The Rugby Thread - Part Deux

lexity said:
I think Rassie has a bit of a weak spot for appointment/selection out of loyalty/cronyism.

Just a hunch.

p.s. Players reaching milestone stats is a bit of a give-away.... like le Roux. He should have given way to new blood long before he did.

What is the cap tally of Kriel, currently? Are we going to see it with him, too?
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Im not sure anyone should be doubting Kriels selection is on merit imho. One of the top centres for a while.

His switch to wing in lieu of the Arendse injury not exactly some sort of Kriel selection conspiracy but Rassie overthinking his tactical substitutions in the moment.

And for all the selections of Willie, outside of Willemse, nobody has put their hand up for 15 position. Rassie seems adament on Fassi, which really wish he would let go.

The man certainly seems to have a bit of a stubborn streak, however, overthinking things, overengineering, very often leaves the very intelligent with blind spots to the obvious, which creates impression of arrogance, when just a blind spot.
 
MuterOfWorlds said:
Im not sure anyone should be doubting Kriels selection is on merit imho. One of the top centres for a while.

His switch to wing in lieu of the Arendse injury not exactly some sort of Kriel selection conspiracy but Rassie overthinking his tactical substitutions in the moment.

And for all the selections of Willie, outside of Willemse, nobody has put their hand up for 15 position. Rassie seems adament on Fassi, which really wish he would let go.

The man certainly seems to have a bit of a stubborn streak, however, overthinking things, overengineering, very often leaves the very intelligent with blind spots to the obvious, which creates impression of arrogance, when just a blind spot.
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My comments about cap-tally as selection cement was mainly because of something I personally heard Rassie say in a press conference or interview.

Iirc he explicitly said Willie will get to his 100th cap. And he said this long before Willie actually did.

Am I reading too much into it? Perhaps. But I don't think so.

To me, Rassie feels he has to deliver in the way of selection when these players have been around a long time.

I personally think that is strategically problematic. Not least for players who have worked their way into better form but have much fewer caps. I can just imagine Rassie saying yes but the lesser-capped player has a lot more time ahead of him to get game time. Not hard to imagine him saying that.

It's possible he was just speaking off the cuff and he takes a different position. Maybe he will wait for a weaker team/match or whatever, to let the experienced player reach his personal milestone(which would still be problematic, to me) but I don't know.. that's why I said it's just a hunch.
 
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Rassie also has to keep the "balance" of the team in mind, so it's always going to be on merit.
 
lexity said:
My comments about cap-tally as selection cement was mainly because of something I personally heard Rassie say in a press conference or interview.

Iirc he explicitly said Willie will get to his 100th cap. And he said this long before Willie actually did.

Am I reading too much into it? Perhaps. But I don't think so.

To me, Rassie feels he has to deliver in the way of selection when these players have been around a long time.

I personally think that is strategically problematic. Not least for players who have worked their way into better form but have much fewer caps. I can just imagine Rassie saying yes but the lesser-capped player has a lot more time ahead of him to get game time. Not hard to imagine him saying that.

It's possible he was just speaking off the cuff and he takes a different position. Maybe he will wait for a weaker team/match or whatever, to let the experienced player reach his personal milestone(which would still be problematic, to me) but I don't know.. that's why I said it's just a hunch.
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Rassie didnt say what he did about Willie in the way it seems you interpreted it, but that said, I see pundits and content creators regularly framing things very poorly for engagement and other nonsense, stirring rubbish, misleading the public to stay 'relevant' as gotta push those buttons to keep viewers interest.

As you say, it took a while before it happened and a big reason for that was because Willie played himself out the team, but then, injuries to Willemse and other things, Willie has found his way back, and honestly, while maybe dont rate Willie, until very recently, nobody besides Willemse has been putting their hand up to make the position their's and no, Kolbe and other players being 'capable' is not an example of players putting their hands up, as to move players from their best positions to fill the gap isnt a solution, is not sustainable as well as Willie, while not at his best, still has alot of value to give back to players like Fassi and even Willemse in IP/experience to hand down.
 
sand_man said:
We're thin at 15. Who's challenging Willie for the 15 jersey? Fassi? I think many would take their chances with Willie. If there was a clear cut bolter at 15 who wasn't getting game time, you may have a point.

Jesse is on 90 caps. Why would any coach in their right mind drop him? Another area where we are painfully thin btw at centre (12/13)... Jesse and DDA is widely regarded as one of the worlds best centre pairings...
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:unsure:

Willemse > Fassi > Other 15's in SA > Me > My oupa > Drunk bergie on the corner begging away > Willie.
 
I don't understand the issue at 15. Cheslin will do great work there if needed and we still have other great wings. Sasha too, and if Willemse have a long term injury or lose form, they can train Sasha for a permanent 15 spot.

PS Manie is still our best 10.
 
Werner1975 said:
My choices for 15 - Willemse, Fassi (when in form), Quan Horn from the Lions.
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Correct. Having said that, we thin at 12,13 and 15.

DDA gets injured and you have a proper dilemma.

I would move Willemse to 12, Sacha to 15 and Manie at 10...

Andre the giant is the obvious replacement but I'm not entirely sure he is a world class starting 12. Ethan Hooker is another who is a specialist 12. Wouldn't mind seeing him get some minutes off the bench at 12, sooner rather than later. Maybe Nations cup in November?
 
Waiting on the NZ team announcement....

1
2 Taylor
3 Newell
4 Holland
5 Tuipulotu
6 Vaa'i
7 Jacobson
8 Ardie
9 Cam
10 Love
11 Moorby
12 Jordie
13 Quinn
14 Will
15 Dmac
16 Asafo Aumua
17 Bower
18 Lomax
19 Sam Darry
20 Simon Parker/Pete Lakai
21 KP
22 Richie Mo'unga
23 Rieko Ioane
 
..
247ce6e8be561a6f52b3d57ee20ef916.jpg
 
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