I remember about six'ish years back. The ABs and Boks had just finished a match and people were discussing it, as always.
Specifically, I remember myself saying that it felt like the ABs were creaking. It turns out that post was relatively accurate because since then they have been on a slowish downward trajectory. I'm not saying that they suddenly turned into a bad team or started losing every other game. More that they began losing games that they would previously have won without too much trouble. Since then, they lost a series to Ireland in NZ, the Argies beat them a few times, the Boks have had more success against them too.
The Boks have now experienced a similar, if not as dominant, period as the ABs had with Hansen. The questions is, are the Boks creaking?
I think the big difference with that AB side and the current Boks is that replacements for the AB greats weren't necessarily forthcoming and obvious. For the Boks, unless I'm totally misjudging the picture, it really does appear as though there are sufficient and perhaps better replacements in some positions. I was previously concerned about our front row when Malherbe, Kitshoff and Koch left but they were replaced and the pack appears to have gotten even stronger. And as you look through the list of guys that are on their way out, there aren't really too many alarm bells ringing in terms of where to find replacements. As mentioned on another thread, we won't ever find like for like replacements for Cheslin or Eben, and that's just how it is, but there are much more than two players in a squad and for most of the oldies there are very worthy replacements.
The guy that will be the most difficult to replace, in my view anyway, is going to be Marx. Not that he's necessarily a better player than Kolbe or Eben, but he is in the mix and gets his hands on the ball much more than they do, and his impact on games in massive. How crucial were those steals of his yesterday? How about that tackle to end the half?
So, i do wonder, looking from the outside, as i looked from the outside at the ABs, is there a feeling that the Boks might be creaking?
I guess one just never knows until the oldies are actually gone. We can look at individual performances, but trying to divine synergy when you are not literally inside the team is almost impossible.
What do you guys think, how is are the next five years looking?
Dave, try to put together a squad of about 45 players for the 2031 WC, let's see where we are.
