Perfect harmony in Meyer's selections

South Africa: 15 Willie le Roux: 14 JP Pietersen, 13 Jaque Fourie, 12 Jean de Villiers (captain) 11 Bryan Habana, 10 Pat Lambie, 9 Fourie du Preez, 8 Duane Vermeulen, 7 Willem Alberts, 6 Francois Louw, 5 Flip van der Merwe, 4 Bakkies Botha, 3 Frans Malberhe, 2 Adriaan Strauss, 1 Gurthrö Steenkamp.
Replacements: 16 Bismarck du Plessis, 17 Tendai Mtawarira, 18 Coenie Oosthuizen, 19 Eben Etzebeth, 20 Marcell Coetzee, 21 Ruan Pienaar, 22 Morné Steyn, 23 JJ Engelbrecht

We see HM keeping the same backline as per most of the Scottish match. In the pack he takes a few risks starting with Bakkies, Strauss and the improving Gurthro. But with Etzebeth, the Beast an d Bismarck available on the bench.

I am relieved to see HM takes winning seriously and the earlier reports that it was not the only objective can be discarded. Winning is the best tonic, the best player lesson, the best for long term success.

I might have chanced my arm with Stephanie on the bench after all we have two starting 4 locks....but no matter. I think HM is keen to see what total power can accomplish. He also leaves the Bok's power loosie combination intact.

This is Lambie's big chance. Once again HM is working on giving himself options. This guy is so zoned in with his player selections, he could probably tell you his team for the first RWC15 pool match, if he were pressed.

Scotland has really never been rated but they can be remarkedly good against tier 1 sides...with the exception of the ALL Blacks whom they've never beaten. I surmise that Scotland never put much into their game when playing tier 2 sides and weaker tier 1 but rise to the occassion when playing the stronger sides, especially Springboks...their game seems to rise to another level...a small nation of rugby with a lot of bravehearts.

Nothing really wrong with SA side but I suspect the bench could easily be called upon to save an embarrassment. 

Sas...AB's have had a lot of Scots blood in their players...never underestimate the Scot...the Flower Of Scotland (and that must include a wee fern for decoration)...look what they did to King Edwards Army...and of course every remembers wee Robbie MacGregor...he was not as big as the Irishman (Liam Neeson) who played the part of Robbie in that blockbuster film some years ago...lolz

I admire the Scots, good tough resilient and hard working people and brave and good fighters. It's just a pity that rugby union is so relatively small in Scotland compared to Association Football.

 If this is the Boks' strongest team then you have big problems! Why is Goosen even on tour? Is he going to get a run??

Hasbeeno scoffed at the ABs at the start of the season as McCaw and Carter were still playing and now he's supporting the reintroduction of Bakkies the Bully!

Explain please Hasbeeno??

Cleancut

The players to be discarded are not those mentioned by you - they should be Morne - top of the list always - since he buggers up more often than not - fat and lazy (playing 20 minutes in any game) Alberts, Kirchner, Steenkamp and ilk.  Better still Meyer should be discarded - the harkening back to the past wreck.    

Cleancut

I indicated very clearly in my first post under this thread of what I thought of the team selected by Meyer in this case.   Now you add further to my disgust by adding frivolous comments.  How many times must Morne lose matches for SA - like the Ellis Park debacle - before you realise he is a dumb flyhalf?   How mny deficient performnces before Alberts should go?  Forgotten entirely about the Ellis Park test alread y?

So -

HO-HO-HO-HO-HO.  

Cleancut

Game plan or no game plan - Morne buggered up badly because of his lack of ball sense and poor defence.   And so did FATSO Alberts.

No apology forthcoming - Alberts is bloody fat and useless 80% of the time. ,