Rugby Championship 2013

[FoXtroT]

Springbok Squad

Backs:

Bjorn Basson
JJ Engelbrecht
Bryan Habana
Juan de Jongh
Zane Kirchner
Patrick Lambie
Ruan Pienaar
Fourie du Preez
Willie le Roux
Jan Serfontein
Morné Steyn
Jano Vermaak
Jean de Villiers (captain)

Forwards:

Willem Alberts
Marcell Coetzee
Eben Etzebeth
Siya Kolisi
Juandre Kruger
Francois Louw
Flip van der Merwe
Franco van der Merwe
Tendai Mtawarira
Trevor Nyakane
Coenie Oosthuizen
Bismarck du Plessis
Jannie du Plessis
Chiliboy Ralepelle
Adriaan Strauss
Gurthrö Steenkamp
Duane Vermeulen

 

[Mokrayz]

Nice squad. But I do believe if U hav De Jongh in the squad having Aplon to pair will be of huge benefit. Still a strong squad

 

[Badprop_za]

I am glad that they have brought Fourie du Preez back. We are seriously lacking in quality nr. 9s in SA at the moment.
FDP back with Steyn! Maybe we will see the same magic as before FDP left.

There is not really anyone else, barring 2 or 3 personal preferences.

 

[OrbitalDawn]

Not sure about the Du Preez inclusion. He's playing well in Japan apparently, but he's only playing 2 games.

Best person for the job, though, I suppose.

 

[Devill]

I wonder if Strauss will keep Bismarck out of the starting line up. Also I thought Kruger's overseas club were not going to release him.

Willie le Roux, imo, should be given the no. 15 jersey for at least another two or three tests.

We are short of quality tight head props.

 

[KOPITE]

Springbok Squad

Backs:

Bjorn Basson
JJ Engelbrecht
Bryan Habana
Juan de Jongh
Zane Kirchner
Patrick Lambie
Ruan Pienaar
Fourie du Preez
Willie le Roux
Jan Serfontein
Morné Steyn
Jano Vermaak
Jean de Villiers (captain)

Forwards:

Willem Alberts
Marcell Coetzee
Eben Etzebeth
Siya Kolisi
Juandre Kruger
Francois Louw
Flip van der Merwe
Franco van der Merwe
Tendai Mtawarira
Trevor Nyakane
Coenie Oosthuizen
Bismarck du Plessis
Jannie du Plessis
Chiliboy Ralepelle
Adriaan Strauss
Gurthrö Steenkamp
Duane Vermeulen

I must say that the backline is one of the weakest i have seen form the Springboks. No flair in their, but all muscle. that means only one thing. a few more cheaters could have been included in the backline. we already know that the current crop cannot score tries.

Forwards selection looks better, but Marcell Coetzee along with a number of Sharks players have been under performing.

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

I am not alone in thinking that some of those choices are just bloody ludicrous. The likes of Steenkamp and Du Preez getting spots before younger guys in top form is disgusting and something that a lot of us predicted would happen under HM. The other thing that is beyond shocking is suddenly having no issue with overseas based players because hell, they're Bulls, so it's all good. This snippet from an Article from Rob Otto says it best I suppose -

This latest selection imposes no penalty whatsoever on the myriad players – mostly Bulls, it must be said – who have opted to turn their back on the domestic rugby scene. They get to have their cake and eat it.
If, however, we are going to continue to do muddle-headed things like picking Fourie du Preez straight out of Japenese retirement, ahead of exciting youngster like Piet van Zyl or Cobus Reinach, or back the one-dimensional Bjorn Basson ahead of prodigious ball-playing talents in Gio Aplon and Lwazi Mvovo, then I guess we deserve what’s coming to us.

 

[Brenden_E]

Rob Otto is a lil chump. Out of all those players he takes up beef with Basson.
Lwazi and Gio really lit the super rugby scene on fire, right?

Juan de Jongh; he's been lackluster for a few seasons.
And finally Ruan Pienaar. I have no idea how this guy is still a springbok. He's so slow at distributing the ball and constantly tries to be the 2nd ref. Piet van Zyl over Pienaar x10000!

 

[Mephisto_Helix]

They show up Basson without even trying ye ........ but state that and have a dig at someone and skirt the Du Preez / Steenkamp issue

 

[OrbitalDawn]

I'd definitely also pick Mvovo/Aplon over Basson. He's just not a good enough all round player. Fast, yes, but useless on defense.

Cobus Reinach is also a very exciting prospect. Get him and Van Zyl into Springboke mode before clawing back Du Preez, I say.

 

[Brenden_E]

They show up Basson without even trying ye ........ but state that and have a dig at someone and skirt the Du Preez / Steenkamp issue

And you conveniently ignore that Ruan Pienaar is a foreign player as well and by far the worst player in the team.
Does Basson deserve his spot? No. Mvovo or Gio doesn't deserve it either. All three were very average.

Compare them to someone like Habana or Etzebeth. Different league altogether. So to complain about Basson is stupid. There are far bigger fish to fry like Pienaar.

 

[Devill]

I would have brought in a younger scrummie and du preez. Du preez has a lot to offer in the way of "mentoring" a young talent.

Also no scrumhalf has really raised his hand and stamped his authority on the SA rugby scene (Closest is Jano vermaak in the last season).

 

[Brenden_E]

I would have brought in a younger scrummie and du preez. Du preez has a lot to offer in the way of "mentoring" a young talent.

Also no scrumhalf has really raised his hand and stamped his authority on the SA rugby scene (Closest is Jano vermaak in the last season).

I think it is a desperate move - the scrumhalves, bar Jano & van Zyl, were quite poor. Jano played well, but he's also not a spring chicken. I would have liked a bolder approach, like giving Van Zyl a start. Keep in mind though that Van Zyl is still very green and nerves showed in the few min he was on for the boks. If you look at credentials, Du Preez is probably the best we have right now.

 

[Devill]

I think it is a desperate move - the scrumhalves, bar Jano & van Zyl, were quite poor. Jano played well, but he's also not a spring chicken. I would have liked a bolder approach, like giving Van Zyl a start. Keep in mind though that Van Zyl is still very green and nerves showed in the few min he was on for the boks. If you look at credentials, Du Preez is probably the best we have right now.

I think it is a logical move. Who on the local scene really inspired hopes of a "No. 1 no 9"? No one. Who was most likely the best players in world rugby at his best.... Fourie.... who is only 31. I am not saying let him be your primary scrumhalf with the eye on the next RWC, I am simply saying that he has a lot to offer a scrumhalf like van Zyl and help him become world class as well as helping the boks in the transition phase.

 

[craigdoepie]

I think it is a logical move. Who on the local scene really inspired hopes of a "No. 1 no 9"? No one. Who was most likely the best players in world rugby at his best.... Fourie.... who is only 31. I am not saying let him be your primary scrumhalf with the eye on the next RWC, I am simply saying that he has a lot to offer a scrumhalf like van Zyl and help him become world class as well as helping the boks in the transition phase.

If I am not mistaken, du Preez is only available for selected matches and he is probably the best scrumhalf we have to choose from. TBH I have not taken note of the scrumhalfs during the Super Rugby season, but HM does not choose players on form. He chooses players he likes and who has performed 2years ago.

Bismark played for the Springboks without playing a single game or 1 or 2 games for the Sharks. The thing with Gio is is that he does not really perform at wing, he really enjoys playing at Fullback, but there I would choose Willie over him. Even though I am a Stormer. And sad to say, if you going to play the up and under game, I guess Zane "HARE" Kirchner is the better option.

And to finish off, this is probably the team that will play in the World Cup in 2015. HM is not looking to the future, he is only concentrating on the now.

That's my opinion and I am sticking to it

 

[KOPITE]

If I am not mistaken, du Preez is only available for selected matches and he is probably the best scrumhalf we have to choose from. TBH I have not taken note of the scrumhalfs during the Super Rugby season, but HM does not choose players on form. He chooses players he likes and who has performed 2years ago.

Bismark played for the Springboks without playing a single game or 1 or 2 games for the Sharks. The thing with Gio is is that he does not really perform at wing, he really enjoys playing at Fullback, but there I would choose Willie over him. Even though I am a Stormer. And sad to say, if you going to play the up and under game, I guess Zane "HARE" Kirchner is the better option.

And to finish off, this is probably the team that will play in the World Cup in 2015. HM is not looking to the future, he is only concentrating on the now.

That's my opinion and I am sticking to it

Craig you got a k@k opinion i might say

 

[bartens61]

I don't think Ruan Pienaar must be in the team 2 no 9 is enough what about another wing like J P Peters

 

[craigdoepie]

I don't think Ruan Pienaar must be in the team 2 no 9 is enough what about another wing like J P Peters

If I am not mistaken, I think JP is injured. He should definitely be our 1st choice winger with Habana

 

[Fulcrum29]

I really don’t expect the Argentinians to go all out this year… The British took them on a rugby training camp and annihilated them. Their last win was against Wales (with a broken team) and a draw against a pathetic Springbok team, although the Argentinians did play well against us. I can see pretty much the same results as last year, except that the Aussies have improved, either NZ or AUS to take the cup.

 

[sand_man]

So many top class players heading abroad, impossible to ignore them. If they available to play for the Boks select them. We don't have sufficient depth to bleed talent abroad, absorb the inevitable injuries incurred and still field a 1st XV capable of challenging for the Rugby Championship.

We actually have some very good scrumhalves currently playing, the most exciting prospect being Cobus Reinach. He's a Bok in waiting but I would have selected Rory Kockott. Can't believe how such a prodigious talent has been fcked around, over looked and mis-managed by SA coaches. He's found a home at Castres and was instrumental in their Super 14 winning season.

Another who's had a massive season is Bakkies Botha. A lot of you may think he's over the hill but when you next see the Argentinians bullying our tight five like they did last year in Argentina think about Bakkies and the physical presence he brings to the pack. Eben is the new enforcer but he's not quite there yet. He's walking the tight rope between hard and dirty. Bakkies is the perfect mentor having made the same mistakes during his long and illustrious career.

I'm not going to over analysis for now. Technically I think the Boks suck but our brawn and bloody mindedness will get us through as it always has (we really missing Schalk Burger. He is the epitome of brawn and bloody mindedness). I reckon the Aussies are beat up from the Lions tour and they don't tour well and I don't think the Argentinians are that good away from home either. In fact they got a few hidings from an England A side at home in their June test series so......

As always NZ will be the team to beat. Everything will have to click for us to accomplish that but I somehow don't see it...