As predicted
15 Willemse 14 Moodie 13 Kriel 12 de Allende 11 Kolbe 10 Sacha 9 Reinach 1 Venter 2 Marx 3 Thomas 4 Eben 5 Nortje 6 Kolisi 7 PSDT 8 Wiese
16 Grobelaat 17 Steenkamp 18 Wilco 19 RG 20 Esterhuizen 21 Kwagga 22 Williams 23 Libbok
Arendse failed HIA last week so guess he was not available
Once more unto the breach.
Probably the best side we could name.
Surprised we've only gone with one lock on the bench and RG doesn't start on his 50th.
A bit worried about Manie in the wet...fine with the rest.
EDIT: WTF? Predictive text does strange things...
I would have had Pollard on the bench for sure.
If need be Du Toit can move to the lock position - so it is ebetter to hav e 2 loosie selctions and only one lock on the bench. A bit surprized about the Libbok selectun on the bench - but Pollard is obviously on his way out of test rugby since he lost a lot of pace since 2024 and became too muc h of a kicking flyhalf like Morne.
I would also conmsider Reinach in the same category - but that try against France may have given him another playing extension.
I cannot see how with the present squad in mind = as well as the opposition involved the Springboks cannot see how team changes can be made this week. As the foreign club players will depart on Sunday that is perhaps why the next test is being played speciifically to use newbies and players like Hooker and Esterhuizen could play - the latter as a center, but fir the future he will be used as a loosie,
Frankly I can see - weather permitting - how Ireland can win tomorrow = especially since hey lack the firepower both in the pack and wider out. Ireland club rugby this year has lost a lot of steam wih older players retiring.
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This is not our best team.
Ox, Marx and Wilco is our strongest frontrow. With OX out injured, Steenekamp, Marx and Wilco is our strongest frontrow.
Pollard is definitely a better all round Flyhalf, than Libbok.
AE and Moodie as Centre paring is better.
Hooker on Wing with Kolbe. When Fassi is available, start Willemse at 12 and bring Esterhuisen on second half for his cover.
Rg should start with Eben. Actually Eben has not been at his best, start Nortje with RG.
Start Kwagga and play Kollisi of the bench for last 30 min. That midfield combination of DDA and Kriel, will implode again.
There time is done!
I'm happy with the team...would have been happy with AE&Moodie in Midfield...and in the wet conditions I would have preferred Pollard, but all round Manie is the better 10 for a running Bok game...his distribution is way better than Pollard's...better hope we don't need a long range penalty to win at the death...
AE is used to playing in Wet European conditions. That is also a reason why I think he will be a better choice at 12.
Pollard does have playmaker qualities, combined with his stable maturity in crunch situations.
So that makes him for me, the more reliable and all round Fly half.
Libbok does have his very good passing skills, his cross kicks…but it goes hand in hand with his erratic style of playing.
I also hope that he doesn’t have to kick any important penalties, that carry the weight of winning or losing.
Yup, no Pollard, really strange that they feel that they can win this game without Pollard. I'm not banking on Manie.
Interesting to see Moodie getting the Nod ahead of Hooker. Thought Hooker had that positioned nailed down now.
Mpower
Lets face facts - Pollard is not t he playe he was even two years ago - injuries and age has taken ther roll on him. Both his decisionmakin g and pace has slowed don - he never was a pace merchant and is slower now than he ever was, A star in the past he is now down to Morne Styn level performances, The Bulls always had a flyhalf problem and White contracted him - but whether he is good enough anymore - will have to wait and see - he under-performed in the only URC match he played in thus ffar,
I would like to see Hooker or the Transvaal player Van Wyk at 13 if the candidacy is for the best players around,
Yes - Willemse is a better player than Esterhuizen at 12 - but according to Erasmus teams elections he is a far better loosie than he is a center. To my mind over years now at the Sharks he is a sub-standard center even on URC level, His two matches at 12 for the Sharks this year was poor and a major reason for losing the match against Ulster, - after that match the Lions easily beat Ulster. The moral of the story was that the Sharks forwards ruled supreme and their backline misfired supreme - the problem being at 10 and 12,
Based on his selections this year Erasmus do not regard Esterhuizen as a real center prospect anymore, I do feel Estehuizen has a few more years for rugby in him - but as a loosie and not as a center,
We need a replacement for De Allende - but hopefully one would come through in future. Wilemse is a good all-rounder to have around - but am still hoping someone will come through in the 12 position.