Sprigbok captaincy - June tests

The following from news24:-

"Springbok coach Rassie Erasmus could name two captains on Monday for the June Tests - Pieter-Steph du Toit for a one-off game against Wales and Duane Vermeulen for a three-match series with England.

The Springboks face Wales in Washington on June 2 followed by internationals against England in Johannesburg, Bloemfontein and Cape Town on consecutive Saturdays from June 9.

Erasmus is set to name a captain or captains during a press conference in Johannesburg for his first matches in charge since the unsuccessful two-year reign of Allister Coetzee ended.

Vermeulen is a 39-cap No 8 who has just quit French club Toulon and made his presence felt last year when belatedly called up for Tests in France and Italy, both of which South Africa won.

Former South African Rugby Player of the Year Du Toit can play lock or flanker and has starred in Super Rugby this year for a struggling Stormers side.

The 32-cap Springbok could be the skipper against Wales because Vermeulen is not available for the opening international of the season. 

Another couple of Springboks named in a 43-man squad this weekend, Handre Pollard and Siya Kolisi, are the local media favourites to fill a role that became vacant due to injuries.

First choice and No 8 Warren Whiteley has not recovered from a knee injury sustained two months ago after missing much of the last season owing to a complicated groin problem. 

His stand-in, lock Eben Etzebeth, has not played since being hurt last November in an away loss to Wales, the last Test played by South Africa.

A SA Rugby insider told AFP that Du Toit and Vermeulen may get the nod ahead of flyhalf Pollard and flanker Kolisi.

It is understood that Erasmus wants Pollard and Kolisi to concentrate on their performances without the added burden of leading a country that has won the Rugby World Cup twice.  Pollard is set to replace Elton Jantjies as first-choice playmaker for the England series having impressed for the Bulls this year following several injury setbacks. 

TV analyst Joel Stransky, whose extra-time drop-goal won the 1995 Rugby World Cup against the New Zealand All Blacks in Johannesburg, does not want Pollard selected as skipper.

"I hope they don't make him Bok captain for the simple reason that he already has enormous responsibility on his shoulders," he said in a Sunday Times interview.

"He is a natural leader and will still be one of the leaders regardless of his title, as the flyhalf has to be. I just don't think he needs the Bok captaincy right now."

Kolisi has shown patchy form in a Stormers team that lost their eighth Super Rugby match this season at the weekend.

After two largely disastrous seasons under Coetzee, sixth-ranked South Africa hope to beat Wales, who are one place lower, and then win the series against third-ranked England."

The problem  is that Vermeulen has shown poor form for his club and that he is lo unlikely to last as Spirngbok no 8 - he is likely not to make the Springbok squad in the RC - so his appointment will be of a temporary measure,   

The problem with Kolisi is the poor form he showed this year as well.   His presence in the squad is indeed questionable from a performance perspective,      

"The problem  is that Vermeulen has shown poor form for his club and that he is lo unlikely to last as Spirngbok no 8 - he is likely not to make the Springbok squad in the RC - so his appointment will be of a temporary measure,"

That I'm afraid is just another one of your deluded opinions.  

Rassie has selected a squad of 43 players and of those 43, at least 85% do not belong there. You assured us that Rassie would select according to form ... that merit would be his calling card.

Turns out that that wasn't the case. He has confirmed his commitment to the required quotas and seems quiet happy with guys like Chiliboy, Oupa, Nyakane and the struggling Kolisi.

I told you that he would have no choice but to continue with some of Meyer's and Coetzee's quota picks and I'm willing to bet that he'll keep the useless Kolisi in the mix irrespective of form.

I indicated where Rassie went wrong in hiss elections and the fact is he chose some players that would not last.

Rassie has to make quota picks and he made such selection in his first squad - they will be phased out after the initial test on Saturday.   He has to prove to SARU that they do not belong in the team and the best way is to expose them in tests in any event.   

Nyakane did quite well this year - but the other three mentioned did not and that is where the problem remains.   

We will have to wait and see what Vermeulen produces this year - he was not the player we used to know when playing for his club and that is a fact.   I think the Springboks will miss Whiteley and if Vermeulen - as expected - fails in the June tests he will be replaced.       

I would not have selected ...

Props - Beast, Nche, Thomas Du Toit, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane,

Hookers - Bismarck Du Plessis, Bongo Mbonambi, Chiliboy Ralepelle,

Locks - Jason Jenkins, Marvin Orie,

Loosies - Nizaam Carr, Dan Du Preez, Seeya Kolisi, Oupa Mohoje, Sick-Humbuzo Notshe, Kwagga Smith, Duane Vermeulen

Flyhalves - Elton Jantjies

Centers - Lukanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel

Now we are getting there.   I took your list and highlighted the names of the players where I agree with you.  

Props - Beast, Nche, Thomas Du Toit, Frans Malherbe, Trevor Nyakane,

Hookers - Bismarck Du Plessis, Bongo Mbonambi, Chiliboy Ralepelle,

Locks - Jason Jenkins, Marvin Orie,

Loosies - Nizaam Carr, Dan Du Preez, Seeya Kolisi, Oupa Mohoje, Sick-Humbuzo Notshe, Kwagga Smith, Duane Vermeulen

Flyhalves - Elton Jantjies

Centers - Lukanyo Am, Damian de Allende, Jesse Kriel

So who would you like to see in the squad to replace the players you dislike?

Cape Town - Siya Kolisi will lead the Springboks against England in the forthcoming three-Test series, while Pieter Steph-du Toit has been entrusted with the captaincy Saturday’s historic Test in Washington against Wales.

Rassie Erasmus, the SA Rugby director of rugby, confirmed the two appointments on Monday morning at a media conference at the team hotel in Johannesburg.

Erasmus, who took over the coaching reins of the Springboks after his appointment in April, also confirmed the Springboks’ 26-man travelling squad for the Welsh encounter in Washington.

The squad members not involved in the Welsh match will stay behind in Johannesburg to continue with their preparations for the coming international season.

Erasmus congratulated Kolisi and Du Toit on their respective appointments. Both men will captain the Springboks for the first time.

“It’s a huge honour to captain the Springboks and Siya and Pieter-Steph are two honest, hardworking men who enjoy the respect of their fellow players,” said Erasmus.

“I believe both of them will do a good job as captains. My philosophy is that each player must take responsibility for his position and must therefore work extremely hard with that one goal in mind - to make the Springboks successful again,” added Erasmus.

Born in Zwide township near Port Elizabeth, loose forward Kolisi is also the Stormers captain and has played in 28 Tests since making his debut at age 22 against Scotland in Nelspruit on June 15, 2013. He has four Test tries to his name.

Du Toit made his debut as a 21-year-old on November 9, 2013 against Wales in Cardiff. He is equally at home as lock and as loose forward and has played in 32 Test for the Springboks, 21 as lock, 10 times as flank and once as No 8.

All except two of the 43 players reported for Springbok duty on Sunday in Johannesburg, where the squad immediately got their preparations underway for this weekend’s Test against Wales. The duo of Frans Steyn (centre) and Bismarck du Plessis (hooker) will join the Springbok squad next Monday following the completion of their French club rugby commitments.

Erasmus will announce his starting line-up for the Welsh match on Wednesday, just a few hours before the 26-man squad fly out to Washington.

The Springbok squad to face Wales in Washington (in order of name, position, franchise, Test caps, points):

Forwards (16):

Nizaam Carr (loose forward, Stormers, 5, 0)
Dan du Preez (loose forward, Sharks, 3, 0) 
Pieter-Steph du Toit (lock, Stormers, 32, 20 - 4t)
Thomas du Toit (prop, Sharks, uncapped)
Jason Jenkins (lock, Bulls, uncapped)
Steven Kitshoff (prop, Stormers, 23, 5 - 1t)
Wilco Louw (prop, Stormers, 5, 0)
Frans Malherbe (prop, Stormers, 17, 0)
Bongi Mbonambi (hooker, Stormers, 14, 5 - 1t)
Oupa Mohojé (loose forward, Cheetahs 18, 0)
Ox Nche (prop, Cheetahs, uncapped)
Sikhumbuzo Notshe (loose forward, Stormers, uncapped)
Marvin Orie (lock, Lions, uncapped)
Chiliboy Ralepelle (hooker, Sharks 23, 5 - 1t)
Kwagga Smith (loose forward, Lions, uncapped)
Akker van der Merwe (hooker, Sharks, uncapped)

Backs (10):

Curwin Bosch (utility back Sharks, 1, 0)
André Esterhuizen (centre, Sharks, uncapped)
Warrick Gelant (fullback, Bulls, 2, 5 - 1t)
Travis Ismaiel (wing, Bulls, uncapped)
Elton Jantjies (flyhalf, Lions, 23, 203 - 2t, 38c, 39p)
Jesse Kriel (centre, Bulls, 29, 40 - 8t)
Makazole Mapimpi (wing, Sharks, uncapped)
Embrose Papier (scrumhalf, Bulls, uncapped)
Ivan van Zyl (scrumhalf, Bulls, uncapped)
Cameron Wright (scrumhalf, Sharks, uncapped)

The captaincy of Kolisi and the squad selection for the Washington tests are jokes in bad taste.   Wonder by how many points that lot would lose by in Washington?     

...not so clevermike shouldn't you be celebrating this monumental moment in SA history where SA has finally got their first ever black Springbok captain ? i can imagine Bean Brain being beside himself with this news...is 'nt that just transformation working at it's best ...

Brycy

I believe the captain should be an automatic selection to the team.  Kolisi was poor this year in  Super Rugby and even last year s well.   I will support a Springbok team with 15 Black players if they are selected on merit - but I do not believe Kolisi is a merit selection.   That makes me question his captaincy.   

If it was a player like Mtawarira I would be part of the celebrations - but Kolisi is not in that category- sad to say.    

Kolisi ... the Bok capt??

Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahahahahahahahahaaaa!!!

He's not even within the top 5 best openside flankers in the country.

So ... Mike ... is it starting to sink in? Your hero coach is an ANC puppet, hired to advance their racist policies.

Now say you're sorry!! 

I am indeed sorry.  However, can you please comment about my above question on selections?

Hahahahaaa. I was kidding, Mike.

Um ... yes ... I agree. The capt should be the best in his position as his name is first down on the page. Siya is useless. Always has been. His selection as cpt will keep all other better 6's out of the match 23.

We can now see why Rassie never showed an interest in Jaco Kriel.

Sorry ... I seem to have missed your earlier post and subsequent question.

Looshead Props - I would select Van Rooyen, Dylan Smith and Schoeman in place of Nche and Beast. I would also swap Thomas Du Toit over to the loosehead side as his strength lies there.

Tighthead Props - I would select Dreyer and Koch in place of Malherbe and Trevor. They would join Louw.

Hookers - I would replace Bismarck Du Plessis, Bongo Mbonambi and Chiliboy Ralepelle with Adriaan Strauss and Edgar Marutllule.They would accompany Akker.

Locks - Paul Willemse would be a definite pick of mine. I would also rather have Ruan Botha in the mix than either of Jenkins and Ori. Would love to see Schickerling in the mix once he's fit.

Loosies - We have many injuries here. I would have brought Chris Cloete in as a replacement for Kolisi, Ruan Ackermann in for Vermeulen and Nizaam Carr, and possibly even given van Dyk and Wiese a shot to prove their worth.

Kwagga Smit I'd probably leave out all together.  Just too small for a test loosie.

Jaco Kriel would have been a definite had he been fit.

Flyhalves - Damien Willemse would definitely have been in my squad as a replacement for Jantjies.

Centers - Janse van Rensburg and Vorster would be my choices at center. I would also have included Francois Venter and Odendaal.

Not too many problems with what you wrote.   The injuries bugger up the situation badly.  To be quite frank and you may not agree with me - but I think Jantjies is the main reason why players like Vorster and Van Rensburg do not perform on the level expected from them.    His latest antic I to amble out towards then and then pass the ball.   That can best be regarded as hospital passes since the defense is lined up to kill the inside center.    He s bound to play at flyhalf on Saturday against the Welsh and he would sell out Esterhuizen in the same way.

I would not include Dreyer - but by now my sentiments about that one is clear,

I was surprised about the selection of Orie and Jenkins - Orie is just not up to standard and Jenkins is a dud.   I am not sure about Willemse though.   My problem si that he is plying club rugby and by now we should realize that club rugby in Europe does not require to fitness of  players on the required level.   We had lots of players from Europe selected by Meyer and Coetzee who turned out to be flops in tests.    That is why I am happy Louw is not in the squad anymore.

If all the locks were fit  neither of Snyman, Jenkins or Ori would have been picked by me.  I think the locks available would then be Etzebeth, De Jager, Du Toit and Schickerling.   I do not think any of the present lot - bar Du Toit - would make it through to the RC -  when at leas Erzebeth and Schickerling should be back.

I think there is a problem with the loosies - starting off with Kolisi, Vermeulen and Carr - but we have a dearth of openside flanks,.   Personally I think that Kriel would have been ideal - but I would pick Van der Walt as the only other loosie producing the goods. Whether you like it or not I would in the absence of Kriel pick Labuschagne ahead of any other opensiders in SA.

Anyway I sincerely think Kwagga should go back to the Sevens squad.   

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