Lets look at the different positions and see what we come up with insofar as potential selections are concerned.
Position 15 - Incumbent Willie le Roux
There is very little competition here for Le Roux. Mvovo was tried out by the Sharks and showed initial promise = but in the end was not a major success story so he is back on the wing. Jaco Taute stared off the year badly - but in recent games he had show considerable improvement. Marnitz Boshoff played one game at full back and the rest at flyhalf. He is a very good full back - but I do not think he is actually a serious consideration. Visser also showed some problems but cannot be a serious consideration. The only foreign-based player of substance is Kirchner - but I think he is not even a remote consideration.
Selectability
1 Willie le Roux
2 Jaco Taute
3. Marnitz Bshoff
4 Lwazi Mvovo
The obvious choice here is Willie le Roux
Position 14 - JP Pietersen
Although there are signs that Pietersen has lost some pace playing in Japan the only real competition is from the Lwazi Mvovo and Damian de Allende. There is no real contenders - even from players playing for foreign clubs.
Selectability
1 JP Pietersen
2 Lwazui Mvovo
3 Damian de Allende
The obvious choice here is JP Pietersen
Position 13 - Incumbent Jacque Fourie
Fourie has a long term injury and is not available for the June series and the RC, He was sound in defense - but he has a serious pace problem and is a nonentity in attacking play. The second choice has been JJ Engelbrecht - but although he has shown improvement in defense in Super 15 he has a serious deficiency in attacking play. Juan de Jongh showed some promise this year especially when he was put into space by other players. His problem is that he cannot impose himself and create space for others. He has an extremely serious problem in defense and cannot be a serious consideration. Johann Sadie developed well this year and even though a clever player he is not a consideration. Of the 13's playing in Super 15 Paul Jordaan showed the best defensive qualities - but in a malfunctioning Sharks backline were given very few attacking opportunities.
I do not think that Meyer can stomach the selection of JJ Engelbrecht and is trying to find a way out of the present problem by looking at De Allende. De Allende and Le Roux was by some distance the best SA backline players and although he only played at 12 and 14 - the solution seems to be to play De Allende at 13.
Selectability
1 Damian de Allende
2 Paul Jordaan
3 JJ Engelbrecht
4 Juan de Jongh
5 Johan Sadie
The likely candidate is Damian de Allende
Position 12 - Incumbent Jean de Villiers
De Villiers is out with an injury and the back up last year was Jan Serfontein. The latter was good in the games he played. The best 12 for any SA team this year was De Allende - so he must certainly be s consideration. Much noise is generally generated about Francois Steyn - but he is playing with an injury and it is extremely unlikely that he would be selected since his center performances in itself this year was sub-par. The other players that could come into consideration is Jordaan and Ebersohn.
Selectability
1 Damian de Allende
2 Jan Serfontein
3 Paul Jordaan
4 Francois Steyn
The best choice here is De Allende - but I think that it is likely that he would play at 13 and the likely selection is Jan Serfontein
Position 11 - Incumbent Bryan Habana
Habana was out for a while with an arm injury - but in recent matches for Toulon he did quite well. There is a host of other players that can come into the picture - eg De Allende, Bjorn Basson, JJ Engelberecht and Paul Jordaan - but that would happen only if Habana is not available.
Selectability
1 Bryan Habana
2 Damian de Allende
3 Paul Jordaan
4 JJ Engelbrecht
5 Bjorn Basson
The obvious choice here is Bryan Habana
Number 10 - Incumbent Morne Steyn
After a very poor performance at the Ellis Park Park test Steyn was retained for the EOYT tests. He was very average during the tests and was by then already playing for Stade Francais. He struggled badly to really establish himself at Stade Francais as their first choice flyhalf and was on their bench in most matches the Club played. He consequently had very little game time this year. The second choice flyhalf last year was Lambie - but he is out with an injury as well. Goosen was not available last year - went on the EOYT with the Springboks - but was never used during the tour. Francois Steyn played a few matches at flyhalf for the Sharks because of the Lambie injury - but although there was one moment of brilliance against the Crusaders on the whole he was at best average in performance - a fact that was probably influenced by a persistent knee problem, which probably lead to a malfunctioning Sharks backline.
Selectability
1 Johan Goosen
2 Marnitz Boshoff
3 Morne Steyn
4 Francois Steyn
The likely candidate is Johan Goosen
Position 9 - Incumbent Ruan Pienaar
Fourie du Preez went back to Japan during the EOYT and Pienaar consequently inherited the incumbency. There is a major problem here - both Du Preez and Pienaar is playing for foreign clubs - but is in the final stage of their careers. Du Preez is already 32 years of age and Pienaar is 30 years old. There were last year serious signs of decreased capacity already and the selection of either would be a wild guess as to performance this year.
However, there are various other younger scrummies that would not let the team down. Among them are Rory Cockott. Francois Hougaard and Cobus Reinach
Selectability
1 Fourie du Preez
2 Rory Cockott
3 Francois Hougaard
4 Ruan Pienaar
5 Cobus Reinach
6 Faf de Klerk
The likely candidate is Fourie du Preez even though a sharp lokout is necessary to see whether he is still a real candidate in the longer term
Position 8 - Incumbent Duane Vermeulen
Vermeulen has been playing throughout the Super 15 season and has been in top form. Another player in that position that showed good form is Philip van der Walt. Warren Whtiteley is really a top class player and has been one of the finds of the season, Kankowski earlier in the season started at 8 but he is now used from the bench since he apparently suffer from "Japanese disease" - ie under-performance by most players playing club rugby in Japan. Other players that has recently been utilized as 8's as stop gaps included Willem Alberts and Boom Prinsloo - but both for different reasons are stop gap players in the number 8 position and cannot be serious contenders for Springbok selection. The third really top potential number 8 us Arno Botha - but he is suffering from a long term injury. Van der Walt should be back for the RC though.
Selectability
1 Duane Vermeulen
2 Warren Whiteley
2 Philip van der Walt
3 Boom Prinsloo
4 Willem Albers
The likely candidate is Duane Vermeulen
No 7 - Incumbent Willem Alberts
There are two diverse opinions on Alberts as a player in the no 7 position. The one group claims he is a major ball carrier and tackler - making him irreplaceable as a player. Th other opinion is that he has limited capacity and is inactive too much during games and is too slow for the position - resulting in his inability to play a role in breakdown situations. Here again their are people who says he is indespensible in NH conditions and those who believe he is not speedy enough to make a positive impact in SH conditions.
The other outstanding no 7 this season has been Schalk Burger. He is the best all-round no 7 in South Africa - but he has a major problem - he is injury prone and has been out of the game too frequently to be a proposition for selection.
Jacques du Plessis has shown some real class this year - he is a better version than Alberts of the tight 5 type of loosie popular in SA. He is rather slow in pace with a tendency not to pass balls and crashball all the times. Speedier than Alberts and starting off in his career he is a better prospect than the 30 year old Alberts - but in the main he remains a lock used as a flank forward.
The two other outstanding 7's are Arno Botha and Lappies Labuschagne - but the one is out with a long term injury and the other has not played rugby for the past four weeks as a result of a groin injury. A number of stop gap players have been used to cover for injured players but none of them are real contenders for selection.
Another potential candidate is Juan Smith. He has just had a very good game in the Heineken Cup final and was generally a good performer in the Top 14 games he played for Toulon this year. The only real problem with him is that age is not on his side - he will be 33 years old in July 2014
Selectability
1 Schak Burger
2 Juan Smith
3 Pieter Labuscagne (for the RC)
4 Willem Albers
Despite his deficiencies the likely candidate is Willem Alberts since Meyer apparently favours the idea of a tight 5 type of 7.
No 6 - Incumbent Francois Louw
Francois Louw was out with an injury and only recently returned to play for Bath. He has leadership qualities - is the captain of Bath - and is a top team player. Fairly slow for a loosie but probably the best available 6.
Players that have shown top quality in Super 15 this year have been Marcel Coetzee - more a player in the mold of Louw - and Heinrich Brussow. Brussow is very good in break down ball recovery - but he has a tendency to be penalized and that is why Meyer has never been very keen on him. A lesser candidate is Nizaam Carr - a very active player - but an unlikely player on international level.
Selectability
1 Francois Louw
2 Marcel Coetzee
3 Heinrich Brussow
4 Nizaam Carr
The likely candidate is Francois Louw
No 5 - Incumbent Flip van der Merwe
After being around for years Van der Mwere performed very well for the Springboks in 2013. He also did well for the Bulls this year - but was ultimately moved yo 4 to cater for the inclusion of Victor Matfield in the Bulls team.
There is real controversy around Victor Matfield. He is more a New Zeakand type of lock bar the fact that he is also a very good line out jumper. Being rather light weight for a lock he is easily helped in jumping by tight 5 players. Other than in line outs and in looser play he is seriously deficient in other facets of tight 5 play and already being 37 years of age - he is obviously a short term prospect whose selection would not add value to longer term interests of SA rugby. He is a favourite of Meyer though - and that might clinch his short term selection.
Other players who have done well in Super 15 this year were Stephan Lewies and Michael Rhodes. Both are extremely promising and the return to the game of Pieter-Steoh du Toit would make for bright future insofar as no 5 players are concerned.
Selectability
1 Flip ban der Merwe
2 Stephan Lewies
3 Michaek Rhodes
4 Victor Matfield
Although Meyer may be inclined to select Matield because of past close relationship - the likely candidate is Flip van der Merwe.
No 4 - Incumbent Eben Etzebeth
Etzebeth has been out injured since November 2013. he is by far the best no 4 in Workd Rugby - but he will most likely given further recovery time and not be selected for the June tests.
Bakkies Botha is another Meyer favourite from bygone years. He was selected to play in the Scotland tests and came of the bench in the French test in November last year. He was bog ordinary in both tests and being 35 years old already - he is not really a contender for future selection. More noticeable for off-ball incidents - he was after a long injury break not very noticeable in recent matches for his Club.
In the absence of Etzebeth Lood de Jager was the outstanding no 4 performer this year and one to watch out for the future is Paul Willense.
Selectability
1 Eben Etzebeth (for the RC)
2 Lood de Jager
3 Paul Willenmse
4 Ruan Botha
5 Bakkies Botha
Meyer is not an adventurous selector of players and it would indeed be surprising if he makes a selection based on the future. Based on performance this year the player who in the absence if Etzebeth for selection is Lood de Jager, but it is unlikely that he would be selected.
No 3 - Incumbent Coenie Oosthuizen
Since both Malherbe and Jannie du Plessis was injured and not available Coenie Oosthuizen was selected to play in the French test last year. Oosthuizen is a very good all-round player - but there are question marks about his continuous problems with a neck injury. After a longish absence from the Cheetahs - he came back recently and his scrumming was seriously problematic.
Jannie du Plessis is a solid scrummer but outside of scrumming he is a real nightmare. He gives away penalties like it is unbelievable and in his last two matches picked up a yellow card in each of the matches. Already on the wrong side of 30 - there are serious question marks whether he should be a future contender.
The other tighthead that showed some real promise is Marcel van der Merwe - but he only had three full matches for the Bulls this year and was in the main their bench tighthead - someone to watch out for the future.
Selectability
1 Frans Malherbe
2 Coenie Oosthuizen
3 Marcel van der Merwe
4 Jannie du Plessis
In view of the fact that as a result of concussion Malherbe may not be selected for the 7 June match - but as one of Meyer's favourite players is likely to feature in the in the other tests. The probable choice for the 7 June match is Jannie du Plessis but if he repeats what he did in his last two matches it will be his last throw of the dice.
No 2 - Incumbent Bismarck du Plessis
The two best hookers in worl d rugby at present is Bismarck du Plessis and Adriaan Strauss. Strauss cannot be considered for the June tests and that is the end of his story.
Selectability
1 Bismarck du Plessis
2 Adriaan Strauss
The only logical choice is Bismarck du Plessis.
No 1 - Incumbent Tendai Mtawarire
There can be no doubt that the onl lofical selection is the Beast - but with the injury to Kitshoff - we are very shallow here.
The only logical choice is Tendai Mtawarire.
