I will update this post as things change, with explanations. The rest of my RWC squad will be added as well. This is the team I would pick if I was in Meyer's shoes. If POC's were not a must, 13 and 14 might be open for all. The rest is merit.
Draad's Bokke
I will update this post as things change, with explanations. The rest of my RWC squad will be added as well. This is the team I would pick if I was in Meyer's shoes. If POC's were not a must, 13 and 14 might be open for all. The rest is merit.
Props
You have it somewhat wrong here. Any match day team has four props - 2 starters and two bench players.
My four props would be -
* Looseheads : Kitshoff, Beast* Tightheads : Malherbe, Nyakane
Hookers
I am getting very wary of Bismarck - he is showing signs of serious deterioration in performance and his latest red card is no accident - it relates directly to his under-performances in games. So my first choice would be Strauss with Akker van der Merwe on the bench.
Locks
I would definitely rather have Du Toit in the team ahead of any of the locks other than Etzebeth. Flippie is definitely a no-no ( he has been indisciplined and collected too many cards. Willemse is a guess at best. My supporting lock would be either Jacques du Plessis or Lood de Jager.
Loosies
Burger if he lasts would be a good selection - but I think he should be on the bench. On present form my starting loosies would be Labuschagne and Louw
There are good other options as well - like Coetzee and Brussow
Vermeulen is a definite no 8 - backup Whiteley
Scrummies
Both Du Preez and Pienaar are serious injury liabilities. Du Preez basically cannot play two weeks in a row. His first week is good - his second week not acceptable. In any event the Japanese club players tend to get injured way to often because of fitness deficiency. I would stay as far as possible away from them - since there is no way their form can be assessed and their selection will be based on reputation only.
De Klerk and Reinach
Flyhalf
Pollard : back-up Lambie
Centers
Other than De Allende the form of our centers this year has been poor. There is no way that a suitable 13 has been identified and my own preference would be Jesse Kriel based on his Under 20 WC performances in that position. Problem is there is no way that Serfontein was good enough and to pick Vorster or Odendaal after 3 or 4 matches on Super 15 level would be looking for trouble. Francois Steyn is a bad joke at present and he is a definite no-no
12 De Allende 13 Kriel
back-up : Serfontein
Wings
11 Habana14 Hougaard
back-up : Van Wyk
Full back
Kriel was the best performer and the story about le Roux is being totally absurd. My full back would still be Le Roux - since I think he is still one of the better playmakers we have in the backline. I would think that we are so poor in the 13 position that it would be a waste to lose the services of Le Roux and end up with a poor situation at 13.
My squad would be the following:-
Forwards
Looseheads : Beast, Kitshoff, NyakaneTightheads : Malherbe, Coenie, Van der MerweHookers : Strauss, Akker van der Merwe, Du PlessisLocks : Etzebeth, Du Toit, Du PlessisLoosies : Brussouw, Louw, Coetzee, Burger, Labuschagne, Vermeulen, Whiteley
Backline Players
Scrummies : Reinach, De Klerk, Du PreezFlyhalfs : Pollard, Lambie, GoosenCenters : De Allende, Kriel, SerfonteinWings : Habana, Hougaard, Van WykFulll Back : Le Roux
Goosen, what exactly will he be doing. Akker instead of Bismarck, puzzling. Malherbe and Marcel as the two tighthead props we rely on....gosh scary. Liggies Labuscagne doing what exactly. We seem to be short outside backs as well.
Not a totally disastrous effort, but not a team that has a prayer. Where are the power loosies for NH conditions. Where is the backline experience....who the hell will captain this doomed campaign?
What power Loosies are you talking about? I have power loosies in the form of all three loosies - but I am not thinking that slow and ineffective donkeys - like Alberts - are power loosies. A player like Alberts do not meet 10% of the requirements expected from a loosie - so what are you talking about? Whether in NH or any other conditions he is not meeting requirements.
Power loosies are their in the cases of all the three losies I favour. They are all strong physically and they have the necessary skills to tackle effectively and protect and recover balls effectively. Burger is perhaps the problem - he is not as powerful as players like Vermeulen, Louw and Labuschagne, but he has ball skills better than those three.
Poor side Draad, looks similar to the side Meyer will select.....a losing side
My side would be:
15. Willie 14. JP 13. de Allende 12. Serfontein 11. Kriel 10. Pollard 9. Hougaard 1. Kitchoff 2. Bismark 3. Coenie 4. Willemse 5. Etzebeth 6. Coetzee 7. PSDT 8. Vermeulen
16. Strauss 17. Nyakane 18. Marcel v/d Merwe 19. Jacques du Plessis 20. Carr 21. Reinach 22. Lambie 23. Odendaal
With the likes of Kobus v/Wyk, Frans Steyn, Goosen, Faf de Klerk, Beast, Koch, Malherbe, Lood, Brussouw, Schalk, Arno Botha, Mtembu, Labs, Kolisi and Liebenberg pushing hard.


