SA team review for the game on SaturdayT

The Team is as follows:-

15  Willie le Roux, 14  Cheslin Kolbe, 13  Jesse Kriel, 12  Andre Esterhuizen, 11  Aphiwe Dyantyi, 10  Handre Pollard, 9  Faf de Klerk, 8  Sikhumbuzo Notshe, 7  Pieter-Steph du Toit, 6  Siya Kolisi (c), 5  Franco Mostert, 4  Eben Etzebeth, 3  Frans Malherbe, 2  Malcolm Marx, 1  Tendai Mtawarira

Replacements  : 16  Bongi Mbonambi, 17  Steven Kitshoff, 18  Wilco Louw, 19  RG Snyman, 20  Marco van Staden, 21  Embrose Papier, 22  Elton Jantjies, 23  Damian Willemse

There are elements of the team that bothers me and I cannot say I am really conifdent the team can actually beat the Wallabies on Saturday:-

*    I am very worried about Kolbe on the wing.   He is physically too small to be competitive especially insofar as tackling of his physically bigger opponents is concerned. 

*    Esterhuizen is seriously defective - especially in defense and he tends to crashball ineffectively and he is really pace-deficient

*    I trust only Du Toiot to make a positive contribution - the other two loosies cannot do ball protection and recovery to save their lives.   We desperately need competitive loosies and there is only Du Toit who will make the grade.

*    Mtawarira was no good whe+n he came from the bench and one wonders why he now starts and Kitshoff left on the bench,  

*    The bench players in the backline is a joke.and if of the wings is injured there would be an immediate a replacement problem    I woiuuld rather have Nkosi on the bench and even starting with him  .   ,  

Is Whiteley injured?

Yes - he apparently did not pass the fitness test  he was to undergo and his omission confirms as such.

Esterhuizen has yet to fail to get over the gainline in any of his carries this year. He adds some muscle to the Bok backs and will straighten up the attack nicely when called upon to do so. He has good offload ability and a nice passing action. He can bring others into the game or link up play with the outside backs well as an alternative to Willie or working in tandem with him. Very strong defence, he can fling opponents around.

Kolbe is very elusive. Maintains our speed and long strike ability. Has good anticipation and reading of the game. Can punch above his weight, but can also be exposed.

Notshe is an interesting selection. I have seen very little of him, but did review the England series yesterday. He was okay in torrid conditions. Whiteley will be missed.

Steph will no doubt play well. However, we need to sort out his rushing errors. He is used to rush out of the line, but is very often left flatfooted and beaten cleanly. His defence around the fringes is vulnerable. If he can sort that part of his game, he will be a much more complete contributor. Genia likes to snipe, so too Beale. They'll work around Steph at some point. Cheika will have noted where and when and through who the All Blacks had the most success.

Beast has been looking a little tired the past few games. That said, he should be fine for the Wallaroos. Rassie is obviously keeping Kits for the All Blacks. 

I would have started Bongi and preserved Marx on the bench.

Very telling that Jantjies is missing. Does Rassie intend to experiment here? Or is he saving Jantjies for the All Blacks? 

Ok

Dream on AO.   Saving Marx on the bench is lunacy.   Jantjies against the AB's - I can still remember the 2012 AB test where he replaced Goosen early in the first half.   He buggered up so badly in the first half that in the second half he was cu t out from passing to.   

Notshe has always struck me as a bit of a lightweight. One of those mobile loosies that the fans go gaga over in the Currie Cup because he makes a good carry every now and then. Haven't seen him in a while either, so I guess we wait and see.

Thankfully Australia will be without Tui! Though I really detest the nature of his absence. He ran right over Whiteley and Mostert. Was a real handful. I'm sure Notshe would have been roadkill. 

By the way Whiteley had another groin injury - I think that was the problem that took him out of contention earlier this year?   I think it was and he may not get back soon.