Rassie's comments on squad selection

The following from News 24:-

"

Erasmus was speaking on SuperSport’s Afrikaans rugby show, SuperRugby, on Monday night where he shed more light on the squad he was preparing to pick.

The Boks will open their campaign against Wales in Washington DC on June 2, before a three-Test home series starting against England the following week.

Erasmus will name his squad on Saturday evening.

He said it will be a 40-man squad, with a group of 26 players flying to America for the Test against Wales.

“I think there will be a few surprises but I’m really going to try for a balance. I’m not going to pick conservatively,” Erasmus said.

“We’ll be training together as a group on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. And then on Thursday and Friday 26 guys will go to America, with a few guys staying behind to prepare for England. The squad will consist of about 40 players and after the first week it will be reduced to about 30.

“But I’m really excited, there will be a few guys getting their first (Test) caps. There are young guys who deserve a chance. Of course, there will be a few older guys who have experience, but the young guys will also get exposure.”

Erasmus added that England will provide a stern challenge and he believed his counterpart Eddie Jones had picked a strong squad.

READ: Phew ... Eng squad for Boks looks credible

“Actually if you look at his team... he’s picked his best (available) team. There are one or two guys who are injured and the odd one or two that he’s rested. But I think it’s his best team. I think it will be a tough Test series,” Erasmus said.

“But I think it’s better for us. If they sent a weakened team then it would be a lose-lose scenario. If you beat them then everyone says you beat their B team... so I’m happy they are bringing their strongest team.”

The first Test against England is scheduled for Ellis Park in Johannesburg on June 9, followed by Tests in Bloemfontein (Free State Stadium, June 16) and Cape Town (Newlands, June 23)."

What is clear from the above is that Rassie will not fall into the trap Meyer thrived in.   Experience will be taken into account -  but the key issue remains performance.

He refers to some surprises   and one immediately  wonders who those would be.   My guess is that it may be Mapimpi and Nkosi - as well as possibly Dyantyi, Tambwe and Am.   There could be others as well.  That is were I believe the scrummies may be affected.  

I think that with he absence of Etzebeth  and De Jager - Snyman is a certainty.   And Nyakane is one a s well.      

He'll run into a wall with Jantjies, there is no other reason to select him but for the quota.

If Jantjies is in the squad - he may never be used.   Rassie would have analy zed his game and know what he is doing and where he has serious deficiencies.     

Two key pack members will be missing - Eben and Marx. Who will be the 6. Tighthead no great tighthead available?

Will he bring in Faf at 9.  

He's preparing us for his 50% selection of quotas.

Kolisi will be the 6 and captain.

Chilliboy will be the hooker.

Nyakane will be our tighthead with Beast as the starting loosehead.

We will probably see Snyman and Mostert at 4 & 5 with PSDT at 7 and Du Preez at 8.

Pollard will play at 10 ... and on his outside we'll see the braindead De Allende and Kriel as our center pair.

Gelant will come in at 15 ... and any number of quotas will qualify for wing. He'll probably flip a coin.

So ...1. Beast, 2. Chilliboy, 3. Nyakane, 4. Snyman, 5. Mostert, 6. Kolisi (cpt), 7. Du Toit , 8. Du Preez, 9 Faf, 10. Pollard, 11. Nkosi, 12. De Allende, 13. Kriel, 14. Dyantyi, 15. Gelant.

Plenty surprises there I'd say.

CC

I do not think that Rassie will get Rallepele to start - he is over the hill and preparations are being  made for the WC next year is a serious consideration.   

The team will most likely also include Willie le Roux.

Some of the players you mention may be on the bench - it depends on what comes out. 

Chilliboy was invited to the gathering.

As far as I can remember, Akker wasn't and neither was Strauss.

So who then will take Marx's spot at 2?

CC

Might have been - but Chilliboi does not even make the Sharks team regularly - not even on te bench.  I think if Rassie really look at the future  Marutlelle has a better chance than him.    

Rassie knows one thing perfectly well - if his te am loses strings of matches - he will go one way and that is out,   He is likely to try and pick the best available team, with most quota players on the bench.  

Maaik, Elton will be in the  mix and will probably start a few matches, if not all. I don't think he is the answer, but he has the xp and there is noone else banging the door down. Willemse will get his chance later this year. Pollard will alternate with Jantjies. Rob du Preez will probably only get his chance if either Jantjies or Pollard gets injured.

CC, your team is probably spot on although I'm hoping for better in the tight 5.

PS, I have decided to stop complaining about selections and still support my teams, but no support with my money. DSTV cancelled by the end of the month. I'll try streaming the matches or watch the odd game in the pub around the corner. Things are what they are and lowering your expectations does wonders to curb disappointment.

Draad

We will know Saturday what is happening.   Rassie will pick 40 players - of which 26 will go to play in Washington.  Of those 26 - seven will be going as fixed team members.  He will then reduce the squad to circa 28 players - so one can only assume that the 12 player reduction would be from those who went to Washington,   

I do not think there would be a 50:50 quota this year already, but may be wrong.   So lets wait and see hat happens on Saturday,       

Draad

We will know Saturday what is happening.   Rassie will pick 40 players - of which 26 will go to play in Washington.  Of those 26 - seven will be going as fixed team members.  He will then reduce the squad to circa 28 players - so one can only assume that the 12 player reduction would be from those who went to Washington,   

I do not think there would be a 50:50 quota this year already, but may be wrong.   So lets wait and see hat happens on Saturday,       

Well then, Mike ... I don't understand why he bothered to invite him.

Paige was another that didn't feature regularly in the Bulls run on team ... and yet, he made Bok.

I look forward to Rassie's announcement on Saturday. Then we'll have a clearer picture on how he's thinking.

CC

you are probably right about Chiliboi - Du Preez confirmed he will be in the Springbok squad - madness I must say.

Paige played for the Bulls and tht made him a Meyer certainty.   He was useless, but played from the bench in a few matches.   The first choice scrummies were not much better though. 

Lets give Rassie a fair shake in the worst rugby coac hing job in the world.

Absolutely ... there is nothing I'd like more than to see our best players fielded.

We are all desperate to see a winning Bok team. A team that the likes of Italy and Japan won't upstage.

However ... my support ends the moment he selects quotas.

Players like Chiliboy, Kolisi and Nyakane are all it'll take for me to ready my rotten fruit.

I will not support any side that's selected on race.

I guess my opposition to the Goats will very likely continue.

So be it.

Yeah ... I know.

It's a sad state of affairs.

Breaks my friggin heart.

I'm surprised you didn't add Jantjies to that list.

Actually met Nyakane, had a bit of a chat, nice enough fella and a very proud Springbok.....well that's the way he came across.  

Fact is that after listening to the Parliamntary debate this morning - I have no hope that any rugby team would have merit selections in future.  I am so disappointed about the constant attacks on Whites in that debate and as a person regarded as not South African I am not going to support any future SA Rugby team.   As far as I am concerned - the team should never be allowed to be called Springboks.

That name usage is an insult to all previous Springboks and should be renamed to whatever else the ANC has in mind.    I think pressure should be put on SARU to stop the usage of the designation  and that people should just stay away from the tests in future.  Let them play in empty stadiums.   

What is certain is that the best squad will not be selected. Rassie has taken a huge risk accepting the Bok coaching job. He must think he can still be successful even without the best players. Otherwise why damage ones reputation. Time will tell.

That doesn't sound good, Mike.

Can't say I'm surprised though. Our entire society is based around racist structures. At work, with the jobs we can and can't apply for because we're white ... in sport, with all their quota requirements in place.

The white man is the bane of their existence and yet they want to live in our world ... wear our clothes ... drive our cars ... live in our homes ... eat our food ... hell they want to be us with their weave implants and skin lightening products.

They would still be running around in loin clothes, eating their pap and intestines with their bare hands, and sleeping under a cow skin, on a grass mat, in a doorless hut made out of cow shit.

CC they have been feed a diet of lies for decades that all their troubles can be laid at the door of whites. Even in other African countries where the presence of whites was miniscule. But travel into the Congo and Zambia for example and see how backward they are even today. What the whites have contributed is totally ignored in the equation because it does not fit their warped unbalanced narrative and undercuts what they think is their just right to punish whites and discriminate against them at every turn.

So Long, and Thanks for All the Fish!