My bold move I’m dropping

My team:

Willie

Mapimpi 

Am 

Jean

Habana

Morne Steyn (take no chances)

Faf

The Beast

Marx

Malherbe

Etzebeth…always

Victor

Schalk

Juan 

Vermeulen

We give up on these guys far too soon. Who the blue blazes is this guy Julius. I haven’t seen him do much but nice name.

It was a joke Pot Pot, you know humor?  Got the answer on those time stamps yet, or are you too cowardly to admit your foolish mistake?

Agreed Plum...

Okay, so then you don't agree with Dave who thinks it's wise to chuck them into a couple of nothing games and then they see little/no game time against better opposition. 

I'm for it. I believe in clean slates. More so when the core of your team are all retiring at the same time. Which is what is happening to the Boks. We've already identified our long term leaders at the front and back...Sacha and Hannekom. Build from there. 

Though, as I stated elsewhere, its tricky to do because of the current age of our players. They've still got a good year or two in them. But almost none of them will be starting at the 2027 WC.

So when and how do you get new players in, and get them fully assimilated into the Bok plan? 

...because they will have to take over, and do so convincingly, before the WC starts.

The answer is 100% not to play these guys in nothing matches because that achieves ZERO.

Here's an odds, evens, doubles strategy...Took a few precise prompts of ChatGPT, but I got it spit this out. 

FYI this is the type of thing GPT is supposed to be used for.  

Strategy Overview

• Goal: Introduce new players into the Odd positions (first player in combinations).
• Example: A new scrum-half (9) partners with the incumbent fly-half (10), or a new lock (4) partners with the incumbent (5).

• Goal: Introduce new players into the Even positions (second player in combinations).
• Example: The incumbent scrum-half (9) partners with a new fly-half (10), or the incumbent lock (4) partners with a new lock (5).

• Goal: Test fully new combinations, introducing new players into both Odd and Even positions.
• Example: A new lock pairing (4 & 5) or a new half-back combination (9 & 10).

Year-by-Year Plan

• Objective: Gradually introduce new players into Odd and Even positions to build depth and familiarity with the Springbok system.
• Competitions: Rugby Championship (RC), Incoming Home Tests (IT), European Tour (ET).

Plan:

1. Rugby Championship: Focus on Odds Phase

   • Test new players in Odd positions (e.g., 1, 4, 9, 12, 15).
   • Example Game 1:
     • New loosehead prop (1), lock (4), scrum-half (9), inside center (12), and fullback (15).
   • Game 2: Rotate new players into different Odd positions, ensuring variety.

2. Incoming Home Tests: Transition to Evens Phase

   • Test new players in Even positions (e.g., 3, 5, 10, 13, 14).
   • Example Game 1:
     • Incumbent scrum-half (9) with new fly-half (10).
     • Incumbent lock (4) with new lock (5).

3. European Tour: Continue Evens Phase

   • Use challenging conditions to test new Even players under pressure.
   • Begin identifying combinations that work well for further development.

• Objective: Start combining new players in both Odd and Even positions to test synergy.
• Competitions: RC, IT, ET.

Plan:

1. Rugby Championship: Begin Doubles Phase

   • Test two fully new combinations per game.
   • Example Game 1:
     • New lock pairing (4 & 5).
     • New half-back pairing (9 & 10).
   • Example Game 2:
     • New center pairing (12 & 13).
     • New front-row combination (1, 2, 3).

2. Incoming Tests: Continue Odds & Doubles Testing

   • Rotate remaining Odd positions to finalize a pool of potential players.
   • Continue refining promising new combinations.

3. European Tour: Prioritize Doubles Testing

   • Use high-pressure environments to evaluate fully new pairings and identify weaknesses.

• Objective: Finalize combinations for the World Cup.
• Competitions: RC, Pre-World Cup Warmups.

Plan:

1. Rugby Championship: Solidify Starting XV

   • Focus on finalized combinations, with minimal rotation.
   • Confirm all starting players meet the age criterion and are cohesive.

2. Pre-World Cup Warmups: Test Squad Depth

   • Use backups in remaining positions to ensure readiness for injuries or fatigue.

Position-Specific Integration Plan

• 2025: Introduce new loosehead (1) and tighthead (3) props in Odds/Evens Phases.
• 2026: Test full front-row combinations.

• 2025: Test new lock at 4 (Odd) and later at 5 (Even).
• 2026: Test full new lock pairings (Doubles Phase).

• 2025: Rotate new players into each position, one at a time.
• 2026: Test combinations (e.g., 6 & 8 or 7 & 8).

• 2025: New scrum-half (9) plays with incumbent fly-half (10). Later, reverse roles.
• 2026: Test full new half-back pairings.

• 2025: New inside center (12) partners with incumbent outside center (13). Later, reverse roles.
• 2026: Test full center pairings.

• 2025: Rotate new players in wings (11, 14) and fullback (15).
• 2026: Test full combinations.

Advantages of This Approach

1. Clear Combinational Testing: The Odds/Evens structure ensures every new player is tested systematically within key partnerships.
2. Balanced Transition: Doubles testing introduces multiple new players but limits disruption to team cohesion.
3. World Cup Readiness: Guarantees all starting combinations are cohesive, experienced, and meet the age criterion for 2027.

This plan creates a Springbok side that blends youth and experience, ensuring readiness for the Rugby World Cup without sacrificing short-term competitiveness.