Springbok team announcement for Georgia - Rassies Rubik's cube Selection policy

Springbok team to face Georgia in Nelspruit:

15 – Aphelele Fassi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 11 caps, 35 points (7t)

14 – Edwill van der Merwe (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 2 caps, 15 pts (3t)

13 – Canan Moodie (Vodacom Bulls) - 13 caps, 30 pts (6t)

12 – Damian de Allende (Wild Knights) – 88 caps, 55 points (11t)

11 – Kurt-Lee Arendse (Vodacom Bulls) – 25 caps, 95 points (19t)

10 – Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu (DHL Stormers) - 9 caps, 52 points (14c, 8p)

9 – Grant Williams (Hollywoodbets Sharks) - 17 caps, 25 pts (5t)

8 – Cobus Wiese (Vodacom Bulls) – 1 cap, 0 pts

7 – Pieter-Steph du Toit (Toyota Verblitz) - 87 caps, 40 pts (8t)

6 – Siya Kolisi (captain, Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 92 caps, 60 points (12t)

5 – Ruan Nortje (Vodacom Bulls) - 7 caps, 0 pts

4 – Eben Etzebeth (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 132 caps, 35 points (7t)

3 – Neethling Fouche (DHL Stormers) - uncapped

2 – Marnus van der Merwe (Scarlets) - uncapped

1 – Boan Venter (Edinburgh) - uncapped

Replacements:

16 – Bongi Mbonambi (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 78 caps, 70 points (14t)

17 – Thomas du Toit (Bath) - 24 caps, 5 pts (1t)

18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) – 62 caps, 5 points (1t)

19 – RG Snyman (Leinster) – 41 caps, 10 points (2t)

20 – Kwagga Smith (Shizuoka Blue Revs) – 52 caps, 45 points (9t)

21 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 59 caps, 50 points (5t, 5c, 5p)

22 – Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) - 81 caps, 784 points (7t, 115c, 168p, 5dg)

23 – Damian Willemse (DHL Stormers) – 40 caps, 56 points (4t, 9c, 4p, 2 dg)

Fouche is shit he does not deserve a test cap - fuck me he is 32 already

Get a grip Rassie

Good to see Boan Venter being capped - he is a good loosehead and no doubt would have been capped by Scotland had Rassie not stepped in

Wish he would fucking wake up to the merits of Tyrone Green

I’m surprised Jasper has not copped a ban - makes no sense - plays get banned for a dangerous tackle - not intentional, yet Jasper intentionally butts a guy and gets away with it

Man, I wonder how Rassie come up with these teams sometimes. I just don't have any clue what is going on in his mind.

It is almost like trying to puzzle together a Rubik's cube with no idea which pieces will line up.

Here we have Dud, Kolisi, Ebenezer, Bongi, Koch, Faf all taking up caps when this should have been our NextGen team.

Nice o see Edwin and Arendse on the park together, but too me they are clones.

I was really excited to see SFM, Hooker, Moodie forming the midfield. I know Saffi would go for Willemse at 12.

But this would have been the game to get your aspirational team for the World Cup on the park. Who is your spine and then rotate other players in and out.

But having 6 players chewing up caps is a crime.

My other question, how will this team click together?!!!

That said, there will be a whole month break of no rugby until Australia touch down after the Lions Series. So the boks will be well rested but also very rusty. Not get scheduling if you ask me. The could have just had Argentina a few weeks earlier and then end the season earlier or something and not have those game in September.

Dave, it is Cobus Wiese, his brother at 8.

Rassie really hates Roos

And they should get some A games for Rassie to test them. A whole month of sitting around, they could have invited the Island teams to come over to play against SA A.

The All Blacks have the Moaris and even an A team they send to Japan. Why are we not doing the same

yet Jasper intentionally butts a guy and gets away with it

That was not a butt Dave, get a fucking grip you pansy. He has been banned for 4 matches. Absolutely ludicrous. It shouldn't even have been a penalty. Bit of handbags, play on. Maybe Jasper should go headbutt Brace so the idiot knows how to recognize one next time.

I am pleased with this experimental team, which allows us to rotate and test new players and combinations.

However, why is Rassie persisting with the geriatrics?

The main areas of criticism:

8 – Cobus Wiese – He appears to have the brains in the family, albeit not that much.

6 – Siya Kolisi - Mandela needs to retire. He is not good enough in his current form and will only get worse before the next World Cup. Plus, we need a fetcher at 6, so we should be testing new players

3 – Neethling Fouche A never was been, let alone has been. Ultimately, crap.

Replacements:

16 – Bongi Mbonambi - When was the last time he played well? Way past it...

17 – Thomas du Toit (Bath) - 24 caps, 5 pts (1t) - Useless at scrummaging.

18 – Vincent Koch (Hollywoodbets Sharks) - Why is this overrated clown part of the team?

21 – Faf de Klerk (Canon Eagles) – 59 caps, 50 points (5t, 5c, 5p)- I think we need to go past Faf.

22 – Handre Pollard (Vodacom Bulls) - I am concerned that he is only a kicker these days.

KC

I am amazed by yor comments as the team against Georgia = it show an unbelievable elvel of rugby ignorance, First of all teams are selected based on performances an it is BS to leave out the top performers because of their age - while givng the younger players some bench experience and being part of the coaching program,

The team for Saurday is bssic would play New Zealand in the RC. The players who had an option to play in the second Italy test fluffed their opportunity and that applies to St Esterhuizen and a much lesser degree to Hooker, De Allende is and remain a 10 times better center than Esterhuizen ever was and at the age of 31 he ill show no real improvment in performances at all. In the case of Etzebeth and D u Toit - as well as Marx they will play against the AB's - bt rested i some tests this year,

Lets get back to Willemse - at least he has class and if De Allende is to be repalced he will relace him.

As an aside there are three things which determine the quality of players and those are pace, ball sense and ball skills, When pace is nt so evident abll sene ensure is that layers are where the action is. As to phsicality the forwards hadve to be physical and in he backline only the 12 needs physicality combined with the three requirements mentioned, Tak for instance Esterhuizen - he has the physicality - but his pace and ball skills are so-so and his ball sense totally absent. That is why he is unable to support backline attacks and is never contributing to try scoring himself and assist in scoring of tries on test level.

I think Erasmus knows why he selet player and what he expect rom playes to show in tests, There were some problems in the first test - but the second test was a wasted opportunity - and the rugby produced would have lost 40=0 in a match against for instance the AB's. No game plan implemented by the players.

So the team on Saturday is an indication of what we can expect from the AB tests in the Rugby Campionship would look like.

Well Dr Lucky is playing Sacha and Williams together…..then there is the Mariana Trench Dud Allende….and outside a very interesting combination of Edwill, Arendse, Fassi and Moodie.

Can the ball fly over the Mariana Trench and reach the outside backs?

Having Arendse and Edwill on the park at the same time will be interesting. Pity it’s such sad opposition

Ah I see it’s Cobus Wiese at 8 not Jasper

Can the ball fly over the Mariana Trench and reach the outside backs? Utter BS as to be ecpevted from a rugby idiot,

CM DDA is a ball killer as seen by everyone and acknowledged by those that are not biased…. So I am afraid the utter BS is coming from you again…..

More anger from Clever….hold on for ‘bullshit spreading’

de Allende is a class act

Pakie open your fucking eyes - it’s was a piss poor reaction by dumb muscle Jasper - while it was not a fiull on knock him out head butt it was more head butt than casual exchange

He was being a fucking idiot and deserves the ban

Springbok powerhouse Jasper Wiese is set to miss much of the Rugby Championship after his forehead decided to make unwelcome contact with an Italian player's noggin in Gqeberha. The incident, which saw Wiese receive a red card during South Africa’s demolition job on Italy (45-0, if you need reminding), has earned him a four-match holiday courtesy of a World Rugby disciplinary panel. The verdict was handed down this Tuesday, putting Wiese on the sidelines for some key upcoming matches.

Specifically, Wiese will be absent for the closing test of the Incoming Series against Georgia in Nelspruit, followed by both bouts against Australia in Johannesburg and Cape Town on the 16th and 23rd of August, respectively. He’ll also miss the opening skirmish against the All Blacks in Auckland on September 6. Talk about bad timing!

"It’s unfortunate that Jasper will miss these crucial matches, but we respect the disciplinary process,"

mentioned an unnamed Springbok spokesperson, presumably while shaking their head disapprovingly.

For those keeping score, Wiese is no stranger to being in the hot seat. His time with Leicester Tigers was peppered with suspensions, including a two-week benching for a reckless tackle in 2021. Not to mention a red card for a dangerous tackle in his final game for the Tigers, which saw him sidelined for six matches. Seems like Jasper’s been playing a bit too much 'heads or tails' with the rules, if you catch my drift.

Wiese will next be eligible to lace up his boots for the return match against New Zealand in Wellington on September 13, followed by a pair of fixtures against Argentina in Durban and then London. By then, let’s hope he’s recalibrated his compass of combativeness to stay within the legal lines of rugby warfare.

Until then, the Boks might be mulling over whether Siya Kolisi could switch to number 8 to fill the gap. It’s all hands on deck as the green and gold brigade looks to navigate this unexpected storm without their human wrecking ball. Here’s to hoping Wiese’s time off the pitch is spent in contemplation rather than confrontation!

Re: "Having Arendse and Edwill on the park at the same time will be interesting. Pity it’s such sad opposition"

If Kolbe or Ardense played at fullback, all 3 of them on the field could be lethal for counterattack.

The endless rugby BS. A headbutt is done with the top of the head….not by placing the forehead on another forehead. A yellow card would have been perfectly adequate, but this is what happens when lawyers get hold of a sport.

He deserved to be banned - it was fucking stupid of him

Yes technically, but it was about as dangerous wagging your finger at a player….if this was Roos you would be apoplectic Dave.

Nope Moz I like Jasper - you just can’t do that, regardless of how innocuous

It was ridiculously stupid of him and he deserves the ban

Well it’s a school marm game now…so yes anything off will be punished to the full extent of the law.

His act was intentional he needs to suffer the consequences

I have an issue with the likes of Willemse being band for a non international dangerous tackle

The most effective headbutts strike the most sensitive areas of an opponent, such as the nose, using the stronger bones in the forehead (frontal bone) or the back of the skull (occipital or parietal bone).

4 week ban deserved

The headbutt was just some handbag stuff taken a bit far. Jasper got the minimum sentence.

Another new look backline but an interesting one at that, there's speed aplenty not to mention skill, it's probably as close to the backline I would start as my number one backline going forward.

Coupla duds in the team......

Bongi should bong out

Siya should CYA

Faf we've had enaff

Neethling is a neething

Go you good things as we suppress our frustrations with some of Rassie's selection.

So Eben plays against the Barbies and Georgia.

Wait, I thought he was the most copped Bok of all time and our best lock ever. I also thought we wanted to spare him for the important games. I guess that after a full URC season, Eben needs to be made match fit. I guess he absolutely had to be involved in Saturday because he stands to learn so much.

I'm also very glad that we have started Sacha against the Barbarians and Georgia. I mean, there was no point playing him against an actual Test side, albeit Italy, before the RC.

No worries, it'll be two totally different sides against Australia.

Rassie has gulped all his own Kool-Aid to the point where he actually believes that picking a completely different team every week actually means something positive.

I can't see this as anything other than squandering the massive talent in SA a the moment.

No worries chaps. Pollard will probably start the first Ozzie game, Manie the following games. Well just keep on licking different teams and I can promise you that at kickoff against the All Blacks, we'll still have no idea what our best side is...and that will have been after 6 games this year and an entire season of musical chairs last year.

We are gonna get so spanked by the All Blacks. They are gonna run holes in us and the Boks will revert to the age old kicking away of possession and allowing them to run more holes through us.

I'm predicting massive losses in NZ.

So we're red carding stupidity now? Which law is that then?

It was a nothing incident. Two blokes sizing each other up. I'll happily have Wiese do that "headbutt" on my own mother. She's tougher than any of you pro-card pansies.

This is trials...the Ausie matches will be close to full strength teams...doom doom doom...

I have an issue with the likes of Willemse being band for a non international dangerous tackle

Yet here you are, supporting another ban for a nothing incident and failing to see the irony. There was far more danger in what Willemse did than in what Wiese did - neither deserved either red or a ban.

Pakie, the difference being that Wiese deliberately made head contact...not with full force, but the law says nothing about how hard...it was clearly deliberate, so he was lucky to get away with a 4 week ban only...STUPID verby...and yes, stupid should hurt.

Yes, letter of the law, letter of the law. That's why Willemse got banned, that's why Esterhuizen got banned for a perfectly legal tackle, that's why a lot of players doing nothing other than playing the game will also get banned in the future. Clearly I'm insane for expecting some intelligent evaluation and nuance to be part of the process. Even a modicum of intellect will be able to differentiate between a headbutt and Wiese's little forehead rub.

But this is pointless. There are two factions in rugby now - those who want the game ruled with cards, and those of us who absolutely hate it for the artificial, interruptive nonsense that it is.

Pakie, you're wrong (please don't tell your Ma).

Sanctioning such behaviour could lead to dickheads deciding to follow suit ... do you then want adjudicators having to decide whether the head action was a genuine Liverpool kiss or merely a feather-like collision ?

The head's sacrosanct .

Deliberate...

Pakie look up the word intentional and you might see the light

If you can’t see what Jasper did was wrong, you are a fucking idiot - it’s the act not the outcome that is the issue

Ban players where intention is involved - no debate

All of this bullshit from the same people that claim they dont want rugby to become like soccer.

I'm with you on this, Pakie.

That was Wiese putting his head against the Italian's and a simple regulation tackle is far more painful and damaging that something like that will ever be.

All logic is completely lost in the interpretation of these things. This is a man's game. There was no punch, slap kick...merely a guy putting his head against another guys head. That is now a 4 week ban.

Of course, those driving the "Wiese" is dumb agenda will try to make as much of it as possible.

How many red cards has he had now? I think he has now been more than what he is playing. Another Labauschachny or Richard Bands in the making. Wonder which boks were the worst offenders in modern history. But Wiese is right up there now.

I'm glad Kolisi is not at 8. Let's see if his form is better than what it was for the Saarks.

Ebenezer definitely need to step up. He go manhandled last time and look like a shadow of his former self.

Good name for Erasmiss Moz. Why does Dr. Lucky Packet pick Thomas again just for our scrums to collapse once more??

Mpower

CM DDA is a ball killer as seen by everyone and acknowledged by those that are not biased…. So I am afraid the utter BS is coming from you again…..

Wh at ou h av e seen is BS you want to see and you mi.ssed the res of t he game invovling De Allende. So tell me what has Esterhuizen ever produced to justidfy his selection ahead of Erasmus, On test level - no line breaks - no tries scored together with no try assists because h e si enver whee th e action is - he also cause ball possession losses, Clumsy and a real backline NO-NO from an attacking perspective - while his defense at times in tests was iffy at best because of pace dificiency,

I prefer test payers to perform on test level and most experts worldwide pick De Allende as the best inside center at present in the world. So I am delighted the site experts do not pick Sring bok teams because they beleive their own B S and will destroy the Springbok team.

.

100% with you Pakie….the placing of the forehead, it was no butt, receives a red card, but a player causing another player leaping for the ball to land on his head is okay….because he had a 5% chance of catching the ball. Rugby now reflects a Woke society. Punish the offender….don’t worry about the joy of competing.