Bok Team for Argentina (1st Choice) with the World Cup in mind

Rassies' risky decision to send players directly to New Zealand without subjecting them to any tests beforehand appears to have backfired. Instead of following the usual protocol of hosting home match series to kick off the test season, Rassie took a gamble that ultimately left many of the players lacking in test match experience to play the All Blacks in New Zealand. As a result, the team struggled with rusty performances and a significantly higher individual error rate.

That aside, the 1st choice in various positions is a lot clearer. Some of the players against Australia are just better players that offer more on attack. 

This is the team I would select if the Boks were in the World Cup next week:

15. Willie le Roux

14. Cheslin Kolbe 

13. Lukhanyo Am 

12. Andre Esterhuizen  (I am sick of the pedestrian Delande). 

11. Ardense

!0. Libbock

9. Faff (He needs more game time to develop a combination with Libbock).

8. Vermuelen

7. Steph Dutoit

6. Kwagga/ 

5. Snyman

4. Eztebeth

3. Malbherbe

2. Marx

1. Ox (if fit, for diversity in the front row to ensure Marx can start).

Substitutes:

16. Bongi

17. Kitchoff

18. Vincent Koch

19. Marco Van Staden (more all-round back row cover than Wiese)

21. Delande (Maybe, if it is a 4/3 split)

22. Grant Williams (Could possibly start)

23. Damien Willemse

Overall, it is clear that some players from the previous week's starting lineup performed better than those in this match. Adjustments to the team composition should be considered based on these performances.

Faf is now a poor man's Januarie, where he was Januarie 2.0 in his prime six years ago. Willemse, the Black De Allende, doesn't have the talent for professional rugby. Malherbe was poor. Libbok patchy. Arendse is not a test wing. Why are we still playing Steph? Wiese is still the best 8 in the country. 

Roos is not test quality either. Another myth. If we make the mistake of demoting Wiese now, we diminish our already slim chances of showing anything positive this season. 

1. Kittshof
2. Marx
3. Malherbe
4. Etzebeth
5. RG
6. Van Staden
7. Jean Luc
8. Roos
9. Faf (for now)
10. Libbok
11. Moodie
12. Andre E
13. Am 
14. Kolbe
15. Wille
16. Bongi 
17. Du Toit
18. Ox
19. PSDT
20. Kwagga
21. Williams
22. Willemse
23. Arendse 

They stopped the bleeding? That second half was no showcase of great play. What does that say? 

Koch is not bad, but Wilco should be the bench TH....waaayyyy better.

Over the years I have heard how great a fly-half, centre and full back Willemse is.

Heard about his class but not yet seen an outstanding game from him in the Green and Gold.

Old Bellyflop Malherbe is doing zero but putting on weight.

Roos is yet another who appears to be struggling to live up to his reputation.

Generally not impressed with Rassie's selections and or game plan.

Does not bode well for the WC in my eyes I'm afraid.

Hope I am wrong.

Saffex, that’s a totally white forward pack isn’t it so surely that’s just a pipe dream?

Sorry Saffex, don't think Rassie is going to get away with it. We either have to endure Dwebe or Bongi again. Ox will be back, so that will take the pressure off. Kolisi is getting back to full fitness. Not sure where Nyakane is right now or is he at McDonald's. 

We will never see a starting white pack, can't believe I'm typing this

If Roos had scored the try Kwagga scored yesterday the Board would be lit up with posts praising his talent.

If anything, the Boks are at least now much more certain about what their starting team should be:

-6 players have played their way out of a starting position
- 6 have confirmed they should be starters
- A few that are pushing for starting positions

The Bad
Five players that have played their way out of the starting team including:

2. Bingo (Hooker)
Not a starting player in current form. Marx will start - a black prop is needed for diversity.

5. Lomp (Lock)
Not a starting player against top teams. Lacks mobility and open field game.

7. Mostert (BindSlide lock)
He is better as a lock, even though he is mobile. 

8. Weise (Eighthman)
 Not an all-around player. He can carry and tackle. Lacks brains. An Alberts style of Player.

10. Willemse. (Flyhalf)
He is not a flyhalf, and there is no starting position for him.

11. Mapimpi. (Wing)
A great finisher, but offers little else

The Good
Five Players that have pushed their way into the starting team 

2. Marx (Should have already been in the team except for Democratic representation)

5. Snyman

8. Vermuelen

10. Libbok

11. Aredense

Bubbling Under
Players that are close to pushing their way into the starting team

12. Esterhuizen

9, Williams

1. Arendse is a D class rugby player. 
2. Wiese is the best 8 in the country. 
3. Libbok proved how useless he is. 
4. Marx is overrated. Better than Bongi right now, but nowhere near as important as made it to be. We can build a string xv and not miss him. 
5. Thor looks spent.
6. Willemse is okay for the bench for now. 

Yes he is. He was average at best in anything on Saturday. He didn't do anything particularly well. Those are the facts. Unless to can reference this great play. 

The key positions in a rugby team in the pack, as well as the flyhalf, are the positions where certain players have played their way out of the starting team. 

Hooker,
number 5 lock (Key jumper, calls lineouts), 
Eightman

Flyhalf
Left Wing (usually gets more possession than the right wing)

-------------------------------------

2. Bingo (Hooker)
Not a starting player in current form. Marx will start - a black prop is needed for diversity.

5. Lomp (Lock) - Snyman
Not a starting player against top teams. Lacks mobility and open field game.

7. Mostert (Blindside) - Steph DuiToit 
The experiment with Mostert at 7 is over. 

8. Weise (Eighthman) -Verrmuelen
 Not an all-around player. He can carry and tackle. Lacks brains. An Alberts style of Player.

10. Willemse. (Flyhalf) - Libbok
Willemse is not a flyhalf, and there is no starting position for him. He is the bench utility back

11. Mapimpi. (Wing)
A great finisher, but offers little else

Actually I have a copyright on ‘stick with’ on this Board….I borrowed it from Jim Cramer, the entertaining stock analyst.

Shark I agree Mostert didn’t have his best game, but please explain to me what Dud Toit did better than Mostert on Saturday that now makes him an automatic.

Mostert on his game is more accurate tracking and bringing down attackers. He adds mobility to our rigor mortise gameplan. This wasn't the kind of game where Steph's weaknesses are shown up the most. He wasn't anything to write home about for anything but breakdown work and external rush pressure. Wiese actually did more in general play than Marx and Steph combined, yet is ridiculed. My pet hate is poor analytics. The analytics in rugby in general is poor, but South Africans make it non-existent. Just feel good nonsense or the brainless witch hunt. To be even more emphatic, Wiese did more for the Boks than Libbok as well. Not a hard task, but consider the praise. I recall in 2011, against Australia. Lambie left with praise despite missing 4 tackles, throwing 2 hospital passes and ruining a certain try because he froze and wouldn't pass. People see faces, like Thor catching restarts before being dumped, or with closeup shots. What did he actually do? What did Libbok actually do? How many times did viewers see Willie at first receiver yet came away blaming Willemse? Because of the numbers on the jerseys they cannot tell the difference between their roles? It's beggars belief, and it gets much worse by the year!