Springbok squad

Ex Keo 

Willie le Roux was among Heyneke Meyer’s newly capped Springboks.

Ruan Pienaar and Francois Louw are the only two overseas-based players selected.

Meyer has selected several uncapped players, among them props Lourens Adriaanse and Trevor Nyankane.

Jan Serfontein, of the newbies, was the predictable choice in the backs, and Sharks lock Pieter-Steph du Toit and Cheetahs flank Lappies Labuschagne are rewarded for consistent Super Rugby form.

Meyer picked the core of the players I had in my Bok 23, with Heinrich Brussow and Bakkies Botha two that did not make the squad.

Forwards: Lourens Adriaanse, Willem Alberts, Arno Botha, Marcell Coetzee, Bismarck du Plessis, Jannie du Plessis, Pieter-Steph du Toit, Eben Etzebeth, Siya Kolisi, Juandre Kruger, Lappies Labuschange, Francois Louw, Tendai Mtawarara, Trevor Nyankane, Coenie Oosthuizen, Chilbioy Ralepelle, Pierre Spies, Adriaan Strauss, Flip van der Merwe.

Backs: Gio Aplon, Bjorn Basson, Juan de Jongh, Jean de Villiers, JJ Engelbrecht, Bryan Habana, Francois Hougaard, Zane Kirchener, Pat Lambie, Willie le Roux, Lwazi Mvovo, Ruan Pienaar, Jan Serfontein, Morne Steyn, Jano Vermaak.

To me guys who should defintely not have been called up are:

Kolisi

Chilliboy (Tiaan is twice the player)

De Jongh

Hougie was also Lucky.

There were some other borderline players like Zane, Spies, Aplon.

Malherbe I am sure would have made it. Deon Fourie too but for Allistairs not playing him 6. His man of the match performance again showed again (Currie Cup player of the year) he is in a different league to Kolisi.

Thank goodness no  Rhule and also no Jantjies.

Its a pity that there is no JP and Bekker.

But a good Bok side can be picked.

I notice Stransky saying exactly what I suggested. Play some of the your younger guys with the more experienced guys on the bench.

Meyer please play Vermaak Before hougaard - he is a lot better. Also Arno is your number 8!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very glad Willie made it!!!!!!

 Overall a good squad. Woud prefer Ebersom instead of dejong,

 Sorry re the duplication Bokbe - I must have been posting just as you were.

Good team. Its a pity re Malherbe as I think he could have made been at tighthead. Is Beast better value than Coenie is a real question. Coenie does far more outside of the scrum? Coenie at least before Adriaanse.

That loose trio is the one I also would like to see, very dynamic. Time to give it a try. I would though have Alberts on the bench.

Cant say I am happy with Aplon starting at 15. Rest of backline if fine. Play the youngsters at center.

ou maaaikie will have a hissy fit. 12 bulle players and de jongh selected!!!

Good squad.....the only ones I am not convinced about are Spies in the forwards and Kirchner, Aplon, Basson and de Jongh in the backs.

I feel for Brussouw in particular, but also for the likes of v/d Walt, Rhule, de Allende, Jantjies, de Jager, Kitshoff and v/Zyl.

Pity we are missing Taute, JP, Frans, Goosen, Reinach, Elstadt, Vermeulen, Marcel v/d Merwe and Malherbe.

See my suggested team coming from that squad.   I will repeat my own suggstions here:-

15 - Le Roux

14 - Engelbrecht

13 - De Villiers (c)

12 - Serfontein

11 - Habana

10 - Lambie

9 - Hougaard

8 - Botha

7 - Labuschagne

6 - Louw

5 - Du Toit

4 - Etzebeth

3 - Nyakane

2 - Strauss

1 - Oosthuiizen

16 - Du Plessis

17 - Beast

18 - Van der Merwe

19 - Coetzee

20 - Pienaar

21 - Steyn

22 - Aplon

Meyer will not select the above team - the Bulls are under-represented  and he will choose another three Bulls to be in the match-day squad.  

Mike, Nkanyane has never played tighthead so that's a big no-no. My side would be:

15. le Roux 14. Mvovo 13. JJ 12. Serfontein 11. Habana 10. Lambie 9. Hougaard 1. Beast 2. Strauss 3. Coenie 4. Etzebeth 5. Steph du Toit 6. Kolisi 7. Labascagne 8. Botha 16. Jannie 17. Bismark 18. Flip 19. Coetzee 20. Pienaar 21. Morne 22. Jean

you are nuts to want Kolisi ahead of Louw. Kolisi should not have come close to making the squad!!!! Vermaak has outplayed hougie consistently. Steyn before lambie. Coenie at tighthead well by all means lets see how he goes. I dont believe his better position is tighthead - he struggles there. Best learn this as soon as possible.

Some poor selections there snapster!

 I have also concluded that Drotsky has Willie in his best position at wing. It favours his popping up in the flyhalf position and moving about. This would be much more difficult if he was at 15.

So who is the then the fullback, Lambie, Kirchner or Aplon?

Kolisi over Louw anyday. Have watched Louw all season for Bath, he has been pretty average.

Willie is no wing, he is not an out and out pace man. Meyer knows this. Willie's best spot is fullback. He has more chace or roaming at 15 than on the wing. He can join the line where he likes on attack and his creativity would be great from the back on the counter attack.

Saffex

Two things - the one is that Adraanse is normally replaced by Nyakamre - but what happened on the field of play is that Coenie then move to tigtjead.   I was not bearing that in mind when I wrote my preferences as indicated.  Thanks for pointing it out to me.  I am not happy with Jannie anymore and unfortunately Malherbe is injured.   Coeni to my mind is better ar loosehead and the way the Bulls scrums crumled today before he moved to looshead prove that as well.   After he moved over tey did not make really an impression on the Bulls scrum.

In dealing with the Number 14 position - we must accept that De Villiers will be the number 13,   I thought the team basically hav the option of playing Engelbreht at 14 - bit I think that would not happen as pointed out by you - they will play Mvovo.   Mozart keep on harping on two incidents in a test last year.   Mvovo has improved massively this year - so he is likely to be the 14 - but then I will like to see Engelbrecht on the bench,

Steyn was back to his own today - kick and kick and kick/   That i why I think Lambie is a better proposition at flyhalf.   Hougaard was good today - but for the rest of Super 13 at best questionable,   He is as far as I am concerned on probation,

 Hougaard was good today? Three runs for zero metres, a turnover, a charged kick, poor passes, and two tackles missed in six. Vermaak was way better, and the Bulls backs never made any impact until his long passes got Serfontein and Englebrecht some space.

 Theres more players that verily don't deserve to be in the squad than players that do base on the facts however there are certain players that are unavailabe hence the reason for that, but still some bad players selected that is controversial. Its unfortunate Piet Van Zyl isn't in as well as Deon Fourie who is more elusive than Ralepelle in every aspect that is needed at hooker, he worked hard but the corrupt system is the cause it. To some extent i don't regard Meyer as coach that can learn fast from player performances, but he selected a few new proficient players that i am excited about. Le Roux, Labuschagne and Serfontein, potential players there that can get good player development and experience at a higher level. 

My starting 15 from the squad.
15. Le Roux
14. Mvovo
13. De Villiers
12.Serfontein
11. Habana
10. Morne
9. Vermaak
8. Spies
7. Labuschagne
6. Louw
5. Du Toit
4. Etzebeth
3. Beast
2. Strauss
1. Oosthuizen

Great to see Louw back with us.

Lucid

Very good team - but I am not sure about Beast at 3 - e is essentially a 1.   Coenie is also better at 1 than at 3 - that being a major problem.   If Malherbe wa available - he would be essentially the number 3 tight forward - so there are trouble in teh camp at 3.   Although Jannie is not essentially up to standard at this stage - I would go for Adriaanse - but he is a bit of a gamble at this stage.  

Nothing special in this case - but he is ebtter than Oosthuizen at 3.

I am also providing the stats of Malkerbe in his last two games and they are as follows:-

Malherbe is more effective on defence and a better scrummager than either Du Plessis and Adriaanse - hene my preference for him.

In my humble opinion I agree with Beeno1 mostly but I would have introduced Serfontein and JJ for centers , made Strauss Captain, Lambir #10, Vermaak #9.

"Penality" Fourie is simply not Springbok material, nor Malherbe.

Remember we want a winning Bok team not a WP side.

Also sorry to see that Meyer excluded that Sharks scrumhalf....he is absolutely brillant but he had the balls to include "Panting" du Plessis.

Makes one wonder just where his head is most of the time.

Mike
Fair comment on the 3 issue, to reconsider i would choose Nyakane or Malherbe at 3 as you mentioned. It depends on who has that versatility in that tighthead prop position.

Arthur John
Why exactly do you think Deon Fourie isn't Springbok material? Are you aware that he is rated the top hooker in SA this year on foxsport fantasy S15? I regard him as a real asset to the Stormers, he plays like a back at hooker which is rarely seen these days and has those Hooker attributes which is required. Strauss is slightly better but hes up there. And would you really leave De Villiers out? His captaincy is crucial, he is in good enough form. We need that balance of experience and youngsters for now. 

Lucid

I as a participant in fantasy sport is aware of the fantasy sport situation.   However,  in SA fantasy sport is not as popular as in New Zealand and there it is an issue that is often covered in newspaper reports,   In a recent article in one of the papers there  it was for instance mentioned that Labuschagne is the top player in Super 15 - being in the team of 85% of all participants in the top such competition in New Zealand.   He is the pick ahead of all the New Zealand loosies and ahead of the Aussie loosie as well.  In view of his performances Fourie is regarded as a regular selection

Fantasy participants are keenly aware of the point allocations made based on match statistics and in winning points for the participant - but that is basically ignored by non-participants wiith their own limited and often prejudiced viewpoints on player performances.   For myself I do take note of that one as one of the norms to evaluate performances.