Are there still any JJ doubters out there

I said from day 1 this lad was my favourite for the Bok 13 spot. I was also keen to see Taute be given an extended run there, but JJ's pace trumps anything Taute could bring to the role.

 

What caught my eye was the balance with which he runs, the lad glides and has such good feet enabling him to beat his man both on the inside and outside. But most importantly he has real gas and always looks to beat the man with pace and skill - you hardly ever see him take contact. 

 

He also has good strength, some of his hits yesterday showed that. While Jean is doing a good holding jon at 12, I am looking forward to the day Serfontein and JJ are partners at test level. 

 

Creativity and flair at 12 in Serfontein and some real pace and skill at 13 in JJ. Add the impressive le Roux at 15, Habana and JP on the wing and Goosen at 10, an inform Hougaard at 9 and we have the makings of a backline with real clout.

 

JJ's real test will come against Oz and NZ but he hardly has to have sleepless nights over Adam Ashley Cooper and Conrad Smith, both good players but JJ has nothing to fear

 

 

Saffex I am ready to admit that I was wrong in the past and that Engelbrecht really developed in his present position and is very good in attack. There are still minor problems on defence - but that could be eliminated by experience and coaching. The big difference in the Springbok backline is Le Roux. When he receives at pace the ball on the inside of players like Engelbrecht, Habana and Basson - he made the space that was never in evidence in the past - by drawing in defenders, passing at exactly the right time and taking tackles in the process. There is one huge difference - unlike in the past the ball never "dies" with him. I wrote down the same backline that you mentioned above - with the crucial difference that I see Reinach as the key scrummie of the future. Hougaard has now been struggling for two years - suffering from serious under-performance and injuries. I cannot see him developing beyond what he is at present. He has a critical deficiency - limited ball sense and a limited - if not poor - kicking game. Despite what you think about a kicking scrummie - he has to have that ability to make relieving kicks, as well as strategic kicks and Hougaard just does not have it

 Yes Willie is huge to the cause, he adds the creative clout and vision. Hougaard was good this year and he is by far our best attacking 9. I am right about the players I make calls on. Hougaard was fine this year and is our answer at 9.

 

I like Reinach, but I also like v/Zyl. Groom is not too bad either.

 

We are sorted for cover on the bench with players like v/Zyl, Reinach, Lambie, Taute, de Allende and Rhule.

 

In the forwards we just need to have Steph du Toit fit to partner Etzebeth at lock and we need Coenie to carry on his development at 3. We have loosies to burn in Kolisi, Elstadt, Labascagne, Coetzee, v/d Walt and Arno Botha moving forward.

Saffex Nice comments and I largely agree with you. However, like Francois Steyn - Hougaard has the idiomic "feet of clay" and you will take some time to get over that misconception. Hougaard never this year had any game where his performance could e regarded as above average - Vermaak was better than him in all games he played in and Vermaak is adequate, definitely not a house on fire. Reinach will yet prove that he is better than the present lot. At least he - like an Zyl - has ball sense missing in the cases of Hougaard and Vermaak