Official June 2014 Tests Thread

[Noob-Noob]

I also do not understand why Visagie is there (although I am pretty sure he will only be carrying the luggage). My greatest concern is at scrumhalf, for if Fourie is injured we are stuck with Hougaard and Pienaar (I rate hougaard higher, but only marginally ie 2/10 instead of 0/10).

I also hope that HM has seen Jannie du Plessis for the useless walking waste of space he is on a rugby field.

Who is that scrummie of the Lions?, he had a huge game last week.
Would also have rather made Jano Vermaak the direct replacement for Du Preez.Why Pienaar is still selected is honestly beyond me.
Chilliboy is injured last time i looked, with Strauss banned, no other hooker has really put up his hand.
Victor was the obvious Captain, so was glad about that.
Also found it really strange that Boshoff was not selected from the start, he has been the inform flyhalf in the Super15.
Going to be very interesting who HM picks as his flyhalf, Francios Steyn has also been knocking on the door real hard, but with JDV injured, i suppose they will make him Inside Centre.
Team will probably look like this
1.Beast
2.Bismark
3.Jannie
4.Bakkies
5.Victor
6.Flouw
7.Alberts
8.Duane
9.Fourie
10.Morne
11.Habana
12.F.Steyn
13.Serfontein
14.JP
15.Willie

16.Brits
17.Connie
18.Sekamp
19.Flip
20.Burger
21.Hougaard
22.Boshoff
23.Mvovo

Personally, i would have done the following
6.Flouw
7.Marcel
8.Burger

Imagine the turnover ball, and the 3 of them tackle like demons.

 

[Brenden_E]

I was very skeptical about Matfield coming back. But I'll give it to him that the Bulls played far better when he was on the field as captain. Bismark is a terrible captain - he's interested only in fighting

Burger isn't nearly as good as he was. I wouldn't put him in the squad.

 

[GreGorGy]

I was very skeptical about Matfield coming back. But I'll give it to him that the Bulls played far better when he was on the field as captain. Bismark is a terrible captain - he's interested only in fighting

Burger isn't nearly as good as he was. I wouldn't put him in the squad.

I will be honest hear and say that I have been mostly disappointed in De Villiers as captain. Doesn't seem up to the task and he gets the same look in his eyes that I saw in Burger's: when the chips are down and defeat is creeping in, they both seem to have this dear-in-the-headlights look. It is a look of despair. Matfield and Bizzy are the opposite: they have a look of anger, desperation and danger - they'll try anything, even stuff that won't work, to get out of that hold.

At least, these are my perceptions.

 

[Devill]

Pensioner it is then, so we are gonna see bulls style rugby on this tour i suspect.

Bok rugby in a sense. Defensive style rugby wins World Cups unfortunately.

Who is that scrummie of the Lions?, he had a huge game last week.

Faf de Klerk iirc.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

http://www.sport24.co.za/Rugby/Springboks/Hendricks-to-make-Bok-debut-20140604

South Africa:

15 Willie le Roux, 14 Cornal Hendricks, 13 JP Pietersen, 12 Frans Steyn, 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Morné Steyn, 9 Ruan Pienaar, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Victor Matfield (captain), 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Jannie du Plessis, 2 Bismarck du Plessis, 1 Tendai Mtawarira

Substitutes: 16 Schalk Brits, 17 Gurthrö Steenkamp, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Flip van der Merwe, 20 Schalk Burger, 21 Fourie du Preez, 22 Johan Goosen, 23 Lwazi Mvovo

Not particularly happy with this. Pietersen on centre? Can't remember if he actually got anything right when he last played there. And Pienaar starting?

Very happy with the loose trio, though!

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

If it wasn't Wales, we'd be fukked ...... if poephol entertains this selection come tri-nations, we're boned.

Actually I forgot this is the World XV - we're boned

 

[OrbitalDawn]

If it wasn't Wales, we'd be fukked ...... if poephol entertains this selection come tri-nations, we're boned.

Actually I forgot this is the World XV - we're boned

Haha, I'm actually pretty confident we'll win again. Invitational teams like the World XV are usually impressive on paper but the reality is they've only been together for like a week, with some players only arriving today. It's just simply not enough time for a team to beat a quality national side, even if some (or most) of the players are better individually.

 

[Noob-Noob]

Ruan ****ken Pienaar

 

[BobsLawnService]

Dropped far too much cash on tickets for the World XV game. Everyone had better decide to play some enjoyable rugby.

 

[Devill]

Mmm not one "real" centre in there barring Frans Steyn.

 

[Solitude]

Mmm not one "real" centre in there barring Frans Steyn.

It's a big problem if he gets injured in the game. I suppose Morne Steyn or Goosen will have to move into centre then.

 

[Noob-Noob]

Mmm not one "real" centre in there barring Frans Steyn.

Hasn't Steyn played flyhalf most of the year?
Real risk HM is taking here.
Im a bull supporter, and i have to say i'm glad JJ is not in the team, I like Serfontein on the other hand, he just need to buff up a little.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

It's a big problem if he gets injured in the game. I suppose Morne Steyn or Goosen will have to move into centre then.

Doesn't Steyn have a bum knee already?

And Morne Steyn at centre... :|

 

[FoXtroT]

Doesn't Steyn have a bum knee already?

And Morne Steyn at centre... :|

He has a bum knee for the rest of his life I'm afraid. He's gonna have to play through it for the rest of his career if he wants to play top flight rugby.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

He has a bum knee for the rest of his life I'm afraid. He's gonna have to play through it for the rest of his career if he wants to play top flight rugby.

Well yeah, but I recall he almost wasn't gonna play for the Sharks on Saturday because of some knee problem? Like a more immediate issue.

 

[FoXtroT]

Well yeah, but I recall he almost wasn't gonna play for the Sharks on Saturday because of some knee problem? Like a more immediate issue.

My understanding is that's the same problem they have been dealing with this year. I suspect the Sharks have been keeping him out of training for some time now and its only become public knowledge because of the Bok camp.

Could be wrong though.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

New Zealand:

Backs: 15 Israel Dagg, 14 Ben Smith, 13 Conrad Smith, 12 Ma'a Nonu, 11 Cory Jane, 10 Aaron Cruden, 9 Aaron Smith.

Forwards: 8 Jerome Kaino, 7 Richie McCaw (captain), 6 Liam Messam, 5 Sam Whitelock, 4 Brodie Retallick, 3 Owen Franks, 2 Dane Coles, 1 Tony Woodcock.

Substitutes: 16 Keven Mealamu, 17 Wyatt Crockett, 18 Charlie Faumuina, 19 Patrick Tuipulotu, 20 Victor Vito, 21 TJ Perenara, 22 Beauden Barrett, 23 Malakai Fekitoa

Powerful team! I think the only reason Jane is starting is because Savea is injured, but he'll be back for the 2nd test apparently.

Anyone think Barrett should maybe have been given a start ahead of Cruden? He's been stellar this year, and Cruden's last 2 games back from injury have been a bit lacklustre...

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

Trying hard enough to gather interest watching the Boks, nevermind anyone else. The care is not there for those poephols.

 

[GreGorGy]

Trying hard enough to gather interest watching the Boks, nevermind anyone else. The care is not there for those poephols.

De Ja Vu - you said similar last year. Now just relax, crack open a beer and see what happens...

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

De Ja Vu - you said similar last year. Now just relax, crack open a beer and see what happens...

doesn't even have much to do with our team, just can't muster up excitement for opposition like the Welsh .......