Kitshoff – arguably the best loosehead in the game right now. The fact that Meyer has not rewarded this kid with a test cap or 10 is highly insulting and testament to how utterly useless Meyer is when it comes to player identification and reward.
Marcel Coetzee – our go to 6 all of last year, being one of the few stand out test players in a poor year for the Boks. How do you start all of last season and not make a squad of 31 a year later – pathetic player management by our useless coach. He is so much better than average Louw who has done nothing of note in 2 years, but according to clueless Meyer is our best 6
Jaco Kriel – if Marcel was our go to last year, Jaco is the form 6 this year. The guy was on fire for the Lions and brings something different to the party, he offers pace as a loosie, something we don’t have in the squad.
Paul Willemse – our best lock when he was playing for the Bulls, offers as much grunt as Etzebeth and potentially Etzebeth’s ideal partner. Good old Meyer completely missed the boat with this kid, not even including him in the extended Bok training squad. Instead we have useless Matfield.
Jacques du Plessis – by far our best 7 all S15, if you want the grunt Alberts used to provide, this is the lad for the job, not to mention the fact that he doubles up as a lock. His last S15 game for the Bulls highlighted just how good he is with ball in hand and how comfortably he dominates the collisions. Trust Meyer to yet again miss the boat on this guy. Instead we have donkey Alberts, who like Louw, has not had a noteworthy game in 2 years.
CJ Stander – Munster player of the year, no mean feat given Munster are one of the best clubs in the game. This lad offers skill and physicality be it at 8 or 7. Had Meyer had half a brain he would have made a call to this lad and invited him to join the Boks, instead we will see this talented player lost to Ireland next year. How pathetic do you have to be as a coach to miss out on an opportunity like CJ – up there with missing the boat with Paul Willemse.
Marcel v/d Merwe – in a year where Jannie has been poor at s15 level and at best solid in the tests, we have Marcel come on board and save our blushes against the Argies away, not to mention him getting the better of Woodcock the year before against the Kiwi’s. The man mountain has proved his worth at test level and should have been rewarded accordingly.
Arno Botha – easily our most talented loosie who looks to have overcome his injury problems and is now starting to find good form. A far better player than Louw or Schalk.
Faf de Klerk – the find of the s15 who offers something with ball in hand, always asking questions and posing a threat. Instead we have the dour du Preez and Pienaar as our options.
Hougaard – disgustingly discarded from the Bok squad after being a go to player for years. In sharp form for the Bulls at 9 right now and offers the utility element of playing wing. One of the few SA 9’s who is able to ask questions of the defence.
Reinach – starting last year for the Boks and now can’t make the squad of 31 – pathetic example of player management once again. Pienaar, Paige and du Preez ahead of the above 3 is a joke.
Jantjies – as Mallett correctly pointed out, he is was the form 10 of the s15. No 10 in SA has his hands or creative flair……..would have added something different – instead we have the utterly useless Morne on board – go figure.
Serfontein – another example of poor player management – we can’t use injury as an excuse for his non-selection as that would apply to half the chosen squad. Jan started all of last season out of position at 13 and now can’t make the 31. He was better than Jean last year despite playing out of position and was given a positive spin from useless Meyer after the season. Shows how much substance Meyer has given his treatment of Jan this year. Instead we have investment in old man Jean, who is not only a crock, but has not been good for 2 years now.
Senatla – the one guy who could have provided the x factor, instead we have Mvovo, who is at best solid and given his age hardly worth the investment.
Every one of these players above are far better than some of the 31 chosen and their exclusion will be part of the reason our average Bok side under clueless and useless Meyer will NOT progress beyond the QF’s. The fundamental responsibility of a coach is the get the choice of his side/squad right……game plans and direction are universal………..Meyer fails desperately in his primary responsibility – he has no idea when it comes to selection……the worst selections I have seen from a Bok coach in the last decade.
There is one positive in all this, I doubt we will see useless Meyer post the WC – fingers crossed anyway.
