Everyone seems to be aspiring coaches and selectors and week after week we watch matches and air our views where we either slate the coach or sing his praises.
So, I would like to invite every Blogger to post his or her 23 players for the First upcoming Springbok Test against Ireland. Also I will put this up for each Test so we can eventually see who gets it right overall as well as each individual Test.
In the team you must choose from the players available and not players you are aggrieved about not being there, this is about trying to see if you can understand your Bok coach, it is not about whether you like or do not like him.
The team can be either about what the team should be as per your point of view, or if you are not sure select the 23 players as you think the coach will select, also remember with the new laws up north you need to have a full front row on the bench and thus the selection is now 23 players and not 22.
Take into account that we have no knowledge as to the 32nd player which has not been named yet, when this player is named and does play in the 1st Test you will get acknowledgement for that player.
Springbok squad
FORWARDS: Willem Alberts, Arno Botha, Schalk Brits, Pat Cilliers, Marcell Coetzee, Jannie du Plessis, Eben Etzebeth, Juandré Kruger, Francois Louw, Tendai Mtawarira, Chiliboy Ralepelle, Gurthrö Steenkamp, Adriaan Strauss, CJ van der Linde, Flip van der Merwe, Franco van der Merwe, Duane Vermeulen.
BACKS: Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers (capt), Francois Hougaard, Elton Jantjies, Zane Kirchner, Pat Lambie, Lionel Mapoe, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, JP Pietersen, Raymond Rhule, Morné Steyn, Jaco Taute, Jano Vermaak.
Apart from flyhalf, it should be relatively easy…
OK, here goes:
15. Zane Kirchner
14. JP Pietersen
13. Juan de Jongh
12. Jean de Villiers
11. Francois Hougaard
10. Patrick Lambie
9. Ruan Pienaaar
8. Duane Vermeulen
7. Willem Alberts
6. Francois Louw (if injured Marcell Coetzee)
5. Juandré Kruger
4. Eben Etzebeth
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. Adriaan Strauss
1. Tendai (Beast) Mtawarira
Replacements:
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. Gurthro Steenkamp
18. Pat Cilliers
19. Flip van der Merwe
20. Marcell Coetzee (Arno Botha if Marcell is a starter)
21. Elton Jantjies
22. Jaco Taute
23. Lionel Mapoe or Raymond Rhule
I’ve selected Francois Hougaard on left wing, to cover scrumhalf also…. and I’ve placed Jaco Taute on the bench because I think he might replace Kirchner in the game.
I’ve left Morné Steyn out in the hope that Heyneke Meyer is bold enough to let Lambie and Jantjies have a good go at flyhalf.
The selection of Lionel Mapoe or Raymond Rhule is made because both cover outside centre AND wing.
It’s early in the week, so my early selection is rather bold, not knowing who is favoured during actual practice.
Well from the Sunday Papers yesterday and from Newspapers abroad then if they have anything to go by this will be the starting team against Ireland:
15 Taute
14 JPP
13 JdJ
12 JdV
11 Hougie
10 Lambie
9 Ruan
8 Vermeulen
7 Alberts
6 Flo
5 Kruger
4 Eben
3 Jannie
2 Strauss
1 Beast
That is who all the papers are saying will start. That would be my starting too, well maybe as I would love to see Rhule get a chance or Mvovo. Hougie is a damn good player so hoping he has a good game on Saturday and not what we saw of him in the RC.
If Meyer does select that team just have wonder why the heck he never chose THAT team for ABs at Soccer City? Where the fields were dry? Now we going to play on wet heavy fields. Just hope we go well, because if that team does get selected and we allowed to play with some attack (if conditions allow for it), then think we on the right track for now. Have to see how they go.
On the bench they never mentioned so this would be my choice:
Chili
Steenkamp
Cilliers
Flip
Marcel
Elton (but on the wet fields probably HM will select Morne)
Zane
Mapoe (because he can cover wing and centre, otherwise would have loved to see Rhule getting 15min game time)
Come on Bokke, just do it, play some good rugby for your supporters back home to be proud of. Win or lose if we play some attractive positive rugby I will feel proud of our team, not the rubbish they dished up in the RC.
Go Bokke!
My preferred team would have been slightly different though, considering who is on tour….
MY team would have been:
15. Jaco Taute
14. JP Pietersen
13. Lionel Mapoe
12. Juan de Jongh
11. Raymond Rhule
10. Elton Jantjies
9. Ruan Pienaaar
8. Duane Vermeulen
7. Willem Alberts
6. Francois Louw (if injured Marcell Coetzee)
5. Juandré Kruger
4. Eben Etzebeth
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. Adriaan Strauss
1. Tendai (Beast) Mtawarira
Replacements:
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. Gurthro Steenkamp
18. Pat Cilliers
19. Flip van der Merwe
20. Marcell Coetzee (Arno Botha if Marcell is a starter)
21. Francois Hougaard
22. Patrick Lambie
23. Jean de Villiers
In other words, Jean de Villiers would not have made my run-on side but the bench… should some of the selections of youngsters go to pot. I would have gambled a bit with a couple of youngsters in the backline… just to get a NEW attitude on attack ensconsed into the side. I would only have played this way, however, IF and only IF the game plan also constituted playing more ball in hand rugby.
The forwards are a settled bunch now, they have played well against the best the Southern Hemisphere could muster (All Blacks)… it is the backline where new vision and direction is required.
1 @ grootblousmile:
Ja Rhule can play outside centre too, but feel his best position is on the wing. Mapoe covers both outside centre and wing probably equally good, then thinking about it, he plays outside centre a bit better than when he is on the wing.
4 @ grootblousmile:
Well you almost had my preferred team there as well. Here is the team I would have selected, almost the same as yours. Elton’s defence was not great against the ABs boeta. So he would not be starting in my team, on the bench coming in later once we have a nice lead.
15 Jaco
14 JPP
13 Mapoe
12 JDJ
11 Rhule (YES! for sure)
10 Lambie
9 Hougie (no stupid box kicks just play his natural game)
8 Botha
7 Marcel
6 Flo
5 Kruger
4 Eben
3 Jannie
2 Strauss (capt)
1 Beast
Now if the fields are dry and weather is great, bloody hell that team could do damage.
Saying that Jaco’s defence truly cost us against ABs. Then if he starts at fullback think he would be fine there.
6 @ Puma:
The reason I have Elton Jantjies starting and not Lambie, is that Lambie gives more options from the bench, covering flyhalf, inside centre and fullback…. whereas Jantjies would cover flyhalf and flyhalf alone.
Your bench has to be flexible and more versatile… but knowing you and Sharkies supporters in general, in your eyes it is a mortal sin not to start with Lambie… he is your golden boy, wonder child, Sharks protege… can do no wrong in your eyes… but heck every oke is allowed his choices, hey!
PS! I’m not dissing Lambie, as far as I’m concerned he is better that Morne is at present.
6 @ Puma:
Okay the fields will be wet and heavy there. So change that loose trio too:
8 Marcell
7 Alberts
6 Flo
I do think Vermeulen is a top class player and will be very good on the wet fields, but I like my 8 to have more speed, he is just too slow otherwise he is top class. Marcell can play 8 and think he would be awesome there.
8 @ grootblousmile:
Man you thinking like our Bok Coach now. Why would you not start with your best flyhalf and only have him on the bench for in case of a injury? Crazy thinking and that cost us dearly this season and the reason we lost the RC was starting with the wrong fh. WE MUST get it right now, start with the best fh not leave him to rot on the bench just because he is very good in a few positions.
10 @ Puma:
I know YOU are thinking Lambie is the best… I don’t… I think he and Elton Jantjies are about level pegging… and I lean towards Jantjies as a starter… that is MY idea of how it is.
Just like you do not rate Duane Vermeulen, whereas I do and where I think he provides much more at No 8 than anybody else… whilst keeping the fine balance in the loosies in tune. Nothing was wrong with our loosies in the last 3 Tests, why would one change that to experiment? If it aint broken, why change?
11 @ grootblousmile:
Fine that is your choice then why question my choice? Okay I questioned your choice first……
Go and read the Shark Tank thread of yesterday and read post 318 actually all of that posters posts. I think you have let a troll slip in boet.
12 @ Puma:
I saw that, but one can’t be too pedantic… if he oversteps the line, he will get attention from me.
This site is not a Police State or an Autocracy.. we have to be a bit lenient and see how someone behaves….
You know me, I won’t take needless shit, or an offensive and irritable blogger!
Sometimes new bloggers are of the opinion that the “offensive style of blogging” is the accepted norm, because that is what they are used to elsewhere and perceive it as the natural style to blog with…
They will learn… don’t fret!
I think if Meyer does not start with Morne he will have Morne on the bench. He won’t leave him out totally on this tour. If Lambie is starting it will be Morne on the bench. If Elton starts it will be Morne on the bench. If Morne starts it will be Lambie on the bench. That is how I see it. Morne will not be left out, knowing Meyer.
13 @ grootblousmile:
No problems thought you never saw it.
14 @ Puma:
Probably so… and that’s where Meyer and myself differ….
… that and about game plan…. I want more ball-in-hand rugby… I want us to force our pattern of play on the opposition, and kicking ball away drastically takes away from that opportunity.
13 @ grootblousmile:
Did you read that John Mitchell wants to carry on being head coach for the Lions? Read it on Sports24. If so I personally think it is a good thing. He really did turn them around as a team, this year there were just too many injuries to that team to do well. Also they don’t have the depth to cover the injured players. So I don’t blame him for them losing so much this year.
15 @ Puma:
Thanks for the heads-up… continue to do so… as I might miss a thing or 2 sometime….
16 @ grootblousmile:
Think we all want to see that gbs. Was hoping to see in on our turf against ABs. Now with the heavy wet fields it could be more of the same with the kicking game plan.
17 @ Puma:
I saw that… and was about to put an Article up to that effect… GLRU won’t take him back, they’d rather then offer him a settlement, watch my words.
The trust is irrevocably shattered, from management and player ranks… to realistically they can’t continue with him on a fruitful basis.
20 @ grootblousmile:
Ja have no idea how it will turn out. Pity we lose him here in SA. As he is a top class coach, no matter what he done, as it might not have been that bad now, he still got the Lions to play some beautiful rugby. If only he had that team and a fully fit team for next year, he would do very well. Now the Lions are broken for sure, not sure how long it will be to build them up again, even if they get all the players back, which I doubt. Pity.
21 @ Puma:
Look, I cannot divulge the rumours I had heard about Mitchell, specially that he has now apparently been found not guilty.
All that I’m saying is that I think all bounds of TRUST is now shattered!
22 @ grootblousmile:
That must go without saying the trust between all must be ruined. Pity.
@ grootblousmile:
You see that great music thread that Sharky and I got together yesterday on the Tank thread? Well keep it for December and bring it up during that time. We have some awesome music videos on that thread. Good to have when we don’t have any rugby on to talk about.
24 @ Puma:
Sorry, just got interrupted by someone who wanted to come show me something.
ok now i got time to post my team,
Who i think HM will select first
15. Zane Kirchner
14. JP Pietersen
13. Juan de Jongh
12. Jean de Villiers
11. Francois Hougaard
10. Morne Steyn
9. Ruan Pienaaar
8. Duane Vermeulen
7. Willem Alberts
6. Francois Louw
5. Juandré Kruger
4. Eben Etzebeth
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. Adriaan Strauss
1. Tendai (Beast) Mtawarira
Replacements:
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. Gurthro Steenkamp
18. Pat Cilliers
19. Flip van der Merwe
20. Marcell Coetzee
21. Elton Jantjies/Lambie
22. Jaco Taute
23. Lionel Mapoe or Raymond Rhule
Now the team i would select with the players available, I also might surprise some that i keep putting Morne in my squads, but i am not a morne hater, and i believe he still has much to offer, i also believe with the conditions up north he might just be needed more then we realise.
15. Jaco Taute
14. JP Pietersen
13. Juan de Jongh
12. Jean de Villiers
11. Lwazi Mvovo ( Raymond Rhule )
10. Patrick Lambie
9. Ruan Pienaaar
8. Marcel Coetzee
7. Willem Alberts
6. Francois Louw
5. Eben Etzebeth
4. Flip Vd Merwe (I would have prefferred Bakkies who is on standby)
3. Jannie du Plessis
2. Adriaan Strauss
1. Tendai (Beast) Mtawarira
Replacements:
16. Chiliboy Ralepelle
17. Gurthro Steenkamp
18. Pat Cilliers
19. Jandre Kruger
20. Duane Vermeulen
21. Arno Botha
22. Morne Steyn
23. Francois Hougaard
26 @ Sharks_forever: Rather than write it all out, I agree with your team. A good pack, when Bissy and Langbek are back, will be awesome. Some great talent in the wings too. Back line – would love to see Lambie at 10, however agree with GBS, the Ostrich will probably see him as a trench sitting journeyman, but I would like to be pleasantly surprised. Hougaard should be at Scrum half, or not in the starting line up. He is not the best wing, and if he is not seen as the best s/h, which clearly he is not, he should be on the bench in my opinion – as with Lambie, a Jack of all trades, master of none. He covers 2 positions and thus would make a better run on player. Crusty has done nothing wrong in the last couple of matches at f/b, and deserves to start. I hope that Taute is given enough game time to prove whether he should start ahead of Crusty or not. JdV must play, he is the Captain – bothhis spot and captaincy wrong in my opinion. Will be good to see JdJ and Jpp start.
Bench the same, although I think Lambie will get the nod over Jantjies because of his versatility, and Mapoe over Rhule
Just read on rugby365 that H. Van der Merwe is on standby. Reports suggest that Steenkamp is struggling with injury and Van der Merwe is on standby.
We are actually lucky now to have so many saffa players overseas playing. Doubt we will have a shortage on standby there if any other picks up injury! …… 🙂
28 @ Puma:
What still no call up for John Smit yet?
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