A Bok 22 for Heyneke

I'd start with the following team. The asterisked players will probably be gone by the next RWC, but we have to start the habit of winning. As we saw last year, our test squad was way better than the "B" team that played in the early TN matches. So choose your best team , today and evolve towards the next RWC.

This is my choice:

Lambie

Hougaard

Jean*

Fransie

Habana*

Morne

Pienaar

Beast

Bismarck

Jannie

Francois Louw

Bekker

Bakkies*

Schalk (capt)

Alberts

Reserves

de Jongh

Aplon

Jantjies

Steenkamp*

Strauss

Mostert

Kankowski

Some caveats.  I'm assuming the new coaches can help Kankowski by defining a cover role for him, using his speed and agility. But Ryan also has to grow a pair. I'm hoping Steenkamp can be taught to cover tighthead as well....otherwise we need a rethink. And I wouldn't hesitate to swop Brussouw or for that matter Keegan Daniel for Louw if they show some form and if Brussouw shows his body can hold up. But Brussouw was badly outplayed against Wales and again at the start of the Aussie QF.....so I have my doubts.

At this stage Hougaard is a better wing than a scrummie. I don't think he is as slick as Pienaar at 9....but that could change as he plays more for the Bools.

I'd like to change out Habana, but he is still much more of a competitor than the diffident Mvovo....maybe one of the youngsters will step up.

With due respect....

I really am not the biggest Morne fan.

I think we need to move forward and play a more rounded flyhalf. Perhaps there is argument to give him 1 more season to see hoe he fares... but otherwise we need to start getting our young guns Lambie and Elton into the mix a bit more at 10.

Pienaar at 9???? Come on. Unless he shows a remarkable return to form, you cant surely pick him ahead of Hougaard.

I agree on Kanko. I think he's been stuffed around way too much. he needs a definite role. Impact player supreme! :)

Frans and Jean??? COme on!

J Fourie has been our best player consistently over the past 3 - 4 years in the backline. He had an average world cup.

Id stick with him and JDV and from there see bring Frans off the bench. I'd like Frans to start getting more game time at12.... then in a year or 2 replace JDV (unless he shows some old form).

Steenkamp should start... no quesions asked!

Jannie to me is way overrated. Doesnt offer that much.

Im also not the biggest FLO fan. I think Brussouw is the real deal.

Otherwise, the rest looks fine.

You get a 70% pass mark for Bok selection.

:)

Morne is by far the most rounded 10 we have had in many, many years. Better than Naas. His distribution is very slick and he doesn't offload to a player in a worse position. We will never achieve adequate functionality without him. Lambie is a horror show at 10, Jantjies too easy to overwhelm physically, Grant the pop-gun no show, Ebersohn too risky and Butch is too old.

I would like to make a slight adjustment to your side Moz. Jean is not a viable option at 13. He is far too slow and far too vulnerable defensively. His poor distribution skills are also a concern. I would rather play de Jongh there as he has great stepping and speed, his pass off either hand is much more precise. He also has more urgency in his play. Overall Fourie is still our best 13, but if you must go outside of those two; ebersohn and de Jongh are the only options we have.

With regards Bekker. We really must find a better replacement. He is not adequate to fill the position but this becomes more a problem when coupled with his brittle bones. We cannot depend on him to last the distance and his inability to make any impact at test level is a very big concern. I thought Hargreaves did a good job last year.

It's important to note that our B side last year played very much like our A side in 2010. I don't think we should attribute those results with the quality of all those players as they were severely disadvantaged. Under Meyer they won't be thrown to the wolves.

My other gripe though is Louw. This guy has been grossly overrated. Consistently failed to deliver the goods aainst all but a woefully poor French side hammered by all and a very lethargic Italian side. Pienaar is an interesting call too. I can see the merits of Hougaard on the wing but I feel he will be more use at 9. 9 is the key position of the backline and Hougaard is far better than Genia. It's a nice and spicy combination with Morne and Frans. Put Schalk at 8 and magical things start happening. Just a thought.
 

Jean, Hougaard, Morne, Lambie  and Fransie all had vey good RWCs. I'd select them all....except I'd put Jean at 13 in place of Fury. His superior pace and ability to actually make a standard centre break will be a huge lift. No need to move Hougaard or Lambie....they are both world class in their current slots of wing and fullback.

A fit Bekker is a dominant force....in the lineouts, with ball in hand and even cover defending. The man is a magnificent athlete. Many players have had injuries early and then moved on to become quite robust later in their careers. Jean and Skinstad are two examples....hopefully this will apply to Bekker.

And Flash I agree Jannie is ordinary.....but what's the alternative?

Bekker's first and only 'dominant' showing was in the 2008 Aussie win. Nothing before or since. He has failed just as much as Olivier to make an impact at test level; both being dominant Super rugby performers. Skinstad had a different set of circumstances and Jean had very unfortunate and serious injuries. Disagree on Jean making a break. Fourie is by far the best strike runner at 13. Jean is too slow and painfully lethargic.

Lambie

Hougaard

Jean*

Fransie

Habana*

Morne

Sarel

Steenkamp/Coenie

Bismarck

Jannie

Francois Louw

Bekker

Bakkies*/Mostert/Etzebeth? - watch this space.

Schalk (capt)

Vermulen

Reserves

Jaque Fourie

Aplon

Jantjies/Goosen

Coenie

Strauss/Liebenberg

Etzebeth?

Kankowski

To be honest its a bit up in the air at the moment we need to see the guys performing in the Super 15.

Beast - h eneeds to up his work rate. h ehas the talent but loafs.

I am watching malherbe on the tighthead with interest.

Etzebeth - how  will this monster go. Is bakkie scoming back - ditto Juan.

If we build a dominant tight five how will brussouw go.

Wil elton ot Fourie move ahead of Morne this  season?

Like the idea of a Frans/Jean combo. Jean has the skills to set up the wings.

Would be tempted to give Sarel and Elton a go. Du Preez and Morne were no attacking threat at the WC.

The point though is we have the established players and should not try to bring in the youngsters over a period of time.

Card Beker was SA Super 14 player of the year. He in not fragile but cant be played every game!

 I'd start afresh and bring in more youngsters - my 22 would be:

15. Lambie 14. JP 13. Taute 12. Frans 11. Mvovo 10. Jantjies 9. Hougaard 1. Beast 2. Bismark 3. Mujati 4. Flip 5. Bekker 6. Brussouw 7. Schalk 8. Spies 16. Pienaar 17. Sadie 18. v/d Heever 19. Coenie 20. Chiliboy 21. Etsebeth 22. J.Strauss

Out with the old boys who have passed their prime or who were just not the answer - Aplon, Habana, Fourie, Jean, Morne, du Preez, Steenkamp, Smit , Jannie, Bakkies, Matfield and Smith.

As for your takes on Jannie - have to completely disagree, Jannie has been great for the past 2 seasons. The only time he has struggled is when Smit has played prop. 

Agreed Fourie over Jean - Jean is now past it and no way is he quicker than Fourie......but saying that, I'd play the exciting Taute at 13, the lad is the future - great strength, pace and swerve - always looking for work. Play him outside Frans. As for tighthead - there is only one answer and that is Mujati - good to hear Meyer wants him on board - he would be the first player I would secure the services of as new Bok coach

Fury is carthorse slow over the first 20 metres....which is why he NEVER makes a speed break past a centre. He can beat forwards, bump off small backs (read the concussed O Gara) , but he never beats his opposite centre. Which is why when Jean broke against Oz, it was Lambie not Fury backing up Jean's searing break. When he gets his legs going at full speed he may be as quick as Jean.....but not over the first 20 metres which is 90% of the game in rugby.

Dave your youngster team is not that dissimilar to our B team last year. If Meyer went that way we'd win at best one of six TN matches. Meyer is too smart to make that amateur mistake

 Now now Moz, you cant fabricate things and expect us to take you seriously.......I dont think a single player in my side above played in that Bok B side you mention......if there were some, it might have been Mvovo and Flip.

My side is better than yours.....Habana is long shot, Mvovo has more energy. Jean is a 12 and would be left for dead at 13, besides he is an old man now. Taute is a far better option - will bring speed, swerve and energy to the position. Jantjies is a far better attacking force than ponderous Morne. Mujati would chew up Jannie for breakfast. Bakkies best days are long gone, Flip is the new. I cant recall when last Alberts had a meaningful game - he first broke onto the scene with a clout, that was some time ago now - give me Spies anyday. How the hell can you discard Brussouw on the srength of the so called domination by Warberton......come on, Brussouw had just come back from injury. Warberton is a shit hot player, but Brussouw is better. Louw is good but like Schalk he is no true fetcher - both are far too big for the roles.

Your side would resemble a conservative Pom side - we can do far better than that........stick with my young class