There are some members on this site - especially Mozart -who writes about form not to be used as a norm for selection - especially when the form of players are bad. He then try to prove that form is not a criterium - since according to him Super Rugby form is not indicative of form displayed in tests in 2013.
Sasue then pointed out that the following top performers in Super 15 turned out to be top performers in subsequent tests:-
Ben Smith, Duane Vermeulen, Brodie Retallick, Eben Etzebeth, Sam Whitelock, israel Folau, Steven Luatua, Liam Messam, Keirean Read, Matt Toomua, Micheal Hooper
I then suggested that Willie le Roux and Charles Piutau be added to the list.
The reason for the song and dance is that player performances on club level and in the Super 15 should not to be taken into account when selections are made - because they perform well on test level. There are a few players around whose Super 15 form was not really all that good (Habana being one) - but those are extremely rare exceptions.
The opposite is true - virtually 95% of the players who fail to perform at Super 15 or club level - will fail on test level.
The whole argument started because Morne Steyn struggles to make the Stade Francais starting line up and when he plays his performances are piss poor.
According to some members form should not be a norm in the selection of test sides and that experience is the only norm. When queried about recent form of players they go back to player performances in matches as long as ten years ago to prove why certain players should still be in the test side.
The only norm for selection to test sides should remain PRESENT PROVEN GOOD PERFORMANCE ON A CONTINUOUS BASIS - not one-match wonders - and if proven performances are equal the more experienced member should be given preference.
That applies to all tests sides and should be the norm all along - any deviation normally leads to inexplicable losses or to teams battling desperately to win tests which they should otherwise win with ease.
It is for that reason that we should keep our eyes wide open and see who are the performers on Super 15 level in particular. Although NH clubs play on a lower level than is found in Super 15 - Meyer has a tendency to run to NH club players with whom he is familiar for selection to the test side. So we must also know how his favourites perform on club level.
Anther issue is the playing conditions - generally SH sides play 75% of their tests in the SH. NH field and weather conditions is of less importance in selection strategy. So playing conditions are of minor importance - the real performances are the key. A plodder in Super 15 and Club level will be a plodder in all matches - whether played in the NH or in the SH.
