Backs that could make a difference

There is ample talent but poor intellectual capital.

Beeno I won't play De Klerk at scrummie - he was given ample opportunities and did not live up to the hype. Schreuder showed some real improvement over Cronje when he came on yesterday. The two scrummies who impressed me lately was Ivan van Zyl and Papier of the Bulls. I like Werner Kok, but like Senatla he is a Sevens specialist. I would rather look at Mapimpi or Nkost as wings. I would also look at Pollard and Willemse in the Super Rugby series before making up my mind about the flyhallf position. I think Pollard may make the grade - but his development since Meyer and Ludeke got hold of him was negative. Mitchell may get him right next year, I agree with you about Rohan Janse van Rensburg and Vorster, but will also add Odendaal to the mix. Wach out also for Jackson of the Bulls next year - Mitchell has the abiolity to bring out the best in backline players.

Willie and Frans should have been playing. Only Pollard among the current group is a clear choice....Lleyds is creative but erratic. Of the rest Nkosi looks talented. Vorster is competent but slow. Rohan is a poor defender. Combrink is slow. Du Preez is a test prospect. Faf is bench at best. Werner needs to play a full Super season. OTHER THAN Frans and Willie there are no obvious answers but they could make a huge difference. I would have picked van Wyk on the wing though....he is solid and strong.

Duplication

Mozart You must be kidding - Frans Steyn is too poor to even make the grade in club competitions - he was horribly poor in his last three games for Montpellier. He is not a test level player anymore --- fact is he was piss-poor in his last few tests for the Springboks in 2012 already. By the way Vorster is faster than Steyn by a mile - but you talk about slow centers and defense, If a player missed 66% of attempted tackles in a club game like Steyn did yesterday, Van Rensburg is a ten times better defender than Steyn. It was not only yesterday when Steyn's defense let him down - it was evident when he played for the Sharks in 2013, 2014 and 2015 as well.

Horribly poor in his last three games. Care to elaborate?

If you did not see the matches and see how piss poor Steyn was stop commenting on issues, But then one must expect comments from the biggest fool ever.

Even Habanna and JPP would be an improvement on our current back 3 rabble.

And how much better were JP and Habana 2 years ago when Tokkie wanted to drop them.....I’m still waiting for the brave new world. One thing is for sure HM was dead right sticking to our veterans. The current crop who we were supposed to promote in 2015 are embarrassing.

Nice selections Moz!!! Funny how you're supposed to be the conservative praiser of the kicking game, yet select Faf, Willie and Kok. With Kwagga's recent form and natural ability both on attack and defence, I'd be tempted to have him outside of JSVR. Blasphemy, I know.

No Mozart Come now - when did I want to drop Habana and JP two years ago? Habana and JP dropped themselves last year through poor performances and that is when I pointed out that their performances was sub-par. Allow me to point out another misleading aspect about Meyer's last year or so as coach. The Springboks lost against Ireland and Wales in the EOYT in 2014 as well and the embarrassment of losing to Japan by the most experienced team ever fielded by the Springboks during the 2015 WC was indications of where the teams chosen by Meyer were disastrous as well. I also want to point out the major loss against Argentina at home in 2015 Super Rugby series, Meyer was almost as clueless as Coetzee insofar as team select5ion is concerned abd their non-existent game plan was on par. So stick to facts please.

Plum I believe in ball in hand rugby and scoring backline tries. But I don’t believe in phase play inside your own 22. I’ve never seen a study on that, but I bet it leads to opposition points more than points for you. I also don’t believe an emphasis on attack needs to lead to poor tactical kicking or flabby defence. We rely far too much on our forwards to score tries, particularly from close range...we need a player like Rohan. He is our best line breaker at centre, but he has to improve his tackling and defensive nous to survive at international level.

Plum Kwagga would make a fine center. Werner Kok is a Bok . Huge talent. Dispite Dr Mozzzzz's misunderstanding of matters there is real talent available but nobody to put it together. Kwagga and Werner see space and have all the skills in the world. Man its its frustrating to see the bumbling going on. Mapimpi or Nkost as wings are a consideration. Fast and of and look to be of a reasonable size Mike. Van Wyk is also useful

Beeno Taking into account the above I weould say there is player development and selection possible in respect of the following players:- Full Back I would not drop Coetzee altogether - he is good under high balls - but showed decline when playing a poor kicking game and crashballing, though even as a rule the Springboks did not lose ball possession when he did crashball. He should return to the way he played for the Lions - I think Coetzee was bad medicine in his case. Willie will also be a prospect - he is doing very well for his club as well, He also developed negatively under Meyer and Coetzee with similar negative indications as Coetzee. The other player I would consider - but he needs a lot more exposure is Gelant. We will have to see how he progresses under Mitchell - who will have a vastly superior impact on young players compared to the ridiculous Ludeke and Marais could ever have. Wings To be quite frank the wing selection of Coetzee was scandalous. Meyer persisted at the time with Habana and Pietersen - but Habana and JP ran out of steam and that was clear in the 2016 in tests, So they are not the answer anymore. I would pool the following for selection:- Combrinck (he is a reasonable long distant penalty kicker at goal as well) Van Wyk Nkosi Mapimpi Centers Here we have a farce as well. Kriel is not a center at all and De Allende after a marvelous number of years at center for the Stormers went sour as well. I think the problem here is also the coaches and I would definitely not consider him at present as a center, He developed all the BS tendencies associated with the Meyer and Coetzee seriously defective coaching and game plan approaches, The following should be considered as far as I am concerned:- Janse van Rensburg Vorster Odendaal Jackson Halfbacks My selection would be Pollard (if Mitchell can get him to play proper rugby), Du Preez and the player to watch next year in Super Rugby will be Willemse. I do not think that Bosch wll make the grade due to lack of physicality (he failed because of that in the 2017 Under 20 WC) and I think he will be used at full back by Du Preez in Super Rugby next year. I would select the scrummies from Schreuder, Venter, Ivan van Zyl and Papier. The latter two are both with the Bulls and one would have to see what Mitchll would do in Super rugby next year. If he picks them ahead of the uninspiring and often absent Paige to play for the Bulls in Super Rugby it would be an indication of what is to happen in future. Cronje was a kicking disaster in all the games he played in - so to my mind he is a definite non-contender, Based on present performances my starting backline would be as follows:- 15 Le Roux 14 Combrinck 13 Vorster 12 Janse van Rensburg 11 Mapimpi 10 Du Preez 9 Schreuder However, the 2018 Super Rugby series and the new coach (if appointed) will have a major impact on what is to happen. Heaven help the Springboks if useless Coetzee is retained,

Not a bad backline Mike. I don't agree about Kriel though he has talent. This whole issue is bedeviled by poor strategy and coaching. I believe the ab backline would flounder in the Bok regime. We know Jantjes cant play under Alistair and now we see Andries Coetzee NEVER passing the ball. I really wonder what Rassie will be allowed to do.

The fact is that we have ample depth right now in both the forwards and backs. The only down side is experience. Bringing players like Willie and Steyn back would not hurt the cause, provided their roles are as senior players who don't necessarily start but who can be relied upon to guide the younger guys. Quotas and politics aside, looking through all the talent available should be a mouthwatering prospect for any potential coach. I really feel that under the right boss our present pack could dominate everyone, including the ABs. If the backs are coached properly they could be very successful off the back of their dominant forwards despite not necessarily being the best in the world. We should easily be in the top three. For me, the telling factor is when I look at the amount of players we have that would stroll into teams that we are presently losing to, yet don't crack the know for Bok selection. It makes no sense. None at all.

The only obvious talent we are missing is Duhan Van Der Merwe https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Duhan_van_der_Merwe we need to get this kid back. Seems to have fantastic skills but because he plays wing won't get a look in. We need a winger of his size, speed and skill to compete against the likes of Ioni, North etc.

""If you did not see the matches and see how piss poor Steyn was stop commenting on issues, But then one must expect comments from the biggest fool ever."" I still do not know why you have not been contracted by SARU because you seem to be the only one among many well known rugby experts who knows best. You are after all entitled to your opinion immaterial how pathetically idiotic they may seem.

Another BS spouter is back - welcomwe back - but realize we don't need the kind of BS you specialize in on site,

""Another BS spouter is back - welcomwe back - bu realizwe qwe d n\notneed the kind of BS you specialize in on site,"" Learn to type before you sprout your pathetic opinion, it simply reinforces the fact that you are as dumb as shit.

Howzit Mack!