Changes for Saturday

 I have been giving the team selections a bit of thought for the weekend.

I doubt Meyer will change the front row, and I hope instead of Coenie he goes for Redelinghuys as we need a technical scrummager and Coenie technically is not that good, especially seeing as we are playing England and they will exploit his weakness.

We need Bismarck as the starter as the breakdown battle will be important, Meer just needs to speak to him about his discipline, we cannot afford a repeat of last weekend.

At the Locks I don't see Meyer changing that either, and in the backrow, I would like to see Marcell, Duane and Schalk start.

I know Schalk is not an 80 minute player anymore, but he will surely be more effective than Mohoje. Then put Kriel on the bench.

I think Meyer is going to call up Vermaak for this match, I just have a stinking feeling, and I hope to hell he doesn't bring in Steyn.

Maybe he will give Lambie a chance, but because Farrell is not the greatest play maker, I would rather he stick with POllard, it is the only way he is going to learn, if things go south he can bring Lambie on.

I am worried about our backs.

Both Habana and Hendricks had very quiet games, and I would like to see de Allende have a go.

Jean has been beaking the line in defenc ethe whole year, he has even done it at the Stormers.

How about he moves to right wing? He isn't that slow, and he can't stuff up the line from there.

Then put Jan at 13, he is getting used to it there, put de Allende at 12.

SO my team would be considering what I think Meyer is going to do as well.

1. Beast

2. Bismarck

3. Jannie (Meyer won't start with Redelinghuys)

4. Eben

5. Victor (He isn't going to drop him)

6. Schalk

7. Marcell

8. Duane

9. Vermaak (I don't see Meyer doing anything else)

10. Pollard

11. Bryan

12. Damien

13. Jan

14. Jean

15. WIllie

Bench

Nyakane

Adriaan

coenie (I think he is going to give Redelinghuys a chance next week)

Bakkies (I don't see him putting in anyone else)

Whiteley

Kriel/Goosen

Reinach

Lambie

1. Beast

2. Bismarck

3. Jannie (Meyer won't start with Redelinghuys)

4. Eben

5. Victor (He isn't going to drop him)

6. Schalk

7. Marcell

8. Duane

9. Vermaak (I don't see Meyer doing anything else)

10. Pollard

11. Bryan

12. Damien

13. Jan

14. Jean

15. WIllie

Bench

Nyakane

Adriaan

coenie (I think he is going to give Redelinghuys a chance next week)

Bakkies (I don't see him putting in anyone else)

Whiteley

Kriel/Goosen

Reinach

Lambie

Lets deal with those players I do not agree with you - bearing in mind the performances of the irish test as well:-

Locks

Meyer painted himselfinto a corner having both Matield and Bakkies Botha in the squad.   Bakkies - ever since his return last year - was way below par.   He does not bring anything to th team and I frrankly would rather see De jager on the bench.   Botha' work rate is so low - De Jager's cannot be worse.  

Loosies

He did squat in the Irish test and was decidely blow par.   I would rather play Kriel at 6 and Cortzee at 7 - adding Whiteley on the bench.   I think we have a replica here of Juan Smith in the Salt test.   Looks to me like Burger is running out of steam.

So my loosies would be -

6   Jaco kriel

7   Marcel Coetzee

8   Duane Vermeulen

Bench -   Warren Whiteley

Scrummie

Vermaak would be the wrong choice at scrummie.  He has not played representative rugby in SA and will not fit into the team.   I doubt whether he has ever played with Pollard and it would be a serious miscalculation to bring him into the team.   For Meyer to go over the heads of his two squad scrummies and play a standby player would not easily happen.   Vermaak will be a massive mistake - but he played for the Bulls before his departure for  France and will be close to Meyer's heart - we will nevver know.

My choice would be Reinach at scrummie.

Centers/Wings

Meyer only have six players as wings and centers in the team.  Hendricks was perhaps a mistake - his defense is putrid.   That bring us down to five players to make four selections from. 

I am not happywith Pietersen either.   The players playing rugby in Japan are never good enough after their return.   Pieterse earlier this year was poor for the Sharks and he was to my mind below par in the tests where he came on.  He has a seriou pace deficiency and it is worse after evry stint in Japan.  Habana last week was decidedly under the weather and the whole scenario leaves us with a problem.

I would not be surprised if Meyer decides to play either De Allende or Jean on the wing - but that still leaves us with a problem - two similar 12's in the center position.  My choices would eb as follows:-

11   Habana

12   Serfontein/De Villiers

13   De Allende/De Villiers

14   De Villiers/De Allende.   

Bench

I like you idea of having both Goosen and Lambie on the bench.   If thire is a wing problem Willie cn move to wing.   We have adequate cover at center as well.  So Goosen and lambuie can fit into either flyhalf or full back.

In view of the Hougaard fiascoo last week - I think he needs a break to regain his confidence.   He can come back into the picture in the Wales test.    I think Vermaak may for that reason be on the bench.

Just my ideas as to how I see the set-up after the test last week.    

I like the idea to play 

 Well it is all up to Meyer now, it is going to be interesting to see what he does.

I think he has not learnt his lesson yet.

Thanks for the interesting discussions over the past few weeks.

So there is no hope against England if I go by the tone of these messages. Actually, as I predicted we are badly missing Alberts and F du Preez....but I still think we will win comfortably on Saturday.

Well this is all so familiar. We beat NZ and we are on the golden pathway. The guys dont show against Ireland and HM is a total fool.....and if he only picked a bunch of newbies all would be well.

The Boks are an odd team....we could lose every game from now to the RWC and still win the damn thing. Unlike NZ it's not in our nature to be up for every game.....but when we are up we can beat any team in the world.