Injury problems - Pollard and Van Rensburg

Pollard has injured his ankle in training and will be out until June - so there is no chance that he can recover his form before the June test series against France.    In view of his questionable form thus far I believe he cannot be consider for selection before the Rugby Championship - but only if their is serious improvement in the latter part of Super Rugby.
Real bad news iro Rohan Janse van Rensburg.   He has had a knee op and will be out for three months.   I think the obvious selection in his place is Harold Vorster for the June tests.


 

Very sad news, Pollard needed an extended run of fitness to play himself into some form. And JVR was a shoe in as a starter.

 APD
My feeling about Pollard exactly.   Looking at his matches this year it seemed to me that he was never really matchfit with his pace not up to the standard he set when he was the Under 20 captain.
I hope the guy gets over the injury soon and recover fully - but I have serious reservations about the Bulls coach and the impact that has on the Bulls team.   That has to my mind a negative impact insofar as performance of Pollard is concerned.    

You're right, it would be good to see Pollard in a team playing a more attacking brand of rugby. 

What sort of team would you like to see in the French Tests Mike? Current injuries permitting. 

APD
There are still a lot of voids in the line-up.   I wanted to collapse laughing when Rugby 365 had a huge write-up on Mapoe - who was comprehensively outplayed by a rookie last  Saturday - utterly useless.   We have a serious deficiency at 13.
Be it as it may I think the team should be s follows:-
15  Willie le Roux - I think that Marais or Coetzee also have a chance14  Kobus van Wyk13  Harold Vorster12  Damian de Allende - he should be back next month11  Ruan Combrinck - will reportedly also be back next month10  Pat Lambie  9  ?????????????  8  Warren Whiteley  7  ?????????????  6  Jaco Kriel  5  Pieter-Steph du Toit  4  Even Etzebeth  3  ?????????????  2  Malcolm Marx  1  Tendai Mtawarira
As you may notice that I am not sure about the 2,7 and 9  position.  Fact is that the most impressive scrummies this year was Schreuder and Venter playing in two joke teams - yet even in that negative environment they are doing well.
The seven position might well go to Siya Kolisi - but I like Jean Luc du Preez and a few other natural 7's as well.
I have a problem with the tighthead as well.   We have a case of a few players being good in scrumming and useless in the rest of the game - so where is best to go?
However the above team will not materialize  since the quota system would result in a hopeless team.  

 Gotta feel for Pollard. Sucks when young guys have such kak luck. Welcome back to the starting line-up Blondie. 
Sucks for RJVR too. He was on track for a stellar year. 
All we can do is wish em well. 

 I like your line up Mike, I'd like to see Du Preez in the 7 shirt, he'd give us some power there where Kriel couldn't.

Also I'd like to see Skosan on one of the wings.
No Frans Venter? 

Do you think Faf de Klerk was a flash in the pan? Or just a bad bit of form at the moment?

I quite like Skuna Notshe too.

 15. Bosch/ SP14. Van wyk looks OK13. EW/Vorster/Serfontein12. Duppie11. Up for grabs10. Not Lambie, probably Jantjies, I hope not. Cronje?9. Vermaak and Venter.8. Whiteley and Du Preez 7. Oupa6. Cloete & Kleintjie5. Lood & PSDT4. EBEN and backup 1. Beast&Kitsie2. Steroid Boy R3. Not Frans
Rule did kinda well too and I think Kolbe could do well too....forget about Willie at 15 and DdA must be back with some bang to get a spot.

These are decent teams, but unfortunately not much better than last year.

 Unfortunately I think these teams have potential but that's all they'll be with Coetzee in charge. We need direction.

Even if we have the best team in the world - but with a coach who lost the dressing room they will go nowhere.
I would like to see a flyhalf with the ability to read games and to take decisions other than to routinely kick the Pooo-eee  out of the ball.   Kicking is an important component of the game - but not the only option.
I would have no problem with Robert du Preez or Jean-Luc du Plessis at flyhalf.   The NZ consultant has helped them tremendously - Pollard needs that help with vengeance. 
I am very impressed with EW Viljoen.   He was much criticized this past weekend - but  he has that something extra missing in the other centers namely to think on his feet.  He is an exceptional off-loader of balls and various commentator have made the statement that he is a clever player.    In many ways he reminds me of Conrad Smith and Milner-Skudder.   I believe that with opportunities he would develop into a special center.         

 We have no team. A couple of decent players, but no team yet. We need a skilled couch to mold a team...haven't got that either.