15 Willemse 14 Kolbe 13 Kriel 12 DA 11 Arendse 10 Sacha 9 Reinach 1 Boan Venter 2 Marx 3 Thomas 4 Eben 5 Lood 6 Kolisi 7 PSDT 8 Wiese
16 Grobelaar 17 Steenkamp 18 Wilco 19 RG 20 Nortje 21 Esterhuizen 22. Williams 23 Libbok
No Kwagga or Pollard
Barring the missing Oxe, probably still our best side.
Not convinced
I prefer my side with Kolbe at 15, Edwil on the wing, Willemse at 12, Moodie at 13. I don’t like Reinach at 9, Williams for me.
Id also start Steenkamp, Wilco and RG and I’d have Kwagga on the bench ahead of Nortje, also vd Bergh on the bench - not Reinach
Reinach is there to mentor Williams...look at how quick Reinach adapted to the conditions at Eden Park, while Williams struggled a bit...the midfield will be replaced soon and Reinach won't play much longer, but for now this is our most dependable side.
Pretty much as expected….they should be good enough to see off the Frog starters and Wilco and Snyman should be able to handle the ramped up French bench.
The team is set up to play Rasmus ball, not Brown ball….so I’m guessing in his usual way Lucky will play Brown ball.
Dave
I am not surprized by the ommission of Pollard and Kwagga, They have not been very good this year in the tests they did play, in. I think that by now Erasmus prefer Esterhuizen ahead of Kwagga as a loosie, . I also think that Pollard has been relegated to be behind Sacha and Libbok when it comes to selection.
I also think Pollard may announce his retirement from test rugby before the July 2026 tests,
The only positive for me is Lood starting ahead of Nortje
Disagree Draad, I think Reinach is poor - far too pedestrian when it comes to service
I find myself shouting at the screen to get him off
For me it’s disappointing that we have gone back to the DA / Kriel centre pairing - it’s a backward step
The Fassi injury might have had something to do with it as they clearly don’t trust Kolbe at 15 in the big games, therefore sadly resorting back to Willemse at 15
Mike you are speaking shit about Pollards form in the tests and why the fuck would he announce his retirement from test rugby aged 31 - what are you smoking?
Boks going to lose this game. Kwotalisi can't play a full game and will be hands on hips come half time.
Is AE a flank now?
No Pollard on the bench?!!!!! Well, let's see if Manie can close down the game. His last contribution where he kicked the ball backwards. Can't believe they have gone for him.
Rassie must be light on quota numbers given Ox not there and Bongi no longer in form.
Looks like they have gone for a Boools tight five, can't complain about that one. Nice to see Grobbies getting another crack.
I would not have include Etzebeth aka Papsebeth, he simply looks like a shadow of his former self. Lomp is back at 5, to be honest, he is looking better than ever.
I think we are going to miss Kwagga for this game. Only player that can play to the ball other than Marx. Kolisi will do his usual tram line loitering, or just avoid contact around the ruck like he always does. That guy has no hard edge.
Anyway, I DO hope the bokke can win and do it for Captain half fantastic. Still a celebration any player that can make it to 100, just hope it doesn't become a distraction.
I also hope that Kolisi proofs the Racing owner wrong that called him a shadow player
Fuck off King you are fucking rugby ignorant
Manie played well when he came in against Japan. But it was Japan.
This will be more of the same - backline will feed off of scraps, just like they had to do in the second Bargie game and the Japan game.
Such a shame.
I have a feeling that the French are gonna thump the Boks good and proper.
"Manie played well when he came in against Japan. But it was Japan."
He also played well when he came on vs NZ...and at Twickers...he is terrible in wet weather though.
It is bizarre that Rassie has steered away from the security of Pollard off the bench while retaining the centre pairing of DA and Kriel.
So he wants to start with creativity at 10 in Sacha blunted by DA and Kriel at centre and then do the same bringing the creativity of Libbok off the bench
It’s a contradiction
The midfield was chosen for defence...he's relying on Sacha to bypass them to get the back 3 into the game...and his banking on not needing Pollard in the death. Expect a few surprises during this match...hoping a brain fart by an official don’t spoil the match...I think the Bokke will walk this.
Walk it? I doubt it - it’s going to be a battle of note
The French want revenge but the Boks will be fired up for Kolisi’s 100th
Barring some brain fart by some player or official, I think we'll blow them away.
Dave
I think the Springboks will win bmy a margin o 13 points.
As to Pollard - he ws poor in the AB test and pathetic in the Bulls game before his return to SA,
I’m not convinced that Thomas and Boan will give us a stable starting scrum platform to work from.
Let’s hope it’s not too late by the time Wilco, Grobbies, and Steenekamp come on.
Will Kolisi be on form this time, or will it be another hands-on-hips performance?
If Sacha has to bypass DDA and Kriel just to get something going in the backline, then what the hell are they there for??
We would have been far better off with Willemse or Esterhuizen at 12 and Moodie at 13. Kolbe could slot in at 15, with Edwill or Hooker on the wing alongside Arendse.
Kwagga, as a specialist flanker, should have been in the mix, with Esterhuizen providing backup at 12.
Manie is like a lucky packet. When he’s on form, he’s good; when he’s not, it will be a disaster!
Pollard, being world-class, would’ve been the safer, more reliable option over Libbok.
"If Sacha has to bypass DDA and Kriel just to get something going in the backline, then what the hell are they there for??" Defence...let op in die klas.
"
"Pollard, being world-class, would’ve been the safer, more reliable option over Libbok."
Only the safer option if we want to play 3-6-9 rugby...
Surely top-class centres like DDA and Kriel should be able to defend and enhance Sacha’s game.
If their only role is defence, then we’re back to the original question: what exactly are they doing out there??
And regarding your “3-6-9 rugby” point, tight rugby is one thing, but Pollard is more than capable of controlling both expansive and tight play.
His big match temperament, decision-making under pressure, and tactical awareness operate on a completely different level.
That’s why he’s not just the safer option, he’s the wiser one. Facts don’t lie, and in this case, experience, vision, and composure clearly matter more than rigid labels.
If Draad wants to play the teacher and say “let op in die klas,” then surely he should have the knowledge to see and understand all facets of play, not just cherry-pick what fits his argument :)
You can’t claim authority on the game while ignoring the qualities that actually win matches…….
I've Sunday 9.10 am kickoff ... better than the usual 3 4 5 am, much lekkerer
I hate the late nite 10pm start & having to wait & wait & wait aware that you've probably had too many doppe & by game time too gesuip, definitely not compos mentis . After the game unable to sleep as the game races around your brain.
Bokke 29 - Grenouille 22
Manpower
"If their only role is defence, then we’re back to the original question: what exactly are they doing out there??"
The above BS supreme, SA has won 2 RWC's In each of those in crucial matches D e A llende scpred two triesthat kept the Springboks in th series - in 2019 against Wales in the semi and in 2023 against the French in the quarters In hsi career De Allende scored more tries against the AB's thena any other player on world stage he layed agaanst, , That is why Jordie Barrett said he is a constant thread in matches, However, you lot have your obwn fantanizing about De A llende based on not facts - but on fiction.
So in the process you inmvnted Esterhuizen. The first of what Esterhuizen saw in the 2014 Under 20 WC waas how he knocked on a good pass to him and the try was not awarded - result teh Baby Boks lost in te final against England. Esterhuizen was alread on conract by he Sharks - but White did not rate him at center and in two Sharks matches he moved Estehuizen to the loosies,
I think it's time we let go of DDA and Jesse. Both have had their highs and lows for the Springboks but both will rightly go down as one of our all time greatest centre pairings . . . but it's time to move on. We need to build a new partnership and we're running out of time.
I'm 100% with Saffex on DW and where we should play him. He can play fullback if Fassi's injured but otherwise, lets make him into the greatest #12 we've ever had playing outside the greatest #10 we'll ever have.
So who should be DW's centre partner?
Personally, I think it's an absolute no-brainer with Ethan Hooker standing head and shoulders over any other candidate. The only problem being he has almost no experience at #13. Given how good he is at inside centre or wing, it's hardly a big stretch to picture him in the #13 jersey and he is another talent too good to waste.
Fassi, Ches, Hooker, DW, Arendse, SFM, Williams. That's the backline I want to see at the next RWC.
It’s a no brainer that Willemse simply has to be our 12 moving forward and we also need to find a backup 15 for Fassi for when he is not available as we do not want to be messing Willemse around and moving him back to 15
For me Jordan Hendrikse is the answer as the back up 15
13 is not cut and dried for me - it’s wide open
Moodie has the inside lane, followed by Hooker but my call is Jurenzo Julius - this lad has real X factor. Another obvious candidate is Henco v Wyk
I like all 4 but JJ is my favourite - for me is a BOD type of player, Moodie more like a Jaque Fourie but with a better touch, Hooker is more your DA / AE type while v Wyk is closest to Jessie Kriel
I won't disagree that JJ has great potential but on current form, it's Ethan Hooker. By miles. Canan Moodie my next pick.
I'd rather play Hooker at #12 and move DW back to fullback than not play Hooker at all.
He's not just a DDA/AE type. Far from it. He has speed, flair and a good sense of where he should be. I like him a lot.
For me Hooker needs to play centre in order to be able to properly access - we have only really seen him on the wing, where his aerial game has stood out
At centre his responsibilities and role is completely different
Rassie has hinted that he might start at 12 against Italy or Wales - we need that to happen
Given these options I’d play Hooker at 12 and Willemse at 13 where there would be a bit more space…..power runner vs open field stepper. But to date he has done best at 15, the rest is speculation largely from one dominant game.
JJ is better than Hooker though... and outperformed him last season.
...right, Dave ;)
I stand by that JJ is better than Hooker and did provide more individual attacking clout than Hooker ever did
No ways Moz, Willemse at 13 is foolish - he is not quick enough, same applies to him at 15
There is only one position for Willemse and that’s 12 - Hooker is not creative enough to make a difference at 12 - he would provide the same as DA and AE but not as physical yet.
Willemse at 12 against the AB’s is exactly what we need moving forward