In this dream team combination, I'm guessing most pundits thought Eben would be in the "hard man" 4 position. But his super lineout performance and smooth calling of the lineouts against the Reds, suggest he could just as effectively play 5.
This is a huge build up up for the Springbok pack...Etzebeth and PSDT a formidable 4 and 5. The other arithmetics are more debatable.. But a huge selection of loosies...flyhalfs...a little bit less on who is the best on scrummies, centres and wings...the full back remains the question. There is dominance in the front row.
Best team in the world. Lets just get the homework done and right. We can tate the best.
This is a huge build up up for the Springbok pack...Etzebeth and PSDT a formidable 4 and 5. The other arithmetics are more debatable.. But a huge selection of loosies...flyhalfs...a little bit less on who is the best on scrummies, centres and wings...the full back remains the question. There is dominance in the front row.
Best team in the world. Lets just get the homework done and right. We can take on the best.
These two youngsters are massive players for the boks and a must have. They are both extremely mobile. I would almost say PSDT is a four as he can also play at 7, normally your 4 is the guy you want to clear the rucks out and run down the 10 channel. But with these two guys you are almost lost for words of what to do with them. I would almost say that they are so versetile that you can mix them up and confuse the opposition.
This is the year where Meyer needs to pull his head out the Blue Bulls But hole and start looking at other players. Since the June international are a bit of joke this year I would go with an extremely young team and prep them for the Championship.
1. Coenie
2. Strauss (Bismark needs some game time before playing for the boks)
3. Herbst (Jannie is just not cutting the mustart)
4. PSDT
5. Eztebeth
6. Kolisi
7. Lappies Labascaugne
8. Engelbrecht (This guy is a machine)
9. Vermaak (Hougaard is probably the worst scrumhalf, how many times did he mis his players when passing)
10. Lambie (Not up to standard just yet, Steyn has the inside track but needs to be rested for the championship)
11. Mvovo (Injected some real pace with his comeback)
12. Ebersohm (Been the form 12 all season) Serfontein
13. Sadie (Combination with ebersohm, JJ is looking much better this season)
14. Rhule
15. Willie Le Roux
This is not my final squad, but i think with all the rugby being played I would give these guys a crack. Jean, Steyn, Pienaar, Louw, Habana, JP etc are all still great players but would manage them better.
People complain about the low win percentage Meyer had for the first year of his tenure and then they create teams like this...
If you have an inexperienced team like the one you've thought of there you're going to lose, don't you remember Scotland 2011? Lambie's first match? Where the Boks got beaten by the Scots as we fielded a very young team?
But to add to all of this you still pick terrible selections eg. Rhule, Sadie and Ebersohn!
Ebersohm, Sadie and ruhle are amongst the best player in the comp. I think this team will against any tier two team. Only if Meyer allows to atact instead of playing robotic rugby
If you want a young side and buy some experience you could try the following. Tighthead Malherbe by the proverbial country mile.Best young tighthead in the country.
Young loosies - Louw, Arno and Lapies. Kolisi must not come near a Bok side he is nowhere near ready. Englebrecht is a possibility.
If you are going for youth then its Van Zyl or Reinach. However Vermaak is okay by me.
Flyhalf - lambie or Cat
Centers well I prefer Sefontein and JJ with Allende a serious option . Sadie - on one reasonable perfomance !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Never !! Ebersohn doesnt carry enough clout.
Wings Mvovo and Willie le roux.
Fullback is the problem - lambie, Willie Le roux (Van Der heever on the wing Cat at flyhalf)
NO NO to Rhule - the guy is a rag doll. If he hardens up and gets agressive on defence we can think again. Not ready now. A test backline with Saide, Ebersohn and Rule will get slaughtered.
Of course we need some of the experienced guys in.
Rhule has had a poor few games and Sadie only shined in the last game moreover JJ has been in better form than him. Ebersohn has been good but Jean and Serfontein have been the outstanding inside centers for SA.
Which ever one is the best jumper in the lineouts should be number 5.
If they are the same at jumping Ezbeth looks bigger so should be number4.
I believe that Eben is more than capable at no.5 and thats where Heyneke should start him. If you also consider the fact that Bekker is off to Japan it would be great to see Coetzee give the responsibility of the libeout calls to Eben for the Stormers as well. By the time the next world cup rolls around he would of had plenty of experience in taking charge of lineouts making him a highly valued asset to the boks, throw in the fact he is so young and you have the makings of potentially the best lock ever to come out of South Africa.
I do not like the idea of a team of youngsters - neither a team of oldies - so there should at least be some balance in the process. I must say one thing - what does the Bulls do to their centers? Sadie was a failure last year for the Bulls - but had a very solid performance for the Cheetahs this year -not only on Saturday - but also in previous matches. They try to turn Serfontein into a crashballer - killing his very obvious talent..
I dpo not think that Meyer will select a team like suggested above. He wants a kicking flyhalf by hell or high water. His latest remarks on kicking by a flyhalf is just a continuation of what he expects from a player in that position. Kick away possession - donkey kick style - and hey presto you have a flyhalf. Pass the ball to the center and he shall crashball - is another major Meyer considertion.
I do not think that Serfontein will ever really be a successful crashballer - so my advice is he should be allowed to play his natural game and not be forced to play dead backline rugby.
Just another observation - last year Hougaard was a mess at scrummie - this year he kicked away balls continuously - but the rest of his game (slow and extremely inaccurate passing) is really the pits. Neither Hougaard nor Vermaak should actually be near to the Springbok team. The cjhoice to my mind should be between Reinach and Van Zyl - but that infernal Bulls contract is the decider insofar as Meyer is concerned.
Lets face a few facts here. Sadie has started to come right with the Cheetahs as one suspected he would. However Hougaard at the bulle has gone backwards each year. Hougaard - where would he be now if he had gone to the Cheetahs? Naka and his coaches have got the balance right. Strong pack and fluid backline not even with the best players! Always thought if Cheetahs could keep their players they would be a top Union every year and always said Naka was a good coach. Its a crime against rugby when payers are poached from the Cheethas.
Mike I too am concerned about young Jan. He being a crashballer is total nonsense. Would love to be able to say come to WP Jan but we are no longer the famous running team we once were.
One thing I would say - folk often talk about distribution skills at 12 but not 13. However I was always a advocate of moving Jean to 13 due to his distribtution skills to put Habana and JP away. 13 is where Jean should have played all his life.
Currently I am liking the prospect of an Allende/Serfontein (13) center pairing.
Possible Bok backline players in near future:
Van Zyl/ Goosen (Cheetahs combo)
Allende, Serfontein (13)
Mvovo/ JJ (JJ's spell at center will stand him in good stead)
Wllie Le Roux
Obviously there are anumber of others to consider and other combos that could well work. Its only at 15 where the cupboard is a bit bear. Although Frans may come back and Lambie could be considered there? We also have the young bulle 15 who is doing reasonably well.
Soooooooo ... does that mean we can expect the "peoples eyebrow" to be included in the Haka next time round??
Hahhahahaha the spirit Hakwa I was getting worried about the kiwis dumping rugby as a sport!!
How do you fancy your chances against the Frogs? Another loss by the kiwis to the NH could dent our SH rules image?
the saffa bros are going to be in for a shock when they see flip get parterned up with ezebeth instead, so be warned boys, no hissy fits when meyer goes another way.
@hakwa,
exactly, just bring it. All Blacks will send them packing like they did to lady elizabeth in his first All Black test where i believe he was subbed before the 60th minute??? hmmmm its been my experience that players of value are kept on when games ar at their hardest, then again differnt strokes, -_o
@beeno1 aka storminged,|
i wouldnt worry so much about the french as i would about the scots if i was u, especially after that whipping the lowly scots gave u in 2010, by the way could u tell me how it feels to lose to such a lowly nation??? i on;y ask cos i have no idea considering the 100% record we have over the bravehearts, o_O
also brother storminged, technically SH rules images is largely thanks to the All Blacks, especially after those EOYT losses ur boys suffered at the hands of leicester and saracens that cause huge dents, i remember the pom media at the time having a field day at ur boys expense, yikes, O_O
Some really interesting articles on supersport.com and sport24.com on what Matt Proudfoot has said about Eben and him being a number 5. Nothing but praise.
