus Reinach (Cell C Sharks), Scrumhalf, 6
Jan Serfontein (Vodacom Bulls), Centre, 20
Frans Steyn (Cell C Sharks), Centre, 53
Duane Vermeulen (DHL Stormers), No 8, 29

 

[MickeyD]

Fullbacks
Jesse Kriel
Willie le Roux
Zane Kirchner

Wings
Bryan Habana
Cornal Hendricks
Lwazi Mvovo

Centres
Damian De Allende
JP Pietersen

Flyhalves
Elton Jantjies
Handré Pollard
Morné Steyn

Scrumhalves
Faf de Klerk
Ruan Pienaar
Rudy Paige

Props
Frans Malherbe
Heinke van der Merwe
Jannie du Plessis
Marcel van der Merwe
Steven Kitshoff
Tendai Mtawarira
Trevor Nyakane
Vincent Koch

Hookers
Adriaan Strauss
Bismarck du Plessis
Scarra Ntubeni
Schalk Brits

Locks
Eben Etzebeth
Franco Mostert
Victor Matfield

Loose forwards
Francois Louw
Marcell Coetzee
Schalk Burger
Siya Kolisi
Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje
Warren Whiteley
Willem Alberts

 

[APoc184]

Just had a very quick look.

First thoughts.

Great to see Koch, Kitshoff, Kriel, Faf and Whiteley there.

Not sure about Kirchner, Mohoje, Hendricks and Heinke vd Merwe. Hendricks and Mohoje had very forgettable seasons.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Fullbacks
Jesse Kriel
Willie le Roux
Zane Kirchner

Wings
Bryan Habana
Cornal Hendricks
Lwazi Mvovo

Centres
Damian De Allende
JP Pietersen

Flyhalves
Elton Jantjies
Handré Pollard
Morné Steyn

Scrumhalves
Faf de Klerk
Ruan Pienaar
Rudy Paige

Props
Frans Malherbe
Heinke van der Merwe
Jannie du Plessis
Marcel van der Merwe
Steven Kitshoff
Tendai Mtawarira
Trevor Nyakane
Vincent Koch

Hookers
Adriaan Strauss
Bismarck du Plessis
Scarra Ntubeni
Schalk Brits

Locks
Eben Etzebeth
Franco Mostert
Victor Matfield

Loose forwards
Francois Louw
Marcell Coetzee
Schalk Burger
Siya Kolisi
Teboho “Oupa” Mohoje
Warren Whiteley
Willem Alberts

Fullbacks - happy except for Krusty, why the hell is he there, stupid.

Wings - Hendricks not impressed, shouldn't be there.

Flyhalves - Morne, seriously wtf.

Hookers - Scarra has been super ordinary, another meh selection.

 

[MickeyD]

My queries

Fullbacks
Cheslyn Kolbe

Wings
Francois Houghaardt

Centres
Juan de Jongh

Locks
Francois Uys

 

[Fulcrum29]

My queries

Fullbacks
Cheslyn Kolbe

Wings
Francois Houghaardt

Centres
Juan de Jongh

Locks
Francois Uys

Agree, but isn't Uys on the ice, when was the last time he played 'premier' rugby?

 

[FoXtroT]

My queries


Wings
Francois Houghaardt

This, why isn't he here? Definitely one of the form wings of the season.

 

[MickeyD]

Just had a very quick look.

First thoughts.

Great to see Koch, Kitshoff, Kriel, Faf and Whiteley there.

Not sure about Kirchner, Mohoje, Hendricks and Heinke vd Merwe. Hendricks and Mohoje had very forgettable seasons.

Agree with you.

Although Heinke was good for Stade Francais in all the game I watched.