So 1/3 through S15....what is the Bok team looking like?

There are very few new names, a few players who look off the pace and a worrying loss of experience to overcome. To me it looks like:
Willie remains by far our most likely player to prize  open the backline's of our top opponents.
Our wings are non existent. Combrink is only decent, Hendricks can't tackle, JP has lost pace. Some of the younger guys are incredibly green.....anybody's guess.
Centers are not great either. Step is bog ordinary, Kriel looking more and more like JJ, de Jongh competent but just below test class, Jordaan another ineffectual player....his partner Esterhozen a cart horse. Allende will return but will he be any better?
At flyhalf it's hard to ignore Jantjies, but one still feels he will implode.
There are no F du Preez replacements at 9.....Reinach clumsy, Faf still learning.
Good news at loosehead is in Marais we finally have a prop who can dominate, ask Nyakane and Marcel. Tighthead is a mess....both Malherbe and Marcel have been owned.
Hooker will be Strauss one guesses.

At lock Lomp looks more and more ordinary, a big slow lump. But Etzebeth is playing brilliantly and Stephanie has been okay and stayed healthy.

At flank I suppose Coetzee, but he wasn't great against the Saders.  Kriel looks much better matched in the S15. The du Preez lads need a year....etc.

In all its hard not to conclude that our teams is going to take a step down this year. And if you look back at the match we won against NZ in 2014, two steps down. I really hope I'm wrong but it all looks a bit funereal.

 Mozart
It is not possible to take a step down from 2014 and 2015 - that was the pits insofar as SA Rugby is concerned.   Your assessment of players is so skewed it is hard to understand how you can even try to make comments on players - most of whom you have not even seen playing.  

 Wrong Tokkie. I have seen most of the Super Rugby games played by every one of the Super players mentioned. We were actually very good in 2014, witness the win over the ABs. We won 7 out of 9 matches in the SH and tailed off in the NH when Reinach, Hougaard and Lambie took over at half back.
It will be a long time before we see a Bok team aa competitive against the ABs as the team in the WC QF. All you critics simply fail to grasp reality, watch that game again. There were two AB tries, the one from a poor Lomp tackle, the other from failed defence by Allende. 
Allende and JP were lined up man for man on Nonu and Barrett. Nonu got outside Allende and threatened to round him, forcing JP to come inside and creating the overlap. 
Which players are going to replace Habana, F du Preez, Louw, Vermeulen .....where do we find international centers, the mind boggles

 Mozart
You like to carry on with the same myth time and again.  Always wrong about what went wrong with the Springbok team deterioration in 2014 and 2015.  It started off in Perth and the Chief rubbish was Morne Steyn - inclusive of Matfield and Jannie, as well as Jean de Villiers who were totally unproductive in 2014.  
Matfield tried unsuccesfully to hand the Springboks potential victory to the AB's in the Ellis Park test - only a miracle penalty kick of Lambie saved that test for the Springboks.  The end-of-year tour was a disaster because of players like Jannie du Plessis and Matfield - who even copped a yellow card in the test against the English.
The low point in the 2015 tests was the loss of the Japan Test - where the same players mentioned by me above  made the same bugger-ups, causing the Springboks to go down to the 6th rated team in world rugby. 
Can be worse than we were in 2014 and 2015?   Yes we can with a new 20% coach and the supporting staff I read about in Planet Rugby is nothing more than a 10% lot.      
       

The Cheetahs winger, with the dread locks, forget his name now, but he looks decent. Rosco, strangely also with dreadlocks looks like he was born to find a gap and probably one of the fastest players atm. Mvovo is also underrated and wasted at the Sharks. So is Sithole. For me, the pick of the bunch would be Rosco. It will likely be Habana for another year, unfortunately. I don't think we're short of wingers. Blikkies I really wanna support you on Akker, but man that guy cannot throw a ball. I like everything else about him though. Unfortunately/fortunately that spot belongs to Marx who looks about as real a deal as you could get. Strauss, doesn't seem to be the impressive leader we thought he'd be and he's also been putting in very average performances. Currently, I'd even select Ntabeni over him. You never included 8 in your list. Duane is probably the favorite, and rightly so. Kinda unlucky for Whiteley, but i feel he should be included in the squad anyway. Willie, i don't know. I still rate him and maybe a better coach could get the right stuff out of him, but he's been dissapointing for while now. Sorry but Jessie Kriel deserves a chance, a prolonged chance. I take it we are all in unanimous agreement about Jantjies now? Honestly Moz, how does he stack up thus far, as compared to Morne Steyn? Different universes right? Makes me wonder if players of Steyn's kind will ever be sought after again. We won't say "we told you so." Kicking well, scoring tries as well as making them. If you want to leave him out because he misses the odd tackle, which by the way he's been improving on drastically, then I dunno. Agree with Moz about Nesquick Boy. Eben and Steph for my money, but that leviathan at the Bulls has been impressive despite being surrounded by an ordinary pack. Currently, he'd get my vote over Lood. As for the captaincy, I'd give it to Kriel now instead of waiting until he's 32. Players rally around him and he leads via excellent example. The closest thing we've had to Francois Piennar since....well since Francois Pienaar.

Great  idea Blikkies. I'll take responsibility for posting the Barometer on Sunday evening, ready for debate on Monday.
Tokkie look at the Barrett try again it absolutely exemplifies the technical issues Allende still struggles with.. a fit Jean wouldn't have allowed Nonu to take 2 steps, let alone run 15 metres.
Plum I don't think there is unanimous agreement about Jantjies' potential as a successful test flyhalf....but he is clearly our best performer thus far this Super 18. Can he do it under pressure, time will tell. Try to avoid the early mouth syndrome which so afflicts the AAS.

 I must say that the matches I see Jantjies play this year was solid and some were very good. I really hope he has put the inconsistency behind him and can build on this years form.

Mozart
As per normal you are talking BS about the Barrett try.  I would dearly love to remind you of two tries Barrett scored against the Springboks.   
The first one was in the 2013 Ellis Park test - when De Villiers went out of the defensive line and was seriously at fault - probably 40% for the reason why the try was scored.
The second try was in the WC semi - where you are very, very scarce with the truth.  The real issue is that there was a line-out about 8 meters from the tryline.  The Springboks won the line out - but as per normal Du Preez past the ball not to the flyhalf to make a relieving kick - but to Burger, who never got over the game line and lost the ball about 8 meters out from the tryline.   There was no way that Nonu could run 15 meters with the ball without scoring a try himself.   So your if is at best based on BS.  

Facts, regardless of Schalk being stripped by Carter, it was a simple defensive proposition. It was Allende and JP defending Nonu and Barrett.....two on two. Allende was slow out of line, he gave Nonu space and frankly it appeared as if Nonu was going to round him. That's why JP came inside opening the overlap. Why else would he turn inside?  Answer me that little question....if Allende was likely to make the tackle why would an experienced campaigner like JP come inside.
The truth is you don't even remember the try and you are too thick to look it up on YouTube. So you just attack....your Dishonest bluster is grating on a lot of posters.

 Mozart
Why do you always write tripe on this site and then make it out as having happened the way you describe it?   I do remember the try and what happened in fact was that Nonu ran not at the defense - but towards the side of the field,  When he drew in Pietersen he passed the ball to Barrett who scored the try.  That story about Pietersen is malicious make-believe of the worst kind.    
You previously denied that Burger had anything to do with losing the test and ignored him losing ball possession.  Now you come up and blame De Allende for the try being scored.   This is really the biggest load of BS ever.  You are always against certain players and invent deficiencies to blame them for things that was falsely described by you.  
By the way De Villiers was not the soundest defender around and your IF assumption is just another example of a day dream you dreamed up now.        

Okay so Allende wasn't there....suit yourself.

 plum
If you rely on Moza rt for accurate description of what happened in games and for a proper evaluation of players you are in for a huge surprise.   His main hate is certain players and he would find fault with them even if their is nothing to criticize them about.  He will cover up deficiencies of his favourites.   Matter of fact I can give you his team that he would provide in advance.   That team will include Burger and De Jongh irrespective of how they performed.
However, Mozart is always good for a joke and what he comes up will be a joke.      

 Okay so I just looked at it again, but I accept you are incapable of looking it up, so here is exactly what happened.
1 A scrum about 10 metres out ended in a disaster as Malherbe was monstered by the AB third choice loosehead. 
2 The Boks were under a lot of pressure and Carter stripped Schalk as he was hit by several ABs
3 Nonu got the ball and went straight through Allende, and was stopped by other Boks.
4  Now close to the Bok line Smith spins it to Carter and Pollard is instantly on him, he passes to Nonu
5 Nonu gets the ball 15 metres out and in the middle of the park
6 But Allende has lagged Pollard coming up and allowed Nonu to get outside him , Allende can't close as Nonu makes 20 or so strides.
7 He threatens to score and JP is forced to turn inside....now on the 5 metre line Nonu offloads perfectly to Barrett while Allende is still struggling to make a tackle.
8 Match over...Allende's missed assignment and Lomp's pathetic tackle were key moments in the loss.

 Mozart
First of all you are lying about what you said you saw.  The following is from the ESPN match report about that scrum you refer to:-:-
"South Africa scrum holds strong and Duane Vermeulen's grip is vital as he has to hold off Aaron Smith and co. NZ battering hard at the South Africa door. Just metres away.."
So your first statement is a lie and the rest is not worth reading as well.   Why do you make statements and think people believe you?   Dave said it is not worth discussing rugby issues with you because of slanted descriptions you always throw around and in this case you are again doing your normal - giving a totally false description of what happened.       

 Holds strong.....hahaha...going backwards at the tighthead. This is what the commentator says " South Africa under a bit of pressure in the scrum now, Vermeulen does brilliantly there.' Why, because Malherbe was monstered.

Oh God you two. Get a room.

 Who asked you baldy. Get an ear job.

 Mozart
Sorry - but that quote is from the ESPN match report.  To be quite frank I would rather believe them than you  whose dealing with issues such as the one in question is not reliable when it comes to issues relating to players you dislike,  You have been caught out too many times on those type of manufactured myths before.   

 I have quoted you the official match commentary which you through your sublime ignorance are unable to access. Who are we going to believe the match commentators or some grunt who is trying to type fast enough to keep up with the action. As for you catching me out, in your dreams you decrepit old coot.

Mozart
Your comments is in direct conflict with what the report of ESPN reflects - so frankly bearing in mind your past record on match and player evaluation, I do not believe a word of it.
I am not the only one who caught you out - it started with your match report in tests years ago.   Absolute quiet about bugger-ups by players you like and blaming the players you dislike for their bugger-ups.   The list is endless - and I would not repeat t here.
Just take this example - Carter ripped the ball out of the hands of Burger 10 meters out from the line.   Burger did nothing wrong - no problem on that score.   So the ball goes to Nonu who runs towards the sideline past a number of players and is followed by De Allende who tacked him in the end.  But Pietersen who should have guarded against the passing of the ball left his defensive line and Barrett scored a try.  Two mistakes - the first by Burger (who has the decency to apologized publicly for his bugger-up) and the second by Pietersen, but De Allende gets the blame.   
Your sublime ignorance as to rugby and your prejudice against some players is so bad - it causes others to regard you as being dishonest.   Sorry - but this is the crap you got yourself into trying to excuse the crap rugby played by the players whoseselection you so ardently supported in game after game last year, while attacking players this year in Super Rugby.   

You still haven't found the video have you Tokkie? Still making judgements with half a deck....let me assure you
1 Malherbe was turned and shoved back
2 Allende missed Nonu one on one
3 After a few phases the ball came back to Nonu who found lots of space because Allende was defending inside out vs outside in, and was slow off the mark.
4 Allende was unable to close the gap on Nonu so JP was forced to turn in to prevent a direct  try.

 What a load of rubbish - a repeat of the nonsense you carried on about.   Not interested in bias on your part.  Why don't you start showing some real insight in rugby - then some people may yet believe your contributions.
It happened so often in the past - everybody else is wrong you in your own prejudiced mind is the only one which is correct.   ESPN is wrong - you are correct.   What a joke - and you repeat the same garbage over and over again.        

Oh sure like the Lomp lineout losses that never happened. You just never learn do you Tokkie. But here I'll make it easy for you, you stupid plank:
https://metavideos.com/video/849756/barrett-scores-crucial-try-v-springboks

 Mozart
Thanks for the clip.  Lie number one - no scrum was shown - lie number 2 Nonu was tackled by De Allende.  No further lies will help you. 
More or less the way I described it - so stop your BS please.  

haha you guys should please Skype and record it for me.

We can call it "The weekly Tit for Tat"

Moz, i'll still be bald and alive long after you've passed through the digestive tracts of the maggots mate

How convenient, all the players you hold a prejudice for are 'at fault' for a AB try in the World Cup...

 Shezza
When Mozart describes an incident in a match you can be 100% sure that he would blame a player he dislikes for what went wrong - even iof their is zero proof he is correct.   
What is laughable is that he posted a clip which showed what happened exposing his own lies on the issue.  The man is really a hilarious joke without any real knowledge about rugby.    

 Not convenient, very inconvenient. We could have won that match were it not for the poor defence of Lomp and Allende. Malherbe had a bad scrum which put us under pressure, we could have cleared beyond our 22. But Apart from that he was okay against NZs third string loosehead. These are facts, not open to debate. So spare us your hissy fits Cheezer.
Mike if you think Allende finally getting to Nonu as he offloaded for the try is good defence, your understanding of the game is about zero. But then we knew that.

Plum good sense of humour and nice riposte, age is a bastard. My main concern is my swing speed is now down to about 102 mph on my club's simulator. Faster than most chaps under 30 I'll grant you, but down on the 107 I could clock only 5 years ago.

 Moz, are you saying that offing those baby seals is becoming a time consuming task?

 Mozart
You say a bad scrum - ESPN said exactly the opposite.  You lied about De Allende not tackling Nonu - you posted a clip in which your lie was exposed. 
And your comment about that incident is BS in the extreme.  De Allende had to run towards the sideline - just as Nonu did - so what makes you say he finally got to him.
Mozart - the problem with you is that you preach  BS about players you do not like - and that makes your contributions not worth taking any notice of.   You were stupid to post that clip - because it proved that you were lying - please wake up to the fact that you are constantly in the wrong about rugby - game after game. 
Your prejudice against players make you look silly and ignorant about the game.

 Sounds like you're the one having a hissy fit here Moz, I'm as cool as a cucumber. 

DumbassTokkie that is the whole point....Allende was at least two strides behind Pollard and two strides inside Nonu. He was in the wrong place.....you have to defend outside/in.....you have to maintain the defensive line and not hang back.  And then he never had the pace to close down Nonu who made 10 forward metres while Allende ran across the field. As far as not seeing the scrum, I never saw the Schalk turn over you cite either Tok. Are you telling me it never happened?

Cheezer I have always thought you are a bit of a fruit, not necessarily a cuc umber, but thanks for that clarification.

 You have to rush out of the defensive line like De Villiers did when Barrett scored his previous try at Ellis Park?  Stupid the first time you said 15 meters - now it is 10. He did not make 10 or as you stated previously forward meters.  That is also a lie.  If he died he would have scored the try himself.   
This is getting more and more ridiculous with every posting of yours. 
You are trying to be sarcastic about the scrum issue - where you were contradicted by ESPN and you keep on repeating a lie - and now you want to make out that the Burgerr turnover was not there because it was not shown on the video clip.  Problem is burger himself apologized for that turnover - so it did happen.   The scrum issue is a figment of you prejudiced imagination.
Stop it - please - you are looking sillier with each posting you make under this thread.      

'5 Nonu gets the ball 15 metres out and in the middle of the park'
That's what I said Tok. I also said 'now on the 5 metre line Nonu offloads perfectly to Barrett'.

Now let's see uhmmm, 15 minus 5 is....you got it sunshine....10. 

 It should be fun to throw a few names around and see what we have ... that is if you two can set your pointless squabble aside ... for a moment any way ... ??
Right??

Here's my contribution ... for starters anyway ... 

Thomas Du Toit

Edgar Marutlulle

Ruan Dreyer

 

Eben Etzebeth  

Pieter Steff Du Toit

 

Jaqco Kriel (cpt)

Fcuk Knows

Duanne Vermeulen

 

 Faff De Klerk

Joe Pietersen

 

Sergeal Pietersen

 

Harold Vorster

 Francois Venter   

           

Jamba Ulengo

 

Warrick Gelant

 CC I will publish a barometer before Monday morning including the weekend games. The Board can have a go at the team and I will adjust according to the comments. A new Barometer will be published the next week. 
Does that make sense?

 Sounds good, Mozart.
Look forward to it.

 Am also looking forward to that joke - don;t expect anything logical from Mozart though.

 Okay let's give it a go.