I sometimes feel that there are contributors to the Board that would want the Springbok team to be made up by a varierty of players - some of them already way past 30 years of age - and that team renemwal is an absolute no-no - since the younger players coming through do not have the class of their predecessors. In the process it is completely forgotten that some 2007 WC players were by 2011 not a shadow of what they wer originally.
Because ther was virtually no player renewal after the 2007 WC up to and 2011 - Meyer was handed a dog breakfast of players to pick from in 2012. Some of them went sour and his initial picks was not at all acceptable.
My real point is that there must be a constant review of player capabilities and he ida that once a player was selected as a Springbok - he mus always be a Springbok. When some of Meyers picks - like De Jongh - was queried the response was something like he played a very good game at center in 2009 - wwithout mentioning th fact that the good game was in fact against Namibia of all countries.
Now lets get back to the present scenario. When Juan Smith decided to return to rugby - he was immediately punted as the real deal selection- not a word about performance requirements - the amse is now punted about Burger.
When any younger player is mentioned - the arsenal to gun him down opens immediately.
I find some comments on the board irrational - to put is mildly. If somebody dares to be crtical of players like Francois Steyn - he is an idiot that knows nothing about rugby or worse. The same applies to many other players as well.
I do believe that there is only one norm that should be governing player seletion and that is repeated present high level performances. That norm should apply to all players and if some Springboks bite the dust in the process - so be it.
