Bok squad for Oz leg

Good squad.

"No place for Esterhuizen and Roos. Ruan Nortje leap frogs Ruben v Heerden at lock which is bullshit as is Koch ahead of Wilco Louw and Reinach ahead of Papier or Nohamba"

1. Esterhuizen is suspended

2. Koch has given no reason to be dropped, but Wilco is unlucky not to be in the squad.

3. Agree on Nohamba. Get him in to the mix.

Sure - Esterhuizen is suspended and will remain suspended in future.    Neiter him nor Mostert  will be in future squads of the Springboks.

It is noted that Willemse is not in the squad yet - if he was available  Le Roux would not have been in the squad.   

I thnk the selected team from that squad could be as follows:-

15    Fassi

14     Arendse

13    Am

12     De Allende

11     Kolbe

10     Feinberg-Ngomezulu

9       Williams

8       Louw

7       Du Toit

6       Kolisi

5       Snyman

4       Etzebeth

3       Malherbe

2       Mbonambi

1       Nche

Bench       .      

16      Marx

17      Du Toit

18      Koch

19      Moerat

20      Smith

21      Dixon

22      Van den Berg

23      Pol lard

I think that Pollard will not be in the staring line-up to preserve him as long zs possible in the Springbk squad  

Yeah,  I really like Roos, but then when you see a player breaking the line and scoring tries of course he stands out, but that is the URC against some very weak teams which in the old days a low rank Super rank team would put 40 points on them. 

I know Roos tries to be tough, but he doesn't have that mongrel like Wiese which I think Rassie is looking for. Ben Jason Dixon stocks has gone up recently. I haven't noticed him much in the URC but probably because he has been playing behind Dyamani. Hopefully will see more of him at the stormers next season. 

Will be interesting to see who is selected for the Australian games. Will it be the best available team and last hoorah of this outgoing bok team or will they actually roll the dice and bring younger players in

Out of this bunch, who will be your starting 23?

1. Gerhard Sternkamp, Thomas Du Toit
2. Grobbies, Marx
3. Ox, Koch 
4. Etzebeth
5. RG, Nortje 
6. Kolisi (No one else)
7. Ben Jason Dixon, PSDT (Recovering from injury)
8. Elrich Louw 
9. Reinach
10. Pollard
11. Arendse
12. De Allende
13. Kriel
14. Kolbe
15. Le Roux 
16. Grobler
17. Thomas Du toit
18. Koch 
19. 
    

Anyone know if Eben has been suspended?

KC

Nice try - but I think that  Wilie is on his way out and unlikely to survive this year.   He is not really the playmaker he used to be in the past.  As to Nche at 3 is actually totally unrealsitic - he is a specialized 1 and never played ss a tighthead before.

As to Pollard I think - and stated thus before - that he will be in the squad to reserve his contributon and to play as little as possible because of injury concerns - he was out of rugby for long periods after  2015 - he enver played for teh Springbks in 2016 and 2017 and went out on injury for the period October 2022 to June 2023.   When he got injured recovery takes long times.   So to protect Pollard he will in the main being used from the bench.. 

I think that the real choice of Brown and for backline attacking purposes will be Feinberg-Ngomezulu with Pollard being on the bench more than as a starting player. I do not think that Erasmus and Brown really want to see another Pollard injury..   

The Aussie team against which the Springboks team is not the hottest team  around and will be a team against younger players will start or played from he bench.   There is no way Du Toit would be left out of he team as the top performing forward at present and taking over he captaincy when Kolisi is replaced by a bench player.

I do agree with you about Louw being the starter with Kwagga on the bench.   Kwagga is more an impact player than he is a starter, 

  .    

.                 

Duplication

MpowerI  agreebaout Louw being the number 8 - but I do not agree about the forwards in particular.  Lets look at the following:-

 *    To put Du Toit - the best performing forward in the eam and replacement captain when Kolisi leave the field on the bench - is questionable.at best.  

 *     Other than scrumming Malherbe played a more important game in tackling and at breakdowns than othe props do - so he will start.

*      I  do not think that Erasmus and Brown will repalce a good flyhalf to play at inside center and if  De Allende is to be replaced it will be by Willemse.   For the time being De Allende is the best 12 SA has and other countries wish they could have him.

For me personal likes and dislikes does not count - performances do.

Dave

I like what I saw of Steenekamp in the match on Saturday and think with more experence he may end up as a top player as a prop.

Would not argue about Thomas Du Toit as well.

Where I do not agree with is is playing Feinbrg-Ngomezulu at 12.    It would be dangerous t play him in that position and risk his career by doing so.   For me he is a really good flyjalf and that si where he should play.         

Whatever team we field, the WC team that has carried us for 4 years is beginning to fade. Now it gets tricky.

To be honest, I wish Wilco Louw was there. I would even go a bit experimental against the Aussies and try get a few new players out there. 

For me the bulls thighs five has been the standard this season. I would just use Etzebeth there and we have some nice combos with Nortje. Although, I probably want to see if RG starting more games. So it will be down to game management. 

On Willie, probably his final season, but again, we have so many players that don't have enough caps to play together. Fassi has been around for a while and should have had more caps. 

I would go with ahead of Willie and I would probably want to keep Sacha going at 10 with Pollard on the bench. I almost feel that we need to let the young guys start and let the old heads close out the game. 

The other question is what to do with Am, he showed great form against Portugal. 

Should he be moved to 12 with Ariel on his inside or should we just go straight to the youngsters. 

This Rugby Championship should be interesting. Looking forward to it 

As good as Evan Roos is at club rugby, making 3 tackles in both the Portugal and Wales matches just doesn't meet the requirements.

Only 3 scrumhalves?

Who wants to player Sacha at 12?

Bad idea don't mess him up by moving him around. He proofed beyond doubt that he is the best new talent on flyhalf. Why fool around with Libbok if Sasha can do everything you need from a flyhalf. Give him game time now and don't waste it on Manie who had many opportunities.

Hello Jan...welkom.

Good points Jan.

Zuluman at 15 ................. Pollard  10

DiscoDassie's  midfield will be DdA & Kriel, maybe not against Oz, but (barring injury or Faff-like performances from 'em two) definitely vs the ABs .

Wings same as & hopefully Williams at 9.