Yeah we have fucked up by investing in the wrong players
We have wasted time with the likes of Frans Steyn, Jessie Kriel, Nyakane, Koch, Mostert, Orie, Fourie and Vermeulen
More game time should have been given to Gelant, Tambwe, Esterhuizen, JVR, Libbok, Thomas du Toit, Wilco Louw, Jenkins, JL du Preez, Dan du Preez, Elrigh Louw and Roos
Our hopes rest in the continued decline of the rest of the test nations. There hasn't been one great test side the past few years. The SH giants are at an all time low and the NH sides are largely figuring themselves out. That's our hope. If the trend changes, we are going to be left behind worse than we were from 1999 into the early 2000s. It's far too late to sack Erasmus now, and there are no replacement who will be accepted.
I'm must looking at the teams we play against and none of them will build confidence. The only "weak" team is actually Argentina. I know some of the games normally have a few experimental players, but I'm not sure what they are hoping to achieve other than getting the team ready for match sharpness.
Beating one of France, Ireland and NZ is probably a 50:50 proposition. Beating all three in a row has odds of 12.5%.
So Mozart, based on your probability, no chance of getting beyond the quarters?
It really worries me that we are so under prepared and poor player selections. They just stuck with the same WC2019 team without building competition or being brave enough to drop players. Frans Steyn and Vermeulen are still considered. Janjties probably will make his way back, Pollard has not shown any form what so ever.
Going to be a very frustrating and short World Cup for us. My prediction is being beaten by Ireland, then getting knocked out by NZ or France. I hope I'm so wrong.
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So SA has added an additional game against Argentina and another against the AB's in London. Which will only give them 6 test before the World Cup. With 3 games in the pool and possible QR it will take it to 10 test.
Also considering the work load our teams have these days and that all our SA based and European based players haven't had an off season.
I think it would be very hard to bring in new players like Manie, Roos etc and get them up to test standard. Not to mention that we have players like Pollard that has been injured and only making his way back.
Interesting year ahead