The Rugby Thread - Part Deux

Our sides are looking tired and lethargic.

Quite a scrappy Stormers game, Bulls looked good against a heavily depleted Munster who have issues off the field to deal with too and the Lions were simply outclassed by what is essentially the Irish national team.

Sacha has picked up an ankle injury which Dobson suggests is quite serious. What a huge loss that would be for both Stormers and Boks...

Boks start an arduous test campaign in just over a months time with what looks like will be a heavily depleted squad. Not ideal at all...

Just some of the players out of contention for the 20th of June Barbarians test and beyond....

Frans Malherbe
Trevor Nyakane
Bongi Mbonambi
RG Snyman
Lood de Jager
Eben Etzebeth
Ruan Venter
PSDT
Morne van den Berg
Cobus Reinach
Jaden Hendrikse
Grant Williams
Ethan Hooker
Aphelele Fassi
 
sand_man said:
Our sides are looking tired and lethargic.

Quite a scrappy Stormers game, Bulls looked good against a heavily depleted Munster who have issues off the field to deal with too and the Lions were simply outclassed by what is essentially the Irish national team.

Sacha has picked up an ankle injury which Dobson suggests is quite serious. What a huge loss that would be for both Stormers and Boks...

Boks start an arduous test campaign in just over a months time with what looks like will be a heavily depleted squad. Not ideal at all...

Just some of the players out of contention for the 20th of June Barbarians test and beyond....

Frans Malherbe
Trevor Nyakane
Bongi Mbonambi
RG Snyman
Lood de Jager
Eben Etzebeth
Ruan Venter
PSDT
Morne van den Berg
Cobus Reinach
Jaden Hendrikse
Grant Williams
Ethan Hooker
Aphelele Fassi
Click to expand...
Not all of them out for the whole season.
 
Ja, sad news about Sasha. Our injury list is starting to become worrying.
Congrats to the Bulls and Stormers for getting into the semis. Both our teams battled a bit before pulling away in the end. Bulls could upset Glasgow but I'm not sure if the Stormers have enough firepower left to beat Leinster.
As for my Lions, the gulf in class and talent was stated properly, taking a 49-point hiding. A lot of basic errors and uncharacteristic play cost them huge. They turned up at the venue but didn't put up much of a fight. But, that said, first time we got into the top 8 and qualify for the Champions Cup. So overall a good season for them.
 
Good thing is we have enough depth for the injured players.

The Boks are going to stacked with Bull/Stormers and some of the Japanese contingent.
 
Werner1975 said:
Ja, sad news about Sasha. Our injury list is starting to become worrying.
Congrats to the Bulls and Stormers for getting into the semis. Both our teams battled a bit before pulling away in the end. Bulls could upset Glasgow but I'm not sure if the Stormers have enough firepower left to beat Leinster.
As for my Lions, the gulf in class and talent was stated properly, taking a 49-point hiding. A lot of basic errors and uncharacteristic play cost them huge. They turned up at the venue but didn't put up much of a fight. But, that said, first time we got into the top 8 and qualify for the Champions Cup. So overall a good season for them.
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So all im reading here is Sacha will be fresh for the world cup :D
 
Several seasons of non-stop rugby was bound to cash in on the injury front at some point.

A year out from the RWC. As good a time as any, but unfortunately we have something important on our doorstep. If not for that, I would not be worried.
 
netstrider said:
Several seasons of non-stop rugby was bound to cash in on the injury front at some point.

A year out from the RWC. As good a time as any, but unfortunately we have something important on our doorstep. If not for that, I would not be worried.
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Yip.

The All Blacks took a step backwards under Razor. Rennie is a different proposition. I expect the All Blacks to be a different beast under his tenure.

Some potential selection headaches developing for Rassie and co.

Embrose has been in scintillating form this season but his kicking game, particularly box kicking, is a bit weak. And who is our number 2 9? Faf perhaps?

Locks? Lood playing again in Japan is great news and Ruan has been imperious for the Bulls but who else? Adri? Rueben? Moerat? Jenkins? JJ?

Hooker if Marx is out? Grobbelaar? Andre-hugo?

Lots to consider ahead of what is perhaps one of the most intriguing, compelling and challenging test seasons in Bok history.
 
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sand_man said:
Yip.

The All Blacks took a step backwards under Razor. Rennie is a different proposition. I expect the All Blacks to be a different beast under his tenure.

Some potential selection headaches developing for Rassie and co.

Embrose has been in scintillating form this season but his kicking game, particularly box kicking, is a bit weak. And who is our number 2 9? Faf perhaps?

Locks? Lood playing again in Japan is great news and Ruan has been imperious for the Bulls but who else? Adri? Rueben? Moerat? Jenkins? JJ?

Hooker if Marx is out? Groebelaar? Andre-hugo?

Lots to consider ahead of what is perhaps one of the most intriguing, compelling and challenging test seasons in Bok history.
Click to expand...
Never moerat, not for anything ever
 
Heisenborg said:
Never moerat, not for anything ever
Click to expand...
Such an interesting bloke.

Played A team throughout his school career, captained the 1sts at Paarl boys, SA schools, SA U20s, Stormers etc etc etc highly rated by Rassie...

But since then? Perpetually out injured and/or not showing the form that made him such a formidable school boy prodigy.

It's a tough gig, pro rugby...
 
Werner1975 said:
Jeez, it seems every week a player picks up an injury. Marx is a big loss. Luckily we have good replacements but still.
Click to expand...
Yes, we got some quality hookers but not in the same class as Marx. Not even close.... IMHO...

Nature of the beast!! It's developing into a bit of a problem. Yes, injuries are part and parcel of rugby union, but there are acceptable and manageable attrition rates and then there's the attrition rate currently impacting the Bok's squad composition. It's close to out of hand...

While Rassie has worked hard to develop depth, I'm not sure he was expecting to lean on said depth to the extent he is likely to, this test season.

At full strength I would give the Boks a 30% of a clean sweep against NZ and a 70% chance of winning the test series. Now, I would say it's 15% and 50%....
 
Werner1975 said:
To be optimistic, maybe its a good thing, (injuries), to test and develop our depth so that the next player is prepared when he is called upon to fill in.
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Yeah, no doubt. Strength is built through adversity. Still... would be nice going into the test season at close to full strength...
 
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