Citizens hits and misses of the Bok squad

THE HITS Frans Steyn: The 30-year-old utility back still divides opinion because he’s one of South Africa’s more misunderstood players. He’s been switched around too much in his career but there’s enough evidence to suggest he’s a fine player when there’s a specific role for him. Steyn knew where he stood under former Bok coaches Jake White and Heyneke Meyer and repaid them with good performances. Given his fall-out with Saru four years ago, it must say something about his commitment that he wants to play international rugby again. Lukhanyo Am: The 23-year-old Sharks centre has been one of the finds of the Super Rugby campaign. He probably won’t play in the series against France barring injuries but don’t for one moment think Am’s inclusion is politically motivated. He’s thrived under Sharks coach Robert du Preez’s more practical game plan, combining excellent defence with good playmaking skills. In fact, Am’s expected to play the kind of rugby at the Sharks that one can expect at Test level too – and that makes him a good fit for the Boks in future. Duane Vermeulen: Yes, he’s already 30 but Vermeulen hasn’t lost his edge. South African rugby isn’t blessed with experienced, big ball-carrying flankers and that’s why his availability is good news, THE MISSES Lood de Jager: Granted, the towering lock has been playing a poor Bulls side this year though the fact that De Jager has failed in the last 18 months to regain his form from 2015 tells a story. Either he’s in a really long slump or his ability is being overestimated. Nonetheless, how he’s being picked above players like the Sharks’ Ruan Botha is a mystery. Damian de Allende: There’s precious little science to his selection. The mercurial midfielder has only played 28 minutes since his return from an ankle injury when the Bulls’ Burger Odendaal and Lions’ Harold Vorster have been performing with compelling impact. It’s not as if De Allende had a storming season in 2016, so this pick seems to have been made with loyalty and familiarity in mind rather than form. Rudy Paige: Yet another selection where form clearly wasn’t important. The Bulls scrumhalf has been treated badly since being unexpectedly picked for the 2015 World Cup and has lost much of his confidence. It hasn’t returned recently and the must-win series also isn’t the place to hope it does.

 Damian de Allende & Vermeulen both out injured ..... btw. is de Allende yet another who spends his Xmas breaks in Japan .

I feel sorry for Paige, he shouldn't even be in the mix ............ he'd struggle to make a provincial NZ team .

Duane, Damian out of first test

 Geez I hope the Wee Bokke get it together ,I much preferred the hard fought battles of just a couple of years ago .

Well WD the whole of last year we didn't know what team we wanted to be and we wont be providing real opposition until we figure that out.

The above article is a miracle - written by a person who generalized without context of what really happened.   Take for example Fat Fransie - who got his nickname Fat Fransie after his return from France being hugely overweight.   He played exactly in three tests and was then injured.   He never played under Meyer again.   So how can a statement - "Steyn knew where he stood under former Bok coaches Jake White and Heyneke Meyer and repaid them with good performances" - being made".  In the tree tests played he produced zilch when Meyer was coach.
It would have been wiser to look at his performances under White for the Sharks where he was the protegee of White - any other coach with knowledge of backline play would have sent him packing after no more than 4 to 5 matches for shockingly bad performances.  
The other players had to evaluated too.   The only shocker amongst them is Paige - who cannot even make the Bulls starting side - he is their bench player.         

Wardad, your best shot at a hard fought battle is this Lions series. Aussie and SA teams are in the tank and England has begun to labour for their wins .
Here's hoping the Lions give you a good run, although the loss of Vunipola was massive.



 

 
Frans Steyn hit top form under John Smit and Jake White back in 2007 and when that tournament was done, so was he.

He hasn't come close to that kind of form again and he's now expected to rescue the Boks a decade later?!! It's absurd.

Yes he has been shoved around ... only because he never impressed enough in each position to retain his spot.

We have all seen him embarrass us and himself countless times over.

I cannot think of anyone as over rated as he.

 Unfortunately for Marcell Coetzee, he would have to play the French tests to hit the 30 test caps mark, now he'll be in the wilderness till 2019 unless he comes back to an SA team. 

It's sad really, I always liked Coetzee, he gets through a huge amount of work, and he was good at the breakdown.

Yeah h e has been on fire at 8 here is Ireland before his injury - he was big before he left SA, is even bigger now - muscle man of note