Siya Kolisi Crocked, world cup in Doubt

So it looks like Sia had a really bad knee injury and may be out for 9 months. It is the dreaded ACL, but in his case a partial tear. 

I know Siaya had had some amazing performances but I'm also at odds because I see him less than a Pienaar type leader, but even then he was below par. I know Saffex rates him and I always like his attacking abilities. But I never rated him as a grinder. Players that can take the hits and the risk. 

We know in the World Cup Duanne was the guy rallying the troops under the post where see just stood back. 

We know Rassie was playing water boy and feeding Siya what to say. Don't forget that Video of Rassie, how many times did he plead and said poor Siya, he is black, got ignored. 

Now, who should the next Captain and who should be our 6. 

Let's start with the easy one

6

We have Kwagga and an automatic selection and can be our hooper. 

Van Staden, more industrious but not as fast or skillful. 

Deon Fourie, pushing 36 but when on the field has been a revelation for the Stormers in the last two years. 

Pepsi - been deputising for Kolisi but actually a very small 8 like Kwagga. 

I can't pick any other genuine 6s, I would even go with Marx instead as he is proper ball hawk. 

Captain

Etzebeth has been captain before but a bit dumb. 

Kittshoff has been the Stormer defacto Captain and done a great job but with the bomb squad and having a black brother always starting, makes it really hard.

Thomas Du Toit good leader for the sharks but same problem as kitsy. 

Pollard, is natural leader but our 10 and 10s don't always make the best captains.

The best captain in a position normally comes from 2 or 6. 

We had Jean De Billers with limited success. 

Then there is no way I can Dud De Allende leading the team. 

Then that leaves as with Duane, still performing for Ulster. Not his old self tearing up the midfield and fringes with his powerful carries but still very effective. 

Will we see Duanne back for one last bite at the cherry and finally leading the boks which might be 6 years too late.

"Etzebeth has been captain before but a bit dumb. "

What an ignorant statement...but the enforcer can't be the captain.

If Siya is out then I reckon Lukhanyo Am will be captain.

Correct DbD only because he is to PALE.

I get so angry that we now HAVE to pick 50% blacks no matter what. Not that we can't do it based on merit, but lets be honest, the player pool is not that big that you can just swap one player for another in all positions. 

We are very luck at 9, prop and hooker, but it will be very hard to get a quality lock or a big bruising loose forward. Most of them like Noche, Pepsi etc are all Kolisi size or smaller. 

Then, we just don't have another 13 and the only one we had has hardly featured for the bulls since leaving the lions. 

So now we have to chop one of our better teams. With out quota and purely merit selection I would go with Kittshof as captain, the guy can play an entire game, but because Rassie created this bomb squad, he has to make do with 30 min. 

Imagine having the following

1. Kittshoff - Ox
2. Marx - Bongi - Grobbler
3. Malherbe - Du Toit
4. Etzebeth - Jenkins 
5. RG - PSTD
6. Kwagga - Fourie 
7. Du Preez - 
8. Roos - Wiese
9. Faf - Hendrikse - Zach Burger 
10. Pollard - Libbok - Willemse
11. Moodie 
12. De Allende - Esterhuizen - Willemse
13. Am - Kriel 
14. Kolbe - Arendse 
15. Wille - Fassi - Gelant - Willemse

"". . . but the enforcer steroid abuser can't be the captain."

He isn't merely the best "impact player", he is the best Bok, period. Why reduce his role to bench cameos? It makes no sense. It'd be like benching prime Habana for Mvovo, and saying, "if we start him, we'll miss his impact off the bench". Kolisi has never proven himself to be a test-caliber player, and his leadership has been many times worse than his performances as a player. Kolisi doesn't deserve to be a Bok. Etzebeth is the most obvious choice for captain. We really don't have many leaders in this Bok side, so how fortunate it is that we have Eben! Use him! 

I agree in principle that Kwagga should start.
However, I have noted that in games when he has started, he has not had his best games. Coincidence, perhaps. 

Kwagga was a very slow developer at test level. The coaching team stuck with him, and suddenly he clicked and he was a standout test player. 

Kolisi has some very good games, but he would be better as a number 8 than a 6 - given he rarely gets turnovers. 

A number 6 is the first to break from the scrum so they get more opportunities to get turnovers. They also don't usually jump in the lineout so their focus is on competing on the ground on opposition ball. 

Any proof of that?... present it then...quite slanderous accusation.

There is no proof: a proof is an element that carries over consequences. Like player suspension.
Pointless to ask for proof where there is none.

Globalists have a lot in common with the criminal world.

So smuggling, smugglers and border control forces.

Smugglers form a carter: each of them has the deepest interest in the border control forces appearing as efficient, except the efficiency must not be expressed at the expense of each cartel member's interests.

Cocaine smugglers: multiple outcomes, they may sacrifice collegially a small shipment (like 20 tons, big enough to make the news and increase the control force credibility) in order to smuggle 200 tons. Or they may look at screwing each other, the seized shipping comes from
rivals leaking information about each other's shippment etc

Side note: not only the seizure summons up the image of an efficient border force but it also helps pricing as the announcement of the seizure helps vendors to rise prices everywhere.

The seizure improves the credibility of the control force (control force is happy) The seizure improves rarity, hence allowing drugs sellers to cover for the loss of shipment (drugs sellers, smugglers happy)

Now winding the hands of time back by four years.

A high profile SA rugby player is caught using drugs.

SA rugby players post pics of the result of their preparation.

The pics raises questions.

A World of Rugby top dog (the second in charge) comes out of the woods to tell that drugs usage does not exist in rugby, that players are subjected to routine test, cheaters are caught as proven by the earlier example that happened just before the world cup.

No proof indeed.

This pleb still banging on about stuff that nobody ever reads?

That is called being self driven, self motivated etc

Can run long distances. After WW2, japanese soldiers on Pacific islands kept on the duty for decades as they ignored the war was over.

Am would be the logical replacement as Captain I agree.

Duane Vermuelen could be captain if he regains test form- but again might be ruled out along with Eztebeth for strategic transformation.

kingcorn, I don't agree with you on Damian Willemse.

Yes, he's a great option to have on the bench because he covers every position other than scrumhalf but he's also close to being the best in nearly all those positions so to leave him on the bench just because he's versatile would be criminal.

He should start in a position where we are relatively weak and for me that's either #12 or #15.

I don't think Damian de Allende is as bad as his critics make him out to be and I also don't think he's as good as his fans think he is. He's solid enough but predictable. Damian Willemse is a far more talented player and #12 is where I'd play Willemse. Put de Allende or another centre on the bench and Willemse can move to wing or fullback if there's any backline injury. You're still cashing in on his versatility.

I know I'm in a minority o f one when I say I've never really liked Willie le Roux as a player but fullback would be my second choice for Willemse to start. Willie is a gloryboy and a showpony.

Pollard, Am, Arendse and Kolbe are all nailed on starters and you're going to pick one of Moodie or Mapimpi, but don't waste Damian Willemse on the bench.

Rudeneck,  you are starting to be more accurate than a broken clock...keep up the good form.

Willemse is a pallette swap for Damian, aside from the erratic stepping. After his abysmal showings last season, he should never be brought into conversation again. It's amazing how effortlessly the so called fans ate up the malformed mess from last year. 

Well, even a broken clock is right twice a day. That is if it is stationary and no moving parts. 

Willemse in another enigma, he is obsessed with chicken steps and wanting to cut through the defence. He always played 10 and that is where they should have left him but the Rassie had the brain fart to push him to 15 and then 12 because of his size. I liked having him at 12 because he can get closer to the 10 jumper, but I really want to see him compete at 10. But for that he needs to stop playing instinctively and know how to manage the gain line and his attack. That is what Pollard is great for and to a certain degree, Libbok, but he too gets caught and coughs up the ball in contact. 

But, now that Libbok is at the Stormers, they have Sasha and Kuid Wolhouter, the next up and coming stars. 

I would like to see him develop into Pollards Replacement over the next 2 to 4 years but he really needs to be able stamp his authority on the game. 

The only other instinctive flyhal is Finn Russel, but, he backs up his talent with Sublime passes and can drop lob passes at pace and in space for his players to run onto. Richi is another player that is just insane and I think with Scott Robinson and Richi, we're going to see a revival coming from the all blacks next year. 

I like the Wilemse, but he needs to pick a spot and I mean HE needs to. 

We have Gelant, Fassi, Moodie, Arendse who are all pushing for the 15 spot. 

But I also think that Libbok, Willemse and Gelant was the reason the Stormers won last year, they could have done the same for the boks. 

"Gelant was the reason the Stormers won last year, they could have done the same for the boks. "

I won't go that far, but Blommetjies is a poor replacement and one of the reasons our campaign will probably come to an end this weekend...

Finn is intelligent. Willemse is not. Pollard and Willie are intelligent. Damian is not. There is your pattern. The unintelligent players are often defined as creative, feely players. It's instinctive play to run around frantically in an unconstructive way. In other words, an inborn tendency by definition (hence why they are incapable of learning and developing). The intelligent and creative players are intuitive - not a strength of South Africa. 

Saffex, it's Doos XL, remember? Just be grateful that the ignorant rugby noob doesn't rate Willemse otherwise we'd have to re-think our opinion of him.

By the way, Willemse has also looked pretty handy on the wing both for province and country.

Willemse is new to the Boks.

I don't mind what I've seen from him thus far. He's got spark, pace and a natural eye for a play. We could do much worse.

As time goes on, he'll learn to balance out responsibility with creativity and as it stands, he's already progressed nicely. Let's also remember that DDA sits at the heart of the "attack" and anyone struggles to shine when he's involved, as is evidenced by the low percentage of tries scored when he's had a hand in the play.

Willemse has my vote, though more in terms of natural ability than pedigree. Fortunately, pedigree can be attained, unlike natural ability.

A clear replacement for Willie after the WC in my opinion.

I haven't seen any ability to read play and execute. Lots of lapses in skill and dead end runs. Creating pressure for Am in particular. When we consider that this poor play was against the worst All Blacks and Wallabies of all time, it truly becomes worrying. The Bok's supposed good attacking play, which was very mediocre, failed against the worst of opposition. Our key competition look to have improved. Have we? The ceiling is low for the likes of Willemse and Arendse et al. With that poor attacking ability comes a deteriorating defence. 

Kolisi's omission undoubtedly means Orie will be selected & might well be a candidate for the captaincy

All verifiable by film. You always fight video evidence Saffex. How long must you resist? This is how Mrs Searle and the like always come undone; learn from the experience. 

I've provided entire seasons of a player's contributions for the Boks Saffex, you have brought nothing. You want to discuss a player's worth, for once actually reference something. You are unbelievably lazy. 

I’ve just read he might be fit after all; he’s had his knee op. 

He's a 3 rd center, like DdA is a 3rd flanker...we play with 3 centers and with Marx on the field, 5 loosies.