biltongbek

Hi Biltongbek, 

Welcome to the board. 

Are you the same poster that writes on the Roar?

http://www.theroar.com.au/author/biltongbek/

I have seen a few posters post these articles on this board.

 Hi Sharkbok, yes I am, thanks for the welcome.

I found this site by accident, the article of Heyneke Meyer needing to build a fifteen man team, saw some comments (mixed) and thought I would give it a go here, see what the boys have to say here.

 Thanks JustWin, I think you are to thank for me being here, I see you have posted a number of my "opinions" on this site.

Saffex, I believe overseas players should not be picked because of a number of reasons, but mainly due to the fact that they don't compete head to head with local players, also because they complicate the issue of availability.

We have an issue with Jannie, no break since 2012, whether he is underperforming due to fatigue or whether he is coming to the end of his career, he shouldn't tour in November.

I also believe we need to tour without Jean de Villiers and Vicki, Jean is becoming our problem at 12, Meyer has been selecting 12's to play at thirteen to accommodate Jean as captain.

VIcki is still a line out master and I understand injuries played a role in selection for the RC, however we must provide an opportunity to the youngsters in November. Meyer has an issue with Pieter Steph du Toit's line out calling as he believes he shows too much respect to the senior players in the forwards, and he wants him to be more assertive.

Unfortunately we won't see him till next year, It seems Meyer has lost a bit of faith in Lood de Jager as well, he must step up and improve his work rate to prove to Meyer he belongs.

1. Beast

2. Bismarck/Adriaan

3. Frans Malherbe

4. Eben

5. Lood de Jager

6. Marcel Coetzee

7. Willem (he will suit the NH conditions)

8. Thor

9. Hougaard, back up Reinach if he is fit

10. Pollard, back up Lambie

11. Damien de ALlende

12. Jan Serfontein

13. JJ Engelbrecht, although I think he might do better at wing.

14. Cornal Hendricks, but he has to improve his ability in  the up and unders, Savea made him look like a sissy.

15. Willie

I like the Lions front row, not sure if Meyer will select them though, I don't know why Coenie is at the training camp, he is simply not international class.

We need to sort out our midfield though, that is my biggest concern, Jean broke the line too many times on defence and that created problems, I also don't think it is fair to play de ALlende at 13 when he played at 12 all season alongside Jean who played 13 for the Stormers. Same applies to Jan Serfontein.

 Thanks Claydog, problem at lock is the injuries, Flip and du Toit is out, so who else do you expose.

I don't think Willem is done yet, Burger has been having great cameo's, but like Reinach and Lambie are very impactful in those last 20 minutes.

Oupa isn't good enough, Carr is under an injury cloud, if he was available I would select him.

That's a bit of a disaster BB....Lood, Malherbe, JJ and De Allende. Serf and JJ played a whole S 15 at centre without ever dominating the midfield. De Allende is a great physical specimen but is he really a wing? Lood was dominated by the Bargies, he is great against weak or beaten packs like the Welsh. Malherbe hasn't shown much ability to stand in the scrums...unfortunately Marcel scrums up and will be dinged at some inconvenient point.

As for the bit about Jean being accomodated, I also disagree. Jean may have hit the tipping point, but it didn't help that he had to defend at 13 because Serf couldnt. As for Serf he made one break all RC beating Horwill....he looks  too slow with a predictable inside step.

Mozart, Jan and JJ is playing crashball rugby under Frans Ludeke, I want to see them play under Meyer after they were broken up last year.

We have a problem at tighthead any way you look at it, Coenie is not the answer, Lourens Adriaanse has not impressed, who else is there?

Same with Lood, who else is fit? Stefan Lewies?

It wasn't only Lood that was dominated against Argentina, the whole pack suffered.

Give de Allende a chance, we need a Savea type wing.  

 Cleancut, so your team is better because?

You go for a new set of props not yet proven.

You settle for Matfield because he can win line outs.

You go for Jaco Kriel because he had a great Currie Cup.

Then you settle for Burger because he shone for 15 minutes at a time.

You decide Jean de Villiers is your man at 12, whilst we have a handful of 12's much younger and in dire need to prove themselves.

You are doing an injustice to Jan at 13 as he does not have the necessary pace to be there, regardless of how solid he has been.

I said I like Senatla as well and also said Hendricks is a bang gat. SO there we agree.

On the basis of your bench I can see you regard experience in props as a waste however at lock you have a requirement for that.

To build a front row takes time, you don't just willy nilly make wholesale changes to Europe where scrumming is an artform.

1. Beast

2. Bismarck/Adriaan

3. Frans Malherbe

4. Eben

5. Lood de Jager

6. Marcel Coetzee

7. Willem Burger (he suits all conditions)

8. Thor

9. Hougaard, back up Reinach if he is fit

10. Pollard, back up Lambie

11. Van Wyk

12. Jan Serfontein

13. Allende

14. Cornal Hendricks  JJ 

15. Willie

Matters are complicated by injuries. Beast is still doing a job for the Boks. Du Toit is too young. Kitshof is out injured. Coenie cant scrum. Van der Merwe and Dreyer did well at Super 15 level. 

Malherbe is still out I believe?  Malherbe again showed his ability when stopping the scrumming rout in Argentina. Jannie, Redlinghuys and Marcell etc.

Strauss and Bissie but who is the third prop?

Locks are Etzebeth, Lood and Willemse. Du Toit is out unfortunately. Alberts is not bad at all. What is certain is leave matfiled at home.

No problem re half backs. Centers Jan and Allende with Jean on bench. JJ on the wing. 

My hopes in Senatla were dented by his nondescript perfomance aginst the bulle. Van Wyk plays well every game.

Kolbe worth a flutter off the bench?

Re the older players. Take guys like Jannie and Jean and Habana but have them on the bench.

Hendricks has to improve his defence. He is over 90 kg so he should be a lot better. His attack is excellent.

Beast, Van der merwe. Strauss, Bissie, Jannie, Marcell, Redlinghuys

Etzebeth, Lood, Willemse, Alberts.(Number 7 as well)

Coetzee, Kriel, Vermuelen, Whitely, Burger

Hougaard, Reinach, 

Pollard, Lambie

Jean, Allende, Jan

Hendricks , JP, JJ, Habana

Willie, Kolbe.

29 players. 

How many will Meyer take - wee abs are taking 34? Nice to add in a few more.

 Thanks Beano, I like your reasoning, but I suspect Meyer holds too much value in size for Kolbe to be selected.

I read somewhere Meyer will take 36 players

Cleancut, I don't want to rid us of de Villiers, I want to see what the youngsters can achieve without the senior seasoned players. - biltongbek 

.... but you do not select him in your team and neither do you have Victor is the squad.

Who is then your captain? ..... Pollard? ... lol

Welkom boet.