Is Jaque Fourie still a giant and selecting Bok 15 for world cup

 Ex Keo

Every South African rugby supporter is a selector. So who is your pick – by the position – and in an ideal world? Today the focus is on outside centre.

The boys at SA Rugby Magazine and myself will be picking our ideal Bok XV over the next two weeks.

Every day will be a different position. Check it out and pick your team here. You go into a draw to win two tickets to the Springboks v All Blacks at Ellis Park. Air fares and accommodation included.

It’s not about just who is fit at the moment. We want to establish the ideal Fans XV in the build-up to the World Cup.

Who, by weight of public opinion, is the ideal Bok run on XV.

Today I look at outside centre. There is only one player for me. Jaque Fourie.

He was the best outside centre in the game before he left for Japan and he is good enough to reclaim that position when he returns in 2015 to challenge for a World Cup place.

Fourie is like Wallabies legend George Smith. It doesn’t matter that he has been playing in Japan for the last two seasons. It may have added longevity to his career and I could still see him playing a season or two in Europe post the 2015 World Cup.

Fourie is the package deal at No 13. The closest to Fourie in South Africa is JJ Engelbrecht, in terms of power and pace. But Englebrecht doesn’t yet have the experience of Fourie and he doesn’t have the natural understanding of defensive structures. He is an investment and he will play in the Rugby Championship. But in an ideal Bok XV with an eye on the 2015 World Cup, Fourie is my man.

The right wing position has belonged exclusively to one man since 2006 – and he is JP Pietersen.

The former Sharks winger’s only weakness is his line kicking game. It has never been good, but outside of that he offers everything that s good about a world class winger. He is imposing in physique, strong in the tackle and invariably uses the touchline well. He will be at his peak in 2015, given he was just 21 years-old when he won the World Cup in 2007.

Former Wallabies coach Eddie Jones, who assisted Jake White with the Boks in the 2007 World Cup campaign, rated Pietersen the better rugby player over Bryan Habana (I dont agree). Jones said Habana was an outstanding athlete and a very good rugby player but that that as far as wingers go Pietersen was the more complete winger. Jones referred to Pietersen’s ‘functional intelligence’ as one of his qualities as a winger.

Jones said this functional intelligence on a rugby field meant the player read the game well and understood the nuances of wing play. His off the ball contribution was as good as his impact with ball in hand.

My pick on Monday at fullback: Jaco Taute.

I know he is currently injured but I am thinking in terms of having the best available side to win back the World Cup. Who would I play in a World Cup final at Twickenham?

Taute experienced a horror season with the Stormers and got injured early in the season. But a fit Taute would be my choice to start at fullback for the Springboks.

I’d utilise Wille le Roux as an impact player or on the wing as a starting option. Taute, in competitions like the Rugby Championship and end-of-year tours to Europe and the United Kingdom, offers greater solidity and presence at fullback. He has a strong kicking game and his physicality and pace could add a dimension to the potency of the Bok back-three unit.

Taute’s skill set complements the likes of Bryan Habana and say Le Roux on the wing, or even a Gio Aplon or Bjorn Basson. But I feel the Boks in their build towards the World Cup, have to invest in Taute more as a fullback than outside centre.

Here’s what the boys at SA Rugby Magazine think.

Now let me know what you think.

My ideal Bok XV so far (with 2015 World Cup in mind)
15. Jaco Taute
14. JP Pietersen
13. Jaque Fourie

Fourie , considering wat he is matchedup against currently, would have to takeradicle steps to get his head prepared for a Word Cup. Do we need him ? No. we have to start backing our younger options and install a belief that we back the rising stars instead of falling back on stars that have since faded.

Have to agree with Mike over here.

 So what have you to say about George Smith who also played for Japan? Also the comment re palying in Japan prolonging his palying life?

I do aree though he will need to prove himself here SA but he may be a possibility for the WC Squad. Bunce and his center partner (name escapes me) were quite old and still playing  for the abs. Jean is also getting on but playing very good rugby.

George Smith played for Japan ? thats news to me. Face it, you have no idea what Fourie's form would be like and are you willing to tell us all , which union would you have him play at and who would you push to one side to facilitate this high risk option. Who would you exclude and prehaps rub up the wrong way to test a somewhat crooked ideal.

i cant believe im saying this, but i agree with beeno1 aka storminged, there have been plenty of examples of players who have returned from japan and played some top level rugby, george smith, tamati ellison, faafili levave to name but a few.

BTW mikey, kahui has never played in japan before, he has signed up to play there for the first time this season.

a player of the class of fourie would have no problem fitting into the Boks, and if meyers comments about him last year are any indication, then fourie will be playing for the Boks in 2015 RWC.
i think this is a mistake though, serfontein and jj engelbrechet will be the incumbent Bok midfield then, the signs about how great this dynamic duo could be have been very evident in 2013, one of the best midfiled combos in the comp and theyre still far from the finished product, by the end of the 2014 spXV season and if injury dosent rear its ugly head, i will be surprised if anyone will be even talking about fourie, cos the saffas here will showing jan and jj all thier man love the way they do with lady elizabeth.

and WTF is this about jj being similar to fourie in pace??? IMO jj is by far the faster player, IMO hes a lot stronger too, but fourie does have a great rugby mind hones by years of top shelf performances, but jj will reach that level of nous in the next few years, maybe even sooner.

The question remains, who steps to the side to allow  Jaque " im the greatest centre ever " Fourie to play. The guy would have to take the place of a rising star and probably have a years contract. What a sacrifice.

I believe we need to back our youngsters. We have plenty of time to develop our star players. JJ has come on leaps and bounds. We still have 3 championships to get these guys ready. My message to expats would be that if they want to play in the World Cup then they need to be playing in SA from 2014. I don't mind a couple of vets but no more. We saw what happened at the last wc.

What would an ou toppie team look like?

9 Du Preez, 10 Steyn 11 Habana, 12 de villiers 13 fourie 14 JP 15 frans Steyn. As to 

9 Hougaard, 10 Goosen, 11 Senatla, 12 Serfontein 13 JJ 14  Rhule 15 Willie