Bok Barometer April 16

WillieSergeal Petersen(Combrink)De Jongh (Mapoe)VenterUlengoJantjiesFafCharles Marais (Dylan Smith) Strauss(Marx)MalherbeEtzebethPSDTKrielKirsten(Coetzee)Whiteley
For me it was close between Ismael and Pietersen, but Pietersen's two tries were stellar.
I thought Jordaan's try was good but he was flawed by too many missed tackles. Kriel likewise was too easily beaten by Kerevi. So De Jongh gets the nod for a solid game, on the day he was better than Mapoe. I bring in Charles Marais because of his massive scrumming performances every week. Dylan Smith was well matched by JC. 
Kriel just shaded Lappies
Ulengo retains his spot based on performances in prior weeks.
The Barometer reflects S15 form, with a modest amount of emphasis on recent games. Make your suggested changes and they will be incorporated in the first posting on the string if they appear to reflect a majority view. A new Barometer will be posted under a separate string each week. 

 Mozart
The issue of Venter and De Jongh is seriously problematic.   De Jongh never once - bar for about 30 minutes on Saturday played at 13 this year.  He -played at 12 and Venter in virtually all matches played at 13.  So how you turned those two players around is seriously questionable.   You cannot do a barometer based on potential performance in a position players did not play in.
De Jongh constantly played at 12 - where he was seriously flawed - so he needs to be considered for that position - not for position 13.   Venter constantly played at 13 - so he is to my mind the correct pick at 13.   You need to look at what happened in the 12 position to find a player who did best in that position and not "cook the books" the way you did.   
I agree with you about the Labuschagne issue - he had very little game time this year,  His first start after a lengthy  injury lay-off was on Saturday and although he  was better than Kriel was on Saturday it is too early to assess him as being better than Kriel in the number 6 position.
 




  

 De Jongh has played his whole career at 13, and as you point out he played the last 30 minutes at 13 after Allende came on. No doubt he will be playing 13 going forward.  
Venter to me looks more like a 12. He isn't especially fast, big, and a playmaker. Besides he played 12 on Friday...a switch with  Lee from the Bulls game ...so I assume the Cheetahs have concluded that as well. Not perfect I concede, but I think we can take this little leap if we agree on the players...if we don't, it's moot anyway.
Cheetahs: 15 Clayton Blommetjies, 14 Sergeal Petersen, 13 Nico Lee, 12 Francois Venter (c), 11 Raymond Rhule, 10 Niel Marais, 9 Shaun Venter, 8 Paul Schoeman, 7 Uzair Cassiem, 6 Hilton Lobberts, 5 Francois Uys, 4 Lood de Jager, 3 Maks van Dyk, 2 Torsten van Jaarsveld, 1 Charles Marais
Replacements: 16 Jacques du Toit, 17 Danie Minnie, 18 Johan Coetzee, 19 Carl Wegner, 20 Henco Venter, 21 Oupa Mohoje, 2

 De Jongh cannot be regarded as a 13 based on where he played last year.  He was never a 12 and never a really good enough 13 in any event.    This is in any event not  a barometer based on reputation of the past - it is a barometer of this years performances.   If it is based in reputation - it is worthless. within the present context. We have to see what the performances are in the present scenario - not in the past.
Lets look at the present scenario.  This year De Jongh started in 7 games at 12 and moved to 13 for 30 minutes on Saturday - so what credentials does he have for selection at 13?   Venter played in 7 games this year - 6 at 13 and one at 12.  So the players have to be assessed in the positions they played in - not the positions where they played in in the majority of their games.    


      

 This seems like South African Post office thinking....bureaucratic. But I believe in your right to an opinion, name your centres.

 I would say 13  Venter and 12 Van Rensburg 

 I would say 13  Venter and 12 Van Rensburg 

 Cancallation

 Come now Mike, don't be so vindictive. Moz fixed your one, edit this one to fix the margins please.

 This makes for a sad state of affairs.....I'm really surprised by Mike.

 Mozart ruined a thread started by m e - so I am just taking revenge on him.  

 Thanks Maaik and Moz, all in jest I'm sure.

 Boys will be boys!

 Actually RooiAAS started it by tanking my thread on Branden Grace, that after nobody except the AAS objected to significant sports stories posted above. The man is a tiny little bureaucrat at heart.

 Difference is that the Grace story was not rugby-related and there is a component of this site where it could be posted - the thread Mozart wrecked initially was totally rugby-related.   
Mozart has an idea that things should only be posted on this site if he does not object to it - eg the fantasy rugby issue - so he wants to be the petty board dictator.
However, the issue was that he did correct the rugby-related thread realizing he would not get away with it and that he may end up with ruined threads in future.   However, the issue seemed to be solved - so lets accept the board petty-dictator will not try his tricks in future.          

Oh sure Tokkie, of course you are in favour of censoring the post on Grace, about  perhaps the most significant SA sporting accomplishment of 2016. Most posters who opined were fine with sporting related posts in the main section. I'd go with the guys who enjoy sport, not petty little bureaucrats like you and the AAS.

 Mozart
I am not in favour of any censorship and personally has no problem about the thread you started about Grace at all.  However, it really should gave been in the Other Sports category.  However, censoring of posts is not acceptable - and the fact that occasionally another sport is posted under the Rugby category should not be censored and the way Rooinek did it is not acceptable.  
However, when you censored a thread related to rugby there cannot even a remote excuse for you - your conduct was absolute crap of a person who tries to tell members and  to determine what is to be written on this site and what is not.  You have no right to do that - end of story.
    

Woosh

 Man you saffas dont seem to like each other very much eh ?The Aussies and you saffas all moan about how they have to struggle with this that and the other thing yet still are consistently 2nd and 3rd in the rankings so it cant be all bad surely ? Especially against probably the best ABs team of the modern era .

 Spot on WD, nothing embarrassing about the WC for any of the old TN group.

 I think the oaks here like to have a go more than discussing rugby. Its only a theory!

15. Willie/Gelant14. Combrink/Ulengo 13. Kriel/Mapoe12. Venter/Serfontein 11. Sergel Petersen/Senatla /Kolbe 10. Jantjies 9. Faf/ Hougaard 1. Nyakane/ Beast2. Marx / Strauss 3. Malherbe /Marcel v / d Merwe 4. Etzebeth/ Jenkins / Willemse 5. Lood / PSDT / RG Snyman 6. Kriel /Kolisi 7. Kirsten/ Coetzee / Jacques du Plessis / Mostert 8. Whiteley/ Arno Botha 
Willemse and Jacques du Plessis have been huge for Jake Whites side up here and Kitshoff is our best loose head. Hougaard has been brilliant for Worcester

 Dave
Welcome back - at least there is one more member prepared to stand up to Mozart's effort to bully other members.   
There will be moans groans and grumbles about your team.      

I'm bored with the scraps Mike.....its the same old same old.......we need to progress in that respect and the same applies to the support of our players.......our rugby is looking in a good place......but judging by some comments on here one would think I have been watching a different competition.
If we cant find favour in what we are currently witnessing from the Lions, Bulls and Stormers as teams and players then there is no salvation for those who are still so negative about it all. 
Hell even the Sharks beat the Highlanders away from home last night

 So saf, what's your take on the 2 matches Kleintjie Carel played. Jantjies is obviously the best SA 10 this year, but IMO JLDP, have some X. Not a B ok starter yet, but I won't be surprised to see him on the bench this year as utility back for the Boks.

 Du Preez looks a very good prospect Draad, very dangerous player. Du plessis currently has shown good distribution, mental strength and an educated boot. At the momenyt i am tilting towrds Du preez but its very early days.Jantjes with the abscence of P ollard could make the Bok side unless he crumbles.

 Beenz, I'm actually keen on seeing Duppie at center too. 10 is obviously his spot, but he seems to have more ball sense than anyone else. 

 His break and his ball strip today showed the kid wants to compete...so different from Goosen and Swiel. 

You can't really question Goosen's mentality just his fragility, I've often seen him involved in rucks and mauls getting himself involved. In fact I'd say he competes unnecessarily too much, sometimes less is more as the saying goes.

 Each to his own, give me Biggar any day. Wilkinson, Larkham, Carter were all willing to mix it up when necessary.

 Himmel - can't we ever get past the the greats of the past into the present.  Mozart will of course always prefer a kicking flyhalf like Biggar because according to him  a flyhalf's function is 90% kicking away of balls.  
There is a great similarity between Biggar and Sopoaga of the Highlanders.   Unlike his heroes of the past (Morne and Fat Fransie) who are donkey-kickers - their kicking is strategic and difficult to contend with by opponents.  For the rest they are very average flyhalfs.
Each to his own - I assume.  

 Biggar is just a kicking flyhalf and your number one choice for the Boks Lambie is not? Eating  those berries again Tokkie?

 Biggar is a kicking flyhalf - that is a fact.  That is really what you do not want to see.  But then you rate flyhalfs about their kicking game only - so what else can one expect from a person with that outlook iro rugby.    

 Biggar is a kicking flyhalf - that is a fact.  That is really what you do not want to see.  But then you rate flyhalfs about their kicking game only - so what else can one expect from a person with that outlook iro rugby.    

Goosen is on fire in France, what a quality player he is....we need him back in SA playing 10 for the Cheetahs 

Draad du Plessis looks a class act those breaks with the shimmy, step and pace reminded me of his dad.
I also liked the way he kicked into space when looking to gain territory. 
Looks a fantastic prospect
It's about time we saw his cousin at centre for the Stormers....better bet than Kotze