Boks vs Japan - Team Announced

The match kicks off at 18h10 (SA time)

Springbok team to face Japan in London:

15 Cheslin Kolbe (Tokyo Sungoliath) – 46 caps, 126 points (21t, 3c, 5p)

14 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 5 caps, 0 points

13 Jesse Kriel (Canon Eagles) – 84 caps, 95 points (19t)

12 Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 93 caps, 55 points (11t)

11 Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 27 caps, 105 points (21t)

10 Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) - 15 caps, 104 points (3t, 28c, 11p)

9 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – 46 caps, 85 pts (17t)

8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) – 39 caps, 10 points (2t)

7 Franco Mostert (Honda Heat) – 81 caps, 20 points (4t)

6 Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 98 caps, 65 points (13t)

5 Lood de Jager (Wild Knights) – 71 caps, 25 points (5t)

4 RG Snyman (Leinster) – 46 caps, 15 points (3t)

3 Zachary Porthen (DHL Stormers) – uncapped

2 Malcolm Marx (Kubota Spears) – 84 caps, 135 pts (27t)

1 Ox Nche (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 46 caps, 0 pts

Replacements:

16 Johan Grobbelaar (Vodacom Bulls) – 3 caps, 0 points

17 Gerhard Steenekamp (Vodacom Bulls) – 11 caps, 5 points (1t)

18 Wilco Louw (Vodacom Bulls) – 24 caps, 0 pts

19 Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) – 13 caps, 0 pts

20 Andre Esterhuizen (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 24 caps, 10 pts (2t)

21 Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 59 caps, 55 points (11t)

22 Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 24 caps, 25 pts (5t)

23 Manie Libbok (Kintetsu Liners) – 24 caps, 133 pts (2t, 42c, 13p)

Kolbe looks like an interesting option at fullback. The Boks lack a test-quality XV, and given the depth in our wing stocks, it makes sense to convert one of them.

It would be interesting to see if Kolbe can break the line from fullback in the style of Christian Cullen. I just don’t want to see him wasted on attack—he needs opportunities. He’s the ultimate opportunist on the wing, as his past exploits have shown.

Jessica Kriel is back at outside centre, likely to shore up the defence. Unfortunately, De Allende is back, too...I wonder if Esterhuizen will replace him later or feature as a backup loose forward.

Pollard is looking surplus to requirements, a wet-weather player at this stage.

WTF again DDA at 12? Why not AE or Willemse? Why is Willemse not at 15 then? Is he injured ?

Where is Moodie? Cobus Reinach again why not rather Morne’ vd Berg or Faf….Porthen gets his shot straight away and Thomas is dropped completely….. Mostert is back at 7, interesting.

Wilco and Steenekamp, the two power props for the impact of the bench…..

Dont know what to say about this team …..

Glad to see Esterhuizen is selected in the only position he should in fact be played in against weak teams. H e is not a centers arse - or perhaps he is.

Also - Mostert s not a locks arse and is just used at 7 against weak teams.

In general I liked the team, a healthy balance of younge and over 30 players/

.

.

Yes, Steph Du Toit is missing as well- along with Willemse. Moodie has been solid at 13, but he has not set the world alight. Ezebeth was like a clown last weekend in the Sharks.

Willemse has a groin strain suffered in Saturdays match - the fool continued to play on through the injury as the Stormers had no more backs on the bench

Ah well, at least DDA should find a few small blokes to run over.

It’s disappointing to see DA and Jessie as our centre pair - I’m over it

It should have been 12 Hooker 13 Moodie with Edwill on the wing

@Mpower,

Willemse has a hamstring strain and Thomas du Toit was not eligible for selection as this game falls outside the International test window and Bath didn't have to release him.

Leinster (fair play to em), have released RG to play.

If you look at the selections of Mostert, DDA and Kriel they need a runout before France as they're playing in Japan and not had any games for a month.

Ok thanks Xavi

Kolbe is the most natural and best choice at 15. The back three is the quickest and meanest ever.

Was watching the Keo & Zels and they're of the opinion that the team starting against France will be very different.

If that is the case, then I'm again myself why there can't be some consistency in selection? The French are going to be really up for that game...like really really up for it. My feeling is that if we perform the same as we did at Eden Park, we might lose by 20 points.

Perhaps Rassie is happy with the strategy and players he'll use against France and doesn't wanna show his hand in a nothing game against Japan? But there is, yet again, the question of synergy. The guys have all been back at their clubs, with a good break between the final Bargies game and the game this weekend. So, if this team is much different to what we'll see against France, are we assuming everybody will just hit their straps?

The fact that DDA is still there, with Kriel, tells me that Rassie is still heavily invested in the ten-man game. He opened and closed the RC with DDA and the crash-ball game, and he is opening the EOYT with more of the same.

Perhaps someone here could enlighten me; What do you guys believe Rassie thinks is our best mode of victory?

Rassie would have had Willemse at 12 if Fassi was not injured and Willemse himself at the moment

This can’t happen again - Rassie needs to find a backup 15 to Fassi so that he is not drawn to returning Willemse to 15

For me the best candidate is Jordan Hendrikse

Quan Horn > Hendrikse at 15

I don’t like little guys at 15, I’d use Horn on the wing

He is a class player

Hendrikse should be ahead of Manie in the Bok 10 pecking order for me.

The way that he plays is a nice foil to Sacha and he's a big boy that can form part of a solid defence. Manie isn't a tight game type player and his out of hand kicking isn't as good as Hendrikse's. One would basically just pick Manie when Sacha isn't available, but one might pick Hendrickse to do a particular job even if Sacha was available.

I'd be wanting Hendrikse to carry out more of Pollard role while Sacha does his Sacha things the rest of the time.

I see Hendrikse as more of a Willemse type of player - I don’t like him at 10

He would make a good 12 but we need him more at 15 as we are thin there

Big fan of Manie he is back up to Sacha along with Pollard who is being under utilised by Rassie that the moment

Actually, I like Hendrickse for 12. But is til prefer him at 10 ahead of Manie

So no respomse to dumbo ben g on the bench a a loosie on Saturday. Mathee is way ahead of Hendrikse at 10 and Pollard is on the way out of th e Springbok team - he was hopeles this year in tests and in the one URC match he played in.

Your preference of Hendrikse at 10 is another streak of idiocy supreme.taking over from normal idiocy. The Sharks backline is hopless inrrespective of whom they play at 10 and 12,

I would have preferred trying Nortje at 7, rather than the ageing Mosterd.

Another delightfully collegial post from Clever.

Mike,

Had your post not given me a migraine within its first line, I may have read it.

Drink 'n Grandpa. ;-)

Speak to your grandpa;)

My oupa is al jare gelede dood...Hou op skop teen die prikkels, Maaik is like a force of nature, nothing you say will ever have any impact on his behavior.

You assuming that I wanna change his behaviour?

How can a brain functioning like an arsehole spreading BS get migraine?

Kwagga is the closest thing we have to a breakdown expert in the back row.

Hopefully, Marx delivers at the breakdown; he started to in his last few games this year.

I would still prefer to have Van Staden on the bench.

van Staden is shit - too fucking dumb

How can a brain functioning like an arsehole spreading BS get migraine?

Checkmate, Plum.

"You assuming that I wanna change his behaviour?" IDK

"Checkmate, Plum."

There’s the problem, it's not chess, it's pigeon checkers...duh!

Ja, Maaik, jy gee vir my n' dwarsdrukkende pyn in my hol!

Your choice...

Will I feel right as rain once I finished the cookie, Draad?

Edibles are inhibitors...whatever blows your hair back...rather find something to speed things up....

This has a gone a bit quiet, this is a pretty decent team, I do wonder if Rassie missed a trick in not trying to get the next Gen centre combo together for this match or is he thinking France and Ireland. Apparently the Wales game falls outside of the international window and the franchises are not happy. Here are my thoughts on each selections

For me the most interesting is to see the Bulls tight 4, Grobbies, Stenekamp, Louw and Nortje, Mostert on the field and RG. Japs going to have a long day at line out and scrum time. Can't complain about this one.

Then See Kolbe and Arendse, hope they can inspire some counters from the back.

Not sure if I rate Dud or Jessie these days when we have Hooker and Moodie waiting in the wings.

Zuluboy and Reinach seem to be the guys right now.

Backrow is probably our worst with Kolisi and Moster, only Wiese is the one who earns his spot on the field

Springbok team to face Japan in London:

15 Cheslin Kolbe - Been Waiting for this for some time, still not convinced we have found our next best 15 between Fassi and Willemse

14 Ethan Hooker (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – Not a wing, but he does perform week in and week out. Very high work rate, hope he gets moved to the centres sooner rather than later

13 Jesse Kriel - Didnt feature in the last 3 test matches with Moodie holding up the spot

12 Damian de Allende - Every press boys wet dream at the moment, but honestly, I don't rate him at all.

11 Kurt-Lee Arendse - Nice to see that he is back, like to see how plays with Arendse at 15, can they conjure up some magic

10 Sacha - He had an amazing game against Argentina, was solid in his next game. Can he actually marshal play like all great 10s and leave something in the tank for France and Ireland.

9 Cobus Reinach (DHL Stormers) – At 35, can't believe this is our best 9, but doesn't mind contact around ruck and that is what we need given how thin our rucks are

8 Jasper Wiese (Urayasu D-Rocks) –Dom Krag all the way, however, Roos got like 4 man of the matches.

7 Franco Mostert - You got to be kidding me. I know PTSD needs a break, but this guy, for real?

6 Siya Kolisi - Why are we not trying out a new 6, this guy doesn't offer anything other than on or two moments in the game

5 Lood de Jager - Why is he back? Seemed good in one game but got injured again

4 RG Snyman - Finally starting with RG, about time

3 Zachary - Never heard of her, but heard somebody say Rassie force to pick quotas, hope he is not one of them, but it makes sense

2 Malcolm Marx - How many minutes now has he played this year?

1 Ox Nche - Best prop on the planet right now and long may it continue.

Replacements:

16 Johan Grobbelaar - Glad to see he is back in the mix, lets hope he can make it work

17 Gerhard Steenekamp - One of our Best

18 Wilco Louw - Turbo prop I ready to launch

19 Ruan Nortje - Solid player all season and great at Lineout time

20 Andre Esterhuizen - Why pick him at flank? !!!!

21 Kwagga Smith - Straight swap for Kolisi at minute 0 and 10 seconds

22 Grant Williams - Fantastic impact player, struggles at the start of the game

23 Manie Libbok - He hit a purple patch against New Zealand, lets see if can come off the bench and keep the shape

Only 9 POCs in the 23...

"Edibles are inhibitors...whatever blows your hair back...rather find something to speed things up..."

Lol my Matrix reference flew right over your pip

KC

20 Andre Esterhuizen - Why pick him at flank? !!!!

Easy answer - he is not a center's arse or perhaps he is,