So quite a South African players have popped up over the last 10 years. Looks like Scotland definitely enjoy getting South African players in their squad.
But my real question, would these guys ever play for the boks and are they a big loss.
In my opinion, maybe one or 2 could have done the job but for it is mainly losing good players to our franchises.
Mpower you have a valid point and maybe variation of game plans and strategies or lack thereof is the long term problem. Coaches tend to stick to strategies and approaches that have worked in the past but they become stale and easily read and counter dismantled and new strategies need to be tried, fazed in and developed in a careful, well thoughtout pattern. I'm sure Rassie is very much aware of this.
On the otherhand this can be risky and are not favoured by the more conservative rugby critics who stick to the adage...if it works don't fix it.
With Damian De Allende versus Andre Esterhuizen for example, although I rate both highly and don't knock one against the other, I would use both on different or alternative occassions.
And other players mentioned (sure their overseas experience can add huge value) and should be given an opportunity. We definitely need to build depth. To stick to the same formulas over and over have a costly price as we have clearly seen it,in the past. Adapt or die. Rugby needs to be more progressive.
In this context, I don't think ScotAfrica or any other country for that matter, is necessary a loss but can add huge value as long as we don't lose the younger crop to other countries in the long term and the option to play for the Boks is there.
It's not just the Boks. The loss of players to overseas clubs has severely effected our franchises.
In the past players at the end of their careers would go overseas now it players in their prime.
Love to see a complete list of all SA guys playing overseas.
Yep and how stupid are all the other international coaches Rassie and Nienaber have beaten.
Maybe you are the stupid one. Ever think of that?
Yep and how stupid are all the other international coaches Rassie and Nienaber have beaten.
Maybe you are the stupid one or at least behaving stupidly . Ever think of that?
The other 4/5 teams that were top 5 in the past 36 tests? They must feel pretty embarrassed. I know I would be. How stupid is the selection of Kolisi ahead of Louw and then Kwagga? Or the repeated selections of Willemse? Or Lood over RG? Or Mostert if you think he is rubbish? Need I go on?
We normally blood new talent during the end of year tours...that didn't happen last year...
This year's mission was to beat the Lions and to beat the Allblacks atleast once...I don't think we expected the Aussies to be as good as they were.
Let's see how the touring squad looks like before getting too worked up...we did see Fassie given a chance, and Wiese, and the Butter Twins...and van Staden...and it wasn't like Fransie was useless against the Allblacks.
Totally agree...and a replacement for Thor must be found pronto...IMO Wiese is only a placeholder at 8.
Good points M,
and Draad I had a bad feeling earlier...last year and just prior to the Championship to what was being said by certain Saffers that Aussie was weak...I felt it was hearsay...even when you look at the games they played against NZ, the score margins were deceptive as Australia lost these by just plain simple errors that could easily be remedied...and that they did when they met us and then just built on it the second game. Write Ozzie off at your peril and Mike Hooper is a damn good player and captain. The emphasis is ... Wallabies lost these games by stupid errors more so than the AB's won it by good playing.
Wiese was the only Bok who registered any kind of presence in the stats. Before Thor replaced him, he was leading metres per carry in the competition. Thor had his moments, but he was not better than Wiese. Wiese is the only Bok who improved over the course of the season. A mere placeholder? You Plastiks are embarrassingly slow and/or incapable of evaluating players. Wiese and Kwagga were the standout loose forwards. As per Willie? He is wasted in this poorly coached team, but nobody else can bring what he does. There are bo other playmaker at 15 in the country. Bosch is the closest, but will never break into Josè's rabble.
If we are going to experiment, we actually most often do it on the Spring tours, not in November. So that's wrong too. But, the Boks blood talent in the RC too.
We have some good players, but this coaching team isn't looking for what many of them bring. van Rensburg is another eho looked immense. Totally eclipsed the hapless Limp with ease. The Boks are becoming a team loaded with players who were given a reputation and a pass before ever doing anything. These are not players who improve over time.
Wiese was good yes...a bruiser of note...with some skill.
