Official Tri-Nations 2011 Thread

hungrybeaver said:
I think the players.. StevieG will say there should be more WP players.

We need to get behind the group of players that have been selected... there is no use in complaining about who should've been there and who shouldn't of, and no use in complaining about PdV. I'm sure all of us would have chosen different players (and coaching staff) but there is nothing we can do (short of terrorism) that will change this fact. Here is the team for Saturday:

Starting

15. Patrick Lambie
14. Bjorn Basson
13. Adi Jacobs
12. Juan de Jongh
11. Lwazi Mvovo
10. Morne Steyn
9. Ruan Pienaar
8. Danie Rossouw
7. Jean Deysel
6. Deon Stegmann
5. Alistair Hargreaves
4. Gerhard Mostert
3. Werner Kruger
2. John Smit (captain)
1. Dean Greyling

REPLACEMENTS
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. CJ van der Linde
18. Ryan Kankowski
19. Ashley Johnson
20. Charl McLeod
21. Wynand Olivier
22. Odwa Ndungane


Lots of changes! Lambie coming into the line from fullback will add oomf to the backline and should create space for the wingers. The new lock pairing will be something to keep an eye on!
Click to expand...

Would have played Kanko on flank instead of Steggies. I would also have liked to see Smith on the bench and Chilliboy start.

Is Aplon injured?

killadoob said:
We won the tri nations on the back of a world cup winning squad, any fool could have sent out the same players that won the world cup.

Beat the british lions? Wow amazing. Beats the world cup and tri nations on scale
Click to expand...

Actually PdV and Jake's records look very similiar. People easily forget that old iron jake also had the bok loss of 49-0 to his name. I do feel a bit edgy with PDV looking to change the defensive plays so close to the WC and it does not look like he has a plan B :(
 
Devill said:
Is Aplon injured?
Click to expand...
Yes, he come home with Flip..



Actually PdV and Jake's records look very similiar. People easily forget that old iron jake also had the bok loss of 49-0 to his name. I do feel a bit edgy with PDV looking to change the defensive plays so close to the WC and it does not look like he has a plan B :(
Click to expand...
Correct, Jake 67% win ratio to PDV's 63%... We can draw solace from the fact that this is the B team playing. Look what happened to OZZIE's B team against Samoa... If Robbie Jones can survive as OZZIE coach than so can PDV as Bok coach...
 
sandmanm34 said:
Yes, he come home with Flip..
Click to expand...

:(

Correct, Jake 67% win ratio to PDV's 63%... We can draw solace from the fact that this is the B team playing. Look what happened to OZZIE's B team against Samoa... If Robbie Jones can survive as OZZIE coach than so can PDV as Bok coach...
Click to expand...

Isn't it Robbie Deans? :p:D
 
On the topic of depth I would love to see a list of Saffers playing abroad!!! I can tell you now we have a "Bok" team playing abroad that could probably give the current Bok 1st XV a run for their money...

Here's my exiles 15 off the top of my head. Some of these guys could be retired already though but you get the drift...

1. Brian Mujati/Eduard Coetzee/Pat Barnard
2. Schalk Britz (although he is back in the local mix)/Danie Coetzee/Van Der Merwe (Lions Hooker)/Peter Dixon. SA produce hookers and loose forwards like the swiss produce cheese...
3. BJ Botha/Cobus Visagie/faan rautenbach
4. Gerrie Britz
5.
6. Nico Breedt
7.
8. Joe Van Niekerk
9. Michael Claasens
10. Derrick Hougaard/Butch James
12. Brad Barrit/Rudi Keil/Stuart Abbot
13. Brian Liebenburg/Geoff Appleford
14. Philip Burger
15. Frans Steyn/Brent Russel
11.
 
I mean this: NZ, as pointed out, purposely looked mediocre (only to come undone in the end) in their 95 build up. I suspect we may doing the same and then some: persist with the kicking game, knowing that we can undo the also-rans with it (Namibia, Fiji) and then up our stake for Samoa and Wales. And then hit the quarters with this upped game and finally into the inevitable NZ semi with a chasing running game, meaning that arguably our strongest opposition cannot put a finger on our methods until they step up to challenge, ill-informed.

I am not saying it is a good approach (it will be an untested game plan) but it is one that can unhinge NZ, if it works. PDV is not all bad and I think a lot of the criticism levelled at him is unfair and serves no constructive purpose in the build-up. I do hate to play the race card but so many times, even here, on mention of his role people play that very card: it's all just BEE.

I find that a coward's argument: we will rather lambaste the man because we FEEL that his appointment is BEE. I won't say this feeling is wrong but I certainly cannot share it and I would rather support a team that will lose 110% because they are MY team than spend my life hating the players and the staff based on some prejudice or other.

Not that I am accusing anyone of any such prejudice: I am just asking that those who choose to criticise so passionately make sure they are doing it for the right reasons.

Laters, bators.
 
I agree with much of what you are saying...

PDV was set up to fail. He was always going to be on the wrong end of a hiding. Win and you inherited Whites winners, lose and it's because you a BEE coach. It's a curse inheriting a world cup winning team cause how do you improve on that?? Cannot??!!! But beating Lions and winning tri-nations was a pretty damn good effort but of course PDV doesn't get credit for that cause he inherited White's winners...

Anyway, we remain hopeful...
 
Ja - there's the other thing - this inheritance. Some have pointed out that White actually had a VERY easy WC path: England in the same group sucked, but besides that, plain sailing*.

This "inherited" group managed to be completely screwed and corrupted by PDV in 08 when his performance sucked ass. Everyone was saying "look how the BEE took a winning side and destroyed it." Then came 09 and its successes and suddenly, we're back to this "inherited" team. The PDV haters can't have it both ways, yet they insist on taking it as such.

It is a great pity that coaches will always be judged against the yardstick of their immediate predecessors, without any consideration to other facts. And White's easy ride is a fact. As is an abysmal 2008 season. No-one is left to the task at hand. And with PDV, everyone has the added factor of his race and media relationship.

*Argentina lost only one match and they were the team that impressed me the most, taking out veritable competition and giving of their best. I for one will be acquiring an Argie jersey before the world cup and supporting them as passionately as I do the Boks.
 
Devill said:
Would have played Kanko on flank instead of Steggies. I would also have liked to see Smith on the bench and Chilliboy start.
Click to expand...

SMIT, Devill. It's Smit. Sorry I had to finally get that out of my system...:D
 
Dude what is this BEE thing you are on about? i thought he was a good coach until recently. BEE has nothing to do with me thinking he is poor.

We will see what is going to happen, we all knew we would get nailed now so no big deal but if we fail badly in the world cup he will be gone, whether he is white, yellow or a dark purple colour he would still be gone because he doesn't know what he is doing.

If we win the world he will be a hero hahahah :p
 
Last edited:
killadoob said:
Dude what is this BEE thing you are on about? i thought he was a good coach until recently.
Click to expand...

Careful - I said it is a prejudice that is used
GreGorGy said:
Not that I am accusing anyone of any such prejudice: I am just asking that those who choose to criticise so passionately make sure they are doing it for the right reasons.
Click to expand...

What is the reason for your change of mind? Current performance? JW was guilty of the same. Player selection? JW invented the B team.
 
I will reserve further judgement of him and see how we fair in the tri nations. For me and many i am sure it does not matter if we lose, it is how we lose.

Even a B team should not look like a bunch of school boys. There should be fight, organization and so on. I cannot wait for the game on Saturday even though i know we may get pomped solid. Although i cannot see how we could play worse, we got lucky we played aus first up.
 
Whats this that i want WP players in the team. that is total BS. I only want the best 2nd choices to chose on merit and not because i support WP. We played like a bunch of sissies against the ausies. we were lucky they never put the foot on the pedal and gave us a proper hiding. I think its good that we get thumped so that our coach can realise he picked a bunch of twats for the tour.

I can go on about how many sharkies are picked even though they never made the semis. we have players being played out of position and not the best in their positions.

The All Black are going to thump us on Saturday. It will be a 50+ score definately. we just don;t have the proper players there
 
The old switcharoo may well be exactly what the team needs. Out of sorts for Steyn but maybe this will produce some interesting results and I definitely think it will affect the game play and our moves forward.
 
GreGorGy said:
The old switcharoo may well be exactly what the team needs. Out of sorts for Steyn but maybe this will produce some interesting results and I definitely think it will affect the game play and our moves forward.
Click to expand...

This could work very well as few players around the world will win a kicking contest with steyn. I am very happy to see Lambie at 10. Lets hope he gets good delivery from pienaar and his forwards do their work well this time. Still wish Kanko would replace Steggies.... At least for the first 50 mins.
 
Not a fan of playing players out of position in a test match but okay, let's see how it pans out... If you suck in your preferred position how's playing out of position going to benefit you...??
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
Sign up to the MyBroadband newsletter
X