What is it with SA coaches and their inability to see the obvious?
Take the Cheetahs for instance……we have an outside centre playing 12 and an inside centre playing 13. Yes Frans Venter was damn good last year playing plenty of rugby at 13, but ultimately he is a creative 12, not a finisher. They have acquired Bulls discard, Small-Smith who I have only ever see play 13……so logic dictates that Frans would have moved to his favoured position of 12, with Small-Smith playing 13. The loss of Willie and Coenie to the Sharks is huge. Apart from the strange centre call, the side pretty much selects itself. Loosing impressive No8 Jean Cook to a French club is another loss as is the injury to Oupa
With the Lions we have the head scratching omission of Lourens Erasmus, easily along with Ulengo of the Bulls, the finds of the CC. Erasmus at lock was simply awesome and a great foil to the impressive Mostert. Why on earth is he not on tour – how utterly stupid. I can only think he is injured but there is no report to indicate this. Playing Mapoe, a good player ahead of the very impressive Vorster at 13 is another mistake. In fact Rohan Janse v/Rensburg at 13 for the Lions in the CC was also very good……..so either Vorster or v/Rensburg should have been ahead of Mapoe……both are on the bench though. Marx starting ahead of Coetzee would have been my call as well. Marx is our new Bismark. Where is Akers the other good Lions hooker.
I find it perplexing that Fleck has selected Koch ahead of Malherbe at 3, I can only think the Bok incumbent is carrying an injury. Its sad to see de Jongh at 12, I was hoping he’d stick with 7’s where his size is better suited. The injury to de Allende is huge, for the Stormers now lack clout in the midfield. Kotze at 13 is useful. Lleyds on the wing is another poor call, this guy is just not physically up to it. Taute at 15, with Kolbe on the wing would have been a far better call. Notshe ahead of Kolisi at 6 is a strange call, although I am a big fan of Notshe, so it’s a marginal call. The Bok should have been selected though. The Etzebeth/PSDT lock combo is a mouth-watering prospect. Great to see JD on the bench as the lock back-up, this kid is the real deal. Big fan of du Preez at 10 as well.
I have already commented on the Bulls, who’s lack of grunt in the pack is going to cost them. They are playing two athletic locks in Hattingh and Snyman and leaving their impressive enforcer in Jenkins on the bench. This is a very poor call, made that more apparent by the lack of a grunt 7. The loss of Willemse and Jacques du Plessis is massive for the Bulls. The strangest selection is Ismaiel ahead of Ulengo on the wing. Ulengo was by some distance the best back in last years CC, scoring the most tries. Why on earth is he not playing? The loss of Labs to injury is big as they now only have Arno Botha as a familiar amongst the loosies. Where is impressive Baby Bok captain – Liebenberg? I would have played the Baby Bok lock pair in Jenkins and Snyman at lock with Arno at 6, Hattingh at 7 and Liebenberg at 8. I’m guessing Liebenberg is injured. Sad to see the impressive Dries Swanepoel missing out on the match 23, but the Bulls are blessed with 4 outstanding centres in Kriel, Serf, Odendaal and Swanepoel……the Kriel/Serf centre combo is another mouth watering prospect. Pollard at 10 is a big loss. Brummer ahead of Schoeman at 10 is a poor call.
Good old Gold at the Sharks keeps messing it up. I cannot begin to believe the selection of old man Ndungane ahead of the impressive Sithole, what a pathetic selection. Its as bad as picking useless Matfield ahead of Lood. At least he got it right selecting the du Preez twins at 7 & 8. These two are going to be huge this S18. Andrews at lock is utterly useless, the guy is less physical than Matfield. But injuries to Lewies and Ruan Botha have not helped their cause. At least Lewies is back in training, as are the likes of impressive Mtembu and Thomas du Toit. The loss of Lambie at 10 is huge. Not convinced by the little Jordaan at 13, but the Sharks were stupid enough to let Jake White’s find in Tyler Fisher go……he is now wasted at the Pumas. He should be playing outside Esterhuizen at 13. The Sharks have a very impressive loosetrio……..you don’t get more power than a trio of Coetzee, du Preez and du Preez
Some really strange early season calls, but the sides are dominated by youngsters, which is great to see
