Backs for the YE tour

No doubt JP and Frans Steyn could help. Pd V made a strong case in the last few days for including Frans. And given the poor performance of our backs Rohan is an obvious pick. Are Jumbo, Venter and Sergeal really international prospects? Maybe, I certainly havent seen enough of them to judge. One thing is for sure though, we can't continue with the Allende, KRiel, JJ, Stepfontein, Mapoe cadre of flops. We need to find players to invest in that will gove us a return, not flush the opportunity down the toilet. JON CARDINELLI looks at the backline stars of the 2016 Currie Cup who could strengthen their claim for Springbok selection with a convincing showing in the domestic decider on Saturday. South African players are usually judged by their performances in the Super Rugby competition. It's in this tournament, which features international opposition, where players prove their readiness for Test rugby. That said, these are desperate times for South African rugby. The Boks have lost five out of nine Tests in 2016. In terms of personnel, the Boks should be looking to bolster their backline stocks ahead of the four-game tour to Europe in November. SARugbymag.co.za runs the rule over three players who will be looking to force their way into the Bok mix via a strong showing in the Currie Cup final in Bloemfontein. Several others, who are currently competing in the European leagues, should also be on the Bok selectors' radar. ?Sergeal Petersen (Cheetahs) The Bok selectors may be reluctant to pick Petersen due to his size (1.71m and 82kg). And yet, his impact with ball in hand this season has been difficult to ignore. The Cheetahs winger scored nine tries (the third most) in the Super Rugby tournament, and four to date in the Currie Cup. To put things in perspective, Petersen has only played 124 minutes of Currie Cup rugby this season. ?Jamba Ulengo (Bulls) In 2016, the Bulls have backed back-three players who have the size and strength to outmuscle their smaller counterparts in contact and in the air. Ulengo has proved himself to be a classy finisher, and has scored the joint-most tries (seven) in this year's Currie Cup. ?Francois Venter (Cheetahs) The Cheetahs No 13 has been lauded for his attacking influence at both Super Rugby and Currie Cup level. Where the Cheetahs have really improved over the past few months, though, is on defence. Venter has completed 42 out of 47 tackle attempts in the Currie Cup, and the Cheetahs as a unit conceded the fewest tries over the course of the league stage. OTHERS IN THE MIX FOR A CALL-UP ?Rohan Janse van Rensburg (Lions) Bok coach Allister Coetzee hasn't got his midfield selections right in 2016. South Africa have lacked a strong ball-carrying No 12 with the ability to dominate the gainline. Janse van Rensburg had a good Super Rugby tournament, and must be elevated to the Boks sooner rather than later. ?JP Pietersen (Leicester) It's hard to believe that Coetzee considered the powerfully built winger surplus to requirements in the recent Rugby Championship campaign. South Africa's loss has been Leicester's gain, as the 2007 World Cup-winner has produced a string of impressive performances in the English Premiership. The Boks could do with a player of Pietersen's skill set and experience on a tour to the northern hemisphere. ?Frans Steyn (Montpellier) The Boks will need more than one strong option at No 12 when they tour Europe. Steyn offers physicality as well as a world-class kicking game, and could be a real asset to a South African team looking to maintain its unbeaten record against England. Steyn has been in great form for Montpellier in France this season. Photo: Anne Laing/HM Images

I would pick Sergeal for Habana, Venter for JJ, Van Rensburg for Kriel, Frans for Mapoe...and Ulengo if Combrick is still injured.

Maybe JP for Lambie, if we still have Le Roux and Goosen i n the squad.

 Mozart
I do not  know what is going on with Pietersen - he did not play the past two Saturday - not even on the bench.   If he is not injured it shows what Leicester really finds him to be.   He lost pace badly and he is past the age where he will recover same.
As to Fat Fransie - he  is just not any good anymore.   He specializes in ball-hogging and his attacking play is in the main crashballing  - his defense is as bad a joke as is dear Morne's.   Good early promise - but equal early decline.   
 

 Changed my mind, what was I thinking??? Rhaymond Rhule instead of JP, definitely. When you think about it it's just logical...I can't see him in the 2019 RWC, but I can imagine Rhule in there


Maybe Habana in and Frans out, his best days are over and it would require a miracle to brong him back 2007/08 rh ythm.

We cant waste any more time on Allende, Kriel, Serfontein and Mapoe. They cant even play placeholder roles properly and will never be test match fixtures. Id rather experiment than continue watching the flaccid, timid performances of these 4 players.

 What about the useless rugby of the Steyns and De Jongh - MOPTA? 

Frans Steyn is solid, Yes everyone knows he will crash ball but at least he can get over the advantage line. He would fit well into Coetzee's plans

He also can offload in the tackle as PdV opines.

He certainly can- but he does not do this very often. Partly due to no game plan, partly because he hogs the ball. 

 So what happened to Kriel ? He looked the goods in the last Bok win against the ABs .

 With just three years to the RWC I  see no sense in hanging onto Habana, Frans and JP. Frans  ball hogs, Habana might be better than what's going around but hanging onto him eliminates possibilities for younger prospects. De Jong is not international level, a lightweight. Willie is no fullback or winger, too slow as a wing and a pap boot at 15.I'd like to see Burger Odendaal, Janse Van Rensburg , Ulengo and Venter given a chance, no thanx to the sardine Sergeal Peterson. There could be excuses for Mapoe but I'm stilled to be convinced that he is test level material.

I see Mozart's opening a door for himself ... again. I suppose he has no choice. 
Previously rejected players are now suddenly being considered. Suddenly Venter's name is on his lips and so is "Jumbo's" ... players previously too slow, too weak, too small ...  
What an arse!! 
I'm not sure what more Sergeal Petersen needs to do to warrant a look?
He impressed from day one with the Kings a few years back and showed us then that he has something special to offer. Even though he's a little small, he's deceptively strong on his feet and upper body and has pace to burn with a nasty step. Punches way above his body weight. He's a class player. 
The idiots still hanging on to JP, Habana and Fat Fransie will never wake up. They are as ignorant as they come. Fools to the end. Brain dead mor0ns. Rugby isn't a strength of theirs. 
How many more ignorant posts are they going to clutter this board with?
Janse van Rensburg is suddenly back in favour. To think some fools were quite prepared to cast him aside for the talentless Fat Fransie.
Apparently Fat Fransie has a world class kicking game ..."voer voer" and all!! 
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahhahahahahaaaaa!!!
Talk about being visually impaired.
Not sure how much longer the powerhouse Vorster will be out (my choice at 13) but I would love to see Janse van Rensburg and Venter slotted in at 12 and 13 respectively.
We'll soon see what the quota coach comes up with. I'm not holding my breath.

Poor old clueless Great Dane......more new players who you are absolutely convinced are going to succeeed in tests.....like Mapoe. I do think Venter is too slow, I have never opined on Jambo and Peterson will in probablity turn out to be too small when he actually is up against Savea. But I havent seen enough of them, particularly Jambo. Time to stop the fantasies.

 Vorster was becoming so promising...and then had that nasty knee injury just before the Super Rugby...we'll have to wait and see him next year!

And I know it's a little bit too early, but watch out for the guy standing next to Venter: Nico Lee. He may not seem like much, but hopefully he'll explode into the rugby scene in next Super rugby for the Cheetahs!

 And Fat Fransie is NOT SLOW, MIPTA?   He really is the pits from that perspective and his wacky knee makes it impossible to sidestep and move sideways to make tackles.     

 At this stage, SA rugby only path to justification is to be winner rugby.

This is way more than a demand over reaching test level. Every single player selected for a test game has a test level.

No, it is about winning. SA provide no players able to rise up to the challenge.

People can write all the lists they want, this fact wont change.

The surest way, if not the only, is to get the NZ team to play with a SA shirt. It wont happen.

Professional XV rugby must be disbanded in SA.

 I honestly don't know why you bother, Traditionalist. 
Nobody reads your hogwash ... I tried once. 
All the "excellent men" this and the "excellent men" that sounds like a desperate attempt to come across as philosophical ... come across as someone deep and intelligent.
Sorry, bud ... but it's not working.